Understanding Scope of Practice in relation to Certification and Licensure

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The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a non-profit organization comprised of members from each state board of nursing in the U.S., the District of Columbia, and the four U.S. territories. Their role is to provide a platform for all state boards of nursing to convene, discuss, and ensure all state boards work together to provide the appropriate regulation to ensure that public health, safety, and welfare is the primary focus. A key element of NP licensure is understanding the components of Scope of Practice and subsequent practice within the parameters of the educational program completed and appropriate national certification.

To prepare:
  • Consider whether primary care NP graduates are qualified to seek employment in acute care settings such as ER, OR, or hospitalist/intensivist
  • Review and select one of the following case studies to research in depth:
    • Case Study One: Selecting the Certification Exam for your specialty.
      Mary is in the last two months of her program of study. She is trying to decide whether to take the American Association of Nurse Practitioner Credentialing Exam or the American Nurses Credentialing Exam.
    • Case Study Two: Obtaining initial licensure post matriculation.
      Amy, FNP-BC has recently graduated from an accredited Family Nurse Practitioner Program. She decides to relocate from her home state of Tennessee to Missouri and practice in a rural area. She is very excited about her new role and new position.
By Day 3

Post an explanation of the professional and/or clinical practice issues the new Nurse Practitioner will need to consider and address with the certification, licensure, credentialing, or relocation process. Compare Scope of Practice between the Acute Care, Family Practice, and Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and how practice may differ from state to state. Then, identify and explain at least two types of settings that are appropriate for FNP and AGPCNP graduates to practice.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses.

By Day 7

Respond to at least two of your colleagues on three different days in one or more of the ways listed below. Respond to colleagues who selected a different Case Study than you did.

  • Reflect on the differences between certifying bodies that offer credentialing exams for registered nurses.
  • Provide key components a Nurse Practitioner should consider when relocating from one state to another.

Discussion: Parenting and Substance Abuse

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Discussion: Parenting and Substance Abuse

As a social worker, you will meet children and adolescents who are in complicated family situations and may require a variety of resources for support. There are many times when these situations involve drug abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, and/or neglect. If these factors are present within a child’s or adolescent’s environment, it will impact their development. As mandated reporters, social workers are legally required to report any suspicion they have of child abuse or neglect to local authorities in an effort to ensure a healthier environment within which they can grow.

For this Discussion, review the case study “Working With Clients With Addictions: The Case of Barbara and Jonah.” Consider this week’s reading in the Learning Resources. Discussion: Parenting and Substance Abuse

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  • 1.     Post an explanation of influences of Barbara’s addiction on Jonah’s future development.
  • 2.     Describe an intervention that you would use for Jonah if you were the social worker in this case.
  • 3.    Use the Learning Resources to support your answer. ****Use a minimum of 2 references***

 References

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., & Brocksen S. M. (Eds.). (2014). Social work case studies: Foundation year. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].

Working With Clients With Addictions: The Case of Barbara and Jonah

Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA:  Cengage Learning.

Chapter 2 (pp. 62-111) Discussion: Parenting and Substance Abuse

Working With Clients With Addictions: The Case of Barbara and Jonah

Barbara is a 25-year-old, heterosexual, Caucasian female and is the mother of a 6-month-old baby boy. She is currently unemployed and has neither specific skills nor a college education. At the time we first met, she was living her with her son, Jonah, and her boyfriend, Scott (also Jonah’s father), in a home that her grandparents purchased for her. Scott, a 29-year-old, heterosexual, Caucasian male, is employed by a flooring company, although his work is not regular. Both Barbara and Scott have a long history of severe polysubstance abuse, including heroin addiction. They are both currently prescribed methadone.

Jonah was born with severe birth defects due in part to Barbara’s and Scott’s drug use. Jonah remained in the hospital for several weeks after his birth, and during that time he underwent multiple surgeries. Among other abnormalities, he was born with two stomachs, one of which formed on the exterior of his body. He will need additional surgeries in the future and his stomach will never be fully functioning. The full extent of his disabilities is not certain at this time.

When our sessions began, Barbara was experiencing financial problems and was trying to obtain Social Security Disability for Jonah. Because Jonah is unable to attend day care due to his fragile health, Barbara has had to stay home and has reported feelings of isolation. Discussion: Parenting and Substance Abuse

Due to the child’s condition at birth, the hospital staff had reported the family to the Department of Social Services to ensure that the parents would provide appropriate care for him and that the child would be safe in the home environment. After initial contact was established with the parents, a number of concerns were noted, and the family was recommended for additional case management services. Among the concerns were the parents’ denial about the extent of their substance abuse and its negative effects on their lives and their child’s life.

Financial issues were a problem, and family support was limited only to Jonah’s maternal great-grandparents, who are elderly and not in good health. Scott’s parents had divorced when he was very young, and he had no relationship with his father, who also had substance abuse issues. Barbara’s parents divorced when she was very young, and she was raised primarily by her grandparents. She reported that her father was and remains an alcoholic. She presented as anxious and depressed and experiencing low self-esteem. She appeared to be bonded with her child and took very good care of him, although she clearly struggled with his health issues. She also struggled with her responsibility for his disabilities. She tried hard to educate herself about his health problems and learn how to parent in general. Discussion: Parenting and Substance Abuse

Initially, both parents were uncooperative and resistant to participate in the case management process. Scott felt that because he was going to a clinic every day for his methadone, he no longer had a substance abuse problem. I pointed out to him that this was a stopgap measure and he could not spend his life on methadone. I also pointed out that he needed greater insight into his problems in order to overcome them. He never really engaged in the process and frequently did not attend our scheduled appointments, saying he had to work. Barbara stated that he often was not really working and that he was still using drugs. Barbara seemed to feel that she did not really have a problem because she was not using street drugs, but was receiving her medications from a pain management clinic as the result of a motorcycle accident several years ago. As subsequent home visits were made, Barbara began disclosing her feelings to me and addressing some of her issues.

All of my clients are involuntarily in the system, so I frequently utilize Carl Rogers’ person-centered approach because it seems to be the most effective method to establish rapport and ultimately achieve change. Having empathy for your client, encouraging them, and providing support is critical to facilitating change. Discussion: Parenting and Substance Abuse

 

Barbara and I made a list of the major issues that she needed and wanted to address and then prioritized them. We did some research to help her find possible solutions to her needs. Barbara was actively involved in the process and, over time, began to feel less overwhelmed. I encouraged her to begin individual therapy sessions, and she agreed to participate. I made the referral, and Barbara found a therapist with whom she really connected. She also began to disclose to me that there were other problems in her relationship with Scott, including incidents of domestic violence and a pattern of verbal abuse designed to affect her self-esteem. We engaged in a frank discussion with her grandparents, and they agreed to let her and Jonah come to live with them so that they would both be removed from any threat of harm and so that Barbara’s anxiety level could be reduced while she continued in therapy. One evening, Scott came to the grandparents’ home and was high and extremely intoxicated. He assaulted Barbara and her grandfather and was subsequently arrested. She obtained a restraining order and was committed to terminating contact with Scott due to his unwillingness to acknowledge his problems and make any positive changes. She continued with therapy and enrolled in the community college to obtain skills that would allow her to care for herself and child  Discussion: Parenting and Substance Abuse

Discussion: Social Justice

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Discussion: Social Justice

As a social worker, you will often work with clients that are perceived as “others.” This “otherness” often leads to marginalization and barriers or limitations promoted by society and social institutions.  Marginalization is arguably the most dangerous form of oppression (Adams, 2013) because it eventually leads to social expulsion and material deprivation. Social work is a unique profession because it empowers those who are affected by the socially constructed barriers and biases that have perpetuated long-standing inequalities. As you begin your work with clients both as an intern and social worker, it is imperative to consider not only the individual (micro) concerns the client brings to the session but the environmental or macro factors that may have either created or perpetuated the concern. You can empower your clients by helping them identify and define the oppression they experienced throughout their lifetime. Social work’s commitment to social justice includes a hyperawareness of the social constructions that are used to limit some groups’ autonomy and viability while supporting others Discussion: Social Justice.

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1.    Post an analysis of the dimensions of oppression and marginalization that might impact your future clients. 

  2.    Be specific in identifying the types of clients with whom you might work.

 

  3.    In your analysis, explain how the concepts of multiculturalism, power, and privilege are relevant to social work practice.

 Use a minimum of 2 references****

References

Adams, M., Blumenfeld, W. J., Castaneda, C., Hackman, H. W., Peters, M. L., & Zuniga, X. (Eds.). (2013). Readings for diversity and social justice. (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge Press.

Chapter 3, (pp. 15–20)

Chapter 4, (pp. 21–35)

Chapter 5, (pp. 35–45) Discussion: Social Justice

 

Ethical, Legal And Professional Standards In Assessment

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Ethical, Legal And Professional Standards In Assessment

In this Assignment, you will consider the ACA’s Code of Ethics and how these practices impact assessment. This professional code identifies your responsibilities and the practices you must adhere to for the benefit of your clients, your colleagues, and your community.

To Prepare:

  • Review ACA’s Code of Ethics website found in the Learning Resources and consider how they apply to your professional development.
  • Review and use the Corey, Corey, Corey, and Callanan Ethical Decision-Making Model from the course text on p. 28 to process the cases on p. 37 by including each step.
  • Review Exercise 2.2 Making Ethical Decisions (p. 37), choose two to review and process through the Model, answering each question Ethical, Legal And Professional Standards In Assessment.

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Assignment:

  • Review the five cases
  • Select two of the situations in Exercise 2.2 in the text to discuss. Complete the eight steps provided in the course text from the Ethical Decision-Making Model on p. 28 for both of the situations you chose. You do not need to answer the questions at the end of each submission in Exercise 2.2. Take the point of view of what YOU need to do as an ethical counselor, and consider ALL perspectives in the situation, not just one person’s perspective.
  • In one page each, identify the cases you selected and include your responses to the steps of the model on p. 28 for each situation (Note: Two pages not including title or reference page).
  • On page 3, add a summary paragraph or two that shares your personal challenges with addressing the ethical issues in the assignment.
  • Use proper APA formatting and citations.

In this Assignment, you will consider the ACA’s Code of Ethics and how these practices impact assessment. This professional code identifies your responsibilities and the practices you must adhere to for the benefit of your clients, your colleagues, and your community.

To Prepare: Ethical, Legal And Professional Standards In Assessment

· Review ACA’s Code of Ethics website found in the Learning Resources and consider how they apply to your professional development.

· Review and use the Corey, Corey, Corey, and Callanan Ethical Decision-Making Model from the course text on p. 28 to process the cases on p. 37 by including each step.

· Review Exercise 2.2 Making Ethical Decisions (p. 37), choose two to review and process through the Model, answering each question.

Assignment:

· Review the five cases (Below)

· Select two of the situations in Exercise 2.2 in the text to discuss. Complete the eight steps provided in the course text from the Ethical Decision-Making Model on p. 28 (Copied Below) for both of the situations you chose. You do not need to answer the questions at the end of each submission in Exercise 2.2. Take the point of view of what YOU need to do as an ethical counselor, and consider ALL perspectives in the situation, not just one person’s perspective.

· In one page each, identify the cases you selected and include your responses to the steps of the model on p. 28 (Copied Below) for each situation (Note: Two pages not including title or reference page).

· On page 3, add a summary paragraph or two that shares your personal challenges with addressing the ethical issues in the assignment Ethical, Legal And Professional Standards In Assessment.

· Use proper APA formatting and citations.

CASES and Ethical Decision-Making Model

Making Ethical Decisions

Because ethical codes can be limiting in their ability to guide a practitioner who is faced with a thorny ethical dilemma, it is important that other avenues are available to aid in ethical decision-making. For instance, some practitioners might use moral models in guiding their ethical decision-making process. One moral model, described by Kitchener ( 1984 ,  1986 ;  Urofsky, Engels, & Engebretson, 2008 ), suggests that there are six critical moral principles one should consider when making difficult ethical decisions. They include autonomy, which has to do with protecting the independence, self-determination, and freedom of choice of clients; nonmaleficense is the concept of “do no harm” when working with clients; beneficence is related to promoting the good of society, which can be at least partially accomplished by promoting the client’s well-being; justice refers to providing equal and fair treatment to all clients; fidelity is related to maintaining trust (e.g., keeping conversations confidential) in the counseling relationship and being committed to the client within that relationship; and veracity has to do with being truthful and genuine with the client, within the context of the counseling relationship. Consider these principles if you had just assessed a client and had determined that she potentially might cause harm to her children. How might each of these moral principles play into the decisions you make regarding your client. For instance, after considering each of the principles, how and to whom would you communicate your results? To make things a bit more complicated,  Remley and Herlihy (2014)  go on to note that the culture of the client might impact your understanding of your results and how you apply the principles. Autonomy, for individuals from some cultures, may have to do with individual behaviors whereas individuals from other cultures might view autonomy within the context of their extended family or community. As you can see, ethical decision-making can be a complex and difficult process Ethical, Legal And Professional Standards In Assessment.

Moral model

Consider moral principles involved in ethical decision-making

In addition to the moral model just noted, a number of other ethical decision-making models exist ( Neukrug, 2012 ). One hands-on, practical, problem-solving model espoused by  Corey, Corey, Corey, and Callanan  ( 2015 ) suggests that the practitioner go through the following eight steps when making complex ethical decisions:

· 1. Identify the problem or dilemma

· 2. Identify the potential issues involved

· 3. Review the relevant ethical guidelines

· 4. Know the applicable laws and regulations

· 5. Obtain consultation

· 6. Consider possible and probable courses of action

· 7. Enumerate the consequences of various decisions

· 8. Decide on what appears to be the best course of action

Exercise 2.2 Making Ethical Decisions

Review the situations below, and then using the moral principles identified in the chapter, Corey’s models of ethical decision-making, and your knowledge of legal and professional issues decide on your probable course of action. Share your answers with the rest of the class.

Situation 1: A graduate-level mental health professional with no training in career development is giving interest inventories as she counsels individuals for career issues. Can she do this? is this ethical? Professional? Legal? If this professional happened to be a colleague of yours, what, if anything, would you do?

Situation 2: During the taking of some routine tests for promotion, a company learns that there is a high probability that one of the employees is abusing drugs and is a pathological liar. The firm decides not to promote him and instead fires him. He comes to see you for counseling because he is depressed. Has the company acted ethically? Legally? What responsibility do you have toward this client? Ethical, Legal And Professional Standards In Assessment

Situation 3: An African-American mother is concerned that her child may have an attention deficit problem. She goes to the teacher, who supports her concerns, and they go to the assistant principal requesting testing for a possible learning disorder. The mother asks if the child could be given an individual intelligence test that can screen for such problems, and the assistant principal states, “Those tests have been banned for minority students because of concerns about cross-cultural bias.” The mother states that she will give her permission for such testing, but the assistant principal says, “I’m sorry, we’ll have to make do with some other tests and with observation.” is this ethical? Professional? Legal? If you were a school counselor or school psychologist and this mother came to see you, what would you tell her?

Situation 4: A test that has not been researched to show that it is predictive of success for all potential graduate students in social work is used as part of the program’s admission process. When challenged on this by a potential student, the head of the program states that the test has not been shown to be biased and the program uses other, additional criteria for admission. You are a member of the faculty at this program. Is this ethical? Professional? Legal? What is your responsibility in this situation?

Situation 5: An individual who is physically challenged and wheelchair bound applies for a job at a national fast-food chain. When he goes in to take the test for a mid-level job at this company, he is told that he cannot be given this test because it has not been assessed for its predictive ability for individuals with his disability. You are hired by the company to do the testing. What is your responsibility, if any, to this individual and to the company? Ethical, Legal And Professional Standards In Assessment

The incidence and prevalence of elderly consumers of long-term care

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Long-Term Care Today

Demographics and epidemiological transitions result in dramatic changes in the health needs of individuals throughout the globe. In recent times, there has been increase in the prevalence of long-term disability in the population—causing increasing need for long-term care services. In addition, the present developing world is experiencing an increase in the demand for long-term care services at a cost much lower than industrialized countries.

Prepare a report in a 3- to 4-page Microsoft Word document comparing the US long-term care system with the long-term care system of a developing country. Research the Internet to find relevant content. 

Include the following information in your report:

What are the chronic illness trends of each country?

What is the incidence and prevalence of elderly consumers of long-term care in the United States as compared to your chosen developing country?

How does each country expect these numbers to change in the next ten years?

What are the main characteristics of the elderly population in both the countries? Is there any difference in the long-term health care needs of consumers in both the countries? Provide a rationale for your answer.

Who are the institutional and noninstitutional caregivers in both the countries? Support your answer with relevant examples. Explain the factors that affect care giving in each country.

Is there any difference in the status of quality of care of the elderly consumers in the United States as compared to the developing country?

Is there any difference in the health care cost provided in the United States as compared to the developing country? Define any social support that may exist to cover health care in both countries.

Support your responses with examples.

Cite any sources in APA format.

Counseling Project: Case Summary and Presenting Problems Instructions

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Counseling Project: Case Summary and Presenting Problems Instructions

You will develop a 4–6-page (not counting title page) Case Summary and Presenting Problems paper about a fictional character. APA formatted must be followed throughout the paper, and only third person should be used. Please follow the rules listed below:

1. The client must not be a real person, but someone portrayed in television, a movie, literature, etc. No cartoon characters are acceptable. Real and presently living people WILL NOT be accepted for grading.

2. The client must be an adult (age 21 or older) since the theories you will write about are mainly directed towards adults.

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3. The following problems/disorders are not allowed to be used due to the limitations of the theories as they are being taught in this course (future courses will go into greater detail on these topics): Counseling Project: Case Summary and Presenting Problems Instructions

· Suicidal and self-harming thoughts or behaviors

· Bipolar Disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders

· Sexual Abuse/Trauma

This paper must be written with the fictional character as the “client,” and you as the treating therapist (use the Case Summary of Helen from Module/Week 1 as an example). This summary will be the basis for your Conceptualization and Treatment Plans 1 and 2 that you will develop later in the course. This paper must have 3 sections: Client History, Presenting Problems, and Treatment Goals (show these as level 1 headings).

Title Page

Refer to your current APA manual for directions on formatting a title page. Include a running head, page number, paper title, your name, and the institution name (Liberty University). No abstract is required for this short paper.

Client History (1–2 pages) Counseling Project: Case Summary and Presenting Problems Instructions

Introduce your client to the reader over several paragraphs: Where can this client be found (television, movie, book, etc.)? What makes this client interesting? What does the client “say” about his/her life? How open do you believe the client will be to counseling? How can rapport be built with the client if he/she is hesitant about counseling?

Presenting Problems (1–2 pages)

This section addresses the following questions: What does the client say his/her problems are? What in the client’s life/background makes counseling a viable option for him/her? Use issues that you are aware of in your client’s life, but you can also fabricate some of the client history if there are not enough details provided in the fictional storyline.

This section must be at least 3 paragraphs and emphasize at least 3 problem areas for the client. For example, a client may have issues in personal functioning (depression, anxiety, etc.), relationships (spouse, children, parents, significant other, etc.), occupational functioning (trouble with boss, coworkers, unemployment, etc.) You may also address any problems the client may be experiencing with his or her spiritual health/faith.

NOTE: It is okay if 2 of the 3 paragraphs focus on personal issues (e.g., depression, then anxiety), and the other on something separate, or even if all 3 paragraphs focus on 3 personal issues. Just be clear about what is going on with this client.

Separate each problem area (e.g., Personal, Relationships) into a paragraph, using level 2 headings (flush left and bold)Counseling Project: Case Summary and Presenting Problems Instructions.

Treatment Goals (1–2 pages)

This section is developed from the issues you wrote about in the Presenting Problems section. While there is no specific rule with real clients, for this case you will conceptualize at least 3 total goals in 3 separate paragraphs. For each goal, explain what it is, why you believe it is important to work on, and what the outcome(s) should be.

Remember that the goals must be directly related to the presenting problems you wrote about in the earlier section, and must be achievable and specific. Examples of goals would be: “client’s feelings of anxiety when away from home will reduce”; “client will develop better communication with spouse when having a disagreement”; “client will learn appropriate coping strategies to deal with stress at work”; or “client’s faith will strengthen.” Please ensure goals are client focused. In other words, what does the client want to accomplish through counseling? It is also helpful to write goals that are measureable (and this may be required at your clinical sites). For example, “Client’s feelings of anxiety when away from home will decrease from an average of 8/10 to 5/10.”

Do NOT write about what theories (e.g., Adlerian, Person-Centered, Cognitive-Behavioral, etc.) you will use here to achieve these goals as this section is about the goals themselves that serve to guide you through the upcoming theories.

Also, do NOT discuss the techniques/interventions you will use to achieve the goals in this paper (e.g., journaling, interpretation, automatic thought log, free association, transference analysis, guided imagery, etc.). Those will depend on the theories you choose for the second and third papers.

Clarity is critical here, and you will be graded strictly on that. Separate each goal (Goal 1, Goal 2, etc.) into a paragraph, using level 2 headings (flush left and bold).

References

If you use a fictional television, movie, or literature character, then you are allowed to use a website for this paper only. However, all citations and references must follow current APA format. NOTE: many students get the website citation format wrong, so make sure you look in the current APA manual to properly do these if you use them. It is your responsibility to have this manual and use it Counseling Project: Case Summary and Presenting Problems Instructions.

How can RNs support the patient’s decision when the beliefs of the patient are contrary to their own

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Scenario:

Mark, a 35-year-old, was brought via ambulance to the emergency department after collapsing on the street. He was diagnosed with appendicitis and the surgical team was alerted to the potential surgery. The physician prepared to obtain informed consent and began discussing the simple effective surgery and the treatment with the patient. The RN was present at the bedside. The patient stated he did not want surgery. Based upon his beliefs as a Christian Scientist, it is against his practices. He requested a Christian Science practitioner. The patient rated his pain as 9 on 0-10 verbal pain scale so the RN prepared the narcotic analgesic to relieve the patient’s pain. The patient declined the medication. The RN believes the patient should accept the pain medication and have the surgery thinking “If it were me I would proceed with the surgery and treatments proposed by the surgeon.” The surgeon can be heard speaking to a fellow surgeon about how to go about changing the patient’s decision.

Initial Discussion Post:

Address the following:

  1. State and discuss the legal and ethical considerations occurring in this scenario. Include supporting citations.
  2. How can RNs support the patient’s decision when the beliefs of the patient are contrary to their own? List three (3) interventions, with supporting rationales, the RN would perform to ensure the delivery of culturally sensitive care.
  3. Identify one (1) additional major religion, in which the same circumstances might also require the RN to advocate for the patient’s refusal of surgery. Describe the beliefs behind why the identified religion could pose a moral conflict for a similar patient.

Base your initial post on your readings and research of this topic. Your initial post must contain a minimum of 250 words. References, citations, and repeating the question do not count towards the 250 word minimum.

Quality Of A Research Study

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Quality Of A Research Study

SCIENTIFIC MERIT

INTRODUCTION Scientific merit is the degree of quality of a research study. When the scientific merit of a research study is high, this means that the research has contributed valuable, meaningful, and valid information to a scientific discipline. This presentation will explain the basic components of scientific merit so that you so that you can evaluate the work of others as well as your own.

WHAT IS SCIENTIFIC MERIT There are three dimensions to scientific merit, and each will be discussed in turn. The three dimensions include advancing the current knowledge base, contributing to theory, and meeting the hallmarks of good research Quality Of A Research Study.

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ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE BASE The first requirement for research to have scientific merit, is that is must advance the knowledge base in the field of study. That is to say that for us to value the research, it must contribute new knowledge to one’s discipline, such as psychology. In order to determine whether research advances the knowledge base, we should ask, “Does the study address something that is not known or has not been studied before?” If the study only replicates previous findings, then it does not advance the knowledge base. In order to know whether or not research addresses something that has been studied before, you need to read and have an understanding of the literature, meaning the primary research articles on the topic. Knowledge represented in a literature review tells us what IS known. Once we understand what IS known, then we are in a position to see what is NOT known. The gap in the literature is also called the research problem. Research that is published in journal articles will present a pertinent literature review in the Introduction section of the article so that the reader can understand the current knowledge in the field Quality Of A Research Study.

We should also ask, “How does the research study make new contributions to the empirical knowledge base about the specific topic?” The manner in which information is gained in order for it to contribute to the knowledge base is important. Research in psychology must be empirical, which means the data collected is based upon observations that can be made and measured by anyone under the same conditions. We should also ask, “How is the research study extending the information to what is known in the literature already?” That is, we need to know how the research study connects to, relates to, or fits in, with other research findings. By extending information, we increase our depth of understanding about a phenomenon.

To evaluate how well the research advances the knowledge base, we might ask questions in layman’s terms such as: So what? Why is this research important? Who cares? Seriously, who is interested in the results of the study? Who is the intended audience, and how might they use the results? What change or new understanding do the findings bring? What does this study offer that is new and fresh? As an analogy, think of research findings as individual pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, how and where will this research finding—this piece—fit in? Will it help bridge a large gap, a small one? Is it a piece that will pull together several areas of the

puzzle? Is it a piece that might go in a certain area of the puzzle, but not really connect to anything that’s already there? As the French scientific philosopher Henri Poincare noted, “Science is facts; just as houses are made of stones, so is science made of facts; but a pile of stones is not a house and a collection of facts is not necessarily science.” Therefore, part of understanding how well a research finding advances knowledge in the field depends on how it fits in with other findings Quality Of A Research Study.

CONTRIBUTION TO THEORY Theories are the foundation of a researcher’s toolkit. Theories provide the theoretical framework that underlies research and organize the observations that have been made regarding a particular phenomenon. We all have theories. For example, you might have a theory about effective parenting. Whether you are a parent or not, you have made observations of people parenting their children, seen movies or TV shows of the same, heard about others’ experience, and read books. If you are a parent, you have direct experience with parenting. As we make observations, we think about what is being observed. We organize our thoughts in such a way that beliefs, attitudes, and opinions are formed about phenomenon. These beliefs, attitudes and opinions that are formed from our thoughts about observations can be used to formulate theories about how and why things occur. Researchers use theories as the basis of their research studies; testing, advancing, extending, and even creating new theories that provide insight into a particular phenomenon.

The second dimension used to evaluate scientific merit is the degree to which the research contributes to theory. There are various ways in which research can do this. We might ask if the research provides evidence that generates a brand new theory. We might also ask, does the research finding refine or add to an existing theory? Theories are never perfect, and they are always open to verification. So we might also ask, does the research test to confirm or refute current theory? And last, we could ask, “Does the research expand theory by telling us something new about how it can be applies?” Some theories lend themselves well to practical applications, such as therapy or education. Research might contribute to theory by showing how the theory might be applied in a certain context.

HALLMARKS OF GOOD RESEARCH Like most other human endeavors, research can be well done, or poorly done. Obviously, research that is done well has more scientific merit than research that is done poorly. But how can we evaluate whether research is good? Simply put, research is good when it is based upon sound methodology. Specifically, we can look at whether the research meets certain hallmarks of good research. The first question is, “Can the study answer the research questions with the design and method proposed?” That is to say, the research Questions must address the research problem (the gap in the literature). Furthermore, the research questions must help solve the research problem. The methodology should logically follow the research questions. You might think of the research questions as a direct bridge between the research problem, the gap in the literature, and the actual research study.

The second question is, “Are the research questions aligned with the selection of the design, method, instruments/measures, and data analysis?” In other words, does everything match up? Do the research questions logically correspond to the design and method? Are the instruments used to collect the data appropriate to the methodology and design, and do the instruments generate data that can be used to answer the research questions? Is the data analysis appropriate? Will the data analysis give the researcher an answer to the research question? Notice that what makes research good is not the results that were generated by the study but how the study was conducted, more specifically the methodology, and how well the methodology answers the research questions, which in turn helps solve the research problem.

The third question asks, “Is the study ethically sound?” All research must meet the ethical standards put in place by a researcher’s Institutional Review Board, or IRB, guidelines and regulation required by the American Psychological Association, and federal law. As part of your training as a Capella graduate student, you are required to undergo special training through the CITI program to help ensure you understand the ethical standards required when performing research. How is scientific merit related to ethics? Quality Of A Research Study

SCIENTIFIC MERIT AND ETHICS Besides the requirements regarding the ethical treatment of research participants, such as giving informed consent, there is the additional requirement that the research be scientifically valid. If research does not advance the knowledge base, does not contribute to theory, and does not meet the hallmark of utilizing sound scientific methodology, then it is unethical to do the research. Stated another way, it is unethical to do bad or unnecessary research. As Pilkington wrote in 2002, “If a study does not hold substantial promise of answering a significant question, thereby generating valuable knowledge, then there is no justification for exposing persons to the actual or potential risks and inconvenience of participation.”

SUMMARY To summarize, there are the three dimensions of scientific merit. First, the research must advance the knowledge base of the field by contributing new, meaningful information that connects to other findings in the field. Second, the research must make a contribution to theory by providing research evidence that forms the basis of a new theory, or adds to, extends, tests, or demonstrates the applicability of current theory. Third, research must meet certain hallmarks of good research. The hallmarks include the degree to which the research methods are appropriate for answering the research question, and whether the research is ethically sound.

Whether you plan to do your own research or not in the future, it is imperative that as a professional in psychology, you understand as much as possible about the research process. As a professional, you will make use of research findings as part of your work. In order to use them correctly, it is your responsibility to learn about the processes involved in conducting research and how to evaluate scientific merit. You are encouraged to visit these Capella sites to enhance your understanding of research.

• Learn about doing research at Capella: https://campus.capella.edu/web/library/library-research-skills

• Learn about doing research in your school: https://campus.capella.edu/web/dissertation-research/research-in-your-school

• Learn about the Capella Research Center and research ethics: https://campus.capella.edu/web/library/more-services-and-tools

CREDITS Subject Matter Expert: Interactive Designer:

Instructional Designer: Quality Of A Research Study

Treatment and management of the musculoskeletal or neurologic disorder

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CASE STUDY

nursing: Child with meningitis: Pediatrics

Case Study 2: MeningitisTrevon is an 18-month-old with a 3-day history of upper-respiratory-type symptoms that have progressively worsened over the last 8 hours. His immunizations are up to date. Mom states he spiked a fever to 103.2°F this morning and he has become increasingly fussy. He vomited after drinking a cup of juice this afternoon and has refused PO fluids since then. Pertinent physical exam findings include negative abdominal exam, marked irritability with inconsolable crying, and he cries louder with pupil examination and fights head and neck assessment. You are unable to elicit Kernig’s or Brudzinski’s signs due to patient noncompliance.

 TO PREPARE:  DUE TUESDAY 5/9/17

WRITE: an explanation of the differential diagnosis for the patient in the above case study. 

Explain which is the most likely diagnosis for the patient and why. Include an explanation of unique characteristics of the disorder you identified as the primary diagnosis.

Then, explain a treatment and management plan for the patient, including appropriate dosages for any recommended treatments.

 Finally, explain strategies for educating patients and families on the treatment and management of the musculoskeletal or neurologic disorder.

 RULES:

APA, No plagiarism, 5-6 References not later than 5 yeras old. Use scholarly written aricles from USA only.  MASTERS LEVEL WRITING.

Scientific Merit Paper Evaluation

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Scientific Merit Paper Evaluation

INTRODUCTION

Throughout this course, you have learned about several research approaches in both qualitative and

quantitative methodology. Even though there are many ways in which researchers can solve research problems

with different research approaches and designs, there is one thing that all good scientific research has in

common: scientific merit. Scientific Merit Paper Evaluation

At the beginning of the course, you were introduced to the concept of scientific merit. You learned that in order

for research to have scientific merit, it must achieve three things:

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• It must contribute something new to the scientific knowledge base in the field. In order for research to

do this, a researcher must conduct a thorough literature review to identify a research problem. A

research problem is something that has not been addressed by previous research, and would be

meaningful to know. Often, the research problem is referred to as a gap in the literature.

• It must contribute to theory. Theories are the primary tools by which science organizes its

knowledge—the tools that allow the field to explain previous and current findings and predict future

ones. Research that has scientific merit can advance theories in several ways, including confirming, Scientific Merit Paper Evaluation

extending, refuting, or proposing theories.

• It must meet the hallmarks of good research. This is the component that has been most emphasized in

this course as you have learned about the defining characteristics of the two methodologies and the

various approaches of both. But a researcher who has conducted high-quality research has only met this

criterion of scientific merit to the extent that the research design and procedures allowed the research

problem to be solved and the research questions to be answered. It is crucial to remember that the

purpose of research is to solve a research problem by investigating something that has not been

previously researched; that is, to fill the gap in the literature. Research methods are simply tools that

researchers use to do this. When researchers effectively use research methods to solve a research

problem, then we can say that the research has met the hallmarks of good research.

As a professional, you will be called upon to use research findings in the psychological literature. In order to do

this, you will be responsible for evaluating the scientific merit of the research that produced those findings. Scientific Merit Paper Evaluation

While most research published in peer-reviewed journals can be trusted to have good scientific merit, it can be

risky not to evaluate research for yourself, especially research findings most pertinent to your work and career.

This course has given you the opportunity to learn how to do this for yourself, should you ever plan to do your

own research in the future. It has provided you with the necessary background regarding how to plan research

that has good scientific merit.

OBJECTIVES

To successfully complete this learning unit, you will be expected to:

1. Discuss hallmarks of good research.

2. Distinguish three dimensions of scientific merit.

3. Apply principles of scientific merit to chosen research study.

Scientific Merit – STUDIES

Readings

Leedy and Ormrod text to complete the following: Scientific Merit Paper Evaluation

• Review the “What Is Research” section of Chapter 1, “The Nature and Tools of Research,” pages 3–7.

This review will put the details of research methods you have learned in the class into a larger

Perspectives

Transcript

• Review the Scientific Merit Presentation transcript piece. This will refresh your knowledge on

scientific merit to help you address this unit’s assignment.

SCIENTIFIC MERIT PAPER

Resources

Scientific Merit Paper Scoring Guide.

• Evaluates the scientific merit of the article by analyzing how the research advances the scientific knowledge base.

• Evaluates the scientific merit of the article by analyzing how the research contributes to research theory and the

field of study.

• Evaluates the scientific merit of the article by analyzing the scientific methods.

• Analyzes the validity and reliability of a selected research study and elaborates on how it contributes to scientific

merit.

• Analyzes the effectiveness of strategies selected for addressing ethical concerns in the design of a research study.

• Communicates in a manner that is completely scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for

members of the identified field of study, and uses APA style and formatting with few or no errors.

APA Style and Format.

Research Library.

Persistent Links and DOIs.

Using the research study you selected and attached, along with the course assignments for which

you deconstructed your research study, write a scientific merit paper. In your paper, address the following: Scientific Merit Paper Evaluation

• Evaluate how a research study advances the scientific knowledge base of an identified field of study.

• Evaluate how a specific research study contributes to research theory and the field of study.

• Evaluate how the scientific methods of inquiry are applied to a specific research study.

• Evaluate the validity and reliability of a selected research study.

• Assess strategies for addressing ethical concerns in the design of a research study.

• Apply the terminology of research.

• Demonstrate both the depth and the breadth of your understanding of scientific research and

scientific merit by including relevant examples and supporting evidence.

Requirements

scientific merit by including relevant examples and supporting evidence.

Requirements

• The paper should be 10–12 pages long, not counting references, block quotes, or title page. Neither

an abstract nor table of content is required, and would not count in the paper length.

• Minimum of seven scholarly resources. It is expected that one of these resources will be the study you

selected for the Unit 2 assignment, and another will be the required textbook for the course, by

Leedy and Ormrod.

• Use APA style and formatting, including correct in-text citations, proper punctuation, double-spacing

throughout, proper headings and subheadings, no skipped lines before headings and subheadings,

proper paragraph and block indentation, no bolding, and no bullets.

• Include the permalink to your article on the title page of your paper.

Refer to the project description and the assignment scoring guide to make sure you meet the requirements

of this assignment Scientific Merit Paper Evaluation.