Nursing

Discussion: Models of Leadership
Discussion: Models of Leadership
Discussion: Models of Leadership
Week 8 assignment Models of Leadership As a nurse leader, it is important to understand a variety of leadership models and styles. This will help you adapt to different settings and apply strategies to support and inspire others. It may also be necessary to apply models in different professional settings to satisfy certification requirements. This assignment is composed of two parts, a graphic organizer and a written paper. Part I: Graphic Organizer Research five leadership models and styles. One model must be transformational leadership. Design a graphic organizer to compare servant leadership with the other models. Consider how these models or styles bring about organizational, team, or individual change or growth. How do leaders implement each of the models and how do they fit with your personal beliefs? Part II: Personal Model of Leadership Paper Write a 1,000-1,250 word paper about your personal model of leadership, including the following: How may your personal model of leadership be applied in your professional setting? How does your personal model of leadership compare to the models you researched for the graphic organizer? Does your personal model follow the lines of servant leadership or transformational leadership? Submit the graphic organizer and paper to your instructor. Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required. You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

Discussion: Screening and Reliability
Discussion: Screening and Reliability
Discussion: Screening and Reliability
Week 2 discussion Screening and Reliability From the U.S. Preventive Task Force website https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/BrowseRec/Index (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site., choose one screening test that might be considered in primary care. Define the test, its positive predictive value, reliability and validity. Discuss patient medical or family history that may alter your recommendation for screening?
By using methods for item selection, the authors developed short (three-item) and long (six-item) versions of the questionnaire and evaluated them for validity among 504 participants.
Results
Internal reliability was excellent, with coefficient ? values of 0.87 and 0.93 for the short and long versions, respectively. When the authors dichotomized instrument scores at optimal thresholds, both versions had a sensitivity of 99 percent and a specificity of 97 percent for correct classification of the presence or absence of TMD. The specificity was at least 95 percent in the correct identification of people with nonpainful TMJ disorders or headahce without TMD pain.
Conclusions
With use of appropriate psychometric methodology, the selected items exhibited excellent content validity. The excellent levels of reliability, sensitivity and specificity demonstrate the validity and usefulness of this instrument.
Clinical Implications
Using this instrument will allow clinicians to identify more readily—and cost-effectively—most patients with painful TMD conditions for whom early and reliable identification would have a significant effect on diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.
The Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ) is a self-report scale designed to screen for the most common Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) axis I disorders encountered in outpatient mental health settings. The results of 4 studies of the PDSQ involving more than 2,500 subjects (aged 18–91 yrs) receiving outpatient mental health care are reported. In 2 studies the understandability of the items on the PDSQ was examined. Items that initially were less well understood were rewritten, and all items of the final version of the scale were understood by more than 90% of the respondents. In the other 2 studies, the reliability and validity of the PDSQ subscales was examined. A priori criteria were established to guide the revision of subscales. The final version of the questionnaire contains 13 subscales (major depressive disorder, bulimia, posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcohol abuse/dependence, drug abuse/dependence, somatization, hypochondriasis, and psychosis), each of which achieved good to excellent levels of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and discriminant, convergent, and concurrent validity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Assignment: Provision Journaling
Assignment: Provision Journaling
Assignment: Provision Journaling
Week 9 assignment Leadership Journal: Provision Journaling provides a valuable tool for recording, reflecting on, and reviewing your learning. This approach provides an opportunity for you to “connect the dots” and observe the relationships between and among activities, interactions, and outcomes. Unlike a personal journal of thoughts and feelings, this Leadership Journal is a record of your activities, assessments, and learning related to this academic experience. Journal entries should include a record of the number of hours spent with your nurse leader each week. Write a journal entry of 750-1,500 words on the subject of provision, including the following: Provide observations and thoughts on the activities in Weeks 7-8. Describe how your nurse leader influences the work environment. Consider how influence protects and values others in the work environment. Identify two or more ways your own leadership could promote a feeling of protection and honor in your work environment. Reflect on at least two things you learned from the “Issue of Headship” video. APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected. You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
Bookkeeping and accounting use the term provision meaning an estimated amount set aside when it is probable that a liability has been incurred or an asset impaired. It is a contingent loss that is recognized as a liability.
There are many reasons why a business would want to create a provision in its accounting records, the list below shows some of the reasons why provisions might be established
Provision for depreciation
Impairment provision for the diminution in the value of assets
Provision for repairs and renewals
Provision for bad debt and doubtful debts
Provision for warranty costs
In each example the business knows that it is probable that a liability has been incurred, and although it cannot determine the exact amount of the liability, it can be estimated with a reasonable degree of certainty.

Assignment: Psychosocial Elements.
Assignment: Psychosocial Elements.
Assignment: Psychosocial Elements.
Week 1 project Introduction While treating the chronically ill, a major challenge is developing a plan of care that addresses the specific needs of a patient and a caregiver. You need to be in close touch with patients and their support group, family and peers, to come up with an ideal plan. In this course project, you are going to develop a plan of care for a chronic illness group of your choice using the Healthy People 2020 Topics. While executing the tasks of this project, remember that while you need to give a general overview of the biomedical considerations of the case, the focus should always be on the psychosocial elements. Your perspective in this care plan should be the patient’s goals rather than those of the medical team. Each week, you will complete a part of this project. You will submit a final completed project in Week 5. Be sure to take the time to carefully complete each of the weekly assignments and then put it all together in Week 5. Ensure that you save a copy of this course project after you have submitted it at the end of this course. You are expected to resubmit this project along with the other course projects at the end of the Registered Nurse (RN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. File Transfer Protocol (FTP) details will be provided in the Capstone course. Identifying a Group Identify an area of chronic illness of specific interest to you and that is represented as a Healthy People 2020 topic (healthypeople.gov). Explain your choice and your interest in it. Prepare a questionnaire utilizing your knowledge of health and illness, with the aim of acquiring all information you need from patients to prepare a plan of care for the specific illness group. Submit your information in a 4- to 5-page Microsoft Word document. In addition to your questionnaire, be sure to include the following details in your paper. Chronic Illness of interest Morbidity and comorbidity of the disease Impact of the chronic illness and patient morbidity and the affect to overall health of nation Healthy People 2020 goals and objectives for specific illness group Support your responses with examples. On a separate references page, cite all sources using APA format. Use this APA Citation Helper as a convenient reference for properly citing resources. This handout will provide you the details of formatting your essay using APA style. You may create your essay in this APA-formatted template. Week 2 project The Impact of Chronic Illness Identify one person from the illness group you chose in Week 1. The person should not be a patient at the facility in which you work. You can use friends, family members, or coworkers. Do not use the person’s name in the paper but only initials. Administer the questionnaire you created in Week 1 to that person. Compile the data and analyze the responses to better illustrate where this person, his or her family, and friends are in relation to accepting the diagnosis in relation to the standard health or illness definitions. The analysis should also include coping skills, treatment, and support aspects of the illness. Identify how this will direct care plan development for the chosen illness group. Compile a report of your interview with the questions you created, the responses you received, your analysis, and your interpretation of how it will affect planning care for the group in a 4- to 5-page Microsoft Word document. Support your responses with examples. On a separate references page, cite all sources using APA format. Use this APA Citation Helper as a convenient reference for properly citing resources. This handout will provide you the details of formatting your essay using APA style. You may create your essay in this APA-formatted template. Week 3 project Using the information from the interview you conducted in Week 2, list in descending order the support needs of your participant. Also discuss how to implement objectives of Healthy People 2020 to increase wellness. Give examples of appropriate interventions of the professional caregiver, for example, the nurse. Submit your findings in a 4- to 5-page Microsoft Word document. Support your responses with examples. On a separate references page, cite all sources using APA format. Use this APA Citation Helper as a convenient reference for properly citing resources. This handout will provide you the details of formatting your essay using APA style. You may create your essay in this APA-formatted template. Week 4 project Locating Resources Locate a minimum of three community or national resources for your illness group chosen in Week 1, preferably in your community. Study these resources and write a report about them in a 4- to 5-page Microsoft Word document. Include in your response all the information the patient should know about them (the specific services they offer, fee schedules, if and when appropriate, criteria for eligibility, and any other important information). Discuss potential advantages and disadvantages for vulnerable populations in seeking these resources. Support your responses with examples. On a separate references page, cite all sources using APA format. Use this APA Citation Helper as a convenient reference for properly citing resources. This handout will provide you the details of formatting your essay using APA style. You may create your essay in this APA-formatted template. Week 5 project Creating a Plan of Care Utilizing the information you have gathered over the weeks regarding the specific illness group you identified, this week, you will create a plan of care for your chronic illness group. Create the plan in a 4- to 6-page Microsoft Word document (the 4–6 pages include the holistic care plan). Include the following in your plan: Start the paper with a brief introduction describing the chronically ill group you selected and provide rationale for selecting this illness and the participants. Clearly identify the Healthy People 2020 topic chosen and why this topic was chosen. You will want to compile the information gathered from Weeks 1–4 over 2 to 3 pages. This should be in APA format and paragraph form. This is not to be copied and pasted from previous assignments. It is to be a summary of each week. The paper should include the care plan for your chronic illness group organized under the following headings: Nursing Diagnoses Assessment Data (objective and subjective) Interview Results Desired Outcomes Evaluation Criteria Actions and Interventions Evaluation of Patient Outcomes You will need to ensure that the care plan is holistic and includes at least 3 nursing diagnoses related to the topic and interview results from the previous weeks. Include strategies for the family or caregiver in the care plan and provide your rationale on how they will work. Include a reference page to provide reference for all citations for the paper as well as the care plan. On a separate references page, cite all sources using APA format. Use this APA Citation Helper as a convenient reference for properly citing resources. This handout will provide you the details of formatting your essay using APA style. You may create your essay in this APA-formatted template.

Discussion: Leadership Journal
Discussion: Leadership Journal
Discussion: Leadership Journal
Week 13 assignment Leadership Journal: Example Journaling provides a valuable tool for recording, reflecting on, and reviewing your learning. This approach provides an opportunity for you to “connect the dots” and observe the relationships between and among activities, interactions, and outcomes. Unlike a personal journal of thoughts and feelings, this Leadership Journal is a record of your activities, assessments, and learning related to this academic experience. Journal entries should include a record of the number of hours spent with your nurse leader each week. Write a journal entry of 750-1,500 words on the subject of example, including the following: Provide observations and thoughts on the activities in Weeks 11-12. Identify three to five personal values or characteristics that you believe are critical components of a good leader, such as honesty, compassion, or fairness. How do you express those values in your professional life? Reflect on at least two things you learned from the “Issue of Example” video. APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected. You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.
Leadership is an international peer-reviewed journal that publishes the highest quality original research on leadership. Leadership is designed to provide an ongoing forum for academic researchers to exchange information, insights and knowledge on both theoretical development and empirical research on leadership.Effective leadership brings together diverse people and helps them find common purpose and work towards to achieve purposeful common goals. Effective Leadership inspires and empowers people to realize their fullest potential and harness their potentials to achieve common goals.

Challenges Nurses Working in a Cancer Center Face
Challenges Nurses Working in a Cancer Center Face
Week 11 quiz
Question 1
A nurse working in a cancer center is preparing to administer medication to a 5-year-old child. The nurse will calculate the drug dosage by using
Question 2
A 5-year-old boy needs an IM injection. The least painful and most effective injection site would be the
Question 3
A 2-year-old child is diagnosed with a minor ailment and is to be administered medications at home for 2 weeks. The child lives with his mother, grandmother, and four other children between the ages of 14 months and 7 years. The home health nurse is asked to assess the home environment to determine if it is appropriate for the child to take his medication at home. Which of the following will have the greatest impact on the nurse’s assessment?
Question 4
A 19-year-old patient reports to a clinic with vaginal discharge with a foul odor. A microscopic exam reveals trichomonas vaginalis. The nurse practitioner is aware that
Question 5
A 29-year-old woman who is morbidly obese has recently begun a comprehensive, medically-supervised program of weight reduction. Prior to adding dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) to her regimen, the patient should be questioned about her intake of
Question 6
A 10-year-old boy is taking dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) daily for ADHD. At each clinic visit, the nurse’s priority assessment would be
Question 7
A nurse works at a weight management clinic. To which of the following overweight patients could the nurse safely administer dextroamphetamine?
Question 8
A 30-year-old man with a BMI of 59 has recently been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In light of the man’s lack of success with weight loss programs in the past, his care provider has prescribed sibutramine (Meridia). What instructions should the nurse consequently provide to this patient?
Question 9
A nurse is explaining to the parents of a 6-year-old child suffering from angina why nitroglycerin patches for chest pain would not be appropriate. Which of the following will the nurse include in an explanation?
Question 10
A nurse is providing patient education to a 13-year-old girl who was just diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Which of the following statements by the patient will alert the nurse that special instructions regarding insulin are necessary?
Question 11
A nurse is going to administer medication to an infant using a medicine dropper. The best method is to open the child’s mouth by gently squeezing the cheeks and placing the drops
Question 12
A 21-year-old female has a history of irregular menses. She recently became sexually active, and would like to begin taking oral contraceptives (OCs). The nurse practitioner recognizes that most likely this patient would benefit from taking which category of OCs.
Question 13
A 15-year-old boy has been diagnosed with bone cancer after several months of fatigue and pain. What question should the nurse include in an assessment when trying to minimize the potential for adverse drug reactions?
Question 14
A 22-year-old woman has given birth to an infant who exhibits the signs and symptoms of maternal cocaine use during pregnancy. These signs and symptoms are a result of what pathophysiological effect of opioid use during pregnancy?
300 × 200

Effective Communication in Nursing Field
Effective Communication in Nursing Field
Week 1 discussion
Effective communication is vital to constructing an accurate and detailed patient history. A patient’s health or illness is influenced by many factors, including age, gender, ethnicity, and environmental setting. As an advanced practice nurse, you must be aware of these factors and tailor your communication techniques accordingly. Doing so will not only help you establish rapport with your patients, but it will also enable you to more effectively gather the information needed to assess your patients’ health risks.
For this Discussion, you will take on the role of a clinician who is building a health history for one of the following new patients:
76-year-old Black/African-American male with disabilities living in an urban setting
Adolescent Hispanic/Latino boy living in a middle-class suburb
55-year-old Asian female living in a high-density poverty housing complex
Pre-school aged white female living in a rural community
16-year-old white pregnant teenager living in an inner-city neighborhood
To prepare:
With the information presented in Chapter 1 in mind, consider the following:
How would your communication and interview techniques for building a health history differ with each patient?
How might you target your questions for building a health history based on the patient’s age, gender, ethnicity, or environment?
What risk assessment instruments would be appropriate to use with each patient?
What questions would you ask each patient to assess his or her health risks?
Select one patient from the list above on which to focus for this Discussion.
Identify any potential health-related risks based upon the patient’s age, gender, ethnicity, or environmental setting that should be taken into consideration.
Select one of the risk assessment instruments presented in Chapter 1 or Chapter 26 of the course text, or another tool with which you are familiar, related to your selected patient.
Develop at least five targeted questions you would ask your selected patient to assess his or her health risks and begin building a health history.
By Day 3
Post a description of the interview and communication techniques you would use with your selected patient. Explain why you would use these techniques. Identify the risk assessment instrument you selected, and justify why it would be applicable to the selected patient. Provide at least five targeted questions you would ask the patient.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Submit!
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who selected a different patient than you, using one or more of the following approaches:
Share additional interview and communication techniques that could be effective with your colleague’s selected patient.
Suggest additional health-related risks that might be considered.
Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research.
Week 2 discussion
Discussion: Diversity and Health Assessments
In May 2012, Alice Randall wrote an article for The New York Times on the cultural factors that encouraged black women to maintain a weight above what is considered healthy. Randall explained—from her observations and her personal experience as a black woman—that many African-American communities and cultures consider women who are overweight to be more beautiful and desirable than women at a healthier weight. As she put it, “Many black women are fat because we want to be” (Randall, 2012).
Randall’s statements sparked a great deal of controversy and debate; however, they emphasize an underlying reality in the health care field: different populations, cultures, and groups have diverse beliefs and practices that impact their health. Nurses and health care professionals should be aware of this reality and adapt their health assessment techniques and recommendations to accommodate diversity.
In this Discussion, you will consider different socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, and other cultural factors that should be taken into considerations when building a health history for patients with diverse backgrounds.
Case 1
JC, an at-risk 86-year-old Asian male is physically and financially dependent on his daughter, a single mother who has little time or money for her father’s health needs. He has a hx of hypertension (HTN), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), b12 deficiency, and chronic prostatitis. He currently takes Lisinopril 10mg QD, Prilosec 20mg QD, B12 injections monthly, and Cipro 100mg QD. He comes to you for an annual exam and states “I came for my annual physical exam, but do not want to be a burden to my daughter.”
Case 2
TJ, a 32-year-old pregnant lesbian, is being seen for an annual physical exam and has been having vaginal discharge. Her pregnancy has been without complication thus far. She has been receiving prenatal care from an obstetrician. She received sperm from a local sperm bank. She is currently taking prenatal vitamins and takes Tylenol over the counter for aches and pains on occasion. She a strong family history of diabetes. Gravida 1; Para 0; Abortions 0.
Case 3
MR, a 23-year-old Native American male comes in to see you because he has been having anxiety and wants something to help him. He has been smoking “pot” and says he drinks to help him too. He tells you he is afraid that he will not get into Heaven if he continues in this lifestyle. He is not taking any prescriptions medications and denies drug use. He has a positive family history of diabetes, hypertension, and alcoholism.
To prepare:
Reflect on your experiences as a nurse and on the information provided in this week’s Learning Resources on diversity issues in health assessments.
Select one of the three case studies. Reflect on the provided patient information.
Reflect on the specific socioeconomic, spiritual, lifestyle, and other cultural factors related to the health of the patient you selected.
Consider how you would build a health history for the patient. What questions would you ask, and how would you frame them to be sensitive to the patient’s background, lifestyle, and culture? Develop five targeted questions you would ask the patient to build his or her health history and to assess his or her health risks.
Think about the challenges associated with communicating with patients from a variety of specific populations. What strategies can you as a nurse employ to be sensitive to different cultural factors while gathering the pertinent information?

Assignment: Global Health Discussion
Assignment: Global Health Discussion
Assignment: Global Health Discussion
Week 7 Global Health Issue Paper Select a current global health issue (Zika, Syrian refugee crisis, etc.) to research. In a two- to three-page APA formatted paper, explain how using healthcare informatics can address the crisis. In addition to course resources, please provide a minimum of two outside scholarly resources. Examples of scholarly sources include professional journal articles and books obtained from library databases, national guidelines, and informatics organizations, published within the last five years.
Global health plays an increasingly crucial role in both global security and the security of the U.S. population. As the world and its economies become increasingly globalized, including extensive international travel and commerce, it is necessary to think about health in a global context. Rarely a week goes by without a headline about the emergence or re-emergence of an infectious disease or other health threat somewhere in the world. The notes that, “since the 1970s, newly emerging diseases have been identified at the unprecedented rate of one or more per year.” The Institute of Medicine’s 2003 report stresses that the United States should enhance the global capacity for responding to infectious disease threats and should take a leadership role in promoting a comprehensive, global, real-time infectious disease surveillance system.
Rapid identification and control of emerging infectious diseases helps:
Promote health abroad
Prevent the international spread of disease
Protect the health of the U.S. population
The large scope of potential global public health threats is recognized in the revised with its all-hazards approach to assessing serious public health threats. These regulations are designed to prevent the international spread of diseases, while minimizing interruption of world travel and trade. They encourage countries to work together to share information about known diseases and public health events of international concern.

Patients in Specialized Areas of Care
Patients in Specialized Areas of Care
Week 9 discussion
When treating frail elder patients in specialized areas of care, there are various dynamics that might impact patient care plans. From questions about potential outcomes, benefits of treatment, and quality of life to factors such as personal values, families, culture, and religion, decision making can be difficult for patients and their families. As the advanced practice nurse, you must support them through this process.
For this Discussion, you examine the following case studies and consider how you might address the needs of the patients and their families.
Case Study 1
Mr. Wiggins is a 78-year-old African American male with chronic kidney disease, which requires dialysis. The etiology of his renal disease was multifactorial—long-standing uncontrolled HTN and DM nephropathy. He has been on hemodialysis for the past 10 years and has done relatively well. Four weeks ago, he had a major CVA and is minimally responsive. His condition is not expected to change, and the family is having a difficult time with his recent health changes. Advanced directives were discussed with them, and his wife is a durable power of attorney for his health care. The wife hates to see her husband this way and understands this is not how he would want to go on, but their children and many of the family members (his brothers and sisters) think the patient will return to himself. They want everything done in terms of life support measures—full code status. His family wanted a feeding tube placed, and he is now receiving 24-hour tube feedings. You are the NP caring for Mr. Wiggins. You have known and cared for him and his wife for several years. The wife pulls you aside, shares her dilemma, and asks you to make the decision regarding continuing medical care/support for her husband. How will you respond?
Case Study 2
Mrs. Adams is a 96-year-old Caucasian female who has recently been diagnosed with colon cancer. She was admitted to the hospitalist service through the ED with dehydration and rectal bleeding. The bleeding resolved, and she received 2 units of PRBs and fluid/electrolyte replacement. She is stable and ready to be discharged home.
Mrs. Adams is in remarkably good health, and other than arthritis and mild HTN, she has no significant medical or surgical history. She is able to carry out all of her essential daily living activities. She pays her own bills, is competent, and has good functional abilities. She was driving up until last year. Now, she has neighbor’s assist with weekly shopping and transportation to church. Her sensory, functional, and cogitative abilities were evaluated this admission and remain intact. She has been offered palliative surgical intervention, but deferred all treatment. Her only son is in agreement with his mother’s decision. Her parents and husband are deceased. You have been asked to obtain advanced directives. What will your discharge treatment plan be for Mrs. Adams?
Case Study 3
Mr. Pierce is an 82-year-old East Indian male, recently widowed 6 months ago. He fractured his left hip 2 months ago attempting to climb his backyard fence to get his cat out of a tree. His children live internationally and have been taking turns caring for him. His eldest son brought him in through the ED last night because Mr. Pierce started having shortness of breath and his lips turned blue. In addition, his son noticed his left leg was very swollen compared to the right. The ED nurse practitioner ordered a thin cut cat scan (CT) with pulmonary embolism (PE) protocol and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) scan. Mr. Pierce has a large DVT that is obstructing circulation and multiple pulmonary emboli. His condition is life threatening and he is only expected to live a few weeks. He has a living will and advanced directives and has requested to be able to die in the comfort of his home. “I hate hospitals.” You have been consulted at the patient and family’s request because you are Mr. Pierce’s primary care provider. What additional services can be offered to ensure his care/comfort at home and to give him peace of mind regarding his estate?
To prepare:
Select one of the three case studies. Reflect on the provided patient information.
Think about potential outcomes for the patient in the case study you selected.
Consider how care, treatment, and/or support might be facilitated for the patient. Reflect on how you might also address the needs of the family.
Week 10 discussion
Discussion: Community Advocacy Agencies
Having received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and encountering the associated stigmas, Michael Ellenbogen encourages increased advocacy efforts for the geriatric population struggling with this disease. He says, “We did nothing wrong to get this disease, and we need to speak up to let our voice be heard…There are no excuses for not wanting to help. The human cost factor is too high, and we are all accountable to do something” (Ellenbogen, 2012). As an advanced practice nurse caring for the geriatric population, it is important for you to join in advocacy efforts within your community whether it is in support of Alzheimer’s or another prevalent need such as abuse. You should be aware of community agencies that advocate for the well-being and care of your local geriatric population, as these agencies often provide resources and assistance to the elderly in need. In your role of care, you are able to identify prevalent needs and work with patients, their families, and agencies to promote change and impact lives.
To prepare:
Review this week’s media presentation, as well as the American Geriatric Society’s Public Policy and Advocacy website in the Learning Resources.
Locate and research two agencies that advocate for the elderly in your community. Consider their current advocacy actions and/or campaigns.
Reflect on your experiences and observations at your practicum site. Consider new advocacy actions you might suggest to the agencies you selected. Based on these advocacy actions, think about new policies that might improve the care of the population at your current practicum site.

Assignment: Diagnostic Tests in Adults
Assignment: Diagnostic Tests in Adults
Week 3 discussion
Discussion: Assessment Tools and Diagnostic Tests in Adults and Children
When seeking to identify a patient’s health condition, advanced practice nurses can use a diverse selection of diagnostic tests and assessment tools; however, different factors affect the validity and reliability of the results produced by these tests or tools. Nurses must be aware of these factors in order to select the most appropriate test or tool and to accurately interpret the results.
Not only do these diagnostic tests affect adults, body measurements can provide a general picture of whether a child is receiving adequate nutrition or is at risk for health issues. These data, however, are just one aspect to be considered. Lifestyle, family history, and culture-among other factors-are also relevant. That said, gathering and communicating this information can be a delicate process.
In this Discussion, you will consider the validity and reliability of different assessment tools and diagnostic tests. You will explore issues such as sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values. You will also consider examples of children with various weight issues. You will explore how you could effectively gather information and encourage parents and caregivers to be proactive about their children’s health and weight.
To prepare:
Review this week’s learning resources and consider factors that impact the validity and reliability of various assessment tools and diagnostic tests. We will also review examples of pediatric patients and their families as it relates to BMI.
This week you will be assigned one of the following DB by your instructor.
Select one of the following assessment tools or diagnostic tests to explore for the purposes of this Discussion:
Mammogram
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test
Body-mass index (BMI) using waist circumference for adults
Select one of the examples on which to focus for this Discussion. What health issues and risks may be relevant to the child you selected?
Overweight 5-year-old boy with overweight parents
5-year-old girl of normal weight with obese parents
Severely underweight 12-year-old girl with underweight parents
Search the Walden Library and credible sources for resources explaining the tool or test you selected. What is its purpose, how is it conducted, and what information does it gather?
What does the literature discuss regarding the validity, reliability, and are there any issues with sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, ethical dilemmas, and controversies related to the test or tool?
Based on the risks you identified, consider what further information you would need to gain a full understanding of the child’s health. Think about how you could gather this information in a sensitive fashion.
Consider how you could encourage parents or caregivers to be proactive toward the child’s health.
By Day 3
Post a description of how the assessment tool or diagnostic test you selected is used in health care. Based on your research, evaluate the test or the tool’s validity and reliability, and explain any issues with sensitivity, reliability, and predictive values. Include references in appropriate APA formatting.
OR
Post an explanation of the health issues and risks that are relevant to the child you selected. Describe additional information you would need in order to further assess his or her weight-related health. Taking into account the parents’ and caregivers’ potential sensitivities, list at least three specific questions you would ask about the child to gather more information. Provide at least two strategies you could employ to encourage the parents or caregivers to be proactive about their child’s health and weight.
Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Submit!
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.
By Day 6
Respond to at least two of your colleagues who selected a different tool test, or child health example than you, using one or more of the following approaches:
Critique your colleague’s evaluation of the validity and reliability of the tool or test selected.
Suggest alternative or additional tools or tests that should be considered when gathering information about specific conditions or symptoms.
Based on the risks you identified, consider what further information you would need to gain a full understanding of the child’s health. Think about how you could gather this information in a sensitive fashion.
Consider how you could encourage parents or caregivers to be proactive toward the child’s health.
Suggest additional health risks or issues that could be relevant to the child.
Critique your colleagues’ questions, and suggest how the parents or caregivers might interpret these questions. Provide alternate or additional questions.
Suggest an additional strategy for gathering patient information or promoting proactivity