Medical & social needs of homecare clients Essay

Medical & social needs of homecare clients - Essay Example Conclusion Medical and social needs of Homecare Clients. 1. Introduction. Home health aide has a role of assisting the client and family in managing the condition of health at clients home. This essay will describe the needs of the clients, explain the role of home health aide and relate rights of client and family to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It will also discuss culture, life style and experiences of clients while identifying common reaction to illness or disability. The essay will identify body functions, diseases and disorders and emotional or spiritual needs of patients. 2. Basic physical and emotional needs of clients. Home health aides help clients who have diverse needs so that they feel comfortable and get assistance. They include the elderly, infants, mentally ill, people with physical and developmental disabilities together with people with nutritional needs. Majority of the clients require physical assistance in form of service. They require to be bathed, dress and given a hand to conduct self grooming. The client needs to be assisted to wash their hands and perform hygienic tasks to control infections. They need someone to support them as they manage pain. The urinal system may be causing incontinence and they will need someone to help them (Harris, 2004, p. 5). Clients may have nutritional requirements. The home health aide will assist by making the right combination of food and serve them. Those with skin ailments or wounds require help to take care of the skin and the wounds. The home health aide may be required to change the dressing at the right time. The disabled and the elderly may have musculoskeletal system problem. They will need someone to assist them in mobility. The bedridden will require someone who understands the best position when turning them in bed or moving them to another location. The home health aide will give a hand in ambulation and motion. The client will be in need of a safe environment, the home health aide mak es the environment safe for the client. They can clean and arrange their house (Eldelman and Madle 2010, p. 22). The home health aide is involved in organizing and arranging appointments for the client. Organizing entails arranging the means of transport and accompanying the client to their appointments. At times, the home health aide assists in doing shopping and cooking appropriate food for the client. They give the patient company. Additionally, they keep track of medication taken and appointments with the doctors. They facilitate them to participate in certain activities as well as exercise. Because they work closely with the doctors, the home health aides are required to report on the progress of their client. They can be shown to check respiration rate and temperature for the purpose of giving a report. They follow the directions of the physician to give the correct medication. According to Ahroni (1989, p. 77), the client needs to be assisted in lifting and coordinating activ ities. They need someone to give them company. They call in for help in case of emergencies. Clients in home health care need emotional support from the home health aide. This can be achieved if they talk to them, share stories, read books, and listen to them. Emotional support is needed by the client as they cope with their condition and situation. The family too needs emotional support. Families living with the mentally ill patients, disabled and terminally ill need encouragement. The new born can be delicate to handle and people may

Trends in terrorism Essay Example for Free

Trends in terrorism Essay Trends in terrorism can be defined as changes in the type, number and leathality of terrorist attacks, attitudes of terrorist groups plus other factgors over time. Terrorism has exacted some steep costs, Airlines and tourism suffered after September 11; that could happen again. Spending for the war in Iraq was vastly underestimated. But the damage has paled before the larger effect, which is not much. Terrorism hasnt destroyed prosperity or cross-border flows of goods, money and people. People regard attacks around the world (in London, Madrid, Bali) as isolated tragedies and not a cause to alter their buying habits. The smaller size of terrorist cells means they are more difficult to detect and engage,  they are less capable, but also less predictable and possibly more dangerous. Terrorists’ growing sophistication is exemplified in their use of the Internet.   Their increasing criminal activity is reflected their use of the same networks as transnational criminal groups.   The terrorists’ focus on Iraq is being aided by networks uncovered in several regions that supply a flow of foreign terrorists there. An early and ongoing victim of terrorism, the commercial airlines industry has been a focus of domestic and international incidents. Initially, attacks against aircraft demonstrated publicity value, often achieved their aim, and proved attractive to state sponsors. The industry responded in a positive and responsible manner by implementing security improvements and fostering international protective cooperation. Hijacking and armed attacks occur less frequently in today’s world—a measure of improved defensive awareness—although still posing a risk in locations where preventive measures are not stringently observed. A greater danger today lies in the sabotage or bombing of commercial aircraft, a menace which will only diminish in the face of constantly improving security precautions. The changing threat to the airlines industry underscores the dynamic nature of terrorism. Motivations, targeting, strategy, tactics—even logistics—continue to evolve, in keeping with efforts on the part of security agencies to meet the challenges and to stay ahead of the dangers. Terrorist atrocities in Algeria, characterized by the horrific slaughter of women and children; bombs hidden aboard a train in Pakistan which claimed 23 lives and injured 75 others; and the deaths of more than 260 persons as the result of truck-bomb explosions at the US Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, are reminders that terrorists retain the determination and ability to strike ruthlessly at a broad range of targets in many locations. Motivation. Originally reflecting a largely left-wing ideological foundation, today’s terrorists are increasingly likely to be motivated by campaigns of ethnic nationalism or religious extremism. Often the two go hand in hand, such as the aspirations of Sikh militants for an independent state of Khalistan or the fundamentalist Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), which seeks to establish an Islamic state in Egypt. Religious Extremism. Islamic extremists literally pose the largest danger in terms of religious terrorism. In part an outcome of magnitude of numbers and Islam’s global reach, it is also because, unlike the cohesive grouping of the past, many militant Islamists are individuals who do not owe allegiance to any particular organization, making identification and trace checks very difficult. Sunni terrorists, such as Ramzi Yousef, convicted in the New York Trade Center bombing, tend to be representative of this trend, whereas Shi’a terrorists continue to pursue their goals in a more collective fashion, obtaining direction and support from Iran. Although the Sunni-Shi’a schism remains, some cooperation between members of the two branches of Islam has been evident.   Extremist militants of other faiths also have an involvement in terrorist violence and must not be ignored. Christian religious groups, such as the Aryan Nations, are active in North America, and are becoming more closely associated with the Militia Movement. The Jewish Defence League maintains a presence in North America as well, but it is in Israel and the Occupied Territories where the combination of nationalism and religious fervor manifests itself in acts of Jewish terrorism. Nationalism. Ethnic nationalism continues to be a significant motivational factor in a number of terrorism campaigns, some of which are long-standing (Northern Ireland, Basques, Palestinians, Kurds) and others which are relatively recent (Uighers, Timorese, Achenese). Individually or in combinations, nationalism-separatism-irridentism have demonstrated a notable resurgence since the collapse of the former Soviet Union (FSU); several states currently experiencing politically motivated violence were previously members of the FSU or communist entities. Ideology does play a role in some nationalist movements, but the more usual accompaniment is religious fundamentalism. Strong religious beliefs and nationalist-separatist goals represent a particularly effective motivational combination. The role of ideology has not been completely overtaken by the influence of religion. A number of left-wing movements continue to exist, such as the Turkish Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party Front (DHKP-C), the Peruvian Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), and the Naxalites of India. Animal-Rights supporters and Environmentalists—the Issue Groups—tend to be found on the left of the political spectrum, as well. Right-wing motivation is much more prevalent, however. Targeting and Methodology. Improved international cooperation against terrorism and strengthened security for diplomatic and military facilities have prompted a shift in terrorist targeting and methodology: Random attacks on tourists and the deliberate killing of foreign-aid and NGO workers are disturbing trends; Incidents of kidnapping and hostage-taking have become frequent occurrences in South America and the former Soviet Union; Terrorist attacks focused on economic infrastructures can be expected to continue, including those related to energy distribution, transportation, banking and tourism; Hoaxes, particularly bomb threats, have been employed on occasion to seriously disrupt transportation and tourism, causing significant local impact; The Internet is becoming a resource more frequently used by terrorists as a means to access information, spread propaganda, raise funds, communicate, and plan operations. The gun and the bomb retain the lead as favored methods of terrorist assault, as witnessed by the shooting death of former provincial governor Hakim Said in Pakistan and the grenade attack against an Israeli bus stop in Beersheba. Vehicle bombs have proven a particularly attractive medium for terrorists, in part because the trend in recent years has been toward high casualty, indiscriminate targeting, and in part because of ease of manufacture, delivery, capacity, and lethality, with instructions on the Internet and components widely available. Threats and incidents of suicide attacks have increased in some regions, such as the Middle East and Sri Lanka, and are likely to be repeated. The approach of the Millennium is considered to raise the potential for independent action by individuals with extreme beliefs, especially those associated with cults, increasing the possible resort to a chemical, biological or nuclear radiation device. The use of a nuclear weapon remains the least likely scenario, given current levels of security surrounding nuclear weapons and the undoubted reluctance of any state to support the use of such a weapon for terrorist purposes. The dispersal of a radioactive substance in a terrorist incident does remain a possibility. Nonetheless, despite the seemingly advantageous potential of nuclear, chemical or biological methodology, conventional weapons are still considered to be favored by terrorists, principally because of familiarity and ease of use. Generally more frequent, domestic incidents are usually the result of a shooting or bombing attack directed against security forces or specific civilian opponents; such incidents produce smaller numbers of casualties. Occasionally the numbers of casualties are higher, such as an incident aboard commercial transportation, or one involving a car-bomb or an explosive device placed in a crowded area, as was the case in the bombing of the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City. International incidents are characterized by large-scale casualties because the incidents, although less frequent, are designed to achieve maximum publicity and shock effect. Reference: http://www.csis-scrs.gc.ca Global trends of terror by International institute of strategic studies Islamabad, Pakistan. Fighting terror by Dr.Arif Ahmed

Rhetorical Analysis Of Native American Poverty Politics Essay

Rhetorical Analysis Of Native American Poverty Politics Essay Despite the alarming data used to convince the reader that the plight of the Native Americans in poverty is due to government neglect, inattention and lack of aid, Tom Rodgers fails to succeed in his argument for more support. This rhetorical analysis, using a number of sources will counter Rodgers arguments that the government has failed to support and protect the Native Indian and provide more than adequate aid for the success and betterment of this group of indigenous peoples. Introduction Driving through virtually any Native American reserve, one can see the poverty that this group faces. Despite the beauty of this culture and the sense of community, it is not an easy existence. Nowhere has the distance between the haves and have-nots been more evident than on the native reserves of North America. Native Americans are suffering from a dearth of jobs, high poverty rates, and little education. The poverty rate among Native Americans is 28.4%. For the nation as a whole, the corresponding rate was 15.3 percent (United States Census Bureau, 2011). With this poverty have come the inherent poor housing, inferior education, lack of jobs, poor health conditions, and host of other problems typically seen in struggling communities. The Bureau of Indian Affairs was established to promote agricultural and economic development, provide health programs, social services and Native American schools. However, in recent years Native Americans have begun actively protesting their dissatisfaction with the bureau and have accused the government of mismanaging the monies to be given to the tribes and directly contributing to the dire poverty on the reservations. In Tom Rodgers piece, he declares that Poverty is both the cause and consequence of all the ills visited upon Native Americans. Failure to address poverty causes deprivation and hardship in these communities today, and robs the next generation of any opportunity to succeed and thrive tomorrow (Rodgers, 2008). Rodgers, a Native American and member of the Blackfeet tribe, is an advocate who works on the behalf of tribal governments, and a previous congressional staffer to a senator. Rodgers has declared that Native Americans are living in untenable situations and that it is time for the US government to make good on its promises of support. His piece goes on to say that although we have moved beyond wanton neglect and violence, our national response to the problem of poverty in Native American communities remains woefully inadequate (Rodgers, 2008). Rodgers tells us that Native Americans are some of the poorest in the entire nation and feels that support is needed for basic services an d that the United States, although one of the wealthiest nations of the world, has not adopted the United Nations proposal for adoption of the Declaration on the Right of the Indigenous Peoples (Rodgers, 2008). Rodgers deems that there is a need to expand formal rights and a better federal performance. Essentially Rodgers decries the level of awareness and recognition of Americans and the need for more aid. While one would never suggest that historically the Native Americans did not lose much when they were stripped of their lands, one could submit that ongoing government subsidies have perpetuated the cycle of poverty seen today on native reserves. In this piece, Rodgers neglects to show that funds given to tribes have been woefully mismanaged, fraudulently spent by the native councils, and have directly contributed to a general decline. Government officials designed many programs to alleviate conditions of desperation and poverty among Americas indigenous populations (Thompson, 2005). The result of Rodgers ignoring the fact that Native Americans have historically been one of the most funded groups in North America undermines his suggestion that more aid is the answer. Rodgers taps into our moral outrage and tries to evoke our sympathy using pathos by citing an example from 1862. In a time of starvation in a Dakota Sioux tribe, members were told, when the U.S. government failed provide the money owed to them by an Indian Agent, If they are hungry, let them eat grass or their own dung (Rodgers, 2008). While anyone would agree that this is a most heinous statement in response to rampant starvation, it is taken from a statement made 152 years ago! This is in no way a current sentiment, and just manages to underline Rodgers use of past transgressions to absolve natives from responsibility for the situation they are in today. This non sequitur, while shocking, does nothing to explain the situation as it exists today and leaves the reader wondering if this substantiates or gives credence to any argument that natives are not well funded and thereby neglected by The US government. In fact, in a piece written by John Stossel, he maintains that Yes, the gove rnment signed treaties with the tribes that make Indians special. But that specialness has brought the Indian socialism. Its what keeps them dependent and poor (Stossel, 2011). Rodgers argues that it is the due to Native Americans for more aid. He reasons that ethically and historically it is their appointed right. Yet, it is interesting to note that Africa, a nation amongst the poorest in the world, has adopted a new tradition of trade not aid. On the Good African website it states, We passionately believe that Trade is the only viable strategy for Africas economic and social development. Africa has received over US$ 500 billion in Aid over the last 50 years and yet despite these huge inflows, the continent remains mired in poverty, disease, and systemic corruption. There are many problems in using Aid as a vehicle for development. This is because handouts have never been an effective way to achieve economic transformation (Good African, n.d.). The website explains that aid undermines independence, erodes accountability and leads to dependency on donors. Whoever can say they have pride in something they did not earn? Rodgers does not take the time in his article to examine the generations who have received aid, and why despite the monies received, this society has been seemingly irrevocably broken down. By only stating that more aid is needed, it does not address the reasons why, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦when tribes as virtual wards of the state, and who have a government that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ manages their land, provides their healthcare, and pays for housing and child care, still manages to have the highest poverty rate, nearly 25 percent, and the lowest life expectancy of any group in America (Stossel, 2011). His part for the whole argument cannot stand when we see that while Africas solution of no longer relying on aid seems counterintuitive, its working, while the standard of giving aid to the natives in North America is not. Socialism will destroy America the same way it has destroyed the American Indian. If we are going to learn anything from the tribes and nations, it should be that the experiment h as failed (American Indian Tea Party Nation, 2010). Rodgers rally cry in his missive is his statement that The invisibility, silence, and neglect must end (Rodgers, 2008). His belief that Native Americans have no recognition of their plight bears no witness. The article further expresses his wish that as Barack Obama ascends to the White House, now is the significant moment to address the many problems Native Americans endure, including systematic poverty (Rodgers, 2008). This provokes the reader to believe that there is simply no recognition of the problem at hand, however, if one reads John Stossels depiction of the treatment of North American Natives; he debunks Rodgers statement with, The US government has helped no group more than it has helped the North American Indians. It stuns me when President [Barack] Obama appears before Indian groups and says things like, Few have been ignored by Washington for as long as Native Americans (Stossel, 2011). Clearly, the Native American issue has not only been recognized, it has been acknowl edged by government as high as the President of the United States. To state that there is no awareness or recognition as Rodgers has done is a fallacy and one that falls flat as the reader realizes that Rodgers has not succeeded in his argument and in fact only magnifies the embarrassment of riches that the Native American has received by comparison of any other group of people in the United States. Tom Rodgers does manage to evoke thought and compassion in the Natives plight. It awakens the reader to become more informed in regards to the extreme poverty issues surrounding this group of peoples. Where he fails to convince the reader that society is basically ignorant to the issues, and would have us believe no aid is forthcoming, he would have bettered his argument by relying on facts rather than playing on our sympathies. No one would deny the problem, but perhaps this piece would have been better received if solutions were put forth, rather than blame. There is and has always been aid provided, the tribes have been recognized, and every level of government has conceded that there are problems which continue to perplex. Rather than divisive argument to what devolves into finger pointing, it would behoove us to be creative in our solutions and continue to work together despite Rodgers conviction of our current inaction.

Deforestation Causes Climate Change Essay -- Global Warming Essays

"Ladies and gentlemen, the world's forests need to be seen for what they are—giant global utilities, providing essential public services to humanity on a vast scale." -- Prince Charles on Deforestation Many development institutions and politicians regard population pressure as the major factor causing rainforest destruction. Nobody can deny the serious global problem of population growth. However, the belief that this is the main cause of rainforest loss is used by many governments and businesses to imply that there is little or nothing they can do about the problem of rainforest destruction. An examination of forest destruction on a regional basis reveals that this is not so. In fact it is large companies and the inequities of international trade which are the root causes of rainforest destruction. For instance, millions of hectares of primary rainforests are being destroyed in South East Asia by logging, and the driving force in this industry is not the local population but international demand for timber. Because landless people will follow logging roads into primary rainforest areas, it is the logging industry which is the main immediate factor responsible for colonisation of rainforest. In Central America, 40% of all the rainforests have been cleared or burned down in the last 40 years, mostly for cattle pasture to feed the export market (often for US beefburgers). This industry in particular, and the continuing consolidation of land ownership in general, force the poor into rainforest in their search for land. Latin American environment groups have cited skewed land distribution as the most important factor frustrating the conservation and sustainable use of rainforest areas. Throughout South East Asia there are the... ...an 7 per cent of the planet's surface. They generate the bulk of rainfall worldwide and act as a thermostat for the Earth. Forests are also home to 1.6 billion of the world's poorest people who rely on them for subsistence. However, forest experts say governments continue to pursue science fiction solutions to the coming climate catastrophe, preferring bio-fuel subsidies, carbon capture schemes and next-generation power stations. Putting a price on the carbon these vital forests contain is the only way to slow their destruction. Hylton Philipson, a trustee of Rainforest Concern, explained: "In a world where we are witnessing a mounting clash between food security, energy security and environmental security - while there's money to be made from food and energy and no income to be derived from the standing forest, it's obvious that the forest will take the hit." Deforestation Causes Climate Change Essay -- Global Warming Essays "Ladies and gentlemen, the world's forests need to be seen for what they are—giant global utilities, providing essential public services to humanity on a vast scale." -- Prince Charles on Deforestation Many development institutions and politicians regard population pressure as the major factor causing rainforest destruction. Nobody can deny the serious global problem of population growth. However, the belief that this is the main cause of rainforest loss is used by many governments and businesses to imply that there is little or nothing they can do about the problem of rainforest destruction. An examination of forest destruction on a regional basis reveals that this is not so. In fact it is large companies and the inequities of international trade which are the root causes of rainforest destruction. For instance, millions of hectares of primary rainforests are being destroyed in South East Asia by logging, and the driving force in this industry is not the local population but international demand for timber. Because landless people will follow logging roads into primary rainforest areas, it is the logging industry which is the main immediate factor responsible for colonisation of rainforest. In Central America, 40% of all the rainforests have been cleared or burned down in the last 40 years, mostly for cattle pasture to feed the export market (often for US beefburgers). This industry in particular, and the continuing consolidation of land ownership in general, force the poor into rainforest in their search for land. Latin American environment groups have cited skewed land distribution as the most important factor frustrating the conservation and sustainable use of rainforest areas. Throughout South East Asia there are the... ...an 7 per cent of the planet's surface. They generate the bulk of rainfall worldwide and act as a thermostat for the Earth. Forests are also home to 1.6 billion of the world's poorest people who rely on them for subsistence. However, forest experts say governments continue to pursue science fiction solutions to the coming climate catastrophe, preferring bio-fuel subsidies, carbon capture schemes and next-generation power stations. Putting a price on the carbon these vital forests contain is the only way to slow their destruction. Hylton Philipson, a trustee of Rainforest Concern, explained: "In a world where we are witnessing a mounting clash between food security, energy security and environmental security - while there's money to be made from food and energy and no income to be derived from the standing forest, it's obvious that the forest will take the hit."

Nursing Theory Analysis Essay

Introduction As nurses, it is important to have a basic understanding of the nursing practice by reflecting on various nursing theories and principles used across a variety of clinical settings. Nursing theories serve as the foundation or the guiding principle of the nursing profession. In this paper, I am going to discuss two theories – the Health Belief Model and the Social Cognitive Theory – and their relevance to the nursing practice. Health Belief Model The Health Belief Model, commonly abbreviated as HBM, is a psychological model that predicts and explains health behaviors of individuals based on their beliefs and attitudes towards a particular health-related issue. This theory explains that an individual’s beliefs and attitudes about certain health problems, self-efficacy, barriers, and benefits to perceived action help create health-promoting behavior. It was created in the 1950s by US social psychologists Kegels, Rosenstock & Hochbaum in response to the unsuccessful nationwide tuberculosis screening program (Thurmond & Popkess-Vawter, 2003). The core statements and assumptions of the Health Belief Model is that a health-related action should be adhered because it could help prevent the likelihood of negative health conditions, such as chronic illnesses and infectious conditions. Once individuals acquire positive expectations over a specific health-promoting action, they can then avoid the occurrence of negative health con ditions (Potter & Perry, 2006). Application of the Health Belief Model into practice It is believed that the Health Belief Model is the main model used in the nursing process associated with health promotion and education, as well as illness prevention and protection. It has been utilized to describe various health protective activities within the primary, secondary, and tertiary level of health care. This framework serves as the basis for helping individuals engage in primary and secondary illness prevention. For instance, when nurses provide specific instructions to educate individuals that diseases could be prevented, this is part of the primary prevention that is associated with increasing the health-promoting activities of the population. If the nurse, on the other hand, educates an ill patient about how a certain disease should be treated, and the things to be avoided to prevent the disease from getting worse, this is part of the secondary level of prevention that is associated with preventing negative health conditions (Thurmond & Popkess-Vawter, 2003). Accordingly, by providing primary and secondary prevention, the patients’ perceived benefits will likely increase their anticipatory actions and lessen health risks associated with their conditions (Bandura, 2009). Another good example of a Health Belief Model applied into nursing practice, is when a nurse creates a discharge planning education for a patient diagnosed with heart illness. By letting the patient know before discharge the importance of undergoing regular monitoring and follow-up, as well as teaching the patient to reduce risk-taking behaviors, it could help increase a patient’s health awareness and possibly reduce readmissions in the future. But most importantly, the nurse must help the patient become accepting of the belief that discharge health educations could increase self-efficacy and improve the overall quality of life. It is important to note that the Health Belief Model is entirely reliant on the ability of the nurse to produce meaningful interventions to stimulate the cognitive sphere of the patients in terms of their health beliefs and culture (Potter & Perry, 2006). By understanding the patient’s personal values, culture, and family history the nurse could tentatively formulate how the patient views or accepts a disease condition. Finally, nurses must learn to create questions that could help identify or explore the patient’s perception about the illness or disease, so that they could have a more concrete idea about the beliefs and attitudes surrounding health-associated  matters of the patient. With the help of the Health Belief Model, nurses could positively and effectively engage in health education with proper understanding of individual perceptions, values, and attitudes toward a specific disease being addressed. Social Cognitive Theory The Social Cognitive Theory is a learning theory based on the perception that individuals could learn new behaviors or skills by observing others (Sandoval, 2008). These newly learned behaviors can be central to the development of one’s personality or set of skills necessary for his or her profession. While it is believed that the environment in which a person grows up or becomes affiliated to may contribute to the development of learning and behavior, the cognition or the actual learning process is also important for the acquisition of new behaviors and attitudes. Proponents of the Social Cognitive Theory state that people could learn by observing other people, with the help of the environment, and through behaviors as the main factors for influencing human development (Miller, 2005). Application of Social Cognitive Theory into nursing practice In this theory, there are five core concepts including modeling/learning, outcome expectations, development of self-efficacy, self-regulation, and goal setting. Among these five factors, the most important factor for behavior acquisition is the modeling/learning process. That is very important for the nursing profession. According to the Social Cognitive Theory, effective modeling educates strategies and general rules necessary for dealing with various life situations (Bandura, 2009). This is similar to how the student nurses learn nursing skills during their college years. When student nurses started working with their clinical instructors, who are registered and practicing nurses, they are being taught new nursing methods so that they could learn how to deal with different nursing roles and practices in a wide range of health care settings and patient populations (Miller, 2005). The Social Cognitive Theory serves as a guide for student nurses to acquire new nursing skills they could use in their profession. For example, student nurses learn the importance of hand washing and sterile gloving technique before engaging in surgeries from their nurse instructors.  But they could not learn the proper technique of hand washing and gloving if their instructors would not imitate or demonstrate the step-by-step method of doing it (Bandura, 2009). This is a good example of learned behavior through direction observation of another individual, which is one of the core concepts of the Social Cognitive Theory. According to Sandoval (2008), the use of Social Cognitive Theory could effectively help student nurses develop certain skills they need throughout their nursing career. Conclusion The Health Belief Model and the Social Cognitive Theory both play an important role for the professional nursing practice. From the discussions above, we have learned that the Health Belief Model focuses on the ability of nurses to educate patients about health attitudes to help promote quality of life while the Social Cognitive Theory centers on learning or acquiring new skills. Student nurses may learn new nursing skills by observing their clinical instructors about the proper way of doing things (Potter & Perry, 2006). Both of the theories have their respective importance and functions for the nursing profession, and they could be considered as two of the main guiding principles of the nursing practice – one focuses on health promotion and illness prevention and the other focuses on learning skills needed by nurses to address patient needs. When both of these theories are effectively utilized, nurses could have increased confidence and level of education to support patients and become competent in their practice. References Bandura, A. (2009). SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY: An Agentic Perspective. Annual Review of Psychology. 52(1): 3–26. Miller, K. (2005). Communication Theories: Perspectives, Processes, and Contexts. NY: McGraw-Hill. Potter, P. & Perry, G. (2006). Fundamentals of nursing. St. Louis, MI: Elsevier Mosby. Sandoval, J. (2008). â€Å"Social Cognitive Theory: A Framework for Understanding Learning in a Nursing Student-preceptor Relationship how nursing students learn by doing In the Presence of a practicing nurse. Southern Nursing Research Society. 19(21): 22-29. Thurmond, V. & Popkess-Vawter, K. (2003). Examination of a middle range theory: Applying Astin’s input-environment-outcome (I-E-O) model to web-based education. Online Journal of Nursing Inf. 7(2).

Gila Monster Facts

Gila Monster Facts Gila monsters are part of class Reptilia and live mainly in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Their scientific name, Heloderma suspectum, is derived from the Greek words meaning stud (helo) and skin (derma). This name refers to their studded skin. Fast Facts: Gila Monster Scientific Name: Heloderma suspectumCommon Names: Gila monsterOrder: SquamataBasic Animal Group: ReptileDistinguishing Characteristics: Heavy bodied lizard with a short tail and orange or pink spots on black skin.Size: Up to 22 inchesWeight: 1.5 - 5 poundsLife Span: Up to 20 yearsDiet: Small birds, eggs, frogs, insects, lizardsHabitat: Deserts, Grasslands, ShrublandConservation Status: Near ThreatenedFun Fact: The Gila monster is named for the Gila river in Arizona. Description Gila monsters have venomous glands located in their lower jaw. Their large heads allow them to have strong bites that let their venom in the grooves of their teeth sink into the victim. They walk high on their legs to keep their tails clear of the ground and swing their tail back and forth to maintain balance. These reptiles hunt during the spring and hide in burrows during the cold months, using fat stores in their tail to sustain them until spring time. They live up to 20 years in the wild, can grow up to 22 inches, and weigh between 1.5 and 5 pounds. Habitat and Distribution Gila monsters live in southwestern United States and northern Mexico, in habitats such as deserts, grasslands, and shrubland. They live at ground level and usually make their homes in burrows in rocky areas. Diet and Behavior Gila monster eating a mouse. John Cancalosi/Photolibrary/Getty Images Gila monsters are carnivores, and their diet consists primarily of small birds and eggs. They also eat lizards, frogs, insects, and small mammals. In situations of extreme temperatures during the day, gila monsters may be more active at night. Because they are relatively slow- reaching only about 1.5 miles per hour- they rely on stealth to catch their prey and also search cacti for eggs in bird nests. Additionally, gila monsters can not see well, so they rely on their strong sense of smell and taste to track their prey. They flick their tongues to pick up scents in the air. These creatures can eat up to 1/3 of their body weight and can store fat in their tails. This reduces the amount of time gila monsters have to spend foraging for food. Gila Monster Bite Gila monsters have powerful jaws that allow them to bite and hold on to their victim for up to 10 minutes. They store venom in the grooves of their teeth in their lower jaw. Most of its food can be consumed by swallowing it entirely or with one quick bite. For larger prey, like small mammals, gila monster venom seeps into the body of the bitten animal and attacks its nervous system. A gila monster bite can be very painful to humans but isnt typically fatal. Reproduction and Offspring Gila monster hatching from an egg. Â  C. Allan Morgan/Photolibrary/Getty Images Gila monsters reach the age of maturity between 3-5 years. Breeding season is in early summer, when males compete by participating in wrestling matches. The female digs a hole and lightly covers her 2-12 eggs that weigh 1.4 ounces and span 2.5 by 1.2 inches on average. Roughly 4 months later, the eggs hatch and gila monsters of sizes averaging 6.3 inches emerge. They look like miniature adults with more vibrant colors and are on their own at birth. These young will grow to become diurnal creatures that spend the majority of their lives underground with a burst of activity during the spring, which is spent hunting for food. Three to four large meals will be all the food it needs to survive the winter. They are mostly solitary animals, but gather in small communities during mating season. Conservation Status Gila monsters are designated as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While the total number of gila monsters is unknown, their population has been found to be decreasing in the United States and Mexico at an unknown rate. The biggest threat to gila monsters is humans, as the animals are hunted as prized possessions and killed by household pets. They are also illegally collected as pets. Gila Monsters and Humans Notably, a protein component of gila monsters’ venom called Exendin-4 is used in a drug to manage Type II diabetes. The protein has a homeostatic effect by regulating glucose levels in the body. Researchers have found this drug to help manage Type II diabetes by boosting insulin secretion and restoring insulin response. Researchers are currently looking into whether this protein can be used to treat memory disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. Sources C., Triplitt, and Chiquette E. 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