Research Methods for the Health Sciences;

Module 1 – Background
THE RESEARCH QUESTION, LITERATURE REVIEW, AND RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
Required Reading
Available via ProQuest:
Blazer, D.G. (2007). Religious beliefs, practices and mental health outcomes: What is the research question? American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 15, 269-272. Retrieved February 23, 2012
Chien, A., Coker, T., Choi, L., Slora, E., Bodnar, P., Weiley, V., . . .Johnson, J. (2006).What do pediatric primary care providers think are important research questions? A perspective from PROS providers.Ambulatory Pediatrics, 6, 352-355. Retrieved February 23, 2012
Newton, J.T., Bower, E.J., & Williams, A.C. (2004). Research in primary dental care part 2: Developing a research question. British Dental Journal, 196, 605-608. Retrieved February 23, 2012

Module 1 – Case
THE RESEARCH QUESTION, LITERATURE REVIEW, AND RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
Case Assignment
Newton, Bower, and Williams (2004) outline the process of “devising and revising” a research question, be it descriptive, relational, or comparative. After reading their paper, write a three-page paper that addresses the following:
1.    How do descriptive research questions differ from questions of relationship? From questions of comparison?
2.    How should a researcher determine if prior research exists on her intended research topic?
3.    What factors should be used to gauge the quality of previous research? Why are these important in making this assessment?
4.    Should formulation of a research question precede or follow consultation with the scholarly literature? Please explain.
Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to consult the scholarly literature in preparing your paper; you are also expected to incorporate relevant background readings.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 3 pages typed, double-spaced.
Module 1 – SLP
THE RESEARCH QUESTION, LITERATURE REVIEW, AND RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
The SLP for this course is designed to allow you to apply the research concepts and principles introduced throughout this course to a “real-world” health problem. As such, you will be asked to devise your own research question, to use the empirical literature to identify knowledge gaps in the field with regard to that research question, formulate a corresponding research hypothesis, propose an appropriate study design for testing that research hypothesis, and devise a sampling and recruitment plan to strengthen the generalizability of your study’s findings. In Module 5, you will upload a final paper consisting of all of these elements.
Your Task for this Assignment
After reading the background materials for this module, select one of the following research topics and derive a corresponding research question. Next, write a 2- to 3-page paper in which you identify your research question and apply the “Attributes of a ‘Good’ Research Question”:
•    Obesity and Diabetes Risk
•    Physical Activity and Stroke Risk
•    Health Insurance Status and Health Care Utilization
•    Education and Mortality Risk
•    Drug Addiction and Criminal Behavior
•    Cancer Therapy [1] and Tumor Growth
Your paper should clearly delineate the extent to which each of the following criteria has been satisfied in formulating your research question:
•    Relevance
•    Novelty
•    Focus
•    Consisting of two core concepts (at minimum)
•    Feasibility
SLP Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to consult the scholarly literature in preparing your paper; you are also expected to incorporate relevant background readings.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 2-3 pages typed, double-spaced.
Note: Wikipedia is not an acceptable source of information.
[1] Select a specific therapy type, e.g., gene therapy, chemotherapy, etc.
Module 2 – Background
STUDY DESIGNS
Required Reading
Available via the Internet:
Jepsen, P., Johnsen, S.P., Gillman, M.W., & Sorensen, H.T. (2004). Interpretation of observational studies. Heart, 90,956-960. Retrieved from http://heart.bmj.com/content/90/8/956.full.pdf Retrieved February 23, 2012.
Module 2 – Case
STUDY DESIGNS
Case Assignment
Health science researchers have long believed the randomized controlled trial (RCT) to be the “gold standard” of study designs. There are many reasons for their contention that an RCT should be preferred to any of the observational study designs. However, there are also instances in which employment of this design would be inappropriate.
In a four-page paper, discuss the merits of the RCT as a study design with regard to:
1.    Internal validity
2.    Confounding
3.    Feasibility/appropriateness
4.    External validity
Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to consult the scholarly literature in preparing your paper; you are also expected to incorporate relevant background readings.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 4 pages typed, double-spaced.
Module 2 – SLP
STUDY DESIGNS
The next step in the research process is immersing oneself in the empirical literature on your research topic to determine the extent to which your research question (identified in Module 1) has been addressed. To this end, please use the Trident University Online Library to conduct a literature search on your research topic.
Remember, your goal is to discover the extent to which a knowledge gap exists with regard to your specific research question. Locate five peer-reviewed journal articles that present studies relevant to your topic, and synthesize these into a four-page paper that summarizes the “current state of knowledge” with regard to your research question. Note specifically,
1.    Study findings relative your research question (positive, negative, and inconclusive)
2.    Any additional questions left unanswered by these studies
3.    How addressing your research question would help to fill a knowledge gap (should your research question fall short of this, you may need to propose an alternative one)
4.    The specific population to which your study will apply (and ultimately, your study’s targeted sample)
SLP Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to consult the scholarly literature in preparing your paper; you are also expected to incorporate relevant background readings.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 4 pages typed, double-spaced.
Note: Wikipedia is not an acceptable source of information.
Module 3 – Background
SAMPLING
Required Reading
Available via ProQuest:
Nokes, K.M., & Nwakeze, P.C. (2007). Exploring research issues: In using a random sampling plan with highly marginalized populations. The Journal of Multicultural Nursing and Health, 13(1), 6-9. Retrieved February 23, 2012
Wolf, H.K., Kuulasma, K., Tolonen, H., Sans, S., Molarius, A., & Eastwood, B.J. (2005). Effect of sampling frames on response rates in the WHO MONICA risk factor surveys. European Journal of Epidemiology, 20, 293-299. Retrieved February 23, 2012
Available via the Internet:
Trochim, W.M.K. (2006). Sampling terminology. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/sampterm.php Retrieved February 23, 2012
Module 3 – Case
SAMPLING
Case Assignment
Read the background materials for this module and, after doing so, address the following questions in a four-page paper:
1.    The sampling frame is arguably the most critical element of a study’s sampling plan. Why is this so?
2.    How might a poorly specified sampling frame forestall the research process?
3.    Are studies that employ convenience sampling invalid? Please explain.
4.    Of the sampling methods presented in this module, which optimize external validity (if this term is unfamiliar, revisit the Module 2 home page)? Please explain.
Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to consult the scholarly literature in preparing your paper; you are also expected to incorporate relevant background readings.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 4 pages typed, double-spaced.
Module 3 – SLP
SAMPLING
Suppose that your research topic is “milk consumption and bone fracture risk.” A corresponding research question would thus be: “What is the relationship between daily consumption of milk and bone fracture risk?”
A review of the empirical literature suggests that milk consumption may decrease the likelihood of bone fracture, but findings reported are limited to women ages 65 and above. You would like to examine this relationship in a different segment of the population; let’s say school-aged youths. Given that prior research suggests a relationship exists, you might hypothesize the following:
Research Hypothesis (one-tailed):
Ho: School-aged youths who consume milk on a daily basis are equally as likely or more likely (than those who do not) to experience bone fractures.
Ha: School-aged youths who consume milk on a daily basis are less likely to experience bone fractures.
…where Ho reflects the null hypothesis and Ha the alternative hypothesis, which corresponds to the outcome that you, the researcher, expect to observe. Another way of stating your hypothesis would be in two-tailed format, i.e.,
Research Hypothesis (two-tailed):
Ho: There is no relationship between daily milk consumption and bone fracture risk among school-aged youths.
Ha: There is a relationship between daily milk consumption and bone fracture risk among school-aged youths.
(Two-tailed hypotheses are used in instances in which a research is not able to anticipate the direction of a hypothesized relationship.)
Your Specific Task for this Assignment
Using the examples provided about, formulate your own research hypothesis corresponding to the research question you selected in Module 1. Add this to the previous components of your SLP, ensuring that there is consistency from research question-to-literature review-to- research hypothesis. (Your research hypothesis should correspond directly to your research question; if this is not the case, please revise either accordingly.)
Upload the resultant document, which should be 6-7 pages in length, for my review.
SLP Assignment Expectations
•    Ensure that there is alignment across the three components of your project, i.e., research question, literature review, research hypothesis.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 6-7 pages typed, double-spaced.
Note: Wikipedia is not an acceptable source of information.
Module 4 – Background
TYPES OF VARIABLES
Required Reading
Available via the Internet:
Trochim, W.M.K. (2006). Variables. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/variable.php Retrieved February 23, 2012
Trochim, W.M.K. (2006). Levels of measurement. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/measlevl.php Retrieved February 23, 2012
Module 4 – Case
TYPES OF VARIABLES
Case Assignment
A researcher wishes to operationalize her study variables in the following manner. How might she go about doing so? Summarize your responses in tabular form (see example below), and supplement your table with a supporting narrative.
•    Age (continuous)
•    Gender (dichotomous)
•    Ethnicity (categorical)
•    Education (ordinal)
•    Income (continuous)
•    Marital status (categorical)
•    Weight (continuous)
•    Blood pressure (continuous)
•    Hypertension (dichotomous)
•    Body temperature (continuous)
•    Health insurance status (categorical)
•    Smoking status (dichotomous)
•    Cancer Stage (ordinal)
EXAMPLE:
Variable:
Name    Type    How operationalized    How measured
Age
Etc.    continuous    Age in years    How old were you on your last birthday?
Narrative: When age is operationalized in this manner, one would merely need to query the respondent to determine the age she turned on her last birthday. Alternatively, the researcher could ask the respondent to provide his birth date and year, and then calculate age at a later time.
Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to incorporate relevant background readings into your responses.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at theend. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 2-3 pages typed, double-spaced.
Module 4 – SLP
TYPES OF VARIABLES
Once a research hypothesis is formulated, the researcher must decide upon an appropriate study design to test that hypothesis. In doing so, she must take into consideration the extent to which that design will optimize the internal validity of her study findings (refer again the discussion of internal validity in Module 2). Also to be considered are the practical factors that may facilitate or inhibit implementation of particular study designs, e.g., limited access to one’s target population over time due to transiency among prospective research subjects may preclude adoption of a cohort study design.
Your Task for this Assignment
With the aforementioned factors in mind, identify a study design (experimental or observational) that would be appropriate to test your study’s research hypothesis, and address the following questions in a three-page essay:
1.    What are the components of this design?
2.    Would this design be considered experimental or observational? Why?
3.    Why did you choose this design over others? Be sure to note all advantages and disadvantages of employing this design to address your particular research question.
4.    To what types of bias is this design most vulnerable? Please explain.
SLP Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to consult the scholarly literature in preparing your paper; you are also expected to incorporate relevant background readings.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 3 pages typed, double-spaced.
Note: Wikipedia is not an acceptable source of information.
Module 5 – Background
DATA ANALYSIS
Required Reading
Available via ProQuest:
Song, H., Han, H., Lee, J., Kim, J, Kim, K.B., Ryu, J.P., & Kim, M. (2010). Does access to care still affect health care utilization by immigrants? Testing of an empirical explanatory model of health care utilization by Korean American immigrants with high blood pressure. Journal of Immigrant Minority Health, 12, 513-519. Retrieved February 23, 2012
Available via the Internet:
Trochim, W.M.K. (2006). Descriptive statistics. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statdesc.php Retrieved February 23, 2012
Trochim, W.M.K. (2006). Correlation. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/statcorr.php Retrieved February 23, 2012
Trochim, W.M.K. (2006). The T-Test. Retrieved from http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/stat_t.php Retrieved February 23, 2012
Module 5 – Case
DATA ANALYSIS
Case Assignment
Please read the following article, and address the questions that appear below in a four- page paper:
Song, H., Han, H., Lee, J., Kim, J, Kim, K.B., Ryu, J.P., & Kim, M. (2010). Does access to care still affect health care utilization by immigrants? Testing of an empirical explanatory model of health care utilization by Korean American immigrants with high blood pressure. Journal of Immigrant Minority Health, 12, 513-519.
1.    What research question did the authors set out to answer?
2.    What research hypothesis was tested in this study?
3.    What study design was employed in the study? What (if any) type of bias is inherent to this design?
4.    Summarize the univariate findings displayed in Table 1.
5.    Summarize the bivariate findings reported in Table 2.
6.    What limitations were noted with regard to the study’s findings and conclusions?
Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to incorporate relevant background readings into your responses.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 4 pages typed, double-spaced.
Module 5 – SLP
DATA ANALYSIS
Before any study can be undertaken, the researcher must determine what exactly will constitute the study’s target population, sample frame, and sample (if any of these terms is unfamiliar to you, I strongly encourage you to revisit the discussion of sampling in Module 3 as this information provides the foundation necessary to complete this SLP assignment). Also to be considered how he will go about recruiting subjects into his study.
Your Task for this Assignment
Discuss the following as it pertains to your study in 3-4 pages; incorporate this discussion into a 12-15 page final paper consisting of all prior SLP components.
1.    A sampling plan for your study to address the research question your chose in Module 1. Be sure to outline clearly your study’s-
a.    target population
b.    sampling frame
c.    sample
2.    A recruitment strategy for enlisting participation prospective research subjects in your study
SLP Assignment Expectations
•    You are expected to consult the scholarly literature in preparing your paper; you are also expected to incorporate relevant background readings.
•    Your paper should be written in your own words. This will enable me to assess your level of understanding.
•    In order to earn full credit, you must clearly show that you have read ALL required background materials.
•    Be sure to cite your references in the text of all papers and on the reference list at the end. For examples, look at the way the references are listed in the modules and on the background reading list.
•    Proofread your paper to be sure grammar and punctuation are correct and that each part of the assignment has been address clearly and completely.
Length: 12-15 pages typed, double-spaced.
Note: Wikipedia is not an acceptable source of information.
MSHS Information Literacy Rubric:
Criteria    Level 4 – Excellent    Level 3 – Proficient    Level 2 – Developing    Level 1 – Emerging
Assignment-Driven Criteria    20 points
Demonstrates mastery covering all key elements of the assignment in a substantive way.     17 points
Demonstrates considerable proficiency covering all key elements of the assignment.    15 points
Demonstrates partial proficiency covering all key elements of the assignment.    12 points
Demonstrates limited or poor proficiency covering all key elements of the assignment.
Use of Information to Support Arguments (effective use of information): The student effectively uses resources to support ideas, convey understanding of the topic and shape the whole work.    10 points
Demonstrates mastery in retrieving information, using strong and compelling content to support ideas, convey understanding of the topic, and shape the whole work.     9 points
Demonstrates considerable proficiency in retrieving information, and in using appropriate and relevant content to support ideas, and convey understanding of the topic. Few arguments left unsupported.    7 points
Demonstrates partial proficiency to retrieve information and use of relevant content to support ideas, but leaves many arguments unsupported.  May use immaterial or disparate content in an attempt to support arguments.    6 points
Demonstrates inability to retrieve information, or use appropriate or relevant content to support ideas, convey understanding of the topic and shape the whole work.  Makes unsupported arguments and assertions.
Citing Sources: The student effectively cites sources.    5 points
Demonstrates mastery using in-text citations of sources, proper format for quotations, and correctly format full source information in the reference list using APA style (bibliography).    4 points
Demonstrates considerable proficiency using of in-text citations of sources, proper format for quotations, and provides sufficient source information in the reference list, though not in APA format (bibliography).    3 points
Demonstrates occasional use of in-text citations of sources and provides partial reference information (bibliography).    2 points
Demonstrates inability to cite sources or provide full source information in the reference list (bibliography).
Scholarly Writing: The student communicates proficiently with others through scholarly writing and skilled, knowledgeable presentation to general and specialized audiences.    5 points
Demonstrates mastery in scholarly written communication and a skilled and knowledgeable presentation to an appropriately specialized audience.      4 points
Demonstrates considerable proficiency in written communication with well-organized presentation to an appropriately specialized audience.     3 points
Demonstrate partial proficiency in written communication with few grammatical or syntax errors, but may be pitched at the wrong audience.     2 points
Demonstrates limited or poor ability to write clearly using poor grammar and syntax. Text is disorganized and rambling.
Critical Thinking: The student develops skills to critically evaluate information sources.    10 points
Demonstrates mastery in critically evaluating information sources.    9 points
Demonstrates considerable proficiency in critically evaluating information sources.    7 points
Demonstrates some ability to critically evaluate information sources.      6 points
Demonstrates limited or poor proficiency to critically evaluate information sources.
Overall Score    Level 4
45 or more    Level 3
40 or more    Level 2
35 or more    Level 1

 

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Interview With a Nurse Information Expert

Interview with Nursing Information Expert

Directions: After completing your interview, you must use this form to submit your assignment to the Dropbox. You may use the form to capture information as you conduct your interview, or fill it in later. The form is expandable and will enlarge the textbox to accommodate your answers. Do not rely only on this form for everything you must include! Please look in Doc Sharing for specific instructions in the Guidelines for this assignment.

Criteria     Fill in the answers in this column.
Demographics: Provide initials of the RN, official job title of interviewee, and the date the interview was conducted.
Required Questions
(answer EVERY question in this section)
1.    Describe your career path to your current position. Include information about education and experiences.
2.    Discuss the value of best evidence as a driving force in delivery of nursing care at your facility.
3.    What safeguards and decision-making support tools are embedded in patient care technologies and information systems that support safe practice at your facility?
4.    Tell me about patient care technologies that have improved patient care at your facility.
5.    What groups of healthcare workers rely on you to collect high-quality information or data and how is it utilized?
Optional Questions
(Answer only ONE question from the choices below.)
1.    Please tell me what challenges you have faced in dealing with other disciplines who may not “understand the needs of nurses/nursing?”
2.    Please share an example of how GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) impacted a decision related to your information or data collection.
3.    Please give me an example of how the lack of interprofessional collaboration impacted your role.
4.    Please describe what a typical day on the job is like for you.
Follow-Up Questions
(Answer all of these. Please do not ask them during the interview.
Instead, reflect and answer them afterwards.)
1.    How will completing this interview impact your practice as a BSN-prepared nurse? Give specific examples.
2.    Resources (scholarly articles or texts). Indicate 2 scholarly resources or texts used prior to the interview to familiarize yourself with the individual’s organization, role, or any of the questions you asked to make you a more knowledgeable interviewer.    Resource #1:
Resource # 2:

Interview with a Nursing Information Expert:
Guidelines and Grading Rubric
PURPOSE
The purpose of this assignment is to
•    Communicate your understanding of the importance of quality information in everyday nursing practice;
•    Discuss the roles and responsibilities of a Nursing Information Expert; and
•    Articulate how the professional nurse uses information or data in everyday practice to improve outcomes.
COURSE OUTCOMES
This assignment enables the student to meet the following course outcomes.

CO #1: Describe patient-care technologies as appropriate to address the needs of a diverse patient population. (PO #1)
CO #4: Investigate safeguards and decision-making support tools embedded in patient care technologies and information systems to support a safe practice environment for both patients and healthcare workers. (PO #4)
CO #8: Discuss the value of best evidence as a driving force to institute change in delivery of nursing care. (PO #8)
POINTS
This assignment is worth a total of 250 points.
DUE DATE
This assignment, Interview with a Nursing Information Expert, is due at the end of Week 6. Submit your completed Interview, using the Interview Form, to the basket in the Dropbox by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. mountain time. Post questions to the weekly Q & A Forum. Contact your instructor if you need additional assistance. See the Course Policies regarding late assignments. Failure to submit your paper to the Dropbox on time will result in a deduction of points.
DIRECTIONS
1.    Download the NR361 Interview Form from Doc Sharing. It is found under the Week 6 Interview link.
2.    Select your interviewee and schedule an interview. This individual must be a registered nurse. Job titles of RNs who may be considered include but, are not limited to, Nursing Clinical Information Manager; Super User, Director/Manger Clinical Education; Chief Information Officer; Quality Assurance or Performance Improvement Nurse; Nurse Informaticist; Telenursing Specialist; Nurse Abstractor; Case Manager; Compliance Nurse. If you have any concerns about whether the RN is suitable for this assignment, contact your instructor BEFORE you schedule the interview.
3.    Review all questions (areas of inquiry) on the Interview Form located in Doc Sharing PRIOR to conducting the interview. You may print the form and take it with you to the interview.
4.    Note that there are five (5) Required Questions to ask the RN.
5.    Note that there are four (4) Optional Questions. You need to select only ONE of them to ask the RN.
6.    Note that there are two (2) Follow-Up Questions that must be answered by YOU.
Prior to conducting your interview, review two scholarly resources. These resources should guide your understanding of the RN’s role and responsibilities or make you more knowledgeable about GIGO, interprofessional communication, or other key concepts in the questions that you may not fully understand. For example, if your interviewee is a Telenurse, you would want to review information on this specialty. If you do not know what GIGO means, look it up.
7.    Conduct your interview. The length of your interview will vary but should not exceed one hour.
8.    Submit the form to the Dropbox prior to the deadline outlined above.

 

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Dubai Medical Center Assisted Living Facility

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IBS – 412: Business Project Management Dubai Medical Center Assisted Living Facility Schedule Requirements
Dubai Medical Center, an urban, nonprofit, 450-bed rehabilitation hospital began to see a significant decline in admissions. The Dubai Medical Center’s mission focuses on inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation of the severely injured and catastrophically ill. While the patient census varied from month to month, it appeared to the Dubai Medical Center Board of Trustees that the inpatient population was slowly but steadily declining. The hospital’s market researchers reported that fewer people were being severely injured due to the popularity of seat belts and bicycle/motorcycle helmets. In order to get a handle on the future of the organization, the Board, and the CEO, Ali Salma M.D. called for a major strategic planning effort to take place. In January 1999, the Dubai Medical Center held a planning retreat to identify future opportunities. The outcome of the retreat was that the Medical Center needed to focus its efforts around two major strategic initiatives. The first, a short- run initiative, was to be more cost-effective in the delivery of inpatient care. The second, a long-run strategy, was to develop new programs and services that would capitalize on the existing, highly competent rehabilitation therapy staff and the Dubai Medical Center’s excellent reputation in the Gulf Cooperation region.
At the time of the retreat, Ali Salma’s parents were living with him and his family. Ali was an active member of the “sandwich generation.” His parents were aging and developing many problems common to the geriatric populace. Their increased medical needs were beginning to wear on Ali and his family. It crossed Ali’s mind that life might be more pleasant if the hospital Board approved an expansion of the Medical Center’s campus to include an assisted living facility.
In March 1999, Ali had his Business Development team prepare a rough estimate of the potential return on investment of an assisted living facility. He asked the team to identify different options for facility construction and the associated costs. The team also did a complete competitive analysis and examined the options for services to be offered based on Dubai Medical Center’s potential population base and catchment area. The Business Development team visited several facilities across UAE. The team also interviewed companies that could oversee the design, building, and operation of the facility for Dubai Medical Center. The development team produced a preliminary business plan based on the recommended structure for the facility, estimated capital expenditure needs, estimated income from operation of the facility, as well as
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projected revenues to other Medical Center programs resulting from the facility’s population.
The plan was presented at the May 1999 meeting of the Board of Trustees. Ali Salma and his team introduced the Board to the concept of opening an assisted living facility on Dubai Medical Village. The facility would be set up as a for-profit subsidiary of the Medical Center so that it could generate a profit and not be subjected to the strict guidelines of the hospital’s accrediting agencies. As a subsidiary organization, however, the Board would still have control. The chosen facility design was a freestanding apartment- like facility with a sheltered connection to the Hospital for access to the kitchen and hospital services. The facility would have 100 units with 15 to 30 of the units classified as “heavy-assisted” and built to code to house the physically and medically disabled. The rest of the units would be “light-assisted,” larger apartments. The population would be approximately 110 to 150 residents, with most being single occupants rather than couples.
The light-assisted apartments could hold residents who required only minor medical and social interventions. The residents of the heavy-assisted section would have more medical needs and would require assistance getting around. The Business Development team recommended this type of programming model, because many assisted living facilities were erected across the country, but few had a medical focus and offered the types of services that Dubai Medical Center could offer—physical and occupational therapy programs, and behavior management programs to name a few.
The Board was assured that the facility would meet the strategic initiative of a growing business. The business plan projected an immediate increase in the number of referrals to the outpatient therapy programs. Another projected deliverable of the project was to enable Dubai Medical Center to strengthen its focus on reimbursable preventive and wellness programs for the healthier geriatric population. The project’s longer term goal was to increase the census in the hospital’s inpatient units by having a location where people could age in place until they were in need of hospitalization, and then such a facility would be right next door.
Depending on the exact size of the apartments, their equipment, and the actual ratio of heavy- to light – assisted units, Ali estimated that the entire project would cost between AED 80million and AED110million for the facility construction. That estimate included the cost of land, furnishings, and a sheltered connection to the hospital. When up and running, it was estimated that the net income would range between AED 9 million and AED12 million per unit per year. The team estimated the net cash flow for the entire project to be around AED 20 million per year.
Ali requested the Board to approve the concept and allow his team to prepare a pro forma plan to the Board for approval. The plan would include a recommended design
3
for both heavy- and light-assisted apartments. It would also include all costs of land, construction, furnishings, and staffing. Income estimates would be included and would be conservatively biased. A timetable would also be included.
The Board conducted several executive sessions, and by the middle of May voted to approve the concept. They approved the architectural-construction-management firm recommended by the team, and they requested Ali to proceed with developing a complete project plan. The Board appointed two Board members to sit on Ali’s planning group.
In June, Dr. Ali gathered his executive team together and presented the project mission, and scope. He reported that the board had approved a small budget to finance the planning process. The Board also stipulated that construction could not begin until after the November 1999 due to some holidays schedules. The Board also stated that they would like a plan that would allow the facility to open by July 2000, as research has shown that many adult children find the summer the easiest time to assist their parents in finding an alternative to independent living arrangements. The CEO and executive team were now confident that they were ready to launch the project to plan, build, and open an assisted living facility at the Dubai Medical Center.
A few days later, Ali decided that it was time to set up the team that would take responsibility for what he called the DALF project. He quickly decided to include the following staff at the launch meeting:
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
• Vice President of Business Development and Marketing
• Rehab Services Medical Director
• Construction Project Manager for capital facilities projects
• Chief Operations Officer (COO) (nursing, facilities, food services, and housekeeping)
• Director of Information Services
• Director of Support Services (central supply, purchasing, and security)
Even though the department directors from Support Services and Information Services would not be involved until later, Ali decided to include them from the beginning. Ali knew some members of his team had a tendency to become obstacles to progress if they felt left out.
Ali named the group the DALF Project Steering Committee and held the first meeting. Ali presented his vision for the facility. He told the group that he personally would be managing this project. He led a discussion of all the major steps that must be included in the project plan, and asked each team member to identify the areas for which they would accept responsibility. The hospital’s Construction Project Manager took responsibility for the construction of the facility, and the COO volunteered to
4
oversee the building design, as well as define the needs for food services, housekeeping, staffing, and policy and procedure development. The CFO agreed to develop the budgets for each area of the project as well as the operating budget for the facility. The CFO also agreed to create the payroll and accounting systems necessary to operate the facility.
The IS director accepted responsibility to define and set up all the telecommunications and information system needs of the facility. The VP of Business Development agreed to create a preliminary marketing plan, and a communication package for the community and hospital staff. In addition, she discussed organizing a major ground breaking event. The Medical Director said that he would design an assessment tool for determining residents’ level of medical needs upon moving in to the facility. He felt this was the first step in defining what clinical services should be offered to residents. Ali told the team that he would develop the management structure for the new facility and work with in-house counsel to identify all governmental regulations as well as all industry standards that pertain to an assisted living facility and govern the facility’s practices. Ali gave the team two months to come back with their detailed action plans for their areas of responsibility.
After series of meetings Ali felt that his team members had worked well together at determining the steps and the associated costs of the program. The CFO presented the program budget first, and then project team members presented their draft project plans.
Based on information accrued from project team members the Project Manager arrived at the following major task/activities for implementation of the project.

The project Manager decides to hire you as a consultant to help develop the project further.
5
1. What advice would you provide the PM in determining the Early Start/Free Slack (ES/FS) for an activity with two predecessors?
2. What advice will you provide the PM in order to manage the critical path tasks differently than non-critical path tasks?
3. Draw a Project Network given the information for the construction project.
4. Complete the forward and backward pass, compute the activity slack and identify the critical path of the project
5. Draw a Gantt chart for the project and superimpose the slack on the chart
6. What is the next step the team members must take in order to complete their project
Where required, your write-up should be in essay format, using APA guidelines. Make sure to include in your paper an introduction, literature review, analysis, discussion and findings, concluding remarks, recommendations, and references on any literature providing concepts and theories in support of your paper. Please include sections and subsections to make your final paper easy for reader to follow and ensure that your paper is free from grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes. Please note that literature review and additional references will add value to your paper and provide trust and clarity to the readers.
All papers are to be submitted through Turnitin
Class ID: 9595276
Enrollment Password: BPM4122015
In case your Skyline email accounts is inactive, please submit your response to me on a memory stake.
On or before Wednesday April 15, 2015 by mid-day.
Use the following format to save your assignment file: IBS_412_Business Project Management: Hassan A (where Hassan = last name and A = initials). Guidelines for Analyzing Case Studies
While there is no “formula” for analyzing case studies, the following guidelines are
recommended;
1. Define the goals and objectives for your analysis. What questions are you trying to
answer? What issues are you trying to resolve?
6
2. Rapidly skim through the case study and get a sense for how the case study has been
structured
3. Read through the case study with paper and pencil and make notes as you go along
4. Structure the information in the case study: this is the key step.
a. Think of the information given in the case study as “raw data” that you have gathered to help you answer the questions and resolve the issues in Step 1 above.
b. You need to structure this data in order to resolve the issues. Here are some useful
dimensions along which you can structure the given information chronologically:
c. Evolution of the industry in which the enterprise operates (changes in technology,
customer needs, competitive landscape, etc.)
d. Evolution of strategy – business, technology, and market – of the enterprise
e. Evolution of technology (including manufacturing), product platforms, and product lines of the enterprise
f. The technology, product, and process development process within the enterprise
g. Growth (or decline) of the enterprise with respect to of market share, revenues, costs,
profits, etc.
h. Organizational structure of the enterprise
i. Key decisions made at different stages in the life of enterprise, and the drivers for these
decisions
j. The interconnections and relationships between all the above factors
k. Make extensive use of figures, tables, trees, etc. to shape your thinking during the
structuring process.
l. Perform any necessary analysis, for example, revenues or costs associated with different design options
m. Draw conclusions, answer questions, resolve issues, and make recommendations using
the structured information in Step 4.

 

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Research Theory, Design, and Methods

This is a PhD. level public administration course named Research Theory, Design, and Methods. This is a discussion question. Please answer as if it is your own. This assignment will be turned in to turnitin, a software that detects plagiarism. Please use references no older than 5 years old and use in APA format.  Please try to use at least 2 of the references below. Please include reference page in APA format.  Please cite all work used. Please paraphrase more. The assignment is due June 10, 2014 by 3 PM EST.
Course Description:
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing, and designing research at the graduate level. Students explore the philosophy of science, the importance of theory in research, and research processes. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method research designs and methods are introduced. Ethical and social change implications of conducting research, producing knowledge, and engaging in scholarship are emphasized. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing elements of simple research plans.
Discussion 1-Week 2
Analyzing Ethical Scenarios
Writers need to anticipate and address any ethical dilemmas that may arise in their research.
——-Creswell (p.88)
Creswell, in the quote above, speaks about writers, but the same guidance also applies to researchers. The very nature of gathering data from and interacting with research subjects may reveal ethical issues—some anticipated, some not. Your challenge as a researcher is to engage with and attend to those issues. In this Discussion, you will analyze an ethical dilemma and determine how best to address it.

For this Discussion, you will be assigned to a scenario found in the course text, On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research. You are responsible for answering the questions that follow your assigned scenario. This text is available either as a free download from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12192 (users will need to provide personal information to access it, and this web site may not always be available) or for purchase from the Walden Online Bookstore.

Students with last names of M through Z will respond to Scenario 2: Is It Plagiarism? This scenario is found on p. 18 of the online course text, On Being a Scientist.
Note: Be sure to read the Respond requirements carefully because they do not follow the usual guidelines.

To prepare for this Discussion:
Review your assigned scenario from the online course text, On Being a Scientist.

Review the “Ethical Issues to Anticipate” section (pp. 87–92) in the course text, Research Design.

Address the questions that follow each scenario in the online Course Text.
With these thoughts in mind:
Discussion:
A 2- to 3-paragraph analysis of your assigned ethical dilemma. Answer all questions associated with your assigned ethical dilemma.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the reading(S) and/or media segment(s) and use APA format.

Resources:
Required Resources
This page contains the Learning Resources for this week. Be sure to scroll down the page to see all of this week’s assigned Learning Resources. To access select media resources, please use the media player below.
Course Text: Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches

Chapter 4, “Writing Strategies and Ethical Considerations,”
read “Ethical Issues to Anticipate” section (pp. 87–92)

In this portion of Chapter 4, used in the Discussions, Creswell points out potential ethical issues.

Course Text: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

“Guidelines to Reduce Bias in Language” (pp. 61–76)

These guidelines provide methods to help you avoid using biased language in your writing.
Course Text: National Academy Press. (2009). On being a scientist: Responsible conduct in research (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Available for free from http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12192 (users will need to provide personal information to access it, and this web site may not always be available) or available for purchase from the Walden Online Bookstore.

Read the Introduction through the Appendix

This brief reading for the Discussions exposes students to various ethical situations related to research that arise. For Discussion 1, you will be working with one of the scenarios on either p. 18 (“Is It Plagiarism?”) or p. 56 (“A Conflict of Commitment”).

Media:

Video: Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Doctoral research: Skills. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 9 minutes.

Click here to download a transcript of this video segment.

Experienced researchers discuss the skills that every researcher should have.

Online Training Course: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research: “Protecting Human Research Participants”
Available at http://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php

You will be taking this training course for this week’s Application.

Ethical Standards and Diversity Standards by Discipline:

Education

Web Site: Ethical Standards of the American Educational Research Association
http://www.aera.net

Management

Web Site: Ethical Standards for the Academy of Management
http://aom.org/uploadedFiles/About_AOM/Governance/AOM_Code_of_Ethics.pdf

Nursing

Web Site: American Nurses Code of Ethics for Nurses-Provisions
http://nursingworld.org/

Psychology

Web Site: Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
http://www.apa.org/ethics

Counseling

Web Site: American Counseling Association Ethics and Professional Standards
http://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/ethics

Public Health

Web Site: American Public Health Association (APHA)
http://www.apha.org/

Research Toolkit
Course Text: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

“Writing Style” (sections 3.05 – 3.11)
“Grammar” (sections 3.18 – 3.23)
“Punctuation” (sections 4.01 – 4.11)
“Quotations” (chapter 6 – Section 6.10)
“Citing References in Text” (Sections 6.11 – 6.21)
“Reference List” (Sections 6.22 – 6.32, Chapter 7)

•
Web Site: Walden Center for Research Support: “Institutional Review Board for Ethical Standards in Research”
http://researchcenter.waldenu.edu/Office-of-Research-Integrity-and-Compliance.htm

Materials necessary for the Institutional Review Board for Ethical Standards, or IRB, are located here. This is an important setting for establishing ethical practices as a researcher and designing an ethical study.

Web Site: Center for Research Support: “Office of Student Research Support”
http://researchcenter.waldenu.edu/Office-of-Student-Research-Support.htm

Optional Resources
Text: Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association

Chapter 1, “Content and Organization of a Manuscript” (pp. 3–29)

See the Suggested Bibliography for recommended books.

Suggested Bibliography

Babbie, E. R. (2006). The practice of social research (11th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. (1963). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.

Edelman, M. (1981). The symbolic uses of politics. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Geertz, C. (1977). The interpretation of culture. New York: Basic Books.

Geertz, C. (1985). Local knowledge. New York: Basic Books.

Hart, C. (1999). Doing a literature review: Releasing the social science imagination. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Hoover, K. R., & Donovan, T. (2003). The elements of social scientific thinking (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Kanji. G. K. (2006). 100 statistical tests (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Kuhn, T. (2006). The structure of scientific revolutions. (3rd ed.) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Marczyk, G., DeMatteo, D., & Festinger, D. (2005). Essentials of research design and methodology. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Maslow, A. (1966). The psychology of science. New York: Harper & Row.

Moses. J. W., & Knutsen, T. (2007). Ways of knowing: Competing methodologies in social and political research. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Shadish, W. R., Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (2002). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference (2nd ed.). Boston: Houghton-Mifflin.

Trochim, W. & Donnelley, J. P. (2006). The research methods knowledge base (3rd ed.). Cincinnati, OH: Atomic Dog.

Turner, V. (1975). Drama, fields, and metaphors. New York: Cornell University Press.

Wolcott, H. F. (2001). Writing up qualitative research (2nd ed.). Thousand oaks, CA: Sage.
Wright Mills, C. (1959). The sociological imagination. New York: Oxford University Press.

Required Textbooks and Materials
American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
National Academy Press. (2009). On being a scientist: Responsible conduct in research (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
NOTE: The On Being a Scientist textbook is required for Week 2 assignments. The text is available for free from the following web-site. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12192 Be advised that users are asked to provide personal information to access the free download and that Walden cannot guarantee that this web site will always be available.
The On Being a Scientist textbook is also available for purchase from the Walden Online Bookstore.
Reynolds, P. D. (2007). A primer in theory construction (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
OR
Reynolds, P. D. (2007). A primer in theory construction. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.
NOTE: Either version of the Reynolds textbook listed above is acceptable for this course.
Note: It is recommended that you keep the Creswell and Reynolds textbooks and the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association after this course concludes, as they will be used in RSCH 6200/8200 and RSCH 6300/8300.
Other Required Materials
Articles
Most journal articles are available online through the Walden Library databases, unless linked directly in the classroom. The Course Reading List contains all of the required Walden Library resources for this course. Please click on the following link to access the applicable list for your course:
RSCH 6100 Course Reading List
RSCH 7100 Course Reading List
RSCH 8100 Course Reading List

Media
The following required video segments and their respective transcripts are located in the Learning Resources areas in the online classroom as indicated in the Weekly Course Schedule at the end of this syllabus. The video segments can be streamed from within the course by using the media player located on the Resources pages of applicable weeks.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009a). Doctoral research: Advice. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009b). Doctoral research: Skills. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009c). Doctoral research: Social change. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009d). Introduction to research design. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009e). Literature reviews. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009f). Mixed methods: An example. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009g). Purposes of research. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009h). Quantitative methods: An example. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009i). Qualitative methods: Two examples. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2009j). Theory. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Optional Resources
Additional resources to support and enhance your learning of a topic are listed in each Learning Resources area. Not every week will have Optional Resources.

 

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