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  • Emojis use in business communication essay

    Emojis use in business communication essay

    Introduction

               
    Emojis are described as a global language. Each country has a different use with the French using the ‘love heart’ four times more than any other country. Russians and Arab-speaking nations have also been fond of using emojis more frequently. Sometimes back, emojis were almost exclusively used by youth and teenagers. However, that is not the case as of today. Lately, people of all ages are using emojis to add some form of levity to their written communication. Before proceeding, it would be wise to define what an emoji is. An emoji is defined as a small digital icon or image that is used to express an emotion or idea among others (Wheatman, 2016, p. 60) Emojis use in business communication essay. According to Aydlett (2016, p. 47), 92% of the total online population is using emojis to communicate Emojis use in business communication essay. It is for this reason that businesses are seeing the importance of using them, especially in their marketing. Initially, emojis were ignored and regarded as a teenage thing but lately, businesses are using them and helping businesses add human and playful touch in their communications. Emojis use in business communication essay This article gives a deeper insight into finding out whether emojis are finding their place in written business communication.

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    How to use emojis in business communication  

               
    Debates on whether emojis are unprofessional have been going on for a while with different people having their own different views. In essence, majority of people tend to believe that the use of emojis, especially in business communication is unprofessional. However, research has shown that the use of emojis actually make communication appear more competent and friendly (Narayanan, 2015, p. 30). Albert Mehrabian, a famous psychologist once argued that emojis help people more accurately express what they are thinking. There are cases when using such emojis may seem inappropriate but and should be chosen with care. However, times have changed with businesses seeing the importance of using emojis, especially in written form of business communication (Lucas, 2016, p. 75).

    Emojis should not be used randomly, especially in business communication. There is a time and place to use such emojis one of them being in instant messaging. The majority of offices do make use of some sort of instant messaging system that allows employees to communicate with one another directly via a computer. With this type of setting, the focus is often on sending a message and expecting to get a feedback immediately. In such a case, emojis available may be used thereby becoming a big time saver in helping convey feelings quickly (Byron and Baldridge, 2007, p. 137).

    Secondly, emojis can be used in written business communication when the relationship between parties is formal and solidified enough. When an organization has solidified its relationship with their customers, for instance, it will not be bad if the firm goes ahead and uses emojis once in a while to communicate with them. When the interactions seem casual and friendly enough, emojis can be used to communicate within and a business environment or between a business entity and its customers (Chan, 2015, p. 6). For instance, in the business setting, workmates working at the same department can use emojis to communicate with each other about the inner working of the business.

    In written business communication, emojis can also be used depending on who the person using them is communicating with. In other words, it depends on the relationships, audience in addition to the tone of the message. For instance, co-workers or small groups of people who know each other well with established good work ethic can use emojis once in a while. According to Byron and Baldridge (2007, p. 138), business settings that use emojis such as smiley face when communicating have higher chances of enhancing communication between each party as such a face is friendly and inviting Emojis use in business communication essay.

    In written business communication, the use of emojis may at times sound inappropriate and somehow distracting. However, based on the situation and company culture, the use of emojis to express certain feelings may not be bad. If the company has a habit or culture if using emojis to communicate once in a while, co-workers or the business entity itself can use them in written business communication (Brodsky, 2015, p. 3). Closely related to this, based on responses from customers based on a company’s product, the use of emojis may be used. Today, there are hundreds of emojis in place with research indicating that a lot of people use them to communicate. Product reviews of a given company have seen the use of emojis used to express customer feelings and feedback (Chan, 2015, p.6). In such a case, a business entity can go ahead and use emojis when replying or communicating feedback to their customers.

    In line with the above, if the
    company
    has a policy in place against the use of emojis in written communication, it would be very inappropriate to do so. Some companies across the globe have strict work ethics, one of them being not using any form of emojis in written communication as they may be misinterpreted by other people to mean different things (Lucas, 2016, p.74). For this reason, it would be inappropriate to use them, especially when communicating through writing to customers or other business associates.

    In written business communication, emojis adds a personal touch to conversations that may not take place face-to-face. Colleagues that rarely meet can ensure that written messages sent to each other carry some personal touch in them (Aydlett, 2016, p. 47). In business settings, such can be used if the company seeks to ensure that their employees get that interactive feeling that may not take place face to face through the use of emojis. In such a situation, it would not be destructive if a given company goes ahead and encourage its employees to use emojis in communication (Narayanan, 2015, p.30) Emojis use in business communication essay.

    According to recently published reports, it is indicated that receiving an email with an emoji makes the recipient feel like the sender is friendlier and more understanding in nature. In business communication, throwing in a smiley face in an email shows the recipient that the message is not meant to be interpreted or perceived in a negative way (Wheatman, 2016, p. 60).

    Conclusion

               
    Communication is constantly adapting to new technologies and changes. The use of acronyms, emoticons and emojis is lately gaining widespread attention. Not so long ago, emojis were perceived and subsequently associated with the youthful generation but lately, the use of emojis is finding its way in business communication with research pointing out that a lot of people use it to communicate. Of importance though, there is a place and time to use emojis in written business communication. It depends on a lot of things such as the relationship in place, the company culture and the response from previous communication among others.

     

    Bibliography

    Aydlett, M 2016, ‘Emojis — Are They a New Marketing Language?’,
    Campaign
    , p. 47.

    Byron, K., & Baldridge, D. C. (2007). E-mail Recipients’ Impressions of Senders’ Likability.
    Journal Of Business Communication
    ,
    44
    (2), 137-160.

    Brodsky, A 2015, ‘The Dos and Don’ts of Work Email, from Emojis to Typos’,
    Harvard Business Review Digital Articles
    , pp. 2-5.

    Narayanan, C 2015, ‘Who Needs Words?’,
    Business Today
    , 24, 22, pp. 30-31.

    Chan, D 2015, ‘How professionals are using emojis in the inbox’,
    Communication Briefings
    , 34, 12, p. 6.

    Lucas, G 2016, ‘The Story of Emoji’,
    Creative Review
    , 36, 5, pp. 74-81.

    Wheatman, D 2016, ‘To Emoji or Not to Emoji?’,
    Marketing News
    , 50, 3, p. 60. Emojis use in business communication essay

  • Argumentative Essay- Business Transformation Management

    ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY- BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION MANAGEMENT

     
    Argumentative Essay- Business Transformation Management  

    Overview

    The process of bringing radical and profound change within the internal affairs of an organization is closely associated with success and high levels of productivity. Companies that constantly rebrand themselves while at the same time change their operational strategies tend to become more effective as opposed to those that stagnate at one point. It is through different forms of business transformation that reputable giant firms such as Apple, Samsung, McDonalds and even Walmart have managed to remain profitable in such a competitive global market. It is through the use of this tool that fundamental revolutions have been introduced in most companies and their results have been phenomenal.

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                Business transformation is known for assisting most entrepreneurial ventures in changing their operating strategy so that it can suit the contemporary trends in the market. Professionals within the field of commerce advise that it is paramount for any business to consider underdoing through these transformation programs as they help in increasing the amount of sales returns, revenue and even the shares of the market. At the same time, customer satisfaction is significantly improved because the corporation learns to take to heart the needs of their clientele.     The process of achieving change in business can be accomplished in a myriad of ways such as re-alignment where the internal structure of the organization can be restructured and the employees are also reshuffled. This aids a lot when it comes to identifying areas where some employees may have more capabilities and also destroys the monotony that may come with formal employment. The list of companies that have transformed their operations over time is endless and so are their benefits. This paper is a detailed and incisive argumentative essay that analyzes the plight of the Nokia Company and how business transformation would have helped this firm to capitalize on the emergence of smartphones.

    Topic Chosen for the Essay

    Discuss what should the CEO of the Nokia Company could have done differently so as to capitalize on the emergence of smartphones.

    Body of the Essay

    That Argument

    This part of the essay will argue
    that
    the Nokia Company could have used different business transformation strategies so that it can profit from the emergence of smartphones. It is a widely accepted fact that smartphones have been one of the most celebrated discoveries of the twenty first century (Bajarin 2014, p. 44). These devices have managed to revolutionize the manner in which people communicate, socialize and even access information. In particular, the emergence of a different feature within these smartphones is what has contributed to their skyrocketing popularity. Most of these devices now have an operating system, software applications and internet connections that make them convenient for usage and ownership (Snively et al 2014, 178).

    These features have made the smartphone to become one of the most sought after devices among young and old alike. The existence of numerous tech giant firms such as Samsung, Apple and even Huawei is sufficient evidence of the lucrative nature of the smartphone business (Cooper and Brainard 2011, p. 177).  The Nokia Company was widely renowned for occupying a huge global presence when it comes to the sale of mobile phones. However, this firm lost the smartphone battle and this led to its spiraling decline (Ammisetti 2012, p. 16) Argumentative Essay- Business Transformation Management .

    It can be argued that the management in this mobile firm became complacent and it did not bother to revolutionize its activities so as to suit the emerging trends. In the recent past, Nokia Company was largely synonymous with cell phones so much that this firm became an instant technology star in virtually all parts of the globe. This image has since faded away and the Nokia of today is a pale shadow from what it used to be around the beginning of the twenty first century (Sturges 2015, p. 10). The fall of Nokia from the top can hugely be blamed on the manager and CEO who would have incorporated business transformation strategies so as to match the expectations of customers in the market.

    Business Transformation Management Methodologies or BTMM are frameworks that assist companies to remain relevant as the global market continues to evolve and drastically change. One of the ways that companies in the modern era evolve is by adopting a different operational strategy such that their daily running become more efficient, faster or sophisticated (Laamanen et al 2016, p. 14). A classic example of an operative business transformation is the manner in which most firms are going digital and conducting most of their affairs online. What’s more, most corporations and organizations are embracing new technology so as to solve their current problems.

    It is through operational models that firms such as Netflix have managed to capitalize on sales and become one of the most preferred online brands. This firm made a drastic shift from merely selling DVDs via email and instead began to stream videos through the inter webs (Brahma 2015, p. 23). The CEO of Nokia Company would have followed a similar lead as opposed to simply enjoying the fact that their brand had already become a household name. Further, Nokia’s management should have maximized on the knowledge obtained from the customer’s preferences and used it to design some of the most sophisticated smartphone brands (Das and Madhavan 2014, p. 62).

    This is because the mobile phone industry is one that constantly evolves and most companies operating in this sector are forced to transform their endeavors so as not to become obsolete. The mobile phone has ceased to become a mere object of communication and it is now capable of handling a variety of functions. The Nokia Company did not realize this fact and this explains why firms such as Samsung, Lenovo and even Apple managed to overtake it and become the household brands in matters of smartphones (Sturges 2015, p. 10). The successful transformation of the rival firms to Nokia is a strategy that has taken place over the years with constant rebranding and changing the features of most smartphones.

    It is also essential to note that business transformation also takes place through leadership. It is crucial to change guard at the top so that the firm can experience a shift when it comes to supervision and task execution. For Nokia, the CEO and other managers had served long terms and this explains why they were not the right people to initiate radical changes so as to capitalize on the emergence of smartphones (Day and Jung 2010, p. 118). At the same time, it can also be argued that the process of choosing and hiring the right leaders is very vital because they determine how the internal affairs of the company are handled and how employees relate with one another.

    Apart from leadership, Nokia as a mobile phone company should have embraced business transformation in an alternative way (Phillips and Dalakas 2014, p. 178).  There are transformation programs that can also take place from the internal side of the firm where the various managers and supervisors focus keenly on the trends, production levels and performance on both daily and weekly basis (Day and Jung 2010, p. 118). This directive could have aided this firm greatly, especially when it comes to integrating the company’s operations into one global venture that can also harness the scope of the available resources. The following part of this argumentative essay discusses the role that the CEO of Nokia Company should have played based on the “because” argument.

    Because Argument

    The Nokia Company could not have profited from the sale of smartphones
    because
    its leaders were not keen enough to realize that the market trends were changing fast. The CEO of this firm remained rigid and did not respond to the wave of evolution that was sweeping in the mobile phone industry (Bajarin 2014, p. 46). It was also impossible for Nokia to remain at the top and capitalize on the sale of smartphones because the top managers of this firm had a very terrible and tainted reputation. In fact, some of the senior managers were very short tempered and it was not unusual for them to shout and scream at the junior staff.

    Therefore, it was quite difficult for employees to express their opinions when it came to matters of task execution or even giving positive input. In as much as Nokia as a company had already established itself in the market, its survival would have only been maintained through the process of constant transformation (Snively et al 2014, 177). The latter should have been strategically embraced such that the very essence of a company is redefined.

    This is what worked for Apple as their business transformation approach involved a change of gear from manufacturing computers to designing some of the most superior brand of phones (Cooper and Brainard 2011, p. 178). The CEO of Nokia failed to realize that in business, change is inevitable and constant transformation is more than necessary. In fact, it has never been advised for executives to remain complacent and contented because of past achievements, but they should frequently initiate change if they want to remain successful (Ammisetti 2012, p. 19).

    Business transformation methodologies are never complete and they are always ongoing depending on the current market trends. The fact that Nokia had one of the longest serving CEOs who sat in power for more than two decades could explain why they were not receptive to the idea of smartphones. What’ more, the CEO of this mobile firm could be faulted for not paying any attention to the changing current that significantly changed the appearance and features of smartphones. Nokia was also to blame for failing to develop phones that were innovative and stylish enough to match those of its rising rivals such as Samsung and Apple (Sturges 2015, p. 10).

    It can also be argued that as Nokia grew larger, most of the departments slowly converted themselves into mini kingdoms such that people were only concerned with what happened in their own division and not in others. Further, the CEO of Nokia portrayed the picture that made employees more concerned with individual gain like promotions and bonuses. Therefore, it was virtually impossible for staff members to work towards improving the mobile brands of Nokia as they were busy pursuing their own interests (Cooper and Brainard 2011, p. 178). What this firm failed to realize is that change of tactics is very crucial when it comes to the centralization of business.

    This is actually one of the forms of transformation is business that strives at restructuring the day-to-day functions in major departments of a company such as communication, information technology and even human resources (Bajarin 2014, p. 48). This approach would have been very instrumental to Nokia when it comes to designing and creating of superior smartphone brands. In as much as the firm still produces modern phones, they are not rated highly as those of rival companies like Lenovo and Apple. The use of the centralized model as a means to transform a business is designed such that it mirrors the most superior and grander innovations that could provide the much needed leverage to compete with other giants in the industry (Day and Jung 2010, p. 119).

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                This means that Nokia should have learnt from the profitability gained from other smartphone producers and then gather insights on how best to come up with an innovative product (Laamanen et al 2016, p. 16). In as much as imitation in business is not very ethical, this firm would have simply observed how giant firms like Samsung, Lenovo, Itel and even Apple were revolutionizing the industry and then develop their own marketing plan. The fact that Nokia failed in all its endeavors to embrace business transformation explains why they quickly faded away in an industry that they had previously managed to colonize. The next part of this essay analyzes the plight of the Nokia Company using the “however” argument.

    However Argument

    It is essential to note that in contrast to the above provided arguments, however, Nokia strove to achieve excellence in its own way and this is why this brand was considered synonymous with any type of phone in the past (Brahma 2015, p. 25). Perhaps the reason why Nokia managed to remain relevant in the industry for very many years is because the CEO was at one point competent in leadership. However, they would have still agreed to embrace change so that the company capitalizes on the smartphone market. In fact, the latter is described as one of the most dense markets with customers having a high demand for superior mobile phones that contain unique features and software.

    The success story of Apple and Lenovo is sufficient testimony of this fact as these two firms embraced business transformation using the operational strategic approach. The reputable companies managed to make a drastic shift from computers to smartphones and their endeavors paid off handsomely (Das and Madhavan 2014, p. 64). Argumentative Essay- Business Transformation Management  This is exactly what the Nokia management team should have done so that it can remain profitable and enjoy its growing customer base. It is indisputable that Nokia was highly established in the western region from where it spread its wings to other countries.

    However, this trend did not last as the firm failed to reinvent itself and meet the expectations of its target consumers (Phillips and Dalakas 2014, p. 179). At the same time, the CEO and his managerial team did not understand that embracing the latest innovations in designing of mobile devices is critical when it comes to maintaining customers. A large number of people purchase a mobile phone based on its features and not on usability (Das and Madhavan 2014, p. 64). Therefore, in as much as a Nokia phone is quite convenient in use, its features and level of sophistication is quite low when compared to its rivals. This means that the needs of customers come first and it is the duty of CEOs to know what their needs and expectations are at any given moment (Das and Madhavan 2014, p. 64).

    However, this is not the case for Nokia and it explains why the firm was not able to rapidly expand within the market since its products were not engineered with any expertise or prowess. The final part of this argumentative essay incorporates the “therefore” approach to discuss and evaluate what Nokia’s CEO should have done so as to capitalize on the emergence of smartphones.

    Therefore Argument

                Therefore
    , due to the complacency and inept leadership of Nokia’s CEO, the firm was not in any position to remain profitable as a mobile phone company. It is the ultimate duty of the senior leader in any company to ensure that levels of profitability do not fluctuate, but instead maintain an upward trend (Bajarin 2014, p. 49).  The fact that the top manager failed to embrace business transformation made it impossible for Nokia to compete within a market that had entirely changed in terms of cell phone preference. The creation of differentiation to deal with stiff competition in the market is also another way in which Nokia would have transformed its activities (Brahma 2015, p. 27).  What’s more, this process is strengthened further by the introduction of a business model that is vertically integrated.

    This type of approach is quite unique and could have been of great value to Nokia such that it could have enabled it to capitalize on smartphone proliferation. Therefore, the fact that business transformation was absent in Nokia made it impossible for the firm to profit from the sale of smartphones.

    Conclusion

    The frameworks for achieving success and prosperity in any business lies in the ability of a firm to reinvent and rebrand itself. A large part of this process is achieved through business transformation where a company adopts strategies that can help it remain profitable and relevant in the market simultaneously. The Nokia Company was one of the most sought after firms in the past century due to its ability to design phones that were convenient to use. However, the firm was slowly phased out by emerging giants such as Lenovo, Samsung and Apple since it did not change its phones to suit market trends.

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                The CEO of this company failed to understand the power of change and as such, it was difficult to profit from the sale of smartphones. Argumentative Essay- Business Transformation Management The case analysis of the Nokia Company offers valuable insights to already established firms that change in business is not only crucial, but it is inevitable if one desires to see their entrepreneurial venture remain prosperous.

    References

    Ammisetti, A. (2012). Nokia: The Troubled King of the Indian Handset Market. Vidwat: The Indian Journal Of Management, 5(1), 14-20.

    Bajarin, T 2014, ‘The Real Difference between Nokia and Apple’, PC Magazine, pp. 44-46, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 October 2016.

    Brahma, M. (2015). When a Giant Falls. Vision (09722629), 19(3), 288-291. Doi: 10.1177/0972262915604915

    Cooper, R. N., & Brainard, L. (2011). The Nokia Revolution: The Story of an Extraordinary Company That Transformed an Industry./ When Genius Failed: The Rise and Fall of Long-Term Capital Management. Foreign Affairs, 80(6), 176-177. Argumentative Essay- Business Transformation Management

    Das, G., & Madhavan, N. (2014). Death Of A Dream. Business Today, 23(16), 58-63.

    Day, J. D., & Jung, M. (2010). Corporate transformation without a crisis. Mckinsey Quarterly,     (4), 116-127.

    Laamanen, T., Lamberg, J., & Vaara, E. (2016). Explanations Of Success And Failure In Management Learning: What CanWe Learn From Nokia’s Rise and Fall?. Academy Of Management Learning & Education, 15(1), 2-25. doi:10.5465/amle.2013.0177

    Phillips-Melancon, J, & Dalakas, V 2014, ‘Brand Rivalry and Consumers’ Schadenfreude: The        Case of Apple’, Services Marketing Quarterly, 35, 2, pp. 173-186, Business Source   Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 October 2016.

    Snively, C., Alcacer, J., & Khanna, T. (2014). The Rise and Fall of Nokia. Harvard Business School Cases, 1.

    Sturges, D. (2015). The Transformation of communication @ Apple. Smartphone Design &            Production, 127(11), 10. Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 October             2016.

     

    ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY- Business Transformation Management Methodology Concepts and Theories

     

    CHOSEN TOPIC:
     What should have the CEO of NOKIA done differently to capitalize on the emergence of smartphones?

    Task:

    You are required to prepare an 
    argumentative essay
     that applies the concepts and theory of the course. The questions will focus on key theory and the
     Business Transformation Management Methodology
     (BTMM) framework.

    This
    assignment
    will be assessed upon how well you are able to identify and articulate the concepts.  You will be assessed on your familiarity with the theory, application of argument, ability to research and reference Argumentative Essay- Business Transformation Management .

    The structure I would like you to use in your essay has four parts:

    That

    Because

    However

    Therefore

    Within each of these four parts, there are a number of paragraphs.

    REMEMBER THIS IS AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

    NB//
     MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW THE STRUCTURE AS PER THE 
    ATTACHED PDF ON STRUCTURE
    .

    FAILURE TO APPLY BTMM 
    CONCEPTS AND THEORIES
     WILL LEAD TO 
    ZERO GRADING!! Argumentative Essay- Business Transformation Management

  • Lucas Critique and Micro-founded models – New Classical macro economical theory

    Lucas Critique and Micro-founded models – New Classical macro economical theory 

    Introduction

    The economic activities carried out by individuals or corporations within a nation are determined by the decision making by the state in terms of adopting a guiding economic theory. The economic decision making determines the economic environment from which a country’s residents operate within. At any given point, despite deferring opinions being held by leading economists, there is always a prevailing economic theory. Since the 1970s, the prevailing economic theory has been the new classical macro economical theory (Yang and Ng, 2015: 33). This research essay will analyze the evolution of economical theory and the principles and arguments that are held by New Classical macro economical theory.

    Historical Development of New Classical Macroeconomics

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    The first accepted formal theory of economics is referred to as the classical theory. The hallmarks of classical theory were firmly rooted in the staunch belief in a self regulating economy and the opposition to any governmental intervention. British Economist, Adam Smith, is largely credited with being the ‘father’ of the classical theory of economics when in 1776 he published his seminal book,
    wealth of a nation
    (Negishi, 2014: 16)
    .
    In the book, smith called for a shift towards basing an economy on trade rather than its gold reserves. He also stated that the general national economic well being directly derives from the business activities, and wealth transfer of its private individuals. The people’s own self interest can be depended upon to fuel the national economy. However, smith recognized that people’s self interest cannot be depended upon in certain areas, such as education. As concerns education, and a small number of social amenities, the government’s involvement is required to ensure all citizens (even those that cannot afford it) are provided with the basic necessities.

    Other notable economists such as David Ricardo, Say, Malthus and Stuart Mill built upon the theory while generally retaining the core principles identified by Smith’s theory. The guiding principles upon which classical theory is founded upon include the belief in a self regulating (free) economy. Every market has its natural equilibrium in terms of supply, demand, and commodity pricing. The existing market forces are adequate in terms of enabling the market achieve this natural state of equilibrium without any external intervention; this is termed as the ‘invisible hand’ (North, 2016: 74) of the market. Say’s law further builds upon this theory by stating that the supply made available in a market is sufficient to fuel the demand of the commodities on offer. The production phase creates enough wealth within a market to sustain the purchase of the commodities produced. Interest rates and interest rates should also be determined by the market forces without any government intervention. The same principles also govern the labour market which should be governed by market forces without any state involvement.

    The classical theory was largely accepted in the period following the industrial revolution and preceding the great depression as it was a period that featured immense economic growth and general prosperity. The great depression was the single most significant reason that prompted the classical theory to be viewed critically and alternate guiding principles to be developed.

    British economist, John Maynard Keynes, in the aftermath of the great depression, led the efforts to supplant classical theory as the prevailing economic theory. According to Keynes, the great depression was evidence that a self-regulating (free) market was not equipped to come up with solutions that can resolve the economy after a cataclysmic economic event (Moggridge, 2013: 29). Concerning employment, Keynes insisted that under the guidance of classical theories, employment was not available to all that needed it despite classical theory tenets stating that it was. Keynesian theory argued that government involvement is needed to achieve both price stability as well as full employment.

    Keynes largely agrees with Say’s law that stated that ultimately, the supply will create its own demand (Amsden, 2010: 61). However, the great depression showed that a weakened economy sees a sharp reduction in the overall demand. The reduced demand forces suppliers to reduce their output and lay off their employees due to reduced revenue. These layoffs add to the overall unemployment and further reduce the demand. This vicious cycle of reduced demand and increasing unemployment can only be checked and corrected by government intervention. The principle foundation of Keynesian theories is government intervention. During the troughs of a business cycle, a government can ‘jump start’ an economy by increasing its spending to support production. Likewise, the reduction of the interest rate could provide the economy with affordable credit thus boosting the economy. During the peaks of the business cycle, Keynesian theories propose increased government regulation, especially concerning corporate financial behaviour and employment.

    Keynesian theories were popular in the post-depression economy as they oversaw the rebuilding of the global economy. However, towards the 1970, the economy globally was faced with an extended period of economic stagnation (Kaldor, 2015: 43). This period of stagnation saw the Keynesian theories being critically questioned and the development of other economic theories. The theory that was widely accepted in this pot Keynesian period was the new classical macro economical theory that is the subject matter for this research essay.

    The New Classical Macro-economical Theory

    After the stagnation experienced b the global economy in the 1970s, the new classical theory was adopted to supplant the prevailing Keynesian theories. Work on the neo classical theories of macroeconomics was particularly robust in the 1960s as many mainstream economics started having opposing views to Keynesian theories. The economics credited with the development of new classical macro economical theory include Robert Lucas, Neil Wallace, Edward Prescott and Thomas Sargant (Berg and Gigerenzer, 2010: 141). While other economists were involved in the development of the theory, these four are recognized as the neo classical theory pioneers.

    The theory highlighted the shortcomings in Keynesian theories and opposed the economic models developed under Keynesianism as being ineffective. The new classical theories are largely concerned with the futility of state intervention as a tool for correcting the unpredictable ‘shocks’ to the economy.

    Principles

    While there are many economists that identify as being neo-classist, they often have different viewpoints on certain issues. However, the following principles are the guiding principles on which the new classical theories are based on. Support on these guiding principles is almost universal with all neo classic economists.

    The assumption of rational expectation

    Keynesian theories largely fail to account for the expectations that people have. One of the pioneering new classical theory pioneers, Milton Friedman, sated that people have a certain expectations concerning the outcome of an economic policy. Ultimately, the outcomes should not differ greatly from the people’s expectations. An economic policy that fails to match the expectations is considered to be flawed by the new classical school of thought (Mertens and Ravn, 2014: 08).

    Most economical models are concerned with the forecasting of future economic situations and the manner with which the market will react to them. For example, the forecast information of future inflation rates is important in terms of the decision making involving investment, employment and the public’s consumption. Keynesian theories based their model creation on adaptive expectations which stated that future events can be predicted based on past events.

    The assumption of rational expectation states that people will always make decisions to further their self interest; and these decisions are based on the information that they have. Information received serves to shape their expectations of the future and influence their economical decision making.

     The assumption of natural rate

    There is a natural equilibrium for all products that is determined by the unique factors that constitute a market. This is especially true concerning the labour market. The natural rate of unemployment was a theoretical concept that was developed by Edward Phelps and Milton Friedman in the 1960s/ full employment, as hypothesized by Keynesianism is impossible to achieve. The theory sates that each market has a production capacity, and when this peak output is achieved, there is no unemployment that is caused by the lack of labour demand. When a market achieves peak output, the unemployment rate observed is the market’s natural unemployment rate (Daly et al., 2011: 13).

    While Keynesian theories showed that, to some extent, government intervention could reduce unemployment, it is impossible to reduce the unemployment rate past the market’s natural unemployment rate without a resultant increase in inflation. Lucas Critique and Micro-founded models – New Classical macro economical theory Economists have recognized, for a long time, that there is an inverse relationship between the inflation rate and the unemployment rate. A rise in inflation is accompanied by a reduction of the unemployment rate; similarly, a drop in inflation is accompanied by an increase in the unemployment rate. Keynesian theories believe that a government can exploit this trade-off to impact the unemployment rate. Policies aimed at increasing inflation could be used to reduce the unemployment rate as per the Keynesian school of thought. However, adopting expansionist policies, to reduce the unemployment rate past the natural rate is extremely counterproductive.  Initially, such a move may show nominal results in the short-term, however, in the long run, the market will see an inflation increase that reduces the overall spending power that the residents have. This sees them demand for increased wages to remedy this situation, and over time, the unemployment rate will increase until it goes back to its natural rate. Meanwhile, the inflation rate will remain high without any payoffs in terms of reduced unemployment

    Theory of continuous market clearing

    This theoretical concept is concerned with the matter of pricing within a market. New classical macroeconomic theory believes in the market’s ability to settle on a general equilibrium price. The general equilibrium price is the price whereby the supply produced equals to the amount demanded. As per the theory of continuous market clearing, the market forces of supply and demand will eventually set the equilibrium price.

    This is the price at which the commodities supplied equal to the demand. When the market price is more than the equilibrium price, the demand would reduce leading to an inventory surplus on the supply side. When the market price is below the equilibrium price, the demand would exceed the supply, leading to commodity shortage as suppliers’ output fails to meet the demand rate. Any factors that change within the market to make the market price different from the equilibrium price will be rectified by the market as its either adapts to the new change by coming up with a new equilibrium price or by forcing the market price to naturally tend towards the natural equilibrium price Lucas Critique and Micro-founded models – New Classical macro economical theory.

    Main Argument

    One of the central tenets of neo-classic theories is the ineffectiveness of government interventionist policies to influence the market. This is known as the theory of policy ineffectiveness as is the central argument posed by new classical macroeconomic theories. The issue of unemployment offers the best insight into policy ineffectiveness.

    The Philips curve visually represented the aforementioned relationship between unemployment and inflation (Gallegati et al., 2011: 491). The relationship, as previously explained, is inverse in nature. Keynesian intervention policies believe that expansionist policies and strategies result in reduced unemployment despite the trade-off in terms of increased inflation. Figure 1 below shows the short term benefits of government intervention. As the figure shows, at point A on the curve, unemployment is at 5% while inflation is at 2%. The introduction of expansionist policies sees the market experience the situation represented by point B on the curve, with unemployment being at 3% while inflation rising to 6% Lucas Critique and Micro-founded models – New Classical macro economical theory

     

    Figure 1: Short Term Philips curve. Source:http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/NewClassicalMacroeconomics.html

    Work on policy ineffectiveness was pioneered by Friedman, who introduced the concept of permanent income. Permanent income refers to all the income that an individual expects to receive in their lifetime. Consumption decisions are based on this permanent income rather than on present ‘actual’ income. Government intervention believes that expansionist strategies, which raise ‘actual’ income, will spur consumption. However, new classical theories show that this is not the case, as without a change in the permanent income, there is no significant change in the public’s consumption behaviours. This introduces the concept of the long run Philips curve, as shown by figure 2 below.

    Figure 2: Long Term Philips Curve. Source: http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/NewClassicalMacroeconomics.html

     

    The first curve (SRPC1) shows how unemployment is reduced by government intervention on a short term basis, from 5% to 3%. However, over time, the effects of inflation, and having reduced spending power, will force the Philips curve to shift to the right and becomes SRPC2. At this point, the economic situation is at point C on SRPC2 where the unemployment rate has reverted to 5% while the inflation increases to 5% (from 2%). Therefore, government intervention is not only ineffective but actually counterproductive as the resultant situation is worse than the situation at the beginning of the scenario. Further intervention will see the curve shift to SRPC3 without positively affecting the unemployment rate. The red perpendicular line (LRPC) represents the long term Philips curve.

    The famed Lucas critique (Lubik and Surico, 2010: 179) builds on the theory of policy ineffectiveness by using the theory of rational expectation. Human beings will always work towards serving their self interests. They base their decision making on the information that they have, either from education or from past experience. Once a government makes an expansionist intervention, the people expect to benefit financially. They may experience some benefit in the short term that is in line with their expectations and therefore adjust their spending habits. However, as time goes by and they realize that their spending power has diminished, they will revert back into their ‘normal’ spending pattern.

    When the same government tries to make a similar intervention at a later date, the people are now armed with the knowledge that the seemingly improved situation is only superficial and the economic situation has both improved for the better. Therefore, they will not change their spending habits due to a change in their expectation. This is why Friedman sated that when the population’s expectations are different from the expected outcome, the policy cannot be effective.

    Conclusion

    Government policy making in economic matters has a profound effect on the ordinary citizens, and business decision makers, as it determines the nature of the economic environment in the country. Economic theory has invested a significant amount of theoretical work and academic literature towards determining the most efficient theoretical methods to use to achieve positive economic growth and prosperity. The first ‘formal’ theory, the classical theory was largely discarded after its self-governing principles failed to improve the economy after the great depression. Keynesian theories were adopted, which were later discarded after they resulted in economic stagnation in the 1970s. New classical theories were adopted and are the dominant theory used globally. Neo classical theorists adopt much of the characteristics used by traditional post-Keynesian classical theorists but the
    theory
    has been much improved by new theory making n the 1960s and 1970s.

    Neo classical macro economical theories believe in the market’s self-clearing ability but are more focused towards understanding the expectations that the people have, and the information that they posses. The main foundations of the theory include the theory of rational expectation, the theory of natural rate and the aforementioned theory of continuous market clearing. The main argument of the theory is the ‘policy ineffectiveness’ that state that any expansionist policies will to achieve any long term effect Lucas Critique and Micro-founded models – New Classical macro economical theory.

    The different economic theories have exhibited success due to being appropriate for the economic environment from which they were created. The neo classic theory captures this by acknowledging that there is no way to really predict the unpredictability of economical ‘shocks’. Classical theory worked well as it was suitable for the post industrial revolution economic climate; likewise, the theories associated with Keynesianism were appropriate to pull the global economy from the effects of the great depression. Similarly, new classical theories were appropriate to jump start the economy from its lull n the 1970s. It is my belief that economical theory should be flexible to be able to handle the unique situation that the economy is facing presently.

     

    References

    Amsden, A.H., 2010. Say’s Law, poverty persistence, and employment neglect. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 11(1), pp.57-66.

    Berg, N. and Gigerenzer, G., 2010. As-if behavioral economics: Neoclassical economics in disguise?. History of Economic Ideas, pp.133-165.

    Daly, M.C., Hobijn, B. and Valletta, R.G., 2011. The recent evolution of the natural rate of unemployment.

    Gallegati, M., Gallegati, M., Ramsey, J.B. and Semmler, W., 2011. The US wage Phillips curve across frequencies and over time. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 73(4), pp.489-508.

    Kaldor, N., 2015. Keynesian economics after fifty years. In Essays on Keynesian and Kaldorian Economics (pp. 27-74). Palgrave Macmillan UK.

    Lubik, T.A. and Surico, P., 2010. The Lucas critique and the stability of empirical models. Journal of Applied Econometrics, 25(1), pp.177-194.

    Mertens, K.R. and Ravn, M.O., 2014. Fiscal policy in an expectations-driven liquidity trap. The Review of Economic Studies, p.rdu016.

    Moggridge, D.E. ed., 2013. [The collected writings]; The collected writings of John Maynard Keynes. 29. The general theory and after: a supplement. Cambridge University Press.

    Negishi, T., 2014. History of economic theory (Vol. 26). Elsevier.

    North, D.C., 2016. Institutions and Economic Theory. The American Economist, 61(1), pp.72-76.

    Yang, X. and Ng, Y.K., 2015. Specialization and economic organization: A new classical microeconomic framework (Vol. 215). Elsevier.

    ECONOMICS ASSIGNMENT

    TASK

    Outline and critically discuss the principal ideas, tenets and arguments of New Classical Macroeconomics, paying particular reference (but without limiting your attention) to

              (i) The Lucas Critique, and

              (ii) Micro-founded models.

    In addition, discuss the extent to which this school of macroeconomics has influenced macroeconomic thinking in general during the last four decades. Lucas Critique and Micro-founded models – New Classical macro economical theory

    Guidance Notes

    (i) The relative amount of attention given to the aspects specifically mentioned in the above question could conceivably vary significantly from one high-scoring answer to another, and it is not essential that an equal amount of discussion be assigned to each. However, 
    an excellent answer would provide at least some incisive and well-informed coverage of each of those aspects, as well as providing an outline / discussion of other
     aspects of New Classical modelling approaches and policy conclusions.

    (ii) In addition to the recommended texts referred to in this handbook, students are encouraged to search online for relevant academic articles on this topic area. It is

    worthwhile consulting the original article by RE Lucas (1976), entitled “Econometric Policy Evaluation: A Critique”. However, to earn a high mark it is not essential that an

    intimate acquaintance with this article (as opposed to a sound understanding of its line of argument) be demonstrated.

    (iii) Discussion of applications of 
    the Lucas critique to phenomena other than the Phillips
     curve will potentially attract higher marks
    .

    (iv) 
    To earn a high mark
    , it is not essential that a specific micro-founded model be presented or analyzed, although some insightful discussion of this concept is expected.

    (v) Students are required to submit a word-processed assignment answer. Students who fail to do so will lose 10% of their assignment mark (i.e. a mark of 70% will be reduced

    to 63% if this penalty is applied). Please note that it is not acceptable for any aspect of the assignment (including equations and other mathematical expressions, as well as any diagrams) to consist of a digital scan of a hand-written passage or expression or of a hand-drawn diagram.

    Key Marking criteria will include:

     Correctness, validity and appropriateness of economics-related verbal statements and mathematical expressions

     Coherence, validity and completeness of the presented arguments and exposition

     Accuracy, correctness and relevance of diagrams (if included)

     Soundness of discussion of diagrams (if included)

     Overall quality of the assignment Lucas Critique and Micro-founded models – New Classical macro economical theory

  • Factors affecting bonds and shares valuation essay

    Factors affecting bonds and shares valuation essay

    Today, people and business entities across the globe use their money to make more money. Simply put, this is known as investing. When it comes to investing therefore, there are two key investment options that must be considered: bonds and shares. Bonds are more of loans from the investor to the bond issuer meant to raise capital for the company (Elton et al., 2003). On the other hand, shares are units of ownership in a company. Investors make profits from owning shares in form of dividends and capital gains. There are some elements or factors that affect the valuation or prices of bonds and shares as subsequently highlighted Factors affecting bonds and shares valuation essay.

    Factors that affect the valuation of Bonds

    First, bond prices may be affected by inflation. For instance, when inflation escalates, the prices of bonds fall and when inflation rates come down, bond prices rise. This can be understood by the fact that rising inflation inhibits the purchasing power of what people or business entities will earn on their investments (Elton et al., 2004).

    Secondly, the valuations of bonds are affected by interest rates. In practice, when interest rates rise, the prices of bonds fall and when interest rates fall, the prices of bonds rise (Walter and Que, 2003). Investors are often attracted by bonds whose interest rates are low and discouraged or become less attractive to bonds with high interest rates.

    ORDER HERE

    Third, Elton et al., (2003) argue that credit ratings can affect the valuation of bonds. Credit ratings can provide information on an issuer’s ability to deliver interest payments and pay back the principal on a bond. If issuer’s credit ratings go up, bond prices will rise and if ratings fall, bond prices will be driven down too.

    Fourth, the valuations of bonds are affected by a bond’s coupon. A bond’s coupon may be defined as interest rates that businesses must pay based on the bond’s face value. Even though coupons are generally fixed amounts, they can also be “indexed.” Here, interest rates are calculated by taking an established rate that fluctuates, such as a bank’s lending rate, and adding a “premium” percentage amount to calculate the bond’s coupon rate (Gabbi and Sironi, 2005).

    Factors that affect the valuation of Shares

    Just like bonds, there are some factors that can cause the prices of shares to either rise or fall. First, company news and performance are some of the factors that can affect the valuation of shares. A change of management, announcements of dividends, employee layoffs, accounting scandals and anticipated merger or takeover are some elements that may affect share prices (Kim, n.d).

    Secondly, industry performance is another factor. Oftentimes, share prices of companies in the same industry –say banking industry- will move in tandem with each other. Prevailing market conditions generally affect companies in the same industry. However, share prices of one company will benefit from any piece of bad news coming from its competitor (Errunza and Ta, 2015).

    Third, Kim (n.d) argues that investor sentiment or confidence may affect the prices or valuation of shares. Investor optimism may affect the prices of shares while a lack of investor confidence during recession or unemployment may affect valuation of shares.

    Lastly, other economic factors such as the economic outlook, inflation, deflation, political shocks, the value of currency, changes in the economic policy, and interest rates are some of the factors that can affect the valuation of shares (Errunza and Ta, 2015).

    The aforementioned factors are more of the direct factors that affect the valuation of bonds and shares. The prices of bonds and shares may also be affected indirectly. For instance, interest rates may be affected by current exchange rates, commodity prices, and wage inflation. Inflation may be affected by fast economic growth or increase in money supply among others all which may affect the valuation of bonds and shares (Kristina, 2010) Factors affecting bonds and shares valuation
    essay
    .

     

    References

    Elton, E., Gruber, M., Agrawal, D., & Mann, C. (2004). Factors affecting the valuation of corporate bonds.
    Journal Of Banking & Finance
    ,
    28
    (11), 2747-2767.

    Errunza, V., & Ta, H. (2015). The Impact of Investability on Asset Valuation.
    Journal Of Financial & Quantitative Analysis
    ,
    50
    (5), 1135-1163.

    Gabbi, G. & Sironi, A. (2005). Which factors affect corporate bonds pricing? Empirical evidence from Eurobonds primary market spreads.
    The European Journal Of Finance
    ,
    11
    (1), 59-74.

    Kim, D. (n.d). Performance Shares: Valuation, Optimal Design, and Empirical Evidence.
    SSRN Electronic Journal
    .

    Kristina, L. (2010).Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management. 1-166.

    Walter, J. E., & Que, A. V. (2003). The Valuation of Convertible Bonds.
    Journal Of Finance
    ,
    28
    (3), 713-732.

    BUSINESS FINANCE

    You must complete this assignment 
    individually
    .

    The explanations to the discussion question should be aimed at one brief paragraph to multiple paragraphs depending on the question. If you use any articles, textbooks, journals etc. to support your decisions, you must use in-text referencing to properly acknowledge the work of the original author. The preferred referencing style is the 
    Harvard referencing style (author-date).

    This assignment is worth 20 marks and also counts towards 20 percent of the final grade. Marks will be allocated for this assignment for meeting the following requirements:

     Completeness of submitted assignment – all required parts submitted – Factors affecting bonds and shares valuation essay

     Presentation: clearly and neatly labeled answers to each question; no spelling, typing or grammatical errors; and appropriately referenced if required Factors affecting bonds and shares valuation essay.

     

    TASK (10 marks for bonds and 10 marks for shares. 20 marks in total)

     This task requires you 
    to identify the various elements/factors that affect the valuation of bonds and shares
    .

     Please note that 
    you must segregate the factors for bond and shares separately – minimum four factors for each
    .

     You are 
    not only expected to identify the direct factors
     (the interest rate for example) 
    but also the indirect factors
     (i.e. the various factors which affects the interest rate itself).

     To simplify your discussion,
    y
    ou may choose a particular industry to answer this requirement
    .

     If you use any articles, textbooks, journals etc. to support your decisions, you must use in-text referencing to properly acknowledge the work of the original author. The preferred referencing style is the Harvard referencing style (author-date). However, you are not expected to reference the formulae Factors affecting bonds and shares valuation essay.

  • Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay

    Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay

    Psychopathology

    Introduction

    The existence of complex approaches that are used to study and diagnose ailments and conditions that affect both children and adults is an indication of how psychopathology has evolved within both the typical and atypical environment. The contemporary society is plagued with numerous problems that are entirely diverse and this has led to the mushrooming of different forms of psychological disorders. Diseases and conditions such as mood disorders, eating abnormality, psychosis or even depressive mood swings are all common in society and they target both children and adults. The fact that a person can suffer from either of this ailments can be a low moment in life and it is very essential to understand their diagnosis and treatment. This can help an individual to learn how to manage the disorder and avoid any activities that may trigger its relapse. This paper is an essay that discusses one psychopathological disorder and provides details of how it is diagnosed, its causes as well as the most effective treatment regimens.

     

    Topic Chosen for the Essay

    Bi-Polar I Disorder in the category of Depressive Mood Disorders

     ORDER HERE

    Section A

    Description of the Disorder

    Bipolar disorders are generally characterized by a severe shift in moods, behavior and thinking such that the person experiences the highs of being extremely happy to the lows of being seriously depressed (McDonal et al, 2015). Specifically bipolar I disorder is a form of mental illness where the affected person experiences manic episodes at some point in their lives. This manic episodes are usually elevated mood levels that are abnormal such that the behavior that results can easily disrupt the entire life of the person (Yao et al, 2015) Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay.

    The drastic changes in moods or the manic stunts normally alternate between highs of being extremely excited to lows of being depressed. This is why bipolar I disorder is characterized by recurring cycles that revolve around mania and depression. This disorder becomes a problem when the person is within either the depression stage or the manic phase. However, the person gets to lead a normal life in between these two abnormal phases (Khaleghi et al, 2015). It should also be noted that bipolar I disorder can also occur differently such that there are mixed episodes of both depression and mania. This condition has been shown to occur for a long time such that it can last for even up to one week.

    This means that this depressive disorder can be highly severe due to the extreme episodes of mania and depression. The occurrence of manic episodes can be experienced in the form of irritability, mystical feelings, creativity, inappropriate or unusual behavior, positive moods or even high levels of energy (Yao et al, 2015). The mystical experience has been known to reach a delusional intensity that often leads to the development of other psychotic symptoms. What’s more, the high levels of energy are the ones that lead to the excitement that is usually seen in the manic stages where a patient can find it difficult to sleep or even speak coherently (Yao et al, 2015).

    In extreme cases, the manic episodes have seen some people exhibit weird behavior such that they develop bizarre thoughts that make them believe someone is pursuing them. Additionally, others tend to believe that they have development superpowers overnight that give them the ability to fly across the region or locality of their choice (McDonal et al, 2015).

    Bipolar I disorder is capable of affecting both children and adults and the severity of the symptoms can be similar in both categories regardless of the age difference. This is why it is important to seek early help and medical attention in case some of these signs are noticed.

    Diagnostic Criteria

    The diagnosis of bipolar I disorder is often done by making careful observations of the symptoms experienced by a patient and the length at which they last. This duration and frequency are important because they help in ruling out a misdiagnosis of the ordinary mood swings (McDonald et al, 2015). This means that the criteria used to make a prognosis of whether a person has bipolar I disorder depends on whether they suffer from the abnormal elevations in moods that can bring about irritability. At the same time, psychologists also look out for the presence of increased energy levels that can be manifested in the form of participation in extremely tedious tasks (Khaleghi et al, 2015).

    Doctors also look out for the lack of regular sleep patterns where some patients are known to sleep for very few hours after which they wake up feeling extremely excited. This condition can cause them to remain awake for long periods and some of them can even spend a week without sleeping. This is one of the symptom that can really assists the psychologist to make a very conclusive diagnosis on the severity of the bipolar I disorder (Khaleghi et al, 2015).

    The other majority symptoms are also specifically assessed using the criteria developed by the Diagnostic, Statistical Manual on Mental Disorders or the DSM-V that is developed by the association of American psychiatrists. This criteria is self-explanatory such that the psychologist or the psychiatrist is supposed to ask questions that narrow in on the status of one’s mental health (Yao et al, 2015). What’s more, doctors will also tend to ask if there is any family history of someone that has suffered from this depressive condition to rule out any genetic component. The ability to express oneself coupled with the ability to maintain long-term relationships is another important element that is used to diagnose if a person has bipolar I disorder (McDonald et al, 2015). The combination of the majority of this symptoms can enable the psychiatrist or psychologist to make a prognosis of whether the person is suffering from this depressive mood disorder.

    Etiology : How And Why This Disorder Develops

    The etiological agent or exact cause of bipolar I disorder remains unknown and many doctors often link its occurrence in children and adults to a number of biological factors. The majority of psychiatrists and psychologists often believe that a stressful event in life can be a very strong trigger than can end up causing this mood disorder (Khaleghi et al, 2015). This is in addition to other factors that are related to genetics and physical composition of an individual. The genetic composition of a person can predispose a person into developing bipolar I disorder since the condition is hereditary. In fact, more than 80% of all genetic factors place any person at risk of developing this diseases (Khaleghi et al, 2015).

    This means that in case a parent has or develops this disorder, then there is a 10% chance that their child will also develop the disease. The situation is even made worse if both parents suffer from the condition because the risk of developing bipolar I disorder is increased to 40%. At the same time, there are some brain chemicals and neurotransmitters that have been shown to trigger the onset of this condition.

    Serotonin is one of the important neurotransmitters that is responsible for the mood swings that are experienced by people (Yao et al, 2015). Therefore, any abnormality in the release and transmission of this chemical is bound to result in a mood disorder such as bipolar. Other medical illnesses have also been shown to cause this disease such that the drugs prescribed can act as a stimulant that can trigger the onset of this condition (Cedar Crest, 2016).             Additionally, bipolar I disorder has also been shown to occur in some children or adults when they face a difficult and stressful event in the course of their lives. For instance, the loss of one parent through death or even family separation and divorce can have a negative effect on the later life of a person (Yao et al, 2015). This can easily lead to a person developing this disorder because the traumatic experience easily interferes with their brain function. The understanding of the etiology of bipolar I disorder is very important because it can help a person to seek the best treatment plan possible.

    Section B

    Treatment Approaches

    The three treatment plans that have been shown to be effective when it comes to the handling of bipolar I disorder include medication, patient education as well as physical assessment. The main medication that is used to treat bipolar I disorder is categorized into three main classes such that there are mood stabilizers, antidepressants as well as antipsychotics (Cedar Crest, 2016). The use of mood stabilizers aims at reducing the manic and depressive periods so that the patient can have longer periods of a normal life. Drugs such as lithium carbonate, valproic acid and even Depakote are the most common ones that are prescribed for people with this mood disorder (Yao et al, 2015).

    The common denominator with these drugs is that they strive to reduce the episodes of both mania and depression while imposing less harm to the patient’s mental state. On the other hand, antipsychotics and antidepressants try to minimize the symptoms of this disorder by trying to streamline the function of the brain (HelpGuide.org, 2016) Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay. Physical assessment and patient education are equally effective approaches for treatment of bipolar I disorder because they strive to reduce the risk of having unusual or weird behavior during the manic stage. The two strategies have been tested and tried on both adults and children and their success rate has been shown to be high (Cedar Crest, 2016).

    Patients are usually taught how to manage their condition by avoiding the triggers that lead to the extreme behaviors. This is one of the ways that they can ensure that they lead a better life as they also combine the positive benefits of medication.

    Treatment Plan

    The diverse plans that are employed in treatment depend on the age of the patient as well as their immediate environment. There are some challenges that a youth experiencing this disorder can face and this can largely impact on the chosen form of treatment. One of the setbacks they can face at home is interacting well with their peers or siblings. In school, the person may have a different time concentrating in class especially when they begin experiencing the episodes of depression or mania. In the community, a person that suffers from bipolar I disorder can have a hard time trying to contribute to the sensitive discussions of the overall welfare of its members.

    This is because their reasoning will always be doubted and people will not think it is credible enough to be utilized. In such a case, the treatment plan to be used must be very specific so that the individual is able to manage their condition (Yao et al, 2015). This plan requires to identify the specific challenge and then proceed to deciding on the best intervention approach to use. For instance, if the person commonly suffers from poor concentration in class, then it would be wise to use patient education as a way of ensuring that the person learns what triggers their depression and how they can avoid it. This plan can go a long way in helping the person take charge of their disorder and have a near-normal experience in the classroom.

    Treatment Resources

    There are different bodies and institutions that offer medical assistance and help to people that suffer from bipolar I disorder. One such location to obtain this resources is the Canadian Mental Health Association that offers assistance to victims suffering from this depressive disorder (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2016).  Timberline Knolls also specializes in catering for the medical needs of people with this mood disorder (Timberline Knolls, 2016). Additionally, Mood disorders Canada also focuses on helping people with Bipolar I disorder to slowly heal from the effects of this condition (Mood disorders Canada, 2016). Moreover, patients also receiving advice and counselling to help them manage the condition. These three places provide comprehensive assistance that seeks to see the full recovery of people with this mood disorder.

    Conclusion

    The high prevalence rates of depressive and mood disorders within the global population is an indication that people’s lifestyle is characterized by a lot of stressful conditions. Bipolar I disorder happens to be quite common among most people where there is an alteration in the level of moods and feelings. The patient oscillates between frames of being either too excited or too depressed such that they can easily do some things that they would never attempt when they are in a normal state. The fact that there is modern medication that can be used to manage this condition provides hope for the millions of patients suffering from this condition. It is also important that the victims seek counselling and advice so that they can be able to handle the unforeseen effects of their ailment.

     

    References

    Canadian Mental Health Association.(2016).
    Mental health for all
    . Retrieved on 14 March 2016 from
    https://www.cmha.ca/mental-health/understanding-mental-illness/bipolar-disorder/

    Khaleghi, A., Sheikhani, A., Mohammadi, M. R., & Nasrabadi, A. M. (2015). Evaluation of Cerebral Cortex Function in Clients with Bipolar Mood Disorder I (BMD I)     Compared With BMD II Using QEEG Analysis. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 10(2), 93-    99.

    McDonald, K. C., Bulloch, A. M., Duffy, A., Bresee, L., Williams, J. A., Lavorato, D. H., &            Patten, S. B. (2015). Prevalence of Bipolar I and II Disorder in Canada. Canadian Journal         of Psychiatry, 60(3), 151-156.

    Mood disorders Canada. (2016).
    Mood Disorders Society of Canada (MDSC) 
    Retrieved on 14 March 2016 from http://www.mooddisorderscanada.ca/

    Timberline Knolls. (2016).
    All the facts on bipolar I disorder
    . Retrieved on 14 March 2016 from            
    http://www.timberlineknolls.com/mood-personality/bipolar-disorder/

    Yao, J., Xu, Y., Qin, Y., Liu, J., Shen, Y., Wang, W., & Chen, W. (2015). Relationship between             Personality Disorder Functioning Styles and the Emotional States in Bipolar I and II

    Disorders. Plos ONE, 10(1), 1-10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117353

     

    Date Due:          Tuesday’s Class-March 22, 2016

    To be submitted in class.

                              

    Friday’s Class-March 24, 2016
    due to Good Friday Holiday, the research essay will be due

    Thursday March 24, 2015 by NOON in the CYW office (446E).

    There will be a box to submit the assignment
    AND
    don’t forget to sign the Assignment Submission Form
    .

            

    Value:                30%

     

    The goals of the assignment are to help you:

    be better prepared for the field of CYW/CYC when working with

    children and youth with a variety of mental health issues.  It is important to understand the terminology, behaviours/symptoms, etiologies and interventions in order to work effectively with the population.

    become more knowledgeable about finding and using varied research sources.

    further develop your critical thinking skills and support your points with evidence.

    discipline yourself to follow a scholarly research format to document in-text sources and a reference page (bibliography).

    compose a well-organized, clear, concise, research paper to expand your knowledge on a subject relating to child psychopathology.

     

    Format:

     

    This paper must be 6-8 pages (not including the title or reference page)-pages exceeding the limit will not be read.

    Your paper should contain an introduction and conclusion

    Typewritten and double-spaced

    Cover/title page in APA style (which should include your name, course and section, date, and the instructor’s name) with a title of your research essay

     

    Topic:

     

    You are to select and
    research
    (ONE)
    disorder from the list provided that affects
    children and adolescents.
      You will identify and describe the diagnostic criteria, symptoms, prevalence and recommended treatment approaches as outline in the criteria for section A, B and C.

    You must use

    at
    least 3

    academic sources
    in addition to your textbook. 
    If you access sources over the internet they must be
    academic/published
    sources.
      
    Class power point slides and Wikipedia is
    NOT
    an adequate research resource-if you use Wikipedia or other secondary resources that are not credible, you will receive a grade of “0” for the research portion of the assignment.

     

    A guide to
    Research Process
    can be found at the following link:

     

    http://www.georgebrown.ca/LLC/studytools/researchprocess/#Selecting-Resources

     

    To receive full marks you must show evidence that you have thoroughly researched your topic.
    Your paper must be professionally presented using APA (American Psychological Association) format and include a reference page. All work must be correctly referenced using in text citation as per APA guidelines.

     

    FAILURE TO CREDIT YOUR SOURCES MAY BE CONSIDERED PLAGIARISM WHICH CAN RESULT IN A “0” FOR THE ASSIGNMENT. 
    The Guard Against Plagiarism policy is outlined in the course outline and is expected to be used for this assignment.  Please look at the library website for information on using APA format
    .  

     

    A guide to
    APA
    can be found at the following link:

     

    http://researchguides.georgebrown.ca/content.php?pid=16363&sid=3753032

     

     

    **See Course Outline for policy on late assignments**

     

     

    Research Topics

     

    The following is a list of topics to be chosen for the assignment.

     

     

    Disorder Categories

     

     

    Examples-Select
    One
    for the Essay

    Depressive Mood Disorders

    Ø  Major Depressive Disorder

    Ø  Persistent Depressive Disorder

    Ø  Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

    Ø  Bi-Polar I Disorder

    Ø  Bi-Polar II Disorder

    Ø  Cyclothymic Disorder

     

    Personality Disorder

    Ø  Borderline Personality Disorder

    Ø  Antisocial Personality Disorder

     

    Eating Disorders

    Ø  Anorexia Nervosa

    Ø  Bulimia Nervosa

    Ø  Binge Eating Disorder

     

    Psychotic Disorders

    Ø  Brief Psychotic Disorder

    Ø  Schizophrenia

    Ø  Substance/Medication-Induced Psychotic Disorder

     

    Somatoform Disorders

    Ø  Somatic Symptom Disorder

    Ø  Illness Anxiety Disorder

    Ø  Conversion Disorder

    Ø  Factitious Disorder

    Ø  Dissociative Identify Disorder

    Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay

     

     

    A completed paper will include the following:

     

    Section A:
      

     

    Item

    Expectation

    Value

    Description Of The Disorder

    Ø 
    Provide a clear description
    of the chosen disorder; what this disorder “looks like” (the typical or characteristic behaviours shown by an individual with this disorder)

     

    3 Marks

    Diagnostic Criteria

    Ø 
    Clearly outline the DSM-V criteria
    for diagnosis (what symptoms need to be present and how long do the symptoms need to be present for a diagnosis)

    Ø  how prevalent is this disorder

     

    3 Marks

    Etiology (How/Why The Disorder Develops)

    Ø 
    Identify and explain
    what makes a child/adolescent more susceptible to developing this disorder (risk factors/etiological theories)

     

    3 Marks

     

    Section B:

     

    Treatment approaches

    Ø 
    Identify and describe (3) treatment approaches
    that have been demonstrated to be effective in working with children/adolescents with this diagnosis

     

    3 Marks

    Treatment Plan

    Ø 
    Identify and describe

    (3) challenges
    that a youth experiencing this disorder might encounter (one at home, one at school and one in the community)
    AND
    how a youth is negatively impacted in each setting/domain

    Ø  Provide a treatment plan that a
    CYW/CYC
    would use to help the client function more successfully

     

    BRIEF EXAMPLE: (It is important to use an essay style format)

     

     

    Presenting Problem/Behaviour/Symptom/Challenge
    :

    Ø  Clearly indicate the presenting problem/behaviour/symptom/challenge (make sure it is specific and clear to one behaviour)

    §  What needs to be addressed

     

    Treatment Strategy/Intervention:

    Ø  Clearly identify the treatment strategies/interventions (research based)

    §  What specific approaches/steps will be taken to implement the strategies/interventions

     

    Reasoning For This Strategy/Intervention
    :

    Ø  Clearly indicate why this specific problem/behaviour/symptom/challenge is being targeted
    AND
    how this strategy/intervention will help to address that particular problem

     

    9  Marks

    Treatment Resources

    Ø  Research
    (3) different resources
    in the
    GTA
    that will provide services for someone who has been diagnosed with this disorder

    Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay

    Ø  What specific services do they offer  
    AND
    explain why this would be a good resource

    Ø  Must provide an address or website link

     

    3 Marks

     

    Section C:

     

    Documentation and Mechanics

    Ø  Use of APA throughout the paper

    Ø  Proper citing and referencing of work

    Ø  Must provide a reference page (minimum of 3 appropriate sources)

    Ø  No spelling/grammatical error

    Ø  No errors with sentence structure and punctuation

    Ø  Paper flows well from one topic/idea/point to the next

    Ø  Meets min/max page requirements

     

    6

    Marks

     

    Grading Rubric:

     

    Item

    Expectation

    Mark

     

    Description Of The Disorder

    (3 Marks)

    Ø  Clear description of the disorder; typical or characteristic behaviours

    Ø  Impact on functioning

    Ø  Prevalence

     

    Diagnostic Criteria

    (3 Marks)

    Ø  Clearly outlines the DSM-V criteria for diagnosis

    Ø  Symptoms/duration/prevalence

     

    Etiology

    (3 Marks)

    Ø 
    Explains
    various risk factors/etiologies
                                                                      

     

    Treatment approaches

    (3 Marks)

    Ø 
    Describes
    treatment approaches and their effectiveness
                                           

     

    Treatment Plan

    (Challenges are described and negative impact explained)

    (9 Marks)

    Home

    Ø  Presenting problem identified

    Ø  Treatment strategy explained

    Ø  Rationale provided

    School

    Ø  Presenting problem identified

    Ø  Treatment strategy explained

    Ø  Rationale provided

    Community

    Ø  Presenting problem identified

    Ø  Treatment strategy explained

    Ø  Rationale provided

     

     

     

    Treatment Resources

    (3 Marks)

    Ø  Identify 3 resources, services offered and explanation of why they would be a good resource Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay

    Ø  Website/address provided for each

     

    Documentation & Mechanics

    (6 Marks)

     

    Ø  Proper citing/referencing of work (using APA throughout the paper)

    Ø  Provided reference page(minimum of 3 appropriate sources)

    Ø  No errors with spelling/grammar/punctuation/

    sentence structure

    Ø  Paper flows well from one topic/ idea/point to the next

    Ø  Meets min/max page requirements

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Final mark

     

     

     

     

    F 

     

    D- to D+

     

    C- to C+ 

     

    B- to B+

     

    A to A+

     

    Academic Misconduct

     

    Evidence of unethical procedures

     

    Paper is incomplete

     

     

     

    Does not consistently meet section A, B, C criteria

     

    Paper is poorly organized and lacks focus

     

    Poor understanding of the topic chosen

     

    Paper requires considerable editing for grammar, spelling and sentence structure; paper does not flow and irrelevant to the topic; disjointedness is clear and evident throughout the paper

     

    Lack of appropriate resources used to support paper

     

    Minimal APA format

     

     

    Meets some of section A, B, C criteria

     

    Paper is somewhat organized and presented

     

    Some understanding of the topic chosen

     

    Paper requires editing for grammar, spelling and sentence structure that affects the flow of the paper; disjointedness is apparent

     

    Report has structure and outlines the scope of the topic

     

    Some resources used to support paper

     

    Some APA format followed

    Meets most of section A, B, C criteria

     

    Paper is organized  and well presented

     

    Good understanding of the topic chosen

     

    Minimal errors with spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure that does not affect the flow of the paper; only some disjointedness

     

    Use of academic sources and credible internet resources

     

    Most APA format followed

     

    Meets all section A, B, C criteria

     

    Paper is very well-organized and concisely written

     

    Excellent understanding of the topic chosen

     

    No errors with spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure; paper flows from one topic/idea/point to the next

     

    Source materials reflect and add depth to the review of the literature and includes or makes reference to seminal works

     

    Follows all APA format

     

     

     

    Tips:

    Give yourself enough time to complete the research component

    Create an outline highlighting points for each section

    Write your first draft as freely as possible using your outline

    When
    rough draft
    is completed, check for accuracy and completeness of facts.

    Ensure all points are covered.

    If you think certain sections are too long or too skimpy, rework them until you feel they’re the strongest you can make them.

    With the
    final draft
    revise paragraphs for unity and coherence.

    Reword sentences for effectiveness of structure, grammar and punctuation

    Use a dictionary/spell check on computer

    Read paper aloud to see how if flows and to correct any awkward sentences

    Don’t put opinionated statements like “I think…” or, “In my opinion…”. This reduces the credibility of the Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay paper.

    Using relevant quotes can be helpful in a research paper but remember that no more than 10-15% of your finished paper should be quotations.

     

    Checklist before submission:

     

    Essay has been edited for spelling, grammar, punctuation and sentence structure

    Title page using APA style

    Reference page with 3 appropriate sources

    Section A and B included

    A completed
    Guard Against Plagiarism Checklist
    attached

    Stapled; no loose pages Bipolar 1 disorder Psychopathology Essay

  • Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research

    Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research

    Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template

    Evidence-Based Project, Part 3A & B:
    Critical Appraisal of Research

    NURS – 6052: Essentials of Evidence-Based Practice

     

    Evaluation Table

     

    Full
    APA formatted citation
    of the selected article.

    Article #1

    Article #2

    Article #3

    Article #4

    Burja, S., Belec, T., Bizjak, N., Mori, J., Markota, A., & Sinkovič, A. (2018). Efficacy of a bundle approach in preventing the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia ( VAP ).
    Bosnia Journal of Basic Medical Science
    ,
    18
    (1), 105–109.

     

    De Neef, M., Bakker, L., Dijkstra, S., Raymakers-Janssen, P., Vileito, A., & Ista, E. (2019). Effectiveness of a ventilator care bundle to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia at the PICU: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
    Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
    ,
    20
    (5), 474–480.
    https
    ://
    doi.org/10.1097/PCC.0000000000001862

     

    Mahmoodpoor, A., Hamishehkar, H., Hamidi, M., Shadvar, K., Sanaie, S., Golzari, S. E., Khan, Z. H., & Nader, N. D. (2017). A prospective randomized trial of tapered-cuff endotracheal tubes with intermittent subglottic suctioning in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients.
    Journal of Critical Care
    ,
    38
    , 152–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrc.2016.11.007

     

    Triamvisit, S., Wongprasert, W., Puttima, C., Chiangmai, M. N., Thienjindakul, N., Rodkul, L., & Jetjumnong, C. (2021). Effect of a modified care bundle for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill neurosurgical patients.
    Acute and Critical Care
    ,
    36
    (4), 294–299. https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2021.00983

     

    Evidence Level *

    (I, II, or III)

     

    III: A retrospective analysis in which data gathering heralded the formulation of the PICO (population, intervention, comparison, outcomes) question (The Johns Hopkins Hospital/Johns Hopkins University, n.d.).

    II: A systematic review with meta-analysis of a combination of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies (The Johns Hopkins Hospital/Johns Hopkins University, n.d.) Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research

    I: A well-designed RCT

    II: A well-designed prospective cohort study

    Conceptual Framework

    Describe the theoretical basis for the study (
    If there is no one mentioned in the article, say that here
    ).**

     

    None

    ORDER YOUR PAPER HERE

    None

    None

     

    None

    Design/Method

    Describe the design and how the study was carried out (In detail, including
    inclusion/exclusion
    criteria).

    The study involved a retrospective analysis of data of patients admitted to a hospital intensive care unit (ICU) to determine the effectiveness of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) care bundle in decreasing the occurrence of VAP cases. The inclusion criteria include all adult patients in ICU irrespective of the origin department; mechanically ventilated with an endotracheal tube (ETT); and the absence or presence of VAP

    The investigation involved a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs and quasi-experimental studies to examine the efficacy of ventilator bundle in severely ill pediatrics. It involved a search of five electronic databases, including Web-of-Science, OvidSP, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library RCTs on the application of VAP care bundle to decrease the odds of VAP in mechanically ventilated pediatrics.  Studies were included in the meta-analysis if they were RCTs, non-randomized studies, or interrupted time series; the intervention was VAP bundle in pediatric ICU, multicomponent approach, or quality improvement with the principal aim of decreasing VAP frequencies, and the control was usual care or an element of the ventilator care bundle. Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research

    The study involved a prospective RCT, where participants were randomly allocated to either conventional high-volume low-pressure ETT (group C) or intubation with TaperGuard tubes (group E). The groups were evaluated to determine the efficacy of the use of TapeGuard in subglottic suctioning in reducing VAP incidences.

    The patients were selected if they were aged between 18 and 80 years, requiring assisted ventilation for ≥72 hours with ETT.

    The authors adopted a prospective cohort research design, where adults aged ≥18 years with neurological conditions were recruited and observed from November 2018 -June 2020 after the implementation of a modified VAP bundle. The modified bundle involved extending the time of discontinuous cuff pressure monitoring to every 4-hours 6 times.

    The inclusion criteria included adult patients in the neurological department aged ≥18 years, mechanically ventilated and intubated for ≥24 hours, no indications of VAP, not being end-of-life patients and no fractured cervical spine or contraindication for head-of-bed elevation.

    Sample/Setting

    The number and characteristics of

    patients, attrition rate, etc.

    The study was conducted at the ICU of the University Medical Centre Maribor, Slovenia.

    A total of n = 129 patients were included in the study, including n = 74 artificially ventilated patients with ETT post-VAP bundle implementation (VAP-B), with a mean age of 64.8 ± 13.7 years and 62.1% males, and n = 55 artificially ventilated patients with ETT pre-VAP bundle introduction (no-VAP-B) with a mean age of 67.8 ± 14.5 years and 45.5% females.

     

    The posthoc analysis of retrospective data includes no report of participant dropouts or loss to follow-up in the study.

    A total of n = 11 studies that met the eligibility benchmark were included in the review.

    Two of the studies involve multi-center assessments and the remaining nine were conducted in a single center.

    One study had an interrupted time series design while ten involved pre-post-interventional frameworks.

     

    A total of n = 276 patients participated in the RCT, including n = 138 in group E and 138 in group C.

    The patients were aged between 18 – 80 years, requiring assisted ventilation for ≥72 hours with ETT.

    None was lost to follow-up in either cohort

    Mean age 54 years

    A total of n = 291 neurological patients, including n = 145 in the treatment group and n = 146 in the matched cohort. The patients had a mean Glasgow coma score of 7.80 at baseline with no significant differences in gender between groups.

    Major Variables Studied

    List and define dependent and independent variables

    Dependent variables:

    Incidence of VAP

    Duration of mechanical ventilation

    Duration of ICU stay

    ICU and hospital mortality

    Independent variables:

    ETT with subglottic suction

    Dependent variables:

    Incidence of VAP/1000 ventilator days

    Compliance with ventilator bundle

    Independent variables:

    Ventilator care bundle

    Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research

    Dependent variables:

    Incidence of VAP/1000 ventilator days

    Length of ICU stay

    Length of hospital stay

    Ventilator-free days

    Independent variables

    TaperGuard ETT subglottic suctioning

     

     

     

    Dependent variables:

    Incidence of VAP/1000 ventilator days

    Rates of re-intubation

    Length of ICU stay

    Independent variable:

    Modified ventilator care bundle

    Measurement

    Identify primary statistics used to answer clinical questions (
    You need to list the actual tests done
    ).

    VAP-B group was compared to the no-VAP-B cohort. Unpaired t-test was used to match means between the two cohorts and Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables. A 2-sided p-value <0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. All the data from individual studies were pooled in the meta-analysis using a DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model. Cochrane Q test and the inconsistency index (I 2 ) was used to test heterogeneity in the studies [High I 2 >75%, Moderate I
    2
    = 50 – 75%, and Low I
    2
    = 25 – 50%].

    Kolmogorov-Smirnov battery was performed to test the normality of distribution for continuous variables.

     

    Chi-square (X
    2
    ) was used to compare the efficacy of the intervention versus usual care in decreasing VAP incidences

    Quantitative data were reported as mean ± standard deviation, percentage, and frequencies.

     

    Fischer’s exact test was used to statistically compare the dependent variables between cohorts.

     

    Mann Whitney U-test was applied to compare the length of mechanical ventilation.

    Data Analysis Statistical or

    Qualitative findings

    (
    You need to enter the actual numbers determined by the statistical tests or qualitative data
    ).

    The results showed no significant disparity observed between VAP-B and no-VAP-B groups in the frequency of the use of ETTs [58.1% versus 60%, p = 0.05]. There were no statistically substantial differences between VAP-B and no-VAP-B groups in hospital mortality [49.3% versus 48.2%, p>0.99] or ICU mortality [34.7% versus 41.1%, p =0.47]. The length of hospital stay [11.3 ± 10.9 days versus 11.7 ± 9.5 days, p = 0.85] and duration of artificial ventilation [8.4 ± 7.3 days versus 9.1 ± 7.8 days, p = 0.55] were comparatively similar in both cohorts. The incidence rates of VAP differed between VAP-B and no-VAP-B cohorts [25.7% versus 41.8%] but the difference was not statistically substantial (p = 0.06); however, a significantly lower rate of late VAP was noted in the VAP-B group.

    11 articles that met the eligibility benchmark were identified and meta-synthesized.

    The baseline incidence of VAP ranged from 3.9 – 28.3/1000 ventilator days, which dropped to 4.6/1000 ventilator days after the enforcement of the ventilator care bundle, with the pooled incident risk ratio (IRR) in line with the efficacy of the ventilator bundle in diminishing VAP cases [IRR = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.33–0.60; I
    2
    = 55%p < 0.0001]. Adherence to the elements of the ventilator bundle was high for head-of-bed elevation and low for evaluation of readiness to extubate and interruption of sedation. There was no statistically substantial disparity between groups E and C concerning VAP risk factors, P02, and demographic features at the baseline.   The mean cuff pressure in the treatment cohort was substantially less than in the control cohort [P<0.001]   The incidence of VAP/1000 ventilator days was substantially less in the treatment group than in the control cohort [P = 0.015]. The TaperGuard tubes with alternating subglottic secretion drainage had no substantial changes in VAP-related mortality. The frequency of VAP was significantly low in the cohort group than in the matched group [0.88/1,000 vs. 6.84/1,000 ventilator days, P=0.036]. However, the intervention did not affect the length of ICU stay and the rates of re-intubation. Findings and Recommendations   General findings and recommendations of the research The study demonstrated that the implementation of a ventilator bundle that focuses on ETT with subglottic suction decreases the odds of VAP, with a significant effect on late VAP cases. Thus, a VAP care bundle involving the use of ETT with subglottic suction every 4 hours, oral care with chlorhexidine, head-of-bed elevation, maintaining endotracheal cuff pressure at 25 cm H20, and daily evaluation for extubation, is recommended in ICU to mitigate VAP. The implementation of a VAP care bundle can facilitate the reduction of VAP among severely sick pediatrics; however, adherence to the bundle’s elements is fundamental to its effectiveness. Overall, the findings of the trial showed that the use of TaperGuard in ETT subglottic suctioning was superior to the traditional ETT subglottic suction in decreasing the occurrence of VAP cases among severely ill adults patients. The modified VAP bundle has higher or comparable effectiveness in decreasing the occurrence of VAP than the standard VAP bundle. Appraisal and Study Quality Describe the general worth of this research to practice.   What are the strengths and limitations of the study?   What are the risks associated with the implementation of the suggested practices or processes detailed in the research?   What is the feasibility of use in your practice? The strength of the study is the aspect that the authors asked a focused clinical question with a clear population of interest, intervention, comparison, and target outcomes. However, the evaluation of the efficacy of clinical interventions calls for the use of prospective study designs (Emptage et al., 2018). Thus, the validity of the findings of Burja et al. (2018) study is threatened by the retrospective nature of the research design.   Besides, the investigation was conducted in a single setting, thus, the results might not be generalizable to other hospitals.   Nonetheless, the findings are supported by meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials making the recommendations feasible in my clinical practice. While the authors cited that they targeted RCTs and non-RCTs, 90% were pre-post interventional studies. The participants were not randomly assigned to intervention and control groups, which enhances the risk of bias and decreases the validity of the findings. The strengths of the meta-analysis are the use of pooled ratio to compute the incidence of VAP cases and asking a focused clinical question However, the included studies did not include a single RCT and differed substantially concerning the country of publication, baseline measurements, population characteristics, and study design. Besides, high clinical and methodological heterogeneity was observed in the studies resulting in a moderate inconsistency in the ventilator bundles. The results are applicable in my clinical practice in decreasing the odds of VAP among children and infants receiving mechanical ventilation in PICU. The trial authors asked a focused clinical question and used computer software to generate random numbers for the randomization of the participants into the treatment groups. They also provided the study protocol, applied a narrow confidence interval which demonstrates a significant difference between treatment and control cohorts, and there was no participant loss to follow-up. Besides, the research assistants helping in data collection were blinded to minimize bias and maximize the validity of the findings   All the above factors addressed potential bias, thereby enhancing the reliability and validity of findings. However, the trial was conducted at a single center, which limits the extrapolation of the findings.   There are no explicit risks associated with the implementation of the recommended TaperGuard in ETT subglottic suctioning alongside all the elements of the ventilator bundle.   Currently, our hospital relies on the conventional ETT with subglottic suctioning; however, given the superiority of the proposed TaperGuard tubes, it is feasible to implement it to reduce the odds of VAP. The TaperGuard tubes are not only cost-effective but also user-friendly. The study results’ validity is enhanced by the prospective nature of the research design. Besides, the authors asked a focused clinical question; however, the historical cohort might have been subjected to non-compliance and selection bias.   There are no known risks associated with the modified VAP bundle; therefore, it is safe for implementation in local settings.   Besides, as recommended by the study authors, the modified ventilator bundle can serve as an alternative to continuous cuff pressure monitoring as it is not only effective in reducing the odds of VAP but also cost-effective (Triamvisit et al., 2021).     Key findings       The enforcement of the ventilator bundle is allied to a downward trend towards a lower occurrence of VAP and a substantially lower incidence of late VAP. The implementation of and adherence to all the elements of the VAP care bundle can expedite the decline in VAP incidences among severely sick pediatrics TaperGuard tubes used in ETT subglottic suctioning significantly reduced the occurrence of VAP when matched with traditional tubes. Nonetheless, the tubes did not have any impact on VAP-associated mortality. The modified ventilator bundle includes adjustment of two elements; oral care and ET cuff pressure monitoring. The prospective cohort study revealed that increasing the length and frequency of ET cuff pressure monitoring prevents microaspiration associated with underinflation (Khan et al., 2017).     Outcomes       Hospital and/or ICU mortality The length of hospital stay The duration of artificial ventilation The incidence rates of VAP and f late VAP Reduction in VAP/1000 ventilator days Compliance with the elements of the VAP care bundle Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research Reduction in VAP/1000 ventilator days Length of ICU stay Ventilator-free days Length of hospital stay   Incidence of VAP/1000 ventilator days Rates of re-intubation Length of ICU stay   General Notes/Comments The implementation and sustained use of the VAP bundle decreases the frequency of VAP cases among critically ill adults.       Adherence to the elements of the ventilator care bundle is at the crux of successful implementation and effectiveness of ventilator bundles in decreasing the odds of VAP among seriously ill pediatrics. The utilization of TaperGuard tubes with discontinuous subglottic drainage substantially reduces the risk of VAP among critically ill patients. There is a need to modify the VAP bundle accordingly depending on the types of the critically-ill patient population   Part 3B: Critical Appraisal of Research The four critically appraised articles included studies, a retrospective study (Burja et al., 2018), a systematic review (De Neef et al., 2019), an RCT (Mahmoodpoor et al., 2017), and a prospective cohort study (Triamvisit et al., 2021). All the articles’ authors asked focused clinical questions, with a clearly defined population of interest, interventions, comparator, and target outcomes. The PICOT question my project seeks to answer states: is the ventilator bundle superior to usual care in reducing VAP cases among mechanically ventilated and/or intubated patients in ICU six months after implementation? The PICOT question focuses on the evaluation of a clinical intervention, which necessitates the support from well-designed high-level empirical evidence, such as RCTs, systematic reviews with meta-analysis of RCTs, and prospective cohort studies (Emptage et al., 2018). From the four critically appraised articles, the retrospective nature of Burja et al. (2018) study threatens the validity of its findings, while the inclusion of pre-post interventional studies in the De Neef et al. (2019) meta-analysis diminished the cogency and applicability of the results Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research. The RCT study offers high-quality findings due to the well-designed procedures. The trial authors asked a focused clinical query using the PICO framework, which involved seeking to determine whether the use of TaperGuard EVAC tubes in subglottic drainage is superior to conventional tubes in reducing the incidence of VAP (Mahmoodpoor et al., 2017). The author used a computer-generated randomizer to randomly assign the participants into treatment cohorts, blinded the research assistant involved in data gathering, and properly accounted for all the patients who entered the trial at its conclusion thereby decreasing the odds of attrition bias (Mansournia et al., 2017). The random allocation of the patients to the treatment cohorts decreased the odds of inadvertent or deliberate biases that might have diminished the cogency of the RCT results (Mittlböck, 2018). Nonetheless, while the patients in Mahmoodpoor et al. (2017) RCT were analyzed in their allocated intervention groups, the authors failed to provide a clear description of the intention-to-treat procedure. Besides, the trial authors based their sample size determination on previous studies reporting the incidence rate of 9 – 27 % for VAP in intubated patients using a power of 89% with α = .05, and an expected failure rate for experimental subjects of 0.135 (Mahmoodpoor et al., 2017). All the above features enhance the validity of the trial findings; however, conducting the study at a single center reduces the likelihood of generalizing the results.   References Burja, S., Belec, T., Bizjak, N., Mori, J., Markota, A., & Sinkovič, A. (2018). Efficacy of a bundle approach in preventing the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia ( VAP ). Bosnia Journal of Basic Medical Science , 18 (1), 105–109. De Neef, M., Bakker, L., Dijkstra, S., Raymakers-Janssen, P., Vileito, A., & Ista, E. (2019). Effectiveness of a ventilator care bundle to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia at the PICU: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatric Critical Care Medicine , 20 (5), 474–480. https://doi.org/10.1097/PCC.0000000000001862 Emptage, N., Koster, M., Schottinger, J., & Petitti, D. (2018). Critical appraisal of clinical studies: An example from computed tomography screening for lung cancer. The Permanente Journal , 11 (2), 81–85. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3057745/ Khan, M., Khokar, R., Qureshi, S., Al Zahrani, T., Aqil, M., & Shiraz, M. (2017). Measurement of endotracheal tube cuff pressure: Instrumental versus conventional method. Saudi Journal of Anaesthesia , 10 (4), 428. https://doi.org/10.4103/1658-354X.179113 Mahmoodpoor, A., Hamishehkar, H., Hamidi, M., Shadvar, K., Sanaie, S., Golzari, S. E., Khan, Z. H., & Nader, N. D. (2017). A prospective randomized trial of tapered-cuff endotracheal tubes with intermittent subglottic suctioning in preventing ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill patients. Journal of Critical Care , 38 , 152–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrc.2016.11.007 Mansournia, M. A., Higgins, J. P. T., Sterne, J. A. C., & Hernán, M. A. (2017). Biases in randomized trials. Epidemiology , 28 (1), 54–59. https://doi.org/10.1097/EDE.0000000000000564 Mittlböck, M. (2018). Critical appraisal of randomized clinical trials: Can we have faith in the conclusions? Breast Care , 3 (5), 341–346. https://doi.org/10.1159/000157168 The Johns Hopkins Hospital/Johns Hopkins University. (n.d.). Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Appendix C : Evidence Level and Quality Guide . https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/evidence-based-practice/_docs/appendix_c_evidence_level_quality_guide.pdf Triamvisit, S., Wongprasert, W., Puttima, C., Chiangmai, M. N., Thienjindakul, N., Rodkul, L., & Jetjumnong, C. (2021). Effect of a modified care bundle for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia in critically ill neurosurgical patients. Acute and Critical Care , 36 (4), 294–299. https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2021.00983                   Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research Realtors rely on detailed property appraisals—conducted using appraisal tools—to assign market values to houses and other properties. These values are then presented to buyers and sellers to set prices and initiate offers. Research appraisal is not that different. The critical appraisal process utilizes formal appraisal tools to assess the results of research to determine value to the context at hand. Evidence-based practitioners often present these findings to make the case for specific courses of action Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research. In this Assignment, you will use an appraisal tool to conduct a critical appraisal of published research. You will then present the results of your efforts. To Prepare: Reflect on the four peer-reviewed articles you selected in Module 2 and the four systematic reviews (or other filtered high- level evidence) you selected in Module 3. Reflect on the four peer-reviewed articles you selected in Module 2 and analyzed in Module 3. Review and download the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template provided in the Resources. The Assignment  (Evidence-Based Project) Part 3A: Critical Appraisal of Research Conduct a critical appraisal of the four peer-reviewed articles you selected by completing the Evaluation Table within the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template. Choose a total of four peer- reviewed articles that you selected related to your clinical topic of interest in Module 2 and Module 3. Note : You can choose any combination of articles from Modules 2 and 3 for your Critical Appraisal. For example, you may choose two unfiltered research articles from Module 2 and two filtered research articles (systematic reviews) from Module 3 or one article from Module 2 and three articles from Module 3. You can choose any combination of articles from the prior Module Assignments as long as both modules and types of studies are represented. Part 3B: Critical Appraisal of Research Based on your appraisal, in a 1-2-page critical appraisal, suggest a best practice that emerges from the research you reviewed. Briefly explain the best practice, justifying your proposal with APA citations of the research. Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 3: Critical Appraisal of Research

  • Cancer Treatment Options: Latest Results

    Making decisions about cancer treatment is the first step after a cancer
    diagnosis
    . The patient and their families must decide on the best treatment method depending on the given options. Take time to research, discuss with family members, and understand your treatment options and their side effects to feel comfortable with your choice.

    Depending on the type of cancer that you have and the stage, your doctor will recommend various ways to treat the disease. Please read this blog to learn about various cancer treatment methods and their goals to help you choose the best treatment option.

    Types of cancer treatment

    Various cancer treatments depend on the type of cancer and how it has advanced. Some people will only have one kind of treatment, while others may be given a combination. It’s normal to feel confused and overwhelmed when diagnosed with cancer. But talking to your doctor may help you feel better. Below are the pillars of cancer treatment;

    Chemotherapy

    Chemotherapy is a standard cancer treatment that uses medicine to kill cancer cells. It aims to treat cancer, stop the cells from spreading, prevent the cells from returning, delay its growth, and shrink giant tumours to relieve pain and other symptoms. Chemotherapy may be used alone to treat cancer or combined with others.

    Chemotherapy drugs destroy cancer cells but can also damage healthy cells in the process, leading to side effects such as hair loss, mouth sores, fatigue, stomach problems, etc.

    Surgery

    Cancer surgery treats cancer by removing it. It involves cutting the patient’s body with a large or tiny incision, depending on where the tumour is located, to remove it. Other surgery methods can be used, such as cryosurgery, which uses cold temperatures to destroy cancer cells. It involves the total or partial removal of a tumour.

    Surgery is only used for cancers located in a particular area, unlike chemotherapy which treats cancer in the entire body. It’s used together with other options to treat cancer.

    Radiation therapy

    Radiation therapy uses high-dose energy rays such as particles, x-ray, or radioactive seeds to damage cancer cells. It may be used independently or with other methods to treat cancer. Radiation therapy can also shrink large tumours and reduce advanced cancer symptoms. There are three ways in which radiation therapy can be delivered;

    External beam radiation, which uses a machine to send radiation to the tumour

    Internal radiation involves placing a radiation source inside or near the cancer cell in the patient’s body.

    Systemic radiation therapy delivers radioactive drugs through injection or orally.

    Immunotherapy

    Immunotherapy depends on the body’s immune system to fight infection. It boosts the immune system to work harder in a more targeted way to fight cancer cells. Immunotherapy drugs are given by IV and attack specific parts of cancer cells.

    The goal of immunotherapy is to;

    Stop or slow the growth of cancer cells

    Prevent the spreading of cancer to other body parts

    Boost the immune system to get rid of cancer cells

    Photodynamic therapy

    For photodynamic therapy, a patient is administered a drug-sensitive to light. The drug lasts longer on the cancer cell than on the healthy cell. The light is directed to the cancer cell from a laser or other source, which changes the drug to a substance that damages the cancer cells.

    Hyperthermia

    Hyperthermia involves using heat to kill and damage cancer cells without affecting normal cells. The heat is passed by a machine, a probe, or a needle placed in the tumour. Hyperthermia can be used in some body parts or a cell.

    Hormone therapy

    Hormonal therapy is used to treat cancers that are caused by hormones, such as ovarian, breast, and prostate cancers. It blocks the body’s hormones using drugs or surgery, which slows down the growth of cancer cells. Surgery includes removing organs that produce hormones, i.e., testes or ovaries. Drugs may be given as pills or by injection.

    Targeted therapy

    Targeted therapy stops cancer from spreading and growing using drugs. It stimulates the immune system, prevents cancer cells from growing, or overcomes side effects due to treatment. Unlike other treatments, targeted therapy causes less harm to normal cells.

    Target drugs may kill cancer cells, make them die on their own, or stop them from growing and spreading. Types of targeted treatment are as follows;

    Cancer growth inhibitors

    Monoclonal antibodies

    Angiogenesis inhibitors

    Vaccines

    Bone marrow transplant or stem cells transplant

    A bone marrow transplant, also known as a stem cell transplant, replaces bone marrow or stem cells destroyed by a high dose of radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Its commonly used to treat lymph nodes and blood cancers.

    There are two types of stem cell transplants;

    High-dose treatment using stem cell support includes storing your stem cells and returning them after treatment, allowing you to receive a high dose of chemotherapy.

    Allogenic(donor) stem cell transplants which replace the affected bone marrow with new bone marrow.

    Cryotherapy

    Cryotherapy uses a freezing gas to kill and freeze cancer cells. It can treat pre-cancerous cells, for example, on the skin or cervix. Cryotherapy can also be delivered using special instruments to the body tumours such as the prostrate or liver.

    Laser therapy

    Laser therapy destroys cancer cells using a very narrow and focused light beam. It’s done using a thin, spare tube inside the body that focuses the light on the cancer cell. Lasers are used with other cancer treatments and can also be used on the skin.

    Laser therapy can be used to;

    Treat symptoms of cancer, such as bleeding

    Damage tumour and cancer growth

    Shrink tumours that might be blocking the colon, stomach, or oesophagus

    Reduce pain after surgery by sealing nerve ending and lymph vessel

    Goals of cancer treatment

    The goal of cancer treatment is to cure cancer so you can live an everyday life, which sometimes is impossible, depending on your situation. If a cure is not possible, treatment may aim to shrink or slow the growth of your cancer to remove symptoms for a more extended period.

    Treatment for cancer may be used as follows;

    Primary treatment

    Primary treatment aims to remove or kill all the cancer cells from the body. The most common immediate treatment is surgery. If your cancer is sensitive to chemotherapy or radiation therapy, you may be given one as a primary treatment.

    Adjuvant treatment

    Adjuvant treatment aims to reduce the chances of cancer recurring by damaging any cancer cells that might remain after primary treatment. Any cancer treatment can be used as adjuvant therapy. Common adjuvant treatments are radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

    Neoadjuvant treatment is used before primary treatment to make the process easier or more effective.

    Palliative treatment

    Palliative treatment helps relieve the side effects of treatment or signs and symptoms caused by cancer. Hormone therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can alleviate signs and symptoms, while other treatments can also reduce symptoms such as pain and shortness of breath. Palliative treatment is used together with other medicines to cure your cancer.

    Future trends in cancer treatment

    Four new approaches can help cure cancer in the future: cell therapy, personalized vaccines, microbiome treatment, and gene editing.

    Cells therapy

    CAR-T cell therapy is a new cancer treatment
    technology
    that involves taking immune T-cells and genetically engineering them to aim at a specific cancer antigen. A new, improved generation of CAR-T treatment is being developed to target a wide range of cancers since its only available for treating certain rare forms of cancer.

    Personalized cancer vaccines

    Cancer is caused by genetic mutations that change healthy cells to tumour cells. These genetic mutations are the centre for new therapies for cancer which may vary depending on the tumour. Personalized vaccines could be helpful for cancers with many modifications, such as bowel and lung cancers.

    Other technologies, such as CAR-T therapy, can be used for cancers with lower mutation, such as prostrate or ovarian cancer.

    Microbiome treatment

    Microbiome treatment is a new way of treating cancer using cancer vaccines. The human microbiome (a collection of microorganisms found in our bodies) plays an essential role in health. A cancer vaccine has been created based on tumour-mimicking molecules that produce a robust immune response against the tumour, making it visible to other forms of cancer therapy.

    Gene editing

    Cancer technology such as CRISPR/Cas9 has made gene editing simpler and faster by modifying DNA sequences with high precision. This technology is used in cancer treatment by removing a gene from immune T-cell that tumour cells can use to attack the immune system. CRISPR technology can also be used to improve cancer therapies such as CAR-T.

    Bottom line

    Cancer treatment involves using radiation, surgery, medication, and other therapies to cure, shrink, or stop the progress of cancer cells. You can have many treatment options with high survival rates when detected early. Depending on your situation, you may be given one or a combination of treatments.

    Talk to a doctor to understand the risk and benefits of each treatment to determine the best treatment for you.

  • nurs 6501 module 2 knowledge check

    nurs 6501 module 2 knowledge check Question 1 –
    4
     pts

    Scenario 1: Myocardial Infarction

    CC: “I woke up this morning at 6 a.m. with numbness in my left arm and pain in my chest. It feels tight right here (mid-sternal).” “My dad had a heart attack when he was 56-years-old and I am scared because I am 56-years-old.”

    HPI: Patient is a 56-year-old Caucasian male who presents to Express Hospital  Emergency Department with a chief complaint of chest pain that radiates down his left arm. He states this started this morning and has been getting worse, pointing to the mid-sternal area, “it feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest and having a hard time breathing”. He rates the pain as 9/10. Nothing has made the pain better or worse. He denies any previous episode of chest pain. Denies nausea, or lightheadedness. Nitroglycerin 0.4 mg tablet sublingual x 1 which decreased pain to 7/10. nurs 6501 module 2 knowledge check

    Lipid panel reveals Total Cholesterol 424 mg/dl, high density lipoprotein (HDL) 26 mg/dl, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) 166 mg/dl, Triglycerides 702 mg/dl, Very Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) 64 mg/dl

    His diagnosis is an acute inferior wall myocardial infarction.

    Question:

    Which cholesterol is considered the “good” cholesterol and what does it do?

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    Question 2 –
    4
     pts

    Scenario 1: Myocardial Infarction

    CC: “I woke up this morning at 6 a.m. with numbness in my left arm and pain in my chest. It feels tight right here (mid-sternal).” “My dad had a heart attack when he was 56-years-old and I am scared because I am 56-years-old.”

    HPI: Patient is a 56-year-old Caucasian male who presents to Express Hospital  Emergency Department with a chief complaint of chest pain that radiates down his left arm. He states this started this morning and has been getting worse, pointing to the mid-sternal area, “it feels like an elephant is sitting on my chest and having a hard time breathing”. He rates the pain as 9/10. Nothing has made the pain better or worse. He denies any previous episode of chest pain. Denies nausea, or lightheadedness. Nitroglycerin 0.4 mg tablet sublingual x 1 which decreased pain to 7/10.

    Lipid panel reveals Total Cholesterol 424 mg/dl, high density lipoprotein (HDL) 26 mg/dl, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) 166 mg/dl, Triglycerides 702 mg/dl, Very Low-Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) 64 mg/dl

    His diagnosis is an acute inferior wall myocardial infarction.

    Question:

    1.     
    How does inflammation contribute to the development of atherosclerosis?

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    Scenario 2: Pleural Friction Rub

    A 35-year-old female with a positive history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presents to the Emergency Room (ER) with complaints of sharp retrosternal chest pain that worsens with deep breathing or lying down. She reports a 5-day history of low-grade fever, listlessness and says she feels like she had the flu. Physical exam reveals tachycardia and a pleural friction rub. She was diagnosed with acute pericarditis.

    Question
    :

    1.     
    Because of the result of a pleural friction rub, what does the APRN recognize?

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    Scenario 4: Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)

    A 81-year-old obese female patient who 48 hours post-op left total hip replacement. The patient has had severe nausea and vomiting and has been unable to go to physical therapy. Her mucus membranes are dry. The patient says the skin on her left leg is too tight. Exam reveals a swollen, tense, and red colored calf. The patient has a duplex ultrasound which reveals the presence of a deep venous thrombosis (DVT).

    Question
    :

    1.     
    Given the history of the patient explain what contributed to the development of a deep venous thrombosis (DVT)

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    Scenario 5:  COPD

    A 66-year-old female with a 50 pack/year history of cigarette smoking had a CT scan and was diagnosed with emphysema.  He asks if this means he has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

    Question:

    1.     
    There is a clear relationship between emphysema and COPD, explain the pathophysiology of emphysema and the relationship to COPDnnurs 6501 module 2 knowledge check.

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  • NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties

    NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties

    Discussion – Week 10

    Examining Nursing Specialties

    You have probably seen one or more of the many inspirational posters about decisions. A visual such as a forked road or a street sign is typically pictured, along with a quote designed to inspire.

    Decisions are often not so easily inspired. Perhaps you discovered this when choosing a specialty within the MSN program. This decision is a critical part of your plan for success, and you no doubt want to get it right. This is yet another area where your network can help, as well as other sources of information that can help you make an informed choice.

    Note
    : Unless otherwise noted, initial postings to Discussions are due on or before Day 3, and response postings are due on or before Day 6. You are required to participate in the Discussion on at least three different days (a different day for main post and each response). It is important to adhere to the weekly time frame to allow others ample time to respond to your posting. In addition, you are expected to respond to questions directed toward your own initial posting in a timely manner.

    To Prepare:

    Reflect on your decision to pursue a specialty within the MSN program, including your professional and academic goals as they relate to your program/specialization. NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties

    By Day 3 of Week 10

    Post
     an explanation of your choice of a nursing specialty within the program. Describe any difficulties you had (or are having) in making your choice, and the factors that drove/are driving your decision. Identify at least one professional organization affiliated with your chosen specialty and provide details on becoming a member.

    By Day 6 of Week 10

    Respond
     to at least 
    two
     of your colleagues’ posts by sharing your thoughts on their specialty, supporting their choice or offering suggestions if they have yet to choose.

    Click on the 
    Reply
     button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the 
    Submit
     button to post your message.

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE

     

    5 months ago

    Sherwin Jackson 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

     The emergence of numerous specializations has made it possible for nurses to focus on a particular area of focus or patient population by meeting certain educational certification requirements and gaining work experience.  Mental health is my chosen nursing specialty within the MSN program. After fulfilling the educational and certification requirements, I will become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP). According to Chapman et al. (2018), a PMHNP is a registered nurse who has received graduate training in mental health and whose practice is the same as that of a psychiatrist and includes performing diagnostic assessments, evaluating physical health conditions, and managing psychiatric disorders.

     I had difficulties choosing mental health. I was concerned that as a PMHNP, I will have a hard time working in mental health settings because many people have negative attitudes toward mentally ill people. The duty to provide and improve access to mental health services is a factor that drove my decisions.   Due to the rise of mental disorders and the unmet treatment needs of mentally ill patients, I felt that I have the opportunity and professional obligation to improve mental health of Americans. According to Finley (2020), mental illness affects around 20 percent of the United States population aged thirteen years and older annually, totaling around 467 billion dollars in indirect and direct costs per year. Overall, there is limited access to mental health care as less than half of mentally ill patients receive professional treatment.

    Professional nursing organizations exist to support the practice of nursing, promote self-regulation, and articulate nursing values. An essential factor in the professional development of a nurse is active membership in one or more professional organizations. Membership offers networking opportunities with colleagues and peers and access to educational resources including publications, conferences, webinars, and websites (Cherry et al., 2019).  The American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) is a professional organization affiliated with mental health nursing.  According to
     
    DeCapua (2017), the APNA represents psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurses. The APNA supports psychiatric nursing and advocates for mental health care through knowledge dissemination on recovery-focused assessment and treatment of persons with substance use disorders and mental illness.   To become a member of APNA, one is required to download and complete the APNA membership application form and mail the form together with the payment.  The student membership fee is 75 dollars while regular membership fee is 135 dollars (DeCapua, M. (2017).

     

    References

    Chapman, S. A., Phoenix, B. J., Hahn, T. E., & Strod, D. C. (2018). 
    Utilization and Economic Contribution of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners in Public Behavioral Health Services. 
    American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 54
    (6), S243-S249. 
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2018.01.045

    Cherry, B., Caramanica, L., Everett, L. Q., Fennimore, L., & Scott, E.  Leveraging the power of Board Leadership in Professional Nursing Organizations. 
    JONA, 49
    (11), 517-519. DOI: 10.1097/NNA.0000000000000805

    DeCapua, M. (2017).  Get to Know the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. https://www.healthecareers.com/articles/career/know-american-psychiatric-nurses-association

     Finley, B. A. (2020). Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners Meeting Rural Mental Health Challenges. 
    Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 26
    (1), 97-101. 
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1078390319886357

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE

    Hide 8 replies

     

    5 months ago

    Sherwin Jackson 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hide 3 replies

     

    4 months ago

    Elizabeth Brennan 

    RE: Response #1 – Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hi Sherwin,

    Congratulations on choosing the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) track.  I acknowledge the difficulty you described with mental health being viewed negatively.  I support your desire to improve access to and the treatment of this specific population.  In 2020, the federal government spent $280 billion on mental health services.  The Unity Agenda of President Biden is a “strategy to transform how our country understands, accesses, and treats mental health” (The White House, 2022, para 1) NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties.  The strategy addresses how the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the need for mental health care.  The current needs of mental health care are affordable care, expanding access to care, and reducing the economic effects mental health disorders can create (The White House, 2022).  I hope the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA) can assist you with networking, advocay, and inform you of local and national nursing issues in your field (APNA, n.d.).

    References

    American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (n.d.). Retrieved on July 31, 2022 from 

    Home

    The White House. (2022, May 31).  Reducing the economic burden of unmet mental health needs.  Retrieved on July 31, 2022 
    https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2022/05/31/reducing-the-economic-burden-of-unmet-mental-health-needs/#:~:text=The%20Federal%20Government%20covers%20some,from%20the%20U.S.%20Medicaid%20program
    .

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Ashton Johnson 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hi Sherwin, 

    According to the Psychiatric Times, the mental health specialty is one of the fastest-growing specialties being dominated by non-physician providers (Robinson, 2021). Despite this, there has still been a shortage of mental health nurse practitioners. An article from the Journal for Nurse Practitioners stated “The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Health Workforce designated over 5,500 mental health professional shortage areas in the United States, impacting over 110 million Americans” (Kameg & Fradkin, 2021). Mental health has been a large topic of discussion all over the United States and the importance of mental health has become a forefront in healthcare-related discussions. It is good to see more people going into the mental health specialty for nurse practitioners in order to reach more patients. 

    Resources

    Kameg, B. N., & Fradkin, D. (2021). Despite rates of psychiatric diagnoses, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners are restricted in Pennsylvania. 
    The Journal for Nurse Practitioners
    , 
    17
    (2), 139–140. 
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2020.12.002

    Robinson, S. (2021, February 3). 
    Partnering with Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners
    . Psychiatric Times. Retrieved August 6, 2022, from 
    https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/psychiatric-mental-health-nurse-practitioners

     

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Crystal Lewis 
    WALDEN INSTRUCTOR
     
    MANAGER

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hi, Sherwin,

    Your affiliation with a professional organization will allow you to continue expanding your network. How could your professional network impact your decisions, during your educational journey?

    Excellent post!

    Dr. Lewis

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Hazel Alejandria 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hi Sherwin. Thanks for sharing. Becoming a mental health NP was one of my top choices before I finally decided to go for Acute-Gerontological NP. I considered mental health because only a few people are doing it because often, people think it is difficult to deal with mentally ill individuals. Yes, it is difficult but being able to understand a person who is mentally ill needs time and patience and I applaud you for going through it. It has become a stigma in our environment that mentally ill individuals are a lost cause. Mentally ill individuals do not want to seek help early on because of the fear of being judged and the possibility of losing their jobs. A 
    2019 national poll
     that was conducted by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that mental health stigma is still a major challenge in the workplace and half of workers were worried about discussing mental health issues at their jobs. More than one in three were concerned about retaliation or being fired if they sought mental health care.
     With this study, they found out that the strongest evidence to decrease stigma is by involving contact with individuals with lived experience with mental illness and efforts with a long-term commitment (American Psychiatric Association, 2020).

    American Psychiatric Association. (2020). 
    Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness. Retrieved from: 
    Psychiatry.org – Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Patricia Wharton 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hi Sherwin,

    Thanks for sharing the information regarding the topic and I appreciate your enrollment in the MS nursing program to evaluate your professional duties to serve humanity. Professional nursing organizations exist to serve the profession of nursing, encourage self-regulation, and define nursing principles. A vital aspect of the professional growth of a nurse is active involvement in one or more organizations. Membership gives networking with friends and coworkers and access to training materials like books, seminars, webinars, and websites. Nurses are the most sought-after Registered Nurses (RNs) in the employment market, and they have a better chance of advancing to leadership and management jobs than ASN nurses do(Jhonson, 2021).

    Thank you

    References

    Jhonson, J. n. (2021, Sep 09). 
    Nursing Specialities.
     Retrieved from https://nursing.jnj.com/specialty

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Pam Douglas 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hello Sherwin,

    I enjoyed reading your post. You are right about the stigma surrounding individuals with mental health problems. Individuals with mental health disorders often do not seek treatment due to the stigmas, prejudice, and discrimination surrounding individuals with mental health disorders. (Psychiatry.org, 2022) There is a tremendous need for compassionate and dedicated mental health professionals. My current employer hires behavior health specialists who provide resources to individuals seeking help. There is a shortage of behavioral health specialists, and individuals sometimes have to wait months before they can be seen by a provider for an initial consultation. The shortage of mental health care providers was even more apparent during the start of the Covid 19 pandemic. Many of my clients were seeking mental health services during that time, and the providers were booked out for months. You are entering a much-needed and rewarding profession, and your dedication to your profession will be greatly appreciated. Best wishes to you throughout the rest of your academic and professional career.

    Reference

    Stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness
    . Psychiatry.org – Stigma, Prejudice and Discrimination Against People with Mental Illness. (n.d.). Retrieved August 4, 2022, from 
    https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/stigma-and-discrimination

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Solomon Murray 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Your post was excellent. I completely comprehend your struggles with making the decision to work in the mental health field, and I can sympathize. I’ve never worked as a mental health nurse, so the concept of fully appreciating it has always made me wonder. In my research, I made an effort to concentrate on the aspects of the subject matter that I found most enjoyable. The fact that they provide diagnostic services, psychotherapy, and deal with addiction use is what I appreciate most about the psychiatric NP field. I also like that some mental health professionals work in for-profit or local hospitals, while others provide similar therapies in private clinics. One of my main areas of interest for the community is psychotherapy. To broaden knowledge and show ongoing competence, psychiatric nurse practitioners should undertake lifelong learning in psychotherapy and acquire ongoing training in psychotherapy to enhance one’s resolve to work for mastery and skill in a range of psychotherapeutic methods (APNA, 2022). 

     

    Apna position: Psychotherapy and the Psychiatric-Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Role
    . APNA. (2022, March 14). Retrieved August 5, 2022, from https://www.apna.org/news/psychotherapy-and-the-psychiatric-mental-health-advanced-practice-registered-nurse-role/ 

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Elizabeth Brennan 

    RE: Initial Post – Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    I’ve had over fifteen years to consider what type of nursing to specialize in.  This spring, I finally realized that the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) was the route for me. I’ve worked in cardiac critical care most of my professional life and have desired to continue my degree for the past ten years, but I never wanted to be an acute Nurse Practitioner.  After ten years of working with adults in cardiac critical care, I changed to working with children in public health.  Public health then broadened my limited perspective on the acute necessities of patients to help them function in everyday life.

                In the school system, I realized that about seventy-five percent of my day was related to addressing issues that stemmed from mental health.  The elementary students with undiagnosed learning disabilities or mental health issues came to the nurse’s office presenting with physical systems.  They often just needed a quick break from class or someone to talk to.  Middle school students with learning disabilities or mental health diagnoses came to the clinic primarily for reassurance, and we spent time discussing healthy coping mechanisms.  The high school students needed someone to talk to that wasn’t their peer or parent.  I found that the role of a school nurse required mental health knowledge and skills I didn’t have.  For four years, I ingested every mental health book or journal I could read, and I quickly realized how much I enjoyed this topic of study.  Then, I decided to become a clinical nursing instructor for a local university and found a similar need among the students I’ve taught for the past two years.  Becoming a PMHNP is exciting as I learn additional assessment, diagnosis, and treatment skills to help a part of the population in need.

                As a PMHNP, I could join the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA). There are a variety of options for membership.  To join, a nurse can fill out an application and pay the annual membership fee of $135.  Members may choose a monthly payment option or pay the price in full.  Members can serve on committees, earn contact hours, network with colleagues, and seek election to the Board of Directors (APNA, n.d.).  Echevarria (2018) encourages nurses to evaluate professional organizations based on membership benefits, how they align with their professional role and the organization’s role in advocacy NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties.

    References

    American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (n.d.). Retrieved on July 31, 2022 from 

    Home

    Echevarria, I. M. (2018). Make connections by joining a professional nursing organization. 
    Nursing, 48
    (12), 35-38.

    As a cardiac critical care physician who has worked in the field for more than 10 years, at school, you quickly learned that 75% of your time was spent dealing with students’ mental health problems. Practicing public health allowed you to see the immediate needs of people from a different angle than you could have otherwise. You might join the American Psychiatric Nurses Association as a psychiatric nurse practitioner (APNA). There are several ways to become a member. Members can participate on committees, earn contact hours, connect with colleagues, and run for the Board of Directors, among other perks and privileges. In this way, nurses are encouraged to consider the membership advantages of professional organizations(Millender, 2022).

    Thank you

    References

    Millender, E. (2022, July 14). 
    The Cumulative Influence of Perceived Discrimination, Stress, and Coping Responses on Symptoms.
     Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jap

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Crystal Lewis 
    WALDEN INSTRUCTOR
     
    MANAGER

    RE: Initial Post – Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hi, Elizabeth,

    Do you plan to access online chats or forums within your associations’ website to
     enhance networking opportunities?

    Great post!

    Dr.Lewis

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

    Hide 1 reply

     

    4 months ago

    Elizabeth Brennan 

    RE: Initial Post – Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Dr. Lewis,

    Yes, I believe online forums and discussions within the association website will be helpful for networking and education.  I’ve utilized the National Association of School Nurse forums in the past as a novice school nurse and gained knowledge and insight from other nurses.

    Elizabeth

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Kayleigh Haas 

    RE: Initial Post – Discussion – Week 10-First reply

    COLLAPSE

    Hello Elizabeth,

    First of all what a huge change shifting from cardiac critical care to the public school system and now Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). I believe coming from experience working in the school system has opened your eyes to the rising rate of mental health diagnosis in the pediatric population. “In recent years an estimated 10-20% of all children suffer from a mental health condition.” (McCollum & Beattie, 2021). I think it is amazing that you took it upon yourself to learn more about mental health to better serve the population you work with. From an emergency nurse point of view, I believe school systems are failing these students who do simply need someone to talk to. These individuals will benefit from passionate patient-centered nurses like you. “Pediatric mental health presentations to emergency departments (EDs) have shown dramatic increases nationally.” (Sheridan et al., 2020). Unfortunately, many of these children seek counseling and guidance through their school counselors and end up in the ED waiting to see if they are going to be placed on a psychiatric hold. I understand the liability staff working in school systems must feel with this patient population but the emergency department is not an ideal situation for these individuals to get the help they need. If your goal is to continue to work with the pediatric mental health population, I believe you will be a perfect person to provide phenomenal outpatient care. The nursing profession needs more people like you. Thank you for your post.

    References:

    McCollum, D., & Beattie, T. (2021). Dealing with mental health in the Pediatric Emergency Department. 
    European Journal of Emergency Medicine
    , 
    28
    (5), 335–336. https://doi.org/10.1097/mej.0000000000000822 

    Sheridan, D. C., Marshall, R., Nunez Morales, A., & Johnson, K. (2020). Access to outpatient pediatric mental health care after emergency department discharge. 
    Pediatric Emergency Care
    , 
    37
    (12). https://doi.org/10.1097/pec.0000000000002057 

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
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    4 months ago

    Sherwin Jackson 

    RE: Initial Post – Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hello Elizabeth.

     Your post is very insightful . According to Wei et al. (2021), career development reflects a process where one acknowledges and explores their career paths and makes informed decisions that change and shape one’s career. The thrilling part about your career development journey is how you engaged your observation skills within your previous area of specialization to identify your strengths. In most cases, people become stuck to their current positions because they fear trying new roles. However, it is always easy to achieve that goal for those who have identified their strengths and blind spots and are willing to take an extra step. Also, considering the current mental crisis facing the world, there is a need to encourage more nurses to embrace mental health-related courses like psychiatry, mental health nurse practitioner, social work, and psychology. However, your case calls out to healthcare organizations in the United States, especially on the need to ensure that they provide nurses with a chance for career development through training and workshops, which can reduce nurse turnover rates.

    References

    Ellis, M. (March 27, 2019). The Real Cost of Untreated Mental Illness in America. Constellation Behavioral Health. https://www.constellationbehavioralhealth.com/blog/the-real-cost-of-untreated-mental-illness-in-america/

    Wei, L. Z., Zhou, S. S., Hu, S., Zhou, Z., & Chen, J. (2021). Influences of nursing students’ career planning, internship experience, and other factors on professional identity. 
    Nurse Education Today
    , 
    99
    , 104781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104781

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE

     

    4 months ago

    Solomon Murray 

    RE: Initial Post – Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hello, Elizabeth Your post on discussion was excellent. I also have experience working with kids, which piqued my interest in a career in mental health. One of the hardest jobs I ever had was as a mental health technician working with adolescents aged 9 to 17. I ended up enjoying my work, which was a factor in my decision to pursue a nursing degree. Your dedication is demonstrated by the fact that you have been reading on your own about mental health. You made a really good point when you said that many of your students had mental health issues and learning problems that hadn’t been properly diagnosed. Even though family violence has been deemed to be prevalent worldwide, child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) frequently fail to detect it and treat infants and adolescents who are living in homes where there is violence (Bunston, 2017)

    Bunston W, Franich-Ray C, Tatlow S. A Diagnosis of Denial: How Mental Health Classification Systems Have Struggled to Recognise Family Violence as a Serious Risk Factor in the Development of Mental Health Issues for Infants, Children, Adolescents and Adults. Brain Sci. 2017 Oct 17;7(10):133. doi: 10.3390/brainsci7100133. PMID: 29039808; PMCID: PMC5664060.

     

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    Nicole Emmerich 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    ​

    The nursing specialty I have chosen to purse is becoming a PMHNP (Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner). I have been in nursing for fifteen years and four of them have been directly in behavioral health. The reason I have chosen this specialty is I have seen how greatly of an issue mental health is. I thought I had a pretty good idea between personal and professional experiences, but it is far bigger than I even thought. I would really love to help reduce or even eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and I really hope to make a positive impact in my patients’ lives. The only real difficulty I had in making this choice is that I wasn’t very confident in going back to school as it has been so long since I have been a student. I was, and sometimes still am, afraid of the time commitment and also my ability to be a successful student.

    The factors that drove me to look past my difficulties in making the decision included massive support from loved ones/peers and having faith in myself to become a PMHNP. I figured I won’t know what I am capable of until I try and I know I can do hard things! As far as professional organizations, I have found the three listed in the references section, but one really caught my attention which was The National Association of Psychiatry Mental Health Nurse Practitioners NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties. In order to become a member, you must create an account, choose a one-year membership tier (licensed or student, $150 or $120), and complete an application which asks about your education, career information, and referral information. 
    (n.d.)
    I did not complete membership at this time, but may as I get closer to practicums and graduation.

    ​

    (n.d.). Retrieved June 13, 2022, from 
    https://napmhnp.enpnetwork.com/

    (n.d.). Retrieved June 13, 2022, from 

    Home

    (n.d.). Retrieved June 13, 2022, from 
    https://www.ispn-psych.org/

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

    Hide 4 replies

     

    4 months ago

    Elizabeth Brennan 

    RE: Response #2 – Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hi Nicole,

     

    The federal government spent $280 billion on mental health services in 2020. President Biden has written the Unity Agenda to help transform and address the current mental health crisis (The White House, 2022). The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the need for mental health care, predominantly in young adults. NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties Mental health has a wide range of diagnoses and severity; therefore, access to affordable care to reduce the economic effects of mental health disorders is critical. Congratulations on selecting the PHMNP program. You will be an asset to changing the negative stigma by providing excellent care and support to your current and future patients in this population.    

    I viewed the
     National Association of Psychiatry Mental Health Nurse Practitioners new website. Although much of the website is still under construction, I could review membership benefits. I hope this nursing organization will provide clinical resources, advocacy, and networking with other professionals in your field 
    (NAPMHNP, n.d.) NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties.

    References

    The National Association of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (NAPMHNP). (n.d.). Retrieved on August 1, 2022 from https://napmhnp.enpnetwork.com

    The White House. (2022, May 31). Reducing the economic burden of unmet mental health needs. Retrieved on July 31, 2022 
    https://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/written-materials/2022/05/31/reducing-the-economic-burden-of-unmet-mental-health-needs/#:~:text=The%20Federal%20Government%20covers%20some,from%20the%20U.S.%20Medicaid%20program
    .

     

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    chinwe chukwumerije 

    RE: Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Nicole, good choice since you have worked in a behavioral setting for almost 15 years; I believe PMHNP will be a breeze for you because of the experience you have acquired over the years. The stigma surrounding mental health is a real threat because people don’t want to be looked down on due to their mental health issues, and as a result, they do not talk about it, and adverse effect happens. Creating awareness with more NP for mental health on board will help.

    For someone pursuing a degree in mental health, belonging to a professional organization, the national association of psychiatry mental health practitioners should be a plus because they cover all areas of mental health and positive patients outcome (American Psychiatric Nurses Association, n.d).

              Reference

    American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (n.d.). Retrieved on July 31, 2022, from 

    Home

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    4 months ago

    LOIDA THORNE 

    Response #1 Discussion – Week 10

    COLLAPSE

    Hi Nicole
     

    Great Post! Thanks for sharing. You are not alone in this. I feel the same not being as confident returning to school after being out for such a long time. I also have been out of school for many years. I believe you will be successful in becoming a PMHNP due to the experiences you have gained through the years. Joining a “Professional organization plays a key role in all levels of advocacy and in each setting in which a nurse practices” (American Psychiatric Nurses Association, 2021). 
     

    Reference 
     

    American Psychiatric Nurses Association. (2021). 
    About Association for Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health
    . Retrieved August 5, 2022, from 
    https://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3277
     

    REPLY
     
    QUOTE
     
    EMAIL AUTHOR

     

    Your approach toward mental health issues is  impressive , you have clearly stated that you will use your position to intervene on the stigmatization that people with mental health issues face while seeking medical health. The world is experiencing an increased rate of deaths resulting from untreated mental health conditions. According to Ellis (2019), most Americans with mental health issues never seek treatment. Yet approximately 51 percent of the United States adults had bipolar disorder, with 40 percent diagnosed with schizophrenia after the National Institute of Mental Health conducted one-year research. Hence, since nurses will always remain the best patient advocates, being part of the National Association of Psychiatry Mental Health Nurse Practitioners will help you collaborate with other nurse practitioners within the mental-health department to make effective policies. Such policies can involve the need of the United States population to be engaged in awareness creation and screening to prevent deterioration of their mental health.

    References

    Ellis, M. (March 27, 2019). The Real Cost of Untreated Mental Illness in America. Constellation Behavioral Health. https://www.constellationbehavioralhealth.com/blog/the-real-cost-of-untreated-mental-illness-in-america/

    Wei, L. Z., Zhou, S. S., Hu, S., Zhou, Z., & Chen, J. (2021). Influences of nursing students’ career planning, internship experience, and other factors on professional identity. 
    Nurse Education Today
    , 
    99
    , 104781. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.104781 NURS 6003 Week 10 Discussion: Examining Nursing Specialties

  • Antibiotic Resistance Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement Assignment

    Antibiotic Resistance Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement Assignment

    Global Health Comparison

    Grid Template

    Global Health Comparison Grid

    NURS – 6050C: Policy and Advocacy for Improving Population Health

     

    Global Health Comparison Grid and Narrative Statement

     

    Global Healthcare Issue

    Antibiotic Resistance

     
    ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER NOW

    Description

    Antibiotic resistance (AMR) is a global public health problem that was listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) among the top 10 leading world health issues in 2020 (WHO, 2020). AMR is described occurs when microbial pathogens, such as fungi and bacteria, develop the capacity to repel or survive the antibiotic agents intended to kill them, thereby threatening the globe’s advances in food production and healthcare, which, in turn, negatively affect life expectancy (WHO, 2020). Statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2020) reveal that >2.8 million AMR infections are documented in the U.S. annually, resulting in >35000 mortalities each year. Similar trends have been observed in China, where the AMR crisis is deteriorating and seriously threatening animal and human health (Qu et al., 2019). Addressing AMR calls for concerted efforts among countries in both industrialized and developing regions to detect, mitigate, and respond to the associated disasters. A comparison of policy efforts adopted by China and the U.S. will be presented in this Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix Antibiotic Resistance Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement Assignment.

    Country

    United States

    China

    Describe the policy in each country related to the identified healthcare issue

    The U.S. government issued Executive Order 13676 directing the Department of Health and Human Services to formulate and lead the execution of the 2020 – 2025 National Action Plan for Combating AMR, aka CARB (Federal Task Force on Combating AMR, 2020). CARB outlines that the U.S. will collaborate with both overseas and local agencies to detect, prevent, and control infections and mortalities attributed to AMR. The primary aim of the Plan is structured around five objectives for collective actions by the federal government in collaboration with organizations, individuals, and international administrations (Federal Task Force on Combating AMR, 2020). The five goals encompass 1) fast-tracking applied and basic research and formulation of novel antimicrobial agents, 2) advancing formulation and application of rapid and inventive diagnostic assays for detection and characterization of resistant microbes, and 3) strengthening the national collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary (One Health) surveillance attempts to curb AMR (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2019). Fourth, improving overseas capacities and collaboration for AMR mitigation, and lastly 5) slowing the incidence of resistant microbes and curbing the dissemination of AMR infections.

    Like in the U.S., infections resulting from multi-drug resistant organisms, particularly CRE, are exponentially increasing in China, and they are often allied to elevated death rates owing to a lack of therapeutic alternatives (Qu et al., 2019). As a result, the Chinese Ministry of Health introduced the zero mark-up drug policy (ZMDP) in 2009 to rationalize antibiotic use and discourage public hospitals from benefiting from the over-prescription of antimicrobial agents that are allied to AMR (Yan et al., 2020).

    What are the strengths of this policy?

    One of the core strengths of the 2020 – 2025 Plan is the One Health approach to the implementation of the policy, where stakeholders are drawn from multiple sectors at the global, national, regional, and local levels collaborate to accomplish the shared goal of combatting AMR (CDC, 2019). Second, the readiness of Congress to support the investment in and implementation of the Plan has allowed the U.S. to make significant advances in combating AMR (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2019).

    The implementation of the ZMDP was preceded by a nationwide campaign, which helped in creating extensive public awareness of the policy (He et al., 2019). In addition, the policy execution was piloted first at primary care facilities before it was progressively scaled up to the county, tertiary, and national public hospitals (He et al., 2019). The progressive scale-up allowed the implementers to address potential challenges before expanding to larger institutions Antibiotic Resistance Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement Assignment.

    What are the weaknesses of this policy?

    While the One Health approach is a major enabler of the 2020 – 2025 National Plan, it also represents a key weakness. One Health requires local and international governments to collaborate. The U.S., however, influences local agencies; thus, the unwillingness of other countries to actively partake in the intervention is beyond the control of the U.S.

    Early assessment of the efficacy of the ZMDP at the pilot stage showed an insignificant reduction in unreasonable prescription and use of antimicrobials in various provinces, including Hubei, Anhui, and Guangxi (He et al., 2019). The inefficacy of the policy in achieving its core mandate can be attributed to failure to involve physicians in the design and implementation process, yet, they are the key stakeholders in the prescription of the drugs (Yan et al., 2020).

    Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the specified global health issue. (Be specific and provide examples)

     

    Poor administrative governance is one of the social determinants of health that has been associated with the overuse of antibiotics, which, in turn, contribute to AMR (Collignon & Beggs, 2019). In low-income countries, the lack of understanding and knowledge of the pharmacokinetics of antimicrobial agents has been ascribed to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics  (Collignon & Beggs, 2019).

    Poor administrative governance is one of the social determinants of health that has been associated with the overuse of antibiotics, which, in turn, contribute to AMR (Collignon & Beggs, 2019). In low-income countries, the lack of understanding and knowledge of the pharmacokinetics of antimicrobial agents has been ascribed to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics  (Collignon & Beggs, 2019).

    How has each country’s government addressed cost, quality, and access to the selected global health issue?

    The U.S. has addressed the cost, quality, and access to efforts to combat AMR through the One Health approach. The latter is steered by the CDC, a global health agency that directly works with international governments through capacity building, training, and research (CDC, 2019).

     

    AMR is associated with significant mortalities in China annually. The Chinese government has therefore invested in a series of policies and interventions to combat the associated cost (Wang et al., 2016). In addition to the bottom-up enforcement of the ZMDP policy to ensure a decline in the irrational use of antimicrobial agents, the government has also funded evaluation studies to determine the quality and effectiveness of the policies (Yan et al., 2020).

    How has the identified health policy impacted the health of the global population? (Be specific and provide examples)

    Since its roll-out in early 2020, CARB is anticipated to significantly decline the occurrence rates of key antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including Clostridium difficile, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) (Federal Task Force on Combating AMR, 2020). The above improves global health by eliminating the odds for the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant mutations, and subsequently, reducing mortality rates attributed to AMR infections.

    Like the U.S. 2020 – 2025 Plan, the Chinese ZMDP policy has progressively facilitated the reduction of the spread of CRE superbug (Yi et al., 2015). Subsequently, it has prevented the introduction and dissemination of virulent mutants of CRE across international borders and the associated elevated mortality rates.

    Describe the potential impact of the identified health policy on the role of a nurse in each country.

    Nurses serve a central role in the fight against AMR through their roles in infection control and antibiotic stewardship. Thus, they play a core function in the implementation of the 2020 – 2025 Plan by serving as the primary sources of community and patient education on AMR (Wiley & Villamizar, 2019).

    Similar to the case of the U.S. 2020 – 2025 Plan,  nurses played a core function in the implementation of the ZMDP by serving as the primary sources of community and patient education on AMR (Wang et al., 2016).

    Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries. (Be specific and provide examples)

    Global health issues, like the eruption of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and AMR, directly affect local organizations and policies (Healthy People 2020, n.d.). For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the U.S. develop policies that guide international and local vaccination drives and support international collaborative efforts to safeguard its citizens from newer variants that cross international borders through global travels Antibiotic Resistance Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement Assignment.

     

    Global health issues, like the eruption of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and AMR, directly affect local organizations and policies (Healthy People 2020, n.d.). For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the U.S. develop policies that guide international and local vaccination drives and support international collaborative efforts to safeguard its citizens from newer variants that cross international borders through global travels.

    General Notes/Comments

    In summary, AMR is a global public health crisis that calls for collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approaches explained by the 2020 – 2025 National Action Plan for Combating AMR.

    In summary, AMR is a global public health crisis that calls for collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary approaches. Unlike the U.S. 2020 – 2025 Plan, the implementation of the ZMDP policy did not involve a multisectoral approach but targeted a single player of the stakeholders. The failure to embrace a collaborative, multisectoral approach might have contributed to reported ineffectiveness.

     

    Part 2: A Plan for Social Change

    As outlined in Part I of the assignment, AMR is one of the global health issues that call for worldwide collaboration in preparedness, prevention, planning, response, and care reflecting health equality across countries (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020). Such global health issues, like AMR, go beyond transnational, regional, and national borders, and they are also inclined to unduly impact susceptible and underprivileged populations. Thus, nurses at the clinic, community, and classroom should adopt a global health standpoint to proficiently function in the current multicultural clinical settings (Edmonson et al., 2017). In the above case, nurse leaders can advocate for the inclusion of the global health perspective by engaging in transdisciplinary teams, through which they can communicate and collaborate across and within organizations and disciplines that are fundamental to enhancing global health (Edmonson et al., 2017).

    The incorporation of the global health perspective will positively impact the delivery of nursing care and advocacy at the local level. For example, acquiring global health encounters via interdisciplinary teams, health initiatives, medical missions, and community work targeted at tackling health inequalities reinforce nurses. In particular, the integration of a global health standpoint enables nurses in U.S. hospitals to build comprehension of international health systems, improve cultural sensitivity, and forge international or interprofessional relationships (University at Buffalo, n.d.). As a nurse leader, the incorporation of a global health outlook represents a social change as it reflects the transformative shift from local approaches to care delivery to a broadened advance to prevent the dissemination of worldwide health concerns, like AMR, and protect the global populations (Edmonson et al., 2017).

    References

    CDC. (2019).
    One Health
    . https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/index.html

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020).
    About antibiotic resistance
    . https://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/about.html

    Collignon, P., & Beggs, J. J. (2019). Socioeconomic enablers for contagion: Factors impelling the antimicrobial resistance epidemic.
    Antibiotics
    ,
    8
    (3), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics8030086

    Edmonson, C., McCarthy, C., Trent-Adams, S., McCain, C., & Marshall, J. (2017). Emerging global health issues: A nurse’s role.
    Online Journal of Issues in Nursing
    ,
    22
    (1). https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.VOL22NO01MAN02

    Federal Task Force on Combating AMR. (2020).
    The National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria 2020-2025
    . U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

    He, P., Sun, Q., Shi, L., & Meng, Q. (2019). China’s health system reforms: Review of 10 years of progress: Rational use of antibiotics in the context of China’s health system reform.
    The BMJ
    ,
    365
    . https://doi.org/10.1136/BMJ.L4016

    Healthy People 2020. (n.d.).
    Global health
    . https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/global-health

    Qu, J., Huang, Y., & Lv, X. (2019). Crisis of antimicrobial resistance in China: Now and the future.
    Frontiers in Microbiology
    ,
    10
    (SEP), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2019.02240

    University at Buffalo. (n.d.).
    Embracing a global perspective in nursing
    . http://nursing.buffalo.edu/news-events/UBNursing-magazine.host.html/content/shared/nursing/articles/ubnursing-magazine/2019/global-health/global-perspective-nursing.detail.html

    US Department of Health and Human Services. (2019).
    Antibiotic resistance in threats in the U.S. 2019
    . CDC. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13756-020-00872-w

    Wang, L., Zhang, X., Liang, X., & Bloom, G. (2016). Addressing antimicrobial resistance in China: Policy implementation in a complex context.
    Globalization and Health
    ,
    12
    (1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-016-0167-7

    WHO. (2020, December 24).
    10 global health issues to track in 2021
    . https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/10-global-health-issues-to-track-in-2021

    Wiley, K. C., & Villamizar, H. J. (2019). Antibiotic resistance policy and the stewardship role of the nurse.
    Policy, Politics, and Nursing Practice
    ,
    20
    (1), 8–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/1527154418819251

    Yan, K., Yang, C., Zhang, H., Ye, D., Liu, S., Chang, J., Jiang, M., Zhao, M., & Fang, Y. (2020). Impact of the zero-mark-up drug policy on drug-related expenditures and use in public hospitals, 2016-2018: An interrupted time-series study in Shaanxi.
    BMJ Open
    ,
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    To Prepare:

    Review the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global health agenda and select one global health issue to focus on for this Assignment.

    Select at least one additional country to compare to the U.S. for this Assignment.

    Reflect on how the global health issue you selected is approached in the U.S. and in the additional country you selected Antibiotic Resistance Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement Assignment .

    Review and download the Global Health Comparison Matrix provided in the Resources.

    The Assignment: (1- to 2-page Global Health Comparison Matrix; 1-page Plan for Social Change)

    Part 1: Global Health Comparison Matrix

    Focusing on the country you selected and the U.S., complete the Global Health Comparison Matrix. Be sure to address the following:

    Consider the U.S. national/federal health policies that have been adapted for the global health issue you selected from the WHO global health agenda. Compare these policies to the additional country you selected for study.

    Explain the strengths and weaknesses of each policy.

    Explain how the social determinants of health may impact the global health issue you selected. Be specific and provide examples.

    Using the WHO’s
    Organization’s
    global health agenda as well as the results of your own research, analyze how each country’s government addresses cost, quality, and access to the global health issue selected.

    Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the health of the global population. Be specific and provide examples.

    Explain how the health policy you selected might impact the role of the nurse in each country.

    Explain how global health issues impact local healthcare organizations and policies in both countries. Be specific and provide examples.

    Part 2: A Plan for Social Change

    Reflect on the global health policy comparison and analysis you conducted in Part 1 of the Assignment and the impact that global health issues may have on the world, the U.S., your community, as well as your practice as a nurse leader.

    In a 1-page response, create a plan for social change that incorporates a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

    Explain how you would advocate for the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice and role as a nurse leader Antibiotic Resistance Global Healthcare Comparison Matrix and Narrative Statement Assignment.

    Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens might impact your local practice and role as a nurse leader.

    Explain how the incorporation of a global perspective or lens into your local practice as a nurse leader represents and contributes to social change. Be specific and provide examples