Assignment: Diagnosing, and Treating Patients With Neurocognitive Disorders
Assignment: Diagnosing, and Treating Patients With Neurocognitive Disorders
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Neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) such as delirium, dementia, and amnestic disorders are more prevalent in older adults. As the population ages and as life expectancy in the United States continues to increase, the incidence of these disorders will continue to increase. Cognitive functioning in such areas as memory, language, orientation, judgment, and problem solving are affected in clients with NCDs. Caring for someone with a neurocognitive disorder is not only challenging for the clinician; it is stressful for the family as well. The PMHNP needs to consider not only the patient but also the “family as patient.” Collaboration with primary care providers and specialty providers is essential. Anticipatory guidance also becomes extremely important.
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There is no Assignment due this week. You should review this week’s Learning Resources and consider the insights they provide about assessing, diagnosing, and treating neurocognitive disorders. Use this quiet week to work on your practicum assignment if you are taking both courses concurrently.
What’s Coming Up in Week 8?
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In Week 8, you will analyze the signs, symptoms, and pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. These disorders occur when brain development does not follow expected trajectories. While some of these disorders can be resolved with appropriate intervention, others are chronic.
NRNP – 6665 Week 7: Neurocognitive Disorders
My mother used to be a teacher—an elementary school teacher. We were all so proud of her when she completed her PhD when she was 50. Now she is 75 and has begun to have times when she does not know what day it is. We found her wandering around the neighborhood because she could not find her way home. Once, she forgot where she parked her car at the grocery store. She thought someone had stolen it. The manager was so kind to drive her around the parking lot until she recognized her car. We are afraid she might get hurt or lost.
—Gary, age 50, son of Dorothy, age 75
Neurocognitive disorders are unique among the other psychiatric disorders you have studied in that they “are syndromes for which the underlying pathology, and frequently the etiology as well, can potentially be determined” (DSM-5, 2013). That is, diseases or injuries are to blame for the neurocognitive manifestations. These conditions are acquired and (in contrast to neurodevelopmental disorders) represent a decline from a previous higher level of functioning. Neurocognitive disorders present a diagnostic challenge for the PMHNP in that many of the signs and symptoms overlap.
This week, you will explore evidence-based psychotherapy and psychopharmacologic treatment for neurocognitive disorders.
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
Sadock, B. J., Sadock, V. A., & Ruiz, P. (2015). Kaplan & Sadock’s synopsis of psychiatry (11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
- Chapter 21, “Neurocognitive Disorders”
Zakhari, R. (2020). The psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner certification review manual. Springer.
- Chapter 8, “Delirium and Neurocognitive Disorders”
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
Medication Review
Review the FDA-approved use of the following medicines related to treating neurocognitive disorders.
| Alzheimer’s disease | Delirium | Parkinson’s disease dementia/psychosis |
| caprylidene donepezil galantamine memantine rivastigmine |
There are no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of delirium. | nuplazid rivastigmine pimavanserin |
Next Week
Module 3: Assessing, Diagnosing, and Treating Neurocognitive, Neurodevelopmental, Dissociative, Somatic Symptom-Related, Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders
In Module 3, you will continue to apply the knowledge that you have gained throughout your program as you practice assessing, diagnosing, and formulating treatment plans for a variety of mental health disorders that are found across the lifespan. Week 7 covers neurocognitive disorders, which describe diminished mental functioning due to causes such as brain injury and degenerative disorders. In Week 8, you will turn to neurodevelopmental disorders, which encompass a variety of disorders that occur due to abnormalities in the developmental trajectory. Dissociative disorders are the focus of Week 9, which involve a significant disconnect between thoughts and feelings and reality. Somatic symptom-related disorders, which occur when patients encounter disproportionate reactions to physical symptoms, will be explored in Week 10. In the last week of the course, you will explore disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders, which are all rooted in a lack of self-control. The effective PMHNP will have a command of these disorders in order to prepare for the certification exam and be able to recognize them in the practice setting.
What’s Happening This Module?
Module 3—Assessing, Diagnosing, and Treating Neurocognitive, Neurodevelopmental, Dissociative, Somatic Symptom-Related, Disruptive, Impulse-Control, and Conduct Disorders—is a 5-week module that continues to focus on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment plans for a variety of disorders the PMHNP will need to identify to be an effective practitioner.
| What do I have to do? | When do I have to do it? |
| Review your Learning Resources. | Days 1–7, Weeks 7–11 |
| Assignment: Study Guide Forum | Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 8. |
| Assignment: Controversy Associated With Dissociative Disorders |
Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 9. |
| Final Exam | Complete by Day 7 of Week 11. |
Go to the Week’s Content