Tuesday, April 28, 2020

The Case for Capital Punishmen Essay Example For Students

The Case for Capital Punishmen Essay Society, in general, agrees that the taking of an innocent life is an unforgivable act, and that the rape of children is particularly heinous. I will argue that all persons convicted of the crime of murder or the rape of a child under ten years of age should be given a manditory death penalty. Capital punishment is not only justifiable but is morally correct and should be the mandatory sentence for such crimes once an individual is found guilty. It would be neither unjust nor immoral to execute such an individual. It is not logical or rational to believe that a person raised in our society does not know that the crimes of murder or the rape of a child will not be tolerated. Regardless of an individuals background or socio-economic status, individual choices lead to results that carry personal responsibility. It is inappropriate to make excuses for these criminals simply because they were not reared in well-to-do circumstances. neglected, or perhaps suffered abuse as a child. None of these forced them to make the choice to commit the crime. As stated by Ernest van den Haag, by committing the crime, the criminal volunteered to assume the risk. (1)If an individual commits the crime of murder, or rapes a child, that person has forfeited any moral right to continue to live, even if imprisoned for life. Their victim had no choice and no chance to live a fruitful, productive life. Why should society be required to pay the costs associated with imprisonment? A society, which values the lives of its citizens, has the right to exercise capital punishment for those who have been convicted after due process of law. The U.S. Constitution provides for punishment of capital crimes so there is certainly no trouble with it in the law. However, some of the most impassioned arguments against capital punishment are the possibility of convicting the wrong person, and discriminatory application of the law. Abolitionists also argue that we should base on justice system on reform and rehabilitation. First, the possibility of convicting an innocent person is often cited as an argument that the death penalty is unjust. One Internet source indicates that 350 people were wrongly convicted of homicide or capital rape from 1900- 1985. (2) (It should be noted that the article does not specify how many of these individuals were later released.) In our text, Ernest van den Haag refers to a study conducted by Hugo Bedau that found that of 7000 executions during that same period, only 25 were purportedly innocent. (Ibid. p.286) The execution of an innocent person appears much less a risk than the risk that a person guilty of this type of violence would repeat the crime. Criminals kill people knowing that they will live and either spend the rest of their lives in prison or get out in 10 to 20 years. Consistent application of the capital punishment laws would have a deterrent effect on some potential murderers if not all. While states that do carry death penalty provisions s ignificantly outnumber those that do not, there appears to be a certain reluctance to apply the laws. As a result, many violent criminals no longer fear the court system. Further, capital punishment laws have undergone many decades of review by the highest courts in the country and are anything but capriciously imposed. A further argument against the innocent are convicted is found in a review of the extensive appeal system that has been mandated by the courts that may take as much as fourteen years to complete. Even if this were a legitimate concern, the chances of an innocent person being wrongly convicted are very slim. The second argument, discriminatory application holds that a disproportional number of non-whites receive the death penalty upon conviction, in particular, a black convicted of murdering a white. This is really an argument against a flawed justice system that favors one class of citizens over another. Unequal distribution among the guilty is irrelevant to the mora lity of the punishment. The system is far from perfect but can be improved. In the past, women were much less likely to be executed than men, and we are .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c , .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .postImageUrl , .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c , .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c:hover , .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c:visited , .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c:active { border:0!important; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c:active , .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8cab44535e4b7c9c853615b784e9a08c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Procter and Gamble in Japan Essay We will write a custom essay on The Case for Capital Punishmen specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

Friday, March 20, 2020

YOU CANNOT FORCE LIKE

YOU CANNOT FORCE LIKE I wrote a blog post recently about how readers can help authors on Amazon. You are reading my blog, right? http://chopeclark.com/2012/09/when-you-go-to-amazon-dont-just-buy-a-book/ One of the suggestions involved clicking the little orange and white thumbs-up hand so that it turns gray, liking the book page, or the author page. Its a simple gesture to tell the author youve been there and appreciate what they are doing. Those types of likes are easy and have become more etiquette that critical in nature. Some likes, however, arent so clean and simple. For example, people liking your book, blog, articles, or even your Facebook notes. Someone out there is going to disagree about whether your are talented. While many of my readers loved to hate Alan, a character in Lowcountry Bribe, one painted him as too shallow and one-dimensional. So guess what I agonized over for a day or two? Then theres the other side of the coin, when you dont like others work. I belong to two writers groups. Eventually, a member introduces a piece I just cannot connect with. Maybe its the genre, the plot, even the dialogue, but it does not click. Sometimes the clash is such that I really dont want to critique it, knowing Ill be frustrated having to trudge through it and come out on the other end not having enjoyed the trip. For instance, someone Facebook messaged me a couple weeks ago, proud about his book release. I congratulated him. He then asked, Will you buy it? I glanced at the title, then the Amazon page. It was a how-to improve your life message. I replied that I was swamped with books to read at present with 30 on my nightstand and who-knows-how-many on my Kindle. He replied, Will you read it in a few weeks? I finally replied, Sorry. Im in a good place with my life, so I dont need self-help material. It just wasnt something I wanted to read. Then theres the bestseller list that everyone oohs and aahs over. I dont like many of them. As blasphemous as it may sound, I do not like to read Barbara Kingsolver. I do not think shell lose sleep over that, either. My moneys on the probability that she doesnt like my work either. Sometimes readers will buy a bestseller thinking its properly vetted and is a one-size-fits-all good read. Bestsellers are no different than the other books in the world when it comes to fans and non-fans. Nobody can write for all readers. Granted, that celebrity frenzy and strong word-of-mouth drive can sell a lot of books. And finally, you do not have to like all the classics. I love mysteries. Ill read Poe and Doyle. But when I finally find thetime to sit down with a book, to sip tea and relax at the end of my day, I want a story that carries me away. War and Peace aint gonna do it for me. Do not be afraid to dislike writing. At the same time, do not take it personally when someone dislikes yours. Avoid callingthem names and wishing ill-harm to their families. We cant read or like all books. What a boring world that would be . . . without diversity . . . without the effort of discovery . . . without the free rein to seek and find the authors that reallymake us happy to jump into a story.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

Spanish Flu Pandemic That Killed Millions in 1918

Spanish Flu Pandemic That Killed Millions in 1918 Every year, flu viruses make people sick. Even the garden-variety flu may kill people, but usually only the very young or the very old. In 1918, the flu mutated into something much more virulent. This new, deadlier flu acted very strangely; it seemed to target the young and healthy, being particularly deadly to 20 to 35-year-olds. In three waves from March 1918 to the Spring of 1919, this deadly flu spread quickly around the world, infecting hundreds of millions of people and killing 50 million to 100 million (upwards of 5% of the worlds population). This flu went by many names, including Spanish flu, grippe, Spanish Lady, the three-day fever, purulent bronchitis, sandfly fever, Blitz Katarrh. The First Reported Cases of the Spanish Flu No one is quite sure exactly where the Spanish flu first struck. Some researchers have pointed to origins in China, while others have traced it back to a small town in Kansas. The best recorded first case occurred in Fort Riley. Fort Riley was a military outpost in Kansas where new recruits were trained before being sent to Europe to fight in World War I. On March 11, 1918, Private Albert Gitchell, a company cook, came down with symptoms that at first appeared to be a bad cold. Gitchell went to the infirmary and was isolated. Within an hour, several additional soldiers had come down with the same symptoms and were also isolated. Despite the attempt to isolate those with symptoms, this extremely contagious flu quickly spread through Fort Riley. After five weeks, 1,127 soldiers at Fort Riley had been stricken with the Spanish flu; 46 of them had died. The Flu Spreads and Gets a Name Soon, reports of the same flu were noted in other military camps around the United States. Shortly thereafter, the flu infected soldiers on board transport ships. Although it was unintended, American troops brought this new flu with them to Europe. Beginning in mid-May, the flu started to strike French soldiers as well. The flu traveled across Europe, infecting people in nearly every country. When the flu rampaged through Spain, the Spanish government publicly announced the epidemic. Spain was the first country to be struck by the flu that was not involved in World War I; thus, it was the first country not to censor their health reports. Since most people first heard about the flu from its attack on Spain, the new flu was named the Spanish flu. The Spanish flu then spread to Russia, India, China, and Africa. By the end of July 1918, after having infected people all around the world, this first wave of the Spanish flu appeared to be dying out. The Spanish Flu Becomes Incredibly Deadly While the first wave of the Spanish flu had been extremely contagious, the second wave of the Spanish flu was both contagious and exceedingly deadly. In late August 1918, the second wave of the Spanish flu struck three port cities at nearly the same time. These cities (Boston, United States; Brest, France; and Freetown, Sierra Leone) all felt the lethalness of this new mutation immediately. Hospitals quickly became overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of patients. When hospitals filled up, tent hospitals were erected on lawns. Nurses and doctors were already in short supply because so many of them had gone to Europe to help with the war effort. Desperately needing help, hospitals asked for volunteers. Knowing they were risking their own lives by helping these contagious victims, many people, especially women, signed up anyway to help as best they could. The Symptoms of the Spanish Flu The victims of the 1918 Spanish flu suffered greatly. Within hours of feeling the first symptoms of extreme fatigue, fever, and headache, victims would start turning blue. Sometimes the blue color became so pronounced that it was difficult to determine a patients original skin color. The patients would cough with such force that some even tore their abdominal muscles. Foamy blood exited from their mouths and noses. A few bled from their ears. Some vomited; others became incontinent. The Spanish flu struck so suddenly and severely that many of its victims died within hours of coming down with their first symptom. Some died a day or two after realizing they were sick. Taking Precautions Not surprisingly, the severity of the Spanish flu was alarming. People around the world worried about getting it. Some cities ordered everyone to wear masks. Spitting and coughing in public was prohibited. Schools and theaters were closed. People also tried their own homemade prevention remedies, such as eating raw onions, keeping a potato in their pocket, or wearing a bag of camphor around their neck. None of these things stemmed the onslaught of the Spanish flus deadly second wave. Piles of Dead Bodies The number of bodies from the victims of the Spanish flu quickly outnumbered the available resources to deal with them. Morgues were forced to stack bodies like cordwood in the corridors. There werent enough coffins for all the bodies, nor were there enough people to dig individual graves. In many places, mass graves were dug to free the towns and cities of the masses of rotting corpses. Spanish Flu Childrens Rhyme When the  Spanish flu  killed millions of people around the world, it affected everyone. While the adults walked around wearing masks, children skipped rope to this rhyme. I had a little birdIts name was EnzaI opened a windowAnd In-flu-enza. Armistice Brings Third Wave of the Spanish Flu On November 11, 1918, an armistice brought an end to World War I. People around the world celebrated the end of this total war and felt jubilant that perhaps they were free from the deaths caused by both war and flu. However, as people hit the streets, gave kisses and hugs to returning soldiers, they also started a third wave of the Spanish flu. The third wave of the Spanish flu was not as deadly as the second wave, but still deadlier than the first. Although this third wave also went around the world, killing many of its victims, it received much less attention. People were ready to start their lives over again after the war; they were no longer interested in hearing about or fearing a deadly flu. Gone but Not Forgotten The third wave lingered. Some say it ended in the spring of 1919, while others believe it continued to claim victims through 1920. Eventually, however, this deadly strain of the flu disappeared. To this day, no one knows why the flu virus suddenly mutated into such a deadly form. Nor do they know how to prevent it from happening again. Scientists and researchers continue to research and learn about the 1918 Spanish flu in the hopes of being able to prevent another worldwide pandemic of the flu.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Exploring Organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Exploring Organisations - Essay Example Initially, the entity operated under the pretence of a mail and telephone entity enabling. Subsequently, William Hill has developed into the current dominant body. During the progress of the entity, the shareholding has changed enabling restructuring through new management. The entity made minimal returns since gambling was unlawful. Nonetheless, legislation of betting in 1960s transformed the entity fortune radically. Despite the legalisation of betting, this entity still had multiple hurdles to surmount as the government had instituted countless regulations relating to the operation of this industry. Consequently, entrepreneurs in the gaming sector opted to minimize their operation scale. Digital advancement has influenced this industry sizeably since it facilitated the development of betting culture. Betting expanded concurrently with the digital sector since it aired events that were subject to betting. Furthermore, economic expansion has resulted in the citizenry having surplus finances to expend on such frivolous activities. This write-up seeks to evaluate William Hill relative to its features, clientele, and future prospects. Additionally, it will appraise the entity status based on certain theories (Funding universe ND). William Hill is a public entity that has an assortment of feature, which make it suitably suited for this industry. First, the location of the entity in London allows it to attract clientele on a global level. Additionally, the listing in the London stock exchange (LSE) has facilitated the establishment of the entity as market leader. This entity operates in a trendy market, which is subject to countless alterations. Subsequently, the entity has to adjust its product persistently to sustain its market niche. Visibly, the entity operates in an industry that is exceedingly dependent on digital communication. Hence, investing in pertinent systems will provide the entity with a competitive edge. William Hill also faces competition from othe r entities that operate in the above industry. The gaming sector requires originality from the firms that partake in it. Subsequently, the reference firm, William Hill has endeavoured to create an excellent merchandise portfolio. Evidently, the entity commenced with few products. However, the pool of product, which the entity avails to the clientele, has stretched out exponentially. Creating such a commodity portfolio demands extensive creativity from the management. The managers have to perform far-reaching studies, which will guarantee product success. Not only do the administrators endeavour to create products but also institute appropriate promotional campaigns. Promotion represents a critical aspect since William Hills operations relate to events such as games requiring intensive advertising to attract bids. The above details provide basic information that is vital in organizational analysis of William Hill (Funding universe ND). SWOT analysis William has countless strengths th at have enabled the entity to dominate this industry in UK. First, the entity’s lengthy history has allowed the entity to assemble enormous volume of data. The enormous statistics coupled with the expertise of the exception workforce have been critical to the success of the body. These two constituents have enabled the entity model a unique culture that is central to attracting an extensive clientele base. The entity guarantees players countless opportunities to win. Moreover, the data assembled is

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Personal Fitness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Fitness - Essay Example Children, who exercise, benefit from the lowered risk of chronic pain in future (Harvey, 2015). Perhaps the most rewarding thing that a person can do to help themselves would be to have regular physical activities, because it not only lowers a person’s weight, but it reduces the risk of diseases such as certain cancers. In addition, it promotes the mental well-being of a person. According to Evers et al (2012), behavioral interventions which applied to a group of people showed that their adherence to physical and mental activities increased as their physical activities increased. Though personal fitness may only involve one person and not as a group of people in a fitness center, Angle (2014) argues that exercising when a person in under the supervision of professionals is extremely important. According to Blitz (2015) getting the right balance between instructing oneself and when using the equipment instead of being supervised is extremely important. As noted by Brett and Chris (2013) the duration that an individual exercises matters because the longer the exercise duration, the lower that it impacts on the individual. This shows that personal fitness is not only a matter of exercising, but knowing how to exercise. Douw et al (2014) proposes that to get the maximum benefits of exercising, a person needs to understand the benefits involved in exercising. Lastly, as noted by Kranz at al (2013) exercising using personalized mobile devices is helpful, for people who want supervisors during exercise routines. Personal fitness does not only mean that a person wants to look better or eat better. It also means that the person is aiming at decreasing his or her risk of diseases, feeling both mentally and physically better and be in a position to perform better at work, school or at home. To show that exercise has many benefits which are not necessarily related to

Saturday, January 25, 2020

The Bio Psychosocial Model In Healthcare

The Bio Psychosocial Model In Healthcare The theory of bio-psychosocial model was introduced in 1977 by Mr. George Engel, a professor of psychiatry and medicine. It is a comprehensive model explicating a strong relationship between health and disease by integrating cultural, social, and psychological considerations (Engel 1977, p. 132). There has been a consistent effort since 1980s to examine the interconnectedness between social, psychological, behavioural factors and the functioning of immune system to explore their contribution in causing human illness (Karren, Hafen, Smith, Frandsen, 2002; Kiecolt-Glasser, McGuire, Robles, Glasser, 2002) followed by a bio-psychosocial model. The bio-psychosocial interventions are conceptualized to target the combination of biological, psychological and sociological factors that contribute in deteriorating human body functions thus producing illness. These interventions are the collaborative efforts with service users by integrating a number of evidence based practices by encompassing the medical, social and psychological paradigm with intent to accomplish swift recovery (Brooker Brabban 2004). The main objective of these interventions is to analyze and identify the underlying causes of the disease by evaluating the causes of biological dysfunction, psychological problems affecting mental and emotional health and assessing the sociological issues including marital status, financial positioning, culture or religion that may serve as the root cause of sickness. The core elements of bio-psychological interventions are the management of medication, symptoms and relapses, the cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for psychosis, collaborative assessments and structured family interventions. The effectiveness and responsiveness of mental health services rely upon the easy access of psychological interventions to the people diagnosed with severe and enduring mental health issues (Layard 2004). The Department of Health has been consistently emphasizing on the need for Ear ly Interventions in Psychosis Services (EIPS) and bio-psychosocial interventions specifically focussing on CBT, to be implemented across diverse clinical settings particularly in acute inpatient units (DoH 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006). The accessibility of such interventions facilitates in optimizing treatment concordance, reducing relapse rate and mental health problems and improves the overall clinical outcome which encourages resurgence of patients wellbeing (Gray et al. 2001). However, it is significant to note that psychosocial interventions can only be effective when implemented with the help and support of adequately trained healthcare workforce. 1.1 Rationale of the Study In accordance with the fundamentals of bio-psychosocial models, it can be constituted that the core forerunner of an ailment belongs to the three vital elements including physical, psychological, and socio-cultural components. Stevens Smith, (2005), in their study examined the bio-psychosocial model and constituted that it helps in comprehending with the interactive and reciprocal effects of environment, genetics, and mental behaviour (Stevens Smith, 2005, p. 25). To support the validity of the bio-psychosocial model, several pragmatic evidences have been put forward advocating the relationship of social, psychological and immunological factors that produce negative impacts on human health conditions (Trilling, 2000). Over the last decade, the need for education and training of healthcare workers in order to develop their PSI skills has been amplified however, the literature suggests that the implementation of PSI in routine service provision is extremely challenging (Kelly Gamble 2005). This paper is designed to examine the role of psychiatric in an acute in-patient ward. Moreover, the study in intended to highlight the policy and research related to bio-psychosocial interventions that help in managing crisis and complexities of an acute ward. The study will also facilitate in identifying the barriers of implementing psychosocial interventions and thereby, propose effectual strategies to prevail over these difficulties. 2. NATIONAL POLICIES FOR MENTAL HEALTH Mental illness along with cancer care and coronary heart disease were identified as the three national priorities in the year 2000 followed by which the UK government increased the funds for NHS up to 9% of GDP (Kings Fund, 2005). The budgetary limits for adult mental health services were also extended from  £983m to  £3,770m in 2001-2002 and up to  £4,679m in 2005-2006 (Mental Health Strategies, 2006) and it was also constituted that maximum financial resources will be utilized to support the inpatient services (Mental Health Strategies, 2006). The evidences suggest that the acute inpatient units have been facing a tremendous amount of dissatisfaction (MIND, 2004) and therefore, numerous healthcare bodies including Department of Health (DoH), the National Institute for Mental Health England (NIMHE) and Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) collaborated to institute acute inpatient programme (DoH, 2002). The collaborative efforts by these healthcare bodies resulted in th e development of standard policies and guidelines for the betterment of acute inpatient services (Healthcare Commission 2007). Concerned with the conditions of mental health treatment, the national guidelines on acute psychiatric care were published in 2002 as the acute inpatient services were considered to be unsatisfactory (Department of Health, 2002a: 3). The main objective to institute standard policies and guidelines in accordance with Mental Health Act Commission is to ensure that all the inpatient mental health services are consistent in providing their patients with adequate sense of privacy, security and absolute care (MHAC, 2005: 19). ACUTE IN-PATIENT WARDS In accordance with the description proposed by the Department of Health (2002), the main purpose of introducing acute wards is to offer high standards of humane treatment and care facilities readily available to the patients within a safe and therapeutic setting during the most acute and vulnerable stage of their illness (DoH, 2002a: 5). The acute inpatient services have been developed to ensure that the spread of diseases is lessened and maximum treatment and support is made available for the patients that are unable to be treated in an alternative, less restrictive setting (********). The acute in-patients wards are meant to facilitate both health care providers and service users however, a number of studies have illuminated on the difficulties of managing the acute in-patient wards. A series of issues has been outlined by various studies including leadership crisis, deficient clinical skills and poor risk management process (SNMAC, 1999). The robustness of interaction between nurs e and patient and lack of therapeutic activities has also been questioned (Ford, Duncan and Warner, 1998); and a number of studies indicated a frequent state of confusion and chaos that builds up in the in-patient acute wards (SCMH, 1998). The effectiveness of CBT for psychosis is also challenged where there is a lot of complaint about non-therapeutic environment and non-cooperating overworked staff (MIND, 2004). Several studies also point out the dissatisfaction of patients due to surplus admissions in wards causing uneasiness and certain overly restrictive rules ended up in lack of privacy. The issues of in-patient acute wards also involved grievances of patients having less or no formation about treatment and which is considered to be unresponsiveness towards their civil rights (Walton, 2000). The study is therefore, focussed to critically examine the underlying issues and dig in the factors that aggravate them in order to suggest effective management strategies to improve the re ceptiveness of the nurses and open ways for easy accessibility to highly developed in-patient wards. ROLE OF NURSE IN ACUTE IN-PATIENT WARDS A critical care nurse working in acute in-patient ward has comprehensive mix of knowledge, skills and competencies required to fulfil the needs of a critically ill patient without having a direct supervision of a ward manager. The blend of knowledge, skills and competencies are not characterised by the therapeutic setting including intensive care unit or a high dependency ward instead, these blend of knowledge, skills and competencies must compliment the needs of psychotic patients. Psychotic patients need extensive care in order to reduce the chances of ill-fated crisis and complications. The level of therapeutic care can be enhanced by the careful interventions of experienced critical care nurses having advanced observational skills and holistic approach to deal with both the psychotic patients and their families. Following are some basic interventions employed by the critical care nurses in an acute in-patient ward to maximize operational efficiencies. 4.1 Ensure Positive Alignment Acute in-patient wards are critical in nature and therefore, a tactful and positive alignment of nurse-managers and nurse-patients is essential to maintain a functional ward. The role of nurse in an acute patient ward is to effectively respond to patients requests and offer maximum level of help and information. Patients are entirely dependent on nurses as they are the key point of contact in a ward and therefore, it becomes imperative for the nurses to establish a respect element for their clinical ability. Working closely with managers and regular staff meetings are all part of positive alignment that ensures smooth work process of an in-patient acute ward. 4.2 Supporting the Ward Manager A high-quality therapeutic skill of the nurse is to understand the organizational hierarchies and respect the decisions of the ward manager. Ward leader is involved in the positioning and staffing and the most crucial element of ward managers job description is to take prompt decisions. Acute wards are critical in nature so chaos and confusion adversely affects the mental health of patient and therefore, nurses are required to perform their duties by supporting the decisions and following the rules as set by the ward manager. 4.3 Safety and Containment Nurses in the acute in-patient wards are required to safe management system and prompt resolution of acute distress. The motherly relationship between nurse and patient supports the concept of containment by the benefitting the mental health of the patient. Physical restraint is the core element of containment which helps in the therapeutic progression. The role of a nurse in psychiatric wards is fundamental in preserving the safety and containment as the skilful and qualified nurses are specifically trained to reduce anxieties and fears of the patients and supporting them to resume a balance between idealism and realism. 4.4 Effective Communication Nursing in general supports a holistic approach towards the service users and the role of nurses become even more significant in an acute in-patient wards where the patients are extremely vulnerable. Nurses are the immediate point of contact to provide significant information about the patients mental health to the interdisciplinary team and the family members of the patients. Moreover, it has been observed that a nurse-patient relationship maintain effective communication, achieves better results in terms of fast recovery. 4.5 Observation Improving Patient Outcomes Acute in-patient wards require careful observations to reduce sedation and weaning from ventilation and to offer physical rehabilitation, and psychological support in a timely manner. Role of nurses in acute wards are required to be adequately skilful to monitor the dependence of patients on support equipment and to make proactive predictions and prevention of agitation by significant interventions in case of sudden deterioration. Recovery of a psychotic patient can be enhanced by using patient-centred care and vigilant management practices to cope with reckless events (Ball and McElligot, 2002). CBT FOR PSYCHOSIS Cognitive behavioural therapy is designed to evaluate the symptoms of psychosis and at the same time examine the relative impacts of illness on the patients mental health. A psychotic patient experiences a number of difficulties in terms of isolation, societal rejection, feelings of aggression as a result of which there is an increased risk self-harm and substance misuse. The main purpose of adopting CBT for psychotic patient is to gain symptomatic and functional recovery of the patient however, in case of persistent symptoms due to disrupted developmental trajectory; it is advised to continue with the therapy. CBT develops enhanced understanding of psychotic disorders and promotes adaptation to disorder by initiating coping strategies in order to reduce the degree of secondary morbidity and prevent relapse (Trilling 2000). CBT aims to improve the emotional and mental wellbeing of patients by reducing distress and offering helpful strategies to manage the residual symptoms of psychos is in daily life. The treatment therapy for psychosis involves a number of key phases and management strategies to progress speedy recovery. 5.1 Assessment Formulation The psychosocial intervention that involves CBT for psychosis primarily requires a therapeutic alliance between the healthcare provider and the service users. The initial phase of CBT involves engagement of therapist and patient in the assessment of the illness so that the patients mental health can be analyzed and their psychotic experiences can be recorded. The assessment phase of CBT helps in identifying the problem areas, factors sustaining the problem areas and the underlying causes of the psychotic disorder. Therapists strive to understand the nature, complexity and extent of the disorder by probing in the biological, psychological and social background of illness. During the assessment phase a therapist attempts to summarize the aetiology, development and maintenance of psychotic disorder and thereby, outlines the length and frequency of necessary interventions. Engagement of both therapist and the patient facilitates in the formulation phase where a specified course of action is established to undertake the therapy. 5.2 Psycho-education The early phase of psychotic disorder is identified by the onset of certain symptoms after which a the healthcare providers diagnose the ailment by taking into account numerous theories of psychosis and a number of individual explanatory models that helps in understanding of the precise form of psychosis. The patients are required to be informed about the impacts of substance misuse, compulsory medications and the inception of warning signs in order to keep them in the loop of the overall recovery process accompanied by CBT. The psycho-education also involves details about the helpful agencies and the nature of recovery which is usually conducted as part of a group programme. Educating the patients about facts and essential information is always useful however, it is imperative that the psychosis education programs are designed in a way that the patients comprehend the concept of these programs intended to restore their mental health. Depending upon an individuals coping style and wi llingness to absorb the information, the reaction to such educating programs might differ. 5.3 Adaptation to Psychosis The theory of adaptation to psychosis entirely depends upon the patients understanding of the disorder and how he/she addresses the recovery process by reacting to the underlying situation. The process of adaptation involves acknowledging the impact of psychotic disorder on patients life by estimating the damages caused to the patients self-esteem and his/her realisation of personal potential to combat with disorder. CBT helps the psychotic patients to identify their personal strengths and limitations to fight with ailment by expanding their coping skills and formulate realistic plans to facilitate the patient. The main objective of the CBT for psychosis is to enable the patients to learn the concept of overcoming the negative aspects of life and focusing on positive things including healthy activities, friendly relationships and personal accomplishments in order to enhance their self-esteem. The psychotic patients are extremely vulnerable and cannot stand social fears which eventual ly deteriorate their mental health. CBT enables them in adapting to their psychotic conditions by making them realise their strengths and capabilities to prevail over internal fears and hence contribute significantly in the recovery process. 5.4 Treatment of Secondary Morbidity Failure in adaptation to psychosis results in secondary morbidity state in which the patient is unable to cope with internal and external fears and thereby, experiences extreme level of depression, anxiety and substance misuse. It is important that CBT for psychosis is continued and the nature of the secondary condition has to be explained to the patient. Failure in adapting to psychosis leads the psychotic patients to develop irrational beliefs and assumptions which make it even more difficult and challenging for the therapists. However, an approach of cognitive challenging supplemented by group-based interventions for anxiety management or substance misuse is followed by examining the underlying beliefs and assumptions and replacing them with rational beliefs and assumptions. 5.5 Coping Strategies A number of behavioural and cognitive strategies have been formulated to help patients work towards improved functional outcome despite of psychotic symptoms. The functional and emotional problems that arise with the positive and negative symptoms of the psychotic disorder are controlled by coping strategies included in CBT for psychosis. It is however, necessary to identify the target symptoms to manage the recovery process. The most commonly used strategies in CBT include coping strategy enhancement, distraction and focusing techniques for voices after the identification of positive symptoms (Trilling 2000). Self-monitoring of behavioural activities, scheduling of paced activities, assertiveness training and diary recording of mastery and pleasure are some of the interventions used to cope with the negative symptoms. 5.6 Relapse Prevention The relapse prevention phase is amongst the integral phase of CBT in which the therapists are required to prudently monitor and intervene where there are early warning signs for relapse. It has been constituted that after the commencement of treatment approximately 80-95% of the psychotic patients experience the relapse prevention (*******). CBT incorporates several interventions to address the issue of relapse prevention including cognitive restructuring of enduring self-schema in which there is an elevated risk of relapse. BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENT PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS The clinical effectiveness of psychosocial interventions has been emphasized in a number of evidence based studies as the significance of these interventions has exceedingly grown over the last 20 years. The growing awareness and enhanced need and inclination towards the espousal of psychosocial interventions suggest that these interventions should be routinely implemented (NICE 2002). However, there has been a considerable amount of literature indicating the potential difficulties and challenges associated with the integration of psychosocial interventions within the routine mental health service provision (Brooker Brabban 2003, Forrest Masters 2004). The challenges are multifactorial and are primarily concerned with the workforce development and education (Brooker et al. 2002, Brooker Brabban 2004, Forrest et al. 2004); clinical and managerial leadership (Cook 2001, McCann Bowers 2005); and the impact of limited resources on service development in the context of increasing dema nds (McCann Bowers 2005). 6.1 Education Training Mental health services are currently challenged by policy, service user and professional drives. In order to establish the early intervention in psychosis services a range of initiatives are required. The foremost requirement to entrench the bio-psychosocial interventions into all levels of service delivery is to maximise the number of trained practitioners (Brabban Kelly 2006). More importantly the integration of the principles of the recovery approach and evidence-based practice has to be included in the education and training of the healthcare workforce (Repper Perkins 2003, Kelly Gamble 2005, NIMHE 2005, DoH 2006). However, it is unfortunate that despite of consistently mounting awareness and need for the psychosocial interventions within the clinical settings and mental health service provisions, the fraction of PSI trained workforce is still inadequate (Layard 2004). The situation becomes more intricate when a segment of trained healthcare workforce is not practicing their P SI skills due to other contributing factors including excessive workload and lack of time, limiting the scope of implementing psychosocial interventions (Brooker Brabban 2004). 6.2 Managerial Leadership Crisis Management and the senior staff have a better understanding of the complex nature and clinical significance of PSI training and its implementation and therefore, the role of managers become crucial in determining the success and failure of implementing psychosocial interventions in acute wards. It has been observed that regular communication between managers and trainees and careful check and balance maintained by the programme leaders enables successful PSI implementation (McCann Bowers 2005). However, the managers and programme leaders find it difficult to sustain the precision of PSI implementation due to workload pressures across the service (Cook 2001). 6.3 Limited Resources The most frequent complaints and issues regarding the failure of implementing psychosocial interventions in the acute wards have been identified by the literature and the most common issues are the unprecedented gap between theory and practice. Limited resources on service development in context of increased demand also tend to hinder in successful PSI implementation (Repper Brooker 2002). In order to fill in the gaps between theory and practice of PSI implementation the aims and objectives of the interventions has to be illuminated so that the practicability of the interventions can be sustained. It is therefore, essential to improve ward-based information and clarify the ward rules for users (Flood et al, 2006). On the other hand, sufficient resources including caseload size, access to assessment and intervention materials are required to undertake the interventions (McCann Bowers 2005). 6.4 Staffing Issues Excessive workload and staffing issues are the key problems of an acute in-patient wards where there is extreme need of practising psychosocial interventions. It has been observed that even after the completion of training and courses the trainees are compelled to resume the same job description. It is extremely unfortunate that the work overload doesnt allow the trainees to utilize their skills and knowledge at an advanced level (Williams 2008). Managers of the in-patient wards also complain about the workload pressure as being the critical factor for not adjusting the job descriptions of the trainees after the completion of their relevant course. On the other hand, trainees also complain about the excess workload and lack of time to focus on and practice their PSI skills. 6.5 Excessive Workload The most problematic barriers in the implementation of PSI are the emergency excessive and unpredictable admissions of the critical psychotic cases which require immediate attention. The presence of critical care nurse is therefore, extremely significant at any point of time which is one of the major staffing issue. Critical care nurses are already under immense workload pressures and conversely, the reduction in the number of beds has added to the situation (Williams 2008). The rise in demand due to high case loads has made it extremely difficult to effectively employ the structured PSI interventions into routine work. REQUIREMENTS OFACUTE IN-PATIENT WARDS The threshold of admission in acute inpatient wards has considerably increased and the role of critical care nurses has also become more complex. Systematic assessments by highly skilled critical care nurses by involving service users and their carer allows formulating a plan for significant interventions which are targeted to reduce the burden of in-patient wards provided if the necessary care and interventions can be continued at home (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2006b).The complexity of the contemporary acute in-patient ward is enhanced by the reduction in the number of beds however, it is considered to be a small component of the multifaceted care system (Clarke, 2004). The most critical aspect of the decision making process is the comparison of psychotic patients awaiting the admission therefore, critical care nurses are required to carry out vigilant assessments by making careful considerations about the individuals circumstances (Meehan et al, 2006). Patients expect the nu rses to function in a collaborative way and treat them with respect (Baguley et al, 2007) however, a number of studies indicates dissatisfied service users complaining about the services being intimidating, demeaning and often humiliating (NIMHE, 2007). To address the underlying issues and in order to maintain the accreditation standards for the acute in-patient wards a full multidisciplinary ward round, at least once a week has been recommended (Royal College of Psychiatrists 2006b). Moreover, the government has also introduced crisis management and home intervention teams in order to lessen the burden of admissions in acute in-patient wards with intent to focus on recovery by involving community efforts. A combination of psychological and social interventions by reintegrating the service users into the community can be achieved by adopting a holistic approach. STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS A number of strategic measures have been identified by the study which is likely to enhance the benefits of implementing psycho social-interventions in the acute in-patient wards. The main objective of the proposed recommended strategies is to address extensive issues encompassing diverse areas and segments related to the acute in-patient wards, to accomplish utmost advantages for both the practitioners and service users. 8.1 Enhanced Flexibility The level of emergency admissions and dependency of patients in the critical care unit cannot be predicted and may considerably vary in between allocated shifts. The complex structure and nature of the acute in-patient units require flexibility in the number of critical care nurses per shift in order to effectively respond to changes in demand (******). Moreover, the critical care nurses are required to consistently examine the trends in elective patient admissions so that the capacity planning and nurse staffing may comply with the change in demand. 8.2 Employment of Healthcare Assistants Critical care nurses are highly skilled and trained to understand the needs of an acute in-patient ward. Therefore, while determining staffing levels, the recruitment of health care assistants must not interfere with the skill mix of critical care nurses. Considering the excessive workload pressure on the critical care nurses, it is beneficial to employ the health care assistants to facilitate in providing quality care services. However, to create a balance between critical care and general care services, it is advisable to specify the registered nursing hours so that the quality of critical care may not be compromised (Needleman et al, 2002). 8.3 Definite Policies Procedures Clearly defined policies and protocols helps in maintaining a healthy work environment and organizational structure. It is imperative to clarify the roles and responsibilities with respect to the specified job title in order to ensure that smooth workflow has been maintained across the entire ward. Moreover, definite policies and protocols also facilitate in successful implementation of PSI and practising of CBT by the trained staff. Depending upon the past experiences as a critical care nurse and knowledge of working in the critical care facility it has been recommended that for at least 30 days nurses should maintain supernumerary position in the intensive care wards (DHSSPS, 2000). To address the staffing needs, managerial support complying with policies and procedures, is required so that the chaos and confusion shall be avoided. 8.4 Professional Development Critical care services can be improved by consistent training and staff development programmes specifically designed to focus on the psychosocial interventions practice. It is highly recommended to incorporate evidence-based interventions in the curriculum of PSI-trained staff and their skills and knowledge must be employed in their respective job descriptions (Brabban and Kelly 2006). Moreover, the professional and developmental needs of the nurses working acute in-patient ward must be considered during staff appraisals to promote professional excellence of the critical care staff. 8.5 Reduce Workload Pressure Support of healthcare assistants shall be obtained to encourage superior care services by disseminating the excessive workload pressure. It has been observed that during PSI training, the staffing is greatly affected and therefore, it is advisable to utilize the replacement funds to relieve workload pressures in the critical care units. Moreover, rational strategies and centralized measures might be helpful in addressing the substitution arrangements in an effective manner. 8.6 Training and Education Development of leadership skills for critical care nurse is highly recommended for improving the PSI implementation, advanced patient care. It is also advisable to provide the critical staff with mandatory training including essential fire training, manual handling and basic life support in addition to the training for psychosocial interventions (Brabban and Kelly 2006). Moreover, a tripartite structure for communication in between ward managers, program leaders and the trainees would help in successful implementation of the psychosocial interventions. 8.7 Dissemination of Knowledge The significance of the psychosocial interventions has to be widely encouraged and therefore, the content and levels of PSI programme shall be kept diversified which may involve modular provision and training specific to certain interventions e.g. family work, medication management or clinical areas including acute inpatient, forensic etc. (*****) To establish the efficacy and implementation of the PSI, it is imperative to disseminate the basics and core PSI knowledge and values to the healthcare staff across the clinical environment. Furthermore, the local training needs for PSI shall be regularly reviewed by the stakeholders to ensure that adequately trained and skilful staff is maintained at all times to provide extensive care in critical wards. 8.8 Evaluating the Impacts of PSI Psychosocial interventions integrate collaborative participation of service users and carers at every stage including planning of services, training programs, formulation and implementation of strategies and diffusion of the recovery approach therefore, the impacts of these interventions can be evaluated by collating feedback from both critical care nurses and service users. 8.9 Regular Audits To estimate the effectiveness of the evidence

Friday, January 17, 2020

Internet Pornography: Solving Elusive Problem Essay

No one can deny the immeasurable benefits of the internet to the society as a whole. It is a limitless source of information that offers an array of helpful, constructive and educational material for people of all ages. However, like anything else, it does not come with benefits alone. Internet is highly susceptible to bring harm to users in general, and children and minors in particular, through its free and immense exposure to pornography. However small a content of the Internet on the whole this maybe, it is bound to bring a greater harm to the young minds as well as adult, than the benefits from the largely available advantageous information. This paper will examine the extent of this harm with support of latest research and literature, and the latest methods from a state and local level that are being used to combat the pervasiveness and easy access to the internet porn. Body of Paper The internet was originally built by the US military as a means of nuclear-assault-proof communication. The universities soon saw the value of a worldwide communication network and researchers from across the world began to distribute their work with contemporaries. But hackers began to break into the system so that eventually, for a small fee, it was decided to launch the network to all comers. Soon it was spread throughout the world at increasingly less cost and effort. The flow of information, knowledge and experiences thus shared was immense and of great value and benefit. However the information and content so readily available at this network has not necessarily been educational and enlightening. There is material sexually explicit in nature including pornography of all genders including children. The ironic part is that all such material is available freely without ant sort of restriction, in just a matter of keyboard punches. The internet users have a great number of children and minors who supposedly access to the internet for research and educational purposes. These children are conveniently exposed to such explicit materials, which harm their young minds and caste detrimental effects on their psychology. According to a study conducted by London School of Economics in year 2004, the children of age even as less as nine, are falling victims to the negative face of Internet every time they use it. The even more problematic element is the ignorance of parents of the risks associated with such a damaging issue. This study surveyed 1,100 children of ages between nine and nineteen and found that almost sixty percent of these regular Internet users frequently fell prey to the hurtful explicit material of pornography. Below are the key findings of this survey: ? â€Å"Nearly six in 10 have come into contact with online pornography. ? 38 per cent have seen a pornographic popup advert while doing something else. ? 36 per cent have accidentally found a pornographic website. ? 25 per cent have received pornographic junk mail by email or text. 10 per cent have visited a pornographic website on purpose. † (The Evening Standard, 2004, Pg. 6) In an article by Azy Barak and William A. Fisher (2001), the widespread porn on the internet and its progressive trend has been pointed out. â€Å"Current reports indicate variously that the online pornography industry will gross $366 million by 2001 (Spenger, 1999) or that it already grosses in excess of $1 billion (â€Å"Blue Money,† 1999), and reports indicate that a spectacular 69% of all e-commerce involves the purchase of sexual materials (â€Å"Blue Money,† 1999). Other sources report that 15% of all Internet users accessed one of the top five â€Å"Adult† websites in a recent month (Cooper et al, 1999), that sex is the most frequently searched topic on the Internet (Freeman-Longo & Blanchard, 1998), and that all of the top eight word searches on the Internet involve pornography (Sparrow & Griffiths, 1997). † (Barak and Fisher (2001)) The social and psychological effects of such ever more and cheaply accessible pornography on the minds of individuals, both adult and children is devastating. Such explicit images and videos contaminate the mentality and psyche leading towards appalling actions and exploitations. After engaging into extensive viewing of pornography, people get even more provoked and feel an even more intense need for sex. In order to satisfy such needs, people do incline towards forceful attempts, with both opposite genders and the same, even with children. According to an estimate, the attempts and incidents of rape in the United States rose substantially during 1995 to 1999. â€Å"This time interval is by all accounts a period of exponential growth in the availability and use of all forms of Internet sexually explicit materials (Cheney, 2000; Elmer-Dewitt, 1995; Freeman-Longo, 2000; Harmon & Boeringer, 1996; Mehta & Plaza, 1998; Rimm, 1995; Wysocki, 1998). † (Barak and Fisher (2001))