Week 8 Case Study 2

Read the following case study:

A major financial services company wishes to better understand its mortgage approval process. In particular, the company is interested in learning about the effects of credit history (good versus fair), the size of the mortgage (<$500,000 versus >$500,000), and the region of the United States (western versus eastern) on the amount of time it takes to get a mortgage approved. The database of mortgages approved in the last year is accessed, and a random sample of five approved mortgages is selected for each of the eight combinations of the three variables. The data are shown in the table

Mortgage Approval Time Study     

Credit History    Mortgage Size   Region             Approval Times (Days)

Good                <$500,000        Western            59        50        64        62        47

Fair                  <$500,000        Western            81        58        69        65        74

Good                >$500,000        Western            38        52        58        60        65

Fair                  >$500,000        Western            146      159      133      143      129

Good                <$500,000        Eastern             28        26        38        41        21

Fair                  <$500,000        Eastern             42        53        40        50        64

Good                >$500,000        Eastern             49        31        49        42        38

Fair                  >$500,000        Eastern             106      115      126      118      138

First, conduct an analysis using the following steps:

1. Use the data shown in the table to conduct a design of experiment (DOE) in Microsoft Excel in order determine the nature and magnitude of the effects of the three variables on mortgage approval times. What are the key drivers of this process?
2. Determine the graphical display tool (e.g., Interaction Effects Chart, Scatter Chart, etc.) that you would use to present the results of the DOE that you conducted in Question 1. Provide a rationale for your response.
3. Assess the data sampling method. Our sample contained only five mortgages per combination. Under what circumstances would it have been appropriate to select a larger sample? Is a sample of five mortgages adequate to access the relative magnitudes of the effects of the variables? What sample size would you recommend? What could you learn from a larger sample size? (Hint: Look back at chapter 2, 3, 5, and 6 for discussion of sampling.)
4. Provide other variable responses that might be of interest to measure and study. (Hint: If you were getting a mortgage or a loan, what are the two and most important measures of the process you would have to go through?)
5. Propose one overall recommendation to the financial services company, based on the DOE, that could help reduce mortgage approval times.
6. Use http://research.strayer.edu to identify at least two (2) quality references to support your discussion. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Second, create a PPT presentation to communicate the data analysis you completed. Your presentation must follow these formatting requirements:

• A PPT presentation with at least 10 slides that include the answers to questions 1 through 5.
• A reference slide which follows APA format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Formatting of the slides should be consistent and easy to read.
• Cover slide containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.

Note: The cover slides and the reference slides are not included in the required assignment slides length.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

• Develop recommendations to improve business processes, using statistical tools and analysis.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric:

Competency

In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

• Articulate the roles and functions of the information technology professional

Scenario

Whether you are just beginning your career in information technology or taking the next step in your career path, it is vital to understand the numerous opportunities available to you within this field. In this project, you will be conducting a survey of the information technology field that includes several career options aligned with your interests and begins to sketch out the training and certifications necessary for those roles.

Directions

The Information Technology Field: Before you explore career options in information technology, it is important to distinguish between the various disciplines that exist within this field. In this section, you will be considering these disciplines, as well as two primary tools for information technology professionals: programming and scripting.

• IT Disciplines: To begin your report on careers within the information technology field, define the distinction between computer science, information systems, engineering, and information technology. In your description, first define each discipline and then describe how that discipline is related to others within IT. In your definition, address the following:
  • What roles and careers within the IT field are related to these disciplines?
  • What tools and technologies are most applicable to these disciplines?
• Programming and Scripting: Following your description of the different disciplines within information technology, explain the relationship between programming and scripting and their uses within the IT field. In your explanation, first define scripting and programming, then address the following:
  • What distinguishes a script from a program?
  • How would an IT professional use scripting in their work? How would they use programming?
  • Describe a potential case where an IT professional would use a scripting language in their work. Describe a potential case where an IT professional would use a programming language in their work.

Information Technology Careers: Once you have defined the fields available in the world of information technology, it is time to start examining careers. For this section, you will be examining three positions within your chosen area of interest.

• Careers of Interest: First, identify careers of interest within the IT field. You will choose an appropriate entry-level position, mid-level position, and ultimately the position you will strive to achieve. Then, determine whether each position is most closely aligned with information technology, computer science, information systems, or engineering. In your report, describe the roles and responsibilities of each of these careers. As evidence, ensure that you are submitting the job postings referenced in your report.
• Tools and Technologies: Next, within each of your identified careers, describe the tools and technologies specific to your chosen IT roles. For each career, identify and describe various tools, including hardware and software, that a professional working in that career would use.
• Training and Certifications: Finally, identify education, training, and certifications necessary for chosen IT roles. For your identified roles, describe these trainings and certifications, using the information in your identified job postings and descriptions as a reference. For each training and certification, describe its utility in the information technology field and sketch out how an interested person would obtain each certification. Finally, describe the transferable skills within these certifications and how they might prepare you for other careers and fields within the information technology profession.

What to Submit

To complete this project, you must submit the following:

Information Technology Career Report
You will create a report describing the information technology field, including distinguishing between the various disciplines within the IT field and identifying at least three careers of interest within the field. This report should be between 800–1,200 words. You should also include copies of your selected job postings for your instructor’s reference.

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PLEASE COMPLETE ALL THE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AT THE BOTTOM

Introduction

This assignment gives practice in simulation with two data points over time. You will be calculating potential portfolio returns over many years and need to incorporate uncertainty about wage growth and market performance into the model.

Instructions

To assist with this assignment, first read the following scenario:

You have been hired as a financial planner for your friend Grace. Her current annual salary is $60,000 and she has $100,000 in her portfolio currently. She would like to retire in 25 years with a nest egg of at least $2,000,000.

Grace can save 6% of her annual salary to her portfolio, and her portfolio invests solely in an index fund that tracks the S&P 500. She is hoping you can help her plan for retirement with a better understanding of her wage growth and portfolio returns.2

• Based on this scenario:Submit both the report and the MS Excel file 

Assessment Criteria

For this assignment, imagine again that you work for the global company you chose in your first assignment. You are in charge of improving the training and development for employees who are selected for international assignments.

Develop a 3–4 page (plus the cover page and reference page) outline of pre-departure training with a thorough description and explanation of the training programs that you suggest for improving expatriate performance.

Your assignment must address the following:

Articulate the training needs of new expatriate employees and the components of pre-departure training that will address those needs.
Determine the areas of emphasis and the details of the training.
Describe how the training will improve the expatriate experience for the new assignment.
Provide citations and references from the textbook and a minimum of two sources found on the Strayer databases at the Strayer Library.
Your assignment must:

Be typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with 1-inch margins on all sides.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.
This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards.

Assessment Guidance

CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY 
WEEK 5 DISCUSSION Memory 
Memory Distortions
Consider eyewitness testimony, a facet of the judicial system that relies on the soundness of memory for its effectiveness. The following story demonstrates the grave consequences inherent in certain kinds of memory distortion.
In the days following Jennifer Thompson’s 1984 rape by an unknown assailant, law enforcement officials presented her with a “photographic lineup.” It was composed of local individuals who loosely fit Thompson’s description, including one man the police considered a likely suspect in the attack. Police and the prosecution relied on Thompson’s eyewitness testimony as a critical building block in the case against Ronald Cotton. Thompson’s memory-based selection of Cotton’s image eventually brought him to trial as a defendant.
Jennifer Thompson’s eyewitness testimony led to the conviction of Ronald Cotton for rape. Thompson described memorizing the details her attacker’s appearance that fateful night so that she might later help to catch him. Based on Thompson’s testimony, the prosecution won, and Cotton received a sentence of life plus 54 years in prison.
After serving nearly 11 years, Cotton was exonerated on the basis of DNA evidence. In the years since Cotton’s release from prison, he and Thompson have reconciled. They now travel together throughout the United States, speaking about the lack of reliability of eyewitness testimony in criminal cases. Unreliable eyewitness accounts of crimes serve as one example of memory distortion. Consider factors in the Cotton case that may have affected the accuracy of Thompson’s memory.
In this Discussion, you examine factors that might influence and create distortions of memory. You also explain potential consequences of memory distortion on eyewitness testimony.
With these thoughts in mind:
Post by Day 4 a brief description of factors that might influence and create distortions of memory. Then explain how one of those factors might create a memory distortion. Provide an example to support your response. Finally, explain three consequences of memory distortion in the context of eyewitness testimony. Justify your response using the Learning Resources and current literature.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

This discussion post begins with creating a plan of care, using the Plan of Care Template, for one of the two patients described below:

Client Madison is a 15-year-old who comes to the clinic to see the nurse. She is shy and embarrassed, but she confides that her new boyfriend asked her to come in to be tested. She is very much in love and he will not have physical contact with her until she is seen by someone. She is not sure why, but he mentioned chalmydia. 

Client Patricia is a 39-year-old who is employed as an administrator at the clinic. She is ready to start a family and has been trying to conceive for fourteen months. Her husband has a teenage son from a previous relationship, but he would like at least one child with her. She is becoming frustrated every month when she gets her menstrual period.  

Select from the following list of nursing diagnoses to use when developing your care plan:

• Chronic sorrow
• Ineffective health management
• Powerlessness
• Ineffective sexuality pattern
• Readiness for enhanced knowledge
• Impaired comfort
• Social isolation

Your initial post is due by Thursday at 11:59 PM EST.  Your responses are due by Sunday at 11:59 PM EST. 

Response to Others

After you have posted, read through the postings of your peers.  In response to at least two other students, select a patient different from your chosen patient. Suggest one additional intervention that would make the plan more patient-centered and provide a rationale for your suggestion.

Discussion Guidelines

Posts need to be written in a professional manner. The content should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Professionals communicate using correct grammar and spelling. It is acceptable to use a grammar or spelling editor prior to submitting your post. Language that is disrespectful or discourteous is not acceptable. Your posts should be of sufficient length to answer the question, but information that is extraneous or irrelevant will not strengthen your post.

The purpose of the discussion is to explore topics and to share information. Your original thought about the question is important. It is acceptable to use personal experiences from a professional standpoint. Your information and opinions should have support from the textbooks, professional position statements, and journals. It is not acceptable to copy and paste information from outside sources without using direct quotes. It is preferable to paraphrase information. When you restate the information in your own words by paraphrasing, you demonstrate that you have read about the topic and that it has meaning to you. You are showing that you can apply the information.

Evaluation

You are a clinical coordinator of a medical unit specializing in the care of patients with kidney and urinary tract disorders. You are charged with making assignments for this unit for the day shift. Your discussion post should be focused on the appropriate assignments of staff members to client groups. Your unit has 12 beds. Currently, your census is 11, with one empty bed. Please include your assignments for the shift with your rationale for making those assignments. Include your personal role as the coordinator during this shift. You may wish to review course materials from Nursing 108 on delegation and supervision. 

The staff for the next shift includes:

• Raul; an experienced RN.
• Tara; an RN orientee assigned with Raul for the shift. It is her third day on the unit.
• Monique; a supplemental RN. The last assignment in this unit was three weeks ago.
• Dorothy; an experienced LPN.
• Timmy; an experienced nursing assistant.
• Val; unit secretary, split between your unit and the one next door as your secretary called in sick.

Patients currently on unit:

#2201: PP, a 51-year-old female with T1DM (type one diabetes) who has ESKD (end-stage kidney disease). She was admitted for a revision of her A-V fistula. She has a temporary Hemodialysis catheter in place. She’s scheduled for hemodialysis this morning. 

#2202: RP, a 72-year-old male patient with a CBI (continuous bladder irrigation) who is post-op from a TURP yesterday. He has had many clots passed through the CBI and has needed the catheter manually irrigated three times during the past shift. 

#2203: empty bed.

#2204: MG, an 88-year-old female patient admitted two days ago with urosepsis. She’s currently getting IV antibiotics through a peripheral IV every eight hours. She has been incontinent of urine twice during the past shift. She is currently complaining about pain at the site of her IV. 

#2205: MW, a 44-year-old female patient who had a cystoscopy yesterday for a biopsy of her bladder. Cancer is suspected. She is currently waiting for the provider to write her discharge orders so she can go home today. 

#2206: JS, a 69-year-old male patient with uncontrolled hypertension and chronic kidney disease admitted last evening. He has a history of non-adherence to his medications at home and comes into the hospital every four to five months with chest pain, high BP readings, and weight gain. He’s been prescribed Lasix, Lisinopril, and metoprolol. His provider would like to send him home tomorrow. He has not been evaluated by the case-manager on your unit yet.

#2207: AM, a 21-year-old female patient with an acute kidney infection. She was admitted during the night. The patient currently has IV of NSS infusing at 100 ml/hr via peripheral IV and is complaining of 9 out of 10 back pain. Is febrile with a temp of 100.6 F 

#2208: MS, a 60-year-old male patient with a renal calculi diagnosed by CT scan. Being medicated with IV Fentanyl every three hours for 10 out of 10 pain reported by the patient. Receiving IV fluids and needs assistance to the bathroom. Urine must be strained each time the patient voids. 

#2209: SS a 72-year-old male admitted with hematuria. He is having diagnostic testing completed for renal carcinoma. The patient has a history of leukemia as a 40-year-old. This patient and his family are very upset by the diagnosis and the patient is intermittently tearful. 

#2210: CT, a 55-year-old female admitted with community-acquired pneumonia. She is currently on 4 L NC and has a 02 saturation of 92% at rest. She is short of breath and has been ringing for the nurse frequently as she is frightened of dying when she gets SOB. She is receiving Levaquin IV every 24 hours for her pneumonia. This patient also has an ileal conduit with a drainage bag attached. She had her bladder removed ten years ago due to cancer. 

#2211: RM, a 76-year-old male patient with cellulitis on his left shin. He’s on contact precautions for MRSA. He has been receiving continuous peritoneal dialysis at night, he’s assigned to your unit, as your staff has the training to use the PD equipment.

#2212: AF, a 40-year-old female patient with an intellectual disability from a group home setting. She was admitted with pyelonephritis during the night. She is scheduled for discharge today. She will need her IV discontinued and discharge instructions will need to be given to the patient and her caregiver. 

Please assign these patients to staff, being mindful of the scope of practice and ability levels of staff members. What nursing intervention is the top priority for each patient? Please indicate if the staff member is able to complete that priority independently, or if you (the charge nurse) need to assign it to another staff member. 

Include information about how you will assign yourself and your support staff during the shift. Keep in mind that an empty bed will mean somebody will get admission during the shift

Your initial post is due by Thursday at 11:59 PM EST. Your response to a peer is due by Sunday at 11:59 PM EST. 

Discussion Guidelines

Posts need to be written in a professional manner. The content should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Professionals communicate using correct grammar and spelling. It is acceptable to use a grammar or spelling editor prior to submitting your post. Any language that is disrespectful or discourteous is not acceptable. Your posts should be of sufficient length to answer the question, but information that is extraneous or irrelevant will not strengthen your post.

The purpose of the discussion is to explore topics and to share information. Your original thought about the question is important. It is acceptable to use personal experiences from a professional standpoint. Your information and opinions should have support from the textbooks, professional position statements, and journals. It is not acceptable to copy and paste information from outside sources without using direct quotes. It is preferable to paraphrase information. When you restate the information in your own words by paraphrasing, you demonstrate that you have read about the topic and that it has meaning to you. You are showing that you can apply the information.

Evaluation

Your work in the discussion will be assessed using the AD Discussion Rubric. All discussions combined are worth 25% of your grade; each individual discussion is worth 3.57%.

References

Write an essay exploring the following:

What is your philosophy of education?  What should be the purpose of education, the curriculum, and the pedagogical approach?  Where do you place your philosophy in terms of the traditions and why?  That is, which tradition (including sub-tradition) do you situate yourself in: Human capital theory, Liberal humanism, Conservative humanism, Progressivism, or Social reconstructionism/critical humanism? Is your philosophy of education consistent with the values and principles of democracy?  That is, what are the public reasons that justify your philosophy?

Doctoral Level Requirements:  Each essay should be 16 pages, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 12 point font. Doctoral students are required to demonstrate mastery of the course material by providing coherent, compelling and detailed philosophical analysis and argumentation in support of their paper thesis.  In addition to references to the required course materials, Doctoral students are required to research and apply outside primary and secondary sources.  The essays should be at a level of sophistication, in terms of style, analysis, argumentation, and background knowledge, of a doctoral level academic and/or professional.

Essay Evaluation Guidelines

Content:  The essay demonstrates understanding of the issues in question.  Important terms are defined and used correctly.  The essay demonstrates knowledge of the course readings.  The argument logically supports the thesis, and claims are backed up by evidence and/or logical argument.  The writer provides a clearly articulated and strongly argued position relative to the question.

Style:  The essay presents a clear thesis statement and sound organizational structure.  Transitions between paragraphs are smooth and logical.  The conclusion makes a strong, brief restatement of the argument.  There are few if any mechanical errors that distract from the content (e.g., grammar and spelling).

A strong defense entails both an argument in support of your position and refutation of competing positions. Remember to support your opinion through logic and/or evidence rather than merely asserting your opinion.  Also a part of defending your opinion is to refute the opinions of others, so be sure to refute the alternative perspectives you do not choose as well as defending your choice.  Ask yourself:  Is my argument for the perspective I have chosen convincing? (Or is my refutation of competing perspectives compelling?) Reference to the course readings and class notes/discussions is required.

Note on References:  If you are referring to the course material, which you should, then you can just note in parentheses the author, publication and page number, e.g., (Dewey, Child and Curriculum, p. 3).  If you use outside sources, then provide a complete reference using APA or other accepted system

Doctoral Essay Evaluation Rubric:

Instructions:

• Examine a campus or district improvement plan
• Based on the goals in the plan, select an initiative you want to follow during the year, which will evolve into a major component of your summative portfolio.
• The initiative might or might not be the one you considered in your pre-initiative paper during your internship. It is acceptable to change to a different area of focus in response to the latest available information on the school’s current needs and goals.
• The initiative may be related to some aspect of academic performance, student conduct, student retention, equity, safety/risk management, personnel, institutional advancement (development), technology, family involvement, or any another top priority identified by your organization.
• Discuss the initiative with your mentor and your clinical instructor to obtain multiple perspectives on the possible applications of this goal/initiative to your work in this program.

4) Complete a Needs Assesssment.  Collect any compelling data to support the need for the

initiative. There could already be a needs-assessment conducted by an improvement team at the departmental or team or campus level. Examples of relevant data could include:

• test scores
• discipline referral data
• failure rate for a targeted grade level or group
• surveys completed by parents or staff or students,
• retention rates for private school students transitioning from middle school to high school
• data on parent involvement, such as volunteer records or attendance at PTA events

5) Determine the Measures for Success: Briefly explain and justify (through the use of your data) the

initiative, and indicate how its success will be measured at the end of the school year.  This is         important. For example, the goal might be:

• a specified level of improvement in certain test scores (such as a 20% increase in the passing rate for a particular assessment),
• a specified level of increase of positive responses on a parent satisfaction or teacher satisfaction survey
• a specified level of reduction in disciplinary referrals or suspensions (such as 20% fewer referrals or suspensions)
• a specified level of increase in family participation in school events and volunteer opportunities
• Propose an Action Plan: Determine the strategies you will need to achieve your goal.  Include who will be responsible for each, set a timeline for check-in and completions, and include your measures.
• Anticipating Organization Factors contributing to Successful Goals: Using what you have learned about vision, culture, and leadership, tell why you think the initiative is likely (or not likely) to succeed.  In your analysis, consider the possible role of at least two of the following (for example, as a driving force or potential barrier) as it might apply to your school setting in the implementation of this initiative:
  • Vision and culture (including the role of key stakeholders)
  • Factors that impact organizational behavior, such as perceptions, values, emotions, attitudes, and motivation
  • Decision-making processes (individual and/or participative)
  • Communication
  • Power and leadership

Also see why research papers are important.

If applicable, make recommendations you feel would increase the likelihood of success of the initiative. Support your analysis and recommendation(s) with at least three references from your course readings AND at least one self-selected article from a peer-reviewed journal (a total of four references).

Format: Your analysis should consist of no more than 4-5 double-spaced pages (plus the reference list) with margins of one inch. Please use Times New Roman or a similar professional font, with a font size of 12. Include appropriate citations and a reference list as noted above, using APA format and observing the guidelines discussed in our summer workshop with regard to academic language and economy of expression. Due to the nature of the assignment, it will be appropriate to use the first person to a limited extent. (This will be discussed in further detail in class.)

This assignment is based on a 25-point rubric and will also count as the final exam