Example of case study on accessing and using evidence

Formulated question

Question: If adults with schizophrenia received atypical antipsychotic medication verses conventional neuroleptics, which one will result in lower incidence of violent behavior.

Description of the practice setting

My practice setting is a group therapist. The role of a group therapist extends beyond that of a family therapist to address complications facing several individuals with schizophrenia in the entire community. The aim of this practice is to ensure that the patients do not end up feeling alone with their complications. The treatment involves encouraging these patients to share their problems with others suffering from similar problems. This way, they eventually end up understanding that they are not the only individuals suffering from schizophrenia. Group therapy works under several pertinent principles that involve installing hope, conveying information, developing socialization techniques among the affected patients, enhancing university.

Search for Evidence

I sought evidence from a research by Jeffrey, Marvin and Elbogen (2004). These researchers develop a comparison between use of conventional narcoleptics and atypical antipsychotic medications. Although they fail to specify their overall goal of this comparison, it is apparent that the aim is likely that their aim was to determine the approach that is more effective in treating the violent behavioral conducts manifested by schizophrenia patients in the community. Some effective medical elements for treating schizophrenia include olanzapine, risperidone, and clozapine. Therefore, when therapists incorporate these medical elements in treating this condition, the likelihood of success is higher in comparison to the instances whereby the therapists utilized conventional narcoleptics. Based on this understanding, we can attribute violence reduction to continuous conformity with atypical antipsychotic medications for a period of more than two years. Therefore, the author recommends on use of atypical antipsychotic medications in managing violent behaviors among schizophrenia patients.

Brief summary of the selected article and criteria of selection

The selected research describes Atypical Antipsychotic Medications as an effective Assertive Community Treatment program for treating patients with schizophrenia. It is apparent that after selecting a particular intervention, alternative intervention considered, outcome and client, the researcher is able to proceed in searching through an array of several evidence-based intervention articles for a relevant scholarly article research. This way, the researcher justifies understanding the key elements that forms the basis for the research.
One of the factors contributing to selection of this article is its ability to exemplify the understanding of atypical antipsychotic medications and their effectiveness. Indeed, atypical antipsychotic medications have the ability of reducing the risk of violence as an approved approach of addressing psychotic signs manifested among schizophrenia. The author proceeds to unfolds beneficial impacts of the selected element. For instance, the study explains that atypical antipsychotic medications the negative and positive symptoms manifested in schizophrenia. From this analysis, it is apparent that ” atypical” antipsychotic medications have more superior improvement ability. This study proceeds to praise this intervention by insisting that ” atypical” antipsychotic medications are more effective in reducing the violent an aggressive behavioral conducts prevalent among the individuals suffering from schizophrenia. After reading this article, facts come out clearly. It is apparent that atypical antipsychotic medications increase compliance among these patients, while reducing violent behavioral conducts. The reader does not have to struggle to draw a well informed conclusion. Indeed, if adults with schizophrenia received atypical antipsychotic medication verses conventional neuroleptics, atypical antipsychotic medication will result in lower incidence of violent behavior.
Assertive community treatment (ACT) is a comprehensively illustrated, evidence based case management initiative. This initiative avails intensive and highly individualized collection of services with integrated recovery and medical services. Medical delivery targets an interdisciplinary societal group.

Critically Appraise the Relevant Study You Find

– How does the intervention you have found address the question you formulated earlier?
The journal selected in this article studies Atypical Antipsychotic Medications as a treatment approach for individuals suffering from schizophrenia. Indeed, the selected journal highlights Atypical Antipsychotic Medications is an effective approach for treating schizophrenia. After comparing conventional antipsychotic drugs with ‘atypical’ antipsychotic drugs, Jeffreyet al. (2004) research establishes the latter approach as more effective.
In this study, Jeffreyet al. (2004) may have established that some emerging atypical antipsychotic drugs may be ineffective in treating schizophrenia. For instance, these authors are right to disqualify zotepine and ziprasidone by citing instances when they have proved ineffective. Clozaphine is one of the most effective atypical antipsychotic drugs. However, there is need for more clear understanding why the level of effectiveness in other elements such as risperidone, quetiapine, olanzapine and ziprasidone is the same in treating Schizophrenia. To capture this understanding, more analysis was required in this case.

Determine Which Evidence-Based Intervention Is Most Appropriate for Your Particular Client(s)

In this case, my clients are patients suffering from schizophrenia. For these clients, use of Atypical Antipsychotic Medications is an effective modern treatment approach. This Assertive Community Treatment program is more effective that use of conventional neuroleptics. Providing facts to support this argument, research establishes that this modern intervention uses antipsychotic tranquilizing medicines in treating psychiatric conditions. Incorporation of several chemical elements makes the approach effective in treating several implications accompanying schizophrenia. Some Atypical Antipsychotic Medications contains improved indications for bipolar depression, acute mania, bipolar maintenance, psychotic agitation, psychotic agitation and other conditions. Therefore, the selected intervention is appropriate for addressing group therapy problems.

Benefits of using the evidence based practice process in your field placement or social work practice in general?

In the general social practice, this practice enhances better patient outcome, updates the nursing practice while assisting in the decision making practice. In treating patients with schizophrenia, evidence based practice assists group therapists in selecting the best treatment among an array of approaches such as use of Atypical Antipsychotic Medications and conventional Neuroleptics. By using evidence based practice, nurses make decisions on the basis of knowledge backed by comprehensive research. This research assists the therapists in selecting the therapy and treatment approach that will address the specific complications affecting schizophrenia patients. This ends up saving the therapists more time to utilize in treating patients with more advanced complications.

References

Jeffrey, W., Marvin, S. & Elbogen, B. (2004). Effectiveness of Atypical Antipsychotic Medications in Reducing Violent Behavior Among Persons With Schizophrenia in Community-Based Treatment, Schizophrenia Bulletin, 30(1): 3-20.