6 comments to my peers – Nursing Research and Evidence Based practice

QUESTION

Comment 1:

The p-value is a crucial statistical measure that plays a significant role in hypothesis testing. It determines the significance of the results obtained from a study and represents the probability of obtaining results as extreme as the observed results, assuming that the null hypothesis is true. It is important to note that a commonly used threshold for statistical significance is a p-value of 0.05 or lower. When the p-value is less than 0.05, it suggests that the results are unlikely to have occurred by random chance alone, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis in favor of the alternative hypothesis. Conversely, if the p-value is greater than 0.05, it indicates that the results are not statistically significant, meaning there’s insufficient evidence to reject the null hypothesis (Andrade ,2019). It is crucial to understand that even if the p-value is not statistically significant (greater than 0.05), it does not mean that the findings are meaningless. Instead, it suggests that the observed results could occur due to chance, rather than the effects of the variables being studied. Moreover, the generalizability of research is affected by sample characteristics, study design, and contextual factors. Sample characteristics refer to the demographics and characteristics of the participants involved in the study. Study design encompasses the methods used to collect data, including the experimental setup, measures, and procedures. Contextual factors include the setting in which the study was conducted and any unique circumstances that may influence the findings. (Guetterman ,2019). Therefore, while assessing the generalizability of a research article on pain to a nursing problem, it is essential to carefully consider these factors. If the study involved a diverse sample of patients with diverse types of pain and was conducted in a clinical setting relevant to the nursing problem, it may be more applicable. However, if the study had limitations in its sample size, design, or context that limit its relevance to the nursing problem under consideration, its generalizability would be reduced. It is crucial to critically evaluate these factors when determining the applicability of research findings to specific nursing contexts (Kamper ,2020).

Comment 2:

This study looks at varied factors comparing opioid free anesthesia (OFA) to the control group of standard anesthesia practices. The surgical procedure in this study is an anterior approach total hip arthroplasty (THA). The statistical significance of the results is measured in p-value, or probability value. A P value that is less than or equal to 0.05 is considered statistically significant in that the effect is real rather than chance. This study found that OFA showed both statistically significant and insignificant effects. Time to extubating, morphine required in PACU, and time to discharge home were statistically significant with a p values all greater than 0.05. Time to PACU discharge was not statistically significant with a p-value of p=0.45. 

Certain results have higher clinical significance. These results decrease patient stay, length of intubation, patient safety, and costs. The most clinically significant result noted is patients discharge earlier with a p<0.001 and decreased oxygen requirements in PACU p=0.003. Working in PACU these are real world improvements. 

These results should be generalized and applicable to other surgeries. Aspects that affect generalizability include population details, a large random sampling, and analysis or control of all variables. Detailed population and large random sampling both lead to generalizability by eliminating biases, statistical outliers and accurately representing the population in question. Analyzing or controlling all factors leads to higher accuracy and more information that may be applicable to specific populations.  

The research in this paper is generalizable in that the technique was specific and accurate. The sample size was small, and all data came from 1 facility. To improve generalizability, a higher sample size and data from multiple locations in multiple regions. The data is also only applicable to anterior THR. Data from different total joint replacement procedures, or many diverse types of surgery would make this study generalized to OFA as an alternative to traditional anesthesia.

Comment 3:

The p-value is a measurement used in research testing to determine the strength of the evidence against the null hypothesis. It indicates the probability of obtaining the observed results if the null hypothesis were true. Clinical significance refers to the practical importance or relevance of the study results in real-world settings. Even if the p-value is not statistically significant, the results may still be clinically meaningful if they have a meaningful impact on patient outcomes or practice.  

According to the article “Honey for Wound Management: A Review of Clinical Effectiveness and Guidelines,” the null hypothesis would be that there is no difference in wound healing between honey and standard wound care. The alternative hypothesis would be that there is a difference, with honey being either more effective or less effective than standard care. Any observed differences in wound healing between honey and standard care could be due to random chance rather than a true difference in effectiveness. However, according to the article, there was a statistical difference between those treated with honey and those treated with standard wound management. The P value would be great in strength and therefore counteract the null hypothesis making it void. The P value holds clinical strength in the notion that honey therapies are substantial in treating wounds. Honey has been proven clinically effective and applicable to similar clinical settings and patient populations. 

The study on honey for wound healing had a sample that closely resembles the population of hospitalized patients with wounds, and the findings are more generalizable to the presented nursing problem. The setting is similar and configures to the nursing study at hand. The study had no methodological flaws, such as bias or confounding variables, and therefore the generalizability is valid.  

Comment 4:

The article chosen by the student was the article published by Han et al. (2021) on effects of a four-year intervention on hand hygiene compliance and incidences of healthcare-associated infections. In this study, the p value was set at 0.01. The p-value is a statistical measure that helps to determine the significance of a hypothesis test. It is the probability of obtaining a test statistic at least as extreme as the one that was actually observed, assuming that the null hypothesis is true. The smaller the p-value, the stronger the evidence against the null hypothesis and the greater the confidence we have in rejecting it. The study found out that The HH compliance increased from 68.90% in 2017 to 91.76% in 2020 and the incidence of HAIs decreased from 1.10 to 0.91% (P?<?0.01) (Han et al., 2021).  This p-value is statistically significant. This means that there is strong evidence against the null hypothesis, which is the hypothesis that there is no difference between groups or no relationship between variables.

Generalizability is the degree to which research findings can be applied to a broader context (Andrew et al., 2022). There are several factors that determine the generalizability of a study, including the randomness of the sample, how representative the sample is of the population, and the size of the sample. The outcomes of the research are generalizable. The sample size is adequate, and thus well representative of the population. There was also adequate randomization. Therefore, these outcomes can be applied to a broader context.  

Comment 5:

Levels of evidence play a crucial role in guiding practice changes by providing a hierarchy of research designs based on their methodological rigor and reliability. Healthcare professionals use levels of evidence to evaluate the strength of research findings and determine the confidence they can place in the results when making clinical decisions or implementing changes in practice (AACN Levels of Evidence – AACN, n.d.).

The most reliable level of evidence is typically systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), as they synthesize findings from multiple high-quality studies to provide the highest level of evidence. These studies undergo rigorous methodological processes, including comprehensive literature searches, critical appraisal of included studies, and statistical analysis to pool data across studies (Research Guides: Nursing Resources: Levels of Evidence (I-VII), n.d.).

An example of a practice change resulting from this level of evidence could be the adoption of a new treatment protocol for a specific medical condition. For instance, suppose a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs consistently demonstrate that a particular medication is more effective than standard treatment in managing a certain disease with minimal adverse effects. In that case, healthcare providers may update clinical guidelines or treatment protocols to recommend the use of this medication as a first-line therapy for patients with that condition. This practice change is based on robust evidence derived from the highest level of evidence, ensuring that patients receive the most effective and evidence-based care.

Comment 6:

Levels of evidence play a crucial role in guiding practice changes in healthcare. These levels are used to categorize the strength of evidence supporting a particular intervention or practice, with higher levels indicating stronger evidence.  Professional organizations and healthcare institutions use levels of evidence to develop clinical practice guidelines and remain up to date in accordance to evidenced based practices. Levels of evidence are used to educate healthcare providers about the strength of evidence supporting different practices. Higher levels of evidence are given more weight in the development of guidelines, leading to practical changes that align with these recommendations. 

Research has shown that the most reliable level of evidence is often considered systematic reviews and analyses of randomized control trials. These studies provide a comprehensive summary of the existing evidence on a particular intervention or practice, making them reliable for guiding practice changes. An example of a practice change that could result from this level of evidence is the adoption of a new treatment protocol for a specific condition based on the findings of a systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrating its effectiveness compared to standard care, such as my ongoing example of using honey-based therapies in the treatment of wounds compared to standard wound management. 

Discussion response ffv

QUESTION

respond to two discussion posts 

First discussion: 

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia (Kumar et al., 2022). It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects a persons cognitive function (Kumar et al., 2022). According to McCance & Huether (2019), there are 3 different forms of alzheimer’s disease (AD). There is early onset familial AD, early onset AD, and nonhereditary sporadic or late-onset AD (McCance & Huether, 2019). The most common is late-onset AD while early onset AD is the least common (McCance & Huether 2019). When looking at the pathophysiology of alzheimer’s disease, the cause is unknown (McCance & Huether, 2019). Both early onset familial AD and late onset AD have been linked to chromosomal mutations (McCance & Huether, 2019). Early onset familial AD is linked to 3 genetic mutations on chromosome 21, while the genetic mutations for late-onset AD are on chromosome 19 (McCance & Huether, 2019). There is no genetic association for sporadic late onset AD (McCance & Huether, 2019). However, the alterations in the brain are the same as early onset familial AD and late onset AD (McCance & Huether, 2019). These alterations include abnormally folded tau proteins and amyloid betas, tangles of the intraneuronal neurofibrillary, accumulation of plaques, and degeneration of cholinergic neurons (McCance & Huether, 2019). There is a disruption of nerve impulse transmission, neuron deaths, and neuritic plaques due to these changes (McCance & Huether, 2019). All of these disruptions contribute to the loss of cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease (McCance & Huether, 2019).
 

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is also a form of dementia (McCance & Huether, 2019). However, contrary to Alzheimers, this dementia focuses on the frontal lobes (McCance & Huether, 2019). Under imaging, atrophy of both the frontal and temporal lobes has been seen (McCance & Huether, 2019). Just like AD, the pathogenesis is also unknown (McCance & Huether, 2019). Additionally, most of the cases involve gene mutations like AD (McCance & Huether, 2019). Under the frontotemporal dementia branch, there are 3 different syndromes including, behavior variant of frontotemporal dementia, progressive nonfluent aphasia, and semantic dementia (McCance & Huether, 2019). McCance and Huether (2019) mention that there is no specific treatment for this. 

2.
The clinical findings that support diagnosis include angry but cooperative upon physical exam, an MMSE of 12, and hippocampal atrophy. Additionally, the wife’s concerns of worsening memory aid in the diagnosis. The wife mentioned that he has recently been getting lost in his neighborhood of 35 years, has been found wandering, and becomes angry and defensive when questioned about certain situations. He also allowed unknown people into the home and purchased a home security system despite already having one. He cannot balance his checkbook and is also having difficulty dressing himself. 

3.
When looking at AD’s risk factors, age and familial history are the most prevalent risk factors (McCance & Huether, 2019). Additionally, other risk factors include smoking, diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, obesity, depression, head trauma, sedentary lifestyle, elevated cholesterol levels, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress (McCance & Huether, 2019). Other factors such as being female, being estrogen deficit, or being cognitively inactive are also predisposing factors (McCance & Huether, 2019). In this scenario, this patient has a family history of his father expiring at 78 due to AD. Additionally, the patient himself is 76, so he is of older age. However, he is a retired lawyer meaning he was not cognitively inactive. He practiced golf at least twice per week, meaning he tried to incorporate physical activity into his life. Is negative for depression and head injuries. Also, negative for hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Denies smoking and is not obese. Based on this information, my hypothesis is that this patient developed AD due to some sort of genetic mutation passed on from his father which caused him to develop late-onset AD. However, there are so many different factors that could have played a role throughout his life and thus is hard to pinpoint what may have caused it.

4.
When looking to stage AD, it is important for the NP to take a family and caregiver history as the patient may not be a good historian due to their disease (Kumar et al., 2022). In this case, with the wife’s information, the likely stage of AD is middle stage (McCance & Huether, 2019). This is because the patient is showing significant forgetfulness, i.e. not remembering where he lives although he has been there for 35 years (McCance & Huether, 2019). He is also forgetful of events, such as forgetting they already had that security system in the home (Alzheimer’s Association, 2024). He is also moody, as per the physical assessment showing he was angry but cooperative (Alzheimer’s Association, 2024). The wife mentioned he is having trouble dressing himself and is considering hiring a day-time caregiver to help with certain activities of daily living. That would also be indicative of the middle stage as it includes instrumental activities of daily living-dependent and is having some activities of daily living problems (McCance & Huether, 2019). He is also showing an increased tendency to wander and become lost as he was brought home by neighbors due to wandering (Alzheimer’s Association, 2024). In this stage, the Alzheimer’s Association (2024) mentions that these patients can still participate in daily activities, however, with assistance. They also recommend considering respite care to allow the caregiver to take a break from caregiving (Alzheimer’s Disease, 2024). 

Second discussion:

Compares and contrasts the pathophysiology between Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. 

Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia are the most common neurodegenerative early-onset dementias (Israr & Orlando, 2023). Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease with insidious onset and progressive impairment of behavioral and cognitive functions including memory, comprehension, language, attention, reasoning, and judgment (Kumar et. al., 2022). There is no known cause of Alzheimer’s disease, however, it is characterized by an accumulation of abnormal neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Plaques are spherical microscopic lesions that have a core of extracellular amyloid beta-peptide surrounded by enlarged axonal endings. Neurofibrillary tangles are fibrillary intracytoplasmic structures in neurons formed by a protein called tau. In Alzheimer’s disease, due to aggregation of extracellular beta-amyloid, there is hyperphosphorylation of tau which then causes the formation of tau aggregates (Kumar et. al., 2022). Alzheimer’s disease can be inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder with nearly complete penetrance. The autosomal dominant form of the disease is linked to mutations in 3 genes: AAP gene on chromosome 21, Presenilin1 (PSEN1) on chromosome 14, and Presenilin 2 (PSEN2) on chromosome 1 (Kumar et. al., 2022). 

Frontotemporal dementia is a sporadic disease that targets brain areas that are responsible for personality, behavior, language learning, motivation, abstract thinking, and executive function (Isar & Orlando, 2023). Frontotemporal dementia has three distinct clinical syndromes based on the underlying pathologic mechanism characterized by intracellular deposition of abnormal proteins aggregates in the frontal and temporal lobes resulting in the degeneration of neurons, micro-vacuoles formation, and astrocytosis (Isar & Orlando, 202). Genetics play a key role in his disease cases are found to be an autosomal dominant inheritance.  Most cases involve mutations of genes encoding protein tau and progranulin (Isar & Orlando, 2023).

2. Identifies the clinical findings from the case that supports a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Clinical findings in the case study that support the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease include a score of 12 out of 30 in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), which indicates moderate dementia, hippocampal atrophy observed on the MRI, family history of Alzheimer’s, and also reports from the patient’s wife regarding patient getting lost, allowing unknown individuals in the house, difficulty dressing and balancing checkbook, patient also expresses anger and becomes defensive when asked about these occasions. 

3. Explain one hypothesis that explains the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

Due to the unknown cause of Alzheimer’s disease, there are several hypotheses.  The amyloid hypothesis (AH) is one of the most accepted models to explain the pathogenesis of inherited Alzheimer’s disease, which is caused by the accumulation of amyloid beta protein (A?) in the brain, leading to neuronal toxicity in the central nervous system (Paroni et. al., 2019). It is suggested that amyloid-? peptide production and amyloid plaque formation is a physiological aging process resulting from a systemic age-related decrease in the efficiency of the proteins catabolism and clearance machinery (Paroni et. al, 2019). A? peptides act as neurotoxic molecules only when above a critical concentration, and from there, a threshold mechanism triggers Alzheimer’s disease. 

4. Discuss the patient’s likely stage of Alzheimer’s disease.

There are three stages of Alzheimer’s disease that include mild, moderate, and severe depending on the patient’s symptoms and abilities to perform daily tasks. The patient in this case study is experiencing middle-stage, or moderate Alzheimer’s. During this stage, dementia symptoms are more pronounced, including the person may get frustrated or angry, act in unexpected ways, increased forgetfulness, tendency to wander or become lost, requiring help with choosing proper clothing and assistance with dressing, and more (Stages, 2023). 

6 comments to my peers – Applied Statistics for Health Care Professionals

QUESTION

Comment 1:

Experimental research involves two groups, a control vs experimental where the independent variable is changed. Randomized control trials compare the two groups where one group receives the experimental drug, treatment or procedure and other group has no change. A high degree of internal validity can be obtained through similar control and experimental groups. From the GCU library, Zhang et al, (2023) compares the use of solid liquid phase change and determined a causation through their experiment. The use of phase change materials reduces the peak temperature of the motor and greatly improves the overload capacity of the motor (Helbig, 2022). The experiment established a control and treatment group, and noted causation at the end of the experiment. This can be considered experimental if the groups are chosen at random. Quasi-experimental research compares the cause of the results with the control versus the treatment (Helbig, 2022). This type of experiment is looking at comparisons and similarities. For the experiment of solid liquid changes, it would only be comparing similarities during the experiment. Non experimental research, there is nothing new being added to the experiment. It is still comparing the two groups, but still no randomization or causation. The data collected can be retrospective or prospective and can be used to formulate a theory or as a foundation for a randomized control trial (Helbig, 2022). For the experiment from the GCU library, there would be no new product added to the experiment, only a way to organize the theory that using solid liquid reduces the peak temperature of a motor.

Comment 2:

Experimental research involves manipulating one variable to determine if changes in one variable cause changes in another variable. This type of research establishes cause and effect (BibliU – Reader. (n.d.). An example of experimental research in the article I chose is parallel randomized controlled trial, in which distribution to treatment groups is made on the basis of some randomization method, and each participant receives one (and only one) of the treatments being compared. Outcomes are compared across groups using a statistical method based on considerations such as number of groups to be compared, distribution and type of data size of sample and so on. This kind of experimental research is known to provide high levels of evidence (Stephenson, J. (2022)

Quasi-experimental research is similar to experimental. However, it lacks random assignment to control and experimental groups (BibliU – Reader. (n.d.). This article talks about how patients were assigned to groups depending on whether or not they were already receiving NPWT, rather than by random allocation as would be the case in an RCT (Stephenson, J. (2022).

Non-experimental research involves observing and analyzing without influencing participants (BibliU – Reader. (n.d.). An example of this fromt he article is  called single sample studies. One of the simplest, and possibly the most common study design in wound care, is the single sample study in which changes in patient outcomes between two time points are anylized normally baseline and some follow-up measure taken post-intervention (Stephenson, J. (2022).

Comment 3:

One study that comes to mind is the article by Boucher et al. (2018), which used an experimental design to investigate the effects of a mindfulness-based intervention on stress and anxiety in medical students. In contrast, a quasi-experimental study by Lahti et al. (2019) looked at the effects of a physical exercise intervention on cognitive function in older adults, using a comparison group that did not receive the intervention. Finally, a non-experimental study by Jalali-Farahani et al. (2019) explored the relationship between physical activity and perceived stress among Iranian female adolescents, using a cross-sectional survey design.

In terms of evaluating the effectiveness of the research design, I believe that the experimental design used by Boucher et al. (2018) was appropriate for their research question, as it allowed them to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the intervention and the outcomes. However, the quasi-experimental design used by Lahti et al. (2019) had some limitations, such as the lack of random assignment to the intervention and comparison groups, which could have introduced selection bias. Overall, the choice of research design should depend on the research question and the feasibility of conducting the study in a particular setting.

Comment 4:

Qualitative research is an array of interpretative techniques which seek to describe, decode, translate and come to terms with the meaning, not the frequency of certain more or less naturally occurring phenomena in the social world (Al-Busaidi, 2008). It’s exploratory and seeks to understand underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. It provides the insights into the problem and helps to develop ideas or hypotheses for potential quantitative research. Qualitative data collection methods vary using unstructured or semi-structured techniques. Some common methods include focus groups ( group discussions), individual interviews, and participation/observations.

Quantitative research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating numerical data or data that can be transformed into usable statistics. It is used to quantify opinions, behaviors, and and other defined variables – and generalized results from a larger  sample  population. Quantitative Research uses measurable data to formulate facts and uncover patterns in research (Fournier, 2023) Quantitative data collection methods are much more structured than Qualitative data collection methods. 

In my workplace, we used both qualitative and quantitative research in a project to improve patient’s satisfaction. We first conducted qualitative research through focus groups and interviews to understand the patient’s experiences, feelings, and perceptions. The insights from this research helped us to identify key areas for improvement. We then conducted quantitative research through surveys go gather measurable data on these key areas.. The data was  then analyzed to identify trends and patterns , which informed our strategies for improving patient’s satisfaction.

In a health care setting, these research findings can be incorporated in various ways. For instance, qualitative research  can be used to understand patient’s experiences and perceptions of care which can be inform improvements in patient-centered care. Quantitative research on the other hand, can be used to measure the effectiveness of these improvements by comparing patient satisfaction scores before and after the changes. This combination of qualitative and quantitative research understanding of the problem and inform evidence-based practice in health care.

Comment 5:

The goal of qualitative research is to get a better understanding of phenomena via in-depth examinations of people’s perspectives, actions, and experiences. In order to gather thorough and precise information, methods including focus groups, interviews, and observations are used throughout the process. In quantitative research, the goal is to assign a monetary value to trends, patterns, and correlations (H. E. Fischer et al., 2023). The backbones of this kind of research are statistical analysis and numerical data. It encompasses a wide range of methodologies, including statistical modeling, experiments, and surveys, in addition to other methods to quantitative data analysis. To ensure that you choose the appropriate research method for your study based on the questions and goals you have, it is imperative that you have a thorough understanding of these significant distinctions.

When it comes to gaining insights, making choices that are well-informed, and finding solutions to challenges, qualitative and quantitative research methodologies are widely applied in the working environments. In the beginning, qualitative research was used in order to get specific insights into the experiences that users had with the application that was already in place (Portz et al., 2019). Following the completion of the qualitative research, quantitative research was carried out in order to verify and generalize the results obtained from the primary study.

Comment 6:

Qualitative research is defined as data that can be separated into different categories that are distinguished by some non numeric characteristic. Some sources of qualitative data are interviews, focus groups, documents and observation (Qualitative vs. quantitative research: What’s the difference? GCU. (n.d.).  Quantitative research is defined as quantitative data consisting of numbers representing counts or measurements (Visual learner. (n.d.-a). Quantitative research requires different data collection methods. These methods include experiments, questionnaires, surveys and database reports (Qualitative vs. quantitative research: What’s the difference? GCU. (n.d.). 

    In the workplace and example of gathering qualitative data would be triaging a patient. On the maternity floor when triaging a patient we ask questions to find out if the patient is experiencing contractions, any leaking or bleeding, headaches, dizziness, visual disturbances, etc. These are all examples of Qualitative data that we are able to gather by asking the patients questions. These things are considered qualitative data because it is all non numeric data. An example of Quantitative data that we can collect are things like putting the fetal heart monitors on the mothers to measure baby’s heart rate as well as monitor contractions if they are experiencing any. Other quantitative data we can gather are things like vital signs and a nitrazine test to determine if a woman’s water broke. All of these things mentioned are Quantitative data because they give us a numerical measurement.

Social Work Question

Question

Respond to at least two colleagues who chose a different macro intervention (e.g., policy, program, project, personnel, or practice).

Explain why your chosen macro intervention may also be a good choice for your colleague.

Brittany Candelas SaturdayJan 20 at 8:57pmDescribe the change approach you can use for your week 7 macro intervention to include policy, program, project, personnel, or practice.The focus of change that is needed in the affordable housing crisis in Austin, Texas is the need to help specifically the native population of Austin. The hope is to save Austin natives from having to relocate due to the rise of cost of living and the demand for affordable housing. Maintaining Austin’s unique culture is key to keeping Austin successful and thriving in all aspects. The change approach that is going to be needed in this intervention is going to be identifying the client system. The client system is made up of people who will become direct or indirect beneficiaries of whatever change is implemented (Netting et al., 2017). Determining the client system is important because depending on the eligibility requirements, user involvement can affect the development and evaluation of the action plan(Netting et al., 2017).Explain why this is the best choice to make for your intervention.This is the best choice because the client system is going to be what separates this affordable housing program from the others available in the city. This program will cater to this specific population of people to obtain a larger goal for the city long term. It is also important to consider the client system in the most least discriminating way to avoid violating the fair housing act in the state of Texas. The importance of staying in compliance could also be a deal breaker in developing the program because if the programs requirements are in violation, it will prohibit eligibility for grants and other government funding.References:Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., McMurtry, S. L., & Thomas, M. L. (2017). Social work macro practice (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Shanara Nakim Williams
MondayJan 22 at 9:07pmMain Discussion Post Week 9 

  • Describe the change approach you can use for your Week 7 macro intervention to include policy, program, project, personnel, or practice.

In my week 7 discussion post I discussed: “Government grants allocated for social services and community development play a crucial role in enhancing the quality and reach of services provided by agencies. These grants can lead to improved infrastructure, expanded programs, and increased staff, ultimately benefiting clients by addressing their needs more comprehensively. Additionally, grants often come with specific objectives, encouraging agencies to innovate and tailor services to meet the identified needs within the community. “Also important in understanding which clients an organization views as resources and which it does not is the financial relationship it has with its clients.”(Netting E. F., et al, 2018), (Pg. 235). If I were to describe a change approach I can use for my week 7 discussion post it would be practicing effectively. For example, one effective change approach for government grants marco intervention is to employ a comprehensive strategy that addresses policy, program, project, and personnel aspects. This involves conducting a thorough analysis, implementing well-defined policies, aligning programs and projects with overarching goals, and ensuring personnel are adequately trained and engaged in the process.”To accomplish these types of changes, macro practice in social work can be viewed as having five major parts: (1) understanding the important components to be affected by the change—population, problem, and arena; (2) preparing an overall plan designed to get the change accepted; (3) preparing a detailed intervention plan; (4) implementing the intervention; and (5) monitoring and evaluating its effectiveness.”(Netting et al., 2017), (Pg. 267).

  • Explain why this is the best choice to make for your intervention.

I believe this is the best choice for my intervention because it provides a comprehensive approach covering policy, program, project, and personnel and ensures a holistic and synchronized intervention. It maximizes the chances of success by addressing the potential bottlenecks, promoting consistency, and enhancing coordination across different facets. This approach helps create a more integrated and efficient system, fostering better adaptability to changes and increasing the overall effectiveness of the government grant intervention. “Before developing a change strategy, however, it is first necessary to be clear on the nature of the proposed intervention. Strategy and tactical planning would be premature in the absence of an understanding of what the change entails.”(Netting et al., 2017),(Pg. 267).Reference Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., McMurtry, S. L., & Thomas, M. L. (2017). Social work macro practice (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.Chapter 9, “Building Support for the Proposed Change” (pp. 267–298)

Respond to two colleagues in the following way:

Describe another way in which understanding correlations may enhance your colleague’s practice.

Laterica R Woods TuesdayJan 23 at 11:37pmExplain how correlations function.Correlations are used to express relationships between two variables. Salkind and Frey (2020) state that in order to calculate a correlation you need at least two variables and two people (p.78). Correlations can be direct, positive, indirect, or negative; and can range in value from -1.00 to +1.00 (Salkind and Frey (2020). Correlated values are not necessarily an indication of a relationship meaning that one may not necessarily cause the other.Explain how understanding correlations may help you better understand a population.Correlations can be used to determine the effectiveness of a program, intervention, or service and if the use of it with a population is worth implementing or utilizing. Correlations are used in so many ways, when completing financial aid applications students are asked about the education level of their parents this could be a correlation used to determine the likelihood of one completing higher education based on the level of their parents’ achievement and possibly affect funding. Correlations can be used to help determine what kind of intervention may be most effective with a population an example could be determining if children who participate in afterschool activities or local boys and girls clubs are more likely to stay out of trouble and complete school this information can be used to support the argument to implement and fund community centers and afterschool programs. Correlations can be used to support or disprove arguments and determine community needs or population concerns such as the relationship between incarceration and low literacy which states if children are not reading on or above level by third grade this is predictive of how many future prison beds are needed; although this is said to be a myth correlation can be used to study the relationship between illiteracy and incarceration (Literacy, 2022). Understanding correlations can help to circumvent detrimental outcomes and intervene early enough to cause positive changes.ReferencesLiteracy, M. (2022, July 6). The relationship between incarceration and low literacy – literacy mid. South. https://www.literacymidsouth.org/news/the-relation…Salkind, N. J., Frey, B. B.  (2020c). Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics (7th ed.). Sage.

alina Flores-Dingler WednesdayJan 24 at 11:04amMain Post 

Explain how correlations function.

Correlation is a statistical measure that quantifies the degree to which two variables are related or associated with each other (Salkind & Frey, 2020, p. 76). It provides a numerical value known as the correlation coefficient, which ranges from -1.00 to +1.00 (Salkind & Frey, 2020, p. 76). A positive correlation indicates a direct relationship, meaning that as one variable increases, the other also tends to increase (Salkind & Frey, 2020, p. 76). Conversely, a negative correlation suggests an inverse relationship. Whereas one variable increases, the other tends to decrease.The correlation coefficient does not imply causation, as correlation only measures the strength and direction of the relationship between variables (Salkind & Frey, 2020). In the example given, the correlation between marijuana smoking and grade point average (GPA) suggests that there is a tendency for students who smoke more marijuana to have lower GPAs. However, it does not provide information about the direction of causation-whether marijuana use leads to lower grades or vice versa.  

Explain how understanding correlations may help you better understand a population.

  • Correlations help researchers identify patterns in data. Examining the relationship between variables can uncover potential associations and trends within a population. Correlations can be used to make predictions as well. If there is a strong correlation between two variables, knowing the value of one variable can provide information about the likely value of the other (Salkind & Frey, 2020, p. 87). Understanding a correlation in a population could have implications for policy decisions. It can guide policymakers in addressing specific issues or implementing targeted interventions based on observed relationships.ReferenceSalkind, N. J., Frey, B. B.  (2020c). Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics (7th ed.). Sage. 

LDS week 2

QUESTION

GIVE A POSITIVE FEEDBACK TO EACH OF THE POST. USE PORPER APA FORMAT.CITE SCHOLARLY SOURCES.

POST#1 Paige: The ability to effectively control oneself, one’s behaviors, thoughts, and emotions in order to accomplish personal and professional goals is referred to as self-leadership. Basically, it’s about leading oneself before others. The relationship between self-leadership and leadership competency is significant because self-leadership serves as a foundation for effective leadership. A leader who possesses strong self-leadership skills is better equipped to understand their own strengths, weaknesses, motivations, and values. This self-awareness enables them to lead with authenticity, integrity, and empathy, which are crucial elements of effective leadership. A leader’s self-leadership skills directly impact those they lead in several ways such as role modeling and empowerment. Self-leadership abilities like emotional intelligence, resilience, and self-control are exhibited by leaders, who provide a good example for their subordinates. Team members are more likely to model their leader’s successful behavior and emotional control when they see it in action, fostering a culture of self-leadership inside the company. Numerous studies have highlighted the connection between employee initiative and improved organizational and individual job performance (Kang et al., 2022).  

One leadership skill that I consider to be a strength is self motivation. Coming from a sports background I have always been competitive with others and myself. I have noticed that I enjoy setting the standard high for myself and attaining those goals.  One leadership skill that I could improved on is assertiveness. Sometimes I feel I do not want to step of toes or challenge other people intellect and them take it personally or a bad way so I will avoid any confrontation. 

One strategy to cultivate my self leadership skills is to clarify my personal goals and values. In order to perform this, I can establish clear, specific, and challenging goals that align with your values and aspirations. These goals are meant to be meaningful and evoke a sense of purpose. Breaking these goals into smaller more attainable goals to maintain motivation. Another strategy is to develop consistent habits. Humans are cultures of habit. Routines and habits that support your goals and enhance productivity are key when you are within the workplace. Consistent habits create a sense of structure and discipline, reducing reliance on fleeting motivation. By implementing these strategies, individuals can cultivate their self-motivation and enhance their self-leadership skills. This enables them to proactively pursue their goals, stay resilient in the face of setbacks, and achieve long-term success and fulfillment. The intrinsic motivation theory suggests that employees exhibit high levels of motivation and engagement in their tasks when they feel a sense of autonomy and control over both themselves and their environment (Inam et al., 2023).

References

Inam, A., Ho, J. A., Sheikh, A. A., Shafqat, M., & Najam, U. (2023). How self leadership enhances normative commitment and work performance by engaging people at work?. Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.), 42(5), 3596–3609. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01697-5

Kang, H., Song, M., & Li, Y. (2022). Self-Leadership and Innovative Behavior: Mediation of Informal Learning and Moderation of Social Capital. Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland), 12(11), 443. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs12110443

POST#2 ASHLEY: This week course content involved leadership skills and styles in advanced nursing practice. Effective leadership embodies, motivates, and enables professional nursing success. Functional leaders possess foundational emotional intelligence and interprofessional attributes that promote healthcare competency. The relationship of self-leadership to leadership capability is complex. To further elaborate, leadership competency can be described as an ability to impact others to reach projected goals. On the contrary, self-leadership can help stimulate one to obtain goals through self-motivation. Self-leadership and communication skills are known to have a positive result on nursing outcomes (Ae & Sim, 2020). A leader’s self-leadership skills can influence those they lead by providing a pathway example to follow.

As documented in the lesson plan content, self-leadership skills are crucial in the development of organizations and of oneself. One self-leadership skill I consider to be a strength is my own emotional intelligence (EI). Xu et al. (2023) infers that the EI theory impacts relationships, career aspirations, and emotional responses. Self-leadership skills are built by maturity. EI comes from the comprehension and management of emotions and the emotions of those around them. My expressive feelings can be mimicked by my peers or within my patients. Throughout the years that I have been in healthcare, I have successfully been able to manage and identify my emotions. By doing so, I have seen a positive change in the way I provide care. For example, I have learned to set aside my own personal biases and maintain professional boundaries.

One self-leadership skill that I have identified that needs improvement is the topic of self-care. Self-care is detrimental in the growth of a leader. As described in the section of leadership skills for advanced practice nursing, self-care cultivates an atmosphere of resilience. I have found myself overworked, overwhelmed, and burnt out in various situations throughout my career. There are times where I struggle to delegate my time appropriately to tasks that could be done later. When I am faced with a momentous amount of work in my personal or professional life, I seem to want to tackle things all at once. To my demise, the eagerness can become brief and my self-care suffers.

As explained previously, my self-care diminishes as I focus too heavily on tasks that do not need to be performed all at once. Two examples of strategies to help alleviate my stress and improve my self-care techniques could be sustaining my emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness. I can begin on ensuring I develop a sense of gratitude, continue to strengthen my relationships with my family, and separate my work and education when appropriate. By performing these tasks, I can nourish my self-leadership competencies.

References 

Ae, Y. K., & Sim, I. O. (2020). Mediating Factors in Nursing Competency: A Structural Model Analysis for Nurses’ Communication, Self-Leadership, Self-Efficacy, and Nursing Performance. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 6850. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186850

Xu, J., Zhang, L., Ji, Q., Ji, P., Chen, Y., Song, M., & Guo, L. (2023). Nursing students’ emotional empathy, emotional intelligence and higher education-related stress: a cross-sectional study. BMC Nursing, 22, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01607-z

POST #3 MONDESTIN: Comprehending the notion of self-leadership is crucial for nurses to cultivate successful leadership abilities. The ability to take the initiative, inspire oneself, and exhibit sincerity in directing one’s own actions and behaviors is referred to as self-leadership. A leader’s talent for internal leadership has a direct bearing on their potential to motivate and sway others under their direction (Diggele et al., 2020). Self-leadership abilities have a significant influence on people under a leader’s direction because they provide a model of sincerity and responsibility. Team members are inspired to trust and believe in leaders that exhibit self-awareness, confidence, and integrity in their behavior. A culture of openness and transparency is fostered by authentic leadership, which promotes teamwork and creativity (Restivo et al., 2022).

Working together and in a team is one self-leadership trait that I think is strong. I am great at encouraging team members to work together, show respect for one another, and accomplish goals as a group. I actively contribute to a healthy work atmosphere and improve team performance by actively participating in collaborative decision-making and appreciating varied opinions. I believe there is room for progress in the self-leadership competency of conflict resolution. Even though I work hard to keep everyone on the team happy, I recognize that I can still improve my skills in conflict resolution. In order to resolve conflicts amicably and foster team unity, effective conflict management needs assertiveness, empathy, and active listening (Smith & Bhavsar, 2021).

In order to enhance my abilities as a self-leader, namely in handling conflicts, I intend to put two tactics into practice. I will look for chances to advance my career and receive instruction in methods of resolving conflicts, such negotiation and mediation (Smith & Bhavsar, 2021). By gaining new information and abilities, I can improve my capacity to resolve disputes amicably and encourage favorable results. In order to identify my conflict management strengths and areas for improvement, I will reflect on my performance and ask for input from colleagues. I can spot possibilities to improve my strategy and create more potent conflict resolution techniques by aggressively seeking out input and remaining receptive to constructive criticism.

Benners Novice to Expert Theory Discussion

Question

Provide positive feedback to this post with one paragraph per post Use and cite proper APA references.

Anthony: Advanced nursing practice has many roles and opportunities, such as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Nurse Practitioner, and Clinical Nurse Specialist. A theory that an advanced nurse may consider is Benner’s novice-to-expert theory. Depending on previous experiences and exposures, as a registered nurse moves into the role of advanced nurse practice, they are moving through this theory of novice to expert. Benner’s theory states that nurses move from novice to expert in stages based on their education and experiences (Sterner et al.,2021). This movement is not always linear, and the fact that the nurse starts as a novice or advanced beginner and then chooses to move into an advanced nurse practice as an expert seems to make perfect sense for those interested in that growth (Kerr & Macaskill, 2020). The advanced practice nurse may start in their new role as a novice or advanced beginner, especially if it is a new specialty. However, since the role is different from the scope of practice of the registered nurse, there will be a time of learning and becoming more competent as an advanced nurse, as described in Benner’s theory.

There is a current healthcare issue in the hospital setting. It is regarding the disproportionate number of novice and beginner nurses to expert nurses at the bedside. Due to the pandemic, there has been a large migration of expert nurses away from the bedside. This has left a massive void of knowledge, experience, and competency in acute situations at the bedside. The novice nurse needs experience and exposure to these critical events to know how to respond or what to expect. Unfortunately, some of the preceptors are also novices or sometimes an advanced beginner themselves, so the training is limited to their knowledge and experience. As clinical educators, we have our work cut out for us in the hospital right now. I think Benner’s theory explains the movement from novice to expert well. It reminds us in an advanced practice role to think of ways to help novice nurses advance with exposure to grow their clinical judgment. One effective way is the use of high-fidelity simulation in scenarios that are emergencies at the bedside. This allows the nurses to work through these situations in a safe, realistic environment (Sterner et al., 2021). Clinical nurse specialists are invaluable in hospitals to help fill knowledge and experience gaps for this novice workforce.

References

Kerr, L., & Macaskill, A. (2020). The journey from nurse to advanced nurse practitioner: applying concepts of role transitioning. British journal of nursing, 29(10), 561–565.

Sterner, A., Ramstrand, N., Palmér, L., & Hagiwara, M. A. (2021). A study of factors that predict novice nurses’ perceived ability to provide care in acute situations. Nursing Open, 8(4), 1958-1969.

____________________________________

Hannah: Middle range theory can be defined as a theory that helps guide nursing interventions to increase the healthcare outcome by enhancing the care given. The theory is developed by defining what health concern is going on with the patient, why it happened, how it happened and how we can diagnose and treat it. Conti O’Hare’s theory was based off ethics and beneficence. She viewed patients and family members as equal partners in the patient’s healthcare outcome Im, E. O. (2021).

I intend to practice using the guidelines of current data produced from EBP. I do not feel as though I would be successful with research or development that correlates with other theories in this field. I intend to go into a family practice setting and treat patients with the most up to date information. I feel that the middle range theories such as Conti O’Hare’s will be useful in how I help provide care to patients. Improving health outcomes is not only based off how much knowledge I have or what treatments are given but also with the patient being compliant with their part of treatment as well.

One healthcare issue that came to my mind is access to care. There is a large population in the world that either is uninsured or has Medicaid insurance, underinsured. I have seen many times patients struggle to get access to care, medications, procedures etc. due to insurance coverage. Unfortunately, many practices do not accept Medicaid patient panels due to the small reimbursement fees. While I understand the financial aspect of this, it is still the patient who suffers. I work for a clinic where 90% of our patient population has Medicaid. We never turn anyone away from being seen for their inability to pay. The problem in our clinic is the lack of providers and nursing staff. We have such a huge patient population that sometimes we struggle to see patients in the timeframes that insurance says we should.

The middle range theory that I selected can be applied to the healthcare problem mentioned above by providing access to care. The theory aims to provide better health outcomes. When patients have better access to care their healthcare outcomes improve. For example, diabetes management. If glucose levels are controlled by compliance with medication regimens and regular check-ups to the provider, it helps prevent other comorbidities associated with diabetes Nowakowska, M, et al., (2019).

Reference

Im, E. O. (2021). Different types of theories by level of abstraction in nursing: A discussion paper. Research and Theory for Nursing Practice, 35(1), 50-66. DOI: 10.1891/RTNP-D-20-00038

Nowakowska, M, et al., (2019). The comorbidity burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus: patterns, clusters and predictions from a large English primary care cohort. BMC medicine, 17(1), 145. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-019-1373-y.

_________________________________________

Jose: A perfect theory that will be applied in advanced nursing practice is Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory. This theory postulates that people have a natural ability for self-care, and nursing should focus on helping individuals meet their self-care needs. Probably, one of the attractions Orem’s theories has for many nurses is its utility in practice. This is highly evident in the writings of Kinlein (1977, pp. 1-195) and Bromley (1980). As a future nurse practitioner, the importance of Orem’s theory to the practice I am pursuing is highly significant. It accentuates the importance of patient education and empowerment, which lines up with my objective of encouraging patient autonomy and self-management, mainly in chronic disease supervision.

A current healthcare matter is the incorrect control of hypertension, patients with this condition without responsible care of it makes it prevalent and leading to other diseases such a cerebral vascular accident, heart attacks, kidney problems, aneurysms, dementia, heart failure, among others. Patients with this condition constantly come back to their medical doctors or NPs with aggravated condition due to lack of responsibility and bad decisions on illegal drugs, tobacco, alcohol consumption, high sodium and saturated fat diet, and not proper monitoring on medication, among other issues.

Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory can be applied to take care this issue. According to the theory, nurses should assess patients’ ability to perform self-care and identify any deficits. For patients with chronic diseases, this could require evaluation of their knowledge about their condition, their ability to follow medication administration, and their skills in lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. Nurses can give education and support to improve patients’ self-care abilities, by that means promoting better disease management and health outcomes. According to Orem’s self-care model, the client’s power of agency is impaired, in the sense that the patients are not able to manage all their self-care needs because of multiple deviations in their health state. To compensate for the self-care deficits experienced by these clients, the nurse enters into a collaborative relationship with the patients to identify their assets and deficits and determine the therapeutic self -care demands brought about by changes in their developmental needs as well as changes in their health state (Orem, 1980).

References

Bromley, B. (1980). Applying Orem’s self-care theory in enterostomal therapy. American Journal of Nursing, 80(2), 245-250.

Kinlein, M. L. (1977). Independent nursing practice with clients. New York: J.B. Lippincott Company.

Orem, D.E. (1980). Nursing: concepts of practice (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.

ST Thomas University advanced pathophysiology Discussion

QUESTION

Discussion 1: Hematopoietic Case Study

Thaiz 

  • Contributing factors to develop Iron deficiency anemia

    Iron deficiency anemia is a prevalent condition characterized by insufficient iron stores leading to impaired red blood cell production. J.D., a 37-year-old woman, presents with symptoms indicative of iron deficiency anemia, including intermenstrual bleeding, menorrhagia, fatigue, weakness, and urinary frequency. Her medical history suggests several contributing factors predisposing her to Iron deficiency anemia (Warner & Kamran, 2023).

    Childbirth is a recognized risk factor for IDA due to significant blood loss during delivery. J.D.’s recent childbirth and multiparity, with four pregnancies in four years, increase her vulnerability to iron depletion, as each pregnancy imposes additional demands on iron reserves (Demuth, 2018).

  •     Additionally, chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, for osteoarthritis management can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding and subsequent iron loss (Malik et al., 2023).

Reasons for constipation and/o dehydration

    Constipation and dehydration in J.D. could be related from long-term NSAID use, which can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and disrupt fluid balance. Furthermore, increased urinary frequency and mild incontinence may result from NSAID-induced bladder irritation or diuretic therapy for hypertension management (Malik et al., 2023).

Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid in Erythropoiesis

    Vitamin B12 and folic acid are vital for the normal development of the RBCs during the erythropoiesis, and deficiencies in these vitamins can impair red blood cell production, leading to megaloblastic anemia (Dlugasch & Story, 2024). Given J.D.’s symptoms, deficiencies in vitamin B12 and folic acid should be considered in the diagnostic evaluation.

Clinical Symptoms and signs for Iron deficiency anemia

    Clinical manifestations suggestive of iron deficiency anemia include fatigue, weakness, pallor, and dyspnea. Additional symptoms related to iron deficiency may include pica, brittle nails, and hair loss. Physical examination findings consistent with iron deficiency anemia include pallor of the conjunctiva, nail beds, and mucous membranes that is the most important clinical sign, but this can be evident when the values of the hemoglobin are between 7-8 g/dL (Warner & Kamran, 2023).

    Laboratory evaluation confirms the diagnosis of IDA in J.D. with low hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct) levels, decreased serum ferritin levels, and microcytic, hypochromic red blood cells on peripheral smear.

Appropriate Recommendations and Treatments

    Management of iron deficiency anemia focuses on replenishing iron stores and addressing underlying causes, such as gastrointestinal bleeding. Oral iron supplementation is the first-line treatment for mild to moderate iron deficiency anemia, typically with ferrous sulfate or ferrous gluconate. Iron supplementation should be taken without food to increase absorption. Low gastric pH facilitates iron absorption. Rapid response to treatment is often seen in 14 days. (Warner & Kamran, 2023).

    Counseling on proper iron supplementation administration is essential to enhance absorption and minimize gastrointestinal side effects. Additionally, addressing contributing factors such as NSAID use and menstrual bleeding is crucial to prevent iron deficiency anemia recurrence (Warner & Kamran, 2023).

    In conclusion, J.D. presents with symptoms consistent with iron deficiency anemia, with multiple contributing factors identified in her medical history. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate management are essential to alleviate symptoms and prevent complications associated with iron deficiency. By addressing underlying causes and initiating iron supplementation, J.D. can achieve restoration of iron stores and improvement in her overall health and well-being.

References

Demuth, I. M. (2018). Iron supplementation during pregnancy- a cross-sectional study undertaken in four German states. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 18(1), 491. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-2130-5

Dlugasch, L., & Story, L. (2024). Applied Pathophysiology for the advanced practice nurse. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Warner, M. J., & Kamram, M. T. (2023, August 7). Iron deficiency anemia. StatPearls [Internet]. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448065/

Malik, T. F., Gnanapandithan, K., & Singh, K. (2023, June 5). Peptic ulcer disease. National Center for Biotechnology Information. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30521213

Discussion 2 : W.G Case Study. Cardiovascular

Thaiz G

Modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for patients at risk for developing coronary artery disease and patients diagnose with acute myocardial infarction

    Acute myocardial infarction is a life-threatening condition characterized by the occlusion of coronary arteries leading to myocardial ischemia and necrosis. Mr. W.G., a 53-year-old man, presented with chest discomfort progressing to a crushing sensation, radiating to his neck and jaw, suggestive of acute myocardial infarction. Understanding modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction is crucial in managing patients like Mr. W.G.

    Modifiable risk factors for coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction include smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, physical inactivity, and poor diet (Arnett et al., 2019). Non-modifiable risk factors include age, male gender, family history of premature CAD, and genetic predisposition (Arnett et al., 2019). Mr. W.G.’s age and male gender represent non-modifiable risk factors, while lifestyle factors such as smoking and diet may contribute to his risk for coronary artery disease and acute myocardial infarction.

Findings in the EKG compatible with Acute Coronary Event

    Electrocardiogram (EKG), findings consistent with acute myocardial infarction include ST-segment elevation or depression, T-wave inversion, and pathological Q waves (Thygesen et al., 2018). The presence of ST-segment elevation in contiguous leads, such as leads II, III, and aVF, is indicative of inferior wall acute myocardial infarction, which can manifest as chest discomfort radiating to the neck and jaw, as described in Mr. W.G.’s case.

Specific laboratory test to confirm the Acute Myocardial Infarction

    To confirm acute myocardial infarction, cardiac troponin levels are the most specific laboratory test (Thygesen et al., 2018). Cardiac troponins are highly sensitive and specific markers of myocardial injury, with elevated levels indicating myocardial necrosis. Troponin levels typically rise within 3-4 hours of symptom onset and remain elevated for several days, making them ideal for diagnosing acute myocardial infarction.

Increase of Temperature in patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

    Mr. W.G.’s increased temperature post-MI is likely due to the inflammatory response triggered by myocardial necrosis. Body temperature could increase by more than 1 °C as soon as the first 4 to 8 h after onset of symptoms, peak in the first to second day with an average of 37.5 °C, and decrease in the fourth to fifth day after admission. Inflammation mediators, such as interleukins (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-?, and interferon-?, are released and pass through the blood?brain barrier to influence the temperature regulatory center in the hypothalamus. Prostaglandin E2, which is released afterward, plays an essential role in the development of fever. Fever may persist for several days post-MI as part of the acute inflammatory phase (Chen et al., 2023).

Pain in Acute Myocardial Infarction

    The pain experienced by Mr. W.G. during his MI is attributed to myocardial ischemia and subsequent necrosis. Ischemia leads to the release of pain mediators, such as bradykinin and prostaglandins, stimulating pain receptors in the myocardium. Additionally, ischemia-induced acidosis and stretching of ischemic myocardial fibers contribute to the sensation of pain, often described as pressure, tightness, or squeezing, as Mr. W.G. experienced (Chen et al., 2023).

    In summary, acute myocardial infarction is a critical condition with modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Diagnosis relies on clinical presentation, EKG findings, and cardiac troponin levels. Post-MI fever is attributed to the inflammatory response, while pain results from myocardial ischemia and necrosis. Providing comprehensive explanations to patients like Mr. W.G. is essential for understanding their condition and facilitating optimal management and recovery.

References

Arnette, D. K., Blumental, R. S., Buroker, M. A., & Goldberger, A. D. (2020). Correction to: 2019 ACC/AHA guideline on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. Circulation, 141(4), 177–182. https://doi.org/10.1161/cir.0000000000000755Links to an external site.

Chen, S.-H., Chang, H.-C., Chiu, P.-W., Hong, M.-Y., Lin, I.-C., Yang, C.-C., Hsu, C.-T., Ling, C.-W., Chang, Y.-H., Cheng, Y.-Y., & Lin, C.-H. (2023, August 4). Triage body temperature and its influence on patients with acute myocardial infarction – BMC cardiovascular disorders. BioMed Central. https://bmccardiovascdisord.biomedcentral.com/arti…

Thygesen, K., Jaffe, J. S., Chaitman, A. S., Bax, B. R., & Morrow, J. J. (2018). Universal definition of myocardial infarction. European heart journal. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/179512Links to an external site.

Reply to post from Thaiz Del Carmen Guerra RodriguezReply

answer the questions below

QUESTION

1. Identify a health professions role needed in the care of the patient in this case. Explain your rationale for why the role you selected is needed.

  • Reply to an existing post: In your reply to someone else’s post, discuss how the role that was posted is also needed by family members of the patient and needed by the other health care providers on the team.

Case Scenario Involving a Patient with Diabetes:

You have just been assigned to the new innovative clinic at LECOM. Three practices will be in one building! Medical students, pharmacy students, and dentistry students will collaborate together on an interprofessional team to improve patient outcomes. The following patient has been referred to your clinic for care. Included, you will find three documents:

      1. A note from his prior physician who referred him to your clinic because of his complex medical needs and history of non-compliance.
      2. A note from the last time he went to a dentist
      3. His recent medication fill history from the pharmacy

Physician note: 9/15/15

HPI:

A 55 year old white male presented to the office complaining of being thirsty all the time and waking up at night to go to the bathroom. Patient has not been to an ophthalmologist in 5 years. Last year he did have a glucose reading over 200 mg/dL but denied having been diagnosed with diabetes. He is also a professional gambler and is upset because he frequently has to leave the table to urinate and reports occasional blurred vision. This is hurting him financially after he lost a huge hand in poker because he had to go so bad.

PMH:

Hypertension

Hyperlipidemia

Medication History:

Atorvastatin PO 10 mg daily

Metoprolol succinate PO 25 mg daily

Fish Oil 1,200 mg PO once daily

Lisinopril 20 once daily

Social History:

1 pack per day smoker for 10 years

Drinks 1-2 Budweisers a day after work to relax

Family History:

Mother died of a heart attack 15 years ago

Father is living in an assisted living facility currently with DM2 and Hyperlipidemia

Brother is still alive and suffers from seizures

Physical Exam

Vital signs:

Height 6’0’’ Weight 220 lb BP 132/78 mm Hg

Pulse 86 bpm RR 17 bpm Temp 97.4 F

Constitutional: Patient is A&O X3, well-nourished, well-developed and well-groomed

Head: The skull is normocephalic, atraumatic and without masses, patient’s facial expression is normal, no facial drooping, there is symmetry of the nasolabial folds

Eyes: Sclera is white and conjunctiva is pink, pupils are equally round and reactive to light

Ears: Otoscopic examination of external auditory canals and tympanic membranes is normal; there is a good cone of light.

Nose: Slight irritation of nasal mucosa with clear discharge

Mouth: Thin, milky white coating on buccal mucosa; lips are dry and pale pink; dentition indicates excess plaque and a purple discoloration of the gums.

Throat: Tongue is dry and midline with thin white coating

Neck: The neck is supple; trachea is midline; thyroid is not enlarged and no palpable nodules

Respiratory: The patient is relaxed and breathes without effort. Patient is not cyanotic and does not use accessory muscles for respiration. The chest expands symmetrically upon inspiration. There are no crackles, wheezes, rhonchi, stridor or pleural rubs.

Cardiovascular: Upon palpation of the chest, there are no heaves, lifts or thrills. The rate is normal, the rhythm is regular, S1 and S2 are normal, there are no murmurs, no gallops, and there are no rubs.

Foot exam: Skin is dry and cracked at the heel; negative for signs of infection, laceration or ulceration; faint bilateral pulses present, SWM results: 6/10 left foot and 5/10 right foot

Labs: Taken Sep 20, 2015, fasting sample

2. Select and identify one person on the team in the video below who displayed the least able to work on a team. Why did you select this person? What specific actions, attitudes, or behaviors did the individual display that interfered with effective teamwork?

  • Reply to an existing post: In your reply to someone else’s post, apply from the required reading in module 3, at least one principle of good interdisciplinary teamwork that could also improve his or her teamwork skills and justify your selection.

3.In analyzing this scenario, there were many steps in Sydney’s care where there was either a lack of communication or miscommunication. Which one do you feel was the most significant communication error impacting his care? Why? – Defend your selection. Apply one strategy from the content in this module that should be implemented to ensure that such events do not happen again.

      • Reply to an existing post: In your reply to someone else’s post, provide a second strategy that ensures that such events don’t happen again and describe your reasoning for your selection.

Case Scenario:

A 32-year-old male, Sydney Worthington, was in a nursing home undergoing regular physical therapy. The nurse reported to his mother that Sydney almost fell twice during therapy last week, and was caught by the therapist. The nurse also reported that Sydney almost stumbled into her arms 3 days ago. His current medications include 200 mg phenytoin and 2000 mg levetiracetam, for control of seizures.

Past medical history includes a motorcycle accident nine years ago, that caused traumatic brain injury resulting in Sydney going into a coma. After Sydney came out of his coma, he was placed in the nursing home for long-term rehabilitation. He suffered a seizure at that time and was treated with phenytoin. He was then prescribed phenytoin orally, 100 mg once a day for maintenance. Six years later, when blood levels of phenytoin were tested, they were too low and the physician prescribed increased doses, up to 200 mg a day. This caused lethargy, and impaired balance and gait. His mother took Sydney to see a neurologist, who prescribed a different anti-seizure medication since phenytoin has adverse cardiovascular effects. The neurologist ordered the nursing home staff to administer levetiracetam 500 mg once a day along with phenytoin 200 mg/day, and slowly increase levetiracetam to 1000 mg a day. Once the patient was receiving 1000 mg/day of levetiracetam, the phenytoin was to be decreased to 100 mg/day. After levetiracetam was increased to 1000 mg twice a day, phenytoin was to be discontinued. These orders were faxed to the nursing home.

After 3 weeks, Sydney was being given 1000 mg/day levetiracetam, plus phenytoin 200 mg/day. When Sydney’s mother asked the nurses why the dose of phenytoin was not being decreased as the neurologist had recommended, the nurses indicated that the orders were not clear on how to decrease phenytoin. The mother contacted the neurologist’s office requesting that the order be redefined and sent to the nursing home, which was done immediately.

After 11 days, when his mother was informed by the nurse that Sydney lost his balance and nearly fell twice, she examined his medication chart and realized that for the past 11 days, Sydney was being given levetiracetam 1000 mg twice a day, in addition to phenytoin 200 mg/day, which was clearly not what the neurologist had ordered. The nursing staff had consulted with their on-site physician who never saw Sydney but had only looked at his chart.

4.Make an Original Post: Is this a breach of the patient’s confidentiality? Why? – Explain your rationale why this is or is not a breach.

  • Reply to an existing post: In your reply to someone else’s post, please explain how confidentiality (or lack thereof) in this scenario can affect a patient-provider relationship and potentially affect the health of the patient.

Case Scenario:

A student caring for actual patients (pharmacy student on a pharmacy practice experience/dental student working in a dental school-related clinic/medical student on a clinical rotation), posts negative comments about a patient/customer on his/her Facebook page with the privacy setting set to “friends.” Although the patient’s name was not posted, specific physical characteristics and medical, drug, and dental problems were included in the post.

week 4 discussion feedback

Question

Give a positive feedback to each of this post with one paragraph. post #1Junie: 

    Person-centered care, often referred to as ‘patient-centered care,’ revolves around respecting the individual’s preferences, ensuring physical comfort and safety, providing emotional support, and offering timely access to appropriate care but lies at the core of ethical and practical practice in the nursing profession. This approach places the person receiving care at the center of the healthcare experience rather than taking a one-size-fits-all stance; person-centered care considers each person’s unique situation, values, cultures, beliefs, and preferences. The goal is to provide care and treatment genuinely responsive to that individual as a whole person. As a future nurse practitioner, applying principles of person-centered care and cultural humility will be instrumental in delivering compassionate, quality health outcomes for all patients.

    Several vital principles define person-centered care. First and foremost is treating each person with dignity and respect, recognizing their intrinsic worth as a human being. It also involves encouraging active participation in health-related decisions to empower patients. Good communication is imperative, with providers openly discussing a person’s medical condition and treatment options in a way they can understand. People need to be well-informed so they can be involved in choosing the path that fits best for their lives. Additionally, person-centered care aims to be coordinated, considering all aspects of a person’s well-being and supporting them with medical and psychosocial needs (Coyne et al., 2018).

    As an advanced practice nurse, I will uphold these person-centered ideals. I will need to see each patient as a holistic individual rather than just a medical condition. I must gain a deep understanding of their diverse values, beliefs, preferences, and lived experiences. I foster open, honest communication so patients feel comfortable sharing relevant information. Treatment plans should be tailored specifically for that person whenever possible. I will strive to establish caring, trusting relationships where patients are true partners in their healthcare (Delaney, 2018). 

    Cultural humility and person-centered principles will be crucial to my practice approach. Every person’s culture influences how they view health, illness, and medical care. As a provider, I have much to learn from each unique culture. Practicing cultural humility means approaching each patient interaction with curiosity, respect, and lack of presumption. It acknowledges that while I hold clinical expertise, patients are the true experts of their lives and cultures. I can recognize any biases and avoid assumptions by maintaining an attitude of humility and ongoing self-reflection. I aim to ensure that all treatment decisions fully respect and incorporate each person’s cultural perspectives (Clay, 2018).

References
Coyne, I., Holmström, I., & Söderbäck, M. (2018). Centeredness in healthcare: a concept synthesis of family-centered care, person-centered care, and child-centered care. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 42, 45-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2018.07.001 

Delaney, L. J. (2018). Patient-centered care as an approach to improving health care in Australia. Collegian, 25(1), 119-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colegn.2017.02.005
Clay, A. M. (2018). From Patient-Centered Care to Person-Centered Care: Intersectionalities, Disparities, and Holistic Care. University of California, Davis.

post#2 Hannah: 

    After reading about person-centered care, I learned that it places importance on both the provider and the patient in the plan of care. It also helped me differentiate between that and patient-centered care (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], n.d.). Person-centered care to me means looking at the whole picture around the diagnosis. What contributing factors may be present. The example given in the reading showed that the patient’s environment and social environment contributed to her condition. Person-centered care looks at the diagnosis and develops the care plan for how we can maintain and/or prevent and educate the patient to their active participation.

    I think it is important to have a good history of your patients. When you know your patient then you can really be able to practice holistic nursing. Holistic nursing can be tailored to each patient as an individual based on their history, environment, and other things that may influence their health. I will make the best of the time I am allotted with each patient to review their charts, past medical history, social history to understand the “behind the scenes” of the patient. This will allow me to try and develop a treatment plan that works best for that specific patient. Not all people are dealt the same hand of cards in life. There are many factors that play a part in someone’s healthcare, and everyone should always keep that in mind. I can use my own self-reflection on how my healthcare changed in my life from my access to care, down to my environment. I was born and raised in a small town in Northern Pennsylvania. When I moved to Florida, it showed me such a beautiful new world. To me, this was experiencing Culture Humility, and going through nursing school I learned the various different ways each culture views healthcare and how treatment may be altered.

Reference

American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (n.d.). Person-centered care. Retrieved September 22, 2022, from https://www.aacnnursing.org/5B-Tool-Kit/Themes/Person-Centered-Care

Khan, S. (2021, March 9). Cultural humility vs. cultural competence- and why providers need both. Healthcity. https://healthcity.bmc.org/policy-and-industry/cul…

post #3 Samantha: 

    Person-centered care means creating a plan for the person as an individual and not just a plan based on their diagnosis. While treating the disease or diagnosis is essential, we want to treat the person, not just the disease. Collaborating with the patient and those around the patient, taking their cultural background and beliefs into consideration, respecting their individuality and autonomy, making sure their basic needs are being met, staying compassionate, and staying flexible are all behaviors nurse practitioners can do to make person-centered care happen. These things will all help comfort the patient and make them feel they are being treated as a person, not just a disease or diagnosis.

    I will apply holistic nursing principles by meeting my patient’s social, physical, spiritual, and psychological needs. Holistic nursing goes along with person-centered care in that we must treat our patients with respect and dignity, as a whole person, and not just one diagnosis.

    I will apply the principles of cultural humility by planning the patient’s care around their cultural beliefs. It’s essential to acknowledge a patient’s culture and realize they know themselves best when providing care, so they know they’re being treated as individuals, not just as a number or exciting case. Learning from people with different world views, beliefs, and values will help us become more compassionate and empathetic providers. I believe that treating patients with cultural humility requires us to put our beliefs aside for a moment to provide the best care to our patients, which leads to better outcomes for them.

    Applying self-reflection principles and debriefing at the end of each day can help us learn, grow, and become better nurse practitioners. Reflecting on how the day went and receiving patient feedback can help increase patient satisfaction and outcomes by learning from different scenarios, good or bad. As described in our lesson from this week, using Gibbs’s reflective cycle model can aid advanced practice nurses in pinpointing strengths, finding areas where improvement is needed, and applying actions to develop their practice (Chamberlain University College of Nursing, 2024). Using this in our everyday practice is critical for professional growth. It will help patients feel more included in their care because their provider reflects on what they did great and what they could do better.

Reference:

Chamberlain University College of Nursing. (2024). NR581NP-17548. Week 4: Cultural Care [Online lesson]. https://chamberlain.instructure.com/courses/137784…

responses

QUESTION

PLEASE RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING POSTS WITH 1-2 PARAGRAPHS

POST 1

Lisa is a 19-year-old female who presents to the clinic c/o abnormal vaginal discharge for one week after having unprotected vaginal intercourse with a new male partner she has been dating for a couple of weeks. Lisa’s pregnancy test is negative and her LMP was 2 weeks ago. As her health care provider, you will need to perform testing to determine if Lisa has contracted a sexually transmitted infection or other vaginal infection.

Chief Complaint: Abnormal vaginal discharge for one week

HPI: This is a 19 y/o F presenting to the clinic today with abnormal vaginal discharge for one week after having unprotected vaginal intercourse with a new male partner. The pregnancy test in the office is negative. She reported her LMP 2 weeks ago.

PMH:

Medical- no past medical history

Surgical- no past surgical history

Hospitalizations- no past hospitalizations

Allergies- NKDA

Immunizations- Up to date on Immunizations

Social History- She is currently sexually active with new partners with whom she has been seeing for two weeks.

Current Medications:

No current medications

Review of Systems (ROS):

Systemic: Negative for malaise, fever or chills

HEENT: Negative for headache, sinus congestion or vision changes.

GI: Positive for abdominal pain and tenderness.

GU/ Reproductive: Positive for dysuria, vaginal discharge, burning with urination, vaginal irritation. Patient denies history of STIs. Denies multiple sex partners.

Skin: Denies lesions, rash, and open wounds.

Neuro/psych: Denies mood changes and suicidal ideations.

Objective/Assessment

Temp: 98.5 F, Blood Pressure: 124/78 mm Hg, HR: 78/min, RR: 19/min, BMI: 25.42 Index, Ht: 62 in, Wt: 139 lbs, Oxygen sat %: 97 on room air

Systemic: Well-nourished and in no acute distress.

HEENT: Normocephalic, PERRLA

GI: Abdomen is soft and tender on palpation.

GU/ Reproductive: Internal genitalia with creamy thick and malodorous discharge.

(Diagnosis/ICD10 Code/Plan )

A64 Unspecified sexually transmitted disease

Plan: Wet prep, DNA probe to rule out STI. Urinalysis and culture to rule out UTI.

Treatment: Flagyl 500 mg PO BID for seven days of culture results come back positive for common STIs such as Trichomonas. Doxycycline 100mg orally BID for 7 days if positive for chlamydia.

Education: Educated patient on safe sex practices and using barrier methods for reducing the risk of STIs. Educated patient on potential complications associated with STIs such as the development of PID. Educated patient that her partner may need to be treated and tested for STI. Patient also educated on remaining abstinent during treatment course.

References:

A guide to taking a sexual history. (2023). https://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/sexualhistory.ht…

Links to an external site.

FAAN, I.M.A.P.A.A. F. (2023). Women’s Healthcare in Advanced Practice Nursing (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing LLC. https://online.vitalsource.com/books/9780826167224

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), California Department of Public Health (CDPH), & American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2023). Screening guidelines for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis (TB) in California Correctional/Detention Facilities [Report]. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/CDPH%20D…

POST 2

CC: Tina is a 27-year-old female who presents to the clinic complaining of a painful burning sensation in her left labial area for 3 days. She reports recently having unprotected vaginal intercourse with a new male partner. Upon examination, you note fluid-filled vesicles on the left labia minora that are painful to touch.

Write a brief SOAP note regarding this patient. Make sure to include your answers to these questions in your SOAP note.

Subjective:

ROS

CONSTITUTIONAL: denies fever, chills, fatigue

NECK: denies painful or swollen nodes.

ENDOCRINE: denies tremor/palpitations/heat or cold intolerance/unusual fatigue; denies polyuria/polydipsia/polyphagia

RESPIRATORY: denies cough/sputum/SOB/chest pain.

CARDIOVASCULAR: denies CP/SOB/palpitations/edema.

GASTROINTESTINAL: denies constipation/nausea/vomiting/diarrhea/blood in stool.

BREASTS: denies pain/tenderness/lumps/masses/nipple discharge.

GENITOURINARY: denies dysuria/frequency/vaginal bleeding/blood in urine/incontinence/abnormal vaginal discharge/vaginal dryness/dyspareunia

Confirms painful burning sensation in her left labial area for 3 days;

Ask about smoking, drinking, and drug use.

Ask about how many partners she has and sexual habits.

Ask about pattern of period.

Ask about STIs.

Ask about what she does for work.

Ask if she feels safe.

Ask when her last PAP smear was.

Ask if she has any kids.

Inquire about any recent weight changes, stressors, or lifestyle modifications that could contribute to irregular menstrual cycles.

Assess for any menstrual pain or discomfort associated with oligomenorrhea.

PSYCHIATRIC: denies depression/anxiety.

OBJECTIVE

Vitals:

WNL

EXAM

GENERAL: Well-developed, well-nourished, alert and cooperative, and appears to be in no acute distress.

NECK: Neck supple, non-tender without lymphadenopathy, masses or thyromegaly.

CARDIAC: Normal S1 and S2. No S3, S4 or murmurs. Rhythm is regular. There is no peripheral edema, cyanosis or pallor. Extremities are warm and well perfused. Capillary refill is less than 2 seconds. No carotid bruits.

LUNGS: Clear to auscultation and percussion without rales, rhonchi, wheezing or diminished breath sounds.

BREASTS: No masses, tenderness, asymmetry, nipple discharge or axillary lymphadenopathy.

PELVIC: Normally developed external female genitalia with fluid filled vesicles on the L labia painful to touch.

Explain what POCT you will you order and perform and discuss your rationale for ordering and performing each test.

  • A direct swab of vesicular lesions (within 72 hours of onset) (Mathew & Sapra, 2023)
  • HSV serotyping (Mathew & Sapra, 2023)
  • Gonorrhea and chlamydia (Mathew & Sapra, 2023)
  • HIV (Mathew & Sapra, 2023)
  • Pregnancy test (Mathew & Sapra, 2023)

Rationale: A direct swab of the vesicular lesions can provide a more accurate result compared to HSV serotyping as the HSV serotyping detects for antibodies making it hard to create a timeline of the infection. It’s important to also test for G&C and HIV because it can co-exist.

Assessment/ Diagnosis:

Diagnosis: ICD 10 B00 Herpesviral infections

Rationale: The patient presents with what seems as a primary infection with painful genital ulcers and sores which are signs of HSV2. She also stated that she has a new partner, which increases risk of new STIs (Mathew & Sapra, 2023).

Any other diagnosis or differential diagnosis you would like to add?

Diffrential diagnosis:

Syphilis

Chancroid

Plan:

What will you prescribe for this patient? Why? (assume one of your lab test results is positive)

  • Acyclovir

Primary herpes genitalis: 3 x 400 mg tablets PO daily for 7 to10 days (Mathew & Sapra, 2023).

This medication is an antiviral that has low side effecs and can be tolerated for long periods of time. This suppressive treatment can prevent or delay 80% of recurrences and reduce shedding by greater than 90% (Mathew & Sapra, 2023).

Explain treatment guidelines and side effects including any possible side effects of the medication and treatment(s), partner notification, and follow-up plan of care.

Educate the patient about potential side effects, including nausea, headache, and dizziness (Mathew & Sapra, 2023). Advise her to notify you if any adverse reactions occur. Partner notification: Encourage Tina to inform her recent sexual partner about her diagnosis, as they may also require testing and treatment.

Return to clinic if symptoms do not resolve with medication.

What patient education is important to include for this patient? (Consider when can the patient resume sexual activity)

Provide information about safe sex practices, including condom use to reduce the risk of transmission (Mathew & Sapra, 2023). Advise Tina to abstain from sexual activity until the lesions have healed completely and symptoms have resolved (Mathew & Sapra, 2023).

Explain complications that can occur if patient does not comply with treatment regimen.

Please refer to evidence-based guidelines to support your decision-making.

Tina should complete the full course of antivirals to prevent recurrent outbreaks and complications. Educate patient on safe sex practices to avoid spreading (Mathew & Sapra, 2023).