buy custom Nurses Associate Certification essay

buy custom Nurses Associate Certification essay Nurses associate certification with pay increase, better-paying jobs, respect and improved self-image. However, not all benefits of certification are real. Some people may question the rationale of a nurse having to incur additional expenses in terms of time, money and energy merely to put additional initials in front of his name. This, though, is not where the main problem lies. The main problem is with the perceptions associated with certification. The state of affairs in nursing profession is far from settled and the certification designs to be adopted in future certifications remain uncertain. Tenney, Demoucell and Wians (1992). Woods (2009) notes that in the year 2001, 341,000 certifications were made, spanning in 134 specialties. The certifications were made by 67 different certifying organizations. The main reason for this high number of certifications was the marketing potential that nurses believed, and continue to believe certification has. However, these figures are an indication of a reduction in the number of nurses who have been seeking certification since the early 1990s. According to recent research, specialty nurse training and education can improve the quality of care given to patients. Specialty nurse certification can also improve the job satisfaction of nurses, leading to a sense of empowerment. Additionally, it may result in positive effect collaboration among team members in the healthcare system. Despite the potential for these rewards to accrue to nurses, there is lack of extrinsic value to people who are in the nursing profession, making it unlikely that a higher number of nurses will be attracted into certification programs unless opportunities for recognition and greater compensation are put in place by administrators. Certification brings about intrinsic value to nurses. Intrinsic values are non-tangible benefits such as indication of professional growth, validation of knowledge, personal satisfaction, indication of attainment of a practice standard and a feeling of personal accomplishment. It fails to bring about extrinsic benefits. Although intrinsic rewards by far outnumber intrinsic rewards, extrinsic rewards appear to be the main driving force that motivates nurses into deciding whether to become certified or not. Some of the most referred to extrinsic rewards include increased knowledge, enhanced collaboration between member of the medical profession and improved skills. This research sets out to find out whether nurses are motivated by extrinsic or intrinsic rewards with the basis of investigation being the perceptions that dominate the nurses understanding of extrinsic and intrinsic rewards. This research will be beneficial to all stakeholders of health care, especially those involved in setting up of policy frameworks in the nursing profession. For nurses, this research will shed light on the real benefits of getting specialty certification. For employers, the findings of this research will be useful in setting up frameworks that ensure that the needs of nurses are met, the most important of which is recognition of those nurses who have dedicated their time, money and energy into efforts to get specialty certification. Significance of the Problem. Certification, in most cases, is a matter of a nurses individual efforts. Even in cases where reimbursements and additional payments are made for nurses who pursue certification, this scenario is more of an exception rather than a rule. When nurses register for certification, this results in shortage of nurses, increased call duty on nurses days off and limited time spent on oneself and family. There is need for an assessment to be made on the true cost of certification and whether the accruing benefits are worth the efforts made. Against this backdrop, this research may be a good reference point for policymakers in the healthcare sector. Through proper policies, some fundamental stressors that nurses encounter can be eliminated and nurses may get better rewards for their efforts at certification. Wade (2009) notes that a better understanding of the enticements and interventions that would make more nurses seek certification certified can prove beneficial to the health care industry, patients and the nursing profession. For the nursing profession, the findings of this research have very far-reaching implications. Wade (2009) reports fears that there are too many nurses leaving the profession and at the same time, there are too few nurses entering the profession. However, he expresses the hope implied by recent researches, which indicate that nurses who feel empowered in their work environments, and who are recognized for their contributions are likely to stick to their profession. Certification is one of the ways through which the experience, cmpetence, knowledge and contribution of nurses to the healthcare sector is recognized. Therefore, argues Wade (2009), it has the potential to bring about retention of nurses in the profession. By addressing the issue of perception towards intrinsic and extrinsic rewards of certification, this research highlights the true meaning of this process, what it takes to become certified, the policy implications and most importantly, the potential of certification to bring about satisfaction and retention of nurses. This research has far-reaching theoretical implications on Benners theoretical model, which ranks proficiency from the level of a novice to that of an expert (Benner, 1984 cited in Wade, 2009). According to this model, nurses gain knowledge and develop skills of nursing practice by passing through five levels: novice, advanced beginner, competent nurse, proficient nurse, and expert nursing professional. When nurses opt out of the nursing career on account of lack of satisfaction, Benners model may be seen to be an ineffective tool for explaining this scenario. When there is a proper assessment of the certification factor in a research such as this one, Benners theoretical framework becomes a credible tool of explaining career progression in the nursing profession. Purpose of the Study The aim of this study is to find out whether nurses are motivated to seek certification by extrinsic benefits or extrinsic rewards. The case study method of inquiry will be used will be used to gather qualitative data for purposes of identifying the reasons that motivate nurses into seeking certification. The analysis of these findings will be done in such a way that perceptions about the rewards of certification will be highlighted. Perceptions that nurses have concerning certification determine how motivated the feel to undertake a certification education and exam. For this reason, any study of intrinsic and extrinsic benefits of nursing, whether perceived or real, has to focus on what nurses perceptions about certification really are. The main units of analysis will include The nature of perceptions of empowerment among nationally certified nurses Relationship between professional characteristics and clinical nursing expertise: focus on the role of certification. Perceptions on the value of specialty nursing certification In each unit of analysis, focus will be on the motives that drive nurses into seeking specialty certification and these professions perceive the relationship between empowerment through certification and career progression as described in Benners theoretical model. An assessment will be made on the likelihood of a perceived intrinsic or extrinsic reward driving a nurse into seeking specialty certification. Different relevant case studies will be analyzed based on the gaps in knowledge indicated in the literature review section. Does specialty certification give intrinsic and extrinsic rewards that are necessary for build-up of proficiency from the level of novice to expert among nurses? Definition of Terms Extrinsic benefits-these are the benefits that accrue as extra rewards upon compliance by professionals. They include increased pay, free food at the hospitals cafeteria, free long-distance calls over the hospitals cyber caf, transport, remuneration packages for overtime-hour schedules and so on. Intrinsic benefits Intrinsic values are non-tangible benefits such as indication of professional growth, validation of knowledge, personal satisfaction, indication of attainment of a practice standard and a feeling of personal accomplishment. Intrinsic benefits are very integral sources of job satisfaction. Specialty certificationthis is the mechanism through which the nurses are recognized for their professional qualifications, practice and experience, mainly for purposes of validating clinical competency and bringing about professional growth. Theoretical Framework. Benners theoretical model that involves ranking proficiency from the level of a novice to that of an expert will guide this study. According to this model, as nurses continue to develop skills as well as to gain knowledge through nursing practice, they pass through five levels of proficiency. This theory is based on the proposition that each level is always built heavily upon the experiences that have been generated at lower levels (Benner, 1984). The different levels of nursing described by Benner include novice, advanced beginner, competent nurse, proficient nurse and expert level. These levels are a reflection of a nursses movement from the reliance on abstract principles to repeated use of past education and experience (Benner, 1984) Without a proper understanding of the complexities of acute situations that tend to be very perplexing, a novice nurse is very limited to routine task performance that requires little analysis. A step up from the level of a novice, advanced beginners may have the ability to perform simple emergency tasks within a department such as triaging very simple, straightforward cases as well as recognizing and identifying normal variability in vital signs that are common in clinical scenarios. However, practitioners at the level of an advanced beginner may still be mislead by atypical scenarios, so competent nurses apply critical thinking and analytical skills while assessing multiple relevant elements present in patients condition in order to devise treatment plans encompassing both short-term and long-term goals (Benner, 1984). In Benners theory, emphasis is on education and experience as key factors of helping a nurse move from the level of a novice to that of an expert nurse. In the first unit of analysis entitled The nature of perceptions of empowerment among nationally certified nurses, all the levels of professional development that Benner outlines will be the main reference point. Instances where notions of empowerment do not coincide with the needs of professional growth as outlined by Benner, then such notions will be considered to be perceptions. From this point, it will be easy to refer to these perceptions as the basis of determining their influence on nurses decision to seek specialty certification. Benners theoretical framework will also be used to research the second unit of analysis entitled, Relationship between professional characteristics and clinical nursing expertise: focus on the role of certification. The role of certification in each of Benners stages of professional growth will be succinctly defined. A qualitative analysis of different case studies will make it easy for various points at which nurses start to perceive the need for specialty certification to be identified. In the third unit of analysis, Perceptions on the value of specialty nursing certification, focus will be on the effect of certification towards nurses attitude towards challenges in the process of becoming experts. Although the relationship between specialty certification and competence is yet to be examined by researchers in the medical field (Kendall-Gallagher 2009), there are many case studies from which analysis can be made on these relationships. This research will make use of such secondary data in order to derive analyses and arrive at findings. Moreover, the relationship between competence and safety of patients in the hands of caregivers, which in recent years has attracted a large body of research information, will also be explored. Assumptions and Limitations. The most fundamental assumption in this research is that the research findings of all the research studies where secondary data will be gathered will be accurate. It is impossible for abstract notions used by novice nurses to be quantified, which is why the qualitative method suits this research best. Moreover, at the level of a novice, a nurse may lack exposure to the understanding of the notions of empowerment as they apply to more experienced nurses who are seeking specialty certification. They may also follow the crowd when registering for specialty certification exams. The accuracy of analyses derived from this groups information may be contested. In the first unit of analysis, perceptions will be derived from lack of congruency between notions of empowerment and the need for professional growth. In this case, the respective nurses will be considered to be making moves towards certification using the wrong arguments. However, there could be other underlying motivating factors that may which lie outside the scope of this research. Summary Paragraph. The need to create a work environment that is conducive to nurses is an important issue in healthcare. Nurses, like all other professionals, love opportunities and if they believe that certification brings them closer to where professional opportunities are, they should be encouraged to seek certification. This goes a long way in analyzing researches that have been done before relating to the nursing professional environment, with and without certification. Within this environment, an analysis of nurses perception s towards specialty certification is made. Although it is a nurses sole discretion to decide why to get certification and why not to do so, this professional decision is of national significance, something that this research seeks to exemplify. Buy custom Nurses Associate Certification essay

Biography of Pedro de Alvarado, Conquistador

Biography of Pedro de Alvarado, Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado (1485-1541) was a Spanish conquistador who participated in the Conquest of the Aztecs in Central Mexico in 1519 and led the Conquest of the Maya in 1523. Referred to as Tonatiuh or Sun God by the Aztecs because of his blonde hair and white skin, Alvarado was violent, cruel and ruthless, even for a conquistador for whom such traits were practically a given. After the Conquest of Guatemala, he served as governor of the region, although he continued to campaign until his death in 1541. Fast Facts: Pedro de Alvarado Known For: Conquest and enslavement of indigenous people of Mexico and Latin AmericaBorn: c. 1485, Badajoz, Castile, SpainParents: Gà ³mez de Alvarado, Leonor de ContrerasDied: 1541, in or near Guadalajara, New Spain (Mexico)Spouse(s): Francisca de la Cueva, Beatriz de la CuevaChildren: Leonor de Alvarado y Xicotenga Tecubalsi, Pedro de Alvarado, Diego de Alvarado, Gà ³mez de Alvarado, Ana (Anita) de Alvarado (all illegitimate) Early Life Pedros exact year of birth is unknown: it was probably sometime between 1485 and 1495. Like many conquistadores, he was from the province of Extremadura- the city of Badajoz, in his case. Like many younger sons of minor nobility, Pedro and his brothers could not expect much in the way of an inheritance. They were expected to become priests or soldiers, as working the land was considered beneath them. In about 1510 he went to the New World with several brothers and an uncle. They soon found work as soldiers in the various expeditions of conquest that originated on Hispaniola, including the brutal conquest of Cuba. Personal Life and Appearance Alvarado was blond and fair, with blue eyes and pale skin that fascinated the natives of the New World. He was considered affable by his fellow Spaniards and the other conquistadores trusted him. He married twice: first to Spanish noblewoman Francisca de la Cueva, who was related to the powerful Duke of Albuquerque, and then later, after her death, to Beatriz de la Cueva, who survived him and briefly became governor in 1541. His longtime native companion, Doà ±a Luisa Xicotencatl, was a Tlaxcalan Princess given to him by the lords of Tlaxcala when they made an alliance with the Spanish. He had no legitimate children but did father several illegitimate ones. Alvarado and the Conquest of the Aztecs In 1518, Hernn Cortà ©s mounted an expedition to explore and conquer the mainland, and Alvarado and his brothers quickly signed on. Alvarados leadership was recognized early on by Cortà ©s, who put him in charge of ships and men. He would eventually become Cortà ©s right-hand man. As the conquistadores moved into central Mexico and a showdown with the Aztecs, Alvarado proved himself time and again as a brave, capable soldier, even if he did have a noticeable cruel streak. Cortà ©s often entrusted Alvarado with important missions and reconnaissance. After the conquest of Tenochtitln, Cortà ©s was forced to head back to the coast to face Pnfilo de Narvez, who had brought soldiers from Cuba to take him into custody. Cortà ©s left Alvarado in charge while he was gone. The Temple Massacre In Tenochtitln (Mexico City), tensions were high between the indigenous people and the Spanish. The noble class of Aztecs seethed at the audacious invaders, who were laying claim to their wealth, property, and women. On May 20, 1520, the nobles gathered for their traditional celebration of Toxcatl. They had already asked Alvarado for permission, which he had granted. Alvarado heard rumors that the Mexica were going to rise up and slaughter the intruders during the festival, so he ordered a pre-emptive attack. His men slaughtered hundreds of unarmed nobles at the Festival. According to the Spanish, they slaughtered the nobles because they had proof that the festivities were a prelude to an attack designed to kill all of the Spanish in the city. The Aztecs, however, claimed the Spanish only wanted the golden ornaments many of the nobility were wearing. No matter what the cause, the Spanish fell on the unarmed nobles, slaughtering thousands. The Noche Triste Cortà ©s returned to Mexico and quickly tried to restore order, but the effort was in vain. The Spanish were under a state of siege for several days before they sent Emperor Moctezuma to speak to the crowd. According to the Spanish account, he was killed by stones thrown by his own people. With Moctezuma dead, the attacks increased until the night of June 30, when the Spanish tried to sneak out of the city under cover of darkness. They were discovered and attacked; dozens were killed as they attempted to escape, laden down with treasures. During the escape, Alvarado allegedly made a mighty leap from one of the bridges. For a long time afterward, the bridge was known as Alvarados Leap. Guatemala and the Maya Cortà ©s, with the help of Alvarado, was able to regroup and retake the city, setting himself up as governor. More Spanish arrived to help colonize, govern, and rule the remnants of the  Aztec Empire. Among the loot discovered were ledgers of sorts detailing tribute payments from neighboring tribes and cultures, including several considerable payments from a culture known as the Kiche far to the south. A message was sent to the effect that there had been a change in management in Mexico City but the payments should continue. Predictably, the fiercely independent Kiche ignored it. Cortà ©s selected  Pedro de Alvarado  to head south and investigate, and in 1523 he gathered up 400 men, many of whom had horses, and several thousand indigenous allies. The Conquest of Utatln Cortà ©s had been successful because of his ability to turn Mexican ethnic groups against one another, and Alvarado had learned his lessons well. The Kiche Kingdom, located in the city of Utatln near present-day Quetzaltenango in Guatwasa, was by far the strongest of the kingdoms in the lands that had once been home to the Mayan Empire. Cortà ©s quickly made an alliance with the Kaqchikel, traditional bitter enemies of the Kiche. All of Central America had been devastated by disease in the previous years, but the Kiche were still able to put 10,000 warriors into the field, led by Kiche warlord Tecà ºn Umn.  The Spanish routed the Kiche  in February 1524 at the battle of El Pinal, ending the greatest hope of large-scale native resistance in Central America. Conquest of the Maya With the mighty Kiche defeated and their capital city of Utatln in ruins, Alvarado was able to pick off the remaining kingdoms one by one. By 1532 all of the major kingdoms had fallen, and their people had been given by Alvarado to his men as virtual slaves. Even the Kaqchikels were rewarded with slavery. Alvarado was named  the governor  of Guatemala and established a city there, near the site of present-day  Antigua. He served for 17 years. Further Adventures Alvarado was not content to sit idly in Guatemala counting his newfound wealth. He would abandon his duties as governor from time to time in search of more conquest and adventure. Hearing of the great wealth in the Andes, he set out with ships and men to conquer  Quito. By the time he arrived, it had already been captured by  Sebastian de Benalcazar  on behalf of  the Pizarro brothers. Alvarado considered fighting the other Spaniards for it, but he ultimately allowed them to buy him off. He was named the governor of Honduras and occasionally went there to enforce his claim. Alvarados Cruelty as Described by Las Casas All of the conquistadores were ruthless, cruel and bloodthirsty, but Pedro de Alvarado was in a class by himself. He ordered massacres of women and children, razed entire villages, enslaved thousands, and threw indigenous people to his dogs when they displeased him. When he decided to go to the Andes, he took with him thousands of Central Americans to work and fight for him; most of them died en route or once they got there. Alvarados singular inhumanity drew the attention of  Fray Bartolomà © de Las Casas, the enlightened Dominican who was the Great Defender of the Indians. In 1542, Las Casas wrote A Short History of the Destruction of the Indies, in which he railed against the abuses committed by the conquistadores. Although he did not mention Alvarado by name, Las Casas clearly referred to him: This man in the space of fifteen years, which was from the year 1525 to 1540, together with his associates, massacred no less then five millions of men, and do daily destroy those that are yet remaining. It was the custom of this Tyrant, when he made war upon any Town or Country, to carry along with him as many as he could of the subdued Indians, compelling them to make war upon their Countrymen, and when he had ten or twenty thousand men in his service, because he could not give them provision, he permitted them to eat the flesh of those Indians that they had taken in war: for which cause he had a kind of shambles in his Army for the ordering and dressing of mans flesh, suffering Children to be killed and boiled in his presence. The men they killed only for their hands and feet, for those they accounted dainties. Death Alvarado returned to Mexico to campaign in the Mexican northwest around 1540. In 1541, he died in present-day Michoacn when a horse rolled over on him during a battle. Legacy Alvarado is best remembered in Guatemala, where he is even more reviled than is Hernn Cortà ©s in Mexico. His Kiche opponent Tecà ºn Umn is a national hero whose likeness appears on the 1/2 Quetzal note. Even today, Alvarados cruelty is legendary: Guatemalans who do not know much about their history will recoil at his name. In short, he is remembered as the most vicious of the conquistadores- if he is remembered at all. Still, there is no denying that Alvarado had a profound effect on the history of Guatemala and  Central America  in general, even if most of it was negative. The villages and towns he gave away to his conquistadores formed the basis for  some current  municipal divisions and his experiments with moving conquered people around resulted in some cultural exchange among the Maya. Sources: Dà ­az del Castillo, Bernal.  The Conquest of New Spain.  New York: Penguin, 1963 (original  written circa 1575).Herring, Hubert.  A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present.  New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1962.Foster, Lynn V. New York: Checkmark Books, 2007.de las Casas, Bartolomà ©. An Account, Much Abbreviated, of the Destruction of the Indies, with Related Texts, ed. Franklin W. Knight, tr. Andrew Hurley (Hackett Publ. Co., 2003), pp. 2-3, 6-8.  National Humanities Center, 2006.