NURS 6630:Week 7: Therapy for Clients With Pain and Sleep/Wake Disorders

NURS 6630: Psychopharmacologic Approaches to Treatment of Psychopathology | Week 7

Pain and sleep/wake disturbances can have a significant detrimental influence on clients’ life, ranging from depressive swings in mood to difficulties focusing. Clients who experience these conditions frequently go to the doctor hoping to get prescribed medicine to treat their symptoms. Nevertheless, since many of the drugs used to treat sleep and wake disturbances and pain may be addictive, careful client assessments and regular follow-up treatment are crucial. You must comprehend not just the pathophysiology of these conditions but also the pharmacologic medicines utilized to treat them in order to prescribe suitable therapy while keeping the safety of your patients in mind.

This week, as you study therapies for individuals with pain and sleep/wake disorders, you examine the assessment and treatment of clients with these disorders. You also explore ethical and legal implications of these therapies.

Discussion

Sleep/Wake Disorders

It is not uncommon to experience a night or two of disrupted sleep when there is something major going on in your life. However, sleep/wake disorders are much more than an occasional night of disrupted sleep. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that between 50 and 70 million American have problems with sleep/wake disorders (CDC, 2015). Although the vast majority of Americans will visit their primary care provider for treatment of these disorders, many providers will refer patients for further evaluation. For this Discussion, you consider how you might assess and treat the individuals based on the provided client factors. 

Required Readings

Note: All Stahl resources can be accessed through the Walden Library using this link. This link will take you to a log-in page for the Walden Library. Once you log into the library, the Stahl website will appear.

Stahl, S. M. (2013). Stahl’s essential psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific basis and practical applications (4th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. doi: 10.4103/0973-1229.58825 

To access the following chapters, click on the Essential Psychopharmacology, 4th ed tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate chapter. Be sure to read all sections on the left navigation bar for each chapter.

Chapter 11, “Disorders of Sleep and Wakefulness and Their Treatment”

Stahl, S. M. (2014b). The prescriber’s guide (5th ed.). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

To access information on the following medications, click on The Prescriber’s Guide, 5th ed tab on the Stahl Online website and select the appropriate medication.

Review the following medications:

For insomnia

1. alprazolam
2. amitriptyline
3. amoxapine
4. clomipramine

Case 1: Volume 2, Case #16: The woman who liked late-night TV

Case 2: Volume 2, Case #11: The figment of a man who looked upon the lady

Case 3: Volume 1, Case #5: The sleepy woman with anxiety

Review this week’s Learning Resources and reflect on the insights they provide.

Go to the Stahl Online website and examine the case study you were assigned.

Take the pretest for the case study.

Review the patient intake documentation, psychiatric history, patient file, medication history, etc. As you progress through each section, formulate a list of questions that you might ask the patient if he or she were in your office. 

Based on the patient’s case history, consider other people in his or her life that you would need to speak to or get feedback from (i.e., family members, teachers, nursing home aides, etc.).

Consider whether any additional physical exams or diagnostic testing may be necessary for the patient.

Develop a differential diagnoses for the patient. Refer to the DSM-5 in this week’s Learning Resources for guidance.

Review the patient’s past and current medications. Refer to Stahl’s Prescriber’s Guide and consider medications you might select for this patient.

Review the posttest for the case study.

Go to NURS 6630 Week 7 Case Study