Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Management accounting - Essay Example However, with the right tools information and skills, a company is guaranteed to stay afloat in a world where businesses keep dropping out of the corporate world. How companies manage their finances and workforce dictates whether the company is bound to open its doors come the next financial year. One of the major concerns in management is the management of accounts which is usually handled a company’s accountants in conjunction with the management of the company. Management accounting specifically deals with generating information pertaining to a given company and basically relates on how to minimize costs while improving sales and boosting profits within the available company’s resources. In short this is information that helps the management to make crucial decisions. Financial accounting on the other hand deals with generating information based on information relayed by external users and mainly deals with control of cash inflow and outflow in the company. So why is management accounting so important? Among the most important reasons why management accounting is important to company include; 1) Planning-this basically deals with making decisions pertaining to the company’s products where and when to make them, who to sell them to, how much labor it will use and so on and so forth (Caplan, 5). 2) Operational Control-management helps the top officials in identifying and minimizing production error from the time a product is initiated for production to the time it is released to the market for sale. 3) Performance and Evaluation-this involves evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of different products and different managers within the company. When dealing with management of accounts two concepts become clear: Variable (Direct) costs and fixed production overhead costs

Exploring Sexuality with William Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Exploring Sexuality with William Shakespeare Essay The presence of homoerotic references in the works of William Shakespeare was a direct result of the Elizabethan attitude towards sex during the English Renaissance. Within the privacy of the sonnets, Shakespeare could effusively express a passion that the Elizabethan Era, with its social mores, stifled greatly as it frowned upon homosexuality. Given the freedom to express himself uninhibitedly, Shakespeare cast aside the homophobia of his age and inscribed love sonnets for another male, Mr. W. H. This unrestricted honesty created great tension and drama between Shakespeare and his adversary, the dark lady as well as fueling some of the greatest love poems of all time. Over hundreds of years, it comes to no surprise that many scholars have found the sonnets effective in revealing insight into the biography of William Shakespeare. The emotional pressure contained in many of the sonnets and the fact that many, if not all, are dedicated to a man named ? Mr. W. H. , provide important clues to Shakespeares life. It begins with the sonnets dedication, a passage written by Shakespeare that opens a world of controversy amongst scholars. The dedication runs as follows: To. The. Only. Begetter. Of These. Ensuing. Sonnets. Mr. W. H. All. Happiness. And. That. Eternity. Promised. By. Our. Ever. Living. Poet. Wisheth. The. Well. Wishing. Adventurer. In. Setting. Forth. T. T. (Shakespeare, 1490) The initials T. T. at the conclusion of the dedication refer to Thomas Thorpe, the original publisher of the sonnets (http://andrejkoymasky. com/liv/sha/sha00. html). However, one question remains, who is Mr. W. H? During the English Renaissance, it was customary for members of high social standings to hire established writers and poets to create masterful love sonnets and other works of literature for their entertainment. For a large portion of his adult life, Shakespeare spent his time writing sonnets for an upper class family, specifically for a young man (Rowse, 96). The beginning sonnets describe a ? lovely youth and it is believed that over time, Shakespeares sonnets became more personal as the relationship between him and his patron intensified. Scholars have professed that this patron could in fact be the only begetter of the sonnets, Mr.  W. H, or William Hughes. The majority of the sonnets were written between 1593 and 1596, however, they were not published until 1609 and then further edited in 1640, long after Shakespeares death (Auden, 86). The randomness of their order leads scholars such as Northrop Frye to question their validity in accurately capturing real life happenings (Fleperin, 96). The publisher who replicated the sonnets in 1640 actually changed the pronouns in sonnets 15 through 126 to make it seem as if the poems were addressed to a woman. The question now at hand is; are the feelings expressed in the sonnets a celebration of homosexual love? And if so, how could such feelings emerge in a time where homosexuality had no place in social life (Taylor, 39)? The sixteen hundreds were a time of strict values and high standards of living. At this time, embracing sexuality was not encouraged and questioning ones sexuality was not an option. During the English Renaissance it was common for men to wear their hair long and dress in silks and ruffles (Taylor, 45). World renowned professor, Edward Hubler, published his book, The Sense of Shakespeares Sonnets, in which he points out the Elizabethan men used the term lover between men without embarrassment (Hubler, 17). Author C. L. Barber, in his essay on Shakespeares Sonnets, reminds us that the suppressed roles of women in Elizabethan society kept them out of the theater, forcing men to play the roles of women in many of Shakespeares productions at the Globe Theater. This openness is most attributed to Shakespeares sexual curiosity, and because his masculinity was never in doubt, his sexual awakening quickly progressed. To truly grasp Shakespeares feelings for Mr. W. H, we must refer to sonnet twenty, which is the first in the series to address the mysterious love affair. Despite the fact that male friendships were openly affectionate, the sonnets powerful emotions are indicative of a deeper love (Cross, 1,490). Line two of the poem describe the subject as the master-mistress of his passion. Right away we sense a conflict between the love for a man and the love for a women. Shakespeare makes it known in lines eight and nine of the sonnet, that W. H was in fact created for a womans love and affection, telling his readers that his subject is male. Further into the poem he describes his acceptance of that fact that he was defeated by nature, but continues to acknowledge their love (Cross, 1,4940). Shakespeares persistence in his attempt to win over the heart of his acquaintance is noted in sonnets 135-137 (Cross, 1511,1512). It is here that Shakespeare emphasizes the name ? Will as seen in italics in nearly every line. It is at this point in the series where it is suspected that the poets love for W. H is being threatened by a woman. In attempts to re-establish the ? dark lady in relation to Mr. W. H, scholars have studied specific sonnets in which her character is revealed. We find that the twenty-five sonnets dedicated to a woman, the dark lady, dwell on her imperfections and falsehoods (Barber, 16). For example, in sonnet 127, Shakespeare devotes his energy to expressing a lower love toward the woman and a higher love toward the man. It is not until the later sonnets that Shakespeare begins to feel threatened by the dark lady, and begins to depict a competition for the heart of W. H. In sonnet 138, Shakespeare is almost trying to convince W. H that this woman could never love him in the manner that he was willing to (Cross, 1,870). Shakespeares main concern, in the midst of anguished humiliation, is to keep the mans love, not the womans. Shakespeares inner conflict expressed in his works evidently developed during a time when his life, outside of the ? dark lady and W. H, was relatively normal, and this is another reason as to why the sequence of the sonnets is so important. As we know, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway in 1582. She gave birth to his children soon after. Was this heterosexual fantasy life all a cover up for the love he shared with W. H? Because no one has been able to figure out the correct order of the sonnets we will never know precisely when these love affairs took place. To label Shakespeare a homosexual would be ignorant, only because the consummation of the love between the poet and his muse was never proven. We can only base our knowledge of his curiosity on the contents of the sonnets, and with that we can gather that Shakespeare was involved in affairs, not necessarily physical, with both a young man, Mr. W. H, and a reticent woman, the Dark Lady. The conflict involving these two characters sparked the fire that fueled the ingenious works of one of the greatest poets of all time, Mr. William Shakespeare. Auden, W. H. Lectures on Shakespeare. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. 2000. Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books. 1998. Cross, Wilbur, L. The Yale Shakespeare. New York: Barnes and Noble Books. 1993. Hubler, Edward. The Sense of Shakespeares Sonnets. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. 1952 Hugh, Calvert. Shakespeares Sonnets and Problems of Autobiography. Braunton: Merilin Books, 1987. Holland, Norman. Psychoanalysis and Shakespeare. New York: McGraw Hill Book Company. 1966 Pitt, Angela. Shakespeares Women. New Jersey: Barnes and Noble Books. 1981 Rowse, A. L. The Elizabethan Renaissance: The Life of the Society. New York: Charles Scribers Sons. 1971. Taylor, Gary. Reinventing Shakespeare. New York: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 1989. Internet Sources http://www. onlineshakespeare. com/sonnetsabout. htm http://andrejkoymasky. com/liv/sha/sha00. html http://infopt. demon. co. uk/shakespe. htm http://www. shakespeares-sonnets. com/wilde. htm http://aspirations. english. com. ac. uk/converse/essays/cgonda/loves. acds http://eserver. org/emc/1-2/halpern. html.

The link between leadership and motivation

The link between leadership and motivation Introduction Self motivation is very crucial for those who have the ambition of being leaders at some point in life. This is especially applicable to those who are starters. The type of motivation required in order to ascend to high level of leadership is powerful. It is not a matter of chance that leaders with high capability come into being. It often entails an individual taking a decisive step to cultivate that success regardless of the huddles on the way. Hence, leadership and motivation are so much interrelated that they cannot be separated. Styles used in leadership have a greater impact in an organisation. Workers who are well lead become self motivated to deliver their best effort. Therefore, it is definite that changes in leadership style can improve motivation at workplace. The link between leadership style and motivation According to Manning and Curtis, there are two aspects of caring leadership: first is commitment to task; second and equally important, is concern for people (10). Effective leaders have the potential to inspire workers in an organisation and in turn improve productivity. Leaders need to create passion among workers so that they can see meaning and sense in the different roles they are playing. Both passion and inspiration are key ingredients in motivation. They can be cultivated by sound leadership styles. Leadership style which attempts to share and impart the significance of vision of an organisation with the rest of employees is very important in the process of motivating workers. Once every employee understands the common goal and objectives of an organization as enshrined in its vision statement, it will be quite easy for leaders to build motivation in them. Employees will only have a powerful desire to achieve the goals of an organisation if they understand or identify themselves with its vision (Maddock Fulton 15). It is only through a relational leadership style that vision can be shared from the top leadership to junior employees. An effective leadership style will ensure that workers are well informed of the impact of the vision and mission of the organisation (Clegg, Kornberger Tyrone 241). They should be made to feel part and parcel of the entire process of achieving success as well as enjoying the beneficial outcomes of their commitment. Once this is achieved, workers will be motivated not only because they have attractive fringe benefits but also because they have a bright future together with the organization. Poor leadership will conceal pertinent information from workers. This will make them have a feeling of alienation from the organisation and become less motivated. It is common knowledge that people will tend to have personal drive if they know quite well that they have something to benefit from or be excited about either in the short or long term. When such employee relation is achieved, then the work of a leader will be very smooth. Leaders who understand the fact that they need to create a close working relationship with employees are often successful. It is out of being close with fellow workers that it will be easy to identify and solve their problems at work and therefore motivate them. The link between leadership and motivation has scarcely been researched upon in the past although each of the concepts has been studied at great length (Daft 225). The manner in which the two components of organizational behavior interact is very important in ensuring positive growth in a business organisation. Since it is not possible to measure or quantify motivation, its impacts in an organization can only be felt or realized in the performance of a company over a given period of time. The process of motivation is complex and unless the impact of leadership on the latter is brought on board, it may not be an easy task. Nevertheless, it is sometimes possible for a leader in an organisation to motivate workers without translating to positive outcome in the organization. There are several initiatives which can be put in place in order to motivate workers. However, it is imperative to point out that any such measures can be hampered or enhanced by the leadership style in operation. For example, most workers will be motivated to offer their services if they have job satisfaction. This cannot exist in an organization unless it is well cultivated. It is upon the leader to change the leadership style for employees to derive satisfaction at work. For instance, one way of making sure that employees are satisfied at their place of work is by reducing the level of supervision. Effective leaders do not supervise their juniors too closely. This may create an environment of discomfort and a feeling of being threatened. Most workers would generally prefer to work with minimal control. This is also important because each one of them is made should be made accountable and responsible as well. Additionally, good leadership will recognize the extra effort by employee s. Exceptional performance by workers ought to be rewarded. Both monetary and verbal recognition from the leadership is welcome so that motivation can be enhanced. When organizational members are motivated, it leaves a positive impact on the performance of the organization. Further, theories of motivation like that of Marslow attempt to expound how leadership may be linked to motivation. Leaders in an organization are directly correlated to the growth and motivation of employees depending on the style used. Much research indicates that the top leadership has a key role to play in the determination of companys performance. Positive growth can only be achieved in a case whereby workers are wholly devoted and committed to the realization of the set goals and objectives. Nevertheless, there are some instances when leadership has been considered to be a subsidiary factor as far as organizational performance is concerned. The argument is that junior employees are the one who execute the actual task in an organization while leaders are mainly mandated to give guidance and direction on what is supposed to be done. It is perhaps better to consider teams within an organisation and investigate how team leaders can motivate workers. There is a vivid evidence that the presence of a team leader in an organization is a real motivating factor to workers ( Adler Allison 192). The level of motivation may be quite low whenever a team leader is absent. From this perspective, the general perception is that leaders who steer small teams in organizations are more influential to the teams they are leading compared to top executives. This can be explained from the fact they are very close to the rest of team members and will often listen and act expeditiously to arising issues. Moreover, workers are found to be less motivated when their team leader has been substituted with another one. It takes a significant amount of time before the team can adjust itself to the changes. Nevertheless, it is imperative to underscore the fact that it is only transformational leadership which can usher full motivation. Leadership styles are different and so is the application. One main factor which often leads to team members being motivated in the presence of their leader is the team bonding spirit which develops with time. Members in a team tend to bond emotionally with their leader to the extent that separating the two becomes tricky. Even in cases where a substitute team leader is brought on board, he or she is more or less regarded as a manager but not a leader. This implies that the link between effective leadership and motivation is not instantaneous. It is a process which demands time and space. However, there are demerits when leaders bond too closely with team members. For instance, charismatic leaders who seem to be all efficient and fail to delegate roles to members may prove to be fruitless in the long run. Such leaders fail to empower team members leading to de-motivation. Leaders who take control position of their teams and leave nothing to chance also fall into this category. Members of a team need to be given the chance to exercise their abilities bearing in mind that each one of them has unique potential different from the rest. Notwithstanding this argument, organizations which have established a culture of exemplary performance may not experience much of the impact of charismatic leaders. This is diffused by the growth momentum of the organization. At this point, it is crucial to note that there are some team leadership styles which can uplift the team spirit of junior staff. The subordinates also need to be empowered. This is one way through they can be made to feel a sense of belonging not just within a team but also in the entire organization. The subordinate workers will also derive great job satisfaction at their work place when this kind of transformational leadership is adopted. From the Social exchange standpoint, real empowerment of team members leads to the understanding that each member is important in the process of production and no one is treated as means to achieve the end product. This will definitely improve performance of the organisation owing to intrinsically motivated group. Leadership is a form of social influence which is developed in a cohesive group of people. If a team leader decides to delegate duties to the subordinate staff, then this should be done in a way that it will have the greatest positive influence on each worker. This is now where the difference between superb and inefficient leadership is observed. For example, a transformed leader will first of all judge the ability and potential of each team member and then delegate task accordingly. Workers should be assigned duties in areas of interest and ability so that they can be motivated as they enjoy performing their duties. A leadership style which tends to impose task on workers without evaluating their capability will often miss the point. Workers who are compelled to carry out duties are hardly motivated and this translates to dismal performance. Since leadership is perceived as a social process of creating influence, use of anti-social ways when leading a team may result to de-motivation. For example, leaders who prefer to severely punish errant team members are highly likely to de-motivate workers. A more friendly but firm mode of correcting members should be adopted. Besides, leaders who reward workers with non-contingent stuff may not enhance motivation in them at all. Workers tend to be more understanding when a leader reasons out rationally with them instead of taking some actions individually (Manning Curtis 48). It is evident that leadership style used may generate mixed feelings among workers and their level of motivation at work place. Although no particular leadership style can be proved to be effective in motivating workers, it is imperative to note that although leadership and motivation have been treated in the past as two separate and distinct entities, a close correlation can still be drawn between the two. There are those who argue that leadership does not have any impact on motivation. If this were true, then performance of an organization would not be tagged on the commitment and dedication of employees. Such argument may be misleading because as noted earlier, leadership is a form of social influence. Therefore, the team leader ought to be relational and accommodating to the workers. A leader is much more than just a manager who di shes out principles to be followed by workers. Moreover, a leader seeks to build the team through coordination and organization. In any case, leadership is not only about showing the way but also leading the way. From this understanding, a very strong link is established between leadership and motivation. The concept of motivational leadership is very handy in this discussion. If changes in styles of leadership can improve performance at work place, then leaders who are motivational are very important for improved performance in organizations. For example, workers will tend to admire a leader who is knowledgeable and skillful. They will be motivated by a leader who is confident enough and energetic in leading the team. The leader will also be valued depending on the ability to consider the individual needs of each member of the team in an organization. Workers will be motivated further if the leader is dynamic and capable of initiating changes within a team or organization. Static leadership styles which do not respond to current needs of an organization are cannot enhance motivation. A changed leadership style which seeks to convey information positively is a real motivator at work place. There are moments in the life of a business organisation when situations are tough and perhaps the returns are marginal. An effective leader will try as much as possible to communicate with workers coherently and in way they can easily understand (Griffin Moorhead 39). Effective communication will motivate workers in spite of the situation at hand. Employees will also be motivated if the style of leadership demonstrates confidence. This will enhance security level and workers will also feel safe in their jobs. Another area of importance in leadership and motivation is the decision making process within small working teams or the entire organization. Workers will feel a sense of value, respect and dignity when they are actively involved in the process of decision making at all levels of the organisation. Workers who take part in passing important decisions affecting them will appreciate a great deal and work even harder to achieve the goals of the decisions made. Committed leadership is fundamental in the realization of organizational goals and objectives. When ideas are internalized, deliberated upon and finally transformed into action, the greatest positive effect in the entire organization is produced. Leaders who are not committed to their course of duty may send the wrong signals to subordinate staff. It is obvious that the junior employees will tend to emulate the leadership of the team or organization. Therefore, a less committed leader will equally reverse the commitment of workers and eventually de-motivate them. Transparent form of leadership is the one that operates on an open system. Organizational leadership which runs the affairs of the entire team behind the curtains may not be liked by workers at all. This is also synonymous to directive leadership style whereby workers are supposed to take orders from above and perform their tasks regardless of difficulties. This form of leadership does not permit an open forum where each member of the organization can air opinions. A leadership style based on such principles will de-motivate workers. It makes them belong to the periphery and less significant in the organizational processes. It is factual that unless workers are happy, they will not be productive. Firstly, people who are happy work well with others because they are intrinsically motivated (Adair 85). They create a warm working environment and fellow colleagues enjoy working with them. As a result, a strong and well enhanced team work is built. In the case of a leader, a better working relationship with employees is also harnessed and this facilitates smooth running of the organisation. Conclusion In summing up this paper, it is worth to note that happy workers tend to be more creative at their place of work because their minds are liberated to think and act positively. This is also evident when problems arise in an organisation: workers who are happy would prefer to fix the challenge in preference to complaints. Furthermore, workers who are happy are more energetic and they devote this energy towards achieving the common goal of the organisation. These are elements of positive leadership which leads to motivation of workers. Either monetary or material rewards are good starting points in the process of motivating workers who in turn feel satisfied at their work place. The justification for rewarding workers is that the primary reason for working is to earn. From the perspective that human wants are insatiable, workers will ever value a token of appreciation due to their achievements at work. Therefore, any additional earning over and above the normal remuneration will definit ely lead to job satisfaction. This may be supplemented by verbal recognition on every little achievement by a worker. The security of the job is yet another positive influence towards satisfaction. Employees need to be assured that their jobs are secure and that they do not need to dwell on worries on how sustainable is their work is. Additionally, job security will reduce the rate of turn out in an organisation because workers have the assurance their future livelihood and hence satisfaction. Besides, workers should not be supervised too closely. There should be some degree of freedom. However they should be made to be accountable on their service delivery. This approach will enhance responsibility, sense of purpose and worth hence leading to job satisfaction. A worker who is supervised too closely will often feel threatened and uncomfortable. Hence, leadership style can improve motivation at work place.

Planning the Care of Terminally Ill Patients

Planning the Care of Terminally Ill Patients Critical care nursing is a challenging field in which nurses must be frequently confronted with ethical dilemmas. One of the most frequently encountered dilemmas that occur in this field is the management of care for terminally ill and actively dying patients. When providing care to such patients, it can become emotionally burdensome for the nurse to carry out medical interventions that may be uncomfortable or painful to the patient while not providing much of a benefit. Nurses in these environments often feel the desire to relieve the patient’s suffering and a sense of accountability for their comfort. When aggressive medical interventions are implemented for patients that are actively dying, it is important to recognize if any worthwhile benefits are achieved by the interventions. Sometimes in the ICU setting, the provided aggressive medical treatments do not offer notable medical or palliative benefit to an actively dying patient. The question that arises in these situation s may be: Should aggressive treatments be continued when they can be considered medically futile? One of the biggest challenges that surfaces when considering medically futile interventions is that there has been no universal agreement between medical professionals on how futility should be defined. For the most part, futility in relationship to medical interventions is defined as any clinical action which no longer serves a useful purpose in reaching a given patient’s goals and outcomes (Kasman, 2004). If a certain treatment only has the potential to prevent bodily death while not improving the health status of the patient or providing palliative benefit, it may be considered medically futile. When planning the care of terminally ill clients, it is important to weigh the effectiveness of the medical interventions against the benefits the treatment will bring as well as potential harms. The health care team must look at the patient as a whole instead of simply focusing on treating their specific diagnosis. Many factors come into play when considering which treatments may be appropriate and effective for these patients. Each patient’s unique goals should be evaluated thoroughly when the health care team creates their plan of care. For example, if an actively dying patient’s goal is to have a dignified and peaceful death, it may be considered maleficent to implement aggressive treatments such as intubation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (Kasman, 2004). It is important for the wishes of the patient and the patient’s family to be documented and known to the healthcare team when planning care. The problem of providing medically futile care has the p otential to affect everyone involved with the care on an emotional and intellectual level. This includes the patient, their family members, and members of the health care team involved. There are four ethical principles that must be considered when providing care to critically ill patients. These principles include beneficence, veracity, justice, and autonomy. The principle of beneficence in this context may be described as acting in a way which promotes the wellbeing of the patient. Veracity may be described as the truthful communication between healthcare providers and patients. The idea that all patients deserve to be treated equally according to their needs and that they should receive the appropriate level of care for their conditions describes the principle of justice. Autonomy is the principle that a patient has the ability to make their own individual decisions regarding their medical treatments. Beneficence is a commonly referenced principle in the context of providing interventions that may be considered medically futile. Because this principle is based on the idea of acting in a way that will have a positive impact on the patient, it would not be beneficent to provide care that is considered medically futile. This kind of care may succeed in prolonging the life of the patient, but it will likely have no net improvement on the patient’s quality of life, and may even result in a decreased quality of life. Veracity is a very important principle to implement in the critical care setting. Health care providers should be communicating with patients and their families in an honest manner about their medical condition. In some cases, providers may continue with life-sustaining treatments that will not result in a patient’s meaningful recovery for primarily emotional reasons including having concerns regarding the family’s reaction to the actual medical status of their family member (Suprising reasons for continuing futile treatment, 2012). This is an example in which the provider is not practicing veracity. It is important for the patient and their family to be given realistic expectations on the outcome of any treatment, even if it is a difficult discussion to have. Justice may be practiced in this setting by the careful consideration of each patient’s case individually. The healthcare team should evaluate each patient’s situation and consider what treatments will improve their condition as opposed to simply prolonging the life of their body. Even if a patient has decided they no longer desire to receive aggressive medical treatment, they still should be receiving adequate care and attention to their needs by the principle of justice. Autonomy is a vital component in providing care to critically ill patients. If at all possible, it is important for the patient to make their own decisions regarding their wishes during the end of their life. If the patient is not mentally competent or physically able to declare their decisions, the durable power of attorney would make these decisions if this person has been assigned prior to the patient’s incapacity. If there is no durable power of attorney, then the court will appoint a proxy that must act in a morally valid way and will make decisions with the patient’s best interests in mind (Kasman, 2004). When caring for critically ill patients, it can be challenging to understand the difference between interventions that are actually benefiting the client and interventions that will simply prolong the life of the client’s body. This is a concept that is especially difficult for family members who may not understand the severity of the patient’s medical status to understand. In some cases, the opinions of the healthcare providers and the opinions of the family members differ regarding what treatment options should be carried out for the patient. If this occurs when the patient is unable to make decisions for themselves and they have a surrogate appointed, the surrogate will make decisions on behalf of the patient. If the decisions made by the surrogate are not congruent with those of the physician, the physician may deny to carry out requested treatments if there are concerns of potential risks associated with them. If the surrogate continues to insist on the controversi al treatment, the patient’s case may be presented to other physicians. If the physician has serious concerns regarding the surrogate’s decisions, they have the right to request the court to replace the patient’s surrogate with one that has morals that are more sound. A recent case regarding medically futile care involved a man named David James who was originally hospitalized due to complications that arose with his stoma. During his stay at the hospital, he suffered from multiple organ failure. He was moved to the critical care unit with cardiovascular failure, respiratory failure, and renal failure where he was put on a ventilator. The patients medical condition was so bad that even aggressive medical treatments were unlikely to benefit him. As his condition continued to worsen, the hospital used the principle of beneficence and decided to place a Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) order in the patient’s medical record. The family disagreed with this decision, and the medical team took the case to the Court of Protection (Griffith, 2013). The court originally decided that treatment for this patient would not be futile and therefore withholding treatment would not be in the patient’s best interest. The ruling was not well accepted, and the case then moved to the Court of Appeal where the original decision was overruled. Here, it was decided that the results that the proposed treatments sought out would not be able to be produced in this patients case. The treatment that could be provided would likely not offer any therapeutic benefit to the patient or palliate the patient’s condition, so it was ruled to be medically futile treatment (Griffith, 2013). The decisions made in the care of critically and terminally ill clients are not usually obvious or straightforward. It seems as though as technology develops further, death appears to become viewed more as an option rather than a fact (Paris, Angelos, Schreiber, 2010). Because of the principle of justice, patients will still receive quality medical treatment for their illnesses even if they have a DNR status. It is important for all patients, especially those who do not have a long life expectancy left, to be knowledgeable about their options for end of life care. Everyone deserves the right to making autonomous decisions regarding their health. For a patient that does not desire to endure aggressive medical treatments at the end of their life, an alternative option could be either palliative care or hospice care depending on their individual case. The client would still be treated and more effort would be put towards relieving the symptoms of their illness rather than implementing aggressive medical treatments that could prolong their life at the risk of decreasing their quality of life. This could allow the client to have a more peaceful, dignified death, rather than having to endure several medical interventions that may be intrusive and painful such as intubation, ventilation, and CPR. It is important for the family to understand that just because many life-prolonging options are available due to modern medicine, it is not always the best choice to implement these options. Some opponents of the idea of medical futility claim that physicians aim to overpower less knowledgeable patients and their families. This leads opponents to believe that healthcare providers who have end of life discussions with families regarding medically futile care are consequently delivering paternalistic care. Some also believe that the idea of medical futility is simply a decoy used by physicians to convince patients and families to withdraw medical treatments in order to lower the costs associated with end-of-life care and to help ration the hospital resources (Kasman, 2004). There are many examples of professional literature exploring this topic, which discuss the reality of medically futile care, some of which have been cited throughout this paper. I believe that aggressive medical treatment should not be carried out if multiple health care providers share the same opinion and have decided that the interventions will not provide any foreseeable therapeutic medical or palliative benefit to the patient’s condition. Through researching this topic, it has become clear that with the advancements in medicine, death is becoming a fact that is not as accepted as it once was. Many people want their loved ones to live as long as possible at any given cost. Death is a fact of life, and once that is better understood and accepted by family members it may be easier for them to let go of their loved ones once the time arrives. The last moments of some actively dying patient’s lives may be of higher quality if they are able to spend time with their families and have the chance to say goodbye, rather than having the health care team fight the inevitability that is death (Ufema, 2001). This decision does not come in any conflict with my value system. I realize that death is an inevitable part of life, and at some point, this should be accepted by patients and their families. The quality of life for patients who are actively dying, yet still receiving numerous medical interventions simply to keep their body functioning as long as possible, does not seem just. I would like to think that patients have the right to die a dignified death without having to suffer from extensive medically futile interventions. Planning the care of terminally ill clients in the critical care setting can be a challenging and emotional process for everyone involved. It is important for providers to be honest with those affected by end-of-life decisions regarding the patient’s medical status. Although death can be very difficult to discuss and accept, all patients deserve the right to die a dignified death. As technology in medicine continues to advance, it is likely that people will view death increasingly as an option. Patients should be educated on deciding and documenting their end-of-life decisions while they have the chance to state their wishes so that they can experience the last moments of their lives in the manner that they desire.

The Question of Freedom in America :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

The United States' democratic system embraces its numerous obligations in a manner which promotes a comfortable and effective society in which the citizens may embark on everyday life knowing that the government is continually engrossed in performi ng its duties to protect and support the rights of the people. Although suicide is illegal, the government must recognize the trauma of those who are terminally ill in order to maintain a fair and equal democracy. By weighing these ideas and recognizing the dignity of an individual along with the law, government attempts to provide a suitable life for all. Through combined efforts of freedom of expression and censorship, liberty is maintained, because both the speaker's and the listener's rights are re spected. The government recognizes that all human life is precious; and, therefore it does its best to enable each individual the ability to gain their desired position in life throug the help of social services. A position not n ecessarily of vast wealt h, but one in which a person may feel content and gratified. Jefferson envisioned such cases as above long before they were contemplated; it is through the Declaration of Independence in 1776, he reflected his strong, intellectual beliefs (Jeffers on 615). Of the most important part of Jefferson's philosophy is the following quote: Â   All men are created equal, they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their powers from the consent of the governed. Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter it. (616) Â   In accordance with the remainder of the Declaration of Independence, this statement has been the basis of both human rights and overall justice in American democracy. Because there is a partnership between the government and the people in the U nited States, society has improved in every aspect. The government recognizes and embraces responsibility, knowing that the citizens may control their own lives without harming others. Likewise, individuals are given the ability and courage to pursue a joyful life. Hence, people are free to express themselves with all intention towars respecting individual freedom of others.

Jazz Dance :: essays research papers

Afterreading the article on jazz dance, I had found out a number of interestingthings that I hadnt known before. I thought it was a dance form that wasfairly new, starting in the early 1900s. I then found out that it actually pre-dates all the way back to theseventeenth century. I also thought itcame from the United States, when it really originated in Africa and wasbrought here by the slaves. The dancingand drumming was such a part of their lives; it was eventually continued by theslaves on the plantations with dancing and the clapping of their hands forrhythm. It was used as a form ofentertainment, as well as enjoyment, and sometimes, even for competition. It wasaround the 1830s when the song and dance of the Africans began being performedin theaters, called Minstrel shows,but the dancers were actually white. Then in the 1860s, blacks were finally aloud to perform in these shows. They became very popular and then diedout in the early 1900s, which lead the way for new shows. The most popular of these being the Vaudeville show. The Vaudeville show, presented a numberof different acts with all different cultures of people and dance, whichencouraged diversity. It served as aprofessional school, a training ground and an experimental station for dancersdestined for Broadway, nightclubs and film.-Richard Kislan. The Vaudevilleera began the emergence of jazz music, which mixed ragtime and blues. The dancers would then begin to connect tothe condensed rhythms of jazz music. Nowjazz incorporates a gathering of styles and movement, which can mean a lot ofdifferent things to different people. When welearned jazz dance in class, I found it hard to keep up at first. I liked the way it looked, when someone whoknew what they were doing, was dancing. I remember changing directions a lot. I also noticed while dancing that you use pretty much every part of yourbody. I thought I would be good at it,considering I am an athlete, and I am tune with my body. But I wasnt, I just felt like so manydifferent things to remember. Maybe if Ipracticed it more, I could pick it up. What I didlike about jazz dance, is how free it is. It really gives you the opportunity to express yourself. Even the guy who came in to instruct us wastelling everyone to perform the moves in your own style. Since we didnt really have any jazz music, Ifound it hard to keep rhythm.

Animal abuse Essay

Animal abuse is when someone inflicts pain or harm upon an animal such as not giving them their basic needs (food and water) to beating them. In between 5 and 7 million animal companions enter an animal shelter nationwide, every year (www.aspca.org), and within 50 miles of Hayward, CA, there are 170 animal cruelty cases reported (www.pet-abuse.com). Imagine what these innocent beings that cannot speak out to let the human know they are in pain feel. Animals need us to speak out and help reduce their suffering instead of making their lives worse. Animal safety needs to be improved by creating more laws to protect animals from harm. Animal cruelty is shaped by two forms of abuse, different types of animal abuse, opinions on how animal cruelty happens, organizations that help fight for animal rights, and ways to report it. see more:animal abuse essay Everyday animals are being taken advantage of and being brutally abused. They are beaten, kept in cages, and enslaved just for a person’s own amusement (www.peta.org). Humans like to have freedom but yet they have no problem locking animals away because they don’t feel like dealing with them. The law sees passive and active abuse as illegal but they don’t have strict consequences that follow. Passive abuse is when the crime is less intentional and active is doing it intentionally to cause pain upon an animal (www.pet-abuse.com). Why should animals have to endure this cruel torture? What did they do to deserve this? I believe animals should be more protected under the law and not just thrown around like garbage. Furthermore, there are many three main categories of animal abuse which are slaughter houses, animal testing, and finally in-house abuse. When slaughter house workers cut the heads off of a chicken their hearts are still beating, so they are forced to suffer for to benefit humans and are not protected under the law to be slaughtered humanely. Two hundred and eighty-seven chickens, three point sixty-eight pigs, and one point two cow are  slaughtered per second (www.annimalsuffering.com). Should so many animals be put through this cruel and unusual torture? There should be a maximum number under the law that prevents them from slaughtering so many in a small amount of time. There are many forms of animal testing, but the two main animal tests are, the Eye Irritancy and Acute Toxicity. The Eye Irritancy test is also known as the Draize eye test which is performed on rabbits by inserting a fluid with a needle in one eye to see how it reacts to this fluid. The rabbits are put in a contraption that locks their heads and endure a lot of suffering such as ulcers, blindness, and usually death. Next, Acute Toxicity is a method where they determine how much of a chemical can be exposed to the mouth, skin, and inhaled with rats and mice. These rodents are poisoned and the experiment ends when at least half of the testing animals die from the trial. They suffer from excruciating pain, convulsions, loss of motor function and seizures (www.aavs.org). No laws state that animal testing cannot be performed; therefore, they can inflict pain upon the animals at any time without worry of being prosecuted. They are able to inject them with lethal chemicals but when it comes to humans everyone is against injecting humans such as in the death penalty because it is inhumane and unusual torture. Finally, in-house abuse, is abuse from human to pet. According to the U.S. Animal Abuse Classifications chart neglect/abandonment ranks 1st with 5, 365 cases, animal hoarding ranks 2nd with 2,061 cases, and shooting comes in 3rd with 1,888 cases. I believe there should be laws that require background checks on violence and brutality in order to own pets because there are connection between violence and abusing animals. Overall, the United States has a high rate of people mistreating innocent animals and it must be prevented in order to protect these voiceless beings. Since the law is not doing much to protect these animals from cruel humans, the people believe they can get away with this crime. They have insecurities and since animals are smaller than them and can’t speak out they take all their frustrations out on them. Animals are helpless creatures whom are assumed to have no feelings. Animals are put through pain and torture due to people’s anger and ignorance. When a human is murdered, the law gives consequences to the murderer, but when animals are end up dead because of being tortured, the law does not provide consequences for the crime. These  people need to take responsibility for their actions and get the same punishment that they would get if these inflictions were toward a human. Animals deserve to have the same rights and be protected under the law. Despite of all the ignorant people, there are those who believe in equality between animals and humans and choose to be up standers. If laws were created that protected animals, these organizations would have a better support system for their fight. Laws would make these groups easier to support, therefore they could make more of a difference. For example, animal shelters provide the basic necessities such as food, shelter, and water and a safe environment for them to recover from the harsh acts. Without these shelters, animals will lose hope, so in order to keep them running, donations need to be given. Besides animal shelter, there are specific organizations that help fight for animal rights and help prevent animal cruelty. Some examples of organizations are the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). These groups believe that animals are just as equal as humans and should not be treated the way they are. People need to take responsibility for their actions, take care of their pets properly, and encourage others to do the same. In order to provide sufficient ways of life for animals, the law must support these organizations. Although there are organizations that fight to make a difference, individuals can stop animal cruelty. The Karma Dog organization stated, â€Å"What come around goes around.† Furthermore, there are many strategies you can use to report any signs of abuse or neglect. They can call 911 if the animal is being forced to fight other animals, starved, tortured, and has heavy chains around the neck, open wounds, and mutilation. Another number you can call is 311. When calling 311 the conditions are deprivation of food, water, improper vet care and shelter, untreated skin conditions, has extreme flea infestation, and extremely long nails and matted hair. When seeing animal abuse posted through the internet you must immediately contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) which is partnered with the FBI (http://www.belladogmagaizine.com). Finally, you can go onto change.org and sign petitions to stop animal testing and cruelty. You may not think one signature will make a difference but it does because once enough signatures  are collaborated, the government will realize something needs to be done. Never give up and keep fighting for these innocent animals. Even though animal abuse is wrong and hurtful to animals, some owners don’t purposely inflict harm upon them. For example, if the owner is having a really busy day and doesn’t have the time to walk their dog or they forget to feed them. Why should the owner be penalized for an accident? If the owner tries his best and treats the dog well any other time shouldn’t he be let off with a warning? A person should not be penalized for an accident because many things happen in life that causes distractions. Pet owners don’t intentionally neglect their pets and they deserve the chance to prove the courts otherwise. Some believe that animals are here to serve us so if so then we should not have to pamper them as we would for ourselves. In conclusion, animals and humans are no different and they should not be treated differently under the law. However, people in the United States mistreat innocent begins and laws need to be enforced to prevent it. Some think that animals cannot speak, that what happens to them will not affect them mentally, but every living animals have feeling whether they can talk or not. Treat an animal the way you would want to be treated. When using products, people should think to look if it has been tested on animals. Registering or volunteering at organizations that help prevent and heal abused animals will set a good example to others to fight for what you believe in. The bible states, â€Å"Do unto others.† This phrase is for all being not just humans so why should animals have to continue suffering. Be your own person and fight against animal abuse because this is cruel and unusual torture. Works Cited â€Å"Pet Statistics.† ASPCA. N.p., 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . â€Å"Reporting Internet Animal Abuse | BellaDOG Magazine.† Reporting Internet Animal Abuse | BellaDOG Magazine. N.p., 2011. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . â€Å"The Issues.† PETA. N.p., 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . â€Å"Types of Animal Testing.† -The American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS). N.p., 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . Corp., Petabuse. â€Å"Animal Cruelty.† Animal Cruelty | Pet-Abuse.Com Animal Cruelty Database. N.p., 2001-2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . Corp., Petabuse. â€Å"Local Animal Cruelty Case Search | Pet-Abuse.Com Animal Cruelty Database.† Local Animal Cruelty Case Search | Pet-Abuse.Com Animal Cruelty Database. N.p., 2001-2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . Hugo, Victor. â€Å"Animal Slaughter, Abuse and Cruelty. Behind the Screens.† AnimalSuffering. Animals Rights Concerns, 2003,2009. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. .