Sunday, November 30, 2014

November Extra Blog:

This month, I have been struggling to find volunteer work for my Independent Component. The only source of volunteer work is at my mom's local facility at Vermont. But the problems: on what days I am able to go (weekend or weekdays), how many hours I am able to stay, the driving takes only an hour, and some of the faculty members are having a trust issue due to my age (thoughts of having no high school students working in THEIR facility). My mom is doing all she can to help me find any volunteer work for my project from every clinic and nursing home she has been working in (she works in about 3-4 clinics as a RN). She has been such a great help so far, from setting me up with my mentor and great medical advice from her experiences that relates to my topic. Recently my mom offered another volunteer idea at her (other) local facility at Eastland, which is close by to Ipoly and my home. She told me that if I get admitted to do volunteer work, I am able to go with my mom on weekends and stay in the facility until the night shift (when my mom finish). The only flaw is that I will be speaking with doctors on the phone, but I will be able to interact with patients physically such as helping them with minor issues or problems. As I wait for the facility to call me, I have bought a new book this pass week, its called "New Girl" by Amy Silverstein. It is a autobiography about a woman (Amy Silverstein) who goes through a heart transplant. She tells about her perspective view as a patient, the challenges on what she, the patient, faces. I found this book in one of my articles ʺThe Choices Patients Make.ʺ by  Pauline W. Chen. It intrigued me to find this book because in the article it tells about a PASS patient who have read the book herself. This patient understood the book both mind and soul, she states out that all patients can relate to this story. The story of what goes on in a patient's head.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Blog 10: EQ

Title: EQ
Label: Research
Due Date: Thursday, 11/13 by 8AM

Content

1.   Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."

I, Adrienne Alba, reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

Essential Question 
Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

  • Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)
  • Take a stance (It allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)
  •  Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)
2.  Review the following EQs and
  • Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
  • Tell why they do or don't.
 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

This does not follow by the rule of three.

It states out "healthy weight loss" in general, it must be specific in what field or career that this situation occurs in.



 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?\
This follows by the rule of three.
It has a following statement of what the situation it is focusing in and what field it is taken place able to indicate the genre of the problem.

c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?
This follows by the rule of three.
It has a statement that follows through a curiosity of the problem within the career or field and directs towards the effect it will occur to and that would be "hairstyle that best satisfies a customer."

 d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?
This does not follow by the rule of three.
It does not follow by a 'one' solution question, but a varies types of solutions that others will offer their opinion toward to the question. This had lack their stance to support their main idea solution, which is no indicated within this EQ.

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.  The senior team will be meeting with students shortly for EQ revision and approval; you are expected to bring your research notebook to that meeting with your EQ draft written inside in pencil.


EQ: What is the key way to enforce patient compliance to prevent noncompliance related health problems to occur in the pharmacy?

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Blog 9: Lesson 1 Reflection
Title: Lesson 1 Reflection
Label: Presentation
Due Date: Wednesday, November 5th, 2014


Content:




1. Positive Statement
What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?

The one act I truly felt proud about during my presentation is how I spoke to the audience about all the necessary information of patient compliance by giving a loud and confident voice when I explained my lesson. I would say that the main key in having a good presentation is to have a compelling tone of voice to speak about your topic in a more certainty attitude to prove your point. My style of speech is to be loud, strong, and well-informed about my main subject and to show my own personal side. When it comes to presentations, I want to grab the audience's attention by my voice to get them to listen and to understand why I have chosen this topic.


2. Questions to Consider:
      a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-assessment)?

 AE       P          AP       CR       NC =======> P-




  b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component contract.

I gave myself a P- because I, myself felt really confident as I did my presentation, even though deep inside I was extremely nervous. After class, I had asked a few people about what was their view about my presentation. Some people said I was really good on how aggressive I was about my main topic and how I had a strong personality within the basic information I have given. But they also state out that I speak way a little too fast and I need to slow down. I admit that I do get nervous when I am up on stage which I tend to speak fast without notice, this usually occurs when I am being time for a presentation. Since it was a ten minute presentation, I knew that I had a lot of information to say about my topic, but due to the fact that ten minutes can go by fast. Another negative factor I have thought was that I have forgotten to cite the other sources for the  my research information for my topic because I mostly focused on the main information I wanted to give and mentioning about the sources had slipped out from my mind. I did cited one article on where I found one of my solution of Patient Portal it was from “Using Patient Portal to Achieve HIPAA Compliance and Drive Patients Satisfaction”. On the other hand I did had other sources on where I got a more in depth understanding of the definition about patient compliance issue which is from the mentorship, Del’s Pharmacy 1, and my mentor, Andrew Kest. Overall, the only main issue I have is about taking my time when presenting. I need to learn to slow down when speaking and to remember the main information that needs to be added within my lecture time able to keep a balance between ‘what I need to say’ and ‘time limit’. At the end, I felt well-prepared in the beginning of my presentation and I gave the class all the necessary information that I planned to say. More importantly, I gained this feeling that I have grabbed many of the audience's attention during my hook activity which had given me the confidence to continue throughout my presentation, knowing there is nothing in my way to stop me.


3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?

I would say that my introduction was an exciting way to intrigue the audience to make them curious about my topic by giving all of them a part of the small skit. When it comes to presenting, you have to make it interesting for both the audience and yourself, to make the audience part of your act. In my case, I wanted everyone to play a part in the scene able to imagine themselves being part of a patient compliance issue which was I, the pharmacist, telling this person, the patient, that he is taking the medication incorrectly. My hook activity helped my audience to visualize an idea on what is patient compliance. Another idea that helped during my lecture was having small, written phrases to memorize my speech. The night before the presentation, I spend hours on end trying to memorize the necessary information I plan to say. Whenever I time myself, I end up being over ten minutes. Then I planned to delete some certain information I found unimportant to say and left the ones that are I considered major towards to my topic. Yet I had trouble on remembering the basic orders of what I planned to say still, so I written myself note cards that have small phrases to know the specific order of my lecture. The notes actually did helped every time I glanced at them able to know what to say throughout my presentation. This act can be in some use of what and how I should write phrases in the Powerpoint and possible for any small poster boards or notecards I am able to bring along when I have another presentation.


4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

There are many ways I wish I could improve my lesson one if I had a time machine. First, I would help myself to take some breathing exercises to keep my nervousness low or just try to keep myself calm in general. This act can help with my stress relief and I wouldn't stutter often throughout my speech. Another improvement is to practice the speed of my speech to learn to slow down and take my time slowly. It is best I learn the steps on how I can talk calm and slowly able to say all my information when presenting as I try to beat the time limit. Next time I will have someone show me the time of how many minutes I have left during my presentation able to have an ‘up-to-date’ notice of what I am able to do with the remainder of that certain time. Lastly, I would want to write up my cited sources on the poster or my notecards, possible for future Power Point, so I wouldn't be able to forget to mention about them throughout my lecture. But if possible, I would just travel in a week before the presentation to give myself a head start on my practices. It would have been a major use to improve myself through ways of speech, memorization, and knowing what to prevent from my basic knowledge from my previous presentation.