Climate Change Awareness Begins with Me

â€Å"Climate Change Awareness Begins With Me† TGTAI CONCEPT PAPER Goal: To encourage youth to engage in interactive learning on Global Warming & Climate Change which may be translated into education outreach in their specific communities and/or organizations. Objectives: 1. To encourage youth from youth organizations, schools and communities to learn/learn more about global warming and Climate Change concepts (Think Green) and engage in simple Green Solutions at the individual/community level. 2. To assist young people in understanding the Commonwealth initiative as it pertains to Education for Sustainable Development. 3. To provide opportunities for experiential learning on the environment through nature appreciation, work group activities and other interactive knowledge elements. 4. To assist youth in developing their critical thinking skills. Problem Statement The long-term alteration in global weather patterns, especially increases in temperature and storm activity, and the potential of sea-level rise, will have a detrimental impact on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Like all countries of the world, Trinidad and Tobago will need to play its part in decreasing its carbon emissions and encouraging its population to: â€Å"Think Green, Then Act to Impact (TGTAI). † Additionally, there is an urgent need to address the gap between information-on-the- street and knowledge leading to action at the micro-levels in communities. In a preliminary baseline survey conducted by TGTAI’s volunteers, on conceptual knowledge of Global Warming & Climate Change, 77% of the persons surveyed either did not know what was global warming this included mistaking the circumstance of ozone layer depletion for global warming. Among this group, the youth also had difficulty expressing these concepts. Presently there is no collective ESD initiative which provides opportunities for youth to learn through a learning environment that is more natural, to learn basic concepts associated with global warming and climate change, while enabling them with opportunities to engage at individual level, simple energy-saving and conservation activities within their home/school units. Additionally very little exposure has been provided for youth to engage in understanding the role of the Commonwealth in supporting ESD initiatives among local youth. Project Description â€Å"Climate Change Awareness Begins With Me† is a One-Day highly interactive ESD Collaboration which seeks to jointly engage youth in exposure to (and in some instances), concretizing their Global Warming/Climate Change knowledge. Youth will be engaged in four (3) ESD learning areas/modules: ? Nature and Ecosystem Appreciation ? Global Warming & Climate Change Commonwealth & ESD Initiatives ? Green Solutions 1. Nature and Ecosystem Appreciation Participants will learn about overall environmental awareness by encouraging learning in a natural setting with opportunities provided to interact and learn from nature, a trail experience and interaction with wildlife elements. This preliminary intervention will hopefully help the young people to gain a deeper appreciation of the importance of existi ng ecosystems and to see themselves also playing a responsible role in their conservation/protection. . Global Warming & Climate Change Participants will learn basic global warming and climate change concepts and will be able to demonstrate linkages between anthropogenic (man-made) activities and their emerging/existing impact on human well-being and the natural environment. 3. Commonwealth & ESD Initiatives Participants will learn the structure of the Commonwealth, to determine its benefits and to understand the existing/emerging role of the Commonwealth for ESD Initiatives. 4. Green Solutions Participants will develop and be exposed to simple Green Solutions that they can individually carry out in their homes while transmitting knowledge in various ways for others in the home/school/community to do same. Project Methodology: The Lead Youth Agencies who will engage in Pre-implementation work/activities: ? Commonwealth RYC Trinidad and Tobago. ? Junior Environmentalists of Trinidad and Tobago (JETT) and its TGTAI Volunteers. Key Project Elements: ? Use of Interactive Think Green Workshops in a Natural Setting. Use of Visual Stimulation through Trail/Nature Experiences To Encourage Nature Appreciation. ? Provision of Problem-Solving Opportunities for Participants to Engage in Critical-thinking and Real-life Application. ? Encouraging by Facilitators of Youth Capacity to Create and Adopt a Green Charter. These elements will be achieved by the following strategic partnerships: Asa Wright Nature Centre: Nature/Eco-system Appreciation Youth Facilitators: ? Junior Environmentalis ts of Trinidad and Tobago (Environmental Advocacy and Green Solutions) ? Commonwealth Youth Programme (Commonwealth RYC, ESD Initiative) Environmental State Agencies: ? Environmental Management Authority (PowerPoint Presentation on Global Warming & Climate Change: Concepts and Social Impacts) ? Forestry Division (Environmental/Wildlife Conservation Issues Related to Climate Change and Human Impacts) ? Institute of Marine Affairs (Marine Ecosystem Challenges Related to Climate Change) ? WITT (Water Challenges Related to Climate Change) Recommended Venue which meets all project requirements: ? Asa Wright Nature Centre (East Trinidad) Alternate Locations: ? Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust, ? La Vega Estate (Central Trinidad) ? Emperor Valley Zoo/Botanical Gardens Target Group: 30 youth (aged 14-24), from the East-West Corridor (20 students;10 youth from youth organizations); Project Timeline: Project Start date: March 18th (pre-implementation activities) and End Date: April 10th 2008 (One-Day Interactive ESD Learning Experience). Expected Outcomes: . 30 Youth from the East-West Corridor exposed to Global Warming & Climate Change Concepts and Related Issues. 2. 30 Youth exposed to information on the Commonwealth and its role in emerging/existing ESD initiatives for their benefit. 3. 30 Youth exposed to critical thinking skills, through experiential learning and interactivity with and among a healthy, thriving ecosystem. 4. 3000 Youth Exposed to Green Solutions. 5. Creation of a Youth-oriented Green Declaration for furt her ratification among youth. Project Sustainability: Each Participant will also receive 100 Green Solutions which they will be encouraged to disseminate among their peers, families and communities. Participants will also have the opportunity to create and adopt a Green Declaration, which symbolizes their commitment to educate and act on in their own spheres of influence, their peers, families and communities on Global Warming & Climate Change towards a low carbon emission. This will include acquiring a goal of 5,000 signatures for the Green Declaration, an indication of the young individual’s willingness to support through daily commitments, Environmental Education and environmentally-friendly activities as laid out in the Green Declaration. Evaluation & Monitoring 1. Feedback from Participants (an evaluation questionnaire). 2. Evaluation Meetings by Project Team. Bibliography: JETT TRAINING MANUAL, 2004. TGTAI BASELINE SURVEY, 2008

Capital Punishment Essays (1010 words) - Ancient Greek Philosophers

Capital Punishment Essays (1010 words) - Ancient Greek Philosophers Capital Punishment During the Greek Golden Age, art and philosophy expressed hellenic weltanschauung, their unique outlook on the world and way of life. Through the works of artists, playwrights, and philosophers, one can see both sides of the conflicted systems of the world, such as; good vs. evil, order vs. chaos, stability vs. flux, relativism vs. absolutism and balance and harmony. The Greeks were materialists. They adopted the philosophical doctrine which says that physical matter is the only reality in the universe; everything else, including thought, feeling, mind and will can be explained in terms of physical laws. Their materialism was expressed in an excessive regard for worldly, beautiful material things and concerns. They used their art to show the glories of humanity and man. The sculptors of the Golden Age aimed to create graceful, strong and perfectly formed figures. Their art showed natural positions and thoughtful expressions rather than abstract art forms. Their standards of order and balance became standards for classical art in western civilization. The Greeks were proud of their temples and other architecture, made to honor the gods and beautify the polis (city-state). Their famous architectural styles were the heavy Doric columns and the slender scrolled Ionian columns. The Parthenon, the Greek temple for the goddess Athena, is a impeccable example of symmetry and proportion. The sides of the Parthenon give an optical illusion of perfect balance on all sides. Their desire for balance in art and architecture represents the balance of the world; order and moderation are expressed in the simplicity of lines and shapes. The resulting overall structure works together to achieve harmony. In ancient Greece, public drama was more than entertainment. It was a form of public education. It dealt with issues of importance to the people, such as; the authority of the leaders, the power of the people, questions of justice, morality, wars, peace, the duties of the gods, family life and city living. Aeschylus wrote about the furies and how they punished man for wrongdoings. This shows that he believed that chaos would be punished because order (and law) is the ideal state. Sophocles is best known for his plays of Oedipus. Those plays dealt with family and civic loyalty. The Greeks emphasized, particularly in their plays, the importance of loyalty as a goal to strive for. We learn a lot about Greek views through their philosophy, which literally means the love of knowledge. The Greeks educated through a series of questions and answers, in order to better teach about life and the universe. The first philosopher was Thales. He believed in absolutism and eternal matter. He said that water was the original matter and that without it, there would be no life. Parmenides stated that stability and permanence were the underlying conditions of the universe. He believed that change is only an illusion and that one's senses can only grasp superficial realities of change. Heroditus argued with Parmenides saying that change was the basic condition of reality. He further claimed that all permanence was false. Thus he saw things as naturally being in flux rather than a stable state. Democritus argued with both Parmenides and Heroditus. He insisted that there is nothing spiritual and that only matter existed. He then went on to say that everything is made of little invisible particles, hooked up in different arrangements. He was an atomist. The Greek philosophers went on to question the nature of being and the meaning of life. Pythagoras was the first metaphysicist, one who studies beyond physical existence. He believed in a separation between spirit and body, an opposition between good and evil and between discord and harmony. In the 5th century, the Greeks learned from Sophists, who believed that the views of society are standards and the sole measurement of good, truth, justice and beauty. Protagoras was a sophist. He said that, man is the measure of all things. He believed in a constant flux, and that nothing is absolutely right or wrong, but subject to change. His view is much like that held by Parmenides. The philosophers then asked a question such as; what would happen if things that were wrong were seen by society as acceptable? What, for example,

Criminal Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criminal Law - Assignment Example Common law has fundamental roots from judicial and customs precedents and not statutes. It forms part of English law that mostly contrasts statutory law. Common law relates to English law modified and adopted differently by federal governments (Casenotes and Briefs 77). Mores describes the conventions and identifiable customs of the community. Mores relates to habits, ways of life or traditions embraced by the community. Mores defines the moral attitudes acceptable in an individual society. Stare a decisi relates to the doctrines of precedent in the creation of legal principle of determining points in a lawsuit. It defines the principles of law on which the court used to rest an erstwhile decision. Statute law, as opposed to customary or oral law, refers to written laws by legislators and legislatures. Legislators write statute laws in monarchy states. Legislative rules prescribe, declare, or commands specific requirements. Substantive Criminal law relates to written rulings that explain the duties and rights in criminal and civil law. States can enact substantive criminal law by initiative processes (Cole, Smith, and DeJong 75). It includes component items that usable to qualify and make a case as a crime. It involves breach of the constitution. They include an act involving physical action and criminal intent. Winning criminal trials involves proving that an element of necessity is absent. Bill of Attainder is a statutory act imposing punishment on an individual or a group of easily recognizable individuals. In most instances, decision on treason is executed without trial. The American constitution prohibits

The Influence of Information Literacy on Scholarship, Practice and Essay

The Influence of Information Literacy on Scholarship, Practice and Leadership - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that biased and false information are some of the components considered in determining the relevance of the information. Information literacy influences a number of fields especially the professional field for different reasons. Some of the uses of information literacy include research, determination of consumer choices, academic reasons. In addition to that, it helps in understanding the political arena. The effect of information literacy is such that over the decades, countries have introduced programs that ensure students are equipped with skills to not only operate in an information-rich society but also acquire and rightly apply that information. Different models have been designed to understand the ever-growing body of literature. A closer look at information literacy shows that it has an influence on scholarship, practice, and leadership. Scholarship refers to lifelong learning. This means that a person is constantly learning to improv e his or her skills in their area of specialty. On the other hand, practice refers to one’s behavioral patterns within their workplace. In other words, the practice not only looks at one’s technical skills but social skills in a work environment. Leadership explores one’s ability to have a positive influence in their academic, professional, and personal lives. Thus, information literacy analyzes one’s ability to recognize the need for information. This is critical for any leader as they are called upon to locate, evaluate, and apply the knowledge they have for the benefit of the society. Leadership greatly determines the success or failure of an institution. Time has proven that poor leadership only leads to an institution’s downfall.

Theres a Gender Pay Gap in Kids Allowances and Parents Are To Blame Essay

Theres a Gender Pay Gap in Kids Allowances and Parents Are To Blame - Essay Example The way parents bring up their children has a direct effect on the future choices being made by children pertaining to their choices of work and work-related activities. Parents are responsible for directing children mindset to value professions like law, Medicine among others and devalue others such as house chores and teaching. The majority of the gap seen in the pay between men and women in the society comes from the occupational differences and not the gender role differences (Eliana). The pay gap clearly demonstrates to the girls that the kind of household work that they do does not qualify in the level of works that need to be rewarded. This is why when girls grow up into womanhood, they tend to spend most of their times on the work that is unpaid such as household chores. In contrast to women, men only try to find more time to relax themselves out . Normally, girls do two more hours of daily chores when compared to boys. On the other hand, boys do spend much of their time, twice as much as the girls, in playing. Despite this hard work shown by the girls, boys are likely to be paid for the chores that they do. A similar research done by the junior achievement USA indicates that seventy percent of all boys are more likely to get allowance as compared to a small figure of sixty percent of girls, who are likely to receive allowances. According to Sandberg and Neil â€Å"Lean in: women, work and the will to lead â€Å"; gender pay difference is also a result of the gap in leadership ambition. In many working environmental, men are observed to be more ambitious to achieving senior jobs compared to their female counterparts. A 2012 Mc Kinsey survey found out only eighteen percent of women in a working environment aspire for the senior jobs that are high paying compared to thirty-six percent of the men population in the same environment (Sandberg and Nell, 13). It is no doubt that women do possess equal skills to

Systems that Transformed How the Organization Operates Essay Example for Free

Systems that Transformed How the Organization Operates Essay Abstract This paper details how UPS was able to stay relevant in the shipping and distribution world by updating old practices with new and proven technology. By spending some of their profits on a newer and more efficient way of doing things, UPS was able to stay ahead of their competition while receiving great reviews and profits from their customers. Specifics of who was impacted, how they were impacted, and what results occurred have been discussed in this paper. Mainly the workers, the business leaders, and the consumers have been affected by this change. When we look back at certain advancements that companies have made, what seems to be the common factor? Technology. Anytime a company rolls out new technology it is not because they want to waste their hard earned profits on something that might make their business business more competitive or increase their profit margin. They spend the money on the new technology because they know they will be more competitive and make higher profits than had they not. In any type of industry we can see examples of this being true, from the automotive, to the postal, and even the medical industry, the use of new technology has mostly lead to benefits that make companies stand out from the rest. One of the companies that has profited the most from new technology or the advancement of technology is UPS. UPS is known in the world as one of the largest parcel and freight delivery companies. Their main competition comes from companies like FedEx, DHL, and USPS (United States Postal Service. The  big wigs as UPS came together because they noticed customer ratings and efficiency rates were down and steadily decreasing year after year. After examining certain sectors of their business, they realized where the mistake was being made. Customer ratings were declining because of packages that were shipped to the wrong address, delivered at the wrong house, or lost in the may lay at UPS’s packaging warehouses and distribution centers all over the world. The way the company decided to rectify this problem was by purchasing and utilizing automated package sorters. They called it package flow technology and basically what it involves is the automatic and rapid sorting of packages to guarantee efficient and accurate shipments. The tradition of relying on human sorters to memorize hundreds of streets and back roads in particular communities leads to a small share of parcels that either are loaded on the wrong truck or misplaced among other customers packages, said Dan McMackin, a UPS spokesman in Atlanta. While the company still relies on people to load customers packages, UPS is investing heavily in technology to make the labor-intensive work more efficient. (Bennett, 2005) This change from people to machine did not sit well with employees who became laid off or switched to a different department, but after seeing the company rebound it was recognized as being the right choice and solution to their problem. The problem UPS did not recognize sooner was humans make mistakes and unfortunately too many were made and the company was placed in the public spotlight which caused this solution to come about. While it is true that often time’s companies choose new technology or manual labor, the results heavi ly favor the new technology. Nobody wants people to be laid off or lose their jobs to a machine, but in this day and age companies have to spend the big dollars in order to remain relevant and successful in today’s economy. The cost for this technology for UPS was not cheap by any means, in fact the upgrade from manual labor to automated machines cost an estimated six hundred million dollars. (Bennett, 2005) Besides the expense for rolling out this new system to all its distribution warehouses, UPS has the potential to still come out on top of this deal. When they devoted themselves to this newer way of doing things the results were less training time for employees and the ability to shift employees into areas that were lacking personnel or that demanded more personnel. The savings though in the year after this upgrade might even be greater than the initial cost and  put the company further ahead. UPS expects to gain immensely from the new system. Between now and 2007, when the system is fully installed , the delivery company expects to save $500 million to $600 million through a combination of less miles driven, less fuel consumption and less delivery miscues (Bennett, 2005) The people who were greatly affected by this change in procedure were the UPS drivers. Instead of going through their trucks looking for packages, the packages are loaded into specific areas of the truck and that information is transferred to the handheld scan tools the drivers use. The drivers seem impressed with the new technology and somewhat relieved that they can do their job no without the added stress of locating mislabeled or lost packages buried in their trucks. The future for this technology is not well known because it has seemed to rectify and solve all the problems that existed before. After all machines can do one thing that humans cannot, and that is do what it is programmed and instructed to do. The fact that a company is willing to spend this kind of money to hone their craft should speak volumes. At the beginning people were pessimistic but as the numbers started turning around and customer ratings increase, the company knew they made a wise choice. This was a turni ng point for UPS and the only thing they became concerned about was why they did not make the switch earlier. References Bennett, D. (2005). Package-flow technology delivers results for UPS. Crains Cleveland Business, 26(29), 8. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/198625167?accountid=458

Importance Of Needs Assessment In Nursing Practice Nursing Essay

Importance Of Needs Assessment In Nursing Practice Nursing Essay Confidentiality and anonymity must be maintained at all times to protect the identity of the service user, carers, families, healthcare settings and other professionals involved. Any breach of confidentiality will result in an automatic fail. This essay will discuss the importance of needs assessment in nursing practice. In relation to case study 2 about a 68 years old Afro Caribbean retired bus driver male called Carl, who has being married for 45 years with 5 grown up children and 8 grand children. He smokes 20 a day and enjoys nightcap before sleep. His latest vital signs observation are respiratory 20 rpm, blood pressure 168/105, pulse 92bpm, Spo2 95% and BMI 32kg/m2 and he is on statin, betablocker, aspirin, frusemide medication. Currently his wife has notice Carl seems to have forgetfulness, he couldnt remember his way home from the super market and keep losing items. He is getting frustrated and taking it on his wife and grand children, especially when he cannot read them a story. This essay will discuss the importance of needs assessment in nursing practice. It will identify a service users needs base on a scenario and the appropriate assessment tools required for his care. And from the tools identified, one will be prioritised and apply on his condition. Finally the essay will summarise the experience of using the assessment tool and how it will help in future learning. Patients assessment is the collection of data about an individuals health state that identifies and defines patient problems in order for solutions to be planned and implemented in line with their preferences (Roper el at 2000 p 124). Therefore, a clear idea about health is important because this determines which assessment data should be collected. The world Health Organisation (WHO) (2001) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Whiles this is a broad definition, it implies that the nursing approach to health care is holistic in nature and therefore health assessments should reflect that philosophy with it focus on the whole person and their context. Nurses are obliged to take in to consideration patients physical, emotional, spiritual, social and intellectual needs when making an assessment (Department of Health 2004). ` Therefore, when nurses are conducting health assessment on a person it may requires acknowledgement of techniques of collecting and analysing subjective data which is what the person says about them selfs during history taking. And objectives data which is what nurses observe by inspecting, percussion, palpating, and auscultation during physical examination (Department of Health 2003). Potter and Berry (2005) argue that if inaccurate, incomplete or inappropriate data is recorded then the overall care of the patient may be affected, including wrong diagnosis and even wrong treatment. NMC (2002), code of professional conduct, urged all nurses to work in a professional manner and abide by the policies set out by the trust they work in. it suggest that the recording or documentation of information is essential and any deviation could lead to potential consequences for the individual if their standards are not met. The purpose of health assessment is to make judgement or diagnosis because all health treatments and decisions are based on the data gathered during assessment; it is paramount that the assessment is factual and complete, providing the foundation for clinical decision making (RCN, 2007). This gathered information provides a comprehensive description of the patient. It focuses on the patients needs at that moment in time and possible needs that may need to be addressed in the future (NMC, 2007). Its a fair and accurate account of the individual and their life. Overall assessment is a way of delving deeper into a patients illness and preventing more problems from arising. In relation to case study 2 about a 68 years old Afro Caribbean retired bus driver male called Carl, who has being married for 45 years with 5 grown up children and 8 grand children. He smokes 20 a day and enjoys nightcap before sleep. His latest vital signs observation are respiratory 20 rpm, blood pressure 168/105, pulse 92bpm, Spo2 95% and BMI 32kg/m2 and he is on statin, betablocker, aspirin, frusemide medication. Currently his wife has notice Carl seems to have forgetfulness, he couldnt remember his way home from the super market and keep losing items. He is getting frustrated and taking it on his wife and grand children, especially when he cannot read them a story. Newson (2001) suggests that, for a process to commence a model of assessment is utilised and this model needs to be holistic in all aspects of patients needs. Therefore proper attention needs to be paid to the biological, psychological and social situations of the patient. It is important that the health assessment includes a thorough examination of the patients activities of daily living (Department of Health, 2002) .The twelve activities of daily living (ADL) are communication, safe environment, breathing, eating and drinking, elimination, washing and dressing, temperature, death and dying, mobility, working and playing, sexuality and sleep (Roper, Logan and Tierney model 1985). Although, the Roper Logan Tierney model has being criticized for the use of activities of living as a simple checklist and emphasis only on the physical aspect of patient care( Reed and Robins 1991). This contrasts with Newton (1991) who suggests that the description of the Roper Logan Tierney model (1985) have been varied over the years and describe the model as a system model. Also Pearson (1983) describes it as a systems/development-based model incorporating certain concepts of Dorothy Orems model and the conceptual framework of Hendersons model (Henderson, 1969). It is important to remember that all ADLs about our individual life activities are interlink and when one or more activities is affected due to illness then most of the activities can become compromised. (REF) After a thorough nursing assessment, the ADLs that are appropriate to meet Carls needs are communication breathing, eating and drinking, elimination, safe environment, mobility, working and playing. Communication is essential for building nurse patient relationship (Robinson, 2002). For Carl due to his state of forgetfulness, memory loos, out of character behaviour and frustration especially when he cannot read for his grand children, he may need referral to see opticians for eye check, and the MMSE tool can be use to assess his state of dementia. Breathing is the first sign every health professional look for during patient assessment. Being able to breathe normally ensures that we can attempt other activities without any difficulties for example running. For Carl his breathing can be affected by smoking for 20 pack years as well as his higher BMI can cause shortness of breath. Referral to the NHS stop smoking service or radiographs for chest x-ray to check for infection will be essential. Also regular vital signs check up and the use of the peak flow meter for checking oxygen level in the lungs or nebuliser will help. Ensuring adequate hydration and nutrition is essential if health is to be maintained and in Carls case he has a higher BMI and he is in a state of confusion. There is a difference between dying from nutrition and dying with nutrition. And in Carls case he is dying with nutrition as being over nourished with higher cholesterol level. Fanning H, (2003) suggests that Dehydration as well as UTI can contribute to his state of confusion. Both the (MUST) tool and the (MMSE) tool for assessment of possible dementia can be used (NICE 2012). Referrals can be made by nurses for Carl to see the dietician and also physiotherapist for physical exercise regime and dipstick for UTI. Elimination is very important, and in Carls situation review of his medications will be important since some may cause constipation or frequent urination e.g. furosemide. Higher BMI as a result of being Obese as well as chronic chest problems and constipation can cause urinary incontinent (Kamm, MA1998). Also In male, disease of the prostate may lead to the obstruction of the flow of urine (Abrams el at 2002). The Bristol stool chart can be use to assess constipation, the dipstick tool can also be used to check for infection or UTIs and the fluid balance chart can be use to assess for dehydration by checking input over output. Mobility can be a problem since Carl has a history of forgetfulness and the need to urinate frequently. Fear of not being able to find his way home, been incontinence in public and even fear of falling in a new environment may but him off from mobilising. Human assistance will be needed as well as the assessment of risk of fall. Carl may need assessment on Working and playing since he is retired, have memory impairment and get upset when he cannot read for his grand children. Socialisation seems impossible for him now due to his condition. Referral to psychologists for self worth exercise and also going to day centres to meet other people will help. According to the RCN (2004), nurses will always need an assessment tool to guide their daily nursing practice in terms of their professional accountability and responsibility. For any tool to be effective it must be integrated into daily activity as a standalone initiative it is unlikely to have a significant impact. In Carls condition the as human beings the capacity to sustain life is dependent on our ability to address biological needs including breathing, maintaining blood flow to all our major organs, eating and drinking, elimination waste, protecting ourselfes from injury or disease, exerciseing and resting. All these activities can be monitored through nursing observations of patient in our care, enabling us to decide whether any intervention is necessary to help them maintain their vital functions. In order to make accurate observations we need to learn the correct techniques and how to use relevant equipment. To appreciate the significance of the observations, we need a good understanding of relevant anatomy and physiology, and how to distinguish normal from abnormal functioning. We then have to decide whether our observation require further action, which might include double checking results, increasing the frequency of observations, reporting changes to the clinical managers, Universal Screening Tool (MUST) will be appropriate for his health. The reason being that, been over weight or having a higher BMIcontribute to a whole range of health problems such as heart conditions, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, sleep apnoea, cancer, gallstone, weak pelvic muscles and osteoarthritis (Department of Health, 2004). Heart disease for instance, is one of the most widespread main health risks of being overweight. Being overweight increases the probability of heart malfunction and blood circulation problems and may result in congestive heart failure (Miller el at 2006). He continued that, losing weight in this situation may not only avoid the above-mentioned ailments but as well assist normalize blood pressure, cholesterol levels and triglyceride and diminish inflammation in the body. According to Elia, (2003) MUST is a screening tool that has been devised for application to all adult patients across all health care settings. Malnutrition adversely affects physical and psychological function (Elisa, 2000; Stratton et al. 2003b) and impairs patients recovery from disease and injury, thereby increasing morbidity and mortality. BMI (body mass index) is an easy, inexpensive method of predicting the percentage of your body weight that is due to fat mass. BMI is found by dividing your weight (in lbs.) by your height squared (in inches) and then multiplying by 703. In adults, a BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight, 18.6 to 24.9 is considered healthy, 25.0 to 29.9 is considered overweight and above 30.0 is considered obese. Respiratory function has been studied extensively in relation to BMI. For those with lung diseases, including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and interstitial and vascular lung diseases, respiratory function is moderately to severely compromised. This compromise can be exacerbated by being overweight or having a BMI over 25.0. However, even in those with normal airway function, high BMI can impair respiratory function. Obesity and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases include emphysema, chronic bronchitis and asthma. COPD causes a decrease in elastic recoil of the lungs so that excess air becomes trapped in the chest. This stretches the muscles involved in respiration and compromises their function. The respiratory muscles must then work harder even at rest, increasing oxygen demand on an already taxed respiratory system. At a certain point during physical activity, COPD patients reach a level when increased effort does not further increase the amount of air that they can expire. Having a high BMI means having more weight for your muscles to support during mobility. Thus, if you have COPD, the level at which increased effort no longer provides an increase in expiration comes much faster since you are working harder to support your own weight. In addition, having a high BMI means having more weight on the chest for the respiratory muscles to work against. Sponsored Links Lose 2 Stone in 4 Weeks?Mom reveals the shocking truth  About the UKs hottest dietwww.constant-fitness.com/diet Underweight and COPD Although a high BMI can further impair respiration in those with COPD, once COPD progresses to a severe level, weight loss becomes problematic. Because of lower oxygen levels in the blood, blood becomes shunted from the abdomen into the heart and lungs. This causes malnutrition because the gut is not getting enough blood flow to properly digest foods. Additionally, severe impairment of the lungs causes the respiratory muscles to work so much harder that metabolism greatly increases, even at rest. Typically, severe COPD patients who are underweight have a worse prognosis than those who are overweight because they are essentially starving. High BMI in Healthy Individuals According to a 2005 study by Jones et. al., high BMI can severely impact respiratory function even in non-diseased individuals. The study found that both Functional Residual Capacitythe volume of air in your lungs after passive exhalationand Expiratory Reserve Volumethe volume of air you can expire after passively exhalingdecreased exponentially as BMI increased. Subjects who were morbidly obese were actually breathing close to their Residual Volumesthe amount of air in your lungs after forced exhalation. Another 2005 study by Medarov et. al. Supports Jones findings and also found that Total Lung Capacitythe maximum amount of air you can inhaledecreased with increasing BMI. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, being overweight has mechanical effects on respiration, due to increased weight on the chest wall and diaphragm. Being overweight also causes an increase in energy use at the same workload compared to a leaner person, so the respiratory muscles fatigue at lower intensities in heavier people. These effects may contribute to the decreases in Functional Residual Capacity, Expiratory Reserve Volume and Total Lung Capacity. Lung Diseases Caused by Obesity There are two types of lung disease for which obesity is a primary cause. The first is Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome, also known as Pickwickian Syndrome. Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome involves chronic hypoxemiatoo little oxygen in the bloodand hypercapniatoo much carbon dioxide in the blood. The second lung disease obesity can cause is Obstructive Sleep Apnea. This disease involves periodic airway collapse and increased airway resistance during sleep. As both of these diseases progress, pulmonary hypertension may occur and eventually cause cor pulmonalefailure of the right side of the heart. Domino Effect Because high BMI decreases lung function in both diseased and healthy individuals, an unfortunate domino effect often occurs. Since being overweight makes it harder to breathe, those with respiratory problems may become less physically active. Decreased physical activity causes your muscles, including your respiratory muscles, to weaken and break down, which in turn makes breathing even more difficult. A downward spiral begins, in which inactivity begets further respiratory problems and respiratory problems beget more inactivity Read more:  http://www.livestrong.com/article/84685-bmi-respiratory-function/#ixzz2I54s1yvb The Health Risks of Overweight and Obesity Dr Jeremy Sims  MB BS MSc MRCGP FRIPH FRSH PGDipHI DipNH MRNT Obesity isnt just a cosmetic problem; its very much a health problem as well. You may be reading this today because you are, or have been, very unhappy about your physical appearance. However, losing weight isnt just about looking good, it is about feeling good; its about being healthy and living a productive and comfortable life. Above all, it is about avoiding the terrible health consequences of carrying around excessive weight. The growing evidence shows that if you are overweight you are more likely to develop health problems, such as heart disease, stroke,  diabetes, certain types ofcancer, gout (joint pain caused by excess uric acid), and gallbladder disease. Being overweight can also cause problems such as sleep apnoea (interrupted breathing during sleep) and osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints); and the more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have these health problems. In comparison, healthy and steady Weight Loss can help improve the harmful effects of being overweight. The latest studies show that by losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds you can dramatically improve your overall health status, whilst significantly diminishing your risk of disease. The Risks To Your Health Heart Disease and Stroke Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability for both men and women in the Western World. Overweight people are more likely to have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, than people who are not overweight. Very high blood levels of  cholesterol  and triglycerides (blood fats) can also lead to heart disease and often are linked to obesity. Being overweight also contributes to angina (chest pain caused by decreased oxygen to the heart) and sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms. The good news is that losing a small amount of weight can reduce your chances of developing heart disease or a stroke. See dietitian, Juliette Kellows  Healthy Heart Diet  feature. Reducing your weight by 10 percent can decrease your risk of developing heart disease by improving how your heart works, reducing your blood pressure, and reducing the levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides. Diabetes Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes) is the most common type of diabetes in the Western World. Type 2 diabetes reduces your bodys ability to control blood sugar. It is a major cause of early death, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and blindness. Statistically, overweight people are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as people who are not overweight. You can reduce your risk of developing this type of diabetes by both losing weight and by increasing your physical activity. Furthermore, if you have type 2 diabetes, losing weight and becoming more physically active can help control your blood sugar levels. If you use medicine to control your blood sugar, Weight Loss and physical activity may make it possible for your family doctor to decrease the amount of medication you need Mohammed, MA (2009) Improving accuracy and efficiency of early warning scores in acute care. British Journal of Nursing. 18(1) 18-24 This article is a report on an experimental study to compare the effectiveness of hand held early warning computer system with the traditional pen and paper method Article 2. Johnstone C, Rattray J and Myers L (2007) Physiological risk factors, early warning systems. British Association of Critical Care Nursing. 12(5) 220-231 This article is a general article that provides background information on the topic of why early warning systems can improve patient care Article 3. Hughes LL (2009) Implementing a patient assessment framework in acute care Nursing Standard 24(3) 35-39 This article describes a service improvement initiative to improve patient assessment using an early warning score system over a4 month period at a Hospital in Birmingham Artcicle 6 Wheatley I (2006) The nurses practice of taking level 1 patient observations. Intensive Critical Care Nurse 22(2) 115-21 This was a survey conducted to discover the nurses practices of taking clinical observations in acute settings. It uses an observation data collecting tool (words 470) Read more:  http://www.ukessays.com/essays/nursing/examining-use-of-early-warning-scores-in-assessment-nursing-essay.php#ixzz2I5R87ePn Read more:  http://www.ukessays.com/essays/nursing/examining-use-of-early-warning-scores-in-assessment-nursing-essay.php#ixzz2I5QcaLAr Weight-control Information Network.  Do You Know The Health Risks Of Being Overweight?. Nov. 2004. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. 23 Oct 2006 Diabetes Statistics.  Total Prevalence of Diabetes Pre-diabetes. 2005. American Diabetes Association. 23 Oct 2006 The Nutrition Source.  Healthy Weight. 2006. Harvard School of Public Health. 25 Oct 2006 Obesity causes many of the most common diseases in the world. Being overweight can cause insulin resistance, which leads to Type II Diabetes. A diet high in fat and lack of exercise causes cardiovascular disease and congestive heart failure. Excess weight can cause sleep apnea and respiratory illnesses. Many top scientists believe the increase of average weight directly corresponds to the increase of cancer cases, including kidney, breast, colon and prostate cancers. Read more:  Effects of Being Overweight | eHow.com  http://www.ehow.com/about_4596213_effects-being-overweight.html#ixzz2I57jKX6t Advances in the recording of vital signs make it possible for nurses to monitor patients continuously, be it their heart function, arterial blood pressure, central venous pressure or oxygen saturations. The recordings generated by this equipment must be interpreted according to the patient and in conjunction with other observations. The concern is that nurses may become too reliant on using technology to carry out assessment. Burman et al (2002) describe how staff who are used to equipment can feel insecure assessing patients without this equipment to validate their findings. Within the competencies are skills such as venepuncture, cannulation, arterial blood gases (obtaining and analysing), and recording and obtaining ECGs. Docherty (2003) identifies the recording and interpretation of the 12-lead ECG as being pivotal in the assessment and management of patients who are experiencing chest pain. This is further supported by Harvey (2004) who discusses the assessment and management of patients suffering from angina. However, it is further complemented by accurate physical assessment of the patient. Basic is a term that is frequently used to describe blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rate and temperature. However, I would argue that this undervalues these observations. Breakell (2004) identifies respiratory rate as one of the most important signs and yet one of the most frequently omitted clinical observations. Carberry (2002) also found this to be a problem in clinical practice. The objective of observation is to monitor patients progress, thus ensuring the prompt detection of adverse events or delays in recovery (Stevenson, 2004). Respiratory rate is pivotal to assessment. Many scoring systems incorporate respiratory rate, such as: APACHE Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Score; SIRS Systemic Inflammatory Response Score; Assessment tools Neiderhauser and Arnold (2004) identify the importance of assessing the health risk status of patients, and the indications for intervention. A wide variety of assessment tools are in use to facilitate assessment and ensure the reliability of the process. For example the EWAS/MEWS tool can be use to check vital signs and avoid patients deterioration. EWAS is use for the assessment of unwell hospital patients, using 5 simple physiological parameters, mental response, pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature. It scoring system can be calculated at the patients bedside, using a simple and inexpensive equipment to measure any parameters. Of all the parameters respiratory rate is said to be the most sensitive indicatory of a patients physiological well being. Breakell (2004) identifies respiratory rate as one of the most important signs and yet one of the most frequently omitted clinical observations. Carberry (2002) also found this to be a problem in clinical practice. This is logical because respiratory rate reflects not only respiratory function as in hypoxia or hypercapnia, but cardiovascular statusas in pulmonary oedema, and metabolic imbalance such as that seen in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)( REF). Department of Health (1999b) Making a Difference: Strengthening the Contribution of Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors. DH, London the health problems that stem from being overweight go way beyond the ones we usually hear about, like diabetes and heart disease. Being overweight can also affect a persons joints, breathing, sleep, mood, and energy levels. So being overweight can impact a persons entire quality of life. Dangers of being Overweight Some of the dangers of being overweight include developing: High Blood Pressure:  When you have excess body fat, your body retains sodium. When your body retains sodium, blood volume increases and blood pressure rises. High blood pressure causes your heart to work harder, which is dangerous for the heart. Diabetes:  Obesity is the leading cause of type 2 diabetes. Excess fat makes your body resistant to insulin. When your body is resistant to insulin, your cells cant get the energy they need. Stroke Abnormal blood fats:  A diet high in saturated fats increases the level of LDL (bad) cholesterol. Osteoarthritis:  Excess weight adds pressure to joints and wears away at the cartilage that protects them. Sleep apnea:  The more overweight a person is, the greater more severe the sleep apnea will be. Cancer:  Men and women who are overweight have a higher risk of developing many different kinds of cancer. Gallstones:  Gallstones are more common in people who are overweight. The connection between gallstones and weight is unclear. Weak Pelvic Muscles Physical Discomfort: As fat accumulates, it crowds the space occupied by yourorgans. People who are overweight may have difficulty breathing, walking or sitting. Heart disease is 1 of the most widespread main health risks of being overweight. Being overweight to a great extent increases the probability of heart malfunction and blood circulation problems and may result in congestive heart failure, heart attack, angina (chest pains), abrupt cardiac arrest or unequal heartbeat. Weight loss in this situation may not only avoid the above-mentioned ailments but as well assist normalize blood pressure, cholesterol levels and triglyceride and diminish inflammation in the body. Cancer is one of the foremost causes of death in the United States, and is frequently a result from fat cells that affect cell growth and multiply beyond capacity. Colon, esophagus, and the kidney are the most affected regions of the body. Being obese has also contributed to uterine as well as postmenopausal breast cancer in females. Sleep apnea, Osteoarthritis plus other Health Difficulties In sleep apnea the sufferer experiences short lapses of breaths during nighttime. This in turn makes the person tired right through the day, making it hard for him to concentrate on work. In some cases, heart failure has also been noted in patients suffering from this ailment. The lapse of breath happens due to the increased size of the cells of the neck, obstructing the windpipe at certain intervals. Dropping weight may decrease the size of the neck and diminish the pressure on the windpipe and make breathing easy. Osteoarthritis is another health risk of being overweight. In this particular ailment, the joint bone and the tissue that protects joints (cartilage), wear away. The joint bone of numerous parts of the body like the hip, knees, plus lower back are the main targets of Osteoarthritis. Being overweight places a lot of heaviness on the joints, which might lead to this condition in the long run. Dropping  weight  will let down the  body fat  and lessen the aches and pains. Excess fat accumulates in the liver cells and causes the organ to inflate, leading to injuries. This results in Fatty Liver diseases. This disease can lead to severe liver injury, built-up of scar tissue that blocks the proper blood flow to the liver (cirrhosis), and complete liver breakdown. It is relatively similar to alcoholic liver damage but does not inevitably mean that it cannot affect those who do not consume alcohol. Taking communication for instance, it is essential for building nurse patient relationship (Robinson 2002). It is important, for example for nurses to know during assessment whether a patient can hear, understands the language in which a question is being asked or can answer by speaking or sing language. And if they cannot hear, do they wear hearing aids, if so in which ear. Language barrier can be a major problem during assessment, but interpreters, family and friends can contribute and help. However, very often accurate information will not be given, preventing full assessment of patients needs. The use of braill and flashy lights is also important during assessment for patients who are blind or deaf. Newton (1991) suggests that descriptions of the Roper, Logan and Tierney model (1985) have been varied over the years. The model has been described as a system model (Aggleton Chalmers, 1987), as a model that incorporates multiple theories (Thibodeau, 1983) and as an activities of living model based on human needs (McFarlane, 1980). Farmer (1986) has described it as having a functional approach. Pearson (1983) describes it as a systems/development-based model incorporating certain concepts of Dorothy Orems model and the conceptual framework of Hendersons model (Henderson, 1969). It seems fair to suggest that the Roper, Logan and Tierney model has had criticism over time. Indeed, the model has been criticized for the use of the activities of living as a simple checklist (Reed Robbins 1991), the emphasis on solely the physical aspects of patient care (Minshull et al 1986, Walsh 1989), and the simplicity of the model (Walsh 1991). Bellman (1996) suggests that the first two problems indicate an inappropriate introduction and implementation of the model in practice. We have done nursing assessment and for Carl the ADLs that are a