NURS 6630 Week 4: Therapy for Patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Assessing and Treating Pediatric Patients with Mood Disorders

NURS 6630 Week 4: Therapy for Patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) Assessing and Treating Pediatric Patients with Mood Disorders

Mood disorders are known to negatively impact numerous aspects of individuals, children, and adults alike. For instance, these disorders complicate the processes of performing the basic and day-to-day life activities, which is hence a challenge for patients and their families. One of such disorders is a major depressive disorder. Patients experiencing major depressive disorder present with various common symptoms such as loss of interest in normal life activities and a persistent depressed mood which consequently impairs the individual’s life (“American Psychiatric Association,” 2013). As such, it is key to closely monitor such patients for better outcomes. The implication is that nurse specialists such as PMHNP should be able to assess such patients to find out if the prevailing symptoms are resulting from developmental, underlying growth, social or psychological issues. Accurate assessment leads to an appropriate prescription and treatment of the patient. The purpose of this assignment is to evaluate the case of patients presenting with symptoms of major depressive disorder and decision points on pharmacological management of the patient.

Introduction to the Case

The case under consideration is the case of Jeanette, a thirteen-year-old patient who has been showing signs of struggling both at school and at home. For close to ten years, eight years to be precise, the patient has been suffering from various issues such as sleep issues, difficulty in judgment, inappropriate behavior, impulsiveness, and temper tantrums. This patient came to the clinic accompanied by her mother, who indicated that her daughter seemed depressed. The patient indicates that she has been feeling sad, while her mother also indicated that the report from the teachers in the school was that the girl is always withdrawn from her peers in the class.

The mother also states that Jeanette has been exhibiting lowered appetite and, in some instances, irritation. It is worth noting that the patients had obtained every developmental landmark at the expected ages; in addition, the physical examination conducted was unremarkable. The mental status exams revealed a spontaneous individual, goal-directed, with a coherent and clear speech. The patient also appears alert. She self-report her mood as sad even though she was able to smile at times during the assessment. There was a visible paranoid or delusional thought process, while there were also no hallucinations observed. The patient’s insight seemed age-appropriate. Even though there is no clear indication of suicidal thoughts or ideation, the client indicates that she sometimes thinks of death and how it can be like when someone dies. An assessment using the Children’s Depression Rating Scale showed a score of thirty, which pointed to a major depressive disorder.

Decision #1

The Selected Decision

The first decision made at the first point is to start the patient on 25 mg of Sertraline which the patient has to take on a daily basis orally. Sertraline belongs to the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and has been used widely as an antidepressant. Indeed, it is considered the first line of treatment in a case where a patient presents with symptoms connected to a major depressive disorder (Clevenger et al., 2018). This medication is effective in treating mood disorders as it inhibits the serotonin uptake by the brain hence regulating an individual’s moods. The end result is improved symptoms.