When pediatric patients present with mood disorders, the process of assessing, diagnosing, and treating them
can be quite complex. Children not only present with different signs and symptoms than adult patients with the
same disorders, they also metabolize medications much differently. Yet, there may be times when the same
psychopharmacologic treatments may be used in both pediatric and adult cases with major depressive
disorders. As a result, psychiatric nurse practitioners must exercise caution when prescribing psychotropic
medications to these patients. For this Assignment, as you examine the patient case study in this week’s
Learning Resources, consider how you might assess and treat pediatric patients presenting with mood
disorders.
To prepare for this Assignment:
• Review this week’s Learning Resources, including the Medication Resources indicated for this week.
• Reflect on the psychopharmacologic treatments you might recommend for the assessment and treatment of
pediatric patients requiring antidepressant therapy.
Examine Case Study: An African American Child Suffering From Depression. You will be asked to make three
decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to this patient. Be sure to consider factors that might impact
the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.
At each decision point, you should evaluate all options before selecting your decision and moving throughout
the exercise. Before you make your decision, make sure that you have researched each option and that you
evaluate the decision that you will select. Be sure to research each option using the primary literature.
Introduction to the case (1 page)
• Briefly explain and summarize the case for this Assignment. Be sure to include the specific patient factors
that may impact your decision making when prescribing medication for this patient.
Decision #1 (1 page)
• Which decision did you select?
• Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patientspecific resources, including the primary literature.
• Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response
with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
• What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and
references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature).
• Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be
specific and provide examples.
Decision #2 (1 page)
• Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patientspecific resources, including the primary literature.
• Why did you not select the other two options provided in the exercise? Be specific and support your response
with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.
• What were you hoping to achieve by making this decision? Support your response with evidence and
references to the Learning Resources (including the primary literature).
• Explain how ethical considerations may impact your treatment plan and communication with patients. Be
specific and provide examples