DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression

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DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression – Step-by-Step Guide

The first step before starting to write the DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression, it is essential to understand the requirements of the assignment. The first step is to read the assignment prompt carefully to identify the topic, the length and format requirements. You should go through the rubric provided so that you can understand what is needed to score the maximum points for each part of the assignment. 

It is also important to identify the audience of the paper and its purpose so that it can help you determine the tone and style to use throughout. You can then create a timeline to help you complete each stage of the paper, such as conducting research, writing the paper, and revising it to avoid last-minute stress before the deadline. After identifying the formatting style to be applied to the paper, such as APA, you should review its use, such as writing citations and referencing the resources used. You should also review how to format the title page and the headings in the paper.

How to Research and Prepare for DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression

The next step in preparing for your paper is to conduct research and identify the best sources to use to support your arguments. Identify the list of keywords from your topic using different combinations. The first step is to visit the university library and search through its database using the important keywords related to your topic. You can also find books, peer-reviewed articles, and credible sources for your topic from PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Ensure that you select the references that have been published in the last few years and review each one for credibility. Ensure that you obtain the references in the required format, for example, in APA, to save time when creating the final reference list. 

You can also group the references according to their themes that align with the outline of the paper. Go through each reference for its content and summarize the key concepts, arguments and findings for each source. You can write down your reflections on how each reference connects to the topic you are researching about. After the above steps, you can develop a strong thesis that is clear, concise and arguable. Next you should create a detailed outline of the paper so that it can help you to create headings and subheadings to be used in the paper. Ensure that you plan what point will go into each paragraph.

How to Write the Introduction for DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression

The introduction of the paper is the most crucial part as it helps to provide the context of your work, and will determine if the reader will be interested in reading through to the end. You should start with a hook, which will help capture the reader’s attention. You should contextualize the topic by offering the reader a concise overview of the topic you are writing about so that they may understand its importance. You should state what you aim to achieve with the paper. The last part of the introduction should be your thesis statement, which provides the main argument of the paper.

How to Write the Body for DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression

The body of the paper helps you to present your arguments and evidence to support your claims. You can use headings and subheadings developed in the paper’s outline to guide you on how to organize the body. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to help the reader know what point you will be discussing in that paragraph. Support your claims using the evidence collected from the research, and ensure that you cite each source properly using in-text citations. You should analyze the evidence presented and explain its significance and how it connects to the thesis statement. You should maintain a logical flow between paragraphs by using transition words and a flow of ideas.

How to Write the In-text Citations for DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression

In-text citations help the reader to give credit to the authors of the references they have used in their works. All ideas that have been borrowed from references, any statistics and direct quotes must be referenced properly. The name and date of publication of the paper should be included when writing an in-text citation. For example, in APA, after stating the information, you can put an in-text citation after the end of the sentence, such as (Smith, 2021). If you are quoting directly from a source, include the page number in the citation, for example (Smith, 2021, p. 15). Remember to also include a corresponding reference list at the end of your paper that provides full details of each source cited in your text. An example paragraph highlighting the use of in-text citations is as below:

The integration of technology in nursing practice has significantly transformed patient care and improved health outcomes. According to Smith (2021), the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has streamlined communication among healthcare providers, allowing for more coordinated and efficient care delivery. Furthermore, Johnson and Brown (2020) highlight that telehealth services have expanded access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, thereby reducing barriers to treatment.

How to Write the Conclusion for DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression

When writing the conclusion of the paper, start by restarting your thesis, which helps remind the reader what your paper is about. Summarize the key points of the paper, by restating them. Discuss the implications of your findings and your arguments. End with a call to action that leaves a lasting impact on the reader or recommendations.

How to Format the Reference List for DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression

The reference helps provide the reader with the complete details of the sources you cited in the paper. The reference list should start with the title “References” on a new page. It should be aligned center and bolded. The references should be organized in an ascending order alphabetically and each should have a hanging indent. If a source has no author, it should be alphabetized by the title of the work, ignoring any initial articles such as “A,” “An,” or “The.” If you have multiple works by the same author, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest publication. 

Each reference entry should include specific elements depending on the type of source. For books, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the book in italics, the edition (if applicable), and the publisher’s name. For journal articles, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the article (not italicized), the title of the journal in italics, the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses (if applicable), and the page range of the article. For online sources, include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or the URL at the end of the reference. An example reference list is as follows:

References

Johnson, L. M., & Brown, R. T. (2020). The role of telehealth in improving patient outcomes. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 35(2), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000456

Smith, J. A. (2021). The impact of technology on nursing practice. Health Press.

DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression Instructions

ASSESSING, DIAGNOSING, AND TREATING DEMENTIA, DELIRIUM, AND DEPRESSION

With the prevalence of dementia, delirium, and depression in the growing geriatric population, you will likely care for elderly patients with these disorders. While many symptoms of dementia, delirium, and depression are similar, it is important that you are able to identify those that are different and properly diagnose patients. A diagnosis of one of these disorders is often difficult for patients and their families. In your role as an advanced practice nurse, you must help patients and their families manage the disorder by facilitating necessary treatments, assessments, and follow-up care.

The Situation-Background-Assessment-Recommendation (SBAR) format is a widely recognized method of communication in healthcare settings and assists in organizing and presenting information in a way that is understandable and integrated into the diagnostic process. It can be used to present a case as a nurse to a provider, or provider to provider, during consultations. As a nurse practitioner student and future provider, being able to communicate effectively about a patient to ensure the best and most efficient outcomes, is a critical skill. Have a look at DRNP 6540 Week 3 Knowledge Check: Skin and Lymphatic Disorders.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your ability to present a clinical case to another healthcare provider using the SBAR format. Think of this as formal practice in the skill of presenting a case. The following from The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2019) is an example resource for SBAR: https://www.ahrq.gov/teamstepps-program/curriculum/communication/tools/sbar.htmlLinks to an external site.

To prepare:

  • Review the case studies provided by your Instructor, select the case you are to use based on the first letter of your last name. Reflect on the way the patient presented in the case, including whether the patient might be presenting with dementia, delirium, or depression.
  • Reflect on the patient’s symptoms and aspects of disorders that may be present. What distinct symptoms or factors would lead you to a diagnosis of dementia, delirium, or depression?
  • Consider how you might assess, perform diagnostic tests, and recommend medications to treat patients presenting with the symptoms in the case.
  • Prepare a 3-minute video as though you were presenting the case to your preceptor in the clinical setting and post it to the discussion board.

By Day 3

Using the case assigned, imagine you are presenting this case to your clinical preceptor or another provider, physician or nurse practitioner. You will create a short, less than 3-minute video of you presenting this case using the SBAR format. Please dress as if you were in a professional, clinical setting. The idea is to get in the habit of professionally and briefly presenting clinical cases to your preceptor that includes only the information clinically relevant to the case. If possible, please select an established/known patient to present your case on.

Please present the following in your video. You are encouraged to review the peer response prompts for information on how your presentation will be evaluated.

Important: Ensure patient confidentiality by de-identifying any personal health information in your case presentation.

  1. Situation: Briefly describe the patient’s current condition and why you are presenting the case.
  2. Background: Provide relevant patient history, including past medical history, medications, and pertinent findings from physical examination and diagnostic tests. Keep this section brief and related to the patient’s current condition.
  3. Assessment: Summarize your assessment findings, including your differential diagnosis and any relevant diagnoses.
  4. Recommendation: Present your recommendations for further management, including potential interventions, medications, referrals, and follow-up plans, or ask for consultation/the provider’s expertise.

Please post your video presentation by Day 3 of the week assigned. Then, please thoughtfully respond using the prompts below to at least two peers over the course of two separate days, by Day 6, to earn full credit in discussion.

By Day 6

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on 2 different days in one or more of the ways listed below.

  • Evaluate the clarity and organization of the SBAR presentation. Did the presenter effectively communicate the key points of the case? Was there extraneous, unrelated, or distracting, information present?
  • Assess the accuracy and completeness of the assessment. Were the differential diagnosis and clinical reasoning well-supported? Review the evidence-based guidelines presented.
  • do the recommendations align with evidence-based practice guidelines and the patient’s individual needs? Are there any additional evidence-based recommendations you would add to this presentation? Please include references to support your recommendations.
  • Reflect on the overall effectiveness of the communication. How could the presenter improve their SBAR presentation for future cases?

Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the Reply button to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Post Reply, you cannot delete or edit your own posts and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Post Reply! 

DRNP 6540 Week 2 Discussion – Assessing Diagnosing and Treating Dementia Delirium and Depression Example

(Video SBAR Presentation Completed)

(S) Situation

Ms. Lorenzo is a 72-year-old female with a known history of dementia. Her son brought her in today for acute confusion, agitation, and restlessness that started two days ago and reports that she didn’t recognize her own home yesterday. Three days ago her hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) was increased to 50 mg due to increased blood pressure.

(B) Background

Ms. Lorenzo has a past medical history of hypertension, diabetes, chronic allergic rhinitis, recurrent UTIs, and dementia, currently managed with Donepezil (Aricept) 10 mg daily. She scored 18/30 on the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE) three days ago, supporting moderate dementia. There have been no recent falls, traumas, or changes in diet or routine. She denies dysuria, fever, nausea, vomiting, pain, visual or auditory hallucinations, and suicidal ideation. 

(A) Assessment

During my assessment, she is alert but easily distracted. Speech is coherent but tangential. No dystonia. She is disoriented to place and time but is not experiencing any new physical complaints. Vital signs: Temp 98.1°, BP 120/64, HR 72, RR 20. Recent diagnostics include a chest X-ray (normal), CT head (diffuse cerebral atrophy), and lab results showing mild hyponatremia (Na 130) and hypokalemia (K 3.2). UA is negative for UTI, and her Hgb A1C is 7.2%.

(R) Recommendation

I believe Ms. Lorenzo has pharmaceutical-induced delirium (Jerzy & Kosicka, 2023) rather than dementia or depression. I recommend we evaluate her HCTZ dose as this could possibly be contributing to her confusion and electrolyte imbalances (Rosenberg, 2022), causing confusion and delirium (Efraim et al., 2020). I suggest we decrease her HCTZ back to 25mg and, instead, increase her losartan to 100mg daily with a follow-up in a week for blood pressure evaluation.

We may need to address her sodium and potassium levels with a brief course of sodium and potassium supplementation. At this time, I don’t believe her confusion needs further neurological workup as long as she returns to baseline within a week or so. If not, we may consider referring her to neurology for further cognitive testing.

References

Efraim, N. T., Zikrin, E., Shacham, D., Katz, D., Makulin, E., Barski, L., Zeller, L., Bartal, C., Freud, T., Lebedinski, S., & Press, Y. (2020). Delirium in Internal Medicine Departments in a Tertiary Hospital in Israel: Occurrence, Detection Rates, Risk Factors, and Outcomes. Frontiers in Medicine, 7, 581069. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2020.581069.

Jerzy, G. & Kosicka, T. (2023). Difficulties in treatment with thiazide diuretics in the elderly. Arterial Hypertension, 27(2), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.5603/ah.a2023.0006

Rosenberg, K. (2022). Electrolyte Disorders Common in Thiazide Diuretic Users. The American Journal of Nursing, 122(1), 59. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000815448.98112.f5