Current Information and Communication Technologies

With so much attention focused on health care reform, it is important that nurses be given the opportunity to use high-quality technology tools. These tools can increase access to vital medical information, promote effective communication among health care professionals, and improve the patient experience. By actively seeking out and adopting these tools, nurses can greatly enhance the quality and safety of care that they provide.

This Discussion focuses on identifying quality technology tools that increase the ability of nurses to provide safe, effective care.

To prepare:

• Review the various technology tools described in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Identify a recently adopted information, education, or communication technology tool in your specialty area. Reflect on how it is used and how its use impacts the quality of care.
• Consider how your identified technology tool might impact nursing practice if it were more widely used. What are some barriers preventing increased usage? How could wider implementation be facilitated?

Post on or before Day 3 a description of a current or new information, education, or communication technology tool that is being used in your specialty area and assess its impact on the quality of care. Highlight the effect that increased use of this technology would have on nursing practice and discuss the barriers that are slowing or hindering its adoption. Summarize how adoption of the technology tool could be facilitated.

Readings

• American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing informatics: Scope & standards of practice (2nd ed.).Silver Springs, MD: Author.
  • “The Future of Nursing Informatics”
• McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. G. (2012). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
  • Chapter 14, “Improving the Human-Technology Interface”

    This chapter describes the human-technology interface and explores some of the problems that result from its usage. The author also reflects on methods for improving the interface.

  • Chapter 19, ”Telenursing and Remote Access Telehealth”

    This chapter explores the usage of telehealth in nursing practice. The authors examine the role of telehealth, along with potential issues that may arise in its usage.

• Brewer, E. P. (2011). Successful techniques for using human patient simulation in nursing education. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(3), 311–317.

  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

  This article identifies studies that have used human simulation as an effective instructional tool in nursing education. The article describes different strategies for incorporating human simulation into nursing education, and it also offers insight on improvements that could be made to current practices.

• Guarascio-Howard, L. (2011). Examination of wireless technology to improve nurse communication, response time to bed alarms, and patient safety. Herd, 4(2), 109–120.

  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

  The author explains the results of a study on the outcomes of using wireless communication devices to improve patient safety by allowing nurses to communicate more quickly and easily with other nurses. The results indicate that this technology can increase the value of team nursing, improve response time, and increase patient safety, although there are some drawbacks and challenges associated with the devices.

• Simpson, R. L. (2012). Technology enables value-based nursing care. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 36(1), 85–87.

  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

  This article describes how technology can be used to address problems in the U.S. health care system, such as lack of consistency and lack of effective treatment. The article explains the use of value-based care initiatives and outlines how nurses can use these initiatives to improve outcomes in treatment and research.

• Vinson, M. H., McCallum, R., Thornlow, D. K., & Champagne, M. T. (2011). Design, implementation, and evaluation of population-specific telehealth nursing services. Nursing Economic$, 29(5), 265–272, 277.

  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

  Telehealth is defined as health services that integrate electronic information and telecommunications to improve health care access, outcomes, and costs. This article describes how a telehealth implementation project was designed, enacted, and evaluated, and it analyzes the results of that project.

Media

• Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012c). Health care technologies. Baltimore, MD: Author.

  Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 13 minutes.

  This video features Katie Skelton, Doris Fischer, Carina Perez, Shannon Mori, Carmen Ferrell, and Lynn Tamanaha as they discuss current technologies and innovations in health care. They also describe a specific bed management-system that has improved their hospitals’ efficiency.

  Accessible player–Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript

Please proceed to the Discussion.

Key Health Determinants

Did you know that the United States has a higher rate of infant mortality than Japan (CIA, n.d.)? Or, as Dr. Beilenson states in this week’s media presentation, that “your zip code that you live in makes more difference in your health and well-being than the genetic code that you’re born with?” What causes these differences in health outcomes?

To effectively develop policies and programs to improve population health, it is useful to use a framework to guide the process. Different organizations and governmental agencies (for example, Healthy People 2020) have created a variety of such frameworks, which establish measures for assessing population health. These measures frequently are derived from the examination of epidemiologic data, which include key measures of population health such as mortality, morbidity, life expectancy, etc. Within each measure are a variety of progress indicators that use epidemiologic data to assess improvement or change.

For this Discussion, you will apply a framework developed by Kindig, Asada, and Booske (2008) to a population health issue of interest to you. This framework includes five key health determinants that should be considered when developing policies and programs to improve population health: access to health care, individual behavior, social environment, physical environment, and genetics.

To prepare:

• Review the article “A Population Health Framework for Setting National and State Health Goals,” focusing on population health determinants.
• Review the information in the blog post “What Is Population Health?”
• With this information in mind, elect a population health issue that is of interest to you.
• Using this week’s Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and other relevant resources, conduct a search to locate current data on your population health issue.
• Consider how epidemiologic data has been used to design population health measures and policy initiatives in addressing this issue.

Post by Day 3 a summary of how the five population health determinants (access to health care, individual behavior, social environment, physical environment, and genetics) affect your selected health issue, and which determinants you think are most impactful for that particular issue and why. Explain how epidemiologic data supports the significance of your issue, and explain how this data has been used in designing population health measures and policy initiatives.

References:

Central Intelligence Agency. (n.d.) The world factbook. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2091rank.html

Kindig, D., Asada, Y., & Booske, B. (2008). A population health framework for setting national and state health goals. JAMA, 299(17), 2081–2083. doi: 10.1001/jama.299.17.2081

Readings

• Knickman, J. R., & Kovner, A. R. (Eds.). (2015). Health care delivery in the united states (11th ed.). New York, NY: Springer Publishing.
  • Chapter 5, “Population Health” (pp. 79-97)

    This chapter introduces the concept of population health, which views health issues at the population level rather than at an individual level.

• Kindig, D. (2007). Understanding population health terminology. The Milbank Quarterly, 85(1), 139–161.

  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

  This article provides a valuable foundation in understanding the terminology of population health. Although written in 2007, the information in this article is very pertinent to the topics discussed this week.

• Kindig, D., Asada, Y., & Booske, B. (2008). A population health framework for setting national and state health goals. JAMA, 299(17), 2081–2083.

  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

  Using a framework to craft policy and programs can help ensure that outcomes are measurable. The authors of this article note how some of the overarching goals of Healthy People 2010 were not measurable. They suggest a framework for developing more measurable goals for Healthy People 2020.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Morbidity and mortality weekly report (MMWR). State health statistics. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/StateHealth/index.html

  The CDC website provides health statistics gathered using epidemiologic methods. Explore the health statistics for your state or for a health problem of interest to you.

• HealthyPeople.gov. (2010). Foundation health measures. Retrieved from http://healthypeople.gov/2020/about/tracking.aspx

  Healthy People 2020 uses the four foundational measures presented at this website to monitor the health of the American population.

• State of New South Wales, Department of Education and Communities and Charles Sturt University. (2012). Core 1: Health priorities in Australia: How are priority issues for Australia’s health identified? Retrieved from http://hsc.csu.edu.au/pdhpe/core1/focus/focus1_1/4003/health_pri1_1_1.htm

  Australia uses epidemiologic data to establish its health priorities. Review the information presented at this website, and consider how the United States sets its health priorities.

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2010). Healthy People 2020. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/TopicsObjectives2020/pdfs/HP2020_brochure_with_LHI_508.pdf

  This overview of Healthy People 2020 provides a description of goals of this program, along with indicators used to assess the health of the United States.

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). Healthy People 2020 – Improving the health of Americans. Retrieved from http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/default.aspx

  This site contains a wide variety of information and resources dealing with the Healthy People 2020 goals, as well as information on how to implement the objectives.

• University of Wisconsin Department of Population Health Sciences. (n.d.). What is population health? Retrieved from http://www.improvingpopulationhealth.org/blog/what-is-population-health.html

  This website provides a definition of population health and health determinants. It also examines how health policy can influence determinants of health.

Media

• Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012h). Population health. Baltimore, MD: Author.

  Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 13 minutes.

The assignment: (1–2 pages)

• Considering both “typical” and “atypical” (i.e., pseudohermaphrodites) sexual development, briefly analyze the effects sex hormones seem to have on the development of gender-related behavioral and psychological characteristics in humans. In other words, what “masculine” characteristics are related to male hormones, and what “feminine” characteristics are related to female hormones?
• Briefly summarize the journal article you found, including discussion of the following points, if relevant:
  • At what age and in what ways the subject(s) demonstrated characteristics of transgender.
  • Possible sources (causes) of these characteristics, if addressed in the article.
  • Description and outcome of any treatments that were attempted, if addressed.
• Compare and contrast the two sources of information (textbook and journal article) regarding biology and gender identity. Include all of the following that are relevant:
  • How do the sources differ with respect to the type of information provided? In other words, what information can be gained from a literature review (textbook) versus a case study/research report (journal article)?
  • On what points do the two sources agree?
  • On what points do the two sources disagree?
  • How do the two sources complement one another in helping you to understand the biological basis of gender identity? Be specific, using examples where appropriate.

Select 1 of the organizations that you have reviewed or already discussed in one of your Individual Projects. Identify a gap or gaps in the organization’s corporate social responsibility plan. Create a presentation that will help the organization close the gap or gaps that exist in terms of social responsibility. Be sure to address the following in your presentation:

• Identify any ethical issues and legal issues.
• Identify how the issues violate utilitarianism, social contract theory, or Kant’s categorical imperative principles.
• Identify the stakeholders affected by the gap or gaps.
• Propose an action plan to help bridge the gap or gaps and improve the company’s relationship with its stakeholders.
• Discuss the checks and balances that are required and why.
• Explain how your action plan will benefit the organization overall and why it is necessary.
• Propose Next Steps.
• Wrap up your presentation with a conclusion.

A minimum of 4 references should be used to reinforce your thoughts. Be sure to include these both as in-text citations on your slides and on your reference slide.

Use the Notes section within PowerPoint to expand your thoughts

The references are:

Fountain, H. (2013, august 19). Gulf spill sampling questioned. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/20/science/earth/new-analysis-of-gulf-oil-spill.html?_r=1&

National Wildlife Federation. (2014). How does the BP Oil Spill impact wildlife and habitat? Retrieved from https://www.nwf.org/What-We-Do/Protect-Habitat/Gulf-Restoration/Oil-Spill/Effects-on-Wildlife.aspx

PBS. (2010, October 28). BP’s troubled past. Frontline. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/the-spill/bp-troubled-past/

Schleifstein, M. (2013, April 2). National Wildlife Federation says environmental effects of BP spill far from over. The Times-Picayune. Retrieved from http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2013/04/national_wildlife_federation_s_1.html

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2013, February 12). EPA response to BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/

the organization I am focusing on is bp. 12-15 slides including title and reference slides

a television program that you know contains a social inequality or social class theme (e.g. racism, sexism, social class categories).

Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word analysis of the program in which you complete the following:

• Provide a brief introduction that includes the program’s title, describes the type of program, and explains which social theme you are addressing.
• Describe and explain scenes that apply to the social theme.
• Aside from verbal language, identify all observed body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture stances, modes of dress, nonverbal cues, symbols, and any other means by which inequalities are displayed.
• Explain your interpretation of the meanings of the identified nonverbal communications and symbolism.
• Summarize how these interpretations are important to the sociological understanding of your chosen social inequality or social class theme.
• Provide a conclusion that summarizes the key points in your analysis.

Format your analysis paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Unit VI – Speech Performance 3 Persuasive Speech: You are required to submit your Persuasive Speech after you complete Unit VI. Description: Please read the following instructions before beginning your speech. Speech content and topic: Your Persuasive Speech must be delivered using Monroe’s Motivated Sequence. Your speech must be about a business or social issue. Many people in the audience may already believe that something should be done about the problem but do not have enough motivation to take action. Your task is to persuade them. Monroe’s Motivated Sequence consists of five steps that are delivered sequentially as follows: 1. Attention Step: When you begin, you want to get your audience’s attention. Your first words should be a dramatic story or a rhetorical question; you can give a shocking statistic, or repeat a well-known quotation. Next, state your name and say why you are credible to give this speech. You end this step by telling the audience what specific action you are going to persuade them to take. 2. Need Step: In this Step, you must show that a significant problem exists that will not go away unless the audience takes action. Everyone in the audience should believe that a problem exists. Document each problem with statistics, examples, testimony, etc. 3. Satisfaction Step: Now you must offer a solution or solutions for the problem that you explained in the Need Step. This solution or these solutions are your ideas. They should be well thought out and explained clearly. You must also explain, step by step, how to do what you propose. 4. Visualization Step: In this Step, you must create a mental picture of the benefit(s) of carrying out your solution, or, alternatively, of the consequences of not doing anything to resolve the problem. Audiences are persuaded when they understand the benefits or consequences that will affect them as individuals. 5. Action Step: You must now persuade the audience to take action to resolve the problem. Do not give the audience choices. Tell them specifically what you want them to do. If you offered more than one solution, choose one solution that they can begin to do immediately. It must be something that they can do as individuals. If you ask the audience to do more than one specific thing, it is likely that they will not do anything and your Persuasive Speech is wasted. The following list will guide you as you prepare your speech: Before choosing a topic, read the grading rubric. If you need clarification on any of the grading elements, please contact your professor. Your speech must be no less than seven minutes and no more than 10 minutes. Speaking outside these time limits will result in a grade penalty of 10 points. When you have recorded your speech, play it back. Ensure that your voice is audible, that you are clearly in the center of the screen, and that your facial expressions and body language are easily seen. Questions should be directed to your professor prior to beginning the assignment. SP 1010, Speech Communication 5 Techniques for creating effective recordings: The following techniques are adapted from Kristen Bell DeTienne’s “Guide to Electronic Communication” (2002) by Prentice Hall. 1. Plan everything in advance. Practice with any visual aids that you use. 2. Double check all equipment as necessary, to ensure effective taping, etc. 3. Test all graphics and cameras in advance of recording the speech. Regarding the recording itself, you should remember to:  Begin and end within the time frame specified. Avoid moving out of view of the camera. Make sure the audience will be able to see you in your range of movement, but still be able to make out your facial expressions and gestures. Do not sit as you deliver your speech. It is a courtesy to the audience that you stand unless you are unable to do so. It is also important that you make eye contact at least 95% of the time. Speak naturally and be yourself. Imagine that the audience is in the room with you. Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Final Project

Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Students will complete a paper, Providing Health Services in a Rural Community: A Report on Project Feasibility, as a final project.

Providing healthcare services to residents in rural areas has presented increased challenges that include access and cost. For your Capstone Project, you will be using a case study that focuses on Pocahontas Memorial Hospital located in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. For case study details, click here. http://pmhwv.org/

Pocahontas Memorial Hospital (PMH) would like to offer a comprehensive satellite health clinic within Pocahontas County. You have been contracted to prepare a report for the PMH Board of Directors that will guide them in determining the feasibility of doing this.

Your report should be organized according to the following structure and contain the elements described:

•Introduction: This is where you introduce your audience to what this report will cover.

•Discussion of whether the organization’s mission statement and goals support the project

•Assessment: This is your evaluation of various factors that affect the feasibility and development of the project.

•The environmental challenges, access for consumers, and technology required

•Mission, vision, values, and goals

•A market analysis

•A SWOT analysis

•Recommendations: This is where you detail your recommendations. Your recommendations should be based directly on what you outlined in your assessment.

•Strategies for attracting healthcare professionals

•Develop strategic initiatives

•Strategies for financial management

•Annotated bibliography

•Conclusion: This brief summary should pull together your assessment and recommendations and leave the audience with a clear sense of what can be done.

Your well-written report should meet the following requirements:

•Be 11–15 pages in length

•Be formatted according to the APA guidelines

•Include at least 10 peer-reviewed references to support your report. The Shapiro Library is a good place to find these sources.

•Include an outline, market analysis, and SWOT analysis in the Appendix