Reflection on Gibbs Reflective Cycle

This is a reflective assignment on my coursework based on the Gibbs Reflective Cycle. Through this assignment, I have gone ahead to explain my thoughts and understanding that have contributed to the development of my philosophy that will guide me through my profession as I offer personal centered care. My coursework understanding measured through this assignment will be a reflection of my understanding of the Roper, Logan and Tierney’s domains on factors limited to psychological, political-economic, social-cultural, biological and environmental factors with references to a patient scenario.

In visualizing the RLT model of nursing we assessed Mr. Jim Laverty who was an outpatient and had sustained injuries from a building fall.  The patient complained of a pain in his right knee and right wrist and has a history of osteoarthritis and cholecystectomy.  From the assessment of this patient, I learned that factors that influence activities of living are important in visualizing this model, factors of living include biological/physical, psychological, environmental, political-economic and social-cultural. I have gathered that biological factors measure the impact of the patient’s overall health, impact of the current injury and the scope of the patient’s anatomy. Psychological factors that influence living include the impact of factors to include cognition which is a measure of patient’s understanding, emotions, and factors to include spiritual beliefs. Sociocultural factors that influence activities of living include the impacts of society, social class, and culture.  Environmental factors include the impact of a person’s surrounding environment. Lastly, political-economic factors include the impact of the government, implemented policies and the economy (Koshy, et al.,2017).

Feelings

The Gibbs Reflective Cycle was developed and implemented by Graham Gibbs, this cycle was initially referred to as learning by doing, particularly because learning is derived from personal experience since, personal experiences create long-lasting impact (Kelly, et al., 2016). I will reflect on my course work while maintaining and referring to the Gibbs cycle to successfully evaluate the application of the RLT model in nursing. The Image presented below in figure 1 represents the Gibbs Cycle that discusses the Activities of Living (ALs). This essay also sheds light on the most important activities that are important to live in regards to the RLT model. Throughout the coursework, it has come to my understanding that even if this model directly correlates with the nursing profession there are a few factors that need to be put under careful consideration since they are responsible for the ALs of patients.

Throughout the course work, I have come to acknowledge the role of this theory in the provision of healthcare services. This theory serves the purpose of explaining and breaking down the concepts of AL, and as a nursing student, it is of vital importance that I take time to understand all the aspect presented by the RLT model and this is because I particularly desire to offer personal individualized care for patients (Stonehouse, 2017).

Figure 1

Evaluation

Learning and understanding this theory is a fundamental step in nursing. Through the course work, I have been able to select and evaluate a few factors and their application and significance in my nursing profession. I have also gathered that the effective factors that are environmental, psychological, biological, social-cultural and political-economics may vary in the case of every patient when providing personal care (Howatson-Jones, 2016). After a review of the listed factors, I understand that personal care relies on personal factors to include but not limited to habits, injuries and the work of the patient (Kieft, et al., 2014). The mentioned factors are responsible for shaping the direction in which the personal treatment and care of an individual take.

Description

 The ALs to include breathing, communication, drinking, mobilization, maintaining a safe environment sleep, eating and breathing and many more are part of the RLT model. These ALs are crucial and play an important role as components of living. I have successfully been able to integrate this model with my coursework, and through this integration, it has come to my knowledge that through the evaluation of the factors of the RLT model a healthcare provider can be able to establish the sleeping patterns, the mobility of a patient and other elements of the patient (In Holland, & In Jenkins, 2019).  The first step to effectively and efficiently delivering personal care is analyzing the overall health and all factors surrounding the patient this analysis will facilitate the formulation of a treatment plan that is in accordance with the RLT model.  

Also, I have noted that biological and psychological factors are effectively addressed through treatment (In Holland, & In Jenkins, 2019). However, I firmly understand that each of the five factors are different and may play a vital role in facilitating the sleeping patterns, the behavior and the communication of the patient as well as the food habits of the individual (In Holland, & In Jenkins, 2019). Furthermore, I have learned that hygiene factors which are environmental aspects may further be used to develop further treatment plans that can be used to deliver personal care.

Personal Philosophy of Nursing and The Outcome of Reflective Learning

 From a nurse’s perspective I can conclude that it is only through a thorough evaluation of the patient that the progress of the patient can be established (Jayatilleke, et al., 2013). It has also come to my attention that political-economic factors address but are not limited to provision, availability of health reforms, funding, and benefits and political reforms implemented by governmental policies and plans (Tashiro, et al., 2013).  In addition, I have identified and concluded that socio-cultural factors are responsible for influencing the psychological needs and shapes the need requirement of patients (Peate, & Peate, 2010). Moreover, I am of the notion that there are various matters that nurses find hard and uneasy to discuss, hence, the patient may also be uncomfortable when discussing the ALs discussed by the model. Despite this, the contribution that is being made by this model towards developing a personal care plan is broad and invaluable. Despite this contribution, my philosophy will also emphasize that the success of this model in delivering personal care will entirely depend on the honesty of the patient, effective personal care plans must be based on true information from the patient.

Linking with Personal Philosophy and Future Practice

With regards to my above-discussed philosophy on personal care, I would like to acknowledge that, the five factors that have been discussed in the course of this essay are the backbone of this model, and without them the model is flawed. My conclusion is at per with Dr, Roper, one of the individuals responsible for the formulation of this model (In Holland, & In Jenkins, 2019). In the future I would highly recommend that this model be established as a learning model instead of using it as just a checklist. I firmly believe that my philosophy is at per with the concepts discussed by Dr. Roper.  For example, linking all the ALs with the five identified factors that explain the environment of a patient is of benefits in formulating a better understanding of the individual.

Conclusion

I have gained a lot of understanding through this reflective practice of my course work with particular reference to the RLT Model and I can successfully conclude that this model is effective enough to be used to deliver personal centered care. I also plan to use the RLT model to deliver individualized-centered care, this model would act as the backbone when developing a care plan that identifies various patterns of the patient. Moreover, considering that this model has five factors I would emphasize on the individual nature of all five factors since personal care requires an individual approach to ensure the delivery of quality care.

References

Fragkos, K. C. (2016). Reflective practice in healthcare education: an umbrella review.     Education Sciences, 6(3), 27.

Howatson-Jones, L. (2016). Reflective practice in nursing.

In Holland, K., & In Jenkins, J. (2019). Applying the Roper-Logan-Tierney model in practice.

Jayatilleke, N., & Mackie, A. (2013). Reflection as part of continuous professional development for public health professionals: a literature review. Journal of public health, 35(2), 308-         312.

Kelly, M. A., Berragan, E., Husebø, S. E., & Orr, F. (2016). Simulation in nursing education—    International perspectives and contemporary scope of practice. Journal of Nursing          Scholarship, 48(3), 312-321.

Kieft, R. A., de Brouwer, B. B., Francke, A. L., & Delnoij, D. M. (2014). How nurses and their    work environment affect patient experiences of the quality of care: a qualitative study.   BMC health services research, 14(1), 249.

Koshy, K., Limb, C., Gundogan, B., Whitehurst, K., & Jafree, D. J. (2017). Reflective practice in             health care and how to reflect effectively. International journal of surgery. Oncology,        2(6), e20.

Peate, I., & Peate, I. (2010). Nursing care and the activities of living. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Stonehouse, D. (2017). A support worker's guide to models of living and nursing. British Journal             of Healthcare Assistants, 11(9), 454-457.

Tashiro, J., Shimpuku, Y., Naruse, K., & Matsutani, M. (2013). Concept analysis of reflection in nursing professional development. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 10(2), 170-179.

 ETHNOGRAPHIC PROJECT: Stage 2 Intervention

Preface:

            Notions related to health and illness have always been an integral part of a culture, it is arguable that cultural systems influence medical and healthcare systems since they are an inconstant reality with the culture that produces them (Langdon et al., 2010).  Culture, as explained by anthropology, is an instrumental concept for health professionals that are responsible for researching health interventions among rural indigenous people and even in urban areas.  This paper seeks to explain and describe the role of culture in health, illness and healing and medical anthropology contributions to individual and public health in a domestic and international context with specific references to high blood pressure intervention. Culture encompasses elements that qualify any mental or biological activities that are shared by a group of people.  Culture is responsible for shaping the biological and bodily needs and characteristics. Culture has strong ties to the mental and physical activities of an individual. Consequently, culture is responsible for shaping the believes and ideologies of a particular socially constructed group.

1. Intervention:

Anthropology plays an important role in the field of public health and the development of public health policy. Culture is not constant; it is subject to change and has undergone significant theoretical and pragmatic changes (Langdon et al., 2010).  The field of medical anthropology is a distinct field that anthropologists have shown interest in and mostly public health policy development since the development of these policies require research contribution from many disciplines. An integrated perspective of culture is one of the contributions of anthropology towards the development of public health policies. To understand the etiology of a disease among a given population, specialists utilize a multifactorial model of disease, this model examines a number of factors an and among them is culture. This model examines the cultural aspects of the disease and the beliefs held by the subjects of the study concerning the disease (Langdon et al., 2010).  Holism is another important anthropological tool that is being used to aid the development of public health policies, this involves capturing every detail in a community or a population that is subject to study with a focus on understanding even the smallest details of the individual’s life.

The health intervention used to show how everyone’s beliefs and behaviors are culturally constructed and how the historical, social, political, and economic contexts in which people live or visit shape/influence who stays well/healthy, who gets sick, what they suffer, what their experience of illness is, how they are treated, who gets better/heals, and who does not for this study is Blood pressure with specific reference to African Americans.  As discussed, earlier culture is responsible for influencing how individuals respond to treatment. To successfully manage Blood pressure in African American this study will focus on the use of therapeutic interventions.  According to substantial research, African Americans with Blood pressure can benefit a lot from therapeutic lifestyle changes to include diet modification, increased physical activity, and weight management. However, these therapeutic changes are hard to implement as a result of barriers to include behavioral changes (Langdon et al., 2010), with a focus on encouraging African Americans with BP to embrace these therapeutic changes, medical practitioners are strategically tailoring interventions that fit within the cultural context of African Americans. The public policies that should also be instituted also are guided by the culture of African Americans. 

1. Culturally Constructed Ideas:

Culture health beliefs are responsible for affecting the way people think and feel about their health and health-related problems, culture also influences from who and when people seek healthcare. It is also arguable that culture is responsible for how individuals decide to respond to lifestyle changes, healthcare interventions being made and treatment adherence (Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Health Literacy, et al, 2004). On a global scale culture also differs in the modes of communication and even limits what can be discussed about the human body and what should not be discussed. Culture plays a major role in influencing the outcomes of healthcare interventions. From a healthcare perspective culture is accountable for providing means that are used to derive meaning from information (Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Health Literacy, et al, 2004). Cultural ideas on health systems are reflected and shaped through media. A wide array of social factors produces and diffuse information and miss information in addition to supporting health and shaping bias.

Cultural values of African Americans living with BP impede the implementation of lifestyle changes, for instance, it is difficult for these individuals to obey doctor`s instructions to depart from traditional diets that worsen their conditions.  A percentage of this population may opt not to trust the healthcare system and may harbor suspicions that they are just mere participants of an experiment they are not aware of (Scisney-Matlock et al., 2009). To overcome these barriers, healthcare providers must adopt the art of cultural competence. This involves developing a healthcare delivery system that has incorporated the cultural heritage, beliefs, behaviors of the individual receiving care.

1. Unintended Consequences:

The unintended consequences of the therapeutic interventions made to enhance the management of Blood pressure in African American individuals include; an increased number of African Americans embracing dietary changes, thus facilitating the successful management of Blood pressure (Scisney-Matlock et al., 2009).

Author’s Final Note:

The purpose of the above study was to outline the role of culture in health, illness, and healing and medical anthropology′s contributions to individual and public health as well as to describe the local and global political, social, and economic factors that influence individual and public health to shape programs and policies. This study makes specific references to African Americans when exploring the role of culture and how culture impacts therapeutic measures implemented with a focus on managing Blood pressure in African Americans.

References

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Health Literacy; Nielsen-Bohlman L, Panzer AM,         Kindig DA, editors. (2004) Health Literacy; A Prescription to End Confusion.   Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 4, Culture and Society. Available           from:             https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK216037/

Langdon, E. J., & Wiik, F. B. (2010). Anthropology, health and illness: an introduction to the      concept of culture applied to the health sciences. Revista latino-americana de enfermagem, 18(3), 459-466.

Scisney-Matlock, M., Bosworth, H. B., Giger, J. N., Strickland, O. L., Harrison, R. V., Coverson,            D., ... & Ogedegbe, G. (2009). Strategies for implementing and sustaining therapeutic     lifestyle changes as part of hypertension management in African Americans.     Postgraduate medicine, 121(3), 147-159.

Disease Models of Addiction

Introduction

My client is a 30 years old Asian lady who is single and lives alone in a very nice condominium. She is an attorney and works in a large law firm where she happens to be very successful in her legal practice. She was raised in the U.S together with her brother by first-generation immigrants who were from Japan. Her brother is older than her and is a successful entrepreneur. After graduating from a prestigious law school she was hired by a prominent law firm. She has no religious connections.

After joining college and being away from home for the first time, she started drinking and occasionally using marijuana. Throughout law school, she maintained heavy use of alcohol and marijuana until recently when she began abusing cocaine. This has started to affect her job performance negatively. She was referred to a college based brief treatment program after excessively being intoxicated from the use of alcohol and marijuana at a college party. She completed what the college program required and did not receive any further treatment. Through the employee assistance program, she has been referred to as seek treatment.

According to Volkow, Koob &Mclellan (2016), addiction is a brain disease that is caused by neurobiological adjustments that occur after persistent use of alcohol and drugs and the addicts often have no control over. It changes how the body and brain function. It often leads to compulsive behavior and self-regulation is weakened. A person with drug addictions displays extreme interruptions in the ability to make decisions and having emotional balance. Addiction is caused by behavioral, environmental and biological factors. When addiction is left untreated, it may cause physical and mental disorders.

My client suffers from the disease of addiction based on her history. The treatment strategies that I will recommend for her first is that she needs to attend a behavioral counseling program. She then needs medication for the disease to help in containing the withdrawal symptoms in the process of detoxification which is the beginning process in addiction treatment. She should be assessed and treated for preceded mental health problems which include anxiety and depression NIDA (2019). To prevent a relapse, following up on her and her treatment will be equally important.

 Social-cultural factors that include diagnosis and medical treatment of the client will affect her client's perception of the addictive behavior. This is because addictive behavior is associated with emotional burdens, relationship anguish, family unreliability and this may affect her perception of the problem Daley (2013). This problem causes an economic burden in terms of the money spent on the treatment, relying on people for help and probably the loss of a job which may affect the perception of the behavior. Infections of other diseases for example HIV may have an impact on addictive behavior.

Factors that may contribute to addictive behavior are social, psychological and economic. The main factors include drug accessibility and the use of drugs meant for medical treatment. Other factors include anxiety, distress, neurological uncertainty, family functionality, exhaustion and lack of sleep Mushtaq & Bibi (2018). The factors that may help overcome the problem include self-acceptance and regulation. Knowing how to maintain motivation and how to deal with cravings. How to manage thoughts, feeling and behaviors as well as a person’s lifestyle Hester, Lenberg, Campbell & Delaney (2013).

Conclusion

Addiction is a disease of the body and brain that is associated with uncontrollable use of one or more substances despite serious social and health consequences. Addiction causes many negative impacts on a person and leads to behavioral change. Counseling of addicts is a good way to start the treatment process of addiction. Treatment of addiction is essential to enable a person to live their lives free of addiction and avoid mental health disorders.

References

Daley D. C. (2013). Family and social aspects of substance use disorders and treatment. Journal

of food and drug analysis, 21(4), S73–S76.

Hester R. K.  Lenberg K.L. Campbell W. Delaney H.D. (2013), Overcoming Addictions, a Web-

Based Application, and SMART Recovery, an Online and In-Person Mutual Help Group

for Problem Drinkers, Part 1: Three-Month Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of Medical Internet research 15(7):134

NIDA. (2019). Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction. Retrieved from

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/treatment-approaches-drug-addiction

Noman M. & Sadia B. (2018). Factors Contributing to Drug Addiction among Youth of Azad

Kashmir. 8.

 Volkow D. N. Koob F.G. & McLellan A.T (2016). Neurobiologic Advances from the Brain

Disease Model of Addiction: New England Journal of Medicine 374: 363-371

My BSN to RN experience

My journey into the BSN-RN program started on the 11^th of August, 2015 at UTA. Looking back, I always find myself wondering why I took so long to complete the program. Although I took longer than the 2 years most people take to complete the program, the challenges that I have had to overcome, combined with the things I have learnt during this duration of time will be a boost in my career. When I first started, my first classes were Health policy and legal aspect as well as Transition to professional nursing. Despite the demanding nature of the program, I also took it upon myself to take extra classes whenever I could because multiple classes would enable me to accomplish my goals within a shorter duration of time. The time I started the BSN-RN program was also the time during which my two daughters were born and this only meant more work for me when I got home. Although having to juggle family life and academics was challenging, I choose to see it as an example of the various challenges I would have to overcome during the duration of my career.

I spent most of my time before the BSN-RN program as a nurse in the emergency department for a duration of 6 years. When I first started, I was rather enthusiastic as I saw it as a positive step towards promoting my future career. The enthusiasm saw me attend various seminars, conferences and would even enroll for classes that would enable me to qualify for advanced certifications. Over time however, the demanding nature of my tasks combined with the pressure from school watered down the enthusiasm and I lacked the drive I had on the onset of my journey into nursing. Although I was still determined to further my career progress, my ambition was limited as the weight of all that was required of me started to become too much to bear.

The positive attitude I had towards nursing was however renewed when I enrolled at UTA for the transition to professional nursing program. The idea that I was in a position to embark on something that I had set out to start 6 years prior combined to the vast information in the field of nursing, ethics and other information covered in the curriculum was enough to trigger the passion I once had for nursing. I started by re-enrolling for relief charge nursing shifts where I would help with ED specific committees. I also joined various nursing associations as they were an excellent source for information on nursing that I could access at home for further reading. Other than my personal research, I would engage with the MD to try and gain a better insight of what happens in the medical field and what it takes to be the best at my field. Most were more than willing to share and their guidance really boosted my career development and it was a boost to my critical thinking skills and the knowledge I possess.

Experience as a lifelong learner

            I believe that the program will help me to reach both my professional and personal goals. On a personal level, the program has helped me to bring out the best in people by not only influencing them positively, but also engaging in ways that will make it easier for them to open up. Working with other members enrolled in the program and engaging with people in top positions has taught me how to be an attentive listener and also interact with people in top positions. Pursuing my goals has also helped me to become a better career planner and more organized in life. The experience has led to my decision to complete my bachelor’s program and continue to pursue a masters and doctorate course in the field. The interaction with those in leadership position has helped me to discover my passion and ability to influence others and mentor people to take up nursing by equipping them with the information, motivation and guidance they need to be better at their careers.

            The program has helped me to further my journey towards better decision making. This was greatly influenced by a topic covered in the program on how to make SMART goals. The SMART approach has become something that I implement daily, not just in my field of study but also on activities I engage in during my personal time. I have learnt that the skills and information I pick up can be used not just in pursuit of a career but also when performing daily activities and interacting with people. Doing so not only keeps the information fresh in my mind, it also creates a platform where I can put what information I learn into practice.

The continuum of novice to expert in the professional nursing role

            The one thing that has helped me to remain positive throughout the experience is my philosophy towards life and the unwavering conviction that I will make it through. The program has taught me the importance of sticking to one’s philosophy as it is the best way to remain focused towards the goal at hand. I have learnt to treat my learning as my personal philosophy and when times get hard, this belief has been the constant reminder I deed to know that everything will work out in the end. Although my approach and beliefs may change from time to time, they keep reverting back to one common base and this is where I determine the things I need to achieve and those that can wait.

My role transition to a professional nurse and an evaluation program.

            While pursuing the program, I enrolled to join the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society whose main focus is to promote outstanding leadership and commitment to excellence while ensuring that one attains their scholarly achievements (SIGMA, 2020). The members of SIGMA enjoy a lot of benefits, one of which is access to a wide range of tools and resources that are designed to offer support and guidelines to its members at different stages of their careers. The academic goals set through the program have also pushed me to be better as they acted as the tool that I used to assess my progress. Every experience has been educational and while I have faced a great deal of challenges, every obstacle that I have overcome has only prepared me for the difficulties that I’m likely to face. The program has however reinstated my belief in my chosen career and taught me to not only anticipate challenges, but also ensure that every obstacle is a teaching moment.

Reference

SIGMA, (2020) “About SIGMA” retrieved from, https://www.sigmanursing.org/

e-activity One

The United States is the wealthiest nation in the world, therefore measuring factors to include health is important. Measuring healthcare is important to establish the health value Americans get from their spending on healthcare. To successfully explore these measures, it is important to consider vulnerable groups in the population and other subgroups (Center for Disease Control, 2010). Various ways used to measure population health include measuring the mortality and life expectancy, this is the easiest and oldest method used to measure the health of a population. This method is used to measure the health of the population in the events of an outbreak that causes the death of many. The second method is the fertility and fatality rates, this method is based on; a healthy population will record high fertility rates with more healthy infants being born.  Health risk factors to include the prevalence of obesity are used to measure health (Center for Disease Control, 2010). These different methods of measuring individual and general population health have a huge impact on the decisions individuals make concerning their health care needs, these measures also encourage individuals to change their lifestyles.

e-activity two

When compared to other industrialized countries the United States government spends a relatively high amount on the health of its citizens.  However, the country’s spending on healthcare does not mean that the health of the country’s citizens is better than the health of citizens of other industrialized nations. The US spends an estimated $8000 per person in a year in healthcare. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the US has about 3 physicians per 1000 individuals.  The average life expectancy in the US is 78 years while in other developed countries life expectancy is 79 years (World Health Organization, 2002). Most of the health insurance in the US are private, therefore, individuals have to spend their finances on medical insurance. The individual spending on insurance in the US is relatively high when compared to Individual spending in other industrialized countries (World Health Organization, 2002). The United States has a complex health plan than other industrialized nation, in the US the same treatment can be charged at different prices for different consumers based on their different health plans.

References

Center for Disease Control. (2010).  Summary measures of Population Health. Retrieved from;             https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/pophealth.pdf

World Health Organization (2002). World Health Organization Assesses the World's Health         Systems. Retrieved from; https://www.who.int/whr/2000/media_centre/press_release/en/

Implications of Health Economic Concepts for Healthcare

Introduction

Health economics is a type of economics that is concerned with the matters that are related to the effectiveness, efficiency, behavior, and ethics in the production and consumption of healthcare and health. It is important since it helps to establish the needed health improvements and lifestyle patterns. This is done through interactions with individuals, healthcare providers, and clinical environments. These interactions help to promote healthy lifestyles and positive health outcomes. Health economic concepts help to determine the various problems found in healthcare and how they can be addressed.

According to Babalola (2017), health demand is an economic concept that refers to giving up any possession to get the desired quality service. In case all the other components are consistent, an increase in the cost of a service will lower the demand and a decline in the price of a service will grow the demand. The demand in healthcare is on the rise and the most contributing factor is the increased pervasiveness of diseases that could be preventable and the substandard utilization of resources. When resources are used in some type of way, they are not available to develop another service and therefore the benefits are foregone. Individuals have to allocate resources to produce and consume health. The choices consumers make influence these factors. Consumer’s lack of living a healthy life and preventing chronic diseases leads to a bad use of the healthcare scheme and has led to increased costs. Factors that impact healthcare demand include, prices, consumers, supply, governmental influence, and the income

Supply is a concept in economics that illustrates the number of a certain service that is accessible to consumers. Supply is determined by the demand, the competing services, and the price. According to Babalola (2017), demand and supply in healthcare are linked up together since in this case, the service provider is the determiner of the service that a sick consumer deserves. This may result in a conflict of interest in a case where the service provider may want to make a profit and so they ask the consumer to have many unnecessary tests which make them pay more than they should have.

Everyone prefers to be healthy rather than being sick and this is where the healthcare demand originates, the wish of a consumer to be healthy Babalola (2017). The health measures concept is used to ensure that the value of money is obtained by considering the cost-effectiveness of the provision in healthcare. The demand in healthcare is relatively inelastic. Elasticity is low in healthcare since it is of major importance in life and therefore the demand is slightly affected by price changes. Price elasticity usually changes depending on the service being offered. The cost is a concept that affects the demand for health services and its impact on the health services demand is higher than the cost. When factors that influence demand are steady, the income elasticity is used to measure the effect of the changes in income on the amount of demanded services.

Economic evaluations by healthcare professionals and decision-makers enable decisions to be made with ease Snoswell, Smith, Scuffham, & Whitty, (2017). This is in terms of the different types of healthcare provision, the strategies, and the delivery of new services and interventions. To enable the existing services to be compared with the new services, economic analysis is important to evaluate the cost and benefits that are connected to the different services. This is important, not only in terms of healthcare efficiency but also for the value of money. For healthcare professionals and decision-makers, it is important to understand and apply economic methods to promote productivity and the sustainability of healthcare.

Healthcare delivery is complex and financial challenges are among the problems that face the healthcare system. The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century (2002) states that the systems that fund, organize and deliver healthcare work to frustrate the organizations that ensure effective strategies to quality patient care. It is important to consider that many parts of the healthcare system are economically sensitive. Insurance plans and companies fight to survive in healthcare which is a very competitive market. The disparities among the insurance plans in either being eligible, beneficial, the compensation policies among other attributes create confusion and managerial burdens for the consumers and the providers.

Government involvement in healthcare plays a major role in ensuring great quality and value in healthcare Straube (2013). Through financing, making policies and regulations of government programs, quality healthcare delivery for consumers has been influenced. The promotion of preventive services has been influenced by the government. This has enlightened people on how the prevention of diseases is effective and saves costs. Government involvement in healthcare ensures that consumers get affordable and quality services. It has ensured consumers have access to insurance coverage. To get healthcare compensation with better quality and value, value-based purchasing and gain sharing programs are used.

According to Liaropoulos & Goranitis (2015), the government uses taxes and labor contributions to fund for health care systems. Financing is the process used to mobilize, accumulate and allocate money to cover the health needs of the people together and as an individual. The role of financing is to ensure that funding is available and to place the correct financial motivations for providers to enable all consumers to have sufficient and effective public and personal healthcare. The public health systems that are financed through taxation are more effective in economic expense consolidation and are responsive to economic pressures. General taxation to meet healthcare needs can lead to economic growth.

The involvement of the private sector to provide healthcare includes activities that are performed by non-governmental sectors. Private sector involvement ensures the provision of healthcare, financing and the supply of healthcare-related items intending to achieve universal healthcare coverage. According to Hallo De Wolf & Toebes (2016), private sector involvement in healthcare may include activities from other nongovernmental institutions to help and ensure the delivery of a good health system. These activities from the different institutions include the manufacturing of health care goods and services such as medicine and rehabilitation. They provide direct healthcare and help to manage healthcare organizations and also provide financing for healthcare products and services. These activities are even made possible in public healthcare systems. When the government is not capable or is not willing to provide healthcare services, the private sector ensures the provision and effective delivery of healthcare.

Conclusion

Healthcare is an economic activity whereby people and organizations put their time and investments. Economic concepts help to explain the decisions which consumers make regarding their health and healthcare. In many cases, consumers try to increase their benefits while they reduce the costs of services or goods. Health economics help to enlighten on the performance of individuals, healthcare providers, the public and private institutions and the government while making decisions.

References

Babalola O (2017) Consumers and Their Demand for Healthcare. Journal of Health & Medical

Economics. Vol. 3 No. 1:6

Hallo De Wolf, A., & Toebes, B. (2016). Assessing Private Sector Involvement in Health Care

and Universal Health Coverage in Light of the Right to Health. Health and human rights, 18(2), 79–92.

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Assuring the Health of the Public in the 21st Century.

(2002) The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century. Washington (DC): National

Academies Press (US);

Liaropoulos, L., Goranitis, I. Health care financing and the sustainability of health systems.

International Journal of Equity in Health 14, 80 (2015).

Snoswell, C., Smith, A. C., Scuffham, P. A., & Whitty, J. A. (2017). Economic evaluation

strategies in telehealth: Obtaining a more holistic valuation of telehealth interventions.

Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 23(9), 792–796

Healthcare Information Management

Health information management is a profession that seeks to promote effective management of patient records and medical data to improve the quality of treatment and care offered. With health information management practices constantly changing, there are great opportunities to exploit as well as challenges to overcome. Take the case of technology in the medical field for instance. The incorporation of technology in medical practices has created an environment where technology is as much a part of offering quality medical care as it is having a doctor present. The incorporation has seen great improvement in terms of quality and efficiency. An example is the improved efficiency in compiling, storing and retrieving patient records. This will create opportunities for healthcare information managers to keep detailed records that are easily accessible and to update (Ngafeson, 2014). The ease of access will make performing duties faster and therefore increase the quality of care. Another opportunity is the ability to access patient records from different departments. This will make decision making faster and promote interdepartmental cooperation.

Cover Letter

Name

Address

Email

Date
Northside Hospital,
Atlanta, GA.

Dear Sir,

I am writing in regards to the employment opportunity at Northside Hospital for the health information management position. The experience that I have gained over the years, combined with what I will pick up while employed will go a long way towards improving my skills and competence, thus making the position a perfect fit for my career goals.

I have enrolled in various volunteer programs and worked with various organization to continue improving my skills in my chosen field. For the past five years for instance, I have worked at xyz hospital and also volunteered with the Red Cross on various community outreach programs. The experience has equipped me with various skills and knowhow, some of which include

• Generating and submitting reports from ROI Online as directed by the management at XYZ hospital.
• In charge of processing requests and authorizing the release of medical information in accordance with the guidelines stipulated by HIPAA
• Maintaining knowledge on safety procedures and ensuring they are followed as a way to reduce the frequency of accidence and establish a safe working environment.

I believe that I have the skills and drive needed to make an important addition to your team. My email is enclosed for further information and I look forward to meeting up with you to discuss my qualifications in more detail.

Your consideration will be highly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Name
List of Enclosures (Resume)

Resume

(Your name)

(Your address)

WORK EXPERIENCE

DIRECTOR OF HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

ABC hospital                                                                                                   2017 - PRESENT

• Maintain and improve healthcare information management performance and encourage employees to engage in suggested activities.
• Maintain a safe working environment by ensuring that healthcare information management policies regarding departmental operations, safety and fire are understood and observed.
• Establish and maintain good rapport and cooperation among physicians and other departments.
• Training new employees.
• Identifying the needs of employees and engaging with them in ways that promote personal and organizational progress.

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF ABC                                                                                                        (year)

Bachelor's Degree in Health Information Management

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills
• Proven management skills in monitoring healthcare information management functional areas in order to improve quality and productivity
• Exemplary computer skills, database system management, data entry and ability to use the3M Coding Grouper and System
• Experience in managing patient health information and medical records.

Reference

Ngafeeson, Madison, (2014) “Healthcare information systems: Opportunities and challenges”      The Commons, retrieved from,      https://commons.nmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=facwork_bookchap    ters

Job position: Health Information Manager

Link: https://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=8f4fbf56db19eb98&from=serp

e-activity

In recent years the health cost curve has registered drastic changes. The gradual rise and the fall of the cost curve is as a result of the direct and indirect changes taking place in the healthcare sector. The invention of new healthcare models to include new pharmaceutical drugs and implementation of health reforms are factors that have caused a shift in the healthcare cost curve (Chandra, et al., 2013). Also, factors to include quality can cause a shift in the cost curve.  The health industry is ever-evolving and the developments taking place in this sector have attracted higher costs that are distributed in the industry (Chandra, et al., 2013).  In the healthcare sector in the US, there are many expensive drugs and the government is currently focused on controlling the cost of these drugs that have caused a rise in the cost curve. Healthcare reforms are being implemented with a focus on improving customers experience, these reforms improve the health of individuals and positively impact the consumers, these reforms are expensive and cause a rise in the cost curve (Chandra, et al., 2013). Quality is another factor that can cause a rise in the cost curve, for example, to ensure the quality of medication offered in-depth and further examination into one’s medical condition is required, quality will require a high cost thus raising the cost curve.

 In the healthcare industry, there are major healthcare providers that have the power to influence the supply of healthcare in the US. Different healthcare providers mostly in the private sector can determine at what prices US citizens access quality medical care (American Hospital Association, 2019). The federal and state government in conjunction with nonprofit organizations have tried to counteract the power profit organizations have to influence the supply of medical care, however, they do not have enough hospitals.  Insurance firms also try to control the supply of healthcare (American Hospital Association, 2019). For example, an attempt by the government to influence the prices of pharmaceutical products with a focus on controlling supply might fail as a result of the bargaining that takes place between the drug companies and profit hospitals.

References

American Hospital Association. (2019). “3 Ways to Adopt the Attributes of High-Value   Hospitals.” Retrieved from; https://www.aha.org/aha-center-health-innovation- market-scan/2019-02-11-3-ways-adopt-attributes-high-value-hospitals

Chandra, A., Holmes, J., & Skinner, J. (2013). Is this time different? The slowdown in healthcare             spending (No. w19700). National Bureau of Economic Research.

e-activity

 Demand can be described as the set price at which consumers are willing and can buy a commodity. Demand sided barriers impede individuals from getting treatment (Frick et al., 2012).  Demand factors to include income, government influence, and cost of care influence the quality of health care provided. Medical care needs are not emergencies and individuals have the time to make a decision and choose a particular hospital after reviewing factors to include charges of that hospital (Frick et al., 2012). This indicates that the economic theory has much influence on the demand for healthcare since economic factors are put into consideration before receiving healthcare.  Healthcare demand can be termed as inelastic since there is no set price to purchase healthcare services (Frick et al., 2012). An individual’s ability meets their healthcare needs is based on their incomes. For example, this is why there are multiple stories on individuals that have no medical insurance being bankrupted by medical expenses.

 Income is one of the factors that influence healthcare demand, if a healthcare consumer has a low income the consumer is less likely to seek medical attention for common sicknesses (Frick et al., 2012). Contrariwise, the consumer who has a higher income will be willing to spend a relatively high amount on healthcare, when the income for individuals is relatively high the demand curve will shit further to the right and contrariwise (Frick et al., 2012). Government influence is another factor affecting the demand curve for healthcare in the US. Policies to include subsidy increases the demand for healthcare as patient are charged relatively low prices. Lastly, supply is another factor that determines the demand for healthcare, supply dictates the number of services and goods available in a country, supply is determined by demand. The demand curve for healthcare in the US is further to the right since demand for healthcare is higher than the supply.  Most healthcare consumers lack adequate knowledge and do not understand the importance of having a medical care policy, in such cases the principle and the agent should take the responsibility of educating consumers the need of having such policies. The principle and agent should also ensure that consumers are aware of what is expected of them in all matters of healthcare (Frick et al., 2012).  The principle and agent play an important role of dispensing important information to heath care customers.

References

Frick, K., Neissen, L., Bridges, J., Walker, D., Wilson, R. F., & Bass, E. B. (2012). Usefulness of economic evaluation data in systematic reviews of evidence.

 What effect does a support system have on treatment compliance among HIV-positive patients?

ABSTRACT

HIV- positive patients encounter various challenges in their daily life. Patients diagnosed with HIV face heath problem and the late adherence to treatment put them at risk for opportunistic infection and a short lifespan. Society is another big challenge that HIV positive patients faced, in some part of the World , reject and discrimination are part of the societal norm; this difficult environment does not encourage HIV patient to disclose their health status, which lead to the spread of disease and delayed treatment.

Research shows a correlation between the presence of a support system and improved quality of life for HIV positive individuals. When compared to individuals who do not disclose their positive HIV status, those with support also demonstrate better compliance with treatment, and therefore, more positive outcomes.

For more than two decades, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been one of the standardized approaches in dealing with HIV-1 infections across Europe and America. The improvements in HIV treatments and its health care in 1996 included the prophylaxis for opportunistic infections and the management of comorbidities. For the same reason, it also improved intensive care management, disease screening, and health promotion. Likewise, researches also emphasize how education and robust support system can help HIV-positive patient start ART therapy on time and comply to the treatment can likely improves their lives.

INTRODUCTION

Support services for HIV positive patients are offered in a variety of settings and have been proven to have a significant positive impact. Many research studies have been done to examine community –based support and treatment advocacy programs about their effect on treatment adherence.   HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus is a virus that attacks cells whose objective is to fight body infection which makes a person vulnerable to other diseases and infections. According to HIV.GOV (n.d.), the virus is spread through contact with bodily liquids of a certain person who had HIV. The most common way to spread the virus is through unprotected sex or sharing the injection equipment. 

In history, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have reported as early as June 1981 of the presence of HIV cases in Los Angeles, California. The case in 1987 already resulted in the death of two American men. By 2018, the United States already has more than a million of its inhabitants confined with the virus (Heitz, 2018).

One of the treatments for HIV is the rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Mateo-Urdiales et al (2019) dissented the claim that despite the availability of ART, HIV continues to cause substantial illness and premature death in low and middle-income countries. Mateo-Urdiales et al (2019) found out that the employment of ART within a week’s diagnosis resulted in the improvement of the outcomes across the HIV treatment in low and middle-income settings.

In line with this, this paper aims to determine whether education about antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment can improve adherence among HIV positive individuals who are non-adherent to treatment. Moreover, the objectives of this study are (1) to determine the effect of the support system and  the relevance of ART compliance treatment in today’s HIV positive patients?; (2) to assess if there are further needs in the improvement for new HIV treatments; and (3) to evaluate the effectiveness of the ART treatment among adherent HIV patients.

                                                                          Method

            The researcher will employ a randomized controlled trial (RCT). According to Shiel Jr. (2018). RCT is defined as the research method in which people are to be selected randomly in receiving one of the several clinical interventions. One of the objectives of the randomized controlled trial is to compare the interventions used. Moreover, one of the interventions would have to be controlled. The controlled group could be one standard practice or employing no intervention at all. Furthermore, the people who participate in the study are called participants or subjects. The approach of RCT is quantitative because of its comparative and experimental nature. Moreover, whoever has the virus can be included in the study with no favored regard for children, adolescents, adults, men, women, or any gender.

 The final sample had 150 participants, who had a mean age of 42. 5 year, 47% of the participants were women. Most of the Women were of African American descent. About 55% of the participants had received at least a high school education. 10% of the participants were employed fulltime and had a total monthly income that was less than $1000. 90% of the participants were sexually oriented as heterosexual. 5% were bisexual and 4%   considered themselves explicitly homosexual. 15% were already married and their partners were aware of their current HIV-positive status. Over 50% reported having a stable sexual partner for about a year. 25% of the participants reported to have used illicit drugs in the course of the last six months. 65% of the participants confirmed to have started ART regimen two years before the clinical study.

Measures

A modified version of a social support inventory tool was utilized to assess the efficiency of the received social support for 45 days from families, friends and medical staff, the social support offered will be in the areas of emotional, appraisal, informational, emotional and spiritual support.  Information support will revolve around enhancing the participants knowledge on ART.  This is the only form of support that will be related to ART treatment. To measure medical adherence, a patient self-report for the last five days will be analyzed. There will be three measures of adherence, dose adherence, time adherence and pill adherence. For the three measures daily percentage of the three will be assessed.

The table below contain descriptive data on the main study variables of the 150 HIV positive participants.

 Table 1.0 Descriptive Data

EXPECTED RESULT

The randomized controlled research is supposed to shows improvement on HIV-positive patient on ART compliance therapy as well as the advantage of having support system such as education, follow up appointment. The social desirability of the participants will be another factor that will be measured. Lastly, the results is supposed to show the effects of the support interventions offered.

References

Babb DA, Pemba L, Seatlanyane P, Charalambous S, Churchyard GJ, Grant AD:

               Use of traditional medicine by HIV-infected individuals in South Africa in the era

               of antiretroviral therapy. Psychology, Health & Medicine 2007, 12(3):314-320.

Bartlett, J. et al. (2020). Patient education: Initial treatment of HIV (Beyond the Basics). Retrieved from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/initial-treatment-of-hiv-beyond-the-basics#H22

Biswas, B., et al.  (2014). Characterizing HIV medication adherence for virologic success among individuals living with HIV/AIDS: Experience with the CNS HIV Antiretroviral Therapy Effects Research (CHARTER) cohort. Journal of HIV/AIDS & social services, 13(1), 8–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/15381501.2013.859111

Costa, J. O., Ceccato, M., Silveira, M. R., Bonolo, P. F., Reis, E. A., & Acurcio, F. A. (2018). Effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy in the single-tablet regimen era. Revista de sauce publica, 52, 87. https://doi.org/10.11606/S1518-8787.2018052000399

Education plays a crucial role in fight against HIV and AIDS. (2013, November 29). Retrieved from https://gemreportunesco.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/education-plays-a-crucial-role-in-fight-against-hiv-and-aids/

Garnish, R., et al. (2011). Antiretroviral therapy in prevention of HIV and TB: update on current research efforts. Current HIV research, 9(6), 446–469. https://doi.org/10.2174/157016211798038597

Heitz, D. (2018)). HIV by the Numbers: Facts, Statistics, and You. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/facts-statistics-infographic

HIV. gov. (2020) HIV Treatment Overview. Retrieved from https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/staying-in-hiv-care/hiv-treatment/hiv-treatment-overview

HIV.gov (2019). What Are HIV and AIDS? Retrieved from https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/about-hiv-and-aids/what-are-hiv-and-aids

HIV Treatment: The Basics Understanding HIV/AIDS. (2020). Retrieved from https://aidsinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv-aids/fact-sheets/21/51/hiv-treatment--the-basics

Limmade, Y., et al. (2019). HIV treatment outcomes following antiretroviral therapy initiation and monitoring: A workplace program in Papua, Indonesia. PloS one, 14(2), e0212432. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212432

Mateo-Urdiales A , et al. (2019). Rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV. - PubMed - NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31206168

Saen. S. and Bonhoeffer, S. (2012). Nested model reveals potential amplification of an HIV epidemic due to drug resistance. Epidemics Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2013, Pages 34-43

Shiel Jr., W.  (2018). Definition of Randomized controlled trial. Retrieved from https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=39532

World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report. [Internet] 2015 [Cited 2016 Ju5].                                                                          from http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/191102/1/9789241565059_eng. pdf? ua=1

Introduction

 Aging is not only a biological and physiological process but it is also a social process-meaning that it is shaped by social factors such as social class, race, and other factors. Even though aging or maturing into adulthood is something that people should feel good about, society holds many stereotypes and negative attitudes toward older adults. The explicit and implicit assumptions shape human aging and failure to understand and appreciate the process of aging leads to ageism. The latter means that the society especially the middle-aged group discriminate the older people by holding negative attitude and practices toward them. The most awful thing about ageism is that society views older people as a minority group in society since they have lost functioning and abilities. This paper also finds that older adults are not only affected by ageism but they go through other life events that if they are not managed, may lead to negative impacts on their lives. For example, older adults experience health, economic, and social problems. Focusing on the case scenario, the paper will analyze each life event and give a response on how the events can be controlled or managed with the help of sociological concepts.

Scenario 1

 My name is Advika Kapoor, and I am 70 years old. I and my husband migrated to Canada 25 years ago for career prospects.  I had a knee surgery which has contributed to immobility.  Difficult in walking has affected my life since I cannot climb stairs.

Health life events

Rantanen (2013) assert that aging is associated with serious health events such as hip fracture, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, among other life-threatening illnesses. They also experience functional changes such as a decline in walking speed, mobility disability, falls, and more. For instance, Advikar Kapoor is experiencing a health life event since she has difficulties in walking. She has limited mobility and this is an issue that needs to be managed to prevent her from developing depression. Focusing on the sociological understanding of mobility and disability, Rantanen (2013) assert that the decline of physical functions affects almost all aspects of life in that as the older person develops the limited functional ability, he or she becomes unable to maintain social ties. According to Rantanen (2013) people desire to live a healthy and productive life but as they approach an older age, mobility declines due to impairments and functional limitations. They are restricted from participating in meaningful activities that may bring life satisfaction and promote functional independence.  Rantanen (2013) asserts that since the population aging is increasing, it is important to implement evince-based policies and approaches to prevent disabilities in older people. For on Advika's case, it is apparent that she had knee surgery and now she has a mobility decline. The first sign that shows she has a mobility decline is the inability to climb stairs.

 Focusing on response to the health life events and in particular, the health condition of  Advika Kapoor,  Rantanen (2013)  states that to better manage or cope with the client's health status,  the community, as well as individuals, should be in the forefront to plan and implement strategies. The author says that the community, the health care providers, the leisure service providers, as well as the facility members should work together to plan and implement strategies to eliminate social barriers and ensure equal access to social benefits. They should establish physical exercise classes and gave older people an equal opportunity to participate in those classes (Rantanen, 2013). They should also eliminate the negative attitude and negative portrayal of older adults and create a positive attitude and allow them to participate in physical exercise.

Scenario 2

 I studied PhD in Biomedical engineering in India. However, biomedical engineering is not accredited in Canada.  Due to the loss of accreditation status, I applied for assistant health care worker.  Since I came to Canada, I been working as an assistant health worker in a long-term care facility where my monthly income is $850.00.  Due to the low income and tight budget, I spend all have and nothing remains.

Economic life event

 Focusing on an economic life event, it is important to note that according to the sociological concepts of aging, the structural-functionalism framework states that society is an orderly system. Also, society is made up of various parts and each part should contribute toward building the society (Morrow-Howell et al. 2001). For example, focusing on the case of Advika Kapoor, it is important to ask ourselves questions like 'how come that Advika has a Ph.D. in Biomedical Angering but her degree is not recognized in Canada? The structural-functionalism framework explains that even though the order of society expects the interrelated parts to work together to create a social system, older people are viewed as dysfunctional. Society believes that older adults are waiting for death and therefore they should allow young people to perform various functions or to occupy roles to benefit society (Funk, 2015). Under structural-functionalism, the theory of disengagement explains that as people grow old, they are withdrawn from society. Following the withdrawal, other social groups must replace their positions. It is important to note that the economic states or in other lack of financial stability effect aspects of older people's life.  For example, when older are disengaged from the society or in other words as they are withdrawn from the work of labor, their social relationship, as well as healthy, are affected. They also lose satisfaction and morale as they are unable to meet their daily needs.

 However, despite the economic life event due to disengagement, Taylor & Palacios, (2017) says that the Canadian government is working toward promoting the financial stability of older people and eliminating their economic issues. The authors state that the Canadian population is aging and for this reason, the Canadian government has set aside resources to improve economic growth and raise revenues. It is important to note that in Canada, there is slower population growth but higher life expectancy (Taylor & Palacios, 2017). The life expectancy of women is 74.2 while that of men is 84.1. The increasing life expectancy is an indication the Canadian government must increase the seniors' share. In general, what Canadian government is doing to address the issue of financial stability is increasing the share and spending in health care and income transfers to seniors. In Canada, it is noted that older people spend much on health care than youth since they are vulnerable to illnesses that require regular medical attention (Taylor & Palacios, 2017). Since there is an increase in life expectancy, it means that the health care costs will increase and therefore a reform to the health care system is needed. Secondly, my case scenario or the case of Advika Kapoor qualifies for both health care spending, and spending on seniors. Note that in the case scenario, Advika Kapoor is only paid $850.00 as a monthly income and she spends all. The Canadian government is addressing this problem of financial instability by establishing programs such as Old Age Security (Taylor & Palacios, 2017). The purpose of spending on the older population is not only to achieve financial stability but also to improve economic growth and productivity.

Scenario 3

 I was widowed at the age of 45. My husband died in Canada after a battle with a severe heart attack. It was a double tragedy since I experience the absence of my husband and children.  The death of a spouse affected my life since I lived alone without supportive network members.  I lacked social companion but I thank the community for creating a social network and engaging me in community activities.

Social network event

 From the case scenario, social network event is a factor that affects the lives of older adults. In our case, social networks mean social connectedness and it is an important aspect of social life as they allow the elderly to address stressful environments and difficulties. According to Cornwell et al. (2008), old age is associated with loneliness as a result of social isolation and social disengagement. For example, in the case scenario, our client is not married and does not have children. This can lead to loneliness and effects on her well-being due to lack of social connectedness. Unfortunately, the author states that research and studies do not pay interest on the issue of adult integration and only a few outdated sociological sources talk about the issue.  However, this article gives a comprehensive review of social network connectedness to solve the issues of social isolation. The authors emphasize that social network connectedness contributes to successful aging since they act as the main source of social support. The article says that the solution to the case scenario or in general the social networks that can help the elderly avoid loneliness and depression are interpersonal social networks and community involvement (Cornwell et al. 2008). On interpersonal social networks, social ties to people create high-quality relationships and more importantly, they give the elderly a sense of belonging, self-esteem, and ultimately unconditional social support, and unique health benefits (Funk, 2015).   Secondly, older people can gain connectedness of social networks from the community. The article states that the community can promote social integration by involving the elderly in social activities such as religious participation. This may help deal with loneliness and other health issues (Cornwell et al. 2008). Rather than viewing them as disabled individuals, the community, as well as the family members and friends should act as the source of support and this will lead to the general well-being of the elderly.

Scenario 4

 I value my culture so much because  the culture helped me  define who I am,  it  benefited  me socially and economically,  it gave me an opportunity to interact with people, and  it  improved my quality of life and well-being. However, being an immigrant, I experienced culture issues such as lack of language proficiency.  Language difficulties affected my life economically and socially.  I could not engage in social interaction and I was forced to look for a social group.  In other words, I found a small group of Indians and I gained a sense of contentment since the members had common goals.

Social support event

According to symbolic interactionism, social groups create a sense of identity and a sense of self through interaction. Social groups communicate cultural norms and values and this helps individuals understand the social worlds (Funk, 2015).  However, there is another sociological theory of aging known as a subculture of aging theory. This theory states that older people are disengaged from society and they are forced to create patterns of interaction with a small community who have common backgrounds and interests (Morrow-Howell et al. 2001). For example, in our case scenario, Advika Kapoor interacts with a small group of friends from India. The sociological theory of aging explains that individuals such as Kapoor find a strong sense of community when interacting with people with common social interests. However, it is important to note that older people create new communities because other groups neglect or reject them. For example in the case scenario, Kapoor does not understand the Canadian language and this means that the Canadians have not integrated her into their ways of life including language. This situation forces her to join a group where she can feel comfortable. Also, the symbolic interactionism theory states that elderly abuse occurs in that social groups have different attitudes and perspectives toward others (Funk, 2015). In domestic and institutional settings, older people in Canada are abused in terms of financial abuse, mistreatment, and neglect. All forms of abuse affect the elderly's quality of life as they suffer from emotional distress, poor self-esteem, loss of autonomy, and social isolation.  In 2015, research from the peer-reviewed sources on the aging population and abuse was conducted and it was found that older people in Canada are socially isolated and disrespected. Disrespect means that they are denied quality care since they are old and lack mobility (Yan et al. 2014). They are also isolated by family members and friends due to financial dependence and poor English language proficiency. As a result, abuse and neglect affect the elderly's mental and physical health and over 20% suffer from depression.

 Yan et al. (2014) asserts that older adults and ethno-cultural minorities continue to suffer from abuse and neglect due to lack of appropriate services and supports. They face cultural and familial barriers in reporting the cases as they fear shame, pressure, and stigma from the community, and also want to maintain harmony and honor with their families and society. Also, older adults lack awareness about the informal supports and depend on their families due to a lack of support alternatives. Immigration factors such as social isolation, language and immigration issues act as the stumbling block as they hinder the older people from realizing the informal sources of support such as community and cultural organizations (Yan et al. 2014). The article states that programs, education and outreach to address the issue of abuse and social neglect should first focus on cultural norm and practices since are they are the root cause of abuse and neglect. From the case scenario, the community can help older people cope with social isolation and integrate them into Canadian culture by improving cultural and linguistic services. Since immigrants and in specific older adults require cultural and language needs, the community should provide cultural competent services that are designed to shape the negative attitude from other social groups and also encourage older people to report the abuse and neglect (Funk, 2015). The community should also implement collaborative interventions to strengthen the bond between cultural communities. The collaborative networks will act as the best strategy in connecting older adults with social networks such as faith communities, and religious institutions. In general, the community should not only address abuse and neglect but it should look for all forms of marginalization such as sexual orientation, poverty, and more, and implement effective prevention and best practices to maintain the wellbeing of the elderly populations.

 Conclusion

 From the research paper, case scenario, and journal entry, older people go through various cognitive changes such as a decline in memory, learning, and attention.  In trying to understanding the aging process, there are various sociological theories about aging. Concerning the case scenario, theories such as disengagement theory explain that as people get older, they are withdrawn from society and they accept withdraw since it is a social order. Note that society needs people with energy and skills or people who can work towards creating a strong social system.  An important point noted is that one event impacts other events in that as older people are withdrawn from society, they find other alternatives to maintain psychological well-being.  Symbolic interactions explain this concept by saying that older people interact with people with the same goals to find a sense of identity and a sense of self. The paper has shown that aging is associated with social and power dynamics. These dynamics explain that aging is not just a natural process but it is something that has a social meaning.

References

Funk, L. (2015). Sociological perspectives on aging. Oxford University Press

Rantanen, T. (2013). Promoting mobility in older people. Journal of Preventive Medicine and

Public Health, 46(Suppl 1), S50.

Morrow-Howell, N., Hinterlong, J., & Sherraden, M. W. (2001). Productive aging: Concepts

and challenges. Baltimore, Md: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Taylor Jackson, J. C., & Palacios, M. (2017). Canada’s Aging Population and Implications for

Government Finances. Retrieved from: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/canadas-aging-population-and-implications-for-government-finances.pdf

Cornwell, B., Laumann, E. O., & Schumm, L. P. (2008). The social connectedness of older

adults: A national profile. American sociological review, 73(2), 185-203.

Yan, E., Lai, D. W., Daoust, G. D., & Li, L. (2014). Understanding elder abuse and neglect in

aging Chinese immigrants in Canada. The Journal of Adult Protection.                

                                    American Nurses’ Association (A.N.A)

Health policy

            The primary objective of the American Nurses’ Association (A.N.A) entail ensuring that nurses have collaborated together to the extent of improving the health care provided to all citizens. In order to be in the position of realizing such an objective, nurses’ requirements are advocated by the top level government officials as policies are debated upon before being implemented (Nickitas et al., 2016). What this implies is the fact that A.N.A is used as the alternative means for airing the views of the nurses through lobbying executive and congress agencies. As a result of that, it becomes possible for this organization to provide not only tool tools but also information that enables nurses to have the propensity of sharing their expertise and perspectives (Milstead & Short, 2019).

            What this implies is the fact that A.N.A is perceived as being one of the bodies that are used for the purpose of championing not only the nursing profession but also improving the wellbeing of the patients. From the nursing perspective, the reason as to why this policy is implemented is because nurses have been realized to have the potential of offering unique services that in return improve the health care system (Chaffee, 2015). Furthermore, as a means of influencing the health policy, A.N.A takes into account the decisions made by policy makers because they are the ones that affect the wellbeing of the nurses and patients. Nevertheless, once various laws have been passed by the nursing Congress agencies, rules and regulations are amended by the state administrative agencies to aid in airing or championing the views of the nurses (Dossey & Keegan, 2016). As a result of that, A.N.A continues to monitor the perspectives of the federal agencies as they continue issuing and implementing federal laws.  

References

Chaffee, M. W. (2015). Policy & politics in nursing and health care. Elsevier Science Publishing Co

Dossey, B. M., & Keegan, L. (2016). Holistic Nursing: A Handbook for Practice. Sudbury: Jones & Bartlett Learning.

In Milstead, J. A., & In Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse's guide. Burlington, MA : Jones & Bartlett Learning

In Nickitas, D. M., In Middaugh, D. J., & In Aries, N. (2016). Policy and politics for nurses and other health professionals: Advocacy and action. Burlington, Massachusetts : Jones & Bartlett Learning