You’re seeing a patient for the first time.

Question You’re seeing a patient for the first time.  The patient is a 34-year-oldwhite woman with a long history of bipolar disorder and multiple hospitalizations -She is college-educated but has endured periods of homelessness related to her illness -She had been stable on lithium for 3 years and was attending school when she unexpectedly discovered that she was pregnant with a baby fathered by her ex-boyfriend -This was 2 months ago; at that time, she was approximately 4 months pregnant -Having heard that lithium can cause birth defects, she immediately stopped taking it without seeking medical advice or substituting any other medications -This is the patient’s second pregnancy; she delivered a healthy infant at age 28; the baby was adopted out in an open adoption -The patient is brought in now by the police for screaming at people at a nearby shopping mall -She is labile, alternately screaming and crying or laughing and flirting with men, and she is often incoherent -She denies homicidal ideation but hits a male nurse who is caring for another patient in the emergency room (ER) -She denies suicidal ideation, then bursts into tears -She has leaves in her hair and is malodorous enough that other patients in the ER complain, but she refuses to change into clean clothing -The patient also refuses to cooperate with labs or even vital signsWhat would you do? -Identify diagnostic criteria for bipolar-related disorders (acronym DIGFAST) -Utilize and interpret screening tools for mood disorders (ex. MDQ) -Distinguish differential diagnoses of bipolar-related disorders -Recommend clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of bipolar-related disorders -Construct psychopharmacological interventions of bipolar-related disorders, augmentation strategies, and understand side effects of drugs Health Science Science Nursing NURS 761 Share QuestionEmailCopy link Comments (0)