How to Write a Q & A for the Hospital Newsletter:

Lee Mendoza asked you to respond to the questions for the next issue of the hospital newsletter’s Wellness Q & A. Research the questions as appropriate so you can ground your answer in science that is easy to understand.

1. Review Lee Mendoza’s email. It may be helpful to print the email and highlight the important points.
   
   
2. Read the questions and determine what is being asked. Meet with your team. Read the questions from the hospital newsletter’s Wellness Q & A column. Start by asking yourselves what exactly you have been asked to do. You may decide to divide up the questions among your team or work on each of them together as a group.
   
   
3. Draft your column for the Wellness Q & A.
   
   
   • Use the Resources available to help you understand the science so you can then explain it in your response. To help you arrive at an answer that will be both thorough and educational, there are several resources available to you. You can review the sample Q & A that your supervisor provided to get an idea of how detailed your response needs to be. Also, you may refer to the FAQ called Thermoregulation: How the Body Controls its Temperature in the Resources section for information on heat stroke that will help you explain the science behind the questions. For help with writing, you may refer to the General Skills Resources for tips.
     
     
   • Take notes as you do research. You may find that there is a lot of science content to grapple with as you prepare to write the column for the newsletter’s Wellness Q & A. So, as you do your research, it may be helpful to take notes. Once you think you have gathered enough information, organize your notes in a structured way to help you prepare to draft your Wellness Q & A for the hospital newsletter. Work with your team to be sure you all understand the science and agree upon what your answers should be for each question.
     
     
   • Write your response. Remember to directly answer each question, grounding your answer in science. Focus your response to each on the specific areas that Lee Mendoza mentioned in her email, while being sure to include an introduction and conclusion to your column that appropriately address the serious nature of heat related illness. This is your opportunity to educate the larger community that the hospital serves, so be as detailed as you can, keeping in mind that your answers should be easy for a layperson (in this case, someone who has no medical knowledge) to understand.

4. Review Your Work.
   
   
   • Did you provide a thorough response to each question?
     
     
   • Did you ground your answers in science?
     
     
   • Did you explain your answers in a way that is easy to understand?

5. Submit Your Work. Submit your response to your mentor, as directed in the Submit your work section of this task.

When referring to a Wikipedia resource, note that while Wikipedia is a valuable resource, unlike some other websites anyone can contribute to or modify the site (whether they're knowledgeable about the topic or not). As a result, the site is subject to constant change by questionable sources. Be sure to cross-check information on Wikipedia with other reputable sites to ensure accuracy.

Thermoregulation: How the Body Controls its Temperature – This overview on thermoregulation explains how the body naturally maintains its temperature and what happens when the body gets too hot or too cold.

What is Heat Stroke? – This page includes an explanation of heat stroke and details related to symptoms and treatments.

Definition of Hyperthermia – This page from Wikipedia offers an overview of hyperthermia (heat stroke) including signs and symptoms, first aid, and prevention.

Definition of Hypothermia – This page from Wikipedia offers an overview of hypothermia, a condition in which the temperature of the body drops below the level required for the body to function normally.

FAQs about Extreme Heat – This page from the Center for Disease Control offers answers to some frequently asked questions related to the impact of extreme heat on the body.