Movie: “Merchants Of Doubt”

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Make sure to read the questions first and write down the times when these points are discussed in case you need to hear those parts again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-npe7Bczj3g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqiCLuOtXts

“Merchants of Doubt” is a 2014 documentary inspired by the 2010 book of the same name written by Naomi Oreskes professor of Science History from Harvard University, and Eric Conway the historian at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA.

The book identifies parallels between the global warming controversy and earlier controversies over tobacco smoking, acid rain, DDT, and the hole in the ozone layer. The book, and movie in turn, expose the strategy of ‘keeping the controversy alive’ by spreading doubt and confusion after a scientific consensus has already been reached.

The movie takes a hard look at what arguments climate deniers are making and what tactics they use to propagate their message.  These tactics have been used successfully by the same people on previous issues and are now being cultivated to prevent the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions in response to the risk of global climate change – regardless of scientific consensus.

PART I:  Assignment

Watch the movie “Merchants of Doubt” and respond to the following questions. Make sure to read the questions before watching the movie.

A goal of this class is to help give each of you the ability to discuss Climate Change with others who do not have the same knowledge or who have different viewpoints. This assignment will provide a challenging and rewarding opportunity for you to practice this. With everything you have learned to this point, write an essay/discussion post of how you would explain the climate change controversies discussed in this movie to an interested high school senior who has heard of global warming and the various debates, but is not familiar with the science of Climate Change.

Be sure to explain all parts of each of the following questions and use different paragraphs for different topics.

1) General Discussion (4 pts)

a) What is the goal of the climate change deniers in the movie (hint – use title of movie)?  Describe how this goal is achieved using two examples from the movie.

b) Describe two unethical practices of climate change deniers that were highlighted in the movie.  How do you think these practices have affected the climate change discussion?

2) Oregon Petition & Climategate Discussion (4 pts) 

Just before the Kyoto Negotiations, the Oregon Petition was created to attack the climate change science.  Just before the Copenhagen Summit, there were the attacks from Climategate.

a) What was the Oregon Petition as described in the movie?  How many “scientists who specialize in climate science” actually signed this document?  See the first paragraph at this link https://skepticalscience.com/OISM-Petition-Project-intermediate.htm (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

b) What was Climategate as described in the movie or in your textbook?  Which of the tactics explained at the following link is used to promote the Climategate allegations?  How so?

https://www.skepticalscience.com/5-characteristics-of-scientific-denialism.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

3) Deniers that Switched (4 pts)

The movie discussed two climate change deniers that changed their views and became important spokesman in the fight against climate change.

a) Who was the Director of Skeptic Society and what caused him to change his views on climate change?

b) Who was the very conservative Congressman from South Carolina and what caused him to change his views on climate change?

4) Think Tanks and Institutes (4 pts)

The movie discussed several “think tanks” that were created specifically to promote specific views, often so their founding organizations could be anonymous.

a) The Cato Institute created the NIPCC.  What does NIPCC stand for and why was it created?  Did they do any new scientific work?

b) Who was the CEO of the George C. Marshall Institute?  What industry was he a registered lobbyist for?  What was the goal of this institute?

5) Russian Arctic (4 pts)

Near the end of the movie, former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who was the CEO of ExxonMobile at the time was shown shaking hands with Vladimir Putin.  What actions were planned to take place as a result of this agreement?  How did Climate Change allow this to occur? While this particular deal is no longer intact, there is much contention between nations over who will have access to arctic drilling rights.

6) Personal Review of “Merchants of Doubt” (6 pts)

After watching “Merchants of Doubt”, discuss how we can move beyond the questions and controversies that this movie brings out.  (100-200 words minimum)

Notes:

1.  Remember to use separate paragraphs for each of the points listed above, make sure there is a logical flow to your arguments and that it is written as though you are telling a story to a high school senior. This will make it more fun!

2.  We are looking forward to reading your essay to a high school senior!

 
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Need Lab Done For SCI207 Our Dependence Upon The Environment Details & Forms Attached

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Climate Change Investigation Manual

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

CLIMATE CHANGE

Overview In this lab, students will carry out several activities aimed at demonstrating consequences of anthropogenic carbon emissions, climate change, and sea level rise. To do this, students will model how certain gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap heat and then how different colors and textures of surfaces reflect differing amounts of sunlight back into space. They will create models of sea level rise resulting from melting of sea ice and glacial ice and examine the effects of this potential consequence of climate change. Students will critically examine the model systems they used in the experiments.

Outcomes • Explain the causes of increased carbon emissions and their likely

effect on global climate. • Discuss positive and negative climate feedback. • Distinguish between glacial ice melt and oceanic ice melt.

Time Requirements Preparation …………………………………………………………… 15 minutes Activity 1: Modeling the Greenhouse Effect ………………. 30 minutes Activity 2: Modeling Albedo ……………………………………. 40 minutes Activity 3: Sea Ice, Glacial Ice, and Sea Level Rise ……. 30 minutes

2 Carolina Distance Learning

Key Personal protective equipment (PPE)

goggles gloves apron follow link to video

photograph results and

submit

stopwatch required

warning corrosion flammable toxic environment health hazard

Made ADA compliant by NetCentric Technologies using the CommonLook® software

Table of Contents

2 Overview 2 Outcomes 2 Time Requirements 3 Background 9 Materials 9 Safety 9 Preparation 10 Activity 1 11 Activity 2 12 Activity 3 13 Graphing 13 Submission 13 Disposal and Cleanup 14 Lab Worksheet

 

 

Background For the last 30 years, controversy has surrounded the ideas of global warming/climate change. However, the scientific concepts behind the theory are not new. In the 1820s, Joseph Fourier was the first to recognize that, given the earth’s size and distance from the sun, the planet’s surface temperature should be considerably cooler than it was. He proposed several mechanisms to explain why the earth was warmer than his calculations predicted, one of which was that the earth’s atmosphere might act as an insulator. Forty years later, John Tyndall demonstrated that different gases have different capacities to absorb infrared radiation, most notably methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), and water vapor (H2O), all of which are present in the atmosphere. In 1896, Svante Arrhenius developed the first mathematical model of the effect of increased CO2 levels on temperature. His model predicted that a doubling of the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere would produce a 5–6 °C increase in temperature globally. Based on the level of CO2 production in the late 19th century, he predicted that this change would take place over thousands of years, if at all. Arrhenius used Arvid Högbom’s calculations of industrial CO2 emissions in his equations. Högbom thought that the excess CO2 would be absorbed by the ocean; others believed that the effect of CO2 was insignificant next to the much larger effect of water vapor.

It was not until the late 1950s, when the CO2 absorption capacity of the ocean was better understood and significant increases in CO2 levels (a 10% increase from the 1850s to the 1950s) were being observed by G. S. Callendar,

that Arrhenius’s calculations received renewed attention.

The Atmosphere Weather is the condition of the atmosphere in a given location at a specific time. Climate is the prevailing weather pattern over a longer period of time (decades or centuries).

The atmosphere is a thin shell (~100 km) of gases that envelops the earth. It is made up principally of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and argon (0.9%). Trace gases include methane (CH4), ozone (O3), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (e.g., NO2) and sulfur (e.g., SO2) (see Figure 1).

Water vapor is sometimes included in the composition of gases in the atmosphere, but a lot of times it is not because its amount varies widely, from 0%–4%, depending on location. The concentration of gases in the atmosphere is not uniform either; the atmosphere consists of several concentric layers. Some gases are concentrated at certain altitudes. Water and

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Figure 1.

 

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Background continued carbon dioxide are concentrated near the earth’s surface, for instance, while ozone is concentrated 20 to 30 kilometers above the surface. Energy transfer from the sun at and near the surface of the earth is responsible for weather and climate. Solar radiation heats land, the oceans, and atmospheric gases differently, resulting in the constant transfer of energy across the globe.

Several factors interact to cause areas of the earth’s surface and atmosphere to heat at different rates, a process called differential heating. The first is the angle at which the sun’s light hits the earth. When the sun is directly overhead, as it is at the equator, the light is direct. Each square mile of incoming sunlight hits one square mile of the earth. At higher latitudes, the sun hits at an angle, spreading the one square mile of sunlight over more of the earth’s surface. Thus, the intensity of the light is reduced and the surface does not warm as quickly (see Figure 2). This causes the tropics, near the equator, to be warmer and the poles to be cooler.

Different materials heat and cool at different rates. Darker surfaces heat faster than lighter surfaces. Water has a high heat capacity, which is important on a planet whose surface is 72% water. Heat capacity is a measure of how much heat it takes to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree. The heat capacity of liquid water is roughly four times that of air. Water is slow to warm and slow to cool, relative to land. This also contributes to differential heating of the earth.

Differential heating causes circulation in the atmosphere and in the oceans. Warmer fluids

are less dense and rise, leaving behind an area of low pressure. Air and water move laterally to distribute the change in pressure. This is critical in developing prevailing wind patterns and in cycling nutrients through the ocean.

The Role of the Oceans The oceans play an important role in regulating the atmosphere as well. The large volume of the oceans, combined with the high heat capacity of water, prevent dramatic temperature swings in the atmosphere. The relatively large surface area of the oceans, ~70% of the surface of the earth, means that the oceans can absorb large amounts of atmospheric CO2.

Greenhouse Gases The greenhouse effect is a natural process;

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Figure 2.

 

 

without it, the earth would be significantly cooler (see Figure 3). The sun emits energy in a broad range of wavelengths. Most energy from the sun passes through the atmosphere. Some is reflected by the atmosphere and some by the earth’s surface back into space, but much of it is absorbed by the atmosphere and the earth’s surface. Absorbed energy is converted into infrared energy, or heat. Oxygen and nitrogen allow incoming sunlight and outgoing thermal infrared energy to pass through. Water vapor, CO2, methane, and some trace gases absorb infrared energy; these are the greenhouse gases. After absorbing energy, the greenhouse gases radiate it in all directions, causing the temperature of the atmosphere and the earth to rise.

Greenhouse gases that contribute to the insulation of the earth can be grouped into two categories: condensable and persistent. Persistent gases—such as CO2, methane, nitrous oxide (N2O), and ozone (O3)—exist in the environment for much longer periods of time than condensable gases. These times can range from a few years to thousands of years. The longer residence allows them to become well-mixed geographically. The amount of a condensable gas is temperature dependent. Water is the primary greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, but because it is condensable, it is not considered a forcing factor. Forcing factors (forcings) are features of the earth’s climate system that drive climate change; they may be internal or external to the planet and its atmosphere. Feedbacks are events that take place as a result of forcings.

Carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases identified by Tyndall as having high heat capacities make up a relatively minor fraction of the atmosphere, but they have a critical effect on the temperature of the earth. Without the naturally occurring greenhouse effect, it is estimated that the earth’s average temperature would be approximately –18 °C (0 °F). The greenhouse effect also acts as a buffer, slowing both the warming during the day and the cooling at night. This is an important feature of the earth’s atmosphere. Without the greenhouse effect, the temperature would drop below the freezing point of water and the amount of water in the atmosphere would plummet, creating a feedback loop. A feedback loop is a mechanism that either enhances (positive

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Figure 3.

 

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Background continued feedback) or dampens (negative feedback) the effect that triggers it.

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased from approximately 280 ppm to 411 ppm (see the Keeling Curve). This change is attributed to the burning of fossil fuels—such as coal, oil, and natural gas—and changes in land use, i.e., cutting down large tracts of old-growth forests. Old-growth forests, like fossil fuels, sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Burning of either releases that carbon into the atmosphere in the form of CO2. Clearing old-growth forests has an additional impact on the carbon cycle because trees actively

remove CO2 from the atmosphere to convert it to sugar and carbohydrates (see Figure 4). Removing long-lived trees and replacing them with short-lived crops and grasses reduces the time over which the carbon is removed from the atmosphere.

Determining the exact effect that the increase in CO2 concentrations will have on atmospheric temperature is complicated by a variety of interactions and potential feedback loops. However, the overall impact is an ongoing temperature increase, known as global climate change (see Figure 5).

Potential Feedback Loops Some examples of potential positive feedback loops that may enhance the effects of global

climate change are:

1. Higher temperatures allow the atmosphere to absorb more water. More water vapor in the atmosphere traps more heat, further increasing temperature.

2. Melting of sea ice and glaciers, which are relatively light in color, to darker bodies or water decreases the albedo (the amount of energy reflected back into space) of the earth’s surface, increasing temperatures. Figure 6 shows an ice albedo feedback loop.

3. Warmer temperatures melt more of the arctic permafrost (frozen

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Figure 4.

 

 

ground), releasing methane into the atmosphere, further raising temperatures.

4. Higher temperatures may result in greater rainfall in the North Atlantic, and melting of sea ice creates a warm surface layer of fresh

water there. This would block formation of sea ice and disrupt the sinking of cold, salty water. It may also slow deep oceanic currents that carry carbon, oxygen, nutrients, and heat around the globe.

Other factors may work as negative feedbacks, dampening the effects of global climate change:

1. An increase in CO2 level in the atmosphere leads to an increase in CO2 in the oceans, stabilizing CO2 levels.

2. Increased atmospheric temperatures and CO2 promote plant and algae growth, increasing absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere, lowering the CO2 levels there, and stabilizing temperature.

3. Warmer air, carrying more moisture, produces more snow at high latitudes. This increases the albedo of the earth’s surface, stabilizing temperature.

4. Warmer, moister air produces more clouds, which also increases the albedo of the earth’s surface, stabilizing temperature.

The relative impact of each of these potential effects is a subject of debate and leads to the uncertainty in models used to predict future climate change resulting from an increase in anthropogenic (human-caused) greenhouse gases. However, the consensus among climate scientists is that the positive feedbacks will likely overwhelm the negative ones.

Possible Consequences Consequences of an increase in average temperature are difficult to predict on a regional

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Figure 6.

Figure 5.

 

 

CLIMATE CHANGE

Background continued

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crop growth. Climes that are more northerly may experience an increase in productivity. These shifts will put stress on ecosystems as well. How resilient each community is to the change will vary with location and other pressures.

Modeling The atmosphere and climate are highly complex systems that are challenging to understand and predict. To explore such complex systems, scientists frequently employ models. A model is a simplification of a complex process that isolates certain factors likely to be important. Sometimes a model can be a physical representation of something too big or too small to see, such as a model solar system. However, scientists frequently use mathematical equations derived from observed data to predict future conditions. With the addition of computers, mathematical climate equations can be linked together in increasingly sophisticated ways to model multiple factors in three dimensions, producing global climate models. Because of computing limitations, some factors must be simplified. How they are represented within the model can lead to a degree of error in the outcome predicted. Ultimately, the quality of all models is determined by their success in predicting events that have not yet taken place.

scale; some, however, can be predicted with a relatively high degree of confidence. One of these is sea level rise. Sea level rise is the result of two processes. The first is the melting of glaciers and Antarctic continental ice. Although the melting of sea ice can have complex consequences due to the different densities of salt and fresh water, it will not cause sea level rise. Melting of glaciers and the deep ice over the Antarctic continent, however, can. The second cause of sea level rise, related to warmer temperatures, is that water expands as it warms. As the oceans warm, the water rises farther up the shore. Countries and cities that have large portions of their land area at or just above sea level may be in jeopardy.

The loss of mountain glaciers is already causing changes in freshwater availability. As glaciers shrink, regions that depend on seasonal meltwater for hydroelectric power or for irrigation and drinking water are increasingly affected. Whereas rainfall may increase in these regions (even as the amount of snowmelt decreases), rainwater is considerably more difficult to control because it does not occur at as predictable a rate as meltwater. River systems may be overwhelmed by increased runoff rates, which can cause flooding. One of the richest agricultural regions in the world, California, depends heavily on snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada. One of the world’s most populous river valleys, the Indus, is equally dependent on snowmelt from the Himalayas.

Less predictable consequences are the shifting of global weather patterns and the subsequent changes in natural populations. Areas previously ideal for agriculture may become too arid for

 

 

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Materials Included in the materials kit:

Safety Wear your safety goggles, gloves, and lab apron for the duration of this investigation.

Read all the instructions for these laboratory activities before beginning. Follow the instructions closely, and observe established laboratory safety practices, including the use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

Do not eat, drink, or chew gum while performing the activities. Wash your hands with soap and water before and after performing each activity. Clean the work area with soap and water after completing the investigation. Keep pets and children away from lab materials and equipment.

Preparation 1. Read through the activities. 2. Obtain all materials. 3. Monitor the local weather forecast.

Activities 1 and 2 require a bright, sunny day. (Alternatively, you can use a heat lamp, halogen lamp, or lamp with a bright incandescent bulb; compact fluorescent or LED bulbs will not work.)

2 Foam cups

2 Thermometers

Construction paper, black

Rubber band

Needed from the equipment kit:

Graduated cylinder, 100 mL

Reorder Information: Replacement supplies for the Greenhouse Gases and Sea Level Rise investigation (item number 580854) can be ordered from the Carolina Biological Supply Company.

Call: 800.334.5551 to order.

Needed but not supplied: • Clear plastic wrap • Aluminum foil • Tap water • 4 Small ice cubes,

identical in size • Transparent tape • Scissors • Timer or stopwatch • Pencil

• Digital camera or mobile device capable of taking photos

• Access to bright sunlight (or a heat lamp, halogen lamp, or lamp with an incandescent bulb)

Plastic funnel

 

 

indicate the higher temperature when placed in the sunlight or under a hot lamp. Record your hypothesis on the Lab Worksheet (see page 14).

6. Find a location currently receiving full sun, either outdoors or by a sunny window. Alternatively, you can use a heat lamp, halogen lamp, or lamp with an incandescent bulb. (Compact fluorescent or LED bulbs will not work.)

7. Place the cup with the thermometer in it in a stable location in the bright sunlight or under the lamp. Hold the other thermometer close to the cup, so that both thermometers are receiving about the same level of light. (Do not touch the bulb of the thermometer you are holding.)

8. Determine the temperatures in degrees Celsius for both thermometers. Record them in Data Table 1 on the Lab Worksheet.

9. Once every minute, continue to measure and record the temperatures from both thermometers until the thermometer in the foam cup reads the same temperature twice in a row.

10. Place a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it next to your setup for this activity. Take a photograph of the setup for later uploading to your lab report.

11. When finished, remove the plastic wrap, thermometer, and rubber band from the foam cup. You will need to reuse the thermometers and cup in Activity 2.

ACTIVITY

ACTIVITY 1 A Modeling the Greenhouse Effect

In Activity 1, you will model how certain gases in Earth’s atmosphere (carbon dioxide, methane, and others) trap heat that Earth is radiating back into space. The plastic wrap covering the foam cup mimics the effect of these greenhouse gases (see Figure 7).

1. Tear off a piece of clear plastic wrap, and place it atop the foam cup.

2. Using the rubber band, gently but firmly secure the plastic wrap on the cup. The plastic wrap represents the heat-trapping greenhouse gases in Earth’s atmosphere.

3. Using a pencil point or another thin, sharp object (shish kebab skewers work well), poke a tiny hole into the plastic wrap covering the cup.

4. Slowly press one of the thermometers into the hole until the bulb just touches the bottom of the cup. (If you accidentally make the thermometer hole too big, use transparent tape to seal the gap so that the plastic wrap completely covers the top of the cup.)

5. Propose a hypothesis as to which thermometer (the bare one or the one pressed through the plastic on the foam cup) will

10 Carolina Distance Learning

Figure 7.

 

 

ACTIVITY 2 A Modeling Albedo

In Activity 2, you will model how different colors and textures of surfaces reflect differing amounts of sunlight back into space. The more sunlight that is reflected, the higher the albedo of the surface. The less sunlight a surface reflects, the more the surface absorbs and the lower the albedo. Aluminum foil covering one of the foam cups will represent Arctic sea ice. Dark construction paper covering the other cup will represent the open ocean (see Figure 8).

1. Measure 150 mL of tap water in the graduated cylinder, and add it to one of the foam cups.

2. Measure another 150 mL of tap water in the graduated cylinder, and add it to the second foam cup.

3. Using the scissors and black paper, cut a square that is large enough to cover the top of a foam cup and fold over the sides. Fix the paper in place with transparent tape, and use your sharp object to make a tiny hole.

4. Tear a piece of aluminum foil so it’s about the same size as the black paper square. Cover the second foam cup with the aluminum foil, and use your sharp object to make a tiny hole.

5. Insert a thermometer into the hole in the black paper and the second thermometer into the hole in the aluminum foil.

6. Propose a hypothesis as to which thermome- ter (the one in the cup with dark paper or the one in the cup with aluminum foil) will indicate the higher temperature when placed in the sunlight or under a hot lamp. Record your hypothesis on the Lab Worksheet.

7. Place both cups with thermometers in a stable location in bright sunlight. Alternatively, you can place them under a heat lamp, halogen lamp, or lamp with an incandescent bulb. (Compact fluorescent or LED bulbs will not work.)

8. Measure and read the temperatures of both thermometers in degrees Celsius. Record these values in Data Table 2 on the Lab Worksheet.

9. Once every minute, continue to measure and record the temperatures until both thermometers have the same temperature reading twice in a row.

10. Calculate the temperature difference between the 2 cups by subtracting the temperature of the thermometer in the cup covered with aluminum foil from the temperature of the cup covered with the black paper. Record your result in Data Table 2 on the Lab Worksheet.

11. Place a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it next to your setup for this activity. Take a photograph of the setup for later uploading to your lab report.

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Figure 8.

 

 

ACTIVITY

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ACTIVITY 3 A Sea Ice, Glacial Ice, and Sea Level

Rise

In the following activity, you will model the effects of melting sea ice versus melting land ice (glaciers) on sea level rise. Ice cubes added directly to the graduated cylinder represent sea ice. Ice cubes placed in a funnel on top of the graduated cylinder represent glacial ice that melts on land and then flows down rivers (through the funnel) to the ocean (see Figure 9).

1. Before starting this activity, propose a hypothesis as to the outcome: Will both glacial ice and sea ice have the same effect on sea level, or will their effects be different? If different, how? Record your hypothesis on the Lab Worksheet.

2. Fill the graduated cylinder with tap water to the 50 mL line.

3. Add 2 ice cubes to the graduated cylinder (see Figure 9, left). If the ice cubes will not fit, place them in a small plastic bag and gently strike them with a hammer to break them up; make sure to place all the resulting fragments into the graduated cylinder.

4. Immediately find the volume in milliliters of the water and ice in the graduated cylinder. Record this result in Data Table 3 on the Lab Worksheet.

5. Wait until the ice has completely melted. (Depending on the air temperature, this may take about 10 minutes.)

6. Once the ice has melted, find the volume of water in the graduated cylinder. Record this result in Data Table 3 on the Lab Worksheet.

7. Subtract the initial water volume from the final water volume to find the change in water volume from the melting sea ice. Record this volume in milliliters in Data Table 3 on the Lab Worksheet.

8. Adjust the level of water in the graduated cylinder so it again reads 50 mL. Record this level as the initial water volume for melting glacial ice in Data Table 3 on the Lab Worksheet.

9. Place the funnel in the top of the cylinder. 10. Place 2 ice cubes in the funnel (see Figure 9,

right). 11. Wait until the ice has completely

melted. (Depending on the air tempera- ture, this may take about 10 minutes.)

Figure 9.

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Steps 2 and 3 Steps 8–10

 

 

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12. Once the ice has melted, find the volume of the water in the graduated cylinder. Record this result in Data Table 3 on the Lab Worksheet.

13. Subtract the initial water volume from the final water volume to find the change in water volume from the melting glacial ice. Record this volume in milliliters in Data Table 3 on the Lab Worksheet.

14. Place a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it next to your setup for this activity. Take a photograph of the setup for later uploading to your lab report.

Graphing 1. Use your data from Activity 1 to prepare

a graph of your results. You may choose to prepare either a bar graph of the final temperatures of the 2 thermometers showing the difference between them (worth “Basic” points on the scoring rubric) or a line graph of the temperatures every minute for both thermometers, showing the differences in the temperature trends between the 2 thermometers (worth “Distinguished” points on the scoring rubric). For either graph, temperature in degrees Celsius (the dependent variable) is on the vertical axis. For the line graph, time in minutes (the independent variable) will be on the horizontal axis. You may create your graph in Excel or in an online graphing program like this one: https://plot.ly/create/#/. If you prefer to prepare a graph by hand, you are required to use graph paper to do so; graphs drawn freehand on blank paper will not be accepted. You can print graph paper for free here: http:// www.printfreegraphpaper.com/

2. Repeat Step 1 using your Activity 2 data to prepare a second graph of your results. Again, you can prepare a bar graph for “Basic” credit or a line graph for “Distinguished” credit.

3. Finally, graph your results from Activity 3. Prepare a bar graph that shows the differences in water volume for the melting sea ice versus the melting glacial ice. The difference in water volume before and after the ice melted (in milliliters) will be on the vertical axis.

Submission Using the Lab Report Template provided, submit your completed report to Waypoint for grading. It is not necessary to turn in the Lab Worksheet.

Disposal and Cleanup 1. Rinse and dry the graduated cylinder, and

return it to the equipment kit. 2. If you do not have a further use for the

thermometers, consider donating them to the science program of a local school.

3. Dispose of all other materials. The plastic funnel may be recyclable.

 

 

ACTIVITY

Lab Worksheet Hypotheses Activity 1.

Activity 2.

Activity 3.

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Modeling the Greenhouse Effect

Time (min)

Bare thermometer

(˚C)

Thermometer in cup

(˚C) 0

1

2

3

4

5 6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Observations/Data Tables Data Table 1.

 

 

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Modeling Albedo

Time (min)

Temperature of water in cup with dark paper on the top (˚C)

Temperature of water in cup with aluminum foil on the top (˚C)

Temperature Difference

0

1

2

3

4

5 6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Data Table 2.

Sea Ice, Glacial Ice, and Sea Level Rise

Initial Water Volume (mL)

Final Water Volume after Ice Melt (mL)

Change in Water Volume (Final Volume—

Initial Volume) (mL)

Melting Sea Ice (ice cubes in graduated

cylinder)

Melting Glacial Ice (ice cubes in funnel)

Data Table 3.

 

 

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Climate Change

Investigation Manual

www.carolina.com/distancelearning 866.332.4478

Carolina Biological Supply Company www.carolina.com • 800.334.5551 ©2019 Carolina Biological Supply Company

CB781611908 ASH_V2.2

 

  • Climate Change
    • Table of Contents
    • Overview
    • Outcomes
    • Time Requirements
    • Key
    • Background
      • The Atmosphere
      • The Role of the Oceans
      • Greenhouse Gases
      • Potential Feedback Loops
      • Possible Consequences
      • Modeling
    • Materials
      • Included in the materials kit:
      • Needed from the equipment kit:
      • Needed but not supplied:
    • Safety
    • Preparation
    • ACTIVITY
      • ACTIVITY 1
        • A Modeling the Greenhouse Effect
      • ACTIVITY 2
        • A Modeling Albedo
      • ACTIVITY 3
        • A Sea Ice, Glacial Ice, and Sea Level Rise
    • Graphing
    • Submission
    • Disposal and Cleanup
    • Lab Worksheet
      • Hypotheses
      • Observations/Data Tables
 
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Evr Science

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16 questions in total

DUE TUESDAY MARCH 1ST AT 6PM

ENVIROMENTAL SCIENCE- CASE STUDY

 

Part II

1. What is in some fish and shellfish that has caused the EPA and FDA to issue the restriction?

2. Why is there a restriction for pregnant women and young children, but not the rest of the population? 3. Do pregnant women have to avoid all fish? Explain your answer.

4. Should Amanda have avoided the pan-seared tuna for lunch?

Part III

1. What human actions lead to increased mercury levels in the environment?

2. How does the mercury end up in fish? Draw a flow chart following the mercury path.

3. Where in the United States are mercury wet deposition levels highest? What do you think explains this pattern?

4. The EPA criterion for human health is 0.3 ug/g. Which fish species have average mercury concentrations that exceed the EPA limits?

5. The concern level for piscivorous (fish-eating) mammals is 0.1 Hg ug/g. Which fish species have average mercury concentrations that exceed this limit? Why is the mercury level for piscivorous mammals lower than the level for human health?

6. Should you be concerned about mercury toxicity if you catch and eat a largemouth bass in a local lake? Why or why not?

7. In which samples were mercury concentrations the highest (fi sh, streams, or sediment)? Why do you think this is?

Part IV

1. Draw a food web for Lake Washington using the species and food preferences given in Table 3. Start with phytoplankton (algae) as the base of your web and then build up the food chain.

2. Label the species in your food chain as either high (>100 ug/kg), medium (20-100 ug/kg), or low (below20 ug/kg) mercury concentrations. Which types of animals have the highest levels of mercury? Which types of animals have the lowest? Why do you think this is?

Final Activity

1. Imagine you are Tara. Write an email to your friend Amanda explaining what you have learned about mercury. Be sure to convey the aspects of your learning that will be most useful to Amanda.

2. Find two other examples of compounds that biomagnify. Explain how each compound and/or toxin enters the biosphere and what impacts it has on living organisms in general and humans in particular.

 

3. Distinguish between bioaccumulation and biomagnifi cation and design a mnemonic device for the distinction.

 
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Epidemiology

/in /by
  • Compose a brief Word document that answers the following questions.
  • Different measures of disease are useful to evaluate and assess public health programs and needs in different situations. Refer to Chapter 3 in Friis and Sellers (2014).
    • State which measure would best support your goal and briefly explain why you chose that measure for each of the following questions (numbers 1 – 5).

Measures of disease:

  • I = incidence rate (p. 126)
  • P = prevalence (p. 113)
  • L = lifetime prevalence (p. 114)
  • M = crude mortality rate (crude death rate) (p. 112)
  • R = sex ratio (counts) (p. 109)
  1.  To demonstrate the risks of car-train crashes at railroad crossings without warning signals.
  2. To demonstrate the amount of children’s exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke.
  3. To estimate the number of persons who have had leukemia during their lifetimes.
  4. To estimate the number of healthcare facilities needed to support patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
  5. To argue that mortality from HIV infection is a more serious public health problem in one region of the U.S than another.
 
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Environmental Science

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1) If atmospheric carbon dioxide was eliminated from our atmosphere, we would expect that the

 

Earth would:

 

A) cool considerably and photosynthesis would dramatically increase

 

B) cool considerably and photosynthesis would dramatically decrease

 

C) heat up considerably and photosynthesis would dramatically increase

 

D) heat up considerably and photosynthesis would dramatically decrease

 

2) Which of the following is a correlation that is causing widespread concern?

 

A) As atmospheric oxygen levels decline, the ozone layer is being destroyed.

 

B) As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels decline, the ozone layer is being destroyed.

 

C) As levels of methane decline, average global temperatures are increasing.

 

D) As levels of carbon dioxide increase, average global temperatures are increasing.

 

3) Which of the following is part of natural capital but not ecosystem capital?

 

A) solar energy used to drive photosynthesis throughout the biosphere

 

B) coal and oil reserves

 

C) the production of electrical energy from wind turbines and dams

 

D) the genetic diversity of all plants and animals used in modern agriculture

 

4) From an ecological economist’s perspective, without sustainability, as economies grow:

 

A) gross national product grows too

 

B) natural resources are renewed

 

C) the natural world is depleted

 

D) natural ecosystems are replenished

 

5) Natural capital includes ecosystem capital plus:

 

A) natural forms of energy, such as solar, wind, and flowing water

 

B) nonrenewable resources such as fossil fuels

 

C) money available to invest in growing industry

 

D) all of the products of photosynthesis in the biosphere

 

6) The concept of sustainability requires that:

 

A) economic growth does not exceed the renewal of natural capital

 

B) all sources of energy used in an economy must come from the sun

 

C) global economic systems are based on the harvesting of natural products

 

D) economies use equal portions of land, labor, and capital

 

7) Uncertain about the best way to keep his new lizard alive, Jerome places a heat lamp at one

 

end of the long lizard cage. Over several days, Jerome notices that the lizard tends to sit in a

 

certain place when the lamp is on. The lizard’s selection of a particular place to stay

 

represents its:

 

A) range of tolerance

 

B) temperature optimum

 

C) biotic conditioning

 

D) use of a limited resource

 

8) As global climate change warms certain mountain ranges, the temperature optima for the insect

 

species living on the mountain is causing these insects to:

 

A) move higher up the mountain

 

B) move down the mountain

 

C) move to a new biome

 

D) become parasitic

 

9) Energy is lost as it moves from one trophic level to the next because:

 

A) one trophic level does not consume the entire trophic level below it

 

B) some of the calories consumed drive cellular activities and do not add mass

 

C) some ingested materials are undigested and eliminated

 

D) All of the above.

 

10) In general, biomes at higher latitudes are most like:

 

A) biomes at higher altitudes

 

B) aquatic biomes

 

C) biomes at lower altitudes

 

D) biomes at lower latitudes

 

11) Biomes with more than 75 centimeters (30 inches) of rain a year and that never experience

 

freezing temperatures are most likely found:

 

A) at high altitudes

 

B) nearest the equator at low altitudes

 

C) at high altitudes in temperate zones

 

D) at high altitudes and high latitudes

 

12) Biomes with permafrost are most likely:

 

A) covered in coniferous forests at high latitudes

 

B) in temperate zones with deciduous trees

 

C) located near the poles and without any trees

 

D) located at high altitudes nearest the equator

 

13) Biomes with less than 25 centimeters (10 inches) of rain a year are:

 

A) high in primary productivity

 

B) likely to have extremely cold winters

 

C) covered with coniferous trees

 

D) deserts

 

14) Which of the following are current limiting factors for future human population growth?

 

A) pollution and land for agriculture

 

B) availability of oxygen and water

 

C) fossil fuels and carbon dioxide production

 

D) oxygen levels in the atmosphere and availability of sodium chloride

 

15) According to demographer Joel Cohen, the human carrying capacity:

 

A) can be calculated in the same way it is determined for other animal species

 

B) depends upon a standard of living

 

C) can clearly be determined

 

D) largely depends upon the availability of fresh water

 

16) In a significant 2004 paper reviewing 69 studies on world human population and carrying

 

capacity, the authors estimated that the sustainable carrying capacity of humans for the

 

planet is about:

 

A) 600 million

 

B) 2.5 billion

 

C) 7.7 billion

 

D) 20 billion.

 

17) According to the UN Population Division and a significant 2004 paper reviewing 69 studies

 

on world human population and carrying capacity, the world population of humans will exceed

 

carrying capacity in about the year:

 

A) 2014

 

B) 2024

 

C) 2050

 

D) 2100

 

18) Which of the following activities would be consistent with the Millennium Development Goals?

 

A) help communities build technical and trade schools for boys to learn skills in high

 

demand

 

B) develop coal, gold, and silver mines wherever possible as quick sources of jobs

 

C) provide meals and mosquito nets for every child under the age of five

 

D) encourage the expansion of national militaries to provide income and technical training

 

19) If the Millennium Development goal to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by 2015 is

 

achieved:

 

A) almost a billion people will still live in extreme poverty

 

B) no continent will have more than 10,000 people still hungry

 

C) fertility rates will decline to those of most European nations

 

D) the rural population of the world will nearly double

 

20) Which of the following represents the Millennium Development Goal that is least likely to be

 

achieved?

 

A) universal primary education

 

B) reduced child mortality

 

C) increased access to clean drinking water

 

D) decreased maternal childbirth deaths

 

21) Which of the following affects the greatest number of people in the developing world?

 

A) water availability

 

B) lack of primary schools for children

 

C) inadequate sanitation

 

D) no childhood immunization for measles

 

22) A rural farmer most likely obtains drinking water by drilling a deep well to use:

 

A) gravitational water that has percolated through soil and accumulated as groundwater

 

B) gravitational water that is retained by the soil and accumulated just above the water

 

table

 

C) capillary water found in surface waters, located above the water table

 

D) capillary water that has percolated through soil and accumulated below the

 

groundwater

 

23) About 99% of all liquid fresh water on Earth is found in:

 

A) lakes, including the Great Lakes of North America

 

B) rivers such as the Amazon, Nile, and Mississippi watersheds

 

C) underground aquifers

 

D) the upper few meters of topsoil

 

24) Which one of the following is fed by groundwater and often drained by seeps or springs?

 

A) lakes

 

B) aquifers

 

C) rivers

 

D) watersheds

 

25) In Costa Rica, a heavy downpour provides water that quickly evaporates or is absorbed and

 

released by the dense vegetation of the tropical rain forest. This is an example of a cycle

 

using:

 

A) condensation, evaporation, transpiration, and green water

 

B) condensation, precipitation, and gravitational water

 

C) evaporation, gravitational flow, and adiabatic cooling

 

D) precipitation, gravitational flow, and convection

 

26) Gutters and storm sewers in a city are most concerned with the:

 

A) evapotranspiration loop

 

B) surface runoff loop

 

C) precipitation loop

 

D) groundwater loop

 

27) Which one of the following soil orders is the most typical of drylands and deserts?

 

A) alfisols

 

B) oxisols

 

C) mollisols

 

D) aridisols

 

28) A hydric soil is one that:

 

A) is typical of wetlands and may contain peat

 

B) is unusually well suited for agriculture

 

C) is typical of tropical areas that receive abundant rainfall

 

D) was typical of the U.S. prairie states until the Dust Bowl of the 1930s

 

29) Which of the following would be best suited for planting crops such as corn or wheat?

 

A) an irrigated aridisol

 

B) a fertilized alfisol

 

C) a plowed oxisol

 

D) an irrigated gelisol

 

30) Most plants acquire their minerals from:

 

A) the recycling of nutrients from detritus

 

B) the precipitation of minerals from rainfall

 

C) the weathering of rock

 

D) dust storms that transport minerals into a region

 

31) Which of the following would be classified as “soil constraints”?

 

A) cold climate

 

B) moderate to heavy rainfall

 

C) poor drainage, salinity and high levels of aluminum

 

D) low erosion potential and high levels of phosphorus

 

32) One of the general concerns about the widespread use of transgenic organisms is the:

 

A) spread of these transgenic traits to other organisms

 

B) need to apply more pesticides to crops and plow the soil twice a year

 

C) reduced yields that result from using bioengineered organisms

 

D) pressure to bring more land into agricultural production

 

33) If you live in the United States, chances are that you have consumed some processed food

 

that includes bioengineered plants:

 

A) almost every day

 

B) at most once a month

 

C) perhaps once a year

 

D) once in your lifetime

 

34) Wood pellets are produced from the waste sawdust of lumber and paper mills. Home-heating

 

stoves burning these pellets can heat homes directly, instead of relying on other energy

 

sources. Heating your home with wood pellets is:

 

A) sustainable, less polluting, and more efficient than heating a home using electricity

 

from a coal-fired power plant

 

B) sustainable, much more polluting, and is about 30% more efficient than using

 

electricity from a coal-fired power plant

 

C) not sustainable but is less polluting and is about as efficient as using electricity from a

 

coal-fired power plant

 

D) not sustainable and actually pollutes more than using electricity from a coal-fired

 

power plant

 

35) Which one of the following energy sources is most likely to lead to thermal pollution?

 

A) a coal-fired power plant

 

B) a large field of windmills

 

C) a hydroelectric plant

 

D) a large field of solar cells

 

36) The future use of electricity to power personal transportation largely depends on:

 

A) more efficient turbogenerators

 

B) finding more fossil fuel supplies

 

C) low-cost, lightweight batteries that can store large amounts of power

 

D) the development of small turbogenerators for automobiles

 

37) Instead of only generating more electricity, rising energy demands may also be met by:

 

A) switching from natural gas to coal

 

B) switching from coal and natural gas to windmills and solar technologies

 

C) increasing the efficiency of energy consumption

 

D) using more nuclear power instead of fossil fuels

 

38) At present, the total number of long-term, commercial, below-ground nuclear waste

 

depository sites in use in the United States is:

 

A) 0

 

B) 7

 

C) 23

 

D) over 100

 

39) One of the major problems associated with long-term, high-level nuclear waste storage is:

 

A) selecting an environment that will remain stable for more than 10,000 years

 

B) determining a cost-effective way to shoot waste into space

 

C) figuring out how to contain the material so that it does not leak into the ocean

 

D) creating a secure environment to protect the material from terrorists

 

40) Yucca Mountain in the state of Nevada is:

 

A) the location of a leaky nuclear power plant that will cost billions of dollars to clean up

 

B) the only potential site for long-term commercial nuclear waste storage in the United

 

States, rejected for safety concerns in 2009

 

C) a military base that has accumulated low-level and high-level nuclear waste for many

 

decades

 

D) the site of a lake that received illegal dumping of nuclear waste in the 1960s

 

41) NIMBY is:

 

A) a publicly perceived risk of siting a toxic or nuclear waste disposal facility near their

 

homes

 

B) the U.S. federal agency that oversees nuclear power facilities

 

C) a U.N. organization in Geneva that directs the medical use of radioactive isotopes

 

D) the deciding factor in the approval of theYucca Mountain disposal site in Nevada

 

42) The Obama administration’s commission on nuclear power waste disposal recommended:

 

A) the process of site selection should be kept secret from the public

 

B) a private for-profit corporation should be engaged to choose and construct the facility

 

C) that the sites should be spread over dozens of freshwater lakes in the northern United

 

States

 

D) there is an immediate need to develop temporary geological storage sites until a

 

permanent one is located

 

43) New Generation III nuclear plants such as the AP1000 Advanced Passive Reactor features:

 

A) a combination of nuclear fusion and fission in a single design

 

B) a pressurized water system with many new passive safety features to prevent a LOCA

 

C) a design that uses a mechanical source of X-rays for power

 

D) designs based on the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan

 

44) In a photovoltaic system, an inverter is required to:

 

A) directly convert surplus electricity into heat

 

B) generate electricity from solar energy

 

C) connect the DC current of the solar panel to the AC current of an electrical grid

 

D) convert AC from the solar panel into DC of the grid

 

45) Around the world, photovoltaic technology is quickly being adopted to generate electricity in:

 

A) large scale commercial power plants and on rooftop home units

 

B) large scale commercial power plants but not yet on rooftop home units

 

C) rooftop home units but not large scale commercial power plants

 

D) small electronic applications such as calculators but not yet on rooftops or in

 

commercial power plants

 

46) The most costly aspect of photovoltaic technology is being addressed by:

 

A) inventing a way to convert alternating current to direct current

 

B) inventing a way to convert direct current to alternating current

 

C) finding a way to reduce the damaging effects of the sun on solar panels

 

D) new technologies that reduce the cost of manufacturing solar cells

 

47) Solar trough technology converts:

 

A) the ultraviolet light in sunlight directly into electricity

 

B) the heat of the sun into steam to drive a turbogenerator

 

C) sunlight into electricity which then produces steam heat

 

D) the direct current generated by photovoltaic cells into alternating current

 

48) Some milk becomes contaminated with mercury. If each of the following people consume 16

 

ounces of this contaminated milk each day for a month, who will most likely be impacted by

 

this poison?

 

A) an 82-year-old woman

 

B) a fetus inside a mother who drinks this contaminated milk

 

C) a 12-year-old girl

 

D) a 51-year-old man

 

49) A pharmacist asks a mother about a new prescription for an antibiotic, wanting to be sure that

 

the drug is for the mother. The pharmacist is most likely concerned because:

 

A) antibiotics do not typically work on children

 

B) most types of antibiotics prescribed to an adult will likely kill a child

 

C) a normal dosage for an adult can be toxic to a child

 

D) a normal child’s dosage may be toxic to an adult

 

50) You learn that an old friend has died from a disease that resulted from their lifelong exposure

 

to a substance. This loved one most likely died from:

 

A) whooping cough

 

B) a bacterial infection

 

C) cancer

 

D) malaria

 

51) Which of the following contains the greatest number of carcinogens?

 

A) a thick vanilla milkshake

 

B) a Twinkie snack

 

C) chewing tobacco

 

D) tap water from most cities in the United States

 

52) You examine an ice core sample from 10,000 years ago when global temperatures were

 

unusually high. Based upon past studies and insights from current GHG levels, we expect that

 

atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide:

 

A) and methane were unusually low

 

B) and methane were unusually high

 

C) were high but methane levels were low

 

D) were low but methane levels were high

 

53) In his movie, An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore warns of increasing levels of carbon dioxide in

 

the atmosphere which suggest that:

 

A) methane levels will soon rise, destroying the ozone layer

 

B) global temperatures will also continue to rise

 

C) the oceans of the world are losing carbon dioxide

 

D) clouds are thinning and global precipitation is declining

 

54) Evidence from proxies indicate eight major oscillations in global temperatures over the past

 

800,000 years, most likely the result of:

 

A) rising and falling sea levels that greatly impact photosynthetic activity

 

B) variations in solar activity that produce different levels of radiation

 

C) Milankovitch cycles of periodic variations in Earth’s orbits around the sun

 

D) lunar cycles in which the moon orbits at different distances from the Earth

 

55) In general, temperatures along an ocean coastline vary less than temperatures 100 miles

 

inland. This moderation of temperatures along coastlines is because:

 

A) as the oceans evaporate it cools off the coastlines

 

B) the sun shines more intensely away from the ocean coastlines

 

C) ocean temperatures change more quickly than air temperatures

 

D) ocean temperatures do not change as quickly as air temperatures

 

56) In our world, something with the greatest heat capacity is able to:

 

A) evaporate the most water from its surface

 

B) retain its heat the longest

 

C) insulate the best

 

D) reflect the greatest amount of sunshine

 

57) If the sun suddenly stopped shining, where would be the best outdoor location to stay warm

 

with the least change in ambient temperature?

 

A) Atlanta, Georgia

 

B) on a beach in Hawaii

 

C) Kansas City, Kansas

 

D) the center of Brazil

 

58) Which one of the following principles of smart-growth will most likely result in less commuting

 

for all residents?

 

A) have states purchase open spaces

 

B) set physical boundaries on urban sprawl

 

C) build new homes and stores on existing abandoned or brownfield urban properties

 

D) promote the integration of homes, stores, light industry, and professional offices

 

59) According to the U.S. Sprawlometer, the most sprawling and congested area is:

 

A) New York

 

B) Los Angeles

 

C) Greensboro, NC

 

D) Riverside, CA

 

60) The Obama administration has moved to combat urban sprawl through the:

 

A) Clean Air Act

 

B) Clean Water Act

 

C) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

 

D) ISTEA

 

61) Over the past 60 years, as people moved from U.S. cities to suburbs, the people that were left

 

behind in the cities were primarily:

 

A) older, poor people representing ethnic minorities

 

B) younger, wealthy people representing ethnic minorities

 

C) older and wealthy Caucasians

 

D) younger Caucasians

 

62) In a large city experiencing urban blight, we would be surprised to find:

 

A) a declining tax base

 

B) depreciating real estate

 

C) improving schools

 

D) increasing crime

 

63) The main financial problems for a city experiencing urban blight result from:

 

A) a declining tax base

 

B) increasing industrial growth

 

C) the need to build new schools

 

D) increasing use of public transportation

 

64) Buses and cars using fuel cells are:

 

A) not yet possible because the technology to safely store hydrogen is still not resolved

 

B) not yet available because the fuel cell generates unsafe levels of heat

 

C) still inefficient, largely because the fuel cells are large and heavy

 

D) already in use and ready for commercial production

 

65) Which one of the following produces the least air pollution?

 

A) an automobile burning hydrogen as a fuel

 

B) an automobile running on a hydrogen fuel cell

 

C) a Toyota Prius hybrid vehicle

 

D) a car running on natural gas

 

66) Automobiles with fuel cells can be more flexibly designed because they:

 

A) do not have wheels

 

B) have to be so large that there is extra room for passengers and accessories

 

C) do not have an engine fuel combustion compartment

 

D) do not have to be aerodynamically constructed to get better fuel mileage

 

67) A hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell uses:

 

A) hydrogen and water and generates electricity and oxygen

 

B) hydrogen and oxygen and generates electricity and water

 

C) carbon dioxide and water and generates electricity and hydrogen

 

D) hydrogen and water and generates electricity, oxygen, and carbon dioxide

 

68) The most promising immediate alternative to gasoline fueled vehicles in a time of global

 

climate change and increasing oil imports is powering vehicles using:

 

A) solar power

 

B) hydrogen as a fuel source

 

C) fuel cells using hydrogen

 

D) plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

 

69) Enhanced geothermal systems:

 

A) generate electricity using the heat of the earth to make steam

 

B) are routinely used in China to power automobiles

 

C) use the energy of the sun to boil water and generate electricity

 

D) use gravity to propel large turbines, which generate electricity

 

A home located next to a 5-acre pond (30 feet deep in the center) uses the steady temperature of the deep pond water for heat exchange. A closed system of water is piped from the home under­ground to deep regions of the pond and then back to the home. Inside the home, a heat exchange system extracts heat in the winter and removes heat from the home in the summer. This home relies completely on electricity, generated by burning coal at a distant power plant.

 

70) This home system illustrates the use of:

 

A) ecothermal energy

 

B) biomass fuels

 

C) geothermal energy

 

D) hydroelectric energy

 

71) Compared to heating and cooling this home using a standard heat pump system, this home’s

 

heating and cooling system will:

 

A) probably keep the pond from freezing over in the winter

 

B) probably cause ice to form on the pond in the early summer and fall

 

C) reduce the carbon footprint of the homeowners

 

D) not work if ice forms on the top of the pond

 

72) Harnessing the energy of tides to generate electricity is different than the force moving the

 

water in a hydroelectric power station at a dam because:

 

A) tidal energy uses turbines and a dam uses generators

 

B) tidal energy ultimately relies on moon’s gravity and hydroelectric power ultimately relies on the energy from the sun

 

C) tidal energy ultimately relies on ocean currents and hydroelectric power ultimately relies on the energy from the sun

 

D) tidal energy ultimately relies on the wind and hydroelectric power ultimately relies on the energy of rain

 

73) A tidal barrage would be used to generate electricity:

 

A) at the mouth of a bay

 

B) at the bottom of a large lake

 

C) near the tip of an ocean peninsula

 

D) in the open ocean

 

74) One of the least promising non-fossil fuel energy sources uses:

 

A) wind power

 

B) biomass energy

 

C) geothermal energy

 

D) thermal-energy conversion in the oceans

 

75) The future global energy demands may be met by developing sustainable energy resources and

 

also, most easily, by:

 

A) dramatically increasing oil and natural gas exploration

 

B) increasing our use of the abundant natural gas and coal resources

 

C) improving energy conservation and efficiency of current technology

 

D) limiting the use of energy in developing countries

 

76) In the past decade, the United States government has:

 

A) discouraged the use of alternate energy resources and promoted the use of fossil fuels

 

B) promoted but not invested in the development and use of sustainable energy resources

 

C) promoted and invested heavily through the Recovery Act of 2009 in the development

 

and use of sustainable energy resources

 

D) required the use of sustainable energy resources for more than 95% of our energy

 

demands by the year 2020

 

77) Responsible stewardship in the coming decades will require global energy policies that

 

promote:

 

A) both sustainability and technological efficiency

 

B) productivity and economic prosperity in developing nations

 

C) the development of abundant and inexpensive fossil fuels such as shale gas

 

D) additional exploration of shale oil and natural gas resources

 

78) Energy policies that promote the use of renewable-energy resources:

 

A) and oil and gas exploration are the most promising ways to address global climate

 

change

 

B) and efficiency will automatically reduce the generation of greenhouse gases

 

C) increase the demand for fossil fuels and require the importation of oil to most

 

countries

 

D) hurt the poorest families and discourage economic growth in developing countries

 

79) If some current trends and energy strategies continue and succeed over the next few decades,

 

in fifty years you might be able to say that you witnessed the shift from:

 

A) an energy-consuming economy to an energy-producing economy

 

B) a wind-driven economy to a solar economy

 

C) an unsustainable fossil-fuel-driven economy to a sustainable hydrogen economy

 

D) a renewable energy- driven economy to a clean-burning natural gas economy.

 

80) Which one of the following vehicles would generate the greatest amount of carbon tax?

 

A) a large hybrid-electric SUV that gets 31 miles per gallon

 

B) a small gas-powered car that gets 27 miles per gallon

 

C) an all-electric car that charges its batteries using solar power-generated electricity

 

D) a car powered by natural gas that gets 33 miles per gallon

 

81) The general U.S. government response to possible terrorism at nuclear power plants since

 

2001 has been:

 

A) limited to a few unenforced regulations

 

B) to convert nuclear facilities to military installations with state of the art security

 

C) enhanced security at plants and at spent fuel storage pools

 

D) nothing, because of budget cuts brought about by the 2008 recession

 

82) Security of nuclear resources and the safe storage of nuclear wastes:

 

A) remain a global challenge

 

B) have been improved by concentrating these in four secure locations throughout the

 

world

 

C) have now been addressed by UN task forces who guard resources that are subject to

 

terrorist attacks

 

D) remain a problem only outside of the United States and Canada

 

83) The more than 100 nuclear power plants planned 30-40 years ago were never built in large

 

part due to:

 

A) increasing incidents of terrorism directed against nuclear plants

 

B) decreased demand for electricity and increased costs of safety features in construction

 

C) pressing demand for electricity, which required simpler coal-fired power plants that

 

could be built faster

 

D) budget constraints stemming from the 2008 recession

 

84) The longevity of nuclear power plants has averaged about:

 

A) 20-25 years due to unexpectedly high levels of corrosion and embrittlement

 

B) 40-50 years, longer than imagined, because neutrons tend to stabilize the building

 

materials

 

C) 10 years, only about 25% of their expected life, due to the need for new

 

government-mandated safety designs

 

D) 40 years, as expected, due to routine maintenance and the replacement with new longer-lasting materials

 

85) Unlike corrosion, embrittlement results in the degradation of nuclear power plant materials

 

from the:

 

A) buildup up iron oxide after prolonged exposure to water

 

B) rapid expansion and contraction of super-heated and ice-cold water through most of

 

the pipes

 

C) use of highly corrosive saltwater throughout most of the water pipes

 

D) bombardment of materials by neutrons produced by fission

 

86) Nuclear power plants are especially expensive because they:

 

A) require the highest levels of security

 

B) usually cost as much to decommission as they did to build

 

C) have so many parts that must be coated in gold

 

D) are constructed of many thick layers of concrete
87) In the United States and many countries in Europe, there is renewed interest in nuclear power

 

plants because of:

 

A) a worldwide shortage of coal

 

B) the spotty availability of natural gas

 

C) concern about global climate change

 

D) the greatly reduced costs associated with generating electricity using nuclear power

 

88) In the near future, the number of nuclear power plants in the United States and throughout

 

the world will most likely:

 

A) decline

 

B) hold steady

 

C) increase

 

D) depend upon the price of oil

 

89) In Japan today, the greatest risk associated with the use of nuclear power is:

 

A) an earthquake and/or tsunami

 

B) a terrorist attack

 

C) the lack of sufficient nuclear fuel

 

D) the generation of mutations in nearby plants and animals

 

90) Compared to standard fission reactors, fast-neutron reactors are:

 

A) less expensive to build

 

B) less expensive to operate

 

C) more efficient in fuel use

 

D) safer, requiring less security

 

91) A much greater use of breeder or fast-neutron reactors would pose a greater safety risk

 

because fast-neutron reactors would generate greater amounts of:

 

A) heavy water, which can easily leak out into the local community near nuclear power plants

 

B) radon gas, which over many years can greatly increase the risk of cancer in the region surrounding a nuclear plant

 

C) plutonium, which is more easily used to construct nuclear weapons

 

D) lead, which is widely used in the creation of bullets and other ammunitions

 

92) Breeder or fast-neutron reactors generate more fuel than they use because:

 

A) these reactors capture the energy of extra neutrons released by 235U fissions

 

B) the Second Law of Thermodynamics does not apply to nuclear reactions

 

C) of solar collectors that invest the energy of the sun into new fuel

 

D) the heat that is usually released in standard reactors is mostly recaptured

 

93) Reprocessing of nuclear fuel:

 

A) requires the heavy use of lead and iron ore

 

B) eliminates the need for nuclear power plants

 

C) requires additional mining of uranium

 

D) reduces and reuses the stockpile of nuclear waste

 

94) The energy released from the sun and other stars comes from the:

 

A) fusion of helium into hydrogen

 

B) fusion of hydrogen into helium

 

C) fission of helium into hydrogen

 

D) fission of hydrogen into helium

 

95) Today, we are able to use nuclear fusion to:

 

A) power a hydrogen bomb

 

B) generate electricity efficiently

 

C) produce hydrogen for fuel cell cars

 

D) power jets and ships

 

96) Nuclear fusion reactions:

 

A) were used in the atomic bombs dropped on Japan in 1945

 

B) require conditions that are not yet cost-efficient for the generation of electricity

 

C) are widely used today in nuclear power plants

 

D) can only occur in the special conditions of the sun and stars

 

97) Over the past 50 years, interest in nuclear power:

 

A) rose, decreased, and now is increasing again

 

B) decreased, rose, and now is decreasing again

 

C) has remained high around the world

 

D) was high but then declined and continues to decline worldwide

 

98) Which of the following is a clear advantage in the use of nuclear power instead of fossil fuels?

 

A) Nuclear plants are cheaper to build than power plants that burn fossil fuels.

 

B) Nuclear power can be used today to power most forms of public transportation.

 

C) Nuclear power contributes less to global climate change.

 

D) Nuclear power generates fewer wastes with lower health risks.

 

99) Much of the recent increased interest in nuclear power is related to:

 

A) the limited supply of coal to generate electricity

 

B) the limited supply of natural gas to generate electricity

 

C) increasing costs of oil and gasoline

 

D) concerns about global climate change

 

100) Good stewardship of nuclear power is best promoted by:

 

A) government oversight and international cooperation

 

B) independent decisions of the countries of the world

 

C) oversight provided by the companies that own the facilities

 

D) limiting regulations and requirements

 
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Data Integrity and Ethics

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Data Integrity and Ethics

(Data Integrity and Ethics)

Part 1: Mastrian: Chapters 2, 5, 8, 11, 17, and 19

Question 1
Data are dirty when there are errors such as:

  • Duplicate entries

  • Incomplete or outdated records

  • Both duplicate entries and incomplete or outdated records

  • None of these are correct.

Question 2
Reliable information comes from:

  • Reliable or clean data

  • Authoritative sources

  • Credible sources

  • All of these are correct.

Question 3
The awareness and understanding of a net of information and ways that information can be made useful to support a specific task or to arrive at a decision is called:

  • Acquisition

  • Dissemination

  • Knowledge

  • Information

Question 4
Which statement best reflects the definition of information?

  • It can be used for a variety of purposes.

  • No errors exist in the data or information.

  • It is whole, complete, correct, and consistent data.

  • It is processed data that have meaning.

Question 5
When processing data into information, it is important that the data:

  • Have integrity and quality

  • Reflect human inconsistencies

  • Contain raw facts

  • Contain duplicate facts

Question 6
What do organizational BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies typically include?

  • The device must be issued by the organization.

  • The device is subject to routine audits.

  • Both the device must be issued by the organization and the device is subject to routine audits.

  • None of these are correct. Outside devices are forbidden according to HIPAA.

Question 7
The intent of HIPAA was to:

  • Curtail healthcare fraud and abuse and enforce standards for health information

  • Guarantee the security and privacy of health information

  • Assure health insurance portability for employed persons

  • All of these are correct.

Question 8
Which social conventions about right and wrong human conduct are so widely shared that they form a stable general agreement?

  • Ethics

  • Confidentiality

  • Values

  • Morals

Question 9
New technologies in digital communications, electronic health records, and telehealth raise issues related to:

  • Comprehensiveness of care

  • The digital divide

  • Justice and fidelity

  • Privacy and confidentiality

Question 10(Data Integrity and Ethics)
Which principle of ethics has a nursing educator violated in failing to correctly teach his/her students how to calculate medication dosages?

  • Autonomy

  • Confidentiality

  • Justice

  • Nonmaleficence

Question 11
In the design of human technology interface, what best describes the factor(s) to consider?

  • Task and cost

  • Medical opinion

  • Nursing opinion

  • User proficiency

Question 12
The users see the effects of their actions on the technology when you bridge the:

  • Gulf of execution

  • Gulf of understanding

  • Gulf of evaluation

  • Gulf of assessment

Question 13
Videoconferencing technology:

  • Is easy to use

  • Allows professionals to communicate more effectively and frequently with in-home patients

  • Must be used for telehealth

  • None of these are correct.

Question 14
Task analysis examines:

  • The number of tasks involved

  • How the user approaches the task in order to accomplish it

  • What the needed output is

  • All of these are correct.

Question 15
A cognitive walkthrough:

  • Observes the steps users take to use the interface to accomplish typical tasks

  • Detects problems early in the design process

  • Is the least expensive method

  • All of these are correct.

Question 16
Online communication among healthcare teams is called:

  • Order entry management

  • Electronic communication and connectivity

  • Clinical decision making

  • Reporting and population health management

Question 17
Patient data in an electronic health record (EHR) includes demographics, medical and nursing diagnoses, and:

  • Medication lists

  • Allergies

  • Test results

  • All of these are correct.

Question 18
Positive impacts noted with using an informatics system to manage patients with chronic illness include:

  • Guidelines adherence

  • A decrease in emergency department visits

  • Improved provider documentation

  • All of these are correct.

Question 19
The benefits of EHR use recognized in early studies include all of these, except:

  • Increased delivery of guidelines-based care

  • Enhanced capacity to perform surveillance and monitoring for disease conditions

  • Reduction in medication errors

  • Improved workflow

Question 20(Data Integrity and Ethics)
Organizations with the authority to accredit EHRs:

  • Test EHRs

  • Compare EHRs against NIST standards

  • Develop and test EHRs

  • Both test EHRs and compare EHRs against NIST standards

Question 21
What is not a goal of evidence based practice?

  • Improve professional satisfaction

  • Decrease practice variability

  • Increase patient safety

  • Eliminate unnecessary cost

Question 22
What is an important factor to assess when determining if it is possible to implement a study?

  • Contextual meaning

  • Number of people in the study

  • Available technology

  • Established guidelines

Question 23
Context of care evidence may be gathered from:

  • Audit and performance data

  • The culture of the organization

  • Local or national policy

  • All of these are correct.

Question 24
Sources of evidence for practice include:

  • Synthesis of knowledge from research

  • Retrospective or concurrent chart reviews

  • Clinical expertise

  • All of these are correct.

Question 25
What indicates that a healthcare professional recognizes the value of providing evidence-based care?

  • Provides the same care as always

  • Includes research as part of current practice

  • Is offended when patient asks about a new treatment

  • Fails to effectively evaluate sources of information

Question 26
Which statement best describes caring as defined by Watson’s Theory of Human Caring?

  • Caring is cognitive energy focused on changing data into knowledge in a patient encounter.

  • Caring is conscious awareness of one’s strengths and limitations in a patient encounter.

  • Caring is healing consciousness and intentionality to care and promote healing.

  • Caring is the focus of the energy on efficient completion of assessment and diagnosis in a patient encounter.

Question 27(Data Integrity and Ethics)
Patient-centered care means that practitioners should focus on:

  • The subjective experience of patients

  • Data gathered by technology

  • Objective signs and symptoms

  • Their interpretation of the patient’s experience

Question 28
When professionals observe their work for a different perspective and generate insights about how healthcare services and processes could be improved, they are practicing:

  • Centering

  • Bracketing

  • Reflection

  • All of these are correct

Question 29
Clearing the mind of preconceived notions and expectations based on a patient’s diagnosis is known as:

  • Centered caring

  • Bracketing

  • Active listening

  • Healing consciousness

Question 30
Anne has a very busy personal life and is worried about her parents who live 100 miles away and are in failing health. She works as a physical therapist in a rehabilitation unit in a metropolitan hospital.She is the primary therapist for six patients today, one more than the ideal staffing pattern of five. Before entering the room of a particularly anxious patient, Anne takes a few moments to breathe deeply, clear her mind, and review the patient’s EHR on her tablet. She carries the tablet into the room and sets it aside. She moves toward the patient and smiles, making eye contact, and greeting the patient by name. She sits at the bedside and chats with the patient for a brief moment and then performs her assessment. Anne is practicing:

  • Transcendent presence
  • Physical presence
  • Carative presence
  • Cognitive presence
 
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Health Insurance Models Comparison

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Health Insurance Models Comparison

(Health Insurance Models Comparison)

Health Insurance Matriz

Health Insurance Matrix

HCS/235 Version 7

 1

Health Insurance Models Comparison

Health Insurance Matrix

As you learn about health care delivery in the United States, it is necessary to understand the various models of health insurance to develop important foundational knowledge as you progress through the course and for your role as a future health care worker. The following matrix is designed to help you develop that knowledge and assist you in understanding how health care is financed and how health insurance influences patients and providers. Fill in the following matrix. Each box must contain responses between 50 and 100 words and use complete sentences.

(Health Insurance Models Comparison)

Model Describe the model How is the care paid or financed when this model is used? What is the structure behind this model? Is it a gatekeeper, open-access, or combination of both? What are the benefits for providers in using this model? What are the challenges for providers in using this model?
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) . A type of health insurance plan that usually limits coverage to care from doctors who work for or contract with the HMO. It generally won’t cover out-of-network care except in an emergency. An HMO may require you to live or work in its service area to be eligible for coverage. HMOs often provide integrated care and focus on prevention and wellness.

 

 Health maintenance organizations represent “pre-paid” or “capitated” insurance plans in which individuals or their employers pay a fixed monthly fee for services instead of a separate charge for each visit or service. The monthly fees remain the same, regardless of types or levels of services provided. Services are provided by physicians who are employed by, or under contract with, the HMO. You’ll select a Primary Care Physician who will be the first point of contact for your healthcare. You are encouraged to build a strong relationship with your PCP because they will connect you to specialists or other health care providers. Your PCP will be able to see the total picture of your overall health. With an HMO plan, your out-of-pocket medical costs and monthly premiums will generally be lower than with other types of plans. If you are someone who doesn’t see a lot of specialists or would like having your care coordinated through a PCP, then you might save more money with an HMO plan. Tight controls can make it more difficult to get specialized care

As an HMO member, you must choose a primary care physician (PCP). Your PCP provides your general medical care and must be consulted before you seek care from another physician or specialist. This screening process helps to reduce costs both for the HMO and for HMO members, but it can also lead to complications if your PCP doesn’t provide the referral you need
Preferred Provider Model . A Medicare PPO Plan is a type of Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) offered by a private insurance company. In a PPO Plan, you pay less if you use doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers that belong to the plan’s network . You pay more if you use doctors, hospitals, and providers outside of the network Rather than prepaying for medical care, PPO members pay for services as they are rendered. The PPO sponsor (employer or insurance company) generally reimburses the member for the cost of the treatment, less any co-payment percentage. In some cases, the physician may submit the bill directly to the insurance company for payment. The insurer then pays the covered amount directly to the healthcare provider, and the member pays his or her co-payment amount. The price for each type of service is negotiated in advance by the healthcare providers and the PPO sponsor(s). Free choice of healthcare provider

PPO members are not required to seek care from PPO physicians. However, there is generally strong financial incentive to do so. For example, members may receive 90% reimbursement for care obtained from network physicians but only 60% for non-network treatment. In order to avoid paying an additional 30% out of their own pockets, most PPO members choose to receive their healthcare within the PPO network.

 Out-of-pocket costs generally limited

Healthcare costs paid out of your own pocket (e.g., deductibles and co-payments) are limited. Typically, out-of-pocket costs for network care are limited to $1,200 for individuals and $2,100 for families. Out-of-pocket costs for non-network treatment are typically capped at $2,000 for individuals and $3,500 for families. And they have a free choice of healthcare provider.

 More paperwork and expenses than HMOs

As a PPO member, you may have to fill out paperwork in order to be reimbursed for your medical treatment. Additionally, most PPOs have larger co-payment amounts than HMOs, and you may be required to meet a deductible. Less coverage for treatment provided by non-PPO physicians

As mentioned previously, there is a strong financial incentive to use PPO network physicians.
Point-of-Service Model A Point of Service (POS) plan is a type of managed healthcare system that combines characteristics of the HMO and the PPO. Like an HMO, you pay no deductible and usually only a minimal co-payment when you use a healthcare provider within your network. You also must choose a primary care physician who is responsible for all referrals within the POS network. If you choose to go outside the network for healthcare, POS coverage functions more like a PPO. No “gatekeeper” for non-network care

If you choose to go outside the POS network for treatment, you are free to see any doctor or specialist you choose without first consulting your primary care physician (PCP). Of course, you will pay substantially more out-of-pocket charges for non-network care.

 POS coverage allows you to maximize your freedom of choice. Like a PPO, you can mix the types of care you receive. There is no minimal co-payment. Also when you choose to use network providers, there is generally no deductible. As well as no healthcare cost paid out of your own pocket Substantial co-payment for non-network care

As in a PPO, there is generally strong financial incentive to use POS network physicians. For example, your co-payment may be only $10 for care obtained from network physicians, but you could be responsible for up to 40% of the cost of treatment provided by non-network doctors. Thus, if your longtime family doctor is outside of the POS network, you may choose to continue seeing her, but it will cost you more.
Provider Sponsored Organization A Provider-Sponsored Organization (PSO) is a type of managed care plan that is operated by a group of doctors and hospitals that form a network of providers within which you must stay to receive coverage for your care. People with Medicare can choose to get their Medicare benefits through a PSO. PSO receives a fixed monthly payment to provide care for Medicare beneficiaries. PSOs may be developed as for-profit or not-for-profit entities of which at least 51 percent must be owned and governed by health care providers (physicians, hospitals or allied health professionals). PSOs may be organized as either public or private entities The gatekeeper would be Medicare in the United States can be defined as ‘ A group of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers that agree to give health care to Medicare beneficiaries for a set amount of money from Medicare every month. This type of managed care plan is run by the doctors and providers themselves, and not by an insurance company
High Deductible Health Plans and Savings Options A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers in the United States who are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). The funds contributed to an account are not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit. You have the freedom to see any health care provider, including specialists, without a referral, although you will save money if you see in-network providers. This is especially important since instead of a copay, you will be paying the full cost of a doctor’s visit or service until you satisfy your deductible Others can contribute to your HSA. Contributions can come from various sources, including you, your employer, a relative and anyone else who wants to add to your HSA. High deductible plans also allow you to meet health plan stipulations that your community may have. By having yourself and your family covered with health insurance, you can be in compliance with specific laws that require insurance coverage. You have high deductible requirement. Even though you are paying less in premiums each month, it can be difficult – even with money in an HSA – to come up with the cash to meet a high deductible.

You have unexpected healthcare costs. Your healthcare costs could exceed what you had planned for, and you may not have enough money saved in your HSA to cover expenses.

 
 
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Interprofessional Staff Update On HIPAA

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Interprofessional Staff Update On HIPAA

(Interprofessional Staff Update On HIPAA)

Social Media Use In Health Care

Prepare A 2-Page Interprofessional Staff Update On HIPAA And Appropriate Social Media Use In Health Care

Introduction

Health professionals today are increasingly accountable for the use of protected health information (PHI). Various government and regulatory agencies promote and support privacy and security through a variety of activities. Examples include:

  • Meaningful use of electronic health records (EHR).
  • Provision of EHR incentive programs through Medicare and Medicaid.
  • Enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules.
  • Release of educational resources and tools to help providers and hospitals address privacy, security, and confidentiality risks in their practices.

Technological advances, such as the use of social media platforms and applications for patient progress tracking and communication, have provided more access to health information and improved communication between care providers and patients.

At the same time, advances such as these have resulted in more risk for protecting PHI. Nurses typically receive annual training on protecting patient information in their everyday practice. This training usually emphasizes privacy, security, and confidentiality best practices such as:

  • Keeping passwords secure.
  • Logging out of public computers.
  • Sharing patient information only with those directly providing care or who have been granted permission to receive this information.

Today, one of the major risks associated with privacy and confidentiality of patient identity and data relates to social media. Many nurses and other health care providers place themselves at risk when they use social media or other electronic communication systems inappropriately. For example, a Texas nurse was recently terminated for posting patient vaccination information on Facebook. In another case, a New York nurse was terminated for posting an insensitive emergency department photo on her Instagram account.

Health care providers today must develop their skills in mitigating risks to their patients and themselves related to patient information. At the same time, they need to be able distinguish between effective and ineffective uses of social media in health care.

This assessment will require you to develop a staff update for the interprofessional team to encourage team members to protect the privacy, confidentiality, and security of patient information.

Demonstration of Proficiency

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:

  • Competency 1: Describe nurses’ and the interdisciplinary team’s role in informatics with a focus on electronic health information and patient care technology to support decision making.
    • Describe the security, privacy, and confidentially laws related to protecting sensitive electronic health information that govern the interdisciplinary team.
    • Explain the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to safeguard sensitive electronic health information.
  • Competency 2: Implement evidence-based strategies to effectively manage protected health information.
    • Identify evidence-based approaches to mitigate risks to patients and health care staff related to sensitive electronic health information.
    • Develop a professional, effective staff update that educates interprofessional team members about protecting the security, privacy, and confidentiality of patient data, particularly as it pertains to social media usage.
  • Competency 5: Apply professional, scholarly communication to facilitate use of health information and patient care technologies.
    • Follow APA style and formatting guidelines for citations and references.
    • Create a clear, concise, well-organized, and professional staff update that is generally free from errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Preparation

(Interprofessional Staff Update On HIPAA)

To successfully prepare to complete this assessment, complete the following:

  • Review the infographics on protecting PHI provided in the resources for this assessment, or find other infographics to review. These infographics serve as examples of how to succinctly summarize evidence-based information.
    • Analyze these infographics, and distill them into five or six principles of what makes them effective. As you design your interprofessional staff update, apply these principles. Note: In a staff update, you will not have all the images and graphics that an infographic might contain. Instead, focus your analysis on what makes the messaging effective.
  • Select from any of the following options, or a combination of options, the focus of your interprofessional staff update:
    • Social media best practices.
    • What not to do: Social media.
    • Social media risks to patient information.
    • Steps to take if a breach occurs.
  • Conduct independent research on the topic you have selected in addition to reviewing the suggested resources for this assessment. This information will serve as the source(s) of the information contained in your interprofessional staff update. Consult the BSN Program Library Research Guide for help in identifying scholarly and/or authoritative sources.

Instructions

(Interprofessional Staff Update On HIPAA)

In this assessment, assume you are a nurse in an acute care, community, school, nursing home, or other health care setting. Before your shift begins, you scroll through Facebook and notice that a coworker has posted a photo of herself and a patient on Facebook. The post states, “I am so happy Jane is feeling better. She is just the best patient I’ve ever had, and I am excited that she is on the road to recovery.”

You have recently completed your annual continuing education requirements at work and realize this is a breach of your organization’s social media policy. Your organization requires employees to immediately report such breaches to the privacy officer to ensure the post is removed immediately and that the nurse responsible receives appropriate corrective action.

You follow appropriate organizational protocols and report the breach to the privacy officer. The privacy officer takes swift action to remove the post. Due to the severity of the breach, the organization terminates the nurse.

Based on this incident’s severity, your organization has established a task force with two main goals:

  • Educate staff on HIPAA and appropriate social media use in health care.
  • Prevent confidentiality, security, and privacy breaches.

The task force has been charged with creating a series of interprofessional staff updates on the following topics:

  • Social media best practices.
  • What not to do: Social media.
  • Social media risks to patient information.
  • Steps to take if a breach occurs.

You are asked to select one of the topics, or a combination of several topics, and create the content for a staff update containing a maximum of two content pages. When distributed to interprofessional team members, the update will consist of one double-sided page.

The task force has asked team members assigned to the topics to include the following content in their updates in addition to content on their selected topic(s):

  • What is protected health information (PHI)?
    • Be sure to include essential HIPAA information.
  • What are privacy, security, and confidentiality?
    • Define and provide examples of privacy, security, and confidentiality concerns related to the use of the technology in health care.
    • Explain the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to safeguard sensitive electronic health information.
  • What evidence relating to social media usage and PHI do interprofessional team members need to be aware of? For example:
    • How many nurses have been terminated for inappropriate social media usage in the United States?
    • What types of sanctions have health care organizations imposed on interdisciplinary team members who have violated social media policies?
    • What have been the financial penalties assessed against health care organizations for inappropriate social media usage?
    • What evidence-based strategies have health care organizations employed to prevent or reduce confidentiality, privacy, and security breaches, particularly related to social media usage?
Notes
  • Your staff update is limited to two double-spaced content pages. Be selective about the content you choose to include in your update so that you are able to meet the page length requirement. Include need-to-know information. Leave out nice-to-know information.
  • Many times people do not read staff updates, do not read them carefully, or do not read them to the end. Ensure your staff update piques staff members’ interest, highlights key points, and is easy to read. Avoid overcrowding the update with too much content.
  • Also supply a separate reference page that includes 2–3 peer-reviewed and 1–2 non-peer-reviewed resources (for a total of 3–5 resources) to support the staff update content.
Additional Requirements
  • Written communication: Ensure the staff update is free from errors that detract from the overall message.
  • Submission length: Maximum of two double-spaced content pages.
  • Font and font size: Use Times New Roman, 12-point.
  • Citations and references: Provide a separate reference page that includes 2–3 current, peer-reviewed and 1–2 current, non-peer-reviewed in-text citations and references (total of 3–5 resources) that support the staff update’s content. Current mean no older than 5 years.
  • APA format: Be sure your citations and references adhere to APA format. Consult the APA Style and Format page for an APA refresher.
 
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Information Technology and Systems for Healthcare

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HI 300: Information Technology and Systems for Healthcare

Information Technology and Systems for Healthcare

Questions from Unit 2 graded assignments

Reminders about academic writing & plagiarism

Week 4 Assignment Review

Discussion Board Example

Investigate clinical decision support applications and provide a summary of at least two of the applications that you find. Please provide facts about each of the applications and answer the following questions:

What does the application do?

How does the application help the user?

VisualDx is a unique clinical decision support system that delivers diagnostic answers where and when physicians need them.

Scenario: Imagine that you are the Director of Health Information for a large hospital. As Director, you sit on various institution-wide committees which govern the organization’s policies. You have seen issues arise that cause you to propose changes in policies, procedures and operations across the hospital. Therefore, you have decided to create a proposal to the CEO and Board of Directors, which you will develop in collaboration with committee teams.

Unit 4 Assignment Breakdown

Task #1: Evaluate, implement and manage electronic applications/systems for clinical classification and coding.

Select two (2) applications/systems for clinical classification and coding (e.g., encoders, computer assisted coding (CAC), etc.) and

Appraise each vendor in terms of:

capacity to evaluate quality coding practices;

possible implementation considerations/issues; and

systems management challenges and training needs

Provide support for one (1) system that you find as the “best option“

explain why this is the best option.

Task #2: Evaluate the accuracy of diagnostic and procedural coding.

Consider the principles and applications of classification systems (e.g., ICD-10, HCPCS) and medical record auditing used within a clinical documentation improvement (CDI) program. Appraise the value and challenges of a quality CDI program by:

defending the need for ongoing CDI program support; and

critique at least three (3) challenges in the CDI process.

Make connections between auditing, accurate diagnostic and procedural coding with classification systems, and CDI programs

Your executive summary should reflect upon the need for CDI and best practices for ensuring compliance.

Task #3: Advocate information operability and information exchange.

Critique one (1) interoperability issue that is possible within the health information exchange (HIE) (e.g., patient identity matching).

Appraise at least three (3) best practices that address the issue.

Information Technology and Systems for Healthcare

Brainstorming – Task #3

Health Information Exchange

The need to exchange accurate, complete and timely information.

Patient identify matching

Best practices to ensure interoperability (3)

Need for standards and common vocabularies

Tip #1: What is interoperability in healthcare? https://www.himss.org/library/interoperability-standards/what-is-interoperability

Video Tip #2 Video explanation of interoperability https://youtu.be/PaWcU7rqqyA Video Tip #3: Video explanation of interoperability

Tip #4: Interoperability Examples https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/health-it-interoperability-example

Task #4: Evaluate health information systems and data storage design.

Evaluate at least three (3) health information systems (HIS)

select the best health information system

why, explain with rationale

Evaluate at least three (3) data storage designs (e.g., onsite, cloud)

select the best data storage design for disaster recovery purposes

why, explain with rationale

Brainstorming – Task #4

Health Information Systems (HIS) Examples:

Specific examples: Phillips Intellispace Console, Archimedes IndiGO, and Diagnosis One

Data Storage Design Examples:

Onsite, Hybrid, Cloud, Tape, Disc

Cost, Disaster Recovery, Oversight

Tip #2: Different Types of health information systems www.floppybunny.org/robin/web/virtualclassroom/chap12/s2/systems1.pdf

Tip #4: Disaster Recovery Planning https://www.healthmgttech.com/best-practices-in-healthcare-disaster-recovery-planning.php

Task #5: Manage clinical indices/databases/registries.

Evaluate three (3) managerial challenges (as hospital’s Director of Health Information) related to:

clinical indices, databases, and registries

Recommend three (3) best practices or policies related to:

management of secondary data sources

Brainstorming – Task #5

Understanding the difference b/t primary and secondary data sources.

Maintaining security and confidentiality

Need to ensuring data quality

Need for clinical documentation (CDI) program

Need for interoperability

Need for compliance with laws, regulations, and accreditation standards.

Need for audit processes

Video Tip #1: Video about Patient Registries https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ZPZ0EKVCE

Task #6: Evaluate data from varying sources to create meaningful presentations.

With respect to data warehousing, appraise at least two (2) approaches in data warehouse design that supports:

quality data management from varying sources;

processing/storage of data throughout the warehouse model;

meaningful output into the presentation layer

Summarize your recommendations in the executive summary.

Chapter 4

15

Brainstorming – Task #6

Top-down, Bottom-Up and Hybrid

Cost, data quality, data marts, data mining

Give a summary of the 2 you choose

Tip #1: Data warehouse design approaches

Tip #2: Data warehouse Overview presentation

Unit 4 Assignments

Discussion

Submit Unit 4 Assignment

Quiz

 
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Maladaptive Immune Response Mechanisms

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Maladaptive Immune Response Mechanisms

(Maladaptive Immune Response Mechanisms)

Maladaptive Responses to Immune Disorders

Maladaptive responses to disorders are compensatory mechanisms that ultimately have adverse health effects for patients. For instance, a patient’s allergic reaction to peanuts might lead to anaphylactic shock, or a patient struggling with depression might develop a substance-abuse problem. To properly diagnose and treat patients, advanced practice nurses must understand both the pathophysiology of disorders and potential maladaptive responses that some disorders cause.

Consider immune disorders, such as HIV, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus E. What are resulting maladaptive responses for patients with these disorders?

To prepare:

  • Review Chapter 5 and Chapter 7 in the Huether and McCance text, as well as the Yi, et al, article in the Learning Resources. Reflect on the concept of maladaptive responses to disorders.
  • Select two of the following immune disorders: HIV, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, and/or systemic lupus E (SLE).
  • Think about the pathophysiology of each disorder you selected. Consider the compensatory mechanisms that the disorders trigger. Then, compare the resulting maladaptive and physiological responses of the two disorders.
  • Consider the types of drugs that would be prescribed to patients to treat symptoms associated with these disorders and why.
  • Select one of the following patient factors: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior. Consider how your selected factor might impact the disorder. Then, reflect on how your selected factor might impact the effects of prescribed drugs, as well as any measures you might take to help reduce any negative side effects.

Questions to be addressed in my paper:

  1. A brief description of the pathophysiology of the immune disorders you selected.
  2. Explain how the maladaptive and physiological responses of the two disorders differ.
  3. Then, describe the types of drugs that would be prescribed to patients to treat symptoms associated with these immune disorders and why.
  4. Explain how the factor you selected might impact the pathophysiology of each disorder as well as the effects of prescribed drugs.
  5. Explain any measures you might take to help reduce any negative side effects.
  6. Summary with Conclusion

Maladaptive Immune Response Mechanisms

REMINDERS:

1)      2-3 pages (addressing the 5 questions above excluding the title page and reference page).

2)      Kindly follow APA format for the citation and references! References should be between the period of 2011 and 2016. Please utilize the references at least three below as much as possible and the rest from yours.

3)     Make headings for each question.

RESOURCES:

Readings

  • Huether, S. E., & McCance, K. L. (2012). Understanding pathophysiology (Laureate custom ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.
    • Chapter 5, “Innate Immunity: Inflammation and Wound Healing”This chapter examines how the body responds to injury and infection by exploring the first, second, and third lines of defense. It also covers wound healing and alterations of the wound-healing process.
    • Chapter 6, “Adaptive Immunity”This chapter examines the third line of defense, adaptive immunity. It also covers the roles of antigens and immunogens, the humoral immune response, cell-mediated immunity, and the production of B and T lymphocytes in the immune response.
    • Chapter 7, “Infection and Defects in Mechanisms of Defense”This chapter covers the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of disorders resulting from infection, deficiencies in immunity, and hypersensitivity. It also examines the pathophysiology of an important immune disorder: HIV/AIDS.
    • Chapter 8, “Stress and Disease”This chapter evaluates the impact of stress on various body systems and the immune system. It also examines coping mechanisms and disorders related to stress.
    • Chapter 39, “Structure, Function, and Disorders of the Integument”This chapter begins with an overview of the structure and function of skin. It then covers effects of aging on skin, as well as disorders of the skin, hair, and nails.
    • Chapter 40, “Alterations of Integument in Children”This chapter covers alterations of the integument that affect children. These include acne vulgaris, dermatitis, infections of the skin, insect bites and parasites, vascular disorders, and other skin disorders.
  • Poole Arcangelo, V., & Peterson, A. M. (Eds.). (2013). Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: A practical approach (3rd ed.). Ambler, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
    • Chapter 8, “Principles of Antimicrobial Therapy”This chapter covers factors that impact the selection of an antimicrobial treatment regimen. It also examines the clinical uses, adverse events, and drug interactions of various antimicrobial agents, such as penicillin
    • Chapter 12, “Fungal Infections of the Skin”This chapter explores the pathophysiology of several fungal infections of the skin, as well as related drug treatments. It also examines the importance of patient education when managing these infections.
    • Chapter 14, “Bacterial Infections of the Skin”This chapter begins by examining causes of bacterial infections. It then explores the importance of selecting an appropriate agent for treating bacterial infections.
    • Chapter 32, “Urinary Tract Infection”This chapter covers drugs used to treat urinary tract infections. It also identifies special considerations when treating geriatric patients, pediatric patients, and women.
    • Chapter 35, “Sexually Transmitted Infections”This chapter outlines the causes, pathophysiology, and drug treatment of six sexually transmitted infections, including gonorrhea, syphilis, and human papilloma virus infection (HPV). It also examines the importance of selecting the proper agent and monitoring patient response to treatment.
    • Chapter 48, “Human Immunodeficiency Virus”This chapter presents the causes, pathophysiology, diagnostic criteria, and prevention methods for HIV. It also covers various methods of drug treatment and patient factors to consider when selecting, administering, and managing drug treatments.
  • Yi, H., Shidlo, A., & Sandfort, T. (2011). Assessing maladaptive responses to the stress of being at risk of HIV infection among HIV-negative gay men in New York City. Journal of Sex Research, 48(1), 62–73.
    Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.This study assesses behaviors and attitudes toward HIV based on knowledge about infection and advances in medical treatment. It also examines the impact of maladaptive responses to the stress of HIV risk.
  • Scourfield, A., Waters, L., & Nelson, M. (2011). Drug combinations for HIV: What’s new? Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy, 9(11), 1001–1011. Retrieved from http://www.expert-reviews.com/doi/abs/10.1586/eri.11.125 

    This article examines current therapies and strategies for treating HIV patients. It also examines factors that impact the selection of therapy, including drug interactions, personalization of therapy, costs, management of comorbidities, and patient response.

  • Drugs.com. (2012). Retrieved from www.drugs.comThis website presents a comprehensive review of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including information on common uses and potential side effects. It also provides updates relating to new drugs on the market, support from health professionals, and a drug-drug interactions checker.

Media

  • Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012b). Antimicrobials. Baltimore, MD: Author.This media presentation outlines principles of antimicrobial therapy.

Optional Resources

 
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