This paper discusses the causes and effects of anorexia and bulimia and the role of cultural images projected in the media in promoting obsessions about body weight.
1,575 words (approx. 6.3 pages), 8 sources, 1994, $ 55.95
From the Paper "Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia have been attributed to a number of causes or sets of causes, and one of the elements that has been examined in the literature and that is often assumed by the layperson as a major reason for such eating disorders is the American preoccupation with thinness. Eating disorders are prevalent among teenage girls who can be much influenced by what they see in fashion, in the movies, and on television and who may then try to emulate the models they perceive as representing the ultimate in sophistication and success, and such images can be especially important for adolescents just learning about themselves and trying to fit into the world around them.
Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia have generally been associated with the adolescent years of growth, ... "
This paper discusses the ramifications of smoking cigarettes in public places: Dangers of secondhand smoke, history, health effects, deaths, counter-arguments, tobacco industry views, lawsuits, regulation and legal ban.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 12 sources, 1995, $ 79.95
From the Paper "This paper will discuss the ramifications of smoking cigarettes in public places. The thesis of-this paper is that smoking tobacco in public places is detrimental to everyone's health. This paper will point out how secondhand, or passive, smoke is dangerous and adversely affects people's health. This paper will also discuss the hazards smoke from cigarettes poses to nonsmokers. The discussion will be divided into the following five parts: the first part will introduce the paper's thesis; the second part will present the arguments against smoking and secondhand smoke; the third part will refute the arguments against smoking; the fourth part will present responses to the arguments against smoking; and the conclusion will take the ... "
From the Paper "The elderly population in the United States is growing in number as people live longer and as the baby-boom generation reaches old age. Yet this older generation may have a more precarious existence than has been true in recent decades for that population. There has been much rightful concern about the elderly in America in an era in which the extended family no longer holds sway so that the elderly are more often completely on their own. Another concern has been related to the so-called entitlements in the federal budget--Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and welfare--and the impact a reduction, either by design or because the system is not secure, will have on the elderly.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and for certain disabled people. Medicare was enacted in ..."
Abstract This paper examines the role of nurses in our society. It demonstrates how they are on the front line of the medical field in both aiding health care and social issues. The paper states that nurses are legally responsible to report physical abuse. The author describes the education, licensing, and state regulations of nursing.
From the Paper "Nursing is both a science and an art. Through nursing, individuals are provided with health care and their societal needs are met. In the health care industry, nurses are at the forefront of patient care, interacting with individuals, families, and communities to promote good health, provide medical education, encourage disease prevention, care for the ill, and rehabilitate those in need (Potter, Patricia, et al, 2000, pp. 24-25). Nurses must multitask, acting in collaboration with other health care disciplines to promote a healthy environment."
Abstract This paper discusses the issues of marijuana, currently classified in the U.S. as an illegal substance. It examines the case for making it legal by prescription for medical purposes and why it is unethical to deny a sick person of the medical benefits. In persons undergoing cancer therapy, marijuana can ease the nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite caused by chemotherapy treatment. It describes its constituents, its effect on humans and the avid campaign over the years to have it decriminalized.
From the Paper "Marijuana is derived from the flowers and dried leaves of the cannabis plant, which at varied potencies contains the non-narcotic chemical called Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC. The different strengths of this herb produce various physical effects, ranging from a tranquilizer to a stimulant. Preceding to the 1930s, when marijuana was believed to be a problem it was a legal substance for over one hundred and thirty years. (Grinspoon) The potential unsafe effects of marijuana usage became public knowledge when Harry J. Anslinger, the commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotic wrote the book Marijuana Assassin of Youth. Anslinger's book gave examples of Mexican and Negro criminals, as well as young boys of other races, who, while under the influence of marijuana, became serial killers. Some of the serious adverse side effects Anslinger mentioned included premature cancer, hostility, depression, coordination and perceptional reproductive disabilities, memory loss, and impairment to both the respiratory system and the immune system."
Abstract Discusses effect of conditions in nursing homes on the elderly. Nursing home industry. Complaints of neglect and abuse. Issue of elderly abuse in institutional facilities, especially long-term care facilities. Economics of nursing home care. Staffing problems. Reform measures to prevent abuse. Role of legisltors. Domestic abuse of the elderly.
From the Paper "Nell Hoover choked on laxative.
Vestal Ferguson suffocated as orange juice filled his lungs.
Esther Fincher's heart failed, and nobody called a doctor. Each year, hundreds of North Carolina's elderly suffer needlessly in the nursing homes they turn to for care. They lie for hours in their own waste or battle dangerously infected bedsores or, bound to their beds and wheelchairs, slowly lose the strength and will to walk, eat, speak. They're victims of poorly staffed homes and under-trained workers--and of the public system responsible for protecting them. The state pays the bills for 75% of our nursing home..."
Abstract Compares healthcare costs and outcomes. Underlying structures and principles of healthcare in each country. Social policy. Health care delivery. Advantages & disadvantages of each. Focus on quantitative measures (costs, mortality rates, quality, access to care, public satisfaction). Managed care. Fee-for-service. Primary care. Chart of costs. Table of outcomes.
From the Paper "COMPARATIVE HEALTH CARE COSTS & OUTCOMES ? UNITED KINGDOM & UNITED STATES
The structures and the principles underlying the health care systems in the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) are dramatically different. Depending upon one's perspective on social policy generally and health care delivery more specifically advantages and disadvantages characterize each country's health care system in relation to that of the other country.
This research compares the costs and outcomes of health care delivery in the UK and the US. The primary focus of this comparison is on quantitative measures. The quantitative measures presented in this research, however, reflect both objective data (e.g., actual costs, mortality rates, and so ..."
This paper analyzes the concept of grief and its importance to the nursing profession with emphasis on the most common associations with the concept: The loss of a loved one, a close friend or a family member.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 16 sources, 2002, $ 69.95
Abstract The paper discusses that while it is true that grief is a universal experience, the problem is that modern society has largely separated the concept of grief from the everyday experience of life. The paper points out that profound loss also has profound and varied effects upon the bereaved individual. The author, after reviewing many definitions and case studies, establishes a definition for grief: Grief is an emotion experienced during the event of bereavement; mourning is the action through which grief is expressed.
Table of Contents
Aims
Grief: Definitions and Attributes
Case Studies
Model Case: My Brother
Borderline Case: Deciding to Die
Related Case: The Decision to Change
Contrary Case: The Decision to Maintain the Status Quo
Conclusions from Case Studies
Grief: A Definition
From the Paper "The aim of this concept analysis is therefore to understand grief from a number of viewpoints. This will be done by means of an analysis of grief through the stages of the process a bereaved person is expected to go through. These stages include physical and psychological processes. This is followed by a consideration of the social and religious support a bereaved person needs to work through the grieving process in a healthy way. Furthermore, case studies will be considered in terms of the established theories. Finally, conclusions are drawn in terms of the nursing profession and caring for a person going through the process of bereavement."
Abstract This paper discusses pain management for the terminally ill and how dying with dignity and the importance of hospice care have become part of mainstream medicine and mainstream society. It looks at how it has become increasingly acceptable to acknowledge that the most important service that medicine can offer to some patients (and especially those who are terminally ill) is the relief of pain. It focuses on the different ways that nurses can help people not only die with dignity but also how to provide the quality of life that all people deserve, regardless of how much time that they may have remaining.
From the Paper "One of the issues important in addressing the treatment of pain in the dying seems almost absurd from the outside but is in fact a serious one: Often doctors have worried about giving the most effective pain relievers to patients because of possible toxicity, possible side effects or ? and this is the absurd part ? possible addiction. While it does seem absurd for a doctor to withhold morphine from a cancer patient who has a few weeks to live on the grounds that the person might become addicted, such instances do occur, and it has been one of the foci of the hospice movement to remove such doubts from the minds of physicians (Danto in DeBellis etal, 1992, p. 305)."
Abstract The nursing philosophy or model of Sister Calista Roy focuses on the individual (person) as a biopsychosocial adaptive system. According to Roy, nursing is a discipline that emphasizes strengthening, expanding and improving upon the person's coping abilities for the purpose of enhancing the patient's wellness or health. This paper describes the theory and provides reasons for why it was chosen for review and analysis. The paper then goes on to discuss the development, meaning, logical adequacy, usefulness, completeness and testability of the adaptation model.
From the Paper "It should be understood that the Roy Adaptation Model attempts nothing less than that of providing a theoretical framework for use by educators, researchers, and practitioners, for the purpose of validating a scientific foundation for nursing as a profession. This is, at best, an extremely challenging task and, as might be expected, the model has not only been refined and expanded upon many times, further expansion and refinement is expected in the future (Roy, 1997). In general, it must be noted that there is a need for intense study of the language and ideas behind Roy's Adaptation Model to fully understand it."
Abstract This paper looks at various explanations or theories attributed to the development of the alcoholic disease. Factors discussed include the fact that some people appear to have a genetic or biological tendency toward alcoholism and the paper discusses the way that different people's bodies react to alcohol. Another issue raised is that of social stress - that our society has become more intense and demanding and some people can not cope with the pressure. Hereditary trends have also been discussed as well as the personality traits of potential alcoholics.
From the Paper "Some people appear to have a genetic or biological tendency toward alcoholism (UMHS, 2001; What Causes, 2001). Scientists studied children of alcoholics who were raised in non-alcoholic environments (e.g. foster homes) and compared them to children from non-alcoholic families who were raised in alcoholic environments (What Causes, 2001). Results showed that genetics played more of a role in the development of alcoholism than environment, and this was compared to long-term twin studies and current scientific research, all of which support the hypothesis that alcoholics are biochemically different before they ever start drinking."
Abstract This is an argumentative research paper that is clearly in favor of animal experimentation. The paper discusses the pros and cons of animal research as well as the ethics. It also discusses the activities of animal rights organizations, and the ways in which these organizations effect animal research.
From the Paper "Animal research is a controversial topic that puts images of abuse and cruelty into many people's minds; however, these images are results of misleading information that animal rights activists provide to the public, and in order to fully understand the importance of animal experimentation, you must realize that almost every medical advance owes its success in part to animal research. Many people do not consider the reasons animal research is absolutely essential to science and for the betterment of the human race."
Abstract This paper is a concept analysis of grief behaviors in families, as witnessed in the pediatric critical care setting. The writer explains how grief is a concept surrounded by ambiguity despite nurses' frequent encounters with grieving persons. This paper clarifies this concept and explains how it allows nurses to gain insight into managing grieving families in a therapeutic manner. A concept analysis is described using antecedents, attributes and referents, and principal variables of grief are identified. In addition, model, contrary, borderline, related and illegitimate cases are described. It shows how this analysis can contribute to the establishment of nursing practices with grieving persons.
From the Paper "Grief fills the room up of my absent child, lies in his bed, walks up and down with me"? (Bartlett, 1919). The death of a child, sudden or otherwise, has a profound, life changing effect on the family infrastructure. As nurses, it is important to develop skills of compassion so that we can support these families in their time of need. In order to support a family through the initial stages of grief, one must look at their own belief systems. One must keep an open mind and realize that every family has a different belief system related to death, dying and the grieving process. Our responsibility is not to get families to believe as we believe, rather we must fill the role that the family defines for us during their time of need.
Abstract The media has a large effect on society as a whole and there has been an increase in media exposure over the years. The thin, waif-like look is seen as the ideal, a standard for women to be measured against. The paper shows that women are under lots of pressure to conform to the ideals of society and the majority of women are on diets or have dieted at some point in their life. This leads to low self esteem and poor body image, which is a precipitating factor in eating disorders. This essay discusses whether the media is the catalyst for preoccupation with slimness and a major contributor to eating disorders in young women.
From the Paper "The media is often quoted as a scapegoat for the increase in eating disorders. Linda Grant's opinion is that: "Women don"t set out to become anorexic, they begin by thinking they"re too fat because everywhere they go the media is telling them that they are right" (Barrett, 1997). This assumes that the causes of eating disorders are simply triggered by an individual feeling overweight, which is not the case. Eating disorders have many causes, some evidence suggests that an eating disorder can exist without this pathological fear of being overweight (Lai, 2000). If these effects of the media are obvious then why is it that only 1-3% of women suffer from an eating disorder? "
Abstract For the nurse, there can be little doubt that the primary function is to provide the best care possible within the limits of policy, practice and ability. To that end, there are limits to what a person can provide and the self, not the institution, determines those. Over the next five years, I will be embarking upon and completing a journey, the end of which will find me in a hospital or clinical setting as a nurse with direct impact and influence upon the outcome of treatment. It will be my responsibility to provide the best care possible, to be aware of the needs of the setting, the physicians and the patient and to be able to balance all of those in my actions. I will be responsible for compartmentalizing my day, my life and all of the demands of the job so that I may remain focused upon the tasks at hand. It will also be an imperative to function fully within the team environment and to be a complete and active member in that team. Finally, it will be incumbent upon me to never stop learning about my practice and craft. It is for these reasons that the development of personal goals is so significant.
