NAME: Cañete, Princess Laira V.

BSN 3-YB-18

ACTIVITY 1 MIDTERM

1. Clients who fail to take medications regularly are often admitted to the hospital
repeatedly, and this can become quite expensive. How do you reconcile the client’s
rights (to refuse treatment or medications) with the need to curtail avoidable health
care costs?

 Provide education: Provide education to pt/families about benefits of meds +

associated risk w noncompliance.
 Involve the client in the treatment plan: By involving clients in tx plan & giving a
sense of control over care. Nurses can encourage clients to participate in setting goals
and making decisions about their care.
 Use alternative therapies: In some cases, alternative therapies such as cognitive-
behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, or mindfulness techniques can be used to manage
symptoms of mental illness. These therapies can be used in combination with
medication or as an alternative to medication for some clients.
 Consider long-acting injectable medications: Long-acting injectable medications can
be administered once every few weeks or months
 Address medication side effects: Nurses can work with clients and their HC providers
to address medication side effects and adjust the medication regimen if necessary.

2. What is the quality of life for the client with schizophrenia who has a minimal response
to antipsychotic medications and therefore poor treatment outcomes?

 -Quality of life for a client w schizophrenia w minimal response to antipsychotic &

poor tx outcomes significantly impacted. 
 -May experience persistent S/S: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking, social
isolation, which impairs ability to work, form relationships, and engage in everyday
activities. 
 -May also experience significant medication SE such as wt gain, metabolic changes, &
movement disorders, which reduces their quality of life

3. Clients who take depot injections of antipsychotic medications are sometimes court-
ordered to comply with this treatment when they are in the community. Does this
violate the client’s right to self-determination or autonomy? When should clients have
the ability to refuse such medications?

 Court-ordered depot injections tx of antipsychotics an be a contentious issue, seen as

violating rights to self-determination or autonomy.
 Decision to court-order tx based on: careful assessment of clinical status, capacity to
make informed decisions about tx, and potential risk/ benefits of tx. 
 Pt has ability to refuse medication, but when their refusal puts self/others at risk,
involuntary tx is needed. 
 Efforts should be made to involve pt in decision-making process & ensure rights are
respected to greatest extent possible.