Abstract This paper argues that voluntary euthanasia preserves dignity. Examined in this paper are such ideas as the right to die, the ethical parameters of euthanasia, the quality of life perspective and a place for euthanasia within varied perspectives. The author argues that one of the greatest ways to preserve another person's dignity is through an act of mercy. Voluntary euthanasia is an act of mercy, which therefore, preserves dignity with the bestowment of final compassion.
From the Paper "A step in awareness is the enactment of careful laws that permit forms of voluntary euthanasia. In the United States, the state of Oregon's Death With Dignity Act, allowing ?limited physician-assisted suicide,? is an example of a start for public understanding. In ideal cases of merciful euthanasia, a person makes a painstaking, well thought-out decision. Voluntary euthanasia is rarely carried out at the first knowledge of impending death, especially if medical help is available to treat the terminal disease. Voluntary euthanasia is an act of mercy, and therefore, preserves dignity with the bestowment of final compassion. "
Abstract This paper is an analysis of Dorothea Orem's method of nursing. She introduced the concept that nurses, as human beings, need to be allowed to treat patients according to their individual needs. The author examines this theory, and presents several examples where it has been applied successfully.
From the Paper "Nursing isn?t only about ?doing for the patient,? but about assisting them and directing them to carry out their own self-care and self-directed life. ?A patient competent to live in the real world is competent not only to obtain and participate health care, but to do as much of it as would be done outside the institutional setting normally.? (Coleman, pp. 325-344, 1980) Self-care then, is especially important in any field of nursing because health care is more about taking care of the body outside of the institution rather than in it."
Abstract This paper discusses the condition known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) occurs when a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, an act that sends her baby a toxin that has been proven to hinder the growth of the baby's brain, cause birth defects, and rob the child of the chance to learn. It focuses on studies in this field and what research is still being performed.
From the Paper "Until the 1970s, the traditional medical thinking was that the mother's placenta was a natural barrier protecting an unborn child from harmful substances (Streissguth, 1983). That belief changed in the 1950s, when researchers discovered certain diseases, such as rubella, could cross the placenta and cause birth defects. In the 1970s, research on animals confirmed alcohol was a teratogen, an agent that produces defects in a developing embryo."
Abstract This paper offers a brief review of Eric Schlosser's book "Fast Food Nation". The writer highlights the major issues in the book in 10 points. 1)Fast food is taken for granted in the U.S. 2)Americans spend billions of dollars on fast food. 3)French fries are the most common form. 4)Fries are the most fattening product. 5)The flavor industry is just as much to blame. 6)Fast food creates jobs. 7)Other health problems. 8)Worker safety. 9)Tainted food. 10)Impact on agriculture.
From the Paper "So much has already been said about Fast Food and its negative impact on Americans that you might fail to understand why Eric Schlosser would choose to write a whole book in the subject. Don"t we already know enough" After reading the book, however the answers surprisingly turns out to be an emphatic No. Indeed we know very little about the real fast food industry and the way it carries out is operations. True it adds to obesity problem in the country but do we really know the truth about those French fries that have been criticized widely for their fat content."
Abstract Obesity is a major problem in America. Children are becoming obese and this will lead to obesity as an adult. Obesity can lead to serious disease in children such as diabetes. It is time that America take action and stop obesity in children.
Abstract This paper looks at the health problems faced by diabetics and how exercise and a proper diet can help mitigate some of those problems. The paper focuses on the finding that exercise is an essential factor in the successful management of diabetes and in improving insulin sensitivity. The paper also provides physiological explanations of the benefits of exercise to the diabetic.
From the Paper "Diabetes is increasing in the United States and throughout the world due to the ever-growing adoption of an unhealthy lifestyle, including poor diet and lack of physical activity. Obesity is a characteristic often present in individuals with diabetes, and in order for the occurrences of diabetes to be reduced and the effects of diabetes to be minimized, efforts must be put in place to encourage weight loss and the maintenance of a healthy weight. It is expected that obesity and diabetes will reach epidemic proportions unless prompt action is taken to counteract these conditions."
Abstract This paper discusses the much-debated topic of legalized marijuana. The paper begins by providing background information on marijuana and its effects on the body and then proceeds with a discussion of the positive side-effects of marijuana and how these side-effects can be effective in the treatment of certain ailments. Different types of diseases that the medicinal use of marijuana could help treat are cited, and the need for public awareness about the usefulness of medicinal marijuana is also discussed.
From the Paper "Currently, many controversial topics divide the nation, giving rise to debate and argument amongst the people. Gun control, abortion, and the death penalty are such prevalent subjects that the slightest news related to them can be seen in newspapers, magazines, and other sources of media. National debates have been waged over such issues, and national organizations have been founded to gather supporters for their cause. These subjects are important of course, but they overshadow other issues that could find resolution with more publicity. In the cases of many controversial topics, the facts are not presented in a manner which clarifies people's common misconceptions. One issue with many of these misconceptions is the legalization of medical marijuana."
Tags: illegal, psychoactive, drug, doctors, patients, illnesses, american, medical, association
An overview of Leininger and Neuman's philosophies and systems of care and how these philosophies relate to a personal, contemporary set of nursing values and professional ethics.
Abstract This paper discusses how, when defining a personal nursing philosophy, the individual nurse must not simply review his or her own schema of values and beliefs and reassert the nurse's own personal confidence in nursing and medical knowledge in general. It looks at how the nurse must also take into consideration what nursing theorists, such as Madeline Leininger and Betty Neuman, have said about the responsibilities of the profession. It explores how nursing theorists of the recent past must be viewed with a professional respect in order to ensure that a nurse coming into an increasingly difficult health care environment has a core sense of his or her own personal and professional values and is also flexible enough to respond to individual obstacles he or she may encounter over the course of his or her medical experience.
From the Paper "More subtly, when an individual experiences a loss, for instance, if a woman is widowed in a particular culture, this loss of a husband and the appropriate mourning behavior may be quite different for an Irish Catholic widow in Boston versus a recent Iranian immigrant. A nurse must be prepared for these different cultural responses and reactions, and tailor her behavior, if not her information and expertise to the situation."
Abstract This paper analyzes the influence of mass media on the everyday diet of Americans. The author discusses the inconsistencies of food and nutrition news reported by the media that confuse and frustrate consumers and lead to poor diet and lifestyle choices.
From the Paper "Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but you may need a scorecard to decide what to eat. Will knocking back a few cups of java (a) raise your risk of pancreatic cancer, (b) lead to arthritis, or (c) protect you from Parkinson's disease? Is it butter or margarine that is healthier on your toast? Are eggs OK or did you get the message scrambled? One has good reason to be confused and not just at breakfast. Americans get the bulk of their nutrition news from TV, magazines, and newspapers where the latest findings are proclaimed by just about anyone in a lab coat (Kulman 1). These findings are sometimes contradictory to established research conclusions and leave consumers unsure of what to really think."
Abstract This paper argues in favor of genetic research. The author feels that many things that once seemed impossible now seem more possible everyday. Scientists may find a cure for cancer or other diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
From the Paper "Human gene mapping is a highly advanced scientific topic. It has many current uses, such as treatment for certain diseases, production of energy, and has helped farmers with their crops. Even with all these current uses, The Human Genome Project ultimately lies in the future. There is so much potential in this project. Through the study of genes and proteins, many of the worst diseases such as cancer may be cured. The aging process may be slowed down. There may be new, better forms of energy. People may be identified through DNA fingerprints. Ultimately, Human beings may be created to be smarter and stronger. All these ideas seem unattainable, but the truth is that they are closer to becoming reality everyday."
Abstract This paper discusses Florence Nightingale's contribution to nursing field. Nightingale developed a new modern nursing model that emphasized on improving sanitation and hospital conditions as well as developing research on certain diseases. Nonetheless, this nursing model focused on the patient's needs.
From the Paper "It was Florence Nightingale who established professional nurses' training and who stands out as the founder of the modern profession. She was also adept politically and could mobilize public opinion - she was possibly the first spin-nurse. Florence Nightingale has for years been recognized as the founder of modern nursing. The strength of Nightingales model is that it focuses on the patient. The quality of care such focus can bring only serves to improve the quality of the patient 's life and does not allow for the nurse to be lost in the management and politics that are found in hospitals today. It allows the nurse to understand where his or her first duty lies and thus makes health care more compassionate."
Abstract This paper discusses the condition that plagues thousands of people each year, anorexia nervosa. The author examines which populations frequently deal with the disease, the symptoms, the risks, and hospitalization and rehabilitation. The paper looks at the psychology behind this many times fatal eating disorder.
From the Paper:
"American society women are given the message starting from a very young age that in order to be successful and happy, they must be thin. Eating disorders are on the rise; it's not surprising given the value which society places on being thin. Television and magazine advertising show the image of glamorous and thin models are everywhere. Thousands of teenage girls are starving themselves daily in an effort to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the ideal figure. An average female model weighs 23% less than the recommended weight for a woman. Maintaining a weight 20% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for the emotional eating disorder known as anorexia."
This paper discusses the problem of substance abuse in nurses and the legal, ethical, political, and economic problems stemming from their substance abuse.
Abstract This paper stresses that problems with substance abuse in nurses affect more than the individual; they affect the whole work team. The author defines an impaired nurse as a nurse who is unable to meet the requirements of a professional code of ethics and standards of practice because cognitive, interpersonal, or psychomotor skills are affected by excessive drug or alcohol use. The paper states that many impaired nurses are super-nurses; unfortunately, when they are finally recognized as having a chemical dependency, it is almost too late for an appropriate intervention that may save them from losing their jobs.
From the Paper "The problem is that little research is actually available on substance abuse among nurses. In studying the history and present problems with substance abuse, it is important to define the meaning of substance abuse among nurses or others. ?Substance misuse is defined as maladaptive patterns of psychoactive substance use indicated by continued use even when faced with recurrent occupational, social, psychological or physical problems as well as/or use in dangerous situations.?"
Abstract This paper focuses on an explanation of DSCR, its place in Orem's theory of "Self-Care Deficit", and its application in nursing practice. It begins by discussing the stages of development of the theory and then looks at the factors involved in determining whether a patient requires nursing care. The writer then discusses how DSCR can be applied and its goals in the nursing field.
From the Paper "Developmental Self Care Requisite (DSCR) is an important part of Dorothea Orem's "Self- Care Deficit Theory of Nursing""the most notable of her nursing theories"having been adopted by a number of nursing schools across the United States as the organizing framework for their nursing curriculum. According to Orem, Developmental Self Care Requisite (DSCR) is one of three types of requisites that are used for assessing a patient's ability to take care of him or herself, the others being the Universal Self-Care Requisites (USCR) and the Health Deviation Self-Care Requisites (HDSCR). The "Developmental Self Care Requisites" are defined as the needs of people required for taking care of themselves (?Self Care,? in nursing parlance) at different stages of their lives. These requisites or needs could arise from either "maturational" changes in the life cycle, such as pregnancy, childhood, and aging; or from situational events that occur throughout human development, such as grief and loss (death of a close relative), relocation, disability or other traumatic changes such as the onset of terminal illness. (Orem, 1995)"
Abstract The nursing shortage in present day society is a problem that will affect the nursing profession for years to come. This paper examines the history of the nursing shortage and methods being used to combat the problem.
From the Paper "Technology has progressed in leaps and bounds over the past century. The way we carry out our duties as nurses in my institution, however, has not. According to Bower & McCullough (201), there is technology available today that could streamline nursing practice, enabling nurses to spend more time with their patients. Items like palm-pilots and hand-held computers should be utilized more often to shorten the paper trail nurses must inevitably create while caring for their patients. Technology can be used to enhance nursing practice, which may be a solution to one part of the nursing shortage."
Tags: leadership, hospital, retention, health, care
