Scenario: Family
An 83, year old woman is recovering from pneumonia. She has Alzheimer’s disease and has become increasingly hostile and unmanageable in the home setting. Her 65, year old daughter is distraught about the idea of placing her mother in a long term care facility but feels she is not able to care for her.

• As a nurse, what is your role in this situation?
• How might you help the daughter with her decision?
• What information would you give the daughter?

Realtors rely on detailed property appraisals—conducted using appraisal tools—to assign market values to houses and other properties. These values are then presented to buyers and sellers to set prices and initiate offers.

Research appraisal is not that different. The critical appraisal process utilizes formal appraisal tools to assess the results of research to determine value to the context at hand. Evidence-based practitioners often present these findings to make the case for specific courses of action.

In this Assignment, you will use an appraisal tool to conduct a critical appraisal of published research. You will then present the results of your efforts.

To Prepare:

• Reflect on the four peer-reviewed articles you selected in Module 2 and the four systematic reviews (or other filtered high- level evidence) you selected in Module 3.
• Reflect on the four peer-reviewed articles you selected in Module 2 and analyzed in Module 3.
• Review and download the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template provided in the Resources.

The Assignment (Evidence-Based Project)

Part 4A: Critical Appraisal of Research

Conduct a critical appraisal of the four peer-reviewed articles you selected by completing the Evaluation Table within the Critical Appraisal Tool Worksheet Template. Choose a total of four peer-reviewed articles that you selected related to your clinical topic of interest in Module 2 and Module 3.

Note: You can choose any combination of articles from Modules 2 and 3 for your Critical Appraisal. For example, you may choose two unfiltered research articles from Module 2 and two filtered research articles (systematic reviews) from Module 3 or one article from Module 2 and three articles from Module 3. You can choose any combination of articles from the prior Module Assignments as long as both modules and types of studies are represented.

Part 4B: Critical Appraisal of Research

Based on your appraisal, in a 1-2-page critical appraisal, suggest a best practice that emerges from the research you reviewed. Briefly explain the best practice, justifying your proposal with APA citations of the research.

 Submit Part 4A and 4B of your Evidence-Based Project. 

Compose a focused paper that explains and describes your healthcare issue/topic from the scientific and mathematical/analytical perspectives of inquiry. (You will cover two perspectives in one paper.)

Address your general topic by forming and answering two levels of research questions for each inquiry.

• Choose a “Level 1 Research Question/Writing Prompt” from both of the lists below to answer in the paper.
• Compose a “Level 2 Research Question/Writing Prompt” for each kind of inquiry that provides detail, specificity, and focus to your inquiry, research, and writing.
• State your research questions in the introduction of your paper.
• Answer each research question and support your assertions with evidence (research) to form the body of your paper.
• In the conclusion of the paper, briefly review the issues, research questions, answers, and insights.

Level 1 Research Questions/Writing Prompts
SCIENTIFIC Perspective of Inquiry
What are the anatomical, physiological, pathological, or epidemiological issues?
Which body systems are affected?
What happens at the cellular or genetic level?
Which chemical or biological issues are most important?
Level 1 Research Questions/Writing Prompts
MATHEMATICAL/ANALYTICAL Perspective of Inquiry
What are the economic issues involved?
Which economic theories or approaches best explain the issue?
What are the statistical facts related to the issue?
Which statistical processes used to study the issue provide for the best explanation or understanding?

Your paper must be five pages in length and reference four to six scholarly, peer-reviewed resources. Be sure to follow current APA Style (e.g., spacing, font, headers, titles, abstracts, page numbering).

Refer to the rubric for evaluation details and to assist in preparing the paper.

Assignment:

Public health officials in state offices usually participate in the analysis of proposed legislation but may have different names for the format or process that is used in that state. For this purposes of this assignment, the term Health Policy Analysis (HPA) will be used with the following format. The student is to create an HPA using one of the following scenarios.

Scenario One:

The nurse consultant in the state office has been assigned to complete the HPA for this bill.

Complete the HPA in clear succinct sentences. At least three references should be cited using the APA style is required.

House Bill No. 240 has been introduced in the state General Assembly by a patron and has been referred to the “Health Committee.” The bill is as follows:

That the code of this state is amended by adding a section to the ɠ 32.1-134 regarding hospital practice to read: Every hospital providing maternity care shall, prior to releasing each maternity patient, make available to such patient and her husband information about postpartum depression and a list of available treatment options available in the state. This information shall be discussed with the maternity patient with her physician and documented in the patient’s medical record.

Complete a health policy analysis using the following questions:

• Summarize the proposed legislation. Use your own words to describe the intent of the legislation.
• Describe the problem the proposed legislation is intended to address. Use secondary data to further describe the problem as is known from the literature.
• Identify the stakeholders and project the expected opinion. Indicate who would be in support of the legislation and why. Indicate who would not support the legislation and why?
• Examine the risks and benefits of the proposed legislation. If this bill is passed, what would be the expected outcomes and would that have a positive or negative impact on the public health? If this bill is not passed, what would be the positive or negative outcomes?
• Provide discussion as to the projected costs of this legislation if any.
• What would be the recommendation to the Governor?
• Should the Governor strongly support the bill and make a statement that he would sign if passed by the legislature?
• Should the Governor support the bill but express concerns or reservations? If so, what are those concerns? Can the proposed legislation be improved? If so, suggest the amendment/s.
• Should the Governor not support and state that he would veto if it passed the legislature? Give the reasons why the bill should not be supported and vetoed.
• The assignment should be presented in APA format in a scholarly essay of 1500 to 2000 words. At least two scholarly sources, other than the textbook and provided materials should be utilized.

Week  1,2, & 4 Journal Entry
Select a client that you observed or counseled this week. Then, address the following in your Practicum Journal:

• Describe the client (without violating HIPAA regulations) and identify any pertinent history or medical information, including prescribed medications.
• Using the DSM-5, explain and justify your diagnosis for this client.
• Explain whether cognitive behavioral therapy would be effective with this client. Include expected outcomes based on this therapeutic approach. Support your approach with evidence-based literature.
• Explain any legal and/or ethical implications related to counseling this client.

Note: Be sure to use the Practicum Journal Template, located in the Learning Resources.

rubric:

Quality of Work Submitted:
The extent of which work meets the assigned criteria and work reflects graduate level critical and analytic thinking.–

Excellent 27 (67.5%) – 30 (75%)Good 24 (60%) – 26 (65%)Fair 21 (52.5%) – 23 (57.5%)Poor 0 (0%) – 20 (50%)

Quality of Work Submitted:
The purpose of the paper is clear.–

Excellent 5 (12.5%) – 5 (12.5%)Good 4 (10%) – 4 (10%)Fair 3.5 (8.75%) – 3.5 (8.75%)Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (7.5%)

Written Expression and Formatting

Paragraph and Sentence Structure: Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are clearly structured and carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance.–

Excellent 5 (12.5%) – 5 (12.5%)Good 4 (10%) – 4 (10%)Fair 3.5 (8.75%) – 3.5 (8.75%)Poor 0 (0%) – 3 (7.5%)