Clinical Application of Antipsychotic Medications in Psychiatric Emergency Care: A Nurse's Perspective on Psychopharmacology
Overview
This reflection paper presents a registered nurse's introduction to an advanced psychopharmacology course, drawing on clinical experience in psychiatric emergency departments. The author discusses practical applications of first and second-generation antipsychotics, patient monitoring protocols, management of adverse effects including neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and the importance of patient education in psychopharmacological treatment.
What this reflection paper covers
- Clinical background and dual experience in emergency and psychiatric nursing
- Use and administration of antipsychotics in acute psychiatric crises including first-generation and atypical agents
- Monitoring protocols and adverse event management including extrapyramidal symptoms and neuroleptic malignant syndrome
- Patient education and considerations regarding benefits and side effects of antipsychotic therapy
Preview
M1D Introduce Yourself
Hi Class,
My name is Leslie, a Registered Nurse who graduated and was licensed in 2022. My primary clinical background has been in the emergency department, starting with medical emergencies at a hospital in Rochester, NY, before I transitioned to the psychiatric emergency department (PED), where I have been in full-time practice. I also work extra hours on a Medical-Surgical floor in another hospital within the locality on a per diem basis. This dual clinical experience in psychiatry and a general medical environment has proved to be indispensable because it helps me understand the problem of treating patients with a holistic perspective, particularly where physical wellbeing issues overlap with mental health emergencies. The most appealing thing about nursing is that I can always learn more and acquire new skills, and that is why I am eager to start this course. The course offers opportunities to learn more about the field of psychopharmacology and how it can be applied in practice.
The antipsychotic drugs were frequently used in my practice in the psychiatric emergency department. I used the drugs in the treatment of acute psychiatric crises, including agitation, psychosis, aggression, or acute exacerbations of diseases like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder with psychotic features. These drugs are usually vital in the quick de-escalation and stabilization of patients presenting in highly acute states.