Neo-Liberalism and Global Environmental Governance Essay

Neo-Liberalism and Global Environmental Governance - Essay Example Human activities whether political, economic, or social have to be managed as subsets of ecosystems and the environment. Environmental governance involves the government, business society, and the civil society and necessitates the incorporation of alternative governing systems such as the watershed based management (Kutting, 2004). The global community has proven incapable of meeting these requirements, which has led to environmental degradation and the emergence of new environmental problems. The international community is experiencing several problems due to globalization. Globalization has led to the improvement of the logistic systems, changes in business and demographic trends and rapid technological progress. This process, however, has led to social and environmental marginalization, widening the gap between the rich and the poor, and increasing the gap between information and technology in the rich and poor countries and social groups. Sustainable development calls for the go vernance of globalization by applying international laws, civil sector domain, and the private sector. The global community has participated in several summits for sustainable development in order to address these issues. ... Resource depletion and environmental degradation could undermine the economy and have to be addressed by all sector actors. Neoliberal institutions argue that international institutions have considerable power to mobilize policymaking towards sustainable environmental governance. Some actors argue that a body high up in the UN hierarchy has to be established in to deal with global environmental and developmental problems. This body would have a mandate and funds to coordinate and centralize environmental and developmental problems within the UN. Economic governance was developed by the UN to promote economic prosperity. The World Bank was established to lend capital to governments for development and poverty alleviation. The GATT agreement promoted global prosperity through the establishment of free markets. The World Bank together with donor governments promoted the idea of liberal market themes, which would also govern resource allocation. UNEP has enacted several laws in the areas of marine pollution, disposal of hazardous wastes, and depletion of the ozone layer. This body linked development and environmental depletion, which forced developed nations to reduce its budgetary allocation. The developed framework has established several institutions in various countries that deal with environmental issues. Developed nations have in the past used environmental laws to limit innovation, intellectual property protection, and macroeconomic management in developing countries. Several developing countries have acquired development loans from the World Bank and other developed nations. These loans have increased the national debt of these countries, making poverty levels unmanageable. These governments spend most

Progression Module Essay Example for Free

Progression Module Essay The progression module is a course which I would recommend for anyone. It has a numerous amount of benefits, one of the main benefits is it allows you to explore a broad range of courses at a variety of university. I feel the progression module has prepared me for university as I have discovered many courses that interest me. The progression module has also helped me understand other vital things that need to be considered when going university, such as deciding whether to live at home or away from home and all the financial implications university life holds. During the progression module I have discovered a great deal about myself and what I would like to pursue a career in. After completing the progression module I feel I now have the opportunity to access the career I want through a variety of routes. I also feel I am now much more confident in terms of writing letters, CV’s and personal statements. This has benefited massively because when applying for voluntary work I was much more assertive when writing my CV, I took a positive approach which I learned from the progression module and due to this approach I was given the role of volunteer in the hospital. Whilst doing a-levels students are expected to deliver presentations on subject topics. In the progression module I had to create a presentations and deliver it, I followed all the information provided from the progression module and I feel I managed to deliver my presentation effectively remaining confident and clear at all times. Another thing the progression module prepared me for was interview, following the progression modules guidelines helped me develop all the positive and necessary skills required for delivering a questionnaire. After following these guidelines I was successful in my mock interview. I remained confident at all times, I did everything possible to express the knowledge and interest I had for medicine without showing arrogance. After participating in a mock interview I was also given feedback on my performance and what I should do to do even better. The mock interview was a huge boost of motivation as all the feedback I received was positive and I was told if I go for an interview tomorrow I will be successful. Universities always look at personal statements before accepting any student for an interview. So essentially the personal statement is a vital part in the acceptance of an applicant. In unit four of the progression module I was expected to write a personal statement but obviously I was given ideas on how to structure it, what to avoid and what to definitely include. This was extremely beneficial as I now feel I am prepared for university, I have a personal statement written and all I need to do is fill in my UCAS. Overall the progression module has helped me decide what I would like to do in terms of living at home or living away from home. I have decided I am going to study at a university close to home so I can love at home. I know about all the financial implication involved when living at home and I know how to approach these implications and deal with them effectively. The progression module was very interesting and intriguing it has been a huge benefit to my future especially my career. I feel I am now much more confident when applying for university and I am also aware of all the options that are available for me to undertake. The progression module is fantastic and completing it not only helps applying for university but also benefits an individual in terms of the academic challenges they may have to face.

Effects of Petroleum in Foods and Personal Care Products

Effects of Petroleum in Foods and Personal Care Products Cowden, 1 Dating back to ancient Egypt and Europe people everywhere would use lead filled makeup on their faces and bodies. These days, however, our government realizes the dangers and would never let us apply something so hazardous on our skin, right? Wrong. Just as lead causes memory and concentration problems, nervous system and kidney damage and high blood pressure; petroleum products can also cause health issues. American businesses consistently use petroleum derivatives in our food, drinks, and personal care products, and these additives cause diseases such as, cancer, skin dermatitis, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Petroleum consists of a liquid mix of hydrocarbons found in the depths of the earth that society refines to create fuel. The term petroleum derivatives includes different chemicals made from petroleum and that have a variety of names, concealing what the people of the world truly put on their skin and in their bodies. Some of these chemicals include, parabens, tertiary-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), petroleum jelly, and paraffinum liquidum also known as mineral oil. Americans may see these items on the ingredient list of some of their groceries, just assuming that our government will protect us; after all, why would a well trusted company insert substances in their products that could cause us harm? Many people do not know what these derivatives really consist of because with names like â€Å"mineral oil†, it seems as though a product might be made with minerals. Another misconception in todays society is the use of terms such as â€Å"all natural† or â€Å"organic†. In recent years, Americans have become more concerned with general well-being and drawn to certain trends, some American consumers resolved to buy exclusively all-natural and organic products. All terms, immediately associated with good health, but just because a product claims to be â€Å"organic† or â€Å"all-natural† on the label does not necessarily mean that it does not contain hazardous chemicals. Arsenic is an all-natural substance found in minerals; that does not mean it would be safe to ingest. However, contrary to popular belief, high levels of arsenic can be detected in American rice and there are no regulations in the USA as to how much may be found in the grain. Surpri singly, the one country that does regulate the amount of arsenic allowed in rice, is China. The requirements set by the United States Department of Agricultures (USDA) National Organic Program state that the food products portraying themselves as organic must have a percentage of at least ninety-five organic ingredients and cannot be made, grown or processed with any pesticides, antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones, synthetic ingredients, or bio chemistry, and cannot be produced or processed with irradiation meaning, a food product goes through a process using radiation in order to preserve the food. If a product has a percentage of seventy or more organic ingredients and is not produced with synthetic methods, it can be labeled as â€Å"made with organic ingredients† but the product cannot use the USDA organic seal. Products that do not qualify for the previous seals, can take advantage of a loophole. One option utilized by companies to get their food products certified as naturally grown and that certain companies also considered an easier and cheaper process wou ld be to go through certification with the help of a non-profit organization sponsored program called Certified Naturally Grown. A product with the Certified Naturally Grown label on it indicates that a farmer has inspected the product and confirms the product was made using a natural process and ingredients. However, companies do not have to go through the process of maintaining these seals in order to put â€Å"natural† on the label of a product. The label will not have the Certified Naturally Grown or the USDA Certified Organic seal, but there are no requirements for using terms such as â€Å"all-natural† or â€Å"natural† on a products label because everything comes from something and is technically natural. As a result of such, petroleum and other harmful chemicals can be used in virtually any merchandise (a company or organization wishes). Labels reveal the shocking truth of what popular snack foods contain and what consumers may have eaten their whole life. TBHQ, for instance, can be found in snack foods such as American Reeses peanut butter cups, Butterfingers, Nestle Crunch, Little Debbie, CHEEZ-Its, MMs, numerous brands of (microwave) popcorn, and Wrigleys gum. Other products that use TBHQ include the popular breakfast foods such as Pop Tarts, Wheat Thins, Kelloggs frozen waffles, certain restaurant foods from McDonalds, KFC, Red Robin, Olive Garden and Taco Bell, certain brands of cooking oil, certain brands of peanut butter, personal care products, pet foods, and much more. Paraffinum liquidum (mineral oil) can be found in the popular gummy candies Swedish Fish and Life Savers, and the petroleum derivative can also be found in baby oil, moisturizers, makeup, and hair products. Parabens, are mainly found in makeup but companies also utilize them in toothpaste, tooth whitening, shampoo and conditioner and a number of styling gels and creams. Parabens and TBHQ are used as preservatives and Paraffinum Liquidum is mainly used as a film former and emollient but is also used as a cleaner and solvent for inks used in fine art printmaking. It can be used to cool electric components and as a lubricant and fuel. When companies use mineral oil in foods, they use the chemical as a glazing agent. Companies use these chemicals to preserve foods because they cost less than the alternatives and to satisfy consumers wanting cheaper products, but what is the ultimate cost? Parabens have been shown in multiple studies to be oestrogenic meaning that parabens can effect female hormones in a negative way. Of course some people do believe that it has not been proven that parabens are the definitive cause of breast cancer, and that there are other harmful chemicals in products that could also be the cause. Dr. Phillipa Darbre, an associate professor at the school of biological sciences and a program adviser for biochemistry, who for around 26 years worked on the role of estrogen in breast cancer at the cellular level, claims â€Å"There are plenty of other chemicals in these pots [of cosmetics] apart from parabens which are also oestrogenic and we have to ask questions about additive effects. We are not exposed to a chemical, we are exposed to a mixture (Mellowship pg. 77).† This statement has truth in it, nevertheless, some types of parabens have been found in the breast tissue of women diagnosed with breast cancer including a high concentration of methyl-paraben which, along with n-propyl paraben, has been discovered in human urine. In a study conducted in Denmark, twenty-six volunteers in good health applied cosmetic creams containing the ingredient butyl-paraben all over their skin and the chemical was detected in their blood stream in one hour. TBHQ, an antioxidant extracted from petroleum and the main ingredient in lighter fluid, can cause an array of health problems. According to reports from American citizens, the problems reported include, night terrors and anxiety, asthma, swollen lymph nodes, body rash, diarrhea, irritable bowl syndrome, and anaphylatic shock as well as some other serious problems. A toxic reaction may occur if only a gram of THBQ is ingested. The amount of TBHQ allowed in a product cannot exceed 0.02% of the fat and oil in the food, (this includes any essential oil in the food). ADHD has become increasingly more common in recent decades. Although reasons for this remain classified as unknown, perhaps the reason for this is that companies manufacturing their products do not want consumers to know that those items contain the possible cause. The Feingold Association has executed research and have discovered that the use of more than one additive at one time has a synergistic interaction and damages nerve cells. The Feingold Association, which researches the connection between a childs diet and any disorders the child may have, recommends removing additives and food colorings containing petroleum. Legal guardians that have followed the associations suggestions report that their childs symptoms have disappeared or significantly decreased. Another idea suggests that artificial additives act as counterfeit neurotransmitters admitting false excitable signals. Children possess a higher risk of developing negative affects from heavy metals due to processed foods cons istently removing the calcium, iron and zinc which provide a childs body with the ability to clear out heavy metals. A child has an inadequate amount of essential vitamins and minerals making processed foods a possible factor of aggressive behavior. Petroleum derivatives, mainly parabens and mineral oil, can also cause various skin rashes and reactions. Contact dermatitis, is a type of skin inflammation that has symptoms comparable to those of eczema. According to statistics, five to nine percent of men have been affected by contact dermatitis and thirteen to fifteen percent of women have been affected. Irritant contact dermatitis occurs when substances come into direct contact with a persons skin causing inflammation and irritation; irritant contact dermatitis maintains the role of the most common type of contact dermatitis. It usually causes itching, swelling, oozing, dryness and crusting. A case of allergic contact dermatitis takes place when the immune system becomes provoked after repeated exposure to a substance causing an allergic reaction which could take place around two days after exposure. Contact urticaria takes place immediately after contact with an irritable substance, causing extremely itchy welts. Contact urtica ria can be an irritant or an allergic reaction, be that as it may, an allergic reaction can follow an irritant reaction. Chronic cumulative irritancy occurs most of the time through repeated contact with mild cleansing agents such as detergents and soaps. Research that took place between 1972 and 1983 discovered that facial makeup, skin and hair care products caused the bulk of contact dermatitis reactions in the volunteers observed. The most common causes of contact dermatitis in the participants studied in order were fragrances and parabens. Due to the fact that petroleum products stand as such harmful chemicals, several countries including Norway, Finland, Australia and France have all set laws banning at least one type of petroleum based food coloring. Most certified food colorings possess petroleum bases; the differences between American foods that contain food coloring and European foods that use healthier options are drastic. The Center for Science and Public Interest (CSPI) is a non-profit group that specializes in innovative research on health and nutrition to equip consumers with valuable information about health and well being. The CSPI organization took a trip to Britain in 2008 and unearthed the variations of food coloring use. CSPI discovered that a McDonalds strawberry sundae receives its color from strawberries in Europe, whereas in America the sundae gets its color from red dye number forty. They also discovered that the European Fanta orange soda, unlike the American version which gets its color from the dyes yellow number six and red number forty, gets its orange hue from pumpkin and carrot juice. Barbara Brenner, the executive director of Breast Cancer Action, an education and advocacy organization working to cure breast cancer, said â€Å"I think it would be really interesting for people in the U.S. to learn what is being done in Europe. Because, here in America, there is something that amounts to hubris. To the extent that short-term profits are valued over life, there is a tragic flaw. Capitalism is killing us. The truth is that making our products safer is really in industrys interest, because the people who use the products would live longer, but nobody is taking a long term view (Schwartz-Nobel, 117).† The well-known cosmetics company Avon, claims to be involved in breast cancer research. It seems like a conflict of interest for cosmetic companies to be involved in the breast cancer field considering the chemicals they use, nevertheless, it seems to be a popular marketing strategy. Avon, like many other cosmetic companies, uses dangerous and untrusted chemicals and has continued to do so since 1886. Pharmaceutical companies that also use harmful chemicals, perform breast cancer research as well. But to actually discover a cure or learn how to prevent the disease would be against their financial interest. The same people that make a living treating these illnesses fund many of the health advocacy movements as well. The previously mentioned organization Breast Cancer Action decided to try and have Avon remove some of the harsh additives from their makeup, specifically parabens. Eighty-two of Avons products contain parabens. After purchasing one share of Avon and becoming a share holder, Breast Cancer Action approached three larger share holders and convinced them to hold a shareholder resolution requesting Avon to remove parabens completely from their products or using a nonestrogenic substitute. Avon replied soon after their request saying, â€Å"We believe that discontinuation of the use of parabens and replacement with an inferior preservative would present a potential health risk to our consumers that is neither necessary nor warranted (Schwartz-Nobel, 118).† This statement from the board of directors at Avon persuaded the other shareholders to vote against the proposal to remove parabens. The company Avalon, which markets the Alba, Avalon Organics, and UN-Petroleum brands of personal care products, went through a difficult but altogether rewarding process complying with the campaign for safe cosmetics toxic free pledge. They called this newly found objective, â€Å"consciousness in cosmetics†. Under new ownership at the time, the company struggled at the start. Morris Shriftman, senior vice president of marketing for Avalon, asked himself this question, â€Å"What do you do when you learn about something that can be dangerous, problematic and expensive? We had a rude awakening (Baker, 97).† After removing any additives that the European government has banned, the companys next step was eliminating any non renewable petroleum based ingredients. He goes on to say that, â€Å"We found a deeper value in what we do. And the world of consciousness in cosmetics has been very good from a business point of view (Baker, 98).† The companys sales skyrocketed up to forty million dollars. When the company announced it was being taken over by Hain Celestial group, a natural and organic food and personal care conglomerate, for twenty million dollars in 2006, Shriftman and his partners proved that even if cosmetic companies do not realize it, these companies gain no finances by using hazardous additives in their merchandise. And, that taking these chemicals out of products provides ethical as well as financial returns. On some occasions companies list petroleum products on the label, but companies only have to list an ingredient if it qualifies as a major allergen and companies do not have to declare ingredients that do not qualify as major allergens. Therefore, many companies that do not list all the ingredients used in their products for marketing purposes, hope that the potential customers that know the dangers of consuming petroleum will at least not know that their products contain it. Consumers must educate themselves on different chemicals, which products contain those chemicals, and whether the foods and products being used by them are truly safe. The consistent use of petroleum in foods and personal care products causes Americans various health issues such as anxiety and ADHD, skin irritations, reactions, rashes and cancer. Research proves that companies that have cut out petroleum derivatives from their products have an increased profit margin, yet most companies still ignore the fact that there is no long term value in using petroleum in food, makeup or personal care products as well. The American governments job is to protect the United States of America from all threats foreign and domestic; several organizations have proven that petroleum is a threat to society when consumed or applied to the skin. America should follow the example of other countries and should ban petroleum in food and skin products. At the very least, it should be law for companies to list specifically all added ingredients so that consumers have a choice as to what they use and consume every day.

A Comparison Of The Catcher In The Rye And The Adventures Of Huck Finn :: essays research papers

The forthcoming of American literature proposes two distinct Realistic novels portraying characters which are tested with a plethora of adventures. In this essay, two great American novels are compared: The Adventures of Huck Finn by Mark Twain and The Catcher In The Rye by J.D. Salinger. The Adventures of Huck Finn is a novel based on the adventures of a boy named Huck Finn, who along with a slave, Jim, make their way along the Mississippi River during the Nineteenth Century. The Catcher In The Rye is a novel about a young man called Holden Caulfield, who travels from Pencey Prep to New York City struggling with his own neurotic problems. These two novels can be compared using the Cosmogonic Cycle with both literal and symbolic interpretations. The Cosmogonic Cycle is a name for a universal and archetypal situation. There are six parts that make up the cycle: the call to adventure, the threshold crossing, the road of trials, the supreme test, a flight or a flee, and finally a return. There are more parts they do not necessarily fall into the same order, examples of these are symbolic death and motifs. The Cosmogonic Cycle is an interesting way to interpret literature because is Universal or correlates with any time period and any situation. The Call to Adventure is the first of the Cosmogonic Cycle. It is the actual "call to adventure" that one receives to begin the cycle. There are many ways that this is found in literature including going by desire, by chance, by abduction, and by being lured by an outside force. In The Adventures of Huck Finn, Huck is forced with the dilemma of whether to stay with his father and continue to be abused or to leave. Huck goes because he desires to begin his journey. In The Catcher In The Rye, Holden mentally is torn between experience and innocence, it would seem to him that an outside force is luring him to do something but in actuality he is beginning his journey because of his desire. The Call to Adventure is the first step in the Cosmogonic Cycle, it is the step at which the character or hero is brought into cycle. The Threshold Crossing is the second step, it is the place or the person that which the character crosses over or through into the Zone Unknown. The Zone Unknown being the place where the journey takes place. The threshold crossing is often associated with a character change or an appearance change. An example of this is in The Wizard of Oz, when the movie goes from black and white to color, showing a visual

Free Essays - Impatience and Disrespect in Oedipus the King (Rex) :: Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex

Impatience and Disrespect in Oedipus the King A bad attitude causes most fights between people. People showing disrespect by saying hurtful or crazy words without thinking them through upsets almost everyone. In the play, Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, Oedipus was trying to find the murderer of his predecessor, King Laius. In doing so, Oedipus' impatience caused quarrels that brought out his paranoia and hot-temper. Oedipus' impatience was flagrant during his search for Laius' assassin. Oedipus threatened the citizens of Thebes, the city in which Oedipus ruled, to come forward if they knew anything about the murder of Laius. "I order you, every citizen of the state where I hold throne and power: banish this man-whoever he may be-never shelter him, never speak a word to him, never make him partner to your prayers, your victims burned to gods..."(172). Oedipus was impatient to find Laius, and in his impatience he had no toleration for citizens hiding the criminal, even though the criminal was himself. Later on, Oedipus called on Tiresias, a blind prophet, to help find Laius' killer. Oedipus was trying to force Tiresias to tell the story that Tiresias was hiding. "Nothing! You, you scum of the earth, you'd enrage a heart of stone! You won't talk? Nothing moves you? Out with it, once and for all!"(178). Oedipus was so impatient with Tiresias that he insulted and degraded Tiresias. After speaking with Tiresias, Oedipus had a contention with his wife's brother, Creon. Oedipus had proclaimed Creon the assassin of Laius and created the plot of Creon's supposed wrongdoing. Oedipus exclaimed, "Then leave me alone-get out!"(198). Oedipus would not accept any other idea than Creon being the killer, so when Creon tried to defend himself, Oedipus grew impatient and sent Creon away. Oedipus' impatience was the spark for his paranoia. Without his impatience, Oedipus would not have jumped to so many harsh, offensive, and paranoid conclusions. Oedipus' paranoia estranged him from people he was close to. One of the main examples of Oedipus' paranoia was the discussion he had with Tiresias. Oedipus came up with ideas in his head that Tiresias was more than what he seemed. "Oh I'll let loose, I have such fury in me-now I see it all.

Weapons of the Civil War: Why Did The North Win? Essay -- essays resea

Weapons of the Civil War: Why Did The North Win?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Battles have been fought since the dawn of time. Weapons have gradually become more technological and sophisticated each and every time. People learn from their mistakes, as did the Indians in the late 1700s, as well as the Confederate troops from the Civil War. The Union was victorious in this war for freedom, and to this day, the north is more the heart of the country’s economy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Weapons have been around from the Neanderthals of the post-ice age, to the Taliban in Afghanistan. Rocks became knives, sticks became spears, and bayonets became AK-47’s. The technology from the French and Indian War was revolutionized and manufactured by the newly opened weaponry companies. Colt and Winchester had a new end of the market during the times of conflict in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The First Modern War was a battle of brothers vs. brothers, north vs. south. Weapons proved effective throughout this war, with over 620,000 deaths related to artillery wounds (Bender 24). The north had the advantage. With a plentiful supply of factories and skilled workers, the north was far ahead of the game in the race of manufacturing. New technologies such as submarines, multiple-shot weapons, and exploding bullets aided the northern manufacturing economy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Handguns played a major role in the Civil War as far as weaponry was concerned. For instance, the most popular sidearm in the Union army was the Colt Army model 1860, which was a .36 caliber. The Army model 1860 was remodeled after the 1848 Dragoon, which was used in the Mexican War. The Colt model 1860 was a .44 caliber six shot weapon weighing two pounds eleven ounces. During the Civil War, more than 146,800 Colt revolvers were purchased. This made up more than 40 percent of all the handguns bought by the government at that time. In 1851, the .36 caliber revolver was produced by Colt. Colt then sold approximately 215,000 navy models, as they were called. The Star Revolver was a .44 caliber, six shot, double action weapon, which weighed approximately three pounds. 25,000 revolvers were then sold to the government for twelve dollars each. The Figure Eight Revolver was built especially for Civil War use. More than 12,000 of these revolvers were sold to the United S tates Government in the early war from Great Britain. The most popular pistol was the Le Mat Revo... ...dified form (the mini-gun)† (Stewart 67).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the American Civil War, the north proved victorious and superior to the south. The Union had the power and wealth, and, â€Å"he who has the money has the power† proved so as the north defeated the south and embraced the trophy of power. There were many key factors in this accomplishment, the factories, the money, the resources, the commanders, the manpower, the skill and determination, but most importantly, the weapons. Works Cited Bender, David L. The Civil War: The North.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  California: Gayle Books, 2001 Davis, William D. The Blue and the Grey.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Illinois: Publishers International LTD, 1996. Olmstead, Edwin. The Big Guns: Civil War Siege.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Connecticut: Seacoast and Naval Cannon, 1997. Pikes, Joe Brown. The Civil War Society’s â€Å"Civil War Dictionary†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Seattle: Civil War Society, 1999 Ripley, Warren. Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York: McCormick Press Inc, 1984. Stewart, Gail B. Weapons of War.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New York: Lucent Books, 2000. "Weapons of the Civil War" December 7, 2001,. Online. Internet. February 14, 2002.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.instaweb.com/p/pmoade/weapons.htm

Betraying Trust or Providing Good Care? Essay

As healthcare professionals, we must know that if confidentiality is breached, patients may be reluctant to disclose full information to any healthcare professional or even avoid seeking care. (Nathanson, 2000) â€Å"The deontological theory states that people should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing an ethical dilemma. (Rainbow, 2002) Therefore, a person who follows the deontology theory will produce very consistent decisions since they will be based on their set duties. Following the deontology theory, as healthcare providers, it is our obligation and duty to respect our patients enough to respect their right to confidentiality. Breaches of confidentiality breaks that level of trust and respect that healthcare professionals work so hard to gain, that after that is broken, and it’s extremely difficulty to rebuild that trust and respect. It is true that there are times as healthcare professionals that we are obligated by law to break confidentiality. In the story of the ER episode, Carol Hathaway has an obligation to notify the public health department of this situation, this is to protect the health of the community. (Nathanson, 2000) There are several consequences in the activities that these teen girls are participating in. If they continue to participate in these â€Å"sex parties† they put everyone involved at risk for HVP, cancer, and ultimately death if left untreated. If it is made aware to the school that these â€Å"sex parties† are happening, schools, healthcare professionals, and parents can get involved with educating these teens about these consequences. As stated in the article written by Nathanson, it does not have to be told where this information came from, and Carol could have been calling as a concerned citizen and doesn’t have to divulge her information as a health care provider. This is a great example of using the six step Uustal model. When applying this model in this situation, start with step 1: Identify the problem and gather all relevant information. In this ER episode two 14 year old girls are present, but they reveal to Carol about â€Å"sex parties† with multiple partners, which could involve several teenagers. Step 2: identify the type of ethical problems. As stated in step one it is extremely concerning to Carol that there are multiple partners and Carol has an emotional dilemma that there may be many other teens affected by some sort of sexually transmitted disease, whether it be the human papillomavirus or something else, all of the teens involved should be tested and treated. Step 3: use ethics theories or approaches to analyze the problem. As stated above, Carol may be guided by the deontology theory which states that people (such as nurses) should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing an ethical dilemma. Rainbow, 2002) Not only is it her duty to treat Andrea, but it is also her duty to ensure safety to the other teens that are possibly involved. Step 4 states explore the practical alternatives. Carol has made the decision on what she believes is the best thing to do for the group of teens. Carol must do this wisely though as to not break her confidentiality agreement to her patient. As stated above, when Carol dec ides to call the school, she should not reveal her identity or where she got the information from. She should call as a concerned citizen that has obtained this information and stated that maybe some education to these teens is necessary. Step 5 is to complete the action. Carol knows what she believes is right, now she must follow through and make the phone call. If Carol fails to act, these â€Å"sex parties† could continue to happen and there could be more and more serious cases of STD’s come into the ER, or worse, a teenager could never get checked until they have full-blown cancer and it could be too late to save them. Step 6 is to evaluate the process and outcome. Carol must now evaluate the situation and her actions and how they may directly affect her patient, Andrea. This is important in the way that she could negatively affect the nurse-patient relationship, depending on what decision she makes and how it is approached. (Purtilo, 2011) Carol could have presented the situation to the ethics committee. The ethics committee could have given insight to what the best thing to do in this situation was and what the best outcome would be. The ethics committee could have informed her that notifying the school would be breaking the patients’ rights, because they are not required to know. They could help Carol with understanding what would be the best way to approach the situation and how they could help Andrea be the one to tell her parents and go from there. This is a very difficult situation for a nurse to be in. She has many responsibilities and obligations and finding the right way to deal with the situation may be a challenge, but as a nurse she knows that she has to do what is best for everyone involved. Sometimes getting through to the patient is extremely difficult, but knowing the right