...includes evaluating current practice and making recommendations for policy development and change. Thus, the purpose of this literature review is to establish the current perspectives of patients, family and nurses on the factors that improve dignity in the end of life. Resultantly, this literature review will explore the role of nurses’ based on the findings of the perspectives that patients, family and health professionals have concerning the issue of dignity in the end of life care. In that regard, the paper follows a systematic approach which involves an introduction that explains the concept of end of life and the types of end of life care available. The paper then proceeds to explore the concept of dignity as viewed from several perspectives through the use of literature on the models of dignity means of measuring dignity and the themes associated with this conception. Consequently, the factors that improve dignity are laid out and discussed at length. Eventually, the paper will achieve its secondary goal which is to determine and expound on the topic of the roles that a nurse plays in end of life care not only for the patient but also for their family. End of life care Before the discussion of the main topic of this literature review which is determining the factors that promote dignity in the end of life in order to determine the role of nurses in the end of life, there is need to understand the meaning of the concepts of end of life and dignity. It is imperative...
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...strict circumstances; the rest of the nation should soon follow. Introduction “Dogs do not have many advantages over people, but one of them is extremely important: euthanasia is not forbidden by law in their case; animals have the right to a merciful death” (Kundera, 1999). Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. It is a common practice among household pets as a humane way to end their lives if they are suffering. Euthanasia in relation to humans is illegal in the United States as well as many other countries across the world. It is bizarre to think that animals have the right to die when their owners believe they are suffering and in distress, but humans are not granted that same opportunity. Euthanasia, practiced most commonly on animals, has three distinct types in relation to the euthanasia of humans. Voluntary euthanasia, which requires consent from the patient; non-voluntary euthanasia, which means the consent of the patient is unavailable, such as child euthanasia and involuntary euthanasia, in which the patient does not give consent (Miller, 2006, p.108). Euthanasia has just recently, in about the last hundred years, become an issue in the courts, but can be traced back as far as Greek and Roman civilizations. It was used in...
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...Death and Dying How a positive attitude may help us to overcome death with dignity. Agnieszka Schultes North Island College ESL 090 Suzanne Schiller June 21, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENT 1. Introduction 3 2. Definition of Death 4 3. Religious Views of Death 6 4. Psychological Assessment of Death 8 5. Face to Face with Death 10 6. Facing Death with Dignity 12 7. Conclusion 14 8. References List 15 Introduction The human understanding of death and our own mortality seems to change drastically throughout history, as well as the various cognitive and physical developments experienced by different cultures. One can only begin understanding the concept of death clearly however, if they are to encounter an experience that is somehow related with it themselves. According to Frank Rosenzweig, a very famous Jewish theologian as well as scholar, in a study he and his colleagues previously conducted, they found out that: “by the age of 65, about 50% of women and 10% of men have suffered the loss of a spouse at least once…” (as cited in Kesler, 2003, p. 54). So, based on the research given above, one may safely assume that quite a few of us will eventually witness someone dying in a very personal manner; but the real question is, do we truly understand the nature of death? And what does our society, as well as religious beliefs, say about this understanding? Definition of Death In various...
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...explores what is good health, the models, the range of lifestyle choices and societal factors which influence health and well-being. Health and well-being are not only affected by an individual’s lifestyle choices (e.g. smoking, eating unhealthy ‘fatty food), but also by societal and environmental issues (e.g. living near a motorway – high pollution levels) Government policies and legislation have an imperative part to play in the promotion of good health, as the introduction on screening programmes (e.g. cervical smear test, antenatal screening etc.); which prevent ill health, has been an incredible and useful tool. Health promoters also have a significant role to play in helping individual’s using services to make the right decision about their health. As their choice of presentation approach can make or damage a health promotion campaign. Further, health promoters need to take into account the presentation methods, and to ensure that they have been chosen well to confirm that the message is successfully put over to the individual to whom it is directed. What is ‘health’? The Worlds Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. However, others may simply define health as the absence of illness, eating balanced diets, or exercising regularly. Consequently, because there are different views on ‘health’, its definition is referred to as ‘biomedical’, ‘positive’, and the...
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...all people experience death, dying and bereavement in all cultures, everyone’s dying process is unique and different. Some people may think of dying as a physical process, but dying is an experience of the whole person and is influenced by a combination of physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual factors. Culture, identity and personal beliefs all have a profound impact on an individual’s choices in the context of dying process. Ethnicity, cultural differences, religion, personal beliefs, individual preferences and choices etc can all affect care needs and social practice at the end of life. People’s experiences of illness and death, as well as beliefs about the appropriate role of healers, are profoundly influenced by patient’s cultural background. This assignment will provide a brief discussion of the beliefs, customs and rituals associated with death, dying and the grieving process in the Jewish culture and discuss the associated theoretical principles of a grief and loss theorist named J. W. Worden. Also while discussing the challenges in applying this theory to the Jewish culture, in an acute care setting. Jewish cultural beliefs have developed a traditional system of mourning concerning death and burial. The Jewish community views deaths as an ending of life, rather than as a beginning of another. Jewish funeral and mourning rituals are centered around respect for the dead. The body is buried within 24-48 hours, so the soul can be returned to God and...
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...Durkheim analysed the suicide rates for various European countries and noted four regular patterns. The suicide rate for any given society remained more or less constant over time. When the rates of suicide did change, they coincided with other changes for example; they fell during war times but rose during economic depression or prosperity. Different societies had different suicide rates. Within a society, the rates varied constantly between social groups for example; Catholics had lower rates that Protestants. He identified the two social facts that determined suicide as social integration; the extent to which an individual feels a sense of belonging to a group and obligation to its members and moral integration; the extent to which an individual’s actions and desires are kept in check by society’s norms and values. Therefore, Durkheim concluded that these patterns were evidence that suicide rates couldn’t simply be the result of the motives of individuals. However, Durkheim’s study has been criticised for using unreliable and incomplete statistics. This was so because medical knowledge was limited in the 19th century and autopsies were rare. Similarly, most countries lacked the sophisticated modern administrative system needed to collect and complete reliable statistics on a...
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...each individual especially in the environment where human being lives. Inclusive of this great impact, innovations in every aspect was rapid. Looking at the different angles of innovations of modern science greatly affect individuals by putting man at the center of the world. The growth of technical knowledge through application of scientific discoveries has brought human beings the luxury of spoiling their resources. Man focused more on the thing that can make him happy, feel comfortable, relax and even more have an easy life. Without all of these, he is being driven to do inhumane things like killing for the sake of having such. The absence of technology for man is misery. In this time of modern age, man is being blinded from the effects of the innovations that the modern world had introduced. He does not have any idea of his termination in the world while exhausting his body to the luxury of technology. That’s why, at certain events, man’s close encounter of death confronts him. “How many of us, though, can succeed in feeling these truths as consolations? We are not good at coping with death, especially in our contemporary materialistic age, with its pretence that we live indefinitely and that the fountain of happiness is purchasing power. Few face the fact of death squarely, or consider its nature clearly” (Grayling 32). It is always been a mystery for man to inquire about the beginning and the end of his life. His existence had created a conflict of meaning between his existence...
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...movies, and televisions that give them the false realization that every person, should look like they look, or should fit in clothing like they do. Seeing these unrealistic, usually photo shopped, beauties give an average person, or even overweight person, a notion that in some way they are less than beautiful or glamorous than they are. While most people can shrug off these kinds of stereotypes or feelings of looking like these models, others are haunted by the thought and are constantly obsessed with looking like and compromising their own view for society’s view of being “perfect”. This way of thinking not only affects how they feel about their looks, but also affects their outlook on the every aspect of their lives; whether it is academics, sports, or comparing to others in their family. High energy and fast paced lifestyles have made family interaction a minimal experience and leading kids towards the road of self destruction. Rumney (2009) states that, Anorexia Nervosa, is psychological disorder in which an individual deliberately and willfully starves themselves, engaging in “relentless pursuit of thinness” that can be fatal (p. 16). While according to Snyder (2009), Anorexia nervosa is the most common psychiatric diagnoses in young women today (p. 1). She also states that 1% of Voss 2 adolescent females, which translates to 7 million, in the United States suffer from this sometimes deadly disorder (p.1). Although women are not the only ones affected by the disorder;...
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...The Factors that Affect Health Status and Patterns of Ill Health P3: Describe current patterns of health and how they are monitored – Patterns of ill health in the UK are monitored through the use of statistics. The UK National Statistic organisation is responsible for producing these statistics in order to illustrate and identify patterns of ill health within the UK. Government statistical departments play a vital role in identifying and monitoring patterns of ill health in the UK, of which include: • The Department of Health • Health and Safety Executive • NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care Statistics can be collected from records such as birth certificates, the death register and hospital admissions records. Records can be used for further analysis in order to gain more specific information, for example the weight of a new-born baby, or the reason an individual was admitted into hospital. The government has made the use of having these records available a legal requirement so that the statistics may be available when they are required. Statistics can be collected through the use of surveys, i.e. the national census of which is held every 10 years in the UK by the government. The national census survey has been in place since 1801 and takes into account each individual within a household. It is able to provide an outline of the UK which enables us to compare geographical areas. However statistics are not always accurate for what they represent...
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...The Factors that Affect Health Status and Patterns of Ill Health P3: Describe current patterns of health and how they are monitored – Patterns of ill health in the UK are monitored through the use of statistics. The UK National Statistic organisation is responsible for producing these statistics in order to illustrate and identify patterns of ill health within the UK. Government statistical departments play a vital role in identifying and monitoring patterns of ill health in the UK, of which include: • The Department of Health • Health and Safety Executive • NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care Statistics can be collected from records such as birth certificates, the death register and hospital admissions records. Records can be used for further analysis in order to gain more specific information, for example the weight of a new-born baby, or the reason an individual was admitted into hospital. The government has made the use of having these records available a legal requirement so that the statistics may be available when they are required. Statistics can be collected through the use of surveys, i.e. the national census of which is held every 10 years in the UK by the government. The national census survey has been in place since 1801 and takes into account each individual within a household. It is able to provide an outline of the UK which enables us to compare geographical areas. However statistics are not always accurate for what they represent...
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...HEALTH CARE ACCESS ON INFANT DEATH OUTCOMES IN FIVE PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICTS WITH THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST RATES OF INFANT DEATHS IN GEORGIA INTRODUCTION Infant rate mortality in Georgia is extremely high and is an indicator of the overall poor status of health among women and children in this state. Between 1990 and 2000, it is reported that Georgia was among the states with the highest rate of infant deaths. In 1990 the infant morality rate in Georgia was at 12.4 deaths for each 1,000 live births and decreasing to 8.5 per 1,000 in 1998. The infant death rate among the white population is 6.1 per 1,000 while the African American population was stated at a much greater rate of 13.5 per 1,000, which is over twice as high as infant death rates among the white population in the state of Georgia. (Georgia Department of Human Resources: Infant Mortality Fact Sheet, 2000) PURPOSE OF STUDY The purpose of this study is to investigate Infant mortality in African American women in Georgia for the years 2000-2005 in five public health districts with the highest rates of infant mortality and five public health districts with the lowest infant mortality rates (so we are looking at 10 public health districts total that can be found on the OASIS website) in the state of Georgia). LITERATURE REVIEW It is stated by the Georgia Department of Human Resources in the work entitled: “Infant Mortality: Fact Sheet” that the primary cause of infant deaths in the state of Georgia has been...
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...Age related to the Distribution of the Black Death: The Black Death has been considered one of the most deadly and terrifying epidemics in human history, killing over 30% of the Chinese population as well as 30-50% of the European population. Starting in 1347 and lasting through 1351, the Black Death epidemic rapidly spread, first starting in China and Central Asia and then moving westward. The Black Death has been extensively researched by thousands of historians, scientists, demographers and anthropologists and based on decades of research; the spread of the disease is believed to have originated from the Yersinia Pestis bacterium. The Yersinia Pestis bacterium is commonly found in flees which originates in the skin of various ground rodents. The bacterium comes in three forms bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic. It initially spread from trading vessels and then to cities, villages, and eventually the countryside. The plague arouse so fast, people didn’t know what to do and assumed leaving their home was the best option, when in reality it caused even more of a problem. The effects of the plague lasted several decades after it was gone by causing major social, cultural, and economic problems all over the world. Despite all of the studies, researchers still have many questions on why and how the disease chose its victims and how it escalated so quickly. In order to understand the sexual mortality pattern of the Black Death plague one must look at two questions “did either...
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...Psychology 101 When I chose to tale a psychology class, I had no idea of the journey I was about to embark. Or the things I would learn about myself and others. If you asked me what psychology means to me, I would respond with the study of the mind, its processes, and behaviors. But that answer is only the tip of the iceberg and psychology is so much more. Yes, it has to do with the mind and the brain, but there are more disciplines that make up psychology. These disciplines are explained more in detail through theories. Developmental theories introduce principles that affect individual’s development (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2010). Psychoanalytical theories study age-related changes that result from conflicts at certain stages of life (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2010). Cognitive theories study a person’s action in response to the environment and the changes it brings. Learning theories believe the environment shapes an individual. Biological theories focus more on the body’s structure and composition to explain behavior and mental processes (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2010). This includes explaining our senses and perception of how we take in the world around us. Intelligence is also studied and offers some insight that each individual is unique in their abilities and talents. Memory allows us to store, retrieve and remember experiences and events. Emotions are the links between our mind and body processes. Personality theories suggest each individual different from the next with traits...
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...Professional Studies Assignment Introduction For this essay I will be reflecting on an incident from practice, by drawing on developing knowledge, understanding and the application of professional studies. Reflection offers an opportunity to learn through an experience. This allows us to develop or sustain effective practice (Johns, 2000). I will be using the Gibbs (1988) reflective framework to structure my reflection (see appendix A). I find this framework very easy to follow, and as Clodagn (2003), explains it allows a person to implement alternative actions to an event, if followed. The incident will be described and the influence of key issues relating to ethical theories and decision-making, illness journeys and lay and professional perspectives will be explored. Principles of nursing models will be looked at and their contribution to individual patient care. I will also look at resource management, quality assurance and the role of evidence-based practice. For the purpose of this essay, to maintain confidentiality, the patient will be referred to as Mr Charlie Wood, (NMC code of professional conduct 2002; 5.1). Incident The incident occurred when I was a student on a medical ward. Mr. Wood, age 80 had been admitted to hospital following a stroke. From this he had lost the ability to mobilise and speak effectively. He was a very dependent gentleman and counted on the nurses to undertake all aspects of his care. His wife, whose name has also...
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...(Laffel & Wood, 2007; Olefsky, 2001). Diabetes is a common health condition that affects millions throughout the universe. Diabetes affects millions of people in different and diverse ethnic groups. In the United States diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death. Diabetes is a growing problem in the US and it is becoming an epidemic. There are 3 types of diabetes mellitus, Type-1, Type-2, and Gestational Diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is insulin dependent and accounts for at least 10% of diagnosed cases. In Type 1 diabetes the immune system makes it hard for the body to produce insulin. With no insulin the body cannot transform sugar from food into nutrients for cells. When excess sugar collects in the blood stream, it may eventually cause premature death and heavy damage to organs. Type-1 diabetes can affect adults and children suddenly and require supplemental insulin, a carefully planned diet and exercise regimen. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in young adults, teenagers, and children. Type 1 diabetes happens when the body’s immune system strike and destroys cells in the pancreas, the organ which is located behind the lower part of the stomach. These beta cells commonly produce insulin, the hormone that aids the body in moving glucose throughout the body, which it uses for insulin. Beta cells cannot produce insulin when they are destroyed and the glucose remains in the blood and it can cause serious damage to all the organ systems within the body. This is why people with...
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