Multi-disciplinary Care Management in Orthopaedic Ward

Multi-disciplinary Care Management in Orthopaedic Ward The purpose of this assignment is to explore, discuss, and analyse multi-disciplinary care management of a patient admitted to an orthopaedic ward. It will look at how collaboration with other agencies and disciplines takes place. In addition, their role in the rehabilitation and discharge planning. It will conclude if the special needs of the patient were met which will be discussed throughout the assignment. This assignment will contain reference to Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle along with Webb (1992) who agrees it is appropriate and acceptable to write in the first person, when giving a personal opinion. The patient cared for in this assignment was a woman admitted to an orthopaedic ward after falling over in her home, with a possible fractured neck of femur. Fractured neck of femur is the most common traumatic condition requiring admission to orthopaedic wards. It is currently approaching epidemic proportions among older people, especially women (Audit Commission 1995). The names of the staff and hospital will remain anonymous to maintain confidentiality. This is in conjunction with clause 5.1 of the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Code of Professional Conduct (NMC 2002). In addition, a pseudonym of Mrs. H will be used to name the patient. Mrs. H is a fifty-seven year old woman, who has Type II diabetes controlled by tablets and diet. Since she was a child, she was diagnosed as having learning difficulties. A learning difficulty/disability is a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information (DOH 2001). Due to social issues, Mrs. H was labelled as a complex discharge from admission. Smith supports this and states discharge planning starts on admission (Smith 2002). Mrs. H was admitted to the ward after an assessment was carried out in the Accident and Emergency Department. Mrs. Hs fracture was confirmed by an x-ray, which identified an extracapsular fracture. The surgical house officer decided to book her for emergency surgery with dynamic hip screws (DHS), which are used to internally fix the fracture. DHS are designed so that the shoulder of the screw presses against the edge of the screw hole and applies pressure at the fracture site (Dandy Edwards 1998). After surgery, Mrs H was transferred onto an elective orthopaedic joint replacement ward where I was placed. The ward follows Ropers model of nursing as well as a care pathway for total hip and knee replacements. These pathways have been defined as a multidisciplinary outline of anticipated care, placed in an appropriate time frame, to help a patient with a specific condition or set of symptoms moving progressively through a clinical experience to a positive outcome (Roberts Reeves 2003). Ropers model of nursing is the most commonly used in the UK, particularly in adult nursing (Kenworthy et al 2002). This model focuses on twelve activities that people engage in to live(Roper et al 1995). It focuses on the client as an individual engaged in the living throughout his or her lifespan, moving from dependence to independence, according to different circumstances. The concepts underlying the model are the progression of a patient along a lifespan, dependence, and independence continuum, the activities of daily living and influencing factors, and lastly individuality (Roper et al 1995). However, the goals of orthopaedic nursing is to return the patient to mobilise fully and weight bear independently, hence, self-caring. Therefore, Kenworthy et al (2002) suggests that when working with patients with learning difficulties, nursing models may need adapting to cater for long-term problems. Kenworthy et al (2002) also suggest that Orems (1985) model of nursing is integrated with Ropers (1995), which is widely used in the fields of rehabilitation and community care. Despite this, this ward adheres only to Ropers (1995) model. When Mrs H initially arrived on the ward, her patterns of activities were assessed, evaluated, and documented by the nurse. The problems identified were used to formulate a plan of care. This involves referrals to other agencies and disciplines. A multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation and discharge planning is fundamental and includes the following: A named nurse, health care assistant, physiotherapist, radiographer, catering staff, social worker, occupational therapist, dietician, and psycho geriatrician. Other health team members involved in her care were community based health professionals such as her general practitioner who would be involved after discharge. The adult nurse could facilitate health promotion for people with learning difficulties. This could involve a member of the community learning disabilities team, a learning disabilities nurse. The role of the learning disabilities nurse is to liase with hospital administration staff to plan clients care needs on admission and discharge (Simpson 2002). However, there is shortage of learning disabilities nurse in the UK (UFI limited 2000). Nevertheless, the nurse could adhere to the protocol for admission to hospital for adults with learning disabilities, which is being piloted in some hospitals at present (Robson 2000). Therefore, by using Mrs. H as an example of a learning disabilities patient, requiring specialist nursing. The ward could devise its own protocol. Similarly, by looking at the governments white paper for Learning Disabilities (LD) published in March 2001, its aims are to challenge discrimination and improve access to health and a better quality of life for people with LD (DOH 2001). The idea that nurses could discriminate against disabled patients may seem preposterous (Scullion 1996). However, some may play a part in what Miller (1995) calls hospital induced dependency. Biley (1994) suggests that far from being user-friendly, hospitals may be particularly hostile to disabled people. Hannon supports this and points out people with learning disabilities are vulnerable and frightened on admission to hospital (2003). The nurse carried out most nursing interventions, including measurement of blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and temperature. This procedure was carried out every half hour for two hours until Mrs. Hs cardiovascular observations were stable. This was increased to four hourly intervals (NHS Trust 2002). The nurse also monitored her pain score, sedation score, and pain site. She checked all intravenous drips for leakage. Wound dressings were observed for strike through. Mrs. H arrived back on the ward with a patient controlled Analgesia (PCA) pump. It is a method of pain relief, which allows patients to control their own pain by using an electronically operated pump (NHS Trust 1998). By using a pain assessment tool, nurses play a major role in assessing and managing pain (Watt-Watson et al 2001). The administration of prescribed analgesia was offered, and local policies regarding pain relief were implemented (Alexander et al 2000). However, Watt-Watson et al (2002) states many nurses distrust patients self-reporting of their pain, which suggest that they have their own benchmark of what is an accepted level before analgesic is necessary. McCaffrey disputes this and notes pain is what the patient says it is and exists when he or she says it does (McCaffrey Beebee 1989). The nurse would ask Mrs. H if she would like any pain relief and on most occasions, she replied Yes. The Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) guidelines for mental health and learning di sabilities (MH LD 2002) state it is important to devote as much time as it is necessary to explain issues to clients (nmc.org.uk 2002). This suggests that the nurse should ask if they have any pain and explain it is not always necessary to agree to accept pain relief. The NMC guidelines for MH LD also state people with learning disabilities have a fluctuating state of competence (nmc.org.uk 2002). Due to poor mobility and being a diabetic, Mrs H was at risk of developing pressure sores. Using the hip replacement care pathway as a tool, the nurse and health care assistant turned her every two hours using an immoturn. This is a metal frame to help move the patient, it elevates pressure, ensuring no discomfort or soreness is experienced (NHS 2002). Because older patients are at risk of a deep vein thrombosis following surgery, the use of an anti-coagulant clexane was used (Collins 1999), the nurse encouraged leg and circulatory exercises to be commenced post operatively. Due to a previous low blood haemoglobin, a full blood count was taken, along with urea and electrolytes and liver function tests (Collins 1999). Blood glucose monitoring was carried out and documented at appropriate times. Mrs. Hs consent was not always sought to carry out the blood glucose monitoring procedure. The NMC MH LD guidelines (nmc.org.uk 2002) suggest that certain environments force the learning disab ilities client to feel forced to make certain decisions. They go on to suggest if a person has been appointed as guardian of the client, matters of consent should be discussed with that person (nmc.org.uk 2002). The diabetic nurse was not involved as the nurses on the ward were managing Mrs Hs diabetes through tablets and monitoring of her diet. Using the wards care plan as a tool to reassess Mrs Hs problems, it was evident that by the third day post operatively her dietary intake was poor. Due to this, and the fact Mrs H was a diabetic, a referral to the dietician was made. The dietician advised both the catering staff and the nursing staff what type of diet was appropriate. The nurse would sit with Mrs. H and talk through what was available on the food menu. Mrs. H would deny that she had chosen the meal when it arrived. The NMC MH LD guidelines outline learning disabilities clients may be highly suggestive, thus most likely to agree to choices from those in positions of authority (nmc.org.uk 2002). They also suggest an advocate would promote the clients right to choose and decide for themselves (nmc.org.uk 2002). On the third day after Mrs. H operation, the physiotherapist came to teach her how to use a walking frame, which should progress to walking with two sticks. The physiotherapists play an important part in the patients rehabilitation process by encouraging limb movement (Cuthbertson et al 1999). After mobilising on the stairs with the physiotherapist, a referral to the occupational therapist was made. The role of the occupational therapist was to assess the patient and decide if any aids are needed to help the patient manage safely and independently at home. Both the physiotherapist and occupational therapist agreed that Mrs. H was fit enough to go home. The multidisciplinary team (MDT) recognised the benefit of family centred care and involved Mrs Hs family (Wright Leahey 1994). This resulted in the family expressing concern over the squalid conditions of her home. Mrs. Hs home had not been cleaned for some time; she chose to leave left over food all over the house. This resulted in an infestation of maggots and bluebottles. In addition, the house was poorly maintained, with no heating and hot running water. The main concern expressed by the MDT was hundreds of rubbish bags, which surrounded most of the house, causing blockage of the stairs and doorways. Due to Mrs. Hs learning disability, a cognitive assessment was requested, and carried out by a psycho geriatrician. The nursing admission form contradicts this decision, in which Mrs. H states that she knew why she was in hospital and what her treatment was. However, as mentioned earlier, people with learning disabilities have a fluctuating state of competence (nmc.org.uk 2002). The psycho geriatrician confirmed that Mrs. H did have the capacity to decide where she lived. Nevertheless, Mrs Hs social worker was very concerned about home circumstances. Based on these facts, the ward nurse contacted the community liaison nurse to arrange a case conference. Unfortunately, this was delayed by two weeks due to the social worker taking annual leave. The nursing staff was told that there was no other social worker available to take over this case. T his may be explained by the fact that there is currently a shortage of qualified social workers nationwide (Simpson 2002). Most days, Mrs. H would spend time sitting in her chair and would only mobilise when going to and from the toilet. Over the weekend, Mrs H did not receive any visitors. She then became tired mobilising back from the toilet. She began to shout loudly and insisted she was in pain. As it was visiting time, all the visitors stopped to stare at her. The nurses responded to this by transporting her back to her bed in a wheelchair. This behaviour continued for a couple of days. This prompted an x-ray referral, which confirmed no change. This was recorded on the care pathway as a variance. Any variance from the anticipated care pathway is recorded outlining what occurred differently, why and what was done instead (Onslow 2003). Mrs. H was encouraged to mobilise as much as she could but she would still shout in pain. The NMC guidelines for MH LD (nmc.org.uk 2002), however, suggest a lack of individual stimulation could be the reason and exacerbate the problems associated with some challenging behaviours. Eventually a case conference was arranged. The issues highlighted were although Mrs. H has the help of daily home carers visiting twice a day and belongs to a lunch club, she had a history of falls. Mrs. H was mobilising around the home with a zimmer frame, due to a right fractured neck of femur in 1999. The MDT reached a decision and the aim is to get Mrs. H to agree to a home visit. After careful negotiations with Mrs H and members of the MDT, a home visit took place. The outcome of the home visit was sheltered accommodation would be safer. Pritchard Pritchard (1994) suggests each member of the team demonstrates a clear understanding of his or own functions and recognises a common interest. This common interest was the well being of the patient. Mrs. H was asked to visit the sheltered housing available and asked to make a decision. Mrs. H decided she wanted to go home. The occupational therapist made a list of recommendations, such as rails on her front door, additional help to tend to the coal fire or alternate heating and an electrician to come and fix the light in Mrs. Hs bathroom. Unfortunately, the social worker involved with Mrs. Hs case went on annual leave for a further two weeks. Mrs. H is now still in hospital awaiting her social workers instructions on her discharge. According to the Guardian newspaper, every day across England, about 5,000 people of all ages are unnecessarily stuck in acute hospital beds because no follow up care is available in the community (Waters 2003). This is still happening in spite of in 2003, the government introduced the community care (Delayed Discharges Act). This act, effective from January 2004, stipulates social services departments will be fineable and will have to pay the NHS up to  £120 per day to cover the cost of a blocked bed (Batty 2003). On reflection, (Gibbs 1988) I felt there was evidence of good multi-disciplinary team collaboration. Mrs. H was given good care and emphasis was placed on her rehabilitation and discharge planning. However, on further analysis, utilisation of other agencies/disciplines could have been made. Due to staff shortages, and no alternative social worker being available to be Mrs. Hs advocate, then the community learning disabilities could have been involved. As this was not possible, the nurse as a health facilitator could have made herself and the multidisciplinary team aware of the government white paper, learning disabilities a strategy for the 21st century (DOH 2001). Conversely, one member of the nursing staff could have offered to participate in training courses for the care management of people with learning disabilities (NHS Careers 2000). Overall, the nursing staff implemented good care. Nevertheless, the nursing staff by using Mrs. H as an example of a complex discharge can learn from this. They could put in place policies to deal with other learning disabilities patients. Finally, the NMC (2002) clause 2.4, stipulates that as a registered nurse, you must promote the interests of your clients. This includes helping individuals and groups, including the multidisciplinary team, to gain access to health and social care. More importantly, you must respect the interests of patients irrespective of their ability (NMC 2002) clause 2.2.

My University Education Essay -- Education School Learning Essays

My University Education Finding a metaphor that accurately describes my university education was a challenging experience for me because it required me to thoroughly reexamine my attitude towards the whole of my educational experiences--both prior to and in college. In the end, what I discovered was the metaphor I feel describes my education at Bemidji State University is one that is universal to my entire education. My education has been a journey that started the minute I was born and will continue throughout my life. Initially, my journey began on one road which stretched before me--along this road were intersections, road signs, accidents, bumps, and mile markers. What I have learned as a student in college, has added many more "miles" to my learning odometer. Mile One O.K., so let's get back to the beginning. As I mentioned before, my education began the minute I was born and peered curiously into the world around me. Each of the elements of the environment in which I lived contributed to my growth and interest in new things. The most important part of this environment was my parents who encouraged me, through example, to value my experiences and to constantly learn from them. As a result of their support, I learned to become an independent and critical thinker. First and foremost, I learned that I could be responsible for my own learning. In essence, it was my choice to learn as much or as little as I wanted from my experiences. Mile Two How did this impact my education? In the realm of elementary and secondary education where learning often meant regurgitating the ideas our teachers "imparted" to us, it meant that I was not merely there to "absorb" what was going on around me. I was an active member of class w... ... Similarly, I have learned the importance of proceeding with caution and obeying the speed limit along the way. I now realize that sometimes I need to slow down to think things through before reacting or overreacting. The people that I have met and learned from on my journey have become the bumps and road signs on my educational highway. The bumps have sometimes hindered my progress, whereas the road signs have sent me moving onward and in the right direction. Mile Four What does all of this mean to me? It means I am adaptable. I am able to go ten miles an hour or eighty miles an hour should the situation arise. I can hit the bumps, adjust the steering, and travel onward with little loss of time. I can choose the uncharted course and find a new road to where I want to go. It means that I am ready for the adventure that lies ahead. The odometer's running...

What is innovation, what influences whether new ideas emerge, and whether they are eventually successful?

Innovation is the introduction of something new. It could be a new idea, a new product, a new design, a new curriculum or a new method. The factors that influence new ideas to emerge are due to consumer wants and needs. People are always looking for ways and means to make life easier. The success of an innovation is usually based on consumer feedback and how user friendly the innovation is. Take for example the innovation of the telephone. The old design was quite bulky and they used the rotary dialing system. When the phone line was busy, you have to redial all the numbers. For an elderly person with finger arthritis, that is quite painful and difficult to do. For a very busy person, it takes a lot of time to dial again and again. Then, the push button telephone with the redial system innovation came. Calling a busy number became easier but if you are busy doing something with your hands. It’s quite difficult to keep dialing or talking on the phone and continues to work by using your shoulders or hands to prop or hold on to the earpiece. So, speakerphones were invented. First it came as an attachment to the phone unit but then it occupied a lot of space on the office table. So, another innovation came in the form of a telephone with built–in speaker. Then the intercom innovation came. Manufacturing plant personnel would find it quite difficult to talk to other personnel through phone. It would be expensive to have so many phone lines for each department within a compound. The intercom system was used so inter department communication would be easier. To having an intercom unit and a phone unit on the office table takes up a lot of space. So another innovation was made. Telephone units with built-in speakers and intercoms were made. Ideas keep coming as the need for new features to help ease communication problems arise. That is why from a rotary dial system, phone innovation has become cell phones with wi-fi and camera features with phonebook, organizer, radio, mp4 music player, alarm clock with world time converter and word document programs.

Definitions of Indexes and Scales in Research

Indexes and scales are important and useful tools in social science research. They have both similarities and differences among them. An index is a way of compiling one score from a variety of questions or statements that represents a belief, feeling, or attitude. Scales, on the other hand, measure levels of intensity at the variable level, like how much a person agrees or disagrees with a particular statement. If you are conducting a social science research project, chances are good that you will encounter indexes and scales. If you are creating your own survey or using secondary data from another researcher’s survey, indexes and scales are almost guaranteed to be included in the data. Indexes in Research Indexes are very useful in quantitative social science research because they provide a researcher a way to create a  composite measure  that summarizes responses for multiple rank-ordered related questions or statements. In doing so, this composite measure gives the researcher data about a research participants view on a certain belief, attitude, or experience. For example, let’s say a researcher is  interested in measuring job satisfaction and one of the key variables is job-related depression. This might be difficult to measure with simply one question. Instead, the researcher can create several different questions that deal with job-related depression and create an index of the included variables. To do this, one could use four questions to measure job-related depression, each with the response choices of yes or no: When I think about myself and my job, I feel downhearted and blue.When I’m at work, I often get tired for no reason.When I’m at work, I often find myself restless and can’t keep still.When at work, I am more irritable than usual. To create an  index of job-related depression, the researcher would simply add up the number of yes responses for the four questions above. For example, if a respondent answered yes to three of the four questions, his or her index score would be three, meaning that job-related depression is high. If a respondent answered no to all four questions, his or her job-related depression score would be 0, indicating that he or she is not depressed in relation to work. Scales in Research A scale is a type of composite measure that is composed of several items that have a logical or empirical structure among them. In other words, scales take advantage of differences in intensity among the indicators of a variable. The most commonly used scale is the Likert scale, which contains response categories such as strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. Other scales used in social science research include the Thurstone scale, Guttman scale, Bogardus social distance scale, and the semantic differential scale. For example, a researcher interested in measuring prejudice against women could use a Likert scale to do so. The researcher would first create a series of statements reflecting prejudiced ideas, each with the response categories of strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree. One of the items might be women shouldn’t be allowed to vote, while another might be women can’t drive as well as men. We would then assign each of the response categories a score of 0 to 4 (0 for strongly disagree, 1 for disagree, 2 for neither agree or disagree, etc.). The scores for each of the statements would then be added for each respondent to create an overall score of prejudice. If a respondent answered strongly agree to five statements expressing prejudiced ideas, his or her overall prejudice score would be 20, indicating a very high degree of prejudice against women. Compare and Contrast Scales and indexes have several similarities. First, they are both ordinal measures of variables. That is, they both rank-order the units of analysis in terms of specific variables. For example, a person’s score on either a scale or index of religiosity gives an indication of his or her religiosity relative to other people. Both scales and indexes are composite measures of variables, meaning that the measurements are based on more than one data item. For instance, a person’s IQ score is determined by his or her responses to many test questions, not simply one question. Even though scales and indexes are similar in many ways, they also have several differences. First, they are constructed differently. An index is constructed simply by accumulating the scores assigned to individual items. For example, we might measure religiosity by adding up the number of religious events the respondent engages in during an average  month. A scale, on the other hand, is constructed by assigning scores to patterns of responses with the idea that some items suggest a weak degree of the variable while other items reflect stronger degrees of the variable. For example, if we are constructing a scale of political activism, we might score running for office higher than simply voting in the last election. Contributing money to a political campaign and working on a political campaign would likely score in between. We would then add up the scores for each individual based on how many items they participated in and then assign them an overall score for the scale. Updated by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.

Scopes Trial Creationism vs Evolution in Public School

The Scopes Monkey Trial (official name is State of Tennessee v John Thomas Scopes) began on July 10, 1925, in Dayton, Tennessee. On trial was science teacher John T. Scopes, charged with violating the Butler Act, which prohibited the teaching of evolution in Tennessee public schools. Known in its day as the trial of the century, the Scopes Trial pitted two famous lawyers against one another: Beloved orator and three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan for the prosecution and renowned trial attorney Clarence Darrow for the defense. On July 21, Scopes was found guilty and fined $100, but the fine was revoked a year later during the appeal to the Tennessee Supreme Court.  As the first trial was broadcast live on radio in the United States, the Scopes trial brought widespread attention to the controversy over creationism versus evolution.   Darwins Theory and the Butler Act Controversy had long surrounded Charles Darwins The Origin of Species (first published in 1859) and his later book, The Descent of Man (1871). Religious groups condemned the books, in which Darwin theorized that humans and apes had evolved, over millennia, from a common ancestor. In the decades following the publication of Darwins books, however, the theory came to be accepted and evolution was taught in most biology classes by the early 20th century. But by the 1920s, partly in response to the perceived loosening of social mores in the United States, many Southern fundamentalists (who interpreted the Bible literally) sought a return to traditional values. These fundamentalists led the charge against teaching evolution in the schools, culminating in the passage of the Butler Act in Tennessee in March 1925. The Butler Act prohibited the teaching of any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), created in 1920 to uphold the constitutional rights of U.S. citizens, sought to challenge the Butler Act by setting up a test case. In initiating a test case, the ACLU did not wait for someone to break the law; instead, they set out to find someone willing to break the law expressly for the purpose of challenging it. Through a newspaper ad, the ACLU found John T. Scopes, a 24-year-old football coach and high school science teacher at Rhea County Central High School in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee. Arrest of John T. Scopes The citizens of Dayton were not merely trying to protect biblical teachings with their arrest of Scopes; they had other motives as well. Prominent Dayton leaders and businessmen believed that the ensuing legal proceedings would draw attention to their little town and provide a boost to its economy. These businessmen had alerted Scopes to the ad placed by the ACLU and convinced him to stand trial. Scopes, in fact, usually taught math and chemistry, but had substituted for the regular biology teacher earlier that spring. He was not entirely certain that he had even taught evolution but agreed to be arrested. The ACLU was notified of the plan, and Scopes was arrested for violating the Butler Act on May 7, 1925. Scopes appeared before the Rhea County justice of the peace on May 9, 1925, and was formally charged with having violated the Butler Act—a misdemeanor. He was released on bond, paid for by local businessmen. The ACLU had also promised Scopes legal and financial assistance. A Legal Dream Team Both the prosecution and the defense secured attorneys that would be certain to attract news media to the case. William Jennings Bryan—a well-known orator, secretary of state under Woodrow Wilson, and three-time presidential candidate—would head the prosecution, while prominent defense attorney Clarence Darrow would lead the defense. Although politically liberal, 65-year-old Bryan nonetheless held conservative views when it came to religion. As an anti-evolution activist, he welcomed the opportunity to serve as prosecutor. Arriving in Dayton a few days before the trial, Bryan drew the attention of onlookers as he strolled through town sporting a white pith helmet and waving a palm-leaf fan to ward off the 90-plus degree heat. An atheist, 68-year-old  Darrow offered to defend Scopes free of charge, an offer that he had never made to anyone before and would never make again during his career. Known to prefer unusual cases, he had previously represented union activist Eugene Debs, as well as notorious admitted murderers Leopold and Loeb. Darrow opposed the fundamentalist movement, which he believed was a threat to the education of American youth. Another celebrity of sorts acquired a seat at the Scopes Trial—Baltimore Sun columnist and cultural critic H.L. Mencken, known nationally for his sarcasm and biting wit. It was Mencken who dubbed the proceedings The Monkey Trial. The small town was soon besieged with visitors, including church leaders, street performers, hot dog vendors, Bible peddlers, and members of the press. Monkey-themed memorabilia was sold on the streets and in shops. In an effort to attract business, the enterprising owner of the local drugstore sold simian sodas and brought in a trained chimp dressed in a little suit and bow tie. Both visitors and residents alike remarked on the carnival-like atmosphere in Dayton. State of Tennessee v John Thomas Scopes Begins The trial began at the Rhea County courthouse on Friday, July 10, 1925, in a sweltering second-floor courtroom packed with more than 400 observers. Darrow was astonished that the session began with a minister reading a prayer, especially given that the case featured a conflict between science and religion. He objected but was overruled. A compromise was struck, in which fundamentalist and non-fundamentalist clergy would alternate reading the prayer each day. The first day of the trial was spent selecting the jury and was followed by a weekend recess. The next two days involved debate between the defense and prosecution as to whether the Butler Act was unconstitutional, which would thereby place doubt on the validity of Scopes indictment. The prosecution made its case that the taxpayers—who funded public schools—had every right to help determine what was taught in those schools. They expressed that right, argued the prosecution, by electing legislators who made the laws governing what was taught. Darrow and his team pointed out that the law gave preference to one religion (Christianity) over any other, and allowed one particular sect of Christians—fundamentalists—to limit the rights of all others. He believed that the law would set a dangerous precedent. On Wednesday, the fourth day of the trial, Judge John Raulston denied the defenses motion to quash (nullify) the indictment. Kangaroo Court On July 15, Scopes entered his plea of not guilty. After both sides gave opening arguments, the prosecution went first in presenting its case. Bryans team set out to prove that Scopes had indeed violated Tennessee law by teaching evolution. Witnesses for the prosecution included the county school superintendent, who confirmed that Scopes had taught evolution out of A Civic Biology, the state-sponsored textbook cited in the case. Two students also testified that they had been taught evolution by Scopes. Under cross-examination by Darrow, the boys conceded that they had suffered no harm from the instruction, nor had either left his church because of it. After only three hours, the state rested its case. The defense maintained that science and religion were two different disciplines and should thus be kept separate. Their presentation began with the expert testimony of zoologist Maynard Metcalf. But because the prosecution objected to the use of expert testimony, the judge took the unusual step of hearing the testimony without the jury present. Metcalf explained that nearly all of the prominent scientists he knew agreed that evolution was a fact, not merely a theory. At Bryans urging, however, the judge ruled that none of the remaining eight expert witnesses be allowed to testify. Angered by that ruling, Darrow made a sarcastic comment to the judge. Darrow was hit with a contempt citation, which the judge later dropped after Darrow apologized to him. On July 20, the court proceedings were moved outside to the courtyard, due to the judges concern that the courtrooms floor might collapse from the weight of hundreds of spectators. Cross-Examination of William Jennings Bryan Unable to call any of his expert witnesses to testify for the defense, Darrow made the highly unusual decision to call prosecutor William Jennings Bryan to testify. Surprisingly—and against the advice of his colleagues—Bryan agreed to do so. Once again, the judge inexplicably ordered the jury to leave during the testimony. Darrow questioned Bryan on various biblical details, including whether he thought the Earth had been created in six days. Bryan responded that he didnt believe it was actually six 24-hour days. Spectators in the courtroom gasped—if the Bible were not to be taken literally, that might open the door for the concept of evolution. An emotional Bryan insisted that Darrows only purpose in questioning him was to ridicule those who believed in the Bible and to make them appear foolish. Darrow replied that he was, in fact, trying to keep bigots and ignoramuses from being in charge of educating the youth of America. Upon further questioning, Bryan seemed uncertain and contradicted himself several times. The cross-examination soon turned into a shouting match between the two men, with Darrow emerging as the apparent victor. Bryan had been coerced into admitting—more than once—that he did not take the Bibles story of creation literally. The judge called for an end to the proceedings and later ordered that Bryans testimony be stricken from the record. The trial was over; now the jury—which had missed key parts of the trial—would decide. John Scopes, largely ignored for the duration of the trial, had not been called to testify on his own behalf. Verdict On the morning of Tuesday, July 21, Darrow asked to address the jury before they left to deliberate. Fearing that a not guilty verdict would rob his team of the chance to file an appeal (another opportunity to fight the Butler Act), he actually asked the jury to find Scopes guilty. After only nine minutes of deliberation, the jury did just that. With Scopes having been found guilty, Judge Raulston imposed a fine of $100. Scopes came forward and politely told the judge that he would continue to oppose the Butler Act, which he believed interfered with academic freedom; he also protested the fine as unjust. A motion was made to appeal the case and was granted. Aftermath Five days after the trial ended, the great orator and statesman, William Jennings Bryan, still in Dayton, died at the age of 65. Many said he died of a broken heart after his testimony had cast doubt upon his fundamentalist beliefs, but he had actually died of a stroke likely brought on by diabetes. A year later, Scopes case was brought before the Tennessee Supreme Court, which upheld the constitutionality of the Butler Act. Ironically, the court overturned Judge Raulstons ruling, citing a technicality that only a jury—not a judge—could impose a fine greater than $50. John Scopes returned to college and studied to become a geologist. He worked in the oil industry and never taught high school again. Scopes died in 1970 at the age of 70. Clarence Darrow returned to his law practice, where he worked on several more high-profile cases. He published a successful autobiography in 1932 and died of heart disease in 1938 at the age of 80. A fictionalized version of the Scopes Trial, Inherit the Wind, was made into a play in 1955 and a well-received movie in 1960. The Butler Act remained on the books until 1967, when it was repealed. Anti-evolution statutes were ruled unconstitutional in 1968 by the U.S. Supreme Court in Epperson v Arkansas. The debate between creationist and evolutionary proponents, however, continues to this day, when battles are still being fought over the content in science textbooks and school curricula.

Essay on Women Have the Right to Abortion - 1833 Words

The issue of abortion has always been a controversial one for citizens of the United States. Abortion is the practice of terminating a pregnancy after the embryo has been planted in the uterus (Abortion). An individual’s stance on this controversial issue categorizes them into one of two very different groups. An individual who feels that a woman should not have an abortion- due to moral or religious views- is said to be â€Å"pro-life†. Coincidently, those who feel that a woman should have the right to choose abortion are said to be â€Å"pro-choice†. â€Å"Pro-life† supporters point to the practice of abortion as an immoral one. Supporters state abortion is immoral because it takes away the rights of the unborn fetus, since activists consider human†¦show more content†¦The practice of abortions throughout the United States are safe. Abortions have become safer since the procedure was reluctantly legalized in the United States-by the Supreme Cou rt-in 1973. According to The American Medical Association’s Council on Scientific Affairs the number of deaths associated with abortion drastically dropped from roughly four out of every one hundred thousand women in 1973 to .6 per every one hundred thousand women in 1997 (Abortion is Safe). These statistics show that procedure in how an abortion is performed has become safer since legalization. Legalization of abortion permitted the procedure to be performed in a sterile setting- such as a hospital operating room. The medical risk associated with an abortion procedure is highly overestimated. An abortion performed exactly as medically advised carries half the risk of a tonsillectomy (Abortion is Safe). (A tonsillectomy is a simple procedure that is performed on many children in their childhood.) On the other hand, anti-abortion advocates point to emotional problems that could harm the pregnant woman after an abortion. These advocates attempt to show there is a link to mental disorders in post abortion women. A New Zealand study looked to verify this claim. The analysis showed that there was a credible link between depression, suicide attempts and substance abuse in post abortion women (Cords). Researchers also aimed to connect having an abortion with post-traumatic stress disorderShow MoreRelated Women Have the Right to Abortion Essay1603 Words   |  7 PagesWomen Have the Right to Abortion Websters New World Dictionary defines the word abortion as, any spontaneous expulsion of an embryo or a fetus before it is sufficiently developed to survive (Websters 1988; Pps. 3- 4). Assuming the reader of this essay agrees with the above definition, I will explore the following thesis, and support my answer with appropriate, adequate documentation, from Conversations: Should abortion be legal? At what point in time, and under what criteria shouldRead More Women Have the Right to Choose Abortion Essay1599 Words   |  7 PagesWomen Have the Right to Choose Abortion An abortion is a womans option to terminate a pregnancy. It is an induced miscarriage. Abortion has become an extremely controversial topic in the past 3 decades since it has been legalized. There has been extreme violence stemming from this issue that we as a country need to put under control, regardless of our personal stances on the issue. There are many reasons why a woman would choose to have an abortion. She does not feel she is ready toRead MoreAbortion Is A Way For Women1726 Words   |  7 PagesKellsey Lodahl Abortion is Ethical Abortion is a way for women, or couples, to make the best decision they can for themselves and the unborn child if they are not ready to bring a child into the world. Allowing termination as a legal and ethical option lets women know they still have a choice when their world is turned upside down. The choice to abort a pregnancy allows women to remain in control of their bodies and makes women one step closer to becoming equal to men. I argue that it is ethicallyRead MoreAbortion: Unconstitutional State and Federal Laws700 Words   |  3 PagesAbortion: Unconstitutional State and Federal Laws Abortion for many years now has been a very controversial topic politically and culturally. Democrats are considered to be pro-choice for women rights to abortion, while the Republicans are against abortion due to their conservative culture. Womens right to have abortions have been violated by both state and federal government laws. Laws regulating womens right to an abortion is unconstitutional because the laws prohibits women from making theirRead MoreAbortion And The Abortion At The Supreme Court988 Words   |  4 Pageseditorial about abortion from opposing viewpoints called â€Å"Showdown on Abortion at the Supreme Court† The author of editorial argued that women’s have right choose abortion. If supreme court shutdown all legal and safest medical treatment clinic that preform abortion, the women will fallow illegal method to end their pregnancies because they do not have any alternative. It is not good method for women health. However, my opinion an abortion is quite different. Recently number of abortion increases rapidlyRead MoreShould Abortion Be A Pro Choice?954 Words   |  4 PagesPro-choice believers support the idea that women have the choice to do what they want with their bodies. In the article, â€Å"Yes, I’m Pro-Abortion,† Lauren Rankin asserts that being Pro-Choice means accepting abortion as one of the choices women have the right to make. Rankin says that abortion is not available for all women, especially a woman of color and low-income woman. The author also mentions that it sidelines abortion and delegitimizes the valid choice. I agree that if one chooses to be Pro-ChoiceRead MoreAbortion Should Be Legal Essay893 Words   |  4 Pagesis a decision that must follow. Abortion is a woman’s individual choice; therefore, must be a legal part in todays society. Individual rights have an outstanding role in the controversial topic, on whether abortion should become legal in the United States . The individ ual rights for abortion show rights of life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. As well, women should be able to have the choice to choose to have an abortion for several important reasons. The right to make these decisions shouldRead MorePro Choice Vs. Abortion1426 Words   |  6 Pagesclearly advocates that every women in the world has equal rights of having abortion and there will no legal or religious restriction against electing an abortion in routine life. Many of social religious, civil and national federations raised a slogan against abortion and in the support of this opposition all of these communities and people also run Pro-life movement, United States. This movement opposes Pro-choice and many people considered in early days that abortion is an illegal phenomenon, whileRead MoreAbortion : A Choice And A Part Of Reproductive Justice776 Words   |  4 PagesIn history, women have demanded for women’s rights on numerous occasions whether it was for their voting r ights, fair treatment in the workplace and more. Reproductive freedom is talked about in â€Å"How It All Began: I Have Had an Abortion† and â€Å"What is Reproductive Justice?† by Loretta Ross. These articles discuss abortion as a choice and a part of reproductive justice. â€Å"How It All Began: I Have Had an Abortion† talks about abortion in a direct way by talking about anti-abortion law and Project 218Read MorePro Life And Pro Choice Debates875 Words   |  4 PagesPro-life and Pro-choice debates have become very controversial over the years. The Pro-Life stance fights for equal rights for the fetus, while the Pro-Choice stance fights for equal rights for the women. Currently abortions are legal in the United States up to the second trimester. The purpose of this power point will be to explore the ethical and legal viewpoints of the Pro-Life and Pro-Choice stances. Individuals who are Pro-Choice believe that an abortion is a given right and a given choice, which

North American Cheetah free essay sample

The cheetah is a large feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. It is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx. The cheetah can run faster than any other land animal† as fast as in short bursts covering distances up to, and has the ability to accelerate from O to in three seconds. This cat is also notable for modifications in the species paws. It is one of the few felids with semi-retractable claws. Etymology The word cheetah is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning variegated, via the Hindi . Genetics, evolution, and classification The genus name, Acinonyx, means no-move-claw in Greek, while the species name, jubatus, means maned or crested in Latin, a reference to the dorsal crest found in cheetah cubs. The cheetah has unusually low genetic variability. This is accompanied by a very low sperm count, motility, and deformed flagella. Skin grafts between unrelated cheetahs illustrate the former point, in that there is no rejection of the donor skin. We will write a custom essay sample on North American Cheetah or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It is thought that the species went through a prolonged period of inbreeding following a genetic bottleneck during the last ice age. This suggests that enetic monomorphism did not prevent the cheetah from flourishing across two continents for thousands of years. The cheetah likely evolved in Africa during the Miocene epoch, before migrating to Asia. Recent research has placed the last common ancestor of all existing populations as living in Asia 11 million years ago, which may lead to revision and refinement of existing ideas about cheetah evolution. The now-extinct species include: Acinonyx pardinensis, much larger than the modern cheetah and found in Europe, India, and China; Acinonyx intermedius, found over the same range. The extinct genus Miracinonyx was extremely cheetah-like, but recent DNA analysis has shown that Miracinonyx inexpectatus, Miracinonyx studeri, and Miracinonyx trumani, found in North America and called the North American cheetah are not true cheetahs, instead being close relatives to the cougar. Subspecies Although many sources list six or more subspecies of cheetah, the taxonomic status of most of these subspecies is unresolved. Acinonyx rex†the king cheetah†was abandoned as a subspecies after it was discovered that the variation was caused by a single recessive gene. The subspecies Acinonyx Jubatus guttatus, the woolly cheetah, may also have been a variation due to a recessive gene. Some of the most commonly recognized subspecies include: Asiatic cheetah : Asia . Current range is in Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Extinct in other Asian countries. Northwest African cheetah : Northwest Africa and western Africa Acinonyx Jubatus raineyii: eastern Africa Acinonyx Jubatus Jubatus: southern Africa Acinonyx Jubatus soemmeringii: central Africa Acinonyx Jubatus velox Description The cheetahs chest is deep and its waist is narrow. The coarse, short fur of the heetah is tan with round black spots measuring from across, affording it some spots, which merge to form four to six dark rings at the end. The tail usually ends in a bushy white tuft. The cheetah has a small head with high-set eyes. Black tear marks running from the corner of its eyes down the sides of the nose to its mouth keep sunlight out of its eyes and aid in hunting and seeing long distances. Its thin and fragile body make it well-suited to short bursts of high speed, but not to long- distance running. Agility, rather than raw speed, accounts for much of the cheetahs bility to catch prey. Cheetahs can accelerate four times as fast as a human and can slow down by 14 kilometers per hour in one stride. They can hunt successfully in dense forests. The adult cheetah weighs from . Its total head-and-body length is from, while the tail can measure in length. Cheetahs are tall at the shoulder. Males tend to be slightly larger than females and have slightly bigger heads, but there is not a great variation in cheetah sizes and it is difficult to tell males and females apart by appearance alone. Compared to a similarly sized leopard, the cheetah is generally horter-bodied, but is longer tailed and taller and so it appears more streamlined. Some cheetahs have a rare fur pattern mutation of larger, blotchy, merged spots. Known as king cheetahs, they were once thought to constitute a separate subspecies but are in fact African cheetahs; their unusual fur pattern is the result of a single recessive gene. The king cheetah has only been seen in the wild a handful of times, but it has been bred in captivity. The cheetahs paws have semi-retractable claws, offering extra grip in its high-speed pursuits. The ligament structure of the heetahs claws is the same as those of other cats; it simply lacks the sheath of skin and fur present in other varieties, and therefore, with the exception of the dewclaw, the claws are always visible. The dewclaw is much shorter and straighter than that of other cats. Adaptations that enable the cheetah to run as fast as it does include large nostrils that allow for increased oxygen intake, and an enlarged heart and lungs that work together to circulate oxygen efficiently. During a typical chase, its respiratory rate increases from 60 to 150 breaths per minute. Once widely hunted for its fur, the cheetah now suffers more from the loss of both habitat and prey. The cheetah was formerly considered to be particularly primitive among the cats and to have evolved approximately 18 million years ago. However, new research suggests the last common ancestor of all 40 existing species of felines lived more recently than about 11 million years ago. The same research indicates that the cheetah, while highly derived morphologically, is not of particularly ancient lineage, having separated from its closest living relatives around