Abstract This paper describes the causes, diagnosis and medications used to treat cardiovascular accidents (CVAs), also known as strokes. The paper also gives an outline of the responsibilities of nurses caring for such patients and what is expected of them.
From the Paper "A stroke or cardiovascular accident causes damage to the brain when the blood supply is reduced or stopped completely usually by the bursting of a blood vessel or the occlusion of a vessel by a blood clot . A thrombotic stroke occurs when a blood clot forms in an artery and blocks the blood supply to part of the brain. An embolic stroke occurs when a blood clot or piece of plaque breaks away in another part of the body and blocks an artery in..."
Abstract This paper examines the problem of alcohol-related accidents, underage drinking and its effects on the number of driving accidents in New Jersey and nationwide. The paper attempts to answer the question: Does the legal drinking age affect the number of driving accidents that involve alcohol in New Jersey? The paper concludes that raising the minimum age when people can purchase and consume alcohol has been shown to positively affect the rate of accidents involving alcohol and the young.
Contents:
Introduction
Background
Legal Definition of Driving While Under the Influence
Zero Tolerance Law
Effectiveness of Minimum Legal Drinking Age Laws in Reducing Alcohol Related Traffic Accidents and Deaths
Conclusion
From the Paper "According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, (NHTSA), there were 2,160 teen drunk-driving crashes in the United States in 2001 (latest available statistics) The measure represents the total number of people (occupants and non-occupants) killed in crashes in which at least one teenage (16-20) driver had a BAC of .08 or higher. While teens killed because of drinking and driving remains unacceptable at any number, the total represents a 35% decline since 1990 and a full 60% since 1982."
Abstract This paper discusses the unfortunately common occurrence of children being severely injured in home-related accidents. The paper contends that the majority of these accidents could have been prevented by implementing minimal safety measures. Statistics are provided regarding the number of children injured in accidents within the home in the United Kingdom. The paper outlines basic safety measures that should be taken to prevent these accidents.
From the Paper "It is an unfortunate fact that accidents affect young children within their own homes everywhere in the world, and if the adults had taken a mite more care and acted more responsibly, countless number of lives would have been saved, and quite a few instances of injury involving small children could have been prevented. In the United Kingdom alone, it is reported that about 320 children under the age of fourteen died of home-related accidents, mainly by poisoning and injuries due to various other reasons, in the year 2002. This is a figure that shows that more children die due to home-related accidents than of fatal diseases like leukemia and meningitis. These are the types of accidents that may occur to a child within the home: a fall or a trip, either at the same level, or from one level to another. Burns and scalds was another major risk within the home, and either hot drinks or fires caused most of these accidents. Poisoning was another important cause for the death of small children, and this is something that can be easily prevented with the minimum amount of safety measures. (How Many Children are injured in Accidents?) "
Abstract This paper discusses the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident, the most serious nuclear power plant accident in North America. The paper explains that, although there were no direct casualties, the Three Mile Island accident brought about great public opposition to nuclear power and the tragedy at Chernobyl that took place several years later increased this opposition. The paper further points out that, although the Three Mile Island accident took place over 25 years ago, the full impact is still unknown and contradictory data on the impacts on human health exists.
From the Paper "Three Mile Island Nuclear power has several advantages over fossil fuel. It does not contribute to the greenhouse effect and produces less atmospheric pollution. Unlike fossil fuels we are unlikely to run out of uranium for a while thus using nuclear energy means less reliance on foreign oil. Nuclear power plants do however generate nuclear waste, disposal of which is of great concern as high-level radioactive waste is highly toxic and "by 1995 about 28 000 tons of spent fuel were stored in the United States" (Henderson, 2000). According to some studies, nuclear power is also the cheapest source of energy. It is worth noting that..."
Abstract The paper explains that the purpose of the research is to ascertain the effects of aviation resource management survey (ARMS) inspections on aviation accident rates in the U.S. army. The paper presents the hypothesis that ARMS inspections decrease Army aviation accidents and proposes to look into the United States Army Europe and Seventh Army (USAREUR) aviation accident statistics over a four-year period. The paper provides an extensive literature review and outlines the exact research methodology to be utilized.
Outline:
Abstract
Chapter One - Introduction
Chapter Two - Review of Literature
Chapter Three - Methodology
From the Paper "United States Army aviation resources are an expensive, finite product in the budget of the United States government. The numbers of helicopters required in war fighting deployments have a direct impact in peacekeeping missions and waging war in global conflicts. The loss of United States Army helicopters directly impact the mission, capability, and accomplishment of Army aviation in deployments and support missions to ground forces. The expenditure of these valuable assets, to include loss of life, directly impact the strategy of the United States Army. If present aviation accident trends continue, coupled with combat losses, the expectation of over one billion dollars in United States Army aviation accidents, Class A through C, will become a reality. This downward spiral in aviation accidents must be stopped."
Abstract This paper explains the various techniques used by aircraft accident investigating teams today. The writer explains the technical terms for the layman, which include accident scene photography, metallurgy, fluid analysis of fuels and oils, fire investigation in flight or on the ground occurrence, human factors, flight deck design, appropriate degree of automation, automatic overwing exit, human forensics and pathology, and flight data recorders.
From the Paper "Aviation accident and incidents are extremely painful and expensive for the aviation industry. This is why the aviation industry has investigative engineers who hold the responsibility of investigating accidents by reviewing and identifying the primary cause of the accident, whether it was related to aircraft performance such as, aerodynamics, engines, electrics, hydraulics, or if it was environmental or simply human error.
Investigating aircraft accidents can be extremely complex, sometimes taking many months to figure out the cause of the whole accident. So for the purpose of this task, there are engineers who often collaborate to work in teams in conducting the investigations. Primarily they are solely responsible licensed Professional Engineers, hired by the FAA Air Transport."
Abstract This paper examines how there are special laws protecting both the consumer and the worker who have to deal with electricity, particularly California Public Utilities section 8031 and 8033. It looks at how any person who is injured by an electrical accident can sue if the accident was caused by the negligence or wrongdoing of another. It also discusses how, in the case of the electric companies, they must make frequent inspections to insure that the lines are not defective or pose a threat to the safety of the consume ; they are responsible for protecting against any forces of nature or foreseeable threats that could result in injury or death. It also shows how, according to the law, the power company has a "non-delegable" duty to construct and maintain its facilities in a safe condition.
From the Paper "In the case of Pappert v. San Diego Gas & Electric (186 cal. Rptr 847), the plaintiff. Susan A. Pappert and her children, appealed the wrongful death of her husband, Charles, arising from his electrocution while trying to cut a tree close to the uninsulated 12,000-volt power line. Were the findings correct in stating that SDG&E could not have reasonably foreseen that the defendant's own acts would cause him harm? It cannot be proved that the tree pruner ever came in contact with the power line because no one witnessed it. So therefore, who can say what truly happened? There are some that say the tree itself may have been energized by the wire."
Abstract This paper explores a 2001 study of aircraft accident indicators, including pilot age, gender, education, flying experience, previous accident involvement and attitudes toward flying. The paper examines the study's methodology and findings in each of these areas before focusing on the role of the pilot's personality on airplane crashes. The paper shows how research indicates that personality is involved in decisions to stick to a flight plan regardless of weather, or abandon it in. The paper also examines whether gain (personal safety) or loss (money, time) is instrumental in those situations and concludes that these decisions do not disprove the function of personality, but rather reinforce it -- especially in light of the equivocal results of simulation experiments designed to test the hypothesis that it is the gain/loss continuum alone that determines whether a pilot will continue or abandon a flight plan in the presence of adverse weather information.
From the Paper "Hunter used data obtained in a national survey of pilots c completed in 1994 with the purpose of examining the validity of measure for predicting accidents and those that occurred after. Hunter used those finding to address two issues: "the relationships among the various measures and accident involvement" (Hunger, 2001, p. 509+). The population Hunter had at his disposal was significant; 561,485 active pilots (those who had been issued a valid airman medical certificate in the preceding 25 months) were used to draw 19,657 participants representing a cross-section of private, commercial and airline transport certificate holders. Those participants then filled out an extensive questionnaire, and, while it was not a personality inventory per se, it did contain 27 questions concerning attitudes about flying."
Abstract This paper presents a case study of a woman who presented to the emergency room of a hospital following an accident and looks at
how the woman's various organs and systems responded to trauma. The paper then looks at how many of these responses can result in minimizing chances of organ destruction and in increasing the victim's chances of surviving an accident.
From the Paper "The woman's kidney function is decreased due to lowered blood pressure, which affects the rate that the kidneys are able to filter waste products from the blood. In an acute shock situation, the body shuts down many of its functions in the interest of addressing the patient's most-urgent problem. In addition to reduced kidney function, the patient's brain function slows down; she may appear lethargic, have difficulty talking, and eventually lapse into a coma. This is due to the body's diverting blood supply from the brain, which typically takes 20% of oxygen and nutrition, to other areas which require it most."
Abstract This essay examines mental and physical pressures that workers bear at work. The author discusses how on-the-job stress affects a person's capabilities and productivity, and how such pressures lend to higher incidences of accidents at work. The paper also discusses methods of reducing job-related stress and increasing productivity and safety as a result.
From the Paper "Mental and emotional pressure can affect performance and productivity of a worker on the job. One of the biggest influences of today's worker is on-the-job stress. Job stress occurs when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker, NIOSH. This consequently affects how a person would normally deal with customer service problems, grievances, violence, conflict, and decisions on the job. Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life, and is therefore a distinct part of a person's job. To properly control the outcome of stress there are certain previsions and methods that should be taken."
Abstract This paper examines the standards set by the National Service Framework for coronary heart disease regarding emergency cardiac care for patients presenting to the accident and emergency system at a hospital. The paper explains that these standards place a priority on aggressive management and providing early thrombolysis and that this type of treatment is controversial because it is questionable whether, given the suggested timeline and the need to differentiate from non-cardiac causes of chest pain, an adequate history and physical can be performed to prevent the administration of thrombolytics in patients where they are contraindicated. To further examine this topic, the paper gives a clear definition of acute myocardial infarction, looks at how to diagnose a patient with acute chest pain, explores the history, indications, and contraindications of thrombolysis, and reviews a multidisciplinary approach to thrombolytic administration.
From the Paper "The definitive diagnosis of AMI is best obtained by following a standard chest pain protocol. Most accident and emergency wards have these in place. It is standard to initially obtain a 12 lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and begin cardiac monitoring. Patient's routine laboratory studies include electrolytes, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), complete blood count (CBC) and markers for myocardial injury (Creatinine Kinase isoenzyme-myocardial (CK-MB) or troponin). Normal serial CK values rule out an acute infarction but are negative in the setting of acute unstable angina. A slight rise in CK-MB or troponin indicates myocardial injury but is not specific for ischemic syndromes. Troponin assay is highly sensitive for identifying acute coronary syndromes. Troponin has longer half life in the system than CK-MB but is less specific for the identification of infarction as opposed to repeated episodes of myocardial ischemia. As the total CK greater than two times the upper ranges of normal is indicative of infarction it can be used as an adjunct in diagnosis ischemia versus infarction and also in determining the relative efficacy of reperfusion. Serum troponin may take up to six hours to become diagnostically sensitive enough (Dougan, 2001)."
This well-researched paper examines the alarming rise in traffic related accidents, injuries and fatalities in the U.S., as well as the resources available to improve the current conditions.
Abstract The writer of this paper analyzes the issue of traffic and road safety as a public health issue. This paper contains relevant statistics and data regarding traffic and road related injuries and fatalities. This paper examines the various options and strategies available to combat these traffic related accidents which kill 1.2 million people each year and injure between 20-50 million more. The writer contends that traffic safety is a fundamental public health issue and substantial resources are allocated to identify safety problem areas and ensure safety measures are implemented. This paper delves into the joint report on road safety issued by the World Health Organization and the World Bank which presented key facts and figures on which they framed their overall approach to this particular public health issue. This paper details various approaches to reducing the number of fatalities and injuries including a workable systems approach as well as action plans that involve the government, the public health sector, vehicle manufacturers, communities, civil society groups and private citizens.
Table of Contents:
Background
Proposed Methods
Bibliography
From the Paper "The Vision Zero Programme in Sweden and the sustainable safety programme implemented in the Netherlands were examples of what could be designed and implemented to encourage more walking and cycling reduce dependence on motorized transportation, thus also reduce pollution and environmental wastes. The public health sector could collect and analyze data on injuries in order to demonstrate their impact; research on risk factors; implement, monitor and evaluate interventions; deliver appropriate primary intervention, care and rehabilitation; and advocate for greater attention to the issue. A particular society or country could design its own systems approach to emphasize the actual conditions of its environment and the use of roads and vehicles, beyond re-educating or motivating motorists and pedestrians."
Abstract This paper reconstructs the crash of American Airlines Flight 965, which departed Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida, in route to Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport in Cali, Colombia on the night of December 20, 1995. It examines in detail the human and environmental factors that caused the events. The paper lists suggestions made by the National Transportation Safety Board to improve flight safety and prevent such accidents in the future. In conclusion, however, the paper point out that the overwhelming majority of these changes have not been implemented because of the politics involving admitting fault and determining which party (or parties) was ultimately responsible. Instead of focusing on changes that have the potential to positively impact the greater good, the legal departments of the different companies involved must actively work to shield themselves from potential lawsuits from victims' families.
Table of Contents:
Introduction - Factual Account of Events
Environmental Factors
Human Factors
Hardware
Software
Strange and Unusual Occurrences
NTSB Recommendations and Recent Changes
Appendix (includes diagrams and photographs)
From the Paper "The environment on American Airlines flight 965 to Cali, Columbia was in a state of constant change. Many factors affected the flight situation and helped provide a setting without situational awareness. Several environments constituted the flight. At times, it was one of confusion, one of pressure because of a time constraint, one with lack of equipment in Cali, unawareness of terrain, inadequate preparation, communication breakdowns, and lack of pilot experience."
Abstract The paper discusses the dangers of inexperienced teen drivers and the issues facing elderly drivers and suggests that the requirements to get and keep a driver's license must be updated, while the way driving ability is tested must also be changed. The paper hopes that if teenage drivers must be supervised while driving until the age of 17 and the elderly will have regular license renewals with ability tests, age-based accidents will stop.
From the Paper "Imagine throwing a ball at an upward angle. It travels up for a while, reaches its peak, and then falls back to the ground. The route it travels makes a sort of upside down "U" shape. Now transpose that shape onto a graph where the x-axis is a person's age. What could this graph show us? It could be the money a person makes, or the ability to control when they go to the bathroom, but for the purpose of this essay it is the ability to safely drive an automobile. There is a certain age at which teenagers become mature enough to pilot a car by themselves. In addition, there is an age at which a person becomes too old, whether because of physical or mental disability, to drive a car safely. Studies have shown that the most accidents per mile are caused by teenager and elderly driving (Cox)."
Abstract The paper describes the 1986 accident at the nuclear power station in Chernobyl, Ukraine and the effects caused by the radiation release. The paper discusses the many cases of thyroid cancer by residents exposed as children and the effects to workers that eventually culminated in four thousand radiation-related cancer deaths. The paper then looks at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) response.
From the Paper "An accident occurred on April 26, 1986 at Unit 4 of the nuclear power station located in Chernobyl, Ukraine, in the former USSR. It is reported to have been caused by a sudden surge of power that destroyed the reactor releasing massive amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere. Both boron and sand were poured from the air onto the reactor in order to stop the fire and prevent any further significant release of the material. A temporary "sarcophagus" was created to entomb the damaged unit. Actions to reduce contamination in and around the site included cutting down and burying one square mile of a nearby pine forest. Immediately after the incident occurred, access within an eighteen-mile radius was closed off except for those individuals with official access for evaluation purposes and others who were responsible for managing the other undamaged units (U.S. NRC)."
Tags: exposure, radiation, radioactivity, contamination, thyroid, cancer
