Category: Nursing

Recall how nurses can use data to improve patient safety and quality-care delivery. In NURS 4005, you analyzed a Dashboard to determine nursing practice improvements. This week, you reviewed the importance and focus on patient quality and safety. The following data are shared by the unit manager with her staff at a recent staff meeting. There has been a higher than acceptable level of patient falls on the telemetry unit in the last 4 months. The distribution of falls is outlined below. Information about the unit also includes: The average age of the patients is 72.4 years old, and every patient has a cardiac diagnosis. The majority (68%) of the patients are women. Recently, 1 FTE of nursing assistants were moved from the night shift (11P–7A) to the evening shift (3P–11P). The rooms on this unit are all private. 94% of the patients are on diuretics. 12% of the patients have secondary diagnoses of confusion or disorientation. In a 3–5 page paper, respond to the following: Describe some possible interpretations of the data related to the patient fall rate on the telemetry unit. Discuss the quality management process you would follow to improve patient fall rates on the unit. What change management strategies would you incorporate in your quality improvement plan? What leadership characteristics are needed to assist in improving the patient fall rates? Review the table and chart presented in the online classroom.

Motivation Based on the case study, respond to the following question: What advice do you have for the nurse supervisor to improve the motivation of staff nurse Charlie? Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.

Practicum Activities: Manage Resourcesfor Leadership Change Project This week your instructor has assigned you to develop a budget to fund the Leadership Change Project. Review the vision, mission, and values of the organization, and examine how the strategy, values, an Determine if the resources are available for the project (i.e., salaries, supplies, equipment, technology, and education).

Based on the case study, respond to the following: What conflict resolution strategies should Lydia utilize first? Which techniques for effective communication would be the most practical, as well as the most beneficial? Why? Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.

Practicum Activities:Collaborative and Communication Strategies This week your instructor has assigned you to seek input on the possible change from stakeholders, attend a multidisciplinary team meeting, and interview a leader from another clinical discipline. Part I: Observation Attend a multidisciplinary team meeting. Observe the communication skills used by the team leader and the group process. Consider the following questions as you observe the meeting: Who served as the team leader? What leadership style did you observe? How well did the team work together? Was there group conflict? If so, how was it resolved? Were there any outcomes from the group meeting? Did you see evidence-based care or decisions during your observation? How was nursing involved in the multidisciplinary group? Part II: Interview Interview a leader at least one level above your current or immediate past position from another clinical discipline (pharmacy, respiratory, case management, social work, medicine—not nursing). Ask the following questions: How would you describe your leadership style? What communication skills do you use? What conflicts have you had to manage in the last 3 months? What techniques and strategies do you use to work together to promote multidisciplinary teamwork? Please address the following: Identify ways in which you collaborated with other professionals regarding your activities Think about the stakeholders impacted by the change. How can the change theory you have chosen influence the success of a change project? How can the multidisciplinary team of leaders impact the change project? What is the best way to communicate the change within the agency?

Translating Strategic Vision Into Action: Communication Skills

Leadership Theories and Personal Identification of Style and Strengths

Leadership Theory and Health Care

Reflect on the information presented this week and on your own work environment. Then, respond to the following: Which theory of leadership do you think is most effective in today’s health care environment? Why? How does ANA’s Nursing: Scope & Standards of Practice influence nursing leadership? Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.

Leadership Theory Paper

Great leaders share common characteristics. As you have heard in this week’s media presentation, leadership skills can be learned and developed. The first step in developing leadership skills is increasing your self-awareness of your leadership qualities and abilities. In order to be an effective leader, you must find a style, or styles, that meet both your needs and those of the institution. Complete at least one of the following assessment inventories. Gallup Strength Finders Myers-Briggs DiSC Review your assessment results, and determine your leadership style, strengths, and growing edges. Consider how your leadership strengths are demonstrated in your nursing practice. Then, review the list of leaders presented below. Winston Churchill Margaret Thatcher Eleanor Roosevelt John F. Kennedy Martin Luther King, Jr. Mahatma Ghandi Rudy Guiliani Abraham Lincoln César Chavéz Mao Tse Tung Lillian Wald Mother Teresa Select one person from the list. Research that individual, and write a 2–3 page summary of the selected leader’s leadership style and specific leadership characteristics demonstrated. Include in your summary any strengths or characteristics you have in common with the leader you selected. Also include how your identified strengths demonstrate mastery of ANA’sNursing:Scope & Standards of Practice, Standard of Professional Performance: Standard 12: Leadership as evidenced in your nursing practice.

Practicum Activities: Identify a Change Project This week introduced the concepts of leadership and leadership theories. In addition, the media presentation and textbook readings discussed the difference between leadership and management. As you begin your practicum this week discuss with your manager possible change projects needed in the agency. Observe your manager and other leaders at your location. Identify how management and leadership activities contribute to successful change initiatives. Informally discuss options with your manager Please address the following: What did you see as the difference between a leadership activities and a management activities? How do management and leadership activities contribute to the success of change initiatives What change projects are needed in your agency at this time.

Organizational Behavior and Change Theory

Chaos and Complexity Theory in Health Care Based on this week’s readings and what has been presented on organizational theory, respond to the following: Do chaos theory and complexity theory have any place in health care systems? Why or why not? Support your response with references from the professional nursing literature.

Practicum Activities:Apply Change Theory to the Proposed Change In week one, you formulated some initial ideas about a Leadership Change Project. You discussed possible change projects with your manager. This week has presented information on change, change management, and how an organization’s mission, vision, and values are reflected in its strategic plan. Using the information presented in the resources, complete the following two activities with the guidance of your instructor. Your instructor has assigned you to apply change theory to the proposed change. Check for consistency between the proposed change and the mission/vision/values/strategic plan for the agency. Read more about change theory in your textbook. Please address the following: Which theory will you use as a framework for your change project and why? Is there consistency between the proposed change and the mission, vision, and values of the agency? If so, describe. If not, how will you address the inconsistencies?

In a reflection of 450-600 words, explain how you see yourself fitting into the following IOM Future of Nursing recommendations:

Recommendation 4: Increase the proportion of nurses with a baccalaureate degree to 80% by 2020. Recommendation 5: Double the number of nurses with a doctorate by 2020. Recommendation 6: Ensure that nurses engage in lifelong learning. Identify your options in the job market based on your educational level.

How will increasing your level of education affect how you compete in the current job market? How will increasing your level of education affect your role in the future of nursing? While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

It is important to promote the professional role of the nurse to provide health promotion and disease preventive care. Collaborating with other health care professionals and consumer groups in the community in redesigning health care can help meet the goals for Healthy People 2020. Develop a PowerPoint presentation (15-20 slides) with accompanying speaker’s notes and citations on Respiratory Distress.

In the presentation, address the following: 1. State the objective of the presentation. 2. State the Healthy People 2020 focus area your group has selected and the rationale for selection of the specific focus area. 3. Explain how the focus area relates to the individual, the family, and the community, as well as to all age groups throughout the life span. 4. Identify ways to enhance or optimize health in the selected focus area using evidence-based research. A minimum of three peer-reviewed articles must be utilized. 5. Address the health disparity among different segments of the population for the selected focus area. 6. Provide a brief description of at least two community resources and at least two website resources for professionals and clients. 7. Provide a brief profile of at least one health-related organization for the selected focus area. APA format is required for essays only. Solid academic writing is always expected.

For all assignment delivery options, documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

Rubrics. Stated objective of presentation and the selected Healthy People 2020 focus area, along with the rationale for selection of the specific focus area, are offered in detail, providing insight and/or reflection. Explanation of the selected focus area as it relates to all age groups throughout the life span is accurate and offered in detail, while offering insight and/or reflection. Identification of ways to enhance or optimize health in the selected Healthy People 2020 focus area using evidence-based research, using a minimum of three peer reviewed articles are offered in detail, while offering insight and/or reflection. The addressing of the health disparity among different segments of the population for the selected focus area is accurate and offered in detail, while offering insight and/or reflection. A brief description of two community resources and website resources for professionals and clients for the selected area of focus is accurate and offered in detail. Selection of community resources and websites reflect thoughtful consideration to users of resources. A brief profile of one health-related organization for the selected focus area is accurate and offered in detail. Selection of community resources and websites reflects thoughtful consideration to users of resources The content is written clearly and concisely. Ideas universally progress and relate to each other. The project includes motivating questions and advanced organizers. The project gives the audience a clear sense of the main idea. The writer uses a variety of sentence constructions, figures of speech, and word choice in distinctive and creative ways that are appropriate to purpose, discipline, and scope. Title slide is complete. References section includes correctly cited sources. Correct citations are included within the body of the presentation. Writer is clearly in control of standard, written academic English The layout is visually pleasing and contributes to the overall message with appropriate use of headings, subheadings, and white space. Text is appropriate in length for the target audience and to the point. The background and colors enhance the readability of the text.

As the country focuses on the restructuring of the U.S. health care delivery system, nurses will continue to play an important role. It is expected that more and more nursing jobs will become available out in the community, and fewer will be available in acute care hospitals.

Write an informal presentation (500-700 words) to educate nurses about how the practice of nursing is expected to grow and change. Include the concepts of continuity or continuum of care, accountable care organizations (ACO), medical homes, and nurse-managed health clinics. Share your presentation with nurse colleagues on your unit or department and ask them to offer their impressions of the anticipated changes to health care delivery and the new role of nurses in hospital settings, communities, clinics, and medical homes. In 800-1,000 words summarize the feedback shared by three nurse colleagues and discuss whether their impressions are consistent with what you have researched about health reform. A minimum of three scholarly references are required for this assignment. While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

Rubrics. Main concept is easily identified, and subconcepts branch appropriately from the main idea. Addresses all of the issues related to the evolving practice of nursing and patient care delivery. Evidence of feedback and forecasting of the nursing role from colleagues is described in detail, with relevant personal insight, reflection, or analysis. All of the recommended terms have been included in the correct context. Content shows significant evidence of originality and inventiveness. The majority of the content and many of the ideas are fresh, original, inventive, and based upon logical conclusions and sound research. The writer is clearly in command of standard, written academic English. All format elements are correct. In-text citations and a reference page are complete. The documentation of cited sources is free of error.

This is a continuation of the Course Project presented in Week 2. Before you begin, review the Course Project Overview document located in the Week 2 Resources area. The literature review is a critical piece in the research process because it helps a researcher determine what is currently known about a topic and identify gaps or further questions. Conducting a thorough literature review can be a time-consuming process, but the effort helps establish the foundation for everything that will follow. For this part of your Course Project, you will conduct a brief literature review to find information on the question you developed in Week 2. This will provide you with experience in searching databases and identifying applicable resources. To prepare:

1. Review the information in Chapter 5 of the course text, focusing on the steps for conducting a literature review and for compiling your findings. 2. Using the question you selected in your Week 2 Project (Part 1 of the Course Project), locate 5 or more full-text research articles that are relevant to your PICOT question. Include at least 1 systematic review and 1 integrative review if possible. Use the search tools and techniques mentioned in your readings this week to enhance the comprehensiveness and objectivity of your review. You may gather these articles from any appropriate source, but make sure at least 3 of these articles are available as full-text versions through Walden Library’s databases. 3. Read through the articles carefully. Eliminate studies that are not appropriate and add others to your list as needed. Although you may include more, you are expected to include a minimum of five articles. Complete a literature review summary table using the Literature Review Summary Table Template located in this week’s Learning Resources. 4. Prepare to summarize and synthesize the literature using the information on writing a literature review found in Chapter 5 of the course text. To complete: Write a 3- to 4-page literature review that includes the following:

1. A synthesis of what the studies reveal about the current state of knowledge on the question that you developed Point out inconsistencies and contradictions in the literature and offer possible explanations for inconsistencies. 2. Preliminary conclusions on whether the evidence provides strong support for a change in practice or whether further research is needed to adequately address your inquiry 3. Your literature review summary table with all references formatted in correct APA style

Note: Certain aspects of conducting a standard review of literature have not yet been covered in this course. Therefore, while you are invited to critically examine any aspect of the studies (e.g., a study’s design, appropriateness of the theoretic framework, data sampling methods), your conclusion should be considered preliminary. Bear in mind that five studies are typically not enough to reflect the full range of knowledge on a particular question and you are not expected to be familiar enough with research methodology to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of all aspects of the studies.

Critiquing the validity and robustness of research featured in journal articles provides a critical foundation for engaging in evidence-based practice. In Weeks 5 and 6, you explored quantitative research designs. In Week 7, you will examine qualitative and mixed methods research designs. For this Assignment, you critique a quantitative and either a qualitative or a mixed methods research study and compare the types of information obtained in each. To prepare: 1. Select a health topic of interest to you that is relevant to your current area of practice. The topic may be your Course Portfolio Project or a different topic of your choice. 2. Using the Walden Library, locate two articles in scholarly journals that deal with your portfolio topic: 1) Select one article that utilizes a quantitative research design and 2) select a second article that utilizes either a qualitative OR a mixed methods design. These need to be single studies not systematic or integrative reviews (including meta-analysis and metasynthesis). You may use research articles from your reference list. If you cannot find these two types of research on your portfolio topic, you may choose another topic. 3. Locate the following documents in this week’s Learning Resources to access the appropriate templates, which will guide your critique of each article:

A. Critique Template for a Qualitative Study B. Critique Template for a Quantitative Study C. Critique Template for a Mixed-Methods Study

4. Consider the fields in the templates as you review the information in each article. Begin to draft a paper in which you analyze the two research approaches as indicated below. Reflect on the overall value of both quantitative and qualitative research. If someone were to say to you, “Qualitative research is not real science,” how would you respond? To complete this Assignment: a. Complete the two critiques using the appropriate templates. b. Write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following: c. Contrast the types of information that you gained from examining the two different research approaches in the articles that you selected. 1. Describe the general advantages and disadvantages of the two research approaches featured in the articles. Use examples from the articles for support. 2. Formulate a response to the claim that qualitative research is not real science. Highlight the general insights that both quantitative and qualitative studies can provide to researchers. Support your response with references to the Learning Resources and other credible sources. d. As you complete this Assignment, remember to: e. Reminder: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The School of Nursing Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available from the Walden University website found in this week’s Learning Resources). All papers submitted must use this formatting. f. Combine all three parts of this assignment into one Word document including both critique templates and the narrative with your references. Submit this combined document.

Analyze the health status of a specific minority group. Select a minority group that is represented in the United States (examples include: American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian American, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander.)

In an essay of 750-1,000 words, compare and contrast the health status of the minority group you have selected to the national average. Consider the cultural, socioeconomic, and sociopolitical barriers to health. How do race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and education influence health for the minority group you have selected? Address the following in your essay:

What is the current health status of this minority group? How is health promotion defined by the group? What health disparities exist for this group? Describe at least one approach using the three levels of health promotion prevention (primary, secondary, and tertiary) that is likely to be the most effective given the unique needs of the minority group you have selected. Provide an explanation of why it might be the most effective choice. Cite a minimum of three references in the paper.