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Neurotransmitter- gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

1. Application of Course Knowledge: Answer all questions/criteria with explanations and detail.

a. Provide a 5 sentence paraphrased summary of the assigned neurotransmitter purpose and function.

b. Link the neurotransmitter to a psychiatric diagnosis or diagnoses.

c. Discuss associated symptoms of the selected diagnosis or diagnoses. Determine if each symptom is related to an excess or deficiency in the neurotransmitter.

d. Identify a drug class that treats the disorder. Discuss whether recommended medications are agonists or antagonists. Explain how the medication impacts the clinical signs and symptoms (treats the diagnosis).

2. Integration of Evidence: Integrate relevant scholarly sources as defined by

a. Cite 2 scholarly source in the post.

b. Accurately analyze, synthesize, and/or apply principles from evidence with no more than one short quote (15 words or less).

c.  Include a minimum of two different scholarly sources. Cite all references and provide references for all citations.

Communicate using respectful, collegial language and terminology appropriate to advanced nursing practice.

3. Professionalism in Communication: Communicate with minimal errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation.

4. Reference Citation: Use current APA format to format citations and references and is free of errors.

Guide that defines a scholarly source below. All references must be within 5 years.

Scholarly Sources are defined as:

• Peer-reviewed

• US-based journal article for application to primary care populations

• Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG)

• Intended for clinicians (Nurse Practitioners, Physicians, Physician’s Assistant)

• No more than 5 years old (unless it is a CPG’s most recent update)

• Directly related to the situation that you are researching. Ex: sources for treatment of strep pharyngitis

in cancer patients should not be used as rationale for treatment decisions if your patient does not have

cancer)

• Studies should be based on human research

Sources to AVOID using:

• Nursing and Allied Health Journals: For the purposes of this program, the information in peer-reviewed

nursing journals will be correct but not sufficiently detailed, and it is a sign of professional

development to read clinician-level journals, as this will help you treat your patients in the future.

• Summary Websites: Do not use disease-specific websites and clinician sources such as Medscape,

MayoClinic, Up-to-Date, CDC, etc. The information from these sources may not be current.

EXCEPTION: ICD-10 and CPT codes may be researched and cited from Internet sources.

• General Healthcare Websites: Websites that provide the lay person with information but are not

meant for professionals. These could include .org or .edu websites, blogs, or commercial sites.

• Databases: Databases to research evidenced-based practice sources exist such as Dynamed,

EBSCOHOST, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Medline, etc. While it is appropriate to use these sources as a

starting point for your research, the original publication should be cited and referenced.

• Textbooks: Textbooks provide an overview of key information, but again are not sufficient to facilitate

scholarly discussion.

• Quick Reference Apps and Handbooks: These include smartphone apps and handbooks that can be

used to quickly formulate a differential or provide arguments for your treatment or testing decisions