Purpose The purpose of the graded collaborative discussions is to engage faculty and students in an interactive dialogue to assist the student in organizing, integrating, applying, and critically appraising knowledge regarding advanced nursing practice. Scholarly information obtained from credible sources as well as professional communication are required. Application of information to professional experiences promotes the analysis and use of principles, knowledge, and information learned and related to real-life professional situations. Meaningful dialogue among faculty and students fosters the development of a learning community as ideas, perspectives, and knowledge are shared. Activity Learning Outcomes Through this discussion, the student will demonstrate the ability to: Compare and contrast the pathophysiology of diverticular disease (diverticulosis) and acute diverticulitis. (CO1) Identify risk factors for acute diverticulitis and the clinical signs and symptoms associated with the disease. (CO3) Explain the significance of physical exam and diagnostic findings in the diagnosis of diverticular disease. (CO4) Due Date: Initial post is due on Wednesday by 11:59 p.m. MT. All posts are due by Sunday, 11:59 p.m. MT A 10% late penalty will be imposed for discussions posted after the deadline on Wednesday, regardless of the number of days late. NOTHING will be accepted after 11:59pm MT on Sunday (i.e. student will receive an automatic 0). Week 8 discussion closes on Saturday at 11:59pm MT. Total Points Possible: 100 Requirements: Read the case study below. In your initial discussion post, answer the questions related to the case scenario and support your response with at least one evidence-based reference by Wed., 11:59 pm MT. Respond to at least one peer and all faculty questions directed at you, using appropriate resources, before Sun., 11:59 pm MT. Case Scenario: An 84-?year-old?-female who has a history of diverticular disease presents to the clinic with left lower quadrant (LLQ) pain of the abdomen that?is accompanied?by with constipation, nausea, vomiting and a?low-grade?fever (100.20?F) for 1 day. On physical exam the patient appears unwell. She has signs of dehydration (pale mucosa, poor skin turgor with mild hypotension [90/60 mm Hg] and tachycardia [101 bpm]). The remainder of her exam is normal except for her abdomen where the NP notes a distended, round contour. Bowel sounds a faint and very hypoactive. She is tender to light palpation of the LLQ but without rebound tenderness. There is hyper-resonance of her abdomen to percussion.?? The following diagnostics reveal:?? Stool for occult blood is positive. Flat plate abdominal x-ray demonstrates a bowel-gas pattern consistent with an ileus.? Abdominal CT scan with contrast shows no evidence of a mass or abscess. Small bowel in distended.? Based on the clinical presentation, physical exam and diagnostic findings, the patient is diagnosed with acute diverticulitis and she is admitted to the hospital. She is prescribed intravenous antibiotics and fluids (IVF). Her symptoms improved and she could tolerate a regular diet before she was discharged to home. ?? Discussion Questions: Compare and contrast the pathophysiology between diverticular disease (diverticulosis) and diverticulitis. Identify the clinical findings from the case that supports a diagnosis of acute diverticulitis. ? List 3 risk factors for acute diverticulitis. Discuss why antibiotics and IV fluids are indicated in this case.

Introduction As a nurse you will utilize data to implement evidence-based practice changes, create and/or sustain a particular program, increase market share, recruit/retain talent, demonstrate compliance with regulations, obtain grant funds, mitigate risks, and monitor organizational or system performance. In this second assessment, you will have an opportunity to explore data provided by Leapfrog and Medicare Compare. Preparation In preparation for this assessment: Explore data provided by the following sites: Leapfrog Group. (n.d.). Leapfrog hospital safety grade. https://www.hospitalsafetygrade.org/ Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Medicare compare. https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/ You may wish to view the How to Use the Leapfrog and Medicare Compare Sites [Video] before you begin your research, if you are not familiar with these resources. Look at three patient safety areas using your own organization or another of your choice. Important: The assessments in this course build on one another and will culminate in a final quality improvement project plan. Keep this in mind as you make your selection for this assessment. ------- Instructions Create a presentation for an executive-level audience.  Overall, your assessment will be assessed on the following criteria: (Bullets can guide you create headings to talk about) Report the Leapfrog and Medicare Compare scores of a chosen organization or provider type. What is the overall Leapfrog grade? What are the performance scores in the three selected patient safety areas? On Medicare compare, select a provider type. (You can use your own organizations or whichever institution or practice setting you used for the previous assessment.) What is the patient safety score? How does this score compare to two others like provide types? Recommend an evidence-based implementation of informatics/technology to improve both Leapfrog and Medicare Compare score. Looking at the data, how might informatics/technology be used to improve both Leapfrog and Medicare Compare scores? Explain the rationale of the presentation structure and supporting evidence used to specifically appeal to an executive-level audience. Include these within your speaker's notes. This can be done by slide or as a summary on your References slide at the end of the PowerPoint presentation. Convey purpose in a well-organized text, incorporating appropriate evidence and tone in grammatically sound sentences. Create detailed speaker notes for the PowerPoint presentation using APA format and citing appropriate references.