Improving the Use of Medicine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Improving the Use of Medicine - Essay Example The publication about this campaign was first reported in the Health Department report titled â€Å"Building a Safer NHS for Patients: Improving medication safety†Ã‚   (National Patient Safety Agency, 2004). Afterwards in 2006 the Health department of UK reviewed the patient safety-first policies. This was after they launched the first movement towards creating awareness and emphasizing on patient safety. However, this process was not an easy journey as the department experienced several challenges on the way while trying to deliver and implement this awareness. Consequently, the outcome of the first movement is what led to the recommendation to come up with a campaign for England’s NHS   (National Patient Safety Agency, 2011). A campaign was, therefore, devised that would support and promote the implementation of interventions. The interventions were to develop the welfare of patient care and consecutively contribute towards strategizing and providing Patient Safety First initiative (National Patient Safety Agency, 2009a). In 2007, a team known as the Safe Medication Practice at The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) produced a report on a campaign that seeks to improve the use of medications in the NHS. The campaign dubbed Safety in Doses seeks wrote a report that entailed detailed information on usage and incidents of medication. The report seeks to educate medical field, and those related to the medical field on important facts about medication incidents from various departments and show these incidents can be avoided. This paper will look at the main aims of the campaign and its effect on the distribution of patient care by NHS. AIM: The main aim of Safety in Doses initiative was to identify the weaknesses that arise in current medication practice. In the process, there is need to come up with ways in which healthcare staff and organizations

Nursing Accountability in Relationship Essay Example for Free

Nursing Accountability in Relationship Essay In this paper, I will review and implement recommendations based on the findings of the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) regarding the training of hospital staff to respond to a mass casualty incident (MCI). I will give examples and situations that can affect the effectiveness of proper training and responses to a traumatic event in our city, county, state, or country. For years, hospitals have contemplated the possibility of a mass casualty incident (MCI). Federal agencies planning and responding to these events have determined that it would be overwhelming and catastrophic to any community. The resources would not be sufficient to absorb the needs and requirements for help. These events can be naturally occurring or manmade, for example, hurricane season and tornado season in Texas can be predicted with accuracy. In the West coast, we have constant planning and preparation for the next big earthquake even though we do not know with accuracy when it would be. During hurricane Katrina, we had an excellent opportunity to witness how prepared a city is, and how hospitals can easily be overwhelmed by a massive influx of patients. Examples can be given worldwide, but for the purpose of simplicity we will not elaborate further. Never before have we experienced more threats than in the past few years starting from the Oklahoma City bombing and the 911 attacks as the most horrific examples to site. More and more we have seen our fears become our realities and our vulnerabilities, and this is what has made us rethink our strategies and training for proper response to chemical, radiological, or biological threats. Findings The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) requires that hospitals implement and test proper hospital response training twice a year. My hospital, BAMC, a military hospital, has complied with the training and has made significant contributions to the evolution and preparedness in response to a potential or actual event. The military has always been an integral part in training and preparation in regards to logistics and coordination of available resources, but even the best trained or better equipped hospitals cannot compensate for the impact it has on its employees, particularly nurses. Nurses take part and are an important aspect of training and preparation, and they are essential in the response to a crisis or trauma. Working in the emergency department, I often question myself as to how is it that we can train and prepare every year for a mass casualty incident (MCI) when I can see how easily we get overrun and in total disarray. Our hospital is currently capable of taking up to four major traumas all at the same time, but the reality is that even under the best staffed days we get overwhelmed, resourcing quickly to diversion of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) to other hospitals when we have reached maximum capacity. If training then is to prepare us and allow us to be well equipped with the necessary knowledge to perform, why is it that we struggle under small real life case scenarios? The response has to be once again in the level of preparation that each individual nurse takes to be ready to be able to function under very stressful environment. The nurse can be well prepared for future events by performing after action reviews (AAR), which is primordial in determining the stressors and the potential solutions to the problems encountered after each event. Disaster drills are beneficial in the effectiveness of command and control, communication, triage, patient flow, security response, and the roles each practitioner must perform. Recommendations Hospital drills and disaster planning are key and instrumental to make the nurse familiar with his/ her role, as well as the role of all the providers of care and first responders. Proper coordination and adequate allocation of resources are essential. The nurse can be instrumental in his/her flexibility and ability to adapt to different roles under extremely chaotic circumstances. Also, nurses are important for the delegation of tasks and coordination of duties to be taken to stabilize the emergency department for the proper movement of patients arriving and departing. The nurse plays an integral role in the transporting of patient, triage, and treatment of the injured. Properly identifying those who are very critical (expectant, life threatening), and those who are stable and can still function (broken bones, laceration, psychological issues) allows the provider to render the proper and efficient care. The nurse needs to have clear communication with the rest of the staff at every level of the disaster event in order to function and coordinate efficiently. Good documentation needs to be implemented. Nurses need to remain creative in finding ways to document what has been done to a patient with regards of his or her care. In a war zone, we can document key components of patient treatment on the uniforms of soldiers, and the same can be done with civilian population in the absence of computers or charting for short periods of time. Another important aspect is the transport of first aid equipment and supplies as soon as the disaster is identified, including body bags, stretchers, wheelchairs, crutches, splints, IV solutions, blood products, antibiotics, and plenty of analgesics and narcotics. Keeping an adequate number of chaplains, counselors, and security is imperative for the emergency department to maintain order under the chaos and stress. Summary In conclusion, the registered nurse needs to be ever vigilant of the realities of our current situations of the world. Today, more than ever with ongoing climate changes and unpredictable massive storms, tornados, earthquakes, and the impending threats created by man, we are always at risk for an (MCI). Keeping a good understanding of the preparation and the steps to take, and knowing his or her role the nurse can be reassured that he/she will be ready for the unpredictable and often unthinkable. References Training of Hospital Staff to Respond to a Mass Casualty Incident Evidence Reports/Technology Assessments, No. 95 Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); July 2004 http://angel03. gcu. edu/section/default. asp? id=705202 Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) St. John West Shore Hospital, MCI Overview http://www. emsconedonline. com/pdfs/EMT-Mass%20Casualty%20Incident-an%20overview-Trauma. pdf

Evolution of Escalator and Elevator Advertising

Evolution of Escalator and Elevator Advertising In a noisy, media saturated and distracted consumer environment, the elevator and escalator advertisements ignites curiosity and fires demand for client brands through integrated alternative marketing technologies that authentically engage and truly influence consumers. It work in helping clients reach consumers, surprising and unconventional ways. The companies should take benefit of elevators by marketing their products and services. The elevator is always crowded with people, and these people may be one day will be a potential customers because of that advertisements. the elevator is transferring people every day. In some cases the transferring will continue 24/7 now in the 21st century the elevator advertisements is a successful tool for advertisement. In my opinion, its the most effective tool in the new century. Because in the recent days, most people espically the young people Dont like to read, watch the usuall advertisements and listen to radio advertisment. The elevator advertisements should be creative and attracting in the way that will take the people attention. In Saudi Arabia these kinds of advertisements are not popular. The elevator advertisements are not costly and actually it is a cost effective. In my opinion if use propably, it will make a reveloution in the advertisement world. A few numbers of researches has been conducted about this topic. The elevator advertisement is a powerful tool for attracting the people. Because they dont have any alternatives except looking to your advertisment. So there is no run away from getting the idea of your advertisment. Type of elevator advertisments: Outside door advertising Inside the elevator using brochoures or painting Outside (outdoor) media Inside (indoor) media Sounds (inside the elevator) On the elevator buttons (outside and inside) Creative and innovative advertisments (costly). Outside (door) We had put a media advertisments outside the elevator during the waiting time (period) for the elevator to come and transfer them. The survey shows that the majority of people are looking to the elevator advertisment and the media which we had put it there. The survey shows that the majority of people are looking to the elevator advertisment and the media which we had put it outside the elevator during the waiting time (period) for the elevator to come and transfer them. So their eyes are always looking to the elevator door. Therefore, why we cant use this powerful tool and in my opinion the most effective tool to market our products or services. (inside) The majority of people show that they get board in the period of transfering. So why cant we give them something interesting like a media with music inside the elevator. Or we make the elevator more interesting with colours and brochures. Also in a survey we put an avertisment for a famous product in the elevator for the sake of the research and we asked each one of the respondents wheather it got their attention or not. And 93% of them saw that advertisments. So there is no run away from seeing the advertisment. And when we put a small screen for the media, it shows that 98% of the sample responds to that. (Escalator advertising) The majority shows that the escalator advertising is very attractive and it attract the eyes. Types of escalator advertising: There are many creative types of the escalator advertising and the most attractive on are: Beside the escalator using a brochoures or any type of advertisments Between the esclators using painting or drowing On the escalator floor (steps) using a creative pictures on each one of the escalator steps Advertising using the media (TV) on the top of escalator in the way of going up or going down. Using the sound advertising between the way of transfering (it is not very effective) In the entrance and the exit of the essclator On the escalator handrails: (it enables advertisements, branding, and other decorative communication material to be easily applied to escalator handrails.) Also the escalator and the elevator are usually crowded and the riders are always changing, so your advertising will be for a different variety of people and different kinds of people with different ages and also with different classes. So you will market you products or services for all the types of the people using an affordable and powerful tool for getting the riders attentions. What Escalator Owners Gain: Increased revenue at marginal cost Utilization of previously unproductive structures Better communication with riders Enhanced location aesthetics and ambiance, leading to stronger customer relations and increased ridership Minimal involvement from escalator owner! What the Riders gain: Improved escalator appearance More interesting environments Source of â€Å"food for thought† Antimicrobial protection for handrails, giving riders a sense of comfort and limiting riders exposure to contagious disease What the Advertisers gain: Opportunity to capture public attention with new advertising platform Marketing avenue provides high-impression frequency Innovative ad placement to beat other marketing noise New mode of marketing to drive client â€Å"buzz† Long impression period as average rider is on escalator for 30 seconds Great medium for viral marketing (it enables advertisements, branding, and other decorative communication material to be easily applied to escalator handrails. Easily communicate with riders at shopping malls, transit systems and airports during average rides of 30 seconds.) Methodology: Sampling: 571 in the major cities of Saudi Arabia 197 In the western region (Jeddah, Makkah, Al Madinah and Al Taif) 123 in the middle region 106 in the eastern region 86 in the northern region 59 in the southern region The unit of analysis will be the people who are using the elevators and escalators regularly such as the people who are working in the shopping malls, airports, office building and hotels in the most crowded and busiest places. A questionair was used to collect the data from the respondents. The people who are going to take the left will be extracted by this Ideas and creativety. In the short time those advertisments will push them to read, see or listen to the advertising. Mostly the mirror in the elevator was catch the attention of the riders and they spent time for watching themselves.sometimes they will spent time watching the riders shows, looking to the floor screen in the elevator or seeing the people faces. It is the most effective for attracting the customers attention. Simply the riders are the stressed audience and they are surrounded by this media to entertain them. it is the key for a successful marketing. If used properly in the crowded elevators and escalator, it will be the most affordable and powerful tool for marketing you products or services. The most ideal locations for escalator and elevator advertisements (advertising): Transportation hubs, convention centers, offices buildings hosbitals, hotels, department stores, airports, sports arenas, shopping malls and more. train stations, shopping centres It is innovative and creative It is the best alternatives of other marketing strategies. Escalator Steps enables advertising, branding, and other decorative communication material to be easily applied to existing escalator steps. Easily communicate with customers in high density locations using this high impact medium. It is an innovative media solution. Why Advertising on Escalators? Benefits to Advertisers using Escalator Step Advertising Multi-Impact Impression Usage of Steps Escalator graphics will result in a high impact rate to pedestrians. Pedestrians will see as many as 50 steps as they ride escalators for over 30 seconds. Unrestricted Message Space Aap!Global can tailor installation of graphic to popular escalator step models providing advertisers with large, high impact advertising spaces. High Impact Influence point of purchase shoppers escalator step graphics do not compete with traditional media and capture audience attention before entering points of purchase. Targeted Escalator are usually located at points of purchase. Easy to Use Aap!Steps fit easily in existing properties with minimal owner involvement. Non-Traditional Aap!Steps invites non traditional firms to place adverts in the out-of-home segment It is enjoyable up close or from a distance Benefits to Properties Aap!Step is a unique, dynamic, scrolling advertising display which provides a source of incremental non-rental revenue while aesthetically enhancing and modernizing a property. Companies can now put their advertisements in the hands of millions of economically active customers during average 30 second escalator rides. Escalator Handrail Advertising provides advertisers with an extremely effective new media, property owners with an additional revenue stream or branding opportunity and escalator riders with an engaging handrail that improves safety and comfort. The intelligent use of the elevators and taking benefits of the empty spaces. Your advertisments will achieve your goals. Some of the ads are boring but these kinds of ads are different from others. It is not boring Property owners: Property owners have the opportunity to utilise Escalator or Elevator Media to generate new revenues from advertising sales, or as an effective way to increase internal branding or communications with escalator riders. As a new revenue stream: Escalated Advertising, via selling Escalator or Elevator Media to advertisers, offers property groups the opportunity to generate substantial advertising revenue with no risk. Advantages to Property owners In addition to making existing structures profitable, Escalator or the elevator Media, enhances the appearance, location aesthetics and also improves rider safety and comfort. For the companies which are always looking for highly effective and fresh media opportunities. Escalator and elevator Advertising provides a unique solution. the Creative looks on the elevator and escalator will really grabs peoples attention Escalator and elevator Advertising dominates the environment, providing cut through even in a cluttered shopping centre. Reasons Escalator Handrail Media is a first choice for advertisers. Escalator Handrail Media offers significant advantages over traditional outdoor advertising. Benefits include: 30 seconds exposure to a captive audience Frequently reach mass audiences at targeted locations 76% unprompted advertising recall 30 meters of advertising that surrounds the consumer Hands on advertising which is often unavoidable Close to the point of purchase Escalator and elevator advertising are perfect for: Increasing sales Increasing foot traffic Increasing brand exposure Launching a new brand Building brand image Reinforcing other media at prime locations Directing escalator traffic flow What ever an advertisers goals Escalator and elevator advertising will help to achieve them. Escalator and elevator advertising is the perfect compliment to TV, Print and Radio, and is a must in any out of home campaign. It is fun and easy way to communicate, it can be used for branding, advertising or decoration. Limitation: There was a lack of information on this topic due to the fact that not much research as conducted on the elevator and escalator advertising. Hence secondary type sources did not produce very precise information on this matter. Therefore, primary data acquisition methodologies like questionnaires and interviews had to be used in order to acquire the desired information in order to satisfy the research objectives. Although the ambient media sector is starting to grow up and move away from the stunts that used to dominate, there are still a number of agencies with an eye for a great gimmick. Describes a number of outdoor innovations and explains that as consumers become more used to seeing advertising while they are out and about, outdoor companies are increasingly looking for opportunities to speak to the public when they least expect it. Comments on new technology such as digital escalator panels and elevator advertising. these new developments are only really working for entertainment brands at the moment. that are easier, quicker and cheaper to update, can be shared between more brands, offer flexibility in the messages that can be displayed and are by their nature more eye-catching. Esclator advertising allows extremely high visibility advertising in prime throughput locations enabling you to target shoppers, commuters, families and business people. It is a brand new opportunity. Elevator: you can put a screen with a security camera to monitor what is going on in the elevator Now there is a new media opportunity, it is a dynamic new media that reaches the audience that always in demands. This media that teaches, moves and uniquely interact with its audience. It is an interactive, impactful and informative communication Saudi Arabia community likes to explore and find the new things, the majority of the people there are economically active. It is a rich country and these kinds of advertising will be an opportunity for the companies which are looking for increasing their sales and marketing their products or services. You can put the advertising in the high traffic locations.

Psychological Stress Essay -- Health Impact Psychological Stress

Psychological stress is a result of many factors and should be dealt with very carefully. Stress can be defined as â€Å"An excess of demand made upon the adaptive capabilities of the mind and body†.(Joseph 1). Another way of putting it, is that there are some things that put certain demands on us. The effects of stress should not be limited to unpleasant emotional states. Many studies have concluded that the effects on our physical health from stress can be extremely detrimental. These adverse physical effects include heart disease and formations of cancer. There are also some societal issues that psychological stress can hamper. There are numerous elements that trigger the effects of psychological stress. Frustration is one of these elements that will trigger stress. Frustration is one of the most prevalent sources of stress in my life at this moment. A lot of different events will cause frustration. Frustration occurs from something blocking our attainment of certain goals or needs (Corey 207). All of the little things that frustrate us include waiting in lines or traffic, sense of failure or inadequacies, bad relationships, deaths, and loneliness. Self-defeating thoughts are a way in which we almost deliberately block attainment of our needs. If in our heads, we have this preconceived notion that we are incapable of obtaining something that we want or that others could not possibly love us, we create a self-fulfilling prophecy. I used the word "deliberately" in describing self-doubt because we have the ability to change these misinformed thoughts. Major life changes whether it be positive or negative can lead to very stressful situations. In our society, many people fall into a rut of everyday life and fear change to their daily routines. When any kind of change occurs it is very traumatic. There are many changes in ones career that can cause stress. Starting a new career or getting a new job is a major change that will produce stress. The feeling of being accepted in the organization and learning the companies ways of doing things are stressful. Other changes in one’s life resulting in stress include a change in a personal relationship or financial changes. You might think that hitting the lottery and being a multi-millionaire would relieve any possible stress in one’s life. The fact is that it is a major change and you are going to have many differe... ...tion many of the beliefs that this country has instilled in us. Many people believe that work and money are the most important things to obtain through life. People have got understand the importance of leisure time and rest. Developing a sense of humor goes a long way in dealing with stress. Proper time management is something that I, in particular, must employ to remain less stressful. I must also continue my old eating habits. Food can give us the energy needed to deal with stress. Exercise is a very important part of reducing stress. There is actual physical evidence that exercise helps people recover from stress. According to Professor Kubitz of Kansas State University, stress releases hormones that cause the heart to beat faster. If we exercise, our heart will become stronger and will be better able to deal with stress (geocities). Works Cited Joseph, Russell. Stress Free Teaching, A Practical Guide to Tackling Stress in Teaching, Lecturing and Tutoring. London: Kogan Page Limited, 2000. I Never Knew I Had a Choice, 6th ed. Gerald and Marianne Corey. Brooks/Cole Publishing 1997. www.apa.org www.cancernet.com www.geocities.com www.swin.edu

Analysis of “Moral Minimums for Multinationals” by Thomas Donaldson Essay

  In â€Å"Moral Minimums for Multinationals† Thomas Donaldson addressed an issue, which often escapes attention of moral philosophers. The article deals with a rather special ethical aspect of international business relations: relations between people of various cultures inside multinational corporations. This problem appears to be of paramount importance for the author, providing data about expansion of corporations â€Å"devised for colonizing the future†. Manufacturers from India, managers from USA, experts from Japan, employees from the Philippines and directors from Germany – they are all bearers of quite different cultural and ethical traditions, which need to be reconciled inside an international firm. The problem becomes more complicated considering existence of universal standards for business and business conduct, which are most often based on the values of Western civilization. Should managers always insist on the same standards of conduct for all, or should they verify their demands considering particular traditions? In case the code of conduct of a company creates more severe limitations of behavior than the law and customs of the country in which the company acts, should this code of conduct prevail? Thomas Donaldson attempts to answer this and other questions in his work. Donaldson starts from assertion, that although the multinational corporations are not a wholly new phenomenon, their history in a modern understanding starts after World War II, when the growing demand of products, new transport facilities, differences in economic and financial situations in different countries resulted in internationalization of business. Consequently, standards of those companies started to expand. And the multinational corporations faced conflict between their home practices and practices in other countries, especially concerning labor conditions, working hours, age of employees, sums of salary and other issues. Other matters are related to distribution of their products and standards of quality for such products: for example, can a corporation sell pharmaceuticals which do not correspond to the standards of their   home country in other countries, where there are not such standards? Donaldson introduces several universal concepts for solving those problems. He starts with a concept of human right. Rights â€Å"establish minimum levels of morally acceptable behavior† being a kind of bottom line for the corporations, which can not be crossed, a minimum set of responsibilities for a corporation. Those responsibilities of the corporation are at the same time rights of its employees, trade partners and all those individuals which are influenced by the company’s activities. However, there is a problem of control. Who should monitor the observation of those rights and duties: the company itself or its home country, or a country which is influenced by the company’s activities? And where can such minimum standards be found at all. Some response is given by universal human rights instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the UN Charter. However, those instruments include very little of welfare rights, which are of paramount importance for international corporations. Donaldson criticizes the traditional distinction between positive and negative rights, asserting, that often observation of negative rights requires states and individuals to act positively and vice versa. For example, preservation of right to life means also necessity to create sufficient working and environmental conditions. So what rights related to international corporations should be endorsed on international level? Donaldson proposes the following criteria for definition of such rights: â€Å"1) the right must protect something of very great importance; 2) the right must be subject to substantial and recurrent threats; and 3) the obligations or burdens imposed by the right must satisfy a fairness-affordability test†. For Donaldson there are several rights that correspond these criteria: â€Å"1) the right to freedom of physical movement; 2) the right to ownership of property; 3) the right to freedom from torture; 4) the right to a fair trial; 5) the right to nondiscriminatory treatment (e.g., freedom from discrimination on the basis of such characteristics as race or sex); 6) the right to physical security; 7) the right to freedom of speech and association; 8) the right to minimal education; 9) the right to political participation; and 10) the right to subsistence†. For Donaldson this is a minimal list, which can be extended. He notices, that the international companies are able to observe, or at least pretend that they are observing most of the mentioned rights, but the situation is much more dramatic in cases when companies deprive people from opportunities to enjoy their rights. That’s where we once more face the problem of monitoring. Which of the rights should be guaranteed by the corporations and which by the governments? Here Donaldson states, that a corporation is not an institution which is designed to observe human rights, because it’s aim is only profit-making. They are undemocratic institutions by the nature. They strive to maximize their income and actually don’t care of anyone’s rights. Their minimal obligations under Donaldson are related to avoidance of deprivation of others of their rights. For example, the right of physical security includes the company’s obligation to physically protect it’s workers. In turn the right for political participation for the corporations is limited by their duty to respect democratic institutions in other countries. Donaldson proposes to develop test, which would demonstrate whether the actions of the company deprive anyone of his or her rights or not. If the actions of the company would finally result in violations of anyone’s crucial rights, they should be morally inacceptable, whether they are formally rightful or not. For Donaldson â€Å"nothing less than a general moral theory working in tandem with an analysis of the foundations of corporate existence is needed†. Donaldson introduces two types of ethical conflicts for multinational corporations. In the â€Å"type A† conflicts, the conduct of a company would contradict the legal and ethical norms of a country where the company holds business, and in the â€Å"type B† conflicts, the conduct of a company contradicts the laws of its home country. In order to reconcile the aims of the company to generate profit and obligation to act ethically, Donaldson supposes, that in case a particular practice does not violate considerable human rights and it is impossible to carry on business without such slightly unethical practice, a company may sometimes accept such practice (for example to bribe the officials, if this is a condition for further legal operations). Further development of ethical test would, under Donaldson, help to create ethical standards for multinational corporations in the changing global business environment. Donaldson’s article leaves a controversial impression of   Ã‚  Ã‚   incompleteness. It looks rather like a draft of an article, but not an article itself. The author does not propose any single problem or thesis, or his problem is unreasonably broad for such a small piece of text. At the beginning Donaldson speaks of the moral problems of interaction between bearers of different cultural traditions, but later he does not develop the idea, turning to ethical problems, which are actually typical for any business – not only international one. Any company seeks to improve its performance at all costs. Any company is willing to have more money and less responsibility. Any company has to face a moral choice between ethical and legal conduct and temptation to slightly violate accepted norms. The company does not need to be international to face this, therefore, the name and the thesis of Donaldson’s article are hardly related to its content. Talking of employment standards, which can be really interesting when investigating ethical matters connected to international business, we should notice, that they are not limited exclusively to international human rights instruments, as Donaldson asserts. Acts of the United Nations (especially of Economic and Social Council) as well as acts of International Labor Organization do include numerous requirements and recommendations of both legal and ethical nature. It would be wise to consider them when talking of ethical moments in international business. On the other hand Donaldson does not consider numerous business codes of conduct, which do include a number of ethical provisions. So, Donaldson’s article is rather a set of ideas and reasoning about some situations, than a systematic study of multinational business ethics. So, do we need multinational corporations to behave ethically? Obviously, yes. Do we need to develop any new ethical standards? Yes, but we need to be aware of those, which already exist. The situation is not so dramatic, as Donaldson presents. Ethical norms already exist, we just need to correctly apply them and reconcile moral requirements in various countries. Considering that most of the paramount ethical values are somehow reflected in the international law, or recognized universally, this task appears to be not so complicated. Here it is possible to speak of globalization of ethical imperatives, which is a part of globalization processes as a whole. International business act both as agents and objects of such globalization, which is already inconvertible.

Bioethical Principles in Medical Science Essay

The principlist approach to biomedical ethics is understood on the basis of two central theses. The first thesis is that moral principles are non-absolute and that they do not occur in a determinate order of precedence. This means that every single principle is prima facie. These prima facie principles are; beneficence, respect for autonomy, non-maleficence and justice. The second central thesis, usually called the global applicability thesis, posits that the four prima facie principles derived from common morality make principlism universally applicable. Analysis of ethical questions based on the biomedical principles of ethics is central to moral reasoning while at the same time respects exigencies of circumstance and liberates pluralism (Beauchamp & Childress 14; Herissone-Kelly 65). Since this application of ethical principles is sensitive to moral beliefs encountered in everyday lives, it forms the basis of ethics in biomedical practice. It acts as a guide to action even though the four principles do not operate in a determinate order of precedence. In attempting to discern the ethics of physician assisted suicide one central question comes into mind. Is assisted suicide morally justified? In a nutshell, assisted suicide or more specifically, physician assisted suicide, refers to a case where the patient has ended his life either with a lethal dose or any other medically provided instrument after the patient requested for the lethal dosage from the physician who provided the dosage for the specific reason of ending the life. The difference between euthanasia and assisted suicide is that in the case of euthanasia, it is the physician who administers the lethal dose or withdraws the life support system because the patient in question is unable to administer the same to him/herself. Thus, the difference lies in the difference in who makes the action that precedes death. In assisted suicide, it is the patient who acts last. The choice of taking the lethal dosage or pushing the button that will terminate life solely rests with the patient and they have the capacity to alter their decision before their actions become irreversible. Even though the physician plays a causal role in both; the patient kills him/herself in assisted suicide while in the latter, it is the physician who kills the patient. This difference creates an intrinsic moral difference between the two. This brings into question the principle of respect for autonomy. The moral principle of respect for autonomy refers to a patient’s freedom of liberty or choice interests. However, it should not be confused with an all-for-nothing phenomenon. Gradations of autonomy and its interpretation in different circumstances are variable. A patient’s autonomy can be interfered with when there is excessive control (too much interference with the patient’s decisions) or when there is too little interference (neglect of the patient). Respect for an individual’s autonomy is also threatened in cases where an individual’s right contravenes another individual’s freedom of choice and their actions (Brent 40). With respect to assisted suicide, the patient in question having satisfied the qualifications of making an informed consent can request the causal assistance of the physician to carry out actions that directly lead to their death. In such a case, professional codes of ethics bind physicians to respect the patient’s rights to self determination by unobstructing the conditions for the operation of an autonomous action such as: intentionality, understanding, and the complete absence of any controlling influence. In a situation where all these conditions are met and the physician dutifully performs their causal roles, physician assisted suicide is ethically correct. This is so because so long as the patient’s rights are supported it automatically follows that ethical permissibility of assisted suicide is also granted (Weir 89; http://www. deathreference. com/). In cases whether the patient is suffering from a treatable clinical depression or dementia which impair the decision making capacity of the patient, the right to self determination do not apply (http://www. inclusiondaily. com/). The moral principle of Non maleficence hold that a person should not do harm. It specifically holds that one should have the capacity to discern actions that are morally harmful. However, there is controversy as determining the intention behind an action. At the same time, determining whether an intentional or unintentional action refrains from action harms or puts the subject at a risk of harm. The moral principle of beneficence entails the following obligations: to prevent harm, to eliminate harm, and to do good. These three conditions characterize the measures taken by medical practitioners to balance the components of risks, harms and benefits. Beneficence therefore encompasses professional, personal and societal obligations (Brent 41). The principle of beneficence largely builds on the foundational principle of non maleficence. In this case assisted suicide is ethically permissible on the basis of an individual’s well being. It can be argued that in such a case, to promoting and protecting the patients well being may be contradictory to the patient’s right to self determination. However, this is not so. Life is often is perceived as being good and its value is a product of our pursuit of goods within life itself. In an assisted suicide scenario, a person who is fully competent to reach a decision decides that life sustaining treatments no longer has any benefit but has become a burden. Most of these patients are often critically ill, dying or in a very debilitated and severely compromised state. If such patients request the means to end their lives, it is in line with non maleficence or beneficence because such an act is value to the patient’s life. Unless if the patient is unable to reach a competent decision and the dictatorial authority transferred to a surrogate, the right of self determination stands and is not in contradiction to the principles of non maleficence and maleficence(Weir 90). Moreover, such a decision is only ethical if it does not infringe on the moral and professional values of the physician. Additionally, assisted suicide is an act of compassion that eliminates further suffering and pain. Refusal to grant the patient their claim or entitlement is akin to putting them to unbearable suffering. Finally, the moral principle of justice simply refers to fairness. It is the act of receiving one’s due; entitlement or claim. Distributive justice concerns itself with how fairly benefits can be allocated and distributed. Basically, four considerations guide moral justice. For instance, an equal share, according to a persons need, according to a person’s effort, and lastly, according to societal contribution (Brent 42). Physician assisted suicide is supported by the moral principle of justice in the context of â€Å"treat like cases alike† (http://depts. washington. edu/). When competent but terminally ill patients request lethal dose medications or refuse life sustaining treatments with the sole purpose of hastening death, it is only just that they should be granted their claim. However, these arguments are only suitable when the ethics of assisted suicide is analyzed on a basis of the biomedical ethical principles. Works Cited BBC News. Assisted suicide ‘danger’ claim. April 20, 2009. http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8008736. stm Beauchamp, Tom L, & Childress, James F. Principles of biomedical ethics. Oxford University Press, 2001; 1-23 Brent, Nancy J. Nurses and the law: a guide to principles and applications. 2nd Edition. Elsevier Health Sciences, 2000; 40-47 Reynolds, Dave. Assisted Suicide’s For Mental Illness, Too, Swiss Court Rules. Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, Eugenics, Bioethics. Inclusion Daily Express. February 5, 2007. http://www. inclusiondaily. com/archives/07/02/05/020507sweuth. htm Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. Bioethics. http://www. deathreference. com/A-Bi/Bioethics. html Harrison-Kelly, Peter. The Principlist approach to bioethics, and its stormy journey overseas. in, â€Å"Scratching the surface of bioethics†, By Matti Hayry, Tuija Takala. Rodopi Press, 2003; 65-72 Physician-Assisted Suicide. Ethics in Medicine. University of Washington School of Medicine. http://depts. washington. edu/bioethx/topics/pas. html Weir, Robert F. Physician-assisted suicide. Indiana University Press, 1997; 86-97

The Case of the Elusive Car Salesman Essays - Sedans, Sports Sedans

The Case of the Elusive Car Salesman Essays - Sedans, Sports Sedans The Case of the Elusive Car Salesman Subject: English Short Story The Case of the Elusive Car Salesman I was pacing around Lexington, waiting for my local mechanic to finish the latest repairs on my 77 Chevy Impala. My name's Yesterday, Sam Yesterday. It was hot in Lexington, by that is not uncommon for mid-July. I'd had a good several months, and I was in good financial position for the first time since I bought that Impala back in 1977. That car had served me well, but lately it had been failing. Maybe it was time for a trade, I thought; so I walked over to the nearest friendly (sort of) car dealership. As soon as I set foot on the shiny showroom floor, it seized me. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. A sparkling combination of steel, leather, electronics, and a very large engine. The muscle car had been revitalized in the form of a 1995 Chevy Impala SS. It was sleek, resembling the type of car Darth Vader would drive. I grabbed the nearest salesman, hopped into the body hugging leather bucket, fired up the 275 bhp. LT1 engine and took off. As the 6-speaker CD stereo belted out Aerosmith the poor salesman tried to sell me a car that had already sold itself. I had fallen in love, it was the only car that I had loved since that 77 Impala. It had an engine large enough to satisfy my primitive need for power, an image that screamed "Hey you with the radar gun! See if you can catch me!" Granted, it was heavy, it had watery boat-like handling, and drank gas like my Uncle Bubba drinks beer. Still, I loved it. It wasn't Japanese, German, Korean, or otherwise. It was a big hunk of purebred, American muscle car, dammit. I picked out a nice shiny new one, called the bank and drove home in my new wheels. I decided to spring for all the bells and whistles; leather, CD player, alarm system, keyless entry, etc. I figured that if this car was going to run as long as my last Impala it should be well-equipped. As I was admiring the view from my office in the Financial Center, the phone rang. I answered and was greeted by a rather hysterical woman named Diane who thought that she had been cheated by her car dealership. "That evil Car salesman has kidnaped my car!" she explained. I calmed her down and asked what happened. "Well, Larry, the salesman, picked up my Lexus for servicing, just as usual. Also as usual, he left a more expensive car as a loaner. Later in the day, I received a call saying that my car had been destroyed. Larry said that one of the technicians had accidentally cranked it right up into the ceiling while it was sitting on the lift. I found it hard to believe, but he promised me a new model if I would just come over and sign the papers. As soon as I arrived, Larry said that he would credit me the value of the car if I wanted to by a nicer mor expensive model. I agreed and ended up with a lovely new sports coupe." "Nice car," I remarked, realizing that the salesman was making a tidy profit on the transaction. "Yes, it is. But I still miss my Essie." "Essie?" I interrupted, quizzically. "Yes, Essie was the name of my old car, the ES300, I loved Essie, and the new car wasn't the same." "You had a brand new $55,000 Lexus, which you got for only $25,00 and you miss you older $35,000 Lexus?" I asked, beginning to wonder whether she was playing this game with a full deck. "Yes, I did. So, anyway, I read the article in the paper covering the incident, and was struck by something. The general manager said that he was baffled, because there are safety mechanisms on the lifts, preventing them from going that high. I also realized that Larry would be making his regular commission on a $55,000 Lexus, and not a $25,000 one, because the payment for the ES was made by the insurance company after the sale. So, not only had he made money on Essie, but on the new car as well." "Interesting. Is that all?" I asked. "Yes. If the accident wasn't really an accident, I want to know, and I want a lot more than a new sports coupe, that car meant a lot to me." She concluded,

Spanish Work essays

Spanish Work essays SUBJECT OBJECTDIRECT INDIRECT REFLEXIVE AFTERPREPOSITION POSSESSIVE* yoI me meme memyself mà ­me mà ­o, mà ­a, mà ­os, mà ­asmine tà ºyou te teyou teyourself tiyou tuyo,-a,-os,-asyours lhe lo lehim sehimself lhim suyo,-a,-os,-ashis ellashe la leher seherself ellaher suyo,-a,-os,-ashers ustedyou lo,la leyou seyourself ustedyou suyo,-a,-os,-asyours nosotros,-aswe nos nosus nosourselves nosotros,-asus nuestro,-a,-os,-asours vosotros,-asyou os osyou osyourselves vosotros,-asyou vuestro,-a,-os,-asyours ellosthey los lesthem sethemselves ellosthem suyo,-a,-os,-astheirs ellasthey las lesthem sethemselves ellasthem suyo,-a,-o,-astheirs ustedesyou los,las lesyou seyourselves ustedesyou suyo,-a,-os,-asyours I studied this table, and recited all of this by memory. I am supposed to know these already, but I had forgotten them. This may not seem very relevant to other classmates, but in my case, I needed to refresh my memory. Conocer Gustar Llamar Saber Usar Decir Hacer Parecer Significar Ver For these verbs, I conjugated them (in the present, imperfect, preterit, and Present Subjective) and learned their meanings. From what I could conclude, (and it took longer than an hour to translate) this article is about the attempts by the government of Ceuta (part of Spain in Africa) to provide an education for some Moroccan students and about the Ceuti parents who tried to block the Moroccan students from attending their school. This article is from the November 17, 2000 edition of the Spanish newspaper El Paà ­s (elpais.es) Los menores marroquà ­es vuelven al colegio pà ºblico de Ceuta escoltados por la policà ­a " ¡No los queremos aquà ­!", gritaron los padres de alumnos espa ...

Assignment

The Richman Investments employee is responsible to ensure the affiliated member does not violate any Richman Investments policies, does not perform illegal activities, and does not use the access for outside business interests. The Richman Investments employee bears responsibility for the consequences should the access be misused. 3. Below are the following policies for details of protecting information when accessing the corporate network when referencing the remote access methods, and acceptable use of Richman Investments network: a. Wireless Communications Policy b. Acceptable Use Policy c. Acceptable Encryption Policy d. Virtual Private Network (VPN) Policy 4. Additional information regarding Richman Investment’s remote access connection options, To include how to order or disconnect service, cost comparisons, troubleshooting, etc. , you will have to logon to Remote Access Services website. Framework Requirements 1. Secure remote access standard will be strictly controlled. Control will be enforced by a one-time password authentication and minimum 7 character length, special character and 1 numerical character with 1 month expiration. . No Richman Investments employee will ever provide their login or email password to Anyone in or out of Richman Investments without prior written consent. 3. Richman Investments employees and affiliates with remote access privileges must ensure that their Richman Investments-owned or personal computer or workstation, which is remotely connected to Richman Investments corporate network is not dual-connected to any other network at the same time. 4. Richman Investments employees and affiliates with remote access privileges to Richman Investments corporate network must not use non-Richman Investments email accounts or other external resources to conduct Richman Investments business. 5. Routers for dedicated lines configured for access to the Richman Investments network must meet minimum authentication requirements as designated by IT Staff. 6. Reconfiguration of a home users equipment for the purpose of split-tunneling or dual homing is not permitted at any time. 7. Frame Relay must meet minimum authentication requirements of company standards. 8. Non-standard hardware configurations must be approved by Remote Access Services, and InfoSec must approve security configurations for access to hardware. 9. All hosts that are connected to Richman Investments internal networks remote access technologies must use the most up to date anti-virus software, this will include personal computers. Third party connections must comply with requirements set forth by company. 10. Personal equipment that is used to connect to Richman Investments networks must meet the requirements of company-owned equipment for remote access and obtain written approval by company.

Body cameras Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Body cameras - Essay Example Body cameras can record everything what the police officer can see and hear as an advantage to view in an unbiased situation. This is advantageous for the police department in keeping track the interaction with the community ensuring all-important information that can give links to enhancement of security situations are taken into consideration. When using a body camera, all the recordings are stored and accessed through a secure server where senior leaders can access and view all patrols. This would also be important as it helps the management of the security department to determine the patrol level of the officers to ascertain the meeting of the required patrol standards (Gonzalez-Sanchez & Puig, 2011). Police officers cannot alter the device but only turn it on or off. Chief Tony Farrar, Chief of the Rialto Police Department in California, conducted a 12-month experiment resulting over 50 percent drop in the number of complaints and the use of force. A statistics that could be attributed to the utilization of the body camera as a device that could equally act to relay the use of excess force by the police. Likewise, the University of Georgia police department described the use of the body camera as an â€Å"increase positive resolution† for their

Personal & organization development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal & organization development - Essay Example mmunication skills, time management skills and team work skills with the aim of ensuring that I am able to perform my activities in a competent manner. According to my preferred career objectives as well as goals, my career mission statement is to develop analytical competencies and knowledge for a better sustainable as well as competent future career in the field of financial management. I want to build my career in the finance sector working as a financial analyst. In this regard, I preferred to join Museum of Islamic Arts (MIA), a renowned museum in Qatar as a Financial Affairs Officer. I believe that working as a Financial Affairs Officer in the organisation will facilitate me in developing my knowledge as well as competencies towards a better future career and professional life. My association with MIA will facilitate me in developing my communication skills as well as teamwork efficiencies that are essential for building my overall competency level. Considering that the job market of Qatar has been developing in a rapid pace and in a sustainable manner, working in MIA will be fruitful in developing my skills and knowledge in the financial management field so that I am capable of performing the various job activities in a competent manner. The targeted career scope in MIA will also facilitate me in making better decisions and to be innovative and creative in performing the various tasks. Working as a Financial Affair Officer in MIA will facilitate me in developing my financial analytical skills and also enhancing my interpretation skills, which are highly valued in this field of operations. In this long run, I will also be facilitated with the opportunity of developing my time management skills. Additionally, the developed skills and knowledge in relation to financial field will facilitate me in acquiring better job opportunities in the developing job market segment of Qatar. Furthermore, in the long run, I will be able to make effective decisions,

Research essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research - Essay Example While every religion has its claims to salvation all of them contradict each other. Hence either all are wrong or one of them is right since they all cannot be true as well as this would violate the law of non-contradiction thereby making religious pluralism invalid. We can however base the truth of Jesus being the only way to salvation with proof of history, documented reliability of the bible and the resurrection of Christ. The world situation today certainly brings us to a point where we are left to contemplate on our ways and create new means of holding on to our sanity through religious means. This brings us to look upon someone who can show us the way and enlighten us with the truth. Who else can fit the role precisely other than Jesus Christ who has been acknowledged through the ages as the savior of the world. People try to follow their accepted religion with fervor and hope, it is when they fail to attain the peace and happiness that they so long for, that they look for guidance. When they realize that with their own ways and means of adhering to rituals and rites cannot gain satisfaction they reach out to other means of salvation. There are many prophets and teachers who have enlightened the human race with their concepts and ways. But this has failed to change the attitude of people who rebel against religion itself. In the name of religion there has been a phenomenal effort put into creating our own gods and god men who have laid down the rules and rituals to encourage their religion with dynamic zeal all through history. While the pluralistic world has great appeal to most people for its wide tolerance and defiance to back any religion, this is another way for person to live his life without restrictions and boundaries. It is difficult to relate to very different religion like atheistic Buddhism to the monolithic Islam or Christianity. Judging the beliefs and aspects of each

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 9

Assignment Example It also involves sharing vision and the direction making it a mutual learning process for both the manager and the delegate; thus, it is a powerful employee empowerment tool. Delegation is a proper skill for supervisors at different levels since it involves working with the employees to establish goals by giving the substantial freedom on how such goals should be realized (Jha, 2004; Pratt, 1997; Elsig, 2011). Delegation is often different formwork directing since it does not involve telling the employee how to perform a specific task. In delegation, the employee decides the manner in which to perform specific task and this gives him freedom to perform his best, which can also be useful in gauging his abilities. This makes the employees fells important since he feels involved in the management and decision making of the company and this can be good learning tool for employees to improve their skills. Delegation can also be a challenge to employers since it involves giving control and confidence to the ability of others without knowing whether they will mess or perform well with the task entrusted with them. Delegation helps managers to free up a good time and to engage in other useful management activities. This helps the manager to reduce his workload so that he can engage in other areas for faster business process. Delegation is also important in fostering good relationship between the manager and the subordinate a condition necessary effective production process (Donado et al, 2008). This gives the subordinates the room and space to explore their talents thus flourishing their abilities making them feel important in return. With such trust upon the employees, they feel satisfied with their jobs and in turn increase the productivity of the company. The monotony broken through delegation is very important for skills improvement by the subordinates so that they can explore other fields in search for new talents and skills (Mitchelle, 2000). However, despite the se numerous benefits of delegation, the scholars have not focused on the negative effects of delegation in the management. Such minor negative effects can also have a significant effect to the management and profitability of an organization should be known. This may be due to lack of ideas on how to perform the task delegated and negative attitude of the employee (Sengul et al, 2004) Research question To explore the negative effects of delegation of duties to the subordinates To determine the extent in which the management delegate duties Methodology Qualitative research design will be employed to search for valuable information that will be able to explain the negative consequences of delegation of duties. The research design will be focused on the negative consequences, which rise form delegation of duties to the subordinate especially in the company set up. I will design a questionnaire, which will be designed in a manner to address the research questions. The sampling technique will be closed and open-ended questionnaires, which will be carefully designed according to the research objectives. This will enable us obtain a variety of responses form respondents form different levels of management. The study will be focused on workers and managers who are involved in delegation process in their day-to-day activities. The study will focus on 500 company workers form five different companies in different regions in order to come up with a representative sample necessary for this study.

Human resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Human resources - Essay Example It is important to understand that the employees are the party that is most affected by a performance management system. Their salaries and promotions are decided through the performance management system. And also their benefits are cuts through the same system. This is why for implementing any successful performance management system it is essential to take all employees on board. Without the greater support of employee no performance management system can work successfully in any firm. It is as important to listen to the employees as it is to talk to the employees. Human resource has to be carefully nurtured and therefore it is essential to pay heed to their opinions and reservation. Many companies never listen to their employees and therefore are not able to successfully benefit from performance management process. The case illustrates that through listening to employees and taking into account their reservation greater support for performance management system can be developed. Focus groups, discussions, and interviews of employees and managers can help create greater support for a performance management system. When designing a performance management plan it is important to customize it according to the needs and opinions of employees and this can only be done when feedback is taken from employees and they are given a chance to raise their reservations. When employee feedback is taken and performance management system is designed according to the feedback, employees feel empowered. They feel that they have themselves made the system and it was not forced upon them. This is how support for performance management system can be garnered through employee participation. Letting the employees decide as to how they want to be evaluated is a very good way to generate support for performance management system. It is always good to have an outside consultant in order to shape a

Research essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research - Essay Example While every religion has its claims to salvation all of them contradict each other. Hence either all are wrong or one of them is right since they all cannot be true as well as this would violate the law of non-contradiction thereby making religious pluralism invalid. We can however base the truth of Jesus being the only way to salvation with proof of history, documented reliability of the bible and the resurrection of Christ. The world situation today certainly brings us to a point where we are left to contemplate on our ways and create new means of holding on to our sanity through religious means. This brings us to look upon someone who can show us the way and enlighten us with the truth. Who else can fit the role precisely other than Jesus Christ who has been acknowledged through the ages as the savior of the world. People try to follow their accepted religion with fervor and hope, it is when they fail to attain the peace and happiness that they so long for, that they look for guidance. When they realize that with their own ways and means of adhering to rituals and rites cannot gain satisfaction they reach out to other means of salvation. There are many prophets and teachers who have enlightened the human race with their concepts and ways. But this has failed to change the attitude of people who rebel against religion itself. In the name of religion there has been a phenomenal effort put into creating our own gods and god men who have laid down the rules and rituals to encourage their religion with dynamic zeal all through history. While the pluralistic world has great appeal to most people for its wide tolerance and defiance to back any religion, this is another way for person to live his life without restrictions and boundaries. It is difficult to relate to very different religion like atheistic Buddhism to the monolithic Islam or Christianity. Judging the beliefs and aspects of each

Human resources Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Human resources - Essay Example It is important to understand that the employees are the party that is most affected by a performance management system. Their salaries and promotions are decided through the performance management system. And also their benefits are cuts through the same system. This is why for implementing any successful performance management system it is essential to take all employees on board. Without the greater support of employee no performance management system can work successfully in any firm. It is as important to listen to the employees as it is to talk to the employees. Human resource has to be carefully nurtured and therefore it is essential to pay heed to their opinions and reservation. Many companies never listen to their employees and therefore are not able to successfully benefit from performance management process. The case illustrates that through listening to employees and taking into account their reservation greater support for performance management system can be developed. Focus groups, discussions, and interviews of employees and managers can help create greater support for a performance management system. When designing a performance management plan it is important to customize it according to the needs and opinions of employees and this can only be done when feedback is taken from employees and they are given a chance to raise their reservations. When employee feedback is taken and performance management system is designed according to the feedback, employees feel empowered. They feel that they have themselves made the system and it was not forced upon them. This is how support for performance management system can be garnered through employee participation. Letting the employees decide as to how they want to be evaluated is a very good way to generate support for performance management system. It is always good to have an outside consultant in order to shape a

ICT Usage by the Eldery Essay Example for Free

ICT Usage by the Eldery Essay In this unit of my coursework I shall be writing about an elderly lady with special needs who is helped with the usage of ICT. The person that Im going to be writing about is Mrs Ann Reynolds, an 87 year old lady suffering from arthritis, she lives alone in her own house that she has being living in for over 40 years, it is located in central Harrow. Due to her suffering of arthritis mobility has being very difficult for her, moreover she increasingly has become deaf in the recent years, however this old bird is still mentally tip top and alert and enjoys listening to the radio, in particular the womens programs. Mrs Reynolds has two siblings and two twin granddaughterss aged 12, who currently live in Southampton Some of her Personal needs include the need to move around the house with ease, something that has become increasingly hard due to her condition of arthritis, also she has the need to control appliances and regulate the heating in her house, with old age comes the reduced ability of regulating the bodies temperature, meaning she has the need for constant heating, moreover she also has the need to feel safe in her house, due to recent brake in she has being scared with memories of the incident and has increasingly grown scared of the outside world trying to get in, furthermore she also has the need to do the shopping, cmon old she may be but she still has to eat, in addition she also has the need to receive her medical care. Socially she has the need to be able to keep in touch with friends and family. CCTV Camera and a TV Mrs Reynolds has a special CCTV camera fitted into her porch, which is connected to the her TV inside which is located inside her living room, this empowers Mrs Reynolds to see who is at her door furthermore she also has the ability to speak to them. The CCTV Camera helps meet Mrs Reynolds needs due to it allowing her to see what or who is outside her front door/porch, it also allows her to speak to them if necessary, this helps meet Mrs Reynolds needs because now she can see who is outside her porch without actually opening the door, this therefore gives Mrs Reynolds the convenience of knowing that she can remain safe and unharmed inside her house. This goes back to the time that she was attacked by a bogus caller, which left quite a scar on poor old Mrs Reynolds, via the usage of CCTV Mrs Reynolds now feels safe inside her house and she feels much more independent. Telecare Mrs Reynolds uses a simple technology called Telecare its enables and empowers her so that she lives more independently in the community. Telecare is the new name given to advanced community alarm services. Community alarms plug into telephones lines and come with a call button (pendant) which can be worn by an individual such as Mrs Reynolds. Furthermore using the call button she in now enabled to call for help from anywhere in the home or garden. How does Telecare work? The Telecare unit is fitted to Mrs Reynolds telephone point and main power supply along with some sensors. Telecare sensors can also monitor where she is in her home and can detect if; * She has stopped moving. * Or if she has fallen. * Whether she has gone outside. * Also when she is in bed or sitting in a chair inside her house. Moreover other sensors fitted in her house -smoke detector and extreme temperature detector in her kitchen. When the call button is pressed or one of the sensors is triggered, its base unit will raise an alert through the service users telephone line to a monitoring and Response centre. In case of an emergency, or when the operator cant contact her at home, the operator will contact a family member, a friends or a neighbour to have them quickly pop round and see if everything is alright and that Mrs Reynolds is safe and healthy. If the operator is unable to contact any of the following above, the operator will alert the emergency services. All together Telecare helps meet Mrs Reynoldss personal needs, due to it ensuring that she remains independent and safe in her house, without fear of any incidents happening, even if god-forbid something does happen, most likely someone will be round to help her in no time. All-in-one remote control Mrs Reynolds uses a universal remote control that enables her to access her TV, DVD, satellite receivers and CCTV that is located in her porch, the remote control is fairly large and very easy to function, it is also easily functioned and the buttons are big and bright so its is easy for Mrs Reynolds to use them, furthermore they are highly sensitive to touch and are colour coordinated for easier use. Moreover the all-in-one remote control helps Mrs Reynolds switch between her different functions, for example if she is watching her favourite soap on BBC1 and gets a door knock, she can switch from AV1 to AV2 using the universal remote control, which means she can switch from TV on AV1 to her CCTV camera on AV2, which in response permits her to see and possible speak to whom it may be at the door. Furthermore the large universal all-in-one remote control helps meet Mrs Reynolds personal needs, because of its large shape it is easy for Mrs Reynolds to hold it in her hand and she is unlikely to misplace and loose it, moreover the large touch sensitive buttons, make life easier for Mrs Reynolds allowing.

History of US Voting Rights

History of US Voting Rights There are many reasons why people do not vote, and why it is necessary to vote. Many of us take our right to vote for granted. Our state and federal governments, however, have been instrumental in the past in denying different groups of people-including women, African-Americans, young people, people who didnt own land and who couldnt pay poll taxes, and people who couldnt read and write-the right to vote. And throughout history these groups of people have organized, struggled, and fought for their right to vote. This activity presents a brief history of voting rights in this country. In modern America, almost everyone can vote who wants to. But it wasnt always that way! Here are some of the groups that have been blocked from voting over the past two hundred years. Women for many years only men were allowed to vote. Women were considered too emotional to make wise choices. It took 75 years of protesting before women won the right to vote through the 19th Amendment to the Constitution in 1920. Susan B. Anthony dedicated the next five decades of her life fighting for the right to vote, and all for a cause that would not succeed until the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment fourteen years after her death in 1906. Susan B. Anthony famous trails in 1873 helped pave the way for womens right to vote and she once stated it was we, the people; not we, white male citizens; nor yet we, the male citizens, but we, the whole people, who formed the Union. When this country was first founded, only White men who owned land were allowed to vote. Lawmakers believed that only property owners had enough at stake in the country to vote responsibly. By the early 1800s, the property requirement was replaced with a poll tax, which required citizens to pay a special fee in order to vote. Poll taxes were made illegal by the 24th amendment to the Constitution in 1964. For many years, voting was restricted to adults 21 years and older in some states. During the Vietnam War era, many people argued that if you were old enough to fight and die for your country, you were old enough to vote. The 26th Amendment, passed in 1971, granted the right to vote to everyone 18 or older. Some states only allowed people who could read or write to vote. State lawmakers believed that only people who could read and write could get the information they needed to make smart choices. Nowadays, there are many ways to get information that do not involve reading and writing. The 1965 Voting Rights Act banned literacy tests. The Constitution did not specifically restrict voting to White people, but also African-Americans it stated that only freemen or people who were not slaves could vote. This made it illegal for most African-Americans to vote until after the Civil War. The 15th Amendment, passed in 1870, allowed Black men (not women) to vote. After that, many states passed new laws to restrict Black voting. Literacy tests, poll taxes, and intimidation were methods used to limit Black voting. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 did away with all these restrictions on who could vote. It also set up a system to make sure that the new law would be followed. Most People do not think their vote matters/counts. Most People do not Why man First, why its important to vote, most citizens believe that their vote does not matter and do not vote for that reason. Second, another reason is some citizens do not know how or where to vote. Finally, some citizens just figure its a waste of time and too much trouble, too confusing, and too much reading on which candidates to vote for. The research weve found was very fascinating. As we conducted our own surveys with my fellow students, I couldnt believe that just a little over half my class were registered to vote. According to the audience analysis on July 4, 2010, here in our Political Science 101; we surveyed 28 students and out the 28 students we found 58% of the students are register voters. The other 42% did not take the voting seriously. According to the Historical Voter Registration and Participation in Statewide General Elections from 1910-2008, the eligible citizens to vote in the Presidential election held in November 2008, were 23,208,710, only 13,743,177 cast a vote, meaning only 59.2% of the registered voters participated in the November 2008 Presidential Election. During the Presidential primary elections held in February 5, 2008, only 28.22% of women voters are registered participated. American voting habits are particularly striking when compared with those of other democratic nations, like Japan and Germany, where 89 percent of the potential voters go to the polls. In fact, most democracies have about 80 percent voter participation. Of the 153 democracies in the world, the United States ranks near the bottom for voter involvement. National Voter Turnout in Federal Elections: 1960-2008. The chart below provides information about voter statistics, including age of voting population, voter registration, and turnout from 1994- 2008. Year Voting-age population Voter registration Voter turnout Turnout of voting-age population (percent) 2008* 231,229,580 NA 132,618,580* 59.2% 2006 220,600,000 135,889,600 80,588,000 37.1% 2004 221,256,931 174,800,000 122,294,978 55.3 2002 215,473,000 150,990,598 79,830,119 37.0 2000 205,815,000 156,421,311 105,586,274 51.3 1998 200,929,000 141,850,558 73,117,022 36.4 1996 196,511,000 146,211,960 96,456,345 49.1 1994 193,650,000 130,292,822 75,105,860 38.8 First, many citizens do not vote because they dont believe that their vote count and deters them from voting. Another contributing factor is that their parents never did so why should they start or do so. Most individuals believe it is a waste of time and too much trouble, too much reading and too confusing on which candidates to vote for. Most people do not have time to learn about the issues and candidates. Also many people are not registered to vote and do not want to vote because that can cause them to go on jury duty. The solution for these problems can be slightly taken care of by each state has its own registration deadline. Once a citizen decides to take responsibility to vote, that person must register to vote. He or she must register, you can go online and go to www.sos.ca.gov/elections or pick up a form in person at any number of public offices (library, DMV, post office, county election office, city clerk, etc.) or you can call 1-800-345-VOTE to request a form to be mailed to you. Finally, you as a citizen of the United States need to educate yourself on the candidates and the issues before you vote and get the facts. Do not become like most people that go to the polls and cast your vote without knowing about the candidates. Its your job as a citizen to know, not just who is running for president but also to know who is running for Senate or House seats. Its your duty and right to formulate your votes based on the research you have done, not on what you heard through television ads, but its your duty to read local newspapers to learn more about the local elections, such as mayoral race, as well as special issues that maybe on the ballot. Its your duty to read as much as you can, and remember voting is one of the fundamental processes, which is instrumental in the development of a healthy democracy. In the essay about why do not people vote, we gave you a brief history of voting over the past years, we gave you reasons why people do not vote and some solutions that can make the voting problem a bit less than what it is. We also given reason why its our duty and how important it is for each of us to register and do our civic duty and its our responsibility as citizens to take this seriously. Everyone wants their voice to be heard and their opinion to count. The only way to do that is to go register if you have not already and to vote smart, remember only 59 percent of Americans vote in presidential election, and you can make a difference.

I Intend to Pursue Engineering :: College Admissions Essays

I Intend to Pursue Engineering The college admissions and selection process is a very important one, perhaps one that will have the greatest impact on one’s future. The college that a person will go to often influences his personality, views, and career. Therefore, when I hear people say that â€Å"it doesn’t matter that much which college you go to. You can get a good education anywhere, if you are self-motivated,† I tend to be rather skeptical. Perhaps, as far as actual knowledge is concerned, that statement is somewhat valid. Physics and mathematics are the same, regardless of where they are taught. Knowledge, however, is only a small piece of the puzzle that is college, and it is in the rest of that puzzle that colleges differ. At least as important, or even more important, than knowledge, is the attitude towards that knowledge. Last year, when my engineering team was competing in the NEDC Design Challenge, held at Hopkins, after the competition I and a few friends talked to a professor of civil engineering. What struck me is the passion with which he talked about his field of study. At Hopkins, everyone-the students, the faculty, the administration-displays a certain earnestness about learning. This makes Hopkins a good match for me, as I, too, am very enthusiastic about the subjects I study. I love learning, and when those around me do too, it creates a great atmosphere from which everyone benefits. My enthusiasm and activeness extend not just to academics, but to other aspects of life as well. I am very involved in extracurricular activities, participating in my school’s engineering club and math team, and I love sports, having played on the varsity soccer and tennis teams for three years. This makes Hopkins, with its great sport traditions and a multitude of clubs and organizations, a great choice. Further, while in college I intend to explore new activities. Because of my school’s small size and dual curriculum, there is a relatively narrow spectrum of activities available for me. Hopkins affords a great opportunity for me to branch out and participate in organizations to which I previously had no access. Another aspect of Hopkins that attracts me greatly is its student body, diverse and multicultural, but at the same time uniformly strong academically. Since I myself am a refugee from Russia, where I experienced social and cultural anti-Semitism, multiculturalism and acceptance of different groups are very important to me, not to mention that it allows me to meet people of different backgrounds and learn of their varying perspectives.

Philosophy of Teaching Statement :: Educating Education Essays Teacher

Philosophy of Teaching Statement As a freshman in college, I was faced with one of the most important decisions of my life. I had to decide where I wanted my college education to go and what I wanted to become as an adult. My whole freshman year, I struggled to make a decision. My family encouraged me to major in business, because even if I didn’t like my job they felt that I could make a lot of money and have financial security. They didn’t feel like education was the right career for me. I felt like it was important for me to have a career that was emotionally fulfilling to me rather than having a career that I would make a lot of money. I have always enjoyed math; I took many extra math classes while I was in high school. I also wanted to become a teacher. Finally in the last few months of the year I came to a decision; I decided I wanted to become a math teacher and teach eighth grade math. So, I decided to pursue a degree in math and general science (5-9) Education. It was a hu ge relief to me when I finally decided to become a teacher; I feel very happy with the decision I have made. I want to make a positive difference in kids’ lives and I feel this is the best way for me to do that. No two students are alike so, you have to respond accordingly. Some students come to school to learn and make a life for themselves. Other students only come to school because it is a requirement. Teachers cannot expect to have only students who want to be in school. Teachers must use different teaching methods in order to make sure that all the students learn the material, which is where teaching philosophies come into play. In our education classes we are asked to think about the types of educational philosophies we will use in our classrooms to teach. My views on education philosophies are eclectic. I agree with essentialism, progressivism, and behaviorism. The core of a teacher is his or her beliefs and philosophies.

Impacts of Alcoholism on Family Welfare Essay

CHAPTER ONE 1. 0 Introduction 1. 1 Introduction This chapter contains the background of the problem, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, justification of the study, limitations of the study, the scope of the study and the conceptual framework. 1. 2 Background to the Problem Seventy percent of Kenyan families are affected by alcoholism (Simiyu, 2006). Man has, over time, indeed come to acknowledge the fact that alcoholism is indeed destructive to the human race. This explains the reason as to why numerous studies have been conducted and some are still underway in relations to various areas where alcoholism is indeed a major threat. It is however important to note that most of these studies are mainly centered on the alcoholic. Alcoholism is a term that has many and sometimes conflicting definitions. In current and historic usage, alcoholism refers to a condition that results from continued consumption of alcohol despite the social and medical impacts that are raised by the vice. Alcoholism also referred to, in the nineteenth century and partly in the twentieth century, as dipsomania, may also refer to pre-occupation with or compulsion towards the consumption of alcohol and/or impaired ability to recognize the negative impacts of excessive alcohol consumption. The Macmillan dictionary (2002) defines the word alcoholism as a medical condition that makes it difficult to control the amount of alcohol you drink. 1. 2. 0 Alcoholism The dictionary definition of alcoholism is, a disorder characterized by the excessive consumption of and dependence on alcoholic beverages leading to physical and physiological harm and impaired social and vocational functionality. The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research defines alcoholism as 1 a layman’s term for alcohol dependence and abuse. The medical encyclopedia defines alcoholism as a popular term for two disorders, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependent. The definition of alcoholism adopted for this study was a disorder that involves long term, repeated, uncontrolled, compulsive and excessive use of alcoholic beverages that impairs the drinker’s health and social relations. In this study alcoholism was characterized by frequent drinking, drinking five or more days in a week. 1. 2. 1 Family Welfare The Macmillan dictionary (2002) defines a family as a group of people who live together and are all related to one another, usually consisting of parents and children. It also defines welfare as the health and happiness of people. The definition of family welfare adopted in this study encompassed physical and psychological health, finances, employment, social life and relationships Velleman, (as cited at www.alcoholandfamilies. org). Family welfare was characterized by economy, health and safety, legal proceedings, marriage stability, responsibilities, and withdrawal. The Macmillan dictionary (2002) defines economy as the careful use of money, products or time that very little is wasted. Family economy in this study was characterized by the amount of money spent on alcohol, investment ventures and savings in respect to individual’s income. The dictionary definition of health is the condition of your body especially whether or not you are ill. Safety on the other hand refers to the fact that a thing is safe. For purpose of this study health and safety was characterized by instances of alcohol related illness or disorders, domestic violence both on women and children attributable to alcohol, accidents or any other act done which exposed the individual to harm as a result of the influence of alcohol on the person (Alcoholic) or on the family, and psychological state. 2 Responsibility is defined by the Macmillan dictionary (2002), as a state of being in charge of someone or something and of making sure that they do or what happens to them is right or satisfactory. In the study responsibility was characterized by instances of family roles of individuals (for example paying school fees by the parents), good physical and psychological availability for the family, work problems due to alcohol and its consequent negative impacts (Alcoholism). Marriage stability is a situation where marriage can raise up beyond the challenges which can lead to its break-up (Akem, 2009). For purpose of this study marriage stability was characterized by instances of divorce, separation, quarrels and disagreements. Withdrawal is to no longer take part in something or stop someone from taking part (Macmillan 2002). The definition of withdrawal adopted for this study was helping the person to get rid of his/her body off alcohol as well as the harmful physical effects of alcohol, Schuckit & mace, (as cited at www. answers. com) Withdrawal in this study was characterized by attempted instances to stop alcohol consumption by either the individual or third party efforts and the respective challenges posed by the same. 1. 2. 2 Alcoholism Unmasked Up-to 50 percent of murders involves alcohol, and three or more people die in Britain due to alcohol (Holden, 1996). Approximately fourteen million people in the United States of America are alcoholics, alcohol being the third leading killer in the United States, killing twenty thousand people and injuring 1. 5 million due to drunk drivers, Drink, (as cited in Katherine, 2009). Drink also reported that 65 percent of the aggressive attacks against women involve use of alcohol by the offender with more than 60 percent of the homicides involving the use of alcohol by either the offender or the victim. According to Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) alcohol abuse affects 70 percent of families in Kenya. 3 In November 2001, over 140 people died and scores of others lost their sight after consuming an illegal laced drink. In June 2005 illegal brew laced with industrial alcohol caused the deaths of 49 people and more than 174 people were hospitalized after drinking the home made Kwona-Mbee, literally ‘see the way ahead’, brew containing methanol a toxic wood alcohol added to the concoction to give it more kick (Simiyu, 2006). According to a study carried out by WHO (2004) involving 188 patients evaluated after motor vehicle crashes in all hospitals located in Eldoret found out that 23. 4 percent were blood alcohol concentration (BAC) positive and 12. 2 percent were intoxicated. This research work indicates the impacts of alcoholism on health and safety of the alcoholic, but they fail to mention the impacts of this disorder in the family setting. Holden (1996), states that alcohol does no good for the economy, costing the British industry 1. 7 British billion pounds. There thus existed need to establish a clear link between family economy and alcoholism. About a third of alcoholics recover whether they are in treatment program or not, Vallant, (as cited in Santrock, 2005). Studies from the national institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism (NIAAA) in United States of America indicate that of all drugs, withdrawal from alcohol differs most significantly. This is so because it can be directly fatal, with an alcoholic having no serious situations having a significant risk of dying from the direct effect of withdrawal if not managed properly. This established the need to investigate how withdrawal as an aspect of family welfare is affected by alcoholism. One in three divorces is due to behavioral problems linked to drinking (Holden, 1996). In Kenya, most domestic misunderstandings are attributed to alcohol, (Simiyu, 2006). The study, therefore sought to find out the impact of alcohol on marriage stability. 4 1. 3 Statement of the Problem Research has shown that alcohol indeed has major impacts on the life of its victims. Indeed no man is an island; hence an alcoholic does not live in isolation. It is therefore expected that whereas alcohol is not good for the drunkard, it is also not good for the family of the drinker. It robs them the morally upright person that they looked up to. What might be the various aspects of the family that might be affected by having an alcoholic in the family? According to Cork, (as cited at www. alcoholandfamilies. org), researchers have often shown much concern for the alcoholic, while overlooking his/her family. There was therefore need to determine the various aspects of the family that were affected by having an alcoholic in the family. 1. 4 Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study was to investigate and establish the nature of relationship that existed between alcoholism and various aspects of family welfare of reforming alcoholics in Suneka division, using case study research design with a view of bringing to the light the intensity of alcoholism in our society. Alcoholism was characterised by frequent drinking, drinking five or more days per week. Family welfare was characterised by family health and safety, family economy, responsibility, marriage stability, instances of legal proceedings and withdrawal. 1. 5 Research Objectives The research sought to establish the impacts of alcoholism on family welfare by specifically finding out: 1. The challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on family economy. 2. The challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on marriage stability. 3. The challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on family health and safety. 5 4. Problems associated with withdrawal from alcoholism. 5. The impacts and frequency of alcoholism influence on legal proceedings perpetrated against alcoholics within the family. 6. The link between alcoholism and neglect of responsibilities. 1. 6 Research Questions In order to establish the kind of relationship that existed between alcoholism and family welfare, the research was guided by the following research questions: 1. What are the challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on family economy? 2. What are the challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on marriage stability? 3. What are the challenges posed by the negative impacts of alcoholism on family health and safety? 4. What are the problems associated with withdrawal from alcoholism? 5. What is the impact and frequency of alcoholism on legal proceedings perpetrated against alcoholics within the family? 6. What is the link between alcoholism and neglect of responsibilities? 1. 7 Significance of the Study The findings of the research sought to help: 1. Site out the impact of alcoholism in the local context which will act as an eye opener to the stakeholders concerned for instance the Ministry of Health, Human rights activists and the entire NGO community to see the need to help the affected parties. 2. Occasion, as a result, setting up of appropriate programs to help curb the menace caused by alcoholism, for instance setting up a rehabilitation centre. 3. Alcoholics see the need to stop taking alcohol, having realized the pain they inflict on their families. 6 1. 8 Limitations of the Study The study was based on a sample size of 30 respondents drawn from an accessible population which consists of individuals from Suneka community in Kisii south district. Owing to scarcity of resources, precautions should therefore be taken while generalizing findings of this research to other localities. This may be majorly due to environmental and social factors that may factor in to invalidate the findings. 1. 9 The Scope of the Study The study primarily focused on the impact of alcoholism on family welfare, a case study of Suneka division, Kisii south district, Nyanza province in Kenya. The study was based on a sample of 30 respondents and was conducted between the months of February and March 2009. 7 1. 10 Conceptual Framework ALCOHOLISM FAMILY WELFARE FAMILY HEALTH AND SAFETY MARRIAGE STABILITY FAMILY ECONOMY ALCOHOLISM RESPONSIBILITY WITHDRAWAL LEGAL IMPLICATIONS Fig. 1. 0 A conceptual framework on the relationship between alcoholism and family welfare. The study sought to find out the relationship that existed between alcoholism and components of family welfare namely: family health and safety, marriage stability, family economy, withdrawal, and the legal implications. 8 CHAPTER TWO 2. 0 Literature Review 2. 1 Introduction This chapter contains past studies in relation to alcohol and alcoholism. It has also highlighted the historical background. It particularly focuses on the impacts of alcoholism on the economy, health and safety, legal implications, marriage stability, withdrawal and responsibilities which were the pillars of this study right from the global, continental and local point of view. It also contains the critical review and the summary. 2. 2 Past Studies This section will shade light on the historical background of alcoholism, researched impacts, and the global, continental and local implications here in Kenya. 2. 2. 0 Historical Background The word alcoholism was first introduced by a Swedish physician Magnus Huss (1849) to mean poisoning by alcohol. It was later mentioned in France by M. Gabriel (1866) in his medical dissertation. This marked the evolution of the word alcoholism (as cited at www. asnwers. com/library/psychoanalysisdictionary). The most rigorous definition of an alcoholic (a person suffering from alcoholism) is the one provide by Pierre Fouquet, â€Å"An Alcoholic is any man or woman who has lost the ability to do without alcohol. † The production of alcohol dates back, to around 1400-1600 BC (Before Christ), in the Munainus region between black and Caspian seas. Commercial production of alcohol was well underway by 1500 BC, Court Wright, (as cited at www. asnwers. com/library). Alcohol is probably the oldest drug known to humanity. It was easy for the primitive people to discover that fruits and juices left to stand in warm places easily fermented to form alcoholic mixtures. Alcohol production is mainly founded on yeast cells, which in presence of warmth and 9 water continue to grow by using up the sugar until the sugar is finished or alcohol content kills them. Alcohol is a deadly poison and in high enough quantities, it kills all living things including the yeast cells that produce it, Weil & Rosen, (as cited at www. alcoholicsanonymous. org)! It was initially believed (Sigmund Freud, Karl Abraham, Sandor Ferenczi) that alcohol does not create symptoms but only promotes them, removing inhibitions and destroying sublimation (Descombey, 2002). The theory of alcoholism (1905d) is summarized in terms of predominance among men, beginning at the onset of puberty, Sigmund, (as cited at www. answers. com/ library). Magnus the Swedish professor of medicine distinguishes between two types of alcoholism that is, Acute alcoholism, which is due to temporary effects of alcohol taken within a short period of time- drunkenness and intoxication; Chronic alcoholism, which is a condition caused by habitual use of alcoholic beverages in poisonous amounts over a long period of time. Prior to the nineteenth century, alcoholism was seen as a moral weakness or criminal, rather than an illness. The new, â€Å"Disease† approach to alcoholism was started in America perpetrated by the, â€Å"Alcoholism movement. † It consisted of Alcoholics Anonymous (A self help group, setup in 1935), National committee for Education on alcoholism (later The National Council on Alcoholism) and the YALE, centre for alcohol studies. The, â€Å"Alcoholism movement† Quickly spread to Britain and subsequently to the rest of the world (Heather & Robertson, 1997). According to WHO (2004) In Africa, for instance, alcohol related beverages are very predominant among ethnic groups branded in different names passed from one generation to another. Among the common alcoholic beverages are: Chang’aa-Which is common among Samburu pastoralists living in northern Kenya and the whole of Kenya at large. In fact the word seems to have gained a national appeal in Kenya along with Busaa which are often used in Kisii among 10 the Gusii community. Others include: Palm wine (common along the Kenyan coast), banana beer (made from a fermented mixture of banana and sorghum flour) and Muratina (made from sugarcane and Muratina fruit-a fruit grown in Kenya). Among the Gusii community, the common alcoholic beverages used from times immemorial include Chang’aa and Busaa. Chang’aa is a distilled product resulting from malted millet, maize or sorghum alongside molasses the mixture of which has been fermented for a number of days, for instance a week. The fermented malted millet, maize or sorghum mixture in its crude state (nondistilled) produces Busaa. 2. 2. 1 Global Impact 2. 2. 1. 0 Health Alcohol has raised major attention on the international ground mainly due to its negative impacts in the society. Topping the list is the link between alcohol and its impact on health. It is important to note that alcohol on its own can cause a medical disorder known as alcoholism which was the pillar stone of this study. Studies indicate that alcoholism can arise in a genetic disorder which can be transferred to the offspring of the victim just like any other genetic disorders. It is estimated that 60 percent of those who become alcoholics are believed to have a genetic predisposition for it, Vallant, (as cited in Santrock, 2005). Hamgin and others (1999) also reported that there is a high frequency of alcoholics in first degree relatives of alcoholics. Research has shown that alcohol damages various organs in our bodies resulting to chronic diseases. Some of these organs include: 1. The Liver: Excessive consumption of alcohol results to liver cirrhosis and liver hepatitis. Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver while liver cirrhosis is a liver ailment that interferes with the liver’s normal structure and function. Both diseases can be fatal 11 2. Blood: Excessive consumption of alcohol interferes with both the structure and function of blood. High quantities of alcohol damages red blood cells making them to become abnormally large as well as the destruction of white blood cells which results to low immunity whereas damaging of red blood cells may lead to cancer in extremities (NIAAA). The NIAAA in the United States of America suggests that a connection exists between heavy alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk. In fact 3. 56 percent cancer cases all over the world are related to alcohol drinking resulting to 3. 5 percent of all cancer deaths. 3. Heart and circulatory system: Alcohol drinking affects these body systems causing such disease as heart attacks, stroke (which arises when a blood clot from the heart enters the circulatory system into the brain blocking blood circulation in the brain) Alcohol is also not good for pregnant women for it can lead to various birth disorders such as, Fetal Alcohol syndrome (FAS), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). These are permanent birth defects on off-springs of women who consume material alcohol during pregnancy (NIAAA). Other health implications include Sexual dysfunction and epilepsy and in extremities even causing death directly. Despite the numerous researches on the implications of alcohol on health, not much has been done on the frequency of such health implications on families affected by alcoholism. However, for an alcoholic it is important to note, perhaps not for his/her sake but for the children’s sake, that if they continue the path to alcoholism they are putting their children at the exposure to this disorder since comprehensive studies have shown that children of alcoholics’ show a three-to-four times risk of developing the disorder. Recent studies have proved that alcoholism is 40 to 60 percent attributed to genes, leaving 40 to 50 percent on environmental influences, Schuckit; Anthenelle Schuckit, (as cited in Schonbeck, 2004). Alcohol is not also good for the brain causing psychological harm in the long run with instances such 12 as depression and anxiety with as many as 25 percent of alcoholics presenting severe psychiatric disturbances. Alcohol effect reveals an overall sluggish brain activity (Revolution health, 2007). 2. 2. 1. 1 Safety Alcoholism has also raised eye blows in relation to its influence on safety in the society. Top on this list is road accidents. Indeed in most accidents grossly impaired judgment reduced reflex activity and reduced visual perception all play their part. In the United States 41 percent of all traffic fatalities are alcohol related. On average, alcohol related motor vehicle accidents occur after every 30 minutes injuring 500,000 Americans yearly with 30 percent of all Americans involved in such accidents at one time during their life time while 50 percent of such trauma cases end up dead, (www. niaaa. nih. gov). According to Santrock (2005), 60 percent of homicides involve use of alcohol by either the offender or victim and 20 percent of suicide cases involve use of alcohol by the victim, with 65 percent of aggressive instances against women involving the use of alcohol by the offender. Santrock also reports that alcohol increases instances of aggressiveness; to be precise alcoholics are more easily provoked when drunk than when they are sober to unleash harsh words, throw a punch or pull a trigger of a gun, Dougherty, Benelt & others; Fale-Steward, golden & Schumacher, (as cited in Santrock, 2005). According to Seto & Barbaree (as cited in Santrock, 2005), it is unfortunate that the people who are already prone to aggression are also the ones who are likely to drink and then become violent when they become intoxicated! People under the influence of alcohol, almost commit half of the rapes and other violent crimes, Abbey, Ross& McDuffie; Abbey & others, (as cited in Santrock, 2005). All these comprehensive research focuses on the impacts of alcoholism on the alcoholic’s safety but fails to shade light on the suffering which the family has to undergo as 13 a result. Equally most of these research findings do not bring out clearly the frequency of such hazards among families of alcoholics’. 2. 2. 1. 2 Marriage Stability It is estimated that more than 40 percent of separated or divorced women were married to or live with a problem drinker with more than three fourths of non-fatal female victims of domestic violence having reported that the assailant had been drinking (www. alcohlics-info. com). According to Holden (1996) one in every three divorces are attributed to alcohol drinking. It is clear while alcohol seems to be a clear threat to stability in marriages it is unclear, on where exactly it impairs on marriage stability. 2. 2. 1. 3 Responsibility It is estimated that a bulk of 10 percent work force in the United Kingdom have problems due to alcohol (Holden, 1996). According to Velleman, alcohol affects the quality of parenting, although the aspects of quality of parenting are not well defined (as cited at www. alcoholandfamilies. org). At the prime of alcoholism the alcoholic manifests an utter disregard to everything, including shelter, family, food, and job. These occasional flights into oblivion are best described, ironically, as, ‘Drinking to get away from the problems’ caused by drinking (www. alcoholics-info. com). These studies indicate a clear link between alcoholism and the role it plays in the execution of responsibilities at large but fails to pin-point the particular impact of alcoholism on family responsibilities and the frequency of the items mentioned above in a family setting. Santrock (2005), acknowledges the fact that binge drinking, usually associated with high BAC, to be associated with class absences, physical injuries, trouble with police and unprotected sex all instances of neglect of responsibilities by children (college students) who are a unit of the family. 14 2. 2. 1. 4 Legal Implications There are at least fifty thousand recognized alcoholics in Victoria-Australia, with one-hundred thousand drunk and disorderly convictions each year (Wright, 1991). Drinking at inappropriate times can lead to legal proceedings such as Drinking and driving, beyond the legal set limits, or public disorder. According to NIAAA (1997) forty percent of assaults are alcohol related. About 3/4 of all prisoners in 1997 were involved in alcohol or drug abuse in some way leading to their current offence (United States Department of Justice Statistics, 1997). From research already conducted there seems to be a link between alcohol and crime but on the other side no studies exists on the frequency of legal situations encountered by alcoholics in a family setting or their families or challenges faced by such families when faced by such occurrences. 2. 2. 1. 5 Withdrawal Unlike withdrawal from other drugs, withdrawal from alcohol differs most significantly from other drugs, since it can be directly fatal (NIAAA, 1997). For example it is extremely rare for heroin or cocaine withdrawal to be fatal. When people die from heroin or cocaine withdrawal they typically have serious underlying health problems which are made worse by the strain of acute withdrawal. An alcoholic however, who has no serious health, issues has a significant risk of dying from the direct effects of withdrawal if it is not properly managed. When alcohol is stopped, especially abruptly, the person’s nervous system suffers from great brain imbalances. This can result in symptoms that include anxiety, life threatening seizures, delirium tremens and hallucinations, shakes and possible heart failure. During withdrawal especially acute withdrawal symptoms tend to subside after 1 – 3 weeks. Less severe symptoms (e. g. insomnia and anxiety) may continue as part of a post withdrawal syndrome gradually improving with abstinence for a year or more. Withdrawal symptoms begin to subside as the body and central nervous system makes adaptations to reverse tolerance and restore 15 functions towards normal body functioning. It is evident that from completed research the habitual user experiences hangover (a combination of head ache, nausea, fatigue and depression) a situation which may be very challenging. According to Hamigan & others, (as cited in Thom, 2009) one in nine individuals who drink continue the path to alcoholism. However, according to Vallant, (as cited in Santrock, 2005) by the age of 65 a third of alcoholics are dead or in terrible shape; a third is still trying to bear addiction and a third is abstinent or drinking only socially. Vallant found the factors leading to successful withdrawal to be predicted by: 1. Having a strong negative experience with alcohol, for instance serious medical emergency 2. Finding a substitute depends, for instance meditation, exercise or overeating (which also has serious medical implications) 3. Developing a positive relationship such as a caring employer or a new marriage 4. Joining a support group such as Alcoholics anonymous (AA). Vallant acknowledges that more than 18 million patients currently need alcohol treatment and only one fourth ever get treatment for a number of reasons such as lack of availability of such facilities lack of adequate space, limited funding or because drinkers object to the treatment. These studies clearly depict the challenges facing withdrawal from the medical stand point. However, it is important to note that not much has been done on the impacts of withdrawal on the family set-up. 2. 2. 1. 6 Economy Alcohol also does no good for the economy. In 1989 it cost British industry 1. 7 billion United Kingdom pounds (Holden, 1996). According to a recent special report prepared for United States Congress by NIAAA, the impact of alcohol on society including violence, traffic accidents, lost work productivity and premature deaths, cost America in aggregate an estimated 188 billion United States dollars 16 annually. However, not much has been done on the impacts of alcohol on family economy and personal financial management and stability as separate from National or Global economic impacts. 2. 3 Continental Impact The continent Africa is characterized by poverty and unemployment. Extensive research has shown that these factors are a contributory to the start of alcohol intake and consequently alcoholism. African countries have high reported cases of domestic violence which are largely attributed to consumption of alcohol. Since most of the drinking population is poor and they can’t afford ‘expensive and classy’ commercial brands, they have opted for the cheap non-hygienical local brews. The drinking population also spends most of their finances on alcohol leaving their families financially unstable hence their family economy is in a terrible state. Excessive alcohol consumption also causes serious negative effect on fertility in both men and women: decreasing testicular and ovarian size, interfering with sperm and egg production and viability, disrupting menstrual cycles, and reducing libido. When pregnancy is achieved reduced quality of sperm and egg may significantly and permanently affect the quality of life, pre and post-natal, of the child. A child born to an alcohol using woman has a great risk of being born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes distinctive cranial and facial defects, including a smaller head size, shortening of the eyelids, and a lowered brain capability. Developmental disabilities, heart defects, and behavioral problems are also more likely. There has been an outcry among women from Mombasa, a town in the Kenyan coast, that alcohol intake among their men folk is making them incapable of performing their conjugal duties. Alcohol consumption has also caused numerous health hazards within the continental standing similar to what is being experienced globally. Among such diseases common in Africa include: liver disease, physical injuries due to short 17 term effects of alcohol leave alone the psychological ailments that the family of the alcoholic has to go through (Asenjo, 2009). It is however important to note that unlike in western countries, in Africa alcohol is more reserved to the male population. Women who drink are seen as a social vice associated with prostitution and immorality hence, as such alcohol has gained much prevalence among men and as such most alcoholics are men. It is ironical that since times immemorial women have always prepared the brew, but they give it to their male counterparts for consumption. Alcoholism also increases instances of marriage break down due to such factors as domestic violence, neglect of responsibility (a major problem) and the psychological impacts involved mostly among the women fork and the children of the alcoholic husband cum father. However, unlike in the developed countries where there exists, in abundance, institutions dedicated to aid alcoholics shake off their habits, such facilities are very rare in the black continent. These can be attributed to the fact that in most communities, alcohol consumption is regarded as a traditional artifact and as the saying goes, â€Å"Mwacha mila ni mtumwa â€Å"(A Swahili proverb which translates into, â€Å"He who abandons tradition is a foreigner†. Also this can be cited as a reason mainly responsible for low instances of withdrawal in the continent. Withdrawal, if any, is due to ones own efforts or in some instances pressure from a particular class in the community for instance, church or ones own family. It is, however, important to note that despite the ‘naked’ impacts (negative) caused by alcohol all over the continent, not much has been done to better understand the problem from a continental stand point and whatever presumptions that exists about alcoholism, are just mere generalizations, in that case, of what happens in the west to be applicable in Africa as well, which might not always be the case owing to the so obvious cultural and social difference 18 2. 4 Local Impact The devastating effects of alcohol and drugs on young people can be felt bare today. Experts have sounded alarming bells after two studies revealed that school children as young as eleven are falling prey to alcohol. Research at the African Mental Health foundation says that in the last four years the use of alcohol and other drugs among young people has increased by a staggering 71 percent. In Kenya, unrecorded alcohol consumption is estimated to be 5. 0 litres of pure alcohol per capita for population older than 15 years for the years after 1995, estimated by a group of key alcohol experts (WHO, 2004). A 1997 to 1998 survey sponsored by the Economic ad Social Research council and The British Institute