Psychotropic Medications: The Importance Of Patient Education

The featured article brought forth the importance of patient education in regards to psychotropic medications. A close friend Mrs. Brown shared her story. Mrs. Brown is a patient with a history of mental health, she was diagnosed with anxiety and depression in her adolescent years. Mrs. Brown has had to grow and learn how to cope with her diagnoses through the course of her life. Mrs. Brown expressed that just before her career started to take off the need and desire for a family was growing, but knowing her mental health status she was very concerned about if getting pregnant how it would possibly affect her and her unborn child. At this point in Mrs. Brown life she depends on her medications to function and do her job well; so, the thought of not being on her medications gives her increase anxiety.
After much research and conversations, Mrs. Brown shared that after a year of trying to conceived she got pregnant. As the pregnancy progressed she became very concerned about what her labor and delivery would be like considering her circumstances; so, she got enrolled in childbirth classes and her healthcare provider suggested a list of alternatives to medicine that would help her develop relaxation techniques. When the day came for her to give birth her anxiety was became aggressive and
cause some issues during childbirth. It became hard for her to breath and stay calm. Following instructions from the doctor and nurses was challenging for her and it made labor long, difficult and painful.
Having knowing Mrs. Brown for so many years it was very difficult witnessing her going through such a stressful period in her life. Giving birth is painful and stressful all by its self for someone without a mental or health issues; so, having to see Mrs. Brown go through a full-term pregnancy, labor and delivery without being on medication took great courage on her part. Nevertheless, she made it through and had a beautiful 6 lbs 7oz baby girl. After delivery, her anxiety never subsided, approximately a month post-delivery she was diagnosed with post-partum depression and had to go back on her regular medications.
The featured article from the Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology was very relatable on a personally level because there was a better understanding as to why Mrs. Brown made the personal decision to go off her medications for her personal safety and the safety of her then unborn child. Psychotropic medications while they are helpful in the control of symptoms they are not conducive to use during pregnancy. In fact, as it was presented earlier from research conducted at the Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, psychotropic medications are dangerous for the fetus in utero and after birth.
In conclusion, as an aspiring nurse, throughout my studies, I have gained the knowledge and understanding of health and wellness through teachings and research studies.
The featured article presented the different psychotropic drug classes and it also broke down the adverse effects during pregnancy and post-partum stages, as well as the effects treatment could have on a fetus. There is still much-needed research to be done due to the constant changes being made by the FDA regarding women of childbearing ages and women that are lactating, but until the researches done will be continued supportive materials for medical professional, patients, and patient families as
well.