Virtual Teams- making it work

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Virtual Teams: Making It Work

Virtual teams are composed of employees who are physically dispersed throughout the nation or around the world. They are linked by various forms of electronic technology. Face-to-face contact is usually minimal or nonexistent. Virtual teams face several challenges: time zone differences, which make quick information exchanges difficult, and cultural miscues, which can cause misunderstandings. When teams don’t meet in person, its less likely they will develop the kind of chemistry common to productive teams that have face-to-face meetings. Many virtual teams are in continuous danger of becoming dysfunctional.

Recent research has identified certain traits and practices common to most virtual teams. Here are a few important rules for making these teams productive.

  • Choose a few team members who already know each other. This will speed up the process of building networks among team members. Invest in online resources that help all team members quickly learn about one another.
  • Ensure the task is meaningful to team members and the company. Assign tasks that are challenging and interesting.
  • The virtual team should include “boundary spanners,” persons who have many connections to useful people outside of the team.
  • Develop a team mission statement along with teamwork expectations, project goals, and deadlines.
  • Create an online site where team members can collaborate, exchange ideas, and motivate one another. The team should have a shared online work space that all members can access 24 hours a day.
  • Encourage frequent communication and try to reach agreement about preferred communication tools.
  • If you are a virtual team leader, find ways to mark team progress toward goals.

Instructions: Answer the questions below for this assignment. Keep in mind the information preceding the instructions when preparing your paper, and ensure that you follow the format for this assignment provided immediately following the Questions.

Assignment Questions:

1. In your opinion, which of the five dysfunctions of a team would be the greatest barrier to virtual team productivity? Defend your answer.

  • Absence of trust: Trust is considered the foundation of effective teamwork.
  • Fear of conflict: Teams that lack trust are not capable of engaging in open, unfiltered debate.
  • Lack of commitment: When team members fail to voice their views openly during passionate debate, they rarely buy-in and commit to decisions.
  • Avoidance of accountability: Without commitment and buy-in, team members are often hesitant to call their peers on actions and behaviors that seem counterproductive to the good of the team.
  • Inattention to results: Failure to hold one another accountable creates an environment where team members put their own needs above the collective goals of the team.

2. What can be done to avoid information overload when a virtual team is made up of 25 or more members?

Research Paper Instructions:

IMPORTANT!!
Submit your work as an MS WORD ATTACHMENT in either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. No other file format can be accepted (i.e., no .pdf, read-only, or Apple file formats).

Write a 1-2 page paper regarding your findings, using APA format, and submit no later then Sunday, midnight. Your paper must have an introduction, body, and conclusion. In addition, papers longer than 2 pages will not be read after the second page. As such, please ensure that all questions are answered within the first two pages, as your grade will be based on the first two pages received. Your paper must include a reference page, title page, and in-text citations for all listed references in accordance with the APA manual, 6th edition chapters 6 (citation formatting) and chapter 7 (reference/source formatting).

Please support your ideas, arguments, and opinions with independent research, include at least three (3) supporting peer-reviewed references or sources (do NOT use Wikipedia, encyclopedias, unknown, undated, or anonymous sources, such as websites), include a reference section, and cite all listed references properly in your paper, in accordance with the 6th edition of the APA manual, chapters 6 & 7.

Reminder:
Please ensure that you review the grading rubric (click on checkerboard under grade details above) for this assignment carefully, to ensure that you receive the highest possible grade for your work!

Case Study 2: The New Charge Nurse

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You are a third-shift (11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) nurse supervisor to whom several charge nurses report. Each charge nurse is responsible for a nursing unit. Six months ago, you promoted Sally Besnick to be one of the charge nurses. Six months before she was promoted, Besnick had earned a bachelor of science in nursing (B.S.N.) from an out-of-state university. She is the same age a the five registered nurses (RNs) she supervises, all of whom graduated from a two-year associate of arts (A.A.) nursing degree program at a local technical college. B.S.N. programs are generally considered the “gold standard” of nursing preparation. Sally is the only charge nurse with a B.S.N. who reports to you.

            Besnick received the same in-service training in supervision as the other charge nurses, but there are major problems on her unit. Morale among her nursing staff is low, absenteeism is high, and not all of the administrative work on her unit is getting done. There are no indication that the quality of care on her unit is below acceptable levels, however. You think Besnick’s main difficulty is that she cannot control, lead, discipline, or correct her subordinates. She seems easygoing; her subordinates call her Soft Sally behind her back. Given their hands-on training and greater experience, they feel that they can deliver technically better patient care than she can. Besnick is personable and well liked by you and by the other charge nurse. She socializes with them after hours and, like them, Besnick participates in American Nurse Association professional activities. Besnick and her husband recently bought a new house in town after renting for the year that she has worked at the hospital. They adopted a baby 2 months ago. You are concerned that if you demote Besnick, her pride will be hurt and she will quit. You do not want to lose a good RN, especially one with a bachelor’s degree

Questions:

a)  Develop a problem statement. Identify several tentative alternative solutions.

b)  Which solution is best? Why?

c)  Describe how you would implement the solution chosen. How would you evaluate the results?

Response 150 words two of my classmates discussions today 4 hours

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Post by Tanya YarritoMena

1 day agoWeek 6 Discussion Rebellion is a recurring theme in the history of mankind, especially in the Bible. The Israelites were saved from Egypt and being freed from being slaves from the evil Pharaoh and God asked for them to have faith, and obey his rules such has  not idolizing anything or anybody besides him. The Israelites were given the Ten Commandments and already have witnessed the good and abundance that God will give his people who obey and worship him but they were growing greedy. To feed their greed they had to rebel against God, they wanted more food, more power, freedom, and more riches. Although God was providing it all for them, they didn’t want enough they wanted surplus of food, freedom,and riches. So they started to praise the Golden Calf although they knew it was wrong to their God they went back to what they were taught. Has human beings we can always find that it can be easier to do wrong than to do good so the Israelites who grew too accustomed to their new found freedom they became rebellious to God to get what they wanted. 

Post by Summerly Lara

1 day agoWeekly Discussion: After all that…rebellion?The golden calf is widely discussed amongst Bible scholars. The Golden Calf was crafted by Aaron using the Israelites gold jewelry. Moses was up on the Mount Sinai talking with God, when the Israelites asked Aaron to make them a god. It is thought provoking to think of what could have caused the Israelites to sin against God after experiencing all he did for them. When I read through the story, the Israelites had been afraid to approach God before they ask for the Golden Calf. The Golden Calf was a manageable and controllable god for the Israelites. The Golden Calf served as a way to pacify the Israelites, in their fear to serve the one true God. Connecting the Golden Calf to the broader theme of rebellion in the Bible is simple. As sinners, because we fear to face the one true God, we will create idols to worship. God created humans to worship and have a relationship with Him. Since the fall, humans have chosen their sin and idols as items to glorify instead of God. 

Nursing Discussion #1

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Respond to the discussion #1 below by this approach:

1.       Critique an evaluation plan by sharing at least one strength and one area of improvement.

2.      Review and evaluate the uploaded powerpoint presentation below.

Reminder:

1.       1 page only

2.      Put APA citation and at least 1 reference dated 2011 to 2016.

Master Plan of Evaluation Summary

                The Master Plan of Evaluation for the Southeast group as it relates to Navicent Health’s central line-associated bloodstream infection, CLABSI, project begins with the Director of Staff Development using the Quality Assurance Model to evaluate the program’s Mission, Vision and Philosophy.  The Director of Staff Development will ensure the Program’s Mission, Vision, and Philosophy are congruent with that of the organization.  A checklist is completed to perform this evaluation.

                The next level of evaluation involves individual courses.  The courses will be evaluated by the Course Facilitator.  He/She will again follow the Quality Assurance Model using competency checklists to ensure the learning objectives will be met for each student.  The courses containing simulation components will be videotaped.  These videotapes will be evaluated by the Course Facilitator to provide simulation debriefing and objective feedback to students (Cheng et al., 2014).

                At the end of the training sessions, students will be asked to complete a checklist indicating their comfort level with the material.  This will enable to Course Facilitator to gather data for future course improvements.  Students will also be asked to evaluate the training using the Quality Assurance Model with an ultimate goal of determining teaching effectiveness.

                In order to determine the effectiveness of the overall program, CLABSI rates must be recorded and tracked.  The Infection Control Department will evaluate the CLABSI rate monitoring the rates for pediatric, adult and neonatal intensive care units as well as the pediatric and adult medical-surgical units.  They will know the baseline rate one year rate prior to the CLABSI program and will be able to compare the rates after the CLABSI program was implemented.

Justification of Evaluation Design

The overall evaluation philosophy that guides the development of the master plan of evaluation is driven by this program’s objective of reducing the CLABSI rate at Navicent Health (Billings & Halstead, 2016).  The success of this program is tied back to this primary objective, and for that reason a Quality Assurance Model is selected to assist in evaluating the program (Billings & Halstead, 2016).  The Quality Assurance Model guides the evaluator in the process of program continuous quality improvement and total quality management (Billings & Halstead, 2016).  Izumi (2013), also recommends that giving quality service and striving for excellence are the ethical responsibility of professionals especially nursing staff.  Quality Assurance help makes sure people have access to quality care and that customer needs and expectations are met by nursing staff to provide adequate and appropriate care.  The CLABSI program at Navicent Health will help ensure these goals are achieved by providing quality, meeting the expectations of the patient, family, management and the regulatory body (Izumi, 2013).

This program is meant to evolve and continuously adapt so the CLABSI rate stays below national benchmarks.  Benchmarking is an important part of this program, and involves comparing baseline CLABSI rates at Navicent Health to similar facilities nationally (Billings & Halstead, 2016).  Baseline CLABSI data also serves as a benchmark to compare future CLABSI data to. 

Master Plan of Evaluation Reference in Powerpoint

                The master plan of evaluation for Navicent Health’s CLABSI education curriculum is located on slides 14-18.

Summary

                Program evaluation is crucial in the success of a program. Formative and summative evaluation allows program educators the ability to determine teaching success and student learning outcomes for program effectiveness. Benchmarking and the Quality Assurance Model allow the program to evaluate whether it is successful at decreasing the CLABSI rate at Navicent Health. Evaluation is an essential method to provide educators with information to determine “value, worth, or quality” of the program (Keating, 2015).

References

Billings, D. M., & Halstead, J. A. (2016). Teaching in nursing: A guide for faculty (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Cheng, A., Eppich, W., Grant, V., Sherbino, J., Zendejas, B., & Cook, D. A. (2014).

            Debriefing for technology-enhanced simulation: a systematic review and

            meta-analysis. Medical Education in Review, 48(7), 657-666. doi:10.1111/medu.12432

Izumi, S. (2013).  Quality improvement in nursing:  Administrative mandate or professional

responsibility? Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3491580/

Keating, S. B. (Ed.). (2015). Curriculum development and evaluation in nursing (3rd ed.). New  

            York, NY: Springer.

Principles of macroeconomics

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Select three from the following list of changes and explain the effect on the price of oil. Also describe what could cause the price to move in the opposite direction.

a. Tax credits are offered for expenditures on home insulation.
b. Another Alaskan pipeline is completed.
c. A  ceiling on the price of oil is put into pace.
d. A new, very large deposit of oil is discovered.
e. Buyers in large numbers all of the sudden stop driving large sport utility vehicles.

f. The use of nuclear power suddenly suddenly decreases.

Along with contributing your own answer by Saturday, contribute a thorough, thoughtful response to at least one classmate by Tuesday.

ALSO PLEASE REPLY TO ANOTHER STUDENTS COMMENT BELOW 

Arie:

Demand and Supply of Oil

As with any product, bond or stock, the laws of both demand and supply results in the changes of oil prices. Once supply exceeds demand, prices tend to fall and the vice versa is also true in the case that demand outperforms supply.

  • Buyers in large numbers all of the sudden stop driving large sport utility vehicles.

Oil and vehicles are both complementary products. This means that they ought to be used together. Once diverse buyers begin driving large sport cars or in this case huge sport utility automobiles, this means that they would also require to buy more oil for usage. The demand for a single product tends to increase the demand for the other product as well. Therefore, the purchase would augment the demand for oil (Wei, et.al, 2013). Once the demand for oil products go up, the amount that gets supplied will in turn increase. This thus increases oil prices. Lastly, when the buyers for huge sport utility vehicles go down, thee demand tends to decrease the oil prices.

  • Tax credits are offered for expenditures on home insulation.

In this case, decrease in demand goes hand in hand with decrease in prices. Increasing enough insulation is among the most cost-efficient home improvements which one could do. The decrease in the demand for home insulation leads to a decrease in prices. First, let us take into account the loss of dead weight. A reduction in the prices as long as home insulation is based upon polyurethane and not oil. Following this, increase in supply results in a reduction in prices (Baumeiste & Kilian 2016).

  • A ceiling on the price of oil is put into pace.

In the case that the ceiling gets set below equilibrium, there is expected to be an increase in weight thus a reduction in the loss incurred. On the other hand, there would be no change in the amount of prices or demand.

Discussion: Strengths Across Development

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Discussion: Strengths Across Development

Learning about psychological, biological, and social development across the lifespan is essential to competent, ethical practice. To prepare for the final project, in which you write up and analyze a biopsychosocial assessment, begin thinking about how you will apply concepts of human behavior and the social environment that you are learning in this course. This assignment supports that process by asking you to engage in self-reflection and consider how the material you have engaged with in the past 4 weeks applies to you. Using the Kultura Media tool, you will video record your response to the assignment questions.

Use APA in citing in 3 resouces from one of these:

 

Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L.  (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Chapter 6, “Biological Development in Adolescence” (pp. 282-319)

Melchert, T. P. (2015). Assessment. In Biopsychosocial Practice : A Science-based Framework for Behavioral Health Care (pp. 149-182). Washington, District of Columbia: American Psychological Association.

Reamer, F. (2013). Preventing ethics blindness in Social Work. Social Work Today. Retrieved from http://www.socialworktoday.com/news/eoe_021213.shtml

Caputo, R. K. (2009). Adolescent sexual debut: A multisystem perspective of ethnic and racial differences. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 9(4), 330–358.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Day, C., Kearney, C., & Squires, F. (2016). Art, science and experience of peer support: Learning from the Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities programme. International Journal Of Birth & Parent Education, 4(2), 13–18.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Gratwick-Sarll, K., Bentley, C., Harrison, C., & Mond, J. (2016). Poor self-recognition of disordered eating among girls with bulimic-type eating disorders: Cause for concern?. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 10(4), 316–323.
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Plummer, S.-B., Makris, S., Brocksen S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore, MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
The Logan Family

Record a 4-5 minute video in which you discuss:

  • Identify an event that occurred in your childhood that influenced who you are today.
    • Please consider guidelines related to self-disclosure and do not discuss an event that is potentially still triggering or share intimate details.
  • Identify the developmental stage you were at when the event occurred and describe the important psychological, biological, and social factors that typically occur during this stage.
  • Explain how the social environment impacted your experience.
  • Explain your strengths during that time and whether these strengths have changed as you have developed.

Include a transcript and/or edit closed captioning on your video to ensure your presentation is accessible to colleagues of differing abilities.

Virtual Teams- making it work

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Virtual Teams: Making It Work

Virtual teams are composed of employees who are physically dispersed throughout the nation or around the world. They are linked by various forms of electronic technology. Face-to-face contact is usually minimal or nonexistent. Virtual teams face several challenges: time zone differences, which make quick information exchanges difficult, and cultural miscues, which can cause misunderstandings. When teams don’t meet in person, its less likely they will develop the kind of chemistry common to productive teams that have face-to-face meetings. Many virtual teams are in continuous danger of becoming dysfunctional.

Recent research has identified certain traits and practices common to most virtual teams. Here are a few important rules for making these teams productive.

  • Choose a few team members who already know each other. This will speed up the process of building networks among team members. Invest in online resources that help all team members quickly learn about one another.
  • Ensure the task is meaningful to team members and the company. Assign tasks that are challenging and interesting.
  • The virtual team should include “boundary spanners,” persons who have many connections to useful people outside of the team.
  • Develop a team mission statement along with teamwork expectations, project goals, and deadlines.
  • Create an online site where team members can collaborate, exchange ideas, and motivate one another. The team should have a shared online work space that all members can access 24 hours a day.
  • Encourage frequent communication and try to reach agreement about preferred communication tools.
  • If you are a virtual team leader, find ways to mark team progress toward goals.

Instructions: Answer the questions below for this assignment. Keep in mind the information preceding the instructions when preparing your paper, and ensure that you follow the format for this assignment provided immediately following the Questions.

Assignment Questions:

1. In your opinion, which of the five dysfunctions of a team would be the greatest barrier to virtual team productivity? Defend your answer.

  • Absence of trust: Trust is considered the foundation of effective teamwork.
  • Fear of conflict: Teams that lack trust are not capable of engaging in open, unfiltered debate.
  • Lack of commitment: When team members fail to voice their views openly during passionate debate, they rarely buy-in and commit to decisions.
  • Avoidance of accountability: Without commitment and buy-in, team members are often hesitant to call their peers on actions and behaviors that seem counterproductive to the good of the team.
  • Inattention to results: Failure to hold one another accountable creates an environment where team members put their own needs above the collective goals of the team.

2. What can be done to avoid information overload when a virtual team is made up of 25 or more members?

Research Paper Instructions:

IMPORTANT!!
Submit your work as an MS WORD ATTACHMENT in either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf format. No other file format can be accepted (i.e., no .pdf, read-only, or Apple file formats).

Write a 1-2 page paper regarding your findings, using APA format, and submit no later then Sunday, midnight. Your paper must have an introduction, body, and conclusion. In addition, papers longer than 2 pages will not be read after the second page. As such, please ensure that all questions are answered within the first two pages, as your grade will be based on the first two pages received. Your paper must include a reference page, title page, and in-text citations for all listed references in accordance with the APA manual, 6th edition chapters 6 (citation formatting) and chapter 7 (reference/source formatting).

Please support your ideas, arguments, and opinions with independent research, include at least three (3) supporting peer-reviewed references or sources (do NOT use Wikipedia, encyclopedias, unknown, undated, or anonymous sources, such as websites), include a reference section, and cite all listed references properly in your paper, in accordance with the 6th edition of the APA manual, chapters 6 & 7.

Reminder:
Please ensure that you review the grading rubric (click on checkerboard under grade details above) for this assignment carefully, to ensure that you receive the highest possible grade for your work!

Information Systems Management

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PowerPoint Presentation 

In this assignment, you will create a presentation for your organization to explain how successful collaboration can improve success and provide competitive advantages.

Scenario: Your organization has used a variety of collaboration systems developed by some project managers. Some of these systems were successful while others were not. Your organization has one unique challenge—many of your employees are staffed at other locations or work from home (telework). You would like to standardize the collaboration process to improve team communication for all company projects. In your presentation, you should include the elements listed below.

  • Explain why collaboration information systems (IS) are important from the organization’s perspective.
  • Discuss how collaboration tools can improve team communication.
  • Identify three tools that will be used for synchronous communications and three tools that will be used for asynchronous communications. Be sure to explain why you made these choices.
  • Describe how project files, such as Microsoft (MS) Word, MS Excel, MS Project, and MS Visio, will be shared with team members. Be sure to explain the rationale behind your choice.
  • Explain how the task list for managing tasks will be shared with team members. Be sure to explain the rationale behind your choice.
  • Discuss how this new collaboration IS could provide competitive advantages for your organization.

Your presentation should be a minimum of six slides in length (not counting the title and reference slides). Use of images, graphics, and diagrams is encouraged.

You can use an industry of your choosing or examples from your personal or professional experiences in developing this assignment. You can also use the resources in the Unit II Suggested Reading section to assist you with this assignment.

Be sure to follow the 7×7 rule (i.e., there should be no more than 7 words per line and no more than 7 lines per slide). You are required to use speaker notes to discuss the bullet points on your slides. 

You must use at least two academic resources to support your presentation, and you must cite (in APA format) any information on your slides or in your speaker notes that came from these sources.

Healthcare Spending and Services

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Complete this discussion in a 150 – 300 response.

Healthcare data at a community, county, or region level and state level determine healthcare spending and services allocated for individuals. Using the South University Online Library or the Internet, research about these data as it will help you build a reality of costs of care for the healthcare system and beyond.

Research your own geographic region (town, city, county, or state) for data that is commonly used in health services systems. This includes census data, vital statistics data (birth, deaths, marriages, and divorces), surveillance data, administrative data, and survey research data. Keep in mind that most of this data will come from federal, state, or local offices that are federally mandated, but don’t stop there. You may find data in other surprising places.

Based on your readings and research, answer the following:

  1. Which office contains the health-related data identified above?
  2. How do people go about enrolling for Medicare and Medicaid in your community? Describe the eligibility requirements and costs, if any, for each of these types of subsidized care.
    • Coverage for acute care, including hospitalization
    • Coverage for preventive care
    • Outpatient services
    • Specialty services, such as mental health, rehabilitation, etc.

To support your work, use your course and textbook readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.

Your initial posting should be addressed at 150-300 words. Submit your document to this Discussion Area by the due date assigned. Be sure to cite your sources using APA format.

You’re invited to a party

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Choose three composers from the Romantic Era. Pretend they all had an opportunity to meet, perhaps at a party. What do you think they might say to one another about music and culture? Construct the conversation as you imagine it. Initial posts are to be a minimum of 250 words. 

In addition to responding to the Forum question, students are also required to respond to two classmates by asking “the composers” additional questions. Responses to others are to be a minimum of 100 words.

Goal: The goal of this forum is to explore the lives and music of Romantic era composers.

This forum addresses course objective #1, #2 and #3. 

Instructions

Initial posts must be 250+ words, using correct grammar and spellcheck, posted by Thursday 11:55 p.m. ET each week. Part of the requirement for a substantive post is to bring something new to the conversation. Read the forum prompt and fully answer it, demonstrate understanding of the lesson/content, include evidence from firsthand experience, reference to the course materials, and apply what you’re discussing to work, life, and reality.

For Peer replies, respond substantively to at least TWO of your classmates for full credit, with 100+ words each post. This helps build a friendly and collegial environment in our class, and its part of your forum grade. Substantively answering questions that the instructor (me!) asks during that week’s discussion DO count toward your participation points. Making substantive posts will make the discussion more interesting and educational for everyone. Please let me know if you have any questions.

This forum addresses course objective #1, #2 and #3.

  • Use spell-check and check your word count.
  • If you do quote or paraphrase from a source, please list the source at the bottom of your post.
  • Your responses should be a friendly greeting and include two or more of the following:
    • Asking a thoughtful question
    • Share additional content or sources
    • Share your insight and experience/offer perspective
    • Give encouragement and making other connections to the topic

The purpose of peer replies is to develop academic discussion and take our thinking to a deeper level in applying this week’s topic.

DUE DATES:

Initial post (250+ words) due: Thursday by 11:55 p.m. ET 

Responses (100+ words each) to 2 or more peers and/or your instructor due: Sunday by 11:55 p.m. ET

Late posts may be reduced by 10% per day late for up to 5 days. Posts 6 or more days late may be reduced by 50% of the possible earned score.

Rubric.Forums.MUSI200.pdf