Scientific method

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The scientific method serves as an outline for scientists. It helps scientists answer questions about the natural world. For example, the following are some questions about the natural world that science has helped answer:

  • Why is the sky blue?
  • Why do people grow old?
  • Why does the moon revolve around Earth?
  • How do bacteria and viruses make humans sick?

The steps of the scientific method are the following:

  1. Observation
  2. Question
  3. Hypothesis
  4. Experimentation
  5. Data analysis
  6. Conclusion

These steps are not written in stone and may vary depending on the branch of science or the type of experiment.

Watch this video that explains the scientific method.

Now that you know how powerful the scientific method can be, think about a scientific discovery that has made an impact on your life. Then, answer the following questions:

  • How has this discovery affected your life?
  • How can science and the scientific method improve people’s lives?

Peer-reviewed

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make a plan to put into place in Capstone County to communicate with citizens about the H5N1 flu that is occurring in our fictional case.
1. find a recent scientific article in a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal in which researchers write about a health communication project.

 

2. Using your imagination, make your own plan for a single communication activity you would put into place to address the H5N1 pandemic flu in Capstone County.

 

a. Choose one of the following: My communication plan focuses on:
i. Communicating with residents before the virus arrives in Capstone.
ii. Communicating with residents during an outbreak.

 

b. What is the summary of your plan?
c. Considering Capstone County is a semi-rural, post-industrial Ohio county, what
are some health beliefs you expect to encounter in this area that will make your
plan difficult to implement?
d. What are some populations in Capstone County that might be difficult to reach
based on the information you have in your packet?
e. In the health department, which staff members will carry it out?
f. In the community, are you partnering with any other organizations? If so,
describe their role.
g. Where do these events or activities take place?
h. What is your timeline, including planning, implementation, and evaluation?
i. What resources (money, time, materials, staff) do you need to complete this
activity?
j. Using lessons from the article you found, describe why this will work.

Relaxation Response

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Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was threefold: to teach nurses the Relaxation Response (RR), a relaxation technique created by Benson; to measure the effects of the RR on nurses’ levels of anxiety, depression, well-being, and work-related stress; and to explore nurses’ confidence in teaching their patients the RR. Design: A waitlist, the randomized-control quantitative study design was used. Method: Nurses in the intervention group were trained on the benefits and the technique of the RR and were then asked to practice the RR over an 8-week period. Findings: No statistical significance was found in nurses’ reported levels of anxiety, depression, well-being, and work-related stress. However, the nurses reported greater confidence in teaching this technique to patients (p <.001). Conclusion: As a strategy for self-care in the workplace, nurses were receptive to learning the RR and reported confidence in using this strategy for their patients. Larger studies may reveal more significant reductions in workplace stress and anxiety for nurses.

Baseline breathing exercises

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the RR in their personal lives and practiced the actual Table 1. Descriptive Statistics for Study Variables at Technique in the Class. They were encouraged to do Baseline breathing exercises for 10 to 20 minutes, twice Wait-List Control Intervention per day, for 8 weeks and were asked to keep a journal Group (N = 22), Group (N = 24), of their relaxation breathing sessions. The nurses in Study Variable M (SD) M (SD) p Value both groups completed the pre and post-self-report STAI-State 38.14 (7.56) 38.40 (6.65) .90 assessments. The nurses that were in the control STAI-Trait 38.50 (7.41) 39.32 (7.05) .70 group were eligible to receive the class at the terminal- Visual Analog Scale time of the study, if they so desired. Anxiety 3.59 (1.26) 3.92 (1.44) .41 Depression 2.86 (1.58) 2.68 (1.49) .68 Measures Work-related 4.55 (1.30) 4.80 (1.29) .51 Stress All participants completed the following self- Well-being 2.64 (1.18) 2.32 (0.95) .31 Confidence to 5.23 (1.80) 5.32 (1.84) .86 report instruments at enrollment (pre) and at the teaching end of the 8-week period (post): Note: STAI = State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Higher scores on the 1. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; STAI indicates worse state-trait anxiety symptoms; higher scores Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene, 1970): the Visual Analog Scales indicate worse anxiety, depression, The STAI is a 40-item, well-validated and stress, as well as decreased well-being and less confidence to teach the relaxation response. P values derived from inde-

Care to the needy

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Imagine that you are the CEO of Kind Heart Hospital, which is located in a low-income area and has spent millions of dollars over the years on charity care for patients. Unfortunately, this practice has placed your hospital in a tough financial position, because Medicare and Medicaid continue to reduce reimbursements for their patients, and your percentage of commercial insurance patients (or patients who pay more than your cost) continues to decline.

-Discuss what you can do to continue to provide care to the needy but reduce the amount of the loss. Will national health reform laws help your reimbursement or hinder it?

Obesity risk factors

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How would this model be helpful in informing interventions for different groups? (Be sure to highlight the role of biology/genetics; lower BMI and equivalent risk for metabolic problems may mean different standards for determining risk based on BMI, and instead on waist circumference, or finding alternate means of determining risk, like cholesterol). And what factors would we add or remove, based on the article you read regarding obesity risk factors for Chinese immigrant children?

Read the article and discuss the author’s purpose and assertions

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Read the article and discuss the author’s purpose and assertions. Provide examples in your responses. How has the practice of psychotherapy changed over the years? How do you think the field of psychotherapy should proceed in the future? What are

 

 

Personal beliefs and values in the context of cognitive psychology

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This week’s discussion was specially created to help you analyze concepts and knowledge (course learning goal #5) as well as to identify your own personal beliefs and values in the context of cognitive psychology (course learning goal #6).  Please share what you understand about concepts.  What are some ways we organize concepts?  How do concepts contribute to the development of expertise? How is this happening for you as you study psychology in pursuit of a new career adventure? How do concepts contribute to the use of stereotypes?

Relevant strategies for addressing career development

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1.a. Super’s theory is very complex. Explain the basics of the theory as if you were educating a 15-year-old seeking career advice.

1.b. What are some Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for addressing career development with clients who live in poverty? How could you help advocate for change regarding equal opportunity for those who live in poverty?

Compare and contrast Existential Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy

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Compare and contrast Existential Therapy, Person-Centered Therapy, and Gestalt Therapy. Address the similarities and differences in these therapy approaches’ theory of personality, theory of psychopathology, theory of therapeutic process, and therapeutic content, and discuss how all three can be combined for treatment.

 

Reference: Corey, G. (2017). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (10th Ed). U.S:

Thompson Brooks/Cole.  (ISBN- 978-1337199810) with code to access The Case of Stan. Published by Cengage.