Healthy Grief Essay Example for Free

Healthy Grief Essay The loss of a family member and/or loved one can put someone on an emotional roller coaster. Whether it is an expected or unexpected loss, the emotional process of dealing with the grief could be the same. With an expected loss, loved ones are able to prepare themselves for what is to come. An unexpected loss could bring more emotions into the grieving process. This paper will discuss the grieving process by Kubler-Ross, the story of Job, and the way Muslims deal with death and dying. While some people focus on the sadness of losing a loved one, others try and find the positive in the any situation. To grieve the loss of a loved one, many would say that they feel a lot of different indescribable emotions. Shock, disbelief, emotional pain, anger, and sadness are all some emotions that people feel while grieving. Kubler-Ross developed a five step grieving process that one should experience and move through so they can move on to a happy life (Lecture 5 Notes). The process itself is: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (Lecture 5 Notes). It is easy for a person to not believe that a loved one has passed on as begin the grieving process (Lecture 5 Notes). Once the denial has processed and the loss has become a reality, it is normal to get angry and ask ‘why did this happen?’ Bargaining with God is the next step in the grieving process. Trying to make a deal with God to try and bring back a loved one gives a person hope that their loved one will come back. Once reality has set in, depression is the next step (Lecture 5 Notes). This is when the feelings of hopelessness set in, making it difficult for a person to pass this stage (Lecture 5 Notes). The last stage of the grieving process is acceptance (Lecture 5 Notes). This is the stage that helps a person emotionally move on from grieving the loss of a loved one. Life goes becomes a new type of normal with the memory of the loved one instead of the having the loved one there (Lecture 5 Notes). In the book of Job, Satan challenges Job’s faith and love for God, with God’s permission (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Satan does everything in his power to get Job to not only doubt God, but to curse him as well (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Satan killed his ten children and destroyed his livestock and servants (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Job focused more on God and praised him as he mourned loss of his children and wealth (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Satan then tried one last time by filling Job’s body with sores (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). The doubt of his wife and the negativity of his colleagues never gave him a change of heart. Job remained faithful to God, never doubted Him (he doubted himself at times), and still praised Him (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). God eventually replenished Job’s wealth and blessed him with more children (Study Bible-NLT, 2008). Job grieved in a very healthy way. He did not blame others and he did not curse God. He tried to find the good in every ba d situation. One religion that differs from Christianity and western civilization’s way of grieving the loss of a loved one is the Islamic religion. With death and dying, Muslims believe that there is life after death (Ross, 2001). It is believed that believers of the religion must practice the five pillars of Islam and live a righteous life on earth in order to have a different afterlife than those ‘unbelievers’ (Ross, 2001). People of the Islamic religion must mourn as they prepare for a quick burial (Ross, 2001). A loved one should be buried the day of death or the day after, not any later (Ross, 2001). In public, it is not of their norm for women to show any emotion at a time like this (Ross, 2001). Finding joy in the midst of losing a loved one can be trying. But like Job in the Bible, joy could come quicker if faith is not lost. Grieving is a challenging time to stay positive. Making the attempt to stay positive helps push one through the grieving process without getting stuck in one of the stages for too long. A good way to find joy is to continue to praise God and not to lose faith in Him. In closing, re-reading the book of Job in the Holy Bible has reminded me of how important it is to praise God in the midst of a storm. The loss of a loved one is tragic for anyone and grieving is a natural process in life. But if the focus stays on praising God and not losing faith, that grieving process can turn into a healing process and it is possible to find peace in the midst of grieving. God always has a rainbow waiting at the end of each storm, it just depends how long it takes for you to play in the rain before you get there.

Huckleberry Finn: Themes of Religion

Huckleberry Finn: Themes of Religion Phyu Han Theme of Religion in Huckleberry Finn Relating to today’s Society In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain makes a satire of some characters’ absolute faith in religion compared to other characters’ doubt that such beliefs are for real. Miss Watson and Widow Douglas both believe that heaven â€Å"good place† exists and they explain to Huckleberry Finn that the only way to get there is to pray and go to church every Sunday. â€Å"She told me to pray every day, and whatever I asked for I would get it. But it warn’t so. I tried it.† (Twain 8) On the contrary, Huckleberry Finn presumes that religion and faith are unrealistic because people cannot see them. â€Å"I went and told the widow about it, and she said the thing a body could get by praying for it was ‘spiritual gifts’.† (Twain 8) In relation to the issues concerning faith in religion in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, there are still conflicts between faith in God, the Creator, and belief in scientific ideas in to day’s society. Currently in today’s world population, the religious â€Å"unaffiliated† category makes up the third largest group (Heneghan). This category consists of atheists, agnostics, and people with no evident religion (Heneghan). In present society, religion faces a new challenge known as scientific research. Many people still disagrees on whether the Creator has created and expanded the universe or if it was caused the initial Big Bang explosion (O’Neil). Scientists have continued to search for a definite answer. On March 17, 2014, scientists announced a Big Bang breakthrough that might suggest that the Big Bang did not occur as a simple explosion caused by hot and dense matter but was a highly ordered event (O’Neil). Scientists in South Pole working with a telescope called BICEP 2 detected gravitational waves that provides evidence for the universe’s rapid expansion known today as the Big Bang theory (O’Neil). The evidence found was that the univer se expanded faster than the speed of light when it was a trillionth of a trillionth of a trillionth of a second old (O’Neil). Christian scientists claim that the evidence ensures that there was a beginning (O’Neil). In terms of cause and effect, if there was a beginning, there must have been a beginner according to the Christian scientists (O’Neil). This struggle between religion and science relates to Huck’s disbelief in religion due to him not being able to see it. Huck Finn is especially realistic as he would not believe in religion for it could only give him ‘spiritual gifts’. Presently, people continue to be unsure of how the universe began and expanded to life. As a result, 16.3% of the world’s population currently is religious unaffiliated (Heneghan). In addition to the Big Bang discovery, recent findings show proofs to the authenticity of the Bible. Advanced Physics students of Leicester University tested out if Biblical dimensions of Noah’s ark in Genesis could hold 70,000 animals (â€Å"Students Surprised to Find Noah’s Ark Feasible†). In Genesis, there would have been 35,000 animals needed to be saved by Noah times two concerning males and females of the animals (â€Å"Students Surprised to Find Noah’s Ark Feasible†). The students constructed the ark based on estimated Biblical dimensions and found that the ark could have held 70,000 animals plus food and water (â€Å"Students Surprised to Find Noah’s Ark Feasible†). The result shows some truthfulness in the Biblical stories which provides confirmation to some aspects of the Bible. Widow Douglas believed in Biblical stories such as about Moses and the Bulrushers and she found importance in teaching Huck about them â€Å"After s upper she got out her book and learned me about Moses and the Bulrushers† (Twain 2). Religious stories are a part of the religion. If the stories are real, the religion itself could potentially be real. As well as Biblical stories, there are also proofs to Biblical descriptions of Earth’s structure. According to Genesis 7:11, when the Flood began, ancient transition zone water rose up through the crust and all the fountains of the great deep were broken up (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). A new discovery reveals that mineral of earth’s mantle material can store great amounts of water (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). This means that the subterranean Flood could have originated from ancient reservoirs in the upper earth mantle (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). Moreover, Scriptures suggests that Earth was created by God with water (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). The research reveals that the mantle could hold two oceans’ volumes of water (â€Å"Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle†). The idea opposing creationism, the idea that the universe and life originates from a grand design, is evolution. Evolution disproves the belief that all living things and the universe are created by God, the Creator. Scientists sequenced the genome of the vesper bats to identify the cause of their vast diversity (Going batty for jumping DNA as a cause of species diversity.). The researchers found jumping elements in their genome called DNA transposons (Going batty for jumping DNA as a cause of species diversity.). The results prove that changes and mutations in DNA cause evolution in living organisms (Going batty for jumping DNA as a cause of species diversity.). It also proves that different species of living organisms were not created by the Creator but organisms evolved into diversified species. In support of Darwin’s evolution theory, modern researches indicates that there are 338 known species of hummingbirds and they are still evolving based on habitats (Hummingbirds 22- million-year-old history of remarkable change is far from complete.). The conflict continues as Creationists in Texas education board refuses approval of a commonly used biology textbook due to the belief that the textbook portrays evolution as a fact and not as a theory (Rich). Several reviewers for the textbook refused to accept evolution and climate change as scientific fact (Rich). In today’s society, there are still disagreements on whether schools should incorporate creationism into their teachings. In regards of the state’s creationism law called the Louisiana Science Education Act, Governor of Louisiana Bobby Jindal allows the teachings of creationism in Louisiana public schools (Kopplin). Some people believe that this is wrong and that schools should not blur the lines of science facts and religious beliefs in their education (Kopplin). â€Å"If I catch you about that school I’ll tan you good. First you know you’ll get religion, too. I never see such a son.† (Twain 15) In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, P ap sensed that Huck will learn religion as along with education because schools in those times incorporated religion with education. Throughout history, there has been continuous conflict between religion and realism. People have always searched for truth and answers to the mysteries of creation and being. In today’s society, human beings call belief in religion, faith, because it is simply trust in its existence without actually knowing its existence as a fact. There have always been believers such as Miss Watson and Widow Douglas and doubters such as Huck Finn and Pap. The real question, though, is do human beings really need to know religion as a fact when it could make people behave better? In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry Finn does not believe in the existence of religion but he was taught by religious people such as Widow Douglas that stealing is wrong. As a result, he developed a conscience and realizes he is stealing. For this reason, he calls stealing â€Å"borrowing† and only steals what he necessarily needs.

Rationale About Job Satisfaction

Rationale About Job Satisfaction Job satisfaction is an attitude people have about their jobs and it results from their perception of their jobs and the degree to which there is a good fit between the individual and organization. Job satisfaction has been influenced by many intervening variables, such as the rewards that an employee receives.  [1]  It has been said that job satisfaction has been related to many kinds of variables. It is a variable that is commonly influenced or commonly related to many variables that the other variable will be affected because of job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is the degree to which an individual feels positively or negatively about various aspects of the job.  [2]  The satisfaction of an individual in a job is either positive or negative; it depends upon the establishment that he/she is working with if they are offering more, enough, or less elements of satisfaction to their employees. Closely related to job satisfaction is the organizational commitment which is defined as the loyalty of an individual to the organization.  [3]  It has been overlooked that someone who sets his loyalty high to his organization would strongly take pride in considering himself a part of the organization. Employees of top corporations in the Philippines display the highest level of commitment and focus among workers surveyed across the Asia Pacific region, according to a study by global consultancy firm Watson Wyatt, the employees engagement score for the Philippines stood at 77%, up by four percentages from the previous survey in 2007.  [4]  It has been observed that the Philippine loyalty factor or the motivation of the employees towards the success of the company is very strong in which the rating has been said very high among other countries in Asia. Organizational commitment or Employee loyalty is very important in a company because employees who show loyalty will be able to encourage customers to feel loyal towards the company.  [5]   The University of the Philippines conducted a study on the loyalty of employees and the study shows that only 21% of Filipino employees feel fully committed to their employers and only 12% agree that their employers are fully committed to them.  [6]  Researchers have said that the level of commitment of the employees has something to do with the level of job satisfaction that the employees are experiencing. The researcher has chosen to study this issue because she personally experienced the 2 variables which are Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment in one famous establishment in which her co-employees job satisfaction are low, and there is a high turnover ratio happening in this establishment. The researcher as a worker of the said company also has experienced low job satisfaction which leads her to low organizational commitment. The researcher is interested in this topic so that managers/employers would know and understand that high turnover ratio and the trainings as well as the seminars that they are given to the newly hired workers costs high and useless if the employee will only spend 1 month to work and leave the company. Aside from that, if they will continue to dissatisfy their employees, the word of mouth is a virus that easily spread from one person to another person. Especially if you are a 5 star hotel, you must ensure that every word of mouth that comes from each individual, may it be employees or guest are positive because if its negative, it may deteriorate their good name. Employees will not consider themselves as a member of the organization and the services given by the employees to the guests may not be good enough to increase or maintain customer loyalty. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The researcher attempts to answer the following question: Is there a significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment among hotel employees in Tacloban City? STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESES Alternative Hypothesis There is a significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY It is significant to study whether employees are satisfied or dissatisfied, committed or not committed in their job because it has been proven that employees who are much more satisfied will more likely to show positive thoughts, feelings, and actions towards their job and it would increase their organizational commitment. It is also important to study the relationship between Job Satisfaction and Organizational Commitment because this may bring a huge benefit equally to employers and employees. Human Resource Management would be able to understand that the costs of hiring and training new workers are high. Therefore, the employers should try to treasure unchanging workforce, which also helps to lessen the risks of deterioration in services offered to customers. An employee who is committed with the organization may take pride in considering himself a member and would positively persuade the consumers to patronize the products/services offered by a company. Since satisfaction increas es commitment to organizational success, and if this satisfaction would be given from employers to workers, a lot of good factors such as good supervision by supervisors, good working conditions, good interpersonal relations, better policies and administration, better pay and security, challenging work, achievement, recognition, growth and development can benefit employees. If this study shows that job satisfaction and organizational commitment are correlated, employers would only need to increase one variable and that is job satisfaction to achieve the affirmative organizational commitment of workers. CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY This chapter contains the discussion on the methods and procedures used in the study. It includes research design, locale of the study, respondents of the study, research instrument, data gathering and statistical measures used in hypothesis testing with their corresponding formulas and assessment scales. The purpose of the research work was primarily to assess with utmost objectivity. Any relevant data will be useful for the derivation of accurate insight. RESEARCH DESIGN This study is a descriptive research method using a questionnaire as the principal instrument in gathering data where there will be a real investigation on the job satisfaction and organizational commitment as evaluated by the employees. The answers will be tallied in order to measure/ quantify the 2 variables. LOCALE OF THE STUDY The study will be conducted within the City of Tacloban. The researcher would like to include Magsaysay and Paterno Street as the locale of the study. It was limited to the investigation on the job satisfaction and organizational commitment among hotel employees in Tacloban City. RESPONDENTS OF THE STUDY AND RANDOM SAMPLING The respondents of this study were the employees of different hotels who are presently working here in Tacloban City. Leyte Park Resort Hotel has a total population of more or less 70 but only 20 out of 70 are the respondents who participated the survey. Royal Suite Hotel has a total of 7 and Primrose Hotel has a total of 4 populations. So the researcher has decided to take 100% from the total population to be used for the sample. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT A set of survey questionnaire carefully prepared and will be distributed to the respondents for the purpose of gathering the necessary data. The questionnaire measures on the significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The researcher has found numerous questionnaires regarding job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Of all the questionnaires, the researcher has chosen to use the test for job satisfaction that is based on the research carried out by Cooper and the researcher has chosen to use the research study carried out by the student of Professor S. Cote and Professor P. Heslin for organizational commitment. In order to determine whether the questionnaires were correct and valid, the questionnaires were submitted to the instructor for verifications, corrections and improvements. The research instrument is composed of 2 sets, the Questionnaire 1 and Questionnaire 2 which both gather information to employees. It can be answered by putting an (x) mark in the appropriate parenthesis. Questionnaire 1 includes questions on the job satisfaction of hotel employees such as the job itself, inter-personal relationship, organization itself, personal growth and the quantity of work. Answers scoring is as follows: Excellent 5 points Very Good 4 points Satisfactory 3 points Below Ave. 2 points Poor 1 point Interpretation of data would be this way: the higher the score is, the better is the job satisfaction. Questionnaire 2 generally includes questions about the level of commitment of employees to their company as a whole. Answers scoring is as follows: Always 5 points Often 4 points Sometimes 3 points Seldom 2 points Never 1 point Interpretation of gathered data in questionnaire 2 would be this way: the higher the score is, the better is the organizational commitment will be. DATA GATHERING The researcher will gather her data by first, giving a letter of request asking permission to the hotel manager to include their company in her research. She has spoken to a variety of persons with different positions to allow her to conduct a survey in their establishment. These persons were Ms. Anafe C. Harina, front desk agent of Asia Stars Hotel, Ms. Jedah Vivas, accounting officer of Leyte Park Hotel, Mr. Julius, front desk agent of Hotel Alejandro, Ms. Jasmin V. Ron, front desk agent of Royal Suite Hotel, Ms. Rebecca Villanueva a front desk clerk in Primrose Hotel, and to Ms. Pearlie Corneso, a front desk agent of Manhattan Inn. Second, if ever approved, the researcher will distribute 2 sets of survey questionnaires which both are for their employees. These questionnaires tackle particularly on the job satisfaction and organizational commitment and it can be evaluated by simply taking the score of each number according to weights and add the total score over the total number of weights. Below half of the total score would mean low. Mr. Cooper and Professor S. Cote and Heslins student had contributed a big help to the researcher because she was able to borrow their questionnaires to conduct a survey and gather data. Out of 6 hotels that the researcher has talked with, only Ms. Jedah Vivas, accounting officer of Leyte Park Hotel, Ms. Rebecca Villanueva a front desk clerk and Ms. Jasmin V. Ron a front desk agent with the approval of his manager Mr. Roy Salinas are those who had confirmed and assisted her to gather the necessary data. STATISTICAL TREATMENT With the purpose of identifying the relationship between the job satisfaction and organizational commitment among hotel employees in Tacloban City, the responses will be tallied, classified and tabulated in appropriate table for analysis and a pie graph will be used for interpretation. To describe the profile of the respondents in terms of job satisfaction and organizational commitment, descriptive statistics particularly percentages will be employed. Null Alternative Hypothesis There is no significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The Pearson Product Correlation Coefficient (Pearson r) This was used to test the significant relationship between job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Formula: N (ÃŽÂ £XY) (ÃŽÂ £X) (ÃŽÂ £Y) r = _________________________________ ____________________________ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ [NÃŽÂ £X ² (ÃŽÂ £X)  ²] [NÃŽÂ £Y ² (ÃŽÂ £Y)  ²] Where: N = total number of respondents ÃŽÂ £XY = is the summation of product X and Y ÃŽÂ £X = is the summation of the independent variable ÃŽÂ £X ² = is the summation of the square of X ÃŽÂ £Y = is the summation of the dependent variable ÃŽÂ £Y ² = is the summation of the square of Y Verbal descriptions of computed coefficients of correlations are as follows: Value Percentage Interpretation r Degree of relationship 0.0 to  ± 0.20 0% 20% Negligible Correlation  ± 0.21 to  ± 0.40 21% 40% Low or Slight Correlation  ± 0.41 to  ± 0.70 41% 70% Moderate Correlation  ± 0.71 to  ± 0.90 71% 90% High Correlation  ± 0.91 to  ± 0.99 91% 99% Very High Correlation  ± 1.00 100% Perfect Correlation

The Third Bank of the River :: Third Bank River Essays

The Third Bank of the River Beginning shortly before the turn of the last century, there was a noticeable trend towards the ambiguous in modern Brazilian literature. Writers such as Machado de Assis and Jorge Amado have both explored the use of the unstated and the forced compromise between extremes that have grown to be so crucial to the modernist movement. No Brazilian author, however, has mastered the compromise quite like Joà £o Guimarà £es Rosa, a man who was once described as not only leading, but preceding the reader "to a place where there is discord and cacophony under which there is a strange harmony†¦the third bank of the river†¦the land every soul craves for." In his collection of short stories, Primeiras Està ³rias (1962), Rosa pays particularly close attention to ambiguity as a main theme in Brazilian backland writing. First translated to English in 1968 under the title First Stories, Primeiras Està ³rias, and in particular, "The Third Bank of the River," is in many ways the defining work of the Brazilian short story. Carl Jung once said "the confrontation of the two positions [of opposites] generates a tension charged with energy and creates a living, third thing."1 In "The Third Bank of the River," Joà £o Guimarà £es Rosa does just that by first exploring these separate, symbolic opposites in the lives of members of the narrator’s family. He then crafts, out of the conflict, a third position which can be, at best, described as a compromise between the two extremes. Often times, these extremes are the very definitions of characterization we come to expect in a short story, and, by blurring these lines, Rosa is able to also blur "The Third Bank of the River" into a work of ambiguous and allegorical nature. By never exactly defining the third essence that is created, the author is able to explore this clearly important topic in greater depth. The importance of the crossing is that, in every case the author presents, it represents the journey from one position to its opposite, continuing un til the characters reach their final destination: the third, intermediate situation. It is in this way that father’s crossing has a profound effect on the family (most notably the narrator) and the way they conduct the rest of their lives. The important thing to recognize immediately about "The Third Bank of the River" is that it can either be read as a literal retelling of the events or as a metaphor concerning the death of a loved one.

Humanism The Renaissance And M Essays -- essays research papers

Humanism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The introduction of the concept of humanism greatly affected the Renaissance. The Humanistic influence shaped Renaissance art, writing, education and thinkers, its ideas were spread among all aspects of life. Machiavelli’s writings during the Renaissance were also affected by the ideas of humanism. His ideas reflect the thoughts of humanism in the way he thought governments and societies should be organized.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Humanism’s influence on art was very obvious, it could be seen slowly infiltrating all art throughout the Renaissance. At the begging of the Renaissance, most art was very dark and dismal. The works portrayed people doing very menial labor, the people did not seem happy and their clothing was very plain. As the Renaissance progressed and humanism’s influence was more felt the paintings used lighter colors, the people in them were smiling and their clothing many times included gold trim or accents. The late Renaissance art also has a larger focus on religion, as humanism inspired people in many forms by the use of religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Humanism came about with the idea that a person should have a very rounded education covering many aspects of society especially history, geometry, and art. During the renaissance as the ideas of humanism spread, especially in its educational sense, more schools and universities were erected and a much higher percentage of people were forma...

Critical Thinking Students

A critical student is one who ‘does not accept information without first examining it from different angles or perspectives. ’ Discuss this definition in relation to the critical thinking expected of university students in essay writing. Incorporate relevant readings in your discussion. In the changing landscape of the Australian education system, it can be difficult to ascertain what is expected of university students in essay writing. Indeed expectations can vary from institution to institution and even tutor to tutor, however the one commonality is the expectation of critical thinking in students. In this essay, I will argue that in universities, critical thinking is not only encouraged of university students in essay writing, but is also expected. I will explore what it means to be critical in ones thinking, discuss the expectations of students in essay writing and will provide alternative learning methods to illustrate other viewpoints. In order to achieve this, I will draw upon relevant readings to support my thesis. The word ‘critical’ is to describe â€Å"that which is urgent, serious, crucial or of fundamental importance† (Craig 1994, 54). In relation to essay writing, to be critical in ones thinking is to â€Å"question the phenomenon of study rather than simply accept and repeat the facts† (Craig 1994, 54). Warren (1995) provides some context to these definitions in her essay ‘The critical self’. She defines critical thinking as a reflective and reasonable thought process that dictates our decisions on what we do or believe (2). She refers to her teaching experiences and at the lack of the critical thinking abilities in her students at that time. Through these experiences and subsequent teachings on philosophy and specifically critical thinking, she draws conclusions that students like to think in this way and consequently their self-esteem improves as they are able to develop these skills (1). Her strong conviction that â€Å"critical thinking is both necessary and vital to learning itself† is a powerful statement to her beliefs in this area (Warren 1995, 1). In order to evaluate Warren’s claims, we must discuss what is actually expected of university students in relation to essay writing. According to Krause (2005), the Australian higher education has significantly evolved in recent years and as such student and university staff expectations have also changed (1). She points out that students now spend less time on campus than in the past and discusses how technology has influenced an increase in a more diverse range of students engaging in study (3). This has resulted in a larger number of students studying via correspondence and an increase in mature age and international students when compared with ten years ago (4). Given this changing landscape in university learning, it is clear why there is sometimes disconnect between what student’s believe is expected of them and what a university actually expects, specifically in relation to essay writing. This disconnect becomes more evident when distance is a factor. Warren (1995) provides an interesting example on the poor performance of her students in relation to essay writing. According to Warren, her students were attentive in class, actively participated and dedicated the required amount of study. Her evaluation of the poor performance was that her students â€Å"lacked critical thinking skills† (1). To properly assess the expectations placed on students, it is necessary to look at the wording of an essay topic. In all essay topics, one is asked to argue a thesis or debate a claim. The ability to present arguments in a manner that influences or persuades others is central to critical thinking (Marshall and Rowland 2006, 43). The very nature of how essay topics are structured and assessed can only lead to the conclusion that critical thinking is expected in essay writing. Without debating and negotiating positions, resolving conflict, reflecting and dealing with opposition, all of which are acts of critical thinking, the essay is not fulfilling the basic requirement of arguing a position (Marshall & Rowland 2006, 43). If part of critical thinking is reflection, as stated by Warren (1995), than it is important to understand the reflection process. Pavlovich (2007) suggests the reflection process begins with asking questions and states it is â€Å"as much a state of mind as it is a set of activities† (284). She argues the end result of reflection is a deeper understanding of all matters (284). Self -reflection is the ability to critique oneself, to ask questions like â€Å"What is my goal in life? † â€Å"What am I striving for? † â€Å"What is my purpose? † (Rogers 1697, 164). These are questions that some are unable to answer through their entire lives and yet within the context of university learning and specifically essay writing, there is an expectation that students are able to self- reflect, to see multiple facets of an argument, to question and to be critical. Warren (1995) also talks about the self-reflection process and argues that critical thinking â€Å"is an aspect of reflective thinking† (2). She asserts that only when critical thinking, creative thinking and content knowledge – what she describes as ‘the 3 C’s’ – overlap, does one has all the components of reflective thinking (2). She further argues that one can only be critical in the context of their surroundings or circumstances, such as gender or race and without the willingness to identify with and use background knowledge one â€Å"is not a critical thinker† (3). In the context of being a university student and writing essays, to think critically is to learn to process information and â€Å"to form reasoned opinions, evaluate beliefs, construct positions†¦ (and) articulate a thesis† (Warren 1995, 4). Critical thinking in this context is to realise ones full potential as â€Å"to really learn anything at all one must engage the critical self† (Warren 1995, 4). Of course, there are many other methods to learning and it can be argued that one size does not fit all. In certain disciplines, it can be assumed that critical thinking is not necessary, for example in complex technical environments where ‘x’ must always equal ‘y’. In many cases, there is a mismatch between personal learning styles and learning demands of different disciplines (Kolb 1981, 233). Kolb (1981) explores various learning styles and his discussion can lead one to believe that critical thinking is not central to the acquisition of knowledge (233). One could argue that in some fields it is imperative to memorise information and follow set instructions and not to look at information from various viewpoints. For example, there would be an expectation that a surgeon follows strict protocol when performing a complex operation. I would argue however, that some of the greatest advances in human history have been a result of those who are willing to question the way things are done and to explore alternatives options. Whilst it is important to recognise different learning styles suit different individuals and to adjust expectations accordingly, the basis of a student not accepting information without â€Å"examining it from different angles and perspectives† (Craig 1994, 54) is central to learning and is a key expectation of students in essay writing at university. The expectations placed upon students in relation to essay writing at university may vary, but the common denominator is the expectancy on students to be able to think critically and to articulate this in written form. I have provided a definition of critical thinking and have discussed how the changing landscape of the Australian education system can cause some confusion around expectations placed on students. I have offered alternative learning methods to demonstrate the need for some flexibility and adaptability around the expectations placed on students to cater for different learning style. Throughout this essay, I have maintained that regardless of these different learning styles, there is a universal expectation placed on university students to think critically, particularly in relation to essay writing and have used examples to argue this thesis.

Differences in Competencies Between Associate Degree and Baccalaureate Degree Nurses Essay

Differences in Competencies Between Associate Degree and Baccalaureate Degree Nurses Nursing education can be confusing because there are so many ways to become a nurse. However, throughout history, nurse leaders have advocated the importance of higher education for nurses. But as nursing shortages developed, the need for more and more nurses became apparent. To help solve the nursing shortage problem, Mildred Montag developed the associate degree of nursing program (ADN) in 1952. It was designed to be completed in two years and provide a balance of general nursing education along with clinical courses. The original program designed by Mildred Montag was for associate degree nurses to work under the supervision of professional baccalaureate prepared nurses. Due to confusion, the graduates of the associate degree nursing program were allowed to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). This NCLEX exam was the same exam given to baccalaureate degree nurses (Creasia & Friberg, 2011). Now, associate degree nurses can be found in almost every setting from hospitals to long term care facilities. However, even though associate nurses have the skills to provide adequate patient care, the advanced education of the baccalaureate degree nurse provides leadership skills, advanced critical thinking skill and improved patient outcomes (Lane & Kohlenberg, 2010). Therefore, in recent years the difference in competencies between the associate degree nurse and the baccalaureate degree nurse has been examined, resulting in a push for more nurses to obtain a bachelors degree (BSN). Associate degree nursing programs teach the technical aspect of nursing care. An associate prepared nurse can function well at the bedside. She can monitor the patient’s needs and record the outcomes of treatments. An associate prepared nurse can use critical thinking skills to determine her best course of action in most situations. But the constantly changing field of healthcare is demanding higher educated nurses. It is demanding nurses that are more professional and have an understanding of theory based practice. Nursing and medical organizations across the nation are recommending that all RNs advance their education. An advanced level of education can improve patient safety and quality of care (â€Å"Fact Sheet: Creating,† 2013). This has been evidenced by numerous studies on the correlation between higher educated nurses and patient outcomes. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania conducted a study that found surgical patients had 14% lower odds of dying as an inpatient within 30 days when being cared for by higher educated nurses. Another study conducted at the University of Toronto found hospitals that increased their pool of baccalaureate prepared nurses by just 10% had a decrease in death of discharged patients (â€Å"Fact Sheet: Creating,† 2013). To fully understand the differences in competencies between an ADN and a BSN, it may be necessary to evaluate how each would perform in a specific patient care situation. For example, a 66 year male is hospitalized with an open wound on his leg. The wound is positive for MRSA and the patient is diabetic. The associate degree nurse dresses the wound properly, and teaches the patient how to take care of the wound. She helps manage the patient’s diabetes and teaches him how to manage it at home. The patient is discharged home with instructions and prescriptions. He is re-admitted a week later with high blood sugars and a worsening leg wound. The same patient is cared for by a nurse with a BSN. During his stay the nurse dresses his wound properly, and manages his blood sugar levels. During her time with him, the nurse questions the patient about his family and his home. Through casual conversation she discovers the patient lives alone, but his daughter lives close by. She also learns he is unable to clean his home properly, but he is adamant about staying there. With the patient’s permission, the nurse contacts the patient’s daughter to learn more about the challenges the patient faces in caring for himself. After talking with the daughter, the nurse discovers the patient has not had an eye exam in 5 years and his vision is poor. He does not follow a diabetic diet and prefers to eat out rather than cook at home. Armed with this new information, the nurse talks with the patient. She tactfully points out his vision problems and poor diet choices. The patient admits he needs new glasses, but cannot afford them. He admits to having trouble seeing the numbers on his insulin syringe. He also states following a diabetic diet is too difficult so he doesn’t bother. The nurse takes this information to the hospital’s case management team and together they get home health care that will help him with his dressings. They also manage to find help to clean his home and funding to get him new glasses. The nurse then makes an appointment for the patient for diabetic teaching provided by the hospital. Prior to discharge the nurse teaches the daughter how to change the wound dressing and how to give insulin injections. She encourages the daughter to go with  the patient to diabetic education classes. The BSN nurse did more than just discharge the patient. She used the metaparadigm of nursing model to treat the patient as a whole. The metaparadigm consists of person, environment, health, nursing and how they all interact with each other. (Gunther, 2011). She recognized the patient was an individual person with individual health needs. She discovered his physical and environmental challenges and learned how they were affecting his health. Utilizing the information she obtained she found the patient the appropriate help for his situation. The associate degree nurse is certainly capable of taking care of patients in almost any healthcare setting. However, healthcare is changing rapidly with increased acuity and short lengths of stay and nursing must change with it by producing more professional, well-educated nurses. References Creasia, J. L. , & Friberg, E. E. (2011). Pathways of Nursing Education. In M. Iannuzzi, & R. Richman (Eds. ), Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice (5th ed. (pp. 23-26). [PageBurst]. Retrieved from www. elsevier. com Fact sheet: Creating a more highly qualified nursing workforce. (2013). Retrieved from http://www. aacn. nche. edu/media-relations/fact-sheets/nursing-workforce Gunther, M. (2011). Theories and frameworks for professional nursing practice. In M. Iannuzzi, & R. Richman (Eds. ), Conceptual foundations: The bridge to professional nursing practice (5th ed. (pp. 97-99). [PageBurst]. Retrieved from www. elsevier. com Lane, S. H. , & Kohlenberg, E. (2010). The future of baccalaureate degrees for nurses. Nursing Forum, 45(4), 218-227. doi:10. 1111/j. 1744-6198. 2010. 00194.