Cultural Relativism and Improving the Lives of Women Essay

Cultural Relativism and Improving the Lives of Women - Essay Example However, as demonstrated by the overwhelming number of reservations to CEDAW there is an underlying reluctance to part with social and cultural traditions.4 This study assesses the problem of cultural relativism as a barrier to improving the lives of women by reference to the weakness of the implementation and enforcement mechanisms of CEDAW. Cultural relativism takes the position that there is no universally accepted standard for judging all cultures. This is especially unfair to feminists who attempt to draw attention to all forms of gender discrimination and oppression among diverse cultures.5 Cultural relativism is characterized as a â€Å"doctrine† that recognizes that there are some moral codes and social institutions are different and are â€Å"exempt from legitimate criticism by outsiders† and such a doctrine is â€Å"supported by notions of communal autonomy and self-determination†.6 There are two diametrically opposed views on cultural relativism. One view is referred to as radical cultural relativism and this view holds that culture provides the only validity for proffering a moral rule. The other view is radical universalism which takes the position that culture is not relevant for validating moral rules because they are â€Å"universally valid†.7 †¦people are categorized and identified by social identity, especially as it is expressed in religious, ethnic, or tribal terms. These group-based identities often help determine our position in the social and political hierarchy of a society and also condition people’s attitudes and perceptions toward us as we go about our daily business.8 For a number of women, they derive their respective identities from their experiences within specific settings that are dominated by males. Even so, the way that they perceive themselves emanates from how women are treated and quite often they confront levels of discriminatory treatment within their social settings.

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe - Essay Example People live in huts known as obis which are built at the center of the compound. Polygamy is also accepted in this community; as one man can marry as many women as he likes because having multiple wives and children is considered to be a source of wealth or that one was rich. Men and women had different roles in the community; men were responsible for growing yams as it was the most important crop in the community while women grew the less important crops like cocoa- yams, beans, cassava e.t.c. The setting also enables us to follow and understand the Igbo way of life. The people of Umuofia have some significant ceremonies like the week of peace that was greatly observed by everyone, and nobody caused any trouble during the celebration as seen (Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart. Page 23) Okonkwo is fined for beating his wife during the festival. This was followed by the planting of yams then the new yam feast. Other celebrated activities also include dance, rites of passage and above all proverbs. The people of Umuofia loved their proverbs, and they never missed to us them in all occasions. They even have a proverb that says â€Å"words are the palm-oil with which word are eaten†. Religion is very valuable to the people of Umuofia as the egwugwu are deeply respected and are believed to keep the peace in the land and administer justice. A lot of people was talented in Arts e.g. Okonkwo’s father they were good in music and poetry, thing that according to Okonkwo w ere not manly, and he hated hearted Arts and those who did them. Everyone in the community had something to add to the progression of the community including women and children. Laziness was discouraged and rebuked as in many other African communities. A lot has changed since the time of the setting of this great book; for example, today in my community we do not celebrate agricultural patterns or dance among others. Polygamy is also not practiced in my community, unlike Umuofia. However, we have wedding, dance celebrations, and we also do farming as the main economic activity. The setting of a book is what builds it. It is through setting that we are able to discover the economic activities of the community, its social activities, culture, and location among other factors that build the body of the book. A rural setting is always attractive and very informative compared to other kinds of settings. Question 2 Achebe wrote the novel â€Å"Things Fall Apart† to educate people, and to combat demeaning stereotypes about Africa. However, he does not present the Igbo society as ideal. He criticizes some aspects of the community through his characters. Achebe seems to challenge some traditional beliefs and practices. For example, the killing of Ikemefuna, Okonkwo’s adopted son. He does this through the character Obierika (Okonkwo’s best friend) who refused to join the rest of the village men in the walk to the forest were the boy was to be killed by say that he has better things to do(Chinua Achebe, Things fall Apart, page 32). Obierika also told Okonkwo that his deeds would not please the earth because of the men’s actions. This turns out to be true later, although Okonkwo disagrees with him, but he is later faced with a great misfortune and is exiled from his home for seven years. This shows that Achebe does not agree with the murder of the young boy for he had committed no crime to be killed in that manner. Achebe

How American Civil War Was Inevitable History Essay

How American Civil War Was Inevitable History Essay The American civil war was the largest ever armed conflict to occur on Americas soil and it occurred in between the years of 1861 to 1865. It was deadly and arguably the most important event in the nations history. Sections entrenched in the constitution of the united sates Catapulted tension between the northern and the southern states leading to a brutal war. Slavery was a root cause of the conflict. This war increased Americas economic dominance until it overtook all the other countries of the world. It also lead the country into having a strong constitution that made Americans to be part of a single nation instead of a corporate made up of different states with their own rules and institutions. The war indeed changed the way Americans viewed their own nation seeing it as one nation. After the war every part of Americas national fabric changed; from the role of the federal government to the status of African Americans. The war was triggered by the victory of Abraham Lincoln in the elections of 1860.  [1]   Factors That Made the Civil War Irrepressible In these elections, the Republican Party led by Lincoln won, beating three other candidates. The southerners did not vote for him so his victory was seen as a northern affair. His speech, given in 1858, stated that, a divided house cannot stand and visualized that America can not endure a half-slave and half-free. This clearly showed that he was a moderate and was therefore not up to task, in the views of the southerners, to be able to tackle the abolitionist they perceived as a threat.  [2]  He countered this by stating he will uphold the doctrine of states right. Most southerners distrusted him. His victory in the election led to the withdrawal of eleven states from the south from the union leading to the formation of the Confederate States of America with Jefferson Davis as its president. This was viewed by the US administrators as an act of treason. Hostilities were prompted in April of 1861 when the confederalists attacked a US military installation at fort summer in South Carolina prompting Lincoln to call for each state to volunteer an army. He declared these acts of secession as illegal and asked for 500,000 soldiers from the Congress to destroy what seemed to be a threatening and aggressive rebellion. This led to declaration of secession by four other states. In 1862 Lincoln emancipation declaration made ending slavery in the south the goal of the war. This was the principle of abolition. As a principle it was more than just the need to limit and abolish slavery. Slavery existed in the southern states and the federal government could not intervene as the constitution did not permit. Previously most northerners had favored a gradual and compensated scheme of slave emancipation but this was rejected by 1849 where they know demanded its immediate end every where. In 1807 external slave had been abolished making slave trade to be purely internal. The Dred Scott decision effectively limited the expansion of slavery in the US but the fugitive slave act that was subsequently passed declared slaves as properties. This led to hostilities between the southern states and the northern ones. Politicians in a bid to stem the feuds brought the compromise of 1850 and negotiated the status of territories gained after the Mexican- American war (1846-1848). This compromise was also aimed at maintaining the balance of power in Congress between leaders of slave states and those of Free states. It designated land, boundaries and processes by which a country could be slave state or a free state. Still, these compromises did not prevent divisions from growing. Opposition to the abolition movement in the south was strong due to several factors. The coexistence of the slavery south with the free states of the north was a recipe for disaster. Abraham Lincoln had not proposed any laws to curb slavery and most politicians were riding on the fence. Political feuds were a bout expanding slavery to the new territories of the west so as to enhance economic security of the south. These new territories were more likely to become Free states, a move that propelled southerners to embrace secessionism. Both leaders of the north and south used Thomas Jefferson ideas listed in his Kentucky resolutions to defend there hard line positions. Slavery indeed was the chief reason for secession. The southerners used state rights as a cover for defending slavery. They used this doctrine of a states right to base many of their grievances. The Constitution aimed at taking a middle ground by juggling the notion of a federal government with the freedom of individual states to govern them.  [3]   This doctrine to which the United States was founded became the basis for the South in its quest to block northerners from imposing anti-slavery laws to it. The support of secession was correlated to the number of plantations in the south and these were the regions that had more slave owners who had more than 100 slaves. To the southerners the notion of equality with blacks coupled with loss of economic prosperity was a worrisome matter. The north and south were different as the south had an agricultural economy based on slavery while the north had an industrial economy based on free labor and was an industrial power. The north had an abolitionist movement that which had a large membership and that was rapidly growing. This mounted a lot of fear to the southerners as the movement had the power and ability to cut down slave trade which would change their normal ways of life. States located at the border between Pennyslavia and Maryland had begun to proscribe slavery in the eighteenth century. This led to temperament and brewing sectional conflict leading to the Missouri compromise of 1850 where the northern leaders accepted into the Union a new slave state of Missouri, on condition that Maine, another state is a free territory. These are the major primary factors that precipitated the American civil war.  [4]   Conclusion The southern states were agricultural in nature. Hence they relied heavily on slavery as the main means of labor provision. This is what underpinned the high economic growth experienced by these states prior to the crush of the 1850s. Hence when the abolitionist was campaigning for equal rights and equality, these were viewed as a direct threat to there means of survival and wealth creation. The implication of slavery vibrated through the political, social and economic dimension in the relationship between the southern states and the northern states. Thus this was the primary reason for the civil war and these factors made the slide to the civil war inevitable.

absolut Failure Essay -- essays research papers fc

The 1920’s was a time of major social change in the United States. The social changes during this period are reflected in the laws and regulations that were implemented. One of the most prominent examples of this was prohibition. The 18th Amendment to the Constitution, or the Volsted act as it is also know, was implemented to eliminate the use of alcohol in the United States. In doing this, the advocates of prohibition hoped to also eradicate the social problems associated with alcohol. â€Å"It was an attempt to promote Protestant middle-class culture as a means of imposing order on a disorderly world†(Dumenil 226). However, this goal of keeping social order through not consuming alcohol, was not reached during the years of prohibition, or even the years following it. Alcohol use among Americans did decline, but it was not totally eliminated, and some of the social problems were even greater then before prohibition. Therefore prohibition was not successful in its origi nal purpose. To best understand the reasons behind the failure of prohibition, we have to look at the years before, during, and after prohibition. This will give context to the implementation of the 18th Amendment, as well as show the trends of Americans’ alcohol use and the effects of alcohol on American society. The early 1900’s were a time of great prosperity in the United States. America was thriving economically, and big cities were booming. However, some Americans thought that this was not a good thing, because of the social problems that came with the urban culture. The â€Å"Dry’s†, as Prohibitionists were referred to, saw large cities as providing people with readily available alcohol. This in turn led to an increase in crime, poverty and immorality. During the period of 1911-1915 the average per-capita consumption of alcohol of each American was 2.56 gallons (Kyvig 24). The solution that was proposed was a national prohibition of alcohol. The goal of this was to eliminate drinking in America thus reducing all of the problems associated with it. â€Å"The Prohibitionists thought that the sale of liquor was a social crime, that the drinking of liquor was a racial crime, and that the results of liquor were criminal actions†(Sinclair 220). By making alcohol il legal nationally, such as it would be with prohibition, the social problems of America would be fixed. On January 16, 1920 alcohol became i... ...ad, it added to the problems it was intended to solve†(Thornton). We can see that prohibition did reduce the amount of alcohol consumed in the United States, but alcohol use was not altogether eliminated. The social problems that were hoped to be addressed were not solved either. The great experiment that was prohibition did not accomplish its goals of solving the social problems of America and eliminating alcohol consumption. But it will always be remembered for causing Americans to reflect on the effects of alcohol on society. Bibliography 1. Bowen, Ezera. This Fabulous Century. 6 vol. New York: Time Life Books, 1969. 2. Dumenil, Lynn. Modern Temper: American culture and society in the 1920’s. New York: Hill and Wang, 1995. 3. Fisher, Irving. Prohibition at its worst. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1926 4. Kyvig, David E. Repealing National Prohibition. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1979. 5. Lee, Henry. How Dry We Were: Prohibition revisited. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc, 1963. 6. Sinclair, Andrew. Prohibition: The Era of Excess. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1962. 7. Thornton, Mark. http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa-157.html

Adn vs Bsn

ADN vs BSN Grand Canyon University: NRS 430V October 18, 2012 Over the course of time, many different types and levels of degrees have developed in the field of nursing. Today, many individuals are in an internal conflict of having either their ADN or BSN, the two most common degrees in the field. According to a sample survey, 50. 0% of the nursing workforce currently hold a BSN and 36. 1% have obtained an ADN (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). An ADN is an Associates degree in Nursing, whereas a BSN is a Baccalaureate in Nursing.The issue of the conflict arises from the confusion of what the actual benefit and difference the BSN would make in the work field due to the current good mixture of nurses with both degrees who work in the same areas doing the same work. Other than a slight pay difference, there are many benefits that individuals don’t realize there are in having a BSN. The first baccalaureate degree was developed in the United States at the Univers ity of Minnesota in 1909. Today, most BSN programs take about 4 years to complete.These programs prepare students to practice in the beginning levels of leadership. They prepare students by including the components of quality and patient safety, evidence-based practice, liberal education, information management, communication/collaboration, clinical prevention, public health and other professional values in the course. In today’s world, the demands placed on nursing in the emerging health care system are likely to require a greater proportion of RNs who are prepared beyond the associate degree or diploma level (Creasia & Friberg, 2011).Research has shown a few major, very important differences in the work force of those with BSN’s opposed to those of ADN’s. Those differences, although all ADN/BSN nursing programs have the same passing rate for the NCLEX-RN licensing examination, show that those nurses whom have a higher education are linked to a decrease in medi cation errors, lower mortality rates, and better quality patient care. The NCLEX tests for those minimum basic skills and knowledge needed to have a safe entry into the nursing practice.The test does not test those abilities learned in the baccalaureate program (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). These extra skills include, but are not limited to: critical thinking, health promotion, management, and flexibility to work in both in and outpatient areas (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). Those extra skills are being shown to be essential for the future demands that will come in the changing health care system and the new, increasing needs of the patient population.Many hospitals today are becoming what are called Magnet hospitals. These hospitals are those that are requiring all nurses who are in leadership/management positions to have a baccalaureate or diploma degree by 2013, and have an 80% baccalaureate prepared RN personnel by 2020 (American Asso ciation of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). As an example of a patient care situation involving a nurse handling an issue involving a patient, comparing a nurse prepared at the BSN level as opposed to the ADN level, the BSN RN would better handle the situation.Of the many nurse/patient scenarios that this concept could apply to, one that would be more commonly seen would be being a team leader in a code. The nurse that holds the ADN level of education does not have the same amount of education as the nurse holding the BSN level does, that extra education being specifically linked to leadership, critical thinking, professionalism and evidence-based practice research. The nurse with the BSN would be able to more efficiently recognize early signs and symptoms, direct a team during a code, know which action to take at which time, and handle speaking with family.The decision-making process of the nurse with the BSN would be made quicker and be made with more experience behind the issue or que stion. In conclusion, the act of nursing revolves around the focus of health. That level of act with the higher education is becoming more and more needed as healthcare progresses. The baccalaureate of nursing provides that higher level of act, including the roles of critical thinking, professionalism, ethics, teaching, and accountability.With the continued research, more and more studies are proving every day how a nurse with a BSN compared to one with an ADN can decrease mortality rates and failure-to-rescue cases. With the development of the Magnet hospitals, the movement is being made to help those numbers continue to progress in a positive direction. The education of nursing is theory driven, those theories being obtained from science, religion, ethics, humanities and evidence-based practice. (Grand Canyon University, 2011) References American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2012).Fact sheet: creating a more highly qualified nursing workforce. Retrieved from http://www. aa cn. nche. edu/media-relations/ NursingWorkforce. pdf American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2012). The impact of education on nursing practice. Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education Creasia, Joan L. , & Friberg, Elizabeth E. (2011). Conceptual foundations: the bridge to professional nursing practice (5th ed. ). St. Louis, MS: Mosby, Inc. Grand Canyon University. (2011). Grand Canyon University College of Nursing Philosophy. 1-2. ———————– 2 2 Adn vs Bsn ADN vs BSN Grand Canyon University: NRS 430V October 18, 2012 Over the course of time, many different types and levels of degrees have developed in the field of nursing. Today, many individuals are in an internal conflict of having either their ADN or BSN, the two most common degrees in the field. According to a sample survey, 50. 0% of the nursing workforce currently hold a BSN and 36. 1% have obtained an ADN (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). An ADN is an Associates degree in Nursing, whereas a BSN is a Baccalaureate in Nursing.The issue of the conflict arises from the confusion of what the actual benefit and difference the BSN would make in the work field due to the current good mixture of nurses with both degrees who work in the same areas doing the same work. Other than a slight pay difference, there are many benefits that individuals don’t realize there are in having a BSN. The first baccalaureate degree was developed in the United States at the Univers ity of Minnesota in 1909. Today, most BSN programs take about 4 years to complete.These programs prepare students to practice in the beginning levels of leadership. They prepare students by including the components of quality and patient safety, evidence-based practice, liberal education, information management, communication/collaboration, clinical prevention, public health and other professional values in the course. In today’s world, the demands placed on nursing in the emerging health care system are likely to require a greater proportion of RNs who are prepared beyond the associate degree or diploma level (Creasia & Friberg, 2011).Research has shown a few major, very important differences in the work force of those with BSN’s opposed to those of ADN’s. Those differences, although all ADN/BSN nursing programs have the same passing rate for the NCLEX-RN licensing examination, show that those nurses whom have a higher education are linked to a decrease in medi cation errors, lower mortality rates, and better quality patient care. The NCLEX tests for those minimum basic skills and knowledge needed to have a safe entry into the nursing practice.The test does not test those abilities learned in the baccalaureate program (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). These extra skills include, but are not limited to: critical thinking, health promotion, management, and flexibility to work in both in and outpatient areas (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). Those extra skills are being shown to be essential for the future demands that will come in the changing health care system and the new, increasing needs of the patient population.Many hospitals today are becoming what are called Magnet hospitals. These hospitals are those that are requiring all nurses who are in leadership/management positions to have a baccalaureate or diploma degree by 2013, and have an 80% baccalaureate prepared RN personnel by 2020 (American Asso ciation of Colleges of Nursing, 2012). As an example of a patient care situation involving a nurse handling an issue involving a patient, comparing a nurse prepared at the BSN level as opposed to the ADN level, the BSN RN would better handle the situation.Of the many nurse/patient scenarios that this concept could apply to, one that would be more commonly seen would be being a team leader in a code. The nurse that holds the ADN level of education does not have the same amount of education as the nurse holding the BSN level does, that extra education being specifically linked to leadership, critical thinking, professionalism and evidence-based practice research. The nurse with the BSN would be able to more efficiently recognize early signs and symptoms, direct a team during a code, know which action to take at which time, and handle speaking with family.The decision-making process of the nurse with the BSN would be made quicker and be made with more experience behind the issue or que stion. In conclusion, the act of nursing revolves around the focus of health. That level of act with the higher education is becoming more and more needed as healthcare progresses. The baccalaureate of nursing provides that higher level of act, including the roles of critical thinking, professionalism, ethics, teaching, and accountability.With the continued research, more and more studies are proving every day how a nurse with a BSN compared to one with an ADN can decrease mortality rates and failure-to-rescue cases. With the development of the Magnet hospitals, the movement is being made to help those numbers continue to progress in a positive direction. The education of nursing is theory driven, those theories being obtained from science, religion, ethics, humanities and evidence-based practice. (Grand Canyon University, 2011) References American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2012).Fact sheet: creating a more highly qualified nursing workforce. Retrieved from http://www. aa cn. nche. edu/media-relations/ NursingWorkforce. pdf American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2012). The impact of education on nursing practice. Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/impact-of-education Creasia, Joan L. , & Friberg, Elizabeth E. (2011). Conceptual foundations: the bridge to professional nursing practice (5th ed. ). St. Louis, MS: Mosby, Inc. Grand Canyon University. (2011). Grand Canyon University College of Nursing Philosophy. 1-2. ———————– 2 2

Personal Professional Effectiveness Essay

Confidentiality can be defined quite simply as a set of rules or a promise that limits access or places restrictions on certain types of information, but in this assessment, we are trying to draw the connection between confidentiality and the links it as to my specific field of nursing as also the substantial impact it as on my role. Being more precise than broaden in defining what confidentiality means in my field of work, patient confidentiality is when the right of an individual patient to have personal, identifiable medical information kept private; such information should be available only to the physician of record and other health care and insurance personnel as necessary. It safeguards personal and/or medical information given to a health care provider making sure that it will not be disclosed to others unless the patient has given informed consent. This is becoming extremely difficult to ensure in an age of electronic medical records and third-party insurance payers, which is why I have chosen to choses to theme especially, to express my own concerns. The main focus of this assignment is to amplify our knowledge and understanding of the profession, ethical and legal issues that are associated with providing good care to patients in a health and care setting. This assignment is aimed to look at the issue of confidentiality, which is a highly imperative topic to use when I practice. I thought it was essential to write about confidentiality as it is something that everyone is entitled to, but don’t necessarily get which goes against some of the acts and legislations that will later be talked about further into the assignment. I defiantly want to single out this topic in relation to older adults. Through my training, which I admit I have done a few times myself; we forget that some adults do not have the ability to apply confidentiality to themselves. For example, a patient has asked for their moist bed sheets to be changed due to an accident that they had and repeating that information to others without taking the patients thoughts or feelings into consideration may have an substantial effect. Easy mistake, however confidentiality needs to be upheld to the highest and applied at all times. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2009), The Code: Standards of conduct (2008) enthuses, guides nurses, and midwifes to allow people to have the right knowledge about who they share information with and how we would go about it to provide the right care. It also enforces that we must disclose information if necessary, if we are to think the patient might be at risk or a risk to someone else, which entwines with the Data protection Act (1998) which will later be discussed. Guides such as these can defiantly influence the level of care in a positive way and the way we work with confidentiality. Accountability According to the NMC, The Code its states that as professionals/ student nurses we are liable for our own actions and omissions in our health and care setting, alongside being able to justify the reasons for making these decisions. This is also supported by Griffith and Tengnah (2010) which acknowledges the same grounds. In terms of confidentiality and accountability, I will be using the defined subject of record keeping as I think it is a key factor towards good practice.â€Å" Accountability is integral to professional practice. As nurses, we do make many decisions and it is important that we take responsibility to maintain that care. We are duty bound by the policies and procedures that administrate our health and care profession. It is important that I know my limitations and know that once this relationship is established we have a duty of care to ensure that we provide what is expected. If this is breached, we can cause injury to our patients and as a student nurse my mentor and myself are accountable for my actions as they oversee the care that I give towards the patient at hand. â€Å"The law imposes a duty of care on practitioners, whether they are HCAs, APs, students, registered nurses, doctors or others, when it is ‘reasonably foreseeable’ that they might cause harm to patients through their actions or  their failure to act (Cox, 2010).† The patients look up to us and are dependent on our expertise and knowledge by placing their health and wellbeing in our hands (Department of Health 2003). It is essential that we don’t abuse and neglect this trust as it will can cause additional problems to both the nurse and the patients. For example, the patients may avoid getting further treatments or being seen by a health service because of the negative experience that they have had previously before. Ethics Ethics is a philosophy that identifies between right and the wrong acts or decision that is in relation to an individual. How we all interpret, ethics will be different to the next as it is rather an individual principal he/she may lives by. Ethics is universal and is used in every profession; however it is built on our own morals and values. The NMC does not state specifically about ethics, however through the acts, our governing body has provided laws and legislations, implying that ethics should be included throughout nursing. It’s a certain code that should be followed but due to people’s morals and values it’s sometimes dismissed and not up taken to its highest importance. There are certain elements of confidentiality that are not fully covered by the law are things such as gossiping about what a friend had discussed with you. Ethically it’s argued that what that individual done was wrong but because the law does not cover it, it may not be seen as something serious. However discussing professional issues, information that has been discussed with you by a patient in your professional role is against the code of conduct which is covered by the NMC. We have to safeguard our patients. Disclosing patients information is also against the law, and if found guilty the nurse is most likely to be suspended following investigation and if the severity of the claim is over-whelming then he/she will be fired. Law’s such as HIPAA (1996) guidelines (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) protects the privacy of the patient’s personal information allowing identifiable information private. The guideline like the one all the other laws regulate that states that those who do not comply can either be suspended whilst investigations are carried out or be relieved  of their duty completely. In twining both law and ethics, we have a duty to disclose any information that we might have about their health, progress or risks etc. They have the right to know and we cannot take that right away from them because we think different, by discussing these disclosures the ethical principle or B Beneficence found by Beauchamp and Childress (2008) suggests that we should allow them to access this information to benefit them and empower our patients. Beauchamp and Childress (2008) suggests’ that there are four principles that can possibly structure a guide when looking at ethical decision making. These four consists of Autonomy, Non-maleficence, Beneficence and also Justice which they consider to be at the centre of the health and social profession. It proposes that there are three types of rules for guiding actions when using it. Some of the imperative and substantive rules consist of truth telling, confidentiality which is our main focus in this assignment, privacy and fidelity. Authority rules are the ones that favour who are capable and ought to perform those actions. Finally, it states that Procedural rules establish procedures to be followed. Non-maleficence obliges that no harm should be caused and forced onto patients whether it was intentionally inflicted or by accident. Non-maleficence can easily be linked with confidentiality as having poor confidentiality can be regarded as clinical carelessness and negligence which can cause harm to the patients. Having inappropriate undisclosed information breaches the duty of care. The NMC (2010) states that safeguarding is a part of our daily nursing practices in whatever setting we happened to be in. In addition to that, as a nurse whether we are qualified or not it’s part of our role to be too able to identify when something is unsuitable and manage situations effectively. This can be because a person that is in my care is at risk, whether they have been mistreated or neglect and also if there has been poor practice. This can link closely with The Mental Capacity Act (2005), making sure that we are taking note of autonomy if they not able to have the right mental capaci ty. However, through my training I have come across myself breaching confidentially. This was not an intentional act but after the shift, I still managed to have the handover sheet for that day still slipped into my side pocket without realising when I got home. This breaches confidentiality as that information should not have been taken outside the ward, and if someone else found it, it could put that patient at risk. In addition to that I am encouraging patients information to be disclosed to people they font know. Upon noticing this, I realised straight away of the consequences and made sure that I disclosed of the information properly. On the other hand, Beneficence refers to actions that are implemented that can possibly contribute and help the well-being of others. It holds two principles which is that positive beneficence necessitates the provision of benefits and also utility requires that the benefits and drawbacks are balanced. The main thing that we should give to every patient is respect and autonomy which allows them to have a freedom of choice. We, as professionals should not discharge that even if it came to a situation where we disagreed. A good example of this is during my practice I’ve seen that to some abortion might be seen as wrong ethically, however, the law accepts it making it legal to do. We cannot tamper with that, and if a riot was formed against it, it would be seen as an act against the law and would be taken seriously as they are disturbing the peace. It’s hard to judge sometimes what is wrong from right but we have to stick to the rules that are placed before us. Law Patients have a right to expect that information about them will be held in confidence by their doctors/nurses. You must treat information about patients as confidential, including after a patient has died. This duty of confidence is derived from common law the decisions of the Courts and statues which are passed in parliament. The common law of confidentiality applies to anyone who discloses information in a way that constitutes a breach of confidence. Common law are hardly written in statutes but as been established by court decisions over time which to me indicate that a breach  of confidence will be unlawful if the data is not in the public domain. It is in some way sensitive or significant the data was obtained in circumstances when an obligation to keep it in confidence might be expected (a good example is nurse -patient relationship). Use of the data is unauthorised but that a breach may be lawful if justified by being in the public interest, if a data use is not a breach of confidence then it will normally also not constitute and infringement of the right to respect for private life under the Human Rights Act 1998. Even if a data use is not a breach of confidence, you will still need to be sure you comply with the conditions of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). Similarly, compliance with the DPA does not necessarily guarantee that there can be no breach of confidence. Now in relation to statues on confidentiality you must disclose information to satisfy a specific statutory requirement, such as notification of a known or suspected case of certain infectious diseases. Various regulatory bodies have statutory powers to access patients’ records as part of their duties to investigate complaints, accidents or health professionals’ fitness to practise. You should satisfy yourself that any disclosure sou ght is required by law or can be justified in the public interest. Many regulatory bodies have codes of practice governing how they will access and use personal information. Most if profession if not all abide by the data protection act (1998) it governs the processing of information that identifies living individuals. Processing includes holding, obtaining, recording, using and disclosing of information and the Act applies to all forms of media, including paper and electronic. Poor record keeping is inexcusable and unprofessional by any reasonable and sensible person. A health professional record is the only this that is a legal nonverbal form of communication which is conformation of the care that has been given to that patient. Which links back to accountability, by using record keeping effectively their professional accountability won’t be judged and questioned. The courts embrace that if there is no identification or it has been recorded, it simply has not been taken place (Owen, 2005) Other legislations for example The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (1990), The Mental Capacity Act (2005) and The Computer Misuse Act (1990), all have their individual importance but the  one that relates more to my field in nursing is disclosure. Relating back to my time in practice I myself have seen the data protection act broken several times. I came across a nurse who was giving out unwanted information to a member of public, even though it was a family member of the gentleman it was not accepted as he did not agreed to this. The Nursing Midwifery Council defined disclosure as the giving of information. One aspect of privacy is supposed to be that individuals have the right to control access to their own personal health information. Disclosure is only lawful and ethical if the individual has given consent to the information being passed on such consent must be freely and fully given. Consent to disclosure of confidential information maybe explicitly implied required by law or capable of justification due to the public interest. The NMC states, ‘The common law of confidentiality reflects that people have a right to expect that information given to a nurse or midwife is only used for the purpose for which it was given and will not be disclosed without permission’. According to the NMC it identifies that confidentiality is a fundamental part of professional practice that protects human rights which is identified in article 8 (right to respect for private and family life). Therefore, it meant not respecting the clients wishes and also defeating the act. I have also seen on a few occasions members of staff not logging out of the system, with patients information there on the screen for anyone to look at. This information is secure for a reasons and not logging out can be an easy mistake on a busy ward. Nevertheless, it is essential to keep that information to those who are permitted to see it. However, there are times where information can be disclosed under the law. Such as the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) which permits healthcare professionals to pass on data and information to the police if they believe that someone may be of been harmed or more fatal, death, may occur if the police are not informed. This links closely with safeguarding and also accountability. Due to the professional duty we have we have to report these kinds of things if observed. Disclosure to third parties is when information is shared with other people that are not directly linked with the individuals care. Nurses have to ensure that those of the third party are informed properly. . People in the care of a nurse or midwife have a right to object to the use and disclosure of confidential information in this case. However, it’s essential  that they need to be made aware of this and completely understand its implications and backfires. Information that can possibly identify individual’s information that is in the care of a nurse must not be used or disclosed. Conclusion In conclusion, from undertaking this assignment I am now able to apply the knowledge that I have gained from this important topic into practice. It has allowed me to see how simple and easily confidentiality can be broken when not focussing on what’s important which is the patient. Their needs need to go first whether it’s their health, their safety or their care. I am in a privileged position where I am respected and trusted by others it’s imperative that it is not abused under any circumstance. It’s essential that I implement these acts and legislations when caring for my clients so I can give them the best quality of care possible. I was able to develop an awareness of my own and others professionals role and boundaries in safeguarding individuals that may be vulnerable. The three elements that were discussed, accountability, law and ethics are the heart of nursing. Directing our attention on these elements can help to support to create boundaries and moralities in the health and care setting, making it a more safer and reliable with accountable staff. As a nurse I would need to be competent to deal with professional issues, ethical and legal issues that I may come across during my training. I have produced a SWOT analysis table to devise my learning from this assignment. Strengths: Weaknesses: Able to use information to the best of its ability and apply it to certain situations such as when to know how to safeguard a patient, disclose information etc. Trying to uncover problems and knowing how to report it as its part of my duty of care. Be able to demonstrate that I am making sure that the patients that I am caring for are my first concern and priority. Being able to be focussed at all times to notice when I might break confidentiality, for example taking a handover sheet home by accident and not disposing of it properly. Not be able to be confident at periods to engage with other members to tell them if I have seen confidentiality being broken as I might think it might lead myself to be in trouble Having the confidence to tell someone that is senior that what they are doing is wrong (such as a mentor or colleague), it might shape my learning in practice differently Opportunities: Threats: It allows me to strengthen my knowledge about the Acts, Laws and Legislations and apply them. Allows me to research and read about other laws, acts and legalisations that I can implement into my practice Able me to witness different types of situations through the experiences where confidentiality might have been broken Working in a team will allow me to take on and digest different peoples personality and behaviours, which I can apply to my everyday life and also most importantly my work in how they keep confidentiality In me being able to analysis certain situation and give my best evaluation on certain problems I think it will help me judge on good and bad situations and how to deal with them To understand that people around me can lead me to break confidentiality, so making sure that I notice these things because I can be involved without knowing Reference Adrian O’Dowd. (2013). HCAs and patient confidentiality. Available: http://www.nursingtimes.net/whats-new-in-nursing/unison/hcas-and-patient-confidentiality/5000408.article. Last accessed 24th May 2013. Anne Mehnke. (2010). Managing a breach in patient confidentiality. Available: http://journals.lww.com/nursingcriticalcare/Fulltext/2010/07000/Managing_a_breach_in_patient_confidentiality.12.aspx. Last accessed 22rd May 20013. British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. (2013). Respecting privacy and confidentiality. Available: http://www.bacp.co.uk/ethical_framework/ETHICAL%20FRAMEWORK%20(BSL%20VERSION)/Respectingprivacyandconfidentiality%20.php. Last accessed 24th May 2013. College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. (2010). Privacy and Confidentiality.Available: https://www.crnbc.ca/Standards/Lists/StandardResources/400ConfidentialityPracStd.pdf. Last accessed 22rd May 20013. D, Marijke . (2013). HIPAA Privacy Rule & Patient Confidentiality.Available: http://nu rsinglink.monster.com/education/articles/2370-hipaa-privacy-rule-patient-confidentiality. Last accessed 24th May 2013. E Notes. (2013). Patient Confidentiality. Available: http://www.enotes.com/patient-confidentiality-reference/patient-confidentiality-172269. Last accessed 24th May 2013. General Medical Counsil. (2009). Confidentiality. Available: http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/confidentiality.asp. Last accessed 22rd May 20013. Health and human development. (2013). Theoretical Approaches To Health Care Ethics. Available: http://www.personal.psu.edu/dxm12/n458/index.htm. Last accessed 22rd May 20013. Legislation.gov. (2013). Computer Misuse Act 1990. Available: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1990/18/contents. Last accessed 20th May

White culture essays

White culture essays In Adam Cornfords essay from 1997 Colorless All-Color: Notes on White Culture, the author makes the argument that white culture is more of an attitude and a set of ideas than a culture that has a long history and is based in race and customs. To make this argument Cornford applies the rhetorical tactics of Logos and Ethos but seems to ignore Pathos. You cannot use the traditional meaning of culture, which is an independent body of language, belief, behavior, rituals, and other factors, when you talk about white culture. There are so many people lumped under the term white and they all have their own traditional cultures that one does not apply to the entire group. The history of being white goes back to the sixteen hundreds when the classification was used to determine who could own African slaves in the English Atlantic colonies. In the United State today many groups are said to have a certain whiteness including all Europeans and culturally assimilated groups such as Asians and some middle class and light skinned Latinos and Africa Americans. In reality American whiteness is a variation of the work ethic and idea that money and material possessions are all that matters which came from the Protestant ideas of the merchant classes of England, Holland, and Germany. So the white culture is based purely on capitalism and the soci al classes that it creates and has no cultural aspects that are unique or original. White culture is defined by its insipidness and fakeness. Especially in the workplace white culture demands that people be polite, cheerful, sensually numb, unendingly busy, and they must take everything thrown at them with a smile. Whiteness is the acceptance of the sacrifice of ones individuality and personal flare all in the pursuit of money and power, which is supposed to make them happy. The rhetoric tools of logos and ethos are used effectively throughout Cornfords essay....