Describe a patients health condition and needs

Describe a patients health condition and needs PATIENTS CASE STUDY. This essay aims to describe a patients health condition and needs during their stay at the hospital. Patient chosen has a chronic diarrhoea and abdominal cramping, his assessment will be fully discussed using Roper Logan nursing framework and rationale for choice of patient and framework will be considered. In addition, an aspect of care in relation to the clients needs will be identified and the strategies used in achieving the goals and aims of care will be analysed and discussed from a biological, psychological and social perspective. According to (NMC2008) code of professional conduct which stipulated that information about the patient, must be maintained and protected and should only be used only for the purpose it is intended. The patient will be addressed as Mr Abdul Cole in other to maintain confidentiality. Members of the multi-professionals involved in the care of the patient will be discussed as well. Mr Cole a 74 years old man lives with his son and daughter in-law in a two bedroom flat. He was admitted in the hospital due to chronic diarrhoea and cramping abdominal pain. After series of test done by the AE team, he was diagnosed with Clostridium defficile (C. diff.). Mr Cole has history of chest pain and pneumonia. The rationale for choosing this aspect of care is because I was assigned with a registered nursing to carry out the patients admission and all aspect of nursing process. Choosing this patient will also enhance my understanding of care delivery by examining the flexibility and responsiveness of implementing care plan and nursing frame work to changes in patient conditions. Cunha (1998) defines Clostridium defficile as a slender, Gram-positive anaerobic rod which is spore formation and motile and is capable of surviving in the environment for prolong period. Bacteria of this type may be a normal component of gut flora and flourish when other gut organisms are eradicated by antibiotics (Zadik Moore 1998). In 1980s it was identified as a major cause of antibiotic associated diarrhoea (AAD) (Duerden et tel. 1994). It is now one of the most commonly detected enteric pathogens and an important cause of nosocomial infection in nursing homes and hospital (Zadik Moore1998). C. difficile does not cause any problems in healthy people. However, some antibiotics that are used to treat other health conditions can interfere with the balance of good bacteria in the gut. When this happens,  C. difficile bacteria can multiply and produce toxins which then cause illness such as diarrhoea and fever. Diarrhoea results when the balance among absorption, secretion and intestinal motility is disrupted (Hogan 1998). It has been defined as an abnormal increase in the quantity, frequency, perianal discomfort and incontinence (Basch 1987). In Mr Coles case, his diarrhoea was associated with prolonged use of antibiotic to help cure his pneumonia which led to C.diff infection. In other for healthcare professionals to identify patients needs and ways to meet them, assessment has to be carried out on the information obtained by observing the patients general appearance, information from patient and their family, medical and social history, observation and physical examination (Hinchliff, 2003). According to Person et al (2002) nursing process is a dynamic and logical method in which the nurse may sensitively and systematically approach-nursing practice to achieve goals with patient and ensures care is planned and executed appropriately. The nursing process consists of five stages, assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. Assessment is importance to determine a clients care needs and it is the crucial first step. Patients pattern and behaviours are compared with their current health status to avoid omitting care needed or may be provided care which are not needed. Nursing Diagnoses according to (Carpenito 1993), provides the basis for selection of nursing intervention to achieve the outcome fro which the nurse is accountable. Planning is the stage that helps to decide which problems are priorities, determining the goals for care and selecting interventions to create a plan of care. Implementing involves giving the care with interventions that are appropriate for the clients. Also includes documentation of care. Evaluation is the final step which involves deciding whether the intervention has helped the patient or the plans might need changing. Whilst the nursing process offers a systematic way of looking at care delivery, on its own it is not particularly useful as it does not give any indication as to what to asses. It indicates that care should be planned, implemented and evaluated but again offers little direction as to how to do this. Another way of organising the information needed collected by nurses is using Activity of Daily Living Model proposed by Nancy Roper, Winifred Logan and Alison Tierney (1996), this model can be summarised as consisting of four components, which all contributes to individuality in living , namely; the lifespan continuum from conception to death; 12 activities of daily living, five factors that influence each of these activities, that is, physical, psychological sociological, environmental and politico-economic; and a dependence/independence continuum. Although, all the stages of the nursing processes was mentioned and summarised, this essay only focuses on the process of assessment based o n activity of daily living by Roper Logan et al (1996). According to Miller (2000) assessment consists of collecting and receiving in formation about the patient and identifying any problem that may be detected during the process. It also involves systematic way of organising care through skilful interaction with patients, family and friends to asses how their condition has impact on their activity of living (Roper et al 1996). However, the equality of the assessment will depend on the nurses ability to put together all the sources at their disposal. According to Roper et al (1960), information gained in the initial assessment form baseline from which further information can be evaluated. The assessment carried out was base on Roper Logan and Tierney (1996) nursing frame work. The rationale for choosing this framework is that it uses a list of patients activity of daily living, maintaining safe environment, breathing, mobilising, eliminating, controlling body temperature, working and playing, sleeping, communicating, eating and drinking, personal cleaning and dressing, expressing sexuality, dying. This highlights basic human needs, impact of ill health on patients lifestyle (Andrews 2002). According to Roper et al (2002) the model allows the professionals to concentrates on the physiological functional abilities of the patient to carry out those activities of daily living independently. This essay will focus mainly on activities which are affected by the patients condition. Mr Cole was admitted in to one of the side rooms on the ward as he requires barrier nursing due to his toxic producing C.diff. Diarrhoea and enteric isolation notice was placed on the door of the isolated room. Segregation from other patient must continue until stool cultures are clear of infectious organisms. The policy of my place of practice is to treat infectious conditions seriously and adopt universal precaution such as wearing gloves, apron and gowns, disposing of all excreta immediately to reduce the risk of spreading the infection to others. I was accompanied to the patients side room by a registered nurse to begin the patients assessment. The doors were shut and curtains drawn to maintain patients privacy and dignity. Mr Coles information was collected from various sources such as her medical notes and families. Maintaining a safe environment It is very important that patient is safe in a particular environment especially when not supervised. This includes orientation, alertness and mental being. Mr Cole was very conscious at alert on arrival and during the assessment; he had no hearing or sight difficulties, no physical or learning disabilities. However patient was very restless and uncomfortable due to his abdominal cramp. Communication Ability to communicate effectively contributes to successful assessment, as it builds a relationship with the patient. According to Brooker (2003) communication is an important aspect of nursing intervention for any individual patient. In all form of care situation, the basic of the care is centred around the ability of the carers to form a relationship is deemed to therapeutic in that it based on mutual respect, trust and friendliness, which start from admission onwards (Roper et al 1990). Communication involves both verbal and non-verbal messages that convey feelings and information. The purpose of successful communication is to ensure appropriate social contact and professional interaction to meet the needs of patients and their families (Macleod Clark et al 1991). The provision of clear information and explanation on admission to hospital and prior to medical procedures may result in decreased anxiety, decreased pain levels, a reduced number of complications and side-effects of treatment, improved compliance, an enhanced coping ability and an increase speed of convalescence (Wilson-Barnett 1982). Patient was able to speak clearly he can hear and see but has difficulties communicating with us due to language barrier. Mr Cole understands very little English and was unable to give major information to nursing staff during the assessment. Consent was obtained from Mr Cole for his family to translate and express his needs. It is suggested that effective communication makes a positive contribution to an individuals recovery by acting as a buffer against fear and confusion (Nichols 1993). Other different way of communicating with patient includes body and sign language. Breathing The process of breathing is a fundamental aspect of life it is inevitable and could lead to a fatal consequence when the process is interfered. Breathing helps the balance between carbon dioxide (C02) and oxygen (02) in the blood. 02 is required by the body to release energy at cell level so that the individual can participate in activities. The waste product produced through the use of 02 is C02. During the assessment, we detected that Mr Cole recently had major episodes of pneumonia and chest pain, which might still have some impact on his breathing and health. Respiration supplies the body with oxygen and removes carbon dioxide through diffusion between alveolar of lungs and blood in the capillary (Marieb, 1998), changes could lead to tachypnoea or bradyproea, Mr Coles respiration rate was observed and recorded at 16 breaths per minute, oxygen saturation was 98% at that moment, he could breathe clearly without struggle and no whizzing noise was heard during the assessment. Ability to undertake a swift assessment of the clients ability to breathe and instigate removal of an obstructive and/or rescue breathing if needed is crucial. Factors which may affect breathing includes: psychological; stress, anxiety or depressions. Sociocultural; smoking, level of family support. Environmental; pollution or work related factor. Politico-economic; poor diet and or limited finances. Past history; past illness. Eating and drinking According to Catherine Caskett, good nutritional status is essential to an individuals health and well-being. Poor nutritional status as been associated with delayed recovery and an increase in mortality, which also increase the cost of health care. As the assessment continues, Mr Coles family was encouraged to discuss the patients diet history, medical history, social setting and his usual weight. Information given shows that Mr Cole has lost weight during the past 2weeks and due to his current condition he is prone to loosing more weight if a goal is not set to minimise his diarrhoea. Taylor (1997) state that diarrhoea can have profound physiological and psychosocial consequences on a patient. Severe or extended episode of diarrhoea may result in dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and malnutrition. Food aversions may develop or patient may stop eating altogether as they anticipate subsequent diarrhoea following in take. Consequently, this leads to weight lose and malnutrition. Mr Cole refused to eat and drink since the time of his admission. His weight and height was measured to calculate his body mass index (BMI) to monitor his weigh pattern whether gain or lose. According to bacon (1996) it was stated that body mass index is on of the most commonly used indices for assessing the weight status of adult patient. Mr Coles BMI measurement was 18 which prove that he was malnourished and underweight. Garbett(1999) argued that in nursing , it is important to understand anatomy and physiology of the body in order to detect any abnormalities, and make necessary intervention. Roper et al, (2000) stated that in the model of nursing, the state of individual in anatomical and physiological terms is planning and implementing relevant nursing intervention and evaluate the effects to help Mr Cole maintain sufficient food and water intake, he was prescribed IV fluids 200ml hourly and offered him frusibin energy drink. Mr Coles family were also encouraged to bring patients preferred drink and food which in turn might appeal him and help restore his appetite. Mr Cole was offered halal meal which is similar to that he has at home, reflecting religion and ethnic background. Small amount of food were presented because large r amounts may cause him to experience chest pain due to abdominal distension. (Redfern and Ross, 2001). A member of multi disciplinary team such as dietician was informed of his nutritional status. Eliminating This process is essential to life. Ability to maintain a balance between what amount to retain and excrete is important to patients well-being and preserve life. This can be a very sensitive topic to discuss with patients as many patient s despair at the thought of being unable to manage their own toilet requirements. Many of nursing interventions required are of a very intimate nature, and gaining the patients trust and consent along with their permission is very crucial. Mr Cole came in with frequent bowel movement which occur around 4 times every hour, he also experience abdominal cramp each time. During assessment, patient was very distress due to his condition because he has to cope with increased frequency of bowel movement, abdominal pains, proctitis and anal or perianal skin breakdown. Mr Cole was incontinence and was provided with commode for his private use to preserve his privacy and dignity during his episodes of diarrhoea. Mr Cole never had diarrhoea before and this episode of diarrhoea started after prolonged use of antibiotics prescribed for his pneumonia. After the assessment, a stool and fluid chart was implemented immediately; this includes noting the consistency and colour of stool, presence of blood, smell and type. To complete a fluid chart, patients input and output need to be monitored, recorded and documented on a fluid chart. Chart to be updated after every bowel motion type to be recorded using Bristol Stool Scales. According to (Wei et al 1997), initial treatment involves discontinuing antibiotics and providing supportive care. Mr Cole was prescribed vancomycin 500mg every six hours and paracetamol 500mg every 6 to 8 hours to control his pain and diarrhoea. A sample from the faeces was sent to lab for further investigation. Personal cleansing and dressing This activity involve far more than the physical act of cleansing the skin to reduce the potential of infection and injury. Personal cleansing and dressing is also important in promoting the psychological, social, cultural and overall well-being of the patient. Assessing the patient is important so as to offer them adequate level of assistance and to provide client with necessary information to help them maintain their personal hygiene needs. Mr Cole is independent with his personal care and requires no help to maintain good personal hygiene. However he needs prompting according to his son, patient can sometimes neglect himself. Information shows that patient lived with his son and daughter in-law, however he will soon be moving on to live in a shelter home. His moving had a great psychological and emotional strain on both his family and himself, especially considering the new environment he was going to live in. they were worry about how he was going to cope. Newton argues that anxiety mainly become a coping strategy like Mr. Cole felt his ill health inhibited him form staying with his family hence the high level of anxiety. Alexander et al (2002) believe that a patients anxiety may contribute to their symptoms getting worse than they actually are. From the outcome of assessment, I have learnt that psychological support is vital in anxious patients. Following the assessment, the nurses and other members of multi-disciplinary team liaised effectively to provide the care by responding to query raised by the nursing team e.g. psychologist for him and his family to address their anxiety and emotional worries. According to Hudak et al (2000) social cultural needs may refers to needs relating to the enlightenment of the mind or manners especially through intellectual activities , customs, culture and kinship system, lifestyle and habits and mutual relations of people around us and environment we are brought up in. As a function that is vital to sustain life, diarrhoea can cause anxiety, fatigue, sleep disturbances, feeling of isolation and depression (Roberts 1993: Hogan 1998). The impact on the ability to engage in necessary activities of living might result in dependence on others, loss of social and family roles and reduced quality of life (Margereson, 2001). Mr Cole belongs to Sikh religion therefore he is encourage and supported by family to socialise by visiting the temple regularly (twice a week) and celebrates other special occasions such as Diwali and birthdays. Family support is very important as it decreases the individuals stress (rock 1984 cited by Margereson). Failure to provide appropriate support may contribute to further psychological stress (Margereson, 2001). In conclusion, the frame work used helped to determine the patients ability in relation to activities of daily leaving. It has aid delivery of holistic care as each factor of each activity as been assessed and his level of independence or dependence determined to provide adequate level of care and nursing intervention. by using this simple framework, Roper, Logan and Tierneys help to direct our thinking in a more logical, sequential way and if every aspect of each activity is covered when patients are assessed a clear picture of their individual needs should emerge without the omission of any important point. However, the model has been criticised not to meet the needs of patient with learning disability or mental health problems. It also has a danger of reductionist approach in which patient are made to fit into the boxes rather than allowing flexibility. Nursing intervention is very important to help patient regain their normal self. One of these interventions includes pharmalogical approach and just simply providing a comfortable environment which enable client maintain his sexuality and dignity. For every nursing practice, there must be a rationale for decision on evidence based research other than experience as this defend care giving and safe guide the patients. An effective care requires not only a full understanding of patients particular illness, but also a grounding in social and physical science so that experience of each individual and family can be interpreted accurately. .

American Ethnic Literature Essay

What does it mean to be inclusive of â€Å"ethnic† literature in American â€Å"English† classrooms? Educators across the country struggle to comply with industry standards as well as their own sense of what â€Å"globalization in literature† may comprise. The ideology of teaching the British canon is breaking down, particularly in the wake of the post-colonial criticism movement two decades ago, as well as the more immediate and pervasive influence of the World Wide Web, which connects people in different countries with different communication practices at the speed of fingers tapping on a keyboard. Diversifying the standard literary canon to include writers and character of different cultural and racial backgrounds means opening the master list of great works to marginalized text and voices. Ideally, the goal of including â€Å"ethnic† literature into the American education traditional should be to create a more complete view of the American culture as a great cultural melting pot and expose the ways in which all Americans share â€Å"Otherness. † Multicultural literature carries with it certain stereotypes as to what gets included and what gets excluded. Part of this is a response to the reader’s own ignorance or misinformation. Mary Frances Pipino wrote that â€Å"Students often are unaware of their own cultural values and the ways their values can be contradictory or ambivalent.. † For example, a person may consider The House on Mango Street to be â€Å"multicultural† in that the author, Sandra Cisneros, speaks Spanish and her main character, Esperanza, relates the effect cultural machismo has on her life as a young Hispanic woman. The novel Ceremony functions in a similar way. Author Leslie Silko gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a young Native American man, describing his violent experience as a soldier and as a man caught between cultures in a turbulent physical environment. The main character, Tayo, functions as both an entry point for readers unfamiliar with Native American culture, and as the ubiquitous â€Å"Outsider† even in the Native American community. Both of these texts conflate the â€Å"traditional† American experience (that is, the paternal Anglo-Saxon Christian experience) with the experience of the â€Å"outsider† (the disenfranchised racial minority). Silko and Cisneros incorporate ethnicity as a factor that both unites and repels. Esperanza struggles against the expectations of her culture as she dedicates herself to her studies and writing. Tayo is at home neither in the â€Å"white† community where he is physically Other, or in the Native American community, where his â€Å"whiteness† is known regardless of its visibility. Readers and students have an opportunity to read about a culture that is perhaps different from their own , or perhaps novels such as these are an opportunity to see racially similar characters as protagonists rather than antagonists or worse, utterly marginalized if ever present background noise. Traditionally, American students have had to satiate themselves on a steady diet of Caucasian male central characters. Studies in literature often revolve around the icons of English writing, such as Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Wordsworth, and Dickens. American authors honored as â€Å"canonical† include Irving, Hawthorne, Twain, Emerson and Whitman. To a large extent, these rightly revered poets and novelists fore-grounded characters with similar visages. Hamlet and Romeo seem essentially â€Å"white† and noble, and their exploits are generally understandable to a Western-minded reading audience. Wordsworth’s reflections and Dickens’ soulful hero, Pip, are both embodiments of natural man as a participant in both Nature and the wilderness of the Industrial revolution. Hawthorne, Irving and Twain all convey elements of the American pioneering spirit, as well as the dangers of forging out into unknown and often hostile environs. Again, these American protagonists routinely mimic the author’s face in the mirror. This picture of the traditional English Literature syllabus in its barest of bones unquestionably gives rise to the sort of charges levied against it by New Historicists, Post-Colonialists, and gender studies scholars. Laurie Grobman (2004) wrote, â€Å"In 1990 The Heath Anthology of American Literature was published under the sponsorship of the Reconstructing American Literature project (RAL) of the Feminist Press. † She credited Paul Lauter’s research as she went on to write, â€Å"Inspired by the Civil Rights movements, the RAL project attempted to redress the limited, exclusionary conception of â€Å"American literature† represented in most university curricula, syllabi, and anthologies, and to affirm the literature classroom as a potential site of social and political change† (2004, p. 81). The study of literature has been a limited one in the sense of variety and diversity, but obvious and deliberate steps were being taken. Perhaps on one hand, it can be said that the study of literature is most naturally conducted in one’s primary language, thus negating the study of Spanish, Russian or French tomes (for example). Thus, British and American-born writers should obviously comprise the canon. Grobman wrote that, however, â€Å"†¦certain texts by writers of color have become ‘canonized’ in the sense that they are frequently taught, studied, and even anthologized both as part of a larger canon of American literature and as part of canons within specific racialized ethnic literary and critical communities,† (2004, p. 83). The issue of translation is still a challenging one, as early editions of what is now considered classic literature were poorly and inefficiently translated from their native language into English. Unique linguistic nuances, which both added to the words on the page and also reflected the ideas and values of the particular culture for whom that language is native, were irreparably lost. Unfortunately, those nuances were not as valued as the ability to read the text in English, and such disrespect was costly. Thankfully, more attention is paid today on both the sensitivity of the translation and skill of the translator. The original standard of thinking, surely flawed and wretchedly narrow of scope, ignores how language mimics society at large. That is, the English language is itself in a constant state of growth, adaptation, modulation and reconditioning. Other languages play a unique role in the English language’s evolution, particularly in the United States, where languages are over-lapped, superimposed and threaded through each other to form new expressions. The Oxford English Dictionary, considered one of if not the authentic authority on the English language, regularly updates its immense record of words and their individual biographies. Holly E. Martin (2005) wrote: For multilingual authors, switching between two or more languages is not an arbitrary act, nor is it simply an attempt to mimic the speech of their communities; code-switching results from a conscious decision to create a desired effect and to promote the validity of authors’ heritage languages. Literary code- switching between Spanish and English, English and Chinese, and English and a Native American language†¦creates a multiple perspective and enhances the authors’ ability to express their subjects. Also, by including their ethnic languages, writers lay claim to the languages of their communities and resist the dominance of English by proposing that these languages can accompany English in the creation of works of US literature. (p. 403) If the language fluctuates due to outside influences, should it not be part of the process to examine those languages also, particularly when the reader can see first hand how the languages interact? Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street is an excellent example of the role ethnic literature can and should play: Esperanza’s voice effortlessly glides between English and Spanish, revealing few if any linguistic speed bumps. Her voice is, perhaps, is a representation of the idealized cultural blend—she is the embodiment of a truly integrated person. The reader is offered a glimpse of a seamless blend of both languages, representing both cultures as mutually complimenting each other rather than as existing as binaries. Indeed, the languages are not binaries, as they both come from the same root. Martin went on to suggest: †¦the inclusion of languages other than English in US literature is a natural artistic development for the novel (and for other genres of literature as well). Ethnic minorities and their languages are part of the social stratification of the United States, and therefore, a mixture of languages within literary works—and varieties within those languages— reflects the dialogue that occurs regularly within the US. (2005, p. 404) This sense of fluidity can offer a sense of regeneration, or absolute creation. Martin wrote, â€Å"The mixing of cultures and languages along the Mexican/US border can have a synergistic effect, creating a third mode of expression that leads to a more multidimensional understanding of human life in general, (2005, p. 407). This blending has other, darker consequences, however. In the text, Esperanza’s voice may blend, but her life experience certainly does not. She, like Tayo, feels little sense of acceptance and integration in either of her two â€Å"worlds. † Like Tayo, that disconnectedness manifests in violence and pain. The ethnic literature invites readers to experience the pain of enforced or assumed binary identities. The term â€Å"ethic† takes on the countenance of â€Å"other;† the person termed â€Å"ethnic† the non-white, often female, often non-Christian character. This character’s differences are highlighted as that which makes her â€Å"Other. † Esperanza is not ethnic because she is a writer; she is â€Å"ethnic† because she is born into a Mexican-American family. She is part of the greater immigrant tradition that forms the basis for contemporary American culture. This immigrant status gets revised for Ceremony, in which Tayo is the true Native, being cast in the role of Other by the immigrant Anglo-Saxons. Silko complicates the matter by having Tayo go to war as an American soldier, thus leveling him with the â€Å"violent conqueror† image of Americana as well as marking him as yet another Other/Outsider. Unfortunately, including stories of ethnic otherness can create a challenging set of questions and resistances in a class that has largely been kept free of challenges to the literary status quo. Pipino wrote: If the purpose of the course [that Pipino taught] was to invite moral introspection through imaginative participation in the life of the â€Å"Other,† then students frequently found themselves in the shoes of an â€Å"Other† whose hard work and desire were not guarantees of success which, as we discuss at the beginning of the course, is an essential part of the rhetoric of the American Dream. Thus, students’ resistant responses may reflect not just â€Å"compassion fatigue,† but a real fear that the hard work in which they are engaged as college students may not yield success; the failures of the protagonists of fictional narratives perhaps pose a threat to the optimism with which they regard their own futures, that is, their own narratives. (2005, p. 179). That is, the narrative of the Other may be a little too â€Å"dark† for readers who are (or who imagine themselves to be) part of the majority establishment. This response is certainly not the goal or object of introducing ethnic literature into the study of the American literary experience. Readers who forget that value systems differ across racial and cultural lines, and attempt to impose their own understandings as a steadfast â€Å"norm,† find themselves unable to reconcile the way characters of differing ethnic origin engage in their environments. The level of anger deployed against the white establishment in certain works of fiction and poetry can become overwhelming if not carefully and conscientiously dissected. Reading the Other can and should give the audience an opportunity to either experience being an outsider for the first time, or more likely, remind that person of the experience and engender feeling of sympathy for the character and the situation. The emotional response of being â€Å"tired of feeling bad for people† is a misguided and misplaced one, as it does nothing to enrich one’s life or the lives of others. Ethic literature should function as a safe, secure environment where common humanistic themes such as feeling a part of a greater whole while simultaneously honoring one’s past can be explored using a variety of lenses. Regardless of race, creed, sex or age, all people have had the opportunity to experience some variety of â€Å"otherness† in their lives. Those who choose to ignore or forget the experience are most often the people who perpetuate great cruelty in the world. Literature can and should function as a means to explore other value sets and other cultural identities not to simply shrug and admire the view, but to begin to identify ways in which our differences are actually the themes we share in common. Fiction and poetry offer readers the tools to transcend the often bitter real-life experiences people have that reinforce imaginary (and authentic) boundaries between cultures and people. Division and classification are part of the human psyche’s attempt to deconstruct and â€Å"understand† the world around us. As a fertile landscape owing all to the readers’ mind, literature can meet needs and expectations in a way that reality cannot, and it is the reader’ opportunity to find the connectedness in the midst of the difference. References Cisneros, S. (1984) The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage. Grobman, L. (2005). The Value and Valuable Work of Multi-ethnic Literature. MELUS, 29(3/4), 81-90. Martin, H. (2005). Code-switching in US ethnic literature: multiple perspectives presented through multiple languages. Changing English: Studies in Culture & Education, 12(3), 403-415. Pipino, M. (2005). Resistance and the Pedagogy of Ethnic Literature. MELUS, 30(2), 175- 190. Silko,L. (1977). Ceremony. New York: Penguin.

Recycling and Plastic Bag Essay

They are also cheap, light, durable, easy to carry and in many cases, free. The most commonly used shopping bag is made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). This type is used in the majority of supermarkets and stores. After these bags are used, they often end up in landfills or as litter, roughly only three percent of plastic bags is actually recycled per year (Planet Ark, 2011). The materials used in making plastic bags make them non-biodegradable. According to the science dictionary, 2011 refers to â€Å"these materials cannot be decomposed into environmentally safe waste materials by the action of soil bacteria. † These harmful substances are toxic and take approximately four hundred years to break down, or in this case photo-degrade; which is how plastics made from (HDPE) break down. Since they are not biodegradable, they remain in the environment and are absorbed in soil or water (Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment, 2010). This essay will discuss the various harmful effects of plastic bags, and demonstrate the risks that these bags impose on humans, animals and the environment. It will also discuss a series of suggested solutions that could help reduce plastic bag usage. Although plastic bags appear to be fragile and light, their negative environmental effect is devastating. Plastic bags may cause large amounts of pollution in every step of their limited life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials, production, transportation, and recycling or disposal. Plastic bags can be defined as the most damaging form of environmental pollution. They can have a damaging effect on marine animals and wildlife in addition to the aesthetic effects on beaches, parks, and trees. Plastic bags are potentially one of the main causes of death to marine animals (Harbor keepers,2008). Up to one hundred thousand marine animals or more die each year from eating plastic bags which are mistaken for food. This can result in blocking the animal’s intestines and possibly lead to the animal’s death. Another possible situation is that wildlife, such as birds, can get tangled in plastic bags causing choking and immobility, which may eventually lead to death. (Senior, 2008) and (Citizen Campaign, 2010). In other situations, after plastic bags photo degrade they remain toxic and could be eaten by fish, shellfish or any other marine life and survive this allows the toxins to enter our food chain through bioaccumulation (Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, 2011). As a solution to these types of problems is taking action by educating and increasing the public’s awareness to the harmful affects that a plastic bag impose on our environment. Applying this would mean to get consumers involved in reducing the number of plastic bags they consume and instead of getting new bags they can simply reuse their old bags (Sea Turtles Conservancy,2011). Another important solution would be using bio degradable bags instead; these types of bags take up a shorter time to degrade and become environmentally safe to both humans and animals. These types of bags are made from natural materials therefore; they are digested if animals swallow them (Biodegradable Plastic Bags,2011). The harmful effects of plastic bags extend to affect human health and social lives. According to the US CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission, 2011) suffocation has been a significant of death among children under the age of one. According to a report presented in 2007 by Clean up Australia, when plastic bags are thrown in the streets they may block the drains and result in flooding during heavy rain. Stagnant water in blocked drains may create a breeding ground for many forms of insects like mosquitoes, which can transmit dangerous diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, and encephalitis (World Health Organisation, 2011). Reducing, reusing and recycling, in that order, could be the most viable option to decrease the social and health impact of plastic bags. Reducing the number of plastic bags can be applied by imposing a fee such as PlasTax. In 2002 PlasTax was issued in The Republic of Ireland, which is a fee on plastic bags. This new tax resulted in a ninety four percent drop in plastic bag consumption in one year (Convery F, McDonnell S, Ferreira S, 2007). The next step is to reuse, instead of disposing of plastic bags consumers should be encouraged to keep reusing their bags. The final step is to recycle the plastic bags, many supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s give the consumers the option to bring in their old bags for recycling. In conclusion, usages of plastic bags are very limited unlike their infinite damages. They are harmful to health, the environment and wildlife. The solutions to put an end to the problems associated with plastic bags are available, cooperation between governments, shops and individuals is vital to take the necessary actions by reducing, reusing and recycling plastic bags.

The Reasons Why Humans Connect All Over The World

One of the reasons why humans connect all over the world is because of art. Art is one of the easiest and most important ways to bring a group of people together and the power of art can alter society s views and introduce new ideals into them. For example, Deborah Obalil who wrote Dancin to Freedom: A Historical Analysis of the Rise of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, supports the idea of dance as international: â€Å"Dance is a form of communication; it is body language taken to a greater extreme. In all societies, the physical interaction between people can be as important, if not more important, than the verbal and written communication which takes place.† (Obalil 4) For instance, dance which is a form of art, has united people and cultures since the beginning of civilizations. Tribal dances were one of the first types of dance, and they brought children and adults all in one place, and it either was for recreation or a pray for the gods. Nowadays, it is not as different as in the earlier days; dance is being used as a way of protest, or as a way to stand up for what you believe in, which is no different than praying or believing in a god. Since dance became a form of self expression and a way to show that to the people around you, artists have resorted to choreographing and dancing when they feel something right is not happening. There are many well known names who have turned to movement and dance, such as KatherineShow MoreRelatedIn Our Town Theme1513 Words   |  7 PagesWhen we think about our existence in terms of how we are humans, we take into account what happens in a typical human life. The universal qualities of human existence is the most prominent theme in the book. This theme is noticeable, multiple times throughout Our Town, by Thornton Wilder. One time the theme is shown in the book in the beginning, where the Stage Manager talks about the layout of Grover’s Corners. 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