Authentic Leadership free essay sample

Thus, one of the most important lessons on how to become an authentic leader is to be able to be one’s true self. It is about being uniquely yourself and being comfortable in your own skin. The fastest way to reach a point where one is comfortable in their own skin, is by searching deeply to understand and know who you truly are. Once you have discovered who you truly are, in order to be an authentic leader, you must endeavour to be that person who you know you have always been destined to be (Spence 2008). In order to give an understanding of how one becomes an authentic business leader, I have broken down the suggestions into ten components that authentic leaders must accomplish on a regular basis. This was the same approach taken by Spence (2008), and support of these action items is given from other articles. Always speak the truth An authentic leader must consistently speak the truth and this entails being clear, honest and authentic. We will write a custom essay sample on Authentic Leadership or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This also means that you must have the strength of character to respond transparently to moral dilemmas because authentic leaders become ethical role models for their teams (Gardner and Schermerhorn 2004). A poll taken by Time/CNN some years ago reported that 71% of those polled felt that the typical CEO was less honest and ethical than the average person. A young leader must behave in a manner that makes them worthy of trust, reliance and belief in order to be deemed authentic. The leader must also be of the highest integrity and committed to building enduring organisations. A deep sense of purpose must guide their actions and they must always be true to their core values (George 2007). Integrity, stewardship and sound governance are essential. Human Resources Management BUSA 5059 (J. Ruwodo) Authentic Leadership Page 3 Author: Joy Ruwodo Date: Monday, May 25, 2009 Lead from the heart It is crucial that all leaders understand that they cannot run a business or organization on their own. People within the organisation are largely responsible for making the organisational clock tick. Thus, leadership is about people. In order to be an authentic leader, a leader needs to be able to make a difference to the lives of the people he serves and in so doing, make a difference to the world. You must be more interested in empowering the people you lead to make a difference than in money, power or prestige for yourself. You must be guided by qualities of the heart, passion and compassion, as well as by qualities of the mind (George 2007). A trait associated to compassion that a leader must have is empathy – the ability to relate and to connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives (Winfrey 2007). It is also vital to be willing to show vulnerability and to be open to corrective feedback which you can use to ensure continuous improvement for yourself (Geller 2007). Have a rich moral fibre Strength of character gives a leader a positive edge which can be recognised by anyone they interact with. A leader must be willing to work on their character and â€Å"walk the talk†. Such a solid character is more important than charisma. The leader’s public persona and private core must not be at odds, they must be aligned. Follow through is important. What is said in the public eye and what your corporate does must always tie up. Be courageous In order to become an authentic leader, one must be willing to do what is right always; even if it means going against the crowd.

Maus vs. Art essays

Maus vs. Art essays How Maus Compares to Contemporary Art Maus is a book that is very much unlike any other story. Maus is a gripping story of the holocaust and a man that tells a story about what he went through at Auschwitz, the famous death camp. The story is presented in comic book form instead in the form of a novel, and the characters, instead of being humans are drawn as animals. This is a very clever idea because each group of characters is a different animal group. For example, the jews are characterized as mice, the Germans as cats, the French as frogs and the polish as pigs. This helps the reader to understand better what is going on. This book can be compared to two contemporary artists that we studied in class. The first artist that uses a style similar to the one in Maus is Roy Lichtenstein. Lichtensteins career was mainly based on his technique of taking specific sections out of comics and enlarging them to portray a certain theme. If Roy Lichtenstein had picked this book up he could have had a field day with it, because there are so many controversial parts of the story. There are many gruesome scenes in this book that if they were singled out and blown up, they would be very controversial just by themselves. I had trouble trying to find another artist that we talked about in class that had pieces that could be easily compared to those of Maus. Cindy Sherman, eventhough she didnt do anything with comics, I think that she had something in common with the book. Cindy Sherman was famous for her photography, and made many breakthroughs in contemporary photography in the 1970s. The reason I think that her work is similar because in her pictures she would use props and costumes to create controversial pictures. This reminded me of the author in Maus and how he was wearing a mouse mask so he could see things like the mice did and get a better idea of what he was writing about. I think that this book ...

Holistic Nutrition Mini Essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Holistic Nutrition Mini Essays - Essay Example They match particular molecules with each other in order to produce desired reactions in the body. However, these enzymes cannot work without co-factors. This is where minerals come in. â€Å"Unless an enzyme is accompanied by its co-factor/mineral, or a substitute co-factor/mineral, it will simply sit around doing nothing† (Kennedy, 2009). Copper serves as a co-factor for different enzymes in the body. It is vital in hemoglobin synthesis in order to convert tyrosine into melanin, which, in turn protects the skin from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It is also important in the metabolism of Vitamin C, and consequently helps in maintaining the elasticity of the body’s ligaments and tendons. Zinc is also a co-factor for different enzymes in our body. â€Å"Zinc assists the various enzymes that metabolize carbohydrates, alcohol, and fatty acids† (Cichoke, 2000). They also work with enzymes that metabolize proteins and dispose of free radicals in the body. These various co-factor activities make zinc a very effective anti-oxidant. Iodine is a co-factor in enzymes which help produce the thyroid hormone thyroxine. â€Å"Iodine is necessary for thyroxin, and thyroxin is responsible for maintaining a normal metabolic rate in all the cells of the body† (Kennedy, 2009). The minerals mentioned above, are just some of the co-factor minerals essential for the healthy functioning of our body. Minerals act as catalysts, as spurs to the existing enzymes in our body in order to eventually produce the desired effect into our system. Minerals can potentially be helpful and harmful to our body. As with any nutrient ingested into our body, too much minerals can be toxic to our system. One such mineral is manganese. Manganese toxicity usually results to multiple neurologic problems. It is even more dangerous when inhaled because it immediately goes to the brain without being metabolized by the liver. In some instances, it can result to permanent neurologic

Moral Permissibility of Abortion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Moral Permissibility of Abortion - Essay Example Finally, moderate view supporters will consider the stage of fetus development and suggest that abortion is possible at the early term. In this essay, I will argue that despite the fact that Deb has a legal right to terminate the pregnancy, she needs to choose a solution which would give more positive consequences that the opposite one. Pro-life critics would oppose this argument saying that there is not case where human life can be taken away by other people. Human life is the biggest value. However, challenging the way people define ‘human’ and ‘sentience’ can lead to acceptance of abortion under some circumstances. In many ways, moral permissibility of abortion depends on the state of fetus development. According to Sumner (1981), human fetus is not static in its development. First of all it is constantly developing. Second, it is developing gradually and, third, there is a huge difference between the beginning of the pregnancy and the end of pregnancy where fetus is well-developed (Sumner, 1981). When a woman becomes pregnant, there is only a zygote in her body which does not look and act as a human being. In the process of development, zygote transforms becoming more developed and human-like. During late stages of pregnancy, the fetus is already well-developed. If a child is born being seven, eight or nine months, it can survive with the help of doctors. This fact proves that sentient characteristics in fetus develop in time; they are not presented in zygote initially. Thus, abortion during at the early term is permissible. These three characteristics used by Sumner (1981) in moral reasoning of abortion lead to the rejection of the main argument of prohibitionists as it does not consider that fact that pregnancy is a dynamic process. Conservatives argues that abortion is evil under any circumstances because it is the act of killing a

Critique Paper - All Quiet on the Western Front Essay

Critique Paper - All Quiet on the Western Front - Essay Example Pauls’ suppression of emotions has made him into an emotional cripple who is unable to relate to his family and live a normal life outside the battlefield (Remarque). Being stuck in a shell hole with a man he stabbed forces Paul to consider the nature of war and how it makes strangers into enemies. The horrors of war take away his friends one by one and often in front of his own eyes. He is ruined by war and when he is given a short leave, he wonders how he will adjust to civilian life, Paul dies during an enemy attack and he doesn’t have to find out how his life would have been off the battlefield (Remarque). Paul is the novel’s main protagonist and his inner battle with his feelings and actions is what is intriguing about him. His personality and the way war forces Paul to behave are in stark contrast to each other. He was a sensitive young lad, full of idealism and life but war made him into a remorseless soldier who must remain emotionally numb in order to survive on the battlefield. Paul’s past and future are snatched away by war and he struggles to remember what his past was like and wonders what his future will be without war. But despite all this, he still has some humanity left in him and there are instances where he is overcome by grief. This struggle is representative of all those men who were enlisted to fight in the army at a very young age and Pauls’ story is similar to all those adolescents who lost their childhood, their friends, their family and even their lives on the battlefield. The trauma and hardship they suffer snatches away their innocence and Paul was long dead on the inside before the war actually killed him. Paul’s story revolves around the main theme of the novel which is about the horrors of war and its effect on the soldiers. War is often painted with glory and honor but this book sets out to debunk those notions and show war through the eyes of a soldier. It shows the butchery of

Elderly Suicide Strategies with Nurse Based Intervention

Elderly Suicide Strategies with Nurse Based Intervention Investigation into nurse strategies to prevent or minimise attempted suicide in patients over 65 This dissertation considers the rationale for positive nurse-based intervention in consideration of issues relating to suicide in the elderly. The introduction sets the context, including the historical context, of the issues and discusses the negative effects of ageism on issues relating to suicide in the elderly. The literature review considers selected texts which have been chosen for their specific relevance to the issue and particularly those that espouse the view that ageism is counterproductive to a satisfactory quality of life outcome for the elderly person. Conclusions are drawn and discussed with specific emphasis on those measures that are of particular relevance to the nursing profession whether it is in a secondary care facility, a residential home setting or in the primary healthcare team and the community. Introduction We can observe, from a recent paper (O’Connell H et al. 2004), the comments that, although there is no doubt that the elderly present higher risk of completed suicide than any other age group, this fact receives comparatively little attention with factors such as media interest, medical research and public health measures being disproportionately focused on the younger age groups (Uncap her H et al.2000). Perhaps we should not be surprised at the fact that both suicidal feelings and thoughts of hopelessness have been considered part of the social context of growing old and becoming progressively less capable. This is not a phenomenon that is just confined to our society. We know that the Ancient Greeks tolerated these feelings in their society and actively condoned the option of assisted suicide if the person involved had come to the conclusion that they had no more useful role to play in society (Carrick P 2000). Society largely took the view that once an individual had reached old age they no longer had a purpose in life and would be better off dead. In a more modern context, we note the writings of Sigmund Freud who observed (while he was suffering from an incurable malignancy of the palate: It may be that the gods are merciful when they make our lives more unpleasant as we grow old. In the end, death seems less intolerable than the many burdens we have to bear. (cited in McClain et al. 2003) We would suggest that one of the explanations of this apparent phenomenon of comparative indifference to the plight of the elderly in this regard is due to the fact that the social burden of suicide is often referred to in purely economic terms, specifically relating tools of social contribution and loss of productivity. (Breeching A et al.2000). This purely economic assessment would have to observe that the young are much more likely to be in employment and less likely to be a burden on the economic status of the country whereas with the elderly exactly the converse is likely to be true. This results in economic prominence being given to the death of a younger person in many reviews. (Adcock P,2003). There is also the fact that, despite the fact that we have already highlighted the increase in relative frequency of suicide in the elderly, because of the demographic distributions of the population in the UK, the absolute numbers of both attempted suicides and actual suicides are greater in the younger age ranges and therefore more readily apparent and obvious. The elderly are a particularly vulnerable group from the risk of suicide. In the industrialised world males over the age of 75 represent the single largest demographic group in terms of suicide attempts. Interestingly (and for reasons that we shall shortly discuss) although there is a general trend of increasing suicide rate with age the excess rates associated with the elderly are slowly declining in the recent past (Castell 2000). We can quantify this statement by considering the statistics. If we consider the period 1983 to 1995 in the UK then we can show that: The suicide rates for men reduced by between 30% and 40% in the age groups 55–64, 65–74 and 75–84 The rates for the most elderly men (males over 85 years) remained fairly static, this group still having the highest rates of any group By way of contrast, the 25- to 34-year-old male group exhibited a 30%increase in suicide rate during the same period, this group are becoming the group with the second highest rate, while the 15- to24-year-old male group demonstrated a 55% increase in suicide rates.(WHO 2001) Female suicide rates have shown a similar overall decrease, reducing by between 45 and 60% in the 45–84 age group. Elderly women, however, retain the highest rates throughout the life span (Castell 2000) The ratio of male to female elderly suicide deaths remains approximately 3:1 (Fischer L R et al. 2003) We can suggest that these trends in reduction of suicide, particularly in the elderly are likely to be due, amongst other things, to: The improved detection of those at risk together with the advent of aggressive treatment policies relating to mental illness in the elderly. (Warn M et al. 2003) One of the main reasons, we would suggest, for this obviously changing pattern and the discrepancies in the suicide rates between the age ranges, is the fact that, in direct consideration of the context of our topic, the elderly are more likely to be both amenable to professional help and also, by virtue that a higher proportion are likely to be in direct contact with healthcare professionals either through failing health or nursing homes and hospitals, (Soutine K teal. 2003), have the warning signs of impending suicide recognised and acted upon more promptly than the younger, arguably more independent age group. In specific consideration of the elderly group we should also note that attempted suicide is more likely to be a failed suicide attempt rather than a Para suicide. (Rubenowitz E et al. 2001). There is considerable evidence that the incidence of depression is increased in the presence of a concurrent physical illness (Conwell Yet al. 2002) and clearly this is going to be more likely in the elderly age group. Some sources have cited association rates of between 60-70%of major depression with physical illness in the over 70yr olds.(Conwell Y et al. 2000). Another significant factor is that it is commonly accepted that an attempted suicide is a strong independent risk factor in the aetiology of further suicide attempts. (Conwell Y et al. 1996) This trend is much more marked in the elderly group with a ratio of about 4:1 which compares very badly with the ratios in the younger age groups of between 8:1 and 200:1 (depending on age range, definition and study).(Hippie J et al. 1997) Aims and objectives In this dissertation it is intended to gain evidence based knowledge of the scope and significance of the phenomenon of attempted suicide in the elderly. In addition it is intended to gain evidence based knowledge in the use of strategies to ameliorate attempted suicide in the elderly to highlight gaps in the literature available and to suggest recommendations for change in nursing practice It is hoped tube able to suggest areas for research into the phenomenon of attempted suicide in the elderly. Methodology The initial strategy was to undertake a library search at the local post graduate library and the local university library (Client: you might like to personalise this) on the key words â€Å"suicide, elderly, prevention strategies, industrialised societies†. This presented a great many papers. About 40 were selected and read to provide an overview of the literature in this area. During this phase, references were noted and followed up and key literary works were assimilated. The bulk of the papers accessed and read were published within the last decade, however a number of significant older references were also accessed if they had a specific bearing on a particular issue. The most significant references were accessed and digested. The dissertation was written referencing a selected sub-set of these works. Rationale for proposal To increase nurses knowledge and understanding of attempted suicide in the older age group and to highlight through the literature review, evidence based strategies that can be employed to ameliorate attempted suicide amongst the elderly. Literature review Before commencing the literature review, it is acknowledged that the literature on this subject is huge. The parameters of the initial search have been defined above. In addition it should be noted that there is a considerable literature on the subject of assisted suicide which has been specifically excluded from these considerations The literature base for suicide in the elderly is quite extensive and provides a good evidence base for understanding, appropriate action and treatment. (Berwick D 2005) One of the landmark papers in this area is by Hippie and Quinton(Hippie J et al. 1997) which provided a benchmark, not only on the aetiology of the subject, but also in the long term outcomes, which, in terms of potential nursing care input, is extremely important. The paper points to the fact that there is a good understanding of the absolute risk factors for suicide in the elderly but a comparative lack of good quality follow up studies in the area. It set out to identify100 cases of attempted suicide in the elderly and then follow them up over a period of years. The study was a retrospective examination of100 consecutive cases of attempted suicide that were referred to the psychiatric services over a four year period. The authors were able to make a detailed investigation (including an interview of many of the survivors), about four years later. Their findings have been widely quoted in the literature. Of particular relevance to our considerations here we note that they found that of the 100 cases identified, 42 were dead at the time of follow up. Of these, 12 were suspected suicides and five more had died as a result of complications of their initial attempt. There were 17further attempts at suicide in the remaining group. Significantly, the twelve women in the group all made non-lethal attempts whereas all five of the men made successful attempts. The authors were able to establish that the risk of further attempts at suicide (having made one attempt)was in excess of 5% per year and the â€Å"success† rate was 1.5% per year in this group. From this study we can also conclude that the risk of successful repeat attempted suicide is very much greater if the subjects male. The authors were also able to establish that, because of their initial attempt, those at risk of self-harm were likely to be in contact with the Psychiatric services and also suffering from persistent severe depression. We can examine the paper by Dennis (M et al. 2005) for a further insight into the risk factors that are identifiable in the at risk groups. This paper is not so detailed as the Hippie paper, but it differs in its construction as it is a control matched study which specifically considered the non-fatal self-harm scenario. The study compared two groups of age matched elderly people both groups had a history of depression but the active study group had, in addition, a history of self-harm. The significant differences highlighted by this study were that those in the self-harm group were characterised by poorly integrated social network and had a significantly more hopeless ideation. This clearly has implications for intervention as, in the context of a care home or warden assisted setting, there is scope for improving the social integration of the isolated elderly, and in the domestic setting community support can provide a number of options to remove factors that mitigate towards social isolation. This would appear to be a positive step towards reducing the risk of further self harm. The O’Connell paper (O’Connell et al. 2004) is effectively a tour divorce on the pertinent issues. It is a review paper that cherry-picks the important information from other, quite disparate, studies and combines them into a coherent whole. It is extremely well written, very detailed, quite long and extremely informative. While it is not appropriate to consider the paper in its entirety, there are a number of factors that are directly relevant to our considerations here and weshall restrict our comments to this aspect of the paper. In terms of the identification of the risk factors associated with attempted suicide in the elderly, it highlights psychiatric illnesses, most notably depression, and certain personality traits, together with physical factors which include neurological illnesses and malignancies. The social risk factors identified in the Dennis paper are expanded to include â€Å"social isolation, being divorced, widowed, or long term single†. The authors point to the fact that many of the papers referred to tend to treat the fact of suicide in reductionist terms, analysing it to its basic fundamentals. They suggest that the actual burden of suicide should also be considered in more human terms with consideration of the consequences for the family and community being understood and assessed. (Mason T et al. 2003) In terms of nursing intervention for suicide prevention, we note that the authors express the hypothesis that sociality exists along a continuum from suicidal ideation, through attempted suicide, to completed suicide. It follows from this that a nurse, picking up the possibility of suicidal ideation, should consider and act on this as significant warning sign of possible impending action on the part of the patient. The authors point to the fact that the estimation of the actual significance of the various prevalence’s of suicide varies depending on the study (and therefore the definition) (Kirby M et al. 1997). In this context we should note that the findings do not support the ageist assumptions expounded earlier, on the grounds that the prevalence of either hopelessness or suicidal ideation in the elderly is reported asap to 17% (Kirby M et al. 1997), and there was a universal association with psychiatric illness, especially depressive illness. If we consider the prevalence of suicidal feelings in those elderly people who have no evidence of mental disorder, then it is as low as4%. It therefore seems clear that hopelessness and sociality are not the natural and understandable consequences of the ageing process as Freud and others would have us believe. This has obvious repercussions as far as nursing (and other healthcare) professionals are concerned, as it appears to be clearly inappropriate to assume that sociality is, in most cases, anything other than one of many manifestations of mental illness. It also follows from this, and this again has distinct nursing implications, that suicidal ideation and intent is only the tip of the iceberg when one considers the weight of psychological, physical and social health problems for the older person. (Warn M et al. 2002) If one considers evidence from studies that involve psychological autopsies, there is further evidence that psychopathology is involved. Depressive disorders were found in 95% in one study. (Duberstein P R teal. 1994) Psychotic disorders and anxiety states were found to be poorly correlated with suicidal completion. Further evidence for this viewpoint comes from the only study to date which is a prospective cohort study in which completed suicide was the outcome measure. (Ross R K et al. 1990). This shows that the most reliable predictor of suicide was the self-rated severity of depressive symptoms. This particular study showed that those clients with the highest ratings were 23 times more likely to die as the result of suicide than those with the lowest ratings. It also noted that other independent risk factors (although not as strong), were drinking more than 3 units of alcohol per day and sleeping more than 9 hours a night. One further relevant point that comes from the O’Connell paper is the fact that expression of suicidal intent should never be taken lightly in the older age group. The authors cite evidence to show that this has a completely different pattern in the elderly when compared tithe younger age groups. (Beauties A L 2002). The figures quoted show that if an elderly person undertakes a suicide attempt they are very much more likely to be successful than a younger one. The ratio of Para suicides to completed suicides in the adolescent age range is 200:1, in the general population it is between 8:1 and33:1 and in the elderly it is about 4:1. (Warn M et al. 2003). It follows that suicidal behaviour in the elderly carries a much higher degree of intent. This finding correlates with other findings of preferential methods of suicide in the elderly that have a much higher degree of lethality such as firearms and the use of hanging. (Jorum A Feet al. 1995). The paper by Cornwell (Y et al. 2001) considers preventative measures that can be put in place and suggests that independent risk factors commonly associated with suicide in the elderly can be expanded to include psychiatric and physical illnesses, functional impairment, personality traits of neuroticism and low openness to experience, and social isolation. And of these, t is affective illness that has the strongest correlation with suicide attempts. We have discussed(elsewhere) the correlation between impending suicide and contact with the primary care providers. Cornwell cites the fact that 70% of elderly suicides have seen a member of the primary healthcare team within 30days of their death and therefore proposes that the primary healthcare setting is an important venue for screening and intervention. It is suggested that mood disorders are commonplace in primary healthcare practice but, because they are comparatively common, are underdiagnosed and often inadequately treated (ageism again). The authors suggest that this fact alone points to the fact that one of the suicide prevention strategies that can be adopted by the primary healthcare team. they suggest that clinicians, whether they are medically qualified or nursing qualified, should be trained to identify this group and mobilise appropriate intervention accordingly. Obviously the community nurses can help in this regard as they are ideally placed to maximise their contact with vulnerable and high risk groups. We have identified the role of a major depressive illness in the aetiology of suicide in the elderly. Bruce (M L et al. 2002) considered the role of both reactive and idiopathic major depression in the population of the elderly in a nursing home setting. This has particular relevance to our considerations as firstly, on an intuitive level, one can possibly empathise with the reactive depressive elements of the elderly person finding themselves without independence in a residential or nursing home and secondly, this is perhaps the prime setting where the nurse is optimally placed to monitor the mood another risk factors of the patient and continual close quarters. The salient facts that we can take from this study are that there was substantial burden of major depressive symptomatology in this study group (13.5%). The majority (84%) were experiencing their first major depressive episode and therefore were at greatest risk of suicide. The depression was associated with comorbidity in the majority of cases including â€Å"medical morbidity, instrumental activities of daily living disability, reported pain, and a past history of depression but not with cognitive function or socio demographic factors.† All of these positive associations which could have been recognised as significant risk factors of suicide in the elderly. Significantly, in this study, only 22% of all of the seriously depressed patients were receiving antidepressant therapy and none were receiving any sort of psychotherapy. In addition to this the authors point to the fact that 31% of the patients who were put on antidepressants were taking a sub therapeutic dose (18% because they were purposely not complying with the dosage instructions). The conclusions that the authors were able to draw from this study were that major depression in the elderly was twice as common in the residential setting as opposed to those elderly patients still in the community. The majority of these depressed patients were effectively left untreated and therefore at significant risk of suicide. There was the obvious conclusion that a great deal more could be done for this study population in terms of relieving their social isolation and depressive illnesses. And, by extrapolation, for their risk of suicide. Ethical considerations. In consideration of the issue of suicide in the elderly we note that there are a number of ethical considerations but these are primarily in the field of assisted suicide which we have specifically excluded from this study. (Pabst Batten, M 1996) Evidence for positive nursing interventions Having established the evidence base in the literature that defines the risk factors that are known to be particularly associated with suicide in the elderly, we take it as read that this will form part of the knowledge base for the nurse to be alert to, and to identify those patients who are at particular risk of suicide. It is equally important to be aware of those factors that appear to confer a degree of protection against suicide. This will clearly also help to inform strategies of intervention for the nurse. Studies such as that by Gunnel (D et al. 1994) point to the fact that religiosity and life satisfaction were independent protective factors against suicidal ideation, and this factor was particularly noted in another study involving the terminally ill elderly where the authors noted that higher degrees of spiritual well-being and life satisfaction scores both independently predicted lower suicidal feelings. (McClain et al. 2003). The presence of a spouse or significant friend is a major protective factor against suicide. Although clearly it may not be an appropriate intervention for nursing care to facilitate the presence of a spouse(!) it may well be appropriate, particularly in residential settings, to facilitate social interactions and the setting up of possible friendships within that setting (Bertolote J M et al. 2003) Conclusions and discussion This Dissertation has considered the rationale behind the evidence base for nursing intervention and strategies to prevent or minimise suicide attempts in the elderly age group. We have outlined the literature which is directed at identification of the greatest â€Å"at risk† groups and this highlights the importance of the detection and treatment ofboth psychiatric disorders (especially major depression), and physical disorders (especially Diabetes Mellitus and gastric ulceration).(Thomas A J et al. 2004) Although we have been at pains to point out the relatively high and disproportionate incidence of suicide in the elderly, we should not lose sight of the fact that it is not a common event. One should not take the comments and evidence presented in this dissertation as being of sufficient severity to merit screening the entire elderly population. (Erlangen A et al. 2003) The thrust of the findings in this dissertation are that the screening should be entirely opportunistic. The evidence base that we have defined should be utilised to identify those who are in high risk groups, for example, those with overt depressive illnesses, significant psychological and social factors, especially those who have a history of previous attempted suicide. The healthcare professional should not necessarily expect the elderly person to volunteer such information and if the person concerned is naturally withdrawn or reserved, minor degrees of depressive symptoms may not be immediately obvious. (Callahan C M teal. 1996). In terms of direct nursing intervention, this must translate into the need to be aware of such eventualities and the need to enquire directly about them. The nurse should also be aware that the presence of suicidal feelings in a patient with any degree of depression is associated with a lower response rate to treatment and also an increase in the need for augmentation strategies. The nurse should also be aware of the fact that these factors may indicate the need for secondary referral. (Gunnel D et al. 1994). If we accept the findings of Conwell (Y et al. 1991), then the estimated population at risk from significant mood disorder and therefore the possibility of attempted suicide in the elderly, is 74%.This can be extrapolated to suggest that if mood disorders were eliminated from the population then 74% of suicides would be prevented in the elderly age group. Clearly this is a theoretical viewpoint and has to be weighed against the facts that firstly â€Å"elimination† of mood disorders (even if it were possible), would only be achieved by treatment of all existing cases as well as prevention of new cases, and the secondary prevention of sub-clinical cases. We know, from other work, that the detection and treatment of depression in all age ranges is low, and even so only 52% of cases that reach medical attention make a significant response to treatment(Bertolote J M et al. 2003). These statistics reflect findings from the whole population and the detection rates and response rates are likelyto lower in the elderly. (Wei F et al. 2003). It follows that although treatment of depressive illness is still the mainstay of treatment intervention as far as suicide prevention is concerned, preventative measures and vigilance at an individual level are also essential. Nursing interventions can include measures aimed at improving physical and emotional health together with improved social integration. Sometimes modification of lifestyle can also promote successful ageing and lead to an overall decrease in the likelihood of suicidal feelings. (Fischer L R et al. 2003) On a population level, public health measures designed to promote social contact, support where necessary, and integration into the community are likely to help reduce the incidence of suicide in the elderly, particularly if we consider the study by Cornwell (Y et al.1991) which estimated the independent risk factor for low levels of social contact in the elderly population as being 27%. Some communities have provided telephone lines and this has been associated with significant reduction in the completed suicide in the elderly (Fischer R et al. 2003) To return to specific nursing interventions, one can also suggest measures aimed at reducing access to, or availability of the means for suicide such as restricting access to over the counter medicines.(Slog I et al. 1996), Some sources (Castell H 2000) point to the possibility of introducing opportunistic screening in the primary healthcare setting. The rationale behind this suggestion is the realisation that there is high level of contact between the suicidal elderly person and their primary healthcare team in the week before suicide (20-50%) and in the month before suicide (40-70% make contact). This is particularly appropriate to our considerations here because of the progressively increasing significance of the role of the nurse within the primary healthcare team particularly at the first point of contact. (Houston, Ret al. 2002) The evidence base for this point of view is strengthened by reference to the landmark Gotland study (Ruts W et al. 1989) which examined the effect of specific training in suicide awareness and prevention in the primary healthcare team by providing extensive suicide awareness training and measures to increase the facilitation of opportunistic screening of the population. Prior to the intervention, the authors noted that, when compared to young adults, the elderly were only 6% as likely to be asked about suicide and 20% as likely to be asked if they felt depressed and 25% as likely to be referred to mental health specialist. This balance was restored almost to normality after the intervention. Suicide in the elderly is a multifaceted and complex phenomenon. It appears to be the case that the elderly tend to be treated with different guidelines from the young suicidal patient insofar as the increased risk is not met with increased assistance. (Kouras L et al.2002). We have presented evidence that the factors included in this discrepancy may include the higher overall number of young suicides, the higher economic burden that society appears to carry for each young suicide together with ageist beliefs about the factors concerning suicide in the elderly. From the point of view of nursing intervention, both in a hospital and in a community setting, there should be greater emphasis placed on measures such as screening and prevention programmes targeted at the at-risk elderly. There is equally a need for aggressive intervention if depression or suicidal feelings are overtly expressed, particularly in the relevant subgroups where additional risk factors may be active, for example those with comorbid medical conditions or social isolation or recent bereavement. (Harwood D et al. 2001), Many of the elderly spend their last years in some form of sheltered accommodation, whether this is a nursing home, a hospital, warden assisted housing or being cared for by the family. (Haut B J et al.1999) In the vast majority of cases this is associated with a loss of independence, increasing frailty and an increasing predisposition to illness that comes with increasing age. (Juurlink D N et al. 2004).This loss of independence and increasing predisposition to illness is also associated with depressive illnesses of varying degrees. (Bruce ML et al. 2002). These patients are arguably, by a large, more likely to come into contact with the nurses in the community. (Munson M L 1999)The comments that we have made elsewhere relating to the nurse’s role in being aware of the implications for the depressed elderly patient are particularly appropriate in this demographic subgroup. As a general rule, it may be easier to keep a watchful eye on patients who are exhibiting early signs of depressive illness or mood disorder in this situation by making arrangements to visit on a regular basis or on â€Å"significant anniversaries† such as the death of a spouse or a wedding anniversary. (Nagatomo I et al. 1998) when the risk factors for suicide increase dramatically (Schonberg H C et al. 1998) The literature in this area is quite extensive and covers many of the aspects of suicide in the elderly. It is noticeable however, that there is a great deal of literature on the subject of risk factors and associations of suicide together with plenty of papers which quote statistics that relate the various trends and incidences. There are, by comparison, only a few papers which emphasise and reflect on the positive aspects of nursing care. The positive steps that can be taken by the nursing profession specifically to help to minimise the burden of suicidal morbidity. There is clearly scope for studies in areas such as the impact that a dedicated community nurse might have on the levels of depression in the community if regular visits were timetabled. It is fair to observe that the community mental health nurses fulfil this role to a degree, but are severely hampered in most cases by sheer weight of numbers in the caseload. (Mason T et al. 2003) Having made these observations, we must conclude that there appears tube an overwhelming case for opportunistic screening of the at risk elderly at any point of contact with a healthcare professional. It is part of the professional remit of any nurse to disseminate their specific professional learning with others. (Yuri H et al. 1998). This can either be done on an informal professional basis in terms of mentorship or, if appropr

The Relationship Between Science and Reality Essay -- Science Scientif

The Relationship Between Science and Reality The relationship between science and reality has more to do with coexistence rather than one idea being superior to the other. I shall first define what each means and then give examplester's of how I arrive a t this coexistence theory. According to Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1 ed., science is defined as follows: 1. a branch of knowledge or study dealing with a body of facts or truths systematically arranged and showing the operation of general laws: the mathematical sciences. 2. systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. 3. systematized knowledge in general. The same dictionary defines reality as: 1. the state or quality of being real. 2. Philos. a. something that exists independently of ideas concerning it. b. something that exists independently of all other things and from which all other things derive. I have a 5-year-old nephew who is alive because he received a heart transplant a few weeks after his birth. His parents very public request for organ donors received a lot of attention at the time, including a local radio talk show that discussed the organ donor program in general and whether this particular baby should be given a new heart. The replies were astonishing to me in both their intensity and their divisiveness. That some people could publicly say, "let the baby die†¦it’s God’s way," left me with my jaw hanging open. Some callers talked about how it was unnatural for science to be used in such a manner while others praised the fact that we now had the technology to allow a child, who might otherwise die, live. Today, that medical miracle of science wil... ...dual, not social preferences†¦[which] is why in almost every country in the world, the automobile has triumphed†¦"(p308). He concludes that cars make California more enjoyable. Our group all agreed. As I stated earlier, The Relationship between Science and Reality, is about co-existence. We need both science and reality to not only coexist, but also to continue to improve our lives. Works Cited Random House Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary, Second Edition. 1999 ed. Bishop, Michael J, "Enemies of Promise." Lunsford, Andrea and John Ruszkiewicz, The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s 2000. 237-242. Wilson, James Q, "Cars and Their Enemies." Lunsford, Andrea and John Ruszkiewicz, The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s 2000. 303-313.

Khobar Towers Bombing

The following document will look at the operations that took place in the bombing as well as how they got the money to fund the implementation of the bombing, as well as the association of the terrorist with the governments that funded them. It will also look at how the government of America responded. Introduction Khobar Towers bombing is an attack that was organized by Islamic terrorists and it is said to have taken place in the city of Khobar situated in Saudi Arabia.This is a building that provided housing to the Americans who had come to work in Saudi Arabia. The group that is said to be responsible for the attacks was the Saudi Arabia Hezbollah (Risen et al). The amount of money that was needed to carry out the operation was 1. 2 million dollars (Burrough). They got this money from collaborating with the Iranian government that gave them the gasoline and the explosives that were needed. Al Qaeda is also said to have funded the group to carry out the operations.The members of He zbollah were affiliated with Al Qaeda and the government of Iraq. There was no training that was carried out since the group was already well trained. The government provides the necessary funds for the operations; this is because after the Gulf war, they wanted the Americans to get out of their land. The government of US reacted by evacuating the other Americans that were in the country and moving them in their own country. Investigations were carried out and there were some people who were arrested and charged for the crime.Before the crime the housing complex and its surroundings was under tight security that it could not have been imagined that such attacks would be carried out (CNN). References Bryan Burrough (November 6, 2005). â€Å"‘My FBI': Heroes and Villains†. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2006-06-11. Risen, James, Jane Perlez (June 23, 2001). â€Å"Terrorism and Iran: Washington's Policy Performs a Gingerly Balancing Act†, The New York Times. Both sides decry new Ruby Ridge charges†. CNN (August 21, 1997). Retrieved on 2008-12-11.

Forgo vs. Forego

Forgo vs. Forego Forgo vs. Forego Forgo vs. Forego By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between forgo and forego? It’s a foregone conclusion that there’ll be some confusion, but I’ll forgo further digression to get to the discussion. To forgo is to do without, or relinquish: â€Å"He will forgo the pleasure of her company†; â€Å"I’ll forgo the formality of requiring a co-signer.† The present participle is forgoing (â€Å"She is forgoing the procedure†), the past-tense form can be forwent (â€Å"She forwent the procedure†) or forgone (â€Å"She had forgone the procedure†), and one who forgoes is a forgoer. Only the basic verb form, however, is common. To forego, by contrast, is to go before, to precede. Forego is much less common in usage than forgo, and it generally has a figurative sense, often used in such statements as â€Å"Her reputation will forego her† or â€Å"Her reputation foregoes her,† meaning that others will have heard about the subject before they meet her. However, although the past-tense form forewent is rare, the form foregone, and the present participle foregoing are more common than the root word. A phrase I used in the first paragraph, â€Å"foregone conclusion,† is applied frequently to indicate that something is implicitly understood to be true; foregoing refers to something that has previously been encountered, as a passage in a document: â€Å"The foregoing statement should not be construed as an endorsement.† To maintain the distinction between the words forgo and forego in your mind, remember these basics: Use forgo or forgoing in the sense of â€Å"doing without†; past-tense usage is rare. And though use of forego is unlikely, foregone and foregoing are common terms for reference to something already done. Or, most simply, think of -fore in before to remind yourself that forego and its variants refer to sequence and that forgo resembles forget, which is often the reason something is left undone. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?10 Types of TransitionsMay Have vs. Might Have

Theodore Roethke essays

Theodore Roethke essays The 20th Century harbored a considerable multitude of good poetry and exceptional artists. Individual conventions varied greatly in style and state of expression. As the general reality of the times became more caustic, poetry and expression grew more unbridled. Denoted by the universal term, modern, all published creative output from the last 100 years was recognized as unadulterated and free. Though all 20th Century literature is gathered into the contemporary genre, it ranges in style and subject matter more than any other literature from past eras of world history. Theodore Roethke was an American growing up in the 1900s. He was born into an uncommonly affluent family. His father owned the largest greenhouse operation in Michigan. He passed his years very close to nature and sorrow. In his adolescent years, his father passed away under the painstaking strain of cancer. He did very well in college thereafter, graduating from the University of Michigan as magna cum laude. He studied law for a semester, quitting later to get a degree in teaching. He was a fervent, brilliant professor at the University of Lafayette, Michigan State, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Washington. He constantly nurtured his love for writing, leading to his first published volume of poetry entitled Open House (1941). This anthology launched his career as a respected artist; he would go on to publish many books of verse, leaving his life with The Far Field (1964). He careened through his short life span on bouts of depreciating mental health and de pression. The first object of poetry that will be analyzed herein is a short lyrical movement of the three-part poem called The Storm. It was published in The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke, released publicly after his death in 1966. The first obvious item of recognition within its flowing verse is its vivid imagery. Roethke puts th...

MKT301A-Homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MKT301A-Homework - Essay Example By 2013, the world’s Internet population was estimated at 2.4 billion users (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2013). This implies that two-fifth of the world’s population is online. In this regard, both the videos and textbook are of the opinion that Internet advertising can reach a wider customer base at once, since anyone who is online across the globe can access information. They also point out that web-based advertising is used in almost all the industry sectors. One of the most important and obvious benefit of online business marketing is convenience and flexibility something which both the videos by and the book Marketing by Grewal and Levy agree with. With Internet availability, one can sell and order products globally, thus driving brand awareness. Both the print and electronic information sources on Internet marketing posit that social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn), video-sharing sites (YouTube), micro-blogging sites (Twitter), and photo sharing (Instagram), among many others increase product awareness and enhance customer rapport, allowing for an increase in sales as well as customer’s loyalty. The other similarity between information in the videos and information in the textbook is that the use internet advertising is much cheaper than the traditional promotional and advertising activities. The textbook clearly shows the link between the benefits of using social networks to any business enterprise. On the other hand, the videos on internet marketing do not outline how web-based marketing strategies allow a firm to take advantage of social media, for instance, Facebook, My Space, LinkedIn, and Twitter to market its product. While the videos do not mention anything about the cost, the textbook argues that the Internet is a versatile and highly flexible advertising medium because changes can be made to the ads without incurring much additional cost. The other difference is that while the videos start by giving a background information about online

Swine flu is a lab-made virus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Swine flu is a lab-made virus - Essay Example f the Influenza is known to comprise genetic elements from swine flu, human flu and bird flu strains spanning across three continents and there has been considerable speculation over concerns and suspicion that this strain of the virus was manmade. It is also not unreasonable to question whether governments across the world that has been spooked with the prospects of radical changes in the global climate and with an ever increasing population in the planet, have amassed a top secret method to engineer a virus that has is aimed at correcting the human population through the spread of this virus. Experts argue that such a possibility is technically probable. The US Military is known to have engineered and unleashed such viruses both for test purposes as well as in a quest to gain ground as part of strategic initiatives in enemy territory. However, that does not mean that one must point the first finger straight towards them. However, such a stance on the part of governments would mark a crime against humanity that is aimed intentionally towards unleashing biological weapons into the open (Gina Kolata, 2007). However, this also leads one to believe whether governments have been indulging in crimes against humanity on a routine basis. The US is the only known country to have dropped nuclear bombs on civilian populations during the Second World War. Israel is known to have made use of white phosphorus in its fight against the Palestinians. Hitler sent millions of Jews to the gas chambers and Americans used to fire rounds made of depleted uranium into Iraqi targets and Afghanistan. As such, unleashing a biological weapon in a huge city such as Mexico city is no big deal beyond the current capabilities of today’s governments in achieving what they intend to do (Ethne Barnes, 2008). All along human history, almost all crimes against humanity are known to originate from the deeds of governments – whereby most of such crimes have been committed in the name of peace,