Nursing

Discussion: Gender Theories and Stereotypes
Discussion: Gender Theories and Stereotypes
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Discussion: Gender Theories and Stereotypes
Gender stereotypes are over-generalizations about the inherent traits and behaviors attributed to and expected of men and women based on social and cultural norms. Despite the social progress in many countries, gender stereotypes persist. Women may still be labeled as caring, timid, and emotional, while men may be described as smart, strong, and stoic. The persistence and negative effects of gender stereotypes has prompted a gender-neutrality movement in which a concerted effort is made to avoid differentiating people by gender. You may have heard of gender-neutral parenting or you may have noticed that major retailers are selling gender-neutral clothing lines. While the movement has its critics, there is an increasing population of people who are concerned with how stereotypes harm men, women, and children. For example, young girls may be discouraged from exploring an interest in science because science is viewed as a masculine subject. Similarly, boys may be discouraged from expressing their emotions, which is perceived as a more feminine activity, and encounter difficulties in close relationships as an adult. How did gender stereotypes come to be and why do they continue to persist? In this discussion, you will explore gender theories that help to answer these questions.
To Prepare:
Review the article, Feminism and psychology: Analysis of a half-century of research on women and gender.Consider the factors that led to the emergence and evolution of gender theories and research.
Review the section on stereotypes in the Encyclopedia of Gender in Media. Reflect on the meaning and implications of gender stereotypes.
Read the remaining resources on gender. Pay particular attention to how gender stratification, gender schema, and moral reasoning theories account for the development of stereotypes.
Identify one gender stereotype that exists. Think about how the theories and research you read about this week explain the development of this stereotype. Then consider the implications of the stereotype on men and women or boys and girls if it is perpetuated.
By Day 4
Post a response to the following:
Describe one gender stereotype that exists. Then explain how gender theories (e.g., gender schema theory, moral reasoning, gender stratification theories) and related research might explain the development of this stereotype. Finally, explain the possible implications for men and women or boys and girls if this stereotype you identified is perpetuated. Be specific.
Note: Support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources and any additional sources you identify using both in-text citations and references. It is strongly recommended that you include proper APA format and citations.
By Day 6
Respond to at least one colleague and propose a strategy that might help mitigate the effect of the stereotype your colleague identified. Provide at least one scholarly source to support your strategy.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of your colleagues’ comments

Assignment: Ethical Reasoning
Assignment: Ethical Reasoning
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Assignment: Ethical Reasoning
Overview
This course has three written assignments that build upon one another and are designed to take you step-by-step through a process of writing a paper that identifies an ethical question, examines the context, issues, and arguments surrounding the question, and attempts to defend an answer to that question using strong moral reasoning.
In the Week 1 assignment, “Ethical Question,” you chose an ethical question, provided an introduction, a position statement and supporting reason, and an opposing position statement and supporting reason.
*In which I chose- Is Abortion ethical or nonethical
In the Week 3 assignment, “Applying an Ethical Theory,” you explained utilitarianism, deontology, or virtue ethics, including its core moral principle or ideal, and applied that theory to the topic by demonstrating how its principles would support a particular position on your ethical question.
In this final written assignment, you will combine what you have done in these two exercises by examining an ethical issue and defending your own position on an ethical question regarding that issue.
Assignment: Ethical Reasoning
This final written assignment should be written in essay form with the following clearly labeled sections:
Introduction
Ethical Argument
Explanation and Defense
Objection and Response
Conclusion
The paper should be between 1,300 and 1,500 words, utilize three scholarly resources, and include a title page and reference page.
Part 1: Introduction
In this section of the paper, you will begin with your ethical question, introduce the topic and paper, and close with a thesis statement.
The ethical question may be the same as your Week 3 written assignment (“Applying an Ethical Theory”) or a revised version of it.
The introduction should be revised in a way that reflects your additional thinking on the issue and question.
End this section with a thesis statement that states your position on the issue (the answer to the ethical question you believe is strongest) and provides a brief summary of the main ideas you will be presenting in the paper. Please see the assignment guidance for examples of thesis statements.
Place the introduction under the Part 1: Introduction heading.
Assignment: Ethical Reasoning
Part 2: Ethical Argument
In this section of the paper, you will present the strongest argument you can in support of the position you have stated in your introduction.
This will be similar to the “supporting reasons” you offered in the first assignment; however, this argument should reflect your research into the key ethical issues that need to be identified and addressed, the arguments on different sides of this problem, and the theories of moral reasoning we have studied in the class (you will discuss the specific details and implications of the moral theories in the next two sections).
You can think of this as a summary of the main argument you would give if you were an attorney trying to convince a jury of your position.
Place this information under the Part 2: Ethical Argument heading.
Part 3: Explanation and Defense
In this section, you will explain and defend your argument by drawing on the moral theory that aligns most closely with the argument you presented in Part 2. This may be the same theory you discussed in your second assignment, but it may also be a different theory.
You must first explain the theory in general terms similar to how you explained a theory in your second assignment, including a brief account of the historical background of the theory and the philosopher(s) associated with it and general overview of the core moral ideal or principle of the theory, including the way it guides and constrains moral reasoning.
You should then clearly show how your argument represents an application of that form of moral reasoning.
In other words, if the argument you present in Part 2 is utilitarian, deontological, or virtue-based (teleological), you will want to explain utilitarianism, deontology, or virtue ethics in general terms, then explain how your argument from Part 2 reflects or draws upon the core principles and values of that theory. Please refer to the Week 3 assignment instructions for directions on how to explain and apply the moral theory.
Place this section under the Part 3: Explanation and Defense heading.
Part 4: Objection and Response
In this section of the paper, you will present the strongest objection you can to your argument, and briefly defend that objection by appealing to a different ethical theory than the one you focused on in Part 3.
Briefly explain the core moral ideal or principle of the theory and how that could be the basis of an objection to your argument. For instance, if you explained and defended your own argument by applying the principles of virtue ethics, you could raise an objection from the perspective of utilitarianism by briefly explaining the core utilitarian principle and how applying that principle could lead someone to a different conclusion than the one you are defending.
Next, you should respond to the objection by explaining why it is not strong enough to undermine the main argument in defense of your position.
See the assignment guidance for suggestions on how to effectively respond to the objection.
Place this section under the Part 4: Objection and Response heading.
Part 5: Conclusion
In this section of the paper, provide a summary of what you have done in the paper by briefly describing what you accomplished in each of the above sections.
Place this section under the Part 5: Conclusion heading.
Resource Requirement
You must use at least three scholarly resources, only one of which may be the textbook. In other words, you must use at least two scholarly resources in addition to the textbook.
Acceptable ways of using a source include providing a quotation, summary, or paraphrase; merely providing a citation, especially when it is unclear how or where the text supports your claim, is not sufficient.
If you need help with finding additional resources or are unsure about whether a particular resource will count toward the requirement, please contact your instructor.
For sources to count toward the resources requirement, they must be cited within the text of your paper and on the reference page. Sources that are listed on the references page but not cited within the paper do not count toward fulfilling the resources requirement.
In your paper,
Introduce the topic and paper.
Provide a thesis statement.
Present an argument in support of the position.
Defend the argument by explaining and applying the ethical theory that most closely aligns with the argument.
Present an objection to the argument by appealing to a different ethical theory.
Respond to the objection.
Provide a conclusion that describes what was accomplished in each of the sections of the paper.
The Ethical Reasoning Final Paper
Must be 1,300 to 1,500 words in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Style (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.resource.
Must include a separate title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
For further assistance with the formatting and the title page, refer to APA Formatting for Word 2013 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
Must use at least two scholarly sources in addition to the course text.
The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
Must document any information used from sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. guide.
(Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.

Discussion: Gastrointestinal Disorders
Discussion: Gastrointestinal Disorders
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Discussion: Gastrointestinal Disorders
To prepare:
Review “Gastrointestinal Disorders” of the Burns et al. text.
Review and select one of the three provided case studies. Analyze the patient information.
Consider a differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Think about the most likely diagnosis for the patient.
Think about a treatment and management plan for the patient. Be sure to consider appropriate dosages for any recommended pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic treatments.
Consider strategies for educating patients and families on the treatment and management of the gastrointestinal disorder
By Day 3
Post an explanation of the differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Explain which is the most likely diagnosis for the patient and why. Include an explanation of unique characteristics of the disorder you identified as the primary diagnosis. Then, explain a treatment and management plan for the patient, including appropriate dosages for any recommended treatments. Finally, explain strategies for educating patients and families on the treatment and management of the gastrointestinal disorder.
Case Study 1
Jordan is a 4-year-old with a 1-day history of vomiting and diarrhea. His mother reports he awoke this morning vomiting and his vomitus contained last night’s dinner. He vomited three more times this morning but has not vomited in 5 hours. Approximately one hour ago, he had a large diarrhea stool that did not contain blood or mucus. He has had small sips of sports drinks since this morning. His last urination occurred 3 hours ago and the volume was small and the color dark yellow. Physical examination reveals a quiet and tired child with normal exam except for increased bowel sounds, but no abdominal distension, pain with palpation, or masses.
Case Study 2
Victoria is a 15-year-old who complains of chronic sore throat and bad taste in her mouth. Her height and weight are appropriate for age and she remains on the same growth trajectory since infancy. Abdominal examination and chest examination are negative. History reveals frequent burping and occasional feelings of regurgitating food. Diet history reveals she eats a balanced diet, but her primary sources of fluids are coffee, tea, and carbonated drinks.
Case Study 3
Trish is a 7-year-old who presents with abdominal pain. Further questioning reveals frequent stool soiling and a history of chronic constipation since infancy. The child does not remember when her last bowel movement was, but her mother reports that she had an ”accident” at a family gathering last night where she defecated in her underwear prior to reaching the bathroom. Physical examination is benign except for the presence of palpable stool in the descending colon and an enlarged rectal vault with hard stool.

Discussion: Preliminary Reading:
Discussion: Preliminary Reading:
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Discussion: Handling Ethical Issues in Data Analysis
Preliminary Reading: So far you have studied ethical issues in the display of data (Nolan and Heinzen, Ch. 3), but the discipline of statistics is governed by ethical guidelines that cover other areas including data analysis, interpretation, and reporting. Read the following sources concerning ethics in working with data and statistics:
1. (1999). Committee on Professional Ethics, American Statistical Association. (Required sections: Part I (“Preamble”), and Part II (Ethical Guidelines, Sections A, C, E, F, and G) (Attached PDF)
2. (2010). American Psychological Association. (Required sections: Standard 5.01 and Standards 8.10 through 8.15)
3. Kromrey, J.D. 1993. Ethics and data analysis. Educational Researcher, 22(4), p. 24–27. (Not required, but a highly recommended and related short article.
Scenario: Imagine you are working on a research paper with a partner. The two of you have been studying the effect of two types of therapy on combat-related PTSD symptoms, and your research hypothesis is that one treatment will be superior to the other. You have collected the data and are finished analyzing the numbers, and the results show that the treatments are not significantly different from one another in their effects. Though you are both disappointed, you yourself accept the results and are ready to start writing them up, when your research partner suggests going back and making some “small changes” to the data in order to try to make the preferred treatment look more successful. You have reviewed the ethical standards listed above and understand the expectation of integrity involved in research. After hearing your partner’s proposal, you decide to write him/her a letter in response.
Thread Prompt: Write a professional letter to your partner responding to his/her suggestion to manipulate data.
1. Include supporting information from the 2 required sources listed in the reading (required), and any additional sources (optional). You may want to include the possible consequences of data manipulation in this particular field of study (PTSD).
2. Find and include a passage of Scripture relating to integrity, honesty, or another related concept, and explain why it applies in the context of this situation and how it affects your response (required).
3. Include current APA-style references at the bottom of the letter, in case your research partner wants to review the guidelines mentioned in your letter or find the verses you share (required)

Nursing Research Assignment
Nursing Research Assignment
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Nursing Research Assignment
Read instructions: Write a discussion word message.Write for each question down below 100 words. Please write related to the questions below. you will see attached all the information you need to write about. Must used reading from chapter that i provided it attached. Thank you.
1.Examine early issues of (1950s and 1960s) and determine whether theories or theoretical frameworks were used as a basis for research. What types of theories were used? Review current issues to analyze how this has changed.
2.Examine early issues of American Journal of Nursing (1900–1950). Determine if and how theories were used in nursing practice. What types of theories were used? Review current issues to analyze how this has changed.
3.Find reports that present middle range or practice theories in the nursing literature. Identify if these theories are descriptive, explanatory, predictive, or prescriptive in nature.
Writing nursing research paper assignment is a comprehensive paper that students write on topic learned during an academic year. It requires much attention for a student to exhibit knowledge of the course. It The writer must conduct independent research into the paper’s topic and write a description of the outcomes.
Before you start writing, begin by reading and understanding the instructions. Your lecturer is likely to penalize your grade if your work does not follow all the directions. Writing instructions include the page limit, referencing style and spacing options.
These guidelines also help you with your writing.
Choose A Suitable Nursing Research Paper Assignment Topic
At times, your professor may pick a topic but most of the time students get an opportunity to pick theirs. Settle for a subject that is relevant and has extensive ground to research about and find material that shows your professional ability.
Nursing keeps on evolving, and it is essential to choose a topic that is up-to-date with the current practices such as how new technology is changing the role of nursing or nurse and doctor working relationship.
Research widely for your Nursing research paper assignment
It is essential that you research from various sources for your assignment to have credible supporting evidence. A good research needs you to collect information from both primary and secondary sources. Primary research is that which you gather yourself. Examples include observations, interviews, and surveys. Secondary sources have information prepared by other people. These include journals, magazines, and books. When writing, find a healthy balance for using findings from both types of research to complement each other and support your arguments.
Prepare A Suitable Nursing Research Paper Assignment Outline
Your attention deserves adequate attention as it will help you to organize your writing logically. Ensure that your outline fits with the writing instructions by your instructor. Most instructors provide directions about the order in which they want their students to write their papers. If your professor does not provide guidelines, you should find one of the popular structures in use. You can determine the right outline for your paper by finding a sample on the internet.
Looking forcustom and high quality assignmnets, we have a standby team ready to help you out .
Draft Your Nursing Research Paper Assignment in Proper Structure
Start writing your paper ensure that it is in a structure that interests the reader and follows the standard guidelines. A nursing research paper should be in these three sections:
The Introduction:It is the briefest section that informs the reader what you are discussing in your paper, its importance and your approach to the problem.
The Body:The body introduces your subject subtopics in which you present your ideas and points. It is in the body where you will make your arguments in a systemic way and present evidence to support the thesis. You must explain the evidence for your reader to understand your position. Present your data, experiments, and findings in easy to understand graphical form and simplify in the text. Your body should include a discussion section that you write to link your experiments to any other studies to prove your point. You should also add your point of view.
The length of your nursing research paper assignment determines the number of paragraphs in your body.
Conclusion:Summarizes everything you cover from the introduction revealing a relationship between different points in your paper. The conclusion is also the point at which you will re-examine the thesis statement and reveal if your research confirmed your claims. End by providing a solution to problems in research problem in your introduction, and you may even offer a suggestion for further study.Do not introduce new evidence at this stage or change the tone of your writing.

Discussion: Genitourinary Disorders
Discussion: Genitourinary Disorders
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Discussion: Genitourinary Disorders
To prepare:
Review “Genitourinary Disorders” in the Burns et al. text.
Review and select one of the three provided case studies. Analyze the patient information.
Consider a differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Think about the most likely diagnosis for the patient.
Think about a treatment and management plan for the patient. Be sure to consider appropriate dosages for any recommended pharmacologic and/or non-pharmacologic treatments.
Consider strategies for educating patients and families on the treatment and management of the genitourinary disorder.
By Day 3
Post an explanation of the differential diagnosis for the patient in the case study you selected. Explain which is the most likely diagnosis for the patient and why. Include an explanation of unique characteristics of the disorder you identified as the primary diagnosis. Then, explain a treatment and management plan for the patient, including appropriate dosages for any recommended treatments. Finally, explain strategies for educating patients and families on the treatment and management of the genitourinary disorder.
Case Study 1
You see a 3-year-old with a 2-day history of complaints of dysuria with frequent episodes of enuresis despite potty training about 7 months ago. She is afebrile and denies vomiting. Physical examination is normal. Dipstick voided urine analysis reveals: specific gravity 1.015, Protein 1+ non-hemolyzed blood, 1+ nitrites, 1+ leukocytes, and glucose-negative.
Case Study 2
Mark is a 15-year-old with complaint of acute left scrotal pain with nausea. The pain began approximately 6 hours ago as a dull ache and has gradually worsened to where he can no longer stand without doubling over. He is afebrile and in marked pain. Physical exam is negative except for elevation of the left testicle, diffuse scrotal edema, and the presence of a blue dot sign.
Case Study 3
Maya is a 5-year-old who presents for a well-child visit. She is a healthy child with no complaints. Physical examination is normal. Routine urinalysis indicates 2+ proteinuria; specific gravity 1.020; negative for glucose, blood, leukocytes, and nitrites. Her blood pressure is normal, and she is at the 60th percentile for height and weight.

Assignment: Item-characteristic curve
Assignment: Item-characteristic curve
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Assignment: Item-characteristic curve
IMPORTANT: AFTER PURCHASE, LOG IN TO YOUR ACCOUNT AND SCROLL DOWN BELOW THIS PAGE TO DOWNLOAD FILES WITH ANSWERS.
1. Factor analysis can help the test developer
2. As the result of a sensitivity review, items containing ________ may be eliminated from a test.
3. When an item-characteristic curve of an ability test has an inverted U shape, it usually indicates that
4. Ability tests are typically standardized on a sample that is representative of the general population and selected on the basis of variables such as
5. Which is a major difference between multiple-choice questions and essay questions?
6. The best type of item yields an item-characteristic curve that
7. Looking at the item-characteristic curve (below), a reasonable conclusion about the performance of the item illustrated would be that
8. If all raw scores on a test are to be converted to scores that range only from 1 to 9, the resulting scale is referred to as this type of scale:
9. The reason latent-trait theory is so-named has to do with the presumption that
10. In item analysis, the term item endorsement refers to the percent of testtakers who
11. Brotto and Yule reported that the development of their measure of asexuality was developed in four stages. Which best characterizes what they did during Stages 2 and 3?
12. A test developer of multiple-choice ability tests reviews data from a recent test administration. She discovers that testtakers who scored very high on the test as a whole, all responded to item 13 with the same incorrect choice. Accordingly, the test developer
13. The concept of asexuality was first introduced by
14. The development of a criterion-referenced test usually entails
15. An individually administered designed for use with elementary-school-age student is in the test tryout stage of test development. For the purposes of the tryout, this test should be administered
16. An item-characteristic curve includes all of the following EXCEPT
17. According to Brotto and Yule, their new measure of asexuality performed satisfactorily on
18. Which is TRUE of the latent-trait model of measurement?
19. These tests are often used for the purpose of licensing persons in professions. The tests referred to here are
20. A “good” test item on an ability test is one
21. Estimates suggest that approximately ________% of the population might be asexual.
22. In Guttman scaling
23. Generous time limits are typically associated with
24. According to your textbook, the minimum sample for a test tryout is
25. Scoring drift refers to
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Assignment: Discussion Program Evaluation
Assignment: Discussion Program Evaluation
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Assignment: Discussion 1: Use of Group Designs in Program Evaluation
Group programs are common in social work. Just as with other types of programs, social workers must understand the options available to them and know how to select the appropriate research design.
For this Discussion, you evaluate group research design methods that can be used for an outcome evaluation of a foster parent training program. You also generate criteria to be measured in the program.
To prepare for this Discussion, review the “Social Work Research: Planning a Program Evaluation” case study in this week’s resources, Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Retrieved from http://www.vitalsource.com , and the section of “Basic Guide to Outcomes-Based Evaluation for Nonprofit Organizations with Very Limited Resources”, titled “Overview of Methods to Collect Information.”
· Post your explanation of which group research design and data collection method from those outlined in the Resources you selected as appropriate for the “Social Work Research: “Planning a Program Evaluation” case study and why.
· Then, generate criteria to be measured using the research design by identifying a specific outcome and a method for measuring that outcome. Specify who will collect the data and how the data will be collected.
References (use 3 or more)
Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.
· Chapters 9, “Is the Intervention Effective?” (pp. 213–250)
· Chapter 10, “Analyzing Evaluation Data” (pp. 255–275)
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014b). Social work case studies: Concentration year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
Read the following section:
“Social Work Research: Planning a Program Evaluation”
Social Work Research: Planning a Program Evaluation
Joan is a social worker who is currently enrolled in a social work PhD program. She is planning to conduct her dissertation research project with a large nonprofit child welfare organization where she has worked as a site coordinator for many years. She has already approached the agency director with her interest, and the leadership team of the agency stated that they would like to collaborate on the research project.
The child welfare organization at the center of the planned study has seven regional centers that operate fairly independently. The primary focus of work is on foster care; that is, recruiting and training foster parents and running a regular foster care program with an emphasis on family foster care. The agency has a residential program as well, but it will not participate in the study. Each of the regional centers services about 45–50 foster parents and approximately 100 foster children. On average, five to six new foster families are recruited at each center on a quarterly basis. This number has been consistent over the past 2 years.
Recently it was decided that a new training program for incoming foster parents would be used by the organization. The primary goals of this new training program include reducing foster placement disruptions, improving the quality of services delivered, and increasing child well-being through better trained and skilled foster families. Each of the regional centers will participate and implement the new training program. Three of the sites will start the program immediately, while the other four centers will not start until 12 months from now. The new training program consists of six separate 3-hour training sessions that are typically conducted in a biweekly format. It is a fairly proceduralized training program; that is, a very detailed set of manuals and training materials exists. All trainings will be conducted by the same two instructors. The current training program that it will replace differs considerably in its focus, but it also uses a 6-week, 3-hour format. It will be used by those sites not immediately participating until the new program is implemented.
Joan has done a thorough review of the foster care literature and has found that there has been no research on the training program to date, even though it is being used by a growing number of agencies. She also found that there are some standardized instruments that she could use for her study. In addition, she would need to create a set of Likert-type scales for the study. She will be able to use a group design because all seven regional centers are interested in participating and they are starting the training at different times.
Discussion 2: Assessing Outcomes
How do you determine the “success” of a human services program? Part of your role as an administrator is to collaborate with your staff to determine how a particular program’s effectiveness will be measured. The outcomes must be clear, realistic, and feasible, and how the outcomes will be assessed must be clear also.
For this Discussion, you will address the “Social Work Research: Program Evaluation” case study in Social Work Case Studies: Foundation Year. Assume the role of an administrator in the case study to evaluate what has occurred in the program and how you might improve it.
· Post an evaluation of the success of the CALWORKS program based on the information presented in the case study.
· Be sure to define what success would be for the program and how you, as an administrator of the program, might evaluate whether success has been achieved.
· Finally, make one recommendation for improving the program’s effectiveness.
Reference (use 3 or more)
Benton, A. D., & Austin, M. J. (2010). Managing nonprofit mergers: The challenges facing human service organizations. Administration in Social Work, 34(5), 458–479.
King, D., & Hodges, K. (2013). Outcomes-driven clinical management and supervisory practices with youth with severe emotional disturbance. Administration in Social Work, 37(3), 312–324.
Lawrence, C., Strolin-Goltzman, J., Caringi, J., Claiborne, N., McCarthy, M., Butts, E., & O’Connell, K. (2013). Designing evaluations in child welfare organizations: An approach for administrators. Administration in Social Work, 37(1), 3–13.
Lynch-Cerullo, K., & Cooney, K. (2011). Moving from outputs to outcomes: A review of the evolution of performance measurement in the human service nonprofit sector. Administration in Social Work, 35(4), 364–388.
Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014c). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing [Vital Source e-reader].
· “Social Work Research: Program Evaluation” (pp. 66–68)
Social Work Research: Planning a Program Evaluation
Joan is a social worker who is currently enrolled in a social work PhD program. She is planning to conduct her dissertation research project with a large nonprofit child welfare organization where she has worked as a site coordinator for many years. She has already approached the agency director with her interest, and the leadership team of the agency stated that they would like to collaborate on the research project.
The child welfare organization at the center of the planned study has seven regional centers that operate fairly independently. The primary focus of work is on foster care; that is, recruiting and training foster parents and running a regular foster care program with an emphasis on family foster care. The agency has a residential program as well, but it will not participate in the study. Each of the regional centers services about 45–50 foster parents and approximately 100 foster children. On average, five to six new foster families are recruited at each center on a quarterly basis. This number has been consistent over the past 2 years.
Recently it was decided that a new training program for incoming foster parents would be used by the organization. The primary goals of this new training program include reducing foster placement disruptions, improving the quality of services delivered, and increasing child well-being through better trained and skilled foster families. Each of the regional centers will participate and implement the new training program. Three of the sites will start the program immediately, while the other four centers will not start until 12 months from now. The new training program consists of six separate 3-hour training sessions that are typically conducted in a biweekly format. It is a fairly proceduralized training program; that is, a very detailed set of manuals and training materials exists. All trainings will be conducted by the same two instructors. The current training program that it will replace differs considerably in its focus, but it also uses a 6-week, 3-hour format. It will be used by those sites not immediately participating until the new program is implemented.
Joan has done a thorough review of the foster care literature and has found that there has been no research on the training program to date, even though it is being used by a growing number of agencies. She also found that there are some standardized instruments that she could use for her study. In addition, she would need to create a set of Likert-type scales for the study. She will be able to use a group design because all seven regional centers are interested in participating and they are starting the training at different times.

Assignment: Working With the Aging
Assignment: Working With the Aging
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Assignment: Working With the Aging: The Case of Francine
The Aging Process
As individuals grow older, they experience biological changes, but how they experience these changes varies considerably. Senescence, or the process of aging, “affects different people, and various parts of the body, at different rates” (Zastrow & Kirst-Ashman, 2016, p. 658).
What factors affect the aging process? Why do some individuals appear to age faster than others? In this Discussion you address these questions and consider how, you, as a social worker, might apply your understanding of the aging process to your work with older clients.
To prepare for this Discussion, read “Working With the Aging: The Case of Francine” in Social Work Case Studies: Foundation Year.
Post a Discussion in which you:
o Apply your understanding of the aging process to Francine’s case. How might Francine’s environment have influenced her aging process? How might you, as Francine’s social worker, apply your knowledge of the aging process to her case?
o Identify an additional strategy you might use to apply your knowledge of the aging process to social work practice with older clients in general. Explain why you would use the strategy.
Be sure to support your posts with specific references to the resources. If you are using additional articles, be sure to provide full APA-formatted citations for your references
References
Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Working With the Aging: The Case of Francine
Francine is a 70-year-old, Irish Catholic female. She worked for 40 years as a librarian in an institution of higher education and retired at age 65. Francine has lived alone for the past year, after her partner, Joan, died of cancer. Joan and Francine had been together for 30 years, and while Francine personally identifies as a lesbian, she never came out to her family or to her colleagues. When speaking to all but her closest confidantes, Francine referred to Joan as her “best friend” or her “roommate.” Francine’s bereavement was therefore complicated because she did not feel she could discuss the true nature of her partnership with Joan. She felt that there was little recognition from her family, and even some of her close associates, of the impact and meaning of Joan’s death to Francine. There is a history of alcohol abuse in Francine’s family, and Francine abused alcohol from late adolescence into her mid-30s. However, Francine has been in recovery for several decades. Francine has no known sexual abuse history and no criminal history.
Francine sought counseling with me for several reasons, including an ongoing depressed mood, a lack of pleasure or enjoyment in her life, and loneliness and isolation since Joan’s death. She also reported that she had begun to drink again and that while her drinking was not yet at the level it had been earlier in her life, she was concerned that she could return to a dependence upon alcohol. Francine came to counseling with several considerable strengths, including a capacity to form intimate relationships, a successful work history, a history of having maintained her sobriety in the past for many years, as well as insight into the factors that had contributed to her current difficulties.
During our initial meetings, Francine stated that her goals were to feel less depressed, to reduce or stop drinking, and to feel less isolated. In order to ensure that no medical issues were contributing to her depression symptoms, I referred Francine to her primary care physician for an evaluation. Francine’s physician did not find any medical cause of her symptoms, diagnosing Francine with moderate clinical depression and recommending that Francine begin a course of antidepressant medication. Francine was reluctant to take medication and first wanted to try a course of counseling.
In order to help Francine meet her goal of reducing her depression symptoms, I employed a technique called behavioral activation (BA), which is drawn from principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and helps to reengage people in pleasant physical, social, and recreational activities. We began with a small initial goal of having Francine dedicate at least 5 minutes of each day to an activity she found pleasant or rewarding. Over the following weeks, we increased the time. Francine’s treatment progress was monitored through weekly completion of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) in order to determine whether or not her depressive symptoms were improving.
I helped Francine address her drinking by reconnecting her with effective coping strategies she had used in the past to achieve and maintain her sobriety. These included identifying triggers for the urge to drink and exploring her motivations for both continuing to drink and for stopping her use of alcohol. Francine began attending regular meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous™ (AA) and found several meetings that were specifically for older women and for lesbians. In addition, Francine spoke regularly with a sponsor who helped her to remain abstinent during particularly stressful moments during her reengagement in sobriety.
Finally, in order to address Francine’s goal of feeling less lonely and isolated, we explored potential avenues to increase her social networks. In addition to spending time with her family, friends, and her AA sponsor, Francine began to visit the local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT), center for the first time in her life and attended a support group for women who had lost their partners. Francine also began spending time at her local senior center and went there at least three times a week for exercise classes, other recreational activities, and lunch. She also began to do volunteer work at her local library once a week.
Over several months of counseling, Francine stopped drinking; significantly increased her daily involvement in pleasant and rewarding activities, including social and recreational activities; and reported feeling less lonely, despite still missing her partner a great deal. Francine’s scores on the PHQ-9 gradually decreased over time, and after 16 weeks of counseling, Francine reported that she no longer felt she needed the session to move on with her life. In addition, Francine visited her primary care physician, who found upon evaluation that her depression had lifted considerably and that an antidepressant was no longer indicated. By the end of counseling, Francine’s focused work on identifying her depression symptoms and her triggers for drinking equipped her to better recognize when she might need support in the future and to whom she could reach out for help if she needed it.
Discussion 2: Mental Health Care
Mental health care is a primary concern to social workers, who are the main providers of care to populations with mental health diagnoses. The system that provides services to individuals with mental health issues is often criticized for being reactive and only responding when individuals are in crisis. Crisis response is not designed to provide on-going care and is frequently very expensive, especially if hospitalization is involved.
Critics suggest a comprehensive plan, which involves preventive services, as well as a continuum of care. However, there are few, if any, effective and efficient program models. Social work expertise and input are vital to implementing effective services. Targeting services to individuals with a diagnosis of mental illness is one strategy. Another approach includes providing an array of services that are also preventative in nature. How might these suggestions address potential policy gaps in caring for individuals such as the family members in the Parker Family case?
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources, including the Parker Family video. Then consider the specific challenges or gaps in caring for individuals with a chronic mental illness might present for the mental health system based on the Parker case. Finally, think about how environmental stressors, such as poverty, can aggravate mental illness and make treatment more challenging.
· Post an explanation of the specific challenges or gaps in the mental health care system for the care of individuals with chronic mental illnesses.
· Base your response on the Parker case.
· Then, describe how environmental stressors, such as poverty, can aggravate mental illness and make treatment more challenging.
Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.
References
Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2015). The policy-based profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for social workers. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
World Health Organization. (2004). Mental health policy and service guidance package: Mental health policy, plans and programmes. Retrieved from
Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore: MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
Parker Family Episode 5 Program Transcript
COUNSELOR: So you’ve been hospitalized, let’s see, four times altogether.
FEMALE CLIENT: Well actually, I should have only been in the hospital three times.
COUNSELOR: Why do you say that?
FEMALE SPEAKER: Well, on the third hospital visit they kicked me out before I was ready to leave. They said I was just in there to get away from my mom, but I told them they were wrong. My sister even backed me up on this. But they didn’t care. They just checked me out, and home sweet home I went. I was barely gone like a month and I was back in their monkey house. So technically, for me, hospital visits three and four are the same. I remember going back to that hospital seeing the same docs and nurses, and I just smiled and waved and said, see, I told you so. I mean, we picked up right where we left off.
COUNSELOR: What do you mean your sister backed you up?
FEMALE CLIENT: Jane, that’s my sister. Jane, she knew how crazy my mom is, so she took pictures of all that mess and all that junk my mom hoards, and she showed them to the social worker in the hospital.
COUNSELOR: What happened?
FEMALE CLIENT: You know what the social worker said? She said that there was nothing that she can do about it, that her job was to only make sure that patients have a place to go when they leave the hospital. Translation, when you’re out the door, good riddance and good luck. Some policy, huh?
Discussion 3: Emerging Issues in Mental Health Care
Like so many areas of practice in social work, mental health is dynamic and ever-evolving. Research continues to provide new information about how the brain functions, the role of genetics in mental health, and evidence to support new possibilities for treatment. Keeping up with these developments might seem impossible. However, being aware of and responsive to these developments and incorporating them into both your practice and social policy is essential to changing the lives of individuals and families who live with a mental health diagnosis and the impact it brings to their daily lives.
For this Discussion, review this week’s resources. Search the Library and other reputable online sources for emerging issues in the mental health care arena. Think about the issues that are being addressed by social policy and those that are in need of policy advocacy and why that might be the case. Then, consider what social workers can do to ensure that clients/populations receive necessary mental health services. Also, think about the ethical responsibility related to mental health care social workers must uphold in host settings when they encounter conflicts in administration and home values. Finally, search your state government sites for the mental health commitment standards in your state and reflect on the mental health services covered under your state’s Medicaid program.
· Post an explanation of those emerging issues in the mental health care arena that the policymakers address and those that are in need of policy advocacy and why.
· Then, explain what strategies social workers might use to ensure that clients/populations receive necessary mental health services.
· Finally, explain the mental health commitment standards and mental health services in your state. In your explanation, refer to the services covered under your state’s Medicaid program.
Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.
References
Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2015). The policy-based profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for social workers. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
World Health Organization. (2004). Mental health policy and service guidance package: Mental health policy, plans and programmes. Retrieved from
Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore: MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
Mental Health America. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2013, from

Assignment: Environment Local To Global
Assignment: Environment Local To Global
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Assignment: Environmental Health: Local To Global
Question 1
In environmental health, the term toxin refers to a toxic substance that _______________.
[removed] is naturally produced by a plant or animal
[removed] occurs in the occupational setting
[removed] results from human activity
[removed] a man-made product introduced into the environment due to human activity
1 points
Question 2
In toxicity testing in rodents, the LD50 is a dose that is _______________.
[removed] acutely fatal to 50 percent of test animals
[removed] fatal to 50 percent of test animals within a 90-day period
[removed] fatal to 50 percent of test animals after lifetime bioaccumulation
1 points
Question 3
Which of the following is not characteristic of a health impact assessment?
[removed] It evaluates a site or activity as it is, rather than looking forward in time
[removed] It includes social and economic factors in the assessment
[removed] It incorporates input from community members
1 points
Question 4
An exposure pathway connects _______________ to _______________.
[removed] an exposure / a change in tissue structure or function
[removed] inhalation / absorption
[removed] the environmental source of a contaminant / the point of exposure
1 points
Question 5
The three major routes of human exposure to environmental contaminants are _______________.
[removed] by air, water, and soil
[removed] environmental, occupational, and residential
[removed] ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact
1 points
Question 6
The phrase contact with the human envelope is a common definition of _______________.
[removed] absorption
[removed] disposition
[removed] exposure
1 points
Question 7
The quantity of a toxicant (or its breakdown product) that is available to interact with some vulnerable tissue in the body is called the _______________.
[removed] absorbed dose
[removed] biologically effective dose
[removed] body burden
1 points
Question 8
The body burden of a chemical in the body reflects the net effect of _______________.
[removed] absorption and biological effectiveness
[removed] synergism and antagonism
[removed] the processes of toxicokinetics
1 points
Question 9
Bioaccumulation is the _______________.
[removed] gradual building up of a chemical in the tissue of an organism
[removed] increase of concentrations of a chemical at higher levels of a food pyramid
[removed] movement of a chemical from water to living tissue
1 points
Question 10
Which of the following is an example of a biomarker?
[removed] Body mass index calculated from measured height and weight
[removed] Concentration of a pesticide in blood
[removed] Inhalation rate in liters per hour
1 points
Question 11
The Ames test is a test of a chemical’s _______________.
[removed] acute lethality, and is conducted in rodents
[removed] mutagenicity, and is conducted in bacteria
[removed] teratogenic potential, and is conducted mammalian cells
1 points
Question 12
Exposure modeling is used to estimate the _______________.
[removed] biologically effective dose of a toxicant
[removed] fate and transport of a toxicant
[removed] ingestion of, inhalation of, or dermal contact with a toxicant
1 points
Question 13
Conceptually, a reference dose is a dose that has no adverse effects in _______________.
[removed] sensitive subpopulations over a long-term exposure
[removed] sensitive subpopulations over a short-term exposure
[removed] the general population over a long-term exposure
[removed] the general population over a short-term exposure
1 points
Question 14
Which of the following is one of the major processes which together make up toxicokinetics?
[removed] Bioconcentration
[removed] Distribution
[removed] Mutation
[removed] Synergism
1 points
Question 15
In doing a risk assessment for a chemical, the usual assumption is that _______________.
[removed] carcinogenicity has a threshold; non-cancer effects do not
[removed] non-cancer effects have a threshold; carcinogenicity does not
[removed] both carcinogenicity and non-cancer effects have thresholds
[removed] neither carcinogenicity nor non-cancer effects has a threshold
1 points