Write a 4-6-page analysis of a current problem or issue in health care, including a proposed solution and possible ethical implications.
Introduction
In your health care career you will be confronted with many problems that demand a solution. By using research skills you can learn what others are doing and saying about similar problems. Then you can analyze the problem and the people and systems it affects. You can examine potential solutions and their ramifications. This assessment allows you to practice this approach with a real world problem.
Demonstration of Proficiency
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
- Competency 1: Apply information literacy and library research skills to obtain scholarly information in the field of health care.
- Use scholarly information to describe and explain a health care problem or issue and identify possible causes for it.
- Competency 2: Apply scholarly information through critical thinking to solve problems in the field of health care.
- Analyze a health care problem or issue by describing the context, explaining why it is important, and identifying populations affected by it.
- Discuss potential solutions for a health care problem or issue and describe what would be required to implement a solution.
- Competency 3: Apply ethical principles and academic standards to the study of health care.
- Analyze the ethical implications if a potential solution to a health care problem or issue was implemented.
- Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and respectful of the diversity, dignity, and integrity of others, and that is consistent with expectations for health care professionals.
- Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
- Write following APA style for in-text citations, quotes, and references.
Instructions
Note: The requirements outlined below correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide. At a minimum, be sure to address each point. In addition, you are encouraged to review the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed.
- Describe the health care problem or issue you selected for use in Assessment 2 (from the Assessment Topic Areas | Transcript media piece) and provide details about it.
- To explore your chosen topic, you should use the first four steps of the Socratic Problem-Solving Approach to aid your critical thinking. This approach was introduced in the second assessment.
- Identify possible causes for the problem or issue.
- Use scholarly information to explain the health care problem or issue.
- Identify at least three scholarly or academic peer-reviewed journal articles about the topic.
- You may use articles you found while working on Assessment 2 or you may search the Capella Library for other articles.
- You may find the applicable Undergraduate Library Research Guide helpful in your search.
- Assess the credibility of the information sources.
- Assess the relevance of the information sources.
- Analyze the problem or issue.
- Describe the setting or context for the problems or issues.
- Describe why the problem or issue is important to you.
- Identify groups of people affected by the problem or issue.
- Discuss potential solutions for the problem or issue.
- Compare your opinion with other opinions you find in sources from the Capella Library.
- Provide the pros and cons for one of the solutions you are proposing.
- Analyze the ethical implications if the potential solution (the one for which you provide pros and cons) were to be implemented.
- Discuss the pros and cons of implementing the proposed solution from an ethical principle point of view.
- Provide examples from the literature to support the points you are making.
- Describe what would be necessary to implement the proposed solution.
Example Assessment: You may use the following to give you an idea of what a Proficient or higher rating on the scoring guide would look like:
Additional Requirements
- Length: At least 4–6 typed, double-spaced pages, not including the title page and reference page.
- Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.
- APA Template: Use the APA Style Paper Template [DOCX] as the paper format and the APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOC] for guidance.
- Written communication: Write clearly and logically, with correct use of spelling, grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.
- Using outside sources: Integrate information from outside sources into academic writing by appropriately quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing, following APA style.
- References: Integrate information from outside sources to include at least three scholarly or academic peer-reviewed journal articles and three in-text citations within the paper.
- APA format: Follow current APA guidelines for in-text citations of outside sources in the body of your paper and also on the reference page.
Organize your paper using the following structure and headings:
- Title page. A separate page.
- Introduction. A brief one-paragraph statement about the purpose of the paper.
- Elements of the problem/issue. Identify the elements of the problem or issue or question.
- Analysis. Analyze, define, and frame the problem or issue.
- Considering options. Consider solutions, responses, or answers.
- Solution. Choose a solution, response, or answer.
- Ethical implications. Ethical implications of implementing the solution.
- Implementation. Implementation of the potential solution.
- Conclusion. One paragraph.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
One of the most important aspects of a health care career is the ability to identify and solve problems. In this assignment, we will examine a current problem in health care and provide a proposed solution. Additionally, we will explore the ethical implications of implementing the solution.
Answer:
The health care problem we have selected for this analysis is the issue of patient safety in hospitals. Patient safety is one of the main concerns for hospitals, as the health and wellbeing of patients is directly tied to the quality of care they receive while in hospital. However, patient safety is not always given the priority it deserves, and many health care providers may find themselves understaffed or overworked, which can lead to mistakes and oversights.
Possible causes for patient safety issues in hospitals include understaffing, inadequate training, and ineffective communication between staff members. These problems can be exacerbated by the complex and high-pressure environment of a hospital, as well as the numerous regulatory and compliance requirements that health care providers must adhere to.
To explore this topic, we have identified three scholarly or academic peer-reviewed journal articles about patient safety in hospitals. These articles address various aspects of the issue, including the impact of understaffing on patient safety, the role of effective communication in preventing errors, and the importance of adequate training for health care providers.
The credibility of these sources is high, as they have been peer-reviewed and published in reputable journals. Additionally, all of the articles were written in the last five years, which ensures that the information is current and relevant.
After analyzing the problem of patient safety in hospitals, it is clear that this issue is of critical importance. Patients rely on health care providers to provide them with safe and effective care, and any failure in this regard could have serious consequences. To address this issue, we propose that hospitals invest in additional staff training, improve communication processes, and implement systems to ensure that patients are receiving the care they need and deserve.
However, it is important to consider the ethical implications of implementing such solutions. For example, ensuring patient safety may require hospitals to invest in additional staff training or technology, which can be expensive and time-consuming. Additionally, some solutions may require sacrificing other important goals, such as cost reduction or efficiency.
Despite these challenges, we believe that the benefits of improving patient safety far outweigh the costs. By providing patients with the highest quality of care possible, hospitals can improve patient outcomes and enhance the overall experience of patients and their families. To implement this solution, hospitals need to prioritize patient safety in their policies and procedures, and allocate the necessary resources to ensure that patients are receiving the care they need and deserve.
