CPS Conservatorship Worker Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

CPS Conservatorship Worker - Personal Statement Example The author of the paper states that the ability to change the society and protect the rights of the children is essential and fits adequately with his moral and professional requirements. The researcher ‘s Bachelor Degree of Social Science in Criminology has prepared him to deal analytically with complex issues and to approach various problems in different methods. The author’s studies equipped him with excellent investigative skills and communication skills due to numerous group works and class participation. His previous employment as an Office Assistant prepared him professionally on how to deal with demanding schedules while maintaining healthy working relationships. Additionally, the author worked as a teller where his computer skills were improved significantly. The researcher will increase efficiency by dedicating resources to the intended course of the agency. The author’s investigative skills will enable him to close numerous cases at the stipulated time while his interpersonal skills will be aimed at developing more intimate employee relationships so that they can work on a common agenda. The researcher also seeks to develop a successful career with DFPS while achieving excellent children care and changing society by ensuring that children are socialized in favorable environments.

Budgeting in Business Operation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Budgeting in Business Operation - Term Paper Example Budgeting is such process that companies use to plan their business activities regarding time and money. This process makes the business operations undergo in an effective and efficient manner. According to Morgan (2006), a company’s financial success depends largely on the budgeting decisions that its managers take concerning all financial aspects of the business. Therefore, it is imperative for a company to develop a perfect budget plan that should help the company achieve its desired goals and objectives, as well as it should help it maintain the financial equilibrium. Objectives In this paper, we will discuss different aspects and key areas related to the process of budgeting in order to understand the role that budgeting plays in the success of a company. We will discuss in detail certain issues in order to know the importance of budgeting for a company. Topics in Detail about Budgeting and Discussion The topics which will be covered in this project include functions of b udgeting, employee motivation through budgeting, responsibilities of budget holders, budgetary control, capital budgeting, and techniques of capital budgeting. Discussing these topics will help us get a good understanding of some of the core aspects of budgeting. Let us discuss all of these topics in some detail. Functions of budgeting 1. Financial Analysis Budgeting helps firms in doing financial analysis. Managers of the firms can know the exact financial position of the company through proper budgeting. They can know the actual strength of their company and can take various decisions based on that financial analysis. They can know what is happening in reality related to the use of money for various business activities. Budgeting is a process that provides managers with the information concerning the current financial position of the company, capital in hand for the company, and predicted future expenditures related to current and ongoing business processes. Companies can save the ir capital and related business expenditures through effective budgeting. The proper financial analysis also helps companies cut off the extra costs from the business expenditures and utilize the available capital for other business activities. 2. Planning Budgeting helps companies properly plan their business activities in accordance with the financial analysis report and available budget. Planning is one of the key business processes that help companies take calculated steps towards progress. A company can take measurable steps regarding its future activities, such as, loan decisions, investment decisions, employees’ salary increment, compensation and benefits, and buying or selling decisions after forecasting the financial position and planning for activities. 3. Communication is another key function of budgeting. If a company makes some kind of financial contract with some other company, budgeting helps in resolving all kinds of issues regarding the use of capital between the two companies. Companies can set priorities considering their budgets in order to escape from financial issues and conflicts. An effective budget is one which assists companies to communicate with each other for discussing various money-related issues, such as, the way the companies should spend the money and the amount of money they should spend on different business ventures. 4. Motivation Budgeting is a process that plays a critical role in motivating the employees of a company.

Criminology Essays Crime and Society in Australia

Criminology Essays Crime and Society in Australia Crime and Society in Australia What is Crime? Crime can be defined as breaking the law. The government or authorities usually set laws that the citizens must follow, punishment is prescribed for those who bleach those laws. The laws provided by a state are an example of behaviour codes that influence society. The legal or criminal justice system enforces the law and punishes those who break it. There is a social stigma associate with crime. It is important to note that all breaches of the law are not criminal such as civil offences and breach of contract. The tag ‘crime’ is usually reserved for the offences that cause harm or injury to the public, individuals or the state. Social, political, economic and psychological conditions influence the definition of crime and how the law is enforced. These changes may criminalize or decriminalize behaviour. The statistics on crime will have to take this factor into account. Who is the Criminal? A criminal is deviant who does not follow social codes that exist in the society. Legally, a criminal is a person who breaches the law and commits a crime. This offender is the tried before a court of law for breaking the law. A criminal is usually found to be guilty of the charges put against him/her. A sentence or punishment is give to such an individual. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Types of crime In Australia crimes are legally classified as either indictable or non-indictable. Indictable offences are heard in a superior court in the presences of a jury. However, non-indictable offences are heard in magistrate courts and jury is not necessary. Although there are many differences in the various jurisdictions, a conclusion was made that offences include; fraud, burglary, robbery, rape, assault and homicide. Crime is categorized as violent, public order or property crime in the criminal justice statistics. Violent crimes consist of assault, sexual violence, robbery, kidnapping or abduction and homicide. Robbery to some extent is a property crime. Nevertheless, it’s well thought-out a wicked crime since the risk of violence is a graver offence. Criminal Justice organization in Australia Australia’s criminal law has evolved from the initial law adopted from the English common law. This central administration of this country is composed of the national government and six states. The commonwealth government enforces its own laws. Commonwealth offences include drug trafficking, breach of social security laws, property and personal offences that occur within the commonwealth. Every state has its own criminal law. States like; Tasmania, Western Australia and Queensland have enacted the criminal codes. This law also applies in other Australia states like those from the south and the new south of Wales. Currently gender, race, policing, law and crime are some of the topics for debate in the criminal justice system. Stakeholders are kin on establishing a relationship between crime, gender, race and the legal justice system. However, the issue has not received adequate media and political attention. Gender Race According to statistics on Australia’s workforce in criminal justice work there are more men compared to women. Information and statistics provided also shows Australian indigenous white male represent the largest population in the prisons. The author notes that the normal group of just about 2% of Australia’s female population accounts for half of the overall number of indigenous Australian women who are in prison.† These findings are astonishing. In addition, statistics also reveals that majority of those working in criminal justice are white males. The population of indigenous white men is larger than that of indigenous Australian women. Evidently, there is a racial disparity in the workforce of the criminal justice system in Australia. Policing The role of the police in the legal justice system is analyzed by Cunneen in his book called, Administration, offence and clash: indigenous Communities and the law. The author examines the over-criminalization of Australia’s indigenous people in relation to their colonial past. He developed a theory that there is a relationship between criminalization and colonization of the indigenous people. Cunneen gives attention to the role the police play in the process of criminalization of the indigenous people. He notes that the law enforcers particularly the police have limited effectives; their policies and practices are shortcoming. The police need to change their colonial policing style and culture. A zero tolerance approach towards crime has been adopted however, it is important to protect human rights and to use good judgment. Police have a vital role in crime prevention and reaction. However, more emphasis should be placed on crime prevention. The police need to organize targeted patrols, follow ups for victims with repeat allegations, faster improved response to victims, problem identification and development of solutions as well as cooperation with other law enforcing agencies. For this changes to take place successfully a cultural and mind set change is fundamental (Brereton 2000). Age The minimum age for trial in Australia’s juvenile court and in the adult courts varies. Nonetheless, 7 years is the minimum age for trial in a juvenile court and 16 years for trial in an adult court in most states. In some jurisdictions criminal charges such as murder, rape and treason are tried in adult courts. Sexuality Crime and society in Australia Women have often been the victims of crime. A study was conducted on the victimization of women in Australia. The survey on sexual and physical violence was carried out on women between 18 to 69 years. The definition of physical violence included threats, arm twisting, attempted suffocation and use of weapons like knifes or a guns. Forced sexual engagement, unwelcome sexual touch and attempts of sexual violence. According to the report 10% of the women who participated in the survey had experienced male violence that year or the previous one. The number of women who underwent bodily violence was twofold as high as that of the ones who experienced sexual violence. The statistics indicated that 5% of the physical violence was perpetrated by a non-partner while 3% of the sexual violence was also committed by a non-partner. The report defined a non-partner as a friend, relative, acquaintance, workmate or stranger. General, partner sexual and physical violence are hardly reported to the authorities. Most victims find it easier to speak to their families and friends than report to the police. Table 1: Reports by victims of violence to family members, friends and the police. Partner violence Non-partner violence Family 42% 51% Friends 55% 57% Police 15% 16% The main question here is why the female victims of violence fail to report to the police. One of the most common reasons given by the victims was that they thought the case was minor or they thought that nothing could be done to help them. Has the legal system failed those whom it should protect? Its necessary to evaluate how informed the public is on individuals rights. Another area of concern is how much a person should take or allow them to be subjected to, in relation to violence before they can speak and seek legal justice. In 2001 and 2002 about 18 women were victims of gang rape and assault. Some record of a bunch of criminals’ rape committed by brothers from Pakistani is an example of such cases. Their victims were teenage girls from different ethnic backgrounds. The crime was comparable to Lebanese gang rapes in Sydney. Australia’s law defines rape as â€Å"unlawful sexual act with another person by force; without their consent.† The rapists’ record tape a great amount of their rape and this was used in court as evidence. The criminal justice system judged and punished the perpetrators. The â€Å"K† brothers were sentenced to 15 to 24 years imprisonment. They were convicted for a total of 70 years for the 28 rape charges against them. In November 2005, an appeal made by three of the brothers was rejected. Instead in 2006 there term was extended by the Supreme Court (New South Wales). On of the brothers however, committed suicide in his cell. By 2007 the brothers were to face additional rape charges. During the court proceedings the issue of cultural difference between Australian and Pakistani culture arose. The rapist claimed that they did not understand what consent meant according to Australia’s terms. According to them the girls’ behaviour was a form of consent. They claimed that their victims behaved in a way that Pakistani girls would not especially if they were not willing to cooperate. The presiding judge dismissed their claims and openly told off their lawyer for making such an argument. The above incident is an example of immigrants been the perpetrators of crime. The difference in culture is certain no excuse for committing such crimes. It is important to question how allowing immigrants into Australia influences crime. Certainly, different definitions of crime exist in varying countries and culture. What actions are in place to make sure that the importance of Australia’s population is safeguarded? Women are also victims of trafficking in Australia. These women are usually trafficked from other countries especially Asia and forced to work in as sex workers. The media highlighted this issue and claimed that government agencies helped the perpetrator. According to the media the government mismanaged cases by victims of trafficking and deported those women without giving them any compensation for the crimes committed against them. In response Australia’s parliament set up a joint committee to investigate the issue. The committee’s findings acknowledged that people trafficking is a major crime in Australia. Most of the trafficked people were unaware of the nature of work they would have to do in Australia. The committee was also concerned about the ease with which traffickers could access visas for hundreds of trafficked victims without raising any suspicion. Approximately 300 to 1000 women are trafficked into Australia annually. The trafficked women were forced to work not only in the sex industry but also in clothing and textiles, domestic work, construction and in the hospitality industry. Most of these victims were physically, sexually and mentally assaulted. Moreover, their working conditions were atrocious. Immigration has increased in Australia. In the 20th century more Asians have immigrated to Australia. This has lead to the increase of Asian gangs and criminal activities by these gangs in the major cities. Racial power struggles are evident even in politics. The ‘one National party’ was branded as Nazis by the Jews in Australia. The Australia-Israel Review printed the article with the aim of intimidating the party members. The efforts by the whites in Australia were ignored contrasting the Aborigines. The whites were doing what the Aborigines had done but there move was termed as racist. The local people have in the past organized themselves on racial basis. They have also received unique handling from the government. They even have their own Aboriginal Law Council. The Aborigines account for 2% of Australia’s population. However, according to statistics by the Australian Institute of Criminology the Aborigines make up 30% of the inmates. (Argus, 1985). Recent years have also witnessed crimes organized by a race against another. For instance the 2005 racial violence in Sydney is an example. There was a week long all attack on Muslims following an alleged attack of life guard in North Cronulla beach by a Lebanese man. Innocent people were attacked as gangs took advantage of the situation to target individuals based on their race. The government and the media did not do much to calm the situation. Moreover, to some extent the government was responsible for fuelling such an attack. Since the September 11 terrorist attacks Muslim-Australians were subject to state surveillance, police raids and fear mongering. Media coverage on war on terrorism worsened the situation making all Muslim Australians to be labelled as terrorists. Media coverage on the Sydney riots appeared to support the violence. For instance, the Daily Telegraph, December had the heading â€Å"Fight for Cronulla: we want our beach back†. Past rape cases that in involved Lebanese men give justification to the attackers to claim that all Lebanese men are rapist. Clearly, such a claim has no basis because a number of Lebanese men were convicted of the crime it does not justify the punishment of an entire race. Terrorism is one of the challenges that this generation has to address. However, it is not justified to attack person and destroy property belonging to people because they belong to a particular race that is accused of terrorist acts. The division on racial lines was evident in the riots with different groups lashing out at others openly. The world is quickly becoming a global village. Therefore there is a need to understand, accept, cooperate and work with people from different cultures, races, ethnicity and religion. Tolerance should be emphasized in the current generation not violence or crimes against any particular race. A study done by the Australian government on juvenile offending revealed that ethnic minority youth were more likely to be offenders. Unemployment among the youth (15-19 years of age) was the main reason for engagement in crime. The unemployment rate for the minority youths was three times higher than the general unemployment rates of other youths. For instance the unemployment rate for Vietnamese Australian males doubles that of the general Australian youth rate. (HREOC 1993:223) The report by the Australia Bureau of Statistics showed that juveniles accounted for 13% of those in police custody. In 2003, persons between the ages of 15 and 19 accounted for the highest crime rate and booking. The juvenile offenders were four times more than the other offenders. Juvenile offenders were mostly charged with unwanted entry, theft, assault and motor vehicle theft. Cases of juvenile homicide, sexual violence, robbery and fraud were very minimal. (ABS 2003) It is a matter of concern that youth engage in crime either individually or in gangs. Unemployment is one of the reasons given for this behaviour. However, it is necessary to examine racial employment discrimination in terms of race. Statistics have shown that there is a large disparity between unemployment rates of minority youths with that of youth in general. A report by Australia Criminology Department showed that female homicide offenders were highest among 20 to 24 year olds. This was the same case for the men. (2003). Homicide cases for female offenders between 15 to 24 years of age had fluctuated in the 1990’s. A testimony by the Program of State Homicide Monitoring revealed that in 2003 there were 341 cases of homicide in Australia. This was a 6% decrease compared to the findings of the previous year. Murder cases accounted for 89% of the homicide case in 2003 while the rest were manslaughter. Domestic related disputes were responsible for most of the female homicide incidences. The female victims were killed due to disputes related to child custody, break ups in a relationship and other partner conflicts. However, most of the homicide victims were male. They accounted for 67% of the homicide victims with men between the ages of 25 and 44 being the largest target. Compare to the women at all ages the male homicide victims were more expect for ages under 15. The female homicide victims had decreased by 15% compared to a survey done the previous year. (Australia Bureau of Statistics 2004) A survey done in South Australia, Queensland and Victoria indicated that 175,872 offenders were booked in 2003. 138,232 were male while 37,640 were female. Compared to the females, males were four times more likely to be offenders. The offending rate for men was 3,148 per 100,000 (Chris 1998). Rehabilitation of the inmates is a subject that needs to be given priority as far as enforcement of the law in Australia is concerned. Research has revealed that rehabilitation of female inmates seems to emphasis on those convicted of minor offences compared to those who have committed criminal offences like homicide. The research reveals that female prisoners with long term charges have limited and impersonalized rehabilitation. CONCLUSION Juvenile crime cases have increased worldwide. However, the crimes performed by the deviant youth are not as serious as those perpetrated by adults. In Australia the juvenile offenders rate has doubled, with most of the perpetrators been male youths. (AIC 2003). It is argued that the main reason why juvenile booking rates have increased is because the youth are easier to arrest and prosecute. Their level of crime organization is generally less complex compared to that of adults. The main concern is how to rehabilitate youth crime offenders so that they do not continue to engage in crime in their adult life. Generally, fewer women are perpetrators of crime compared to women. However, they are often victimized, in relation to sexual or physical assault. The victims of human trafficking in Australia are mostly women. Crime rate are higher among certain races in Australia, especially among the minorities and the immigrants. This is mainly due to the racial disparities that exist in terms of employment opportunity and discrimination. Australia has made various initiatives to stop crime. As part of a crime prevention effort the National Community Crime Prevention Program was instituted in 2004. Its grant program received a funding of $ 65.5 million for the period between 2004 and 2008. These funds were to support grass root programs on crime prevention, improve safety in the community and reduce the fear associated with crime. The public, politicians and law enforcers should focus on crime prevention. It’s of utmost importance to change the perception on crime. It is not enough to react to criminals acts by arresting, taking to trial and convicting perpetrators. The government and its legal agents need to examine what can be done so as to address the issue of crime before it occurs. Prevention of crime should be given more attention. Instead of hiring more law enforcing officer, building more prisons and funding the criminal law justice system the funds can be used to improve development in the country. It is not enough to set up agencies to address the issue of crime. More far reaching initiatives need to be taken. Issues such as perception, equality in terms of opportunities and affirmative action for minorities, culture change and enforcement of the law without any bias should be considered in relation to crime and crime prevention. References Adam, G peter G 1999. The Cambridge handbook of Australian Criminology. Cambridge, UK. Allen Walklate, S 2001. Gender, Crime and Criminal Justice, Willan Publishing, UK. Argus correspondent 1985. â€Å"Aborigines have the highest jail rate in the world.† The Argus, Nov. Australian agency of figures, Australian agency of figures 2003. Residents by age and sex: Australian states and regions 1997 to 2002 ABS, Canberra. Australian administration: Australian institution of Criminology, Chris Cunneen, White Robert, 2000. Juvenile Justice: youth and Crime in Australia. Oxford, UK. Cunneen Chris 1998. Clash, political views and Crime: indigenous Communities and the law. Oxford, UK. D Chappell P Wilson, (eds.) 2000. offence and the Criminal integrity organization in Australia: 2000 and Beyond. Butterworth, Sydney Guillermo, Bernal, 2003. Handbook of Racial and Ethnic Minority Psychology. Oxford, UK. Jacobsen, G. 2005. violent gang rapes by Brothers’ revealed. The Sydney sunrise messenger. 21 July. Jacobsen, G 2007, â€Å"Indictments brought against brothers for rapes.† The Sydney Morning Herald. 23 Nov. Mason, G Tomsen, S (eds.), 1997. Homophobic Violence. Hawkins Press, Sydney Mason, G, ‘Odium offence as ethical Category: Lessons from the Snowtown Case’ Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology 40(3) 249-271 (2007) Recorded crime: victims, Australia 2003. ABS Canberra. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2003. Residents by age and sex: Australian states and region 2003. ABS Canberra. Mason, G 1990. Early life Suicide in Australia: Avoidance methods, Section of recruiting, instruction and Training Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra Mason, G 2002. The manifestation of Violence: Homophobia, sexual characteristics facts, Routledge, United Kingdom. Mason, G 2007. ‘Hate Crime’ in T. Anthony C. Cunneen, A crucial Criminology Reader, Federation Press, Annandale Mouzos, J Makkai, T 2004. Womens experiences of male aggression: results from the Australian section of the International violence against women survey (IVAWS). Australian organization of Criminology, Canberra. Mouzos, J 2002, Murder in Australia: 2000-2001 Program of National murder Monitoring Annual Report, Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra. Ms Maltzahm, Proof Committee Hansard, 18 November 2003. Sir, P 1995. Violent Property Crime. Federation Press, Sydney. Wallace, N 2005. Bunch of criminals rapist’s attacks inevitable: The Sydney Morning messenger, 10 Dec. Wallace Natasha 2005. â€Å"Gang rapist asserts right to attack† The Sydney Morning messenger. 12 Oct. Wallace Natasha 2005. ‘History of infamy’, The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 Nov.

Free Essays - The Ideologies of the Brotherhood in Invisible Man :: Invisible Man Essays

The Ideologies of the Brotherhood in Invisible Man And he had hardly settled himself when he stared at my desk, saying, "What you got there, Brother?" and pointed toward a pile of my papers. I leaned slowly back in my chair, looking him in the eye. "That's my work," I said coldly, determined to stop any interference from the start. "But I mean that," he said, pointing, his eyes beginning to blaze, "that there." "It's work," I said, "all my work." "Is that too?" he said, pointing to Brother Tarp's leg link. "That's just a personal present, Brother," I said. "What could I do for you?" "That ain't what I asked you, Brother. What is it?" I picked up the link and held it toward him, the metal oily and strangely skinlike now with the slanting sun entering the window. "Would you care to examine it, Brother? One of our members wore it nineteen years on the chain gang." "Hell no!" He recoiled. "i mean, no, thank you. In fact, Brother, i don't think we ought to have such things around!" "You think so," I said. "And just why?" "Because I don't think we ought to dramatize our differences." "I'm not dramatizing anything, it's my personal property that happens to be lying on my desk." "But people can see it!" "That's true," I said. "But I think it's a good reminder of what our movement is fighting against." "No, suh!" he said, shaking his head, "no, suh!" That's the worse kind of thing for Brotherhood - because we want to make folks think of things we have in common. That's what makes Brotherhood. We have to change this way we have of always talking about how different we are. In the Brotherhood, we are all brother." I was amused. He was obviously disturbed by something deeper than a need to forget differences. Fear was in his eyes. "I never thought of it just that way, Brother," I said, dangling the iron between my finger and thumb. "But you want to think about it," he said. "We have to discipline ourselves.

Health History and Examination Essay

Neurological System (headaches, head injuries, dizziness, convulsions, tremors, weakness, numbness, tingling, difficulty speaking, difficulty swallowing, etc., medications): Patient is alert, awake and oriented. Denies headaches, head injuries, dizziness, seizures, tremors, migraine, difficulty in speech and swallowing. No history of falls. Patient does mention that he has numbness and tingling of fingers and toes occasionally. Takes Gabapentin 100mg orally three times a day. Head and Neck (pain, headaches, head/neck injury, neck pain, lumps/swelling, surgeries on head/neck, medications): Patient denies neck or head injuries, denies swelling or lumps on neck and head, Denies neck pain or headaches. Eyes (eye pain, blurred vision, history of crossed eyes, redness/swelling in eyes, watering, tearing, injury/surgery to eye, glaucoma testing, vision test, glasses or contacts, medications): Patient wears eyeglasses that are with him. Bilateral cataract surgery done in June 2013. Regular v ision checks after surgery done in November 2013 and at present he is not on any medications at home. Ears (earache or other ear pain, history of ear infections, discharge from ears, history of surgery, difficulty hearing, environmental noise exposure, vertigo, medications): No complaints of ear pain, infection, surgery tinnitus due to noise, or vertigo noted. Not on any medications. Hard of hearing right ear but does not use a hearing aid. Nose, Mouth, and Throat (discharge, sores or lesions, pain, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, sore throat, allergies, surgeries, usual dental care, medications): Denies discharge from nose and throat, denies presence of sores or lesions in the mouth. Denies nose bleeds, bleeding gums, or sore  throat. No known allergies noted. Has upper and lower dentures that patient cleans with Polident tablets daily. History of Tonsillectomy at age 7. Skin, Hair and Nails (skin disease, changes in color, changes in a mole, excessive dryness or moisture, itching, bruising, rash or lesions, recent hair loss, changing nails, environmental hazards/exposures, medications): Patient’s skin color is ethnic. Has some gray hair but no alopecia. Has well groomed nails. Denies skin problems. Particular about usage of moisturizing lotions after bath. Breasts and Axilla (pain or tenderness, lumps, nipple discharge, rash, swelling, trauma or injury to b reast, mammography, breast self-exam, medications): Patient denies any problems with breasts and axilla. Does not perform self-breast examination. Peripheral Vascular and Lymphatic System (leg pain, cramps, skin changes in arms or legs, swelling in legs or ankles, swollen glands, medications): Denies leg pain, cramps or discoloration of arms and legs. Complains of occasional swelling on ankles. Takes Lasix 40 mg orally once a day. Cardiovascular System (chest pain or tightness, SOB, cough, swelling of feet or hands, family history of cardiac disease, tire easily, self-history of heart disease, medications): Denies any chest pain or tightness. Denies shortness of breath or weakness. Complains of occasional cough relieved by Robitussin DM 10ml orally every 6 hours as needed. Patient is hypertensive and had an MI in 2005 but denies any history of Congestive Heart Failure. Family history shows that his father died of heart attack at age 75. Patient had an echocardiogram and stress test done last year as outpatient and per patient results were normal. Patient is taking Aspirin 81mg orally daily, Lopressor 25mg orally daily, and Plav ix 75mg orally daily. Thorax and Lungs (cough, SOB, pain on inspiration or expiration, chest pain with breathing, history of lung disease, smoking history, living/working conditions that affect breathing, last TB skin test, flu shot, pneumococcal vaccine, chest x-ray, medications): Has occasional cough that could be due to change of climate. Denies shortness of breath or pain with breathing. Denies smoking and no history of lung disease is noted. Immunized for Influenza and Pneumonia on 10/14/2013. Patient was in ER in March for cough and fever and x-ray of the chest showed no abnormalities at that time. Musculoskeletal System (joint pain; stiffness; swelling, heat, redness in joints; limitation of movement; muscle pain or cramping; deformity of bone or joint; accidents or trauma to bones; back pain;  difficulty with activity of daily living, medications) Denies any symptoms of joint problems and does not take any medications at home. Patient is independent and requires no assistance for activities of daily living. His wife and he take walks on a daily basis for 20 minutes. Gastrointestinal System (change in appetite – increase or loss; difficulty swallowing; foods not tolerated; abdominal pain; nausea or vomiting; frequency of BM; history of GI disease, ulcers, medications) Denies any gastro-intestinal disease, ulcers, or diabetes. Consumes low sodium diet with no added salt three times a day and a bedtime snack. Includes plenty of vegetables and fruits in his diet. No swallowing problems noted. No complaints of nausea, vomiting or diarrhea noted. Patient has daily bowel movement and reports that it is brown in color. Denies use of stool softener or laxative. An Endoscopy and Colonoscopy was done in January 2014 and no abnormalities noted at that time. Genitourinary System (recent change, frequency, urgency, nocturia, dysuria, polyuria, oliguria, hesitancy or straining, urine color, narrowed stream, incontinence, history of urinary disease, pain in flank, groin, supra pubic region or low back) Denies pain or any urinary problems. Patient verbalizes increased frequency of urination due to Lasix. Patient wakes up twice at night to urinate but he is continent of bladder. Per patient no prostate problem noted. Last prostate exam was done in February 2014. Physical Examination (Comprehensive examination of each system. Record findings.) Neurological System (exam of all 12 cranial nerves, motor and sensory assessments): Patient is awake, alert, and oriented with no memory loss. Patient is calm, cooperative and pleasant. Judgment is intact. Patients speaks clearly and in full sentences. No difficulty noted while speaking. No swallowing problems noted. Patient has a steady gait with full strength. Sensations present in all extremities. Complaints of occasional numbness and tingling of fingers and toes but denies upon examination. Head and Neck (palpate the skull, inspect the neck, inspect the face, palpate the lymph nodes, palpate the trachea, palpate and auscultate the thyroid gland): Skull and neck are normal on examination. No deformities or hematoma noted. No lymph nodes identified on palpation. Adam’s apple present. Trachea is normal on palpation. Eyes (test visual acuity, visual fields, extra ocular muscle  function, inspect external eye struct ures, inspect anterior eyeball structures, inspect ocular fundus): Patient has eyeglasses with him. Patient is able to open and close his eyelids. Pupil is round and reaction to light is constriction to both eyes. Denies any blurring, watering, or tearing of the eyes. No redness or infection noted. Ears (inspect external structure, otocopic examination, inspect tympanic membrane, test hearing acuity): Hard of hearing right ear with no hearing aid. As per patient the physician had recommended hearing aid for the right ear but patient did not wish to use it. Otoscopic examination revealed normal ear canals and eardrums with minimal amount of earwax. Nose, Mouth, and Throat (Inspect and palpate the nose, palpate the sinus area, inspect the mouth, inspect the throat): Nose, mouth and throat are normal on examination. On palpation no pain noted to sinuses. The upper and lower dentures fit well on the patient and do not become loose while talking or chewing. Skin, Hair and Nails (inspect and palpate skin, temperature, moisture, lesions, inspect and palpate hair, distribution, texture, inspect and palpate nails, contour, color, teach self-examination techniques): No skin break down or rashes or lesions noted on inspection of the skin. Color is normal to ethnicity. Skin is warm, dry an d intact. Mucus membranes are pink and moist. Hair is gray and no alopecia noted. Texture of hair is soft to touch, no split ends noted. Kept short and clean. No ingrown nails or cracked nails noted. Nails are well groomed and pink in color. Patient verbalizes examining the skin and nails everyday while taking a shower. Breasts and Axilla (deferred for purpose of class assignment) Peripheral Vascular and Lymphatic System (inspect arms, symmetry, pulses; inspect legs, venous pattern, varicosities, pulses, color, swelling, lumps): Bilateral upper extremities are warm, symmetrical with bilateral radial pulses 2+. Bilateral lower extremities are warm, symmetrical without any discoloration. No varicose veins noted. Bilateral pedal pulses 2+. A trace of edema is noted on both ankles and feet. Cardiovascular System (inspect and palpate carotid arteries, jugular venous system, precordium heave or lift, apical impulse; auscultate rate and rhythm; identify S1 and S2, any extra heart sounds, murmur): Carotid arteries are normal with pulse 2+. No jugular vein distension noted. Apical pulse is 82 beats per minute, BP of 150/80 mm of Hg. Heart sounds S1 and S2 are on auscultation. No murmur or extra heart sound noted. EKG shows a  Normal Sinus Rhythm. Thorax and Lungs (inspect thoracic cage, symmetry, tactile fremitus, trachea; palpate symmetrical expansion;, percussion of anterior, lateral and posterior, abnormal breathing sounds): Thoracic cage is normal and symmetrical. No abnormality noted on palpation and percussion. Breath sounds are clear and equal on auscultation in all lung fields. Respirations are even, regular and unlabored. Patient has occasional nonproductive cough relieved by cough medicine. Respiratory rate is 18/minute and Oxygen saturation is 99% on room air. Musculoskeletal System (inspect cervical spine for size, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect shoulders for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect elbows for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect wrist and hands for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect hips for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformi ty, pain, range of motion; inspect knees for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain, range of motion; inspect ankles and feet for size, color, contour, swelling, mass, deformity, pain and range of motion): Cervical spines are normal in size, no pain or deformities noted with full range of motion. Bilateral shoulders are equal in size, no swelling or mass noted. No pain noted on movement of shoulders. Bilateral elbows, wrists and hands are equal in size, with full range of motion and equal in strength. No deformities noted on inspection. Bilateral hips are equal in strength, no swelling or mass noted. No evidence of redness or injury noted. Sacrum is intact. Bilateral lower extremities with full range of motion and equal strength noted. No swelling or deformity noted. Bilateral ankles and feet noted with trace of edema. Gastrointestinal System (contour of abdomen, general symmetry, skin color and condition, pulsation and movement, umbilicus, hair distribution; auscultate bowel sound;, percuss all four quadrants; percuss border of liver; light palpation in all four quadrants– muscle wall, tenderness, enlarged organs, masses, rebound tenderness, CVA tenderness): Abdomen is flat and non-distended. Bowels sounds present in all four quadrants. Abdomen soft and non-tender on palpation. Percussion revealed tympany in all four quadrants. Umbilicus is midline and inverted. Surface of abdomen smooth and even, with homogenous color. No lesions or surgical scars noted. Genitourinary System (deferred for purpose of this  class) FHP Assessment Cognitive-Perceptual Pattern: Patient is alert and oriented, no memory loss. Well educated, and has the ability to read, write and understand information. Patient uses eyeglasses for reading and is hard of hearing right ear. Nutritional-Metabolic Pattern: Patient eats a low sodium diet with no added salt three times a day with a bedtime snack. Home cooked food with vegetables and fruits included in the diet are his preferences. The patient or his wife prepares the food. The patient and his wife do the food shopping. Sexuality-Reproductive Pattern: The patient has three children and 5 grandchildren. He is not interested in sexual activities but loves to spend time with his wife. Pattern of Elimination Patient is continent of bladder and bowel. Urinary frequency is increased due to effect of medication (Lasix). Pattern of Activity and Exercise: Patient is independent in activities of daily living. He is not involved in vigorous exercise but walks daily for 20 minutes along with his wife. Pattern of Sleep and Rest: Patient usually sleeps for 6-7 hours at night with an afternoon nap for 30 minutes. Patient wakes up twice at night to urinate but goes right back to sleep with no difficulty. Patient denies use of sleeping pills. Pattern of Self-Perception and Self-Concept: Patient is well dressed and has self-respect and respects others too. He leads a disciplined life with the ability to take care of himself and his wife. He is friendly with his neighbors and is an active participant in church activities Summarize Your Findings (Use format that provides logical progression of assessment.) Situation (reason for seeking care, patient statements): Name: Lawrence Kelly Age/Sex: 72 years/Male Presenting complaints: Increased swelling of ankles and feet, numbness and tingling of fingers and toes, and occasional cough. Background (health and family history, recent observations): History of present complaints: Patient complains of swelling of feet and ankles for 2 weeks with numbness and tingling of fingers and toes. Occasional cough for last one week. Past medical History: Hypertension, MI, Hard of hearing (Right Ear). Medication history: Lasix 40mg orally daily Aspirin 81mg orally daily Plavix 75mg orally daily Lopressor 25mg orally daily Gabapentin 100mg orally three times a day Assessment (assessment of health state or problems, nursing diagnosis): Mr. Lawrence Kelly 72 year old male presented with complaints of swelling of feet and ankles with numbness and tingling of fingers and toes for the past 2 weeks. Occasional cough for the past one week. He is alert, awake and oriented with steady gait. Hard of hearing in the right ear. His vital signs are BP150/80 mm of Hg, Pulse 82, RR 18/minute, and Temp of 98.4. No chest tightness or pain verbalized. Breath sounds are clear and equal in all lung fields. Abdomen soft, non-tender and non-distended. Bowels sounds present in all four quadrants. No difficulty in urination verbalized and color of urine is amber. Trace edema noted on feet and ankles. Pedal pulses is 2+. Nursing Diagnosis: Fluid Volume Excess manifested by edema of feet and ankles. Recommendation (diagnostic evaluation, follow-up care, patient education teaching including health promotion education): Blood tests should be done including Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, Vitamin B12 Level, and BNP. X-ray Chest is recommended to find out if patient has CHF Echocardiogram could be repeated as it was done more than 6 months ago Teach the patient to monitor BP, Pulse, Intake and Output, and Daily Weights. Advise the patient to elevate the lower extremities on pillows to reduce  dependent edema Encourage the patient to read food labels on the sodium content Avoid fried foods, canned and frozen foods (Nanda Nursing Interventions, 2012) Provide information about community services such as Heart Center at Barnabas Health, Phone No. 1-888-724-7123 (Barnabas Health, 2013). References: Barnabas Health. (2013). Barnabas Health Heart Centers. Retrieved from http://www.barnabashealth.org/services/cardiac/index.htmlLifestyle and home remedies. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/heart-failure/DS00061/DSECTION=lifestyle-and-home-remediesNanda Nursing Interventions. (2012). Nursing Interventions for Fluid Volume Excess. Retrieved from http://nanda-nursinginterventions.blogspot.com/2012/04/nursing-interventions-for-fluid-volume.html

Mental Freedom

Definition Essay- Mental Freedom It has been said that the mind is a powerful instrument and whatever the mind perceives, the body can achieve. Although these statements are used very often, the power that the mind holds is still underestimated in my opinion. Mental freedom means being able to express the constructive qualities of the mind easily and more understandably. These qualities include self-expression, analysis, responsibility, patience, etc. Though physical freedom is important, one should also remember that this physical liberty is almost insignificant without being mentally free.It is through this mental freedom that one can be able to have an open mind and be able to reach their highest potential. Also, being able to enlighten others and move forward as a community. However, this freedom is often overlooked because of the mindset of an individual, community or society on a whole. It is also not easily seen unless being contrasted by the term ‘mental slavery’ which is more commonly spoken about in society. The word mental means ‘of or relating to the mind’ and slavery means to be in a state of subjection.Slavery is also synonymous to the word bondage and emphasizes the idea of being controlled. Therefore, the phrase ‘mental slavery’ implies one’s thoughts being controlled by someone else and being forced to think the way that person does and not being able to express one’s personal train of thought. Being mentally enslaved is dangerous because it leads a person to eventually having a lack of individuality and readily accepting and believing what is told to them. In extreme cases, it may even lead to self-hate.When a person has this state of mind, it proposes many problems because it gives way to this person letting go of their culture, traditions, or heritage, and these are the qualities that allow society to be as diverse as it should be. One can almost say that mental bondage destroys a person p sychologically because they begin to lack, or no longer possess, originality. Having that lack of originality may be self-restricting as this is a quality that helps one to reach their highest potential.As the prolific and popular American writer, James F. Cooper, once said, â€Å"All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that, which he partakes in common with all around him, will never have any other than an existence of mediocrity. † Therefore, being mentally enslaved, or lacking that mental freedom, inhibits growth and causes one to create a mental prison for themselves, thus leaving no room for independence.Having that lack of independence may cause a person to be subjected to any kind of power from a majority, not necessarily because they hold the most legitimate viewpoints, but because they seem to be the strongest group. Henry David Thoreau, an American writer and philosopher best known for his attacks on American social institutions, believed firmly in the importance of independence, individuality and self-reliance.Thoreau spent a night in jail refusing to pay taxes in protestant of the Mexican War and disconnected himself from the American government ideologically to indicate his refusal of participation in their institutions. This was Thoreau’s mental freedom from the government’s view of slavery during the 1800’s and he was able to state this on paper when he wrote his essay Civil Disobedience which showed his objections against the actions of the government. Thoreau’s essay spoke about transcendentalism, a philosophy that shows the importance of mental freedom.This philosophy rejects the idea that knowledge can be fully derived from observations of the physical world or through the experiences of others, but rather through the individual examining how they came to know things. This idea targets the individual analyzing their own thought-process and focusing o n their own connections and experiences which can only exist through intuition and feeling, and not through the information or thoughts others try to feed them.According to this philosophy, through mental freedom, one should be able to gain self-reliance and individuality which is critical for people to find truths within themselves and live their lives through reason and not based solely on the opinions of others. Another famous writer whose work demonstrates the importance of mental freedom is Fredrick Douglass. However, in this case, Douglass was not only mentally enslaved but also physically a slave. In his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, An American Slave, he tells his story of being born a slave and the struggle it took to really know what hat meant. As he gets older, he is taught an important lesson, the power of literacy, after his master forces his wife to stop teaching a young Douglass how to read. Fredrick Douglass then determines to continue hi s education by befriending white children and learning how to read and write from them. This is the point in his life where he realizes one can only be kept in slavery as long as they are in ignorance. Douglass then becomes mentally emancipated from the idea of him having to be someone’s slave and destines that he would no longer have someone control him.In the future, he is able to buy his physical freedom from his slave master and become a famous antislavery writer that tells his story about how he broke away from bondage and helps others still caught in its trap. From the story of Fredrick Douglass, one can see that just his refusal to accept himself as a slave and not be limited to what his masters wanted of him, he was able to reach his full potential and also enrich the lives of others who need to gain mental liberty. Also, his mental freedom led to his physical freedom.Through the experiences of Thoreau, Douglass and other daily examples in society, such as inner city teens limiting themselves by not going to college because they see it pointless if they are not as privileged as other children with well-paying jobs and careers, one can see how important it is to be mentally free and not create psychological prisons for oneself. Mental freedom means showcasing and expressing individuality and building up motivation and confidence within that individual.It also means exhausting the possibilities of restricting oneself to a point that someone else thought they should not pass and enlightening others on their way to exceeding those restrictions. An enslaved mind is like a blind person; they only know the world through the opinions of others around them, but unless that blind person decides to help themselves, or that person decided to be mentally free, then can they have their personal experiences that give way to a higher potential in life.