Exploring Death In The Odyssey

Exploring Death In The Odyssey In Homers The Odyssey, many different motifs and themes into his epic, and this theme catches the attention of several critics: death and rebirth. There are several examples of how a burial is not necessary for the people to make their journey to the underworld, such as Elpenor, who is left behind by Odysseus and his men during the war. Also, a situation arises at the beginning of the epic where Telemachus does not know the fate of his father, who has been absent from Ithaca for twenty years. Other examples include when Odysseus and his crew visit the Kingdom of the Dead, Odysseus many hardships he has to endure, and when he finally returns home from the Trojan War. The motif of death and rebirth is weaved intricately throughout Homers epic tale. This paper examines Book XI for how this key theme is apparent when Odysseus is able to communicate with his kin and fellow soldiers in the Kingdom of the Dead. In Book XI, Odysseus and his crew sail to the Kingdom of the Dead. This first soul he recognizes is that of Elpenor, his fallen comrade, and vividly retells the events that take place in a flashback: But first the ghost of Elpenor, my companion, came toward me. /Hed not been buried under the wide ways of earth, /not yet, wed left his body in Circes house, /unwept, unburied-this other labor pressed us. /But I wept to see him now, pity touched my heart /and I called out a winged word to him there: Elpenor, /how did you travel down to the world of darkness? /Faster on foot, I see, than I in the black ship. (XI. 56-64). This passage explains how the Greeks thought burial to be an end of some sort, but this proves that Elpenor still makes it to the Kingdom of the Dead even though Odysseus did not give him a proper burial. He also recalls meeting the great warrior Achilles and praising him for his kleos: But you, Achilles, /theres not a man in the world more blest than you- /there never has been, never will be one. /Time was, when you were alive, we Argives /honored you as a god, and now down here, I see, /you lord it over the dead in all your power. /So grieve no more at dying, great Achilles. I reassured the ghost, but he broke out, protesting, /No winning words about death to me, shining Odysseus! /By god, Id rather slave on earth for another man- /some dirt-poor tenant farmer who scrapes to keep alive- /than rule down here over all the breathless dead (XI. 547-58). By Homer placing this warning to Odysseus from Achilles, it seems that Achilles wanted to highlight that Odysseus needed to rethink how he wanted to be remembered; glory was not everything it was cracked up to be. Odysseus and his crew return to the living world, . . . where Helios, the sun, makes his uprising . . . (XII. 4), symbolizing their rebirth. Homer uses light and dark images to emphasize this rebirth. In this passage, the two heroes delve into the variances between the two realms they now inhabit, and each perceives the grass to be greener on the opposite side. Odysseus is envious of Achilles strength and the glory he had won from it; Achilles is jealous of Odysseus for being alive. Homer also uses many light and dark references to accentuate the death and rebirth theme in this epic novel-the darkness is symbolic of death, and the light represents life, and therefore, rebirth. Achilles informs Odysseus about his eventual return home whilst visiting the Kingdom of the Dead. The first example of how the motif of death and rebirth is evident in this poem is that of Telemachus uncertainty of his fathers fate. In Book I, he tells Athena, who is disguised as Menelaus, But now, no use, hes died a wretched death. /No comforts left for usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦not even if /someone, somewhere, says hes coming home. /The day of his return will never dawn (I. 193-5). This symbolizes the fact that Telemachus is dead in the sense that he does not have any desire to reclaim his house from the suitors. Athena, disguised as one of Odysseus friends, convinces Telemachus that Odysseus is not dead and to set out on his quest to receive his kleos. This is very significant because Homer shows how each character goes through a level of death and what happens after the fact. In book XXIV, the last example of this motif is found. Upon realizing Odysseus return home, Laertes faints. Symbolically, this refers to the death of Laertes. He is essentially reborn when he awakens, and is instilled with a new passion for life and no longer wishes to make his journey to the underworld. Overall, the death and rebirth theme makes a very significant impact in The Odyssey. Homer makes use of this theme for several reasons. One of the more important underlying themes in the entire book is that one should never give up on living, and this theme highlights that in several passages and scenes. In this epic, Homer emphasizes that, even though a situation may seem undefeatable, there is always a route that will not only keep one alive, but will also provide some valuable lesson to learn from or insight. In this epic, the theme of death and rebirth is universal and proves The Odysseys timelessness and longevity.

Determinants of Bank Profitability in Nigeria

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1. 0BACKGROUND INFORMATION TO THE STUDY The study of profits is important not only because of the information it provides about the health of the economy in any given year, but also because profits are a key determinant of growth and employment in the medium-term. Changes in profitability are an important contributor to economic progress via the influence profits have on the investment and savings decisions of companies. This is because a rise in profits improves the cash flow position of companies and offers greater flexibility in the source of finance for corporate investment (i. . through retained earnings). Easier access to finance facilitates greater investment which boosts productivity, productive capacity, competitiveness and employment. The existence, growth and survival of a business organization mostly depend upon the profit which an organization is able to earn. It is true that when Profitability increases the value of shareholders may increase to considerable extent. The term profitability refers to the ability of the business organization to maintain its profit year after year.The profitability of the organization will definitely contribute to the economic development of the nation by way of providing additional employment and tax revenue to government exchequer. Moreover, it will contribute the income of the investors by having a higher dividend and thereby improve the standard of living of the people. In order for a business entity (whether public or privately owned) to continue to prosper, there is need for its earnings to be relatively stable for its expansion and growth over time.In addition to its level of earnings, its external environment must also be carefully understood and reliably anticipated (Burns and Mitchell, 1946). Earnings and business environments are so serious issues that a business must study and understand in order to face its opportunities and threats with vigor and determination. Where for instance, the business does not recognize the effects of changes in external environment which may necessitate changes in business earnings, it may suffer some losses consequently.This perhaps explains why there has been continuing search by modern businesses to improve their methods of production necessary to cut down costs, and to develop new attributes or products, which may have wider appeal and satisfaction to their customers. On the other hand, the environmental and cyclical conditions are usually volatile and Dynamic (Sabo, 2003). This underscores the need for business firms to be able to reliably conduct forecast not only for their future demands or sales for their goods and services but also other variables that affect them directly such as their personnel and future profits.The volatility of the changes in the variables from the external environment in specific ways to the immediate factory level and to the remote industry and task environments can sometimes be very significant. Th ese calls for managers’ ability to appreciate and apply formal forecasting techniques to assist their banks achieve this veritable task. The determinants of profitability are empirically well explored although the definition of profitability varies among studies.Disregarding the profitability measures, most of the banking studies have noticed that the capital ratio, loan-loss provisions and expense control are important drivers of high profitability. In this study, the drivers that would be considered are in two categories namely endogenous (internal) and exogenous (external) drivers or factors of Profitability. Internal drivers of bank performance or profitability can be defined as factors that are influenced by a bank’s management decisions. Such management effects will definitely affect the operating results of banks.Although a quality management leads to a good bank performance, it is difficult, if not impossible, to assess management quality directly. In fact, it is implicitly assumed that such a quality will be reflected in the operating performance. As such, it is not uncommon to examine a bank’s performance in terms of those financial variables found in financial statements, such as the balance sheet and income statement (Krakah and Ameyaw, 2010). External determinants of bank profitability are factors that are beyond the control of a bank‘s management. They represent events outside the influence of the bank.However, the management can anticipate changes in the external environment and try to position the institution to take advantage of anticipated developments. The two major components of the external determinants are macroeconomic factors and financial structure factors (Krakah and Ameyaw, 2010). In summary, it appears previous empirical research has suggested a possible connection between bank profitability and various internal and external determinants like Bank Assets, Loan-Loss Provisions, Total Deposit and Inflation, but is far from definitive as ifferent authors have made use of the inclusion and exclusion of different variables in their studies. Hence, our study will try to shed more light on this controversial issue by reviewing more empirical literatures on opposing sides of the topic and finally drawing conclusions from our findings from the mode of data analysis we intend to carry out. 1. 1STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have perennially sought permanent measures that would enhance the profitability and stability of banks operating in the Nigerian banking industry.Unfortunately, they have never completely succeeded in achieving this feat. For instance, from 1987 – 1991 financial sector reforms (intended to enhance competition in the sector, mobilize savings and lead to a more efficient allocation of resources) were implemented, encompassing elements of liberalization (such as the decontrolling of interest rate s) and measures to enhance prudential regulation and tackle bank distress (Oluranti, 1991).Also, between 1990 and 2004, bank regulators increased the minimum share capital requirement for banks operating in Nigeria five times, namely in 1991, 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2004 (Aburime and Uche, 2006). However, these measures were unsuccessful in curtailing the spate of bank distress and failures in the1990s and beyond (Oluranti, 1991; Beck et al. , 2005 and Brownbridge, 2005). Currently, a set of banking sector reforms have also been introduced to ensure inter alia a strong and reliable banking sector (Okagbue and Aliko, 2005).Unfortunately, if the historical antecedents of financial sector reforms in Nigeria are anything to go by, the current reforms may also not help to improve bank profitability and stability in Nigeria. Another major factor, which has often not been given appropriate attention, is the issue of strategic planning through forecasting and prediction of future performance i ndices of commercial banks (deposit money banks). To achieve this task, a bank must recognize and anticipate the important Variable affecting its profit determination.The works of Stevens (1999), Blyther (2000) and Naceur (2003) established the inability of the business firms to adequately anticipate and forecast several operating variables in them as a very critical factor in explaining their non-performance. They argued that it is dangerous for a firm to fail to anticipate its cash flow sales, profits and production under whatever situation it finds itself. Given the efforts stated above banks need to appreciate the role of other indicators in enhancing the profitability or performance for that matter.Indeed examining the determinants of corporate profits in the banking sector in Nigeria is crucial, if these banks are going to remain competitive, efficient, and viable taking into cognizance the challenges that befall competition in the industry. 1. 2RESEARCH QUESTIONS The motivati on behind this study stems from the fact that in the past decade or so, a lot of tremendeous changes has been witnessed in the Nigerian banking industry thereby leading to a number of reforms that has seen players in the banking industry transform from one level to another.Hence, this study will sought to answer the following research questions: 1. Is there a long run and short run relationship between bank profitability and its determinants? 2. To  what  extent  are  discrepancies  in  First Bank’s  profitability  due  to  variations in endogenous factors  Ã‚  under  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  control  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  bank  Ã‚  management as well as exogeneous factors under the control of the macroeconomy? 3. Given previous empirical studies on this topic, can it be deduced that First of Nigeria actually makes sustainable profits in the last three decades? . 3OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The sole objective of this study is to provide a framework to investigate the f actors or indicators intrinsic in the bank’s asset structure that had impacted on their profitability, and performance for that matter, and make policy recommendation that could be used by bank managers in their policy decisions in the future. Specifically the study seeks to achieve the following Objectives: 1. Examine  the  profitability  of  First  Bank Nigeria Plc during  the  last  three  decades. 2.Study  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  key  Ã‚  endogenous or company-level  value  Ã‚  drivers  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  performance  Ã‚  or profitability  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  the commercial  bank  in  Nigeria using FBN Plc 3. Study  Ã‚  the  Ã‚  key  Ã‚  exogenous  or macroeconomicvalue  Ã‚  drivers  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  performanceor profitability  Ã‚  of  Ã‚  the commercial  bank  in  Nigeria using FBN Plc 4. To find out if any long-run or short-run relationship exists between Profitability variables and its determinants using FBN Plc. 5. Make  policyà ‚  recommendations  regarding  the  key  drivers  of  profitability  at First Bank of Nigeria as well as other commercial  banks  in the country based on  the empirical  findings. 1. 4SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDYGiven the relation between the well-being of the banking sector and the growth of the economy (Rajan and Zingales, 1998; Levine, 1998), knowledge of the underlying factors that influence the financial sector's profitability is therefore essential not only for the managers of the banks, but also for numerous stakeholders such as the central banks, bankers associations, governments, and other financial authorities. Knowledge of these factors would be useful in helping the regulatory authorities and bank managers formulate future policies aimed at improving the profitability of the Nigerian banking sector.Furthermore, at the present time, the type of analysis to be employed in this study is completely missing in the literature concerning profitability in the banking sector in Nigeria. 1. 5SCOPE OF THE STUDY Even though there is an existence of numerous empirical studies on the determinants of corporate profitability in the banking sector almost none exists regarding banks case studies in Nigeria, with one exception though in a study by Krakah and Ameyaw (2010) who found a significant correlations between Bank’s Financial Statement and Macroeconomic variables with Profitability given case studies of two banks in Ghana.However, since their study relied more on a cross-sectional approaches from two different banks, this study collects a broad array of profitability determinant indicators, specifically, using data solely from First Bank of Nigeria from 1980 to 2010, we will be examining different measures and linkages of endogenous and exogenous variables like total  assets, interest  income, total  overhead expenses, money  supply, annual  inflation  rate and Return on Assets (ROA).Furthermore, since the determinants of profitability are a complex and multi-faceted concept, as such no single measure will capture all aspects of the internal and external determinants in the Financial Statements of First Bank to be used in this study. 1. 6PLAN OF THE STUDY For the purpose of simplification and clarification, this study will be drafted in the following manner: Chapter one will begin with a brief introduction on the topic of our study assessing a few opinions on what some authors have to say relating to the topic of our study.This chapter continues by analyzing some of the problems in the Nigerian economy as it relates to the banking industry as a catalyst for economic growth, then followed by the research questions. The statement of objectives to the study follows afterwards then the significance of the study comes next. An historical overview detailing various facets of developments in the Nigerian banking industry from pre-independence to date is also examined in this chapter. This chapter will be co ncluded by giving the scope of study.Chapter two of this study, which is the Literature Review and Theoretical Framework, will begin with a brief introduction of what the chapter aims to achieve and how it will be structured. This will be followed by stating various theoretical frameworks to be used in the study. Furthermore, an empirical review of related literatures on the determinants of banking industry profitability as seen by different authors who have written widely on the topic published their findings on this issue would be discussed.This chapter continues by reviewing the Nigerian banking industry performance over the year with a comparative analysis of all the major banks making up the industry. This will be achieved through the use of charts and graphs. Finally, this chapter will be rounded-off by the historical existence of First Bank of Nigeria Plc as well as the corporate profile of the bank. Chapter three, which is the research methodology chapter of this study, will also begin with a brief introduction to the chapter.This will be followed by the method of data collection section as well as method of data analysis section where we will explain the various methods of analysis like Multiple Correlation Matrix, Cointegration Regression Model as well as the Error Correction Mechanism of time series econometric analysis intended to analyze our data is explained. Also in this chapter, we shall state the various regression models to be estimated for this study as well as an explanation of the justification of the variables to be included in the model.This chapter will also explain the how the data gotten for this study will be formatted in Ratio forms to suit need of our intentions for this study. In addition, the statement of hypothesis and assumptions behind our model will be stated in this chapter and the various reasons behind the sampling procedure of arriving at FBN Plc for this study will be explained. Finally, this chapter will be concluded by explaining ‘A Priori’ Expectations of each variable within the model and the yardsticks in econometric measurement to be used in acceptance or rejection of the various hypothesis stated for this study.Chapter four, which is the data Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation chapter, will be introduced stating what should be expected as the chapter moves from section to section. Here, the data used for this study will be presented in a tabular format then followed by the analysis and estimation of the explicit model already stated in chapter three of this study. Finally, this chapter is concluded by interpreting the models estimated via different methods of econometric analysis.Chapter five is the Summary, Policy Recommendations and Conclusion chapter of this study. This chapter, like the previous ones before it also begins with an introduction of what to expect, this is followed by a summary of our study thus far. Hence, policy recommendations would be made under a dif ferent section and finally, the conclusions of our finding on the study as it relates to the analysis made in chapter four of the study would be highlighted in this study.

The Battle of Gettysburg between the Union and the Confederates - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1132 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/10/30 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Battle of Gettysburg Essay Did you like this example? The Battle of Gettysburg fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, is considered the most important engagement of the American Civil War. Where Confederate forces led by General Robert E. Lee and the Union army led by General George Meade. The battle left more than 51,000 wounded, killed, captured, or claimed to miss. The wounded soldiers were crowded in nearby buildings, and many of the dead bodies lay in scantly graves in the ground (https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/gettysburg/never_forget/battle.htm). Confederate General Robert E. Lee launched his second invasion of the northern states. His goal was to defeat the Union army on Northern soil; in which, he hoped would force the Lincoln administration to negotiate for peace. He sought out to take the war out of the Virginia farmland and gather supplies for his Army of Northern Virginia. Lee used the Shenandoah Valley as cover for his army. He was approached by two Union Major Generals, first General Joseph Hooker, and General George G. Meade (who was then replaced by Hooker). Lees army crossed into Pennsylvania in mid-June, and the opposing forces meet head-on at the crossroads towns of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on the morning of July 1, 1863. The Confederates surge over the Federals from the fields West and North of town, but were unsuccessful to secure Cemetery Hill and Culps Hill to the South. The next day, following, reinforcements arrived on both sides. Lees army then attacked the Federals on the heights and Little Round Top (fu rther South), but they failed to dislodge the defenders. Lastly, on July 3rd, Lee attacked the Union on Cemetery Ridge and was repulsed in what is now known as Picketts Charge. His second attempt on the invasion failed and resulted in large casualties on both sides. There was an estimated 51,000 that were listed as missing, captured, wounded, or dead (https://www.battlefields.org). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Battle of Gettysburg between the Union and the Confederates" essay for you Create order The ending results of The Battle of Gettysburg were a victory for the Union. The commanders of this battle were as previously stated for the Union General George G. Meade, and for the Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The forces engaged were 165,620 making up for the Union were 93,921 and for the Confederate at 71,699. The numbers were much larger for the Union; therefore, anyone could see why they had their victory. The confederate was clearly outnumbered by the Union. The total estimated casualties were 51,112. The Union alone had 23,049, of which 3,155 were killed, 14,529 wounded, and 5,365 missing/captured. The Confederate had 28,063 of the 51,122 causalities; of which 3,903 were killed, 18,735 were left wounded, and lastly, 5,425 were listed as missing/captured (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/gettysburg). Pennsylvanias Governor Andrew Curtin responded to the crisis by purchasing 17 acres of land for a proper burial ground for the Union dead. Within four mo nths of the battle, reinternment began on the land that became Gettysburg National Cemetery. Today the cemetery is the final resting place for over 6,000 honorably discharged servicemen and their dependents from the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War (https://rmc.library.cornell.edu/gettysburg/never_forget/battle.htm). The 22,000 square foot Museum and Visitor Center is a great place to visit. They have the Soldiers National Cemetery and the David Wills House in town as well, where Abraham Lincoln stayed the night before he gave his Gettysburg Address. The people of the North and the South after The Battle of Gettysburg were sick of war and wanted skirmish to come to an end. In the summer of 1864 (a year later), the Civil War had been rampant on for three years now. Events on the battlefield, just before the election coming that fall, would cover the Souths defeat, catapult Abraham Lincoln to victory and provide momentum for the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment, permanently freeing all slaves in America. Lincoln was expected to lose the election. Late August 1864, most expected former Union General George B. McClellan to defeat Lincoln, yet two months prior General William T. Sherman overpowered Confederate defenses and captured Atlanta. After leaders of his own political party had already considered replacing him on the Republican side, Lincoln won the most known victory in history when he defeated McClellan in the Electoral College with a 212 to 21 vote. His victory in 1864 was made possible by the Unions victory at the Gettys burg in July 1863. When the Confederates were accumulating for another battle charge up the hill, Chamberlain realized he didnt have enough ammunition to survive one more defeat. Most Americans are very familiar with the Battle of Gettysburg; however, it is very difficult to appreciate the savagery fight or the sheer volume of bloodshed that is distressed with both sides of the North and South. What happened on the field of battle after the two sides moved on to continue the fight elsewhere may be most symptomatic of the horrendous experience there. The author of A Strange and Blighted Land: Gettysburg, The Aftermath of a Battle, (written by Gregory Coco), exhaustively researched what happened on the Gettysburg battlefield in the three years following the flight. His descriptions are somewhat difficult to comprehend. He explained that there were thousands of dead soldiers but also three thousand dead horses and other animals. It was a down-right bloodbath. He stated: There was eve ry type of corrupting, decomposing corpse you could imagine. The stench was horrifying for those tasked with the cleaning up the land. (Coco, Gregory. 2018. A Strange and Blighted Land. Havertown: Savas Beatie). The speech is known as the Gettysburg Address given by Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863, dedicating to the Soldiers National Cemetery, or also known as the battlefield cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The cemetery for Union soldiers killed at the Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War. The speech was written by himself in Washington and revised after his arrival at Gettysburg. His speech was a sheer 271 words and took about only two minutes. This speech is one of Lincolns best-known speech. Lincoln states, Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new, conceived in liberty ad dedication to the proposition that all men are created equal. (https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm). Lincoln began to envision not just a reunited United States, but a nation freed once and for all of slavery. In conclusion, the Battle of Gettysburg was a battle during the Civil War between the Union and the Confederates. (The north and the south). The Battle of Gettysburg brought over 51,000 soldiers from both the north and the south in a bloodbath, leaving those 51,000 either dead, wounded, captured, or listed as missing. The battle lasted three days beginning on July 1st, 1863 and ended on July 3rd, 1863. The ending resulted in the big victory for the Union over the Confederates, and President Abraham Lincoln winning the presidency by the Electoral College Vote.

Socioeconomic Aftermath Of The Crisis - 1883 Words

SOCIOECONOMIC AFTERMATH OF THE CRISIS Despite the overall success of the International Monetary Fund and the United States to prevent additional contagion from the Mexican peso crisis throughout the broader global financial systems, the crisis nevertheless proved devastating to the Mexican economy and its population. The devaluation of the peso and capital flight plunged the Mexican economy into a deep recession, national GDP dropped by 6.2% throughout 1995, and multiple banks collapsed as poor quality assets and fraudulent lending practices came to light, forcing the financial sector to bare the brunt of the crisis (Pereznieto, 11). The average Mexican, however, would argue otherwise and angrily proclaim that it was them that suffered the most. Many Mexicans could no longer keep up with the rising interest rates and thousands of mortgages went into default, resulting in widespread repossession of homes. Prices rose by 35%, hyperinflation resulted in a real wage decrease of 25-35%, a nd unemployment rose to 7.4% in 1995 from its 3.9% pre-crisis the year prior (Pereznieto, 15). In the formal sector, over a million people lost their job, real wages decreased by 13.5%, and overall household incomes plummeted by 30% (Pereznieto, 15). Extreme poverty in Mexico grew to 37% in 1996 from 21% in 1994 (Pereznieto, 16). The growing poverty in Mexico also impacted urban areas more than rural areas (Pereznieto, 15). Urbanites relied on a healthy labor market, good access to credit, andShow MoreRelatedA Review of Is Monetary Policy Overburdened? 1584 Words   |  7 Pagesafter the crisis and abused monetary policy as it was understood to be ‘the only game in town’. However, Orphanides pointed out that, factors behind â€Å"the lack of satisfactory growth in the aftermath of the GFC† are often outside the control of CBs. 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There has been an increase in air pollution within many regions around the world (Utell,Warren and Sawyer 157). However, urban environments tend to have higher levels of environmental pollution. One factor playing into this urban crisis is the existence of agents that develop pollutants in urban regions. Because metropolitan areas tend to be industrious and abundant in modes of transportation, emissions from factories and mo tor vehicles are constant in cities. Developing countries

Hlten515B Implement and Monitor Care for Older Clients...

HLTEN515B implement and monitor care for older clients Written assignment 1 There are many different forms of dementia and each has its own cause. Some of the main type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common form of dementia affecting 50%-70% of dementia patients (Alzheimers australia, 2005). This is a degenerative illness which attacks the brain, this is achieved buy tangles which are in the middle of shrunken brain cells and plaques which eventually cause the brain cells to die meaning information can no longer be recalled or assimilated. There are also other types of dementia which include vascular dementia which is caused by circulation of the blood to the brain, Parkinson’s disease which is a disorder of the†¦show more content†¦These strategies may help with relieving distress, agitation and challenging behaviours. Strategies when dealing with dementia patients may include, â€Å"introduce yourself at each encounter, use touch as appropriate, try to determine the cause of the behaviour and then try to reduc e or eliminate it. These behaviours may be caused by boredom, which you would try and use activities as a distraction, Pain which we3 will try non-pharmacological treatment first e.g.: heat packs, Anxiety where we will use reassurance and diversion. Often using a soft approach such as smiling, pleasant voice tones while talking calmly in short sentences will help defuse a situation. There are many community services out there to aid dementia patients these may include community nursing, meals on wheels, homecare, home modification, Alzheimer’s Australia, commonwealth centerlink centres, carers association, counselling, ACAT and respite care. Dementia has a huge impact on not only the lives of them self’s but also the family and carer. Watching the person you love degenerate from a fully functioning person to some one that needs to be fully cared for. As a carer, you are likely to experience a range of different feelings. This is particularly difficult because as dementia gradually causes the person’s abilities and personality to change the nature of relationships will also change (better health). TheShow MoreRelatedImplement And Monitor Nursing Care For Older Clients1795 Words   |  8 PagesDiploma of Nursing HLT51612 HLTEN515B Implement and monitor nursing care for older clients Assessment 2 – Case Study Elements 4 5 - Part 1 – Alcohol Related Dementia - Korsakoff’s syndrome Definition: â€Å"Korsakoff’s psychosis, a form of amnesia often seen in chronic alcoholics that is characterised by a loss of short- term memory and an inability to learn new skills. The person is usually disoriented, mat present with delirium and hallucinations, and confabulates to conceal

America’s Failing War on Drugs and the Culture of Incarceration Free Essays

string(128) " are caught in possession of illicit drugs, is doing nothing to contribute to lessening any of the problems attributed to them\." For over a century, America has waged a failing war on drugs even as it feeds a cultural apathetic and underground acceptance of drug and alcohol use. The views of the dominate group have placed blame on society’s ills on the evils of rampant drug use throughout the past few hundred years, which have given way to a practice of outlawing , persecution, and imprisonment. Such a view has led to the overflow of our state’s prisons, the race to build even more, and need to fund a culture of imprisonment that has a difficult time in trying to figure out if it wants to help the addicted person, or continue to try and fund a gluttonous prison machine. We will write a custom essay sample on America’s Failing War on Drugs and the Culture of Incarceration or any similar topic only for you Order Now We will look at some of the causes for the failed war on drugs, and some of the consequences if our society continues to ignore the need to help the addict, or simply lock them away. America’s failing War on Drugs and the Culture of Incarceration America has always had an underlying culture of drug use with even many of the harder drugs, like cocaine and heroin, being legal up into the early 1900’s, and drugs like methamphetamine and MDMA, or ecstasy, being legal well into the 20th century. Even one of the most invasive drugs of our culture, alcohol, is widely advertised and taken to be a norm of American culture, and prescription drugs like Vicodin and Oxycontin are used by millions legally every day (Brecher, E. M. , n. d. ). However, while alcohol as been able to enjoy its place as an accepted part of the American lifestyle, drug use of the illicit kind has been steadily demonized, criminalized, and used as a means to incarcerate an ever growing number of people, most often minorities and the poor who are unable to afford outside representation. (Steiker, C. S. 2011) It has created an industry and culture of incarceration dependant on keeping certain drugs illegal, and drug use a felonious criminal act, as those in the industry of building prisons and providing prison services, along with many in law enforcement, continue to lobby state and federal government to keep up overzealous laws on drug use, even laws on drugs proven to be less dangerous than alcohol, such as marijuana, which have come to be quite profitable to all involved. The extent of the problem with this unsuccessful war on drugs includes millions of non violent offenders losing parts of their lives, many sentenced to terms in the tens of years under mandatory sentencing, some simply for no more a heinous crime as first time possession of a small amount of marijuana or crack cocaine. The ability to get federal help for school as well as other federal help programs, to engage in certain basic liberties and rights afforded to all Americans by the Bill of Rights, such as the right to vote, or the right to bear arms, are taken away and either incredibly hard to get back, or all but impossible. Furthermore, even when they have finished paying society for their crime, they are still haunted by the deed whenever they look for work, unable to get jobs because of felony convictions, relegating them to jobs of much lower pay and status, even though they themselves may have the education and experience to fulfill jobs of a much higher caliber. (McVay, D. , Schiraldi, V. , Zeidenburg, J. 2004) This process of ‘tough on drugs’ prevention and incarceration keeps the chemically dependent in a vicious cycle where, unable to get help for their addictions and help for success after paying their ‘dues’, their only outcome lies in a repetitive sequence of drug use, bigger crimes to support themselves, and longer imprisonment, in a culture of poverty and incarceration. The outcome is broken hopes, broken dreams, broken families – broken individuals with broken lives. (McVay, D. Schiraldi, V. , Zeidenburg, J. , 2004) If you are not one of these individuals, the problem extends to you – in that it is your tax dollars going to pay for the unsuccessful but profitable war on drugs. Prisoners do not pay for their incarceration – the state and federal government does. The American tax payers pay for housing, food, clothing in both state and federal as well as private prisons, and supervision of these mostly non-violent drug offenders, both inside and outside prison. The tax payer provides the funds for local, state, and federal law enforcement to run their stings, and train their drug dogs and sting operatives, except in the off chance that they intercept a large amount of drug money, or take possession of larger drug dealers properties and vehicles bought with drug money, but rarely are these items sold at value. The burden to pay falls on the state and you, the tax payer, and the state is running out of money to spend on incarcerating an ever growing number of non-violent, drug related prisoners. McVay, D. , Schiraldi, V. , Zeidenburg, J. , 2004) THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES Causes While many drugs enjoyed a period of legalization, eventually most drugs have come to find a place as a scapegoat for many of society’s ills, from poverty, unemployment and homelessness, to rape, murder, and reasons to discriminate certain races based on a stereotypical link to a certain drug. (Steiker, C. S. 2011) At one time even alcohol was a major scapegoat for societal problems, but its strong history and presence in Euro-ethnic culture made it difficult to abstain from for many, and when it was shown that prohibition did nothing to stop many of the problems attributed to it and had actually caused an increase in criminal activity and dangerous binge drinking, it was repealed after 13 years, with much celebration. (Brecher, E. M. , n. d. Accordingly in this day and age, some people are coming to the realization that simply outlawing drugs, making harsh laws to imprison or remove people who are caught in possession of illicit drugs, is doing nothing to contribute to lessening any of the problems attributed to them. You read "America’s Failing War on Drugs and the Culture of Incarceration" in category "Papers" In fact, even while we see a decrease in overall crime, we can still see an increase in certain criminal drug activities meant to supply a non-declining need for narcotics, and an ever increasing bill that makes many law makers choose between other programs to help society, or to pay for the rising cost to lock up more and more drug offenders. However, it is still much easier to demonize a drug and the user for problems in society, and we can see that today for instance, as we deal with the problem of unemployment, and the desire of some to legalize marijuana, even for medical purposes. Legalization happens to be a position many of the 99% Occupier groups stand for, but many opponents counter that it’s the drug use of many of those protesters that contribute to their unemployment, and that making medical marijuana legal is just a way for them to continue to get high, but legally. (Bickman, J. , n. d. ) Consequently, many opponents also see drug use as proof f the moral decline of America, and that along with moral ills like gay marriage and abortion, contribute to the fall of our society from its once lofty heights back in the early and mid 1900’s, where homosexuality and drug use were more hidden, but no less prevalent. To this we add the common practice of giving drug possession and distribution large manda tory sentences, some of which show the disparity in the dominant class’s belief in certain drug use being characteristic of certain class or racial groups, or that some drugs are much more dangerous than others, even though science and common sense has told us otherwise. One can only need to take a look at the number of people in jail and prison for marijuana, which is almost benign in its danger when compared to a legal drug such as alcohol, or the disparity in sentencing between crack cocaine and powdered cocaine that was once 100 to 1, or the same penalty for 1 gram of crack cocaine as for 100 grams of powdered cocaine, now down to a mere 18 to 1, with the relation that crack is mostly use by the inner city African American minority, and powdered cocaine used more by the affluent, white dominant suburban group. Amar, V. D. , n. d. ) One area that is sorely underfunded, and has become a pathway to a ‘college of criminality’, is the juvenile justice system. In a 2005, five year study by the National Center on Substance Abuse at Columbia University, the report found that 1. 9 million of the 2. 4 million juveniles arrested over a 5 year period had substance abuse and addiction problems, but that only 68,600 of them received any substance abuse help. Many of those arrested were for violent crimes, however drug use played a huge part in their behavior, and it isn’t hard to take these results into the adult arena, with the finding among adults arrested who were 18 years or older, 64 percent had used drugs or alcohol when they were 17 or younger. One may correctly assume that juveniles who initiate drug and alcohol use and become arrested, and are given incarceration instead of treatment, have a greater chance of growing up to become adults who engage in criminal and drug using behavior. Brown University, 2005) Consequences The consequences of continuing the past policies of the war on drug can be seen today, there is no need to wait on verification or speculation. We can see the ever increasing number of adult and juvenile offenders incarcerated for minor drug offences, as well as those receiving large sentences for other crimes where drugs were involved. We can see the cost and the burden this increasing prison population has to the state and its tax payers, and the struggle lawmakers have to either increase taxes, lower penalties for possession for drug use, or release large numbers of un-treated, chemically dependent, prison taught and economically disadvantaged prisoners because they simply cannot afford to hold them any longer. Without changing the laws, addicts and other chemically dependent users are first convicted and then given treatment. As we already discussed in the beginning, the conviction staying on their arrest record for years, or even permanently, meaning that even after possible successful treatment, the recovering addict is still treated like a pariah when looking for work and an in-depth background check becomes part of the job seeking process. (McVay, D. , Schiraldi, V. , Zeidenburg, J. , 2004)Without any help or hope, the convicted and untreated addict’s only outlook is a continuing life of drug use, and criminal activity to support them. In states like Kentucky, that have seen an increase in its prison population quadruple over the past two decades, looking into new programs that would have offenders volunteer to enter a six to nine month treatment program in jail, rather than a one to two year program in prison that usually carries a five to ten year sentence along with it, would save the state tax payers millions of dollars a year. In Kentucky alone, it costs $500 million dollars a year to house some 22,000 prisoners, 80 percent of them being non-violent drug offenders. The state, like most others, has seen a steady rise in incarcerations with one in 31 Americans behind bars, when Twenty-five years ago, the number was 1 in 77. (Alcoholism Drug Abuse Weekly, 2009) Still, even with such approaches meant to curb the costs of incarcerating convicted addicts, the fact remains that little is being done to reduce the number of people being convicted in the first place, although the offering of more resources to people who are in their first phases of being caught up by law enforcement due to their addictions is a more effective way to start. Alcoholism Drug Abuse Weekly, 2010) Every year it becomes more and more evident, that our countries failing war on drugs and its policy to want to simply incarcerate those to mandatory sentences for even non-lethal drug such as marijuana, the rising cost to investigate, arrest, persecute and house a population of people who show no signs of serious drug use decline, can only mean that newer policies to treat the addi cted, rather than lock them away, are the right way to go if our country wants to fix the problem of our ever increasing culture of incarceration. (McVay, D. , Schiraldi, V. , Zeidenburg, J. , 2004) How to cite America’s Failing War on Drugs and the Culture of Incarceration, Essays

Hospital management system free essay sample

Hospitals deal with the life and health of their patients. Good medical care relies on well-trained doctors and nurses and on high quality facilities and equipment. Good medical care also relies on good record keeping. Without accurate, comprehensive and up to date and accessible patient notes, medical personnel may not offer the best treatment or may in fact misdiagnose the condition, which can have serious consequences. Associated records, such as x-rays, specimens, drug records and patient registers, must also be well cared for if the patient is to be protected. Good records care also ensures the hospitals administration runs smoothly; unneeded records are transferred or destroyed regularly, keeping storage areas clear and accessible; and key records can be found quickly, saving time and resources. Records also provide evidence of the hospital’s accountability for its actions and they form a key source of data for medical research, statistical reports and health information systems. Hospital Management System is powerful, flexible, and easy to use and is designed and developed to deliver real conceivable benefits to hospitals. Hospital Management System is designed for hospital, to cover a wide range of hospital administration and management processes. It is an integrated end-to-end Hospital Management System that provides relevant information across the hospital to support effective decision making for patient care, hospital administration and critical financial accounting, in a seamless flow. Hospital Management System is a software product suite designed to improve the quality and management of hospital management in the areas of clinical process analysis and activity-based costing. Hospital Management System enables hospitals and medical institutions to develop their organization and improve its effectiveness and quality of work. Managing the key processes efficiently is critical to the success of the hospital daily operations. Hospital Management System helps them manage their processes fast, accurate and efficient. 1. 2. Overview of the Current of the Technology In NCMH when admitting a patient the first procedure is for the patient’s related/guardian to fill up a form about patient medical history and financial record which this form will be kept as the patient’s medical record in the hospital. Then the hospital check its record for availability of room and if the patient will be assign to a private or public room, which this record will be in hard copies which are stored in a huge facilities. Afterwards a doctor will diagnose the patient and writes down his/her findings, consultation, prescription, and also his/her orders for the nurses and laboratories examination in a hard copy form which also will be kept as record in the hospital. Then when the nurses do their rounds they will also writes down reports in hard copy form which also will be kept as record in the hospital. The results of the laboratory’s tests and examination are also kept as record in the hospital, in hard copy form. And from all of this record like prescription of medicine, rental of rooms, consultation fees, and etc. will have billing statement for the patient which the billing department will keep records in hard copy form for the hospital. 1. 3. Project Rational Because unlike the current system which uses pen and paper to write down forms and reports which can take a long time to do, is prone to error, cost more, and takes up a lot of space the proposed system will be accurate, more reliable, fast, will have less redundancy, will cost less, and more space conservative, which will make the hospital more effective and efficient in taking care of its patients. And because of this several particular reasons it is not just very beneficial for the beneficiary to implement this proposed system but also is needed for this institution to be on the edge in the 21ist century. 2. Project Description Problem Statement The system design and development was undertaken in order to eliminate the problem of redundant, erroneous, slow and incomplete data that was escalating the inefficiencies in data updating and retrieval. These limitations were mainly caused by the fact that data, under the current manual recording system was entered into books and paper files and was later stored in overcrowded storage rooms that made retrieval and updating of archival records close to impossible. 2. 1. 1. Specific Problem How will the developers create a patient-doctor medical record system that can store and retrieve data fast and accurate? How will the developers create an effective and efficient billing system? 2. 2. Proposed Research Project 2. 2. 1. General Objective To design and develop a hospital management system for a mental health hospital that would enable faster, more accurate, complete, and more efficient storage of retrieval and updating of hospital records and save space at the same time. 2. 2. 2. Specific Objective To create a computerize system that have an efficient and clear fill-up form, and a powerful search engine to retrieve data fast and accurate. To create a computerize billing system that can store and retrieve billing statements fast and accurate, and also at the same time print fast and accurate reports. 2. 2. 3. Scope and Limitation The proposed software product is the Hospital Management System (HMS). The system will be used to get the information from the patients and then storing that data for future usages, stores doctors’ consultation, prescription and orders, stores nurses reports, and stores laboratories results and billing statement. The system will also be able to print out forms and reports from various departments in the hospital and also print out billing statement from the billing department. The intentions of this systems is to reduce over-time pay and increase the number of patients that can be treated accurately. 2. 2. 4. Methodology Methodology is a term used to describe a process, technique or manner in which an action is performed. Under the development a system, a methodology refers to the process that was taken to ensure that a system is effectively and efficiently developed. In designing the hospital management system for NCMH, the following waterfall methodology was used. Waterfall Methodology: All projects can be managed better when segmented into a hierarchy of chunks such as phases, stages, activities, tasks and steps. It follows a linear structure starting from requirement analysis, through design, implementation and maintenance. Most widely accepted methodology for student projects, this model has been well tried and tested. Each phase of it has sub phases which produce deliverables. Requirements are fixed at initial stages before proceeding with development plans in system development projects; the simplest rendition of this is called the waterfall methodology, as shown in the following figure: The graphic illustrates a few critical principles of a good methodology: Work is done in stages. Content reviews are conducted between stages. Reviews represent quality gates and decision points for continuing. The waterfall provides an orderly sequence of development steps and helps ensure the adequacy of documentation and design reviews to ensure the quality, reliability, and maintainability of the developed software. While almost everyone these days disparages the waterfall methodology as being needlessly slow and cumbersome, it does illustrate. Requirements – the developers will analyze what are the resources needed for the completion of the project such as budget, materials, and human resource. Design – after interviewing the beneficiary (Joshua F. Magsumbol), the developers took some time carefully designing what the system should look and function like base on the beneficiary’s specifications. Implementation – when the developers finished the proposed system, the time of implementation is next. Verification – in this phased testing and debugging is performed for final implementation. Maintenance – when the project is finished maintaining the systems efficiency is the next agenda. 3. Project Management 3. 1. Project Description 3. 1. 1. Description of Activities Acquiring of Client – the developers when on around metro manila for less than 2 weeks to find a client, and the developers found a few clients and finally decided to go for NCMH. Planning – the developers took about 3 weeks to plan for the project. Interview – the developers met with NCMH administrator (Mr Joshua F. Magsumbol), for the proposal of the system and to gather information from him to aid us in our endeavours. Documentation – the developers started the documentation of this project around in the 8th week it was supposed to start earlier but something’s came up (details not important), and the documentation will progress as the system’s development progresses. Design – the designing of the system began on the 6th week and the developers is until now still thinking up of designs for the rest of the system. Resource Analysis – the team started analysis of resources on the 10th week and are still analysing the few last resources that are needed to finish this project. Coding or Programming – the development of the proposed system started on the 12th week and is still under development. Testing and Analysis of the system – the developers have not yet started the testing and analysis of the system. Implementation – Since the system in not yet finish the team cannot implement yet the system. 3. 1. 2. Gantt Chart of Activities A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart developed as a production control tool, a Gantt chart provides a graphical illustration of a schedule that helps to plan, coordinate, and track specific tasks in a project. In the next page a Gantt chart is shown for the phase’s schedules of this project.