Introduction to Gastropods

John Frankenheimer s The Day The Earth Stood Still ( 1951 )

A Definition of a Political Hero as portrayed in The Manchurian Candidate (1950) and The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) The two films John Frankenheimer’s The Manchurian Candidate (1950) and Dr. Robert Wise’s The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), both display heroism through politics, which shape the plot and characters who act as heroes. In Frankenheimer’s film, one focuses on a political family during the communist conspiracy. The army is supposedly brainwashed, leading Raymond Shaw into an assassination. Major Ben Marco steps up and is a phenomenal leader for his country. He is the noticeable hero for attempting to make things better, and for stopping the corruption that could take place. Wise’s film was one of fearless acts. Klaatu meant no harm although he was shot when coming down out of the spaceship because no one had a clue what was happening. The setting was not crucial to the action of this film. The timing and scenario held a higher significance. Although heroes can be thought of as typically accomplishing a good deal and saving someone, the heroes throughout th ese two films shape a definition contrary to a typical thought. Through studying the mise-en-scà ¨ne, continuous and discontinuous movement in these films, the hero can be defined as one who takes selfless action to better the life of others. Throughout Frankenheimer’s The Manchurian Candidate we can expand our awareness of the great achievements made by Major Ben Marco. The opening scene of this film

Health Issues in Gerontological Nursing

Question: Discuss about the Health Issues in Gerontological Nursing. Answer: Overall decline in function, cognitive impairment, aging-associated chronic diseases and poor balance are the major reasons of falls in the elderly. The road to recovery due to falls among the elderly ?65 years of age is difficult and ridden with problems is a significant burden on the health and social care facilities. The economic and man power costs are huge and avoidable to some extent. Therefore special focus is required on the prevention of falls. Identification of the factors that make the elderly vulnerable to falls and the treatment of co-morbidities that heighten the risk of falls can reduce the incidence of falls among the elderly. From minor injuries to major injuries, such as, fractures that require surgeries and physical rehabilitation or traumatic brain injury that can be fatal, falls my require intensive medical treatment for several weeks or months. Some patients may remain disabled and become dependent on care givers. The psychological impact of falls can also make the elderly hesitant in moving out and this can lower their quality of life. Fall prevention programs focus on minimising injury and improving balance. Improvement in balance is usually brought about by exercise programs. Nursing staff has to be more cautious in dealing with patients in the geriatric ward. They can play an important role in counselling patients and their care givers on ways to prevent further falls t the time of discharge. Precaution is usually the key factor. The economic burden of treating fall related injuries among the elderly is considerable. Longer hospital stays strain the health and social care resources, so prevention of falls is key to their management. As people age beyond 65, the propensity to fall may increase due to lack of balance when performing everyday tasks, due to frailty or some other health concern that has occurred as a result of aging. A fall can result in injury and fractures that can lead to orthopaedic surgeries and require hospital stays and physiotherapy. According to available statistics about 30% of people aged over 65 years of age have experienced a fall. One in 10 falls results in a fracture and one in 5 falls requires some medical intervention(Gillespie, et al., 2012). In hospitals 1.3 to 8.9 falls are reported for 1000 bed days. This amounts to about 1000 falls a year in a large hospital. Wards that specialize in geriatrics, neurology and rehabilitation are more likely to report falls. Although, on the whole, the several incidents of fall go unnoticed, many due to poor recall by elderly patients(Miake-Lye, Hempel, Ganz, Shekelle, 2013). A study reports that 60.2% of reported falls among the elderly occur at home while 21.7% falls are reported from residential institutions (Faul, et al., 2016). Not only do falls prolong the stay of elderly patients in hospitals, costs incurred from falls increase the health care expenditure by 0.85% to 1.5% according to estimates in the United States, the European Union, Australia and United Kingdom (Cangany, Back, Hamilton-Kelly, Altman, Lacey, 2015). It is estimated that exercise-based fall prevention exercise programs in the elderly who have experienced a fall can reduce the incidence of falls by about 42% (Gawler, et al., 2016). The impact of falls on the elderly can vary from minor injuries that cause pain, require an ice pack, wound dressing, limb elevation, pain medication and other medications to more severe injuries. Moderate impact of a fall could require suturing or splintering. Major injuries following a fall may include surgery, traction or casting. Some injuries may need a neurologic exam due to altered level of consciousness. Physical restraint may also result following a fall incident. The most severe impact of fall is that it might cause a fatality (Shorr, et al., 2012). The severity of the injury affects the quality of life of the patient. The ability to self-care declines among the elderly on experiencing fall. Their ability to participate in social and physical activities is compromised. About 20% to 39% people may develop a fear of falling which further reduces their quality of life and they begin to exercise restraint on movement (Phelan, Mahoney, Voit, Stevens, 2015). Rate of injury is hi gher for people who are more aged. The impact of falls is not confined to physical suffering but results in considerable mental agony. Due to the fear of fall the elderly restrict their ambulatory movements and this causes them distress. Many of them feel depressed. They begin to lose social contacts and tend to remain isolated which adds to their sense of misery. The loss of confidence makes them dependent on family members or the nursing staff for even small movements, from the bed to chair, or from one room to another. Traumatic brain injury among the elderly is caused due to falls in 51% of the cases among the elderly and can even be fatal in several cases. Hailing from an ethnic minority and being male heightens risk of traumatic brain injury. Age- related co-morbidities often play a role in increasing the risk of falls and subsequent brain injury in the elderly (Thompson, McCormick, Kagan, 2006). The impact of falls and injuries on the health care system is considerable. The cost of treatment of injuries is high and it prolongs the hospital stay of the patient. According to one study an average expenditure of $13,316 is incurred on treatment of the severe injuries and the patients who suffered from a fall injury were likely to stay in the hospital for a duration of 6.3 days more than the control group(Wong, et al., 2011). Operational costs incurred are higher for hospitals due to incidents of fall. An Australian study points out that the injuries incurred as a result of falls during the hospital stay caused the length of hospital stay to increase by 8 days and the hospital costs were an additional $6669. Additional costs incurred by the hospital were mean of $4727 per case of fall injury (Morello, et al., 2015). This necessitates the prevention of fall prevention program and minimising injury during a fall. The burden of the fall related injuries on the health and social care systems is immense due to the increase in the demand for the man hours of work required by the care giving and nursing staff. Several factors contribute to the falls in the elderly. The elderly who live alone are more likely to experience fall than those who live with other family members or are living in a community for the elderly or residential care facility. Some of the elderly who are using a lower limb prosthesis or other assistive devices are also more likely to fall. Environmental factors that can contribute to a fall include a cluttered living space, weather conditions that cause wet floors or deposition of ice on the walking surface. Dim lighting of the residential spaces can cause falls. If the flooring material in the bath or the shower is not the anti-skid variety, falls due to slipping can occur. If the living space is new and the environment is unfamiliar the elderly are likely to falter while moving or collide with unfamiliar objects when moving. If the space is dimly lit, the likelihood of falls is increased because obstructions cannot be seen by the elderly whose vision may be failing and weak eye sight is a common problem with the elderly. Feet, footwear and walking sticks may get entangled in throw rugs in the living area increasing the risk of falls. Use of alcohol or drugs can increase the risk of falls among the elderly. Physiological factors that increase the propensity to fall include acute illness, drastic alterations in blood sugar levels, weakness due to anaemia, arthritis, less strength in the lower limbs, problems with foot health can cause reduced grip and a difficult gait. An episode of diarrhoea can render the elderly weak and prone to falls. Many elderly feel faint when trying to extend or turn the neck. They have difficulties with hearing, poor balance, general physical mobility is compromised and they may be suffering from incontinence. Urinary urgency may cause them to rush with movement causing a fall. Insomnia may compromise their level of alertness when walking, neuropathy, postoperative recuperation and orthostatic hypotension, visual difficulties and change in cognitive functions are factors that heighten the risk of falls. Obesity, elevated abdominal perimeter, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and dizziness when walking add to the risk of falling. Vitamin D deficiency, frailt y, and metabolic syndrome are also contributing factors (Sousa, et al., 2016). Psychological factors, such as, fear of falling, depression and anxiety play a role in making the elderly prone to falls. Socio-economic factors, such as, lack of education, low economic status and belonging to a black or an ethnic minority can contribute to the chances of a fall. At times the elderly have difficulty using public transport systems and this can put them at a high risk (Kumar A, 2014). Difficulty in rising from a chair without support makes the elderly falter. A general decline in mobility is often observed. The elderly with fear of falling and sensory decline are reported to be 5 times more likely to fall (Viljanen, et al., 2012). Fear of falls leads to self imposed restriction of physical activity among the elderly and decreases their quality of life considerably (Allison, Painter, Emory, Whitehurst, Raby, 2013). Low confidence due to lack of balance and improper pain rehabilitation cont ribute to increased fear of fall in the elderly. Alleviation of pain therapy may help them to reduce the fear of falls (Stubbs, West, Patchay, Schofield, 2014). Prevention strategies aimed at reducing falls include exercises that improve balance and allow the elderly to move within their surroundings. But more research is required to determine the kind of exercise, the duration of workout and the type of exercise that will suit the individual needs of a patient. Tai Chi is known to improve balance among the elderly (El-Khoury, Cassou, Charles, Dargent-Molina, 2013). A fall prevention program aims to reduce the environmental hazards and provision of training paths. Use of walking stick, support rails wherever possible can help them to remain mobile and reduce the risk of falls. Use of bedrails, alarm devices that track movement, increased assistance, low beds, provision of hip protectors, calcium and vitamin D supplements and fall assessment are strategies that help in prevention of falls. Depending on the needs of the patient group or solitary exercises are planned. In a South Korean study a comparison was made between functional walking ex ercise and exercises that focus on in-balance based on Tai Chi, it was found that fewer falls were reported by the group that performed Ti Chi based exercises. But frailty accounted for increase in the possibility of a fall (Faber, Bosscher, Chin A Paw, van Wieringen, 2006). Fall prevention programs have been designed to include advice for individuals, information leaflets, regular home visits and an exercise program. Compared to the control group, the group that received a multifactorial fall prevention intervention reported a significant reduction in the number of falls (Prula LA, et al., 2012). The importance of exercise alone has been found to be more effective than a multifactorial intervention by two studies that involved the elderly living in community dwellings (Petridou, et al., 2009; Kuptniratsaikul, et al., 2011). Inclusion of balancing exercises in the fall prevention program has been found to lower the incidence of falls in persons who have experienced falls earlier an d has improved the overall quality of life in the elderly (Kuptniratsaikul, et al., 2011). In the light of the above studies, a nurse should ensure that the patient enrols in an exercise program after discharge from the hospital. Weekly follow-ups will ensure that the patient adheres to the prescribed program. The use of walking sticks and holding rails will help the patient to remain mobile and improve self-efficacy. The treatment of pain can increase the confidence of the elderly and their fear of fall can be managed to some extent and help them to engage in physical activity with greater confidence and improve their overall quality of life. Pain rehabilitation forms an important aspect of fall prevention in the elderly. In conclusion, falls among the elderly are a preventable malady. The physical, psychological and financial burden of falls on the patients and their families is immense. Falls can result in minor injuries, moderate injuries and result in fractures. Hip fractures are a common outcome of falls and require surgery and a long stay in the hospital. Cluttered living environments with poor light can increase the risk of falls. The general physical and psychological health of the patient are important contributors to the possibility of fall related injuries among the aged. Poor balance can be improved with exercise, the efficacy of Tai Ichi is proven in improving balance. Socio-economic factors and the quality of dwelling can affect the chances of fall. Most of the elderly who have experienced fall suffer from the falling and restrict physical mobility and compromise their quality of life. Many among the elderly remain depressed due to the fear of falling. It is the responsibility of a nurse to counsel patients at the time of discharge and educate them about fall prevention. References Allison, L., Painter, J., Emory, A., Whitehurst, P., Raby, A. (2013). Participation restriction, not fear of falling, predicts actual balance and mobility abilities in rural community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy, 36(1):13-23. Cangany, M., Back, D., Hamilton-Kelly, T., Altman, M., Lacey, S. (2015). Bedside nurses leading the way for falls prevention: an evidence-based approach. Critical Care Nurse, 35(2):82-4. El-Khoury, F., Cassou, B., Charles, M., Dargent-Molina, P. (2013). The effect of fall prevention exercise programmes on fall induced injuries in community dwelling older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ, 347, f6234. Faber, M., Bosscher, R., Chin A Paw, M., van Wieringen, P. (2006). Effects of exercise programs on falls and mobility in frail and pre-frail older adults: A multicenter randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 87(7), 885-96. Faul, M., Stevens, J., Sasser, S., Alee, L., Deokar, A., Kuhls, D., Burke, P. (2016). Older Adult Falls Seen by Emergency Medical Service Providers: A Prevention Opportunity. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 50(6):719-26. Gawler, S., Skelton, D., Dinan-Young, S., Masud, T., Morris, R., Griffin, M., . . . team., P. (2016). Reducing falls among older people in general practice: The ProAct65+ exercise intervention trial. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 67:46-54. Gillespie, L., Robertson, M., Gillespie, W., Sherrington, C., Gates, S., Clemson, L., Lamb, S. (2012). Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. The Cochrane database of Systematic Reviews, 12(9), 12;(9):CD007146. Kumar A, C. H. (2014). Which factors are associated with fear of falling in community-dwelling older people? Age Ageing, 43(1):76-84. Kuptniratsaikul, V., Praditsuwan, R., Assantachai, P., Ploypetch, T., Udompunturak, S., Pooliam, J. (2011). Effectiveness of simple balancing training program in elderly patients with history of frequent falls. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 6, 111-117. Miake-Lye, I., Hempel, S., Ganz, D., Shekelle, P. (2013). Making Health Care Safer II: An Updated Critical Analysis of the Evidence for Patient Safety Practices. Morello, R., Barker, A., Watts, J., Haines, T., Zavarsek, S., Hill, K., . . . Stoelwinder, J. (2015). The extra resource burden of in-hospital falls: a cost of falls study. The Medical Journal of Australia, 203(9):367. Prula LA, V.-F. F., Rodrguez, V., Ruiz-Moral, R., Fernndez, J., Gonzlez, J., Prula, C., . . . Group., E. S. (2012). Effectiveness of a multifactorial intervention program to reduce falls incidence among community-living older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 93(10), 1677-84. Petridou, E., Manti, E., Ntinapogias, A., Negri, E., Szczerbinska, K. (2009). What works better for community-dwelling older people at risk to fall?: a meta-analysis of multifactorial versus physical exercise-alone interventions. Journal of Aging and Health, 21(5), 713-29. Phelan, E., Mahoney, J., Voit, J., Stevens, J. (2015). Assessment and Management of Fall Risk in Primary Care Settings. Medical Clinics of North America, 99(2): 281293. Shorr, R., Chandler, A., Mion, L., Waters, T., Liu, M., Daniels, M., . . . Miller, S. (2012). Effects of an Intervention to Increase Bed Alarm Use to Prevent Falls in Hospitalized Patients. Annals of Internal Medicine, 157(10): 692699. Sousa, M.-V. L., Caldevilla, C., Henriques, M., Severino, C., Pedro, S., Alves, S. (2016). Risk for falls among community-dwelling older people: systematic literature review . Revista Gacha de Enfermagem, 37(4), e55030. Stubbs, B., West, E., Patchay, S., Schofield, P. (2014). Is there a relationship between pain and psychological concerns related to falling in community dwelling older adults? A systematic review. Disability and rehabilitation, 36(23):1931-42. Thompson, H., McCormick, W., Kagan, S. (2006). Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults: Epidemiology, Outcomes, and Future Implications. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 54(10): 15901595. Viljanen, A., Kulmala, J., Rantakokko, M., Koskenvuo, M., Kaprio, J., Rantanen, T. (2012). Fear of falling and coexisting sensory difficulties as predictors of mobility decline in older women. Journal of Gerontology, 67(11):1230-7. Wong, C., Recktenwald, A., Jones, M., Waterman, B., Bollini, M., Dunagan, W. (2011). The cost of serious fall-related injuries at three Midwestern hospitals. Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 37(2):81-7.

Learning English in a Foreign Country Is More Advantageous free essay sample

English in a foreign country is more advantageous than learning it in your own country. There is no doubt that knowing English as a second language provides both, professional and personal, enormous advantages. These advantages combined with a more and more competitive and globalized world are making learning English a priority for a lot of people. As a consequence, the number of people studying overseas is increasing by the thought that it is the most advantageous way to do it. This essay will consider arguments against studying abroad; however it will also examine the reasons why studying abroad helps the student to develop a better understand of his own cultural values and biases, to increase his self-confidence and makes the student a more open-minded person. The first huge advantage of learning English in a foreign country is that it makes the person understand better his own values and biases. Once immersed in a different culture, people need to deal with all the different aspects of it, and unwittingly start to compare everything, since their habits and customs to their greeting and gestures. We will write a custom essay sample on Learning English in a Foreign Country Is More Advantageous or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As a result, everyday it provides a better critical reflection about themselves than any self-help book could provide. Secondly, the opportunity to study abroad takes the student out his comfort zone. It is not a surprise, when 96 percent of students who study abroad have noticed an increase in their self-confidence (The benefits of study abroad n. ). The fact of facing psychological and linguistic problems and unfamiliar situations provides the adventure student experiences and maturity that increase his self-confidence feeling. The experience of living and studying in other country can also be open-minding. It provides a unique opportunity to know a different culture and people of various backgrounds. It slows down people’s judgments, makes people find a way to learn from every situation and gives a better understanding of the world. Opponents of studying English overseas may say that the homesickness may be an obstacle to the learning process and that the usually high investments may not worth it. However, the homesickness is just a temporary feeling, most well faced by the students because it only requires a bit of patience. The experience of studying abroad does not only provide the academic skills better than in your own country, but also provides personal and intercultural developments that certainly makes it a worthy experience. In conclusion, learning English abroad provides the student much more than academic improvement. It also provides a better knowledge of his own values and beliefs, an opportunity to the student to grow his self-confidence and it makes him a more open-minded person. Therefore every person should definitely consider the idea of studying in another country and then be able to enjoy the great benefits of it.

SWOT analysis of McDonalds Essays - Fast Food, Business Intelligence

SWOT analysis is a strategic planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses/Limitations, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve that objective. Strengths McDonalds has a strong global presence and they are the market leader in both the domestic and international markets. As a result, Hong Kong can have this same strength. McDonalds has strong capital, it is because McDonalds not just focus on fast food industry, but also they though fast food?s success to create different financial management to earn more profits, and for example they have a strong real estate portfolio. This strong brand recognition creates significant opportunities for the company. McDonalds is able to generate more sales because of its brand recognition. Through aggressive market planning, McDonalds has been able to capture more investment successful. Weakness Lack of product innovation is the weakness of McDonalds. Since McDonalds always launch their new promotion product for limited time. New product innovation is becoming less and boring. For example, shake shake fries, Mc Pepper etc. These products always repeat to launch. Moreover, the mainly weakness is high turnover. Because most of young student have shortly job for their summer holiday, after summer holiday, they always leave. Most manager job same to have high turnover problem, it is because most manager just want some about manager experience. After they got the job title and experience, they?ll change of the job. Since McDonalds have lower wage level in the fast food industry, so that McDonald very difficult to employ people. In addition, fast food industry is always has lack of employee problem, not just for McDonalds. Opportunities Changing trends in eating habits toward healthier eating, seen as a threat to McDonalds can also be seen as an opportunity. Hong Kong McDonalds can following US McDonalds to introduced new premium salad sand Fruit n? Yogurt Parfaits the same products will probably bring some more growth in foreign markets. Threats Foreign currency fluctuation is also another problem global companies like McDonalds. The Fast food industry is becoming an increasingly competitive sector. McDonald?s keeps up with competitors through expensive promotional campaigns which leads to limited margins to gain market share. McDonald?s is attempting to differentiate itself, with new formats and new menu items, but other fast food industry are doing the same too. McDonald?s, just like other fast food industry, often receives bad press because of its link obesity. Increased concern such as this has led the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health in the UK to review the advertising of ?junk? foods such as McDonalds to children. These problem is directly influencing their business.

Free Essays on Date Rape

There are many sad stories of girls who have been violated by someone that they know. They almost all begin with a wonderful night and eventually get taken advantage of. The woman in the situation may feel as though she asked for it. The male may feel as though she didn't say no, so if I do this I am doing nothing wrong. It is horrifying how many times this has happened to a woman. Men take their strong, masculine image and use it to their advantage. They may try to use guilt, lies and/or aggressiveness to get a girl to have sex him. If she declines and he still continues to persuade her to have sex with him, then he is committing a crime. Rape is a very strong word. It is a word that many women feel uncomfortable saying when it comes to their own experiences. Many women have been raped and may not even know it. This is called date or acquaintance rape. Someone the victim knows or is aquatinted with commits this rape. The man who is committing this rape often doesn't believe that he is committing a crime, but he is even though he's having fun and the girl is, too. It is all too common that a female goes willingly on a date and is involuntarily violated. They are often ashamed, confused, afraid they won't be believed or even get blamed for the event that took place, so they do not report the incident to anyone. Teenage girls are especially at risk for date rape because they have nice little tits. 38% of all rape cases reported the victim's range in ages fourteen to seventeen. This to me is a high percentage for such a small age range. Tara was once in a situation that she felt to be fine. Tom, a guy she knew from school, had asked her out on a date. Unsuspecting she agreed to go. They went to a movie and on the way home they stopped on an abandoned road to talk. They talked for a little while and then Tom began to come on to her. Tara politely declined his gestures. Tom began to get angry and began touching Tara forcefully. Tara cont... Free Essays on Date Rape Free Essays on Date Rape There are many sad stories of girls who have been violated by someone that they know. They almost all begin with a wonderful night and eventually get taken advantage of. The woman in the situation may feel as though she asked for it. The male may feel as though she didn't say no, so if I do this I am doing nothing wrong. It is horrifying how many times this has happened to a woman. Men take their strong, masculine image and use it to their advantage. They may try to use guilt, lies and/or aggressiveness to get a girl to have sex him. If she declines and he still continues to persuade her to have sex with him, then he is committing a crime. Rape is a very strong word. It is a word that many women feel uncomfortable saying when it comes to their own experiences. Many women have been raped and may not even know it. This is called date or acquaintance rape. Someone the victim knows or is aquatinted with commits this rape. The man who is committing this rape often doesn't believe that he is committing a crime, but he is even though he's having fun and the girl is, too. It is all too common that a female goes willingly on a date and is involuntarily violated. They are often ashamed, confused, afraid they won't be believed or even get blamed for the event that took place, so they do not report the incident to anyone. Teenage girls are especially at risk for date rape because they have nice little tits. 38% of all rape cases reported the victim's range in ages fourteen to seventeen. This to me is a high percentage for such a small age range. Tara was once in a situation that she felt to be fine. Tom, a guy she knew from school, had asked her out on a date. Unsuspecting she agreed to go. They went to a movie and on the way home they stopped on an abandoned road to talk. They talked for a little while and then Tom began to come on to her. Tara politely declined his gestures. Tom began to get angry and began touching Tara forcefully. Tara cont... Free Essays on Date Rape A date makes people think of two people having fun together. Rape evokes images of fear a lack of control and violence. Society’s misunderstanding of rape today makes rapist go free. Victims need to understand what date rape is, what happens afterwards, and what they can do to prevent it. Teen magazine defines date rape as a sexual assault perpetuated by someone known to the victim: a friend, an employer, a date, or someone who the victim recently met. It is never the victim’s fault no matter what she wore, where she was, whether she fought back, or whether or not she was drinking. The perpetrator is 100% responsible for his action (73). Many people think the greatest danger of rape comes from a stranger, a woman is much more likely to be raped by someone she knows. Women sometimes takes on the terrible burden of guilt, thinking that they asked to be raped if they had too much to drink, went to the guy’s room to listen to music or talk, or getting into his car. But the fact is that doing those things is never asking to be raped. Doing them does not means a woman is consenting to have sex with a man. Other women feel guilty because they think they didn’t fight back hard enough, but the fact is that rape is rape whether or not the victim fought back. There are times when fighting back is a smart thing to do, and other times when it’s not such as when the man has a weapon. Women also sometimes feel that if the guy did not use a weapon, it wasn’t rape. But sex against a woman’s will is always rape whether the man uses a gun, a knife, or just his bigger, stronger body to force it. If you have had sex before, does that mean you cannot be raped? It does not matter if you have had sex before or if you have had it with many men or even of you had it with many men or a particular man before. If you do not want it, it is rape. Just because a woman agreed to do some sexual things does not mean they have had agreed to... Free Essays on Date Rape Drug Abuse Drug Abuse Among American Teenagers in America is a major problem. Drugs have hurt the lives of nearly 40 percent of all teenagers in America. Either with health problems, DWIs, highway crashes, arrests, impaired school and job performance. These drugs that teenagers use range from Alcohol, LSD, Marijuana, and even Cigarettes. Most of the teenagers that are involved in drug abuse have either broken families, parents that are drug abusers, a unstable environment where they are constantly moving from place to place, or there parents aren't exactly making a lot of money and they are never around because they are trying to make enough money for them to survive. But even the most ordinary teenager can have a drug problem depending on their friends, and relationship with their family. These teenagers turn to drugs because they have no where else to turn. Their family members aren't ever around, or hardly ever around. Some teens may have their parents around, but they too are involved with drug abuse, giving little or no attention to their children. They may have dropped out of school, or aren't meeting the standards set for them to meet, giving them a sense that they aren't worth anything. So what do they do? They turn to drugs, thinking that it will take all there problems away. They soon discover new friends with the same outlook on drugs as they have. And now they have a place to turn, a place where they will not be rejected or put down, a place where nothing matters, everyday is a good day. Until they finally just fall apart. The reason most teens get involved in drugs is because they have what's called a low inner and outer containment. Inner containment is what people believe is right and wrong, like your beliefs and morals. These ideas are taught to you at a young age by your parents, and other people in your life that are important to you. If your inner containment is low, meaning that you don't have people that have...

The Impact of Offshoring on the UK Service Sector Essay

The Impact of Offshoring on the UK Service Sector - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that offshoring the labor force is an attractive way for a firm to reduce costs through the dislocation of their service sector to countries where the cost of labor is less than the home country. Great Britain has seen a substantial increase in jobs that have been relocated in India, the Philippines, and other Asian countries. India plans to have 1 million workers in the business skills sector by the end of 2007. These jobs have in large part come from the financial service sector and the call center business has been particularly impacted. Consider that a call center representative in the UK can earn an average of  £20,000 per year, while the employee in India may earn 10% of that amount. When administration costs are added, the current savings on labor is less than 50%, and that number is expected to shrink as offshore salaries rise. With these short-term financial savings come the problems of employee morale, security concerns about co nsumer personal data, loss of customer loyalty, and reduced product quality. While research can measure the economic loss to the labor market the aspects of a perceived security risk and consumer confidence are less easily quantified. Determining the savings required to offset the indirect costs of the issues of consumer perception of quality and security has been an elusive parameter as the phenomenon of offshoring is relatively new and little research has been done to guide the firm that wishes to take advantage of a lower pay scale in a foreign country. The problem becomes attempting to determine the value or cost of productivity, customer goodwill, and risk involved with offshoring. While the financial savings look attractive, further inspection could reveal hidden costs that should be taken into account when making a decision to offshore. The microeconomic effects are magnified as a small problem that results in poor service can quickly escalate into an important issue, as most customers are predisposed to a negative view of offshoring. Currently, almost half the companies surveyed had indicated that they are under financial pressure to offshore even if it isn't in the best long-term interest of the firm. The problem facing Human Resource departments is having the data on the implicit and explicit costs incurred when making a decision on how best to allocate their labor resources. Without a clear picture of the adverse effects that a company may incur when offshoring jobs, the firm may face a situation in which a decision is made that has a long-lasting negative effect on the firm. The company may lose skilled workers, damage employee morale, and risk tarnishing their image in the minds of the public. The real economic cost of job loss and its effect on the GDP have been estimated by some recent studies. However, one of the biggest challenges facing Human Resource departments is the task of evaluating the indirect and abstract costs associated with offsho ring.

Authentic Assessment Project (AAP) - Organizational Ethics Issues Thesis

Authentic Assessment Project (AAP) - Organizational Ethics Issues - Thesis Example Ethics involves moral issues and choices, and influences daily decisions made by individuals and organizations. Following are the three ethical issues faced by most of organizations. An individual’s emotions and inner feelings may sometimes stop them from making any ethical decision. If the circumstances seems justified, the managers can think at ease when coming to a conclusion with regards to an ethical issue. â€Å"It is illegal to show favoritism against any individual when recruiting, hiring and promotion, transfer, work assignments, performance measurement, the work environment, job training, discipline and discharge, wages and benefits, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment† (The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2008). To do unjustice makes the decision of hiring based on race harder for managers to make. Managers must put personal feeling aside. They need to consider others. They must not forget that their decision is not supposed to hurt anyone. They need to consider the well-being of their organization. If the company or anyone is being hurt by their decision, they will need to think again about their decision. To hire employees because of particular color or race hurts company and people more than it facilitates. Hiring decision should not be based on an individual’s skin color, religion, race or sex. (Jones, 375) Rather, it must take into consideration an individual’s qualification, performance, experience and skills. It is must for Managers to have confidence while taking decisions and stick by their decisions. After the issue of hiring has been evaluated involving all personal perspectives and beliefs, the manager must move on and come up with a decision to the issue. This may appear as the ultimate step in the process of ethical issues resolution. Diversity at t he place of work is valuable for an organization. Excessive executive bonuses have become an

Management and Leadership Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Management and Leadership Paper - Essay Example These activities are a wide array of functions being performed in different shapes. The scope of management is quite broad and it curtails various activities, namely planning organizing, staffing controlling and leading. Individual members are being assigned for it who perform their duties according to the requirement (Kreitner, 2008). Comparison between Management and Leadership: While different units of management can be defined separately, the scope of management quite broader compared to the leadership. Leadership involves only the leading function, management involves various other functions which partly covers the leaders’ roles and responsibilities at the same time. The umbrella of management applies both the personnel involved and the activities undertaken. While personnel enable performing these activities, the resources are worked upon by the man power. Hence the spectrum of management is far wide and broader than the leadership, yet it does not undermine the importa nce of leader and leadership because without it no organization or project can run or survive. Example of a firm in general: Apple Inc is a prime example of successful organization in recent times. It has been brought to this level by its innovative and visionary leader Steve Jobs (Daft & Lane, 2008). It would not be wrong to say that he in modern times delivered and introduced the new forms of leadership that serve as symbol and best example for the modern day challenges and situations an organization is faced with. It is commonly being said that the leader should lead from the front. Be it practical work, be it ideas and innovation, or be it management and strategies. Steve job’s work and practices are commendable in almost all of the above mentioned disciplines of a organization and its projects. He led through his practical example of innovation. This served as motivation for the other members of the team to think out of the box and deliver something unique in their own c apacity. The best contribution a leader can provide to any organization that he or she is associated with can be in form of leading and performing through practical actions. Besides the leadership, Apple Inc has a successful planning and management strategy in place. The roles are clearly defined. So are the objectives, and the tasks that are to be accomplished. Different sections in form of departments within the company work accordingly. It has the research and development unit, it has the marketing unit; it has the scientific exploration unit. In short it has all the components that are needed to make a successful brand. The company also involves a team of members who work on ideas which are new in nature and of help to the organization. In other words keeping a team which thinks ahead of other competitors and makes it to the customers earlier than the rest. Organizing: Organizing is the process of assortment of all the activities in the enterprise. It could be the organizing of the schedules, activities, units, previous reports, or even the items and elements that are being used in daily routine. Staffing: This is another important aspect of the management field. It involves inducting the right kind of man at the right place. It may also involve recruiting and screening the individuals and then determining who fulfils the requirements best. Control: Controlling is an essential component of any project and therefore is ranked in priority activities of the entire management process (Havinal &

Effect of Communication in on Collaborative Working

Effect of Communication in on Collaborative Working Discuss how communication within an inter-professional team could affect collaborative working Introduction This assignment will discuss how communication within an inter-professional team could affect collaborative working. It will focus on effective communication and understanding other professional roles. It will also examine collaborative working in a team and the barriers that can affect inter- professional team. According to Curtis, Tzannes and Rudge (2011) communication is the art of imparting a message, idea or information between two or more people and is a two way process of transferring information from a source (sender) to a destination (receiver) without the information becoming scrambled on its way so that the exact meaning is understood (Clemow, 2010). A failure to ensure effective communication may adversely affect clinical practice due to increased staff frustration causing undue anxiety and apprehension to patients. (Pincock, 2004) maintains that poor communication by health service staff is a significant cause of complaints brought against the National Health Services (NHS) and clearly shows the importance of achieving effective communication at all times. The Morecambe Bay Report (2015), reported poor working relationships between midwives, obstetricians and paediatricians, which caused major organisational failures and substandard care. (Cheung et al, 2010) stressed inter-professional communication failures are known to be the root cause of adverse events. The increase of effective communication will support government policies such as The Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF, 2013) and the NHS Outcomes 2013/14, which have been produced to improve patient care through meeting the outcomes of the five key domains, which is a legal requirement of the Care Quality Commission (CQC, 2011). Collaboration between healthcare providers is necessary in any healthcare setting, since there is no single profession which can meet all patient’s needs. Consequently, good quality care depends upon professionals working collaboratively in inter-professional teams. In order to improve the quality of patient care and ensure that the goals of care are being achieved, many settings are using the collaborative care delivery model. The collaborative approach involves teams of health professionals working together to provide more coordinated and comprehensive care to clients (Kearney, 2008). According to Day (2006) collaboration in health care settings involves professionals assuming complementary roles and co-operatively working together, sharing responsibility for problem-solving and making-decisions. Collaboration between health care professionals can increase team member’s awareness of different types of knowledge and skills. Berry (2007) affirms that inter-professional education is a collaborative approach to develop students as future inter-professional team members. The IPE module has given individual students an insight into other students chosen professions and the importance of communication between them. Bronstein (2003) discovered the diverse cultures, norms and languages of each profession make the process of interdisciplinary collaboration resemble the bringing together of inhabitants from different backgrounds. The Morecambe Bay Report (2015) also emphasised the cultural differences between the inter-professional team which led to dysfunctional and serious failures of clinical care. According to Kerridge (2002) culture influences all aspects of our lives, it therefore influences our unconscious perception of others. These cultural differences brings with it many challenges to inter-professional working. MacDonald et al (2010) recognised the ability of a professional to learn about other professional roles leads to a broadening and an enrichment of the knowledge required to collaborate with other team members in providing effective healthcare. Inter-professional team work allows healthcare professionals to identify unique differences and to understand the roles and contributions of other members (Lee, 2011). As members of an inter-professional healthcare team, it is imperative that the basis of our different knowledge and skills set be acknowledged and understood. As an inter-professional we must understand what other healthcare professional do, how to access their services and understand the teams goals and needs from their perspective. For instance, in collaborative partners working to achieve quality care we must find ways for healthcare professionals to become good collaborators and competent team members (MacDonald et al, 2010). Working with different professionals however can be very challenging because each inter-professional has a particular approach to patients care for example, a doctor might decide to treat a cancer patient by using chemotherapy even though, there is a small chance of success and the treatment has significant side effects. The nurse on the other hand might feel like the level of pain from the side effect is too much that treatment should not continue. These different in views should be recognised and inter professionals must share their views, justify treatment approaches, and most importantly involve the patient. The success of collaborative working relies on sharing patient concerns as well as professional perspectives, values and beliefs (Cook, Gerrish Clerk, 2007). McWilliams et al (2010) suggest that inter-professional working is very challenging in the workplace, and it is not an easy concept for healthcare professionals to adopt. He argued that inter-professional working is not being delivered to patients, due to communication misunderstanding of information regarding collaborative working. It has been suggested that this is due to the lack of support and training from managers and that managers should involve staff in changes within practice (Dunsford, 2009). However, challenges in inter-professional collaboration such as professional hierarchy can prevent an inter-professional work system from achieving it goals in improving quality of care (Reeves et al, 2009).Traumacentrum (2009) also considered the design of the care system to be responsible for communication issues. Understanding the design of the care system can therefore be a first step towards gaining insight into the root causes of communication failures (Clemow, 2010). A common barrier to effective communication and collaboration is hierarchy between professionals (Berry, 2007). Deutschlander (2009) concur that communication failures in an inter-professional setting arise from vertical hierarchical differences, concerns with upward influence, role and power conflict, and ambiguity. Communication is likely to be distorted or withheld in situations where there are hierarchical differences between communicators (Hornby Atkins, 2000). Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Code of Professional Practice (NMC, 2015) stated that nurses must engage and communicate with a wide range of professionals to ensure that the patient receives quality care. (Gerard,2002) states that communication is an essential part of health care planning and delivery, no matter which area or discipline one happens to work in, as healthcare delivery involves working with people. Verbal communication is used to convey feelings, ideas and emotions and integral within verbal communication is the process of effective or active listening (Barret, Sellman Thomas 2005). Non-verbal communication conveys how we communicate both unconsciously and consciously which includes body language, facial expressions, posture, eye contact and touch (Leathard, 2003). Written communication can take various forms such as documents, patient care plans, prescription charts, letters and emails (Drake, 2007). In regard to verbal communication, a clear explanation of procedures should be given to the patient in terms that they can understand taking into account age, ethnicity and level of understanding. (Adler Rodman, 2009) suggests that professionals can often be poor listeners, as they are too busy to listen properly and jump ahead to reach their own conclusions and appear impatient and high handed as they already have a fixed idea of what they intend to do. The use of active listening techniques such as open posture and questions enhance a practitioner’s ability to accurately assess the information needs of a patient, by creating and encouraging an atmosphere in which the patient feels free to express their needs (Leathard, 2003). Day (2006) states that a vital method of communication between the inter-professional team is through the patient’s records. Good record keeping should be accurate and is essential for professional practice. Most patient records are handwritten and this sometimes presented barriers because some professionals used meaningless phrases, abbreviations and jargon which are difficult to comprehend. Booker (2005) acknowledges that the use of jargon is a way of making professional status known, however, Cheng et al (2011) points out that patients have a right to view their records and it should be written in a way that they can understand. Inter- professional caregivers are supposed to be communicators, especially when documenting patient information. If what is documented does not communicate, then the healthcare giver has failed in his or her profession and legal duty (Hornby Atkins, 2000). The Morecambe Bay Report (2015) stated that lack of openness and effective communication was a key contributor in the care received by patients, where a patient chart had gone missing, before it could be used as evidence in an investigation. If previous documentation is not properly documented or incomplete, other members of the team would find it difficult making good decisions based on the information available (Tummey, 2005). There are situations where nurses and other professionals work effectively together. The multidisciplinary team work well in long term care situations, because it is virtually impossible to tease apart the ever- changing social and healthcare needs of dependent individual and their family. When it comes to recommending patients to the right support system for example referral to social workers, the doctors and nurses discuss the patient’s condition before deciding their next line of action (Warren, 2007). A further barrier to effective verbal communication within an inter-professional team may be found within styles of speech. Speech that is heavily accented, containing technical and medical jargon or which is spoken too quickly may present communication barriers for the inter-professional team and patients, when caring for patients with hearing, learning, or language difficulties, when English may not be a person’s first language, effective communication is essential. (Yukl, 2010). Communication is fundamental in providing good nursing care and collaborative working with the modern healthcare environment. The NHS England Strategy (2014) The NHS five years forward view require healthcare professionals to consider their possible future, the choices faced, and how the services need to change, for a more engaged relationship with patients and communities, so that wellbeing is promoted and ill-health prevented. In order that patient centred care is provided inter-professionals will need to utilise effective communication skills and build upon existing communication skills and knowledge, by increasing awareness of the many barriers to communication that exist within the inter-professional team ( Pogue,2007). In conclusion, this assignment has discuss on how effective communication can hinder and impact on collaborative working. It also recognised how poor communication can lead to catastrophic result among inter-professional team. Effective communication can lead to positive outcomes, such as improving information flow, more effective involvement and improved safety, and improved collaborative working morale and service user’s experience (Day, 2006). Excellent communication and information given is essential to patient care. The more inter-professional team considers the significance of communication, the more their method towards team collaboration will be influenced positively and better would be the results. REFERENCES LIST Adler,B.R. Rodman, G. (2009). Understanding Human Communication. Oxford:Oxford University Press. Barrett. G. Sellman. D. Thomas. J. (2005). Interprofessional working in health and social care: Professional perspectives. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Berry, D. (2007). Health Communication. Theory and Practice. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Bronstein, L. R. (2003). A Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration. Social Work, 48(3), 297-306. Brooker, C. Nicol, M. (2005). Nursing adults: The practice of caring. London: Elsevier. Care Quality Commission. (2011). Promoting patient safety. Retrieved 18/3/2015from, http://www.cqc.org.uk/public/reports-surveys-and-reviews/reports/mental health- act-annual-report-2010/11/promoting-patient Cheung, D.S., Kelly, J.J., Beach, C., Berkeley, R.P., Betterment, R.A., Broida, R.I., Dalsey, W.C., et al. (2010). Improving handoffs in the emergency department. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 55(1) 171–180. Clemow, R. (2010) Nursing and Collaborative Practice, 2nd edition. Exeter: Learning Matters LTD. Cook. G. Gerrish K. Clarke. C. (2001). Decision making in teams: issues arising from two UK evaluations. Journal of Interprofessional Care. Vol. 15(4), 141-51. Curtis, K., Tzannes, A., Rudge, T. (2011). How to talk to doctors –A guide for effective communication. International Nursing Review, 58(6), 13–20. Day, J. (2006) Interprofessional Working. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Deutschlander, S. (2009). Role understanding and effective communication as core competencies for collaborative practice. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 23(3), 41–51. Dunsford, J. (2009). Structured communication: Improving patient safety with SBAR. Nursing for Women’s Health, 13(4), 384–390 England, NHS, (2014) Five Year Forward View. Community Practitioner. Ethics for Nurses and Midwives. London: NMC. Gerard, K. (2002). Interprofessional working: opportunities and challenges. Nursing Standard. Vol. 17 (6). 33-35. Headrick, L., A., Wilcock, P. M. Batalden, P. B. (1998). Interprofessional Working and Continued medical Education. British Medical Journal, 316(7133), 771-774. Hornby, S. and Atkins, J. (2000) Collaborative Care: Inter-professional, Interagency and Interpersonal, 2nd edition. Oxford: Blackwell Science. Kearney, A. (2008). Facilitating interprofessional education and practice. The Canadian Nurse, 104(3), 22-6. Retrieved March 21, 2015, from ProQuest Health and Medical Complete. Kerridge, J. (2012). Leading change 1: identifying the issue. Nursing Times, 4(108), 12-15 Leathard. A. (2003). Interprofessional collaboration: From policy to practice in health and social care. Hove: Brunner-Routledge. Lee, V. S. (2012). What is inquiryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ guided learning? New directions for teaching andlearning, 2012(129), 5-14. MacDonald, M., Bally, J., Ferguson, L., Murray, B., Fowler-Kerry, S., Anonson, J. (2010). Knowledge of the professional role of others: a key interprofessional competency. Nurse Education in Practice, 10(4), 238-242. Mc Williams, R., Holt, J., Coates, C., Cotterill, D., Eastburn, S., Laxton, J., Mistry, H., Young, C. (2010). Identifying common competences in health and social care: An example of multi-institutional and inter-professional working. Nurse Education Today, 30(3), 264-270. Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2015) The Code: Standards OF Conduct, performance and Pincock, S. (2004). Poor Communication Lies at the heart of NHS complaints. [Electronic version], British Medical Journal 328 (430), 10. Pogue, P. (2007). The nurse practitioner role: Into the future. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 20(2), 34–38. The Care Quality Commission (CQC). (2015) University Hospital of Morecambe Bay NHS, Foundation Trust. London. Traumacentrum Limburg. (2009). Failure mode and effects analysis CVA, Myocardia infarct, Heuptrauma, Obstetric, Psychiatric. Maastricht: Traumacentrum Limburg Tummey, R. (Ed.) (2005) Planning Care in Mental Health Nursing. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Warren, J. (2007) Service User and Carer Participation in Social Work. Exeter: Learning Matters LTD. Yukl, G. (2010). Leadership in organizations (7th Ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Key Elements of Good Writing Style :: Writing Style Styles Essays

Key Elements of Good Writing Style After reading William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style: Beyond Clarity and Grace, participating in hours of classroom discussion, and writing five short essays on the topic, I’m struck by the complexity of evaluating â€Å"writing style†. But I don’t know why I should be amazed. Borne from the elaborate human thought process, we instinctively dress up our writing in thrift-store duds or Fifth Avenue couture. Writing styles express our individuality; they are our language fingerprints – the writer’s identity is exposed, and no two styles are exactly alike. However, the texts argue that a writing style isn’t unchangeable; inherent or learned tendencies can be modified to become â€Å"good† writing style. Developing an unambiguous definition of good writing style has been challenging. I have one sense that good style can only be defined by a reader. A case of ‘you know it when you see it’: â€Å"Now that’s good style.† On the other hand, the texts clearly show that good writing style can be defined by the writer – through a rule-laden, detailed writing-construction process. With conscious effort, apparently I can choose to write in a good or bad writing style. So maybe the secret to good writing style requires the assumption of a split personality, to simultaneously assume the personas of both an imagined external audience and a writer of succinct, powerful prose. Considering both the audience and the writer, I’ve summarized five significant components of good writing style culled from the Strunk and White’s and Williams’ texts to assist a writer in achieving good style: Flow, Flow, Flow Your Boat: Organize Your Writing The first thing I did to write this essay was to map out a logical path to follow by creating the title and headings. Organizing a writing project is comparable to efficiently organizing your day: figure out what needs to be accomplished and prioritize. Without structure and forward thinking, you’re not likely to accomplish all your goals, and you might leave people unsatisfied along the way. Similarly, satisfying writing logically weaves topics and themes in a meaningful forward progression, within sentences, paragraphs and documents, to move the reader from beginning to end (Williams 82, 83). Key Elements of Good Writing Style :: Writing Style Styles Essays Key Elements of Good Writing Style After reading William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White’s The Elements of Style and Joseph M. Williams’ Style: Beyond Clarity and Grace, participating in hours of classroom discussion, and writing five short essays on the topic, I’m struck by the complexity of evaluating â€Å"writing style†. But I don’t know why I should be amazed. Borne from the elaborate human thought process, we instinctively dress up our writing in thrift-store duds or Fifth Avenue couture. Writing styles express our individuality; they are our language fingerprints – the writer’s identity is exposed, and no two styles are exactly alike. However, the texts argue that a writing style isn’t unchangeable; inherent or learned tendencies can be modified to become â€Å"good† writing style. Developing an unambiguous definition of good writing style has been challenging. I have one sense that good style can only be defined by a reader. A case of ‘you know it when you see it’: â€Å"Now that’s good style.† On the other hand, the texts clearly show that good writing style can be defined by the writer – through a rule-laden, detailed writing-construction process. With conscious effort, apparently I can choose to write in a good or bad writing style. So maybe the secret to good writing style requires the assumption of a split personality, to simultaneously assume the personas of both an imagined external audience and a writer of succinct, powerful prose. Considering both the audience and the writer, I’ve summarized five significant components of good writing style culled from the Strunk and White’s and Williams’ texts to assist a writer in achieving good style: Flow, Flow, Flow Your Boat: Organize Your Writing The first thing I did to write this essay was to map out a logical path to follow by creating the title and headings. Organizing a writing project is comparable to efficiently organizing your day: figure out what needs to be accomplished and prioritize. Without structure and forward thinking, you’re not likely to accomplish all your goals, and you might leave people unsatisfied along the way. Similarly, satisfying writing logically weaves topics and themes in a meaningful forward progression, within sentences, paragraphs and documents, to move the reader from beginning to end (Williams 82, 83).

Terri Schiavo

Nurs 2500: Ethical, Legal and Moral aspects of Nursing School of Advanced Nursing Education The University of The West Indies Melissa Balbosa Craigwell 811005170 Biography of Terri Schiavo On the 25th February 1990, 26-year-old Terri Schiavo suffered severe brain damage when her heart stopped for five minutes. In June of 1990, Michael Schiavo, Terri’s husband, was appointed her plenary guardian by the courts. In September of 1993, Michael Schiavo authorized the nursing home she resides in to write a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) order for Terri.Schiavo spent the following years in rehabilitation centers and nursing homes but never regained higher brain function. In 1998 her husband, Michael Schiavo, filed a legal petition to have Schiavo's feeding tube removed, saying that his wife had told him before her medical crisis that she would not want to be artificially kept alive in such a situation. Terri Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, fought this request. Florida judge Georg e W. Greer ruled in 2000 that Schiavo was â€Å"beyond all doubt† in a persistent vegetative state and that her husband could discontinue life support.But as legal appeals in the case continued, the case became widely known as some religious groups and pro-life activists began to insist that Schiavo should be kept alive. Schiavo's feeding tube was removed in 2003, but reinserted six days later when the Florida legislature passed â€Å"Terri's Law,† which allowed the state's governor to issue a stay in such cases. The law was later ruled invalid by the courts. At this time, there may also have appeared to be a conflict of interest, as Michael had two children with a long-term girlfriend.In March of 2005 Schiavo's feeding tube was again removed, and the case became a greater public sensation when the U. S. Congress was called into special emergency session to pass a bill allowing federal courts to review the case, with President George W. Bush flying from Texas to Washin gton especially to sign the bill into law. However, federal judges and the U. S. Supreme Court refused to intervene. After two weeks without food and water, Schiavo died of dehydration on the 31st March 2005 at the age of 41.Some the ethical issues involved in this case include; autonomy, beneficence and non-maleficence, justice, religious views – Roman Catholic – sanctity of life, no advance directives, Terri’s pre incapacitation verbal comments, and conflict of interest (familial, financial and institutional). The patient had severe brain damage. This followed a history of a sudden collapse secondary to cardiac arrest which resulted in prolonged cerebral hypoxia. She was diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state. Prognosis for patients in this state is poor. This condition is deemed to be chronic and irreversible.The goal of treatment is to alleviate pain and suffering. The probability of success cannot truly be determined as the patient is unable to communicate. In this case rehabilitative efforts were found to be unsuccessful, and a court order was issued for life support to be ended. The patient benefits from medical care through treatment that alleviates any pain or distress. Nursing care also seeks to alleviate pain and distress through palliative care which seeks to provide comfort and maintain dignity. Harm is avoided when there are no conscious efforts to hasten or prolong death.Terri Schiavo was not mentally capable and, therefore, not legally competent. The evidence of her incapacity lay in her inability to communicate. Buchanan 2004, stated that legal competence is specific to the task at hand. It requires the mental capacities to reason and deliberate, hold appropriate values and goals, appreciate one's circumstances, understand information one is given and communicate a choice. If the patient were found to be competent, then according to Michael Schiavo, she would be asking for treatment to be withheld and ongoing treatment to be withdrawn.A patient’s ability to self-govern is grounded in cognition (Fine, 2005). So, assuming she had the mental capacity to make her own decisions, her autonomy would have been respected and her decision upheld by the legal system. As a part of informed consent, all information would have been given to the patient concerning benefits and risks specific to her circumstances. She would have voluntarily indicated her understanding of treatment options available and given her consent in a written or oral form or possibly by some type of implied behaviour.In her incapacitated state, the appropriate surrogate should, by moral and ethical standards be her husband Michael Schiavo and indeed, he was her court appointed guardian. Butts and Rich (2008) defines a surrogate as a court appointed individual who has the authority to make decisions on behalf of the patient. The question as to whether Mr. Schiavo used appropriate standards in his decision making can be meas ured against the principles for proxy decisions with incompetent patients as set out by Olick (2001).These principles in relation to Terri Schiavo say that competent patients have a right to refuse life sustaining treatment, and he testified in court that prior to her collapse she verbalized that she did not wish to live like that, to be a burden to anyone. Incompetent patients have the same rights they are, however, exercised differently. No right is absolute, instances in which a patient’s right to refuse life support is outweighed by societal interests is rare, this case was one of those rare instances.Withholding and withdrawing treatments from a terminally ill or permanently unconscious patient, does not constitute killing or assisted suicide. Terri was not diagnosed to be either terminally ill or permanently unconscious. A subjective standard of implementing the patient’s wishes should have been used, and it was. It is recorded that the patient while competent cl early made her wishes known through informal conversations with several individuals, including her husband. There were no advance directives to rely on for guidance in this case.Local processes of review in the clinical setting in order to facilitate the resolution of disagreements were denied by Mr. Schiavo, therefore, recourse to the courts which should have been rare were frequent. This analysis indicates that appropriate standards for decision making were utilized. Whether they were adequately utilized can be debated. Advance directives, as discussed by Butts and Rich (2008), include the use of formal, written legal documents, which may take one of three forms; a living will, a medical care directive or a durable power of attorney.None of these, however, were used to express the patient’s preferences. Terri had been medically assessed to be in a persistent vegetative state, with no higher brain function. In this state, it was judged that she would have been unable to coop erate with medical treatment. To say that she may have been unwilling would be denying her medical diagnosis, suggesting that she did have the higher brain power necessary to choose between quality and quantity of life. In summary, I do not believe that the patient’s right to choose was being respected to the extent possible in ethics and in law.This is reflected in the absence of compliance with several of the principles for proxy decisions. These would be; the attempt to enable her to express her wishes, respecting society’s interest for the continuation of life support, facilitating patient review to determine capacity and competence and finally not withholding and not withdrawing treatment from a patient who was not terminally ill or permanently unconscious. The New England Journal of Medicine (1994) discusses the prospect of return to a normal life with treatment. ‘Therapy aimed at reversing the persistent vegetative state has not been successful.There have been occasional reports of a benefit from dopamine agonists or dextroamphetamine, but the benefit has been modest at best, direct electrical stimulation of the mesencephalic reticular formation, nonspecific thalamic nuclei, or dorsal columns has been attempted experimentally in patients in a vegetative state, with claims of recovered consciousness in a few instances. The quality of the recovered state was not described in detail, however, and these approaches remain experimental. Overall, there is no published evidence that coma sensory stimulation improves the clinical outcome in patients in a persistent vegetative state. It continues to note that ’If the decision is to treat the patient aggressively, diligent medical treatment and nursing care are required to prevent and treat the complications that are likely or inevitable in states of severe brain damage. The survival of patients in a persistent vegetative state is, to some degree, related to the quality and intensity of the medical treatment and nursing care that they receive. Preventive care is foremost. Daily exercises in a range of movements slow the formation of limb contractures, which otherwise become particularly severe in patients in a persistent vegetative state.Daily skin care and frequent repositioning of the patient prevent decubitus ulcers. A tracheostomy may be required to maintain airway patency and prevent aspiration pneumonia. Bladder and bowel care is desirable for hygienic reasons. Since pulmonary and urinary tract infections are common, appropriate monitoring and, if necessary, treatment with antibiotics are required. Placement of nasogastric, gastrostomy, or jejunostomy feeding tubes is usually necessary to maintain adequate nutrition and hydration. ‘The outcome probability at 12 months was determined in patients who remained in a vegetative state at 3 months and at 6 months. In addition, the probability of functional recovery was determined for two possible outcomes: goo d recovery or recovery with moderate disability, and recovery with severe disability. On the basis of these probabilities, a persistent vegetative state can be judged to be permanent 12 months after a traumatic injury in adults and children; recovery after this time is exceedingly rare and almost always involves a severe disability.In adults and children with nontraumatic injuries, a persistent vegetative state can be considered to be permanent after three months; recovery does occur, but it is rare and at best associated with moderate or severe disability. ’ NEJM (1994) ‘Patients with a good recovery have the capacity to resume normal occupational and social activities, although there may be minor physical or mental deficits or symptoms. Patients with moderate disability are independent and can resume almost all activities of daily living.They are disabled to the extent that they can no longer participate in a variety of social and work activities. Patients with severe disability are no longer capable of engaging in most previous personal, social, and work activities. Such patients have limited communication skills and abnormal behavioral and emotional responses. They are partially or totally dependent on assistance from others in performing the activities of daily living. ’ NEJM (1994) A bias does exist, according to Viswanathan et al. (2012), a reporting bias is the difference between reported and unreported findings.This would have made a big difference to the results obtained from any form of continuous assessments at the hospice. Based on the very minimal treatment options chosen by Michael Schiavo, reflective in a refusal to allow physiotherapy, oral hygiene or antibiotic administration, we may deduce that a continuation of life, with contractures, infections and poor dental state would be undesirable. There was a plan to discontinue life support by having her feeding tube removed. There was also a DNR order in place. The reason for both of these actions was to prevent prolongation of her death.The documentation suggests that there were plans for palliative care, as Butts and Rich (2008) points out that palliative care includes the choice to forego, withhold or to withdraw treatment, it also includes DNR orders. Palliative care does not hasten or prolong death, but provides relief from pain and suffering and maintains dignity in the dying experience. Michael Schiavo had a long-term girlfriend, with whom he had fathered two children, according to Funaro (2007). There may have existed a conflict of interest in balancing the affairs of his new family with the needs of his wife. He claimed that a part of him had moved, yet he still oved his wife so much that he was willing to fight to carry out her wishes. This conflict may have had an influence on his decisions. Provider issues that may have influenced treatment decisions, lie in the fact that the institution in which Terri was being cared for was one in which end -of-life management was carried out. The treatment provided by the hospice staff would only have recommended palliative care. Are there financial and economic factors? Yes. Fine (2005) tells us that ‘Families may bankrupt themselves caring for patients in a persistent vegetative state, at which point Medicaid steps in.Medical costs are the leading factor in bankruptcy. her parents objected to her being supported by government funds. The hospice caring for Terri Schiavo provided $9. 5 million of charity care to patients in the past year. Another question of distributive justice relates to insurance. Can a society that cannot find enough resources to insure the 44 million persons (25% of whom are children) with no government or private health insurance really afford to maintain patients in a persistent vegetative state at a cost of $40,000 to $100,000 each per year? The lack of health insurance costs lives.According to the Institute of Medicine, 18,000 deaths per year are direct ly attributable to a lack of health insurance. ’ Terri Schiavo had been a devout Roman Catholic, Lynn (2005) this religion upholds the sanctity of life. It was difficult for her parents to believe that she would not have wanted to hold on to life at all costs. They questioned whether Terri would have wanted to be starved to death. Their’s and by extension Terri’s prior existence was a culture of life. There are limits on confidentiality, the incompetent patient still has a right to privacy and confidentiality. This right should be upheld by the legal guardian.Treatment decisions are largely affected by the laws that govern options for patients to be able to choose to accept or refuse care, and for legal guardians to make decisions on their behalf when they are not able to. A great deal of clinical teaching and research is involved on an ongoing basis. It brings about new information and better ways of managing conditions. Yes there was a conflict of interest on the part of the institution. Lynn (2005) ‘regulations generally prohibit a hospice from taking a patient who is not terminally ill and expected to live longer than six months to a year.But Felos was chairman of the board of directors of the hospice at the time, according to the non-profit’s annual reports, and was likely able to arrange for her admission. He subsequently stepped down from the post. ’ George Felos was Michael Schiavo’s attorney. The committee’s specific findings related to this case are as follows; ‘decisions near the end of life, whether to maintain a treatment that may not be beneficial or to withdraw or withhold a life-sustaining treatment, should be effectively handled in the majority of cases by the primary treatment team.Ethics consultations are available and can be particularly valuable in cases of uncertainty or conflict. Palliative care consultations are available in cases of uncertainty or when needed to help manage c omplex symptoms, including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual suffering. Such suffering is often at the root of many an apparent conflict, and when the suffering is properly addressed, the conflict resolves.When these efforts fail to resolve conflict over decisions near the end of life, the rule of law suggests that the conflict be resolved in a court and not in legislative deliberations for a single patient. At the end of all of the medical, legal, and ethical argument, it is most important to remember that no matter how certain any of us may be of our analysis, decisions near the end of life should never be easy. We must remind ourselves that true wisdom comes with the acknowledgment of uncertainty and admitting that we cannot know all there is to know.This uncertainty is neither an excuse to engage in endless moral relativism or to engage in intellectual nihilism, refusing to search for the best possible solution or the least terrible outcome for a troubling moral pro blem. ’ Fine (2005). In light of the above discussions, with heavy emphasis on the seven principles for proxy decisions with incompetent patients, the committee has decided against the removal of the feeding tube. The rationale for this decision, lies mainly in the fact that these principles were not upheld as best as they could have been.As shown in the above discourse, a thorough attempt had not been made to closely follow these principles. As such, the committee recommends that the feeding tube not be removed. In conclusion, there is no traditional moral obligation to provide non-beneficial treatments based upon the classic goals of medicine, which are, according to Hippocrates, â€Å"the complete removal of the distress of the sick, the alleviation of the more violent diseases, and the refusal to undertake to cure cases in which disease has already won mastery, knowing that everything is not possible to medicine†.There is a traditional duty to relieve suffering, ni cely restated by Sir William Osler 1849-1919: â€Å"To cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always. † References Author unknown, 2004, Terri Schiavo Biography (Medical Patient), J R Soc Med; 97(9): 415–420. PMCID: PMC1079581, retrieved from www. infoplease. com/biography/var/terrischiavo. html Fine, R. , 2005, From Quinlan to Schiavo: medical, ethical, and legal issues in severe brain injury, retrieved from www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov †º †¦ Funaro, S. 007, Why didn't Michael Schiavo seek a divorce? , retrieved from www. legalzoom. com/planning-your-estate/living-wills/why-didn Lynn, D. 2005, Life and Death Tug of War-The Whole Terri Schiavo Story, retrieved from www. wnd. com/2005/03/29516/ – 115k, Published: 03/24/2005 at 1:00 AM New England Journal of Medicine, 1994, Medical Aspects of the Persistent Vegetative State, N Engl J Med 1994; 330:1572-1579 DOI: 10. 1056/NEJM199406023302206, retrieved from www. nejm. org/doi/full/10. 1056/NEJM199406023 302206 Olick, R. S. 2001.Taking advance directives seriously: Prospective autonomy and decisions near the end of life. Washington, DC: Georgetown university Press, p. 30. Viswanathan M, Ansari MT, Berkman ND, Chang S, Hartling L, McPheeters LM, Santaguida PL, Shamliyan T, Singh K, Tsertsvadze A, Treadwell JR. , 2012, Assessing the Risk of Bias of Individual Studies in Systematic Reviews of Health Care Intervention, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Methods Guide for Comparative Effectiveness Reviews, retrieved from effectivehealthcare. ahrq. gov/index. cfm/search-for-guides-rev – 148k

bring it on essays

bring it on essays Exergia is an independent firm of consultants operating internationally in the fields of energy and environment. It is a member of SESMA, the Hellenic Association of Management Consulting Companies (the Greek branch of FEACO). The company, founded in 1991, maintains a rapid growth rate through expansion of its client base and development of its activities. Exergia's philosophy is to work in partnership with the client to provide consultancy, outsourcing services and cost-effective solutions through an integrated approach. The company embraces new skills, legitimate aspirations and well-founded applied knowledge to form a coherent work-team operating in harmony with the company's spirit and completing projects on time and within budget. The Company's approach to the client needs is characterized by clear understanding of its requirements, mutual commitment and trust, in-depth capability to present and evaluate alternatives and delivery of substantiated final results. A client-oriented organizational structure has been established enabling the provision of energy and environment-related consulting and outsourcing services to various categories of clients, such as: Administration, Industry, Utilities, and Buildings. Moreover, proven expertise in and Management, Information Technology and Training underpin our interdisciplinary integrated approach. Its orientation is to maintain a leading position in the Greek market for energy and environment, as well as to expand its activities in new emerging foreign markets. A long track of records, of successful international assignments, with a focus on the emerging markets of Central and Eastern Europe, the New Independent States and the Mediterranean, have been developed. Even though Exergia, is not widely known in the management consulting market, is amongst the most reputed companies in the fields of energy and environment, mainly due to the fact that it mo ...

Progressive Era essays

Progressive Era essays The first years of the 1900s is referred to as the Progressive Era. This is because reformer were successful in what they did. Their reforms helped America progress to new changes. Teddy Roosevelt is one of these reformers. He broke up the large railroad trust. The four big railroads in the Northwest was controlled by one holding company by the name of the Northern Securities Company. Since this company owned all the stock in the four major railroads it set all of the rates. So Roosevelt sued the NSC under the Sherman Antitrust Act for having a monopoly. Roosevelt then broke up the beef trust, the oil trust, and the tobacco trust. This reform helped America progress to new changes because Roosevelt started to get the federal government to regulate big businesses and help out the consumer; something that had not been focused on too heavily. Roosevelt also involved the federal government in the coal strike of 1902. The miners went on strike to improve their working conditions but the mine owners refused to deal with the miners. Then Roosevelt intervened and got the discussions between he miners and the owners started. He wanted to see that the miners got a squa re deal and that is what happened. Roosevelt was important in reforming and progressing America by involving the government in regulating big businesses and helping out the common man. Middle class reforms made many changes in America. In many cities all over the country reform mayor were being elected But then in some cites the reform mayors were dying out. To make sure this would not happen some cities got rid of the mayor and city council and replaced them with a small commission. Each member ran a different part of the city. The commission made laws and policies for the cities. Other cities made a city manager. The manager was not a politician. A trained manager carried out the policies set by a small council. F ...

Lab Report #2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

#2 - Lab Report Example Measurement is an essential aspect mainly utilized in the scientific field to quantify diverse forms of matter. This entails determining the objects’, quantity of matter, volume and their densities (Wilson & Cecilia 242). However, an object’s exact measurement despite one being an expert, accuracy mainly relies on the equipments a person utilizes to take diverse measurements. This is due to the imperfections, which result from the equipments’ errors while a researcher is taking measurements of different types of matter or their parts. Therefore, it is essential for the researcher to have adequate knowledge regarding how to minimize errors via being able to manipulate the readings one attains while measuring. Since this varies across the equipments, where some are complex especially if one lacks proper knowhow regarding particular equipment (Wilson & Cecilia 39). The study’s focus encompasses measurements of diverse objects coupled with determining their le ngths, mass, volume and densities. 1. The initial step was to take the readings of a copper wire with the help of a metric ruler. This is by placing the wire on the metric rule, reading the positions of the two sides and estimating the readings to approximately tenth of a millimeter. Then developing four sets of independent measurements to approximately 0.01cm in centimeters by estimating using diverse parts of the meter rule 3. The diameter of the copper wire was measured with the aid of a micrometer caliper where the measurements’ approximation was 0.0001cm. To increase the accuracy of the study, it entailed obtaining six independent recordings in a table. Despite the experiment carried out with high level of keenness to shun any possible errors that may emanate from carelessness or readings’ improper taking, they were inevitable. Mainly, the source of errors in this study that have prompted the results to deviate from the ordinary expected

Christine Ladd-Franklin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Christine Ladd-Franklin - Research Paper Example Background Christine Ladd- Franklin was born on 1st December 1847 in Windsor Connecticut. She was the oldest child of her parents Eliphalet and Augusta (Niles) Ladd and was fondly called Kitty. She had a brother, Henry Ladd and a sister Jane Augusta Ladd McCordia. Christine had the opportunity to attend women’s rights lectures from her earlier ages since her mother Augusta, and her aunt Juliet Niles were ardent supporters of women’s rights movements; and these lecture classes made Christine a strong women’s rights supporter and she believed that woman must get equal standards as that of a man in every phase of social life (Furumoto, 1992, p.176). On account of her mother’s death, she was forced to move to Portsmouth where her father’s home was situated. She joined in Wesleyan Academy in order to attend the course for Harvard, which was generally attended by boys. Christine had got the freedom to continue her education at Vassar College although she faced protestations from her family at the earlier stages. During the course of her study at Vassar College, Christine was driven to move to Utica so as to overcome her financial difficulties by earning money from teaching. From Utica, she got the chance to deal with various languages, trigonometry, and botanical specimens and it increased her academic talents. Even during the course of her studies, Christine had continued her women’s right activities with all supports from her father and aunt. She returned to Vassar College to complete her studies, where she met a female astronomy professor, Maria Mitchell. Mitchell motivated Christine to increase her knowledge in mathematics and science and it influenced Christine a lot. She worked as an instructor of mathematics and science in secondary schools in Pennsylvania for nine years after she had completed her graduation course from Vassar College. She applied to Johns Hopkins University for her higher education and got admission on the strength of her earlier works even though she faced certain restrictions from the university. In 1882, Christine married Fabian Franklin who was the younger faculty of John Hopkins math department. Christine published some brilliant papers in American Journal of Mathematics and gradually her interests turned to logic subjects. Although she had completely fulfilled the conditions for the Ph. D, she did not get it until 1926. Christine became famous mainly on the ground of her theory of color vision in which she defined mathematical as well as psychological perspectives for her concept. She accompanied her husband Fabian Franklin when he took a sabbatical to Europe and it helped Christine to continue her research in Professor G. E. Muller’s laboratory without getting affected by restrictions in German universities. After completing her research studies in Muller’s laboratory, she went to Berlin where she was admitted in the Hermann von Helmholtz’s laborator y (Rossiter, 1982, p.43). Christine’s works in different laboratories with different faculties enabled her to contribute a lot in the field of psychology. She presented her theory at International Congress of Psychology held in London in 1892; it gave great fame in the world of psychology. She acted as the associate editor in Baldwin’s Dictionary of Philosophy and Psychology for the period of 1901 to 1905. In 1904, Johns Hopkins permitted Christine to lecture one

Literary Analysis Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Literary Analysis - Article Example The war with the Koreans symbolized a sense of not belonging or alienation in America. The story is a portentous reminder of the devastations that families went through and male emigration during the Vietnam War. The story provides different versions of the Chinese-American experiences and different contradictions that shaped these experiences. The character ‘Brother’ reveals the contradictions that shaped Chinese-American experiences that were felt during the historical period in which the story is set. The younger of the author highly opposed the Vietnam War. The brother was forced to make a decision between running away to Canada and going to the Vietnam War which made him enlist himself in the navy in order to fight in that war even though he joined the navy with no intention of killing anyone. Even though he was born in America and fought for America, the brother remained an object of suspicion. The author points out how many Chinese men were going into America in order to avoid being forced to serve in the Chinese military. During the basic training, he was asked by the company commander on where he came from. He was also found to speak pretty good English which makes him a communications specialist. This entails something analogous to a certification or the confirmation of his Americanness. In this chapter, Kingston imagined of how her brother was able to resolve the contradictions that were faced by the Chinese Americans-this is a sense of a fragmented belonging and identity . He was able to manage both Chinese and American hence bringing in an integrated identity (Ludwig and lexoae-Zagni 152). Her brother moved from one experience to the other and in he returned back to America in the end. The brother had managed both Chinese and Americans but ended up returning to America, which brings in a contradiction of the Chinese-American experience. A similar case is found in â€Å"Birds of paradise lost† by Andrew Lam. The story is

Mythical Object Outline Essay Example for Free

Mythical Object Outline Essay Blood is the one thing in all human beings that symbolizes life itself and although the history of vampirism is not conclusive, there are many images in history that reflect the fear of blood-sucking agents. At a stage in history, vampirism may have been a deeply feared faculty from beyond the grave, but today it is embraced in some cultures in terms of the Goth culture which is an historically inaccurate description of a culture that had existed long before modern memory. We explore these beliefs in an attempt to ascertain where the myth of the vampire began and how it is viewed in modern terms with the knowledge we now have about spirituality and physiology. We also explore the myth in modern media culture with reference to popular film and literature and explore modern beliefs about this ancient entity. 2. The Origins of Vampirism. One belief about the origins of vampirism stems from the oldest cultures in the world, that of Persian and Aramaic world. The Persian history has only a vase unearthed revealing a blood-sucking creature struggling with a man while the Hebrew belief is one of a woman named Lillith who sucked the blood from infants (VAU, date unknown). This had been a Babylonian myth believing that she had been the wife of Adam who had left him due to unfulfilled sexual appetites (VAU, date unknown ). If the films such as Blade and Interview with a Vampire are taken into account, we see that sexuality and the myth of vampirism are entwined deeply, making it all the more sensational. With numerous historical artifacts leaning towards vampirism, tow are extremely interesting but only one is founded on actual evidence. They are Lilith and the Elizabeth Bathory. The Rabbinical myth of Lilith is complicated but loosely translates to the opposition of good, which is naturally evil. She is believed to be the ‘other’ half of Adam, the very root of creation of humanity itself (Smith, date unknown). Some even believe her to symbolize Babylon in its entirety but either way she is interwoven with infancy and child-bearing, hence the belief that she fed off the blood of children. Furthermore, Lilith or Lilit as Adam’s shadow bears his children as demons and evil spirits while Eve produces children that are good in the eyes of God. She is not impregnated by normal means but by unclean thoughts of men (Ibid). We see a number of reasons for this, including that since her children are not born of flesh and blood, the need to for blood would make it necessary for them to feed off of it. Elizabeth Bathory or Erzsebet was known as the ‘Blood Countess’ and her story comes much later in history than Lilith probably around (1560-1614) (Monstrous, 2008). She was of a wealthy family, owning vat expanses of land and she was inextricably related to the famous Vlad Dracula of Transylvania who later became the subject of vampirism himself, but it was Elizabeth who truly exemplified the legend (Ibid). Extraordinarily beautiful and known for her complexion, it was this beauty that led to the blood-lusty narcissism. She was sadistic and also had lesbian tendencies (Ibid). known to have murdered and tortured anyone from peasant girls to nobility, and it was believed that upon seeing the effect of blood on her skin, the Baroness began to bath in the blood of her victims (BBC, 2001). This is not proved, but her innumerable crimes against humanity are well documented. She is known to have tortured her young victims to the point where pools of blood were gathered on the floor (Ibid). She may well have used this blood to bath it but it is known that she bit some of her victims when too ill to torture them herself (Ibid. ). 3. Vampires Examined in Today’s Society The two stories above are disturbing in the extreme, but modern explanations may pass off vampirism as a form of chemical imbalance or psychosis and not being more than psychopathic behavior rather than lending to the perception that vampirism is supernatural. In more modern terms the idea of vampirism was explained in terms of the dead returning to seek revenge for injustices (Richardson, 2008). It was also likened to rabies which causes excessive thirst, but one noblewoman of Austria Empress Marie Theresa forbade the opening of graves or the desecration of bodies and the attacks in that area appeared to cease (Ibid. ). We do know a lot more about human functioning today and we know that to human beings blood is indigestible, causing toxicity inside the body. This would mean that no normal human would be able to survive the drinking of blood for any length of time. We know that blood ‘rusts’ or oxidizes within the body making it useless to the body if consumed in raw form. Porphyria, a rare blood disorder was put forward as a possible reason for vampirism, and that is could be treated with blood in order to alleviate symptoms (Wikpedia, 2008). 4. Vampire Domestication Modern films make it seem possible that the diseased person can be treated and therefore rehabilitated into society. Blade and Underworld see outright war between ‘good’ vampires and ‘bad’ vampires and Interview with a Vampire inspires the belief that vampires are trapped within their fate of living forever on blood but that they only really seek to be normal. A ‘domesticated’ vampire would indeed be one that can function normally in society under the influence of special (fictional) drugs that suppress the blood-craving in the same way nicotine patches suppress cigarette cravings. Innana Arthen explains the difference between blood-sucking and true vampirism. Vampirism according to Arthen is a person is extraordinarily endowed by the planet’s cosmic resources and it is their bio-rhythms that cause them to function better at night (Arthen, 2008). Rehabilitating or taming the ‘true’ vampire is not only unnecessary but also irrational in terms that they are not psychotic serial killers who torture animals and humans for stimulation. 5. Fictional Stories We all grew up with Count Dracula and Frankenstein as classical stories. We also studied the Portrait of Dorian Gray and Wuthering Heights as so-called Gothic horrors, but what influence if any have they had on the way we view myths such as vampirism? Previously it was believed that vampires simply bit and sucked the blood from victims. Now it known that if indeed vampires exist, then they are people with heightened psychic senses, are highly photosensitive and have a greater need for blood than others. We also believe that vampires are immortal, but again, if they exist this would simply mean a longer lifespan but not immortality (AngelFire, 2008). Films such as Blade and Near Dark purport that vampires can be treated with some form of ‘serum’ to reduce blood-lust. Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula was based on the relative of the formerly discussed Elizabeth Bathory, and the man in question was known for severe cruelty and torturous actions but not for drinking blood itself. 6. Traditional and Modern Vampires Modern vampires are almost culturally defined. They are often perceived as being Satanic or evil and in terms of the modern Goth culture, they are almost counter-cultural. They openly flout the norms of society, attempting to be everything that society tells us is bad and unhealthy. Religious Tolerance websites explain that due to their black clothing, obsession with bondage and strange make-up allow them to be seen as violence and death-obsessed but this is untrue (Robinson, 2007). In most cases their appearance belies a devout religious belief, Christian or otherwise and express a profound interest Medieval history which would include the Germanic Gothic era from which many of the most beautiful Cathedrals in history (Ibid). Contrary to the popular belief that they try to be vampires, it is not necessarily part of the equation (Ibid). In other words, being Goth does not mean they are part of any particular sect or group, they merely express themselves differently. 7. Vampires and Family The Interview with a Vampire showed a ‘family’ life not dissimilar to our own. The definition of family in these terms was a convergence of people with common needs and common problems. All three of the ‘family’ members were vampires by default or by fate and having no other group into which they fitted, came together to support and understand one another. They were simply a group of outsiders that formed their own little family. The film itself also relates to the above section on Goth’s where they come together out of common beliefs and situations. When we are children we are inducted into a common vein of thought, we give them ideals, norms and values that are the same as the group into which we are born. For instance, if you are born in Spain, you grow up with bull-fighting and annual bull-runs, however if you are born in Sweden this practice may seem abominable. Family is not only something we are paternally or maternally related to, but a common thought particularly surrounding differences that the outside world does not understand. 8. Conclusion Vampirism is shrouded in misconception, misunderstanding and fear, and all this when the world is not even certain that they exist. Modern films have created somewhat of an enigma surrounding out ‘bloodsucking’ kin, but the fact is that evil people such as Elizabeth Bathory and Count Vlad Dracula exist among us not necessarily making them super-human or abnormal beyond mere psychosis (BBC, 2001). There are evidently people who believe themselves to be vampires, but they don’t run around biting other people; there are people with rare blood-disorders causing them to behave in strange or violent ways but they too are not vampires. Humans have this innate and complicated relationship with fear, both hating it and needing it. This is why we create these unknown creatures and terrifying realities, to feed our imagination and sometimes†¦to alleviate boredom. References Angel Fire. (2008). FAQs About Real Vampires. Retrieved June 27, 2008, from http://www.angelfire.com/biz4/vampyreresearch/faq.html Arthen, Inanna. (2008). Real Vampires. Retrieved 8 July 2008. http://www.earthspirit.com/fireheart/fhvampire.html