Friday, September 6, 2019

Christian Science Essay Example for Free

Christian Science Essay Modern day America is home to many Protestant groups, most of which had their foundation largely influenced by 19th century Protestantism in the region. During the period, irresistible dynamism rocked American Protestant groups, coinciding with an epoch in which the American society readily allowed the founding of new churches and religious movements. Amid growing revivalism and much freedom to develop, the 19th century also saw mounting interest in millennialism and the rise of Adventism. All these resulted in new Protestant groups, some motivated by the looming Second Coming of Christ and while others invented new religious doctrines. A few broke away from existing churches while others claimed their foundation in new revelations. Among the key churches founded then include the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Christian Science and the Seventh-Day Adventist. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, popular as the Mormons and founded by Joseph Smith, was among the first churches to be formed. In his boyhood, Smith experienced visions via which he was advised against joining existing churches, and told he would be active in restoring true Christianity. In 1823, he was guided by a heavenly messenger named Moroni to a hill in New York, where he discovered strange writing covering two thin golden plates. His translation of the writing, aided by Moroni, is now the Book of Mormon and is based on Christ’s teachings. Mormons deem their faith akin to that founded by Jesus in North America. Although they accept the influence of the old and new testaments, their scriptural doctrine includes the Book of Mormon and two other texts, Doctrines and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price; both based on Smith’s revelations and sermons. The discovery of the Book of Mormons allured many followers to Smith’s church, whose membership is now roughly eight million, with headquarters in Salt Lake City. Christian Science was on its part founded in 1879 by Mary Baker Eddy, originally a member of a Congregational Church. As a young woman, she suffered from nervous disorders that physicians and hypnotists could not cure. She in 1866 claimed to have been totally cured after reading a New Testament account of one of the miraculous healings Jesus performed. She subsequently founded the church, which she described in her book Science and Health. Its members disregard formal creeds and doctrines, with some fully devoting themselves to tutor others how to use ‘scientific prayer’ to access God’s healing love. Christian Science has over 3, 000 congregations in 50 countries, with headquarters in Boston. This church is seen as the source of New Thought, a larger American religious movement attributed to Emma Hopkins. Emma was Baker’s student and a teacher, whose students later formed new versions of New Thought such as the Unity School of Christianity, Religion Science and Divine Science and the Unity Movement. The latter has congregations in most USA cities and abroad. On the Adventist front, the Seventh-Day Adventist is the main church. It was founded by Ellen White. White was a follower of William Miller, a millennialist who founded the first Adventist denomination and wrongly proclaimed Christ would return in 1843 to preside over a final judgment. Ellen experienced many visions that inspired her books. And being a gifted speaker, she drew thousands to her lectures, in which she attributed the delay of the predicted Second Coming to Christians’ failure to obey the Ten Commandments. Today, the church has nearly four million members, with half a million living in the USA. The Jehovah’s Witnesses is also a millennialist group, formed in 1881 by Charles Taze Russell. At 20, Russell’s study of the Bible led him to a verdict that the Second Coming would occur in 1874, when Christ would invisibly return. This was to be followed by the Battle of Armageddon and end of the world in 1914. His ideas drew him hundreds of followers and membership continued to rise even after his prophesy failed to materialize. The church, with headquarters in New York, now has over two million members in 200 countries. They understand Christ to be God’s son but reject the doctrine of the Trinity and still believe that a ‘great tribulation’ is imminent. Considering that the churches discussed here are just the main ones and have followers worldwide, it is clearly evident that 19th century American Protestantism played a middle role in both the origination and molding of the course, and even beliefs, of numerous modern-day churches and movements. References LD.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

The Personal Protective Equipment Health And Social Care Essay

The Personal Protective Equipment Health And Social Care Essay Scenario # 1: The Medical Assistant is preparing to perform a venipuncture on a patient who has come into the office for their annual physical exam. To prevent exposure to blood you must wear personal protective equipment (PPE). When a medical assistant is performing or assisting with a venipuncture, the expected PPE to be used is gloves. According to Delmars Clinical Medical Assisting, Gloves will be worn when drawing blood and/or handling biomedical specimens. Blood drawing is common sense, but biomedical specimens consist of urinalysis as well as fecal analysis. That means throughout the venipuncture and collection process you must wear gloves to protect yourself from any blood borne pathogen or contamination. Gloves should be worn from the point prior to venipuncture until the blood tube is placed in the biohazard transport container. You want to wash your hands before and after every procedure and make sure that nothing is going to put you at risk for the barrier (the gloves) being broken, and if you think there is a risk to this, you want to double your gloves (long nails, wedding rings and things of that nature can put you at risk) PPE is to be utilized at all times in situations that involve potential exposure to blood or other body fluids. Your skin can have microscopic cuts and abrasions that can provide an avenue for transmission if exposed to blood or other infectious body fluid which is why it is of such an importance to wear gloves when coming in contact with any blood borne pathogen or bodily fluid such as saliva and semen. Gloves are typically effective for protection from splashes but do not protect from penetrating injuries caused by needles or other sharp objects. If any such injury is to occur, you are to report it to your supervisor immediately so prompt action is taken to prevent further consequences such as a patient contracting HIV/AIDS or even worst, yourself. Scenario # 2: Patient Sonny Jones is here for symptoms that include fever, sweating, lots of nasal congestion, and a cough that is productive in nature. This patient has been in contact with family members who just tested positive for the flu. During a flu outbreak, governmental agencies such as the Center for Disease Controls, Health and Human Services and the Occupational Safety Health Administration may recommend that you protect yourself from infection by using a face mask, N95 respirator, or other type of equipment. For this sort of outbreak, according to Delmars Clinical Medical Assisting and the Florida Department of Health and Human Services, employees who work in the medical field and are in constant contact with patients and those who handle the clinical aspect of medical assisting and healthcare as well as collect or transport clinical specimens should consistently adhere to recommended infection control precautions to minimize their exposure. The Center for Disease Controls states that potentially infectious specimens should be placed in leak-proof specimen bags for transport, labeled or color coded for transport and handled by personnel who are familiar with safe handling practices, have been trained in the area of infection control as well as spill cleanup procedures. They also state that workers who collect specimens from pandemic-influenza infected patients should wear PPE as described for employees in the manual that is located on-site at the work environment while performing direct patient care. PPE in this scenario would consist of gloves made of latex(if the patient has no latex allergy), vinyl, nitrile, or other synthetic materials as appropriate, when there is contact with blood and other bodily fluids, including respiratory secretions. Common sense would be to wash your hands before and after seeing every patient, do not double glove unless your needed to for a specific reason, do not re-use the gloves previously used, properly dispose and discard the gloves after usage, and proper usage of hand hygiene should also be adhered to as well to prevent chance of infection. Gowns may also be needed with the chance of heavily soiled clothing due to performing an intubation or where constant secretions might occur, but it is not required by OSHA or the CDC. Goggles or Face Shields are not needed in this case, however, if sprays or splatters of infectious material are likely, it states that goggles or a face shield should be worn as recommended for standard precautions. If you are around a patient who is consistently coughing or hacking, you would want to ensure the patient has a face shield to prevent the spread of infection, and you would also want to protect yourself from getting that as well. Scenario # 3: The Medical Assistant is assisting Dr. Jacobs with a cyst removal (a surgical procedure) in the office setting. For removal of a cyst on a patient, the medical assistant would assist the doctor with whatever he needed. The book did not really go too much into detail so I decided to watch a few YouTube videos of the incision, draining and removal of a cyst to see what actually occurs during this. After watching these few videos on YouTube, because youre dealing with bodily fluids like blood and pus, you would want to wear Gloves. First you would want to wash your hands before placing the gloves on. Of course because this is surgery you would want to ensure your sterile field is maintained. To maintain a sterile field, you would want to open your sterile dressing kit and set it up on a tray. You want to make sure the tray is above waist height because anything below the waist is considered to be contaminated or not sterile. You would then want to open the sterile kit making sure you do not touch anything inside as you do not have your gloves on yet, and everything is sterile. You would then want to put on your first set of PPE for the removal of the cyst, which would be your mask. You would want to wear a mask because this is a sterile procedure, and your mouth has germs. This way youre not breathing on or around, talking, coughing or sneezing around the sterile field. You would then hand the doctor his or her mask, and any other assistants theirs. The next thing you would want to do is put on your sterile gloves. Because this is a surgery procedure, putting on sterile gloves is important because you do not want to cause the patient to be at risk of any sort of infectious diseases. Our skin carries and comes in contact with several billion bacteria during each hour of the day, and you would not want to be the cause of a patient catching MRSA or VRE or a super bug because they got sick and then developed a resistance and could not be treated, so it is important you follow each step about putting on sterile gloves. How you would do this is by opening the glove wrapper with the palm facing up. You then would want to pick up the first glove by the cuff making sure you are only touching the inside portion of the cuff. While youre holding the cuff with one of your hands, you want to slide your other hand into the glove this way your sterile hand is the first to go into the sterile gloves. While you are doing this you want to be careful that you are not touching anything, as everything else is again considered to be contaminated. The second glove is the hardest part of placing sterile gloves but the most important step to maintain sterility in the sterile field and environment. You want to slide your gloved hand under the cuff of the second glove and slide your hand inside the glove until youre able to adjust both gloves to fit comfortably. The next step would be to proceed to assist the doctor with the removal of the cyst by applying sterile dressings from the sterile field, as well as making sure he does not need your help with anything. Before the doctor enters the room you would want to make sure the tray for the removal of the cyst is ready in the sterile field, this way the doctor does not need to leave the room for any reason at all and the sterile field is maintained until the removal of the cyst is completed. The doctor might also ask the medical assistant to assist by giving an injection to numb the area of the cyst removal on the patient. The medical assistant would be responsible for explaining the procedure, and then giving the injection at the site of the cyst removal. Because you might come into close contact with bloods, pus and other bodily fluids, I would recommend wearing a gown. Gowns are worn to protect against bodily fluids from soiling clothing, and depending on the location of the cyst and how large it is, you might want to wear this. Scenario # 4: The Medical Assistant is assisting Mrs. Johnson to the exam table in the patient room. Mrs. Johnson has Stage 2 lung cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments she tells the Medical Assistant that the oncologist called and told her that her WBC count is 2.1 and that she cannot be around anyone who is ill, etc. The first thing to note with this patient is that she does have stage two lung cancer. I as the medical assistant would first verify in the patients chart that she has this condition and check what her white blood cell count is. If confirmed that she indeed does have this low of a WBC, than I would immediately prepare for isolation of the patient so she is not around any possible contamination to where she would get ill. She would be moved from the exam table into an isolation unit exam room. I would then make sure the patient is in a comfortable position for examination and proceed with the check up and assisting the doctor. As with any other procedure or PPE usage, you will want to begin with first washing your hands. The next thing you will want to do is put on a special gown called an isolation gown which is either cloth or paper. You want to make sure you tie your isolation gown at both points which is usually behind the neck and at the waist. You do this so that when youre treating a patient in the isolation unit, in this case Mrs. Johnson, you do not contaminate your uniform or the patient for that matter. The next thing you will want to do is apply your face mask or shield. Usually these have a clear protective eye shield. You again want to ensure that the mask and shield are on your face properly and fit this way you do not risk contamination to the extremely ill patient by breathing on them, and you do not risk contamination to yourself either. The next item of PPE you will want to apply is your examination gloves. It is important that you pull the cuff over the sleeve of the gown this way you are not exposing your skin to the ill patient or any toxins that could make you ill as well. You want to avoid exposure of your skin in the isolation room. After you are done with the examination of the patient in the isolation unit, you want to be sure that the door to the unit is closed securely so no pathogens can come into the room, and then you want to remove your PPE the same way you put it on. Be sure to wash your hands after any visit with a patient. Scenario # 5: The Medical Assistant is assisting her co-worker in cleaning up a blood spill in the office laboratory. Blood spills or other human body fluids that occur inside or in the outside environment need to be decontaminated to prevent the potential transmission of communicable disease. The circumstances associated with blood spills can obviously vary greatly depending on the volume and type of contact surface. A small amount of blood, if splashed, can cover a large surface area. A large volume, if undisturbed on a flat surface, can pool in a relatively small area. A good example of blood or bodily fluids is a pregnant womans water breaking. Prior to beginning the cleanup, you would want to notify your supervisor of the spill and ask where the spill cleanup kit was located. Per OSHA and CDC Standards, a typical spill kit consists of the following: 10% bleach solution (or Lysol, virex or other EPA reg. Tuberculocidal), gloves, clear plastic bags, biohazard labels (available from OSEH HazMat), leak-proof sharps containers, brush dustpan, or tongs or forceps for picking up sharps and disinfectant wipes. You would want to put on a pair of rubber, latex, PVC or similar type gloves. For small blood spills no other PPE should be required. For larger spills where there is a possibility of contaminating your face or other parts of your body, call HazMat to assist in the cleanup, and then put on a mask and face shield along with a gown. The next thing you will want to do is to cover the spill area with a paper towel and then pour a fresh mix of the bleach solution together. You will want to allow the solution to soak into the contaminated material to ensure that it is completely disinfected. You want to also treat this similar to treating a wound in the sense that you want to work from the outside in. Next you will wipe the area with paper towels. The last and final step is that you would want to dispose of the contamination into the biohazard waste bag and dispose in the proper bio hazardous area. To complete the cleanup, you will want to finally remove your gloves and wash your hands to avoid the risk of contamination to yourself and other patients. Scenario # 6: The Medical Assistant is working with the autoclave machine today in the office laboratory. The autoclave that most medical offices use is the ones that are dry heat autoclaves. These get extremely hot so it is important that the medical assistant who is using these is able to understand the proper usage along with the PPE that he or she would need to prevent any potential injury. Some personal protective equipment you would consider to use would be eye equipment, a button lab coat to prevent burns, closed toed shoes to again prevent possible burns and injuries in the case that something is dropped, and heat resistant gloves as you will be removing the items from the autoclave. Potential hazards that could occur without the use of PPE are burns and pressure releases Hazards may be general or specific, depending on the design of the autoclave or pressure cooker. They can include Physical injury to persons in the vicinity from the rapid release of stored energy resulting from autoclave failure (e.g. failure of doors/lids) Physical injury from exploding vessels that have become pressurized during processing (e.g. glass containers) Scalding / burns from steam or the hot contents of items being processed Risk of infection from pathogenic micro-organisms due to inefficient deactivation of the waste Inadvertent release of genetically modified organisms to the environment   Manual handling issues during loading/unloading heavier items, Electrocution (e.g. damaged/wet electrical components) and Fire hazard (e.g. human error leaving manually operated autoclave equipment unattended). It is utterly important that the medical assistant knows how to operate the autoclave from what the manufacturers manual says, as every autoclave is different. The reason for this is to prevent injury from occurring in the work place. Sources: http://extranet.fhcrc.org/EN/sections/ehs/hamm/chap3/section6.html http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Uw7lf6KE1osJ:www.cardiff.ac.uk/osheu/resources/Autoclave%2520Guidelines%2520draft%2520document.doc+ppe+for+autoclavescd=10hl=enct=clnkgl=us http://www.sterilizers.com/aboutsterilizers.asp http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:C8l9I41OLkYJ:roundtable.healthsafe.uab.edu/pages/resources/Autoclave%2520Training%2520Final.ppt+autoclave+and+ppecd=1hl=enct=clnkgl=us http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:uYDSE-dYDbQJ:www.oseh.umich.edu/pdf/sop/blood_spill_SOP.pdf+blood+spills+and+ppehl=engl=uspid=blsrcid=ADGEEShRsZJO5EZW5mXd4823i2EM5UzlmRZRHdzPyo-JH_KnURDhFeWzkeaUJMxTJUU0F38knieNnixNUzbWnd3Iy2XYFN9lq6f_FGFN4CU569u3ezegbDf_w0iu_D6aK-FEyJivIXIesig=AHIEtbRO4Jxq83SAZdUaqxqEyyhFdP4bbw http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:FkfgBq95zbEJ:www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/ppt/bhpp/bhpp-train-don-PPE.ppt+ppe+for+isolationcd=3hl=enct=clnkgl=us http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y53k3eQgb20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmWS5jGnKjE http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/pandemicinfluenza/pandemic_health.html http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/GeneralHospitalDevicesandSupplies/PersonalProtectiveEquipment/default.htm http://www.doh.state.fl.us/disease_ctrl/std/prevent/MODULE_2_V2.1.pdf http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/bbp/ Delmars Clinical Medical Assisting, 4th Edition, Lindh, Dahl, Delmar Cingage Learning, Copyright 2010

Poverty, Social Exclusion and Discrimination in Wales

Poverty, Social Exclusion and Discrimination in Wales Wales is a diverse country with its own national identity, language and multicultural society, however Wales also has defined issues. Within the following assignment I plan to look at the impact of poverty, discrimination and social exclusion within Wales and the role of the social worker in addressing these issues. I will then explain the role of anti-oppressive practice in creating social inclusion. To understand the impact of poverty, discrimination and social exclusion I need to explain what is meant by these issues. People often think of poverty and social exclusion as a financial issue which affects people who are unemployed living on benefits but in reality it encompasses a far wider range of individuals (The Bevan Foundation 2009). Definitions of poverty, discrimination and social exclusion vary but I think the definition given by European Commission covers the wide spectrum of issues. It states: â€Å"People are said to be living in poverty if their income and resources are so inadequate as to preclude them from having a standard of living considered acceptable in the society in which they live. Because of their poverty they may experience multiple disadvantage through unemployment, low income, poor housing, inadequate health care and barriers to lifelong learning, culture, sport and recreation. They are often excluded and marginalised from participating in activities (economic, social and cultural) that are the norm for other people and their access to fundamental rights may be restricted.† Wales is the poorest country within the United Kingdom, due to the closure of much of its industry causing high unemployment, cuts in public spending, benefit changes and an aging population, it is thought that 600,000 approximately quarter of population live in poverty, even areas which are considered to be affluent are not as rich as many parts of the rest of the United Kingdom (Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2013). The Bevan Foundation defines groups of people within Wales who experience poverty, discrimination and social exclusion, these are ethnic minority groups, women, disabled people, children and young people and older people of pension age. The BBC news and save the children have states one in three children in Wales live in a home earning 60% lower than the average income across the United Kingdom which is  £26000, as a result Wales has some of the poorest families who have stated they regularly go without food to ensure their children are able to eat and are finding it hard to purchase basis such as shoes and a warm winter coat. Some welsh parents on a low income have stated they are regularly stressed about money which impacts on their relationship with their children, this can have lasting effects on the child. Children who grow up poor are more likely to leave school without qualifications, have fewer life experiences, reduced aspiration, restricted ability to get a good job and can lead to lifelong problems with their physical, mental condition leading to shortened lives. Many of these families find themselves in the continual cycle of poverty and social exclusion, for example a child raised in poverty is more l ikely to leave school with low or no qualifications, which reduces employment opportunities available to them, which leads to low income which could lead to them living and bringing up their children in poverty and the cycle begins once again. These issues are then compounded by the discrimination of wider society who often view people living in poverty as ‘scroungers’ living off the state, this fed by the media reporting on people claiming large amounts of benefits and shows such as Benefits Street which the minority of people when the reality many people living in poverty are often working. Poverty and social exclusion can be seen as an issue within large cities, there is a perception that only the rich live in rural areas, but these issues also affect Wales’s large rural areas. Pierson suggests exclusion within rural areas can be seen as an individual matter as people who currently living in poverty often live next door to someone whose home is their second or a multiple cars household, compared with people living in urban areas who live in socially deprived areas where their next door neighbour could be facing the same issues, taking this into account dealing with these issues could be harder to tackle. Pugh states it is often hard to recognising issues of social exclusion, poverty and discrimination within rural areas due to outsiders being unwelcome in smaller communities or due to the geographical areas of individuals. With the withdrawal or consolidation of services many services due to small amounts of people using them, many people are often left socially isolated. Pierson also suggests that people living in rural areas often face higher living expenses and they need to travel longer distances to purchases the basics. Young people living in poverty within rural areas often find themselves with low educational qualifications and a reduced or no opportunities for employment. Shucksmith suggests younger people and older people within rural areas often socialise more than in urban areas which can often influence their views on sexuality and social roles, this can cause discrimination or leave people unable to openly deal with l issues such as sexuality within the local community. Pugh states isolation within rural areas for people with mental health issues is often caused by peoples misunderstanding of their issues which can cause discrimination, people are often left not wanting to engage in communities where these views are present, this is often the views and experiences of homosexual men and women. There is often an assumption within the care sector in Wales that most welsh speakers have the ability to speak English and therefore are able to receive services in English. As a result some areas of social care sector there is little or no provision for services delivered via the medium of welsh. Section one of the code of conduct ‘1.6 states respecting diversity and different cultures and value’ by not providing services for a service user in welsh the social worker is failing to meet the needs of the service user which could result in disempowerment. Welsh Government states in More than Just Words ‘Many service users are very vulnerable, so placing a responsibility on them to ask for services through the medium of Welsh is unfair. It is the responsibility of service providers to meet these care needs. Organisations are expected to mainstream Welsh language services as an integral element of service planning and delivery’. Social workers continually addressing issues cause by social exclusion, discrimination and challenge them sensitively and constructively which is a fundamental part of their role. This is reflected in the code of practice written by the care council of Wales, throughout the code it states people must treat people as individuals and acknowledge peoples beliefs in cultures and values. The care worker must not: 5.5 Discriminate unlawfully or unjustifiably against service users, carers or colleagues 5.6 Condone any unlawful or unjustifiable discrimination by service users, carers or colleagues Thompson states the social worker must understanding and recognise the significance of discrimination and oppression in service users’ lives and circumstances. Discrimination occurs on 3 levels (PSC) which are interlinked, P refers to personal or psychological, this looks at the individual’s thoughts, feelings, attitudes and actions, thoughts about specific groups within society are often based on people’s individual experiences. C refers to someone’s culture which impacts on how people do, think or see things, culture can be very influential on what people see as the ‘norm’ within society. The final letter S refers to Structural levels this is social division and power within society. Honer states the social worker must also understand groups and individuals can face discrimination which can be very different and personal. The role of the social worker is multifunctional dealing with poverty, social exclusion and discrimination with emphasise on a holistic, citizen centred support which empowers people to take control of their lives while promoting social change (International Federation of social workers). Thompson sees empowerment on three different levels Personal, cultural, structural, I think this can also been seen with Dominelli as they state empowerment can be carries out on two levels. The micro level is the work the social worker carries out with the service user enabling them to take control of their lives, and the macro level is the work the social worker carries out within the wider community and challenging social policy by bring issues to the attention of relevant authorities or pressure groups, increasing the social and political power of groups which are oppressed. Unfortunately this can be lost within current targeted directed practice. People are encouraged to achieve their full pote ntial and promotes coping strategies to ensure people succeed. Pierson states when working with service users who are socially excluded, there are 5 building blocks required, maximising income and securing basic resources for service users and their families. The social worker needs to have a good understanding of the current benefits systems and keep up to date with any changes. Strengthening social supports and networks, working in partnership with agencies and local organisations, creating channels of effective participation for service users, local residents and their organisations. Focusing on neighbourhood and community level practice. Dominelli suggests creating power in oppressed groups by bring together people are oppressed by the same issues e.g. single mothers, and giving them the power to speak up together. Social workers have a responsibility of the law. The Equality Act 2010, The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the Human Rights Act 1998 are pieces of legislation which a social worker is able to use to address issues of discrimination, including disability, sex, race and religion when services are withheld. Dominelli suggests oppression involves something which divides people into dominant or superior group and subordinate or inferior ones, this can result in the views and contribution of the oppressed being seen as invalid and the movements of the oppressed are often controlled by the dominate party. To address oppression the social worker must work in an anti-oppression way which rejects oppression and the way in which it disables individuals. Anti-oppressive practice holds the view each individual, group or community are diverse, equal and able to achieve their full potential and create social inclusion. To achieve social inclusion the social worker must work in partnership alongside the service user, family, local community and with organisations who are able to provide support, address highlighted needs from a clear assessment process in a holistic manner to empower them using strength based practise. The social worker also needs to create a clear plan with agreed objectives and time scales within a person centred framework with regular reviews. Dalrymple and Burke 2006 state: Anti-oppressive practice is based on the belief that social work should make a difference so that those who have been oppressed may regain control of their lives and re-establish their right to be full and active members of society. While promoting anti-oppressive practice it is important the social workers do not become accepting of any issues they continually deal with as there is a risk of seeing these issues as the norm when dealing with issues over a long period of time. Thompson also states the social worker must be aware of the power which can be held within the role and do not use this inappropriately when dealing with individuals who can be seen as being disadvantaged by their lack of power. The social worker must also ensure they do not reinforce any stereotypes or discriminatory roles such as people with a disability are unable to make choices for themselves or all women are responsible for childcare. As can be seen there are issues which affect Wales, as part of it role the welsh Government has created specific strategies to deal with the economic and social issues which affect Wales, such as The Welsh Government document Tackling Poverty Action Plan 2012-2016 which outlines how the Assembly aim to tackle the issue of poverty. The plan has 3 main areas prevention, helping people into work and Mitigating the impact of poverty. It is the role of the social worker to implement some parts of these strategies and instigate social change by empowering service users. The role of social work within Wales is continually evolving due to changes in Government policy and social change, with the promise of further powers for the Welsh Government the future holds possible further changes to the role.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Mussolini Essay -- essays research papers

Benito Mussolini Like his father, Benito became a burning socialist. Mussolini had huge goals of running a political machine based on his own beliefs. Born in the poverty-stricken village of Romagna, Italy, he was wild, nomadic, and defiant as a young adult lived the life of a bum. Showing fierce aggression at such a young age, he was expelled from two schools for knife-assaults on other students. His father a village blacksmith and his mother a schoolmistress, he lived life in poverty that seemed inscapable. By moving from Italy to Austria he devoted himself to the battle for human and economic freedom. Mussolini had become an impassioned Socialist. He had been appointed secretary to the Socialists of the Chamber of Labor in Trent, Austria. He also headed a weekly newspaper that was a major Socialist channel in Trent. Practicing journalism, in which he had always thought as his first passion. This gave Mussolini an opportuninty to establish a name in the Socialist Party and with the people in general. He wrote articles that would get the people's blood racing on church issues. One thing Benito Mussolini was not afraid of was the rage of other men. For these articles he spent time in prison and was then deported back to Italy. In Italy he persisted and gave public speeches, the people loved his ideas. He became one of Italy's most intelligent and menacing young Socialist. In November 1914 he published, Il Popolo d'Italia, and the prowar group Fasci d'Azione Rivoluzi...

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

Causes Of The Salem Witch Craft Trials :: essays research papers fc

Witchcraft, Insanity, and the Ten Signs of Decay Since there never was a spurned lover stirring things up in Salem Village, and there is no evidence from the time that Tituba practiced Caribbean black magic, yet these trials and executions actually still took place, how can you explain why they occurred? The Salem Witchcraft Trials began not as an act of revenge against an ex-lover, as they did in The Crucible, but as series of seemingly unlinked, complex events, which a paranoid and scared group of people incorrectly linked. And while there were countless other witchcraft trials, Salem’s trials remain the best-known. In Salem, fears of witchcraft perpetuated by popular writings were personified when two girls were said to be bewitched. A hysteria overcame the people of Salem, whose trials went awry. In less than six months, 19 men and women were hanged, 17 innocents died in filthy prisons, an 80-year old man was crushed to death, and two dogs were stoned to death for collaborating with the Devil (Richardson 6). How could an entire village, including scholars, believe in witchcraft? Were these trials justified? Or were they evil, as many people think? How could respected, learned men believe the accounts of psychotics? Most importantly, could the trials have been avoided? A major cause of the Salem Witchcraft trials was superstition, an â€Å"irrational [belief] ... resulting from ignorance or fear of the unknown† (Saliba). A lack of scientific reasoning led many people to believe that, for instance, walking under a ladder would bring seven years of bad luck. The Puritans in Salem had even more reasons to be superstitious. Cotton Mather’s â€Å"Memorable Providences, Relating to Witchcrafts and Possessions,† with its inaccurate accounts of witchcraft, terrified. In addition, crude medical techniques, constant food poisoning, and unsanitary conditions killed many Puritans. (In the Trials, dead people and dead livestock were used as evidence of witchcraft.) More importantly, war with a nearby Indian tribe was imminent (Schlect 1); when livestock died, the Puritans thought their village was cursed, vulnerable to Indian attack. With several factions vying for control of the Village, and a series of legislative and property disputes wi th the nearby Salem Town which controlled Salem Village, it is easy to see how the people of Salem were so vulnerable to the notion of witches taking over their town. The Puritans who settled in Massachusetts left England because they thought the Church was obscuring God’s glory with its obsession of earthly things.

Monday, September 2, 2019

Mrsa Research Paper

MRSA Prevention in American Hospitals: A Review of the Literature Jenny Niemann AP Language and Composition Mrs. Cook November 4, 2010 Abstract Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a harmful and virulent antibiotic resistant bacterium that is a major concern in most American hospitals. Modern scientists are aiming to discover effective prevention methods for MRSA in hospitals, so productive prevention guidelines can be created. Clinical microbiologists such as K. Nguyen, J. Cepeda, and M. Struelens all conducted clinical trials in separate American hospitals.They employed different MRSA inhibition techniques, such as hand hygiene, isolation, and MRSA screenings, which were tested on a wide range of patients. The analyzed results revealed that despite controversies, methods exist that could be successful in preventing and controlling MRSA infections. Final Outline I. Introduction A. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most commonly identified and perhaps the most lethal antimicrobial-resistant pathogen in the world and the rates of this infection are steadily increasing globally B. (Bryce, 2009, 627). C.Current studies present numerous safety measures that could provide an effective regiment for preventing MRSA infections in hospitals. II. Body A. Kim Nguyen’s clinical study has perhaps gained the most media attention for its promise to show how simple, inexpensive measures, like hand hygiene, can reduce MRSA infection rates. 1. Study of hang hygiene program 2. Results of study 3. Evaluation of hand hygiene in prevention B. In the clinical trial conducted by Jorge Cepeda (2005), infective disease control professor at the University College London Hospitals, another preventative technique was investigated. . Description of isolation trials 2. Results of trials 3. Analysis of possible uses C. The evidence provided from another article indicates that screening for MRSA can also protect patients and reduce infection rate s. 1. Clinical trials of screening 2. Results of trials 3. Potential flaws described III. Conclusion A. In attempt to protect the safety of people in hospitals and in the community, there are numerous prevention methods that could be implemented to create a successful MRSA prevention regiment. B.All in all, MRSA is and extremely deadly and virulent bacterium, but with the use of newfound prevention methods, everyone can be protected. MRSA Prevention in American Hospitals: A Review of the Literature Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most commonly identified and perhaps the most lethal antimicrobial-resistant pathogen in the world and the rates of this infection are steadily increasing globally (Bryce, 2009, p. 627). According to an article by clinical microbiologist, Jason Surg (2008) concurred, â€Å"Recently, in American hospitals, the rate of MRSA infections was 31. per 100,000 persons admitted per year† (p. 642). It is recorded that there are more t han 100,000 cases related to MRSA per annum in the United States alone, adding up to an estimated health-care bill of over 5 billion dollars (Bryce, 2009, p. 627). Today many scientists believe because of MRSA’s ability to quickly evolve into separate strains that there is no way to halt the spread of the bacterium (Bryce, 2009, p. 628). However, microbiology teams across the world have seen enormous success in reventing MRSA transmissions in hospitals with simple measures. For example Kim Nguyen (2009), Jorge Cepeda (2005), and M. Strulens (2010), all conducted clinical trials, performing different successful prevention tactics. Current studies present numerous safety measures that in combination could provide an effective regiment for preventing MRSA infections in hospitals. Kim Nguyen’s clinical study has perhaps gained the most media attention for its promise to show how simple, inexpensive measures, like hand hygiene, can reduce MRSA infection rates.During the stu dy conducted by Nguyen and her team in the Urology ward at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, Texas, more than 2377 patients were admitted and assessed throughout the two section study (20008, p. 1298). The first section served as the indicator for baseline occurrences of MRSA in the ward, while during the second section the hand hygiene program was initiated. Nguyen (2008) explains the hand hygiene program by stating: The hand hygiene program consisted of a 1h training program to all staff on the Urology ward and daily intervention to train relatives and reinforce hand hygiene in all staff.Posters demonstrating hand hygiene were put up throughout the ward and bottles of SoftaMan hand hygiene lotion were mounted at patients’ bed ends. (p. 1299) The number of MRSA infections was then recorded for both sections of the study, and the data was analyzed. The ratio of infected patients compared to the number of admitted patients during each section resulted in a 13. 1% infection rate in the baseline study, and a 2. 1% infection rate after the hand hygiene program was implemented (Nguyen, 2008, p. 298). Nguyen also recorded the estimated personal costs of the experiment, calculating that the SoftaMan antibacterial lotion cost about $0. 60 per patient, translating into a significantly lower cost than MRSA infection treatment (Nguyen, 2008, p. 1298). Contrary to popular belief that simple and inexpensive antiseptic hand hygiene programs do not significantly reduce infections in hospitals, the infection percent rates in this study were decreased by 84% (Nguyen, 2008, p. 1298).With limited MRSA transmissions in the health care field, it could lead to better patient outcomes and safer hospital environments for patients and staff (Nguyen 2008, p. 1299). In the clinical trial conducted by Jorge Cepeda (2005), infective disease control professor at the University College London Hospitals, another MRSA inhibition technique was investigated. Isolating MRSA colonized p atients was the technique Cepeda and his team studied. The prospective trial was conducted in two general medical-surgical intensive-care units of two American teaching hospitals for 1 year (Cepeda, 2005, p. 95). All 21,840 entering patients were swabbed and tested for MRSA, and MRSA-positive patients were moved to a single cohort isolation room. While a patient was in the isolation room, policies for hygiene remained constant. 6 months into the study the practice of isolation was abandoned, and the rates of MRSA infection were once again recorded. The crude (unadjusted) Cox proportional-hazards model showed evidence of increased transmission during the latter non-isolation phase in both hospitals (Cepeda, 2005, p. 96). The evidence represented up to a 62. 2% decrease in the proportional-infection transmission rates when isolation was used (Cepeda, 2005, p. 295). Cepeda then concluded, â€Å"Moving MRSA-positive patients into single rooms or cohorted bays reduces cross infectionâ⠂¬  (Cepeda, 2005, p. 297). However, Cepeda also reported possible flaws stating that, â€Å"Despite lower transmission severity scores, isolated patients are visited half as often as are non-isolated patients (5 ·3 vs 10 ·9 visits per h)† (Cepeda, 2005, p. 296).Because transfer and isolation of critically ill patients in single rooms carries potential risks, the findings suggest a variant of isolation could be used in intensive-care units where MRSA is endemic. Although isolation was successful in reducing MRSA, it was not a risk free technique, leading to the investigations of other innocuous prevention methods. The evidence provided from another article indicates that screening for MRSA can also protect patients and reduce infection rates. M. Struelens (2009), a member of the U. S. epartment of clinical microbiology, describes in his article that, â€Å"Active surveillance (or screening) for MRSA carriers is the systematic use of microbiological tests able to detect mucocutaneous carriage of MRSA by individuals without clinical infection† (2009, p. 113). This strategy is regarded as highly effective because of its direct search-and-destroy nature. Screening is generally accomplished by swabbing areas such as the throat or nose, with recent technology allowing the cultures to be processed in less than 20 hours, with a 95% sensitivity rate (Struelens, 2009, p. 16). By identifying a carrier of the MRSA disease, the transfer of infection can be immediately stopped by treating the source with certain antibiotics. This elimination of MRSA colonies not only prevents the spread of infection in hospitals, but the entire community (Bryce, 2009, p. 627). Struelens does mention MRSA screening flaws in his conclusion reporting that, â€Å"There is an urgent need for health care professionals and diagnostic companies to assess the cost-effectiveness of these tools.In addition, greater harmonization of surveillance and typing schemes is needed to facil itate cooperation in an effort to control the MRSA pandemic† (2009, p. 116). Besides minimal flaws, Struelens expresses hope for the future of MRSA surveillance due to its success and reliability in multiple different trials (2009, p. 117). In attempt to protect the safety of people in hospitals and in the community, there are numerous prevention methods that should be implemented to create a successful MRSA prevention regiment.The various techniques in MRSA prevention, which include hygiene programs, isolation, and surveillance, have all been clinically tested and proven successful. However, there is further research that can be conducted to determine the cost-effectiveness of these methods, as well as to establish the most successful approach to combining the prevention techniques. All in all, MRSA is and extremely deadly and virulent bacterium, but with the use of newfound prevention methods, everyone can be protected. References Bryce, E. (2009).Hospital infection control strategies for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus and clostridium difficile. American Medical Association Journel, 180 (6), 628-631. Retrieved from www. ebscohost. com Cepeda, J. , Whitehouse, T. , Cooper, B. , Hails, J. , Jones, K. , Kwaku, F. , et al. (2005). Isolation of patients in single rooms or cohorts to reduce spread of MRSA in intensive-care units: prospective two-centre study. Lancet, 365(9456), 295-304. Retrieved from www. ebscohost. com Nguyen, K. (2008). Effectiveness of an alcohol-based hand hygiene programme in educing nosocomial infections in the Urology Ward of Texas Medical Institute, Texas. Tropical Medicine & International Health,  13(10), 1297-1302. doi:10. 1111/j. 1365-3156. 2008. 02141. x Struelens, M. (2009). Laboratory tools and strategies for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus screening, surveillance and typing: state of the art and unmet needs. Clinical Microbiology & Infection,  15(2), 112-119. doi:10. 1111/j. 1469-0691. 2009. 02698 . x Surg, J. (2008). Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus in hospitals. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 13(8), 642-643. doi:10. 1111/j. 1445- 2197. 2008. 04605. x

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Managing Pibrex Russia Essay

Pibrex, a European leader in the production and development of polymers, faces the loss of its three Russian subsidiaries. This threat stems from issues encountered after entering the region in 1992 and then being hit with the Russian financial crisis of August 1998. As result, a steering committee comprised of three senior managers from Pibrex Region Europe North (PREN) exercised many anti-crisis initiatives including assigning newly appointed financial controller Elena Michailova with the task of auditing all three Pibrex Russian subsidiaries. Upon completion of Michailova’s audit, she has discovered that it is the combination of remaining issues from the reduction period and the Russian financial crisis that threaten the existence of Pibrex’s existence in Russia. The steering committee’s ultimate goal is to resolve these issues to ensure survival of the Russian subsidiaries and breaking financially even in the near future. Issues Short term 1. Lack of an integrated operating system and task redundancy across departments 2. Large differences in wages between managers, sales, marketing, and production workers 3. Very little communication between management and subordinates 4. Poor working conditions Long term 1. In the plant there is a lack of order and financial control 2. Contention between staff and management 3. Bad management and employee relations 4. Outdated facilities Analysis Let us use the five why’s method of analysis to find the root cause: 1. Why is Pibrex in danger of losing its Russian subsidiaries? Pibrex is in danger of losing its Russian subsidiaries because of unresolved issues lingering after the reduction period and the Russian financial crisis. 2. Why were these issues left unresolved? The issues were never resolved by previous management. 3. Why were these issues never resolved by previous management? Managers were distant and many times unaware of issues within the organization. 4. Why were managers distant and unaware? There was a lack of communication and operational control for the management of Pibrex Russia. 5. Why was there was a lack of communication and operational control for the management of Pibrex Russia? Pibrex used a decentralized structure worldwide. This structure was complicated and Russians did not easily adapt to it. Pibrex Region Europe North had many other subsidiaries besides Russia therefore issues in the Russian subsidiaries were often over looked. This limited progress and denied proper management of Pibrex Russia. The root cause of Pibrex being in danger of losing is Russian subsidiaries is the use of a decentralized structure. Alternatives 1. Go to a much more centralized structure that the Russians are more accustomed to 2. Restructure management my replacing all managers 3. PREN would focus more on the Russian subsidiaries 4. Drop all Russian subsidiaries and disperse production duties among other subsidiaries in PREN Criteria 1. Financial losses from the Russian subsidiaries must stop 2. Management should be more accessible and properly trained 3. Communication between managers and subordinates is key 4. Improve workforce morale 5. Increase efficiency Decision Pibrex needs Elena Michailova to take the job of financial and managing director of Pibrex KZ. I believe that her taking on both positions is the only scenario where Pibrex can keep the Russian subsidiaries and eventually make them profitable again. Michailova has seen the issues and identified them through her audit. There is no one else more qualified than her to take on these two positions. She also happens to be Russian a unlike her predecessor. This should help greatly in resolving the tense relationship with the workers and management. With her experience and a well thought out restructuring plan, I have the up most confidence that the Russian  subsidiaries can be saved. Programming the Decision Elena Michailova as the experience, all she needs is a solid restructuring plan. The short term issues should be addressed immediately. Finances will be tight at first so she might have to think outside of the box to be able resolve some of these issues. For instance, if the budget will not allow for a new integrated operating system she might have to find a better way of communication to cut down on task redundancy and revenue loss due to missed deliveries. Michailova will also have to decide if she can make the decentralized management work in Russia. If she can get the Russians to adapt to the concept it might be beneficial. Decentralized management makes access to excellent expertise but if the Russians cannot adapt then it might be more productive to have a more centralized form of management for them. She will also have to deal with the financial crisis. This might mean more layoffs to cut costs. It will definitely mean making production more effective. The subsidiaries will no t survive in this financial climate if it cannot find ways to save money and make a profit.