NR 607 Week 3 Discussion; Treatment of Chronic and Treatment-Resistant Mental Health Conditions

mechanisms, alcohol use, and social interaction skills. Other options available to Tate include support groups. There are two options that a PMHNP can present to Tate to assist in medication adherence. The first option is for the patient to remain on Olanzapine 15mg orally and to educate the patient on how to get free transportation by using the Medicaid van through the Medicaid office. Still, Tate would need to schedule the Medicaid van in advance. Tate would also need to find a way to refill his medications so that he does not run out. This option is feasible, but he may have difficulties arranging this transportation due to Tate's lack of social and cognitive skills. The second option that the PMHNP can present to Tate is a long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic, which decreases the need to take daily medication and improves medication adherence. Based on multiple studies, second-generation LAI antipsychotics have caused a significant decrease in emergency room visits, inpatient mental health hospitalizations, and relapses in schizophrenia (Latorre et al., 2020). The administration frequency of the LAI depends on the medication chosen, but it is typically administered every two or four weeks. Since Tate is already taking the oral medication Olanzapine, it makes sense to transition him to the LAI Olanzapine Pamoate. Based on the analysis of 25 mirror-image studies it proves that LAI antipsychotics have a higher efficacy when compared with oral antipsychotics in decreasing schizophrenic relapses and preventing hospitalizations (Latorre et al., 2020). Ideally, if Tate agrees with this option, his symptoms will be managed more effectively and the need for hospitalizations will decrease. Connecting Tate with a social worker to assist him with other needs, such as housing, transportation, food accessibility, and other community resources, should be a part of the personalized plan developed for Tate. A social worker or case manager can be used to check in on Tate to ensure that he has access to all available resources and that his basic needs are met. To address housing needs, the social worker may be able to assist Tate with paperwork for government housing, residential programs, halfway houses, transitional housing, or other local housing for those with zero to low income (Killaspy et al., 2022). Helping patients find a job can be difficult, especially when the patient has no educational or vocational training. The social worker can connect Tate with a vocational rehabilitation program to help them obtain skills for employment (Killaspy et al., 2022). Transportation and medical insurance are essential when having a chronic condition like schizophrenia. The social worker can ensure that Tate's Medicaid remains active and provide vouchers for medications and transportation. In addition to food, housing, jobs, and transportation, having a mobile phone is essential, and the social worker can help Tate obtain that as well. Mobile phone interventions are necessary for those with mental health because the patient can use it for telehealth visits if there are transportation issues (Goldberg et al., 2022). Patients with mobile phones can also use them