Abstract This paper outlines some possible connections between adolescent eating disorders and body image in relation to the portrayal of bodies in the media, including magazines, the press/media and films.
Abstract This paper considers the concepts of Insurance Providing Organizations (IPOs) and managed care and whether they indeed provide health care and save the economy money. It looks at the history of managed health care in America and the current advantages and disadvantages of the system.
From the Paper "Insurance Providing Organizations (IPOs) and managed care have risen in popularity over the past twenty years. Commonly thought to be better for the economy by saving money, many people jumped on the health care bandwagon and joined these insurance-providing agencies. Statistics from the past eleven years show that managed care has reduced national health care costs and the yearly inflation rate from 12% in 1993, to less than 5% in 1996 (Furrow, n/p); but at what cost? The driving factors behind managed care in today's society are becoming ever more skewed. Governmental health care reform in the United States has been so concerned with money that it has compromised the quality and standard of care. In the end, cost constraints are not proving effective because the readmission rate has risen due to care being provided at a lower standard. Quality of care is also being compromised by the constraints put on care to control expenditures by medical facilities."
Abstract This paper examines how one particular factor that makes every employer curious before hiring an individual is whether the applicant is using any drug not prescribed as medication. It looks at how this practice of finding out whether any prospective employee is using or has been using any drug is usually carried out through a urine analysis, also called urinalysis, and how it has now become a prerequisite for hiring applicants in the public sector, as well as private entities. It analyzes how the use of a drug test, such as the urinalysis, prior to hiring of applicants may seem to be a precautionary measure on the part of the employer and how it can be degrading to those employees who are already on the payroll of the organizations.
Outline
Introduction
A Discussion on the Pros and Cons of Drug Testing at the Workplace
Reasons as Presented by Opponents of Drug Testing at the Workplace
Reasons as Presented by Proponents of Drug Testing at the Workplace
Concluding Comments
References
From the Paper "One of the major opponents of any sort of drug testing on the present set of employees is the American Civil Liberties Union, (ACLU), who have a number of reasons and points to prove that the drug-testing the present set of employees is both degrading as well as violative of personal privacy. One such reasoning is that the urinalysis for example cannot detect any impairment on the part of the employee, nor can it ascertain or evaluate job performance of the employee, hence the irrelevancy of the urinalysis. Secondly, even it were to be presumed that the employees are not expected to be drunk, stoned, or even asleep, all of which are the after-effects and implications of drug use, the employer would hardly be expected to retain the services of the employee with any of the said habits."
Abstract The term "euthanasia" has come a long way from its original meaning of "a good death" and evolved into a new meaning for modern times of "mercy death". Even while the actual term itself has evolved in meaning, the human race has further qualified with distinctive types of euthanasia, voluntary and involuntary. Although types of voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia can be very different, this paper shows that they may all be judged based on a set of moral responsibilities that accompany every individual's right to control his own life. In the context of these guidelines, this paper argues that all voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia, as well as physician-assisted suicide, may be morally permissible, or even obligatory, in accordance with these responsibilities.
From the Paper "My argument for the moral permissibility of voluntary euthanasia draws primarily from the belief in an individual's right to control the ultimate conditions of his life, including his death. This right, of course, is not unconditional. As with all rights, this one is accompanied by responsibilities. In other words, a sentient, competent individual has the right to ultimate control of his own life under the condition that the actions exercised by this right are in harmony with the best interests both of the individual and of the people directly influenced by the individual. In a situation where the best interests of the individual and of the people directly influenced by the individual are in conflict, the responsibility is of the individual to choose an action appealing to the greatest utility for all parties involved."
Abstract This paper examines how the incidence of substance abuse among the elderly will continue to grow as the medical community continues to improve the length and quality of life. It looks at how, as the elderly age and begin to lose friends and develop their own health issues, it is important that they have plenty of resources available to them for the purpose of support. Doctors need to be careful about the number and type of prescriptions they are prescribing, and family members who suspect their elderly loved one is developing a substance abuse problem should seek help from professionals.
From the Paper "The senior wants to be numbed to the fact that they are losing their friends, getting closer to death and their quality of life may be reduced because of these factors. Those who drink to eliminate loneliness isolate themselves even further which causes the cycle to continue. Those who live in chronic pain can become addicted to the pain medications they are given and even when the pain subsides they have a craving to feel the numbness or the euphoria that the pills provide."
Abstract This study explores the effects that motivation has on the job satisfaction of nurses and on nurse retention. It is hypothesized that nurses who are more motivated in their jobs are more satisfied, and are thus less likely to leave the profession. The findings from this study provide information as to what changes can be made so that nurses are more motivated in their profession.
From the Paper "Nursing retention is a prominent factor in the current nursing shortage, and it has been found that nurses change jobs and careers because of issues in the workplace, including the culture of the hospital (Donley et al., 2002). Recently, several studies have explored the growing trend of nurses leaving the profession. Why is nurse retention becoming increasingly difficult? Several theories have been posited. Sumner and Townsend-Rocchiccioli (2003) suggested that the cause of nurses? abandonment of the profession might lie more in intrinsic factors rather than overtly expressed reasons. These authors cite various reasons, such as bureaucratic factors, issues related to the medical profession and scientific discourse, and factors within the nursing profession, as contributing to dissatisfaction that causes nurses to leave. Also, nursing is emotionally stressful work, which may add additional stresses to influencing factors. The above authors suggest changes in the work environment to make nurses feel valued for their skills and therefore increase nurse retention."
Abstract This paper examines the life, work, and leadership of Margaret Sanger, an advocate for women's rights and, in particular, reproductive rights. It looks at her selfless fight to legalize contraception in an era in which many were ready to hear such a message, but many others were ardently opposed to her work and to the possibility that women might, indeed, gain greater rights in American society.
From the Paper "Sanger believed that it was the right of everyone to have enough information about birth control to make their own decisions about the morality and practicality of using it and began a magazine titled The Woman Rebel that attacked the restrictions placed on the circulation of information about contraception by the an 1873 piece of federal legislation called the Comstock Law. This highly restrictive law made it a crime to distribute any device or medicine that could be used as a contraceptive or abortificient or any information about birth control or abortion or even to cite in print the name of any sexually transmitted disease. The law also banned doctors and nurses from providing such information to their patients."
Tags: reproductive, rights, contraception, comstock, law
Abstract This paper begins by providing an analysis of the pharmaceutical industry. It presents a summary profile of the dominant economic characteristics of the pharmaceutical industry and then analyzes the industry through Porter's Five Forces. This is followed by an identification of key industry trends in the pharmaceutical industry. It then applies these findings briefly to the pharmaceutical company called Merck Inc.
From the Paper "Drug packaging demand is predicted to grow at a rate of 4.3 percent annually in the United States through 2006. According to the report by the Freedonia Group, "Blister packaging will remain the top group based on strength in unit dose, compliance, clinical trial, high barrier and high visibility formats. Pouches and strip packs will compete with blister in unit dose. Prefillable inhalers and syringes will grow the fastest in market value" (Freedonia Group)."
Abstract This paper discusses heroin, a powerful, highly addictive drug that is derived from opium, which was first synthesized from morphine in the 1890s and was initially considered to be an effective pain killer and cough suppressant. It looks at how its manufacture and sale is now illegal in most countries because of its widespread abuse and habit-forming qualities and focuses on the long-term and short-term, harmful effects on the human body.
From the Paper "In the longer term, the heroin user becomes totally dependent on the drug until his whole life revolves around the effort to get the next ?fix.? Other long term psychological effects of heroin include loss of enthusiasm and involvement in everyday affairs, withdrawal from hobbies and sports, reluctance to make new friends, irritability and overreaction to criticism, sudden changes in mood and compulsive lying. A heroin user goes to great lengths to deny that he is a drug abuser. Devious and manipulative behavior aimed at getting money for supporting the drug is also a typical long term effect of heroin. Distorted perception, hallucinations, and paranoia are the other long-term psychological effects of heroin."
Abstract The first part of this paper examines the background and reviews the current literature regarding pain management. The next part then examines the key pain management issues and the pros and cons of establishing pain management standards.The paper then examines these proposed guidelines from a nursing viewpoint in line with the 2001 Code of Ethics, as well as the ANA's "Nursing's agenda for the future." Next, the paper addresses how a proposed set of pain management guidelines affects nursing practices and the practice of health care, in general. In the last section, the paper makes further recommendations on how pain management strategies could be tailored to facilitate the practice of nursing.
From the Paper "Pain management takes a backseat in a variety of medical specialties. Tanabe and Buschmann (1999), for example, found that 78 percent of patients experience severe pain in the emergency room. Furthermore, clinicians often followed a standard pain treatment program that did not take into account the severity of an individual patient's pain. As a result, many patients did not receive adequate pain medication, despite the availability of pharmacologic solutions."
Abstract Should physicians be allowed to assist in patient suicide? This paper discusses this issue and explains it in detail. The writer discusses its pros and cons and argues against making such assistance legal. The writer concludes that the negative consequences of the act far outweigh its purported benefits.
From the Paper "Euthanasia is, quite literally, a "life and death" issue. It is no surprise, therefore, that it evokes heated debate among doctors, lawyers, philosophers, academicians as well as the general public all over the world. Although, recent developments in modern medicine have given it a new dimension, euthanasia is by no means an exclusively modern-day concern. Even the ancient Greeks had pondered over the issue centuries ago, albeit without reaching a definite conclusion about its merits or otherwise. In more recent times, euthanasia has been the subject of discussion in various forums including the Supreme Court of the United States with similar inconclusive results."
An examination of how osteoporosis could be treated by the Health Belief Model (HBM), which is a systematic mode of predicting and, thus, preventing health behavior.
Abstract The Health Belief Model is a psychological health promotion method that locates the problem and allows a solution before the onset of the problem. Osteoporosis is a silent disease and, thus, clinically dangerous. This paper examines how, by perceiving the problem through the HBM, the physicians would predict the barriers and the benefits and allow for a measure of control in the spreading of the disease. It explains how, in a clinical setting, the disease could be assessed through questionnaires and personal history taking, and the at-risk population could be motivated to act in a manner that would allow control of the disease. It concludes that the problem is preventable and, thus, an excellent component for the HBM.
From the Paper "By focusing on the relationship between the practices and the behaviors of health services it aimed to create a theoretical presentation of the same. Later it was revised to motivate the general health for the 'purpose of distinguishing illness and sick-role behavior from health behavior'. [Brown, 1999] The HBM is essentially a concept that integrates psychological motivators with physical and social settings. Its said to have been initiated in 1952 by three socio-psychologists, Godfrey Hochbaum, Stephen Kegels and Irwin Rosenstock. During the 1950's the society realized a need to prevent disease rather than cure it. The US Public Health Service was more concerned with preventing outbreaks which would have a nationwide impact than with trying to solve and cure the symptoms that individuals came up with. The HBM was created under the influence of Kurt Lewin who suggested that the perceiver could determine the actions of the people of the world. Through a series of studies over a decade the originators of the HBM conducted systematic studies in order to present a mode of behavior that would help prevent health problems. Consider that in 1952 Godfrey Hochbaum presented the first research study that would provide the identification of symptoms pointing towards a chest x-ray in order for the early diagnosis of TB. [Brown, 1999]"
Abstract This paper looks at some of the controversy surrounding health care directives. The paper explains what a health directive is, looks at the purpose of health directives, explores the problems and controversy associated with them, and suggests a possible solution to these problems. Appended to the paper are notations concerning laws on health care directives, quotes about advanced directives from medical professionals, and a statement on health care directives made by a bioethicist.
From the Paper "The past few decades have seen an increase in law suits revolving around the final medical wishes of those who fall ill. Media coverage has provided the nation with front row coverage when it comes to people in comas, vegetative states, and no hope of recovery. Family members are often pitted against each other and the hospitals as the patient lays waiting for a decision to be made. One of the things that has been increasing in popularity to prevent such problems is the use of advance directives. While advance directives are gaining in popularity and power their relative infancy creates an atmosphere for problems. Advance directives can lay to rest painful family decisions, as well as doctor decisions that may or may not agree with the family. They provide a blue print of the patient's wishes that everybody can follow."
