Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Freaky Economics Essay - 1321 Words

Economics; is an important subject to understand the workings of finances. The common definition of economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution and consumption of goods. Freakonomics, the title of this book has the reader wondering what this book is about. From the title and even the cover picture it is clear it is not your average text book on economics. Yet, the authors have collected data and analyzed it to come to their conclusions on some unusual hypotheses. The photo on the cover is actually a good visual of the books content, it looks like apple on the outside but is an orange on the inside, signifying there is a hidden side of everything, just as the book subtitle reads. Authors Steven Levitt†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The study of incentives is how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing.† (16) An incentive is simply a means of urging people to do more of a good thing a nd less of a bad (17). An interesting concept the author points out is â€Å"Morality, represents the way that people would like the world to work-whereas economics represents how it actually does work† (11). The authors several times oddly bring up that there is no unifying theme to the book, giving the impression the book is not well thought out. Regardless, there are some things that tie the unusual examples together, one being the theory of incentives as being the motivator. The other unifying thread is that conventional wisdom is often wrong, that when looking at situations, layers need to be peeled off and knowing what to measure and how to measure it allows for better understanding (12-13). The introduction is the last section of the book that doesn’t leave the reader somewhat confused regarding what they are reading, and if it really does relate to economics or is just quirky stories. It is interesting to see the development of their theory about incenti ves, as they investigate what makes something so attractive that sometimes people are willing to cheat and behave unethically to attain the incentive. Levitt is able to support his hypothesis that incentives urgeShow MoreRelatedEssay on Triumph of The Nerds859 Words   |  4 Pagesindustry. The inception of an innovation, aimed at proliferating the productivity of the contemporary technology on a global scale, encouraged the nerds to establish digital empires that continue to thrive today. Computer Giants contributed in the economic boom, thereby increasing the employment, sales, and the commercial demand in the market. The crucial and the careless mistakes or simply ignorance; economically affected the Giants in negative way and the industry in positive ways. The Xerox establishedRead MoreRap Music And Its Influence On Society2392 Words   |  10 Pages Rappers emphasize their reality, which was â€Å"replete with property, police brutality, drug abuse, educational inequality, high drop-out rates and violence†¦. A sense of powerlessness to change conditions grounded in complex social, political, and economic issues has led an artist to see ways to express their discontent. Rap music became a cathartic outlet† (Scott). Rap music promotes violence, degrades women, and has a high content on sex. Rappers examine and advance cruelty in their verses. TheyRead MorePersuasive Essay On Cloning724 Words   |  3 Pagespermanent abdominal damage. This could also sometimes result in permanent infertility. Even though they gave money to all the woman with the side effects, it is not worth putting a woman in a permanent state just to try and clone a human. Woman of lower economic means will most likely do this out of desperation for money and end up becoming infertile. I feel that if a person wants to be cloned than they should have to pay for the eggs that they have to extract from a female, not have some random woman giveRead MoreDoes Belonging Mean Compromise?1739 Words   |  7 Pagesproblem that arises for American poets like Whitman, Crane, and Ginsberg when homosexual desire becomes an important issue in the figuring of this utopian promise if the American since homosexuality is usually held to be at odds with moral, religious, economic, social, and intellectual consensus. No t so surprising is the fact that utopian discourse has often made and issue of gender and sexuality as a more general (heterosexual) problem. From the Shakers†¦. To the nude culturists†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ( Erkkila, Page 138)Read MoreWhen Should I Get Married? - 5 Important Questions That You Should Answer Before Tying the Knot792 Words   |  4 Pagesappreciative. While most guys can only appreciate a woman’s outer beauty, a good man will appreciate something else. You will sometimes find it hard to believe that they love your crooked teeth, enjoy your mushy collection of movies and go crazy over your freaky smile. But that’s how it is. They also do not understand why. They often just do. 3. When is the best time to get married? No one can truly ever say when you can get married. It is not on the full moon of a certain year nor in the setting of theRead MoreWhy Fracking Is Not Be The Most Exciting Process1450 Words   |  6 Pagesmore important than any of those people think. Fracking is the process of extracting fossil fuels by shooting a liquid into the ground that contains known and unknown chemicals. Just reading the description of the process of fracking can be a little freaky for some people and rightfully so. If one major oil company such as Chevron Corporation made the decision to find a realistic alternative to fracking it could start the process of other major oil companies following in their footsteps. There are threeRead MoreVideo Games And Its Effects On The World Of The Gaming Community1415 Words   |  6 Pagesfranchise, infamous for having players much younger than the ESRB rating of Mature would recommend; and they can be expansions on previous games, like World of Warcraft or Hearthstone. (Hewitt, 2015)(Kotzer, 2014) The reason behind this is largely economic – most video game companies want to ‘play it safe,’ with some even going so far as to say that they will only take on new ideas if they are to become franchises later on. (IGN 2015) (Community.us.playstation.com 2014) More problematically, anotherRead MoreThe Objectification Of Women Within Pop Culture1770 Words   |  8 Pagescultural studies. Hallows argues that â€Å"cultural studies have demanded an interdisciplinary approach to pop culture, one that takes into account the social, economic and political aspects of everyday life† (Hollows, 2000). After reading this, I was able to make connections to many different songs, as they take into account the social, economic, and political aspects of everyday life. To be more specific, we turn our attention towards Pitbull, a well-known American singer and rapper. Pitbull oftenRead MoreGender Equality And Women Should Receive Equal Treatme nt1889 Words   |  8 Pagesand should not be discriminated against based on gender. For years, it’s been notably held that women have been given far less freedom than men. For example, having to do with sexual expression. If a woman is too sexually active, too daring, too â€Å"freaky† in the sack, she gets labeled a slut. In contrast, men have been praised for their sexual prowess, â€Å"high-fived for wantonness,† accorded â€Å"player† status for acting like big shots. That goes for most comparisons towards a man. Men are brought up toRead MoreConfucius, Examination and Foot Binding1757 Words   |  8 Pageswas also the second time the whole nation was ruled by foreign imperialism. The impact from western was crucial during that period. After opium war, china has been forced to open ports to Europe and America. The opening of ports brought terrific economic revenue to foreigners; it also settled a bridge between eastern culture and western culture. The foreign religion had no importance throughout Chinese history until the middle of the 19th century; Christianity had made the first step during the Ming

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Suicide Does Not End The Pain Essay - 1947 Words

â€Å"Suicide does not end the pain; it just transfers it to someone else,† said David Foster Wallace. When I got a call early in the morning on January 4th, 2016 my life changed forever. My best friend and boyfriend had committed suicide by the hands of an overdose. His mom called to tell me they found him in his home not long ago, dead. His death was ruled a suicide because of the note he had left. Grief and pain come with a death natural or otherwise, but there are many nuisances unique to dealing with suicide. As well as the tremendous loss that suicide brings, there are many things suddenly left behind, Facebook accounts that you have to figure out passwords for, pets to find new homes, clothes to bag up and donate, homes to clean out, and bills to pay. My boyfriend, Matt, left little dog named Cash, an apartment just outside of Seattle that he share with two other roommates, and an unfished college career in engineering. More than anything else, he left us all with so many unanswered questions. Upon hearing the news of his death I immediately sped to his apartment. When I drove up, I saw his mom, surrounded by firefighters and police officers outside of the apartment complex. She was hurled over with her hands on her face, choking on her tears, unable to speak. The sight of her like that made the hair on my arms stand straight, and my throat felt like it was closing in as my eyes welled up in panic of what might really be happening. Carla Fine author of No Time toShow MoreRelatedThe Controversy Of Assisted Suicide889 Words   |  4 Pagesdebates over time of if suicide is murder, but what about Assisted Suicide? Assisted suicide is when a person helps another person end their life. Helping with the death of someone who wanted to die. Act Utilitarianism sets basis of right or wrong based on if the action causes more pleasure or pain overall. Every person is accounted as equal. This means if an action brings pleasure to one person but harms two people. The action would be deemed as bad because it brings about more pain. This analysis willRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide Should Be Morally Permissible1663 Words   |  7 PagesPhysician assisted suicide should be morally permissible. Patients who are in constant suffering and pain have the right to end their misery at their own discretion. This paper will explore my thesis, open the floor to counter arguments, explain my objections to the counter arguments, and finally end with my conclusion. I agree with Brock when he states that the two ethical values, self-determination and individual well-being, are the focal points for the argument of the ethical permissibility ofRead MoreIs The Amendment Number 9 Assisted Suicide?1719 Words   |  7 PagesThe specific Amendment and issue I am discussing is Amendment Number 9 Assisted Suicide. Assisted suicide is â€Å"the suicide of a patient suffering from an incurable disease, affected by the taking of lethal drugs provided by a doctor for this purpose† (Oxford Living Dictionaries). This falls under the 9th Amendment; the 9th Amendment â€Å"was part of the Bill of Rights that was added to the Constitution on December 15, 1791. It says that all the rights not listed in the Constitution belong to the peopleRead MoreA Day The Thackstons Went For Their Daily Run1583 Words   |  7 Pagestheir daily run. Little did they know, it would be their last run. Josiah Thackston was having sharp pai ns around his liver and kidneys; he blew it off and just figured â€Å"Oh it is because I am running.† He later mentioned it to his wife Julie Thackston. She told him â€Å"Let us go to the hospital, and see what is going on.† So, they jumped into the car and as they drove, he started having sharp pains and began to tear up. The Thackstons arrived at the hospital and told them how he was feeling. Dr. BennetRead MorePosition Essay Euthanasia1284 Words   |  6 Pagesmany reasons people ask for assistance to end their lives. It is legal in most states for a person to end their own life, but if someone helps someone carry out that wish, then that is a crime. It shouldn’t be illegal to help someone end their life if they wish to die to end their pain. The only sensible thing would be to legalize physician assisted suicide so that people can feel comfortable and pass away in a controlled environment. Assisted suicide is becoming more acceptable in American cult ureRead MoreThe Ethics of Euthanasia Essay1742 Words   |  7 Pageshowever in the state of North Carolina, physician-assisted suicide is illegal. Luckily, her father passed away this year and is finally free of pain and suffering. However, if physician-assisted suicide was legal, her father would not have had to suffer as long as he did. Before we explore the sides of physician-assisted suicide, let’s go over exactly what physician-assisted suicide entails. When the topic of physician-assisted suicide comes up, many individuals believe it is the same as euthanasiaRead MoreAssisted Suicide Is Not Common For All Areas Throughout The United States890 Words   |  4 PagesAssisted Suicide Imagine being diagnosed with a life-ending disease and experiencing such excruciating pain that doctors say cannot be healed. Pain is a terrible thing to experience, especially when it is permanent. What can be done to relieve that pain? What if the only option to rid the pain from the patient is death? No one knows how that feels until it happens to them, that is why assisted suicide is used. Assisted suicide is a practice throughout most of the United States that terminatesRead MorePhysician Assisted Suicide : The Voluntary Termination Of One s Own Life1612 Words   |  7 Pages Physician Assisted Suicide Essay Could you imagine being diagnosed with a terminal illness and not having the option of physician assisted suicide? Hearing the physician inform you that you have no other options than to let your illness decide when and how you will die. Physician assisted suicide is the voluntary termination of one’s own life by administration of a lethal substance with the assistance of a physician. Physician assisted suicide should be legalized in all states throughout theRead MoreEuthanasia Essay : Physician Assisted Suicide1566 Words   |  7 Pagesweakness and pain endlessly throughout your body. On top of that you re experiencing symptoms from numerous medications, blockage, wooziness, you can barely breathe and the fact that you’re continually ill. The doctors have given you a zero percent chance of survival; and your demise is inescapable, it s simply a question of when? You ve said your farewells. Presently in the event that you had the opportunity to pick how your life fini shed, how would you choose it? In physician assisted suicide, the optionRead MoreSuffering From Prolong Pain : Symptoms And Treatment848 Words   |  4 PagesSuffering from prolong pain, should anyone ever have to suffer? Pain is an unpleasant experience no one wants to go through. What if you have the chance to cut the pain short? Making a decision between long suffering and ending it early with the assist of a physician. Many people and religion frown upon this practice, but how can they share the pain that you are going through? The power to end one’s suffering should belong solely to the person that is suffering. The elderly and terminally ill should

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Long Term Conditions Free Essays

string(124) " understood and may be attributed to interruptions to the sequence of movement, group situations or ineffective medication\." The aim of this essay is to consider approaches to promoting the self-management of a long-term condition. The focus will be linked to module content and based on a patient that I have provided nursing care for during my clinical practice. There will be a brief introduction of the patient and the context in which I was involved in their nursing care. We will write a custom essay sample on Long Term Conditions or any similar topic only for you Order Now The pathophysiology of the chosen LTC along with the related physical, psychological and social needs of the patient will be considered. There will be a discussion of principles of self-management that will link to national LTC policies. This will also include initiatives and analysis of the evidence of the underlying principles for an approach to providing self-management support, for the chosen LTC, including benefits and challenges. To conclude I will use evidence-based recommendations of how the patient could be supported to self-manage their condition. A wide range of evidence will be used to support my discussion. The patient chosen to explore, is one who lives with the LTC of Parkinson’s. The patient had started to experience Motor Fluctuations, also referred to as â€Å"off â€Å" periods. Motor Fluctuations are associated with long-term use of levodopa and usually appear in people who have had Parkinson’s for some time, patients experience â€Å"end-of-dose deterioration† meaning that the dose does not last until the next dose is due (Parkinson’s. org 2008). This patient spent one week on a neurology rehabilitation unit. The context in which I worked with this patient was to assist with the teaching of an apomorphine syringe driver and to assess â€Å"on and off† periods before the use of the pump and then when the pump was in use and also to ensure that there were no side effects to its use. During this week I worked alongside a team of occupational therapists and physiotherapists, as it was essential that the patient regained confidence with daily activities, personal cares, dressing and food preparation. The aim of the teaching was to enable the patient to become independent with the apomorphine pump from being able to perform a subcutaneous injection to its removal when medication had finished. It was vital that the patient became competent and confident in the process as they had been very active throughout their life and wanted to remain so for as long as possible. Parkinsons. org (2010) describe Parkinson’s as the disease with no obvious cause and is the most common form of Parkinsonism; the other forms of Parkinsonism are vascular, Drug-induced Parkinsonism, dementia with Lewy bodies, inherited and Juvenile. Vascular is an uncharacteristic form of Parkinsonism and usually presents with difficulties in speaking, swallowing and the ability in making facial expressions. Drug-induced Parkinsonism occurs in 7% of people and is attributed to neuroleptic medication which block dopamine these drugs normally treat schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions and once the problem has been diagnosed then the person will recover in hours, days or months after ceasing taking the medication. Dementia with Lewy bodies has no cure and symptoms include difficulties with concentration, memory, language and the ability to carry out straightforward actions. Many people suffer from hallucinations, sluggishness of movement, rigidity and tremors. Dementia with Lewy bodies is similar to Alzheimer’s. Inherited Parkinson’s is rare and there is no evidence that is can be passed on in families, however it is estimated that 5% of people with Parkinson’s may have a genetic cause. Juvenile is a term used for persons diagnosed under the age of twenty years. As NICE clinical guidelines 35 (2006) states, Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative long-term condition and mainly affects those of middle to old age. Parkinson’s occurs when the cells containing dopamine die off. At present there is no consistent test that can define if a patient has Parkinson’s due to the close clinical resemblances of other conditions. Parkinson’s is diagnosed mainly through history based information and examination. The main symptoms and signs of Parkinson’s are bradykinesia, rigidity and rest tremor. Parkinson’s is mainly seen as a movement disorder, but other areas of health problems are associated with it. These include depression and dementia along with autonomic disturbances and pain, although considered to be rare they can present at a later stage of the condition. These rarer symptoms, as they progress, can lead to substantial disability and handicap which harms quality of life for the person living with Parkinson’s, this also has an impact on families and carer’s. The physical symptoms of Parkinson’s can be debilitating for the patient and may include pain, falls/dizziness, dietary problems, bladder and bowels problems, swallowing and saliva control, speech/ communication problems, eye problems, freezing, skin, scalp and sweating problems. It is not possible to discuss all of these physical elements in detail within this essay. I therefore intend to focus on one specific physical aspect of the disease and discuss how this affects the client’s needs, along with the psychological and social aspects. The area I will discuss is freezing. As identified by Parkinson’s. org (2010), freezing will be experienced by every Parkinson’s patient at some point, but becomes more apparent in patients who have had Parkinson’s for numerous years and also if levodopa has been used for long periods of time within their treatment, however it must be noted that freezing can occur in Parkinson patients whom do not take levodopa and should not be seen as a side effect of taking levodopa. When freezing occurs it is a frightening experience and also a cause of embarrassment for the individual. Freezing is not just linked with gait movement it also includes speech freezing or repetitive activities such as combing hair or the thought process for example when a patient is trying to remember something i. e. the name of a place. Along side this is also ‘start hesitation’ this is associated with drinking from a cup, getting out of bed or when a patient wants to step forward. Freezing is still not fully understood and may be attributed to interruptions to the sequence of movement, group situations or ineffective medication. You read "Long Term Conditions" in category "Papers" Parkinson’s brings many social problems, becoming less confident can bring low self-esteem that can lead to withdrawal from social activities. The individual may worry about how they look, talk or even the way they move, this can inhibit the person from entering into normal activities and they may decide to stay at home to avoid potential awkwardness. Reduced socialisation may increase the likelihood of the individual suffering from depression; fatigue and mood swings can be potentially be harmful to personal or close relationships. The individual may become unsure of their social position within the family, workplace or any groups, as they feel lost or less important. Self-management of a LTC is strategically important to the long-term sustainability of the NHS, and it is therefore essential to be clear on the principles of self-management and to have a clear approach to achieving a successful outcome. In response to the increasing levels of LTC’s across England the Department of Health (2012) have established a dedicated LTC team who has built a compendium to explain why pro-active management of LTC’s is so important to the future of the NHS. This compendium provides compelling evidence and information to help support and drive a transformational change to the way in which LTC’s are managed, and the document states clearly that self-management is central to this transformation, the principles of self-management have been outlined by the Health Foundation (2011) and these will now be discussed. Self-management can have very positive effects on people who live with a long-term condition that affects their normal function of daily activities, as The Health Foundation (2011) suggests the use of self-management can have positive effects on behaviours and outlooks that an individual faces and how their quality of life can either be enhanced or depleted. In order to achieve a successful self-management outcome it is essential that time is invested early in the programme to explain to the individual involved the many benefits that self-management can bring. Ensuring that they fully understand these benefits will greatly increase the likelihood that they fully engage into the programme and truly take an increased responsibility for managing their LTC. Evidence suggests that self-management leads to a more positive health outcome and championing people to look after themselves can improve motivation, engagement and how they use and access the health service. It also describes to how habits change towards healthy eating and exercise, which results in better clinical outcomes. Failure to establish genuine engagement at an early stage will most likely result in limited transfer of responsibility and may lead to the patient failing to realise the benefits to themselves and also benefits to the NHS. They also stated that there is an extensive range of initiatives and one size does not fit all. As Brighton and Hove City PCT (2006) state, planning and having a certain level of power is crucial to making lifestyle changes when living with a LTC. It is also necessary to understand the connection of why changes to lifestyles need to be made, and why planning carefully for change is fundamental to change actually being accomplished. It is important to support the individual through the change process as this can often create a degree of anxiety for them. Promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and educating individuals on their condition, will boost confidence and help the patient understand the benefits of self-management in the context of potentially slowing down the progression of their condition, improved quality of life and remaining independent for as long as possible. Education is another key principle of self-management. An individual needs help and support to understand their condition, how it affects them and what they can do to help to pro-actively manage it. There are a number of options available here to help educate an individual on their LTC such as reputable websites specifically set up for their condition. They are an excellent source of information, which is continuously updated, and enable the person to access easy to understand information in the privacy of their own home. Additionally, advice helplines add greater support for individual needs, without being confrontational. Support is also available for carer’s through courses run by the Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company (EPP CIC). Leaflets are available to answer basic questions and give further information on where to find more support and advice that is available in their area. The Parkinson’s Specialist Nurse is also a good resource as the nurse can provide their expertise along with the expertise of multi-disciplinary teams (www. parkinson’s. rg 2012) It is important to ensure that the level of education and training provided is appropriate to the capability of the individual and also the state of their condition. Insufficient information could lead to poor decision making by the individual or a lack of confidence if they are uncertain about certain aspects of their condition. Similarly, providing training and education beyond the means of the individual ma y result in confusion or unrealistic expectations being established – this would not be beneficial for either the individual or the NHS. Good training and education should be targeted at increasing the individuals understanding of their condition such that they are able to successfully monitor their symptoms and take appropriate, pro-active action to ensure treatment is sought quickly and to avoid potentially unnecessary admissions to hospital. One of the principles of self-management is to ensure sufficient emphasis is placed on problem solving. If an individual is to become increasingly capable of self-managing their LTC then an ability to solve problems is fundamental to achieving this. Without this it will prove difficult to change the behaviours necessary to allow a health care professional to move into a more supportive and assisting role, as oppose to the current situation where they are managing the care of the individual (Health Foundation 2011). Another area for consideration is that a patient must know when to seek medical advice and intervention and feel comfortable with their decision-making techniques. It is also vital that the individual does not allow a situation becomes acute. The Health Foundation (2011) also states that, engagement and education are important to ensuring that the individual is ready and in a position to be empowered with the responsibility for the self-management of their LTC. The principles of self-management support the involvement of the individual in decision making related to their care and also working collaboratively with their health care professionals to build their care plans. This continuous high level of involvement is essential to making sure that there is a real transfer of responsibility from the health care professional to the individual – if there is, then there is a much greater chance that they will take ownership for the long-term self-management of their condition. Failure to truly involve the individual when making decisions about their care could result in a lack of commitment to a care plan and/or false commitment to behavioral changes, ultimately resulting in the continued heavy reliance on their GP, AE and other health services to manage their LTC in a reactive and cost inefficient manner. As Randall and Ford (2011) discuss, it is apparent that within the United Kingdom there is an increased transfer of power and choice for users of the health and social care system and policy drivers such as ‘Independence, choice and Risk’ (DH2007) recognise the importance of empowering service users i. e. persons with LTC’s, to ensure they have greater choice and control. When empowering someone, firstly there needs to an acknowledgment that the person has control over an aspect of their care and can make decisions that relate to it. Power can be seen in a variety of forms but is normally defined as having knowledge and being able to make informed decisions and choices. When considering the decision process it is evident that some decisions are taken alone, for example what clothes to wear, or with permission of others for instance using monies from a joint account to buy a new kitchen and there are also decisions that are made which require formal consultation, e. g. implementing a new law. For any individual who is involved in the self-management process it is important to ensure that the degree of decision-making is appropriate to their personal set of circumstances. When empowering a person there are fundamental considerations to be identified. For example, the mental state of the individual, the extent to which their condition has progressed, their physical ability, their socio-economic situation, the extent of their support network (friends and family), their willingness to pro-actively engage in the self-management of their condition – all of these factors may influence the rate and extent to which empowerment may be achieved. Furthermore, empowering an individual with a long-term condition needs to be managed carefully. They will typically be interfacing with many different healthcare professionals and other parts of the NHS and other organisations, and if the views, opinions and approaches of those multiple contacts are not aligned or consistent it is possible this could have a negative impact on the empowerment process for the individual. It is therefore essential that there is one aligned approach and cohesive message. There is strong evidence contained within the study by Luca Camerini et al (2012) that empowerment, combined with health knowledge have been shown to have a great impact on the self-management of chronic conditions, and that if managed well they can have a positive effect on health outcomes. For my chosen patient suffering with Parkinson’s disease, I would recommend supporting them to self-manage through an approach of empowerment, ensuring that this was strongly underpinned by strong support in the provision of health knowledge. As discussed earlier, some of the key needs of an individual suffering with Parkinson’s disease are related to their mobility, dietary requirements and pain relief and I want to explain how this recommended approach could help support the individual to more successfully self-manage these particular aspects of their condition. Firstly, in respect of mobility, freezing is often a situation, which affects PD’s sufferers. In the first instance it is important to help educate the individual on why freezing happens. Ensuring that the individual has a clear understanding of their condition will help them to be more accepting of the effects, less afraid when they experience motor fluctuations or â€Å"off† episodes and crucially help them to make more informed decisions about potential ways of helping them to self-manage this aspect of their condition. As mentioned previously, the extent of knowledge and education needs to be appropriate to the individual’s level of health literacy – this aspect should not be underestimated, as there is a strong link between an individual’s level of health literacy and their ability to successfully self-manage. As stated by the World Health Organisation (2009) health literacy is critical to empowerment, therefore this can present a barrier to achieving self-management through an empowerment based approach. An individual’s capacity to access and effectively use information is an area that may need to be considered initially to decide if empowerment is the most suitable approach to adopt. There are a number of options available to help an individual manage motor fluctuation episodes such as medication, mental techniques and physical techniques. Again, the individual will need to be educated on these such that they are able to be involved, or even lead, the decision making process on selecting the most appropriate treatments and solutions for them. Each root may have both advantages and disadvantages for the individual and these need to be made clear, if a patient is aware of the limitations and potential drawbacks of a specific treatment from the beginning, then they are more mentally prepared to deal with the challenges as they arise, educing the likelihood of failure. There are several approaches to providing education and support to Parkinson patients; the LTC compendium recommends the Expert Education Programme, although not specifically for Parkinson’s it provides courses to help with managing LTC conditions, online courses are available also, it is also possible to add your area to the list, they are free. The Parkinson’s website has vast information both practical and informative and free help lines. In some areas there are Neuro-rehabilitation Units, available through referrals made by the Parkinson’s specialist nurse or consultant, which gives access to multi-disciplinary teams all located within one centre. The Parkinson’s Specialist Nurse holds clinics where discussions can take place for planning the future, medication changes and a point of contact if you need additional support before the next scheduled appointment. As part of the Health Foundation Co Creating Health programme (2012), a ‘Buddies to Support Self Management’ scheme has been developed for cancer patients in the Arran and Ayrshire region. The programme has been developed to enable patients who have completed self-management programmes to share their knowledge and skills with others in similar situations, along with helping patients who prefer not to be in a group situation. This could be a possible area to develop for Parkinson’s or all LTC patients. How to cite Long Term Conditions, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Diabetic ulcers free essay sample

Most diabetic patients who have those affects are seen by a wound care specialist and/or podiatrist as a proactive measure to prevent serious complications such as diabetic ulcers. As a Podiatry Assistant I see many cases of diabetic ulcers in patients per day. In fact, a vast amount of my Job description intels helping to treat wound care patients ho have a difficult time healing. About 85-90 percent of those wound care patients happen to be people who have been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus or those who have yet to find out that they are also carriers of that particular disease. In any healthcare facility every patient should treated with universal sanitary precautions. A large portion of the day is filled with unwrapping bandages that have been soiled with exudates from wounds that have been wrapped from anywhere from 3-5 days. This means that the smell from the ulcer is absolutely horrid and should immediately e thrown in the bio hazardous material waste container. We will write a custom essay sample on Diabetic ulcers or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is equally important to measure the ulcer so that the physician is able to evaluate the progress of the site. In other words, measuring the wound is critical so that the physician can dictate whether the site has progressed or regressed and can make a sound decision on the treatment options in regards to the wound site. Maintaining cleanliness of the ulcer plays an enormous role in the healing of a diabetic ulcer. It is important to keep the ulcer clean to prevent greater problematic issues such as staphylococcus, mrsa, and ther susceptibilities. Although each patient may not have those issues, each patient should be treated as though they have an infectious disease in terms of protecting ourselves as healthcare providers. Charcot foot is a disorder causing weakening of the bones in the foot that can happen in diabetics and non diabetic people. Charcot generally occurs in people who have an enormous amount of nerve damage, also called neuropathy. The bones in the foot become weakened enough to break, and with an active lifestyle the shape of the foot slowly changes overtime. As the charcot progresses, the Joints in the foot collapse, and causes the foot to appear rocker shaped. Charcot is a very serious condition that can cause severe deformity, amputation, and even disability. Patients who have diabetes should be especially aware of any symptoms of charcot that may occur primarily because the rocker shaped foot. This can change the pressure points throughout the foot which can contribute to the cause of diabetic ulcers. Diabetic Neuropathy tends to occur in people who have diabetes causing their nerves to become deadened or damage. When the nerves become damaged it is then xtremely difficult for certain nerves to be able to send the proper messages to the brain and other necessary parts of the body. Due to the loss of feeling, many patients cannot not feel when they have an opening or wound site on their foot, which causes something as small as a pea to evolve into a full sized chronic ulcer. Again, this is one of the reasons why medical professionals encourage diabetic patients to check their feet at least twice a day. When a patient is able to notice the affected area shortly after it has occurred, then the less likely they will be to develop a large ulcer, and will ave to undergo less treatment. Sometimes diabetic patients feet tend to swell inside the shoe which may in turn cause a small abrasion. If that small abrasion goes unnoticed and untreated because of loss of feeling, the chances of the abrasion turning into an ulcer have become that much greater. It is very important for patients with neuropathy to have well fitted shoes that will be beneficial to them from a healthcare stand point. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) also known as peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries is a disorder that ccurs in the arteries of the circulatory system(. my. clevelandclinic. org). Arteries are large blood vessels that carry nutrient enriched blood, and oxygen to various parts of the body. Peripheral arterial disease occurs when these arteries become blocked or the walls within the vessels become thickened due to endocalcification. When this occurs, a sufficient amount of blood flow is not provided to the extremities which cause the ulcer a longer amount of time to heal. Diabetic ulcers can be prevented but Just like many other circumstance, sometimes, they Just happen. A diabetic who currently has an ulcer can also do things that can help speed up the recovery time of the wound. Taking prescribed medications such as antibiotics, as ordered by the physician can help the patient to heal faster. Keeping the wound site covered and clean, making the chances for harmful bacteria to enter the site is also a way to contribute to a speedy recovery. Visiting the doctor for proper evaluation and debridement is also important in the healing of diabetic ulcers, making sure that the feet are checked twice a day.