5-page Decision Tree Case Study Assignment based on interactive case study that allow you to explore pharmaceutical options and make decisions centered on the client’s needs. You will be asked to make three decisions concerning the medication to prescribe to a client in the assigned scenarios. The rationale for your decisions must be supported with a minimum of five academic resources.
5 page paper written on the case study entitled, An African American Child Suffering from Depression.

Introduction to the case (Page 1)- Briefly explain and summarize the case for this assignment. Be sure to include the specific patient factors that may impact your decision-making (age, race, etc) when prescribing medication for this patient.

Be aware that the writing template and grading rubric require your introduction to end with one sentence that is your thesis statement.
INFORMATION:
The client is an 8-year-old African American male who arrives at the ER with his mother. He is exhibiting signs of depression.
Client complained of feeling “sad”
Mother reports that teacher said child is withdrawn from peers in class. Mother notes decreased appetite and occasional periods of irritation. Client reached all developmental landmarks at appropriate ages. Physical exam unremarkable. Laboratory studies WNL. Child referred to psychiatry for evaluation

MENTAL STATUS EXAM:
Alert & oriented X 3, speech clear, coherent, goal directed, spontaneous. Self-reported mood is “sad”. Affect somewhat blunted, but child smiled appropriately at various points throughout the clinical interview. He denies visual or auditory hallucinations. No delusional or paranoid thought processes noted. Judgment and insight appear to be age-appropriate. He is not endorsing active suicidal ideation, but does admit that he often thinks about himself being dead and what it would be like to be dead.

You administer the Children’s Depression Rating Scale, obtaining a score of 30 (indicating significant depression)

Decision #1 (Page 2)- Begin Zoloft 25mg daily
Resulted in: Client returns to the clinic in four weeks
No change in depressive symptoms at all

Decision #2 (page 3)- Increase dose to 50mg dose daily
Resulted in: Client returns to the clinic in four weeks
Depressive symptoms decrease by 50%. Client tolerating well.

Decision #3 (page 4)- Maintain current dose.

Results: At this point, sufficient symptom reduction has been achieved. This is considered a “response” to therapy. Can continue with current dose for additional 4 week to see if any further reductions in depressive symptoms are noted. An increase in dose may be warranted since this is not “full” remission- Discuss pros/cons of increasing drug dose with client at this time and empower the client to be part of the decision. There is no indication that the drug therapy should be changed to an SNRI at this point as the client is clearly responding to this therapy.

Conclusion (Page 5)-Summarize your recommendations on the treatment options you selected for this patient. Be sure to justify your recommendations and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific resources, including the primary literature.

NOTES/INSTRUCTIONS:

Body of your document

The body of your document should contain three sections that are labeled as follows: decision #1, decision #2, and decision #3. Each section should address the topics below. In your writing, you should be concise, clear, and thorough. Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and specific patient factors must be considered in your writing in order to get full credit.

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 patient-specific 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. *Ethical considerations must be clearly identified/labeled. You can identify them within the decision section (“My ethical considerations are…”), or you can identify them separately in a section labeled “Ethical Considerations.” Either option is acceptable.
Decision #2 (1 page)

Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific 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 #3 (1 page)

Why did you select this decision? Be specific and support your response with clinically relevant and patient-specific 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.