References
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Forkus, S. R., Raudales, A. M., Rafiuddin, H. S., Weiss, N. H., Messman, B. A., & Contractor, A. A. (2022). The posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist for DSM–5: A systematic review of existing psychometric evidence. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice , 30 (1), 110–121. https://doi.org/10.1037/cps0000111
Hoskins, M. D., Bridges, J., Sinnerton, R., Nakamura, A., Underwood, J. F. G., Slater, A., Lee, M. R. D., Clarke, L., Lewis, C., Roberts, N. P., & Bisson, J. I. (2021). Pharmacological therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of monotherapy, augmentation and head-to-head approaches. European Journal of Psychotraumatology , 12 (1), 1802920. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2020.1802920
Jones, K., Boschen, M., Devilly, G., Vogler, J., Flowers, H., Winkleman, C., & Wullschleger, M. (2024). Risk and protective factors that predict posttraumatic stress disorder after traumatic injury: A systematic review. Health Sciences Review , 10 , 100147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hsr.2023.100147
Mann, S. K., Marwaha, R., & Torrico, T. J. (2024, February 25). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) . PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559129/
Concept Map: The 3 P’s and Mental Health Care – Mind Map Concept: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Pathophysiology and Etiology
Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
Increased sympathetic nervous system activity
Altered neurotransmitters (↓ serotonin, ↑ norepinephrine, altered dopamine)
Hyperactivity of the amygdala with reduced prefrontal cortex inhibition (Mann et al., 2024)
Impaired hippocampal function affecting memory processing and fear extinction.
Concept Map: The 3 P’s and Mental Health Care – Mind Map Concept: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Pharmacology
SSRIs (e.g., citalopram, sertraline, paroxetine): first-line for mood, anxiety, and intrusive symptoms
SNRIs (e.g., venlafaxine): alternative first-line agents
Prazosin : alpha-1 blocker used off-label to reduce nightmares and sleep disturbances
Adjuncts (if needed) : mood stabilizers or atypical antipsychotics for severe symptoms
Avoid benzodiazepines due to dependency risk and limited PTSD benefit (Hoskins et al., 2021)
Physical Assessment Signs and Symptoms
Recurrent nightmares and intrusive flashbacks
Sleep disturbance and insomnia
Hypervigilance and exaggerated startle response
Anxiety, irritability, restlessness
Avoidance of trauma-related stimuli
Emotional numbness or guilt
Difficulty concentrating (Mann et al., 2024).
Risk Factors
Exposure to severe or repeated trauma (combat, war journalism, violence)
Chronic occupational trauma exposure
Personal history of depression or anxiety
Family history of anxiety disorders
Poor coping mechanisms, or limited social support.
Diagnostic Procedures
Clinical assessment using DSM-5-TR criteria, PTSD screening tools (e.g., PCL-5, CAPS-5), Suicide risk assessment (Forkus et al., 2022)
CBC and CMP to rule out medical contributors and establish medication baselines
Blood pressure monitoring (especially with prazosin and antihypertensives)
Complications
Major depressive disorder, Suicidal ideation or behavior
Substance use disorders, Chronic insomnia
Impaired occupational and interpersonal functioning
Cardiovascular complications related to chronic stress
Nursing Diagnoses
Disturbed Sleep Pattern related to recurrent nightmares and hyperarousal as evidenced by difficulty falling and staying asleep and reports of frequent trauma-related nightmares.
Anxiety related to traumatic experiences and dysregulation of stress response as evidenced by hypervigilance, restlessness, intrusive thoughts, and reported fear when exposed to triggers.
Ineffective Coping related to persistent trauma exposure and maladaptive stress responses as evidenced by avoidance behaviors, social withdrawal, and difficulty managing emotional responses Concept Map: The 3 P’s and Mental Health Care – Mind Map Concept: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Risk for Self-Directed Violence related to history of trauma, depression, and escalating PTSD symptoms as evidenced by sleep disturbance, guilt, and emotional distress.
Impaired Social Interaction related to emotional numbing and avoidance of reminders as evidenced by isolation, decreased participation in activities, and preference to be alone.
Chronic Low Self-Esteem related to trauma-related guilt and negative self-perception as evidenced by self-blame and feelings of responsibility for traumatic events.
Nursing Interventions
Establish a therapeutic, trauma-informed relationship
Assess sleep patterns, anxiety levels, and suicide risk regularly
Administer and monitor medications (SSRIs, prazosin) and observe for side effects
Educate on PTSD, medication adherence, and orthostatic precautions
Teach relaxation and grounding techniques
Encourage engagement in psychotherapy (CPT, PE, EMDR)
Promote sleep hygiene and stress-reduction strategies
Coordinate interdisciplinary mental health care
Concept Map: The 3 P’s and Mental Health Care – Mind Map Concept: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Create a concept map of a mental health diagnosis using one of the mental health scenario case studies presented in this section of the course.
Introduction
Concept maps are useful tools to help care providers and patients visualize the big picture of a condition. By being able to present a snapshot of symptoms, impacts, treatments, as well as contributing and risk factors, concept maps can improve communication, treatment planning, and health outcomes. Understanding how to create accurate, well-organized, and easy to understand concept maps will help you improve your efficacy as a healthcare practitioner and the outcomes of the patients you work with.
Instructions
Before beginning this assessment, make sure that you have completed the three Sentinel U case study activities included in the assessment. These will form the basis of your assessment.
For this assessment you will select one of the mental health Sentinel U case study activities and create a concept map that outlines the pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment of the mental health diagnosis from your chosen case study.
The key components of a mental health diagnosis concept map include the pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment of the diagnosis. The concept map should outline the key concepts related to the diagnosis, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, medications, complications, nursing diagnoses, and nursing interventions. The map should be organized using a nursing concept map template, such as spider maps, hierarchical maps, or flow charts, to organize the information. The concept map should be accurate, complete, well-organized, and use appropriate nursing concepts and terminology.
To complete your concept map, you may wish to follow these steps:
Select one of the mental health Sentinel U scenarios:
Ivy Jackson, 61 YO, Female, African American.
Marco Mancini, 43 YO, Male, Mediterranean.
Wesley Blanco, 13 YO, Non-Binary, Filipino, White.
Research the pathophysiology, pharmacology, and physical assessment of the chosen mental health diagnosis within the Sentinel-U case study.
Complete the case study simulation and download the simulation report showing the patient you selected and showing 100% complete.
Create a concept map that outlines the key concepts related to the chosen diagnosis, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, medications, complications, nursing diagnoses, and nursing interventions.
You may wish to use the Concept Map Template [DOCX] , but are also free to create your own.
Organize content with clear purpose/goals and with relevant and evidence-based sources (published within 5 years).
Your assessment submission will be assessed on the following criteria.
Diagnosis: Describe a mental health diagnosis. The diagnosis should be accurate and supported by relevant and evidence-based sources.
Make sure that the diagnosis is accurate and includes specific symptoms or criteria that support the diagnosis.
Ensure you have downloaded the completed Sentinel-U simulation report showing the patient you selected.
Concept Map: Create a concept map that outlines the key concepts related to the chosen diagnosis, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, medications, complications, nursing diagnoses, and nursing interventions.
Make sure that your use of evidence to support the concept map is explicit and relevant, and that the relationships between the concepts are clearly defined.
Organization: The concept map should be well-organized and easy to follow. The content should be presented in a logical and clear manner, with a clear purpose and goals.
Also, you should make sure that your map is visually appealing and easy to read, incorporating appropriate use of colors, shapes, and symbols.
Professional Communication: The concept map should demonstrate professionalism and effective communication. The map should be free of errors and typos and should use appropriate terminology and language. The map should effectively communicate the key concepts related to the diagnosis to a professional audience.
APA format and style: The reference list should be formatted in APA style. All sources used should be relevant to the topic and evidence-based, published within the last 5 years.
Additional Requirements
Concept Map: 1-page concept map that clearly organizes the 3Ps related to a mental health diagnosis, risk factors, diagnostics, complications, nursing diagnosis, and nursing interventions.
SIM Report: Ensure you download the completed SIM report showing the patient selected.
Reference List: Create an APA style reference list for all sources that you used to help build and support the information in your concept map. Include this in the same document as your concept map, but on its own page.
APA Style: Use current APA style for all in-text citations and any current APA-approved font.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
Competency 2: Create evidence based interventions to address the health needs, risks, and resources of individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Describe a mental health diagnosis that is supported by relevant and evidence-based sources.
Create a concept map that outlines the key concepts related to the chosen diagnosis, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, medications, complications, nursing diagnoses, and nursing interventions.
The concept map is well-organized and easy to follow, with a clear purpose and goals.
Competency 4: Perform comprehensive and focused physical assessments using appropriate techniques and tools.
Upload the Sentinel-U case study showing the Simulation name OR showing 100% complete.
Competency 5: Apply scholarly writing standards to communicate evidence based strategies that support safe and effective patient care.
The concept map should demonstrate professionalism and effective communication, use appropriate terminology and language. The map should effectively communicate the key concepts related to the diagnosis.
The reference list is formatted in APA style. All sources used should be relevant to the topic, evidence-based, and published within the last 5 years.
Concept Map: The 3 P’s and Mental Health Care – Mind Map Concept: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Scoring Guide
Use the scoring guide to understand how your assessment will be evaluated.
Criterion 1
Describe a mental health diagnosis that is supported by relevant and evidence-based sources.
Distinguished
Describes a mental health diagnosis that is supported by relevant and evidence-based sources. The diagnosis is accurate and includes specific symptoms or criteria that support the diagnosis.
Criterion 2
Create a concept map that outlines the key concepts related to the chosen diagnosis, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, medications, complications, nursing diagnoses, and nursing interventions.
Distinguished
Creates a concept map that outlines the key concepts related to the chosen diagnosis, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, medications, complications, nursing diagnoses, and nursing interventions. The use of evidence to support the concept map is explicit and relevant. The relationships between the concepts are clearly defined.
Criterion 3
Upload the Sentinel-U case study showing the Simulation name OR showing 100% complete.
Distinguished
Uploads the Sentinel-U case study showing the Simulation name AND showing 100% complete.
Criterion 4
The concept map is well-organized and easy to follow, with a clear purpose and goals.
Distinguished
The concept map is well-organized and easy to follow, with a clear purpose and goals. It is visually appealing and easy to read, incorporating appropriate use of colors, shapes, and symbols.
Criterion 5
The concept map should demonstrate professionalism and effective communication, use appropriate terminology and language. The map should effectively communicate the key concepts related to the diagnosis.
Distinguished
The concept map showcases excellent professionalism and effective communication, is free of errors and typos, utilizes appropriate terminology and language, and effectively communicates the key concepts related to the diagnosis Concept Map: The 3 P’s and Mental Health Care – Mind Map Concept: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Criterion 6
The reference list is formatted in APA style. All sources used should be relevant to the topic, evidence-based, and published within the last 5 years.
Distinguished
The reference list is in APA format, exceptionally well-organized and provides comprehensive evidence-based support for the topic, utilizing highly relevant and credible sources.
Concept Map: The 3 P’s and Mental Health Care – Mind Map Concept: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
