Influences on Nursing Professional Practice

Influences on Nursing Professional Practice The Illness-Wellness Continuum, developed in the 1970s, illustrates that health is a dynamic state; there are several degrees of health. â€Å"Good health†, or High-Level Wellness, is achieved through awareness, education and growth, and is found on the right of the horizontal Illness-Wellness Continuum diagram. Signs, symptoms, and disability, which are evidence of worsening health (and eventually Pre-Mature Death), are found on the left side of the Illness-Wellness Continuum illustration as â€Å"Poor health†. In the center of the continuum is a â€Å"Neutral Point†, at which there is â€Å"no discernible illness or wellness†. (Travis, 2004). Congruent with the Illness-Wellness Continuum, the Constitution of the World Health Organization defined health as â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†. (World Health Organization, 1946). It is interesting to note that this definition has not been revised in more than six decades. This definition describes the integration of physical, mental and social well-being as health, and differentiates the state of health from the lack of disease. Wellness can be considered as the integration of mind, body and spirit. Optimal wellness allows us to achieve our goals and find meaning and purpose in our lives. Wellness combines seven dimensions of well-being into a quality way of living. Overall, wellness is the ability to live life to the fullest and to maximize personal potential in a variety of ways. Wellness involves continually learning and making changes to enhance your state of wellness. When we balance the physical, intellectual, emotional, social, occupational, spiritual, and environmental aspects of life, we achieve true wellness. (Nordqvist, 2014). Harvard-trained Andrew Weil, MD wrote that humans become familiar with health when they are ill or have a disease (page 41). (2004). It is important to realize that the traditional valuations of health as good and desirable, and illness as bad, are not necessarily clear-cut; â€Å"health is the expansion of consciousness that transcends the illness-wellness dichotomy†. (Koerner, 2011). â€Å"Health is wholeness – wholeness in its most profound sense, with nothing left out and everything in just the right order to manifest the mystery of balance. Far from being simply the absence of disease, health is a dynamic and harmonious equilibrium of all the elements and forces making up and surrounding a human being.† (page 41) (Weil, 2004). Health, then, encompasses both wellness and illness and/or disease. Health and healing may be examined in a number of ways, including through the models of the physical body and the body-mind-spirit. Models of Health and Healing Larry Dossey, MD pointed out how the perceptions and beliefs about health and illness have changed over time (Koerner, 2011). In Era I, which began in the 1860s, science was assimilated into the practice of western medicine. Health and illness were considered in the context of the physical body; the consciousness of individuals was a result of biochemical, structural, and physiological facets of the brain. Illness was considered to be â€Å"physical in nature†; therefore, treatment had to be physical in nature. Surgery and medications treated physical illness. The term â€Å"physical† refers to the body of a person, rather than their mind, and existed in a tangible form which could be touched or seen. It was reasonable to conclude that the physical body was a basic component of each individual’s identity. The consciousness, or mind, of a patient was connected to the role of the brain. In the 1950s, Era II arose as practitioners expanded their considerations of health and noticed that thoughts, feelings, personal principles, attitudes and values impact physical health. Hypertension, myocardial infarctions, and ulcerations of the gastrointestinal system were attributed to emotional stress. During this time period, treatment modalities began to address the mind consciousness. (Dossey, n.d.). It has been said that many people still hold this perspective. (Koener, ) Based on the quantum physics pattern, the current perspective, Era III, identifies the consciousness which is not limited to a person’s body, but is described as â€Å"infinite, immortal, omnipresent†. (Riley, 2011). A nonlocal mind is one without limits; consequently, an individual’s consciousness can influence and be influenced by others’ emotions, including love and compassion. This meshing of consciousness creates unity, or â€Å"oneness† among all humans; we have the ability to influence each other through connections which can be made in the nursing profession by nurturing transpersonal activities. Discussion. A significant distinction is found by comparing the mind in the physical body of Era I to the consciousness of Era III. In the 19th century, the mind was considered to be entirely separate from the neurologic function of the brain. In the modern Era, the limitless mind has been expanded to Body-Mind-Spirit and My Professional Presence Nurses are human beings, just like their patients. To truly partner in relationships that advance wholeness in patients (p. 18.) (Korner, 2011), nurses must be â€Å"authentically present† (Falk-Rafael, 2005). Rather than focusing on past or present events to explain physical and emotional states, nurses can assist patients to â€Å"stay with their feelings and learn to observe†¦without reaction, description, or interpretation.† (p. 18) (Koerner, 2011). This nursing presence creates the opportunity â€Å"for real transformation and growth.† (p. 18) (Koerner, 2011). Nursing theorist Jean Watson’s caritas illuminate that at its core, transpersonal recognizes that the power of love, faith, compassion, caring, community and intention, consciousness and access to a deeper/higher energy source, i.e., ones God, is as important to healing as are our conventional treatment approaches, and is possibly even more powerful in the long run† (Falk-Rafael quoting Watson. See reference #30) http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.wgu.idm.oclc.org/ehost/pdfviewer/[emailprotected]vid=1hid=104 The framework of Caring Science â€Å"is grounded in the ethic of ‘Belonging’ to that which is greater than our ‘Being’; it goes beyond medical science, acknowledging the relational, life force; they philosophical, unitary field dimensions underlying all of humanity.† (Watson Browning, 2012). http://watsoncaringscience.org/about-us/caring-science-definitions-processes-theory/ My Professional Presence Influences My Professional Practice Self-confidence, comfort with uncertainty, integrity, optimism, passion for work, and empathy are 6 features of professional nursing presence (Lachman, V, 2001). A nurse’s professional presence can facilitate an â€Å"aura of competence and authority†. (Chater, 2011) Classic dark suits with white blouses, a tidy hair style, quality shoes, and traditional jewelry project an appearance of confidence and create a favorable first impressions. Making eye contact, smiling, active listening and open body language can promote confidence from others. A professional presence allows nurses to distinguish themselves from other nurses. My knowledge, skills and abilities†¦. My ability to complete assignments and demonstrate accountability†¦ Self-promotion through networking, volunteering, appropriate social media can increase my professional presence. Promoting my own professional presence and showing respect to those with whom I come in contact can stimulate the profession of nursing. Crittenden, J. (2013). The discreet guide for executive women. San Diego, CA: Whistling Rabbit Press. http://www.discreetguide.com/articles/your-personal-brand-and-professional-presence/ I most closely relate to the concept of the body-mind-spirit in relation to my professional presence. Most disease or illness is manifested in our physical bodies. The physical pain we feel is a symptom of something in our body needing attention. We need diagnostic studies to identify abnormalities, and can Additionally, if we find ourselves catching bacterial and viral illnesses, it is beneficial to evaluate if there is compromise to the immune system, and address any deficiencies. The thoughts and emotions of individuals influence health, too. Anxiety, anger and frustration can cause blood pressure to elevate, resulting in poor perfusion. The spirit is â€Å"the force within a person that is believed to give the body life, energy and power† http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spirit Because of my Christian beliefs, I consider each individual’s spirit to be their connection to divinity. If someone is experiencing pain, I think it is valuable to consider if there is pathological disease (i.e., a broken bone or diseased organ) which would benefit from medical attention through pharmaceuticals; some type of physical therapy; or rest. It is beneficial to examine Professional presence Increased awareness of my professional presence as a nurse can help me better integrate my insights, goals, and beliefs as I serve in roles of leader and follower. I was excited to read about Carla Woody’s five-stage transformational remembering process of sparking, separation, searching, initiation, and re-entry. (p. 208). (Koerner, 2011). There is an opportunity for me to practice mindfulness in my personal life and professional life. I also am willing to take the time to learn and practice mindfulness. At greater frequency over the past year, I have found myself wondering the extent of â€Å"nursing burnout† that I feel. I turned 50 last year, and that milestone began me asking questions about what I want to do with the rest of my life. I am satisfied as a nurse; however, I am restless and relatively bored in my current position at work. I have recently completed my BSN, a second bachelor degree, and obtained board certification. One of my reasons for pursuing an MSN in Nursing Education is to keep a spark of learning, new knowledge, and inquisitiveness about me, because that is who I am. I embrace the possibility that â€Å"a mindful person is relaxed. He or she’s fully immersed in the here and now and has no regrets about the past or worries about the future.† (Heard, Hartman, Bushardt, 2013). One thing that I have realized is that my focus is not going to be on tasks (which I referred to as what I want to do with the rest of my life), but on beingwhat I was to be for the rest of my life. The current assignment to examine what it means to me to be human has been a satisfying journey. I have identified that I want authenticity in my relationships, and that I want simplicity in my material belongings. By authenticity, I mean that I want to be myself, be natural, and find myself surrounded by a small core group of friends and family members who are the same way. When I say simplicity, I mean that I do not clutter in my surroundings. I want order and minimalism. I do not want fluff or dust collectors. I want my surrounding to be peaceful while reflecting who I am and buoying me, too. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring/Caring Science incorporated the principle of an â€Å"authentic presence† in which nurses honor, or respect, and connect as a human to other humans. http://watsoncaringscience.org/files/Cohort%206/watsons-theory-of-human-caring-core-concepts-and-evolution-to-caritas-processes-handout.pdf http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition References A conversation about the future of medicine. http://www.dosseydossey.com/larry/QnA.html Barnett, J. Shale, A. (2013). The integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into thepractice of psychology: A vision for the future. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice. 43(6). 576-585. A review of this article that I will source: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/04/ce-corner.aspx Chater, S. (2011). Professionalism. In M. Greenberg, G. Alexander, H. Feldman (Eds.), Nursing leadership: A concise encyclopedia> New York: Springer Pub. Co. Dossey, L. (n.d.). A conversation about the future of medicine. Retrieved from http://www.dosseydossey.com/larry/QnA.html Falk-Rafale, A. (2005). Advancing nursing theory through theory-guided practice: the emergence of a critical caring perspective. Advances in Nursing Science 28(1), 38-49. Heard, P, Hartman, S, Bushardt, S. (2013). Rekindling the flame: Using mindfulness to end nursing burnout. Nursing Management(44)11. DOI-10.1097/01.NUMA.0000436366.99397.10 Koerner, J. (2011).Healing Presence: The Essence of Nursing (2nd ed). New York City: Springer Publishing Company. Koerner, J. (n.d.). â€Å"Complete Health and Healing† by JoEllen Koerner (Retrieved from:https://wgu.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Podcast/Embed/079cf429-e2d6-4692-842c-0fc5b3833cf2.mp4) Lachman, V. (2001). Professional presence: How do you get it? Nursing Management 32(10). 41-42. Retrieved from http://eds.b.ebscohost.com.wgu.idm.oclc.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1sid=b59f700b-1efa-48a8-9269-56c3290db60b%40sessionmgr115hid=108 Nordqvist, C. (2014). What is health? What does good health mean? Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150999.php Physical. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved May 9, 2015 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/physical Riley, S. (2011). Review of Reinventing Medicine: Beyond mind-body to a new era of healing. Travis, J. (2004). Illness-Wellness Continuum. Retrieved from http://www.thewellspring.com/wellspring/introduction-to-wellness/357/key-concept-1-the-illnesswellness-continuum.cfm Watson, J. Browning, R. (2012). Viewpoint: Caring Science meets Heart Science: A guide to authentic caring practice. American Nurse Today 7(8). Retrieved from http://www.americannursetoday.com/viewpoint-caring-science-meets-heart-science-a-guide-to-authentic-caring-practice/ Weil, A. (2004). Health and healing: The philosophy of integrative medicine and optimum health. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. World Health Organization. (1948). Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html A. Professional Presence Discuss the differences betweentwomodels of health and healing (e.g., physical body, body-mind, body-mind-spirit/bio-psycho-social,) as they relate to what it means to be human. Analyze differences betweenoneof the models discussed in part A1 and your professional presence (i.e., current beliefs, attitudes, and actions regarding health and healing). Discuss how your professional presence (mindful or distracted) influences your nursing practice.

Beowulf vs. Modern Society :: Epic of Beowulf Essays

Beowulf vs. Modern Society Are there any similarities between life in modern America and the world of Beowulf? Is it possible for such a technology oriented world such as ours to have anything in common with a world which had not even heard of electricity? Has this technology really separated us from prior civilizations? Is our thinking today any different from the thinking of ancient cultures? Although it may not seem to be true, there are actually many similarities between our world and that of Beowulf’s. These similarities are readily seen in all forms of media and entertainment, as well as noted sources of culture such as music and movies. If the similarity between the two cultures is accepted, it will not be hard to comprehend Beowulf. The first and most notable similarity is drinking. King Hrothgar built a giant mead-hall, namely Heorot, to accommodate his celebrations. Throughout Beowulf it can be seen that celebrations of any kind are always accompanied by drinking. Drinking is just present today as it was thousands of years ago. People today always include drinking in their celebrations, whether it be a birthday, anniversary, or marriage. Heorot is nothing more than a tremendous bar. The festivities of the warriors in Beowulf’s time can be seen every night in any local bar or pub. Another similarity of course is violence. Violence is obviously present in Beowulf’s world. The determinant of status holds its roots in violence. The only way for a warrior to prove himself is through battle, or violence. Specifically this can be seen through the character, Unferth. He was not respected as a warrior due to his inability to win battles. He tried to find faults in Beowulf to raise his own ego. The disrespect given to this man was due to his unsuccessfulness in violent engagements. Modern violence is present all around us. No matter which way one turns, violence will be there to greet him. Whether it be on the street, in school, or even at home, violence cannot be avoided. The presence of this violence in society leads to stress. This stress is to a large extent the cause of the similarity mentioned earlier, namely drinking. Anyone from the local bully to a armed robber can be representatives of modern violence. Although it is present in everyday life, this violence can be seen easier in any form of media.

Death Penalty Should Not Be Abolished Essay

In the past, their lives who commit crimes were taken easily. The Code of Hammurabi has many stern laws to punish guilty people. It was said â€Å"If anyone ensnares another, putting a ban upon him, but he cannot prove it, then he that ensnared him shall be put to death.† by the code of Hammurabi. This law shows that people were punished when doing something of illegal. Apparently the death penalty is one kind of warning punishment, and reminding people not to endanger the rights of other people. However, in the recently years, people pay more attention in the human rights. Some of people start thinking that the death penalty should be abolished. Moreover, there are contrary opinions to judge the issue of the death penalty. In my opinion, the existence of the death penalty is necessary. Especially we can save society resource, prevent the crime rate increase, console the population’s psychology. First, the society doesn’t have duty to costs much money for a murder all life in jail. It is very expensive to hold someone in prison for life. Life prisoners stay in prison on average for 30 to 40 years at a cost ofï ¼â€ž40,000 toï ¼â€ž50,000 per year. In the beginning the murder commit crimes which has encroach on other’s right. Every year the government has to pay much money on the prisoner of life imprisonment. On the other hand, if a murder is provided by all common people, it is unfair for all common people to raise the murder who is a killer. We work hard in the world, why do we have to pay our salary to a murder? Nothing the murder done, but the crime does. It seems too ridiculous to raise a murder who makes a big mistake for a life. Second, the death penalty can frighten and hinder committing crime. To prevent people not to take other people easily, they should know they would die if they kill somebody. For the investigation, enforcing the death penalty can save eighteen people’s life. Another reporter shows that the Korea has abolished the death penalty for seven years, but the crime rate has been increase. The important of death penalty can’t be ignored, and the death penalty has the position can’t be waved. The existence of death penalty warns people not to commit serious crimes easily, and prevent the crime rate increase. Third, the death penalty consoles the people’s psychology. Some people think that anyone has no right to take away other’s life, even to punish the prisoner. I agree that life is a valuable present which God gives us. So the life is very important for us. Otherwise, a murder who offended other’s the valuable right, he is not be excused. A murder may take more over one life. The same, he takes so many valuable present that he can’t be excused. Then we don’t punish him, and give him s chance to live. Who can give the chance for the victim to live? Finally, we don’t need to pay so much society resource to imprison a murder, and the government can use the money in education and improving the society. The power of executing the death penalty is a warning to tell people not to murder others. The human right is very valuable, so we can’t take other’s life easily. Enforcing death penalty is a way to confess the relatives of dead people. It stands for the justice of the society. So the death penalty cannot be abolished in this society.

Baroque Music essays

Baroque Music essays The Baroque Period began in 1600 with Monteverdi. The term Baroque, was from the Italian word barraco, meaning bizarre. It ended with the death of Handel and Bach in the 1750s. The main shared ideal for the period is the belief that musics principle goal is to move to affections. The Baroque era is the era of style-consciousness. The means of verbal representation in Baroque music were intellectual, pictorial and had richer vocabulary. Opera is one of the important innovations of Baroque era which allowed the realization of extreme affection in music. It represented melodic freedom. The Baroque Period includes many great music composers, for example, Monteverdi, Bach, Handel, Corelli, Gabrieli, Telemann and Schutz. The Baroque era is era of experimentation and expanding the music rules. The Baroque music is able to convey the filling of available space, sound and movement. It allowed the composers to express their emotions in their pieces. The general characteristics of the Baroque Period are the fast harmonic rhythm, dynamics shifts from loud to soft abruptly. The instruments mainly used are orchestral instruments which include wind, strings, brass and keyboard instruments. In Baroque Period, several new forms and designs of music are introduced, which include Operas, Sonatas, Oratorios, Suites, Fuites and Concertos. Modes are finally replaced by Major/Minor keys system. The orchestra took shape; the violins became the dominant instrument. The death of Handel and Bach ended the Baroque Period. It was followed by the Romantic Period. Today, Baroque music is widely performed and enjoyed throughout the world. ...

How to Express Future Time in English

How to Express Future Time in English Legend has it that the final words of French grammarian Dominique Bouhours were, Je vais ou je vas mourir; lun et lautre se dit, ou se disent. In English that would be, I am about to or I am going to die. Either expression is used. As it happens, there are also multiple ways of expressing future time in English. Here are six of the most common methods. the simple present: We leave tonight for Atlanta.the present progressive: Were leaving the kids with Louise.the modal verb will (or shall) with the base form of a verb: Ill leave you some money.the modal verb will (or shall) with the progressive: Ill be leaving you a check.a form of be with the infinitive: Our flight is to leave at 10:00 p.m.a semi-auxiliary such as to be going to or to be about to with the base form of a verb: We are going to leave your father a note. But time is not quite the same as grammatical tense, and with that thought in mind, many contemporary linguists insist that properly speaking, the English language has no future tense. [M]orphologically English has no future form of the verb, in addition, to present and past forms. . . . In this grammar, then, we do not talk about the future as a formal category . . ..(Randolph Quirk et al., A Grammar of Contemporary English. Longman, 1985)[W]e do not recognize a future tense for English. . . . [T]here is no grammatical category that can properly be analyzed as a future tense. More particularly, we argue that will (and likewise shall) is an auxiliary of mood, not tense.(Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University Press, 2002)There is no future tense ending for English verbs as there is in other languages . . ..(Ronald Carter and Michael McCarthy, Cambridge Grammar of English. Cambridge University Press, 2006)English has no future tense, because it has no future tense inflections, in the way that many other languages do, nor any other grammatical form or combination of forms that can exclusively be ca lled a future tense.(Bas Aarts, Oxford Modern English Grammar. Oxford University Press, 2011) Such denials of a future tense may sound paradoxical (if not downright pessimistic), but the central argument hinges on the way we mark and define tense. Ill let David Crystal explain: How many tenses of the verb are there in English? If your automatic reaction is to say three, at least, past, present, and future, you are showing the influence of the Latinate grammatical tradition. . . .[I]n traditional grammar, [t]ense was thought of as the grammatical expression of time, and identified by a particular set of endings on the verb. In Latin there were present tense endings . . ., future tense endings . . ., perfect tense endings . . ., and several others marking different tense forms.English, by contrast, has only one inflectional form to express time: the past tense marker (typically -ed), as in walked, jumped, and saw. There is therefore a two-way tense contrast in English: I walk vs I walked: present tense vs past tense. . . .However people find it extremely difficult to drop the notion of future tense (and related notions, such as imperfect, future perfect, and pluperfect tenses) from their mental vocabulary, and to look for other ways of talking about the gramm atical realities of the English verb.(The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge University Press, 2003) So from this perspective (and keep in mind that not all linguists wholeheartedly agree), English doesnt have a future tense. But is this something that students and instructors need to be concerned about? Consider Martin Endleys advice for EFL teachers: [T]here is no harm done if you continue to refer to the English future tense in your classroom. Students have quite enough to think about without being troubled by such matters and there is little sense in adding to their burden needlessly. Yet, underlying the dispute is an important issue that does have an obvious bearing on the classroom, namely, the difference between the way the present and past tenses are marked on the one hand, and the way the (so-called) future tense is marked on the other.(Linguistic Perspectives on English Grammar: A Guide for EFL Teachers. Information Age, 2010) Fortunately, English does have a future with plenty of ways of expressing future time.

National Alcohol Action Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

National Alcohol Action Plan - Essay Example The rational for this proposal is in a number of legal contentions. First, children are considered as people who are not mature enough to take decisions on their own (ALAC). Knowing that the consumption of alcohol comes with a number of chemical effects that limit the degree at which a person can take decisions decisively, it is purported that in case with children who have to take decisions while they are intoxicated their judgmental abilities could be worsened. What is even worse, because children are generally thought to be people who cannot take tangible decisions, they are mostly not held accountable for their actions including times when they are drunk. For adults, they should face the consequences of breaking other laws and regulations if they do not heed to the advocacy to be prudent in their drinking and get themselves into any form of trouble (Babor et al., 2001). Overview of the Existing Law The existing law has mostly been referred to as extradition of torture. This accol ade might have come about due to the public perception associated with the harshness of the law in trying to control the issue of alcoholism in the land. A little scientific overview on alcoholism or the act of getting intoxicated shows that there could be a number of very negative repercussions on offenders (Centre for Social and Health Outcomes Research and Evaluations, 2006). First and foremost, alcoholism comes with a very perilous health risks including those that affect the heart, lever and lungs (Department of Corrections, 2004). The practice of getting intoxicated also affects the rationality of a person and could be associated with distorted thinking. Such distorted thinking causes people to act abnormally. In the face of legal positivism, which looks at the application of law from social facts, it be said that once a person begins to think irrationally, that person is bound to break other laws; including natural laws such as the peace that people ought to enjoy, physical a ssault, verbal assault and some forms of vandalism. In effect, a law that seeks to stop people from getting intoxicated would not be readily condemned as pessimistic. However, here comes the argument that the present law is not based on the provisions of legal realism as it has its reprimanding attributes from the Bible – a document that is not accepted by the people as the binding constitution from which they should be rules. Strengths of the Existing Law The

Sierra LeoneWrite about literacy rates, primary school completion rate Essay

Sierra LeoneWrite about literacy rates, primary school completion rate among females, secondary school attendance, and how girls are interested in attending school further - Essay Example From 2008 to 2012, the literacy level for female aged between 15 -24 years stood at 52% while that of the male stood at 70.5% (UNICEF, 2014). In the period between 2008 and 2012, primary education gross enrollment ratio for male was 129% while that of the females stood at 120%. In the secondary education, gender disparity was still evident. During the period, the net attendance ratio for the boy’s student was 39.9% while that of the girls stood at 33%. The statistics from the primary school indicates that there is a notable disparity in terms of girls and boys education in Sierra Leone. Key challenges facing school going girls during their adolescent stage in Sierra Leone include Another notable aspect that makes the rate of school absenteeism to be high among the 9-14 years old is lack of latrines that are separated based on the gender. According to UNICEF, Majority of schools also lack latrines as well as private areas where girls can wash themselves (Marni et al, 2012). Additionally, due to lack of sanitary cloths available for use by the girls during emergencies, girls do not feel motivated to attend the schools. UNICEF has embarked on addressing problems faced by girls in ways such