Discussion 4 (Vitamins)

Vitamins are energy building nutrients that contribute to sound nutritional health. Water, on the other hand, is responsible for carrying necessary nutrients and removing waste products throughout our body. A human body is made out of mostly water and is critical to our health. Similarly, minerals and electrolytes are essential to human health and can be obtained in our diet from different foods. When humans are too sick to consume a regular diet, digestion and absorption may impact the supply of necessary nutrients, requiring specialized nutritional support to meet their nutritional needs.

After studying 

Module 4: Lecture Materials & Resources
, read the case study and answer the prompts:

Sharyn Bartell is a 24-year-old student who suffered multiple fractures when she fell from a cliff when hiking. As a result of the accident, she is immobile, in traction, and had a small bowel resection. She is able to keep her head up to 45 degrees. Sharyn used to weigh 140 pounds but has lost 8 pounds since the accident. The healthcare team agrees that Sharyn will need a feeding tube before her nutritional status deteriorates any further.

1. Navigate the web, research a high protein formula that can be administered via feeding tube and share 1) name of formula, 2) nutrient composition, and 3) indications for use.

2. Navigate to the Oley Foundation: 

Dietary Recommendations for Patients with Intestinal Failure – Oley FoundationLinks to an external site.
, read “Physiological Considerations” and discuss in at least one paragraph with two (2) effects of the small bowel resection on Sharyn’s fluid and electrolyte balance.

3. Navigate to the Oley Foundation: 

Living with Enteral Feeds – Oley FoundationLinks to an external site.
 and provide two (2) physical or psychosocial adjustments Sharyn will have to make when living with a feeding tube.

Discussion 5 (Nutrients)

All people need the same nutrients, but the amounts will vary depending on their stage in life such as infants, children, adolescents, pregnancy, adults, and older adults. For example, a pregnant woman will need to make sure she has a proper diet before, during, and after the pregnancy. A poor diet before and during the pregnancy may affect the health and development of her infant. She will also need to make sure and maintain a nutritionally balanced diet after the pregnancy, especially if she plans to breastfeed her infant.

After studying 

Module 5: Lecture Materials & Resources
, answer the following:

1. Review figure 10-3 Comparison of Selected Nutrient Recommendations for Nonpregnant, Pregnant, and Lactating Women in text and compare the recommended percent allowances for:

A. Iron – Who (nonpregnant, pregnant, lactating) needs it more and why?

2. Ellen is an 18-year-old single mother of a six-month infant; she works at a convenience store and makes minimum wage. Ellen has limited financial means and needs assistance. Navigate to Floridahealth.gov: 

https://www.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/wic/wic-program-info.htmlLinks to an external site.
 and share at least two (3) examples of how food assistance programs can help Ellen’s infant and one (1) example of why nutrition is important for an infant – provide a full paragraph.

3. Miguel is a 75-year older adult and has been diagnosed with early macular degeneration. Explain what macular degeneration is and share 2 vitamins or minerals that help reduce progression of the disease.

Discussion 6 (Chronic Disease)

 According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), six out of ten adults in the United States have at least one chronic disease, and about four in ten have two or more chronic diseases. Chronic diseases include cardiovascular conditions, cancers, diabetes mellitus, and Alzheimer’s. Diet is a lifestyle factor that affects the development of many chronic conditions and even some neurological diseases.

After studying 

Module 6: Lecture Materials & Resources
, read the case study and answer the following:

Lenora is a 57-year-old Jamaican American female who works as a desk clerk. Her job requires her to sit all day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., then she drives for one hour to go home. She lives alone in a studio apartment. By the time she gets home, she is tired and barely has time to pick up some fast food. She was recently diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes type 2. She is 5’ 5” tall and weighs 180 pounds with a BMI of 30.1. Her blood pressure was 150/105 and her HbA1C of 7.5%. The healthcare team starts Lenora on atenolol (Tenormin) for her hypertension and metformin (Glucophage) for her diabetes.

References: Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). 
About chronic diseases. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/index.htm#risks

In paragraph form:

1. Provide at least two (2) complications of uncontrolled hypertension and diabetes.

2. Provide at least two (2) risk factors that may contribute to Lenora’s development of hypertension (see Appendix J: Body Mass Index (BMI) of your textbook)

3. Describe what is HbA1C and how is it used to monitor diabetes? (see Chapter 20, page 564 of your textbook).

4. Discuss what dietary counseling will Lenora need to control her hypertension and diabetes? Provide at least two (2) examples.

Discussion 7 (Cancers & HIV)

While cancers and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are different diseases, they both have debilitating effects that influence nutritional needs – and if nutritional needs are not met, both advanced stages of cancer and HIV can lead to severe body wasting. Cancer and HIV require highly individualized nutrition therapy.

After studying 

Module 7: Lecture Materials & Resources
, answer the following:

Navigate to HIVinfo by the NIH.gov: 

https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/hiv-and-nutrition-and-food-safetyLinks to an external site.
 – read the webpage and scroll to Healthy Living with HIV.

1. Describe how foods may affect HIV treatment (provide at least 2 examples).

2. Explain how to prevent opportunistic infections through their diet in people living with HIV.

3. Describe the type of cancer frequently associated with HIV and explain how this cancer’s symptoms may cause anorexia on those with HIV (see page 663 in your textbook).

 From a financial standpoint, what impact would this scholarship have on your education? 

  Discuss how your interest in your field or major developed. Describe your experience in the field and what you gained from this involvement. Please provide a minimum of 200 words. 

 When did you know that you wanted to pursue this degree? What makes now the time to pursue or continue your pursuit of your degree? Please provide a minimum of 200 words. 

  What are your short- and long-term career goals, and how will earning this degree contribute to achieving those goals? Please provide a minimum of 200 words. 

 Describe the skills and traits you possess that help you overcome obstacles. Please describe an experience or accomplishment that you are proud of. Please provide a minimum of 200 words. 

Comparison of Gas Exchange Exemplars

Identifying and justifying appropriate Study Designs · 

Step 1:  A not-for-profit organization called Epidemiologists Without Borders has reached out to student researchers studying epidemiology at Florida National University. The organization has asked for support in the design of three research projects they plan to carry-out in several of the communities where they currently work. Read these three case studies summarized below.

NOTE: You may substitute one of the case-studies outlined below for a case study that is relevant to your own community. If you choose to do so, generate a case-study regarding a public health problem that is relevant and requires epidemiological research. Include the case study when you submit your assignment.

Case study 1:

Vaginal cancer is a rare disease that can often be cured when detected in its early stages. Vaginal cancer occurs more often in women over the age of 50 but can occur at any age. There are usually no symptoms for vaginal cancer. Epidemiologists Without Borders has been awarded a large grant to study the relationship between vaginal cancer and prior exposures to any risk factor among women in a South African city.  

Case study 2:

Epidemiologists Without Borders has learned that a large group of employees who have worked in a specific building (building A) of a very large corporation for more than 25 years appear to have high cancer incidence rates. The corporation has a total of 3 office buildings (buildings A, B, and C). Epidemiologists Without Borders would like to conduct research to determine if the rates of cancer incidence among those workers from building A are in fact higher than expected.

Case study 3:

Epidemiologists Without Borders supports the rights to life, health, and dignity for people who use illicit drugs. The organization is concerned about the high rates of HIV infection it has observed in one particular community and suspects that there are many risk factors possibly contributing to this high HIV risk. Currently, the data in this community with respect to the exact HIV incidence rate among injection drug users is of poor quality but estimates indicate that the prevalence is as high as 10-20%. Access to HIV testing is also low in this population. Additional challenges include limited resources, and the difficulty in recruiting people for testing due to their high mobility and hidden social networks. 

Epidemiologists without Borders would like to identify potential risk factors for contracting HIV among injection drug users in this community so that it can develop appropriate interventions.

Step 2: Select the most appropriate study design for each of the three case-studies proposed by Epidemiologists Without Borders (or for the one relevant in your community) based on what you have learned in this Week’s Lectures, Readings, PPT’s and modules. 

Step 3: Write a letter responding to Epidemiologists Without Borders outlining the study designs that you recommend. Justify why the study designs you selected are appropriate for each of the three case-studies. Your response must also outline at least one benefit and one limitation for each of the study designs you have recommended for each case-study. Your letter to Epidemiologist Without Borders should be clear and concise and contain no more than 450-550 words.  

Please be sure to adhere to the following when posting your weekly discussions:

1. Students are to write their name and the appropriate discussion number/discussion title in the title bar for each discussion. For example, Discussion 1: Micheal Cabrera or Discussion 3: Sheila Smith. This is important in identifying that students are submitting original posts as well as response posts as required.

2. Students are to submit their discussions directly onto Blackboard Discussion Board Attachments submitted as discussion board posts will not be graded.

3.  As a reminder, all discussion posts must be minimum 350-550 words, references must be cited in APA format 7th Edition, and must include minimum of 3 scholarly resources published within the past 5-7 years (not part of the classroom coursework).  

  proposed research problem statement, ( Psychiatry) including your study variables and hypothesis to make your problem statement clear. Explain any ethical considerations you should keep in mind in relation to your research problem statement. Then, explain how addressing this research problem may bring about positive nursing practice changes.