Nurse Educator in need of ideas for topics that students can research

[bchat]

I am currently a nurse educator in a senior med-surg course. My speciality is not psych, therefore I am looking for current issues in clinical practice that are important for students nurses and nurses to understand. My students will be required to research this topic.

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

There is a lot of good research coming out about childhood abuse and trauma and its effect on the developing brain. It might be a good topic because there is a lot of crossover (Peds, Psych, etc). I do a lot of reading on this myself as a foster parent, and it is amazing that abuse and neglect causes actual physical changes in the brain that can truly impact the person for their entire life.

[NJRN33]

I totally agree with purple scrubs but as we know our geriatric population is growing at a very fast pace. How about also geriatric abuse? Also anorexia in teenagers and schizophrenia... Good luck

[marshmallowstar, BSN, RN]

ECT - lots of stigma and misconceptions.

Psych in the corrections setting - where the chronically ill end up after state hospitals close.

Off label use of medication for psych purposes - Many meds used in Psych still don't have FDA approval for such use. Ethics? Liability?

Psych med use in children/adol - No studies, safe dosing isn't defined but the kids are sick. what to do?

DSM changes - New manuel due out next year. Proposed changes, impact?

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Side effects of medications--serotonin syndrome, extrapyramidal symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, Stevens-Johnson syndrome

chemical versus physical restraints

how nurses feel about working psych (both if they do and if they don't work it)

children: bipolar or ADHD?

tests used to determine psychiatric illnesses (paper and pencil, interview, blood tests, and brain imaging)

new treatments on the horizon