Alcoholism: Compulsive and Uncontrolled Consumption of Beverages Essay

Alcoholic addiction is compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker’s health, personal relationships, and social standing. It is medically considered a disease. For example a person who is physical addicted to alcohol and continues to drink, despite problems with physical health, mental health, and social, family, or job responsibilities continue to drink, even when health, work, or family are being harmed. Alcoholics Drink alone, They also become violent when drinking, Become hostile when asked about drinking, Are not able to control drinking — being unable to stop or reduce alcohol intake, Make excuses to drink, Miss work or school, or have a decrease in performance because of drinking, Stop taking part in activities because of alcohol, Need to use alcohol on most days to get through the day, Neglect to eat or eat poorly, they Do not care about or ignore how they dress or whether they are clean, Try to hide alcohol use, Shake in the morning or after periods when they have not a drink. Alcoholism is characterized by cravings for a alcohol and an inability to stop drinking. It is accompanied by a physical dependence which also means that the person experiences withdrawal symptoms when not drinking and an increased tolerance for alcohol meaning the person needs to drink greater amounts to feel better. Before entering recovery, most alcoholics will deny they have a problem . the difference with being addicted to alcohol and abusing it is that People who abuse alcohol but are not dependent on it may have similar symptoms, but they don’t feel the same craving to drink and usually don’ t feel the same craving to drink and usually don’ t experience withdrawal symptoms. About 18 million people in the United States abuse alcohol and estimates suggest that more than 70 million Americans have dealt with alcoholism in their family. Alcohol is involved in almost half of all traffic deaths in the U. S Alcoholism does not have a specific cure but through rehab and therapy, it can be maintained and controlled and a person can keep clean for as long as they are determined.

Amputation Mishap

In the following paragraphs, negligence, gross negligence, and malpractice are discussed and determine if the newspaper’s statement of negligence is correct. Ethical principles in nursing and nursing documentation regarding such issues are also discussed. Negligence and malpractice fall under the tort laws definition. According to Guido (2010), â€Å"Torts are civil wrongs, not based on contracts, but on personal transgressions in that the responsible person performed an action incorrectly or omitted a necessary action† (p. 92). Tort laws are based on fault and in a health-care setting, tort laws are the most common. To determine if the above scenario results in negligence, gross negligence, or medical malpractice, one must understand the definition of each. According to Guido (2010), negligence is a general term and â€Å"equates with carelessness, a deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances† (p. 2). According to Judson and Harrison (2006), four key elements (four D’s), must be present to prove negligence (p. 101): 1. Duty: The person charged has a duty to provide care to the patient. Neighborhood Hospital and staff have a duty to provide a standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances. 2. Dereliction: The person charged breaches the duty of care to the patient. The operating room team failed to identify the correct leg for amputation prior to proceeding with the operation; therefore a breach of duty has occurred. 3. Direct cause: The breach of duty is a direct cause of injury to the patient. The wrong leg is amputated as a direct result of failure to identify the correct leg for amputation. As a direct result, the patient will become a double amputee once the correct leg is amputated. 4. Damages: A recognizable injury to the patient is present. In this case, the wrong leg was amputated deeming a recognizable injury. Using the above criteria, negligence is present in this case scenario. Gross negligence occurs when medical practitioners perform an intentional act regardless of the negative, anticipated consequences. In this scenario, the patient must prove the medical staff at Neighborhood Hospital intentionally amputated the wrong leg. The medical staff at Neighborhood Hospital did not intentionally amputate the wrong leg, therefore ruling out gross negligence. According to Guido (2010), medical malpractice is â€Å"the failure of a professional person to act in accordance with the prevailing professional standards or failure to foresee consequences that a professional person, having the necessary skills and education, should foresee† (p. 93). Guido further states the difference between negligence and malpractice is licensure. If the act is by a non-professional person, it is negligence. If the act is by a professional person, it is malpractice. Six elements must be present to prove malpractice (Guido, 2010, p. 93): 1. Duty owed to the patient Neighborhood Hospital and staff have a duty to provide a standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances. 2. Breach of the duty owed to the patient. The operating room team failed to identify the correct leg for amputation prior to proceeding with the operation; therefore a breach of duty has occurred. 3. Foreseeability. The omission of identifying the correct leg for amputation prior to surgery. 4. Causation: breach of duty owed caused injury. The wrong leg is amputated as a direct result of failure to identify the correct leg for amputation. As a direct result, the patient will become a double amputee once the correct leg is amputated. 5. Injury. In this case, the wrong leg was amputated deeming a recognizable injury. 6. Damages. The amputated leg cannot be replaced; therefore the patient is entitled to compensatory damages regarding pain and suffering, permanent disability, disfigurement, emotional damages as well as financial loss and medical expenses. In this scenario, all six elements to prove malpractice are present. The negligence is by licensed personnel in a hospital setting. Using the definitions and criteria above, the newspaper incorrectly defines the mishap as negligence. The correct term to use in this case is professional negligence or malpractice. Nursing documentation should be reflective of the patient’s hospital stay. This includes identifying and addressing patient needs, assessments, problems, limitations, and responses to nursing interventions. According to Guido (2010), â€Å"Documentation must show continuity of care, interventions that were implemented, and patient responses to the therapies implemented. Nurses’ notes are to be concise, clear, timely, and complete† (p. 197). Guido (2010) lists the following guidelines for nurses to use to ensure documentation is complete and accurate (p. 197-209): 1. Make an entry for every observation. If documentation is absent, it can be assumed an observation did not take place. 2. Follow-up as needed. Evaluation and observations require follow up to ensure appropriate patient responses and optimal outcomes. . Read nurses notes prior to giving care. Reading nurses notes enable the nurse to know and understand patient diagnosis, response to treatment, and steps necessary to carry out the plan of care. 4. Always make an entry (even if it is late). Document immediately after the observation to reduce the risk of losing valuable information. A late entry is acceptable altho ugh risks omitting valuable information. Never document an event before it happens. 5. Use clear and objective language. Document using clear, objective, and definite terms to describe the observation. Vague terms lead to misinterpretation. 6. Be realistic and factual. It is important to document factual observations and assessments exactly as they happen. It is also recommended to document a realistic picture of the patient, especially if the patient is noncompliant with the plan of care. 7. Chart only one’s own observations. Charting observations of others is not accurate observations and can cause credibility of the nurse in question. 8. Chart all patient education 9. Correct chart errors. 10. Identify oneself after every entry. 11. Use standardized checklists or flow sheets. 2. Leave no room for liability. According to Guido (2010), â€Å"Understanding one’s ethics and values is the first step in understanding the ethics and values of others and in assuring the delivery of appropriate nursing care† (p. 4). Nurses and other healthcare providers face ethical issues daily. Together, law and ethics guide nursing practice to provide safe, effective care keeping patients free from harm. â€Å"Ethics are concerned with standards of behavior and the concept of right and wrong, over and above that which is legal in a given situation† (Judson Harrison, 2006, p. ). In addition, understanding law and ethics in nursing practice keeps nurses at their professional best and decreases the risk of legal litigation, such as the scenario described by the Neighborhood News. â€Å"Though malpractice is rare in the lives of individual healthcare professionals, the number of malpractice suits is on the rise† (Larson Elliott, 2010, p. 153). The nursing profession has more professional responsibility and accountability than any other time in the history of nursing. According to Weld and Garmon Bibb (2009), â€Å"nurses must confront the fact that they now owe a higher duty of care to their patients, and by extension, are more exposed to civil claims for negligence than ever before† (p. 2). Understanding ethical principles in nursing, importance of nursing documentation and how it relates to medical malpractice and negligence is imperative. References: Guido, G. W. (2010). Legal Ethical Issues in Nursing (5th ed. ). University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Judson, K. , Harrison, C. (2006). Law Ethics for Medical Careers (5th ed. ). University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Larson, K. , Elliott, R. (2010, March-April). The Emotional Impact of Malpractice. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 37(2), 153-156. Ebscohost. com. Prideaux, A. (2011). Issues in Nursing Documentation and Record Keeping Practice. British Journal of Nursing, 20(22), 1450-1454. Ebscohost. com The Neighborhood- Pearson Health Science. The Neighborhood News. Retrieved October 1, 2012, from http://pearsonneighborhood. ecollege. com/re/DotNextLaunch. asp? courseid=3609454 Weld, K. K. , Garmon Bibb, S. C. (2009, January-March). Concept Analysis: Malpractice and Modern-Day Nursing Practice. Nursing Forum, 44(1), 2-10. Ebscohost. com. Amputation Mishap In the following paragraphs, negligence, gross negligence, and malpractice are discussed and determine if the newspaper’s statement of negligence is correct. Ethical principles in nursing and nursing documentation regarding such issues are also discussed. Negligence and malpractice fall under the tort laws definition. According to Guido (2010), â€Å"Torts are civil wrongs, not based on contracts, but on personal transgressions in that the responsible person performed an action incorrectly or omitted a necessary action† (p. 92). Tort laws are based on fault and in a health-care setting, tort laws are the most common. To determine if the above scenario results in negligence, gross negligence, or medical malpractice, one must understand the definition of each. According to Guido (2010), negligence is a general term and â€Å"equates with carelessness, a deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances† (p. 2). According to Judson and Harrison (2006), four key elements (four D’s), must be present to prove negligence (p. 101): 1. Duty: The person charged has a duty to provide care to the patient. Neighborhood Hospital and staff have a duty to provide a standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances. 2. Dereliction: The person charged breaches the duty of care to the patient. The operating room team failed to identify the correct leg for amputation prior to proceeding with the operation; therefore a breach of duty has occurred. 3. Direct cause: The breach of duty is a direct cause of injury to the patient. The wrong leg is amputated as a direct result of failure to identify the correct leg for amputation. As a direct result, the patient will become a double amputee once the correct leg is amputated. 4. Damages: A recognizable injury to the patient is present. In this case, the wrong leg was amputated deeming a recognizable injury. Using the above criteria, negligence is present in this case scenario. Gross negligence occurs when medical practitioners perform an intentional act regardless of the negative, anticipated consequences. In this scenario, the patient must prove the medical staff at Neighborhood Hospital intentionally amputated the wrong leg. The medical staff at Neighborhood Hospital did not intentionally amputate the wrong leg, therefore ruling out gross negligence. According to Guido (2010), medical malpractice is â€Å"the failure of a professional person to act in accordance with the prevailing professional standards or failure to foresee consequences that a professional person, having the necessary skills and education, should foresee† (p. 93). Guido further states the difference between negligence and malpractice is licensure. If the act is by a non-professional person, it is negligence. If the act is by a professional person, it is malpractice. Six elements must be present to prove malpractice (Guido, 2010, p. 93): 1. Duty owed to the patient Neighborhood Hospital and staff have a duty to provide a standard of care that a reasonable person would use in a particular set of circumstances. 2. Breach of the duty owed to the patient. The operating room team failed to identify the correct leg for amputation prior to proceeding with the operation; therefore a breach of duty has occurred. 3. Foreseeability. The omission of identifying the correct leg for amputation prior to surgery. 4. Causation: breach of duty owed caused injury. The wrong leg is amputated as a direct result of failure to identify the correct leg for amputation. As a direct result, the patient will become a double amputee once the correct leg is amputated. 5. Injury. In this case, the wrong leg was amputated deeming a recognizable injury. 6. Damages. The amputated leg cannot be replaced; therefore the patient is entitled to compensatory damages regarding pain and suffering, permanent disability, disfigurement, emotional damages as well as financial loss and medical expenses. In this scenario, all six elements to prove malpractice are present. The negligence is by licensed personnel in a hospital setting. Using the definitions and criteria above, the newspaper incorrectly defines the mishap as negligence. The correct term to use in this case is professional negligence or malpractice. Nursing documentation should be reflective of the patient’s hospital stay. This includes identifying and addressing patient needs, assessments, problems, limitations, and responses to nursing interventions. According to Guido (2010), â€Å"Documentation must show continuity of care, interventions that were implemented, and patient responses to the therapies implemented. Nurses’ notes are to be concise, clear, timely, and complete† (p. 197). Guido (2010) lists the following guidelines for nurses to use to ensure documentation is complete and accurate (p. 197-209): 1. Make an entry for every observation. If documentation is absent, it can be assumed an observation did not take place. 2. Follow-up as needed. Evaluation and observations require follow up to ensure appropriate patient responses and optimal outcomes. . Read nurses notes prior to giving care. Reading nurses notes enable the nurse to know and understand patient diagnosis, response to treatment, and steps necessary to carry out the plan of care. 4. Always make an entry (even if it is late). Document immediately after the observation to reduce the risk of losing valuable information. A late entry is acceptable altho ugh risks omitting valuable information. Never document an event before it happens. 5. Use clear and objective language. Document using clear, objective, and definite terms to describe the observation. Vague terms lead to misinterpretation. 6. Be realistic and factual. It is important to document factual observations and assessments exactly as they happen. It is also recommended to document a realistic picture of the patient, especially if the patient is noncompliant with the plan of care. 7. Chart only one’s own observations. Charting observations of others is not accurate observations and can cause credibility of the nurse in question. 8. Chart all patient education 9. Correct chart errors. 10. Identify oneself after every entry. 11. Use standardized checklists or flow sheets. 2. Leave no room for liability. According to Guido (2010), â€Å"Understanding one’s ethics and values is the first step in understanding the ethics and values of others and in assuring the delivery of appropriate nursing care† (p. 4). Nurses and other healthcare providers face ethical issues daily. Together, law and ethics guide nursing practice to provide safe, effective care keeping patients free from harm. â€Å"Ethics are concerned with standards of behavior and the concept of right and wrong, over and above that which is legal in a given situation† (Judson Harrison, 2006, p. ). In addition, understanding law and ethics in nursing practice keeps nurses at their professional best and decreases the risk of legal litigation, such as the scenario described by the Neighborhood News. â€Å"Though malpractice is rare in the lives of individual healthcare professionals, the number of malpractice suits is on the rise† (Larson Elliott, 2010, p. 153). The nursing profession has more professional responsibility and accountability than any other time in the history of nursing. According to Weld and Garmon Bibb (2009), â€Å"nurses must confront the fact that they now owe a higher duty of care to their patients, and by extension, are more exposed to civil claims for negligence than ever before† (p. 2). Understanding ethical principles in nursing, importance of nursing documentation and how it relates to medical malpractice and negligence is imperative. References: Guido, G. W. (2010). Legal Ethical Issues in Nursing (5th ed. ). University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Judson, K. , Harrison, C. (2006). Law Ethics for Medical Careers (5th ed. ). University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Larson, K. , Elliott, R. (2010, March-April). The Emotional Impact of Malpractice. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 37(2), 153-156. Ebscohost. com. Prideaux, A. (2011). Issues in Nursing Documentation and Record Keeping Practice. British Journal of Nursing, 20(22), 1450-1454. Ebscohost. com The Neighborhood- Pearson Health Science. The Neighborhood News. Retrieved October 1, 2012, from http://pearsonneighborhood. ecollege. com/re/DotNextLaunch. asp? courseid=3609454 Weld, K. K. , Garmon Bibb, S. C. (2009, January-March). Concept Analysis: Malpractice and Modern-Day Nursing Practice. Nursing Forum, 44(1), 2-10. Ebscohost. com.

The problem of transcendence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The problem of transcendence - Essay Example Theologian William Paley forms one of the failure cohorts in that journey. His first argument was based on a watch. If one were found one lying on the ground, the conclusion would be that there is a designer behind the whole process. The application of the idea is shifted to the anatomy of both humans and animals. He made a conclusive statement that there is a designer behind this elegant creation. The argument leads to the development of a terrible problem. In essence, he simply failed in the aspect of transcendence since he reduced God to being merely powerful and intelligent failing to recognize His finite character. In addition, his argument did create a detrimental effect on the society. God possesses the aspect of being the societal designer from the time immemorial and that character persists. Consequently, what results is that the society perceives God as a being who cannot be a subject to challenging human beings. There is a terrible idea that follows this: if society is des igned, then everything is perfect as it is, and humans cannot be wrong. In other words, God does not challenge human reasoning. If by any chance we saw a fault in the design, we simply did not understand it fully. He said in his book reasons for contentment, "now have the poor anything to complain of here? Are they not surrounded by their relatives as others?". Here he says that nobody is poor. Only those who become a part of something they do not belong to it.  The dark side of theology illustrates that scenario and experience.

Art of Tattooing in North America and Europe Essay

Art of Tattooing in North America and Europe - Essay Example In 1991, a five thousand year old frozen body of a man was discovered on a mountain between Austria and Italy. This body displayed in all 58 tattoos though these were only simple dots and little lines. The oldest known picture tattoos were found when archeologists, just after the Second World War, excavated a long row of graves of frozen and perfectly preserved bodies in the Altai Mountains of Southern Siberia. These were the bodies of the Scythians who were a nomadic group renowned for their creativity. In comparison, the Chieftain's tattoos represented different totem and game animals. The Vikings, who travelled up the Russian rivers and met the Scythians in Scandinavia, were influenced by the Scythians in the way they worked their crafts and tattoos. The body art among the Scythians and the Vikings reflected the designs found in their wood carvings, embroidery, weaving, leather and metal work. The significance of tattoos on a body has undergone several changes over the centuries. The practice of tattooing has meant different things in different cultures. Decoration appears to have been the most common motive for tattooing during the entire period. It was stated by Professor Konrad Spindler of Innsbruck University that the tattoo marks on the body of the Bronze Age man found in 1991 suggested that they were probably applied for therapeutic reasons. In some cultures, tattoos also served as identification of the wearer's rank or status in a group. For example, the early Romans tattooed slaves and criminals. Tahitian tattoos served as rites of passage, telling the history of the wearer's life. Boys reaching manhood received one tattoo to mark the occasion, while men had another style done when they married. Among a tribe named Roro tribes, when a girl was considered to be of marriageable age, the buttocks, the legs and the face were tattooed (Hambly, 31). Instances of body ma rking deemed to be of religious import were those connected with ideas of survival after death, prayer, sacrifice and communion (Hambly, 26). Later on, Sailors travelling to exotic foreign lands began to collect tattoos as souvenirs of their journeys resulting in establishment of tattoo parlors in port cities around the globe. In the 1900s, cosmetic tattooing became popular in the United States using it as blush for cheeks, color for the lips and eyeliners. With the World War, the flash art images changed to those of bravery and wartime icons. (https://www.msu.edu/krcmari1/individual/world.html) It is not only the motive behind tattooing that has changed over the years, but also has the designs and methods of performing this art. In North and South America, many Indian tribes routinely tattooed the body or the face by simple pricking, and some tribes in California introduced color into scratches. In order to be considered courageous and feared by their enemies, they would use sharpened awls or thorns or the bone of a bird or a fish to engrave or decorate their bodies. While the punctures which form the designs were fresh and bleeding, they would rub in charcoal or some other black color which mixed with the blood and penetrated the

VERY FORMAL letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

VERY FORMAL letter - Essay Example His majesty also attended various public events including the banquet at the Imperial Palace. As a result of his presence there, the Japan-Cambodia relationship became more solid. Japan has consistently delivered a commitment to peace, rehabilitation, domestic stability, and nation-building in Cambodia. As such, the country has been our alliance partner in Southeast Asia since the late 1980’s. More specifically, Japan has extended economic assistance with and without compensation for Cambodia to (1) realize sustainable economic growth and maintain a stable society; (2) aid the socially vulnerable; (3) cope with global issues; and (4) redress disparities among ASEAN countries. Above all, the Agreement between Japan and the Kingdom of Cambodia for the Liberalization, Promotion, and Protection of Investment intensified the relationship between our two countries. You may recall that your Excellency signed this Agreement while visiting Japan as a state guest in 2007. As a result, direct Japanese investments for motorbike assembling plants and galvanized iron plants in Cambodia are ever-increasing. In terms of a cultural aspect, we have made an effort on the conservation and restoration of the historic site of Angkor through the Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor since the Inter-governmental Conference on the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Site of Angkor, which was held in Tokyo in 1993. There is an expression in Japanese that translates to English as â€Å"Have the form but not the spirit.† We strongly believe that the â€Å"spirit† in a country-to-country relationship is a cordial human exchange at the private level, as well as investment activities. It just so happens that your country is currently in the middle of national promotion of agricultural sector enhancement, infrastructure rehabilitation and construction, private sector development, employment generation, and human resource

The Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Business Environment - Essay Example Sole proprietorship which is also called single proprietorship is the simplest form of a business organization (Horgren et al 2000). In this set up, an individual establishes an organization and run it alone. A married couple who opts to open a small store can also be considered as a sole proprietorship. This type of business organization is seen to be the easiest to establish because it lacks the legal formality and other arrangements since there is only one owner. In terms of accounting, sole proprietorship also requires the simplest procedures. No corporate taxes are paid but the taxes on income are considered personal taxes. However, sole proprietorship is exposed to the difficulty of raising capital from other individuals and financial intermediaries. Also, the owner shoulder all the risks associated in the operations. Partnership is the form of business organization where two or more partners share in the profit which is usually determined by the amount of resources and assets that they share in starting the business (Keown et al 2005). In this set up, the business organization is benefited through the number of people which shares knowledge and skills in running the company. Income taxes are also deducted in the personal taxes paid by each of the partners. However, the number of owners can also become a problem especially in terms of decision making and profit sharing. Corporation is a business organization which has numerous owners all of which are separate entities to the business organization (Fraser and Orniston 2004). It should be noted that owners are insulated from the liabilities of the corporation since they are only liable for the amount that they invested. This form of business organization enjoys the benefit of having more individuals to fund the company’s projects and activities through selling of stocks. Also, stockholders are not necessarily managers of the company which delegates the responsibility to

African-American history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

African-American history - Essay Example In Chesapeake, the slave trade took place to flourish the growth of rice and tobacco. The growing appetite for tobacco in Europe encouraged plantation farmers to purchase more slaves who would work on their farms. The slaves at first were white. However, white indentured servants were difficult to tame. This was because they spoke the same language as their masters. The indentured servants were weaker and would die in a year’s time. The thirst of making more money triggered the rich in the society to look for black people to work in their farms. The blacks were more productive and easier to tame. This is because they did not speak the same language. The blacks would share the same land with native Indians where they experienced hostile treatment. Due to price instability, the economy would suffer long depressions. Again the wealthy needed to maintain their lifestyle they then started planning on how to evict the Indians and black from the segregated land they occupied. Black p eople however began to intermarry with white women leading to their freedom from oppression. Thus, leading to a slave population which outnumbered the inhabitants In Georgia, the slave trade was a booming business. The slave would either work as slaves in plantations while women slave worked in their master’s houses as servants. It is in Georgia where slave trade was abolished. The reason for the petition is to encourage humane living conditions. Later the elite in the society appealed to the courts and convinced them the need for the slave trade. Owing to the heavy reliance on agriculture minus the slave labor, the economy of the province would collapse. Slave trade later became legal. Slave trade flourished again because of Eli White cotton gin invention. The southern county heavily relied on gin sales o the north. In both cases, slaves were held against their wish. They would be forced to work on large farmsteads for little or