READING Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

READING - Assignment Example Of great interest is the position that Kal Raustilia and Chris Sprigman (2012) take, contrary to conventional knowledge and mainstream belief. Raustilia and Sprigman are of the persuasion that it is not possible to quantify losses attributed to piracy and copyright violations and that statistical provisions by proponents of Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act (PIPA) which show that copyright infringement costs the US 200 billion dollars and 750,000 jobs annually, cannot be relied upon. Raustilia and Sprigman (2012) cite Tim Lee’s assertion that statistical figures should neither be taken at face value, nor unquestionably relied upon since such figures are almost always prone to approximations, double and triple counting. Raustilia and Sprigman continue that in some instances, music piracy may serve as substitute for legitimate transactions, and that the same can also trigger increased savings, since, instead of money being spent to purchase music, music is downloa ded on the one hand. On the other hand, increased savings may catalyze economically significant initiatives and undertakings, and thereby covering for the supposed loss of jobs and revenue which piracy may have caused. Nevertheless, a critical look at factors that underpin legislation which proscribe the infringement of copyright rules and logical reasoning leave the proposition which Raustilia and Sprigman advance as too impractical to be effected. In the same vein, it is most probable that Raustilia and Sprigman had not thought deeply about the implications that would come with the violation and collective disregard of copyright laws. In the first place, Gorski (2011) illustrates that the need to safeguard creativity and originality defeats the standpoint that Raustilia and Sprigman (2012) advance. It must be realized that the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Title 17 of the United States Code, the NET Act and the Copyright Act of 1909 do not merely seek to ensure that all who ac cess music buy them, but to actually protect originality and creativity. Always, music is a culmination of training and creativity which are valuable resources. It is preposterous to argue that the training and creativity which an individual uses to earn a living should be treated as valueless. In this case, Raustilia and Sprigman’s proposition that music piracy can help generate financial or economic value does not suffice since such an arrangement alienates the original thinker, creator and director of an original piece from his work. The kind of advancement which Raustilia and Sprigman make is tantamount to robbing Peter to pay Paul, if not worse. In a separate wavelength, it is important to note that legislative pieces such as the Copyright Act of 1909, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Title 17 of the United States Code and the NET Act are the very provisions which created the existence of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and mandates RIAA to disc harge its duties and responsibilities. RIAA shows clearly that the music industry alone have forfeited millions of dollars to piracy. RIAA further divulges that in 2002, music revenue fell by 7% since the sale of CDs declined from 882 million to 803 million units. The report that RIAA provides in this case may be used to vindicate the statistical provisions that the proponents of SOPA and PIPA advance

What Are Some Obstacles You May Face as a Teacher Essay Example for Free

What Are Some Obstacles You May Face as a Teacher Essay What are some obstacles you may face as a teacher, and according to the context in this unit, how can you overcome these? Throughout their careers, teachers face many obstacles in their classroom that may hinder their teaching. These obstacles come in many different shapes and sizes. It is the effective and successful teacher who is able to overcome these obstacles while maintaining a happy, positive and joyful attitude. A teacher must remember that it is not the information they possess along with various skills that affects teaching, rather it the ability to overcome challenges in a positive manner that impacts on learning. Some of the many obstacles a teacher may face are; engaging unmotivated children in the classroom, promoting positive conditioning and reinforcement and accommodating those with development disabilities (Symonds, 1941). Keeping students motivated in the classroom and out is an obstacle many teachers will face. Unmotivated students tend to have negative attitudes, a general dislike for school, give up easily on set tasks and are the major cause of classroom disruption (Eggen Kauchak, 2010). These factors lead to students having a negative impact on other students in the classroom, thus making teaching difficult for the teacher. In order for the teacher to motivate these students, different theories of motivation such as behaviourist and humanistic must be implemented. These theories focus on motivating students through rewards and encourage them to reach their total potential not only as students but also as human beings (Eggen Kauchak, 2010). Although many critics believe that rewards send the wrong message to students about learning, many teachers use them as forms of motivation in the classroom. Rewards such as computer time, free time, praise and candy incite children to continue performing well. Also compassionate and caring teachers who care about their students both as human beings and pupils contribute to their motivation (Eggen Kauchak, 2010). When teachers show that they are concerned for their pupils, make time to talk to them individually, ask them about their problems and maintain high expectations in them, they are indirectly encouraging students to keep up their efforts and inciting them to do even better. Educators who display unconditional positive regard in their students, which, as defined by Eggen Kauchak (2010, p. 88) is, â€Å"the belief that someone is innately worthy regardless of their behaviour,† contribute to the personal growth of students as students accept their mistakes as part of their make-up and are encouraged to rise above them by challenging themselves to tackle academically stimulating assignments and activities and completing set tasks because they want to and not because they have to (Eggen Kauchak, 2010). Once the obstacle of engaging unmotivated students has been overcome, motivation levels need to be kept at a high at all times regardless of students performance. This can be achieved through positive reinforcement . â€Å"Positive reinforcement is the process of increasing the frequency or duration of a behaviour as a result of presenting a reinforcer† (Eggen Kauchak). In classrooms, teachers need to use positive reinforcers rather than show negative behaviour to encourage students to do better next time, repeat their good actions and increase positive behaviour. For example, Students are disappointed and miserable after performing poorly on a test. The teacher instead of telling the students off and pointing out all their mistakes, should give positive feedback to the students by telling them how well they performed in certain areas and where they improved. The teacher should then gently point out to the students the areas they had difficulty in without criticizing them and encourage them to partake in a class discussion on how they can improve in these areas. Then the teacher should present an incentive such as bonus points, stickers or a most improved certificate for those students who perform better on the next test. By using this approach, the teacher is giving both positive and negative feedback on performance and at the same time reinforcing students with a rewards incentive encouraging them to try their hardest next time. This type of reinforcement coupled with positive feedback tends to be the most effective (Jones, 2007). Another way teachers can offer positive reinforcement is by implementing the Premack principle. The Premack principle, named after David Premack is â€Å"the principle stating that a more-desired activity can serve as a reinforcer for a less-desired activity† (Eggen Kauchak, 2010, p. 69). Teachers often implement this strategy in their class sessions by offering them incentives to finish a certain task. In addition to the above positive reinforcement strategies, positive reinforcement also occurs through a teachers behaviour (Eggen Kauchak, 2010). When students are engaged in a lesson and indicate through their actions that they are involved in the lesson, then they are called on by the teacher to give their opinion on the topic as it is evident that they are fully aware of what is being discussed. Teachers who are able to implement positive reinforcement in their classrooms will ultimately get more out of their students than those who implement negative reinforcement . Another major obstacle teachers may face in the classroom is accommodating those students with development disabilities . Every individual being develops at a different rate and this is not any different for students. Students, regardless of being the same age or in the same year level tend to develop at different rates to each other. A common form of disability that is found in many classrooms today is intellectual disability . According to Fuchs, 2006; Nokelainen Flint, 2002, as cited in Eggen Kauchak (2010, p. 142), â€Å"intellectual disability is either caused by genetic factors, such as down syndrome, or brain damage to the fetus during pregnancy†. In order for teachers to be able to accommodate students with this disability they need to be aware of the characteristics of it as some of these characteristics tend to affect learning directly. These characteristics include but are not limited to; weak motor skills, underdeveloped interpersonal skills, poor memory, weak reading and language skills and little knowledge of the outside world (Eggen Kauchak, 2010). The theory relating to teachers overcoming the obstacle of having intellectually disabled students in their class is to include these students in the mainstream sessions conducted where instruction is modified to meet the needs of these students and help their social development (Eggen Kauchak, 2010). Case study shows and proves that students with intellectual disabilities want to participate in the same activities, be given the same reading material, handed out the same homework, issued the same judging criteria and be able to join in the same activities as their classmates. The same study showed that the peers of those with intellectual disabilities agreed with this as every child should be given a fair chance (Klingner Vaughn, 1999). Also, in order to ensure ease for teachers teaching those with intellectual disability and to ensure those students that have development disabilities receive the education they re entitled to, the federal government has set requirements that educators who teach students with disabilities must guarantee a free and suitable public education, instruct children in the least constricting setting, protect against bias in testing, include parents in developing each child’s learning program and develop an individually tailored education program of education for each student (Eggen Kauchak, 2010, p. 133). Teachers who adhere to these guidelines and take heed of the advice given and implement the findings of the case study will find that teaching those with development disabilities will no longer remain an obstacle. Rather it will become an educative and joyful experience . In conclusion there are many obstacles that a teacher will face in their teaching career. Their success will not be determined through avoidance of these obstacles but rather it will be determined through overcoming these obstacles in the most positive manner they can. Teachers who are able to develop motivation, promote positive conditioning and reinforcement and accommodate those with learning disabilities while keeping students successfully engaged and absorbed have indeed overcome some of the most difficult hurdles faced in their teaching career.

Everyday Use by Alice Walker Essay -- Alice Walker Everyday Use Essays

Everyday Use by Alice Walker In the short story Everyday Use, by Alice Walker, is narration by an African American woman in the South who is faced with the ultimate decision to whom she should give away the two quilts. Dee, her oldest daughter who is visiting from college, perceives the quilts as popular fashion and believes they should undoubtedly be given to her. Maggie, her youngest daughter, who still lives at home and understands the family heritage, has been promised the quilts. The two daughters each have opposing views on the value and worth of the different items in their lives. Walker uses this conflict to make the point that the significance of heritage is more important than style; so Mama she decides based upon the appearance, personalities and the idea about the family artifacts. Maggie is not as attractive as Dee. She is thin and an awkward girl. Her mother says â€Å"good looks pass her by.† Furthermore, she carries herself like someone who has low self-esteem, which her mother describes as â€Å"chin on chest, eyes on ground.† Maggie has characteristics like her mother, she is an example that heritage in both knowledge and form passes from one generation to another. Mama is a full-bodied woman who does the needed upkeep if their home and wears overalls daily because she does not care about her appearance compared to her eldest daughter. Dee, on the other hand, is an attractive woman in college. Mama describes Dee as having, â€Å"nice hair and a full figure.† Dee t...

Essay: the Promise of the Sociological Imagination

JaypeeII – AB Sociology 10-10-11 Socio 212MWF / 1:30pm – 2:30pm The Promise of the Sociological Imagination (By: C. Wright Mills) Charles Wright Mills (1916-1962) was an American sociologist, and a social commentator and critic. He was born on August 28, 1916 in Waco, Texas. Mills has been described as a â€Å"volcanic eminence† in the academic world and as â€Å"one of the most controversial figures in American social science†. He is committed to social change and angered by the oppression he saw around him. He was anti-authoritarian, showy and an individualistic. I figured out that, he got married three times by different women (Dorothy Helen Smith, Ruth Harper and Yaroslava Surmach) and had two daughters (Pamela and Kathryn) and one son (Nikolas Charles). Mills died on March 20, 1962 – cause of major heart attack. One of the most influential works of Mills (that he coined) was the Sociological Imagination (1959), in which he set out his views on how social science should be practiced. Sociological Imagination plays an important role in explaining the nature of sociology and its relevance in daily life. He defined it as, â€Å"the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society†. In addition, he believed in the power of the Sociological Imagination to connect â€Å"personal troubles† to â€Å"public issues† – is the ability to see things socially, and how they interact and influence each other. Therefrom, to have a Sociological imagination, a person must be able to pull away from the situation and think from an alternative point of view. It requires thinking ourselves away from our daily routines, and then looking at them over. C. Wright Mills pointed out three components that form the Sociological Imagination: (1) History – how a society came to be, how it is changing, and how history is being made in it. (2) Biography – the nature of â€Å"human nature† in a society; what kind of people inhabits a particular society. (3) Social Structure – how the various institutional orders in a society operate, which ones are dominant, how are they held together, how they might be changing, etc. (http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/C. _Wright_Mills). The Promise of Sociology details how C. Wright Mills’ notion compels us to investigate into an individual’s biography and lifestyles, and place their findings within the surrounding circumstances – in which events occur in order to perceive the whole picture of the society in which the individual survives. According to him, what occurs in any individual’s life is interrelated with society as a whole. Mills mentioned that, presently individuals, men and women often feel that their private lives are series of traps in which they sense that they cannot surpass these traps (troubles) within their everyday lives. Hence, what people are aware of and what they try to do are usually, confined by their private cycle by which they live and because of their visions of powers were limited to different things or group – they move imaginably and remain as an observer to their surroundings. The more they are aware of those things (within their environment), the more they seem to feel being deceived. He stated that facts of contemporary history are also facts about the success and the failure of individual men and women. Since, when a society is industrialized, a peasant becomes a worker; a feudal lord is placed or becomes a businessperson. Moreover, when classes rise or fall, a man is employed or unemployed; when the rate of investment goes up or down, a man takes a new heart or goes broke – these few cases are facts that usually happen in present days. Until now, individuals usually do not determine the troubles they suffer in terms of historical change and institutional conflict. Like Emile Durkheim, as stated to his study regarding the historical transformation from mechanical to organic solidarity – what causes the change or transformation between them was the increase in dynamic density of the society. Because of a sudden transformation in every period, people had the difficulty to know or recognize disastrous changes due to historical facts that are now immediately becoming â€Å"merely history† – a history that now affects every man is world history because of its highly specialized. Mills also emphasized that, everywhere in the underdeveloped world, ancient ways of life are broken up and vague expectations become urgent demands. Everywhere in the overdeveloped world, the means of authority and of violence become total in scope and bureaucratic in form – like what Durkheim discussed about the LAW (the concept of his theory). This can be interrelated to the Restitutive Law, a characteristic of organic solidarity – where individuals in this more modern type of society were asked to comply with the law. Thus, Mills explained that it is not only information and skills of reason that the commonality need, since information frequently controls their attention and devastate their capacities to understand it. Like Georg Simmel’s theory, The Tragedy of Culture. Where in it, he argued that people are doomed to increasingly less understanding of the world they have created and are destined to be increasingly controlled by that world. Then what they need is the quality of mind that will help them to use information and to develop reason in order to achieve understandable summary of what is going on in the world and of what may be happening within them. Thus, Mills believed that knowledge, when properly used, could bring about change and the good society. Furthermore, he added that, if the good society was not yet here, it was primarily the fault of intellectuals – people of knowledge. Mills said, to understand this â€Å"Imagination† would be to see the connection between personal troubles and public issues. Where â€Å"Personal Troubles† are problems that are felt personally, which are caused by occurrences or feelings in an individual’s life; and â€Å"Public Issues† are issues that affect a group or mass of people with their roots associated within an organization or institution and history of a society. A person can become homeless for many reasons: a family member throws them out of their home because they do not contribute financially, or they become incapable of caring for themselves due to mental illness, or they become addicted to drugs and lose their home trying to support their habit. These are a few examples of personal troubles which most would think are brought about by the individual alone and therefore can be solved by them. However, when using Sociological Imagination, one can see that homelessness is also a social problem. Therefore, Charles Wright Mills made a significant contribution in, his integration of American pragmatism and European sociology which lead to innovative work in the sociology of knowledge; he completed a substantial range of studies in what was a short working life; and lastly, he provided a considerable and lasting intellectual stimulus to others. Sociological Imagination then, enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society – that is its task and its â€Å"PROMISE† and this is the purpose of classical social analysts. Sociological Imagination is becoming the major common denominator of our cultural life and its signal feature (this quality of mind is found in the social and psychological sciences). It is not merely a fashion, it is a quality of mind that seem most dramatically to â€Å"PROMISE† an understanding of the intimate realities of ourselves in connection with larger social realities. It is not merely one quality of mind among the contemporary range of cultural sensibilities – it is the quality whose wider and more skilled use offers the promise that all such sensibilities and in fact, human reason itself will come to play a greater role in human affairs. In addition, you cannot understand the life of an individual or the history of society without the understanding personal troubles and public issues of the commonality.

Human Behaviour Psychology

According to Sigmund Freud, (1856-1939), human beings are just mechanical creatures, whom he views as prisoners of primitive instincts and powers, which we can barely control. He states that our purpose is to control these instincts and powers. Freud explained these concepts by comparing the human spirit to an iceberg. The visible part of the iceberg (spirit) is the conscious part, which consists of everything we know and remember and the thinking processes through which we function.The unconscious part is made up of everything we have ever learned or experienced, including that which has been â€Å"forgotten†. A part of these forgotten things are really gone, but the largest part of the unconscious has just been shut out, because it would be annoying to be consciously reminded of it.The influences of Helmholtz are also visible at other points. According to Freud, the material in the unconscious contains psychic energy. This psychic energy is constantly trying to get into the conscious part, while the conscious part keeps using energy to suppress undesirable discoveries. An expression of unknown powers is, for example, slips of the tongue. These expressions show that our unconscious was not strong enough to keep these powers outside the conscious part. Philosophers in the seventeenth and eighteenth century (like Descartes and Hobbes)  shared a mechanistic view.They thought that some of our actions are the result of internal or external forces, which are not under voluntary control. Hobbes, for example, claimed that underlying reasons for behavior are the avoidance of pain and the quest for pleasure. The extreme of the mechanistic view is the theory of instincts. An instinct is an innate biological force, which commands the organism to behave in a particular way.The main advocate of the instinct theory was the psychologist McDougall. He hypothesized that all thinking and behavior is the result of instincts, which are fixed from birth, but which can be a djusted by learning and experience. By changes and combinations of instincts he tried to explain the whole repertoire of human behavior. Human behavior psychology is one of the  theories of learning based upon the central idea that all human behaviors are attained through conditioning. This is also known as behaviorism. Conditioning happens through the interaction of human beings with the environment. According to human behavior psychology, human behavior can be studied in a systematic, methodical, recognizable and observable manner with no deliberation of internal mental states. Strengths of human behavior psychology/Behaviorism†¢Human behavior psychology is based upon observable and noticeable behaviors, thus easier to quantify, collect empirical data and information while conducting research.†¢Behavioral intervention, token economies, and discrete trial training are some of the effective remedial techniques which are all rooted intensively in human behavior psychology , also commonly known as behaviorism. These techniques are very helpful in changing maladaptive, detrimental or harmful behaviors in both children and adults. Criticisms of human behavior psychology/behaviorism†¢Many detractors point out that human behavior psychology or behaviorism is an exclusively one-dimensional approach to human behavior and thus such human behavioral theories do not account for free will and internal influences such as moods, thoughts, feelings, etc. †¢Behaviorism or human behavior psychology does not account for further types of learning, in particular learning that occurs lacking the use of reinforcements.Also individuals are able to adapt their human behavior when new information is brought in, even if a previous behavior pattern has been established over a period of time through reinforcement. Human behavior refers to the range of behaviors exhibited by humans and which are influenced by culture, attitudes, emotions, values, ethics, authority, ra pport, hypnosis, persuasion, coercion and/or genetics.The behavior of people (and other organisms or even mechanisms) falls within a range with some behavior being common, some unusual, some acceptable, and some outside acceptable limits. In sociology, behavior in general is characterised as having no meaning, being not directed at other people, and thus is the most basic human action. Behavior in this general sense should not be mistaken with social behavior, which is a more advanced action, as social behavior is behavior specifically  directed at other people.The acceptability of behavior depends heavily upon social norms and is regulated by various means of social control. Human behavior is studied by the specialised academic disciplines of psychiatry, psychology, social work, sociology, economics, and anthropology. Human behaviour is experienced throughout an individual’s entire lifetime. It includes the way they act based on different factors such as genetics, social n orms, core faith, and attitude. Behaviour is impacted by certain traits each individual has. The traits vary from person to person and can produce different actions or behaviour from each person.Social norms also impact behaviour. Due to the inherently conformist nature of human society in general, humans are pressurised into following certain rules and display certain behaviours in society, which conditions the way people behave. Different behaviours are deemed to be either acceptable or unacceptable in different societies and cultures. Core faith can be perceived through the religion and philosophy of that individual. It shapes the way a person thinks and this in turn results in different human behaviours.Attitude can be defined as â€Å"the degree to which the person has a favorable or unfavorable evaluation of the behavior in question.† One's attitude is essentially a reflexion of the behaviour he or she will portray in specific situations. Thus, human behavior is greatly influenced by the attitudes we use on a daily basis.

Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis 6 Care Plans for Any Patient

Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis 6 Care Plans for Any Patient SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is an issue that affects millions of people around the world. If not properly treated, hypertension can lead to serious issues, including heart attack or stroke. That means it’s imperative to have an accurate nursing diagnosis for hypertension as well as an effective care plan. After explaining what hypertension is, what causes it, and what common symptoms are, this guide explains six key hypertension nursing diagnoses. For each diagnosis, the NANDA definition, potential evidence, and desired outcomes are explained, as well as steps to take for the nursing intervention. Nursing Diagnosis for Hypertension: What Is It? Normal blood pressure is when blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mmHg most of the time. A patient is diagnosed with hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, when their blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg most of the time. There are several levels of hypertension: Normal Blood Pressure: Lower than 120/ 80 Prehypertension: 120-139/80-89 Stage 1 Hypertension: 140-159/90-99 Stage 2 Hypertension: 160+/100+ Hypertension can be dangerous because it can make the heart work harder to pump blood to the body, which can increase the risk of heart failure, stroke, and hardening of the arteries. What Causes Hypertension? The exact cause of hypertension is not often known. Primary (or essential) hypertension is when hypertension has no known cause, or there is no evidence to link it to a specific cause. Primary hypertension makes up about 90% of all hypertension cases. Secondary hypertension is high blood pressure that does have an identifiable cause. Potential causes of hypertension (primary or secondary) include: Being overweight or obese Smoking Genetics/family history of hypertension A diet high in salt Consuming more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks a day Stress Old age Lack of exercise Sleep apnea Kidney disease Thyroid disorders Signs and Symptoms of Hypertension Hypertension does not always cause symptoms; in fact, about a third of people who have hypertension don’t know they have it because of no or few symptoms. Below are some of the most common symptoms of hypertension: Headache Ringing or buzzing in the ears Fatigue Irregular heartbeat Confusion or dizziness Nosebleed Blurred vision Difficulty breathing Chest pain Blood in the urine Nursing Care Plans for Hypertension Once a patient is found to have high blood pressure, it’s important to follow the appropriate nursing diagnosis and nursing care plan for hypertension in order to reduce the effects of hypertension and keep the patient’s health and quality of life high. Below are six nursing care plans for hypertension. These six care plans cover the main issues associated with hypertension. Each one includes its own nursing diagnosis, NANDA definition, possible signs of evidence, desired outcome, and nursing interventions. Use the NANDA definition and potential evidence to determine the correct nursing care plan for hypertension. Some patients may require multiple care plans. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #1: Risk for Decreased Cardiac Output NANDA Definition: Inadequate blood pumped by the heart to meet metabolic demands of the body. Possibly Evidenced By: N/A. This intervention is used to in order to prevent decreased cardiac output from occurring. Desired Outcomes: Show stable cardiac rhythm and rate. Maintain blood pressure within an acceptable range. Participate in activities that lower blood pressure and cardiac load. Interventions: Check patient’s lab data (cardiac markers, blood cell count, electrolytes, ABGs, etc.) to determine contributing factors. Monitor and record blood pressure in both arms and thighs Measure blood pressure in both hands. Auscultation of breath sounds and heart rhythm. Observe patient’s skin color, temperature, and capillary refill time. Advise the patient on reducing sodium intake, if needed. Administer medication, if needed. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #2: Acute Pain (Typically Headache) NANDA Definition: Pain is whatever the experiencing person says it is, existing whenever the person says it does; an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience arising from actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage sudden or slow onset of any intensity from mild to severe with an anticipated or predictable end and a duration of. Possibly Evidenced By: Patient reports throbbing pain in head, most often upon awakening. Changes in appetite. Patient reports neck stiffness, blurred vision, dizziness, nausea, and/or vomiting. Desired Outcomes: Patient states they are no longer suffering from a headache and appear comfortable and pain-free. Interventions: Determine the specifics of the pain, such as intensity, where it is located, and how long it has been going on. Note the patient’s attitude towards pain and any history of substance abuse. Encourage rest during severe pain episodes. Recommend methods of relief, such as neck and back rubs, applying cool cloths to the forehead, and avoiding bright lights. Limit how much the patient moves around. Provide medication, if needed. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #3: Activity Intolerance NANDA Definition: Insufficient physiological or psychological energy to endure or complete required or desired daily activities. Possibly Evidenced By: Patient reporting weakness or fatigue. Abnormal heart rate as a result of activity. Exertional discomfort or dyspnea. Electrocardiogram (ECG) changes reflecting ischemia; dysrhythmias. Desired Outcomes: Patient participates in necessary and/or desired activities. Uses identified techniques to enhance activity tolerance. Reports a measurable increase in his/her tolerance for activity. Demonstrates a decrease in noticeable signs of intolerance. Interventions: Note each of the factors that contribute to fatigue (age, health, illness, etc.). Evaluate the patient’s degree of activity intolerance and when it occurs. Monitor how the patient responds to activity (pulse, heart rate, chest pain, dizziness, excessive fatigue, etc.). Explain energy conserving techniques (shower chairs, sitting to brush teeth, etc.). Assess any emotional factors that may be contributing to activity intolerance (such as depression or anxiety). Encourage the patient to engage in self-care and progressive activity when possible. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #4: Ineffective Coping NANDA Definition: Inability to form a valid appraisal of the stressors, inadequate choices of practiced responses, and/or inability to use available resources. Possibly Evidenced By: Patient states he/she is unable to cope; patient asks for help. Worry, irritability, anxiety, and/or depression as a result of hypertension diagnosis. Destructive behavior such as overeating, lack of appetite; excessive smoking/drinking, and/or alcohol abuse Desired Outcomes: Patient can identify his/her ineffective coping techniques and their consequences. Verbalizes awareness of own coping abilities. Identifies potentially stressful situations and takes steps to avoid or modify them. Shows the use of effective coping skills. Interventions: Determine what specific areas the patient has difficulty coping with. Assess the effectiveness of the patient’s current coping skills and where improvements can be made. Help the patient identify specific stressors and how to cope with them. Work with the patient to develop a care plan, and encourage participation in the plan. Help the patient identify and begin planning for necessary lifestyle changes. Encourage the patient to evaluate his/her priorities and goals in life. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #5: Imbalanced Nutrition (More Than Body Requirements) NANDA Definition: Intake of nutrients that exceeds metabolic needs. Possibly Evidenced By: Patient’s weight is 10%–20% more than ideal his/her height and frame. Reported or observed dysfunctional eating patterns. Desired Outcomes: Patient understands the relationship between hypertension and obesity. Initiates/maintains an appropriate exercise program. Shows changes in eating patterns, such as food choice and/or quantity, to attain a healthier body weight. Interventions: Assess the patient’s understanding of the relationship between hypertension and obesity. Discuss the relationship between hypertension and obesity with the patient. Discuss the need for a decreased caloric intake, as well as a limited intake of salt, sugar, and fat. Determine the patient’s desire to lose weight. Help the patient establish a realistic exercise plan. Help the patient establish a realistic nutrition plan. Refer the patient to a nutritionist, if needed. Hypertension Nursing Diagnosis #6: Knowledge Deficit NANDA Definition: Absence or deficiency of cognitive information related to a specific topic. Possibly Evidenced By: Verbalization of the problem. Patient requires information or more information, or he/she doesn’t understand the information given. Patient inaccurately follows instructions. Patient appears agitated, hostile, or upset when the condition and ways for managing it are discussed. Desired Outcomes: Patient can express his/her knowledge of the management and treatment of hypertension. Patient correctly uses the drugs they are prescribed and understand their side effects. Interventions: Determine what information the patient currently understands. Assess readiness and blocks to learning. Include the patient’s partner, if possible. Describe the nature of hypertension, how it affects different parts of the body, and how it can be treated. Avoid using the term â€Å"normal BP†. Instead use the term â€Å"well-controlled† to describe patient’s BP within desired limits. Discuss with the patient changes he/she can make in order to manage hypertension. Discuss the importance of maintaining a stable weight. Discuss the need for low-calorie diet, low in sodium to order. Help the patient create a schedule for taking medications. Direct the patient to other resources that can be used to better understand and manage hypertension. Review: Diagnosing and Treating Hypertension Hypertension, the medical term for high blood pressure, is an issue that can have serious and long-term health effects if it isn’t properly managed. Therefore, having an effective nursing care plan for hypertension is important. While it’s often difficult to pinpoint the cause of hypertension, high blood pressure may be caused by the weight, smoking, high sodium intake, and/or genetics, as well as other factors. Some symptoms of hypertension can include headache, dizziness, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and/or chest pain, although some patients with hypertension don’t show any symptoms. There are six key nursing diagnoses for hypertension. Risk for decreased cardiac output Acute pain (typically headache) Activity intolerance Ineffective coping Imbalanced nutrition (more than body requirements) Knowledge deficit For each nursing diagnosis for hypertension, it’s important to know the NANDA definition, possible signs of evidence, desired outcome, and nursing interventions. What's Next? Thinking about exploring a career in healthcare administration? Read our complete guide to getting a healthcare administration degree, with explanations for what levels of qualification you need for different careers.

5 Tips on Self-Publishing an Ebook

5 Tips on Self-Publishing an Ebook 5 Tips on Self-Publishing an Ebook While we’re still fond of the old-fashioned papery versions, no one can deny that digital self-publishing has made it much easier for authors to find an audience for their writing. But how does self-publishing an ebook work? And what do you need to do? We have a few tips to share. A library in tablet form! 1. Edit, Edit, and Edit Some More! If you want to impress readers, typos and bad formatting have to be avoided. But many ebooks fall into this trap due to a lack of editing and proofreading. Make sure your manuscript is ready before you even think about publishing. This means seeking feedback and redrafting until it is perfect, as well as formatting it correctly. Getting the final draft proofread is essential, too, so get in touch with us when you’re ready! 2. Cover Art We’re told not to judge a book by its cover, but not everyone listens to this advice. As such, you’ll want to think about how you present your ebook. Your cover art should look professional and work as a thumbnail. And remember to write a short, catchy blurb to use on the back cover. 3. Picking a Platform There are plenty of services self-published authors can use, including major industry players such as Kobo, Amazon KDP, and Smashwords. Amazon KDP also has a â€Å"Select† service, which offers extra benefits in return for publishing exclusively on Kindle. This can be great for new authors, but once you are more established, you may want to publish on multiple platforms to reach as wide an audience as possible. 4. Creating an Ebook File Some self-publishing services automatically create an ebook file when you upload a Microsoft Word document. However, for extra control over the process, you may want to do this yourself! The biggest decision here is which file format to use. A PDF is fine if your ebook will be read on computers, but for mobile devices you’ll need a dedicated ebook format. Your options here are ePub and MOBI (Amazon KDP only accepts MOBI files, so keep this in mind if using this service). You cannot create ePub or MOBI files in MS Word, but there is software available to do this. 5. Selling Your Ebook Once your ebook file is ready, you need to find an audience and promote your book! Part of this will be done on the publishing platform (e.g., writing a blurb, picking keywords, setting a price). The rest will come once your book is available for purchase. Think about setting up a blog and social media accounts, sending a free copy to reviewers, or limited giveaway and discount promotions. The point of all this is to get people talking, as word of mouth and positive reviews will help more than anything else!