coursework-banner

NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment

NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment

Chamberlain University NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment– Step-By-Step Guide

 

This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Chamberlain University   NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment  assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.

 

How to Research and Prepare for  NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment                                

 

Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Chamberlain University   NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment    depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.

 

After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.

 

How to Write the Introduction for  NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment                                

 

The introduction for the Chamberlain University   NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment    is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.

 

How to Write the Body for  NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment                                

 

After the introduction, move into the main part of the  NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment       assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.

 

Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.

 

How to Write the Conclusion for  NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment                                

 

After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.

 

How to Format the References List for  NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment                                

 

The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.

Stuck? Let Us Help You

 

Completing assignments can sometimes be overwhelming, especially with the multitude of academic and personal responsibilities you may have. If you find yourself stuck or unsure at any point in the process, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional assistance. Our assignment writing services are designed to help you achieve your academic goals with ease. 

 

Our team of experienced writers is well-versed in academic writing and familiar with the specific requirements of the  NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment assignment. We can provide you with personalized support, ensuring your assignment is well-researched, properly formatted, and thoroughly edited. Get a feel of the quality we guarantee – ORDER NOW. 

 

Sample Answer for NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment

Kaltura instructions are located in Resources

Preventative screening for chronic diseases gives individuals clarity and a sense of security, protecting them, and allowing them to live a longer, healthier life. To achieve this, the word needs to be spread about these wonderful immunizations and screenings. One way to do this is by creating a patient profile. This patient profile would be essentially a portal with all of their medical info, immunizations, medical history, and family history. This patient portal will remind them of the dates to be tested. For example, every year a woman should have a pap smear. It will alert them when it is needed, while also showing various health centers near them. Another example would be when their immunizations expire, such as the Tdap and tetanus shots. Based on family history, it would alert you at certain ages to be tested or screened for cancer. For example, if you have a history of breast cancer, should be tested at 30 and every year after. There is a lot of information out there and it tends to get lost in translation. This app or patient profile helps track and keep your medical history up to date.

Introduction

In this presentation, I will discuss a healthcare issue in New Jersey. This will be a health policy analysis presentation that will include a problem statement, background, landscape, options, and recommendations.

Background

The high childhood obesity rates in NJ are attributed to lifestyle factors like physical inactivity, poor dietary habits, and prolonged screen time. According to a CDC survey in NJ, only 21.3% of adolescents were physically active for at least 60 minutes daily in 7 days. Besides, 18.3% of adolescents did not take part in at least 60 minutes of physical activity on any day during the seven days before the survey (CDC, 2019). Regarding screen time, 32.6% of adolescents watched television for three or more hours per day on an average school day.

Poor dietary habits among adolescents in NJ are described with regard to the consumption of fruits, vegetables, and sugar-sweetened beverages. According to the CDC survey, 66.3% of the adolescents ate fruits or drank 100% fruit juice less than two times per day. Besides, 87.8% of adolescents ate vegetables less than three times per day (CDC, 2019). Regarding sugar-sweetened beverages, 19.9% drank a can, bottle, or glass of soda or pop at least once daily during the seven days before the survey.

Problem Statement

Childhood obesity is a major healthcare issue in New Jersey. Obesity has more than tripled among children and adolescents since the 1970s. Obesity is increasing among high school students of all races or ethnicities. Healthy New Jersey 2020 targets were unmet by any group (America’s Health Rankings, n.d.). According to America’s Health Rankings, NJ is ranked 11 in youth overweight and obesity rates in the U.S. Besides, NJ has 29% of children aged 10-17 years who are overweight or obese for their age based on reported height and weight (America’s Health Rankings, n.d.). According to the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS), 35.4% of children from low-income families in NJ aged 2-5 years are overweight or obese.

Obesity puts children and adolescents at risk of physical, emotional, and psychological risks. Physical risks include chronic illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, kidney failure, and various types of cancer (Smith et al., 2020). Obese children often face stigma, which affects their emotional and psychological well-being. This increases the risk for mental health issues like depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse (Smith et al., 2020).

Landscape

NJ has introduced some obesity-related state initiatives like snack and soda tax to discourage the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among children and adolescents. The state has also introduced nutritional standards for school meals and snacks that exceed USDA requirements and nutritional standards for competitive food products sold a la carte, in vending machines, school stores, or at bake sales (NJ Health, n.d.). It also has limited access to competitive foods to encourage the consumption of healthy foods. Furthermore, the state has a policy prohibiting or limiting foods of low nutritional value in childcare centers.

NJ has changed childcare licensing requirements to improve the quality of care delivered with regard to nutrition, physical activity, and TV viewing. Initiatives have been implemented to train providers in all 21 NJ counties to prepare them to execute high-quality childcare policies and practices in their centers (CDC, 2019). Among 23 programs aimed to improve breastfeeding and infant feeding, 70% positively impacted the number of best practices met. Among 52 programs targeting child nutrition, 87% had a positive change in the number of best practices met (NJ Health, n.d.). Among the 52 programs addressing infant and child physical activity, 92% had a positive change in the number of best practices met.

Options

The policy options that can be considered to address childhood obesity in NJ include:

1.Policy imposing taxes on high-calorie food items and beverages, including junk foods, sodas, and juices with artificially added sugar (Lhachimi et al., 2020). A new levy can be introduced in NJ on soft drinks that contain added sugar.

2.Enacting policies that mandate having bike paths to maximize their environmental impact by increasing physical activity to reduce obesity (Stephenson, 2021).

3.Enacting policies that mandate schools to establish high-quality sports and physical activity programs (Alsharairi, 2019). The policy can seek to increase the number of physical education classes in schools.

4.A policy that controls canteen menus in schools. The policy can mandate school canteens to provide healthier food items in accordance with the ideologies of the USDA Guidelines (Alsharairi, 2019).

5.A policy that bans advertisements of junk foods in schools.

6.A policy that requires schools to have school gardens. School gardens can potentially lower childhood obesity, especially concerning increasing access to fruits and vegetables and increasing children’s physical activity (Holloway et al., 2023).

7.Introduce a policy requiring inclusive education for children on healthy food choices. Implementing school-based nutrition education programs effectively promotes healthy eating among children (Alsharairi, 2019). Besides, it will increase children’s knowledge of healthy dietary habits and change their attitudes and behavior.

Recommendations

I recommend policies on nutrition education in schools. The school-based nutrition education programs should be provided from Kindergarten and included in the syllabus of each grade, similar to other subjects like Science and Mathematics.

Engaging children in nutrition activities in school lessons has demonstrated positive changes in knowledge, self-efficacy, and attitude toward eating healthy foods (Verdonschot et al., 2023). This suggests that the strategy has positive implications for children’s dietary behaviors in schools. Nutrition education in schools can help children adopt healthy dietary habits early and sustain them to adulthood. Besides, children should be educated on the health effects of poor dietary choices and the impact it has on their health (Verdonschot et al., 2023). In addition to nutrition education, children should be educated on the importance of physical activity and activities they can engage in to be physically active and avoid obesity.

References

Holloway, T. P., Dalton, L., Hughes, R., Jayasinghe, S., Patterson, K. A. E., Murray, S., Soward, R., Byrne, N. M., Hills, A. P., & Ahuja, K. D. K. (2023). School Gardening and Health and Well-Being of School-Aged Children: A Realist Synthesis. Nutrients15(5), 1190. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15051190

Centers for Disease Control. (2019). New Jersey: State nutrition, physical activity, and obesity profile. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ed) Atlanta.

America’s Health Rankings. (n.d.). Compare New Jersey and the United States. https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/youth_overweight/NJ/compare

Alsharairi, N. A. (2019). Current Government Actions and Potential Policy Options for Reducing Obesity in Queensland Schools. Children (Basel, Switzerland)5(2), 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/children5020018

Lhachimi, S. K., Pega, F., Heise, T. L., Fenton, C., Gartlehner, G., Griebler, U., Sommer, I., Bombana, M., & Katikireddi, S. V. (2020). Taxation of the fat content of foods for reducing their consumption and preventing obesity or other adverse health outcomes. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews9(9), CD012415. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012415.pub2

NJ Health. (n.d.). Nutrition and fitness. The Official Web Site for The State of New Jersey. https://www.nj.gov/health/nutrition/services-support/schools/earlycare.shtml#

Smith, J. D., Fu, E., & Kobayashi, M. A. (2020). Prevention and Management of Childhood Obesity and Its Psychological and Health Comorbidities. Annual review of clinical psychology16, 351–378. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-100219-060201

Stephenson, J. (2021, October). Report on Childhood Obesity Proposes Policies Aimed at Systemic Change. In JAMA Health Forum (Vol. 2, No. 10, pp. e214022-e214022). American Medical Association. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.4022

Verdonschot, A., Follong, B. M., Collins, C. E., de Vet, E., Haveman-Nies, A., & Bucher, T. (2023). Effectiveness of school-based nutrition intervention components on fruit and vegetable intake and nutrition knowledge in children aged 4-12 years old: an umbrella review. Nutrition Reviews81(3), 304–321. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac057

Sample Answer 2 for NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment

First, my communication between my city council member and I was started by reaching out to the council member through e-mail of phone. I personally e-mailed my policymaker, however, I’ve had other policymakers that preferred calling and setting up an appointment through their secretary.

Accordingly, I read an article that was related to the Ebola outbreak in 2014. During this time strong communication was needed to halt the spread of this disease. There was communication that has been developed and validated by public health leaders, policymakers, and experts to address disease outbreaks as part of the SBCC evidence base for facilitating effective communication around the Ebola crisis.

Moreover, Goldberg (2015) includes a checklist for Ebola and other outbreaks, “Prioritize the key messages to be disseminated. Prioritize the key audiences for diffusing communication among multiple channels so that strategic alignment is attained. Develop a detailed communication plan to be implemented by the communications coordinator, delineating who is delivering what messages, in which format, and with what frequency. Recruit a credible and competent spokesperson to provide a consistent face for all messages. Recruit credible individuals or organizations as communication partners. Engage your audience. Develop messages that are visual, vocal, and evidence-based and, whenever possible, pretested. Be health literate in developing materials. Acknowledge and respond to emotions. Avoid abstract or harsh language about deaths, injuries, and illnesses. Communicate with compassion, using simple, non-technical language and multimedia. Track and evaluate the implementation of the overall strategy in order to identify successes and weaknesses. Be prepared to modify your message or your strategies quickly and effectively in response to evaluations.” Accordingly, some of these modalities on the checklist aren’t possible in my communication with policymakers (i.e. use of communication coordinator, recruit a formidable spokesperson, etc.). However, I can use communication modalities such as, using evidence based information as much as possible, communication with passion, and track and evaluate the implementation of the overall strategy in order to identify success and weaknesses.

References

Goldberg, A. B., Ratzan, S. C., Jacobson, K. L., & Parker, R. M. (2015). Addressing Ebola and other outbreaks: a communication checklist for global health leaders, policymakers, and practitioners. Journal Of Health Communication20(2), 121-122. doi:10.1080/10810730.2015.1007762

Sample Answer 3 for NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 4 Assignment

Problem Statement

  • Los Angeles County consists of 8 Service Planning Areas (SPAs). The large size of LAC is a hinderance to the delivery of services to residents
  • Substance abuse policies might fail to reach all residents equally. The uneven distribution of health services would create a larger burden to the local, state, and national facilities
  • Los Angeles City in LAC, California must use reliable policies to fight drug and substance abuse

Background

  • Dr Steve Sussman of the University of South California in Los Angeles is the designer of Project Towards No Drug Abuse
  • The aim of Project TND is alcohol prevention and treatment, cognitive behavioral training, skills training, and drug prevention/treatment
  • The program aims to prevent teen drinking, marijuana use, smoking and vaping, and other hard drug use

Landscape

Project TND teaches students the following lessons: 1) Communication and Active Listening, 2) Stereotyping, 3) Myths and Denial, 4) Chemical Dependency, 5) Talk Show, 6) Stress, Health and Goals, 7) Self Control, 8) Perspectives, and 9) Decision Making and Commitment.

The three recently added sessions are 1) Marijuana Panel, 2) Positive and Negative Thought Loops and Subsequent Behavior, and 3) Smoking Cessation

Historical Context

  • The historical context of this substance abuse reduction program shows that it is most effective in program schools compared to control schools
  • Teachers and health educators can receive training from others with much experience on how to teach Project Towards No Drugs. Teachers and health educators also receive certification to teach students and train others on Project TND. However, the Training of Trainers (ToT) for Project TND is poorly developed – based only on training and giving feedback

Ethical Factors

  • One of the main ethical factors is that Project TND is generalizable to a variety of ethnic groups. However, the program ignored the potential differences between different races and ethnicities in program effectiveness
  • Another ethical factor is that the program might facilitate discrimination, especially when selecting the at-risk students from others

Legal Factors

  • The Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records protects at-risk individuals from a breach in their private and confidential information. This legal protection encourages more people to seek help
  • States could also use Good Samaritan Laws to protect individuals witnessing or experiencing an overdose from persecution by the law or arrest
  • In some states, individuals suffering from drug and substance use problems can seek services from law enforcement officers, social workers, and community leaders without fear of arrest or persecution

Economic Factors

  • Initial training and technical assistance for up to 25 teachers/health educators sums up to $2,100, including travel costs for a 2-day seminar
  • The program does not require any licensing or additional costs. The curriculum used is a textbook, with a Spanish version available at the same price as the English version
  • The student workbook cost about $12, while the teacher manual costs $95 but is subject to wear and tear before replacement

Political Factors

  • Community-based prevention programs are designed to engage all community members, public service organizations, and other citizens
  • Political factors are most visible in the debate for the legalization of marijuana. Evidence shows that regular and early marijuana use leads to poor brain development and function. However, legislators recently allowed recreational marijuana use and sales in some parts of the nation.
  • Such political trends have increased the use of marijuana, alcohol, cigarettes, and other hard drugs

Options

  • Figure 5: Illustration showing outcomes of Project Towards No Drug Use
  • Project Towards No Drug Use is a cognitive behavioral intervention that yields positive results compared to a control group. Project TND can affect drug use prevalence, truancy, and violent behavior positively.

Advocacy for Local, Institutional, and International Policies

  • Policy learning refers to the process of gathering new knowledge, which can help policymakers alter their thoughts and behavioral intentions
  • Policy diffusion is the process where the knowledge about policies and administrative arrangements move from one stakeholder to another (Cerna, 2013)
  • Policy learning and diffusion are important elements of advocacy at the local, institutional, and international levels. Knowledgeable policymakers can impart more change compared to their counterparts with little knowledge

Advocacy for Person-Centered Healthcare and Nursing Practices

  • Project TND should also involve family physicians once teachers and health educators identify the at-risk students. Involving more health practitioners should improve outcomes for adolescents who abuse drugs in Los Angeles

References

›Cerna, L. (2013). The nature of policy change and implementation: A review of different theoretical approaches. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report, 492-502.

›Hayashi, S. W., Melzer, B., Hubbard, S. E., Huang, J., Hussain, R., Cobb, A., … & Mulvey, K. P. (2002, November). Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs) Evaluation Project: Prospective study findings. In The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA.

›Simon, T. R., Sussman, S., Dahlberg, L. L., & Dent C. W. (2002). Influence of a substance-abuse-prevention curriculum on violence-related behavior. American Journal of Health Behavior, 25, 103-110.

›Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC). (2020). Strategic Prevention Plan; July 2020 – June 2025. Retrieved from http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/sapc/prevention/PP/StrategicPreventionPlan.pdf

›Sussman, S., Dent, C., Stacy, A., & Craig, S. (1998). One-year outcomes of Project Towards No Drug Abuse. Preventive Medicine, 27, 632-642.

›Sussman, S., Dent, C. W., & Stacy, A. W. (2002). Project Towards No Drug Abuse: A review of the findings and future directions. American Journal of Health Behavior, 26(5), 354-365.

ALSO READ:

NR 506 Week 5 Discussion Drivers of High Performance Healthcare Systems

NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 5 Discussion Drivers of High Performance Healthcare Systems

NR 506 Week 6 Discussion Using the Media

NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 6 Discussion Using the Media

NR 506 Week 7: RN as Healthcare Policy Leader Discussion 2018

NR 506 Week 7 Discussion RN as Healthcare Policy Leader

NR 506- Healthcare Policy Week 7 Discussion RN as Healthcare Policy Leader

NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 7 Discussion RN as Healthcare Policy Leader

NR 506 Week 8 Discussion Reflection: Global Policy Reform

NR 506- Healthcare Policy Week 8 Discussion Reflection Global Policy Reform

NR 506 Healthcare Policy Week 8 Discussion Reflection Global Policy Reform

Purpose

The purpose of this assignment is to prepare for the professional presentation to an elected official of the selected healthcare concern and the proposed solution.  This includes the identification of communication strategies as well as development of presentation content.

Course Outcomes

This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes:

CO 2. Communicate with decision-makers to advocate for effective policies that impact nurses and nursing, consumers, or the healthcare system. (PO 2)

CO 3. Demonstrate professional and personal growth regarding the advocacy role of the advance practice nurse in healthcare policy for diverse healthcare settings.   (PO 3)

CO 5.  Advocate for institutional, local, national, and international policies that influence person-centered healthcare, consumers, and nursing practice.  (PO 5)

Due Date Sunday 11:59 p.m. MT at the end of Week 4

Students are given the opportunity to request an extension on assignments for emergent situations. Supporting documentation must be submitted to the assigned faculty. If the student’s request is not approved, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

If the student’s request is approved, the student will be informed of the revised due date. Should the student fail to meet the revised due date, the assignment is graded and a late penalty is applied as follows:

Monday = 10% of total possible point reduction

Tuesday = 20% of total possible point reduction

Wednesday = 30% of total possible point reduction

Total Points: 200 points

Requirements

Description of the Assignment

For this assignment, the focus is preparation for the presentation to the selected elected official regarding the healthcare concern and the proposed resolution.  A video presentation of the healthcare concern and its proposed resolution will be prepared and presented.  Following completion of this, a written self-evaluation is required.

Criteria for Content

Video Presentation:

Content: The video presentation is to include the following elements:

Introduction of self

Presentation of healthcare policy concern

Presentation of student identified solution to the healthcare policy concern

Summary

Evaluation of video presentation includes the following elements:

Content:

Introduction of self

Presentation of healthcare policy concern

Presentation of student identified solution to the healthcare policy concern

Summary

Information is relevant to healthcare concern and its solution

Method of Delivery:

Effective opening

Stayed connected to audience

Grammar was correct

Style of Delivery:

Eye contact

Voice clarity

Gestures

Appearance

Paper Content:

Overview of the healthcare policy concern and solution: This section provides a concise but comprehensive overview of the healthcare policy as well as the solution. Required content includes:

Identification of the healthcare policy

Identification of the student identified solution

Relevance to the community or population group

Identification of communication techniques: This section requires the delineation of communication techniques useful to the upcoming presentation to the selected elected official. Required content includes:

Identification of the selected elected official and position

Rationale for the selection

Identification of 4 (four) beneficial communication/presentation techniques

Providing scholarly resources that support the use of the identified communication techniques

Self-evaluation of video presentation: This section provides an opportunity for self-evaluation of the video recording.  The student must self-evaluate oneself in each major content area by identifying one positive and one area to improve (i.e. content, method of delivery, and style of delivery):

Content:

Introduction of self

Presentation of healthcare policy concern

Presentation of student identified solution to the healthcare policy concern

Summary

Information is relevant to healthcare concern and its solution

Method of Delivery:

Effective opening

Stayed connected to audience

Grammar was correct

Style of Delivery:

Eye contact

Voice clarity

Gestures

Appearance

Conclusion: This section requires a summary of the key points from the video and paper assignment.

Preparing the Assignment

Criteria for Format and Special Instructions:

The video presentation will be recorded via the use of Kaltura. Review the Kaltura instructions in prior to recording your assignment.

The video presentation will last a minimum of 3 minutes and no longer than 5 minutes.

The paper (excluding the title page and reference page) should be at least 2, but no more than 4 pages. Points will be lost for not meeting these length requirements.

Title page, body of paper, and reference page must follow APA guidelines as found in the current edition of the manual. This includes the use of headings for each section of the paper except for the introduction where no heading is used.

A minimum of 4 (four) appropriate research-based scholarly references must be used.

Required textbook for this course, dictionary and Chamberlain College of Nursing lesson information may NOT be used as scholarly references for this assignment. For additional assistance regarding scholarly nursing references, please see the course Library Guide.  Be aware that information from .com websites may be incorrect and should be avoided.  References are current – within a 5-year time frame unless a valid rationale is provided and the instructor has approved them prior to submission of the assignment.

Ideas and information from scholarly, peer reviewed, nursing sources must be cited and referenced correctly.

Rules of grammar, spelling, word usage, and punctuation are followed and consistent with formal, scientific writing.

Late Assignment Policy

Students are expected to submit assignments by the time they are due. Assignments submitted after the due date and time will receive a deduction of 10% of the total points possible for that assignment for each day the assignment is late. Assignments will be accepted, with penalty as described, up to a maximum of three days late, after which point a zero will be recorded for the assignment.

In the event of an emergency that prevents timely submission of an assignment, students may petition their instructor for a waiver of the late submission grade reduction. The instructor will review the student’s rationale for the request and make a determination based on the merits of the student’s appeal. Consideration of the student’s total course performance to date will be a contributing factor in the determination. Students should continue to attend class, actively participate, and complete other assignments while the appeal is pending.

This Policy applies to assignments that contribute to the numerical calculation of the course letter grade.

Evaluation Methods

The maximum score in this class is 1,000 points. The categories, which contribute to your final grade, are weighted as follows.

Graded Item Points Weighting
Discussion (50 points, Weeks 1–7; 25 points, Week 8) 375 37.5%
Shared Governance Model Paper (Week 3) 200 20%
Management of Power Paper (Week 5) 200 20%
Executive Summary (Week 7) 225 22.5%
Total 1,000 100%

No extra credit assignments are permitted for any reason.

All of your course requirements are graded using points. At the end of the course, the points are converted to a letter grade using the scale in the table below. Percentages of 0.5% or higher are not raised to the next whole number. A final grade of 76% (letter grade C) is required to pass the course.

Letter Grade Points Percentage
A   940–1,000 94% to 100%
A-  920–939 92% to 93%
B+ 890–919 89% to 91%
B   860–889 86% to 88%
B-  840–859 84% to 85%
C+ 810–839 81% to 83%
C   760–809 76% to 80%
F   759 and below 75% and below

NOTE:To receive credit for a week’s discussion, students may begin posting no earlier than the Sunday immediately before each week opens. Unless otherwise specified, access to most weeks begins on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. MT, and that week’s assignments are due by the next Sunday by 11:59 p.m. MT. Week 8 opens at 12:01 a.m. MT Sunday and closes at 11:59 p.m. MT Wednesday. Any assignments and all discussion requirements must be completed by 11:59 p.m. MT Wednesday of the eighth week.

Students agree that, by taking this course, all required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted papers will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such papers. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com site.

Participation for MSN

Threaded Discussion Guiding Principles

The ideas and beliefs underpinning the threaded discussions (TDs) guide students through engaging dialogues as they achieve the desired learning outcomes/competencies associated with their course in a manner that empowers them to organize, integrate, apply and critically appraise their knowledge to their selected field of practice. The use of TDs provides students with opportunities to contribute level-appropriate knowledge and experience to the topic in a safe, caring, and fluid environment that models professional and social interaction. The TD’s ebb and flow is based upon the composition of student and faculty interaction in the quest for relevant scholarship. Participation in the TDs generates opportunities for students to actively engage in the written ideas of others by carefully reading, researching, reflecting, and responding to the contributions of their peers and course faculty. TDs foster the development of members into a community of learners as they share ideas and inquiries, consider perspectives that may be different from their own, and integrate knowledge from other disciplines.

Participation Guidelines

Each weekly threaded discussion is worth up to 25 points. Students must post a minimum of two times in each graded thread. The two posts in each individual thread must be on separate days. The student must provide an answer to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week. If the student does not provide an answer to each graded thread topic (not a response to a student peer) before the Wednesday deadline, 5 points are deducted for each discussion thread in which late entry occurs (up to a 10-point deduction for that week). Subsequent posts, including essential responses to peers, must occur by the Sunday deadline, 11:59 p.m. MT of each week.

Direct Quotes

Good writing calls for the limited use of direct quotes. Direct quotes in Threaded Discussions are to be limited to one short quotation (not to exceed 15 words). The quote must add substantively to the discussion. Points will be deducted under the Grammar, Syntax, APA category.

Grading Rubric Guidelines

Performance Category 10 9 8 4 0

Scholarliness

Demonstrates achievement of scholarly inquiry for professional and academic decisions.

  • Provides relevant evidence of scholarly inquiry clearly stating how the evidence informed or changed professional or academic decisions
  • Evaluates literature resources to develop a comprehensive analysis or synthesis.
  • Uses valid, relevant, and reliable outside sources to contribute to the threaded discussion
  • Provides relevant evidence of scholarly inquiry but does not clearly state how the evidence informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Evaluates information from source(s) to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis.
  • Uses some valid, relevant, reliable outside sources to contribute to the threaded discussion.
  • Discusses using scholarly inquiry but does not state how scholarly inquiry informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is taken from source(s) with some interpretation/evaluation, but not enough to develop a coherent analysis or synthesis.
  • Little valid, relevant, or reliable outside sources are used to contribute to the threaded discussion.
  • Demonstrates little or no understanding of the topic.
  • Discusses using scholarly inquiry but does not state how scholarly inquiry informed or changed professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is taken from source(s) without any interpretation/evaluation.
  • The posting uses information that is not valid, relevant, or reliable
  • No evidence of the use of scholarly inquiry to inform or change professional or academic decisions.
  • Information is not valid, relevant, or reliable
Performance Category  10 9 8 4 0

Application of Course Knowledge –

Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, and/or apply principles and concepts learned in the course lesson and outside readings and relate them to real-life professional situations

  • Posts make direct reference to concepts discussed in the lesson or drawn from relevant outside sources;
  • Applies concepts to personal experience in the professional setting and or relevant application to real life.
  • Posts make direct reference to concepts discussed in the lesson or drawn from relevant outside sources.
  • Applies concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Interactions with classmates are relevant to the discussion topic but do not make direct reference to lesson content
  • Posts are generally on topic but do not build knowledge by incorporating concepts and principles from the lesson.
  • Does not attempt to apply lesson concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Does not demonstrate a solid understanding of the principles and concepts presented in the lesson
  • Posts do not adequately address the question posed either by the discussion prompt or the instructor’s launch post.
  • Posts are superficial and do not reflect an understanding of the lesson content
  • Does not attempt to apply lesson concepts to personal experience in their professional setting and or relevant application to real life
  • Posts are not related to the topics provided by the discussion prompt or by the instructor; attempts by the instructor to redirect the student are ignored
  • No discussion of lesson concepts to personal experience in the professional setting and or relevant application to real life
Performance Category  5 4 3 2 0

Interactive Dialogue

Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days.

(5 points possible per graded thread)

  • Exceeds minimum post requirements
  • Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts three or more times in each graded thread, over three separate days.
  • Replies to a post posed by faculty and to a peer
  • Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week.
  • Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days
  • Replies to a question posed by a peer

Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week.

  • Meets expectations of 2 posts on 2 different days.
  • The main post is not made by the Wednesday deadline
  • Does not reply to a question posed by a peer or faculty
  • Has only one post for the week
  • Discussion posts contain few, if any, new ideas or applications; often are a rehashing or summary of other students’ comments
  • Does not post to the thread
  • No connections are made to the topic
Minus 1 Point Minus 2 Point Minus 3 Point Minus 4 Point Minus 5 Point
Grammar, Syntax, APA

Note: if there are only a few errors in these criteria, please note this for the student in as an area for improvement. If the student does not make the needed corrections in upcoming weeks, then points should be deducted.

Points deducted for improper grammar, syntax and APA style of writing.

The source of information is the APA Manual 6th Edition

  • 2-3 errors in APA format.
  • Written responses have 2-3 grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is generally clear, focused, and facilitates communication.
  • 4-5 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 4-5 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is somewhat focused.
  • 6-7 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 6-7 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is slightly focused making discussion difficult to understand.
  • 8-10 errors in APA format.
  • Writing responses have 8-10 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style is not focused, making discussion difficult to understand.
  • Post contains greater than 10 errors in APA format.
  • Written responses have more than 10 grammatical, spelling and punctuation errors.
  • Writing style does not facilitate communication.
  • The student continues to make repeated mistakes in any of the above areas after written correction by the instructor
0 points lost -5 points lost

Total Participation Requirements

per discussion thread

The student answers the threaded discussion question or topic on one day and posts a second response on another day. The student does not meet the minimum requirement of two postings on two different days

Early Participation Requirement

per discussion thread

The student must provide a substantive answer to the graded discussion question(s) or topic(s), posted by the course instructor (not a response to a peer), by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT of each week. The student does not meet the requirement of a substantive response to the stated question or topic by Wednesday at 11:59 pm MT.