Consider one of your clients who is currently taking a psychotropic medication (or more than one). If you do not already know, find out what the medication is, its dosage, how long the client has been taking it, and what your client’s thoughts are about taking the medication. If you are not working with a client who is taking medication, you can develop a hypothetical client for the purpose of this assignment; you will need to provide a brief description of the client (including demographics and presenting issues or symptoms). Consider the following points:
- What were your client’s symptoms before he or she started taking the medication?
- What changes has he or she noticed since beginning the medication? This would include both a lessening of symptoms and/or any side effects.
- Has he or she had any difficulty taking the medication as prescribed?
Next, research this medication using your text, suggested readings, or other resources you may find. Answer the following questions:
- What are the indications and contraindications for taking this medication?
- What are the common side effects?
- What are the consequences of abruptly stopping the medication once a person has been taking it?
Write a 3–4 page paper (not including title page or references) outlining your findings. Be sure to consider all of the points outlined above. In addition, add a section at the beginning to briefly describe your client (omitting all identifying information) and a section at the end, outlining how you would address medication with this client. Refer to the grading criteria for this assignment in the Medication Paper Scoring Guide, which is linked in the Resources.
Assignment Requirements
- Written Communication: This should be free of errors that detract from the overall message.
- APA Formatting: Resources and in-text citations should be formatted according to current APA style and formatting.
- Number of Resources: 3–5 scholarly, peer-reviewed articles.
- Length: 3–4 pages.
