Languages in Cyberspace Essay Example for Free

Languages in Cyberspace Essay Governments have encourage industrial farming and non-organic meat production to improve the crop yield and revenues. However, studies have shown the side effects and health hazards of industrial farming and meat processing. A distinct cultivation of a health-conscious culture became apparent as time goes by which resulted to an increase in sales of organic vegetables and meat in the world. Hence, the sales and marketing of organic products is influenced by the culture or trend that exist in the market. Muslims are known for faithfully abiding with their religious beliefs and practices. When it comes in meat, Muslims only consume meat from slaughtered animals through the Halal way. Three times more blood is pumped out of Halal-slaughtered animals than those butchered in non-Halal way. Hence, lesser toxins are consumed by Muslims since most toxins are stored in the blood. With the introduction of organic aspect, an animal is not pumped with antibiotics and hormones or additives that would increase the toxicity its blood. Hence, Muslims are drawn to organic meat because of its inclination towards their religious belief in meat intake thereby creating an outward effect to the sales and marketing of organic meat. Language is a way of communication of thoughts, messages and feelings. In the global market, one barrier that must crossed by companies to reach out to their market is language. Without the right tools and strategies to cross this barrier, marketing a product will be difficult. A Firm must find a way to communicate and introduce a product in a language known by its market, otherwise, awareness and recognition of the product will not be achieved. This does not apply in the organic meat industry alone but to all industries and businesses. Marketing have evolved with technology through the years and e-commerce was introduced and adopted by most businesses. The worldwide web has a broader scope and the interaction with the customer is direct. In marketing organic meat products, e-commerce is the best way to reach out to its customers directly. It is also the cheapest way to market and promote a product. Longcloud should develop its website in languages other than English to cross the communication barrier that language created. If Longcloud develops a website with different languages, the scope of its accessibility and comprehension will be broader and more comprehensive. It will open the gates for the development of new markets in different countries. Moreover, with this strategic undertaking, the company will be globally competitive and accessible. The power of information technology can promote and increase the sales and distribution of organic meat worldwide. In choosing the languages to translate and include in the website, there are several aspects to consider and these are the opportunities, scope and target market definition. The companys website must be available in Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), French and Spanish languages. Most Muslims speak Arabic and it was clearly identified that Muslims are one Longclouds target markets and about 150 million people speak this language. Chinese, specifically, Mandarin language should also be available to reach 1365 million people who have developed a fondness for organic meat products. Moreover, the growth of the organic meat industry in French-speaking countries like France, Canada, North Africa and Switzerland should also be considered. 23% of the current Internet users are from Europe which include some of these countries. Although only 2% can be accounted for the Spanish-speaking Internet users, a considerable target market was defined and identified in the Latin America. There several threats and disadvantages that must also be considered in making the website available in different languages like the uneven percentages of the target market with Internet access. However, with the growth of technology, many countries have relied in the use of Internet and it has become a household need. Moreover, although some people are accustomed to using English for conducting business, it must also be noted that, English literacy only accounts for about 50% share globally. Software complexities must also be considered, however, software upgrades and development are done continuously to address these problems.

Mary C. Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service

Mary C. Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service Laura J. Roberson Abstract This paper explores the life and legacy of Mary C. Breckinridge, the creative force behind the Frontier Nursing Service. Despite great hardship and heartache, Mary never faltered in her desire to improve the health care of every child. Instead of seeing the daunting task as an insurmountable obstacle, Mary continually looked for ways to make positive change. Statistics show the incredible contribution that Mary and the Frontier Nursing Service made to the health and well-being of the children and families of eastern Kentucky. In addition, Breckinridge was instrumental in bringing nurse midwifery to the United States. This paper provides a snapshot of the contributions that Mary C. Breckinridge made to the profession of nursing and health care for rural women and children. Building A Legacy: Mary C. Breckinridge and the Frontier Nursing Service While no one will live forever, a person can continue to exist through the legacy they leave and the impact that it has made and will continue to make in the world. Mary C. Breckinridge, the founder of The Frontier Nursing Service, left a legacy that is still influencing lives and nursing practice almost 50 years beyond her death. Events Leading To Development of the Frontier Nursing Service Born into a famous family, the Breckinridge name provided many opportunities and open-doors for Mary. However, Clifton and Katherine, Mary’s parents, were not as monetarily affluent as the rest of the Breckinridges. They taught their children that â€Å"personal qualities such as honesty, integrity, and service to others, rather than a large financial fortune, determined their worth† (Goan, 2008, p. 22). In addition, southern culture encouraged young females to be â€Å"demure and self-sacrificing, focusing on the needs of others† (Goan, 2008, p. 23). Mary’s adventurous and ambitious personality, combined with the influence of her family and society left her determined to use her giftedness to help others. After the untimely death of her first husband, Mary spent the summer of 1907 at the Elisabeth McRae Institute, a home for girls in North Carolina. Experiences there prompted Mary to enter nursing school at St. Luke Hospital in New York City. She graduated with honors and passed her state boards in 1910. Mary married her second husband in October of 1911. She became a traveling lecturer with the United States Children’s Bureau which allowed her to see the predicament of rural mother’s first hand. At the end of her term with the bureau, Mary went to France to help with reconstruction after the end of World War I. With the financial backing of her mother, Mary helped improve the health of malnourished children. During this time, Mary developed the administrative skills that would assist her with successfully running the Frontier Nursing Service. She developed a visiting service in France that provided healthcare to men, women, and children in her territory. In one year, she increased her area of responsibility from one village to 72. Mary returned to the United States, divorced her second husband, and one month later, her mother died. Once again she was faced with the decision of what to do with her life. Her experience in France and her contact with British nurse-midwives, prompted her to think of the possibilities of a similar need in the United States, especially with rural mothers and children. Access to physicians in rural areas was virtually nonexistent. Typically the closest doctor could be 100 miles away. Pregnant women were assisted by untrained family members or neighbors when they were ready to deliver or gave birth alone. These conditions greatly concerned Mary, inspiring her to develop a plan to offer low-cost care to rural mothers and babies. She submitted a proposal to the American Child Health Association, which included free health care for every child within her organization’s territory. Mothers would also receive health care. Central to her plan was a new direction for nursing, the profe ssional nurse-midwife. These caregivers were trained in both nursing practice and specialized obstetric care. They could handle normal deliveries but would have access to a physician for difficult births (Hostutler, Kennedy, Mason, Schorr, 2000). The Frontier Nursing Service When making the decision of where to locate her proposed health service, she was drawn to the plight of the people of Appalachia, specifically eastern Kentucky. After training and receiving certification through the British Central Midwives, Mary returned to Kentucky in 1925. She hired her first two employees, promising them $150 per month plus living expenses. The first clinic opened in Hyden, Kentucky in September 1925, followed by six additional outpost-nursing centers. The nurse-midwives that staffed these centers held clinics and made house calls via horseback to provide home care. Each center served an average of 250 families. Besides tending to the administration of the organization and seeing patients, much of Mary’s time in the early years was spent raising funds. In 1927, Breckinridge changed the name of her organization to the Frontier Nursing Service (FNS). Breckinridge raised money for a twelve-bed hospital that was dedicated on June 26, 1928. It became the center of the FNS medical system. In November 1939, Mary established the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery to supply the need for trained midwifes. The school has been open since that time and has continued to add additional degrees including a nurse practitioner program. Despite drought, famine, the great depression and wars, Breckinridge championed the cause of the Appalachian people and through effort and patience she developed a deeper understanding of the region’s problems. By her death in May of 1965, Mary raised almost ten million dollars for the FNS and left an endowment of more than two million dollars. During her time of leadership, the FNS provided service to almost 58,000 patients, provided 248,000 inoculations, delivered 14,500 babies, and lowered the maternal death rate in eastern Kentucky, from the highest in the country to well below the national average (Frontier Nursing Service, 2014). When a mid-wife in Nashville, Tennessee was asked if she knew of Mary Breckinridge and if Mary’s work had affected her in any way, she said, â€Å"Mary was an eternal optimist operating within the accepted social norms of her time, but determined to make her world a better place. She paved the way for all of us that would follow her exam ple. Thanks to her leadership, I have had the opportunity to pursue a very rewarding career in midwifery† (T. Bruce, personal communication, October 4, 2014). Mary Breckinridge created a legacy whose ripple effects will continue to affect eastern Kentucky, the United States and the world for a long time to come. References Frontier Nursing Service (2014) History of Mary Breckinridge. Retrieved from https://www.frontiernursing.org Goan, M. (2008). Mary breckinridge: The frontier nursing service and rural health in appalachia. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press. Hostutler, J., Kennedy, M.S., Mason, D., Schorr, T.M. (2000). Nurses and models of practice. American Journal of Nursing, 100(2), 82-83. Retrieved from http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com.ezproxy.mtsu.edu/sp-3.13.0b/ovidweb.cgi?

Challenges for Patient Care in Acute Wards

Challenges for Patient Care in Acute Wards It may seem a strange principle to enunciate as the very first requirement in a hospital that it should do the sick no harm Nightingale F (1863) With this statement in mind, identify the major problems for hospitalised patients in acute wards, in the twenty first century. For each problem identified discuss the role of nurses in maintaining the safety, health and well-being of patients. Introduction Hospitals of today are indeed a far cry from the hospitals of the era of Florence Nightingale in very many respects, but the guiding principles of aspiring to be a safe and healing haven for the sick clearly have not changed over the years. One of Nightingale’s major crusades was the constant battle against infection which was rife in the wards of her day. To that extent, her mantra continues with the problems that iatrogenic infections cause in today’s hospitals. It is worthy of note in passing, that Nightingale is credited with popularising the statistical analysis of problems. Her famous chart (Playfair 1847) that correlated the decimation of Napoleon’s army by disease as it advanced and then retreated from Moscow, was a milestone in the arguments that she was advancing in the dangers of potential of communicable diseases in crowded environments. The title of this essay refers to Florence Nightingale’s famous remark which implied that in her day there was a real possibility of hospitals â€Å"harming patients†. Her remark, albeit made to address a serious public health problem of the mid nineteenth century, has a resonance which is both deeper and more significant than would first appear on face value. Her comment is actually a paraphrase of a quote from Hippocrates some two millennia earlier in his exhortation to aspiring physicians, â€Å"If you are to become a physician, adopt the first rule that whatever else, you will do no harm†. (Carrick 2000) The significance of this is that even two thousand years after the principle was first enunciated, it was still recognised that healthcare professionals, whilst employing their best endeavours to cure patients, were still able to inflict significant morbidity and even mortality on their patients. The main thrust of this essay is to demonstrate that even with the passage of a further one hundred and fifty years, it is arguable that the same premise holds good today. It is undoubtedly true that the advances in medicine and technology generally have changed the perspectives and horizons far beyond those that Nightingale would have recognised, but this has done little more than to simply change the nature and type of problem that healthcare professionals have to deal with. Iatrogenic morbidity is still a significant fact of life in our modern healthcare practice. (Sugarman Sulmasy 2001) The original work by Semmelweis (at about the same time as Nightingale ) in the 1850s, (Semmelweis 1861) made major inroads into our knowledge of the transmission of pathogens around wards. This work was augmented by Lister and others with their work on asepsis and antisepsis. (Birte Twisselmann 2003). Over the intervening years this has been translated into Nursing practice on the wards by a multitude of protocols at both local and national levels. Simple hand washing between patient contact, is still regarded as one of the most expedient ways of reducing cross contamination between patients, but is sadly still frequently overlooked as both a nuisance and even a hindrance when in a clinical situation. Some of the more recent National guidelines are encapsulated in the Government White Paper â€Å"New Guidelines to cleaner hospitals† published in 2004. This has been augmented by a statement to the House of Commons by John Reid who has announced targets of cutting MRSA infection by 50% of current levels by 2008 (Reid 2004) One cannot work in the current healthcare setting and not be aware of the high profile that MRSA has attracted. Some may say that it’s profile is disproportionately large when compared to many of the other iatrogenic problems that would come under the umbrella of Nightingale’s original statement. The fact of the matter is that it is not only a matter of patient morbidity and mortality, but it is also a matter of economic sense as well. A recent study commissioned by the Department of Health (Public Accounts Committee 2000) concluded that Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI’s) are currently running in excess of 8% of all acute hospital admissions in the UK. The economic cost is further expanded by the fact that a HCAI has the ability to delay discharge dates and thereby increase inpatient costs. The same study also concluded that â€Å"For the NHS in England this represents 3.6 million bed days lost, with a projected cost of  £1 billion a year.† and then went on to observe that â€Å"Implementation of all the measures suggested by the NPSA would release  £147 million and save about 450 lives once target compliance rates have been met.† We have commented on local initiatives and quote as an example the Epic project that has been run at local level throughout the country which seeks to apply evidence-based guidelines locally for the reduction of various healthcare associated infections. (Pratt et al 2001) When considering any significant healthcare issue, one should always reflect upon the evidence base that is available to assess one’s own position on the subject (Gibbs, G 1988). Publications in peer-reviewed journals are perhaps one major plank in this evidence base. One must always be alert to differentiate between the weight to be placed upon the evidence in this type of publication when compared to others such as Government pronouncements, bulletins and circulars, unless they are attributed – and most are not – and can therefore be verified. On the issue of patient cross contamination and handwashing we would commend the excellent tour de force by Boyce Pittet (2002) In current nursing practice we can see the modern consequences of many initiatives aimed at reducing the cross-patient spread of infection. The abundance of near-patient handwashing facilities (Donowitz 1997) and antiseptic soap dispensers (Graham 1990) is a testament to this fact as are the modern trend to single use equipment, dressings and aprons etc. The provision of such facilities are, by themselves, not totally effective as many studies have shown that there is an inherent resistance from some staff to measures as simple as handwashing (Teare 1999) and that additional measures such as poster campaigns and staff lectures produce only transient behaviour changes (Kretzer et al. 1998) Another area where there is the clear potential to do harm to patients is the whole area of patient identification. Patients in hospital have investigations and treatments that are potentially dangerous. One hopes that for each intervention a â€Å"balance sheet† has been drawn up, which weighs the potential hazards against the potential gains for each procedure. This is fine as long as the procedure is performed on the right patient. If the wrong patient is identified for the procedure then it can have disastrous implications. (Williamson et al.1999) To give a specific example. Let us consider the case of blood transfusion. This is a very common procedure in our hospitals with many thousands of units of blood being transfused on a daily basis. Despite stringent protocols and guidelines in one typical year there were 197 serious adverse incidents resulting from incorrect patient identification, this included 42 cases of major morbidity and two deaths. (Mayor 1999) To combat this specific problem (and to illustrate our argument) National guidelines for transfusion protocols have now been advised and should be implemented in all NHS hospitals: The patients identity should be verified by two members of staff together The identification should be carried out at the patients bedside The identity and quality of the blood pack and the prescription should be formally verified The patients identity should be confirmed verbally The patients identity band should be formally verified The patients blood pressure, pulse, and temperature should be taken before and at regular intervals during the transfusion (as detailed in the committees report) (Clarke et al. 2001). Many nurses reading this may think that this is already normal procedure and yet studies have shown that patient identification checks were carried out in only 63% of cases – 46% verbally and only 60% against their wrist bands. Even more worryingly, only 25% of transfusion cases had their vital signs recorded contemporaneously. (Clarke et al. 2001). Although we have used this particular situation to illustrate the possible ramifications of patient mis-identification (or simply poor practice), there are clearly countless other situations where patients are at risk. A typical ward nurse will know the majority of the patients on her ward. The majority of the medical and surgical healthcare professionals will not. (Savulesuc et al. 1998). It follows therefore, that the ward nurse is ideally placed to verify if the patient who is being dispatched to the anaesthetic room is the right one for the operation or appropriate procedure. In this respect the concept of patient advocacy falls heavily on the nurse. This argument can be broadened further. The majority of medical staff (by virtue of pressure of work and time), can only spend a short time discussing each case with each patient. The ward nurse will typically have longer to discuss wider issues with the patient and may therefore be able to elicit or discover relevant facts which have not been discovered of recorded by the medical staff. The nurse is therefore again ideally placed to act as an advocate for the patient to ensure that relevant facts are brought to the attention of those who need to know (Bryant 2005). An example might be that a patient had not discussed particular religious beliefs or points of view with the doctor which the nurse may subsequently become aware of. (Kuhse Singer 2001). Here then, is the thrust of Nightingale’s message. Hospitals are places that are (generally) full of healthcare professionals who are intent on providing a good professional service for their patients. In the pursuit of that aim they have to employ technologies, medicines and techniques that have the ability to cause harm. This harm can occur through chance, calculated risk or just bad luck, but equally it can occur through bad practice lack of communication or sloppy procedure. It is the latter that the nurse is ideally placed to counter. Professionalism demands that the nurse should speak up whenever such eventualities are discovered. In doing so they can often save accidents, unfortunate events or even disasters from occurring. If all members of the healthcare team follow the same mantra then Nightingale’s edict will become less relevant. (Veitch 2002) Having said that, it is not a situation where complacency can be allowed any room at all. The healthcare services are extremely complex organisations requiring the combined efforts of many thousands of individuals. The potential for mistakes is therefore enormous. One must always bear in mind that the nurse is generally familiar with the workings and procedures of the health service whereas the patient generally is not. The patient will typically accept on trust what he is asked to do and submit to, without the background knowledge of whether it is actually appropriate to his particular case. It is this basis that is often the scenario for avoidable incidents where harm is done to patients. The nurse must be constantly vigilant for the potential for mistakes in order to minimise the potential for harm coming to the patients in their charge. References Birte Twisselmann (2003) The Discovery of the Germ BMJ, Jul 2003; 327: 57. Boyce JM Pittet D. (2002) Guidelines for hand hygiene in Healthcare settings HMSO Oct 25 2002 / 51 (RR 16); 1-44 Bryant P 2005 None so naive as the well meaning BMJ, Jan 2005; 330: 263 Carrick P 2000 Medical Ethics in the Ancient World Georgetown University press 2000 ISBN: 0878408495 Clark P. Iain Rennie, and Sam Rawlinson 2001 Quality improvement report: Effect of a formal education programme on safety of transfusions BMJ, Nov 2001; 323: 1118 1120. Donowitz LG. (1997) Handwashing technique in a paediatric intensive care unit. Am J Dis Child 1997; 141:6835. Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: A guide to Teaching and Learning methods EMU Oxford Brookes University, Oxford. 1988 Graham M. (1990) Frequency and duration of handwashing in an intensive care unit. Am J Infect Control 1990; 18:7780. Kretzer EK, Larson EL. (1998) Behavioural interventions to improve infection control practices. Am J Infect Control 1998; 26:24553. Kuhse Singer 2001 A companion to bioethics ISBN: 063123019X Pub Date 05 July 2001 Mayor S 1999 Review calls for improved patient identification systems for blood BMJ, Mar 1999; 318: 692. New guidelines to cleaner hospitals: 2004 NHS Directive; HMSO, Tuesday 7 December 2004 Playfair, William 1847 The Statistical Breviary, British Museum London, 1847 Pratt RJ, Pellowe C, Loveday HP, Robinson N, Smith GW and the epic guideline development team; Barrett S, Davey P, Loveday C, McDougall C, Mulhall A, Privett S, Smales C, Taylor L, Weller B and Wilcox M. (2001). The epic Project: Developing National Evidence-based Guidelines for preventing Healthcare Associated Infections, Phase 1: Guidelines for preventing Hospital-Acquired Infections. J Hospital Infection; 47 (suppl): S1-S82. Public Accounts Committee.2000 The management and control of hospital acquired infection in acute NHS Trusts in England (HC 306), HMSO: House of Commons 2000. ISBN 0102695008 Reid. Dr John, 2004 Sec. Of State for Health; Hansard: Dec 10th 2004 Savulescu J. , Rachel Marsden, Tony Hope, Michael Saunders, Ruth Carlyle, Pippa Gough, and George J Annas 1998 Ethical debate: Sex, drugs, and the invasion of privacy †¢ Respect for privacy and the case of Mr K †¢ Commentary: Hospital can never be home †¢ Commentary: Silence may be the best advocacy †¢ Commentary: Nurses should recognise patients rights to autonomy †¢ Commentary: Patients should have privacy as long as they do not harm themselves or others BMJ, Mar 1998; 316: 921 924. Semmelweis IP. (1861) Die aetiologie, der begriff und die prophylaxis des kindbettfiebers. Pest, Wien und Leipzig: CA Hartlebens Verlags-Expedition 1861. Sugarman J Sulmasy 2001 Methods in Medical Ethics Georgetown Univeristy Press 2001 ISBN: 0878408738 Teare L, (1999) Handwashing Liaison Group. Hand washing: a modest measurewith big effects. Br Med J 1999; 318:686. Veitch RM 2002 Cross-cultural perspectives in medical ethics Jones Bartlett 2002 ISBN: 0763713325 Williamson, S Lowe, E M Love, H Cohen, K Soldan, D B L McClelland, P Skacel, and J A J Barbara 1999 Serious hazards of transfusion (SHOT) initiative: analysis of the first two annual reports BMJ, Jul 1999; 319: 16 19. ************************************************************************************************ 31.8.05 PDG. Word Count 2,592

Change Management Essay -- Work Technology Papers

Change Management Change is not something to be taken lightly. "This issue of change is one of the greatest challenges in the workplace today" (Fralix, P., 1998). One of the pitfalls of change within an organization is employees' fear of what change will bring. Will implementing new technologies destroy my job? Will I be able to keep up with the changes in my organization? These are some of the questions that bring about employee apprehension to changes in business. This very apprehension can determine the success or the failure of change within that system. Yet change is inevitable. Much like the Darwinian theory of survival, the company that can adapt with changes in emerging technologies will survive in today's society. So how does a company adapt to changes? The company employs change management strategies in their business. What is Change Management? Why is it important for Instructional Technologists to use change management when introducing new innovations to the organization? In this paper I w ill define change management, discuss some positive strategies to change management. I will also point out why it is important for Instructional Technologists to use positive change management strategies. Change Management Changes, that makes the strain. Changes†¦ David Bowe What is Change Management? In the EBSCO Business Search there were one hundred and eighty three articles on this very topic. Obviously this is a hot topic in Management and Business journals, yet only one article offered a definition of what change management is. In the article, "Global trends in Managing Change" Lisa Kudray and Brian Kleiner offer this definition, Change Management is defined as the continuous process of aligning an organi... ...r) Top-down leadership critical to change issue. Triangle Business Journal, (14) 2, 21. Retrieved October 28, 1999 from EBSCO business search on Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu Goldwasser, C. & Schneider D. ( 1998, March). Be a model leader of change. Management Review, (87) 3 , 41-46.. Retrieved October 28, 1999 from EBSCO business search on Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu Hofman, D. & Orlikowski, W. ( 1997, Winter). An improvisational model for change Management: The case of GroupWare technologies. Sloan Management Review,(38) 2 , 11-22. Retrieved October 28, 1999 from EBSCO business search on Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu Kleiner, B. & Kudray, L (1997, May/June). Global trends in managing change. Industrial Management, (39) 3, 18-21. Retrieved October 28, 1999 from EBSCO business search on Galileo: http://www.galileo.gsu.edu

Euthanasia: A Complex Issue Essay -- Assisted Suicide Essays

Euthanasia is a very controversial issue around the world. Many doctors have conflicting opinions when it comes to this topic. â€Å"Euthanasia is the killing of someone through either an active or passive way of someone who suffers from an illness which arouses pity and who will never get better when asked by either the person himself/herself or his/her friends† (Nevzat). Euthanasia has been around for centuries. When Michael Stolberg narrates the story of Ambroise Parà © in â€Å"Two Pioneers of Euthanasia around 1800,† he informs us that euthanasia was used as early as 1536. In the sad anecdote about the soldier, Stolberg opens the eyes of many to the ways euthanasia is performed. Not all acts of euthanasia are quite this severe. In 1800, Physician Carl Georg Theodor Kortum had various reports of terminally ill patients bound to die a horrible death if not for him. He explained some patients went through a period of not even being able to swallow. They stayed in this period until they slowly lost their sense. Some patients continued to live for another forty-eight hours until finally passing. He explained, â€Å"The only thing one could desire was that a gentle death end the patients suffering† (Stolberg). Some say Kortum could be considered the first physician to publically justify and advise active euthanasia. He saw euthanasia as helping terminally ill patients become comfortable again. Christian Ludwig Mursinna was a very well respected surgeon during this time, as well. Mursinna was the head surgeon at Charità © hospital in Berlin and a professor of surgery. Like Kortum, Mursinna also publically admitted to shortening the suffering of one of his patients. After the patient asked... ...a: Journal of Death & Dying 54.2 (2006): 135-145. Professional Development Collection. EBSCO. Web. 13 Jan. 2011. Stolberg, Michael. â€Å"Two Pioneers of Euthanasia around 1800.† Hastings Center Report. 19-22. Hastings Center, 2008. Health Source – Consumer Edition. EBSCO. Web. 13 Jan. 2011. Stolinsky, M.D, David C. â€Å"Assisted Suicide of the Medicle Profession.† Stolinsky.com. 20 Mar. 2006. Web. 26 Jan. 2011. "Palliative Care vs. Hospice Care - Definition | Get Palliative Care." Palliative Care. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. . Whitney, Simon N., Bryan W. Brown, Howard Brody, Kirsten H. Alcser, Jerald G. Bachman, and Henry T. Greely. "Views of United States Physicians and Members of the American Medicle Association House of Delegates on Physician-assisted Suicide." Journal of General Internal Medicine 16 (20001): 290-96. Print.

Ethical Analysis of the Shawshank Redemption Essay

It has been suggested that a person can learn a great deal about a society; its customs, values, ethical beliefs, etc†¦, through its cultural works (art, film, literature, etc†¦). In the case of the 1994 film, The Shawshank Redemption, a story of one man’s wrongful imprisonment and subsequent freedom, the viewer can gain a great insight into two ethical principles that help to govern society. The Shawshank Redemption provides the viewer with a backdrop against which to consider the ethical principles of justice and power and the implications that the way in which those principles are dealt with in the film can have for society. Ethical Principles Ethics can be defined as, â€Å"a social, religious, or civil code of behavior considered correct, especially that of a particular group, profession, or individual† (Ethics). While the individual principles that make-up such â€Å"correct behavior† can be debated from group to group and society to society, there are certain ones that seem to transcend culture and societal boundaries. One of these is â€Å"justice.† Justice can be defined as â€Å"the quality of being fair and reasonable/conformity to moral rightness and attitude† (Justice). It is a sense that a person is being treated in a manner that is in accordance with a reasonable and fair application of both written and unwritten â€Å"laws† that are considered to be righteous and is an almost universal ethical principle. One can see the ethical principle of justice in The Shawshank Redemption from the very beginning of the film. The foundation of the movie is the unjust imprisonment of the ma in character, Andy Dufresne, and the subsequent injustices that are done to him while there. These injustices take the form of sexual assault by other prisoners, a refusal on the part of the warden to acknowledge evidence of his innocence, and a resulting two-month assignment to solitary confinement when he tries to argue the point. The other characters are not free from the effects of injustice either. From the new prisoner who is beaten to death for crying to Red, who his continually rejected for parole despite obviously being â€Å"rehabilitated,† the characters continually face situations in which they are treated in a manner that both they and the audience would view as unjust. The second main ethical principle in the film is that of power. Power exists any time one person exerts some advantage over another. It can take the form of intellect, money, strength, etc†¦ and with it comes an inevitable ethical dilemma of how to use the power. As was discussed with justice, there appears to be a universal belief that power should be used in a judicious manner, but that does not always happen. Johnson (2012) suggests that, â€Å"†¦we recognize that power has a corrosive effect on those who possess it,† (p. 9) and that kind of behavior is evident in the film. Warden Samuel Norton abuses his legitimate power, or power of his position, along with both reward (delivering something of value) and coercive (penalties or punishments) power to use and abuse prisoners for his own personal gain, even going so far as to have one shot in order to protect his financial and personal interest (Johnson, 2012, pp. 7-8). Head guard Byron Hadley abuses his power through coercive measures, beating and killing prisoners and running the prison through fear and intimidation. Even the other guards, though they do not abuse the prisoners physically, take advantage of their position to get free financial work from Dufresn. The use and abuse of power extends to the prisoners, as well. Red uses his influence with the guards to get all of his friends on the same work detail. At the same time, Boggs and The Sisters use their physical power to force Andy into unwanted sexual acts. Even Andy uses his power, exercising the expert power of his financial abilities in illegal ways and, in doing so, gaining privileges for both the other prisoners and himself (Johnson, 2012, p. 8). While the audience may ultimately view these actions more favorably in light of the injustices faced by the prisoners, they nonetheless represent actions that, in and of themselves, would be examples of abuse of power. Character Reactions The ethical principles of justice and power play-out in the film through the reactions of the different characters to the environment of injustice and abused power that is present in the prison. It is the prison establishment, represented by the Warden, Hadley and the other guards, that provides the catalyst that drives the character interplay. The Warden and Hadley are the main abusers, but even the other guards, who show fairness and justice to the prisoners when left on their own, fall victim to the pressures of the Warden and Hadley’s evil â€Å"shadow† (Johnson, 2012) and join-in to some degree. It is this situation that causes the prisoners to have to choose how they will react. In the face of the unfair treatment and abuse of power, the prisoners choose to react in different ways. Boggs and /The Sisters become part of the abuse through the use of physical strength, beating and sexually assaulting Dufresn and others at will. Red and the rest of Dufresn’s group are able to maintain a semblance of ethical normalcy but become numb to the things going on around them and begin to take them as a matter of course. It is Dufresn who refuses to give-in to the injustice and abuse. He fights the Sisters, even though he does not always win, plots behind the scenes to escape, makes use of his position as â€Å"financial advisor† to help the other prisoners and, through it all, he maintains his inner strength, hope, and ethical outlook. This interplay between the prison establishment and the prisoner, as well as the differing ways that the prisoners choose to react to the situation helps to bring to light some ethical implications suggested by the film. Ethical Implications While there are several suppositions and implications that can be made from the movie about society and its beliefs, two seem to stand-out. The first ethical implication of the movie is the idea that society takes a utilitarian view of ethics. Under a utilitarian approach, decisions are based on their consequences (Johnson, 2012, p. 154) and the â€Å"ends justify the means.† There is a sense that while certain actions, in and of themselves, can be considered unethical, society is willing to view them more favorably within a certain context. For example, there seems to be an inate need for people to feel that justice has been done, and certain unethical behaviors may be acceptable in achieving that end. This can be seen throughout the movie. Boggs, the leader of the Sisters, is beaten until he is paralyzed for hurting Dufresn. Dufresn escapes from prison and takes $370,000 of ill-gotten, laundered money in the process. Either of these might be considered unethical in and of th emselves, but the audience is willing to applaud both in the interest of justice being served. We see this same utilitarian view in the use of power in the movie. The Warden and the guards abuse their power to differing degrees and the audience is meant to frown and look askance. However, when Dufresn exploits his financial capabilities in an illegal activity and escape or Red engages in smuggling items into the prison, the audience applauds. In a vacuum, all of the acts are unethical. However, the actions of Dufresn and Red seem to serve, in the eyes if the audience, to balance-out some of the abuses of power and advance the cause of justice. As a result, they are looked at as being ethical in as much as they helped meet the ethical principle of justice despite being unethical themselves. The second implication is the power of ethical leadership. This can be seen in the reaction of the two main groups, the governing power of the Warden and the guards and Dufresn’s group, to their respective leaders. In the case of the guards, we see the influence that the leadership of the Warden and Hadley has over them. As was mentioned earlier, the guards are motivated to act in harsh ways towards the prisoners when around the Warden and Hadley, but we see more ethical and humane interactions when the guards are alone with the prisoners. Even Hadley changes once the â€Å"spell† of the Warden’s leadership is broken, crying like a baby when he is arrested. Thus, one sees the length and power of the shadow that the Warden casts. In contrast to the guards, one sees the positive influence that Dufresn has on Red and the other prisoners in their group. When he arrives, they are practical and pragmatic, resigned to the way things are. However, Dufresn shows them that ethical behavior and rightness can still exist. This begins with their first meeting, when he asks for the name of a prisoner who was beaten to death. This seems inconsequential to the others but serves as a symbol of Dufresn bringing the ethics of the outside world with him into the prison. Despite all that occurs during his stay, he never loses those ethics. He never loses hope. And, in the process, he raises the ethical level and level of hope for all members of the group. Both men lead their respective groups through their actions and decision-making. One’s actions lead in an unethical manner and the other in a more ethical one. Through this, it is evident just how influential the ethical decisions of a leader and the â€Å"shadow or light† they cast can be (Johnson, 2012). Thus, against the backdrop of the microcosmic subculture of Shawshank Prison, one sees the importance of justice and fair use of power to American society. The adage that, â€Å"Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely,† (Johnson, 2012, p. 11) becomes a reality within the prison walls and the characters are left to make sense of it. Ultimately and ironically, it is the seemingly unethical deeds of Dufresn and Red (who breaks his parole to go to Mexico) that restore the balance of justice and power that the audience is seeking and, in doing so, reveal the important role that these ethical principles play in society. References Ethics. In The Free Dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ethics Glotzer, L., Lester, D.. & Marvin, N. (Producers) and Darabont, F. (Director). (1994). The Shawshank Redemption [Motion Picture]. United States: Castle Rock Entertainment. Johnson, C.E. (2012). Meeting the Ethical Challenges of Leadership: Casting Light or Shadow, fourth edition. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications Ltd. Justice. In The Free Dictionary by Farlex. Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ethics

Families: Family and Long Time Essay

There were more marriages and less divorces. People got married earlier. They had more children. The husband was the bread-winner and the wife stayed at home to look after the children and do the housework. It follows that very few women had a job. A long time ago several generations lived together under the same root: the grand-parents, the parents, the children and sometimes nor yet the grand-grand- parents. Families today: There are less marriages and more divorces. There are a lot of one-parents families nd there are less children In a family. The people get married later. The couples often live together without getting married, that calls cohabitation. The woman also have a job and go out to work. The husband and the wife share the housework and look after the children together. As I write there are less children In the families. That means that there are a lot of only child. Being an only child has advantages and disadvantages too. Advantages: You have privacy, you can do what you want. You don’t have to share things with your brothers and sisters. You don’t have to adapt to anybody. The parents have more time, energy and even money for you. Disadvantages: You don’t always have someone to talk to or play with, you often can feel lonely. You are alone to do the housework and the homework. You can become more selfish, intolerant, spoilt and willful. Contrarily growing up In a big family Is a bit different. Advantages: You always have someone to talk to or play with. The brothers and sisters can halp each other e. g. at homework. You can share the housework too. You earn to cooperate, to share things with others e. g. the room, toys or books. Yo learn to make efforts if you want to get something. You learn to adapt to the others. You can become less selfish, more tolerant and understanding. Disadvantages: You have no privacy, It’s difficult to remain alone and do what you want. You have to share a lot of things, to adapt your brothers and sisters. Sometimes you have to wear handed-down clothes if you are the younger child. The parents have less time, energy and money for each children.