Second Amendment Rights -Gun Control

Second Amendment Rights -Gun Control

 Introduction

OK, so what is the Second Amendment? One might infer its definition from the words themselves, but it might be tough to interpret depending on individual or group viewpoints. The Second Amendment was adopted on December 15, 1791, along with the rest of the Bill of Rights. These rights were included to prevent an overly powerful government. But with wars between countries and the Civil War, the idea began to morph in two different ways. The idea of protecting the state and the idea of protecting the people. This posed a problem as it allowed for individual interpretations of the Second Amendment. This led to numerous court battles and laws between state and federal governments. Fast-forward to present day and we have a convoluted mess of federal laws, state laws, and court rulings which have made the Second Amendment indefinable. This complex is further confounded by the idea that culture and different regions of the United States have different ideas on gun control. By taking in these conflicting beliefs, we can conclude the following statement to be the modern definition of the Second Amendment: “The Second Amendment is a person’s right to possess a firearm for traditionally lawful purposes such as self-defense and hunting. The right is further reinforced by a state’s right to bear arms to protect against an overreaching Federal Government.” This complex and heavily disputed Second Amendment will be the key issue as to whether the right for guns goes too far.

The history of the United States. It is safe to say, we, as American citizens, have read about the civil rights movement’s period. These events throughout history have had a significant impact on the way the American citizens live today. It affected the way we live in terms of education, religion, and the right to vote. Two of the most well-known changes that have made a significant impact are the changes in the criminal justice system and the right to own a firearm. In the criminal justice system, changes such as Miranda rights and police techniques have changed the way law is done today. Another significant impact would be the change of the right to own a firearm. This right is guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution written in 1776: “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” Today, the debate for this amendment has sparked significant interest in the rules of firearms in the United States. These rules affect ordinary citizens and firearm dealers. And now, we are currently struggling with the idea of whether the Second Amendment complex does more harm than good. This may lead to the tweaking of firearm rules or a possible revision of the entire concept of Second Amendment rights.

1.1. Definition of Second Amendment Rights

This view was not always the view held by US courts. Up until the mid-20th century, US courts and attorneys felt that the Second Amendment protected a state’s right to form and keep an armed National Guard unit. This changed in the 1960s with an increase in the amount of crime in the United States, and a 200 year old law right in to challenge. This all led to a modern view of the Second Amendment to protect the right of individuals to own firearms for private use.

In June 26, 2008, The Supreme Court issued a landmark decision, ending almost seventy years of confusion over the meaning of the Second Amendment. In District of Columbia v. Heller, the Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm, unconnected to service in a militia. In a 5-4 decision, the Court stated that the Amendment’s prefatory clause regarding the necessity of a militia was irrelevant to the right identified in the operative clause. The Court found that the operative clause was clear and afforded private citizens the right to possess firearms. This decision has since been critically important to the argument over the Second Amendment in the modern day.

The Second Amendment states that: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” (second amendment to the constitution) Many pro-gun organizations take this literally. They say that the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed upon. The National Rifle Association, a major player in United States gun rights politics, makes frequent reference to the Second Amendment in its efforts to block new gun control.

The true meaning of the Second Amendment has been a key issue in American politics. Its meaning has been the subject of many interpretations through the years. Many in the pro-gun movement view the amendment as a collective right, whereby individual citizens arm themselves to protect the nation or their state. Those who are against the pro-gun movement view the Second Amendment as a simple rights issue. They view it as the right for the National Guard to bear arms, not the individual citizen. This argument has been going on for many years, on what the true meaning of the Second Amendment is.

1.2. Historical Background of Second Amendment

In December 1791, the same year that the Second Amendment was adopted, the state of Virginia also adopted a Declaration of Rights. This document clearly defined an individual’s right to own a gun. It states: “That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to civil power. … No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” This document is very similar to the Second Amendment and helps define exactly what the founding fathers meant. Today many people are in the dark to what the Second Amendment actually means. The historical context and true meaning of the Second Amendment is what the courts must use to interpret it.

The right to bear arms in the United States is a right guaranteed by the Second Amendment of the Constitution. This amendment, adopted in 1791, specifically states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Contrary to popular belief, the Second Amendment does not directly address an individual’s right to own a gun. It is often viewed as a collective right of state militias and does not address the issue of gun ownership for non-military purposes. However, today the Second Amendment is hotly debated and both sides argue over the true meaning of this law.

2. Proponents of Gun Control

2.1. Arguments for Stricter Gun Control Laws

2.1.1. Reducing Gun Violence

2.1.2. Preventing Mass Shootings

2.1.3. Enhancing Public Safety

2.2. Organizations Advocating for Gun Control

2.2.1. Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

2.2.2. Everytown for Gun Safety

3. Opponents of Gun Control

3.1. Arguments against Stricter Gun Control Laws

3.1.1. Protection of Individual Rights

3.1.2. Preserving the Second Amendment

3.1.3. Self-Defense and Deterrence

3.2. Organizations Supporting Gun Rights

3.2.1. National Rifle Association (NRA)

3.2.2. Gun Owners of America (GOA)

4. Current Gun Control Policies

4.1. Federal Gun Control Laws

4.1.1. Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act

4.1.2. National Firearms Act

4.2. State Gun Control Laws

4.2.1. California Gun Control Laws

4.2.2. New York Gun Control Laws

5. Impact of Gun Control Measures

5.1. Effectiveness of Gun Control Policies

5.2. Controversies and Challenges in Implementing Gun Control

FAQs

  1. Does the Second Amendment guarantee an individual right to own guns?
  2. Should there be stricter gun control laws in the United States?
  3. What types of gun control measures are most effective?
  4. How can we balance gun rights with public safety?
  5. What role do mental health issues play in gun violence?
  6. How does gun violence in the United States compare to other countries?
  7. What is the impact of the gun lobby on gun control legislation?
  8. Can gun ownership deter crime?
  9. Does gun control infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens?
  10. How can we prevent mass shootings and other gun-related tragedies?

Paying Student Athletes

Paying Student Athletes

Paying Student Athletes

1. Introduction

At the other end of the spectrum, there have been situations where an athlete has exhausted all four years of eligibility and still has not obtained his or her degree. A lot of times, these athletes are considered “program changers,” and it is said by many that they are drafted to the pros from college. But there is an unfortunate number of college athletes who do not successfully “go pro” and may have to return to school to finish their degree at a later time. A rule was passed in 2001, now called the “degree completion award,” which permits former athletes who were at least 10 years removed from college to return and gain financial aid to finish their degree. This opportunity exemplifies the hardships of athletes who were unable to secure adequate income through their collegiate tenures and are forced to sustain regular employment. With so much money being generated in college sports, it is truly a shame that athletes of all economic backgrounds do not have the opportunity to get paid.

Moving onward, the NCAA is responsible for “enforcing” the Title IX statute, which prohibits gender-based discrimination between the sexes in educational institutions that are recipients of federal aid. There are numerous sanctions in college sports that have made a direct and indirect impact on the ability of athletes to receive proper compensation for their play. With the rise of economic hardships in today’s society, many athletes come from impoverished backgrounds and rely on financial aid in order to attend universities. Unfortunately for these poor families, their sons or daughters are no longer able to receive eligibility for endowments or subsidized educational loans. It is a known fact that partial athletic scholarships do not always pay in full, and many athletes are left paying out of their own pocket for tuitions, living expenses, and various other fees. An athletic scholarship is a transitory year-to-year agreement between athlete and coach, of whom decides the duration of an award (1-4 years) and whether to reduce, increase, or not renew an athlete’s aid. Due to the competitive nature of college sports, injuries are very common, and if an athlete endures a serious injury, there is a chance that his/her scholarship may not be renewed. Either way, an athletic scholarship is not guaranteed money, and not every athlete is given the full cost of attendance. So athletes who come from poor economic backgrounds must face the harsh reality that a scholarship is still not enough to scrape by. Because the NCAA has been reluctant to adjust scholarship amount or increase the number of full scholarships given, it is imperative for athletes of this nature to start earning an income.

Despite working hard and making a lot of money for their respective schools, college athletes are not financially compensated for their efforts. The NCAA, which is responsible for the welfare of the athletes it governs, has delayed proper compensation for far too long. In the bigger realm of things, college sports exist to bring in money for the NCAA, universities, and sponsors. It is a simple and underlying fact that without college athletes, there would be no money to be made. No coaches would have million-dollar salaries, no CBS would have multi-billion-dollar television deals, and most importantly, universities would not be able to afford all the luxury items that the athletes themselves are not permitted to have. So, if these athletes are responsible for generating massive amounts of revenue and, in the process, create a consumer market for their very own sport, why should they not be fairly compensated?

1.1. Overview of the issue

Overall, the issue is bounded by a vicious cycle. Revenue for major athletic programs is increasing dramatically and yet the quality of life for the student athletes is getting worse. As mentioned earlier, many of these students come from poor families and they are essentially living in poverty while the institution reaps the benefits of their work. In a seminar on running a profitable athletic program, University of Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez made the following statement: “Every time I take a coach aside and tell him I can get him a better athlete if he morally and legally questionable, I feel like I’m selling my soul.” Many institutions are faced with this dilemma. They know that under the current system they are reaping the benefits of student athletes’ hard work and getting many of these athletes through questionable means. This is a sad state of affairs for the student athletes and also for these institutions. Unsatisfied with the current system, many student athletes have succumbed to nefarious methods in order to make ends meet. Compiled evidence suggests that many are not attending class and are being funneled into easy curriculum programs in order to stay eligible and better perform athletically. Ideally, these athletes would not have to make sacrifices in morals or education in order to subsidize their cost of attendance. It’s the opinions of the authors that a system involving direct payment with interests accrued until graduation (to ensure educational completion) for student athletes with a capped maximum compensation may be a solution to this problem.

Student athletes would end up with a distorted view of the value of their contribution to the institution. If they are paid salaries equal to the work they are doing or the revenue they bring to the institution, it sends the message that their first priority should be sport, not education. This is sending the wrong message to student athletes. It is true that they have more responsibilities than non-athletes, but they are still students. Finally, and possibly the most important issue in this debate, is the tax and Title XI implications of paying student athletes. Currently, athletic scholarships are considered grants-in-aid and taxed differently than salaries. The tax on a scholarship is much lower than on a salary. Any institution with a big-time athletic program would lose millions in revenue. Currently, Title XI mandates equal opportunity and support for male and female student athletes. This measure has been widely criticized but is still in place and if student athletes were paid, it would become a serious legal issue.

There are three main reasons the NCAA does not want to pay college athletes. The first, and most important, is that paying college athletes would make it very difficult to increase the salaries of coaches. In a predatory manner, profits would decrease and the value of the institutions would also decrease. In the competitive athletic and educational markets, this would be an unacceptable result. Colleges and universities also contest that by paying the athletes, they would be converting these students into employees. This would radically change the landscape of college sports. Players would no longer play for the love of the game. Instead, the recruitment process would become a bidding war in which only the richer institutions can afford to compete. Athletes would be less concerned with the quality of the education they are to receive and more concerned with finding the institution that will pay them the most money.

1.2. Importance of the topic

While it is against NCAA rules, there have been incidents where a student-athlete accepted money or illegal benefits in order to get by. This in turn can end the career of a student-athlete or even result in punishment of the team he/she plays for. The fact that a student-athlete would suffer punishment for an act most other students would never receive punishment for is both immoral and unfair.

The topic of paying student athletes is critically important due to the fact that student-athletes are in one of the most exploitative situations in the student-education system. Student-athletes are constantly practicing, playing in games, and keeping up with their studies. The time constraints of being a student-athlete are great and it is quite common for a student-athlete to go an entire season without being able to find the time for a job. This contributes to the fact that a student-athlete is more likely to go hungry than a regular student.

There are numerous schools which make a great deal of income from their athletic programs. From merchandise to televised games, college athletics is a multi-million dollar industry. Yet, many college athletes would struggle to buy themselves a meal. There is no simple solution to this problem as there are numerous stipulations and factors to consider.

Paying student-athletes is a major topic of debate in today’s society. The issue of whether or not to pay college athletes, a great deal of whom are only on scholarship, is of great importance as it affects millions of student-athletes and could potentially change the landscape of college sports.

2. Arguments in Favor of Paying Student Athletes

2.1. Fairness and equity

2.2. Compensation for time and effort

2.3. Financial benefits for athletes

3. Arguments Against Paying Student Athletes

3.1. Maintaining amateurism in college sports

3.2. Potential negative consequences

3.3. Impact on non-revenue sports

4. Current Compensation Models for Student Athletes

4.1. Athletic scholarships

4.2. Cost-of-attendance stipends

4.3. Other forms of compensation

5. Legal and Ethical Considerations

5.1. NCAA regulations

5.2. Title IX implications

5.3. Student-athlete rights

 

FAQs

  1. Should college athletes be paid?
  2. Do college athletes generate enough revenue to justify being paid?
  3. How would paying college athletes affect the NCAA?
  4. What are the potential benefits of paying college athletes?
  5. What are the potential drawbacks of paying college athletes?
  6. Should student athletes be considered employees or students?
  7. How can we ensure that student athletes are compensated fairly?
  8. Would paying college athletes professionalize college sports?
  9. What impact would paying college athletes have on academics?
  10. Is paying college athletes a step towards a minor league system for professional sports?

Legalization of Sex Work

1. Introduction

Sex work has a long history, it is the world’s oldest profession. It has been prevalent in a variety of forms since ancient times, often being an occupation which comes to the fore in times of economic crisis or war. It carries a variety of social meanings and has been associated with religious and cultural rites. The status of sex work has often been linked to the socio-economic position of women. In his book The Prostitution of Women and Girls, Barry argues that in times of female oppression, women are likely to resort to sex work because it is a means of best utilizing their sexual and reproductive capacities, over which they may have a comparative advantage. Given this, and the fact that people enter sex work for a variety of reasons, it is crucial not to stereotype sex workers or the reasons why people choose the occupation.

Sex work is not an easy term to define, nor is it one which has a universal meaning. The Oxford Companion to Law suggests that the difficulty in defining sex work arises from the use of the term “prostitution” in law and literature, providing an incomplete term of reference with which to identify the range of work encompassed by sex work. “In most countries anything other than penile/vaginal intercourse in which payment is received is legal–so long as it is not formally solicited as here the crime of prostitute” (Oxford Companion to Law p. 388). Prostitution itself is seen as the exchange of sexual services for money, encompassing a diverse range of activities from phone sex and internet sex to models of escort work which sometimes focus on the provision of non-sexual companionship. A narrow definition of sex work for the purpose of the current essay will be that of prostitution, encompassing the exchange of sex for money.

Sex work is a widespread occupation within contemporary Western society, encompassing a diverse range of activities and individuals, each with a different relationship to law and regulatory practices. This essay will argue that sex work, defined as the exchange of sexual services for money or goods, should be legalized. This is not to suggest that the various forms and implications of sex work are desirable or that the occupation is not without serious problems. However, it will be demonstrated that criminalization of sex work leads to more negative implications than would occur under a system of regulation. Human rights considerations, the health and safety of sex workers, and community welfare are best served through a system which legitimizes sex work and provides for regulation and harm minimization. This policy contradicts the present Victorian response towards sex work, which continues to favor a strategy of repression and eradication.

1.1. Definition of sex work

I then proceed to discuss society’s perception of sex work as deviant or ‘immoral’ behavior. I explain that this perception stems from dominant cultural and religious values and has been reinforced through the criminalization of sex work itself. I explain that this attitude forces sex workers to work in secret or in isolation, using greater unsafe practices and hindering their ability to negotiate safe sex practices with clients. This, in turn, only serves to enforce the notion of sex work as deviant – a self-fulfilling prophecy that only serves to legitimize the discrimination and violence directed at sex workers. I explore the implications this has on society’s perceptions of sex workers as individuals, which are often based on stereotypes of drug addiction, poverty, and mental illness. I conclude that changes in stigma and social attitudes towards sex work are prerequisites to changes in legislation, legal rights, and social policy.

In this section, I begin by discussing the controversial nature of sex work. The terminology used by Western society to label those who sell sexual services has changed several times over the past century, going from ‘prostitute’ to ‘sex worker’ in an attempt to remove the stigma associated with the activity. I explain that for the purpose of this paper, the terms ‘sex work’ and ‘prostitution’ will be used interchangeably to refer to any situation in which money exchanges hands for a sexual service. This is to ensure a broad definition of the types of activities sex workers engage in, as the term prostitution does not fully encompass the nature of all sexual services provided for payment. I discuss that the term sex work is used to describe all prostitution as a form of labor, and that it supports the rights and self-determination of the individual selling sexual services.

1.2. Historical perspective

The medieval period saw the first major attempt by the state to supervise the personal lives of its citizens. Prostitution was well established as an institution in Western Europe, deriving from both pre-Christian and Christian attitudes to female sexuality. Aristotle had thought it a necessary safety valve for the male population. At the Council of Vienna in 1358, the church agreed to tolerate brothels under state supervision as a lesser evil than uncontrollable, clandestine prostitution, and this policy was continued in trials such as the one by public brothel in Bologna, set up by papal decree in 1492 (Bullough and Bullough, 1994). This was a rare concession by the church to the pragmatic needs of its flock, for much of its teaching had been hostile to the institution and it had often been suppressive in its attitudes to unlicensed or irregular sex. The twin peas of unregulated sex outside of marriage and the spread of venereal disease aroused the ire of the clergy, and legal sanctions against prostitution intensified all over Europe from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. The Reformation’s emphasis on social morality led to further suppression, and countries which remained Catholic underwent similar reactions in the Counter-Reformation. France typifies the vacillation between tolerance and condemnation, with reglementation from the 16th to the 18th centuries, outright abolition during the Revolution and Napoleonic era, reinstatement by the police from 1802 to its revocation in 1946 (Bey, et al., 2003).

At different periods over the past thousand years, the attitude of the state has oscillated between intimidation and permissiveness; and in modern times, too, there have been striking changes in national attitudes within Europe. This suggests that the potential for simple binary comment is limited (Lane, 2002).

1.3. Current legal status

Sex work is illegal in most countries. The degree of illegality varies though, and some countries have specific provisions that are aimed at sex work. These provisions can fall under a number of distinct categories, such as public order offences, revenue (tax) offences, specific restrictions for sex workers and their clients, and immigration offences. The more of these laws a country has, the more complex these laws become to enforce. However, none of these laws are aimed at reducing the exploitation of sex workers, and for the most part, enforcement of these laws commonly results in the displacement to more hidden areas and the creation of health and safety issues for sex workers. This is illustrated by the typical law enforcement strategy of periodic crackdowns on sex work. While such laws remain on the statute books in many countries, only Canada has made a serious attempt to reduce the number of laws and simplify the legal treatment of sex work. There are only a few countries that have fully legalised sex work (The Netherlands and Germany being notable examples). Coming from the liberal school of thought, The Netherlands fully legalised sex work in October 2000. Since then, all prostitution is subject to local authority permits, and there are state health checks for sex workers. Other regulations include the outlawing of brothels that do not have the appropriate licenses, and an individual may be required to undergo a medical examination in order to work as a sex worker. Prostitution is also legal in Germany, and both states have a reputation for having migration from countries with high sex work exploitation rates. It could be argued that fully legalising sex work may be a way to reduce the exploitation of foreign sex workers in the long term, as it may be harder to force someone into sex work in a fully legal environment, than in one where it is illegal. Unfortunately, due to EU law on freedom of movement for workers, this has also led to an inflow of illegal immigrants, particularly from Eastern Europe. The migration of foreign sex workers has led to increased reports of some of these workers working in forced prostitution, demonstrating the complex effects of migration in a legal environment.

2. Arguments in Favor of Legalization

2.1. Empowerment and autonomy

2.2. Health and safety regulations

2.3. Economic benefits

3. Arguments Against Legalization

3.1. Exploitation and human trafficking

3.2. Moral and ethical concerns

3.3. Societal implications

4. Comparison of Legalization Models

4.1. Full legalization

4.2. Decriminalization

4.3. Regulation and licensing

5. Case Studies of Legalization

5.1. Netherlands

5.2. Germany

5.3. New Zealand

6. Impact on Public Health

6.1. Access to healthcare services

6.2. STI prevention and control

6.3. Substance abuse and harm reduction

7. Impact on Sex Workers’ Rights

7.1. Labor rights and protections

7.2. Violence and exploitation prevention

7.3. Access to justice

8. Social Stigma and Discrimination

8.1. Stigmatization of sex workers

8.2. Intersectionality and marginalized communities

8.3. Educational campaigns and awareness

9. Regulation and Oversight

9.1. Licensing and registration

9.2. Zoning and location restrictions

9.3. Monitoring and enforcement

10. International Perspectives

10.1. Global approaches to sex work

10.2. Human rights considerations

10.3. International conventions and treaties

11. Conclusion

11.1. Summary of arguments

11.2. Recommendations for policy-makers

FAQs

 

1. Should sex work be legalized?

2. Does legalization improve the safety of sex workers?

3. How can we regulate sex work to prevent exploitation?

4. What are the ethical considerations of sex work legalization?

5. Does sex work legalization promote human trafficking?

6. How can we address the stigma associated with sex work?

7. What role should law enforcement play in regulating sex work?

8. Can sex work ever be a truly consensual profession?

9. How does sex work legalization impact public health?

10. What are the long-term implications of legalizing or criminalizing sex work?

Utilizing Feedback in the Dissertation Process

Question
It is essential that you remember to utilize the feedback that you receive from your Chair. The more you pay attention to and address the suggestions you receive, the more intuitive this process will become. Stay focused. Remember to set aside time each week to work (do not wait until the night before work is due). The dissertation is something that requires much more attention than a weekly assignment. 
Dropbox Assignment(s): In Week 3 Dropbox, submit a draft of Chapter 1 that now includes your problem statement and a section discussing the significance of your research to practice and the community of scholars.  Remember to add this section to your dissertation template. If you are already beyond this point, submit your revised draft of Chapter 1. Refer to your timeline and check off your accomplishments.

Answer
1. Importance of Utilizing Feedback
When approaching the task and responsibility of creating a high quality dissertation, receiving continuous feedback from those who have been through the process at the same level is invaluable. The greater the depth and extent of feedback can only result in a greater final product. It is becoming more and more evident that the form of feedback from the tutors in this scenario is insufficient due to the lack of experience of the supervisor in the topic area, with many only being a year or two ahead of the student in their career learning the same principles. Therefore, alternate methods of feedback are becoming more popular such as online forums and posting work for peer review, with students who find experienced professionals in the given area willing to provide feedback in their own time. This method involves much less stress and hassle compared to arranging meetings with supervisors, and it allows the student to consider a wider variety of suggestions and criticisms from people not involved in the dissertation process at their university. These outsiders are more likely to point out the flaws in logic in the work as they will not have the available knowledge to understand what the student is trying to get at if it is unclear. This feedback could be considered even more important than that from the supervisor, but in the case of all feedback, the more sources consulted, the greater the variety of suggestions. This process could take quite a long time, but it can be much less stressful and produce a better result working using only intuition and suggestions. Without the intuition to consider other people’s opinions is folly. This is especially true in the scenario where a student has to change topic far into the dissertation. If intuition told them the original idea was not good, then it is likely that this was the case, but no feedback was received to confirm this and a waste of time and effort ensued.
1.1. Addressing Suggestions from the Chair
These steps will increase the chance of the feedback being a positive experience for the student and will lead to a stronger dissertation.
A. Understand the feedback B. Organize a time to further understand the feedback and discuss possible alternatives C. Be appreciative of the Chair’s involvement and consideration of the student D. Make a decision whether or not this is a suggestion that aligns with the goals of the dissertation E. Keep open communication with the Chair about the suggestion and its outcomes F. Consider the best approach to implement the suggestion.
When a student submits a dissertation to a committee, and ultimately the Chair of the committee, he or she will receive feedback. Invariably, the Chair will present suggestions that the student will have to address. Many times these suggestions will alter the course of the dissertation. Addressing the feedback can be a difficult and frustrating process. The relationship with the Chair is important to the student’s success so it is critical to handle the suggestions in the most effective manner. Steps the student can take to handle the feedback that will foster a positive relationship with the Chair and result in the best possible outcome are as follows:
1.2. Enhancing the Intuitive Process
A parallel notion exists in the contrasting of two modes of thought, automatic and controlled cognitive processes. Automatic processes are those which are fast, intuitive, and non-conscious, while controlled processes are those which are deliberate, analytical, and reasoned. While much research and writing of the dissertation will involve controlled processing as the student seeks to develop the best possible document, automatic processing is nonetheless involved in many of the activities and products of the research. Automatic processing is important in reading, comprehension, idea generation, drawing inferences, and many other aspects of the research process. Moreover, research activities will often be driven by intuitive hunches about what might be interesting or important to look at; automatic cognitive processing can be an area of research to the degree that some intuitive hunches about a topic seem to cost too many cognitive resources. Stepkin and Greene (2005) suggest that utilizing feedback from colleagues can be the best way to share research findings at an informal level. Coming to understand how colleagues are understanding the topic can give an indication of the readability of one’s work or if it might need to be rewritten; it represents automatic processing. Given that automatic processing can take forms in a wide range of research activities, it is reasonable to assume that the quality of these activities can be enhanced by feedback in the same ways that the quality of the dissertation document itself might be improved. Feedback can be specifically utilized as a means of enhancing automatic or intuitive processing through asking for reactions to ideas and work in progress, as Green (2005) experienced with his own advisor who often called him to discuss new ideas. Feedback can also serve a reminding function about research directions that resulted from automatic hunches; in receiving feedback about the dissertation document itself, the student may gain insight on forgotten ideas or be reminded why a certain study was undertaken and not another. Dilmac (2009) has suggested that utilizing automatic and controlled cognitive processes is important for the dissertation student who often alternates between writing and reading over his own work.
A primary argument in favor of utilizing feedback from the chair and committee in the dissertation process is that doing so represents a concrete means of enhancing the intuitive process of research and writing. It has been pointed out by numerous authors that research itself is, or should be, an intuitive process relying on a sense of discovery and a search for understanding (Thornberg, 2012). Butkin and Green (2005) describe the role of intuition in research as a movement from seeing patterns to making inferences to the development of (or contemplation of) models or theories. Sidebar comments, queries, and suggestions from colleagues during research activities suggest that they also view the research process as a continuous interplay between hunches and hypotheses and that responding to feedback can often shake loose new and important hunches or directions in the research. Boone (2011) reflects a similar sentiment from his experience as an academic consultant, that the best ideas about research tend to emerge in conversation and by stepping back from the specifics of the study.
In-text citation omitted.
2. Staying Focused in the Dissertation Journey
2.1. Setting Aside Time for Weekly Work
2.2. Avoiding Last-Minute Approaches
3. The Dissertation vs Weekly Assignments
3.1. Understanding the Difference in Attention Required
4. Dropbox Assignment(s) in Week 3
4.1. Submitting a Draft of Chapter 1
4.1.1. Including the Problem Statement
4.1.2. Discussing the Significance of Research
4.2. Adding the Section to the Dissertation Template
4.3. Submitting a Revised Draft if Already Beyond Chapter 1
5. Referring to the Timeline and Accomplishments
5.1. Checking Off Completed Tasks

Sensitivity Analysis and Risk Incorporation in Capital Budgeting

Questions
Prepare a PowerPoint presentation on this topic. Include the following:
Title slide . 
5-7 content slides (Not including Title and Reference Slide) explaining the qualitative and quantitative steps necessary in conducting a Sensitivity Analysis. How can a project’s risk be incorporated into a Capital Budgeting analysis? Use concise bullet points on the slide and the Speaker Notes section to add details for each slide (this becomes your video “speech”).
 Minimum of 2 References.
A+ work required 
Must be plagiarism free. 

Answer
1. Introduction
In either case the evaluation is easier said than done. High risk investment opportunities are often rejected because it is difficult to quantify the risk and many different probability of success weighted cash flows could yield an unsatisfactory expected return. This is where risk incorporation in capital budgeting can provide a simple yet powerful tool to quantify risk and improve investment decisions.
It is impossible however, to predict the cash flows from investment project with perfect accuracy. Some factors are relatively certain to be correct in their expectation such as a firm’s term structure on their outstanding debt, the sensitivity of these cash flows given a particular interest rate could be measured quite precisely. A sensitivity analysis in this situation would involve a simulation to estimate the change interest rates given a time. On the other hand, if a firm is investing to launch a new product or service and have very little information about the market demand, the cash flows and expected rate of return from the opportunity are highly uncertain.
In recent years, sophisticated techniques for evaluating investment opportunities have been developed in the areas of sensitivity analysis and risk incorporation. Capital budgeting is by now a well-developed and critical organizational planning process field that helps to evaluate and select investment projects that will yield long run profits and/or cash flows that surpass a company’s cost of capital. At the heart of it, capital budgeting is a search for the rate of return, r, that will maximize the market value of a firm’s common stock. This involves analytical processes ranging from finding cost of debt or equity, to adjusting for risk in the cash flows that are being estimated from a particular investment opportunity. With the growth of computing power and information technology it has become more feasible intuitively and statistically evaluate a particular investment opportunity, incorporating modern portfolio theory and an overall trend toward higher risk investments. It is clear the importance of evaluating an investment’s risk and or return.
1.1 Purpose of the Presentation
Capital budgeting decisions are among the firm’s most critical strategic decisions because of their long term, high cost, and difficult-to-reverse nature. These characteristics make capital budgeting decisions the most likely to be erroneous of all decisions, thereby creating a significant business risk. It is for these reasons that the purpose of this presentation is to stress the importance of utilizing sensitivity analysis and risk incorporation when making capital budgeting decisions. This paper will first define and outline the importance of sensitivity analysis and risk incorporation when making capital budgeting decisions. Simulation analysis is an extension of these methods and is more complex and computationally demanding. Simulation analysis has been proven to be useful in the evaluation of projects and also is an effective method to incorporate risk. Simulation uses a model that describes the probability distributions of various input variables and generates a probability distribution for the NPV of the project. By creating a probability distribution of expected NPV, management can see the distribution risk of a project. Simulation can be very beneficial in risk assessment. Through these various methods, there are many ways to incorporate risk in the evaluation of a capital budgeting decision. The paper will also examine several different aspects of risk and how it can be incorporated into a project to increase the accuracy of the net present value. By doing this, we hope to inform financial managers of the benefits of using these methods and convince them to utilize them when making capital budgeting decisions. Following the examination of these methods, the paper will present an example that employs each method in a comprehensive manner so that the reader may better understand how to apply them. Finally, the paper will conclude with a summary of the methods and findings.
1.2 Importance of Sensitivity Analysis and Risk Incorporation
Sensitivity analysis is the effect of change in a dependent variable when an independent variable is changed. Such analysis is of crucial importance in taking investment decisions, especially in capital budgeting, because of the long-term and irreversible nature of the decisions. There is no point in taking a decision now that something cannot be done in the future, unless one can foresee that future conditions will make the thing more valuable to do then. Then postponing the decision is an immediate choice. If managers knew precisely the future economic conditions in terms of the variables such as costs of material, inflation rate, labor, etc., they could plug these into their capital budgeting model and then make an exact decision. Unfortunately, nobody knows the future and assumptions concerning the future are based on forecasting of the economic variables which are always subject to error. Now comes the question of what to do given an error in the forecast. Generally, the future variable is assumed to be more or less known and a range of values is assigned to it. Here, in between the decision made now and the variable, there exists an optimal strategy to reach the decision and the variable can be used as an independent variable. Given that capital budgeting decisions are usually taken over a period of time with the outlay of money at various times, the decision variable may be an outlay which can be seen as an investment at the different times and the variable its rate of return. Now a rate of return can be a very deciding factor to continue or abandon a certain investment and probability in the case of abandonment is that the investment is not worthwhile. To relate this to an earlier example, if an optimal strategy for a series of decisions exists and the probable rate of return on the investment is known, then a decision can be mapped to the rate of return and investment, and it is possible to simulate a series of decisions using the decision variables and stopping the simulation at a time if the investment is abandoned. Simulation techniques are very flexible and complicated ones can be used to directly replicate the real system and answer what would happen if a change were made.
2. Qualitative Steps in Conducting a Sensitivity Analysis
2.1 Identifying Key Variables
2.2 Determining the Range of Values
2.3 Assessing the Impact on Outcomes
3. Quantitative Steps in Conducting a Sensitivity Analysis
3.1 Assigning Probability Distributions to Variables
3.2 Performing Monte Carlo Simulations
3.3 Analyzing the Results
4. Incorporating Project Risk into Capital Budgeting
4.1 Evaluating Risk Factors
4.2 Adjusting Cash Flows and Discount Rates
4.3 Assessing the Impact on Project Viability
5. References

Should an incompetent inmate be forcibly medicated to restore competency for execution? Why or why not?

question 
Should an incompetent inmate be forcibly medicated to restore competency for execution? Why or why not?

Answer
Should an incompetent inmate be forcibly medicated to restore competency for execution? Why or why not?
1. Introduction
In the United States, criminal defendants may not be tried or punished for a crime while they are incompetent to do so. Godinez v. Moran, 509 U.S. 389, 391 (1993). This principle is well established and has been the law in the United States since the nation was founded. Incompetent criminal defendants may be confined to a mental health facility for treatment designed to restore their competency. During the past ten years, there has been a significant increase in the number of incompetent defendants whose cases are pending in the criminal justice system due to the shift in many states from custodial care in state hospitals to community-based treatment. It is estimated that there are presently over 15,000 defendants incarcerated in jails who are deemed incompetent to stand trial and are awaiting transfer to state mental health facilities (Slobogin, 1993). The increase in the number of incompetent defendants in the criminal justice system and the trend toward community-based restoration treatment has brought the issue before the courts and created a need for clear legal standards to govern the involuntary administration of antipsychotic medication to restore competency.
1.1 Definition of incompetence
Diminished Capacity Was formerly considered as a full defense. It is not incompetence in the sense that the defendant did not understand the charges or the legal process, but rather it is a non-capital murder charge with the premise that the defendant’s capacity was so diminished that he was unable to entertain the legal and moral intent requisite to the commission of the crime. Now regarded as a partial defense, this will still have bearing on execution-related issues as the defendant may have a later tenuous understanding of the reason for the sentence and still be more likely to plead incompetence to avoid execution. This would entitle him to a competency evaluation at the time of the proceeding.
Incompetency Incompetency is a legal rather than a psychiatric term. It refers to a defendant’s current state of mind rather than his factual knowledge in regard to the legal process and its implications. The criteria for deciding whether a defendant is competent varies from state to state, but the standard is generally a determination of the defendant’s rational and factual understanding of the proceeding and an ability to consult with his attorney. While the term is not ambiguous in itself, its interpretation and requisite level of functioning have yet to be universally agreed upon (Pinals & Mossman, 1986). When the Supreme Court first addressed the issue of competency in Dusky v United States (1960), they stated that a defendant is competent to stand trial if he has sufficient present ability to consult with his lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding. Now, with the surge in research regarding competency restoration, more specific psycho-legal standards are being developed which better define various components of incompetence.
1.2 Importance of competency for execution
Proponents of restoration cite the therapeutic benefit of restoration efforts, the underlying goal of the criminal justice system to serve justice by punishing those responsible for wrongdoing, and general moral and ethical considerations relevant to equal and fair treatment of mentally disordered capital defendants. In contrast, critics of restoration believe that it is unfair and discriminatory to prolong the incarceration of mentally disordered persons solely because they are facing a capital charge. They argue that a mentally disordered defendant who is not facing a capital charge would not receive the same level of treatment simply to render him or her fit to stand trial, and that it is discriminatory to force treatment solely because execution is at stake (Grisso et al., 2005). This is complicated by the absence of a clear answer in the question of how long it is ethically and morally justifiable to try to restore competency for a consequence that becomes increasingly elusive and in effect serves as life without parole.
A finding of incompetence to be executed in the United States now results in indefinite detention (Sell v. United States, 2003). Because execution is the legally prescribed consequence for a capital crime, there is a public assumption that capital defendants are fit to be executed. Even though there is no medical evidence to suggest that persons with mental illness are at increased risk of danger to self or others compared with mentally competent persons (Appelbaum, 2001), there remains a societal appetite for removal of mentally disordered individuals from the community. People found incompetent to be executed are now often detained in high-security hospital facilities that resemble prisons more than therapeutic settings. In such locales they may be confined alongside persons committed through the criminal justice system, possibly resulting in long periods of incarceration with no hope of release (Slobogin, 1999; Bonnie et al., 2002). This is a far cry from the outcome in Jackson’s era, when a finding of incompetence led to quick release back to the community for those thought unlikely to regain their fitness (Perlin and Dorfman, 2009).
1.3 Ethical considerations
This leads us to ask the question of what is to be achieved by forcibly medicating an inmate. If it is said that it is done so the state can be “freed of the administrative burdens that court proceedings place on the state” and it “clears the docket of criminal cases,” then it would be argued that it is not in the interest of the inmate, but the state. This is shown by the fact that it creates an opportunity for the trial to continue should the inmate be restored to competency and lead to the charges not being dismissed. The death penalty is said to be a punishment for the seriousness of the crime committed and will be carried out in furtherance of justice.
Another important aspect to consider is whether forcibly medication violates the inmate’s Eighth Amendment rights. This is the right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. According to the Eighth Amendment, it would be unconstitutional to execute a person who is insane. Since medication is used in an effort to have the inmate carry on with the execution, it would be likely that the real intention would be to try and execute the inmate who otherwise would not be fit to do so. This is certainly unnerving and the use of the death penalty on an incompetent person may be considered cruel (2004). Say it is determined that a mentally ill inmate who was on death row would be treated and restored to competency. The trial court will lose jurisdiction of the inmate and he will be returned to the penal system because charges were not dismissed (1994). There is a real chance that the inmate who is only restored to competency to stand trial will have to face the front of court again and his charge and penalty will not be dismissed. This is another real possibility that medication will result in an incompetent person being sentenced to death.
2. Arguments in favor of forcibly medicating incompetent inmates
2.1 Ensuring justice is served
2.2 Upholding the rule of law
2.3 Providing closure to victims’ families
3. Arguments against forcibly medicating incompetent inmates
3.1 Violation of human rights
3.2 Ethical implications of involuntary medication
3.3 Potential for misdiagnosis or errors
4. Alternatives to forcible medication
4.1 Rehabilitation and treatment programs
4.2 Postponing the execution until competency is restored
4.3 Reviewing the validity of the death penalty
5. Legal considerations
5.1 Constitutional rights of inmates
5.2 Precedents and court rulings
5.3 Balancing the rights of the inmate and the state
6. Psychological evaluations and assessments
6.1 Diagnostic criteria for incompetence
6.2 Role of mental health professionals
6.3 Assessing the potential for restoration of competency
7. Implications for the criminal justice system
7.1 Impact on public perception and trust
7.2 Challenges in implementing forcible medication
7.3 Ensuring transparency and accountability
8. International perspectives on forcible medication
8.1 Comparison of policies in different countries
8.2 Human rights implications on a global scale
8.3 International standards and recommendations
9. Case studies and examples
9.1 Notable cases involving forcible medication
9.2 Outcomes and controversies surrounding these cases
9.3 Lessons learned and potential improvements
10. Conclusion
10.1 Summary of arguments for and against forcible medication
10.2 Considerations for future policy and legal reforms
10.3 Final thoughts on the ethical dilemmas involved

Technological Innovation in Care Coordination for Chronic Conditions

question
Technological Innovation in Care Coordination:
Research and discuss at least 3 emerging technologies that can be used to improve care coordination for chronic conditions.
Answer
1. Introduction
Technological innovation provides the potential for transforming health care delivery. Efficiency, improved access, support for patient self-care, and better clinical outcomes are the promise of informatics-enabled care. Most literature on this topic focuses on the actual technologies. For example, a recent special issue of the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association was devoted to the topic of home monitoring, with a number of these articles discussing the technical aspects of various informatics solutions. Other work has focused on the development of tools for shared decision making, again concentrating on the specifics of the technologies involved. There is a more limited amount of work looking at the process of technological innovation. In his blended care model, Erlingson states that new technologies must be tested and integrated into patient care in a systematic way, something he has developed but not yet fully written up that is something we hope to discuss with him. Lorenzi and Riley have done significant work in the area of Action Research, developing and testing various methodologies to promote success in implementing new informatics tools. This work involved an 18-month investigation on the implementation of work changes and computer-based patient records at Vanderbilt University, which resulted in an increased understanding of the process of change as it related to information systems. This work was a series of studies to learn better ways of making systematic changes to better the way care is delivered using information technology. While it focused on the process of change, it did not focus on an innovation in care coordination, nor was it really a study designed to innovate a technology.
1.1 Background
Effective care coordination has been pinpointed as a means to improving care for those with chronic conditions. Care coordination is defined in a number of ways by healthcare professionals and researchers. A simple definition is that care coordination organizes patient care activities and information to facilitate the appropriate delivery of healthcare services. A somewhat more complex definition by McDonald et al. states that care coordination is the deliberate organization of patient care activities between two or more participants involved in a patient’s care to facilitate the appropriate delivery of healthcare services. Organizing care involves the marshalling of personnel and other resources needed to carry out all required patient care activities and is often managed by the exchange of information among participants involved in a patient’s care. Care coordination has been said to identify the patient’s needs and arrange and monitor the services of a care plan in a coherent and cost-effective manner.[4]
Improvements in life expectancies over the past decade have led to an increase in the number of individuals living with debilitating chronic medical conditions. A chronic condition is defined as a medical illness or impairment that lasts six months or longer, is not self-limiting, and often necessitates ongoing medical management. It is estimated that over 90 million individuals live with chronic illnesses in the United States, with that number expected to increase.[1] In the state of Washington alone, the population of individuals over age 65 is expected to increase by 68% between 2000 and 2020, resulting in a sizable increase in the number of individuals living with chronic medical conditions who, at ages 65 and older, account for approximately 75% of all healthcare expenditures.[2] Chronic conditions are a major public health issue and the primary reason for rises in healthcare costs. It therefore comes as no surprise that the Institute of Medicine has recently called for a redesign of the healthcare system, saying that the current care for individuals with chronic conditions is often inadequate and that innovation is urgently required.[3]
1.2 Purpose of the Study
Large segments of the population in the United States are affected by chronic conditions, and the numbers are expected to rise in the coming years. It is estimated that 125 million Americans are currently living with some type of chronic condition. This number is expected to grow by more than 25%, to 157 million, by 2020. It is also estimated that 1 in 4 people have two or more chronic conditions. The care of individuals with chronic conditions poses a significant challenge to the US healthcare system. Coordinating care for individuals with chronic conditions is particularly difficult for a number of reasons. Firstly, chronic conditions tend to be waxing and waning, which makes predicting and planning for healthcare needs more difficult. Secondly, chronic conditions often necessitate care from multiple healthcare providers across a number of different healthcare settings. Finally, individuals with chronic conditions are more likely than healthier individuals to suffer from functional limitations. The combination of these three factors makes the care of individuals with chronic conditions costly and fragmented. Research has shown that well-coordinated care can improve care quality for those with chronic conditions, although what constitutes effective care coordination has been insufficiently investigated. Advances in information technology have the potential to greatly improve care coordination. Given the assessed need for improvement in care coordination for chronically ill individuals, it is both surprising and encouraging that care coordination is one of the six aims for improvement in the new Affordable Care Act. The purpose of this study is to explore how information technology can be utilized to improve care coordination for individuals with chronic conditions. This will be examined through a mixed methods analysis of a care coordination intervention at Group Health Cooperative. The specific objectives of this study are as follows: – To examine the use of IT in care coordination for patients with chronic conditions. – To evaluate the impact of an IT-based care coordination intervention on patient and provider outcomes. – To understand the process by which an IT-based intervention can affect change in care coordination.
2. Emerging Technologies for Care Coordination
2.1 Telemedicine
2.1.1 Remote Patient Monitoring
2.1.2 Video Conferencing
2.2 Artificial Intelligence
2.2.1 Predictive Analytics
2.2.2 Natural Language Processing
2.3 Wearable Devices
2.3.1 Smartwatches
2.3.2 Fitness Trackers
3. Benefits of Using Emerging Technologies
3.1 Improved Communication and Collaboration
3.2 Enhanced Patient Engagement
3.3 Timely and Accurate Data Collection
3.4 Personalized Care Plans
4. Challenges in Implementing Emerging Technologies
4.1 Privacy and Security Concerns
4.2 Cost and Resource Allocation
4.3 Training and Adoption
5. Case Studies
5.1 Case Study 1: Successful Implementation of Telemedicine
5.2 Case Study 2: AI-Driven Care Coordination in a Hospital Setting
5.3 Case Study 3: Wearable Devices for Remote Monitoring
6. Future Directions and Potential Impacts
6.1 Integration of Emerging Technologies with Existing Healthcare Systems
6.2 Policy and Regulatory Considerations
6.3 Long-term Effects on Care Coordination and Patient Outcomes
7. Conclusion

Technology and Informatics in Evidence-Based Practice

Question
For this discussion, consider the ways in which technology and informatics are used to support evidence-based practice. Please address each of the following questions in your discussion response for this week:
Choose a specific evidence-based practice (examples: CAUTI reduction, sepsis protocol, SCIP protocol, bedside shift report, etc.).
Describe how technology and informatics are used to support the interventions used in practice?
Describe how employing evidence-based practice guidelines improve patient outcomes?
What benefits and challenges have you experienced with (the integration of) information technology in your practice?
What strategies did you, or could you, use to overcome these challenges?
Answer
1. Introduction
Informatics is any practice that involves the use of information. It involves using information and applying cognitive and practical skills for manipulating the information (knowing), and comparing this with the various health sciences aiming at a better understanding of health problems and evidence leading to decisions or actions (doing). Informatics has a broad application across health care including management data on service utilization, assessing population health needs, disease management, and consumers making informed decisions about their health. For EBP, informatics can provide enhanced access to and dissemination of information. It provides means to the management of vast volumes of information and presenting this at the right time in the right place to enable high-quality decisions. Today with the internet, the amount of information is huge, informatics can help break this down and provide the correct research for the right area in the instance of say a clinical encounter. For evidence-based clinical decisions, there are methods of decision analysis and modeling using probability to predict the best course of action and assess potential outcomes. Finally, informatics can provide monitoring and audit against best evidence through various means of information, to determine if practice is effective and to make improvements in areas of sub-optimal care. All of these methods are a vast improvement for integrating evidence into practice in contrast to the traditional methods of medical education which focus on retraining the facts to be recalled at a later time.
Evidence-based practice (EBP) involves making clinical decisions based on the best available evidence, using it alongside clinical expertise and patient values. Evidence-based practice is not new, but it is now receiving increasing attention in health care as medicine becomes more complex with more decisions and therapy options. There is some resistance to EBP which arises from the ‘art’ of medicine with its individualistic craft approach and its tradition of passing down information from mentor to protégé. We must stress, EBP is not about cookbook medicine. EBP is about integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research. In ideological terms, it aims to keep the ‘art’ of medicine while emphasizing some of the science-based aspects in the ‘art’. For medical practitioners, it is applying a conscientious, explicit, and judicious process in making decisions. This will help to improve the quality of their clinical judgments and keep up to date with the new and relevant research. Evidence-based practice is patient-centered. It’s about providing care that is of the best quality with the understanding of the potential risks and benefits for treatment and non-treatment for the patient, with the use of informed consent. For the patient, it means receiving high-quality care which is up to date with minimal error in diagnosis and treatment with the view that will increase the length and quality of life. With the explosion of research, medicine has a struggle to change practice. Major barriers include problems with the volume and lack of awareness of new research, and the lack of resources and time, so changing practice can be quite slow. Measures need to be taken and doctors must come to understand the research and change their practice, and patients must understand that the quality of care is directly linked to the care that’s been proved to be effective through research.
1.1 Importance of Evidence-Based Practice
The practice of evidence-based medicine can be regarded as a systematic and disciplined way of evaluating clinical problems and practice. EBM is a lean, mean patient care providing machine. It allows the clinician to quickly, efficiently, and effectively weigh the pros and cons of a particular treatment. If there are no current RCTs suggesting the use of a particular medication, the clinician is able to use clinical experience, hierarchy of evidence, and patient values to make a very informed decision. Evidence-based medicine involves conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients. The practice of EBM is very important, and in fact, it’s the backbone of our internal medicine residency program. Because many different treatments lead to similar outcomes, we want to ensure that we’re providing the most efficient and effective care for our patients. This residency program is going to teach us how we can acquire the best evidence, how to assess its validity and usefulness, and how to apply it when making medical decisions. The concept of EBM and steps involved are summarized in the article: “Evidence-Based Medicine: What It Is and What It Isn’t” (Sackett, 1996). The practice of EBM has proven successful in many surgical and medical specialties. It’s been shown to reduce costs, improve the quality of intervention, and lead to better patient outcomes. In a study conducted by David L. Berger, M.D., MS (2003) and colleagues, it was found that EBM is most successful when it involves the cooperation of clinical scientists, biostatisticians, and personnel in biomedical informatics. To be EBM practitioners, we must become efficient in avoiding outdated practice habits and to stay informed on recent developments and evidence across all areas of patient care. This is no easy task, but with practice and familiarity, it becomes second nature.
1.2 Role of Technology and Informatics
Technology has come a long way and has become more affordable and easier to use. In a recent survey of US adults, 72% of internet users said they looked online for health information within the past year. One of the many reasons why they are seeking health information online is that it has become easily available and convenient. The use of computers and mobile devices can now allow practitioners and patients to access health information from any location with internet wifi or cellular access. This is an important determinant as with EBP, it is not only important to access evidence, but it is also important to be able to apply and integrate it into clinical practice. This improved access to technology can dispel the restrictive view that evidence-based practice can be limited to only using research when it is available. In a clinical scenario, it is not uncommon to encounter situations where there is no clear evidence or evidence-based guideline to best manage a patient. Often without easy access to research materials, decisions are often defaulted to previous practice habits or even mere intuition. With improved access to information technology, such a situation can prompt the practitioner to search for evidence at the point of care, and thus, will close the gap between practice and research. As a matter of fact, it is suggested that the best method to promote evidence-based practice is to teach clinicians how to form questions about clinical practice and search for the answers. With the improved availability of research materials and evidence, technology can ultimately teach us how to think critically.
The concept of evidence-based practice (EBP) has created a substantial impact in the medical industry. Though its formulation has been a long and rough process, it has proven itself to be a critical player in improving the existing healthcare system, which is filled with outdated practices that are either flawed or have been rendered obsolete by newer and more effective interventions. According to the definition provided by Sackett and colleagues, EBP is “the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient. It means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research.” The expected outcome of EBP is to improve the quality of clinical practice and ultimately improve patient outcomes. It is clear that the goals of EBP correspond with the needs of the healthcare system, and it’s important to recognize that technology and informatics is a key driver behind the success of EBP and the execution of its objectives.
2. Specific Evidence-Based Practice
2.1 Selection of a Practice
2.2 Overview of the Chosen Practice
3. Technology and Informatics in Practice Interventions
3.1 Integration of Technology in Practice
3.2 Informatics Support for Practice Interventions
3.3 Benefits of Technology in Practice Interventions
4. Improving Patient Outcomes through Evidence-Based Practice
4.1 Understanding the Impact of Evidence-Based Practice
4.2 Patient Outcomes and Evidence-Based Guidelines
5. Benefits and Challenges of Information Technology in Practice
5.1 Benefits of Information Technology
5.2 Challenges Faced in Integrating Information Technology
6. Strategies to Overcome Challenges
6.1 Identifying and Addressing Barriers
6.2 Training and Education for Information Technology
6.3 Collaboration and Support
7. Conclusion

The Benefits of Using ED Meds to Improve Sexual Performance

Question
Many people use erectile dysfunction (ED) medications to improve their sexual performance and address issues related to ED for several reasons:
Improved Erection Quality: ED medications, such as   
  
[url=https://genericpillmall.com/product/vidalista-40-mg/]Vidalista 40[/url] Cenforce 150, work by increasing blood flow to the penis, which helps achieve and maintain a firm erection. This can lead to improved sexual satisfaction and confidence in men who experience difficulties with erections.
Enhanced Sexual Experience: By facilitating erections, ED medications can enhance the overall sexual experience for both partners. They can lead to longer-lasting and more satisfying sexual encounters, contributing to increased intimacy and pleasure.
Increased Confidence: For men who experience ED, the inability to achieve or maintain an erection can lead to feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, or anxiety. By successfully treating ED with medication, individuals may experience a boost in confidence and self-esteem, which can positively impact their sexual performance and relationships.

Answer
The Benefits of Using ED Meds to Improve Sexual Performance
1. Introduction
Sexual intercourse is a desire of every couple, be it human or animals. Sex connects two persons and the relation of couple gets stronger. If you look into the basis of sexual activities, the ultimate point is to get maximum pleasure and satisfaction during sex. But sometimes, various factors damage the sex activity and reduce the level of satisfaction. Sometimes, it is due to aging, sometimes due to mental stress and work load, sometimes due to hormonal changes and sometimes due to various medications of chronic diseases. The issue of impotency is also rising these days and it is a major hindrance in enjoying the sex. Impotency puts a person in a real tough situation and his confidence seems to fade away. He finds it difficult to get the same level of sexual satisfaction. High prevalence of impotency has brought various discoveries and new products are being designed to fight this problem. Same is the case with improved sex power. Many people lack behind due to lowered stamina and sex power. With discovery of new products, constant efforts are being made to find ways to improve sex power. Sex power is basically the ability to perform sexual activities and complete it with full satisfaction. It includes stamina, strength, quality and duration of sex. A person with higher sex power will have better chances to enjoy sex. It is also a part of competitive couples and has indirect influence on the relations. People having lower sex power often have inferiority complex. So they are always in search of ways to improve sex power. But up till now, there was no proper solution to this problem. Only this, impotency and sex power are very complex physiological processes and require a better understanding and new discoveries for an effective solution.
1.1. Understanding the Need for Improved Sex Power
Sexual dysfunction and inconsistency are more common in the present day due to the stressful hectic lifestyle. The most common problem dealt by men is Erectile Dysfunction (ED), causing failure to attain the mega power and due to this an inconsistent behavior pattern in response to sexual activities. It has been a silent problem for men as it affects their identity and masculinity. This problem in a way can be the cause for a man to attain different forms of sex power violation. There are many ways to restore the sex power. A good diet changing the unhealthy fast food with greens, regular exercise or just a simple 20 minutes’ walk and attempts to reduce mental stress using yoga and meditation are ways whereby persons with sexual dysfunction are trying to restore sex power. However, in the fast pacing society, we all expect rapid results so that we can cope with the present lifestyle and follow what is demanded. ED meds are alternative solution which is quick and effective.
Sex power is essential for all forms of sexual intents. Be it a common sexual activity with your partner or whether it is sexual harassment or molestation, sex has got a crucial role to play in all. Dating back to the history of human kind, since the primitive times, mega power has always been the super power and the most adored one. With the passage of time, people have been more and more conscious about their sexual life. This is an outcome of the fast pacing stressful life, where it is taking a toll on the mental and physical health leading to inconsistency, frustration, anxiety, guilt, and depression. A home to these negative traits pose as a severe difficulty to maintain sexual activity and to the worst, even various forms of sexual dysfunction. A study says, it is very much a fact, “To survive in this world, a person is compelled to have sex!” That’s the demanding situation of the most powerful tool in the entire human kind, “sex”.
1.2. Role of ED Meds in Enhancing Sexual Performance
Sexual intercourse between two individuals is a very personal experience. It is the main desire of every human being, and we are all aware of the need for a satisfying sexual experience. A great amount of sexual power is required to enjoy this aspect of life. Sometimes situations may arise when a person is unable to express himself sexually. This may be due to various reasons like impotence, erectile dysfunction, and premature ejaculation. These disorders may lead to impotence causing a person to be debarred from the sexual experience. Using ED meds can help in such conditions. Erectile dysfunction meds can be only considered effective if they enable a person to enhance his sex power rather than just allowing him to attain an erection. Erection of the penis is useless unless it is able to last and is followed by ejaculation to enhance sex power, fulfilling the sexual experience between partners. Erectile dysfunction can cause many problems to an individual because they put a strain on relationships. This often causes avoidance of the sexual experience which leads to tension, and can often make the problem worse through performance anxiety. Using ED meds to enhance sex power, and not solely for treating erectile dysfunction will help in relieving this problem. The use of modern medications in particular phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, can be effective in enhancing sex power. Usually PDE-5 inhibitors are taken orally before any sexual activity is due to take place. They act by enhancing the effects of nitric oxide, which generally acts by dilating blood vessels of the penis. This will then allow a better and longer lasting erection, as well as improving the duration of sexual intercourse and enhancing climax or ejaculation. This will enable a person to improve sexual experience usually more than what was occurring before the onset of erectile dysfunction. In a study of males with erectile dysfunction, 50% of the sample reported that their sexual function had improved after the onset of treatment with PDE-5 inhibitors.
2. Psychological Benefits
2.1. Boosting Confidence and Self-Esteem
2.2. Reducing Anxiety and Performance Pressure
2.3. Strengthening Emotional Intimacy
3. Physical Benefits
3.1. Enhancing Erectile Function
3.2. Increasing Stamina and Endurance
3.3. Improving Blood Flow to the Genital Area
4. Relationship Benefits
4.1. Restoring Sexual Satisfaction
4.2. Revitalizing Intimate Connections
4.3. Strengthening Bond and Communication
5. Medical Considerations
5.1. Consulting a Healthcare Professional
5.2. Understanding Potential Side Effects
5.3. Proper Usage and Dosage Guidelines
6. Lifestyle Factors
6.1. Incorporating Exercise and Physical Activity
6.2. Maintaining a Balanced Diet
6.3. Managing Stress and Mental Well-being
7. Alternative Approaches
7.1. Natural Supplements and Remedies
7.2. Lifestyle Changes for Sexual Enhancement
7.3. Behavioral Therapy and Counseling
8. Conclusion

The Future of Care Coordination for Chronic Conditions

Question
The Future of Care Coordination for Chronic Conditions:
Describe your vision for the future of care coordination for chronic conditions in light of technological advancements.
Discuss how collaboration between healthcare professionals, patients, and technology can lead to better disease management and improved quality of life.
Possible prompts:
What role will artificial intelligence (AI) play in care coordination and personalized medicine?
How can we leverage data sharing and patient portals to create a more patient-centered approach?
What policies and infrastructure changes are needed to ensure a sustainable and efficient care coordination system for chronic conditions?

Answer
1. Introduction
The modern world is filled with constant technological advancements. There are inventions and upgrades made on a daily basis to every piece of technology available on the market. The health care industry is no different. New technologies are constantly being introduced to the healthcare industry. With so many new technologies being introduced, it often becomes difficult to keep up with what is available and what may benefit a patient. This is especially true for patients who have chronic illnesses. It is important these patients are aware of all the resources available to them. With the recent Affordable Care Act, there is a newly found focus on chronic care management by both patients and the government. Section 1.1 of “The Future of Care Coordination for Chronic Conditions” by Jodi Gray and her associates says “the Internet, the increase in mobile phone use, and advancements in health information technology all offer new possibilities for managing care, and for patients to garner support in their self-management efforts.” These new technologies all present novel ways to aid patients with chronic diseases. 1.1 goes on to talk about how these resources can be used to better inform patients of their disease and the treatments available. This is crucial in improving the education of patients with chronic diseases, and this self-education is a huge part of chronic disease management. It is important to note that the technology itself does not provide better management, but it is the implementation of such resources. This involves collaboration between health care professionals, patients, and the technology itself. When considering these new technologies, there are many different ways to utilize them for chronic care management. The most apparent is through use of the internet and various programs aimed at educating patients and even simulating a virtual healthcare visit. However, a very recent and novel idea is to digitize patients’ medical records, making them easily accessible. Coordination between visits update by specialists and hospitals is vital in care for chronic diseases, and this is very often hindered by poor communication. Gray writes in 1.2 “an infrastructure to support information exchange between patients and providers should become a national priority. This would enable improvements in the coordination and quality of care, and promote evidence-based self-management.” This is suggesting creation of a unified network where records can be passed between treating physicians and also seen by the patient. This would be a very beneficial option for patients that have to frequently see several different specialists. Coming of technology advances also pertains to a research aspect, as described in the article. With technology, patient care data can now be more easily compiled and analyzed for improvements in care coordination strategies and to better predict outcomes for patients.
1.1 Technological advancements in care coordination
The improvement of technology in healthcare has resulted in a vital need for the reformation of care coordination. Individually, care coordination and technology have made considerable advancements; however, there has been no considerable effort to combine the two. Health information technology is a rapidly growing area worldwide, and its implementation is considered vital to improving the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, quality, and safety of medical care delivery. Health information technology is cited as a universally important tool in the management of care for chronic conditions, and the efforts to integrate technology with care coordination are becoming increasingly prevalent. These efforts are broad and vary widely from the use of personal health records, patient web-portals, or the utilization of telehealth and telemedicine. These technologies are seen to enable better-informed decision making for treatment and management of chronic conditions, offer more efficient communication between patients and healthcare providers, and offer potential for greater patient empowerment in self-management. An example is the use of telehealth interventions for patients with congestive heart failure; a study showed that it helped reduce the rate of hospitalization and length of hospital stay. The Affordable Care Act of 2010 has the potential to steer care coordination towards technology as it placed 3 billion dollars in an effort to create Accountable Care Organizations as well as incentives for improving coordinated care in Medicare/Medicaid with a focus on using health information technology. With the rate and prevalence of chronic conditions being at an all-time high, there are high hopes that further research and implementation of technology in care coordination will yield substantial improvements in patient outcomes.
1.2 Importance of collaboration between healthcare professionals, patients, and technology
Although the chronic care model seems effective for care coordination, it is an overarching framework and does not clearly identify the technology that can be used today for facilitating care coordination.
A prepared team will make use of registry functions in the electronic medical record to track patients and ensure that they are receiving the care that they need. This interaction will involve productive interactions and informed decision making as patients’ needs will be assessed. Self-management support includes client and server applications that help patients learn more about their condition and possibly improve their behavior. The prepared team and the informed and activated consumer will coordinate to ensure patients are receiving the right resources that will help to improve their quality of life.
Coordination can be improved across multiple providers and settings using modern information technology like electronic medical records. Coordination of care is complex and involves many organizations, individuals, and functions. The chronic care model alone is useful for considering how to improve care coordination for patients with chronic diseases. The model describes the organization of healthcare and the self-management support that provides the interactions between the informed and activated patient and the prepared proactive team.
The rapid advancement in technological innovations, combined with the complex healthcare system over the years, has generated a multitude of challenges in the coordination of patient care. With an increasing number of chronically ill patients, it is essential to invest the time and effort in developing more advanced methods for care coordination. An effective and efficient care management program is going to be vital to the health of patients with chronic diseases.
2. Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in care coordination and personalized medicine
2.1 AI-driven disease management
2.2 AI-enabled personalized treatment plans
3. Leveraging data sharing for a patient-centered approach
3.1 Benefits of data sharing in chronic disease management
3.2 Patient portals for improved communication and engagement
4. Policies and infrastructure changes for a sustainable care coordination system
4.1 Policy considerations for effective care coordination
4.2 Infrastructure improvements for efficient information exchange
5. Conclusion