Monday, January 27, 2020

How Plagiarism Violates the NASW Code of Ethics

How Plagiarism Violates the NASW Code of Ethics The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is an organization of professionals that â€Å"works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards† (National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2008, About). Within this association there is a Code of Ethics that was created to help guide the behavior of both professional and student social workers. The NASW Code of Ethics provides ethical standards, values, and principles that all social workers are responsible to adhere to. The Code is presented in four sections detailing appropriate behavior for social workers. With these guidelines in mind social work students are expected to complete both assignments and practice in the field with the upmost highest integrity. While there are many topics covered within the Code, one that is essential for students to consider is plagiarism. Plagiarism as defined by Columbia University School of Social Works Writing Center is â€Å"the use of another writers ideas or words as ones own without citing that person† (CUSSW Writing Center, 2010). Without providing proper documentation of where the writer obtained the information included in an assignment the reader will automatically assume that these are the writers original thoughts and ideas. The fact that a social work student does not credit an author used in a writing assignment goes directly against the guideline of acknowledging credit depicted in section 4.08 of the NASW Code of Ethics, which states, â€Å" a) Social workers should take responsibility and credit, including authorship credit, only work they have actually performed and to which they have contributed. (b) Social workers should honestly acknowledge the work of and the contributions made by others† (NASW,2008, preamble). All students in the School of Social Work are bound by the by the NASW Code of Ethics and by the policies of the Columbia University School of Social Work community. It is the students responsibility to be fully informed as to what constitutes plagiarism and to refrain from all activities that constitute plagiarism. Typically this information can be obtained by visiting the schools website. As a social work student it is necessary to practice personal and academic honesty because it shows ones character. By copying information and passing it as your own can be considered deceitful and misconstrued as portraying fraud or deception. The Code of Ethics also provides students a method to check ourselves as social workers as we go forth and set an example to clients. In addition, as read in Section 4, Social Workers Ethical Responsibilities as Professionals, of the NASW Code of Ethics â€Å"Social Workers should not participate in , condone, or be associated with dishonesty, fraud or deception† (NASW, 2008, Section 4). This reinforces the concept that as social workers we have a commitment to be true to ourselves and recognize the work of others by crediting them. After a close examination of the NASW Code of Ethics it is apparent that when one performs any act of plagiarism including cheating it is violating the code of many levels and aspects. Under the value of integrity stand the following ethical principles outlining â€Å"Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner† (NASW, 2008, Ethical Principles). The participation of plagiarism this value and ethical principle that are put upon social workers is disgraced. Additionally, under the value of competence, the ethical principle paired is, â€Å"Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise† (NASW, 2008, Ethical Principles). All of these are broken when partaking in plagiarism, as we use others words we are not valuing that individuals worth of the person and more or less stealing their hard work and concepts. Not only do we lose trust of our colleagues but trust in ourselves and are overwhelmed with the feeling of being incompetent when one cannot honor another individuals work. The core values provided by the NASW Code of Ethics are important because our profession is based on these morals. Since â€Å"CUSSW students are expected to conduct themselves in all aspects of school activities in a manner consistent with the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers† participating in plagiarism directly violates these standards (CUSSW, Policies, 2010). As a matter of professional development social work students need to develop a respect for written communication and the process of presenting work. Academic communication is often a balance between the presentation of your original ideas, representation of information gained from other sources and the integration of both. It is ones liability to account for the usage of others work, so we stay in line with our social work ethics and values presented in the code. Furthermore, the Ethical Standards provided in the code include: social workers ethical responsibilities to colleagues, ethical responsibilities in practice settings, ethical responsibilities as professionals, social workers ethical responsibilities to the social work profession, and Social workers ethical responsibilities to the broader society. All of this is lost when not crediting someone else work. It is every social workers mission to follow and have their professional worth be embedded in the core values that the Code of Ethics is based upon and identifies. It is crucial for academic institutions to hold the responsibility of students of fostering and evaluating professional behavioral development for all students in the social work program is (Atlantic University Florida). The School of Social Work also bears a responsibility to the community at large to produce fully trained professional social workers who consciously exhibit the knowledge, values, and skills of the professi on of social work. The values of the profession are codified in the NASW Code of Ethics. When a student does not adhere to these ethical principles, a dilemma arises that question if a student fully comprehends the NASW Code of Ethics and what responsibility it carries. It is clear that quality students fully prepared for the profession will adhere to all the guidelines provided in the NASW Code of Ethics and demonstrate knowledge of the meaning. http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/faculty/policies/index.html#ethics http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/write/handouts/AvoidPlagiarism.html http://www.cosw.sc.edu/student/syllabi/sowk735.html http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/Default.asp http://www.fau.edu/ssw/expectations.html www.socwork.jmu.edu/demos/partone.ppt http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Preamble to the code of ethics. Retrieved May 4, 2008,from http://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/ Code/code.asp Social work values and ethics Reamer, Frederic, G. Columbia University Press New York Chichester, West Sussex Copyright  © 1999 Columbia University Press

Saturday, January 18, 2020

Health Campaign

Health Campaign- Part One HCS 535 July 23, 2012 Dr. Beth Hale Health Campaign- Part One Obesity is a chronic condition that has grown in epidemic proportions over the years. Obesity is defined as the body weight which is excessive than expected in healthy individuals and presently in the United States, obesity has become of the greatest public health challenges. It is reported that 2. 8 million adults will die in the world because of obesity (World Health Organization, 2012).This paper will present obesity and the initiative of Healthy People 2020 to combat this health issue. It will present the federal, state, and local agencies tasked with addressing and managing this issue. It will present models used to determine and analyze obesity, define the community and targeted populations and describe the epidemiologic surveillance systems used for monitoring obesity. It will present epidemiology tools, such as risk assessment and trends in disease and health to analyze obesity. Obesity in AmericaIn the United States obesity rates have escalated to higher levels than ever seen before. At this time one-third of all adults in the United States are classified as obese (Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). The national identified health objectives developed by the federal government is Healthy People. These initiatives began in 2000 and were updated in 2010 and 2020. Healthy People 2000 were developed in 1990 by the Department of Human and Health Services as a strategy to improve the health of Americans (Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 2009).The first two priority areas identified were physical fitness and nutrition. The Healthy People objectives were rereleased in 2010 with additional priority objectives. The goals of this objectives was similar to the one in 2000 but truly focusing on reducing health disparities and to increase the quality and years of healthy life (Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). This national program was updated again to reflect the next decade called Healthy People 2020 and to promote avoiding preventable disease as the focus.According to Department of Human and Health Services (2010), â€Å"Healthy People 2020 is the product of an extensive stakeholder feedback process that is unparalleled in government and health. It integrates input from public health and prevention experts, a wide range of federal, state and local government officials, a consortium of more than 2,000 organizations, and perhaps most importantly, the public† (para. 7). Healthy People 2020 are a federally developed project to improve the health of all Americans. There were many lead federal agencies involved in the development of the framework of Healthy People 2020.These agencies vary from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institute of Health, to name a few. These agencies worked together with the Department of Human and Health Services to develop the national program of Healthy People 2020. They also sought out public support and comments to ensure they have the views and had met the needs of the public. The Department of Human and Health Services have state level departments who address and manage the issue of obesity at that level.They promote and meet the objectives of Healthy People 2020 and according to Department of Human and Health Services (2012), â€Å"The Healthy People State and Territorial Coordinators make Healthy People happen every single day across the United States. Each state and territory has a Healthy People Coordinator who serves as a liaison with the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). These coordinators ensure that the development of a state or territorial plan is in line with Healthy People goals and objectives† (p. 2). There are many local agencies and schools who have registered to be part of the Healthy People program.Determinants of Hea lth What makes an individual unhealthy or obese is a question often asked. When reviewing models and systems to determine or analyze obesity there is an opportunity to review the determinants of health. According to Department of Human and Health Services (2012), â€Å"The ranges of personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health status are known as determinants of health† (p. 2). There are many determinants of health such as policymaking, social, physical, individual behavior, and genetics.These determinants of health altogether work to determine ones individual and population health (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012). Policy making is â€Å"policies at the local, State, and Federal level affect individual and population health† (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012, p. 2). This can deter and improve obesity by taxing unhealthy foods or providing tax cuts for those who eat healthier. A social determinant of health look s at social factors in the environment that impacts the individuals’ health (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012).An individual social norm may be to eat out at restaurants with friends instead of cooking at home or not able to afford healthy groceries. Physical determinants of health are captured by looking at physical barriers to eating healthy or exercising. An individual may not be living in a safe environment to exercise or go for walks. Individual behaviors include diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption or drug use (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012). These directly affect one’s individual health outcomes and play a huge role in obesity.Genetic social determinant of health affects some more than others; examples include family history of disease, age, sex, and inherited conditions (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012). Obesity is generally seen in families and not only affects the individual but also the children as well. Liv ing a sedentary lifestyle is generally passed down in families. Data Systems There are many data components captured to determine and analyze obesity through data and vital statistics and disease registries. There are many data indicators to measure the objectives and to determine the priority objectives.The Healthy People relies on data sources to track progress, such as National Vital Statistics System and National Health Interview Survey. The National Vital Statistics Systems (NVSS) â€Å"is the oldest and most successful example of inter-governmental data sharing in Public Health and the shared relationships, standards, and procedures form the mechanism by which National Centre for Health Statistics collects and disseminates the Nation's official vital statistics† (Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 2012, p. 1). Birth, deaths, marriages and divorce is collected through the NVSS.The National Health Interview Survey is a tool used by the United States Census Bureau t o collect information to track health status, health care access, and progress toward achieving national health objectives (Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). The data is collected by personal interviews with American households. â€Å"The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) have provided a continuous monitoring of prevalence and incidence of obesity in a nationally representative sample of individuals† (Center of Disease Control and Prevention, 2012, p. 3).Disease registries are collected by private agencies, such as National Institute of Health to collect data on chronic illnesses such as obesity. Many organizations will track body mass index on their employees for the wellness screenings. There are many resources available to determine and analyze obesity and are available on the Internet to review. Healthy People 2020 – Nutrition and Weight Status The Healthy People 2020 objective to reduce obesity in the United States â€Å"ref lects strong science supporting the health benefits of eating a healthful diet and maintaining a healthy body weight.The objectives also emphasize that efforts to change diet and weight should address individual behaviors, as well as the policies and environments that support these behaviors in settings such as schools, worksites, health care organizations, and communities†( (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012, p. 2). The community addressed includes the general population of the United States. The data shows that obesity is found in 34% of the American population (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012).Obesity is more prominent in 20-year or over with disabilities, 25 years or over with some college or associate degree, publicly insured ; 65 years of age, 20 years or over who are divorced or separated, and more seen in the age range of 45-64 years (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012). It appears females have a higher rate of obesity than males, b lack or African American individuals have the highest rate of obesity and with Hispanics not far behind.Americans who have a chronic condition generally have a higher rate of obesity than Americans without chronic disease, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and arthritis (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012). Individuals born in the United States have a higher incidence of obesity than individuals born in another country (Department of Human and Health Services, 2012). Surveillance Systems The epidemiology surveillance systems used to monitor obesity is done by tracking an individual’s body mass index, skinfold measurements, body circumference, and height and weight.The body mass index takes the height and weight and compares to other like genders and references. There are many epidemiology tools within health care to address obesity. Many individuals track their dietary intake such as myfitnesspal. com. Assessments such as increase in blood pressure are an indi cator of a risk for obesity if there has been an increase in weight gain. Wellness screenings offered in health care organization is another tool to address obesity, it allows the population to access health care professionals on topics such as diet, diabetes, have their body mass index taken.There is a huge trend to be physical active and eat healthy foods with Michelle Obama partnering with A Healthier America and promoting healthy lifestyles and eating. Conclusion Obesity in America has grown in epidemic proportions over the years and presently one-third of the country is classified as obese. Obesity leads to many other diseases and chronic conditions that will be very costly to the health care system. The federal, state, and local agencies are working diligently to promote Healthy People and provide tools to the public to fight obesity.Individuals need to start exercising, eating healthy, and develop healthy lifestyles to live a longer healthier life. References Center of Diseas e Control and Prevention. (2009, Fall). Healthy people 2000. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/nchs/healthy_people/hp2000. htm Center of Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, Spring). Overweight and Obesity. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/obesity/data/adult. html/ Center of Disease Control and Prevention. (2012). The National Vital Statistics System. Retrieved from http://www. dc. gov/nchs/nvss. htm Department of Human and Health Services. (2010). HHS announces the nation’s new health promotion and disease prevention agenda. Retrieved from http://www. healthypeople. gov/2020/about/DefaultPressRelease. pdf Department of Human and Health Services. (2012). HealthyPeople. Gov. Retrieved from http://www. healthypeople. gov/2020/default. aspx World Health Organization. (2012). Obesity and overweight. Retrieved from http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index. html

Friday, January 10, 2020

Clinical Experience of Student Essay

My learning throughout the first year has been helped by an unerring optimism in the value of nursing, and an appreciation that each and every daily interaction augments my experience. This enthusiasm, however, has caused an inhibitory effect on my self-directed researching, and created conflict in some placement areas. While developing my role as a nurse, my activities as a person at home and beyond have diminished, as I attempt to adjust to the demands of both domains (Spouse 2003:109). I resent distracting influences, and frequently domestic pressures restrain my desired pace to accumulate factual knowledge. As described by Palmer et al. (1994:40), my learning can oscillate between two extremes, â€Å"all or nothing†. Spouse (2003) depicts the student nurses’ need to develop multi-tasking skills emotionally, mentally and physically as they are caught between the cultures of clinical areas, peer-driven University life and home. The conflicts arising from these settings create a disharmony, which I believe for some, may undermine nursing as a career choice. The competence of a future nurse is evaluated by evidence-based documents, instructors, mentors assignment and examination results and is based on a continuum of regular assessments. The learning experience of a student nurse remarkably influences own practice in clinical areas, as well as the performance level of the student in academic matters. First timers in clinical rotation engage themselves in the initial stage of familiarizing and accustoming one’s self to the practice becomes crucial. This is the point when printed theories in books and hand outs are recalled nd reshuffled in the mind in order to carry out the best intervention suited for a particular situation. It was never easy for the a novice student nurse to be assigned in the OB ward or in the emergency room without sufficient knowledge about postpartum care or familiarity with the basic instrument used in minor surgeries. Also, inadequate and ineffective education influences the manner that one gains necessary principles and skills needed in actual and assisted delivery cases. This has affected the coping strategies of the trainees to different problems arising in the clinical settings. In reality, some just performed as assistants instead of handling actual deliveries—this is also dependent to the hospital protocols—and some were just given free cases. This fact has urged others’ curiosity to get a hasty view of the first learning experiences of the other nursing students who are also in the same level. Some people ought to assess the level of students’ adjustment with the respect to different conflicts they have encountered so that appropriate improvements in nursing education programs will be obtained. The trend to commit oneself to healthcare field has not yet wiped out especially in nursing profession. Students seem to be devotedly engaging themselves into this line as seen with continuous enrollment of freshmen students and transferees, may it be influenced by financial demands, personal preferences, or just by current blooms. The Professional Regulation Commission reported that the country has an oversupply of 400,000 licensed nurses (Porcalla, 2008). With this fact that there are still thousands of nursing graduates in the country who are either unemployed or working as call center agents, clerks, salesladies or salesmen, discouragement in the part of the fresh high school graduates is still invincible. Though many say that those temporary jobs are just their means of earning money while waiting for the board examination, individual encounters prove that a significant percentage of those graduates would just end up working in the same condition; others fortunately have passed the board and served as volunteer nurses to gain experience during the initial years of the profession; and some might have dealt with hard life or just settled down rearing families. For so many reasons, nursing career—for some—terminates there, which should not be. Why is it that even universities have started to limit accepting nursing enrollees due to overpopulation of out-of-work nursing graduates, the government’s need for ideal healthcare system is still unmet? The answer would be—it is a matter of competition! In the Filipino context, it goes, â€Å"Matira ang matibay. † As with the student admission criteria of one hundred eleven medical schools in the United States, education programs and requirements filter nursing students meticulously (Reynolds, W. Scott, P. A. ,& Austin W. , 2000). Spouse (2003:42) depicts the student nurses’ need to develop multi-tasking skills emotionally, mentally, and physically as they are caught between the cultures of clinical areas, peer driven university life and home. The conflicts arising from these settings create a disharmony, which Greenwood (2003) believes for some, may undermine nursing as a career choice. Aside from it, it is not new to hear stories about taking the course with the dictate of the mother in exchange for the big Dollar sign neither a complaint for expensive matriculations and a shelf of three-kilogram-books. According to Rep. Satur Ocampo, â€Å"Low and inappropriate budget of DOH for 2009 now pegged at 28. 9 billion still does not address the problem of the exodus of nurses in the country†(Porcalla, 2008). It is one of the major sicknesses of the country’s healthcare system which puts down the field. But with the growing population and high expectancies of quality care and competence, nurses should be skillful in integrating theoretical frameworks, as well as nursing philosophy, into real life situations so that high quality care can be delivered and optimal health will be met and promoted. Nursing is an art, an art of caring. Nurses are much involved in lots of health teachings and interventions; and are expected to portray a variety of roles. Be it as an educator, communicator, caregiver, counselor, advocate or as a leader, a nurse should possess a well-defined body of knowledge and expertise in the field especially on actual scenarios (Kozier et. al. ,2008). Student nurses may be perceived as trainees, yet it is far apart from that thought. It is incorporating oneself to and embracing the vocation of helping and providing care in order for mastery and dedication to be more likely. The developmental educative process in nursing is a sophisticated and complex combination of scientific, logical, humanitarian, communicative, experiences and psychomotor skills, designed to consolidate abilities to produce â€Å"knowledgeable doers† (Greenwood 2003, Sajiwandani 2000, Slevin 1992, Cheung 1992). Nursing students at this point of time should be cautious whether they have delivered or could deliver appropriate care. They have to be very vigilant because they deal with a lot of toxic things every single day (Tacdol, 2008). It is not anymore in a classroom setting, it is more of real life situations. When at the area, there is no room for mistakes. No more dummies. No more trials. The reflective process enables the students to gain a sense of proportion. While researched academic study underpins practice, there are frequently qualifications made by nursing staff about ward performed procedures, stating â€Å"real-life† situations employ differing methods to those taught in the class room. These instances challenge student’s assumptions and provide impetus for further clinical reflective investigation (Spouse 2003, cited by Greenwood 2003). They also serve to demonstrate the existence of multiple methods of care delivery, attuning them to motives and perspectives of other practitioners in the healthcare team, indicating that others have legitimate reasoning (Palmer et. al 1994 cited by Greenwood, 2003) The performance of students in the clinical area is greatly affected by difficulties they encounter especially in their first clinical duty. Factors include relationship with clinical instructors, misunderstandings arising from group works, hospital policies and requirements, alterations in contingencies when handling patients and so on. As new members of the healthcare team, adjustment to different stressors seems to be crucial. It is an undeniable fact that problems with the clinical instructor top all. Many claim that superiors sometimes do not provide favorable atmosphere for learning. Using negative reinforcement is one of the examples. Others found this as beneficial since it helps the students to ask questions, enhances perception, and inhibits recurring of errors. But many negate this assertion. Embarrassment, comparison to other schools, and stickling behavior of the superior notably outweigh the benefits it should have made. Although many have agreed that the student nurses are very effective in delivering their duties and responsibilities in the clinical areas, there should still be improvement in the learning scheme of the education provider because there is no room for mistakes in the medical profession because it deals with a very fragile thing-life- and a single mistake may cause an enormous damage which is death. The students must be prepared and trained well before their exposure in the clinical areas so as not to commit error (Babula et. al. , 2006). Group conflicts such as lack of teamwork have something to do in accomplishing case studies. Hospital policies and protocols may at times become annoying and confusing. Different shifts and location of clinical duties tend to be the second in the list. Personal moods and anxieties affect functioning of the whole personality which may result to unproductive planning and ineffective nursing interventions (Abaravar et. al. , 2006). Moreover, unexpected problems arising when handling patients are to be aided with harmonious interaction between the instructor and the students while correction and giving of remedies are done (Amania et. al. , 2008). The identification of these common conflicts that are actually the factors which affect the level of performance of nursing students in clinical duties extensively bring up good adaptation behaviors and ease up finding solutions to the mentioned conflicts. Because of the continuous efforts made by some concerned people behind the nursing education? students, educators, and also the registered nurses in the profession? improvements in nursing curriculum has been made. Though distinction between the old and new curriculum of the program have been clearly identified, effectiveness of each are still debated and talked about more often. For nursing education and nursing career does not end in passing all the academic subjects and completion of the PRC forms, one has to subject himself in difficult situations when nursing judgment becomes a necessity. As nursing student begins on the path of career, he or she finds new opportunities unfolding as from within which brighten the path ahead. The kaleidoscope image used on the cover of the 7th edition of Fundamentals of Nursing by Kozier and Erb is an everchanging piece of art with its colors, light and form. As it turns, it represents new opportunities for beautiful new designs. Seeking light and reflections to form new shapes allows one to open one’s mind to all possibilities a kaleidoscope has to offer (Kozier et. al. ,2007). Same with the field of nursing, there are many areas that a nursing student may have never imagined at the beginning of his or her journey. As nursing students open their minds and eyes to these wonderful chances, a good experience they had gained when they were still first timers would be a pertinent tool and inspiration in attuning upcoming difficulties and developing passion in the career. These would let them not to desist from this world of struggles. Conclusion A qualified nursing practitioner is a professionally trained integrated member of the health-care team. This professional education should be life-long, beginning with three years pre-registration factual knowledge and skill acquisition. As previously described there is a symbiotic relationship between nursing’s craft and nursing wisdom, and they are required in practice simultaneously. Despite the apparent impression given by traditional methods of education that these categories exist seperately, for nursing they are fluidly cohesive, one informing the other, through reflective analysis (Watts 1992:). The elements experienced by nursing students during their training are bonded internally together to authenticate their practice, by unleashing possibilities inherent in the situation between patient and the therapeutic self (Kirby and Slevin 1992). The following guidelines are intended to promote improvements in the student’s learning experience. Qualified staffs that direct pace and direction of study need to encourage students in imaginative and innovative ways to prepare them for adoption of new concepts and the flood of changes and that they will need to make in all aspects of their life. Support such as this will guide them through the vulnerable initial stages of their steep learning curve of level one, as echoed by the dissonance described in the first paragraph of the essay. Guidelines I would like to see better preparation of mentors by lecturer-practitioners within clinical placements, in order to foster environments of positive, constructively planned activities. From this, students can gain insight to challenge their assumptions and lay-view of nursing. In this respect, I would like those in the clinical settings to be encouraging students rather than attempting to degrade their efforts by dismissing their academic research based interest in the subject of nursing. I would like access to professional teaching staff in-college at all times, especially immediately prior to and post placement. I hope for tutor liaison with mentors more regularly within the clinical settings, serving to remind mentoring nurses that their duty to support students is real, and linked with Higher Education Establishments. I would like to see in-college mentors giving better, basic and consistent guidance while initially developing the concepts of critical reflective consciousness and the production of an evidence-base of knowledge thus strengthening the intellectual and practical growth of students.