Apush Reconsturctoin Dbq free essay sample

The Civil War was not officially fought over the issue Of slavery, but one Of the most important outcomes of the war was the emancipation of all slaves in the United States. The reasons for southern states secession ranged from unfair duties imposed on the states to the recurring issue of slavery (Document A). This secession unofficially started the war and created great tension between the North and the South. President Lincoln main purpose of commencing war was to unite the divided nation, and with tactics such as is Emancipation Proclamation and gaining the Border States support he was able to achieve his goal of reunification. Other results yielded by the war were the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution. These provisions formally ended slavery and guaranteed the black freedmen future citizenship and suffrage. The blacks argued that if they fought in the war to preserve the Union that they were entitled to voting and having the same rights as other American citizens (Document C). We will write a custom essay sample on Apush Reconsturctoin Dbq or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Civil Rights Act of 1866 declared that every person born in the United States, without regard to race, lour, or previous conditions of slavery or involuntary service, is entitled to citizenship.This legislation was truly revolutionary as it gave citizenship to every American-born person, and would foreshadow the future suffrage to all American citizens no matter their race or ethnicity (Document F). The 15th Amendment was also quite radical as it promised future suffrage to African- Americans, something that was probably inconceivable at the beginning of the Civil War. This would eliminate literacy tests, grandfather clauses, and OLL taxes put in place by whites to deter blacks from voting. Radical Republicans scattered in Congress also pushed for the end of slavery and a harsher welcoming of the Southern states back into the Union. The new freedoms of blacks opened up many new opportunities for the African American society to pursue such as higher education and new, better career choices that they had not been able to get while they were restricted within the oppressive chains Of slavery. With these new developments painting a bright future for the blacks of the United States, many whites had begun to develop strong discontent and oppressive feelings towards the African Americans.White Southerners had lost their labor force with the abolition of slavery, so they proposed the Black Codes which would have bonded the free blacks with their old slave masters. Almost all blacks saw this as the same thing as slavery though, and strongly protested against it. Racist groups against the blacks also began to emerge across America, headed by the vicious, violent, supremacist UK K lux Klan. These groups where made up of whites strongly against the freedom of lacks, and scared the freedmen with their constant killings and beatings of African Americans (Document l). The Jim Crow Laws were implemented in the South, which were a set of laws that honored the equality of whites and blacks enforced by the 14th Amendment by saying blacks were separate but equal. These laws prohibited free African American citizens from using the same restrooms, restaurants, schools, and other facilities as whites. The anti- black groups and laws that emerged across America contributed to the fast growing sectional, class, and political divide forming in the United States.The African Americans had been freed of the horrors of slavery, but now were faced with the cruel challenges of being accepted into society. The Civil War and Reconstruction period was home to many constitutional and social developments, and spirit of revolution was felt by all Americans. Newly freed blacks were the most beneficial group of these developments, as they were emancipated and promised suffrage and citizenship. Anti-black groups saw and sensed the African American culture becoming more pro minent in society and took matters into their own hands with acts of lenience and oppression.

Judith Jarvis Thomson a Defense of Abortion Essay Example

Judith Jarvis Thomson: a Defense of Abortion Paper Judith Jarvis Thomson: A Defense of Abortion – CRITICAL EXPOSITION The goal of Judith Jarvis Thomson in her defense of abortion is to sway the ideas of those who are against abortion by challenging the arguments they give for thinking so. She begins by stating a premise. â€Å"For the sake of the argument† a human embryo is a person. This premise is one of the arguments most opponents of abortion use, but as she points out, isn’t much of an argument at all. These people spend a lot of their time dwelling on the fact that the fetus is a person and hardly any time explaining how the fetus being a person has anything to with abortion being impermissible. In the same breath, she states that those who agree with abortion spend a lot of their time saying the fetus is in fact not a person. Either way, no argument is really formed. No reasons are given. For sake of challenging an actual argument, she is disregarding this issue. With this premise out of the way, she addresses the basic argument the pro-choice campaign believes. â€Å"Every person has a right to life. We will write a custom essay sample on Judith Jarvis Thomson: a Defense of Abortion specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Judith Jarvis Thomson: a Defense of Abortion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Judith Jarvis Thomson: a Defense of Abortion specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer So the fetus has a right to life. No doubt the mother has a right to decide what shall happen in and to her body; everyone would grant that. But surely a person’s right to life is stronger and more stringent than the mother’s right to decide what happens in and to her body, and so outweighs it. So the fetus may not be killed; an abortion may not be performed. † The remainder of her paper is a series of analogies meant to challenge the basic argument mention above. When looking at the analogies separately, they are in no way related to the abortion topic, but the conclusions drawn from each can be applied. Because these examples aren’t directly related to the debate, our emotions won’t necessarily be involved and we can clearly think about what is the â€Å"right† thing to do for each specific scenario. To begin, we’re given the following analogy. You have been kidnapped. When you wake up, you find yourself connected to a famous violinist who needs your kidney. You are the only one who can save him, and in order to do so you must stay connected to him for 9 months. Most would agree â€Å"unplugging† yourself from this dying violinist would be wrong, but you didn’t consent to helping this man so you don’t necessarily hold an obligation to save him. This analogy is laid in comparison to pregnancy due to rape with the intention to challenge the basic argument opponents of abortion hold. The woman doesn’t ask to be raped, and therefore doesn’t ask for the child. There is no consent involved whatsoever. Therefore, the baby’s right to life isn’t enough to obligate the mother to save it. The conclusion drawn from this analogy is that the violinist’s right to life does not give the violinist a right to your body; similarly, the baby’s right to the life doesn’t give the baby a right to your body. This proves the basic argument wrong because the child’s right to life doesn’t outweigh the mother’s. The next analogy is given to back up a situation where there is a risk on the mother’s life if she is to carry the baby to term. This analogy is challenging the more extreme view held by those in opposition to abortion. This view finds abortion â€Å"impermissible even to save the mother’s life. † Imagine a woman has become pregnant and in the same day learns of a newly developed heart disease that will kill her if she carries her baby to term. The baby has a right to life, but so does the woman. Thomson brings up the argument most familiar. â€Å"Performing the abortion would be directly killing the child, whereas doing nothing would not be killing the mother, but letting her die. † The conclusion that is drawn from this scenario is that your own right to life gives you the moral right to â€Å"unplug† yourself if your life is threatened. Equally, if there is a risk of the mother dying, she has a right to end the pregnancy in order to save herself. It cannot be considered murder to kill someone in order to save yourself. This analogy shows the extreme view to be false. To further weaken the extreme view, Thomson addresses the argument against third parties. She believes that, just a like a woman having the right to choose to save her life, a third party should be able to choose if he/she want to assist. The next issue is, in Thomson’s opinion, the most important question in the abortion debate; that is, what exactly does a right to life bring about? The premise that â€Å"everyone has a right to life, so the unborn person has a right to life† suggests that the right to life is â€Å"unproblematic,† or straight-forward. We know that isn’t true. Thomson gives an analogy involving Henry Fonda. You are sick and dying and the touch of Henry Fonda’s hand will heal you. Even if his touch with save your life, you have no right to be â€Å"given the touch of Henry Fonda’s cool hand. † A stricter view sees the right to life as more of a right to not be killed by anybody. Here too troubles arise. In the case of the violinist, if we are to â€Å"refrain from killing the violinist,† then we must basically allow him to kill you. This contradicts the stricter view. The conclusion Thomson draws from this analogy is â€Å"that having a right to life does not guarantee having either a right to be given the use of or a right to be allowed continued use of another person’s body—even if one needs it for life itself. † This argument again proves the basic argument wrong. The right to life isn’t as clear of an argument as I’m sure opponents of abortion would like it to be or believe it is. Similarly, the following analogy brings up another problem with the right to life argument. Just because something ought to happen a certain way doesn’t necessarily create a right to it. Thomson uses the following analogy to discuss this issue. Two brothers are given a box of chocolates and one brother refuses to give any to the other brother. It would be unfair for the one brother to not give the other his share of the chocolates. The refusal to share is indecent and unjust. Thomson states â€Å"to deprive someone of what he has a right to is to treat him unjustly. † The brothers and the chocolate show this, but on the contrary if in the violinist scenario, you learn that instead of 9 months, you are to spend 9 years plugged into him, you aren’t being unjust because you gave him no right to your kidneys; you were kidnapped. When looking at the story of the Good Samaritan, it seems right that we all should be Minimally Decent Samaritans, but even then the rights of one person don’t generate a requirement of a personal sacrifice or obligation. When applying this logic to the violinist, if you were only required to be attached to him for an hour, you would be considered self-centered and horrible if you refused, but you wouldn’t be depriving the violinist of his right to your body because he still has none. Because of this, the argument must be adjusted. The right to life consists not in the right not to be killed, but rather in the right not to be killed unjustly. † This analogy again proves the basic argument wrong, for even with the adjustment accepted, the argument doesn’t show that the fetus’s rights are violated by being killed because there is question as to what gives the unborn person such a right to use the mother’s body for food and shelter. This opens th e door for another analogy; the limits of personal responsibility. Most would agree that a woman who indulges in sex chooses to do so knowing the risks involved. Therefore, she is responsible for the consequences. Thomson questions whether this responsibility indeed gives the unborn child the right to use the woman’s body. If this is true, then you would be depriving it of its rights if it was aborted. This establishes that the unborn child has a right to its mother’s body if the pregnancy was the result of a voluntary act, and not from rape. But even then there are still problems with the argument, â€Å"for there are cases and cases, and the details make a difference. † Thomson gives the following example to support this claim. If you open a window at night because it is hot inside your home and one of the three possibilities occur, are you at fault for opening your window? The three possibilities are as follows: one, a burglar climbs in the window; two, the burglar broke in despite bars you installed on your windows; three, people-seeds drift in despite the expensive mesh screens you have installed to prevent their entry. Instead of coming to one solid conclusion to the argument, Thomson simply states that it’s best to set it aside because clearly every case is different. This, in part, proves the basic argument wrong yet again. The fact that the baby has a right to life isn’t necessarily true in every case. At the beginning of the paper, I stated what Thomson’s goal was for this article. She wishes to sway the ideas of those who are against abortion by challenging the arguments they give for thinking so. She is challenging the common argument those who are against abortion use by presenting situations similar yet different. She states â€Å"what I have been asking is whether or not the argument we began with, which proceeds only from the fetus’s being a person, really does establish its conclusion, I have argued that is does not. † In conclusion, I feel she brings appropriate points on the table to defend her argument. It is true that the basic argument is not an accurate argument or one that can be used for every case. She isn’t claiming that abortions are always permissible or that it is permissible to secure the death of an unborn child. I do not believe in abortion for reasons I will not address at this time and therefore am not claiming to feel the same Thomson does about all of her arguments, but I do agree that the â€Å"right to life† argument is not a solid one. With the analogies Thomson set out, it is clear that cases must be looked at individually because the details make all the difference. I feel she succeeds in her goal. She challenges the way I feel about abortion and requires that I justify my reasons for or against it for more than just the fetus’s â€Å"right to life. REFERENCES * Thomson, Judith Jarvis. 1971. â€Å"A Defense of Abortion. † Philosophy Public Affairs Vol. 1, no. 1. * Gracyk, Theodore. Minnesota State University, Judith Jarvis Thomson. Last modified July 26, 2006. Accessed September 22, 2011. http://www. mnstate. edu/gracyk/courses/phil%20115/thomson_on_abortion_outline. htm. * Kerstein, Samual. University of Maryland, Judith Jarvis Thompson: A Defense of Abortio n. Accessed September 22, 2011. http://www. philosophy. umd. edu/Faculty/SKerstein/140s09/thomson. html.

APA Style Template Avoiding Plagiarism in Papers Reports

APA Style Template Avoiding Plagiarism in Papers Reports When you write a report, you want to make sure that its in the correct format. In the business world, presentation is everything, and you want to make sure that you are presenting your data in the correct format. Likewise, you will want to ensure that all academic papers you create are structurally sound and grammatically correct. One of the pitfalls of writing is accidental plagiarism. With sloppy citation, you can create a bastion of problems that can undermine your research. You will want to conform your writing to the APA style, using APA style citation. With an APA style template, you are able to quickly and easily format your reports and academic papers. Using an APA style template, you simply enter the information you intend to use, and the formatting is taken care of instantly. In fact, you can insert frequently used citations, using APA software that will store your sources for easy insertion into your APA style template. The Importance of an APA Style Template The importance of correct citations is immeasurable. When you pass off other peoples quotations and work as your own, you undermine the confidence of the reader. You want to make sure that you are presenting a scrupulous report, and citing all necessary sources.

Construction Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Construction Law - Essay Example Similarly, the manner in which the work is managed on site with adequate provisions for maintaining safety at heights or when dealing with heavy or hazardous substances, is largely the responsibility of the supply side of construction services. Construction work involves building, renovating or repairing buildings, both for residential and commercial purposes. Construction poses risks to workers in the dangers that exist on the site, especially where demolitions or renovations are being carried out. The use of defective materials or inadequate implementation of safety measures on construction sites could further aggravate the problem, especially if designers have created high rises and building structures that are complicated to execute during the construction process. Construction also poses risks to workers by way of ill health arising out of hard physical labor or being crushed or wounded through the use of heavy building materials. There is increased scope for accidents that could arise on such sites, especially since workers may be unaware of safety risks. The construction industry largely employs unskilled, male laborers who are not educated enough to accurately gauge risks that could arise in construction sites, thereby posing risks to their safety and well being. Moreover, since laborers are largely transitory, contractual labor, employers may not be bound to provide them with all the benefits that are laid out in employment, including the right against unfair dismissal and the provision of health and medical benefits. Current laws also do not make adequate provision for unusual working conditions such as atypical contracts where a worker may be hired as and when required and thus finds it difficult to prove continuity of service for purposes of claims against unfair dismissal.2 Moreover, in cases where a worker may be hired by an employer/client using the intermediary services of an agency, such

Management Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Management - Research Paper Example As the world has entered the twenty first century, it has experienced revolutionary changes in many facets of business community. The advancements have not only come under experience in the economic, political, and social sectors but they have transformed and modernized the Industrial sector as well. With the increase in globalization, the business and organizations are emerging on a central platform and universal trade and businesses are expanding their operations to international markets. With the Industrial boom, organizations and enterprises are expanding their business operations as with the increase in world population, the demand for goods and services is escalating, and therefore, in order to meet the customer requirements and to gain a competitive edge over competitors, companies are rising (Brunsson, 2008). Whether a small organization or a giant corporation, management is one of the primary, foremost and the most significant aspect that every organization needs. The management refers to a practice or a course of action that involves successful, valuable, proficient, and competent accomplishment of set of actions and tasks via dealing with other people. Management is a process that makes the maximum use of the tangible assets through integrating couple of people or employees collectively under one umbrella in order to achieve and attain the organization’s aims, targets, missions and visions (Brunsson, 2008). The top person of the management requires a lot of devotion, commitment, determination, and hard work in order to thrive and be successful and achieve the desired outputs and results. In order to become the best or the cream of the crop, an individual should possess, widen, extend and increase their management and cross-functional leadership abilities. The primary and principal factors for any manager or an organization are to identify and evaluate the SWOT analysis that represents the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It is vital to reveal the strengths that a person or organization possess, and enhance and refine them up. In addition, the weaknesses should come under recognition by the person or the organization so that with the help of different techniques the weakness can overcome. Organizations must try to convert the weaknesses into opportunities so that they can surmount their weaknesses and can have opportunities to grow themselves. Lastly, the threats that t hey have from their competitors present in the market should come under observation intimately and thoroughly. A successful leader develops all the attributes and elements of leadership, communication, conceptual, interpersonal, and technical abilities and proficiencies (Brunsson, 2008). Management is a theory and process that comes under practice by all institutions whether they are educational, business, or governmental and every individual being a student plays an important role in the building and progress of organizations like school and management. Management Functions Management encompasses several functions with it that includes planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating/communicating, controlling/monitoring, and budgeting. Planning is the stepping-stone in any management aspect on which the functions of management come under establishment and creation. Planning can come under implementation for any organization in order to accomplish and achieve the companyâ₠¬â„¢s mission, vision, targets and aims that the organization sets for them to flourish and generate revenues. Planning come under performance in the form of developing strategies and methods that the employee practices towards the achievement of organization’

Social Work Knowledge And Skills Analysis Social Work Essay

Social Work Knowledge And Skills Analysis Social Work Essay This essay provides a critical analysis of a 10-minute AV recording transcript (appendix 1) of an interview with a service user in a simulated role play. This is not a real interview, but part of a student assignment. All names used in this recording transcript are fictitious and thus there are no issues concerning confidentiality. The essay comprises two parts. In Part 1, Kolbs Learning Cycle (Kolb, 1984) will be utilised to reflect upon the interview. In Part 2, the ASPIRE Model (Parker and Bradley, 2003) will be utilised to outline how further work with this service user would be approached. Kolbs Learning Cycle and the ASPIRE Model will both be briefly outlined within the appropriate section. Part 1: Reflection and Critical Analysis Kolbs Learning Cycle, which will be used to reflect upon and critically analyse the interview, comprises four stages of learning from experience: Concrete Experience (i.e. active involvement in an experience); Reflective Observation (i.e. reviewing and reflecting on the experience); Abstract Conceptualisation (i.e. concluding and learning from the experience); and, Active Experimentation (i.e. planning and trying what has been learned). Each of these stages will be used in this reflection and critique. Concrete Experience A simulated role play interview was conducted with Paul Jones, a 60-year old who contacted the adult social work team to discuss the possibility of some assistance. Paul is the sole carer of his 92-year old father, James. Paul has been finding it increasingly difficult to care for James, who spends all day on the sofa and does not even go upstairs to his bed at night. James became this way soon after the death of his daughter 1-month previously. She died of cancer not long after Paul and James lost Pauls mother and James wife to a heart attack, 6-months previously. Their only relative is Pauls son, who lives up North and is unable to visit regularly. The full case study can be found in appendix 2. Reflective Observation The purpose of the interview was to work collaboratively with Paul in establishing his current needs. With the exception of the beginning of the interview when I was nervous and finding background noise distracting, I communicated in a clear and courteous manner. These skills are important when establishing rapport with a service user, laying the foundations to develop mutual respect and trust (Koprowska, 2005). After some introductions and the setting of boundaries regarding confidentiality, I placed the interview agenda into Pauls control with the appropriate use of the open-ended question, What has bought you here today? By recognising the power imbalance present between social workers and service users, I was mindful to reduce the oppressive impact of hierarchy (Dalrymple and Burke, 2000). The question did, however, seem to unnerve Paul and he passed the question back by asking Well, Im not sure how much you know? I informed him that I do know a little bit. . . and then gently en couraged him to provide me with some more information. On reflection, I should have clarified with Paul why needed the information again (i.e. to confirm accuracy of details). He was clearly uncomfortable with repeating the information, possibly due to a previous resistance to seeking outside help. I was focused on eliciting information from Paul first-hand to prevent any assumptions being made, but should have adapted my approach based on Pauls needs. A key strength within the interview was the effective use of empathic understanding, which appeared to put Paul at ease. Statements such as, This must have been a very difficult time for you and appropriate use of eye contact and body language conveyed empathy, congruence (genuineness), and unconditional positive regard. These are three core conditions required in person-centred counselling (Rogers, 1980). I feel that by utilising these skills within the interview, Paul was able to speak openly about his concerns. Indeed, evidence suggests that congruence supports anti-oppressive practice by facilitating the development of a partnership (Miller, 2006). Paul sought help under the premise that it was for James, but with the appropriate use of open-ended and closed questions it was established that he needed help too. The needs of the carer are far too often overlooked within social care (Herring, 2006), but I ensured I gained a balanced accumulation of information on both Paul and James in order to establish both of their needs. Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1977) purports that in order to understand an individual, they need to be assessed in terms of their interactions with their environment and within their relationships. By the end of the interview, a shared understanding had been reached, as well as a plan of action in terms of arranging a home visit and contacting Citizens Advice to discuss financial concerns. Thus, the initial aim of the interview was met. Abstract Conceptualisation When discussing his problems, Paul was very open and forthcoming, as was facilitated by the use of non-verbal encouragers such as nodding and leaning slightly forward to show interest (Seden, 1999). He was, however, resistant to further outside help such as from his GP or a counsellor. I was careful not to judge Paul on this and to remind myself that there are a number of reasons why he might be resistant (e.g. previous negative experiences with health professionals; family belief systems, etc.). Interestingly Paul did share that James would also be resistant to outside help, indicating the possibility that seeking help is not part of the family belief system. It was important that I did not oppress Paul or James by undermining their responsibilities for the choices they make (Dominelli, 2002, p.47). On reflection, I should have been more understanding of Pauls difficulties accepting help and adjusted my approach accordingly. In particular, if I was to conduct this interview again, I would change the way I responded to Pauls concerns that, I am just worried that I am going to lose it with my dad and I often find things closing in on me. . . I should have probed these concerns further, as has been highlighted in my feedback, in order to establish whether Paul was a danger to himself or James. One of the key roles within the National Occupational Standards for Social Work is to Manage risk to individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, self and colleagues (GSCC, 2002, p.12). Pauls feelings of despair were mentioned on more than one occasion and, on reflection, I should have detected this as a potential risk factor. I feel I was effective in my use of paraphrasing, as used to clarify issues and demonstrate active listening. However, greater use of summarising might have facilitated communication and ensured that information provided by Paul was being interpreted according to his own subjective experiences (Seden, 1999). I will endeavour to develop these skills throughout my training. References Bronfenbrenner, U., 1977. Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32, pp.513-530. Dalrymple, J. and Burke, B., 1995. Anti-oppressive Practice: Social Care and the Law. Buckingham: Open University Press. Dominelli, L., 2002. Anti-Oppressive Social Work Theory and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan. General Social Care Council, 2002. The National Occupational Standards for Social Work. Topss England, April 2004. Herring, J., 2006. Where are the carers in healthcare law and ethics? Legal Studies, 27(1), pp. 51-73. Kolb, D.A., 1984. Experiential Learning experience as a source of learning and development. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Koprowska, J., 2005. Communication and interpersonal skills in social work. Exeter: Learning Matters Miller, L., 2006. Counselling Skills for Social Work. London: Sage Publications. Parker, J. and Bradley, G., 2003. Social Work Practice: Assessment, Planning, Intervention, and Review. Exeter: Learning Matters. Rogers, C.R., 1980. A way of being. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Seden, J., 1999. Counseling skills in social work practice. Buckingham: Open University Press. Part 2 Further Work with the Jones Family The acronym ASPIRE represents the social work process of Assess, Plan, Intervene, Review, and Evaluate, which enables the exploration of successfully operationalising a plan made with a service user (Parker and Bradley, 2003). Adopting this framework also encapsulates the fourth stage of Kolbs Learning Cycle: Active Experimentation. Importantly, supervision would be required in any interviews since I am a newly qualified Social Worker. Furthermore, the contribution of regular and high quality supervision in the social work profession has been emphasised (Laming, 2009). If the case of the Jones family was allocated to me after this initial assessment, I would take an eclectic approach, using the ASPIRE framework to guide intervention delivery. An eclectic approach would be adopted in order to ensure that Paul and James individual needs were taken into consideration. I would be unable to identify the most appropriate approach to use without first meeting with James, thus an eclectic approach would facilitate flexibility between service user needs. Assessment would take place within the home, thus adopting a person-in-environment perspective (Kemp et al., 1997). Importantly, supervision would be required in any interviews since I am a newly qualified Social Worker. Systems Theory posits that in order to understand a service user, their ecological system needs to be taken into consideration (Bronfenbrenner, 1977). This includes their microsystem (i.e. immediate relationships), mesosystem (i.e. different parts of the microsystem working together), exosystem (i.e. systems that the individual is not directly part of but that affects them), macrosystem (i.e. the larger social world, such as government and culture), and their chronosystem (i.e. a system of change). The rationale for utilising this theory is that the current problems experienced by Paul and James appear to be related to recent changes within his microsystem. This includes the loss of two family members, changing health status (i.e. James has gained weight, has emphyse ma, and is becoming less mobile), changing roles (i.e. Paul is now sole carer to James), and a change in their relationship. Bell (2003) asserts that it is easier to understand an individuals behaviour in the setting in which it occurs, which is the approach I feel most appropriate within this scenario. Family relationships are complex and aptly described by Dallos (1991) as, The essence of family life is that it is complex and changing and that unique situations and combinations of needs continually arise (p.7). Therefore, effective support for individual members requires the utilisation of theory and knowledge that assesses their needs within the family context. An understanding of demands and resources is important when working from the systems perspective, an understanding which the theory itself lacks to emphasise (Coady and Lehman, 2008). For the Jones family, demands within their life include bereavement, deteriorating health, and financial concerns. In terms of resources, they are fairly isolated and, despite initiating this interview, they are both resistant to outside help, which also limits their resources. This provides the rationale for utilising a Task-Centered, problem solving approach in the intervening stage of the ASPIRE framework. The evidence suggests that such an approach is appropriate for dealing with family problems, new roles, and illness or bereavement (Reid, 1978). Paul mentioned a number of problems, both personally and in relation to James, and thus facilitating him to identify the cause of these problems would be a useful endeavour in helping him tackle them. By using a problem solving approach within a collaborat ive partnership with the family, I would anticipate that it would enhance their capacity to deal with future problems if they were to arise (Germain and Gitterman, 1996, p.139). In turn, educating Paul on the use of problem solving strategies would act to prevent further oppression by providing him with tools he can utilise in other areas of his life (Coulshed and Orne, 1998). A problem I identified during the role play, but which would need to be confirmed via a shared interpretation with Paul and James, is that Paul could unintentionally be colluding with James disengagement. For example, by leaving his lunch next to the sofa so that he does not have to move, Paul is creating dependency. Thompson (2001) suggests that when working with carers, it is important not to encourage them in a role that could result in dependency and thus further oppress the person being cared for. This would need to be attended to sensitively and without causing offence to Paul. One such way of achieving this is via the problem solving approach to help Paul recognise this for himself. Indeed, change is easier if the directions that professionals and users wish to follow coincide (Dominelli, 2002, p.25). In working with Paul and James, great consideration would be needed in terms of bereavement. It sounds like James might be experiencing depression associated with one of the purported stages of bereavement (Kubler-Ross, 1989). In addition, Paul might be in the anger stage or possibly unable to process his feelings due to the stress of taking care of his father and worrying about finances. Their current problems are likely to hinder them both reaching a period of restoration orientation, where they can focus on building their future after their loss (Worden, 2003). In order to facilitate a move towards restoration orientation, I would work with the strengths possessed by Paul and James to ensure anti-oppressive focus is maintained (Parker and Bradley, 2003). There has been some critique to Systems Theory, including that it lacks theoretical and empirical support in practice situations (Healy, 2005). Overall, however, the purpose of the theory is to work with service users in a way that enhances and strengthens their abilities to adapt and solve problems, which ultimately provides long-term outcomes rather than short-term solutions. The key role of social work, as agreed internationally, is the promotion of social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being (GSCC, 2002, p.12), and I anticipate that the theories and approaches outlined above would facilitate the empowerment and liberation of the Jones family. In order to effectively meet the needs of the Jones family, it will be essential to conduct the review and evaluation stage of the ASPIRE model in order to provide closure, implement any additional interventions, and develop my own skills and abilities through reflection and critical analysis.

Nursing Care Plan of a Patient with Embolic CVA Essay

Summary of Admission History and Progress Notes: 67-year-old male has a history of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with ejection factor of 24%, chronic left ventricle thrombus on anticoagulant, hypertension, metastasis of prostate cancer, chronic kidney disease stage 3. Patient was admitted to UCSD emergency department on 08/20 after falling down stairs. Patient presented confused but conscious. Upon presentation in the ED he had left face, left arm, and left leg weakness. After MRI and cerebral angiogram, findings were conclusive to a right-sided embolic CVA. Echocardiogram revealed apical ventricular thrombus. Patient presented to ED on Coumadin therapy with INR at 3.1. Patient was not a candidate for thrombolytic therapy. He continued on Coumadin and aspirin 81 milligrams was added. Left-sided weakness resolved within one to two days. Cardiologist at UCSD recommends Cardiac Thrombectomy to prevent further strokes. Neurologist recommends endovascular intervention to prevent future embolic strokes though not during an acute episode. Patient was held at UCSD ED for permissive hypertension during acute stroke. Patient complained of cough with green phlegm over the past few days; chest x-ray findings of no local infiltrate. Pathophysiology: Embolic cerebral vascular accident (CVA); stroke   Etiology/Risk factors: Risk factors include a history of transient ischemic attack, hypertension, elevated serum cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, smoking, cardiac valve diseases, anticoagulant therapy, oral contraceptive use, methamphetamine use, aneurysm, or previous stroke (Swearinger, 2012). Pathophysiology: A stroke is caused by disruption of oxygen supply to the brain by either thrombotic occlusion, embolic occlusion or cerebral hemorrhage. Most thrombotic strokes are the result of atherosclerosis. Plaque formation builds to the point of blockage in the large blood vessels that deliver blood to the brain. Most embolic strokes are caused by a cardiac emboli resulting from cardiac valve disease or atrial fibrillation. The carotid artery feeds the main blood vessels of the brain, therefore cardiogenic emboli have a direct path to the brain (Swearinger, 2012). S&S: Signs and symptoms vary depending on severity and side of brain affected. Symptoms may improve within 2 to 3 days as cerebral edema decreases. Patient may appear apathetic, irritable, disoriented, drowsy or comatose; incontinence may occur; unilateral weakness or paralysis may occur; headache, neck stiffness or rigidity may be present. The patient may have difficulty chewing or swallowing and may present with unequal or fixated pupils (Swearinger, 2012). Diagnostics: Time is critical in diagnosing the type of stroke a patient has experienced. A patient is no longer eligible for rTPA if the critical window of 3 hours from last seen normal has expired. CBC, electrolytes, blood glucose and clotting factors should be drawn immediately in order to determine eligibility for rTPA. An MRI will reveal the site of infarction and other brain structure abnormalities related to cause and effect of the CVA. An MRI may take as long as an hour to complete. While a CT scan is generally a diagnostic tool of choice in many emergency situations due to the rapid process, ischemic areas will not show in the CT imaging until they start to necrose 24 – 48 hours after the CVA (Swearinger, 2012). Complications: Complications include recurrence of CVA, paralysis, aspiration, depression, falls, and coma. Chronic left ventricle thrombus on anticoagulant: Anticoagulant therapy is prescribed to prevent increased formation of existing thrombi. Outside of the hospital environment, the anticoagulant of choice is usually warfarin because it may be taken PO. When the therapeutic range of warfarin is achieved patient’s INR will be 2.5-3.5. Cardiogenic trombi are the result of the heart’s inability to effectively ejecting blood after managed daily living, therefore the blood becomes stagnant and begins to clot (Deglin , Sanoski , & Vallerand, 2013). Chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3 is marked by a GFR 30-59 mL per minute (Bladh, et. al., 2013). CKD is a progressive and irreversible disorder. Aggressive management of Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus, both of which are common contributing risk factors, may slow progression. Eventually CKD can progress to end-stage renal failure (ESRD). Before development of ESRD, a person with CKD can still manage normal daily living through diet and medication (Swearinger, 2012). Diagnostic Tests, Results and Rationales: Diagnostic Tests Results Rationales MRI Several areas of restricted diffusion within right MCA region; consistent with acute embolic infarcts MRI images differentiate between acute and chronic lesions. Ischemic strokes can be identified early. Site of infection, hematoma, and cerebral edema can be viewed through MRI (Swearinger, 2012) Cerebral angiogram Right MCA stroke, right internal artery non-flow limiting dissection with associated pseudo-aneurysm; right superior trunk M3 occlusion Identify presence of hematoma in stasis of blood vessels after a rupture (Swearinger, 2012) Chest x-ray Negative for infiltrate A presence of infiltrate could indicate pneumonia or heart failure (Swearinger, 2012) Echocardiogram Severely depressed left ventricular ejection factor; apical ventricular thrombus Assess ventricular and valvular function of the heart, ejection fraction, and hemodynamic measurements (Swearinger, 2012) Cerebrovascular carotid duplex Low flow right ICA; bilateral proximal ICA right 9.5 mm, left 5.5 mm; no significant stenosis; vertebral arteries patent with antegrade flow Evaluation of carotid arteries to detect occlusions three-dimensional visualization providing information on circumference, length, and thickness of plaque volume (Swearinger, 2012)