CuLtural Divursity Issues

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Diversity Situations & Cultural Dilemmas
CuLtural Divursity Issues

(CuLtural Divursity Issues)

Let’s start thinking about your Cultural Perspectives Final Paper in Week 6. For that Final Paper, you will choose one particular diversity-related issue to explore in depth.

Instructions:

For this written assignment, think of possible diversity-related issues that could be used for your Final Paper. Remember the full spectrum of diversity dimensions that you explored in Week 1 and create a list of three unique research topics that encompass multiple perspectives. By receiving feedback on these three diversity-related issues through this week’s discussion, you will be able to choose just one to focus on for next week (Week 4) and for your Final Paper (Week 6).

Identify three different types of diversity situations or cultural dilemmas based on different types of cultural and group associations.

The following are guidelines for choosing your three separate diversity-related issues:

  1. Select topics that are reflective of diversity issues as we have been discussing in this course.
  2. The situations or dilemmas should demonstrate a cultural clash between at least two socio-cultural groups and have the potential for debate.
  3. Select topics that are current and possibly in the news.
  4. Select topics that can be researched to find out about them more in-depth.

Here is a helpful video from our HelpNow selection
that will guide you through our library.

In addition to readings, media, website resources, and personal experiences, use ProQuest and EBSCOhost to find appropriate scholarly articles (review the Library Tour to get started). You will need to find three articles in total, and both databases should be used (at least one article per database) to support your responses for the questions. View the “Searching Techniques” webinars associated with both research databases if you have not done so already.

The paper should be approximately 660-1320 words in length, not including the title page.

For each of the three topics, briefly discuss the following:

  1. Describe the diversity situation or cultural dilemma and your interest in this topic.
  2. Describe the cultural groups impacted by this topic.
  3. What are some of the societal and historical forces which might have created this situation or dilemma?
  4. Provide one argument from each perspective regarding the topic.
  5. Cite the articles that you found using ProQuest and EBSCOhost (use this APA formatted template for assistance).
 
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Ethical Dilemmas in Counseling

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Ethical Dilemmas in Counseling

(Ethical Dilemmas in Counseling)

Psychology Question 6

1. Janet has been seen by you for treatment of depression. On intake, she disclosed that she was in AA and had been sober for 6 months. Janet seems to be happy with her progress, but after a few sessions, she seems to be no communicative and upset. After six sessions, she discontinues therapy with you. You learn that she has engaged another counselor who treats alcohol use and co-occurring disorders. This morning you received notice from your licensing board that Janet filed a complaint against you alleging that you attempted to treat Janet’s addiction to alcohol and that you did not have the expertise necessary to do so. You are a licensed professional counselor but you have not obtained training in addictions. Based on this information, answer the following questions:

1. Does Janet have a valid complaint? Why or why not?

2. How would you respond to the Licensing board complaint?

3. How would you avoid this type of complaint in the future?

This discussion question meets the following CACREP Standard: 2.F.1.i.  Ethical standards of professional counseling organizations and credentialing bodies, and applications of ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling.

2. What special precautions or practices should a private practitioner adopt in order to minimize professional liability and ensure that their treatment of clients remains soundly within the boundaries of professional practice standards? The American Counseling Association as well as individual state counseling associations (i.e., ICA, AzCA) provide a variety of resources to clinicians. Choose either the ACA or your state’s counseling association. What are its member benefits, activities, services to members, and current issue? How could membership be especially helpful to the private practitioner? Summarize what the ACA Code of Ethics says about the following: report writing, record keeping, and service reimbursement.

This discussion question meets the following CACREP Standard: 5.C.2.m. Record keeping, third party reimbursement, and other practice and management issues in clinical mental health counseling.

3. What special precautions or practices should a private practitioner adopt in order to minimize professional liability and ensure that their treatment of clients remains soundly within the boundaries of professional practice standards? The American Counseling Association as well as individual state counseling associations (i.e., ICA, AzCA) provide a variety of resources to clinicians. Choose either the ACA or your state’s counseling association. What are its member benefits, activities, services to members, and current issue? How could membership be especially helpful to the private practitioner? Summarize what the ACA Code of Ethics says about the following: report writing, record keeping, and service reimbursement.

This discussion question meets the following CACREP Standard: 5.C.2.m. Record keeping, third party reimbursement, and other practice and management issues in clinical mental health counseling.

4. Describe in detail situations in which referring your client to a different counselor and/or agency should be considered. If referral is not an option, what ethical alternatives could you identify to continue to work with this client? Include references to the ACA and/or NAADAC code of ethics to support your response.

5. Sheila came to your office about 8 months ago seeking counseling. She stated that she, “hoped to save her marriage.” After a few sessions with Sheila, you suggested that couples counseling might be helpful, but her husband, Roy, refused to participate. Three months ago, Sheila and Roy went through a very nasty breakup of their marriage, and now you have been subpoenaed to produce all of your records pertaining to Sheila’s treatment. Sheila has told you not to comply with the subpoena.

What should you do? Why?

(Ethical Dilemmas in Counseling)

Describe the specific steps you would take in responding to the subpoena.

6. Marcie is a new client and a 22-year-old female who works as a receptionist in a doctor’s office. She has just revealed to you during the intake session that she has recently lost interest in most activities, has been sleeping a great deal yet feels tired all the time, and sometimes wishes she could cease to exist. She mentioned feeling as though she has been “on an emotional roller coaster” during the past year, throughout her on-again/off-again relationship with a 35-year-old married man. The last breakup with him seemed final, and Marcie has felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into depression ever since. When probed further about suicidal ideations, Marcie admitted that she has considered killing herself, although she is uncertain whether or not she would actually do it. She said that she is currently in possession of a gun that her friend allowed her to keep in her home following a rash of burglaries in the neighborhood, but she does not know whether she would actually use it.

You have consulted with your supervisor, who has agreed that Marcie should be referred immediately for a psychiatric evaluation and has instructed you to arrange for Marcie to go directly from your office to a nearby hospital. Marcie told you that her mother accompanied her and is in the waiting room, but she has emphatically stated that she does not want her mother to know what is going on with her. How should this delicate situation be handled? Why? What are three ethical and/or legal concerns about this case?

This discussion question meets the following CACREP Standards:

2.F.1.l. Self-care strategies appropriate to the counselor role.

5.C.2.a. Roles and settings of clinical mental health counselors.

Each question has to be answered by it-self and with 150-200 words. Each one also must have a quote in it and be cited in the APA form-mate. Â They need to be answered by their self and not together.

 
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GenderBased Blood Sugar Analysis

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GenderBased Blood Sugar Analysis

(GenderBased Blood Sugar Analysis)

This course helps you develop a basic understanding of statistics. This course addresses two distinct types, descriptive and inferential. In this assignment, you will have the opportunity to use a software program that makes it easy to analyze data using specific tests. This assignment will give you practice with mean, median, mode, frequency, range, and standard deviation. Be sure to review the Topic Material videos before undertaking this practice.

General Requirements:

Use the following information to ensure successful completion of the assignment:

  • For assistance with accessing SPSS,      refer to the resources “How to Use SPSS From the GCU Server” and      “How to Install SPSS on Your Computer.”
  • Before beginning this assignment, be      sure to view the tutorial videos provided as Topic Materials: (1) SPSS      for Beginners 1 – Introduction; (2) SPSS for Beginners 2a:      Frequency Counts; (3) SPSS for Beginners 2b: Descriptive Statistics      and Z-scores; and (4) Graphing and Descriptive Stats in SPSS      With Dr. Ami Gates.
  • Doctoral learners are required to use      APA style for their writing assignments. The APA Style Guide is located in      the Student Success Center.
  • You are not required to submit this      assignment to LopesWrite.

Directions:

SPSS Output

Open SPSS and obtain an output (as in the tutorial videos) with the following results highlighted:

  1. Determine the statistics for each      gender as follows: Frequency Counts, Mean, Standard Deviation, Minimum,      and Maximum.
  2. Graphing and Descriptive Stats in      SPSS: Create a bar graph with gender (axis X) and blood sugar (axis Y).

Data Set

Use the following data set for this assignment:

  1. You have a group of patients observed      with a diagnosis of Diabetes and their blood sugar levels are listed below      based on gender. Men: 74, 71, 75, 248, 388, 505, 42, 21.
  2. Female: 62, 68, 61, 71, 68, 80, 390,      148.

Summary

Write a 250-500 word summary of your results and how this statistical analysis may be applied to your prospectus. Provide a bar graph with gender on the x-axis and blood sugar levels on the y-axis. Add your SPSS output as an Appendix to this summary.

 
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Analyzing Race and Identity

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Analyzing Race and Identity

(Analyzing Race and Identity)

Politics And Social Issues 700 Words Or More Essay Questions

Please make sure to read the assigned readings we used until now, Sections I and II of the Readings for Diversity and Social Justice.  After you have gone through the material, please answer ONE of the following sets of questions in a well-structured and comprehensive answer. Please make sure to address ALL parts of the question.

Your answers should be at least 700 words (total for all parts of the question), and include 2-3 additional sources, beside the textbook.  The suggestions for additional sources can be found in the textbook; you can also include news sources.

Remember:  any information and ideas that do not come directly from your head MUST BE CITED in text and the full citations must be provided at the end of your answer.  You need to cite the text book and any additional source you use.

After you finished composing your answer, please read through the answers of your peers.  Please write a thoughtful response to TWO posts from your peers–FROM THE OTHER SET.  Please make sure to support your arguments with evidence in your own post, as well as responses to your peers.  Each of your responses should be at least 150 words in length.

Again, I suggest you compose your answers first in Word and then past them into the discussion.

The main answers are due on Thursday by 11:59pm.  Responses are due on Saturday by 11:59pm.

Set #1:  In constructing your answers, please draw from Section II readings.

Using the concepts of race, racial stereotyping, racial prejudice, racism, and active racist behavior, how do historical experiences of the racial and ethnic groups in the US compare:  Native Americans, African Americans, Chicanos, Asian Americans, European Americans, and Jewish Americans?  In what ways are the experiences of those groups similar and different?

How do the historical patterns you explained earlier compare to the experiences of the new immigrants today?

Given the conceptual and empirical points made earlier, what has and how has it impacted your own sociocultural identity? Please provide a detailed explanation and specific examples to support your answer.

 
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Ethical Dilemmas in Euthanasia

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Ethical Dilemmas in Euthanasia

(Ethical Dilemmas in Euthanasia)

Please Do A Comment Base In This Answers. Write At Least 140 Words In Each Answer, Take Reference From (2013-2018) If Is Possible, Academic References Please Because The Teacher Check It Out One By One. SUSTANTIVE POST NEEDED

Comment 1(Ethical Dilemmas in Euthanasia)

Based on Meilaender’s (2013) perspective of suicide, it is morally wrong because there is an unwillingness to receive the life given, by our creator, moment by moment.  Suicide
is not God’s will, it is the irrational desire of a man to be in control and a repercussion of sin with man acting as the creator, instead of the created.  Meilanender (2013) contends that life is not “our” possession, nor ours to take whether by suicide or euthanasia.  I appreciate his comparison of our lives to being characters in a story that God created while God gives us the freedom to act according to the nature he provided.  However, I don’t believe that it was ever God’s intent to allow us the freedom to rationally take a life by suicide.

I have a personal experience with suicide, so I have struggled with the morality, or lack thereof.  Where Meilaender (2013) states that the sin of suicide dies with the
person and they are not necessarily damned is relevant for all suicides and euthanasia because God judges the person, not the individual deeds.  Meilaender (2013) also pointedly asserts that the autonomous decision to end a life, whether it be a “right to die with dignity” state or not, there is an inherent risk that it is still morally wrong
and judged by God as a “lordship” over another human’s life, which is biblically wrong.

I am not a hospice nurse for a reason.  I know that I would struggle with the person begging me to give them an additional dose of morphine to end their pain and
misery.  This is a terrible predicament for a nurse who is caring for their patients and family members both physically and emotionally.  Meilaender (2013) claims that hastening one’s inevitable death is a form of abandonment.   I know I would struggle with temptation to bring relief to someone who is severely suffering, so I choose to not put myself in that position.  My compassion would cause an internal struggle that I can avoid and a judgement that I, as a sinful human being, do not want to make, even if God does not judge me for individual deeds.

Comment 2(Ethical Dilemmas in Euthanasia)

Suicide and euthanasia are extremely sensitive topics for the majority of individuals including health care workers. According to the Christian belief, it is considered a sinful act and therefore goes against Christian beliefs. Meilaender (2013) states that “Christians have held that suicide is morally wrong because they have seen it in a contradiction of our nature as creatures, an unwillingness to receive life moment by moment from the hand of God without ever regarding it as simply “our” possession” (Meilaender, 2013). He goes on to say that our life is not something we own and that by committing suicide we are essentially playing the role of creator. We need to remember that life is a gift from God and to take one’s own life is a selfish act and disrespectful to God for the gift of life he gave to us.

Suicide and euthanasia are controversial topics. I don’t whole heartedly agree with Meilaender. I believe that if a patient has a chronic illness that is causing them to have a very poor quality of life and/or chronic pain, then that person should be allowed to decide if they want to carry on with life living that way. What a bleak existence it would be. My husband and I have had numerous discussions about this very topic. We both agree that if either one of us were extremely ill, we should find a way to put that person out of their misery. On the flip side, if a healthy person were to take their own life, then I totally agree with Meilaender and that person is selfish and not following in the footsteps of God

 
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Grieving Model Application Strategies

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Grieving Model Application Strategies

(Grieving Model Application Strategies)

The death of a loved one is a significant event that everyone experiences. An individual’s social environment, including societal and familial cultural factors, may influence how an individual approaches death or grieves the loss of someone else who dies. You can anticipate addressing grief in your social work practice and, therefore, should develop an understanding of the grieving process.

Two models of grieving—the Kubler-Ross and Westburg models—identify stages through which an individual progresses in response to the death of a loved one. Understanding the various ways individuals cope with grief helps you to anticipate their responses and to assist them in managing their grief. Select one model of grieving—the Kubler-Ross or Westburg model—to address in this assignment.

Addressing the needs of grieving family members can diminish your personal emotional, mental, and physical resources. In addition to developing strategies to assist grieving individuals in crisis, you must develop strategies that support self-care.

In this Assignment, you apply a grieving model to work with families in a hospice environment and suggest strategies for self-care.

By Day 7

Submit a 2- to 4-page paper in which you:

  • Explain how you, as a social worker, might apply the grieving model you selected to your work with families in a hospice environment.
  • Identify components of the grieving model that you think might be difficult to apply to your social work practice. Explain why you anticipate these challenges.
  • Identify strategies you might use for your own self care as a social worker dealing with grief counseling. Explain why these strategies might be effective.

Support your Assignment with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

Required Readings

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].”The Parker Family” (pp. 6-8)Zastrow, C. H., & Kirst-Ashman, K. K. (2016). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (10th ed.). Boston, MA:  Cengage Learning.Chapter 15, “Psychological Aspects of Later Adulthood” (pp. 685-714)Newell, J. M., & MacNeil, G. A. (2010). Professional burnout, vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue: A review of theoretical terms, risk factors, and preventive methods for clinicians and researchers. Best Practice in Mental Health, 6(2), 57–68.Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.Shier, M. L., & Graham, J. R. (2011). Mindfulness, subjective well-being, and social work: Insight into their Interconnection from social work practitioners. Social Work Education, 30(1), 29–44.Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Parker family: Episode 2 [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.eduNote:  The approximate length of this media piece is 2 minutes.Accessible player –Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript

Optional Resources

Use the link below to access the MSW home page, which provides resources for your social work program.MSW home pageCappeliez, P., & Robitaille, A. (2010). Coping mediates the relationships between reminiscence and psychological well-being among older adults. Aging & Mental Health, 14(7), 807–818.Ong, A. D., Bergeman, C. S., & Boker, S. M. (2009). Resilience comes of age: Defining features in later adulthood. Journal of Personality, 77(6), 1777–1804.Ong, A. D., Bergeman, C. S., Bisconti, T. L., & Wallace, K. A. (2006). Psychological resilience, positive emotions, and successful adaptation to stress in later life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(4), 730–749.Weiss, D., & Lang, F. R. (2009). Thinking about my generation: Adaptive effects of a dual age identity in later adulthood. Psychology and Aging, 24(3), 729–734.

 
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Professional Nursing Practice.

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Professional Nursing Practice.

Professional Nursing Practice.

Introduction:

The purpose of this task is to develop a working knowledge of nursing theory, nursing ethics, and professional accountability and apply these concepts to your professional clinical practice. You will be required to think about real-life scenarios and how they relate to nursing codes in your professional practice.

Requirements:

Your submission must be your original work. No more than a combined total of 30% of the submission and no more than a 10% match to any one individual source can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. Use the Turnitin Originality Report available in Taskstream as a guide for this measure of originality.

You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.
A.  Identify a nursing theory that has influenced your values and goals.

1.  Explain how nurses apply the identified theory from part A to implement excellent nursing practices.

2.  Discuss how the identified theory from part A fits your professional practice.
B.  Identify the contributions of two historical nursing figures in the nineteenth or twentieth century.

1.  Compare the differences in contributions of the two historical figures identified in part B.

2.  Describe how the contributions of the two historical figures influence your professional nursing practice.
C.  Explain the functional differences between the State Board of Nursing and the American Nurses Association (ANA).

1.  Define the roles of these two organizations.

2.  Explain how these two organizations influence your nursing practice.

3.  Explain the requirements for professional license renewal in your state.

a.  Discuss the consequences of failure to maintain license requirements in your state.

4.  Compare the differences between registered nursing license requirements in a compact state versus a non-compact state.
D.  Discuss the functional differences between the Food and Drug Administration and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (see the web links below).

1.  Discuss how the two regulatory agencies influence your professional nursing practice.

a.  Describe your role as a patient advocate in promoting safety when a patient has requested to use an alternative therapy.
E.  Discuss the purposes of the Nurse Practice Act in your state and its impact on your professional practice.

1.  Discuss the scope of practice for a RN in your state.

2.  Discuss how your state defines delegation for the RN.
F.  Apply each of the following roles to your professional practice:

•   a scientist

•   a detective

•   a manager of the healing environment
G.  Identify two provisions from the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics (see web link below).

1.  Analyze how the two provisions identified in part G influence your professional nursing practice.

2.  Describe a nursing error that may occur in a clinical practice (e.g., clinical setting, skills lab, or simulation).

a.  Explain how the ANA provisions identified in part G can be applied to the error discussed in part G2.
H.  Identify four leadership qualities or traits that represent excellence in nursing.

1.  Discuss the significance of the four leadership qualities identified in part H in the nurse’s role as each of the following:

•   a leader at the bedside

•   within a nursing team or interdisciplinary team

2.  Identify how your work environment impacts the following:

•   nursing leadership

•   decision making

•   professional development
I.  Acknowledge sources, using APA-formatted in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
J.  Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.

 
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Communicable Disease Selection.

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Communicable Disease Selection.

(Communicable Disease Selection.)

Write a paper (2,000-2,500 words) in which you apply the concepts of epidemiology and nursing research to a communicable disease. Refer to “Communicable Disease Chain,” “Chain of Infection,” and the CDC website for assistance completing this assignment.

Communicable Disease Selection

Choose one communicable disease from the following list:

  1. Chickenpox
  2. Tuberculosis
  3. Influenza
  4. Mononucleosis
  5. Hepatitis B
  6. HIV
  7. Ebola
  8. Measles
  9. Polio
  10. Influenza

Epidemiology Paper Requirements

Address the following:

  1. Describe the communicable disease (causes, symptoms, mode of transmission, complications, treatment) and the demographic of interest (mortality, morbidity, incidence, and prevalence). Is this a reportable disease? If so, provide details about reporting time, whom to report to, etc.
  2. Describe the determinants of health and explain how those factors contribute to the development of this disease.
  3. Discuss the epidemiologic triangle as it relates to the communicable disease you have selected. Include the host factors, agent factors (presence or absence), and environmental factors. (The textbook describes each element of the epidemiologic triangle). Are there any special considerations or notifications for the community, schools, or general population?
  4. Explain the role of the community health nurse (case finding, reporting, data collecting, data analysis, and follow-up).
  5. Identify at least one national agency or organization that addresses the communicable disease chosen and describe how the organization(s) contributes to resolving or reducing the impact of disease.
  6. Discuss a global implication of the disease. How is this addressed in other countries or cultures? Is this disease endemic to a particular area? Provide an example.

A minimum of three peer-reviewed or professional references is required.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

 
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Essay for datable subject

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Essay for datable subject

(Essay for datable subject)

Question description

Please use at least 8 peer reviewed sources!

The paper should be 5-7 buzzwords in in length

Instructions

Identify a specific instance in a document, broadcast, or conversation in which the meaning an author assigns to a word is debatable. You are not looking for an instance in which someone uses a term incorrectly, such as using the word “antidote” to refer to a short story. Rather, you are looking for an instance in which a person applies a word to an object or situation and you disagree with the person’s evaluation of that object or situation; e.g., the killing of his sister for her sexual indiscretion and indecency was deemed a “mercy” killing. In the example, the author uses the word “mercy” to describe a compassionate act done for the other individual’s sake as a result of the compromise of moral values, and the implications on the family’s character. You may disagree that such an act was done out of “mercy,” and therefore take exception to the use of that word.

When you have your example, then answer for yourself the following question: Why is it important to dispute the meaning of that word? Your answer to that question will eventually become the thesis of your paper.

Begin your essay (in its body, and using all of the stylistic tools you’ve learned thus far), by: (1) summarizing your example, explaining what meaning the author suggested or connoted when using the word; (2) follow this by arguing why this is incorrect; (3) what the word should really mean (and why); (4) and then “prove” to me that the word really means what you say it means.

There are several ways to “prove” that the word means what you say it means. Those include: dictionary definitions, common usage, historical usage, trade/technical jargon, socio-economic history of the word, religious attributions, cultural context, and many others. In other words, use law, medicine, philosophy, history, religion, culture, slang, etc. to “prove” your stated meaning of the word.

Another strategy for establishing the meaning of a term is to define related terms. For instance, if you are establishing the meaning of maturity, you may also want to define experienced, responsible, and established.

After establishing a precedent for your preferred meaning, explain the difference it will make to use that meaning over another. In this section of the paper, you will want to provide specific examples of how the word’s meaning can or will influence decision-making and social action.

Conclude your paper with a proper, three part conclusion.

 
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Nursing Center’s Marketing Challenges

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Nursing Center’s Marketing Challenges

(Nursing Center’s Marketing Challenges)

Case Study 3

Sometimes It Works, Sometimes It Doesn’t

Jim Beaufort was appointed as the administrator of Marshall Nursing Center, a 230-bed skilled nursing facility located in a large metropolitan area. The facility’s occupancy rate had gradually declined from 82% (188 residents) a year ago to 74% (170 residents). Three months ago when Jim was hired for the job, the company’s vice president of operations, Ronald Ortner, was upfront about the declining census. Ortner was particularly impressed with Jim’s business degree in marketing, and how Jim had enthusiastically talked about using a “mystery shopper”* to get information on the competitors of a nursing home he had previously managed. Jim knew that his work was cut out for him. When offering the job, Ortner had said, “I am giving you a 20% raise over what you were making at your old job; I want this facility turned around in a year’s time.” To that Jim had confidently responded, “Oh, you will see a trend change much before that.”

Jim spent the first 3 months on the job getting to know the staff, residents, and some of the family members. He made written notes on some of his observations:

  • The certification survey 6 months ago was satisfactory. There were no serious deficiencies.
  • Some issues with building cleanliness have been addressed with the housekeeping supervisor.
  • Department head meetings had been sparse and irregular.
  • Food was the most common complaint from residents and family members, but so it is at every other facility.
  • The licensed nursing staff is stable, but high turnover of certified nursing assistants creates some staffing shortages. Overtime is high, and the director of nursing says that there is some burnout among both nurses and CNAs.
  • The facility’s expenses are below budget; the previous administrator must have been a “penny pincher.”
  • Patients are scattered throughout the building. Many of them are occupying private rooms, whereas Medicaid pays only for semiprivate accommodations.

Jim thinks that he has just 9 months left to increase the census and keep his job. So, he embarks on formulating a marketing plan:

  • Free up as many patient rooms as possible in one section of the building by moving patients to other occupied parts of the facility. Start an adult day care center by using some of the empty rooms.
  • Hire one additional RN and one LPN to alleviate the feelings of burnout among the staff. Start a CNA training program at the facility.
  • Send a mystery shopper to the three main competitors to evaluate how they handle the inquiry process. Have the mystery shopper evaluate Marshall’s inquiry process as well. Improve the admission coordinator’s personal selling skills.
  • Purchase advertising at the local newspaper, radio station, and TV station that would say:

Marshall Nursing Center has excelled in providing high-quality nursing and rehabilitation care in this community for more than 20 years. Our staff’s caring is like a healing touch. We are accepting new patients. Bring your loved one here and see the results for yourself.

“That will get people’s attention,” Jim thought to himself.

  • Discard the black and white brochures and replace them with a four-color brochure with some pictures and the same message used in advertising. Place these brochures in hospital waiting rooms and doctors’ clinics.
  • Invite the hospital’s discharge planners to dinner at a fine restaurant. Explain to them the facility’s new marketing plan and ask for their help in referring patients.
  • While the marketing plan is being implemented, Jim will personally handle all preadmission inquiries, using the admission’s coordinator for backup.

Jim was confident that in another 6 months the facility’s census would start turning around, but it only deteriorated further. Frustrated, he starts looking for another job. Sitting in his office, he moans, “Marketing is just a theory: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”

* A mystery shopper, also referred to as a “secret shopper,” is a marketing professional who specializes in visiting and evaluating business practices, posing as a potential client.

Questions

1.  How should Jim have handled his job interview with regard to the declining census?

2.  Do you agree with Jim’s statement: Marketing is just a theory: sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t? Explain why marketing may not work.

3.  Evaluate Jim’s marketing plan. What main improvements would you make?

4.  Critically evaluate the promotional message

 
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