Post Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Post - Assignment Example On the same note, some questions were surprising, especially those that were out of context by regional and national boundaries. This is due to the fact that there are certain nature variables that may not be of interest to an individual but impacts significantly to nature. For instance, country interdependence is primarily viewed as an enterprising activity (Laposata & Pratte 355). However, ecological footprint has a different idea on the same matter and in the context of nature. The calculator asked about percentage of processed and packaged rather than locally grown food. This is because; the processing of packaging of food is characterized by activities that heighten humanity’s demands on nature than growing of food locally. This shows that an individual has demands on nature both locally and beyond borders, since processed and packaged foods are not necessarily locally produced. In the determining ecological footprint, the calculator should also take into account professional advice on humanity-nature relationships. In doing so, the results produced are likely to be more accurate, rather than point in time approximations of humanity’s demands on

Internet Gambling Essay Example for Free

Internet Gambling Essay The technoculture related topic that I am going to explore is the phenomenon of Internet gambling. With the emergence and explosion of gambling on television such as the World Series of Poker of ESPN or The World Poker Tour on the Travel Channel, online gaming has quickly become a major player in the technoculture of contemporary society. I feel it is important to explore this issue because of American societys fascination and obsession with gambling. Gambling can and has become a very serious and damaging activity to many people in this country. According to CNN. com, studies have shown that people who gamble on the Internet tend to have more serious addictions than people who wager through more traditional venues. Through my research, I hope to further explore why Internet gambling has the potential to be more dangerous than traditional casinos and how younger generations of Americans and the government are responding to this ever-growing phenomenon. Literature Review The research I discovered on Internet gambling is fairly recent and comprehensive. Since online gaming is a reasonably new trend, the material written on the matter was rather current. Furthermore, there was a substantial amount of information within these three sources. It was evident that the three authors conducted high-quality research, and it showed with the use of graphs, charts, and case studies. Also, the three sources had a very similar outlook on the present and future situation of online gaming. With that being said, given that online gaming is at the peak of its existence, it is imperative that further exploration and examination within the subject be carried out. Because of the instant access one has to a gambling venue and the privacy factor of the Internet, online gaming has become a risky undertaking for many. According to David Schwartz (2003), Internet gambling presents new problems for individuals and society (p. 214). Instead of driving to an actual physical casino, problem gamblers can enjoy betting in the comforts of their own home. At home, they are not monitored by other gamblers and/or casino personnel which results in the ability to set their own limit. The Internet also allows the gambler to maintain a level of privacy not found in real casinos. If there are no friends or family around to supervise, then the gambler can engage in irresponsible betting without any time constraints. Finally, unlike real casinos, Internet casinos are readily available at the click of a button. If an online gaming organization will not accept ones money, one can bet that there are thousands of others that will be happy to take ones funds. The demographics of gambling are interesting to investigate within the subject. According to Rachel Volberg (2001), adults ages 18 to 29 are substantially more likely than older adults to have gambled privately (p. 34). Young adults are also more likely to gamble for excitement compared to older adults (Volberg, 2001). This is not a difficult concept to grasp. Normally, young adults have a less appreciative concept of money because they do not have as great of a responsibility as older people in regards to providing for family, paying bills, and spending money on expenses that are traditionally not familiar to a younger person. Furthermore, young people are usually unsupervised, especially in the collegiate demographic. Without the approval from mommy and daddy, young adults all across America are enjoying the financial freedom to do whatever they want with the money they have. In addition, according to Thomas Barker and Marjie Britz (2000), many college students have deep pockets ? Mom and Dads (p. 139). With this new found autonomy and fiscal assistance from parents, college kids are engaging in online gaming for fun and excitement. However, if left untreated and unsupervised, the fun and excitement can soon turn into a dangerous addiction with serious consequences and ramifications. With the possibility of Internet gambling becoming a serious problem, the government has been asked to step in and legislate the situation. According to Volberg (2001), The fact that Internet gambling is conducted in a networked, data-intensive environment offers opportunities for regulation and oversight in several critical areas, including licensure, testing for game integrity and site security, auditing and oversight, taxation, and consumer protection (p 97). Basically, Volberg is supporting a regulatory system that will be able to monitor the activities not only of the individual gambler, but of the gambling website as well. If the government actually does get involved, certain problems can be remedied. For example, every transaction made by a player can be closely followed and tracked. If a player indicates behaviors that suggest irresponsible decision-making, the player can be flagged and possibly suspended from a gambling website. However, all in all, Internet gambling will most likely always have its problems. Just like alcohols are with minors, people will get their hands on something they probably should not be touching. Internet gambling is an intensifying activity in American culture. With all the limitless possibility and endless potential of the Internet, online gaming will continue to be a major player in the world of technoculture and the information society. Nevertheless, what is important within this public sphere is to be able to responsibly deal with the world of Internet casinos. We need to come to a positive middle ground between the two sides of the spectrum; the fun and excitement of gambling and the spiraling addiction. Current Trends Like anything in life, when you create stimulus you are going to yield a response. In regards to online gaming, the stimulus that was created was the buzz generated by the constant bombardment of gambling programs on television. ESPN annually televises The World Series of Poker during the summer in which thousands of people descend upon Las Vegas to gamble in all types of events including poker, blackjack, craps, etc Many times they tell the story of some average Joe who enters a tournament and eventually ends up winning thousands of dollars. This false sense of hope has grabbed millions of Americans into thinking that they too, have the ability to win a substantial amount of money. The response to this stimulus has been the emergence of online casinos. However, instead of people winning money, crime has actually been the fallout of this risky behavior. According to ABCnews. com (2006), a Lehigh University student by the name of Greg Hogan Jr. attempted to rob a local bank in order to pay off his gambling debts. He was eventually caught and pleaded guilty to the offense and now faces up to three years in jail. During his interview with Good Morning America, Mr. Hogan blamed his addiction to online gambling websites for his setback, and cautioned the American public to the dangerous power of Internet gaming. In addition to his story, according to ABCnews. com (2006), 2. 9 million Americans between the ages of fourteen and twenty-two gamble with cards online at least once a week, and fifty percent of male college students and twenty-six percent of female college students gamble on cards at least once a month. To combat this growing epidemic, the House of Representatives took a proactive stance on the matter by passing legislation that would make it illegal to use credit cards on gambling websites and make it significantly more difficult to access these sites. Whether it gets passed by the Senate and the Executive Branch is another matter, however, at least the government is recognizing the problem sooner rather than later. In conjunction with this theory of crime, many Internet scammers have found opportunity within this growing trend. An article on ABCnews. com (2006) describes an elaborate scheme where bookies took sports bets through an Internet gambling site. The insecurity of the website allowed these thieves to launder millions of dollars and corrupt the free enterprise system of the Internet gaming business. Fortunately, these criminals were caught. Nevertheless, it makes you wonder how frequent this sort of thing exists in the online world. Some have argued, nonetheless, that Internet gambling has its benefits. According to Tom W. Bell (1998), the inclusion of the Internet has fostered competition to a business that has long enjoyed the sanctuary of restraining licensing practices. Rather than having to fly out to isolated casinos in Vegas or Atlantic City, you can enjoy the experience of gambling in the comforts of your own home. Bell (1998) also supports the belief that gambling in your home allows an individual to escape the traps found in real, physical casinos. A person does not have to be surrounded in a windowless structure while being harassed by cocktail waitresses carrying a tray of free booze. Because of online gaming, the business world has more free enterprise and has given the individual a sense of security not found in traditional locales. In terms of my own personal experience, I actually signed up to one of these gambling websites to investigate how they attract and seize the public. The website was www. gambling. com and in order to register, all I had to give them was a current e-mail address. I found it sort of comforting to know that they pledged that they would not pass any of my information on to any other company and/or website because I did not want my stagweb to become flooded with junkmail from these websites. Immediately after becoming a member, I was granted 400 Ludos. I had no clue as to what Ludos were, but after some probing, I discovered that they were basically a form of Internet currency. For every twenty five Ludos, I received a dollar. That equals sixteen dollars. But, heres the catch. For me to actually receive the Ludos and use them to gamble, I would have to give them my credit card information and pay a montly fee which was actually just about as expensive as the Ludos themselves. Brilliant. Moreover, the website contained links in which I could learn how to play games by reading tutorials, and then, actually play those games. I conducted a little experiment of my own to see how many times I won during one of the games. Out of twenty-five spins on one of the slot machines, I ended up winning sixteen times. That is a sixty-four percent average of winning. Now, anyone who understands anything about gambling knows that the absolute best percentage of winning is fifty percent. However, most of the games are not even close to that percentage. My suspicion leads me to believe that these websites give a false sense of hope to their members. If they succeed in tempting people to try these games, and these games yield a winning percentage better than fifty percent, more often than not, someone is going to believe that they actually have a great chance of making money. It actually is a genius scheme to lure in the public. Make them believe. Once they have accomplished that, these websites have them right where they want them. Conclusions The effects of online gaming are now becoming more clear and transparent to technoculture and the information society. It is apparent that online gaming has become a microcosm of the digital divide that exists within society. According to one of our readings during the semester written by Oscar H. Gandy, Jr. (2002), the differences that make up the digital divide are more than just social constructions. The actual construction is molded due to the new systems of communication that have surfaced within the last twenty years. In relation to online gaming, Internet gaming websites are now competing to display the flashiest, most hypertextual sites in order to attract customers. Due to this competition, better bandwidth and enhanced software will result, thus highlighting the digital divide. Data mining and this notion of surveillance has also entered the conversation regarding online gaming. Because an individual has to present private information about ones self on a website to facilitate gambling, the possibility of gambling website selling personal information in return for financial gain is a distinct possibility. As aforementioned, the site I visited before pledged that they did not engage in data mining. Yet, this seems to suggest that other sites do exercise this right which effectively gives companies useful information about yourself. Moreover, whenever someone uses the Internet, especially in a situation where one willingly submits personal information such as credit card and phone numbers, the possibility of third party surveillance is always present. It really conveys the authentic risks one undertakes when participating in the latest innovation. Another theory that online gaming illustrates is the constant tension between structure and agency. The government represents structure. As a stable entity, it looks to control the path of Internet gambling by establishing rules and regulations in hopes of creating some order. Internet gambling, on the other hand, is the perfect example of agency. Gambling, in and of itself, is the exact definition of what agency represents: the ability of uncertainty and chaos to influence the parameters through which we live. However, as much as these two concepts seem unrelated, there is an interdependence that spurs the creation of new technologies, not only in the world of online gaming, but throughout the technological landscape. Annotated List of Relevant URLS 1. http://www. playwinningpoker. com/resources/sites2. html : This website is a resource for gamblers.It allows the user to learn new games, find new games, and contact certain people involved with gambling. 2. http://www. gambling. com/best/online-gambling-sites. htm : This website directs users to the best gambling websites on the Internet. It has a list on the left hand side with about sixty different links to other gambling sites. 3. http://www. out-law. com/page-6655 : This website is about illegal activities on the Internet. It contains a few articles on illegal mishaps that have occurred through Internet gambling websites. 4. http://www. becker-posner-blog.com/archives/2006/08/on_internet_gam. html : Blog that contains articles about Internet gambling. Website constructed by Gary Becker and Richard Posner. 5. http://www. cardplayer. com/blog/entry/179 : Blog that is pro-Internet gambling. Players write their feelings on why they think Internet casinos are fun and exciting. 6. http://www. istoppedgambling. com/ : Website founded to help people with gambling problems. Includes personal stories, how-to instructions, and negative articles about gambling. 7. http://www. nomoregambling. com/ : Website founded to help people with Internet gambling problems. Has a hotline and other medias to help combat irresponsible Internet betting. Works Cited Barker, Thomas Britz, Marjie (2000). Jokers Wild: Legalized Gambling in the Twenty-first Century. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Schwartz G. , David (2003). Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond. New York, NY: Taylor and Francis Books, Inc. Volberg A. , Rachel (2001). When the Chips Are Down: Problem Gambling in America. New York, NY: The Century Foundation, Inc. http://www. cato. org/testimony/ct-tb052198. html.

A Traumatic Brain Injury Health And Social Care Essay

A Traumatic Brain Injury Health And Social Care Essay The Brain Injury Association of America defines a traumatic brain injury as an insult to the brain, not of degenerative or congenital nature, caused by an external physical force that may produce a diminished or altered state of consciousness, which results in an impairment of cognitive abilities or physical functioning. It can also result in the disturbance of behavioral or emotional functioning.Any injury to the head may cause traumatic brain injury (TBI). There are two major types of TBI: Penetrating Injuries:  In these injuries, a foreign object (e.g., a bullet) enters the brain and causes damage to specific brain parts. This focal, or localized, damage occurs along the route the object has traveled in the brain. Symptoms vary depending on the part of the brain that is damaged. Closed Head Injuries:  Closed head injuries result from a blow to the head as occurs, for example, in a car accident when the head strikes the windshield or dashboard. These injuries cause two types of brain damage: People with a brain injury often have cognitive (thinking) and communication problems that significantly impair their ability to live independently. These problems vary depending on how widespread brain damage is and the location of the injury. Brain injury survivors may have trouble finding the words they need to express an idea or explain themselves through speaking and/or writing. It may be an effort for them to understand both written and spoken messages, as if they were trying to comprehend a foreign language. They may have difficulty with spelling, writing, and reading, as well. The person may have trouble with social communication, including: taking turns in conversation maintaining a topic of conversation using an appropriate tone of voice interpreting the subtleties of conversation (e.g., the difference between sarcasm and a serious statement) responding to facial expressions and body language keeping up with others in a fast-paced conversation Individuals may seem overemotional (overreacting) or flat (without emotional affect). Most frustrating to families and friends, a person may have little to no awareness of just how inappropriate he or she is acting. In general, communication can be very frustrating and unsuccessful. In addition to all of the above, muscles of the lips and tongue may be weaker or less coordinated after TBI. The person may have trouble speaking clearly. The person may not be able to speak loudly enough to be heard in conversation. Muscles may be so weak that the person is unable to speak at all. Weak muscles may also limit the ability to chew and swallow effectively. Treating traumatic brain injury  occurs when a patient is admitted to the hospital. Doctors work diligently to stabilize his or her condition, which can include unblocking airways, maintaining blood flow to the brain and, in extreme cases, resuscitation. In addition, doctors treat open wounds and administer antibiotics to prevent infection. Once a patient has stabilized, his or her doctors may order MRI scans, CT scans, or X-rays to help assess the level of brain damage. Doctors may also prescribe anti-convulsion medication to prevent seizures. In some instances, traumatic brain injury can lead to increased intracranial pressure. These cases often require surgery to accommodate brain swelling and excess fluid. Open head injuries may require surgery to remove broken skull fragments and insert synthetic pieces that protect delicate brain tissue. Traumatic brain injury rehabilitation  is an important part of treatment because it helps patients regain or manage impaired brain functions and minimizes long-term traumatic brain injury disabilities. Through rehabilitation, patients are sometimes able to regain important brain functions such as speech, memory and mobility. Rehabilitation can also help a victims family cope with the tragedy. Traumatic brain injury has many other causes, complications and treatments. Please read other articles on this site for more information on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of traumatic brain injury. The recovery process is different for everyone. Just as no two people are alike, no two brain injuries are alike. Recovery is typically lengthy-from months to years-because the brain takes a long time to heal. These tips, directed at the person with a brain injury, will help your loved one improve after the injury: Get lots of rest. Avoid doing anything that could cause another blow or jolt to the head. Ask the doctor when its safe to drive a car, ride a bike, play sports or use heavy equipment, because reaction time may be slower after a brain injury. Take prescription medication according to thedoctors instructions. Do not drink alcohol or use street drugs. Write things down to help with memory problems. Ask the doctor to recommend rehabilitation services that might help recovery, and follow those recommendations Mild injury Mild traumatic brain injuries usually require no treatment other than rest and over-the-counter pain relievers to treat a headache. However, a person with a mild traumatic brain injury usually needs to be monitored closely at home for any persistent, worsening or new symptoms. He or she also may have follow-up doctor appointments. The doctor will indicate when a return to work, school or recreational activities is appropriate. Its best to avoid physical or thinking (cognitive) activities until symptoms have stopped. Most people return to normal routines gradually. Immediate emergency care Emergency care for moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries focuses on making sure the person has an adequate oxygen and blood supply, maintaining blood pressure, and preventing any further injury to the head or neck. People with severe injuries may also have other injuries that need to be addressed. Additional treatments in the emergency room or intensive care unit of a hospital will focus on minimizing secondary damage due to inflammation, bleeding or reduced oxygen supply to the brain. Medications Medications to limit secondary damage to the brain immediately after an injury may include: Diuretics.  These drugs reduce the amount of fluid in tissues and increase urine output. Diuretics, given intravenously to people with traumatic brain injury, help reduce pressure inside the brain. Anti-seizure drugs.  People whove had a moderate to severe traumatic brain injury are at risk of having seizures during the first week after their injury. An anti-seizure drug may be given during the first week to avoid any additional brain damage that might be caused by a seizure. Additional anti-seizure treatments are used only if seizures occur. Coma-inducing drugs.  Doctors sometimes use drugs to put people into temporary comas because a comatose brain needs less oxygen to function. This is especially helpful if blood vessels, compressed by increased pressure in the brain, are unable to deliver the usual amount of nutrients and oxygen to brain cells. Surgery Emergency surgery may be needed to minimize additional damage to brain tissues. Surgery may be used to address the following problems: Removing clotted blood (hematomas).  Bleeding outside or within the brain can result in a collection of clotted blood (hematoma) that puts pressure on the brain and damages brain tissue. Repairing skull fractures.  Surgery may be needed to repair severe skull fractures or to remove pieces of skull in the brain. Opening a window in the skull.  Surgery may be used to relieve pressure inside the skull by draining accumulated cerebral spinal fluid or creating a window in the skull that provides more room for swollen tissues. Rehabilitation Most people who have had a significant brain injury will require rehabilitation. They may need to relearn basic skills, such as walking or talking. The goal is to improve their abilities to perform daily activities. Therapy usually begins in the hospital and continues at an inpatient rehabilitation unit, a residential treatment facility or through outpatient services. The type and duration of rehabilitation varies by individual, depending on the severity of the brain injury and what part of the brain was injured. Rehabilitation specialists may include: Physiatrist,  a doctor trained in physical medicine and rehabilitation, who oversees the entire rehabilitation process Occupational therapist  who helps the person learn, relearn or improve skills to perform everyday activities Physical therapist,  who helps with mobility and relearning movement patterns, balance and walking Speech and language pathologist,  who helps the person improve communication skills and use assistive communication devices if necessary Neuropsychologist or psychiatrist,  who helps the person manage behaviors or learn coping strategies, provides talk therapy as needed for emotional and psychological well-being, and prescribes medication as needed Social worker or case manager,  who facilitates access to service agencies, assists with care decisions and planning, and facilitates communication among various professionals, care providers and family members Rehabilitation nurse,  who provides ongoing rehabilitation care and services and who helps with discharge planning from the hospital or rehabilitation facility Traumatic brain injury nurse specialist,  who helps coordinate care and educates the family about the injury and recovery process Recreational therapist,  who assists with leisure activities Vocational counselor,  who  assesses the ability to return to work and appropriate vocational opportunities, and provides resources for addressing common challenges in the workplace Prognosis (or Chance of Recovery) It is difficult to predict how well someone who has had a brain injury will recover, partly because there is no test a doctor can use to predict recovery. The Glasgow Coma Scale is used to determine the initial severity of a brain injury. It is often used at the scene of the accident or in the emergency room. This scale uses eye movements and ability to speak and move other parts of the body to determine the seriousness of the injury. Ask your doctor to explain the tests used to determine your loved ones ability to recover. Your loved ones prognosis will depend on many factors, including the severity of the injury, the type of injury, and what parts of the brain have been affected. Prompt diagnosis and treatment will help the recovery process. In discussing possible effects of TBI, the immediate physiological recovery (which may continue over months and years) was discussed in a  prior question. When the moderately or severely injured person has completed this initial recovery, the long-term functional deficits associated with TBI come to the fore. What areas of functioning may be affected by injury to the brain? Any or all of the functions the brain controls may be impacted. However, given that individuals differ greatly in their response to injury, any specific individual may experience only one, a few, or most of the possible effects. Further, a change in any of the possible areas of dysfunction, if it occurs at all, will vary in intensity across individuals from very subtle to moderate to life threatening. It is important to be aware also that not all functions of the individual are impacted by TBI. For example, feelings toward family, long-term memories, the ability to ski or cook, ones knowledge of the world, and so forth all may be intact, along with numerous other characteristics of an individual, even one who has experienced a moderate to severe injury. Individuals with a moderate-to-severe brain injury most typically experience problems in basic cognitive skills: sustaining attention, concentrating on tasks at hand, and remembering newly learned material. They may think slowly, speak slowly, and solve problems slowly. They may become confused easily when normal routines are changed or when the stimulation level from the environment exceeds their threshold. They may persevere at tasks too long, being unable to switch to a different tactic or a new task when encountering difficulties. Or, on the other hand, they may jump at the first solution they see, substituting impulsive responses for considered actions. They may be unable to go beyond a concrete appreciation of situations, to find abstract principles that are necessary to carry learning into new situations. Their speech and language may be impaired: word-finding problems, understanding the language of others, and the like. A major class of cognitive abilities that may be affected by TBI is referred to as executive functions the complex processing of large amounts of intricate information that we need to function creatively, competently and independently as beings in a complex world. Thus, after injury, individuals with TBI may be unable to function well in their social roles because of difficulty in planning ahead, in keeping track of time, in coordinating complex events, in making decisions based on broad input, in adapting to changes in life, and in otherwise being the executive in ones own life. With appropriate training and other supports, the person may be able to learn to compensate for some of these cognitive difficulties. TBI may cause emotional, social, or behavioral problems and changes in personality.[115][116][117][118]  These may include emotional instability,  depression, anxiety,hypomania,  mania, apathy, irritability, problems with social judgment, and impaired conversational skills.[115][118][119]  TBI appears to predispose survivors to psychiatric disorders including  obsessive compulsive disorder,  substance abuse,  dysthymia,  clinical depression,  bipolar disorder, and  anxiety disorders.[120]  In patients who have depression after TBI, suicidal ideation is not uncommon; the suicide rate among these persons is increased 2- to 3-fold.[121]  Social and behavioral symptoms that can follow TBI include disinhibition, inability to control anger, impulsiveness,  lack of initiative, inappropriate sexual activity, poor social judgment, and changes in personality. With TBI, the systems in the brain that control our social-emotional lives often are damaged. The consequences for the individual and for his or her significant others may be very difficult, as these changes may imply to them that the person who once was is no longer there. Thus, personality can be substantially or subtly modified following injury. The person who was once an optimist may now be depressed. The previously tactful and socially skilled negotiator may now be blurting comments that embarrass those around him/her. The person may also be characterized by a variety of other behaviors: dependent behaviors, emotional swings, lack of motivation, irritability, aggression, lethargy, being very uninhibited, and/or being unable to modify behavior to fit varying situations. A very important change that affects many people with TBI is referred to as denial (or, lack of awareness): The person becomes unable to compare post-injury behavior and abilities with pre-injury behavior and abilities. For these individuals, the effects of TBI are, for whatever reason, simply not perceived whether for emotional reasons, as a means of avoiding the pain of fully facing the consequences of injury, or for neurological reasons, in which brain damage itself limits the individuals ability to step back, compare, evaluate differences, and reach a conclusion based on that process. With appropriate training, therapy, and other supports, the person may be able to reduce the impact of some of these emotional and behavioral difficulties. The TBI Research Center at Mount Sinai is conducting research to help people with TBI who experience depression and other mood disturbances [ Useful Resources Services for Families Affected by TBI National Disability Rights Network Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Disabilities Protection and Advocacy (PA) System and Client Assistance Program (CAP) This nationwide network of congressionally mandated disability rights agencies provides various services to people with disabilities, including TBI. PA agencies provide information and referral services and help people with disabilities find solutions to problems involving discrimination and employment, education, health care and transportation, personal decision-making, and Social Security disability benefits. These agencies also provide individual and family advocacy. CAP agencies help clients seeking vocational rehabilitation. For more information on PA and CAP programs, contact the National Disability Rights Network at:  www.napas.org  or (202) 408-9514. Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Funded through the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, the TBI Model Systems consist of 16 TBI treatment centers throughout the U.S. The TBI Model Systems have extensive experience treating people with TBI and are linked to well established medical centers which provide high quality trauma care from the onset of head injury through the rehabilitation process. For more information on the TBI Model Systems, go towww.tbindsc.org/Centers/centers.asp  or call the TBI Project Coordinator at (973) 414-4723 to find the center nearest you. Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) Chartered State Affiliates BIAA is a national program with a network of more than 40 chartered state affiliates, as well as hundreds of local chapters providing information, education and support to individuals, families and professionals affected by brain injury. To locate   your states TBI programs that can be of assistance, visit the Brain Injury Association of Americas online listing of chartered state affiliates at  www.biausa.org/stateoffices.htm, or call (800) 444-6443. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) It is possible that your loved one may be entitled to SSDI and/or SSI. SSDI and SSI eligibility is dependent on a number of factors including the severity of the disability and what assets and income your loved one has. You should contact the Social Security Administration to find out more about these programs and whether your loved one will qualify for these benefits. For more information on SSDI and SSI, contact the Social Security Administration at  www.ssa.gov  or (800) 772-1213. Centers for Independent Living (CIL) Some families have found that it is important to encourage their loved one with a TBI to continually learn skills that can allow them to live independently in the community. The CILs exist nationwide to help people with disabilities live independently in the community and may have resources to help your loved one reach a goal of living alone. CIL services include advocacy, peer counseling, case management, personal assistance and counseling, information and referral, and independent living skills development. For more information on the CIL system, contact the National Council on Independent Living at  www.virtualcil.net/cils  or (703) 525-3406.

The Well by Elizabeth Jolley and Relationship of Hester and Katherine E

The Well by Elizabeth Jolley and Relationship of Hester and Katherine Hester Harper is a lonely, single lady in The Well. It was her loneliness, lack of love and need for companionship that made her bring Katherine home. She did not have a life of her own. Katherine was an unloved child, who had already been rejected by people in her country until she luckily met with Hester. Katherine formed a close relationship with Hester, and soon realised that Hester was quite fond of her. Katherine fulfilled all her requirements, and Hester believed that it is the beginning of a secure and loving relationship. Hester spoiled Katherine and made her life incredibly comfortable; she did not want to ever let go of her. Katherine was incredibly good at manipulating Hester. She displayed her care and friendliness on the first day that she was brought home, â€Å"Oh Miss Harper I will. Thank you†¦she hugged and kissed her.† She was all open and honest to Hester, it seemed strange that a normal person would show affection to a stranger, without even forming a close relationship. Katherine from the first day, had a concealed motive by knowing that Miss Harper was a well respected and rich lady and for this reason was already trying to take advantage of her, trying to win her love so she could be the replacement daughter and inherit Hester’s assets. There is also the time when Katherine convinced Hester to invite Joanna to come stay for a week. The suspicion gets even stronger when we learn about â€Å"Katherine’s ability and willingness in the household† and that â€Å"there was nothing Katherine could not copy or learn.† She seemed to have all the makings of an efficient criminal. It is very unusual for a young girl to be willing to sta... ... it. Nevertheless we never find out who stole the money; however we do know that Hester is left with nothing. All she ever wanted is for her and Katherine to be happy. Hester and Katherine both tried to take advantage of each other. Hester never wanted to lose Katherine, and had always done what was best for her. She tried to make Katherine’s life the most comfortable as she possibly could. She bought all the things that Katherine insisted upon, and even told Katherine that she could invite her best friend to stay, even though she did not look so kindly upon. All Katherine ever wanted was the money to use for her own pleasure, she wanted to get everything out of Hester, and was very manipulative in doing so. She had Hester wrapped up in her little finger. Both Katherine and Hester used each other, but it was really Katherine who was in the most control.

What motivates people at work? Essay

There have been a large number of theories looking into motivation at work and the factors which affect it. In this essay I will be exploring three key theories in the area, each provides a very different angle on what motivates employees at work. To begin I will look at a need theory of motivation, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory (1959), as the name suggests need theories concentrate on the need’s of the employee as the main source of motivation. Herzberg built upon Maslow’s hugely influential Hierarchy of Needs (1954). Conducting research on 203 American accountants and engineers he looked at what makes employees satisfied and dissatisfied at work. Contrary to Maslow’s theory Herzberg suggests that motivation is not measured on one linear scale from satisfied to dissatisfied, but rather the two are independent of each other and form separate scales. The first group which determines dissatisfaction (or de-motivation) are named Hygiene factors which include our basic needs such as our pay and safety. The addition or improvement of hygiene factors can only lead to contentment in employees and not motivation. The second group which determines satisfaction are named Motivators, these include our internal needs such as our need to achieve, to be recognised and given responsibility. A decline or lack of motivators will not de-motivate employees, but adding them can lead to increased motivation. Research on the theory has provided both support and criticism. To begin with the theory is supported by the number of successful replications as reported by Hodgetts and Luthans (1991), these replications have taken place across the world and in a wide variety of different job sectors and still achieved the same results. The main area of criticism for the Two-Factor theory targets the methodology of the research it was derived from. Soliman (1970) pointed out that the tendency of subjects to give socially desirable answers would have impacted the answers participants gave to Herzbergs open ended questions. In addition there is a tendency for people to attribute negative situations to others and posit ive to themselves e.g. â€Å"I felt satisfaction  when ‘I’ achieved and was recognised for it† or â€Å"I was dissatisfied when ‘the company’ paid me late†. This biased attribution of satisfying and dissatisfying situations is another example of a problem with the methodology. More problems with the methodology are shown by House and Wigdor (1967). After re-analysing Herzberg’s original results they concluded that factors described as being either a hygiene or motivator were not mutually exclusive. In many cases the addition of Hygiene factors can act to motivate people, likewise a lack of Motivator factors can causes dissatisfaction. However as well as looking at the empirical research on the theory we must also think about its value when practically applied to the workplace. In support of the theory it does, to a certain extent makes sense. If one month you miss out on pay or are required to do something dangerous you would be dissatisfied. At the same time employees do not feel satisfied or motivated by safe working conditions or being paid on time because it is what they expect. The same goes for Motivator factors, an employee would feel more satisfied if they received a personal compliment from the boss but it is unlikely that they would feel dissatisfied if it didn’t happen. They certainly wouldn’t expect it every day. Yet one key problem with the theory is that it fails to take into account the difference between satisfaction and motivation. An employee may be satisfied at work, they may obtain all the ‘motivator’ factors outlined in the theory but this does not mean they will automatically be motivated to be as productive as they can be. Another criticism is that the theory does not account for individual differences, employees are not all the same, some may be more materialistic and be motivated more by monetary reward. Some strive for achievement and are willing to do anything to gain the respect of their peers and high status within the business while others may be content with their job and just wish to keep their heads down and get on with it. Put simply, while being given responsibility may satisfy some people others may find it an unpleasant addition to their job. In summary the Two-Factor model and its supporting research have been found to have good re-test and cross cultural reliability but has been heavily criticised for its validity and methodology. Although this weakens the value of the theory it has still been extremely influential and can be practically applied in most organizations as a method by which staff motivation can be monitored and improved. Next I am going to look at the Goal Setting Theory Locke (1969). The basic premise of the theory is that by setting a goal you can increase a person’s motivation and performance. This increase in performance is due to the motivational influence of goals in 4 key areas (as cited in Woods 2010). The first is that goals help to focus a person’s attention and behaviour in the correct direction. Secondly goals have the effect of increasing the effort a person is willing expend. Thirdly the addition of a goal increase the amount of a time a person will spend on a specific task. Finally they motivate an individual to seek out and apply relevant knowledge and skills in order to complete the goal. This is how the goal setting theory explains why we are motivated by goals. In addition to this Locke and Latham (1990) put forward 5 key features of a goal which determine how motivating it is, to be effective goals must be; 1) Specific, a goal which gives a specific target is more motivating then goals which simply require a person to ‘do your best’. 2) Measurable, a measurable target enables a person to track their progress towards the goal and alter their effort and method accordingly. 3) Time-Bound, applying a deadline to achieving the goal enables a person to better manage their time and effort. 4) Challenging, it is unlikely that an easy goal will motivate a person to put in maximum effort. By making the goal challenging people are push and required to work harder in order to achieve. 5) Attainable, having a goal which is impossible to achieve is likely to de-motivate a person, why would a person put effort in if they have no chance of success. It must be realistically possible to achieve goals. The theory provides a good detailed description of both how and why people are motivated. It has been one of the most widely researched areas within motivational psychology and is still very much an evolving area. Research by Latham and Baldes (1975) put the core assumption of the goal setting theory to the test in a real world setting. They introduced the goal of reaching 94% efficiency in the loading of trucks (previously at just 60%) to a group of employees in a logging company. The employees were motivated by the goal and successfully achieved (and often surpassed) it and continued to work consistently at the target rate. To have achieved the same increase in efficiency without Goal theory (by purchasing more trucks) would have cost the company $250,000. Another example of research supporting the Goal  setting theory comes from Blumenfeld and Leidy (1969). They found that 55 engineers in charge of soft drinks machines checked considerably more machines when set a goal then when no goal was set. Furthermore it was found that engineers checked more machines when set a challenging goal then if set an easy goal. A key problem with the methodology of both pieces of supporting research above is that there was little control over extraneous variables. For example Latham and Baldes (1975) did show a huge increase in productivity, but this may not have been due to the addition of a goal. Perhaps the competitive nature of the loggers lead to an increase in efficiency, it may also have simply been down to the increased supervision the workers received at the time. Again it is important to look at the theory in terms of its practical application in the workplace. Its key strength is that it does appear to work as a method of increasing motivation, however again the theory fails to account for individual differences. Employees who are already highl y motivated at work would benefit from goals being set; it would push them and enable them to prove themselves. However other less confident employees may not enjoy the competitive nature of workplace goals and targets, it could even cause stress and discomfort and leads to a reduction in motivation. In addition, when you direct a person’s attention and effort towards one specific goal you may get a decrease in performance in other tasks. A goal may not increase motivation but just direct it. For example if you give hospital staff the target of seeing all patients within 10 minuets they may achieve the target but at the cost of service and quality of treatment. This would obviously be detrimental to the quality of work on the whole. A final point to consider is that all employees have different levels of ability so in order for goals to push an employee but still remain achievable they must be individually tailored. As well as being impractical in a large business Equality theories (discussed next) would suggest that giving some people easier targets than others may actually lead to a reduction in motivation. On the whole Goal Theories are very useful and practical when applied in the right circumstances. Perhaps one weakness of both the theory and supporting research is in its inability to account for causes of demotivation in an organization. However the research shows that goals do motivate people at work, yet when applied to an organizational environment we see possible  drawbacks and potential difficulties which are difficult to overcome. The final theory I am going to examine is the Organizational Justice Theory which builds upon the equity theory put forward by Adams (1963). The Organizational Justice theory has been constructed from theory and research contributed by a significant number of psychologists, certainly too many to list in their entirety. However two key contributors worth noting are Greenberg (1987a) who coined the term Organizational Justice and conducted much of the early research and Mowday (1987) (cited in Greenberg 1990) who has had a significant impact on the theory. The core belief of the theory is that employees can be motivated (or de-motivated) by their perception of how fairly they are being treated at work in comparison to their colleagues. The theory suggests three different types of justice which can be perceived. The first is Distributive Justice, which looks at the extent to which an employee thinks they are being fairly rewarded for the work they put in compared to others, the theory s uggest that a person will either increase or decrease their level of input in order to balance out and restore equality. The second is Procedural Justice, this looks at how fair a person feels the procedures and systems are within a business, for example is holiday date allocation fair. The third is Interactional Justice, this is the least researched area and compromises of two parts; Informational Justice describes how well informed a person is about the decisions taken within a business, using holiday as an example again it may be explained to an employee why they can not have the holiday they asked for. Interpersonal Justice describes the extent to which someone feels they are treated with respect. As with the Goal setting theory there has been a considerable amount of research put into Organizational Justice theory. In a recent study Zapata-Phelan, Colquitt, Scott and Livingston (2009) (cited in Woods 2010) looked at how procedural and interaction justice effected motivation and in turn performance. They found that when a person perceived high procedural justice in an organization there was an incr ease in motivation, leading to an increase in performance.

Friedman Family Assessment

Friedman Family Assessment Friedman Family Assessment A nursing assessment of a family is the basis of nursing interventions. Stanhope And Lancaster (2008) state, â€Å"By using a systemic process, family problem areas are Identified and family strengths are emphasized as the building blocks for interventions, and to facilitate family resiliency. (p. 567). This assessment will describe a family that finds themselves alone, after the death of their wife and mother, six months ago. For ML his wife, for CL his mother.This small family of two graciously agreed to be a part of my assessment, they were interviewed together and separately, multiple times. â€Å"Family refers to two or more individuals who depend on one another for emotional, physical, and/or financial support. † (Stanhope & Lancaster, (2008) p. 554). Family Assessment Mode/Identifying Data This family is a small family of two. ML is the father, and CL is the son. They live in a three bedroom home, owned by ML IN Valrico, Florida. ML is a 46-year-old male, and CL is a 16-year-old male. ML and CL lost their wife and mother six months ago to breast cancer.They have both struggled ever since. ML is a welder and has worked for the same company for the past 20 years. After the death of his wife, he sold their home of twelve years and moved to Valrico, to â€Å"start over†. ML works from 7am to 7pm Monday through Friday. ML works hard and provides nicely for his son. He is gone most of the day, and into the evening. ML works as much over-time as possible. He stated â€Å"as long as I am working, I do not have to be home alone with my son, not because I do not love him, but because we both know what is missing†.ML drinks beer on the weekends, he admits it is getting heavier since his wife has passed away. Most evenings he does not cook at home, instead he brings home fast food or they eat frozen foods for dinner. Three months ago ML was diagnosed with Hypertension, Non-Insulin-Diabet es-Mellitus, Hyperlipidemia, Anxiety and Depression. He has started treatment just recently for Hypertension, Diabetes and Hyperlipidemia all with Po meds and diet. He stated, â€Å"I do not need medications for the depression, my wife just died, who wouldn’t be depressed nd anxious†. CL is a 15-year-old boy, an only child, and lives with his father. CL has had a difficult time since his mother has died. ML and CL have no other family that lives close to them. Both of his grandparents live in New York, and are much older. CL states â€Å"Dad is doing the best he can, I worry about him, and he just does not know what to do. He is sad all of the time, and I just try and stay away from him† CL is home alone a lot of the time, before and after school. His grades have suffered, he feels sad and depressed most of the time.He has few friends since moving to this new home, and he isolates in front of the television or his Xbox. His diet is less than optimal, living on f rozen and fast foods daily, other than the meals he gets at school, breakfast and lunch. CL has stated that â€Å"he is scared and lonely† he has stated â€Å"Dad and I do not talk, we both are too sad†. I believe that both ML and CL are afraid of their feelings, afraid of what will happen if they start to talk, and they may not know how to communicate with each other, especially about their feelings regarding the death of their wife and mother.Both ML and CL have agreed to be my family for this assessment, they both admitted they needed help and that they are aware they need the help. Better than that, they both want the help. Developmental Stage According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2008) Duvall’s Developmental stages of the families â€Å"are based on the age of the eldest child† (p. 560). This family would fit into stage five. â€Å"Families with teenagers, oldest child 13-20 years old. Teenagers balance freedom with responsibility, establishing paren t interests and careers.Adolescents Parents focus on midlife marital and career issues, shift toward concern for older generation. Environmental Data This family lives in a three bedroom home, owned by ML, with 2 bathrooms, a family room and dining room. The house is clean, all appliances in good working order, I see no safety hazards, waste and garbage disposal is adequate. They have a nice back yard with a built in pool and patio, but it looks as though it has not been used. The family has just moved into this home, has lived there now for 3 months.It looks like a house, not a home. They live in a modest neighborhood, nice area of Valrico, with good schools, and a strong community. The family does not know any neighbors nor have they tried to get to know their neighbors. They have no idea of community resources; basically, they go to work and school, and stay home the rest of the time. Complete social isolation. Family Structure There is a strong need for these two family members to communicate with each other about their feelings of grief; they need to support each other and to stop isolating.They do not spend any time together, and when they are both home, they are in separate rooms. ML is very emotional when speaking about his wife and son, he feels he has failed his son, but does not know how to talk to him. CL is completely lost, not only is he dealing with the death of his mother, but he feels he has lost his father as well, along with the normal feelings of being a teenage boy. According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2008) â€Å"The two primary functions of families in the twenty first century are relationships and health care functions† (p. 555).This family is having difficulty with communicating, and sharing. They have lost a great deal and are not coping effectively Family Stress and Coping Currently the largest family stressor is anticipatory grieving on both family members. This leads to multiple stressors and ineffective coping mechanisms. T he strength and glue that held this family together is gone. ML has turned to alcohol to deal with his stress, and CL has isolated deeper. This beautiful family is in a downward spiral. Coping mechanisms need to be addressed, along with interventions to help this family. Family FunctionML believes all he can do right now is to provide for CL in monetary actions, house him, feed him, clothe him, and make sure he goes to school. He wants to be and do more, he is just unsure how at this time, he feels by providing financial survival, that is all he can do right now. This family is not functioning, there will be more dysfunction if this family cannot get the help that is needed, their issues are not chronic nor are they terminal. They need time and loving intervention, by friends, resources in their community, and by each other. Priority Family Nursing Diagnosis 1)The first nursing diagnosis for this family is; Ineffective, Individual Coping related to inadequate opportunity and time to prepare for the stressors of losing a loved one, and situational crisis as evidenced by using ineffective coping strategies, having physical symptoms of stress, and manifestations of negative behaviors to decrease stress. Family interventions will be to;* use effective coping strategies,* use behaviors toward self and others, *report decrease in physical symptoms of stress, *report increase in psychological and spiritual comfort,*seek help from a health care professional as appropriate.Within four months after seeking professional help. (2) The second nursing diagnoses for this family is; Anticipatory Grieving related to the death of a significant family member as evidenced by lack of communicating and discussing their feelings, ineffective feelings of expression with feelings of guilt, fear, anger, and sadness, anxiety, changes in appetite, decrease energy and isolation, for both family members.Family interventions will be to *Express appropriate feelings of guilt, fear, anger and sadness, with each other and self*Identify somatic distress associated with grief (anxiety, changes in appetite, insomnia, nightmares, decreased energy, and altered activity levels. Within four months of seeking professional treatment for both ML & CL. 3) The third nursing diagnosis for this family is; Altered Parenting related to deficient knowledge about parenting skills, poor communication skills, depression, and sadness, and changes in family unit as evidenced by inappropriate measures to maintain a safe, nurturing environment for the child, lack of attentive, supportive parenting behavior, and lack of child supervision. Interventions for this family would be*teach appropriate measures to develop a better, safer and nurturing home environment*acquire and display attentive, supportive parenting skills with positive adult behavior and positive and loving adult supervision.Conclusion This paper was developed to provide a family assessment and prioritized nursing diagnosis. Wit h the three main nursing diagnoses, nursing and family interventions were put in place. By using the Friedman Family Assessment, family challenges are recognized and the family strengths are highlighted as the ground work for interventions and foster family resilience. The assessment explored the family’s developmental stage, structure, composition and stressors. With this data, a nurse is able to prioritize family nursing diagnosis and analyze appropriate nursing interventions to assist with the progression of each diagnosis.According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2008) â€Å" Healthy and vital families are essential to the world’s future because all family members are affected by what their families have invested in them or failed to provide for their growth and well being. (p. 550).References Stanhope, M. , & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (8th ed. ). Maryland Heights, MO: Elsevier Mosby. . Turnitin Or iginality Report Processed on 17-Apr-2012 1:12 AM CDT ID: 242763557 Word Count: 1647 Similarity Index 5% Similarity by Source Internet Sources: 5% Publications: 0% Student Papers: N/A Friedman Family Assessment Friedman Family Assessment Friedman Family Assessment A nursing assessment of a family is the basis of nursing interventions. Stanhope And Lancaster (2008) state, â€Å"By using a systemic process, family problem areas are Identified and family strengths are emphasized as the building blocks for interventions, and to facilitate family resiliency. (p. 567). This assessment will describe a family that finds themselves alone, after the death of their wife and mother, six months ago. For ML his wife, for CL his mother.This small family of two graciously agreed to be a part of my assessment, they were interviewed together and separately, multiple times. â€Å"Family refers to two or more individuals who depend on one another for emotional, physical, and/or financial support. † (Stanhope & Lancaster, (2008) p. 554). Family Assessment Mode/Identifying Data This family is a small family of two. ML is the father, and CL is the son. They live in a three bedroom home, owned by ML IN Valrico, Florida. ML is a 46-year-old male, and CL is a 16-year-old male. ML and CL lost their wife and mother six months ago to breast cancer.They have both struggled ever since. ML is a welder and has worked for the same company for the past 20 years. After the death of his wife, he sold their home of twelve years and moved to Valrico, to â€Å"start over†. ML works from 7am to 7pm Monday through Friday. ML works hard and provides nicely for his son. He is gone most of the day, and into the evening. ML works as much over-time as possible. He stated â€Å"as long as I am working, I do not have to be home alone with my son, not because I do not love him, but because we both know what is missing†.ML drinks beer on the weekends, he admits it is getting heavier since his wife has passed away. Most evenings he does not cook at home, instead he brings home fast food or they eat frozen foods for dinner. Three months ago ML was diagnosed with Hypertension, Non-Insulin-Diabet es-Mellitus, Hyperlipidemia, Anxiety and Depression. He has started treatment just recently for Hypertension, Diabetes and Hyperlipidemia all with Po meds and diet. He stated, â€Å"I do not need medications for the depression, my wife just died, who wouldn’t be depressed nd anxious†. CL is a 15-year-old boy, an only child, and lives with his father. CL has had a difficult time since his mother has died. ML and CL have no other family that lives close to them. Both of his grandparents live in New York, and are much older. CL states â€Å"Dad is doing the best he can, I worry about him, and he just does not know what to do. He is sad all of the time, and I just try and stay away from him† CL is home alone a lot of the time, before and after school. His grades have suffered, he feels sad and depressed most of the time.He has few friends since moving to this new home, and he isolates in front of the television or his Xbox. His diet is less than optimal, living on f rozen and fast foods daily, other than the meals he gets at school, breakfast and lunch. CL has stated that â€Å"he is scared and lonely† he has stated â€Å"Dad and I do not talk, we both are too sad†. I believe that both ML and CL are afraid of their feelings, afraid of what will happen if they start to talk, and they may not know how to communicate with each other, especially about their feelings regarding the death of their wife and mother.Both ML and CL have agreed to be my family for this assessment, they both admitted they needed help and that they are aware they need the help. Better than that, they both want the help. Developmental Stage According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2008) Duvall’s Developmental stages of the families â€Å"are based on the age of the eldest child† (p. 560). This family would fit into stage five. â€Å"Families with teenagers, oldest child 13-20 years old. Teenagers balance freedom with responsibility, establishing paren t interests and careers.Adolescents Parents focus on midlife marital and career issues, shift toward concern for older generation. Environmental Data This family lives in a three bedroom home, owned by ML, with 2 bathrooms, a family room and dining room. The house is clean, all appliances in good working order, I see no safety hazards, waste and garbage disposal is adequate. They have a nice back yard with a built in pool and patio, but it looks as though it has not been used. The family has just moved into this home, has lived there now for 3 months.It looks like a house, not a home. They live in a modest neighborhood, nice area of Valrico, with good schools, and a strong community. The family does not know any neighbors nor have they tried to get to know their neighbors. They have no idea of community resources; basically, they go to work and school, and stay home the rest of the time. Complete social isolation. Family Structure There is a strong need for these two family members to communicate with each other about their feelings of grief; they need to support each other and to stop isolating.They do not spend any time together, and when they are both home, they are in separate rooms. ML is very emotional when speaking about his wife and son, he feels he has failed his son, but does not know how to talk to him. CL is completely lost, not only is he dealing with the death of his mother, but he feels he has lost his father as well, along with the normal feelings of being a teenage boy. According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2008) â€Å"The two primary functions of families in the twenty first century are relationships and health care functions† (p. 555).This family is having difficulty with communicating, and sharing. They have lost a great deal and are not coping effectively Family Stress and Coping Currently the largest family stressor is anticipatory grieving on both family members. This leads to multiple stressors and ineffective coping mechanisms. T he strength and glue that held this family together is gone. ML has turned to alcohol to deal with his stress, and CL has isolated deeper. This beautiful family is in a downward spiral. Coping mechanisms need to be addressed, along with interventions to help this family. Family FunctionML believes all he can do right now is to provide for CL in monetary actions, house him, feed him, clothe him, and make sure he goes to school. He wants to be and do more, he is just unsure how at this time, he feels by providing financial survival, that is all he can do right now. This family is not functioning, there will be more dysfunction if this family cannot get the help that is needed, their issues are not chronic nor are they terminal. They need time and loving intervention, by friends, resources in their community, and by each other. Priority Family Nursing Diagnosis 1)The first nursing diagnosis for this family is; Ineffective, Individual Coping related to inadequate opportunity and time to prepare for the stressors of losing a loved one, and situational crisis as evidenced by using ineffective coping strategies, having physical symptoms of stress, and manifestations of negative behaviors to decrease stress. Family interventions will be to;* use effective coping strategies,* use behaviors toward self and others, *report decrease in physical symptoms of stress, *report increase in psychological and spiritual comfort,*seek help from a health care professional as appropriate.Within four months after seeking professional help. (2) The second nursing diagnoses for this family is; Anticipatory Grieving related to the death of a significant family member as evidenced by lack of communicating and discussing their feelings, ineffective feelings of expression with feelings of guilt, fear, anger, and sadness, anxiety, changes in appetite, decrease energy and isolation, for both family members.Family interventions will be to *Express appropriate feelings of guilt, fear, anger and sadness, with each other and self*Identify somatic distress associated with grief (anxiety, changes in appetite, insomnia, nightmares, decreased energy, and altered activity levels. Within four months of seeking professional treatment for both ML & CL. 3) The third nursing diagnosis for this family is; Altered Parenting related to deficient knowledge about parenting skills, poor communication skills, depression, and sadness, and changes in family unit as evidenced by inappropriate measures to maintain a safe, nurturing environment for the child, lack of attentive, supportive parenting behavior, and lack of child supervision. Interventions for this family would be*teach appropriate measures to develop a better, safer and nurturing home environment*acquire and display attentive, supportive parenting skills with positive adult behavior and positive and loving adult supervision.Conclusion This paper was developed to provide a family assessment and prioritized nursing diagnosis. Wit h the three main nursing diagnoses, nursing and family interventions were put in place. By using the Friedman Family Assessment, family challenges are recognized and the family strengths are highlighted as the ground work for interventions and foster family resilience. The assessment explored the family’s developmental stage, structure, composition and stressors. With this data, a nurse is able to prioritize family nursing diagnosis and analyze appropriate nursing interventions to assist with the progression of each diagnosis.According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2008) â€Å" Healthy and vital families are essential to the world’s future because all family members are affected by what their families have invested in them or failed to provide for their growth and well being. (p. 550).References Stanhope, M. , & Lancaster, J. (2012). Public health nursing: Population-centered health care in the community (8th ed. ). Maryland Heights, MO: Elsevier Mosby. . Turnitin Or iginality Report Processed on 17-Apr-2012 1:12 AM CDT ID: 242763557 Word Count: 1647 Similarity Index 5% Similarity by Source Internet Sources: 5% Publications: 0% Student Papers: N/A