Assignment:
For your Assignment, your instructor will assign you one of the decision tree interactive media pieces provided in the Resources. As you examine the patient case studies in this module's Resources, consider how you might assess and treat patients presenting symptoms of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders.
Neurologic and Musculoskeletal Disorders and Opioids
Sabrina is a 26-year-old female who has just been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. She has scheduled an appointment for a follow up with her physician but has several questions about her diagnosis and is calling the Nurse Helpline for her hospital network. As she talks with the advanced practice nurse, she learns that her diagnosis also impacts her neurologic and musculoskeletal systems. Although multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disorder, both the neurologic and musculoskeletal systems will be affected by adverse symptoms that Sabrina needs to be aware of and for which specific drug therapy plans and other treatment options need to be decided on.
As an advanced practice nurse, what types of drugs will best address potential neurologic and musculoskeletal symptoms Sabrina might experience?
You will evaluate patients for the treatment of neurologic and musculoskeletal disorders by focusing on specific patient case studies through a decision tree exercise. You will analyze the decisions you will make in the decision tree exercise and reflect on your experiences in proposing the recommended actions to address the health needs in the patient case study.
To Prepare
Review the interactive media piece assigned by your instructor.
Reflect on the patient's symptoms and aspects of the disorder presented in the interactive media piece.
Consider how you might assess and treat patients presenting with the symptoms of the patient case study you were assigned.
You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the diagnosis and treatment for this patient. Reflect on potential co-morbid physical as well as patient factors that might impact the patient's diagnosis and treatment.
Write a 2-page summary paper that addresses the following:
1. Briefly summarize the patient case study you were assigned, including each of the three decisions you took for the patient presented.
2. Based on the decisions you recommended for the patient case study, explain whether you believe the decisions provided were supported by the evidence-based literature. Be specific and provide examples. Be sure to support your response with evidence and references from outside resources.
3. What were you hoping to achieve with the decisions you recommended for the patient case study you were assigned? Support your response with evidence and references from outside resources.
4. Explain any difference between what you expected to achieve with each of the decisions and the results of the decision in the exercise.
5. Describe whether they were different. Be specific and provide examples.