Depression In Nursing Case Study: Perinatal Depression

Case Study Paper

On April 8, 2016 a 42 year old woman went in to see her therapist because she had a lot on her plate and was feeling quite overwhelmed. It was there in the therapist’s office where she stated “I don’t want to live anymore” and that she was “overwhelmed with sadness”. Although she did not have a plan in place to commit suicide, her therapist thought that it would be a good idea for her to get some help. She then voluntarily went to Contra Costa Regional Medical Center’s psychiatric emergency where she was admitted for major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation.

Patient History

The patient’s medical history indicates that she has a background of depression, anxiety, and cerebral palsy. In the patient’s medical chart, it

It causes severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. There are different types of depression that take place under unique circumstances which includes persistent depressive disorder, perinatal depression, psychotic depression, and seasonal affective disorder. Persistent depressive disorder is a depressive mood that lasts for at least two years. Perinatal depression is what a woman can experience while she is pregnant or after she has delivered. It is more serious than “baby blues” and it makes things very hard for the mother and ultimately the baby. Psychotic depression is depression secondary to a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia. Seasonal affective disorder is depression caused during the winter months and returns every year. It was not noted what type of depression the patient had, but on observation and by reviewing her medical charts it seems as though the patient was experiencing persistent depressive disorder and perinatal depression. I believe that she suffers from persistent depressive disorder because it was mentioned in her chart that she has been in the system off and on since 2008. For her it is something that comes and goes. Her doctor also increased her dosage of Zoloft because of her increased risk of post-partum depression with

Major depressive disorder is usually treated with medication and psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy. Webmd.com also states that if drugs are ineffective and symptoms are severe, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or shock therapy may be prescribed. Before the patient arrived to PES her prescribed home meds were Quetiapine (Seroquel) 25 mg two times a day, which is a mood stabilizer and Sertraline (Zoloft), an antidepressant 150 mg daily. During her stay at PES they kept her on the same meds but planned on decreasing her Zoloft. They had her on a q15 safety check because of her suicidal thoughts and the social worker was also available. I believe the best interventions for people who suffer with depression is to 1. Acknowledge feelings of depression and anxiety. 2. Review coping mechanisms so they are better equipped to deal with day to day life stressors better, and 3. Identify what the patient can and cannot do about the current situation. When you realize that some things are out of your control you can manage depression and how much it affects you. The last day that I saw the patient, she was calling home a lot telling her aunt she missed her baby and was ready to come home. Her aunt told her that she needed to stay at PES to get well so she could come home and to not worry because she had everything under control, and the patient agreed. Although the patient has a lot of risk factors and personal issues adding to her depression, she has