In the modern era, there are few professions that do not to some extent rely on data. Stockbrokers rely on market data to advise clients on financial matters. Meteorologists rely on weather data to forecast weather conditions, while realtors rely on data to advise on the purchase and sale of property. In these and other cases, data not only helps solve problems, but adds to the practitioner’s and the discipline’s body of knowledge.
Of course, the nursing profession also relies heavily on data. The field of nursing informatics aims to make sure nurses have access to the appropriate date to solve healthcare problems, make decisions in the interest of patients, and add to knowledge.
In this Discussion, you will consider a scenario that would benefit from access to data and how such access could facilitate both problem-solving and knowledge formation.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Role of Data in Nursing: Facilitating Problem-Solving and Knowledge Formation
The nursing profession is increasingly relying on data to inform decision-making, solve healthcare problems, and contribute to the body of knowledge. One scenario where access to data can be particularly beneficial is in the management of medication administration errors.
Medication errors are a significant concern in healthcare, leading to patient harm and increased healthcare costs. Access to data can greatly facilitate problem-solving in this area and contribute to knowledge formation. Here’s how:
Scenario: Medication Administration Errors
Imagine a scenario where a nurse identifies a medication administration error in their clinical practice. They administer the wrong drug dose to a patient, resulting in adverse effects. In this situation, access to data can be crucial in several ways:
Identifying Patterns: By having access to comprehensive data on medication administration errors, nurses can identify patterns and trends. They can analyze factors such as the types of medications involved, common causes of errors, and the specific patient populations affected. This analysis can help identify systemic issues and develop targeted interventions.
Root Cause Analysis: Data can aid in conducting a thorough root cause analysis of medication errors. By examining factors such as workflow processes, documentation practices, and communication breakdowns, nurses can identify underlying causes that contribute to errors. This understanding can guide the development of strategies to prevent future occurrences.
Evidence-Based Interventions: Access to data enables nurses to stay informed about evidence-based interventions and best practices for medication administration. They can access research studies, clinical guidelines, and quality improvement initiatives that provide insights into effective interventions for preventing medication errors. This knowledge can inform the implementation of strategies to improve patient safety.
Quality Improvement Initiatives: Data can support quality improvement initiatives by providing a baseline for measuring progress. Nurses can track key indicators related to medication administration errors and monitor changes over time. This data-driven approach allows for the evaluation of interventions and the identification of areas requiring further improvement.
Contributing to Knowledge Formation: By documenting medication errors and their outcomes in a standardized manner, nurses can contribute to the body of knowledge in nursing. Aggregated data from multiple sources can be analyzed at a broader level, leading to research studies that provide insights into contributing factors, prevention strategies, and patient outcomes related to medication administration errors.
In conclusion, access to data in nursing is vital for problem-solving and knowledge formation. The scenario of medication administration errors highlights how data can be utilized to identify patterns, conduct root cause analysis, implement evidence-based interventions, drive quality improvement initiatives, and contribute to the advancement of nursing knowledge. By harnessing the power of data, nurses can enhance patient safety, improve healthcare outcomes, and continuously evolve their practice.
