Family Assessment Essay Example for Free

Family Assessment Essay As a nurse practicing in today’s health care environment it is always important to be very attentive for the needs of the patient and the patient’s family. In order to realize the needs of the patient and the patients loved ones it is often helpful to conduct a family assessment. This assessment was carried out on an urban family which is in the middle income group. Some of the factors which were inferred from the assessment were as follows. In terms of values, health and nutrition, it was found that the members paid much emphasis to this. As s matter of fact, the initial family expenditure was on these three. Health is taken as a vital requirement and all the individuals need to have it. This is the same case with rest. Since most of the members are quite busy all through the day, the family spends some time together in the evening before retiring to bed. Most of the free time is spent having the family together in a relaxed atmosphere (Ritchie, 2012). The family is very concerned for the patient’s needs and overall well-being. They are so concerned about elimination, though the need for exercise and activity is highly acknowledged. The members appreciate and know the need for physical fitness. As such, they try to make sure that they attain it. Nevertheless, they have such tight schedules that they do not get enough time to be engaged in these. This is quite unfortunate. On the cognitive factors, the family is highly receptive. The level attained in the family is based on the importance it attaches to the cognitive development. The children have gone through learning institutions and are still in pursuit of knowledge and education. This is the same case with the parents. They work with the notion that information is power. As it pertains to health care sometimes simple common sense comes into play. Sensory perception is taken as a defining factor of the common sense. However, there is a saying that common sense is not common to all. Nevertheless, this family has greatly attained this sensory perception. Everyone is aware of their surroundings and they are willing to work towards making the family even better. Their self-esteem is also quiet high. Based on the findings from the interview, they have high regard of each other due to the accomplishments they have seen in their lives. Their high esteem is based on the fact that they do not compare themselves with others. Rather, they believe in who they are. This also helps to streamline their roles relationship since everyone understands his/her position in the family and does as is appropriate to their role (IFNA, 2012). Sexuality is a very touchy issue for many people but it is something that often needs to be addressed. The issue of sexuality is a major concern for many, since people tend to have different sexual orientations. This family remains open to the issue of sexuality and everyone has the freedom to choose or decide the path he wants to follow. However, this has to fall in line with the family values which they hold dearly. Lastly, there is the aspect of coping. This family, just like many others, encounters daily challenges. However, it has managed to come through all of them. The reason cited by the members is because they believe in the harmony and unity of a family. Therefore, the problem of one is a problem for all. The family works with the philosophy of one for all and all for one. This is what has made the family stand all along besides the challenges they face (Ritchie, 2012). As it pertains to diagnosis assessment can be very helpful. In diagnosing this family, there are two main nursing diagnoses that can be reached at. These are in line with the International Family Nursing Organization (2012). These two are emotional readiness as well as the status and function. These two seem to be very consistent in this family. They are as indicated in the paragraphs below. The emotional well-being of a person goes a long way in terms of having good physical health. On the emotional status, IFNA (2012) talks of the emotional readiness where the people are ready to change or take up traits that can help the family to function normally. The emotional status has it that a family is ready to take up the health options available. On this aspect, the family proved to be ready for the changes that would benefit it. Most of the members agreed that they were ready to adopt healthier practices that could improve their health. For instance, they acknowledged that they needed to be more vigilant in exercising and physical activity. This was a good status of mind. Sometimes if a person displays destructive behavior there needs to be a willingness to improve and change. Despite the willingness to change, a challenge that faces this family is the status and function. According to the IFNA (2012), this diagnoses has it that a family or individual should have the will to change. However, the circumstances are not favorable. This is the same case that applies with the family. All the members are ready and willing to change and adopt the healthy options. However, they do not have the time in which they can undertake these activities. All they have is the willingness to change but the factors around them do not allow them to. In conclusion, this essay has looked at the family health assessment. It has defined how a family diagnosis can be done and the factors affecting it. This has been followed up by a case study looking at a real family and performing a health analysis on it. From the discussion, it has come out quiet clearly that family assessment should be based on the health and functionality of the family as a unit. For this reason, the family health model comes in handy as an assessment method. This was as seen in the case study which reveals the need for a comprehensive family assessment. It leads to the realization of all factors affecting a family’s health and functionality; hence coming up with proper intervention strategies.

Change is a necessary evil

Change is a necessary evil Discuss the above statement critically, supporting relevant concepts with examples within UK-based organisations, challenging the norms, and conclude with a detailed opinion from your research or observations. 1. INTRODUCTION Change is resistance. Change is melancholy. Change is imperfection and adaption too. Change is the beginning, and yet the end .Change is submission. Change is fear And yet the hope .Change is the essence of pessimism and Optimism of grief of retrospection and Growth. Coz all said and done, Change is the only thing constant in life. CHANGE., after- qw w qn;q;odddq is is IS IS A NECESSARY EVIL. When we talk about change the very first question that comes to our mind is Why do we need change? People start thinking that they will have to come out of their comfort zone and you start to get the following outcomes from your employees. its not my job I havent got time the boss doesnt care anyway Im keeping my head down this time if its such a good idea, why didnt we do this the last time management changed its mind? it will all change again next month when the MD makes his mind up, I might do something nobody told me about ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. And then you come to know that the change is not being managed in the way that it should have been. People are used to what we called the culture of the company and not ready to come out of it. It is true that strong culture makes strong organisation but a successful culture is one which the culture adapts itself to the fast moving and unpredictable environment. As we move forward towards the twenty first century our entire global society is continuously changing. All major institution has to adapt to this change and undergo successful change management in order to stay alive in the global market and successfully continue to mee the need of their customers They have to start thinking of ways to restructure their objectives and policies so that they increase their effectiveness and flexibility with the changing global market. For every successful organization, the meaning of change management differs but eventually means the same which is defining and implementing procedures, policies restructuring their goals and/or technologies to deal with changes in the business environment at global level and to profit from changing opportunities. it is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones who are most responsive to change Charles Darwin 2. CHANGE MANAGEMENT Different major organisational bodies have accepted different approaches to manage change at their workplace. Change management does not have a distinct discipline with well defined boundaries rather it depends on a no. of different social science disciplines and well known traditions. In order achieve a distinctive balance the central plank on which the change management stands will be limited to the following three schools of thought. The Individual Perspective School The Group Dynamics School The Open Systems School. 2.1The Individual Perspective school: The supporters of the above type of school are divided into two groups: The Behaviourists and the Gestalt-Field psychologists. According to the behaviourists an individuals behaviour is the outcome of ones interaction with the environment. On the other hand Gestalt-Field psychologists think that it is the product of ones interaction with the environment and reason. In an experiment by Pavlov (1927) he proved that any individuals actions are conditioned by their expected consequences by discovering that a dog can be taught that when the bell rings it is time for food,coz every time the dog came to eat he rang the bell and associated the bell with the food. 2.2 The Group dynamics School This is a school with the longest history and originating with the work of Kurt Lewin. It mostly emphasis on bringing organisational change through teams and group works rather than work being done by individuals. 2.3 The Open Systems School In contrast to the above two types of change management where the focus is on individual and groups, this type of school mostly emphasises on the organisation in its entirety. It sees organisations composed of a number of interconnected sub-systems and any change made to any of the sub-systems will have an impact on the other part of the system. 2.4John P Kotters eight steps to successful change In one of his best books of his Dr John Paul Kotter pens down the eight steps to successful change. He also emphasises on the fact that if any one of the following step is ignored the entire change management might fail. According to him leadership skills are different to that of management skills and for a successful implementation of change management we need 70 to 80% leadership and 20 to 30% management skills. Following are the eight steps for a successful implementation of change management. Act with urgency Develop a guiding coalition Develop a vision for change Communicate the vision Empower broad-based action Generate short-term wins Dont let up Make it stick in the organizational culture The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything or nothing Lady Nancy Astor BARRIERS TO CHANGE While Implementing change it must always be taken into consideration that change always will not have a positive effect it might go the other way round and turn things around. So while change is being managed managers need to keep in mind the mindset of their employees. There may be several reasons for failing to successfully implement change in an organisation, but if we carefully look into it , it comes down to the following four factors. Lack of good and consistent leadership Staff not aware of the fact that there is change taking place and WHY? Shortage of Finance and overstressed staff. Lack of risk taking that is to do something different. The pace at which change is increasing with the advent of internet ,particularly with the social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter people are so advanced with new technologies ,new ways of doing business and also different new ways of conducting ones life that it has almost become compulsory to keep up to the sentiments of people. It is important to know your target population and understand their sentiments in order for successful implementation of change at workplace. UK BASED ORGANISATION. Following are few examples and case studies based on organisations in UK highlighting their approach to the changing environment and how the adjusted by making necessary changes to their policies, goals, and culture which they practised. CORUS: A Steel giant formed previously by merging of British Steel plc and a Dutch company Hoogovens, now a subsidiary of TATA group and Indian based organisation. The following case study is a wonderful example based on how a company tries to implement certain changes in the organisation and how it overcomes the barriers faced on the course of action. Corus has three operating divisions and over 40,000 people worldwide making the family of Corus CORUS FAMILY Corus Strip products UK (CSP UK) is based on South Wales and is one of the leading manufacturers of steel in strip. In 2005 CSP UK introduced a culture plan called The Journey. It mainly focussed on the value and belief of its people and was not only limited to its employees but also to its contractors, suppliers and other partners. By early 2007 the decided to communicate the plan to its employees by handing over a booklet to them which outlined values of The Journey and what was expected out of them. Now why did the management suddenly planned to make? What were the reason for change? INTERNAL FACTORS The growing strength of external competitors. Health and safety issues within the organisation. Delay in delivery resulting in loss of business Competitiveness: Steel produced in UK could be more expensive compared to other country. High wastage due to failure in manufacturing the right product in the right time. Lack of motivation amongst the staff. EXTERNAL FACTORS New competitors Changing customers requirements New technology meant better expectation. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) was previously introduced to improve the productivity and competitiveness. BARRIERS TO CHANGE As mentioned above every organisation trying to implement change will have to face its barriers. Change may challenge the ability, experience and practice of employees and this can create a barrier successful implementation of change. For example if job roles are changed in the organisation the the employee might feel that they are losing their status or if there is job cut then the existing employees might feel insecure. Corus has a traditional culture which the followed which made it more difficult for the change to take place.

Life In The 20th Century As Sh Essay -- essays research papers

Life in the twentieth century is different through each decade but also much different than life in a century before. The short story â€Å"Magic†, written by Katherine Anne Porter in 1930, shows how people think they have choices in life but their future is actually already planned out for them. Ernest Hemingway’s short story â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† which was written in 1933 shows how people feel about the well being of others and others feelings. â€Å"The Storm†, written by Kate Chopin in 1898 is an example of how views of marriage have changed. Although this wasn’t written in the twentieth century it was written right before the beginning and still paints a picture of how life is now going into the twenty-first century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the story â€Å"Magic† a young prostitute named Ninette is treated very badly in the house she lives in. This is proven by the quote â€Å"They quarreled, the madam cheated her on her checks: you know, the girl got a check, a brass one, every time, and at the week’s end she gave those back to the madam, yes, that was the way, and got her percentage, a very small little of her earnings: it is a business, you see, like any other- and the madam used to pretend the girl had given back only so many checks, you see, and really she had given many more, but after they were out of her hands, what could she do?† (Page 121) This quote shows how the woman of the house cheated Ninette out of her money. These next two quotes tell how Ninette was phy...

Michael Faraday Essay -- biographies biography bio

Michael Faraday could be labeled the "underdog of modern science". The son of a poor blacksmith, Faraday was no stranger to hard work, which was perhaps the exact opposite of many of his contemporaries, who came from wealthy backgrounds and studied science as a sort of extracurricular activity. Although Faraday was unsuccessful when it came to money, he was very successful in the field of science, namely electric science. One of his most important discoveries is that of electro-magnetic induction. It was this experiment, and others of the like, that brought about the discoveries of Maxwell, Rutherford, and Einstein, and elevated Faraday from the son of a poor blacksmith, to a great man of modern science. A Book Binder Michael Faraday was born in the year 1791 in Newington, Surrey England. His parents were poor, and in 1796 his father moved the family to London in search of better work as a blacksmith. His father was a sickly man, and because of this Michael found work at the age of 13 as an errand boy for a local bookbinder. Mr. Riebau, the owner of the bookbinding shop, hired the boy to deliver books and newsletters to his patrons. During breaks, Riebau encouraged Michael to read books and to study. As Faraday grew older, he began attending local lectures held by John Tatum. At the lectures he took shorthand notes, and later rewrote the notes in more depth. While attending Tatum's lectures, Faraday became increasingly interested in chemistry as well as electricity. It was through these lectures that Faraday learned most of what he knew about electricity, galvanism, hydrostatics, optics and geology (Williams). In 1813, at the age of 21, Faraday became a lab assistant at the Royal Institute in Londo... ...was attached to the disk as well as the galvanometer. As the crank was rotated, Faraday noticed that the needle on the galvanometer moved. Moreover, the needle remained in that condition when the crank was rotated at a constant speed. This device Faraday named the Electric Dynamo (Williams). Works Cited Agassi, Joseph. Faraday as a Natural Philospher. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press, 1971. Hart, Ivor B. â€Å"Electrical Science.† The Great Physicists. Freeport, NY: Books For Libraries Press, 1970. Hecht, Eugene. Physics: Algebra / Trig. Pacific Grove, CA: Thomson Learning, 2003. Segre, Kaplan, Schiff and Teller. Great Men of Physics: The Humanistic Element in Scientific Work. Los Angeles, CA: Tinnon-Brown, Inc., Book Publishers, 1969. Williams, L. Pearce. Michael Faraday. New York, NY: Basic Books, Inc., Second Printing.

Causes of the Great Depression :: American History Economics Economy Essays

Causes of the Great Depression The Great Depression was the worst economic slump ever in U.S. history, and one which spread to virtually the entire industrialized world. The depression began in late 1929 and lasted for about a decade. Many factors played a role in bringing about the depression. The main cause for the Great Depression was the combination of the greatly unequal distribution of wealth throughout the 1920's, and the extensive stock market speculation that took place during the latter part that same decade. The misdistribution of wealth in the 1920's existed on many levels. Money was distributed disparately between the rich and the middle-class, between industry and agriculture within the United States, and between the U.S. and Europe. This imbalance of wealth created an unstable economy. The excessive speculation in the late 1920's kept the stock market artificially high, but eventually lead to large market crashes. These market crashes, combined with the misdistribution of wealth, caused the American economy to capsize. The "roaring twenties" was an era when our country prospered tremendously. The nation's total income rose from $74.3 billion in 1923 to $89 billion in 1929(end note 1). However, the rewards of the "Coolidge Prosperity" of the 1920's were not shared evenly among all Americans. According to a study done by the Brookings Institute, in 1929 the top 0.1% of Americans had a combined income equal to the bottom 42% (end note 2). That same top 0.1% of Americans in 1929 controlled 34% of all savings, while 80% of Americans had no savings at all (end note 3). Automotive industry mogul Henry Ford provides a striking example of the unequal distribution of wealth between the rich and the middle-class. Henry Ford reported a personal income of $14 million (end note 4) in the same year that the average personal income was $750(end note 5). By present day standards, where the average yearly income in the U.S. is around $18,500(end note 6), Mr. Ford would be earning over $345 million a year! This misdi stribution of income between the rich and the middle class grew throughout the 1920's. While the disposable income per capita rose 9% from 1920 to 1929, those with income within the top 1% enjoyed a stupendous 75% increase in per capita disposable income(end note 7). A major reason for this large and growing gap between the rich and the working-class people was the increased manufacturing output throughout this period.

Morality in Ethan Frome Essay

In The Morality of Inertia, Lionel Trilling argues that Ethan Frome’s inability to make his own ethical decisions ultimately makes his ‘smash-up’ a tragic event caused by the inactivity of morality. The nonexistence of this moral inertia is the explanation, for Trilling, for the outcome of Frome; the lack of moral responsibility in any of the main characters from the beginning of their lives paralyzes their decision making process– they simply exist and do what is their duty. Trilling’s aspect that Frome was a morally inadequate man is a valid fact affirmed by Edith Wharton’s provided background of him; the idea that he was unable to make choices and is only capable of enduring can be proven inaccurate with his Frome’s actions throughout the story. The notion that Ethan Frome is incapable of making ethical decisions based on his background can also be countered with his background and actions. Trilling uses Frome’s â€Å"duties as a husband† and son as support for his claim that â€Å"[c]hoice is incompatible with [Ethan’s existence]† (from Morality of Inertia). However, the reader is exposed to Ethan’s ability to recognize choices, and decisions not to act on them, throughout the story. Frome acknowledges his dilemma of running away with Mattie or staying with Zeena, but is inefficient in seeing past the initial consequences of each choice and exploring other possibilities of escape besides the basic. Ethan’s central decision in the book, to commit suicide with Mattie, is made with free will; although it is Mattie’s idea, Ethan agrees and takes the reins in the front of the sled. Although Ethan Frome is a broken man perpetually frozen in a bleak Starkfield, one cannot disregard his inaction when he is presented and acknowledges choices. He constantly contemplates expressing his love for Mattie, looking for â€Å"the all-expressive word,† but fails to, even when alone with her, making â€Å"free choice† a moot point (Ethan Frome; from Morality of Inertia). Morality is not caused by inertia in Ethan’s case but personal authorization– Ethan’s decision to commit suicide proves this point; the act proves that he was capable of confessing his love to Mattie, but failed to up to that moment. Although Frome can be held responsible for his moral inactivity, he can be considered a morally inadequate man in his present state. His inadequacy, however, was not a constant in life or a sudden occurrence– it snowballed from his youth and finally solidified through the ‘smash-up’. His earlier experiences in a university and the joy it brought him was quickly interrupted after a year by his sickly parents. The unfortunate circumstance forces Ethan Frome to move back to the depressing Starkfield he had just escaped. His parents’ illnesses bring along Zenobia, who would be another future, unseen oppression along with Starkfield. For years, Ethan lives in depressing conditions that decline as time goes on. The chance to finally leave them behind, however, comes in Mattie, Zenobia’s cousin and maid. Ethan’s inability to act on this chance of escape finally seals his fate when Mattie is paralyzed and he is critically injured. Although jinxed with unfortunate circumstances, Ethan Frome’s life could have been bettered if one small step or action was taken by him for himself with the intention to create personal joy or pleasure. The importance of taking steps in life betterment can be seen in Ethan Frome. Although one may lack a history of â€Å"making moral decisions,† the human instinct to do so is always there (from Morality of Inertia). Ethan Frome was able to rationalize and recognize choices inside of his head; it was his inability to act on any one until his attempted suicide that created his depressing circumstances. The irony of his only decision with Mattie being one of the most deciding ones in his life underscores the fact that if he had taken this initiative before this instance, his life might have taken a different track. This was not a forced or accidental occurrence; Ethan Frome was in fact an unfortunate individual in undesirable circumstances, but with a free will and mind developed enough to make

Art and Human Life

You could define art as vision or as intuition, as Benedetto Croce does in his essay â€Å"What is Art? † By this definition, the works of someone with a beautiful vision would be beautiful, and art would be an external manifestation of an internal state. The importance of art is related to the nature of our human built environment, and whether we create it to be a comfort or a torment. To understand the place of art and beauty in contemporary culture, you need to turn to history. You could define art as vision or as intuition, as Benedetto Croce does in his essay â€Å"What is Art? By this definition, the works of someone with a beautiful vision would be beautiful, and art would be an external manifestation of an internal state. The importance of art is related to the nature of our human built environment, and whether we create it to be a comfort or a torment. To understand the place of art and beauty in contemporary culture, you need to turn to history. Read more: Why Is Ar t Important in Life? | eHow. com http://www. ehow. com/about_6134201_art-important-life_. html#ixzz1MlGvu7yA Philosophy Art, like humor, can sometimes by deadened when dissected too thoroughly. Writers as accomplished and diverse as Leo Tolstoy in â€Å"What is Art† and Susan Sontag in â€Å"The New Art, A Critical Anthology† have pondered the meaning and function of art, yet it remains a nebulous term. Perhaps Picasso, in an interview with Marius de Zayas in 1923, best captured the elusive nature of art when he wrote that â€Å"art is a lie that makes us realize truth. † Challenges The great art historian Ananda Coomaraswamy, in his book, â€Å"The Transformation of Nature in Art,† wrote that â€Å"museums are the places were we've put the things that we've forgotten how to use. While museums have allowed millions to see the great works of art from throughout history, they also pose the threat of separating art from everyday life. William Morris believed that this separation was one of the causes of modern alienation, and that art should not be locked away in special buildings, but should be an integral part of society's daily life. When beauty and care are inherent in everything that is done, â€Å"art† in fact ceases to exist as a separate entity, and becomes an aspect of everything that we do. Future. The future of art remains uncertain. According to Morris, speaking of his admiration for medieval craftsmen who wed artistic vision with a mastery of handcraft, the reunion of the two could overcome the dichotomy between art and life, and lead to a culture re-infused with a sense of beauty, wonder, and singularity. A reunion of what we now know as â€Å"fine art† with the greater population of the world would, as Morris put it in his essay â€Å"The Revival of Handicraft,† lead to â€Å"the unwearying pleasure of tasting the fullness of life. † Read more: Why Is Art Important in Life? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_6134201_art-important-life_.html#ixzz1MlHaEcDs