This discussion on stasis theory should help you determine which type of claim you should write for your final assignment, or the Argument Research Project. The Argument Research Project will be introduced later in this module. Your topic is the one you wrote about in your annotated bibliography.

Imagine that you discuss an issue within your topic with someone who disagrees with your point of view. Consider at which level of the stasis theory you anticipate that you would reach stasis, or the place where the agreement stops. To do this, ask yourself the following questions

• Who is your audience? Be as specific as possible.
• Ask a question of fact about your issue. Does it exist? Is it real? Would your audience agree or disagree with your answers to these questions?
• Ask a question of definition about your issue. How would you define the issue/problem? Would your audience agree or disagree with your answer?
• Ask an evaluative question about your issue. Is it good or bad? How serious? Would your audience agree or disagree with your answer?
• Finally, ask a question of policy. What action, if any, should be taken regarding your issue/problem? What needs to happen to address it? Would your audience agree or disagree with your answers?

Discussion Prompts

• Identify the level of stasis (where you disagree with your intended audience) and your audience.
• Create a claim that falls under that category
• For example, if your audience would agree with your answers to the question of fact but disagree with your answers to the question of definition, you would write a definition claim.
• In your responses to others, determine whether the claim falls under the desired category. For example, if your classmate is trying to create a claim of evaluation, their claim in the discussion is one of policy, suggesting how they might revise it. Also, give feedback on whether you agree with your classmates on the level of stasis for their intended audience. Why or why not?

The selected topic is “The implications of understaffing in nursing.” The American Nursing Association (ANA) lists understaffing as one of the main challenges that have impeded quality patient care in nursing. According to ANA, adequate staffing ratios are directly linked to patient safety while insufficient staffing relates to poor patient outcomes such as patient death and lengthened hospital stays. Insufficient staffing is also linked to poor outcomes for nurses.