Psychiatric Treatment Options in the Older Adult
Course #39040 - $30 -
- Participation Instructions
- Review the course material online or in print.
- Complete the course evaluation.
- Review your Transcript to view and print your Certificate of Completion. Your date of completion will be the date (Pacific Time) the course was electronically submitted for credit, with no exceptions. Partial credit is not available.
Mental health conditions that may impact the elderly patient will be explored, as well as the difference in treating the older adult versus the general population. Nurses should be aware of changes in drug metabolism that often come with advanced age, and therefore, psychopharmacologic treatment options must be looked at differently when treating an older adult. Resources like the American Geriatric Society's Beers criteria list outlines potentially harmful medications for older adults. Nurses should be able to identify potentially harmful medications to the older adult and perform a thorough risk-benefit analysis in the event a potentially harmful medication is being considered. The older adult may also have co-occurring medical conditions that further complicate treatment. It is important to be cognizant of how medical conditions may impact the patient's mental well-being. Nonpharmacologic treatment options are of particular importance due to the risks associated with certain medications in older adults. Nonpharmacologic options for the older adult can range from simple lifestyle changes to psychotherapeutic techniques. Finally, measures to promote overall safety of the older adult and cultural competence will be explored.
- INTRODUCTION
- MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS IN THE ELDERLY
- PSYCHOPHARMACOTHERAPY IN OLDER ADULTS
- PHARMACOKINETICS IN OLDER ADULTS
- POLYPHARMACY
- UNDERSTANDING HOW MEDICAL COMORBIDITIES IMPACT MENTAL HEALTH
- NONPHARMACOLOGIC TREATMENT OPTIONS
- ELDER ABUSE
- CULTURAL PERSPECTIVES
- CONCLUSION
- Works Cited
- Evidence-Based Practice Recommendations Citations
This course is designed for all nurses involved in the care of older patients, particularly those with mental health concerns.
The purpose of this course is to review psychiatric treatment options for the older adult and improve outcomes for older adults receiving mental health care.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Outline characteristics of the older adult population in the United States.
- Describe how medical conditions may impact the mental health of the older adult.
- Review pharmacokinetic considerations when planning psychopharmacotherapeutic approaches for older adults.
- Identify medications included in the Beers criteria and the potential safety concerns with medications on this list.
- Discuss nonpharmacologic interventions that can be used for the older adult with mental health conditions.
- Identify safety needs for the older adult patient and how to implement treatment plan changes while maintaining patient dignity.
Megan Hawk, APRN, PMHNP-BC, CNP, has been a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) since 2013 and a nurse since 2007. She obtained her Associate Degree in Nursing from Kent State University in 2007. She went on to obtain her Bachelor’s degree from Kent State University in 2011 and her Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2013. As a nurse, she worked in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, and as a nurse practitioner, in an outpatient mental health center. She is currently the program direct of the online psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program at Regis College. She has a passion for mental health nursing and teaching the next generation of psychiatric nurse practitioners. She is currently pursuing her doctorate of nursing practice with a focus on nursing education.
Contributing faculty, Megan Hawk, APRN, PMHNP-BC, CNP, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Mary Franks, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
The division planner has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Sarah Campbell
The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.
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The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, professionals' attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients' trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termination of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health professionals' implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages.
Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control-based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual's behaviors. These strategies include increasing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.