Loading Bipolar Case Study

Instructions

Review the Bipolar Case Study patient scenario and analyze the data to determine the patient’s health status.

For this assignment:

  • Review all case study tabs to learn about the patient.
  • Download and use the Comprehensive Case Study Paper Template (Word) to write your paper, completing each element shown on the template and in the proper format.
  • Follow the rubric requirements.
  • Comprehensive case study papers should be 3-5 pages long, excluding the title page and references list.
  • Comprehensive case study papers should include at least three current (published within the last five years) evidence-based practice guidelines or articles.
  • All papers should conform to current APA standards.

Patient Subjective Information

Histories

Medical History

  • HTN x 10 years
  • Hyperlipidemia x five years

Surgical History

  • Cholecystectomy X 14 years ago
  • Appendectomy X 12 years ago
  • Tonsillectomy X 12 years ago

Ongoing

  • Obesity
  • HTN
  • Beginning stage kidney disease

Psychiatric History

Inpatient and Outpatient Psychiatric/Mental Healthcare
  • Daughter reports Mrs. Contesta had been an inpatient at various hospitals when she was younger, but she is unaware of which ones.

Past Psych Diagnosis(es): MDD and GAD

Treatments:

  • Hospitalizations at least once every four to five years. More frequent inpatient stays when she occasionally abruptly stops taking medications.
  • Previous medication trials: Lexapro, still depressed; lithium, helpful when taken properly; others, but unsure which ones.
  • Previous therapy trials: on and off psychotherapy.
  • Outcomes of previous treatment: unsure what has really worked long term.

Developmental History

  • Birth History: Unknown
  • Developmental delays: Unknown
  • How were they managed? None identified.
  • If any delays, what therapies were used, and did they help? N/A

Social History

  • Works full-time at a local metals factory as a line worker. Enjoys her job very much. Widowed nine years ago: husband died suddenly in an MVA. Has two daughters, age 29 and 34, and one son, age 28. Six grandchildren.
  • Daughters live in same local, small town and visit often; son lives six hours away but visits as often as possible, she states. No illicit drug use, non-smoker, denies alcohol use.
  • Substance Use: Denies any use of nonprescription medication, denies use of tobacco or ETOH.
  • Trauma History: Denies any history of trauma.
  • Spirituality: Catholic

Family History

  • Father: deceased age 67 (acute MI), HTN, HLD
  • Mother: deceased age 62 (CVA), HTN, HLD, obesity, DM
  • Brother: deceased, older, age of death 59, auto accident
  • Sister 1: deceased, older, age of death 65, HTN, HLD, obesity
  • Sister 2: deceased, older, age of death 69, breast cancer
  • Daughter 1: alive, age 29
  • Daughter 2: alive age 34, HTN, obesity
  • Son 1: alive, age 32
  • Family History of Psychiatric Mental Illness: Unknown
  • Family History of Suicide: Denied

Immunizations and Travel

  • Denies any vaccines other than influenza received at Walgreens this past October.
  • Has lived in the U.S. for 39 years, U.S. citizen 15 years ago.
  • Has not traveled outside of country since moving to U.S. from Mexico 39 years ago.

Preventive Healthcare

  • Last Pap 5 years ago: negative results.
  • Colonoscopy 3 years ago: several benign polyps.

Safety

Regularly wears seatbelt when riding as passenger.

Weapons

No weapons in the home.

Medications and Allergies

Medications

  • Losartan 100 mg 1 tablet PO daily
  • Multivitamin PO daily
  • Current therapy: None

Allergies

  • Medication: Codeine (hives), morphine (hives), N/V
  • Food: NKA
  • Environmental: NKA
  • Latex: NKA

Review of Systems (ROS)

General

Reports usual health as “good as can be expected.” Denies fever, chills, weight changes.

Respiratory/Thorax

  • Denies cough, dyspnea, or wheezing.
  • Denies history of asthma, recurrent infections.

Cardiovascular

Denies chest pain, palpitations.

Neuro

  • Denies coordination problems, numbness, tingling, weakness, tremors. Denies seizures or frequent headaches. Not aware of memory problem.
  • Denies history of head injury.

Psychiatric Review of Systems (PROS)

Mood

Denies being depressed, not apathetic, slightly agitated and irritable when talking about her frustrations, denies euphoria, crying spells often, presence of significant stressors, difficulty getting up in the mornings.

Sleep

Denies insomnia usually, difficulty falling asleep, no middle-night awakening, and disruption of 24-hour sleep cycle. Does not need a lot of sleep, recently.

Interests

No loss of interest or pleasure in activities, social isolation.

Feelings of Guilt

Denies feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, hostility, low self-esteem, guilt, lack of motivation, does miss husband, “sometimes when I miss him so much I feel guilty that I am still living.”

Energy

Denies feeling fatigued and reports she always had “high energy.”

Concentration

Denies difficulty concentrating.

Appetite

No increased or decreased appetite.

Psychosis

Denies delusions, hallucinations, feelings of persecution, preoccupation with religion but does relate “sometimes I think that people are talking about me.”

Self-Harm/Suicide Risk

No self-inflicted injuries, no frequent thoughts of death, no lack of desire to continue living, no suicidal tendency.

Homicidal Thoughts

No homicidal thoughts.

Precipitating Factors

Denies interpersonal relationship problems except for family being “angry with her for constantly cleaning.” “Everyone enjoys spending time with me, I may be a bit stand-offish at first.”

Daughter reports her mother is constantly cleaning out and reorganizing drawers and closets and is “throwing out things, stating she no longer needs them.” The daughter notes most things are not trash or unwanted, so she finds this behavior odd. Patient reports she is “not tired,” even without sleep, and “has a lot to do to prepare for welcome festivities for her granddaughter’s new baby’s arrival next year.” The daughter reports none of the grandchildren are “having babies.” The daughter is worried about her mother’s drastic change of behavior and attitude, which is becoming more tearful, irritable, and angry when they try to stop her from cleaning and organizing.

Objective

Physical Exam & Vital Signs

Vital Signs

Height 5’ 2”
Weight 182 lbs.
T 98.8
P 82
R 18
BP 130/80
BMI calculate at each visit

General Appearance

60-year-old Hispanic woman who articulates clearly with a heavy Spanish accent, ambulates without difficulty, and is in no acute distress. General appearance same as stated age, normal level of personal hygiene; no inappropriate clothing, no inappropriate clothing, no bizarre personal appearance, no body odor.

Remainder of physical exam deferred during psychiatric mental health assessment.

Neurological

Mental Status Exam

General

A&O x 4, Appearance normal dress and appropriate, behavior speech appropriate. Thoughts coherent. Remote and recent memories intact.

Behavior

Unable to sit without looking at clock, kicking legs, wringing hands. No abnormal mannerisms.

Movement

No noted tremors or tics; normal gait and stance; no involuntary movements.

Speech

Speech was clear, organized but moderately pressured.

Mood

Denies dysthymia, depression, dysphoria. Mildly irritable, frustrated with family.

Affect

Full ranging, not blunted, constricted, flat, incongruent with mood, inappropriate, labile, sad, tearful.

Language

No language abnormalities; speech fluent; no dysphonia; no stuttering; language fluent and intact for naming, normal sentence structure.

Cognition

Patient oriented X 4, no disorientation, short-term memory impairment, reduced abstraction ability, diminished cognitive functioning.

Thought Process

No deficiency on evaluation of connectedness; organized.

Thought Content

No thought content impairment; no suicidal ideation, homicidal ideations, paranoid ideations, poverty of thought, thought insertions, obsessions, irrational fears, delusions, hallucinations.

Insight and Judgment

Slightly impaired insight and judgment, poor problem-solving and working memory about past histories. Avoids some questions about cleaning and sleep.

Lab Values

No recent labs on file.

Activity is complete.