NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
Walden University NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment-Step-By-Step Guide
This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.
How to Research and Prepare for NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.
After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.
How to Write the Introduction for NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
The introduction for the Walden University NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.
How to Write the Body for NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
After the introduction, move into the main part of the NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.
Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.
How to Write the Conclusion for NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.
How to Format the References List for NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.
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All diagnoses, from infancy to adulthood, begin with an examination. While an organic basis for most medical disorders can be determined through the use of diagnostic testing, the field of psychiatry is different in that patients cannot be sent to the lab for blood tests to determine the degree of depression. Similarly, patients cannot be sent to the radiology department for a “scan” to determine the severity of their bipolar disorder. Instead, the field of psychiatry must use psychiatric assessments, such as the comprehensive integrated physical exam, diagnostic interviews, and questionnaires to make diagnoses. These tools must be specialized to address the needs of children and adolescents.
Diagnostic assessment of the child and adolescent is a specialized area of expertise. The PMHNP will often see children who have already been seen by a primary care provider. Many PCPs are comfortable handling attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other straightforward childhood disorders. That means that the PMHNP will often treat the more complicated patients. This week, you explore psychiatric assessment techniques and tools for children and adolescents. You also examine the role of the parent/guardian in the assessment process for this patient population.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
- Evaluate comprehensive integrated psychiatric assessment techniques for children and adolescents
- Recommend assessment questions for child and adolescent patients
- Explain the importance of thorough psychiatric assessment for children and adolescents
- Identify rating scales that are appropriate for child/adolescent psychiatric assessment
- Identify psychiatric treatments appropriate for children and adolescents
- Explain the role of the parent/guardian in child/adolescent psychiatric assessment
Sample Answer for NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
Developmental assessment is the process of observing whether a child meets the typical developmental milestones in moving, behaving, speaking, learning and playing (Choo, Yeleswarapu, How & Agarwal, 2019). The assessment is essential because it helps in establishing development behavior concerns and delays on time. The assessment ensures that intellectual impairment is identified and it evaluates how the impairment affects developmental milestones. The assessment also helps in coming up with individualized management programs. It points to child strengths and weaknesses making it easy for parents, teachers, and psychologists to collaborate in developing interventions that meet the child’s development and learning needs. Evaluating children and adolescents helps in diagnosing developmental disabilities which provide a leeway to access school-based and government funding required to cater to home and school support for the affected children (Choo, Yeleswarapu, How & Agarwal, 2019). Lastly, development assessment can be combined with a cognitive assessment to establish if areas of concern can be linked to learning disorder or intellectual disability.
The assessment can be executed using the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale. The scale is ideal for children and adolescents because it is designed for use in child welfare agencies, juvenile justice settings, mental health clinics and schools (Dulcan, Ballard, Jha & Sadhu, 2017). It helps in measuring the personal competencies and strengths of children ages 5-0 through 18-11. The tool measure three perspectives of a child’s behavior which are the child, parent, and teacher and other professionals. The perspectives are obtained using Youth Rating Scale, Parent Rating Scale and Teacher Rating Scale respectively. It assesses a child’s strength, career strength, affective strength, school functioning intrapersonal strength and involvement with the family. Another tool used among children and adolescents is the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS). As a functional assessment tool, it helps in making decisions, coming up with quality improvement initiatives and monitoring service-related outcomes (Dulcan, Ballard, Jha & Sadhu, 2017). The tool offers consistent information and enhances communication between service providers and families benefiting from the services. The tool evaluates the child and family life and views the strengths and need using past behaviors and focusing on current needs.
For children with psychiatric problems, two therapy only applicable to them are play therapy and parent-child interaction therapy (PCIT). Play therapy helps a child verbalize, identify and recognize feelings using games, drawings, puppets, dolls, blocks and toys (Reddy, Files-Hall & Schaefer, 2016). The therapy combines play and talks ensuring that the child gets an opportunity to manage and understand their behavior, feelings, and conflicts. PCIT, on the other hand, offers real-time coaching sessions to help children and adolescents struggling with behavior problems connect with their parents (Reddy, Files-Hall & Schaefer, 2016). The therapist guide the parent on how to foster positive interactions which enhances how they interact with their children.
Parents play an essential role when assessing and treating children and adolescents. They can monitor their child development and thus are a reliable source of information. With sufficient knowledge of developmental milestones, parents can inform healthcare providers on any concerns observed. In treatment, parents contribute through participation engagement. They help in initial identification of treatment goals, reporting whether treatment goals have been achieved, participating in therapeutic activities, sharing opinions and asking questions (Haine-Schlagel et al., 2016). Parents have to change their parenting behaviors, act as co-therapist in delivering intervention strategies at home and support and monitor child behavior change efforts.
References
Choo, Y. Y., Yeleswarapu, S. P., How, C. H., & Agarwal, P. (2019). Developmental assessment: practice tips for primary care physicians. Singapore medical journal, 60(2), 57–62.
Dulcan, M. K., Ballard, R. R., Jha, P., & Sadhu, J. M. (2017). A concise guide to child and adolescent psychiatry. American Psychiatric Pub.
Haine-Schlagel, R., Roesch, S. C., Trask, E. V., Fawley-King, K., Ganger, W. C., & Aarons, G. A. (2016). The Parent Participation Engagement Measure (PPEM): Reliability and Validity in Child and Adolescent Community Mental Health Services. Administration and policy in mental health, 43(5), 813–823.
Reddy, L. A., Files-Hall, T. M., & Schaefer, C. E. (2016). Empirically based play interventions for children (pp. xii-296). American Psychological Association.
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
Recommended Reading (click to expand/reduce)
Optional Discussion Forum: PMHNP Study Support Lounge
The PMHNP Study Support Lounge is offered throughout the course as a place of academic refuge where you can ask questions, offer insights, and interact with your peers. Your Instructor may also weigh in to provide global feedback to the group based on trends, common problems, and common strengths in student posts.
Photo Credit: [Jacob Ammentorp Lund]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images
You are encouraged to provide constructive, helpful feedback to your peers. Advanced practice nurses always benefit from the feedback of others. Your Study Support Lounge posts may be procedural (“How do I attach a Kaltura video to a Discussion post?”), conceptual (“How does this relate to the other therapy approaches we have studied?”), or analytical (“What do these diagnostic results actually mean in the context of this specific patient case?”). Although not mandatory, this is an opportunity to interact and study together as you navigate the assignments, so you are highly encouraged to take part in this activity. Full participation in activities like this is a statistically significant predictor of success.
To Participate in this Optional Discussion:
PMHNP Study Support Lounge
Also Read: NRNP 6665 Week 1 Discussion: Comprehensive Integrated Psychiatric Assessment
Acknowledgment
Practicum Manual Acknowledgment
The Practicum Manual describes the structure and timing of the classroom-based and practicum experiences and the policies students must follow to be successful in the nurse practitioner (NP) specialties.
Click here and follow the instructions to confirm you have downloaded and read the entire MSN Nurse Practitioner Practicum Manual and will abide by the requirements described in order to successfully complete this program.
Sample Answer 2 for NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
Anxiety disorders can be challenging and disabling. It becomes even more complex when children and adolescents are involved, as children may not be in a position to adequately understand or express their behaviors and feelings (Creswell et al.,2020). In addition, the parents may not fully understand the symptoms and signs. Therefore, it is important for a PMHNP to have enough skills and knowledge to appropriately commence a medication management process and therapy sessions and also offer appropriate education to the patients and their families. Alongside pharmacological management of mental health conditions such as anxiety disorders, patient education also plays a significant role when it comes to helping the patient adhere to or comply with the treatment process and the medication regimen (Creswell et al.,2020). Therefore, this blog explores the signs and symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder, pharmacological treatments, non-pharmacological treatments, and appropriate community resources and referrals.
Symptoms
Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the anxiety disorders. A patient with the condition may have various symptoms, including experiences of sleep complications such as easily distracted sleep or difficulty in falling asleep, a problem with controlling worries, unexplained pains, stomachaches, muscle aches, headaches, and irritability (Price et al.,2019). In addition, the patient can have difficulty concentrating, getting fatigued easily, and having feelings of restlessness.
Pharmacological Treatments
As earlier indicated, mental health conditions need appropriate management strategies to help the patient have desirable outcomes. Following diagnostic strategies such as physical examination, blood, and urine test, use of psychological questionnaire, and the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, various medications can be used. Among them is the use of antidepressants such as paroxetine, using Buspirone, and the use of Benzodiazepines, which are used in reliving acute symptoms on a short-term basis (Strawn et al.,2018).
Non-pharmacological Treatments
In addition to the pharmacological treatment approaches, generalized anxiety disorders can be managed through non-pharmacological approaches. The most common approach is psychotherapy, where an individual works with a therapist to fight the symptoms related to anxiety. Cognitive behavioral therapy has particularly been proven to be effective in managing generalized anxiety disorder (Otte, 2022). The goals of cognitive behavioral therapy are to teach an individual some particular skills that can be used in directly managing worries and help an individual engage in activities that they had stopped due to anxiety.
Community Resources and Referrals
Successful management of generalized anxiety disorder may require that a person accesses various community resources and also obtain referrals. Fortunately, there are several community resources available for such patients. They include the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Mental Health which offers valuable information, and the National Institute of Mental health, which has support groups, information, and other resources (Terlizzi & Villarroel). The other resources include the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and the National Alliance on Mental illness. When an individual has been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, the diagnosing professional may decide to refer the patient, depending on the severity of the symptoms. For example, a patient may be referred to a counselor or psychologist for a cognitive behavioral therapy session or to commence a pharmacological management process.
References
Creswell, C., Waite, P., & Hudson, J. (2020). Practitioner Review: Anxiety disorders in children and young people–assessment and treatment. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(6), 628–643. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13186
Otte, C. (2022). Cognitive behavioral therapy in anxiety disorders: current state of the evidence. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2011.13.4/cotte
Price, M., Legrand, A. C., Brier, Z. M., & Hébert-Dufresne, L. (2019). The symptoms at the center: Examining the comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and depression with network analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 109, 52-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.11.016
Strawn, J. R., Geracioti, L., Rajdev, N., Clemenza, K., & Levine, A. (2018). Pharmacotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder in adult and pediatric patients: an evidence-based treatment review. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 19(10), 1057-1070. https://doi.org/10.1080/14656566.2018.1491966
Terlizzi, E. P., & Villarroel, M. A. (2020). Symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder among adults: United States, 2019 (p. 8). US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics.
Sample Answer for NRNP 6650 Week 1 Assignment: Child and Adolescent Assessment
Components of an Annual Exam for Adolescent Patients
The Guidelines for Adolescent Preventive Services (GAPS) recommend for an annual medical examination for all adolescents aged 11 to 21 years. A comprehensive history and review of systems should be conducted on an adolescent patient having the annual medical examination. The history should assess the psychological development as well as identify behaviors that negatively impact the health of the patient (Adams, Park, Twietmeyer, Brindis & Irwin, 2018). The following components should be reviewed during history taking:
- Nutrition: Information on the frequency of intake of meals, preferred types of food, and intake of mineral and vitamin supplements should be obtained (Adams et al., 2018). The patient should also be assessed for eating disorders, obesity, and asked about their view on body image.
- Sleep: This includes the duration of sleep and problems in initiating or maintaining sleep.
- Self-care: The family nurse practitioner (FNP) should assess the adolescent’s awareness of self-breast examination, oral hygiene, and the importance of regular exercises (Adams et al., 2018).
- Relationship with family members: This component helps identify the type of bond the patient has with the parents, guardians, and siblings.
- Peers: Information should be obtained on intimate friends and if the patient is involved in group or gang activities.
- School: The FNP should seek information on school attendance, performance, and the extra-curricular activities the adolescent takes part in school.
- Substance use: History should be taken on cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, and drugs abuse (Adams et al., 2018).
- Sexuality: The FNP should ask the patient whether he or she is sexually active, and further enquire on use of contraceptives, and history of pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (Adams et al., 2018).
During the physical examination, the mother will not be required to be present as it may be uncomfortable for the adolescent patient. However, I will enquire from her on developmental milestones, unusual behaviors she has observed, and if she suspects substance abuse.
Health Promotion
For a middle adolescence patient, I will provide health education on promoting hygiene. Middle adolescence stage is characterized by adolescents refusing to bathe and staying in untidy rooms, and this puts them at risk of acquiring diseases such as fungal infections (Lahme, Stern, & Cooper, 2018). I will emphasize the importance of maintaining good personal hygiene by taking a shower daily, oral care, and putting on clean clothes. Furthermore, for an adolescent girl, I will stress on having a bath at least twice a day, regular change of tampons, and the proper disposal of tampons during menstrual periods (Lahme, Stern, & Cooper, 2018). This will help prevent body odors, prevent infectious diseases, and promote healthy living among the patient and confidence.
Important Screening Tools
In the situation where I suspect drug and alcohol abuse, I will use the Brief Screener for Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs (BSTAD). The tool is administered to the patient or used for interviewing by the clinician and facilitates in identifying the use of alcohol, tobacco, or bhang (Kelly et al., 2014). It further enquires on the frequency of substance use in the past years. The frequency of use is categorized into three classifications, which include: no use, low risk and high risk (Levy et al., 2014). Additionally, I will use the CAGE questionnaire, which elicits information on alcohol and substance abuse from adolescents and their parents (Basu, Ghosh, Hazari & Parakh, 2016). Besides, the tool also helps in initiating discussions with adolescents on their perception of drug and alcohol use.
References
Adams, S. H., Park, M. J., Twietmeyer, L., Brindis, C. D., & Irwin, C. E. (2018). Association between adolescent preventive care and the role of the Affordable Care Act. JAMA pediatrics, 172(1), 43-48.
Basu, D., Ghosh, A., Hazari, N., & Parakh, P. (2016). Use of Family CAGE-AID questionnaire to screen the family members for diagnosis of substance dependence. The Indian journal of medical research, 143(6), 722.
Kelly, S. M., Gryczynski, J., Mitchell, S. G., Kirk, A., O’Grady, K. E., & Schwartz, R. P. (2014). Validity of brief screening instrument for adolescent tobacco, alcohol, and drug use. Pediatrics, 133(5), 819-826.
Lahme, A. M., Stern, R., & Cooper, D. (2018). Factors impacting on menstrual hygiene and their implications for health promotion. Global health promotion, 25(1), 54-62.
Levy, S., Weiss, R., Sherritt, L., Ziemnik, R., Spalding, A., Van Hook, S., & Shrier, L. A. (2014). An electronic screen for triaging adolescent substance use by risk levels. JAMA pediatrics, 168(9), 822-828.
Name: Assignment Rubric
| Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | |||
| Summarize your interpretation of the frequency data provided in the output for respondent’s age, highest school grade completed, and family income from prior month. | 32 (32%) – 35 (35%)
The response accurately and clearly explains, in detail, a summary of the frequency distributions for the variables presented. The response accurately and clearly explains, in detail, the number of times the value occurs in the data. The response accurately and clearly explains, in detail, the appearance of the data, the range of data values, and an explanation of extreme values in describing intervals that sufficiently provides an analysis that fully supports the categorization of each variable value. The response includes relevant, specific, and appropriate examples that fully support the explanations provided for each of the areas described. |
28 (28%) – 31 (31%)
The response accurately summarizes the frequency distributions for the variables presented. The response accurately explains the number of times the value occurs in the data. The response accurately explains the appearance of the data, the range of data values, and explains extreme values in describing intervals that provides an analysis which supports the categorization of each variable value. The response includes relevant, specific, and accurate examples that support the explanations provided for each of the areas described. |
25 (25%) – 27 (27%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely summarizes the frequency distributions for the variables presented. The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the number of times the value occurs in the data. The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the appearance of the data, the range of data values, and inaccurately or vaguely explains extreme values. An analysis that may support the categorization of each variable value is inaccurate or vague. The response includes inaccurate and irrelevant examples that may support the explanations provided for each of the areas described. |
0 (0%) – 24 (24%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely summarizes the frequency distributions for the variables presented, or it is missing. The response inaccurately and vaguely explains the number of times the value occurs in the data, or it is missing. The response inaccurately and vaguely explains the appearance of the data, the range of data values, and an explanation of extreme values, or it is missing. An analysis that does not support the categorization of each variable values is provided, or it is missing. The response includes inaccurate and vague examples that do not support the explanations provided for each of the areas described, or it is missing. |
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| Summarize your interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided in the output for respondent’s age, highest school grade completed, race and ethnicity, currently employed, and family income from prior month. | 45 (45%) – 50 (50%)
The response accurately and clearly summarizes in detail the interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided. The response accurately and clearly evaluates in detail each of the variables presented, including an accurate and complete description of the sample size, the mean, the median, standard deviation, and the size and spread of the data. |
40 (40%) – 44 (44%)
The response accurately summarizes the interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided. The response accurately explains evaluates each of the variables presented, including an accurate description of the sample size, the mean, the median, standard deviation, and the size and spread of the data. |
35 (35%) – 39 (39%)
The response inaccurately or vaguely summarizes the interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided. The response inaccurately or vaguely evaluates each of the variables presented, including an inaccurate or vague description of the sample size, the mean, the median, the standard deviation, and the size and spread of the data. |
0 (0%) – 34 (34%)
The response inaccurately and vaguely summarizes the interpretation of the descriptive statistics provided, or it is missing. The response inaccurately and vaguely evaluates each of the variables presented, including an inaccurate and vague description of the sample size, the mean, the median, the standard deviation, and the size and spread of the data, or it is missing. |
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| Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well-developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused—neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement and introduction is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity. A clear and comprehensive purpose statement, introduction, and conclusion is provided which delineates all required criteria. |
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is stated, yet is brief and not descriptive. |
3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time. Purpose, introduction, and conclusion of the assignment is vague or off topic. |
0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity < 60% of the time. No purpose statement, introduction, or conclusion was provided. |
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| Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation |
5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors. |
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Contains several (3 or 4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. |
0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding. |
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| Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list. | 5 (5%) – 5 (5%)
Uses correct APA format with no errors. |
4 (4%) – 4 (4%)
Contains a few (1 or 2) APA format errors. |
3 (3%) – 3 (3%)
Contains several (3 or 4) APA format errors. |
0 (0%) – 2 (2%)
Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors. |
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| Total Points: 100 | ||||||
Name: Assignment Rubric