Category: Nursing

  • Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

    Human resource departments are responsible for effectively, legally, fairly, and consistently attempting to maximize an organization’s return on its human capital investment while minimizing financial risk.

    Given:

    As director of human resources at Company X, a company with over 75 employees, you are charged with oversight of hiring and employment practices at the company, including compliance with federal regulations against discrimination in hiring and employment. You work with department managers to assist them in dealing with hiring and employment issues, and to ensure they are in compliance with pertinent federal law regarding the treatment of employees. Three situations have come to the attention of the company’s senior vice-president of operations, who has asked you to analyze each situation, and submit a report regarding whether certain federal acts may apply, or may have been violated, in each situation. The situations are as follows:

    Situation A. Employee A has been with Company X for two years. Employee A’s spouse gave birth prematurely to twins. He requested leave to be with his spouse, which was granted. Employee A has been on leave for 11 weeks, and has asked to return to work, and to be paid the withheld salary from his 11-week leave. The previous department manager left the company during Employee A’s leave. The new manager has agreed to Employee A’s return to the previous job, at the previous rate of pay. But the manager has denied the request for the 11 weeks of withheld salary.

    Situation B. Employee B is 68 years old and has been with Company X for 42 years. During the annual performance review last month, it was determined that Employee B was doing “above average” work in the department. Employee B was denied a promotion due to age. A co-worker given the promotion, who is 32 years old, received a performance review of “adequate.”

    Situation C. Applicant C requires the use of a wheelchair to move about due to paralysis of both legs. The position Applicant C applied for requires movement about the entire company offices, including using the elevator to access any of the seven floors in the headquarters building. In order for Applicant C to make use of the elevators, the key pads in two of the four elevator cars would have to be lowered four inches to be accessible. The work would take 1 day per elevator and cost $1,000 per elevator. Applicant C was denied employment, and was told the denial was because his/her employment would cause undue hardship on Company X.

    Task:

    Write an essay (suggested length of 2-4 pages) in which you:

    A. Discuss the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 by doing the following:

    1. Identify three major provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993.

    2. Evaluate how the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 applies to situation A.

    3. Explain whether or not a violation has occurred in situation A.

    B. Discuss the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 by doing the following:

    1. Identify three major provisions of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967.

    2. Evaluate how the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 applies to situation B.

    3. Explain whether or not a violation has occurred in situation B.

    C. Discuss Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 by doing the following:

    1. Identify three major provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

    2. Evaluate how the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 applies to situation C.

    3. Explain whether or not a violation has occurred in situation C.

    D. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

  • NURS 6521: Advanced Pharmacology Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders

    Week 2 Case Assignment

    Patient Factor

    The patient factor I chose is to conduct factors, which centers on the AO’s obesity. Obesity is a risk factor for both hypertension and hyperlipidemia, just as different conditions, for example, diabetes that can confound treatment for cardiovascular issues. Two components influencing the pharmacokinetics for this patient incorporate helpless nourishment and diminished course. It is expected that this current patient’s sustenance is poor, as this generally goes with obesity (Burchum & Rosenthal, 2017). Decreased circulation can be influenced by restricted physical movement, vasoconstriction that goes with hypertension, and the potential for plaque development in hyperlipidemia. Understanding these danger factors just as the potential impacts they may have on the patient’s capacity to react suitably to a medicine routine and get restorative treatment, the patient should be urged to adjust their eating regimen and exercise propensities too, especially through the proposal of the DASH diet.
     

    Improving the Drug Therapy Plan

               
    There are a few regions for development in AO’s medication plan. Initially, beta-blockers are known to add to hyperlipidemia. Additionally, beta-blockers are not regularly utilized as a first-line treatment for hypertension. Getting this, the atenolol should be suspended. Since the atenolol is being ended, hydralazine should also be ceased, as it should in a perfect world be given with a beta-blocker and a diuretic. Since the suggested first line of treatment for hypertension is diuretics, a portion of 12.5 mg of hydrochlorothiazide should be started every day (Jiang & Lu, 2016).  This medication was chosen since thiazide diuretics are viewed as safe in diabetics, with a decrease in mortality from coronary illness and stroke. The dose was chosen because, however, they are viewed as sheltered and helpful; people with diabetes should be regulated thiazide diuretics at the most minimal conceivable portion. Though the patient is not a known diabetic, the person has many risk factors for the sickness, and it should be viewed as an undeniable chance that the patient either as of now has or will before long create diabetes (Quintana, Janszky, & Gigante, 2016). Simvastatin is a suitable decision for hyperlipidemia, as the statin drug class is the suggested first-line treatment and individual medication decision is directed by the cholesterol levels, which I was not given.

     

     

     

    References

    Burchum, J., & Rosenthal, L. (2017).
    Lehne’s Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants – E-Book.
    Elsevier Health Sciences.

    Jiang, S.-Z., & Lu, W. (2016). Obesity and hypertension.
    Experimental and therapeutic medicine
    , 30-35.

    Quintana, H. K., Janszky, I., & Gigante, B. (2016). Diabetes, hypertension, overweight and hyperlipidemia and 7-day case-fatality in first myocardial infarction.
    IJC Metabolic & Endocrine
    , 30-35.

     

     

    Assignment: Pharmacotherapy for Cardiovascular Disorders

    …heart disease remains the No. 1 killer in America; nearly half of all Americans have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or smoke—some of the leading risk factors for heart disease…

    —Murphy et al., 2018

    Despite the high mortality rates associated with cardiovascular disorders, improved treatment options do exist that can help address those risk factors that afflict the majority of the population today.

    Photo Credit: Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF

    As an advanced practice nurse, it is your responsibility to recommend appropriate treatment options for patients with cardiovascular disorders. To ensure the safety and effectiveness of drug therapy, advanced practice nurses must consider aspects that might influence pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes such as medical history, other drugs currently prescribed, and individual patient factors.

    Reference: Murphy, S. L., Xu, J., Kochanek, K. D., & Arias, E. (2018). Mortality in the United States, 2017. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db328.htm

    To Prepare

    Review the Resources for this module and consider the impact of potential pharmacotherapeutics for cardiovascular disorders introduced in the media piece.

    Review the case study assigned by your Instructor for this Assignment.

    Select one the following factors: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior factors.

    Reflect on how the factor you selected might influence the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes.

    Consider how changes in the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.

    Think about how you might improve the patient’s drug therapy plan based on the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes. Reflect on whether you would modify the current drug treatment or provide an alternative treatment option for the patient.

    By Day 7 of Week 2

    Write
     a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:

    Explain how the factor you selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient from the case study you were assigned.

    Describe how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy. Be specific and provide examples.

    Explain how you might improve the patient’s drug therapy plan and explain why you would make these recommended improvements.

    Reminder:
     The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The College of Nursing Writing Template with Instructions provided at the Walden Writing Center offers an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

    Submission and Grading Information

    To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

    Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.

    Click the 
    Week 2 Assignment Rubric 
    to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.

    Click the 
    Week 2 Assignment 
    link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.

    Next, from the Attach File area, click on the 
    Browse My Computer
     button. Find the document you saved as “WK2Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click 
    Open
    .

    If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for 
    I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database
    .

    Click on the 
    Submit
     button to complete your submission.

     

    NURS_6521_Week2_Assignment_Rubric

    Grid View

    List View

    Excellent

    Good

    Fair

    Poor

    Explain how the factor you selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient from the case study you were assigned.

    23 
    (23%)
     – 25 
    (25%)

    The response accurately and completely explains in detail how the factor selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient.

    20 
    (20%)
     – 22 
    (22%)

    The response provides a basic explanation of how the factor selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient.

    18 
    (18%)
     – 19 
    (19%)

    The response inaccurately or vaguely explains how the factor selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 17 
    (17%)

    The response inaccurately and vaguely explains how the factor selected might influence the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes in the patient, or is missing.

    Describe how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy. Be specific and provide examples.

    27 
    (27%)
     – 30 
    (30%)

    The response accurately and completely describes in detail how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.

    Accurate, complete, and aligned examples are provided to support the response.

    24 
    (24%)
     – 26 
    (26%)

    The response accurately describes how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.

    Accurate examples may be provided to support the response.

    21 
    (21%)
     – 23 
    (23%)

    The response inaccurately or vaguely describes how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy.

    Inaccurate or vague examples are provided to support the response.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 20 
    (20%)

    The response inaccurately and vaguely describes how changes in the processes might impact the patient’s recommended drug therapy, or is missing.

    Inaccurate and vague examples may be provided to support the response, or is missing.

    Explain how you might improve the patient’s drug therapy plan, and explain why you would make these recommended improvements.

    27 
    (27%)
     – 30 
    (30%)

    The response accurately and clearly explains in detail how to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan.

    The response includes an accurate and detailed explanation to support the recommended improvements.

    24 
    (24%)
     – 26 
    (26%)

    The response accurately explains how to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan.

    The response may include an accurate explanation to support the recommended improvements.

    21 
    (21%)
     – 23 
    (23%)

    The response inaccurately or vaguely explains how to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan.

    The response may include an inaccurate, vague, or misaligned explanation to support the recommended improvements.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 20 
    (20%)

    The response inaccurately and vaguely explains how to improve the patient’s drug therapy plan, or is missing.

    The response may include an inaccurate and vague explanation to support the recommended improvements, or is missing.

    Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization:

    Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance.

    5 
    (5%)
     – 5 
    (5%)

    Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity.

    4 
    (4%)
     – 4 
    (4%)

    Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time.

    3.5 
    (3.5%)
     – 3.5 
    (3.5%)

    Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 3 
    (3%)

    Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity less than 60% of the time.

    Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards:

    Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation

    5 
    (5%)
     – 5 
    (5%)

    Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors

    4 
    (4%)
     – 4 
    (4%)

    Contains a few (1–2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors

    3.5 
    (3.5%)
     – 3.5 
    (3.5%)

    Contains several (3–4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors

    0 
    (0%)
     – 3 
    (3%)

    Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding

    Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, running head, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.

    5 
    (5%)
     – 5 
    (5%)

    Uses correct APA format with no errors

    4 
    (4%)
     – 4 
    (4%)

    Contains a few (1–2) APA format errors

    3.5 
    (3.5%)
     – 3.5 
    (3.5%)

    Contains several (3–4) APA format errors

    0 
    (0%)
     – 3 
    (3%)

    Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors

    Total Points: 100

    Name: NURS_6521_Week2_Assignment_Rubric

  • Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, or HCAHPS

    This assessment will require you to analyze a healthcare system’s survey data (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, or HCAHPS) and develop a strategic plan for improvement of organizational scores. The HCAHPS results posted on Hospital Compare, which is part of the government’s Medicare website, allow consumers to make fair and objective comparisons between hospitals and state and national averages on important measures related to the patient’s unique perspective of the care received. You will need to incorporate the most recent survey scores data analysis (including comparison scores/benchmarking), impact of scores (financial and quality), organizational structure/design, use of technology, and influential cultural and social/environmental factors into this project. You may select a method of presentation that involves either a media presentation or a business plan document that will provide a thorough analysis, a plan that includes stakeholder involvement, and a timeline for implementation, evaluation, and outcome measurement.

    Scenario:

    You are the newly appointed chief nursing officer of a hospital and have been tasked with improving the most recently reported HCAHPS score for the entire organization. The hospital board is requesting a detailed report, analysis, and plan to improve these results. You are instructed to complete the full data and impact analysis; develop a detailed strategic plan to improve the scores in all areas of the hospital, incorporating quality improvement, shared accountability, technology, care delivery model, and financial stability; propose a rapid implementation timeline; and outline the process of evaluation in an effective presentation that you will present at the next board meeting.

    Requirements:

    Create a multimedia presentation or business plan document in which you do the following:

    Note: If a multimedia presentation is selected, presenter notes must be included for each slide in order to fully cover the level of explanation, analysis, and discussion necessary.

    A. Provide the HCAHPS scores for a hospital of your choice.

    Note: Refer to the web link to find HCAHPS scores for various hospitals.

    B. Analyze the HCAHPS scores of your chosen hospital by doing the following:

    1. Compare the scores to state and national averages.

    2. Compare the scores to two other hospitals in the region.

    3. Compare the survey response rates to two other hospitals in the region.

    4. Describe the hospital’s demographic patient population and services provided.

    5. Discuss how the following environmental and community factors could potentially influence HCAHPS scores:

    a. cultural dynamics

    b. educational dynamics

    c. socioeconomic dynamics

    6. Explain potential short- and long-term financial impact on the organization.

    a. Discuss potential impact on quality outcomes.

    C. Discuss the potential cause of the chosen hospital’s HCAHPS scores.

    D. Develop an organizational strategic plan to improve the chosen hospital’s HCAHPS scores throughout the organization by doing the following:

    1. Explain how organizational change can help improve the chosen hospital’s HCAHPS scores.

    2. Discuss the structure (i.e., framework), process (i.e., actions), and outcomes of the strategic plan.

    3. Discuss how you would incorporate evidence-based practice and shared governance to improve organizational quality.

    4. Explain methods you would use to incorporate concepts of shared accountability among patients, medical providers, payers (e.g., insurance providers, Medicare, Medicaid), and personnel.

    5. Explain methods you would use to incorporate technology trends within healthcare.

    6. Explain methods you would use to improve the care delivery system, including the topics of quality, cost, access, and patient-centered care.

    7. Explain methods you would use to improve financial stability.

    E. Develop an implementation plan and timeline for the strategic plan you developed in part D by doing the following:

    1. Discuss key roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.

    2. Discuss how you would ensure stakeholder accountability and involvement.

    3. Discuss any training staff would need in order to implement the plan.

    4. Outline a timeline for implementation of your plan, including periodic review checkpoints to measure progress.

    F. Discuss the process you would use to evaluate the success of the strategic plan, including the following:

    • method of measurement that would be used

    • evaluation of the timeline

    • method of analysis

    1. Discuss how you would involve key stakeholders in the evaluation process.

    2. Explain how the evaluation results will be communicated internally and externally.

    G. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format

  • Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment

    Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment

    Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs

    When a patient enters the health center, medication is very likely to be administered. A health history and a patient’s medical evaluation are important things to examine when administering medication. A nurse or doctor should administer the care of the condition and be informed of the standard a condition should be offered depending on a background of health and physical inspection (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2020). In this discussion, the essay focuses on Scenario 2 to clarify the ethical and legal ramifications of patient family, prescriber, pharmacist and patient to all parties concerned. The discussion continues by explaining the methods I will use to drive decision-making for an experienced clinical nurse in the selected scenario Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment.

    Selected scenario

    A colleague calls and demands for drugs to be taken for her. You are self-sufficient, but do not have the medical experience of your mate. Anyway, you write the drug.
    Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment
    The ethical, as well as legal implications of the scenario on all stakeholders such as the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and patient’s family, discuss as follow:

    PLACE YOUR ORDER HERE

    Nurse Practitioner
    : A nurse who uses medications without performing the requisite testing, evaluation and legal consequences such as absence, as needed by the medical code of ethics, such as the Colorado “Medical Practice Act,” breaches the code and is unprofessional (Sabatino & Pruchnicki, 2017). The NP who prescribes medication for a friend without a medical background fears jeopardizing his permit since adverse reactions can turn fatal. A nurse has the ethical obligation to prescribe the best medication, but only after a medical exam and evaluation.

    Pharmacist
    :  In mediation, a pharmacy dealer who carries out a prescription does not presume that the prescriber has made an examination, nor that the practitioner is ethically and legitimately liable for the background before the order is submitted.
    Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment
    Thus, loading the Rx with the pharmacist’s chance of losing the license while knowing his clinical background.

    Patient and family:
    Prescribing drugs to a patient is morally and technically permissible whether a patient may not have an awareness of his or her background, evaluation and allergies. Therefore the patient and the relatives will bring court charges against the nurse and pharmacy firm should any incident take place
    .

    Strategies to Guide Decision making

    The first strategy is to call the patient before prescribing medication and to make an appropriate date for a medical evaluation to reach the condition. Medical testing and an assessment may lead to the patient’s medical condition and, therefore, to the required medication (Musellim & Borekci, 2017).
      
    In medical and personal interactions, faulty and incorrect prescribe inaccurate medications, less frequent usage for preventive treatment, loss of medical satisfactions, and escalated aggressive incidents against healthcare providers, maybe the result of a patient’s evaluation over a short duration of time. The patient assessment period could have been influenced too gradually or too rapidly.

    The second strategy is to do the clinical examination before administering medication to assess the condition of the patient. Clinical trials are study experiments in which patients actively undergo experimental therapeutic techniques, techniques or measures in order to avoid, diagnose, cure or control various conditions or diseases (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2020). Some studies consider how people react to a new procedure and what side effects may be created. The third method is to implement a prescriptive decision-making process by looking at the patient’s family members and their prior fitness. The prescriptive method of educated judgment aid approaches describes a variety of strategies to enable citizens to think differently about a decision.

    Process of Writing Prescriptions

               
    There are important things that physicians should consider before writing medications. Relevant elements must also be considered. Again, it is necessary to remember that there are norms in various countries. The criteria specify that the details on medications are provided. Both medications usually tend to use a vocabulary the consumer can understand such that they can learn quickly how to take medicine. Secondly, it is important to write clearly in writing while writing the medication (Solanki & Shah, 2015)
    Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment
    . Third, it is necessary to determine the duration of usage of the medication and the days the patient is supposed to take. Additional detail used is subject to local drug laws. With the exponential advancement of technology, electronic prescribing will continue to reduce the cost-effectiveness of drug mistakes. Electronic prescribing is an efficient means of eliminating medication errors. The continuous dependency on handwriting writing is one of the factors that have made medication mistakes inevitable (Nickless & Davies, 2016). Handwritten prescriptions might be negligible. Problems like this can be overcome by technology-based prescribing, as this will help to reduce drug mistakes.

     

     

     

    References

    Musellim, B., & Borekci, S. (2017). What should be the appropriate minimal duration for patient examination and evaluation in pulmonary outpatient clinics?
    Annals of Thoracic Medicine, 12
    (3), 177–182. doi:10.4103/atm.ATM_396_16

    Nickless, G., & Davies, R. (2016). How to take an accurate and detailed medication history.
    The Pharmaceutical Journal
    .

    Rosenthal, L., & Burchum, J. (2020).
    Lehne’s Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nurses and Physician Assistants.
    Elsevier – Health Sciences Division. Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment

    Sabatino, J. A., & Pruchnicki, M. C. (2017). Improving prescribing practices: A pharmacist-led educational intervention for nurse practitioner students.
    Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 29
    (5), 248-254. doi:10.1002/2327-6924.12446

    Solanki, N. D., & Shah, C. (2015). Prescription audit in outpatient department of multispecialty hospital in western India: an observational study.
    International Journal of Clinical Trials
    , 14-19.

     

     

    Assignment: Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs

    What type of drug should you prescribe based on your patient’s diagnosis? How much of the drug should the patient receive? How often should the drug be administered? When should the drug not be prescribed? Are there individual patient factors that could create complications when taking the drug? Should 
    you
     be prescribing drugs to 
    this 
    patient? How might different state regulations affect the prescribing of this drug to this patient?
    Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment

    These are some of the questions you might consider when selecting a treatment plan for a patient.

    Photo Credit: Getty Images/Caiaimage

    As an advanced practice nurse prescribing drugs, you are held accountable for people’s lives every day. Patients and their families will often place trust in you because of your position. With this trust comes power and responsibility, as well as an ethical and legal obligation to “do no harm.” It is important that you are aware of current professional, legal, and ethical standards for advanced practice nurses with prescriptive authority. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the treatment plans and administration/prescribing of drugs is in accordance with the regulations of the state in which you practice. Understanding how these regulations may affect the prescribing of certain drugs in different states may have a significant impact on your patient’s treatment plan. In this Assignment, you explore ethical and legal implications of scenarios and consider how to appropriately respond.

    To Prepare

    Review the Resources for this module and consider the legal and ethical implications of prescribing prescription drugs, disclosure, and nondisclosure.

    Review the scenario assigned by your Instructor for this Assignment.

    Search specific laws and standards for prescribing prescription drugs and for addressing medication errors for your state or region, and reflect on these as you review the scenario assigned by your Instructor.

    Consider the ethical and legal implications of the scenario for all stakeholders involved, such as the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and patient’s family. Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment

    Think about two strategies that you, as an advanced practice nurse, would use to guide your ethically and legally responsible decision-making in this scenario, including whether you would disclose any medication errors.

    By Day 7 of Week 1

    Write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:

    Explain the ethical and legal implications of the scenario you selected on all stakeholders involved, such as the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and patient’s family.

    Describe strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure as identified in the scenario you selected. Be sure to reference laws specific to your state.

    Explain two strategies that you, as an advanced practice nurse, would use to guide your decision making in this scenario, including whether you would disclose your error. Be sure to justify your explanation.

    Explain the process of writing prescriptions, including strategies to minimize medication errors.

    Reminder:
     The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The College of Nursing Writing Template with Instructions provided at the Walden Writing Center offers an example of those required elements (available at 
    https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632
    ). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

    Submission and Grading Information

    To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

    Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK1Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.

    Click the 
    Week 1 Assignment Rubric 
    to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.

    Click the 
    Week 1 Assignment 
    link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.

    Next, from the Attach File area, click on the 
    Browse My Computer
     button. Find the document you saved as “WK1Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click 
    Open
    .

    If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for 
    I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database
    .

    Click on the 
    Submit
    button to complete your submission Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment.

    PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

    NURS_6521_Week1_Assignment_Rubric

    Grid View

    List View

    Excellent

    Good

    Fair

    Poor

    Explain the ethical and legal implications of the scenario you selected on all stakeholders involved such as the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and the patient’s family.

    23 
    (23%)
     – 25 
    (25%)

    The response accurately and thoroughly explains in detail the ethical and legal implications of the scenario selected on all stakeholders involved.

    The response includes accurate, clear, and detailed explanations as to how these implications affect the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and the patient’s family.

    20 
    (20%)
     – 22 
    (22%)

    The response explains the ethical and legal implications of the scenario selected on all stakeholders involved.

    The response includes accurate explanations as to how these implications affect the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and the patient’s family.

    18 
    (18%)
     – 19 
    (19%)

    The response inaccurately or vaguely explains the ethical and legal implications of the scenario selected for all stakeholders involved.

    The response includes vague explanations as to how these implications affect the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and the patient’s family.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 17 
    (17%)

    The response vaguely and inaccurately explains the ethical and legal implications of the scenario selected for all stakeholders involved, or the response is missing.

    The response vaguely and inaccurately explains how these implications affect the prescriber, pharmacist, patient, and the patient’s family, or is missing.

    Describe strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure as identified in the scenario selected. Be sure to reference laws specific to your state.

    18 
    (18%)
     – 20 
    (20%)

    An accurate, detailed, and clear description of strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure as identified in the scenario selected is provided.

    The response includes specific, detailed, and accurate reference to state laws related to the scenario.

    16 
    (16%)
     – 17 
    (17%)

    An accurate description of strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure as identified in the scenario selected is provided.

    The response includes accurate reference to state laws related to the scenario. Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignmen
    t

    14 
    (14%)
     – 15 
    (15%)

    A vague or inaccurate description of strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure as identified in the scenario selected is provided.

    The response includes inaccurate or vague reference to state laws related to the scenario.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 13 
    (13%)

    A vague and inaccurate description of strategies to address disclosure and nondisclosure as identified in the scenario selected is provided, or is missing.

    The response includes vague and inaccurate reference to state laws related to the scenario, or is missing.

    Explain two strategies that you, as an advanced practice nurse would use to guide your decision making in this scenario, including whether you would disclose your error. Be sure to justify your explanation.

    18 
    (18%)
     – 20 
    (20%)

    The response accurately and thoroughly explains in detail at least two strategies that an advanced practice nurse would use to guide decision making in the scenario.

    The response accurately and completely explains whether they would disclose the error, including an accurate, detailed, and clear justification for the explanation provided.

    16 
    (16%)
     – 17 
    (17%)

    The response accurately explains at least two strategies that an advanced practice nurse would use to guide decision making in the scenario.

    The response accurately explains whether they would disclose the error, including an accurate justification for the explanation provided.

    14 
    (14%)
     – 15 
    (15%)

    The response inaccurately or vaguely explains at least two strategies that an advanced practice nurse would use to guide decision making in the scenario, or only explains one strategy.

    The response inaccurately or vaguely explains whether they would disclose the error, including a justification that is vague, inaccurate, or misaligned to the explanation provided.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 13 
    (13%)

    The response inaccurately and vaguely explains only one strategy that an advanced practice nurse would use to guide decision making in the scenario, or is missing.

    The response inaccurately and vaguely explains whether they would disclose the error, with no justification provided, or is missing.

    Explain the process of writing prescriptions including strategies to minimize medication errors.

    18 
    (18%)
     – 20 
    (20%)

    The response provides an accurate, detailed, and thorough explanation of the process of writing prescriptions, including detailed strategies to minimize medication errors.

    16 
    (16%)
     – 17 
    (17%)

    The response provides an accurate explanation of the process of writing prescriptions, including some strategies to minimize medication errors.

    14 
    (14%)
     – 15 
    (15%)

    The response provides an inaccurate or vague explanation of the process of writing prescriptions, including inaccurate or vague strategies to minimize medication errors.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 13 
    (13%)

    The response provides an inaccurate and vague explanation of the process of writing prescriptions, including inaccurate and vague strategies to minimize medication errors, or is missing.

    Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization:

    Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance.

    5 
    (5%)
     – 5 
    (5%)

    Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity.

    4 
    (4%)
     – 4 
    (4%)

    Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 80% of the time.

    3.5 
    (3.5%)
     – 3.5 
    (3.5%)

    Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity 60%–79% of the time.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 3 
    (3%)

    Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity less than 60% of the time.

    Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards:

    Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation

    5 
    (5%)
     – 5 
    (5%)

    Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors

    4 
    (4%)
     – 4 
    (4%)

    Contains a few (1–2) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors

    3.5 
    (3.5%)
     – 3.5 
    (3.5%)

    Contains several (3–4) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors

    0 
    (0%)
     – 3 
    (3%)

    Contains many (≥ 5) grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors that interfere with the reader’s understanding

    Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, running head, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.

    5 
    (5%)
     – 5 
    (5%)

    Uses correct APA format with no errors

    4 
    (4%)
     – 4 
    (4%)

    Contains a few (1–2) APA format errors

    Ethical and Legal Implications of Prescribing Drugs Assignment

    3.5 
    (3.5%)
     – 3.5 
    (3.5%)

    Contains several (3–4) APA format errors

    0 
    (0%)
     – 3 
    (3%)

    Contains many (≥ 5) APA format errors

    Total Points: 100

    Name: NURS_6521_Week1_Assignment_Rubric

  • differences between a regulatory agency, such as a board of nursing (BRN), and a professional nursing organization (PNO)

    The development of a professional mission statement increases your marketability as a nurse by showcasing your nursing knowledge to prospective employers. This mission statement allows you, as a baccalaureate-prepared nurse, to focus on nursing concepts, professional strengths, and critical thinking abilities that define nursing practice in practical ways. You will be required to think about real-life scenarios and how they relate to nursing codes as you develop an individual professional nursing statement.

    Project Requirements:

    Create a professional mission statement that showcases a professional development plan by doing the following:

    A. Explain the functional differences between a regulatory agency, such as a board of nursing (BRN), and a professional nursing organization (PNO) as it pertains to your professional nursing practice.

    B. Discuss two examples of how provisions from a nursing code of ethics influence your practice.

    C. Discuss four professional traits from the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (web link provided below) you will bring to an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals.

    D. Identify a nursing theory that has influenced your professional practice.

    1. Explain how this theory fits your professional practice.

    E. Discuss how the contributions of one historical nursing figure have impacted your professional nursing practice, including modern-day application.

    F. Discuss a scenario in which you, as a nurse, safeguarded two of the following principles for the patient:

    • Beneficence

    • Nonmaleficence

    • Respect for autonomy

    • Justice

    Note: Do not include confidential patient information (e.g., name, location).

    G. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

    Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

    Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the paper or project.

  • NURS 6521: Advanced Pharmacology week 1 Discussion: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

    Initial Discussion Post

    COLLAPSE

    Principles of Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

    Advanced practice nurses have the responsibility of understanding pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the medications they prescribe to their patients. Pharmacokinetics refer to the way drugs move throughout the body by means of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. Pharmacodynamics refer to the ways drugs physiologically impact the body as evident by drug responses, interpatient variability, dose-response relationships, drug receptor interactions and a drug’s therapeutic index. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics collectively impact the therapeutic response a drug has on a patient (Rosenthal and Burchum, 2021).

    Professional Experience

    My experience as a hospice nurse over the last 2 years has enlightened me on the challenges in managing symptoms of patients at the end of life. Opioids such as Morphine, Fentanyl, and Dilaudid are effective in reliving symptoms of pain and dyspnea that patients often experience in their last days of life due to terminal diagnoses such as cancer or end stage COPD. Although, opioids are very effective in reliving these symptoms not all opioids possess the same pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics (Franken et al., 2016)

    For example, an internal medicine physician referred his patient to me who was a 65-year-old female with metastatic ovarian cancer. The patient was described to me as being cachectic, weak with severe protein calorie malnutrition, hypernatremia, and an acute kidney injury. The physician told me the patient was interested in enrolling in hospice. When I entered the patient’s hospital room for my initial visit it was apparent to me the patient was exhibiting myoclonus as evident by the involuntary muscle jerking of the arms she was experiencing while lying in bed along with nonverbal signs of pain. Upon chart review my attention was raised to the fact the patient had an elevated creatinine level and was recently started on IV Morphine Sulfate for symptom management of pain.

    Factors that Influenced the Patient

    When morphine sulfate is given intravenously it is absorbed in the blood. Then, it is distributed and metabolized by the kidneys where it is then eliminated (Rosenthal and Burchun, 2021). Since the patient’s renal function was impaired due to metastatic disease the body’s inability to metabolize and excrete morphine caused myoclonus. The complications of the patient’s metastatic disease including cachexia, severe protein calorie malnutrition, hypernatremia, and acute kidney injury may also contribute to the pharmacodynamics of morphine sulfate and its individual variation effect on the patient. Interestingly, Rosenthal and Burchum, 2021, share that some opioids are more effective in women versus men, therefore, women may require lower doses of opioids to reach pain relief (Rosenthal and Burchum, 2021, p 159).

    Personalized Care Plan

    As the hospice nurse I was responsible for collaborating with the hospice physician to develop personalized hospice plan of care. I paged the hospice physician to the bedside and reviewed the patient’s medical history, other medications prescribed as well as informing the physician of my assessment of the patient. The decisions was then made by the hospice physician to transition the patient from IV Morphine Sulfate to IV Fentanyl. The British journal of clinical pharmacology warns patients being transitioned off one opioid and on to another must be closely monitored because there is risk the patient maybe be either over medicated or under medicated (Kuip et al., 2017). In this case the patient’s myoclonus resolved after 24 hours of discontinuation of Morphine Sulfate and patient was able to verbally report adequate pain relief with the use of Fentanyl.

    Resources

    Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). 
    Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice

    nurses and physician assistants 
    (2
    nd
     ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

     

    Franken, L.G., De Winter, B.C.M., Van Esch, H.J., Van Zuylen, L., Baar, F. P. M., Tibboel, D.,

    Mathôt, R.A.A., Van Gelder, T., and Koch, B.C.P. (2016). Pharmacokinetic considerations and recommendations in palliative care, with focus on morphine, midazolam and haloperidol. 
    Expert Opinion on Drug Metabolism & Toxicology, 12
    (6), 669-680. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425255.2016.1179281

     

    Kuip, E. J. M., Zandvliet, M. L., Koolen, S. L. W., Mathijssen, R. H. J., and van der Rijt, C. C.

    D. (2017) A review of factors explaining variability in fentanyl pharmacokinetics; focus on implications for cancer patients. 
    British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
    , 83, 294– 313. https://doi: 10.1111/bcp.13129.

    response

    Your work as a hospice nurse truly utilizes your ability to advocate for your patient. Your experience assessing this patient and formulating interventions demonstrates your autonomy and advocacy for patient care. Your advocacy for patient care is described in provision 3 in the code of ethics by utilizing your knowledge and skill (Fowler, 2015).  As you assessed the patient for her disease process you also assessed potential adverse drug reactions. Reactions can occur for many reasons and the nurse must evaluate patients effectively to avoid or minimize harm (Rosenthal and Burchum, 2021).

     

    References

    Fowler, M.D.M., & American Nurses Association. (2015). 
    Guide to the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements: Development, Interpretation, and 

                Application (2nd ed.).
     Silver Spring, Maryland: American Nurses Association.

     

    Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). 
    Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice

    nurses and physician assistants 
    (2
    nd
     ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

     

    post 2

    Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are important when managing the health of patients. Pharmacokinetics is defined as the study of drug movement throughout the body (Rosenthal and Burchum, 2021). It consists of four processes including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. These processes can have an effect on the therapeutic management of drug therapy in patients. Pharmacodynamics is the study of biochemical and physiologic effects on the body and the molecular mechanisms by which these effects are produced (Rosenthal and Burchum, 2021). The results of these effects are based on the time and intensity of the therapeutic effects, as well as the occurrence of adverse drug reactions. 
     
    There are several factors that can influence the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic processes, including age, gender, ethnicity, behavior, genetics, and disease processes.
     
     It is important for the health care provider to have an understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and its influence on drug therapy in order to develop an effective the plan of care for patients.

     
    One previously worked as a home care nurse and took care of K.S. in her home. K.S. is a 70-year-old, African American female who was recently discharged from the hospital after undergoing a tricuspid valve repair. K.S. medical history includes right-sided heart failure, hypertension, hepatitis C, and ascites of the liver. K.S. was diagnosed post-surgery with chronic kidney disease, hypotension, and atrial fibrillation. K.S. discharge instructions were to include continuing taking previous medications prescribed along with midodrine and warfarin. K.S. was unsure of why she was taking certain medications, if and when her blood pressure should be checked, blood pressure parameters when taking midodrine and other prescribed hypertensive medications, the daily of dosage of warfarin and when laboratory testing needed to be completed to check PT/INR. K.S. observed to be frail in statue and was ordered Ensure three times per day.

     
    Age along with pathophysiologic changes related to disease are huge factors that can affect pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic processes. According to Rodrigues, Herdeiro, Figueiras, Coutinho, and Roque (2020), ageing is a process that inevitable resulting in a decline in functioning and increased susceptibility to certain diseases, requiring the use of an increased amount of medication. Ageing can affect the distribution, metabolism, and excretion in the process of pharmacokinetics. Changes in body mass and protein synthesis can affect distribution of a drug and nutritional status can affect the rate of metabolism of a drug in an ageing patient (Rodrigues et. al, 2020). Most drugs are eliminated through kidneys. In the ageing patient, there is a decline in renal function related to a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow, which makes it difficult for drugs to be excreted through the kidneys. This, in turn, puts the patient at risk for adverse drug reactions. According to Ponticelli, Sala, and Glassock (2015), older patients who have kidney disease are most at risk for adverse drug reactions. The process of pharmacodynamics affected by ageing can cause drug sensitivity and impaired homeostasis.
     

     
    The patient K.S. has several medical conditions, resulting in a numerous amount of prescribed medications. She is frail in statue and has a lean body mass, which can affect the distribution of the medications prescribed. She, also, has poor nutritional status, which can affect the metabolism of the medications prescribed. She has been recently diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, which can affect elimination of the medications prescribed. She is prescribed warfarin, in which the response can be increased due to drug sensitivity leading to an adverse event. Also, due to impaired homeostasis, blood pressure regulation could be affected.

     
    In developing a personalized plan of care for patient K.S., one has to take into consideration the patient’s age and medical history. One would review the drug therapy with the patient and discontinue any medications that are not necessary, have drug interactions, or put the patient at risk for an adverse drug reaction. One would ensure that current laboratory testing has been completed and review the laboratory results with the patient. Based on these results, one would consider medications that are safer for the patient and has the lowest effective dose possible. One would provide education to the patient on disease processes, purpose of medications prescribed, checking blood pressure and parameters to follow. One would stress the adherence to medication regimen and the importance of laboratory testing.

     

     

    References

     

    Ponticelli, C., Sala, G., and Glassock, R. (2015). Drug management in the elderly adult with
     

    chronic kidney disease: a review for the primary care physician. Mayo Clinic Proc., 90
     

    (5). Doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2015.01.016.

     

    Rodrigues, D., Herdeiro, M., Coutinho, P., and Roque, F. (2020). Elderly and polypharmacy:

    physiological and cognitive changes. Frailty in the Elderly.
     

    Doi:10.5772/intecopen.92122.

     

    Rosenthal, L.D. and Burchum, J.R. (2021).
     
    Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice
     

    nurses and physician assistants
     
    (2
    nd
     
    ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

     

    response

    Hello,

    Great discussion post, I really 
    enjoyed
     reading your discussion. 
    I’ve worked in a hospital for five years and one of the main reason for readmission is patients not taking 
    medications
    , due to not 
    understanding
     why they are taking them, not to mention over taking medications that cause a whole new list of issues. 
     Medications like midodrine and coumadin are very sensitive medications that need to be closely monitored. For a patient taking midodrine, the patient needs to understand that this medication 
    is very influential peripheral acting aplpha-1 agonist that is mostly used for patients with hypotension 
    (Wong, Wong, Robertson, Burns, Roberts and Isbister, 2017). The mechanism of action of 
    Midodrine
     is to make an increase in peripheral 
    venous
     resistance and then to decline venous capacity, with the goal being to increase 
    laying and standing blood pressure 
    ( Wong, Wong, Robertson, Burns, Roberts and Isbister, 2017). With midodrine the patient needs to 
    educate
     on hea
    rt rate to make sure they don’t become 
    bradycardic;
     the patient needs to be educated on how to check pulse and blood pressure before medication 
    administration
     
    and there needs to be an order for parameters for the patient, for when the patient should and should not take the medication ( Wong, Wong, Robertson, Burns, Roberts and Isbister, 2017).
     

    With coumadin the patient needs to have their INR checked frequently to make sure 
    it’s
     within a therapeutic range, and to also make sure the 
    patients’
     blood is not 
    too
     thin.
     Anticoagulation drugs have a risk for bleeding due to their complexity
     (Bajorek
    ,2011). For this patient 
    you
     stated in this 
    scenario
     she was on several other medications
     as 
    well, and
     when patients are on several medications, th
    e risk of them
     
    being 
    misused
     is even higher
     
    (Bajorek
    ,2011).
     
    When a patient is unable to take medications as prescribed, there current health care issues aren’t being treated, which is why a lot of times they end up being readmitted with the same 
    problem they were previously in the hospital for
    . 
    Kymes
    , Sullivan, Jackson & Raj (2020), note that a patient not 
    being able to 
    comply with their medications is a very huge public health problem, that affects a lot of 
    comorbidities
     that a pe
    rson has.
     I agree with your plan
     of care
     and discontinuing any medications that aren’t necessary, as more medications add to more adverse reactions that could happen
     
    and
     to monitor blood pressure and pulse before 
    administration
     of midodrine
    . The patient also needs
     
    to be
     following the orders for her coumadin 
    and 
    to have her INR checked as 
    frequent
     as the 
    physician
     wants. The patient 
    can
     have her INR checked at home with 
    a home health nurse. I would also suggest this patient to keep a log of her blood pressure and pulse to show her provider, so they can 
    adjust
     as needed to keep her as safe as possible 
     

     

    References: 

    Bajorek B. (2011). A review of the safety of anticoagulants in older people using the medicines management pathway: weighing the benefits against the risks. 
    Therapeutic advances in drug safety
    , 
    2
    (2), 45–58. 
    https://doi.org/10.1177/2042098611400495
     

     

    Kymes
    , S. M., Sullivan, C., Jackson, K., & Raj, S. R. (2020). Real-world droxidopa or midodrine treatment persistence in patients with neurogenic orthostatic hypotension or orthostatic hypotension. 
    Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical
    , 
    225
    . https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1016/j.autneu.2020.102659
     

     

    Wong, L. Y., Wong, A., Robertson, T., Burns, K., Roberts, M., & Isbister, G. K. (2017). Severe Hypertension and Bradycardia Secondary to Midodrine Overdose. 
    Journal of Medical 
    Toxicology:
     Official Journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology
    , 
    13
    (1), 88–90. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1007/s13181-016-0574-4
     

     

    Discussion: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

    As an advanced practice nurse assisting physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders, it is important to not only understand the impact of disorders on the body, but also the impact of drug treatments on the body. The relationships between drugs and the body can be described by pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

    Pharmacokinetics describes what the body does to the drug through absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, whereas pharmacodynamics describes what the drug does to the body.

    Photo Credit: Getty Images/Ingram Publishing

    When selecting drugs and determining dosages for patients, it is essential to consider individual patient factors that might impact the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes. These patient factors include genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, behavior (i.e., diet, nutrition, smoking, alcohol, illicit drug abuse), and/or pathophysiological changes due to disease.

    For this Discussion, you reflect on a case from your past clinical experiences and consider how a patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes may alter his or her response to a drug.

    To Prepare

    Review the Resources for this module and consider the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

    Reflect on your experiences, observations, and/or clinical practices from the last 5 years and think about how pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic factors altered his or her anticipated response to a drug.

    Consider factors that might have influenced the patient’s pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes, such as genetics (including pharmacogenetics), gender, ethnicity, age, behavior, and/or possible pathophysiological changes due to disease.

    Think about a personalized plan of care based on these influencing factors and patient history in your case study.

    By Day 3 of Week 1

    Post
     a description of the patient case from your experiences, observations, and/or clinical practice from the last 5 years. Then, describe factors that might have influenced pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes of the patient you identified. Finally, explain details of the personalized plan of care that you would develop based on influencing factors and patient history in your case. Be specific and provide examples.

    By Day 6 of Week 1

    Read
     a selection of your colleagues’ responses and 
    respond
     to 
    at least two
     of your colleagues on 
    two different days
     by suggesting additional patient factors that might have interfered with the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic processes of the patients they described. In addition, suggest how the personalized plan of care might change if the age of the patient were different and/or if the patient had a comorbid condition, such as renal failure, heart failure, or liver failure.

    Note:
     For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link, and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on 
    Submit!

    NURS_6521_Week1_Discussion_Rubric

    Grid View

    List View

    Excellent

    Good

    Fair

    Poor

    Main Posting

    45 
    (45%)
     – 50 
    (50%)

    Answers all parts of the discussion question(s) expectations with reflective critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module and current credible sources.

    Supported by at least three current, credible sources.

    Written clearly and concisely with no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.

    40 
    (40%)
     – 44 
    (44%)

    Responds to the discussion question(s) and is reflective with critical analysis and synthesis of knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.

    At least 75% of post has exceptional depth and breadth.

    Supported by at least three credible sources.

    Written clearly and concisely with one or no grammatical or spelling errors and fully adheres to current APA manual writing rules and style.

    35 
    (35%)
     – 39 
    (39%)

    Responds to some of the discussion question(s).

    One or two criteria are not addressed or are superficially addressed.

    Is somewhat lacking reflection and critical analysis and synthesis.

    Somewhat represents knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.

    Post is cited with two credible sources.

    Written somewhat concisely; may contain more than two spelling or grammatical errors.

    Contains some APA formatting errors.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 34 
    (34%)

    Does not respond to the discussion question(s) adequately.

    Lacks depth or superficially addresses criteria.

    Lacks reflection and critical analysis and synthesis.

    Does not represent knowledge gained from the course readings for the module.

    Contains only one or no credible sources.

    Not written clearly or concisely.

    Contains more than two spelling or grammatical errors.

    Does not adhere to current APA manual writing rules and style.

    Main Post: Timeliness

    10 
    (10%)
     – 10 
    (10%)

    Posts main post by day 3

    0 
    (0%)
     – 0 
    (0%)

    0 
    (0%)
     – 0 
    (0%)

    0 
    (0%)
     – 0 
    (0%)

    Does not post by day 3

    First Response

    17 
    (17%)
     – 18 
    (18%)

    Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.

    Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.

    Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.

    Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.

    Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. .

    Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.

    Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.

    15 
    (15%)
     – 16 
    (16%)

    Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.

    Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.

    Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.

    Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.

    Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. .

    Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.

    Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.

    13 
    (13%)
     – 14 
    (14%)

    Response is on topic and may have some depth.

    Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication.

    Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed.

    Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 12 
    (12%)

    Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.

    Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication.

    Responses to faculty questions are missing.

    No credible sources are cited.

    Second Response

    16 
    (16%)
     – 17 
    (17%)

    Response exhibits synthesis, critical thinking, and application to practice settings.

    Responds fully to questions posed by faculty.

    Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by at least two scholarly sources.

    Demonstrates synthesis and understanding of learning objectives.

    Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues. .

    Responses to faculty questions are fully answered, if posed.

    Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.

    14 
    (14%)
     – 15 
    (15%)

    Response exhibits critical thinking and application to practice settings.

    Communication is professional and respectful to colleagues.

    Responses to faculty questions are answered, if posed.

    Provides clear, concise opinions and ideas that are supported by two or more credible sources.

    Response is effectively written in standard, edited English.

    12 
    (12%)
     – 13 
    (13%)

    Response is on topic and may have some depth.

    Responses posted in the discussion may lack effective professional communication.

    Responses to faculty questions are somewhat answered, if posed. .

    Response may lack clear, concise opinions and ideas, and a few or no credible sources are cited.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 11 
    (11%)

    Response may not be on topic and lacks depth.

    Responses posted in the discussion lack effective professional communication.

    Responses to faculty questions are missing.

    No credible sources are cited.

    Participation

    5 
    (5%)
     – 5 
    (5%)

    Meets requirements for participation by posting on three different days.

    0 
    (0%)
     – 0 
    (0%)

    0 
    (0%)
     – 0 
    (0%)

    0 
    (0%)
     – 0 
    (0%)

    Does not meet requirements for participation by posting on 3 different days

    Total Points: 100

    Name: NURS_6521_Week1_Discussion_Rubric

    Diabetes is considered to be  a silent killer disease because the diseases can affect and impair the functioning of diabetic patient’s organs with minimum to very few symptoms over time until the condition causes significant and irreversible damage. Diabetes is a contributing factor to  millions of deaths in many minority communities (Hilliard, Powell,  & Anderson, 2016). As a nurse I  have known patient X for the last 7 years because he has been a patient that comes to our community hospital and we are able to be acquainted well with most of our patients conditions and get to know them well like family. The patients started coming in for poor diabetes management related problems leading multiple hospitalization cases due to Diabetic ketoacidosis episodes. Over time his diabetes was not well managed leading to renal failure and he has now been on hem o dialysis for the last 2 years and loss of his lower left limb through amputation because of poorly healing diabetic wounds that were infected and not healing.

    Pharmacokinetics

    Pharmacokinetics, refers to the movement of drug into, though, and out of the body and the course it takes to be absorbed, its bioavailability, how it is distributed, its metabolism, and how it is excreted (Doogue,  & Polasek, 2013). My patient Mr. X has undergone significant changes due to his uncontrolled diabetes which have impacted his kidney function and how well and fast he can metabolize medication. Due to his renal failure; and diabetes, he is likely to metabolize certain medications at slower pace and will take longer than usual time to excrete medication out of his body. In some instances, some medication needs dialysis to be excreted.

    Pharmacodynamics

    Pharmacodynamics is the   body’s biological response to drugs and how someone’s body reacts to drugs. The effect can be as a receptor effect, post receptor effects, or through chemical interactions (Keller& Hann, 2018). My patient has diabetes and kidney failure which impacts how fast or slow his body produces certain enzymes, how he reacts to drugs, and the time it takes for any medication to have the desired impact on him once he take s the medication

    Studies show that Kidney dysfunction influences the pharmacokinetic parameters of at least 50% of all essential drugs due to altered physiology and many pharmacokinetic principles. It is therefore important for clinicians to be aware of the patient’s kidney functioning and the impact any medication they prescribe will have on a patient’s health. Failure to taking account of a patient’s kidney diseases status can lead to drug overdose, drug under dosage, adverse effects, or failure of treatment (Lea-Henry, Carland, Stocker, Sevastos, & Roberts, 2018). As a kidney failure patient, Mr. X. has to have frequent blood work done prior to dialysis to determine the level of electrolytes in his circulatory system, drug toxicity levels in the medication he is using such as digoxin and vancomycin, and his fluid intake is under contact scrutiny to prevent fluid overload.

    Factors that impact his pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic

    Drugs pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics can be affected by physiologic changes due to disease, genetic mutations, aging, gender, ethnicity, behavior, or other drugs (Ginsberg, Hattis, Russ, & Sonawane, 2005). Mr. X. is a minority who might have a disposition and a high affinity to becoming a diabetic due to hi race; however, lack of compliance in diabetes management and poor blood pressure management played a role in causing his chronic kidney failure. In my patients’ case, Drugs the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics are greatly impacted by his comorbidities which include diabetes, hypertension, and kidney failure.

    Plan of care

    Kidney failure impacts pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of drugs because the disease impacts drug  clearance and the volume of distribution ((Lea-Henry, Carland, Stocker, Sevastos, & Roberts, 2018). When caring for renal failure patients we must be aware that their ability to absorb, metabolize, and excrete drugs is slow and therefore measures must be taken to prevent drug underdosing, drug overdosing, or adverse reactions. Frequent drug level checks should be done on some of the medication that they take. Nephrologists should be consulted to ensure that the right dose of medication and what classification of medication should be prescribed to renal failure patients.   With Mr. X he has to have his digoxin levels and vancomycin levels checked weekly, he has to have a CMP done prior to his dialysis3  times a week, he has to have a nephrologist consulted prior to changing the dosage of his mediation or starting him on any new medication, and we have to ensure that he does not miss his hemodialysis, and if he does for any reason we have to change his schedule to ensure that he gets a run of dialysis he same day or the next day.

    References

    Doogue, M. P., & Polasek, T. M. (2013). The ABCD of clinical pharmacokinetics. 
    Therapeutic

    advances in drug safety
    , 4(1), 5–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042098612469335

    Ginsberg, G., Hattis, D., Russ, A., & Sonawane, B. (2005). Pharmacokinetic and

    pharmacodynamic factors that can affect sensitivity to neurotoxic sequelae in elderly individuals
    . Environmental health perspectives,
     113(9), 1243–1249. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.7568

    Hilliard, M. E., Powell, P. W., & Anderson, B. J. (2016). Evidence-based behavioral

    interventions to promote diabetes management in children, adolescents, and families. 
    The American psychologist,
     71(7), 590–601. doi:10.1037/a0040359

    Keller, F., & Hann, A. (2018). Clinical Pharmacodynamics: Principles of Drug Response and

    Alterations in Kidney Disease. Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN, 13(9), 1413–1420. https://doi.org/10.2215/CJN.10960917

    Lea-Henry, T. N., Carland, J. E., Stocker, S. L., Sevastos, J., & Roberts, D. M. (2018). Clinical

    Pharmacokinetics in Kidney Disease: Fundamental Principles. 
    Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology
     : CJASN, 13(7), 1085–1095. https://doi.org/10.2215/CJN.00340118

     

    responses

    Diabetes management can be complex and therefore needs interdisciplinary and collaborative care. Effective management requires that patients with diabetes focus on  self-management support measures, improved patient engagement, teamwork, and population management. Glycemic control and management extend beyond just glycemic control measures which may include blood pressure control, cholesterol levels control, early screening dietary modification, lifestyle changes, and cessation of smoking. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to retinopathy, nephropathy, cardiomyopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and many other medical complications (Lu, Xu, Zhao, & Han, 2016).   Diabetes impacts drug pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, however uncontrolled diabetes can have a significant negative impact because it can trigger multi organ failure and some cases lead to diabetic ketoacidosis which can lead to death. When dosing or administering medication to diabetics we must keep into consideration of various factors which include how these medications interact with their glycemic control regimen, how the medication will impact their blood sugar levels, and overall.

    Reference

    Lu, Y., Xu, J., Zhao, W., & Han, H. R. (2016). Measuring Self-Care in Persons with Type 2

    Diabetes: A Systematic Review. 
    Evaluation & the health professions,
     39(2), 131–184. https://doi.org/10.1177/0163278715588927

     

     

     

     

    There is currently a 14-year-old Type I DM in the school building that I work in. There are times when he comes to school with numbers well above 400+. My fear for this child is that he will be one of those individuals who end up with kidney failure. The explanation provided your paper on how drugs are metabolized in the diabetic body touched on the importance of adequate patient education, compliance, and follow-ups. It is essential to have a level of understanding of how the body functions when a patient has kidney failure. Understanding the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetics in the correlation to the pathophysiology of treating those with renal failure is essential when creating a management or treatment plan. 

    Reading your paper, the relationship between the two mechanisms of actions works together as a cause and effect. In the article, Principles of Drug Response and Alterations in Kidney Disease, the level of a drug’s concentration works in conjunction with its effects in the body (Keller & Hann, 2018). It precisely explains the kinetics and dynamics of a drug’s movement through the body system. It is this cause and effect approach that allows a drug to work in the body to produce an action. In regards to the effects of a drug’s movement in patients with kidney failure, Keller and Hann’s article also inferred that pharmacokinetics is usually considered over pharmacodynamics when prescribing medications for the treatment of those with kidney disease (2018). However, pharmacodynamics is rarely considered drug metabolism in those with kidney disease. Nevertheless, when both mechanisms are reported, drug dosing can be modified per patient for better efficacy.  

    Reference:

    Keller, F., & Hann, A. (2020). Clinical Pharmacodynamics Principles of Drug Response and  Alterations in Kidney Disease.

    Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, 15(8), 1073–1074. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2017.05.001 0882-5963/

  • Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy, 1886

    Competency 112.2.1: Connections Across Disciplines – The graduate recognizes and analyzes relationships within the disciplines of the humanities and how themes and concepts connect across individual disciplines of the humanities.

    Competency 112.2.2: Humanities and Culture – The graduate recognizes and analyzes the interaction and integration of the humanities with cultures, and how specified cultural attitudes change over time.

    Introduction:

    “Knowledgeable interaction with works of art makes life better: We see more of what can be seen, and we hear more of what can be heard. Our entire existence grows richer and deeper.” (Sporre, 2009, p. 2).

    From your studies, you have seen how culture, societal norms, belief systems, and past experiences affect the way people view the world. Learning about these differences in perspective helps us to have a better understanding of the overall human experience. Whether analytical skills are applied to a task at work, or a humanistic point of view enables us to grasp an issue from another angle, these methods of looking at the world help us become more aware of our perceptions and provide a deeper and more meaningful existence.

    In this task, you will analyze and interpret three creative works from three separate disciplines of the humanities using methods of subjective and objective analysis. Objective statements are based on simple observations and concrete information. Subjective statements are based on personal opinions, judgments, and feelings. These standard methods of analysis will enable you to critically view and interpret works from the humanities. You will use analytical and critical thinking skills to assess how meaning is constructed and imparted to a viewer or audience and will communicate your thoughts in a multimedia presentation (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote). While the content of your presentation will focus on analyzing, interpreting, comparing, and contrasting three creative works from separate disciplines, your overarching goal will be to explain how the three works you analyze demonstrate the value of the humanities in meaningful ways.

    Background:

    Develop a multimedia presentation in which you analyze three creative works from three separate disciplines in the humanities. You will need to select works that share a common theme. This theme must relate to a profession within your field of study at WGU. You will share with your audience how being knowledgeable about the humanities and your selected theme is valuable in regards to this profession.

    First you must choose one literary work from the given list below. Choose a literary work that has a theme that resonates with you and consider how this theme connects with your chosen profession. Every profession within your field of study at WGU (Business, IT, Nursing or Teaching) will have humanistic considerations. For example, a civil rights lawyer may be concerned with the theme of freedom, a firefighter with determination, a social worker with compassion, or an engineer with integrity. It is the intent of this task to explore the major themes of the humanities and their relevance to our professional lives.

    Once you have selected a literary work, you will need to select two non-literary works from separate disciplines that share the same theme as the literary work you have selected. Your presentation will show how all three works connect to the theme that you have chosen, and how that theme relates to a profession within your field of study at WGU. The two nonliterary works you select must come from the following disciplines: two-dimensional visual art (e.g., painting, photography, printmaking,), music or film (feature films, documentaries). You should choose works that appeal to you personally, are striking to you in some way, and/or evoke a strong response in you. In the presentation, you will show how exploration of the themes of these works can enhance performance in your profession and deepen your understanding of the human experience.

    Note: Your multimedia presentation should contain 25 to 30 slides. This is not a conventional PowerPoint presentation. You may find that the majority of your slides are most effectively presented in paragraph form, with some utilizing the more traditional bullet point format. You are encouraged to use first person narrative (“I” statements) where appropriate. Your presentation should be self contained and all information should be on the slides (do not use speaker notes). Arrange slides in a way that creates cohesion and flow and use images to accentuate and substantiate points.

    Note: This presentation should demonstrate the depth of the analysis and reflection that you have done. Your challenge will be to communicate your points through a series of clear, focused, and concise slides that represent your knowledge and convey your unique analytical points and insights.

    Select ONE work of literature from the following list (works are available online).

    NOVELLAS:

    Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy, 1886

    The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells, 1897

    SHORT STORIES:

    “The Package” by Kurt Vonnegut, 1952

    “Johnny Mnemonic” by William Gibson, 1981

    “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, 1948

    “A Small, Good Thing” by Raymond Carver, 1983

    “Silver Water” by Amy Bloom, 1993

    “The Third and Final Continent” by Jhumpa Lahiri, 1999

    “The Lost ‘Beautifulness’” by Anzia Yezierska, 1920

    “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury, 1950

    “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” by Gabriel García Márquez, 1968

    POEMS:

    “That the Science of Cartography is Limited” by Eavan Boland, 1994

    “A Brave and Startling Truth” by Maya Angelou, 1995

    “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley, 1888

    “If” by Rudyard Kipling, 1895

    “Praise Song for the Day” by Elizabeth Alexander, 2009

    “Let America be America Again” by Langston Hughes, 1935

    ESSAY:

    “A Talk to Teachers” by James Baldwin, 1963*

    * While the essay title addresses teachers, this work has themes that can apply to all professions.

    Select two creative works from the following disciplines (each work must be from a different discipline):

    • Two-dimensional visual art (e.g., painting, photography, or printmaking)

    • Music

    • Film (feature film or documentary)

    Note: Please do not select a film, artistic, or musical adaptation of your literary choice as one of the non-literary creative works. While it is important to select a literary work and two non-literary works that share a common theme, it is equally important to include variety in your choices. For example, you should not choose The Great Gatsby as your literary work and a film adaptation of this same novel, and a picture of Jay Gatsby.

    Task:

    Develop a multimedia presentation (suggested length of 25-30 slides) in which you do the following:

    A. Introduce the three works from three different disciplines you will be analyzing (suggested length of 4–5 slides) by doing the following:

    1. Create an introductory slide for each of the three works that includes the author’s or artist’s name, title of the work, and the discipline to which the work belongs.

    2. Provide a thesis slide that identifies the common theme that connects all three of your works and describe how this theme relates to a profession within your field of study.

    B. Provide an objective analysis* (suggested length of 6-7 slides) by doing the following:

    1. Describe the literary work. Your description should include:

    • Form (short story, novel, etc.)

    • Summary of the work (4-5 sentences)

    a. Choose four of the elements of literature outlined in Module 1.09 of the learning resource and describe how they are used in the literary work. Exclude mood and theme from your description of the elements. Mood and theme will be assessed in Part C.

    2. Describe the first nonliterary work of art. Your description should include:

    • Media, form, or genre

    • Summary of the work (4-5 sentences)

    a. Choose four of the elements outlined in the learning resource and describe how they are used in your first non-literary work. (If your selection is music, use the elements of music in Module 4.19; if it is a film, use the elements of film in Module 4.11; if it is a painting or photograph, use the elements and principles of two-dimensional visual art in Module 2.11-2.16.) Exclude mood and theme from your description of the elements. Mood and theme will be assessed in Part C.

    3. Describe the second nonliterary work of art. (This should be from a different discipline than the work you chose for part B2.) Your description should include:

    • Media, form, or genre

    • Summary of the work (4-5 sentences)

    a. Choose four of the elements outlined in the learning resource and describe how they are used in your second non-literary work. (If your selection is music, use the elements of music in Module 4.19 if it is a film, use the elements of film in Module 4.11; if it is a painting or photograph, use the elements and principles of two-dimensional visual art in Module 2.11-2.16). Exclude mood and theme from your description of the elements. Mood and theme will be assessed in Part C.

    C. Provide a subjective analysis* (suggested length of 6-7 slides) by doing the following:

    1. Explain each of the following in the literary work:

    a. The mood(s) (see Module 11.04) of the literary work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify how the mood(s) are depicted.

    b. The theme(s) (i.e., overarching ideas or concepts) you see in the literary work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify the theme(s).

    c. Your interpretation of meaning found in the work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify the meaning.

    2. Explain each of the following in the first non-literary work:

    a. The mood(s) of the first nonliterary work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify how the mood(s) are depicted.

    b. The theme(s) (i.e., overarching ideas or concepts) you see in the first nonliterary work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify the theme(s).

    c. Your interpretation of meaning found in the work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify the meaning.

    3. Explain each of the following in the second non-literary work:

    a. The mood(s) of the second nonliterary work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify how the mood(s) are depicted.

    b. The theme(s) (i.e., overarching ideas or concepts) you see in the second nonliterary work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify the theme(s).

    c. Your interpretation of meaning found in the work. Provide relevant details and examples from the work that helped you identify the meaning.

    D. Analyze the relationship between the 3 works (suggested length of 3–5 slides). Include the following:

    • Similarities and/or differences in mood in the three works.

    • Similarities and/or differences in theme in the three works.

    1. Explain how the process of analyzing the relationship between the works expanded your understanding of the theme(s).

    E. Reflect on the analyses presented (suggested length of 3–5 slides), by describing the following:

    1. How your analysis of these works has enhanced your understanding of the human experience (i.e. what it means to be human).

    2. How these themes and meanings relate to you, as a professional within your field of study.

    3. How a general knowledge of the humanities is valuable for professionals within your field of study.

    F. Summarize your main points in a conclusion (suggested length of 1-2 slides).

    Note: Your conclusion could include revisiting your thesis slide and should bring closure to your presentation.

    G. Create a reference list. Include all in-text citations and references in APA format. You must have a full reference for each work and each image. Please note that each reference must correspond to an in-text citation.

    * Objective statements about a work of art are based on simple observations and concrete information. Subjective statements are based on personal opinions, judgments, and feelings.

    Reference List:

    Note: This reference list refers only to direct citations in the task instructions above.

    Sporre, D. J. (2009). Perceiving the arts: An introduction to the humanities. 9th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

  • root cause analysis (RCA) and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)

    healthcare organizations accredited by the Joint Commission are required to conduct a root cause analysis (RCA) in response to any sentinel event such as the one described below. Once the cause is identified and a plan of action established, it is useful to conduct a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to reduce the likelihood that a process would fail. As a member of the healthcare team in the hospital described in this scenario, you have been selected as a member of the team investigating the incident.

    Scenario:

    It is 3:30 p.m. on a Thursday and Mr. B, a 67-year-old patient, arrives at the six-room emergency department (ED) of a sixty-bed rural hospital. He has been brought to the hospital by his son and neighbor. At this time, Mr. B is moaning and complaining of severe pain to his (L) leg and hip area. He states he lost his balance and fell after tripping over his dog.

    Mr. B was admitted to the triage room where his vital signs were B/P 120/80, HR-88 (regular), T-98.6, R-32, and his weight was recorded at 175 pounds. Mr. B. states that he has no known allergies and no previous falls. He states, “My hip area and leg hurt really bad. I have never had anything like this before.” Patient rates pain at ten out of ten on the numerical verbal pain scale. He appears to be in moderate distress. His (L) leg appears shortened with swelling (edema in the calf), ecchymosis, and limited range of motion (ROM). Mr. B’s leg is stabilized and then he is further evaluated and discharged from triage to the emergency department (ED) patient room. He is admitted by Nurse J. The admitting nurse finds that Mr. B has a history of impaired glucose tolerance and prostate cancer. At Mr. B’s last visit with his primary care physician, laboratory data revealed elevated cholesterol and lipids. Mr. B’s current medications are atorvastatin and oxycodone for chronic back pain. After the nurse completes Mr. B’s assessment, Nurse J informs the ED physician of admission findings and the ED physician proceeds to examine Mr. B.

    Staffing on this day consists of two nurses (one RN and one LPN), one secretary, and one emergency department physician. Respiratory therapy is in-house and available as needed. At the time of Mr. B’s arrival, the ED staff is caring for two other patients. One patient is a 43-year-old female complaining of a throbbing headache. The patient rates current pain at four out of ten on numerical verbal pain scale. The patient states that she has a history of migraines. She received treatment, remains stable, and discharge is pending. The second patient is an eight-year-old boy being evaluated for possible appendicitis. Laboratory results are pending for this patient. Both of these patients were examined, evaluated, and cared for by the ED physician and are awaiting further treatment or orders.

    After evaluation of Mr. B, Dr. T, the ED physician, writes the order for Nurse J to administer diazepam 5 mg IVP to Mr. B. The medication diazepam is administered IVP at 4:05 p.m. After five minutes, the diazepam appears to have had no effect on Mr. B, and Dr. T instructs Nurse J to administer hydromorphone 2 mg IVP. The medication (hydromorphone) is administered IVP at 4:15 p.m. After five minutes, Dr. T is still not satisfied with the level of sedation Mr. B has achieved and instructs Nurse J to administer another 2 mg of hydromorphone IVP and an additional 5 mg of diazepam IVP. The physician’s goal is for the patient to achieve skeletal muscle relaxation from the diazepam, which will aid in the manual manipulation, relocation, and alignment of Mr. B’s hip. The hydromorphone IVP was administered to achieve pain control and sedation. After reviewing the patient’s medical history, Dr. T notes that the patient’s weight and current regular use of oxycodone appear to be making it more difficult to sedate Mr. B.

    Finally at 4:25, the patient appears to be sedated and the successful reduction of his (L) hip takes place. The patient appears to have tolerated the procedure and remains sedated. He is not currently on any supplemental oxygen. The procedure concludes at 4:30 p.m. and Mr. B is resting without indications of discomfort and distress. At this time, the ED receives an emergency dispatch call alerting the emergency department that the emergency rescue unit paramedics are en route with a 75-year-old patient in acute respiratory distress. Nurse J places Mr. B on an automatic blood pressure machine programmed to monitor his B/P every five minutes and a pulse oximeter. At this time Nurse J leaves his room. The nurse allows Mr. B’s son to sit with him as he is being monitored via the blood pressure monitor. At 4:35, Mr. B’s B/P is 110/62 and his O2 sat is 92%. He remains without supplemental oxygen and his ECG and respirations are not monitored.

    Nurse J and the LPN on duty have received the emergency transport patient. They are also in the process of discharging the other two patients. Meanwhile, the ED lobby has become congested with new incoming patients. At this time, Mr. B’s O2 saturation alarm is heard and shows “low O2 saturation” (currently showing a sat of 85%). The LPN enters Mr. B’s room briefly and resets the alarm and repeats the B/P reading.

    Nurse J is now fully engaged with the emergency care of the respiratory distress patient, which includes assessments, evaluation, and the ordering respiratory treatments, CXR, labs, etc.

    At 4:43, Mr. B’s son comes out of the room and informs the nurse that the “monitor is alarming.” When Nurse J enters the room, the blood pressure machine shows Mr. B’s B/P reading is 58/30 and the O2 sat is 79%. The patient is not breathing and no palpable pulse can be detected.

    A STAT CODE is called and the son is escorted to the waiting room. The code team arrives and begins resuscitative efforts. When connected to the cardiac monitor, Mr. B is found to be in ventricular fibrillation. CPR begins immediately by the RN, and Mr. B is intubated. He is defibrillated and reversal agents, IV fluids, and vasopressors are administered. After 30 minutes of interventions, the ECG returns to a normal sinus rhythm with a pulse and a B/P of 110/70. The patient is not breathing on his own and is fully dependent on the ventilator. The patient’s pupils are fixed and dilated. He has no spontaneous movements and does not respond to noxious stimuli. Air transport is called and, upon the family’s wishes, the patient is transferred to a tertiary facility for advanced care.

    Seven days later, the receiving hospital informed the rural hospital that EEG’s had determined brain death in Mr. B. The family had requested life-support be removed, and Mr. B subsequently died.

    Additional information: The hospital where Mr. B. was originally seen and treated had a moderate sedation/analgesia (“conscious sedation”) policy that requires that the patient remains on continuous B/P, ECG, and pulse oximeter throughout the procedure and until the patient meets specific discharge criteria (i.e., fully awake, VSS, no N/V, and able to void). All practitioners who perform moderate sedation must first successfully complete the hospital’s moderate sedation training module. The training module includes drug selection as well as acceptable dose ranges. Additional (backup) staff was available on the day of the incident. Nurse J had completed the moderate sedation module. Nurse J had current ACLS certification and was an experienced critical care nurse. Nurse J’s prior annual clinical evaluations by the manager demonstrated that the nurse was “meeting requirements.” Nurse J did not have a history of negligent patient care. Sufficient equipment was available and in working order in the ED on this day.

    Task:

    A. Complete a root cause analysis (RCA) that takes into consideration causative factors, errors, and/or hazards that led to the sentinel event (this patient’s outcome).

    B. Discuss a process improvement plan that would decrease the likelihood of a reoccurrence of the outcome of the scenario.

    1. Discuss a change theory that could be used to implement the process improvement plan developed in B.

    C. Use a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) to project the likelihood that the process improvement plan you suggest would not fail.

    1. Identify the members of the interdisciplinary team who will be included in the FMEA.

    2. Discuss steps for preparing for the FMEA.

    3. Apply the three steps of the FMEA (severity, occurrence, and detection) to the process improvement plan created in part B.

    4. Explain how you would test the interventions from the process improvement plan from part B to improve care in a similar situation.

    Note:You are not expected to carry out the full FMEA, but you should explain each step, and how you would apply it to your process improvement plan.

    D. Discuss how the professional nurse may function as a leader in promoting quality care and influencing quality improvement activities.

    E. When you use sources to support ideas and elements in a paper or project, provide acknowledgement of source information for any content that is quoted, paraphrased or summarized. Acknowledgement of source information includes in-text citation noting specifically where in the submission the source is used and a corresponding reference, which includes:

    • Author

    • Date

    • Title

    • Location of information (e.g., publisher, journal, or website URL)

    Note: The use of APA citation style is encouraged but is not required for this task. Evaluators will offer feedback on the acknowledgement of source information but not with regard to conformity with APA or other citation style.

    Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly

    Please include all parts see below:

    Evaluation Method

    A rubric is used in this Evaluation.

    The candidate provides substantial articulation of response.

    The candidate completes an appropriate root cause analysis (RCA), with substantial detail, that takes into consideration causative factors, errors, and/or hazards that led to the sentinel event (this patient’s outcome).

    The candidate provides a logical discussion, with substantial detail, of a process improvement plan that would decrease the likelihood of a reoccurrence of the outcome of the scenario

    The candidate provides a logical discussion, with substantial detail, of a change theory that could be used to implement the process improvement plan developed in B.

    The candidate uses a failure mode and effects analysis, with substantial support, to project the likelihood that the process improvement plan suggested would not fail.

    The candidate accurately identifies the members of the interdisciplinary team who will be included in the FMEA.

    The candidate provides a logical discussion, with substantial detail, of the steps for preparing for the FMEA

    The candidate appropriately applies, with substantial detail, the 3 steps of the FMEA (severity, occurrence, and detection) to the process improvement plan created in part B.

    The candidate provides a logical explanation, with substantial support, of how the candidate would test the interventions from the process improvement plan from part B to improve care in a similar situation.

    The candidate provides a logical discussion, with substantial detail, of how the professional nurse may function as a leader in promoting quality care and influencing quality improvement activities.

  • Nursing Fundamentals course development

    Nursing Education

    Introduction:

    The role of the nurse educator requires specialized knowledge and skills. One of the essential competencies necessary for the role is the ability to develop relevant curricula for the preparation of future nurses. It is therefore important that nurse educators comprehend and stay well-informed of trends and issues which may impact nursing education.

    This task is intended to facilitate your ability to develop competency statements and related learning objectives; select relevant learning assessment and evaluation tools; create learning activities that promote critical thinking and reflective skills; and actively engage and support students with diverse learning needs. As an educator, you are also required to demonstrate effective analytical skills in the evaluation of methods used to determine the achievement of program outcomes. In addition, in this task you write an element of an exam. This will help you comprehend different item types and the process involved when you develop items for course exams. These learning activities assist in building an educational foundation between the classroom setting and the clinical setting.

    Scenario:

    The nursing faculty at Hartford University have developed a new BSN curriculum and begun the work of designing and developing individual courses. You are a full-time, tenure-track faculty member assigned to develop courses in level one—the first year of the nursing program. Students at this level have completed all prerequisites for the BSN program.

    You are asked to develop the Nursing Fundamentals course, the first clinical course students engage in once admitted to the BSN nursing program. According to the results of the nursing program entrance exam, the students who will be taking the Nursing Fundamentals course were found to have an equal distribution of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles. The Nursing Fundamentals course will introduce students to nursing care across the lifespan. It will also provide students with the tools necessary to perform basic nursing care in clinical settings and will provide the framework for future clinical courses (e.g., medical/surgical, pediatric, obstetrics/gynecology, mental health, and community nursing specialties).

    Requirements:

    A. Develop four competency statements specific to the Nursing Fundamentals course that are based on contemporary professional nursing standards and guidelines.

    1. Explain how each of the four competencies you developed aligns with one of the following national nursing standards and guidelines:

    • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

    • National League for Nursing (NLN)

    • Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)

    2. Create three learning objectives for one of the course competencies that you developed.

    a. Discuss one criterion you will use to select appropriate learning resources to achieve the learning objectives you created.

    3. Discuss one of the following approaches to course design that you will use in developing the Nursing Fundamentals course:

    • traditional

    • contemporary

    • blended

    B. Discuss two of the following types of strategies you will use to evaluate learning outcomes in the Nursing Fundamentals course:

    • portfolio

    • papers and essays

    • role playing

    • oral questioning

    • audio and video recording

    • service learning

    1. Describe one advantage for each of the strategies you will use.

    2. Describe one disadvantage for each of the strategies you will use.

    C. Describe how criterion- and norm-referenced tests will be used in the Nursing Fundamentals course by doing the following:

    1. Discuss how criterion-referenced tests will be used in the Nursing Fundamentals course.

    2. Discuss how norm-referenced tests will be used in the Nursing Fundamentals course.

    D. Discuss construction of test items and responses as it relates to the development of the Nursing Fundamentals course by doing the following:

    1. Discuss advantages of using true-false test items.

    2. Discuss disadvantages of using true-false test items.

    3. Discuss advantages of using multiple-choice test items.

    4. Discuss disadvantages of using multiple-choice test items.

    E. Write one multiple-choice item for one of the learning objectives you created in part A2.

    1. Describe key considerations involved with item stem construction.

    2. Describe key considerations involved with developing response options.

    3. Discuss how posttest reviews may benefit students.

    F. Identify cultural and societal factors that may impact students’ learning in the classroom.

    1. Describe how a student’s cultural and personal background could impact learning in the classroom.

    G. Discuss how to facilitate learning through learning objectives and related activities.

    1. Develop one learning activity to assist learners in meeting one of the learning objectives you created in part A2.

    a. Describe how the learning activity meets the learning objective you selected in part G1.

    2. Explain how the learning activity meets one of the following learning styles of the students in the course:

    • visual

    • auditory

    • kinesthetic

    H. Discuss the importance of creating a learning activity that promotes critical thinking skills.

    1. Identify one of the following critical thinking strategies that you believe will best facilitate the development of self-reflection skills:

    • case study

    • collaborative learning

    • debate

    • concept mapping

    • simulation

    2. Describe how you would implement the selected strategy from part H1 in the classroom to best facilitate the development of self-reflection skills.

    I. Provide one example of a best practice for providing feedback to students in the clinical setting.

    J. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

    Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

    Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

  • Translation of Research Evidence and Evidence Summary

    Competency 724.8.1: Primary Research – The graduate recognizes basic scientific research concepts and techniques, appreciates the ethics of nursing research, recognizes researchable questions, uses evaluative skills to critique current nursing research, and identifies statistical types.

    Competency 724.8.2: Translation of Research Evidence and Evidence Summary –

    The graduate applies concepts of nursing research to clinical practice situations, conducts reviews of the literature in relation to therapeutic approaches, and recognizes the importance of theoretical models in nursing practice or research.

    Introduction:

    Peer-reviewed research reports are reports reviewed by other credible experts in the field. Nursing, as a profession, uses peer-reviewed primary research reports to make credible and evidence-based practice implications and recommendations in the clinical area.

    In this task, you will collect and analyze 10 research reports (primary research evidence) on one topic of interest to you in nursing practice or healthcare.

    Requirements:

    A. Select a piece of primary research (original research reports) from a research journal that has nursing implications and critique the article (suggested length of 2–3 pages) by doing the following:

    Note: Please notice that you can collect 10 research reports first and then select one of those to complete aspect A of this task.

    1. Identify the article you have chosen in an APA-formatted citation. 2. Design a visual representation (e.g., graph or chart) to show how the researcher

    addressed the five areas of a research report (background information or introduction, review of the literature, discussion of methodology, specific data analysis, and conclusion).

    Note: You may use the following table.

    3. Based on your analysis of the five areas, assess whether the evidence presented in the research report supports the researcher’s conclusion.

    4. Discuss ethical issues that may have arisen for the researcher while conducting the research for the article.

    5. Discuss the type of research used for the study. a. Explain whether or not other types of research would have been appropriate in the

    same situation.

    A1 Article: (indicate primary evidence chosen by way of an APA citation)

    A2 Background or Introduction

    A2 Review of the Literature

    A2 Discussion of Methodology

    A2 Data Analysis

    A2 Researcher’s conclusion

    B. Conduct a literature search to evaluate nursing care or management implications of a nursing intervention by doing the following: 1. Discuss evidence for a nursing care or management problem. 2. Complete the attached matrix to list 10 research sources, in APA format, from

    scholarly journal sources you locate in major medical databases (e.g., CINAHL, PubMed, MedLine, or a hard copy journal).

    Note: In aspect B you should gather 9 more pieces of similar research on the same topic as in aspect A so you have a total of 10 pieces of research to make a practice implication (a minimum of 8 authors should be used).

    Note: You have access to major medical databases within the WGU Library.

    Note: You may submit your completed matrix as a separate attachment to the task or you may include the matrix within your paper.

    Note: Credible sources may include professional journals, research reports, professional Web sites, governmental reports, and presentations from professional meetings. Research articles must not be more than ten years old.

    3. Conduct a review of the 10 peer-reviewed research articles in which you do the following:

    a. Develop an annotated bibliography (suggested length of 2–3 pages) of the articles.

    Note: An annotated bibliography is one that includes not only a brief summary of content for each book or article reviewed, but also contains other relevant comments and information that the candidate believes can be of help for future study. See Web Links below for more information on annotated bibliographies.

    b. Discuss whether the researchers’ evidence collected is adequate to make a recommendation for a practice change.

    c. Identify the tools the researchers chose to use. i. Discuss whether the researchers chose tools that were similar or different.

    d. Discuss whether you believe the tools the researchers chose could have affected their results.

    4. Develop an evidence summary of the articles, identifying at least two key criteria that were used to develop it.

    5. Recommend a specific nursing strategy based on the researcher’s recommendations and evidence you found in your review.

    6. Explain why you believe it is important to use a theoretical model for nursing research.

    C. When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

    Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

    Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

    Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.