NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3

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NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3 – Step-by-Step Guide

The first step before starting to write the NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3, it is essential to understand the requirements of the assignment. The first step is to read the assignment prompt carefully to identify the topic, the length and format requirements. You should go through the rubric provided so that you can understand what is needed to score the maximum points for each part of the assignment. 

It is also important to identify the audience of the paper and its purpose so that it can help you determine the tone and style to use throughout. You can then create a timeline to help you complete each stage of the paper, such as conducting research, writing the paper, and revising it to avoid last-minute stress before the deadline. After identifying the formatting style to be applied to the paper, such as APA, you should review its use, such as writing citations and referencing the resources used. You should also review how to format the title page and the headings in the paper.

How to Research and Prepare for NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3

The next step in preparing for your paper is to conduct research and identify the best sources to use to support your arguments. Identify the list of keywords from your topic using different combinations. The first step is to visit the university library and search through its database using the important keywords related to your topic. You can also find books, peer-reviewed articles, and credible sources for your topic from PubMed, JSTOR, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar. Ensure that you select the references that have been published in the last words and go through each to check for credibility. Ensure that you obtain the references in the required format, for example, in APA, so that you can save time when creating the final reference list. 

You can also group the references according to their themes that align with the outline of the paper. Go through each reference for its content and summarize the key concepts, arguments and findings for each source. You can write down your reflections on how each reference connects to the topic you are researching about. After the above steps, you can develop a strong thesis that is clear, concise and arguable. Next you should create a detailed outline of the paper so that it can help you to create headings and subheadings to be used in the paper. Ensure that you plan what point will go into each paragraph.

How to Write the Introduction for NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3

The introduction of the paper is the most crucial part as it helps to provide the context of your work, and will determine if the reader will be interested to read through to the end. You should start with a hook, which will help capture the reader’s attention. You should contextualize the topic by offering the reader a concise overview of the topic you are writing about so that they may understand its importance. You should state what you aim to achieve with the paper. The last part of the introduction should be your thesis statement, which provides the main argument of the paper.

How to Write the Body for NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3

The body of the paper helps you to present your arguments and evidence to support your claims. You can use headings and subheadings developed in the paper’s outline to guide you on how to organize the body. Start each paragraph with a topic sentence to help the reader know what point you will be discussing in that paragraph. Support your claims using the evidence conducted from the research, ensure that you cite each source properly using in-text citations. You should analyze the evidence presented and explain its significance and how it connects to the thesis statement. You should maintain a logical flow between each paragraph by using transition words and a flow of ideas.

How to Write the In-text Citations for NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3

In-text citations help the reader to give credit to the authors of the references they have used in their works. All ideas that have been borrowed from references, any statistics and direct quotes must be referenced properly. The name and date of publication of the paper should be included when writing an in-text citation. For example, in APA, after stating the information, you can put an in-text citation after the end of the sentence, such as (Smith, 2021). If you are quoting directly from a source, include the page number in the citation, for example (Smith, 2021, p. 15). Remember to also include a corresponding reference list at the end of your paper that provides full details of each source cited in your text. An example paragraph highlighting the use of in-text citations is as below:

The integration of technology in nursing practice has significantly transformed patient care and improved health outcomes. According to Smith (2021), the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has streamlined communication among healthcare providers, allowing for more coordinated and efficient care delivery. Furthermore, Johnson and Brown (2020) highlight that telehealth services have expanded access to care, particularly for patients in rural areas, thereby reducing barriers to treatment.

How to Write the Conclusion for NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3

When writing the conclusion of the paper, start by restarting your thesis, which helps remind the reader what your paper is about. Summarize the key points of the paper, by restating them. Discuss the implications of your findings and your arguments. End with a call to action that leaves a lasting impact on the reader or recommendations.

How to Format the Reference List for NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3

The reference helps provide the reader with the complete details of the sources you cited in the paper. The reference list should start with the title “References” on a new page. It should be aligned center and bolded. The references should be organized in an ascending order alphabetically and each should have a hanging indent. If a source has no author, it should be alphabetized by the title of the work, ignoring any initial articles such as “A,” “An,” or “The.” If you have multiple works by the same author, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest publication. 

Each reference entry should include specific elements depending on the type of source. For books, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the book in italics, the edition (if applicable), and the publisher’s name. For journal articles, include the author’s last name, first initial, publication year in parentheses, the title of the article (not italicized), the title of the journal in italics, the volume number in italics, the issue number in parentheses (if applicable), and the page range of the article. For online sources, include the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) or the URL at the end of the reference. An example reference list is as follows:

References

Johnson, L. M., & Brown, R. T. (2020). The role of telehealth in improving patient outcomes. Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 35(2), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000456

Smith, J. A. (2021). The impact of technology on nursing practice. Health Press.

NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3 Instructions

Purpose

The purpose of the graded collaborative discussions is to engage faculty and students in an interactive dialogue to assist the student in appraising data to improve population health outcomes. Meaningful dialogue among faculty and students fosters the development of a learning community as ideas, perspectives, and knowledge are shared. This discussion will support the professional formation of the nurse practitioner role.  

Course Outcomes

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

  • CO 1: Analyze pathophysiologic mechanisms associated with selected disease states across the lifespan. 
  • CO 2: Examine the way in which homeostatic, adaptive, and compensatory physiological mechanisms can be supported and/or altered through specific therapeutic interventions across the lifespan. 
  • CO 3: Distinguish risk factors associated with selected disease states across the lifespan.      
  • CO 4: Integrate advanced pathophysiological concepts in the diagnosis and treatment of health problems in selected populations.  
  • CO 5: Relate research findings to the management of patients with complex pathophysiologic dysfunction.

Due Date

Initial posts are due to the discussion forum by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. MT. Instructor and peer responses are due by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. MT. Students must post on a minimum of two separate days. A 10% late penalty will be imposed for discussions posted after the deadline Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. MT, regardless of the number of days late. NOTHING will be accepted after 11:59 p.m. MT on Sunday (i.e., the student will receive an automatic 0).

Total Points Possible: 50

Preparing the Discussion

Follow these guidelines when completing each component of the discussion. Contact your course faculty if you have questions. 

General Instructions 

This discussion represents the first step in a three-step discussion series where you will choose your own pathophysiology adventure to analyze and present to the class. In this step of the discussion series, you will select a disease process for analysis and conduct initial research into the condition. 

Include the following sections:

1. Application of Course Knowledge: Answer all questions/criteria with explanations and detail.  

  1. Select a condition covered in this course that interests you or is relevant to your nursing practice. Identify the condition you’ve selected. 
  2. Briefly explain your rationale for selecting this particular condition. What influenced your selection? 
  3. Investigate the prevalence and incidence of the chosen condition in the United States (U.S.). What are the incidence, prevalence, and affected populations? 
  4. Find and summarize a scholarly article that discusses your selected condition. What does the article say about your condition and its pathophysiology and manifestations? How is the article relevant to your understanding of the condition? 

2. Integration of Evidence: Integrate relevant scholarly sources as defined by program expectations:  

  1. Cite a scholarly source in the initial post. 
  2. Cite a scholarly source in one faculty response post. 
  3. Cite a scholarly source in one peer post. 
  4. Accurately analyze, synthesize, and/or apply principles from evidence with no more than one short quote (15 words or less) for the week.  
  5. Include a minimum of two different scholarly sources per week. Cite all references and provide references for all citations. 

3. Engagement in Meaningful Dialogue: Engage peers and faculty by asking questions and offering new insights, applications, perspectives, information, or implications for practice.  

  1. Peer Response: Respond to at least one peer on a condition other than the one you selected.  
  2. Faculty Response: Respond to at least one faculty post.  
  3. Communicate using respectful, collegial language and terminology appropriate to advanced nursing practice.  

4. Professionalism in Communication: Communicate with minimal errors in English grammar, spelling, syntax, and punctuation.  

5. Reference Citation: Use current APA format to format citations and references free of errors.  

6. Wednesday Participation Requirement: Provide a substantive response to the graded discussion topic (not a response to a peer or faculty) by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT of each week.  

7. Total Participation Requirement: Provide at least three substantive posts (one to the initial question or topic, one to a student peer, and one to a faculty question) on two different days during the week.     

**To view the grading criteria/rubric, please click on the 3 dots in the box at the end of the solid gray bar above the discussion board title and then Show Rubric.  

NR 507 Week 2 Discussion: Choose Your Own Pathophysiology Adventure Part 1 of 3 Example

Different healthcare conditions remain a global and public health concern due to their high incidence and prevalence, the impact they have on society, and local and global healthcare systems. Understanding their pathophysiology, transmission, and impact on healthcare systems is vital to understanding the scope of the conditions and developing practical strategies to address them. This discussion identifies a selected condition that interests me and the rationale for its selection, investigates the prevalence and incidence of the condition in the U.S. and the affected populations, and provides a summary of a scholarly article that discusses the condition, its pathophysiology, and its manifestations.

The selected condition is Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). I selected HIV due to its relevance to my current and future practice in healthcare. Additionally, there are various issues surrounding the condition that interest me, and I would like to understand them in depth, including its pathophysiology, the immune system, and the importance of early detection, prevention, and care in managing the condition.

According to the U.S. Statistics HIV.gov (2024), there are approximately 1.2 million individuals in the U.S. who have HIV, with about 13% of them being unaware of it. Although there has been a decrease in the incidence of HIV within the last five years by 12%, the estimated incidence is still high, considering that in 2022, the incidence of HIV was 31,800 people (CDC, n.d.). HIV affects all populations across age, race, and other demographic factors. However, there continues to be a disproportionate impact and incidence rate in specific populations, specifically racial and ethnic minorities and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) (U.S. Statistics HIV.gov, 2024).

One of the scholarly articles that discusses HIV is “Epidemiology of HIV in the USA: epidemic burden, inequities, contexts, and responses” by Sullivan et al. (2021). The study discusses the pathophysiology and manifestations of HIV on how HIV attacks the immune system, specifically targeting CD4+ T cells, which are crucial for immune response. The virus weakens the body’s defense mechanisms, leading to a compromised immune system and increased vulnerability to opportunistic infections, ultimately resulting in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) if left untreated (Sullivan et al., 2021). It also discusses the clinical manifestations of HIV infection, emphasizing the spectrum of symptoms ranging from acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) in the early stages to more severe symptoms associated with immunodeficiency in advanced stages.

Overall, the article has significantly influenced my understanding of HIV by emphasizing the importance of contextual factors, such as socioeconomic factors, that contribute to disparities in HIV care and outcomes. It has also informed my understanding of HIV pathophysiology and manifestations, thereby deepening my comprehension of the complexity of HIV and its impact on public health. From the article, I have also appreciated the multifaceted nature of HIV care in preventing complications.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (n.d.). Fast Facts: HIV in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/data-research/facts-stats/index.html  

Sullivan, P. S., Satcher Johnson, A., Pembleton, E. S., Stephenson, R., Justice, A. C., Althoff, K. N., Bradley, H., Castel, A. D., Oster, A. M., Rosenberg, E. S., Mayer, K. H., & Beyrer, C. (2021). Epidemiology of HIV in the USA: epidemic burden, inequities, contexts, and responses. Lancet, 397(10279), 1095–1106. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00395-0   

U.S. Statistics, HIV.gov. (2024). HIV Basics and Fast Facts. Retrieved from https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics