Final assignment paper: Questions 1, 2 and 3
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Final assignment paper: Questions 1, 2 and 3
Question 1
- Omega-3 Supplements
Omega-3 fatty acids, containing alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are essential components of well-being. The body fails to generate these fatty acids, which are well-represented in nuts, fish, and seeds (Shen et al., 2022). Omega-3 supplements like fish oil, krill oil, or algae are a convenient and quite easy way to ensure optimal use of omega-3 fats.
Benefits of Omega-3 Supplements
Health Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce inflammation and prevent conditions like high blood pressure, stroke, and higher risk of heart problems. Firstly, as known by now, they are conspicuously linked to heart health benefits. Shen et al. (2022) argue that omega-3s may help lower triglyceride levels, bring down blood pressure, prevent blood vessels from becoming lined by plaque, and reduce inflammation, all of which collectively lead to the reduction of risk associated with cardiovascular diseases.
Brain and Cognitive Health
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid, is key to proper brain development and operation. As a constituent of the brain’s main structural components, DHA maintains the integrity of the neural membranes, provides structure, and makes signals among brain cells possible. According to Shen et al. (2022), the position of DHA adequacy correlates with cognitive improvement and mental health worries even at all development stages of life. Apart from that, studies have also proved that DHA can have protective actions, consequently preventing age-related diminution of cognitive conditions and gradually reducing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. Adding DHA-containing meals or pills into the person’s diet might also be valuable for supporting optimal brain health and mental performance in people from different age groups. Eye Health and Omega-3s: Omega-3 DHA ensures that the retina needs from the seed of DHA, that is, the best source for eye health.
One of the most important parts of the eye is the retina, situated at its posterior side, where it contains a high DHA concentration, which plays a structural role in the photoreceptor cells and a support role of neural signaling to the brain. There is a lack of substance DHA that is vital for the most excellent vision, which was demonstrated by DHA deficiencies resulting in dysfunctions of the visual system and increasing the susceptibility of eye diseases. Scientific studies show that DHA defends against AMD, a common disease that, leading causes aging and affects seniors’ optical powers (Luo et al., 2020). This DHA element may reduce inflammation and Damage to Svitox, lowering the risk of developing AMD and other common eye diseases. Thus, it adds a strong argument for including DHA-containing foods or omega-3 supplements in daily intake as it will positively impact vision maintenance and prevent age-related eye conditions.
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Although Omega-3 fatty acids like eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA) are rich in natural anti-inflammatory properties, they can minimize the symptoms of inflammatory conditions experienced by the patient. For chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, IBD, and asthma, inflammation acts as a troublesome factor that not only causes tissue damage in the affected area but also intensifies the symptoms. Luo et al. (2020) argue that omega-3 fatty acids could modify the inflammatory reaction, including the down-regulation of pro-inflammatory molecules and the up-regulation of the anti-inflammatory mediators. Therefore, omega-3s may lower the intensity of arthritis-caused symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness in patients who have rheumatoid arthritis, reduce inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract in IBD patients, boost lung function, and decline airway inflammation in those who have asthma.
Mood and Mental Well-being
Studies are to be continued to promote the idea of linking omega-3 containing EPA with mood regulation. Specific research works showed that EPA could be used for the treatment of depression and anxiety illnesses (Saini et al., 2021). EPA may fulfill its function by regulating the level of neurotransmitters in the brain and reducing inflammation.
Recommendation of Omega-3 Supplements
From my perspective, I will be super cautious at the time of proposing omega-3 supplements based on a person-specific examination. The main particular aim I, as a healthcare professional, have is putting the health and welfare of my clients first and always keeping in mind their peculiar conditions and preferences. Immersed, I would be very focused on clients’ lack of adequate omega-3 dietary intake or specific health conditions that may derive benefits from supplementation. Therefore, I would advise omega-3 supplementation for such cases as cardiovascular disease or inflammatory problems. Such people might experience a shortage of this type of fatty acids in their diets. Thus, supplementation can help them fill this gap and allow them to lead a better and healthier lifestyle.
Contrary to that, in the category of clients with a balanced diet who have sufficient sources of fish oils such as nuts, seeds, and some fishes or those without related health concerns, I may not advise omega-3 supplements without second thought. Such a nutritional habit would be discussed with my patients, and they would be advised to maintain a nutritious diet that involves an astonishing amount of omega-3 in the meals. Generally, what I suggest will be based on evidence, and clients’ conditions may differ depending on the situation. To start with, I would stimulate the flow of information between my clients and me and foster decision-making and collaboration among my clients so that they do not feel like they are forced to make a choice on their own but are supported at the same time, make educated choices about their health.
- b) Research Plan
Research Questions
- How do people perceive the use of omega-3 supplements?
- What is driving the popularity of omega-3 supplements among people living in that community, or why are residents not using them?
- To what extent are residents in Wan Chai familiar with the characteristics of omega-3 supplements compared to other fish oil supplements?
Objectives
- To obtain insights from community members residing at Wan Chai to measure the profitability of omega-3 supplements.
- The research’s purpose is to suggest the essential factors affecting the residents’ decision-making process, showing their inclination or reluctance to supplement their current dieting patterns with omega-3 supplements.
- To evaluate whether residents understand how these omega-3 supplements can help them, which sources are preferable, and the appropriate intake level for them.
Research Design, Sampling Methods, and Estimated Sample Size
Research Design
The research design that will be used is a cross-sectional study; hence, the study will include collecting data from a heterogeneous group of participants at an agreed-upon point in time. Next, cross-sectional studies efficiently explore patients and the population’s attitudes (s), behaviors, and perceptions, providing a great description of the research question. This study design is meant to provide the trends and opinions of the residents of Wan Chai regarding the usage of omega-3 supplements.
Sampling Methods
According to a convenient sampling plan, the respondents will be picked in order to represent the inhabitants of the Wan Chai area. Convenience sampling is preferred for it being handy and accessible; however, it is the option most selected by researchers, knocking in by persons who are readily accessible and willing to partake in the study (Andrade, 2021). The representation of different perspectives through recruitment aim is among the measures, and the participants will be of different ages, genders, socioeconomic levels, and education. Through the enrolment of members from different demographic categories, the objective is to ensure a well-balanced understanding of marketing the products within the selected ward.
Estimated Sample Size
The number of people living in the area of Wan Chai has played a role in decisions about how many participants to include in this study and regarding the convenience of data collection and analysis. We prefer to have 15 participants in this investigation. Although this sample size might seem small, it is assumed to be sufficient for reaching a qualitative goal that mainly focuses on deepening understanding of participants’ views from a preventive point of view and other important aspects. In qualitative research, researchers do not use statistical verification but rather reveal detailed information that applies to the case study. Thus, the size of the sample is sufficient to glean the information collated.
Methods of Data Collection
- Survey Questionnaire: A structured questionnaire will be designed to sample respondents as a data collection tool. The questionnaire will include both closed-ended and open-ended questions to address the quantitative and qualitative data collection concepts.
- Distribution: The electronic questionnaire will be sent by e-mail or online survey platforms. An additional technique is to allow the residents to pick up the blank version of the questionnaire at community centers or during community activities.
- Data Analysis: Quantitative data will be analyzed using holistic computer software, thereby describing the statistics (descriptive) and picking out the patterns and associations. The analysis of this qualitative data will be thematic. The dominant motifs and themes extracted from this data will be key.
Question 2
Patricia Benner’s Theory of Skill Acquisition in Nursing
Patricia Benner’s Knowledge of Skill Staircase, popularly called the “Novice to Expert” model, configures a foundation of how nursing abilities progress over time. Benner conceptualized that there are five specific stages through which a nurse has to grow by acquiring more and more skills, dedication, and decision-making processes (Benner, 2021). The progress of the stages shows the initial stage of a novice who has neither practical knowledge nor experience to the final stage of a super expert, who has developed a profound understanding and can provide sophisticated clinical care. We shall explore the important steps, beginning with introducing the steps and sharing an example to allow comprehensibility.
Novice
At the beginner level, people cannot do their jobs because they lack practical experience and still follow strict rules and guidelines to complete tasks. Novice nurses usually receive little practical training and often feel under-prepared, given the tasks they face when caring for patients. According to Benner (2021), they tend to emphasize following orders and executing a task instead of knowing the principles of healthcare practice. One instance of a novice nurse could be someone who has just graduated from nursing school and has not had clinical experience other than just the knowledge learned from the classroom. During this period, the novice nurse can be tasked with carrying out simple nursing duties and needs continuous guidance and supervision from the more experienced staffers to complete all the tasks safely and perfectly.
Advanced Beginner
At the mid-beginner level, nurses start recognizing patterns in care situations that occur repetitively over some degree of time. They already show where they start with nursing principles and may use their theoretical hands-on skills. Nevertheless, whereas advanced beginners still lean heavily on rules and guidelines, they can find it difficult to maneuver in tasks that demand some prioritization and time management. Benner (2021) argues that a novice nurse is illustrated at the advanced nurse level as one who has acquired some months of clinical training wherein they adjust and acquire Confidence in doing several routine nursing roles. However, they may pass the stage of being competent in some elementary nursing skills and interventions, but they may still experience some difficulty in the challenges of complex patient cases.
Competent
Reaching the competent stage is important in advancing one’s nursing skills. Nurses at this point have matured practically, as evidenced by the dawning of confidence and owning up to the whole responsibility in their practice. They do not only identify the illness but also organize the care by prioritizing the patient’s demands, making sound clinical decisions regarding the follow-up course of treatment, and anticipating associated complications (Benner, 2021). Competent nurses have a firm grasp of nursing theories. They can implement these skills and take the privilege of being considered nurses so much for granted or overlook the burden and responsibility that comes with the job every day. A competent nurse has been practicing for a couple of years and has acquired the skill to multitask in different kinds of care settings and deliver effective care to different patient populations. They show Confidence in executing complex nursing graduations, working with interdisciplinary teams to orchestrate care, being a patient’s advocate, and protecting patients’ rights and preferences.
Proficient
The stage of competence stands out as a skill perceived to be more advanced and superior in the nursing domain. At this proxy, the nurses exhibit an in-depth insight into patient care problems and adopt a sophisticated decision-making ability based on a huggable mind. They can care ahead and change patients’ clinical conditions, provide the proper care for patients’ crises, and provide cross-functional care that incorporates a patient’s physical, emotional, and psychosocial needs (Benner, 2021). Skilled nurses undoubtedly display a determination to pursue lifelong learning and set goals for professional development, thereby working on developing their skills further and expanding the depth of their knowledge. One sensitive person is a staff member who, through long-term clinical experience, has earned the reputation of excellence amongst her colleagues for her quality of patient care and leadership in the clinical field (Benner, 2021). Many of them are long-time nurses holding their colleagues in high esteem while providing their expertise and sagacity in promoting and developing the profession.
Expert
The expert area belongs to the highest level of nursing proficiency, meaning clinical skills and intuition are at the most advanced and developed level. Master nurses with many years of care practice in the wards possess an instinctive understanding of difficult clinical conditions that require professional assessment (Benner, 2021). This particular skill makes them capable of making efficient and appropriate patient care judgments, oftentimes in a snap of a finger, based on the deep tacit knowledge and experiential learning they have accumulated throughout their careers.
According to Benner (2021), expert nurses demonstrate a deep passion for seeing to it that patients’ rights, service quality, and evidence-based practice are peptic; they emerge as leaders and innovators within the nursing profession. A perfect example of an expert nurse is someone who has worked in a niche nursing field for many years and is highly acknowledged for his/her contributions to broad nursing, for instance, critical care or oncology. They uniquely bring together nursing ordination, coaching ability, and caregiving spirit, working together with others to set the quality standards for nursing practice.
Question 3
In this case, I would refer to strategies described by the authors of Yoder-Wise and Menix (2007) to accomplish an effective implementation of the change initiative aimed at enhancing communication with patients from ethnic minorities through the acute ward of the public hospital. These strategies focus on creating a culture of support, enrolling employees, including them in decision-making, and offering ongoing support and resources. Here is how I would apply these strategies: Here is how I would apply these strategies:
Establishing a Supportive Organizational Culture
Firstly, to accomplish the change by creating a platform for team members involved in the care of ethnic minority clients to take part in an in-house course on communicating with these clients, the first step would be promoting a good organizational culture within the acute ward. This means building a stage where diversity is respected, and the staff members are comfortable being encouraged and participating in improving communications (Yoder-Wise & Sportsman, 2022). Through this, I will ensure that healthcare recipients know the salient cultural differences and why communication is the backbone of patient care. By facilitating open dialogue and providing feedback, I will allow the employees to experience what they have and care about other matters of concern and suggestions, where they will not be judged.
Facilitating Staff Engagement and Participation
For this change process to be successful, it is imperative to bridge the gap between the workforce and the proposed changes through their involvement. I would urge the involvement of the staff from the onset in the planning process, asking for their opinion on the main hindering factors and goals and how to achieve the objectives in the important issue of communicating with clients from ethnic minorities. This can be accomplished by establishing a cross-resource team or a multidisciplinary task force comprising various specialists in cultural competencies and communication issues in the intensive care ward (Yoder-Wise & Sportsman, 2022). Among the main goals is enabling staff members to attend training programs, seminars, and simulations, which will be mainly directed toward improving intercultural skills skills.
Providing Ongoing Support and Resources
Providing staff members with the required materials, tools, and tension is a prerequisite for successfully smoothing change. Firstly, I will thoroughly analyze the context and find out which services, such as educational materials, interpreters, and language translation providers, are missing from the environment, which practically prevents successful communication with ethnic minority clients. Including staff training and continuous professional development that covers the ability of employees to have proper cultural competence and communicate in the best way is imperative (Bhakti et al., 2022). Moreover, a customized mentorship and coaching program to support the workforce members who will encounter challenges while adapting to these changes and the effective use of emerging communication strategies would be critical.
By bringing these strategies into practice as the approach within the acute ward, I would be able to create an environment that encourages communication between ‘ethnic minority patients and the staff, the latter of which should feel empowered and able to relate to these groups of patients. With the prior engagement, the practices would stand to offer care of equal quality to all the individuals served and, in the process, create a working environment that upholds respect, understanding, and diversity among the healthcare team (Bhakti et al., 2022).
References
Andrade, C. (2021). The inconvenient truth about convenience and purposive samples. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 43(1), 86–88.
Benner, P. (2021). NOVICE TO MASTERY. Teaching and Learning for Adult Skill Acquisition: Applying the Dreyfus and Dreyfus Model in Different Fields, p. 215.
Bhakti, Y. B., Tola, B., & Triana, D. D. (2022). AITPO (Antecedent, Input, Transaction, Product, Outcomes): Mixed Model Evaluasi Cipp Dan Countenace Sebagai Pendekatan Evaluasi Program Kampus Mengajar. Jurnal Hurriah: Jurnal Evaluasi Pendidikan dan Penelitian, 3(1), 11-24.
Luo, X. D., Feng, J. S., Yang, Z., Huang, Q. T., Lin, J. D., Yang, B., … & Pan, J. Y. (2020). High-dose omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation might be more superior than low-dose for major depressive disorder in early therapy period: a network meta-analysis. BMC psychiatry, 20, 1-8.
Saini, R. K., Prasad, P., Sreedhar, R. V., Akhilender Naidu, K., Shang, X., & Keum, Y. S. (2021). Omega-3− 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs): Emerging plant and microbial sources, oxidative stability, bioavailability, and health benefits—A review. Antioxidants, 10(10), 1627.
Shen, S., Gong, C., Jin, K., Zhou, L., Xiao, Y., & Ma, L. (2022). Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and coronary heart disease risks: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Frontiers in nutrition, p. 9, 809311.
Yoder-Wise, P. S., & Sportsman, S. (2022). Leading and Managing in Nursing E-Book: Leading and Managing in Nursing E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.