Death as a Symbolic Theme in Modern Literature Essay

Death as a Symbolic Theme in Modern Literature - Essay Example It happens to be the one and only real absolute. Death separates a character from one’s life and loved ones, both of which tend to be experiences fraught with much anxiety. In a way death tends to be the ultimate separation and end of life. In this sense death is an expansive experience in the sense that it is a literary concept that transcends beyond the scope of a work of literary creativity to pervade the fate of entire humanity. Death happens to be a potent theme that is common to Little Bee, Heart of Darkness, The Convergence of the Twain and The Love Song of Alfred Prufrock. Death is pervasive in all these works of literature, though in each specific work death is not merely about the annihilation of human life, but rather carries a much broader symbolic meaning. Death as a pervasive theme lurks almost on every page of Little Bee by Chris Cleave. In both the flashbacks and the confessions rendered by the two central characters Little Bee and Sarah, unraveling their trava ils and tragedies, death turns out to be a pervasive reality that imbues the varied aspects of their lives. Little Bee comes across scenes of abject bloodshed and carnage when her family and neighbors are annihilated and killed by the treasure hunters of black gold, in her village. She vividly remembers how her sister got raped, murdered and butchered like a wild animal. Little Bee tends to be a witness when Sarah’s husband Andrew commits suicide in their study room. Like Little Bee, the life of Sarah is time and again punctuated and jolted by episodes of death. The brutal tale that stands to be the life experience of Sarah gets further highlighted when she and her son Charlie try to come to terms with the shocking and untimely death of Andrew. Though the three characters that are Little Bee, Sarah and Charlie try to deal with the reality of death in their own unique ways, death at a symbolic level carries an almost singular meaning in their lives aptly conveyed in the words of Sarah, â€Å"That Summer-the summer my husband dies-we all had identities we were loath to let go (Cleave 22).† In the novel Little Bee, death in a symbolic context signifies the loss of an identity, an identity that is replete with meaning, acceptance and a sense of belonging. The central characters in the quest for seeking joy and hope irrespective of this loss of identity tend to surpass the constraints imposed by death and mortality. There is no denying the fact that in the Heart of Darkness written by Joseph Conrad, death is not only a concept that comes out as being ubiquitous throughout the setting of the novel, but rather it is a work of fiction that extends a whole new meaning to the concept of death. In the Heart of Darkness, death is portrayed by Conrad as a sly, intimidating and lurking animal that not only hides in the nooks and corners of the African landscape on which the story floats, but death also emerges to be a primordial fear layered in the dark and co mplex recesses of the human consciousness (Bloom 14). In the Heart of Darkness, the plot unfolds in the Belgian Congo, the abjectly notorious African colony, as far as the greed of European colonizers and the brutalization of the Africans is concerned. Death as a symbolic theme operates at two parallels levels in the story. At one level the story deals with the cruelty of the European colonizers towards their African subjects. The African in the story comes out as a black

Marketing - The Luxury Market Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing - The Luxury Market - Article Example One simple answer: brand name. People trust the brand and â€Å"perceive them as having value over and above that of the ‘equivalent’ commodity† (Chernatony and McDonald 2003, p.367). The brand conveys a message. Hence the brand has aspiration, and people who want to be linked with that aspiration, and have the resources to ensure that happens are loyal to these brands. The brand makes one feel special; the brand makes provides one with superior confidence and heightened feeling. (Globe 2004). The brand is the differentiator; the brand is what helps you fit in. It is weird, but the brand is what conveys what you want to convey to the world. And if you can afford it, why not? Luxury Marketing To understand the difference in the marketing style for luxury brands, one must first understand the difference between regular and luxury goods. A brand that is highly priced does not automatically become a luxury brand. Price is only one factor. There are various others such as the quality of the product, its exclusivity, the precision in its making, innovation, and so much more! Such products are obviously targeted at consumers at the highest level in the wealth pyramid, ones that have resources they do not know what to do with. They need to be reminded about their status, the prestige, and so choose products from the luxury segment that differentiates them from the crowd and sets boundaries when it comes to their social status. (Vickers and Renand 2003). They are not worried about price of a product as much as the value it brings to their lives. These are the people who choose opulence over necessities, and why not? They have the resources for it. They even have an inexplicable bond with the products they choose. They prefer not to experiment and want what they want. Luxury Marketing Mix The marketing mix for luxury products differs from regular products in many ways. Let us take a look at what sets these apart. 1. Product: A regular product is produ ced in thousands, maybe millions. All these products have the same price, are standardized and are identical to one another in almost all aspects other than color or size. But take a luxury product and it become exclusive and special by customizing the product or producing a limited edition line. (Piron 2000). 2. Price: The pricing strategy for regular products is mainly value for money. This is due to the highly competitive market and the fact that there are substitutes in the market for almost anything. People know what they want and where they can get an alternate at a lower price. The luxury segment is premium priced for people who know exactly what they want and do not mind spending to get it. 3. Place: Regular products are easily accessible and are made available in multiple stores or in zones that will be convenient for the people in the target group. Luxury items do not need to be strategically placed. They are usually made available in very exclusive stores in high end area s where they will be accessible to the buyers. (Piron 2000). 4. Promotion: For a regular product, every form of promotion is used from Above the Line, Below the Line, advertising in all sorts of media, building product functional and aspirational appeal and so on. For a luxury product however, premium, above the line media are used, specific to the

Management of ICU Delirium

Management of ICU Delirium 1. Introduction In the critical care setting, haemodynamic failure is recognised by monitoring the patient’s blood pressure and pulse and treatment may involve fluid resuscitation or the use of inotropic agents (Webb Singer, 2005). In respiratory failure, the patient’s respiration rate and oxygen saturations are closely monitored and ventilatory support is sought (Cutler, 2010). Just like the heart and lungs, the brain can acutely fail in critical illness. An acute disturbance in brain function is recognised as delirium (Page Ely, 2011). Historically, delirium was accepted by the medical and nursing community as an inevitable consequence of the ICU experience (Shehabi et al., 2008). More recently, delirium is beginning to gain acceptance as a serious condition in the adult intensive care unit (ICU) and early identification and timely treatment is essential so as to reduce the detrimental effects on patient outcomes (Arend Christensen, 2009 Boot, 2011). Nurses are well-positioned to not only detect discrete fluctuations in levels of consciousness but to also minimise modifiable risk factors and to prompt doctors to review the critically unwell adult (Page Ely, 2011). However, there is a growing recognition that delirium in the ICU is misunderstood and underreported by health professionals and hence continues to cause cognitive dysfunction in affected patients (Wells, 2010). This introduction discusses delirium in adult patients hospitalised in the ICU; specifically nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and current practices regarding ICU delirium, and presents the literature review problem, question and the aim and objectives. The literature has used numerous terms interchangeably to describe cognitive impairment in the ICU. There are references to ICU psychosis (Justice, 2000), ICU syndrome (Granberg-Axà ¨ll, 2001), acute confusional syndrome (Tess, 1991), and acute brain failure (Lipowski, 1980; cited in Page Ely, 2011, p. 6). The multiplicity of terms in the literature may explain why the condition has not received the degree of prioritisation it deserves (McGuire et al., 2000). The above expressions are gradually being superseded by a more widely accepted expression termed ‘ICU delirium’ (Boot, 2011). Criteria set by the ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ (DSM-IV; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) describes delirium as a disturbance of consciousness (i.e. limited awareness of surroundings) and cognitive fluctuations (e.g. a memory deficit); the onset is over a short period of time and the syndrome is a consequence of a physiological condition. There are three subtypes of delirium; namely: hypoactive, hyperactive and mixed delirium. Page Ely (2011) provide data on the prevalence of delirium: One in five adult patients hospitalised in the ICU develop delirium. A higher incidence occurs in ventilated patients (four out of five patients). A considerable body of research is dedicated to the investigation of the adverse effects of delirium on patient outcomes. A prospective cohort study by Girard (2010) concludes that the duration of delirium in ventilated patients in the ICU is an independent predictor of cognitive impairment up to 1 year following discharge. This conclusion has far-reaching implications for the growing population of patients who are concerned about the preservation of cognitive function following hospitalisation during a period of critical illness. Similarly, Ouimet et al., (2007) used a prospective study design to conclude that delirium increased the risk of mortality in a population of 820 patients admitted to the ICU for a period of more than 24 hours. In addition to this, delirium was associated with an extended period of hospitalisation. The implementation of preventative measures, early recognition tools and the timely delivery of treatment may prove useful in the preservation of cognitive funct ion in affected patients (Boot, 2011). Although there are several assessment tools available for ICU patients, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2010) recommends the use of the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU; Ely et al., 2001). The tool has high validity for detecting the delirious non-intubated patient (Ely, et al., 2001); however the symptoms of hypoactive delirium such as lethargy and drowsiness are not always recognised by the CAM-ICU (McNicoll et al., 2005). The topic of this review was selected based on observations made in clinical practice; for example, it was witnessed that very few delirium assessments were being performed in the ICU and subsequent conversations with critical care nurses reinforced the perception that approaches to delirium monitoring in the ICU are inconsistent. In an attempt to address this clinical problem, the topic of ICU delirium was selected as the main focus of inquiry for the present research. So as to construct a relevant and well framed review question it was necessary to explore the literature pertaining to this clinical problem. In a telephone-based questionnaire study conducted in the Netherlands (Van Eijk et al., 2008) it was concluded that 7% of the ICUs surveyed in this nationwide study routinely practiced delirium monitoring using a validated tool such as the CAM-ICU; despite the presence of international guidelines that advocate delirium assessment practices. Ely et al., (2001) states that very few institutions routinely practice delirium monitoring despite well-documented adverse effects associated with the syndrome. The implications of this are that timely diagnosis and the implementation of management strategies are prevented (Ista et al., 2014). Boot (2009) proposes that nurses in the ICU may not have the appropriate level of knowledge to guide nursing practice. On the contrary, Wells (2012) states that a lack of knowledge may not fully explain why nurses do not engage in delirium monitoring and that the reason lies with the barriers to delirium as identified by Devlin et al., (2008) such as difficulties in assessing intubated patients. An alternative explanation is that nursing practices are based on the deep-rooted belief that delirium is an expected consequence of critical illness (Boot 2009). Undoubtedly, a lack of scientific attention given to the topic of ICU delirium may have contributed to a lack of general awareness (Page and Ely, 2011). In recent years, there has been a growing recognition in the literature and clinical practice that a change in attitude is required, which may need to be supported by educational efforts. Prior to introducing a change in attitude; it is first necessary to understand why so many nurs es are failing to incorporate screening into their routine practice (Wells, 2010). In an attempt to gain an improved understanding of the perceived barriers, beliefs, current practices and knowledge levels of critical care nurses, Devlin et al., (2008) identified nurses’ responses regarding delirium monitoring in the ICU using a questionnaire design. One of the main findings from this study was that nurses who did not routinely practice delirium monitoring were unaware that the syndrome was underreported and that delirium is characterised by fluctuating symptoms such as levels of consciousness. The study’s findings bring to attention a severe deficit in nurses’ knowledge relating to questions about delirium in the ICU. Mention should be made here of an important limitation of the study, that is, the results are only representative of 331 nurses in the Massachusetts area of North America. By employing a systematic search strategy to identify similar research, a synopsis of the level of support required to alleviate the clinical problem will be c reated (Aveyard, 2010). There appears to be no published evidence of an attempt to produce a systematic review that has explored critical care nurses’ responses in relation to delirium and delirium monitoring in the ICU. In light of this, the present review will explore this gap in research evidence at the level of a literature review in which a selected body of literature will be critically appraised. 1.1 The Review Question ‘What knowledge, practices and attitudes do critical care nurses have about delirium and its assessment in the ICU?’ 1.2 Aim and Objectives The aim of this review is to critically appraise primary research studies to reveal the knowledge, practices and attitudes of critical care nurses regarding delirium in the ICU and its assessment, whilst identifying implications and recommendations for clinical practice. The following objectives describe the individual steps that will be undertaken as part of this review: To employ a systematic search strategy to retrieve primary research articles that are relevant to the research question as specified above, through the use of inclusion and exclusion criteria. To use appropriate databases and hand searching techniques to identify additional articles that are relevant to the research question and that meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria. To critically appraise the selected research articles using a validated appraisal tool so as to establish their research quality and reliability. To extract the findings from the selected articles so as to effectively answer the research question. To draw conclusions from the findings whilst discussing the limitations of the review and implications and recommendations for clinical practice. Word count 1447 References American Psychiatric Association. (2000) Diagnostic and statistical manual mental disorders. 4th ed. Washington DC: Author. Arend, E. Christenson, M. (2009) Delirium in the intensive care unit: a review. Nursing in Critical Care, 14 (6): 145-154. Aveyard, H. (2010) Doing a literature review in health and social care. A practical guide. 2nd ed. London: Open University Press. Boot, R. (2012) Delirium: a review of the nurse’s role in the intensive care unit. Intensive and critical care nurses, 28 (3): 185-189. Cutler, J. (2010) Critical care nursing made incredibly easy. London: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Devlin, J. W., Fong, J.J. Howard, E.P. et al. (2008) Assessment of delirium in the intensive care unit: nursing practices and perceptions. American Journal of Critical Care, 17 (6): 555-566. Ely, E.W., Inouye, S.K. Bernard, G.R. et al. (2001) Delirium in mechanically ventilated patients: validity and reliability of the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU). The Journal of the American Medical Association, 286: 2703-2710. Girard, T.D., Jackson, J.C. Pandharipande, PP. et al. (2010) Delirium as a predictor of long-term cognitive impairment in survivors of critical illness. Critical Care Medicine, 38 (7): 1513-1520. Granberg-Axà ¨ll, A., Bergdom, I. Lundberg, D. (2001) Clinical signs of ICU syndrome/delirium: an observational study. Intensive Critical Care Nursing, 17 (2): 72-93. Ista, E., Trogrlic, Z. Bakker, J. (2014) Improvement of care for ICU patients with delirium by early screening and treatment: study protocol of iDECEPTIVE study. Implementation Science, 9: 143. Justice, M. (2000) Does ICU psychosis really exist? Critical Care Nurse, 20: 28-39. Lipowski, Z. J. (1980) Acute brain failure in man. Springfield , IL: Charles C Thomas. McGuire, B., Basten, C. and Ryan, C. et al. (2000) Intensive care unit syndrome, a dangerous misnomer. Archives of Internal Medicine, 160 (7): 906-909. McNicoll, L., Pisani, M. Ely, E. (2005) Detection of delirium in the intensive care unit: comparison of confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit with confusion assessment method ratings. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53: 495-500. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2010) Delirium: diagnosis, prevention and management [online]. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg103 [Accessed 13 January 2015]. Ouimet, S., Kavanagh, B.P. and Gotfried, S.B. et al. (2007) Incidence, risk factors and consequences of ICU delirium. Intensive Care Medicine, 33 (1): 66-73. Page, V. Ely, E. W. (2011) Delirium in critical care (core critical care). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Shehabi, Y., Botha, J. A. and Ernest, D. et al. (2008) Sedation and delirium in the intensive care unit: an Australian and New Zealand perspective. Anaesth Intensive Care, 36 (4): 570-578. Tess, MM. (1991) Acute confusional state in critically ill patients: a review. Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, 23: 398-402. Van Eijk, M.M., Kesecioglu, J. Slooter, A. J. (2008). Intensive care delirium monitoring and standardised treatment: a complete survey of Dutch intensive care units. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 24 (4): 218-221. Webb, A.R. Singer, M. (2005) Oxford Handbook of Critical Care. 2nd ed. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press. Wells, L. G. (2010) Why don’t intensive care nurses perform routine delirium assessment? A discussion of the literature. Australian Critical Care, 25 (3): 157-161. 1

Killing :: essays research papers

Last night In the still of the night Santiago’s crying cut sharply like a knife. His crying was relentless, as though it would never end but then, a child of three knows no other way to express his horror. Abraham Naser walked down the narrow street made of hardened earth and nothing more. His dress was pure class, white blazer and pants with matching wide brimmed hat. Lost in thought he rolled his cigar between his lips, then, as if in a motion as natural to him as his tendency to smile at beautiful women, he adjusted his gun stuffed tightly in the back of his waist bond. It was then when Abraham ran into the women he knew would change his life; the women who would be his wife Arabic coffee tasted for the first tome is surpassing and strong, but soon, it turns soothing and sweet. Placida Linero’s head snapped back at her first taste, and they both laughed. Their eyes spore of there long future from across the small round table. The cafà © had been Abraham’s idea, but it w as now Placida who didn’t want the moment to end, ever. Walking down the isle had been Placida dream since she was a little girl. In Spain girls are brought up to make mariace a priority. For Abraham, on the other hand, an Arab male of wealth turn of the century Spain, life had always meant just the opposite. A man of festivities, of party and celebration, Abraham loved his boos, cigars, and women. And not necessary in that order. He felt and, not a beginning to his life. Placida was a spark of light, beauty able to contain her joy news spilled like a flood. Abraham finds he is happier than he had ever been, but battle with the confession of his changing life. In his excitement, Abraham rushed out to the baby store. There, a beautiful radon haired young women, eyes blue then the sea, assists him in selecting a crib of finished wood and white lace. The celebration that night will be remembered for all time. The drinking, the smoking, the guilt, the self-loathing and the broken promise. He could not explain even to himself how another chance meeting ¾with the young women from the baby store ¾ now stood to destroy his life. How could he have been so foolish he asked himself?

Christian perspectives on personal, social and world issues Essay

There are two terms regarding poverty- Absolute poverty, which is when you do not have enough money, or food for your basic everyday needs. Relative poverty, which is when you cannot afford what, is seen as normal in a given society. There is also the term wealth, which is when you are rich with abundant possessions and money, you are prosperous. Most people in third world countries live in absolute poverty, while a large proportion of people who live in first world countries are wealthy. Hunger is a feeling, which you have when you have not eaten for some time, 1/5th of the worlds population goes hungry. Disease is an unhealthy condition or an illness, which can lead to death and therefore disrupts a family’s ability to raise income (as there are fewer people in the family). Both hunger and disease are two main causes of death in today’s world, especially in third world countries. This is because developing third world countries are a lot poorer than first world countries so everyday necessities that are taken for granted such as clean, safe water, medicines and food as they are not so readily available (they cannot afford to provide them). For example millions of people die each year from drinking polluted water, this is mainly in third world or developing countries. Disease is a problem in third world countries because of the lack of technology and medicine available, and because the climate is so hot and there is no way of getting rid of rubbish so vermin are tempted bringing in diseases such as the plague. There are also very few vaccinations available so millions of unvaccinated children die of diseases such as measles, whooping cough and tetanus, each year making third world countries have a very high death rate. In third world countries they tend to have a very large population of mainly young children, this is because parents want children so that they can start work at an early age and bring money in to the family. Contraception is also rarely available so many unwanted children are born. Unlike in first world countries where families choose to have children at a later date because more women prefer material possessions and like to have a decent amount of money before they bring up a family. There is a very high infant mortality rate in third world countries because of the contraception crisis as deadly diseases such as aids are easily passed onto children and the lack of food means that many die from hunger. First world countries are somewhat different from third world countries- life expectancy is very high (there is a low death rate) as there is better technology available so there are more cures for diseases, which means that more people have a better chance of living to an older age. There are also vaccinations available so that the chance of catching a disease is decreased. Infant mortality rate is very low as mothers can choose when they want a family and can stop unwanted pregnancies by using a variety of contraceptive methods. People also have a higher disposable income so they can afford to spend more money on food etc- so it is very rare for people to die of starvation. There are four myths about world hunger. These are: > There is not enough food to go round. > World hunger is caused by over- population. > Starvation is the result of natural disasters. > Science will be able to cure hunger. The myth about there not being enough food to go around basically means that there is not enough food upon the earth to go around all of the people who live there. This is false because there is enough food to go around but it is not evenly distributed. There is more food in richer countries because people can afford to buy it, this means that people are prepared to make/grow food and sell it to richer countries so they can make money for themselves. People in developed countries also have more money so they want a more varied choice of food. Unfortunately poorer countries suffer, as there is never enough food to go around, as they do not have technology/tools to provide their own or the money to buy it. If people shared food instead of wasting it and eating more than they need to starvation would not be an issue. World hunger being caused by over population means that there is too many people in the world today so food is becoming more scarce and some people cannot get hold of much. This is also false because there is enough food to go around but people in richer countries waste a lot of food as it is taken for granted. Although someone could argue that as the population increases more land is taken up to be built on which leaves less room for cattle grazing, growing crops etc so less food can be produced. Starvation being the result of natural hazards means that due to natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes or drought food sources are being wiped out and so people of starving. This is also false because not every country has natural hazards and they definitely do not all have them at the same time. So, when a country is in crisis due to a natural hazard other countries should help them out and provide food for them. There is plenty of food in the world but by giving it to poorer countries it will mean that they will loose money. Someone could argue that natural hazards are a cause of starvation because poorer countries tend to have a lot of drought so it is hard to grow crops and graze animals on the poor soils. Also, countries are prone to flooding which drowns crops and animals so no food can be produced. Science being able to cure world hunger means that in the future scientist could discover a new thing for example a new type of crop which could live in all conditions so it could grow in all countries. This myth could either be true or false because nobody can predict what science will be like and what new discoveries we will make. So perhaps in a few years will be able to produce a ‘super food’, which can grow in any conditions and feed thousands. Science costs money though, and this is what poor countries do not have so they will not be able to purchase whatever comes out. Countries affected by starvation could be waiting for years for a new discovery so in the mean time people will be dying from starvation. So, Christians believe that if people in rich countries eat and waste less world hunger can be tackled. Christians also believe that God’s creation is good and everyone should be treated equally and have a chance to live a happy life- without being poverty stricken due to greedy people. Here are some examples of the biblical teachings Christians follow on the teachings of hunger and disease: An example of greed is in some of the laws, which God told to the Israelites (Deuteronomy 24.14-22). He says: ‘When you beat the olives from the trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow’ ‘When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow’ This proves that God does not want Christians to be greedy and shows that they should help others who are in need by sharing what they have. Another example of this is ‘the parable of the rich fool’ (Luke 12:16-21). A man produced a good crop and he did not have enough room to store it anywhere, so he wanted to build bigger barns. God punished him by demanding his life from him and he said ‘This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God’. Christians should help others and instead of saving/storing things for themselves they should give them to other needy people- or God will not be happy and he will punish them. This shows that those who pile up riches for themselves are not rich in Gods view and that for someone to gain eternal life they must give and share. Also in Deuteronomy 24.14-22 it says: ‘Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether or not he be of thy brethren†¦ for he is poor and setteth his heart upon it.’ Which means that people should not put poor and needy people down (even if they are below you, you should not look down on them) you should help them instead no matter who they are. The teaching of ‘The fall’ in Genesis 3.1-19 is about temptation and it concludes why the world is the way it is today. ‘Serpents’ (snakes) were made to crawl on their ‘belly’ because the one in the story tempted Eve to eat the ‘forbidden fruit’. As Eve took the apple all women suffer pain when giving birth. Christians believe that people are made to suffer because of what happened in ‘The fall’. In Genesis 1.26-31 (stewardship) Christians believe that God was the one who created the world and he created it in reflection of how he wanted people to behave in it (good). They believe that human beings should look after the world and his creations in it (that was their purpose of being on the earth), so they should not abuse or destroy it. He said that they ‘†¦will have power over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all of the earth, and over the creatures that move along the ground.’ But he did not want humans to take advantage of this. The parable of the sheep and goats is also important because it is about people either going away to ‘eternal punishment’ or to ‘eternal life’. The separation of the sheep’s and the goats is relating to the separation of people who treat other people well (as Jesus did) and people who do not. Jesus says to the people who followed him (by treating people nicely): ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ To the people who did not follow his commands he says the same thing but changes it to a negative comment e.g. ‘For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat’. This explains that those who provided for the needy were blessed while those who turned their backs on the needy were cursed with eternal punishment. Which is why Christians feel that they have to help the needy. The parable of the Good Samaritan is also important, this deals with the issue of who should be helped. It is about a man who is stripped of his clothes and beaten by robbers while he is on his way to Jerusalem. Both a Priest and a Levite (two well respected pillars of the Jewish religious community) walked on the other side of the road and passed by him. A Samaritan came (who were despised and hated) and took pity on him; he looked after him and took him to an Inn. This shows how one man suddenly put aside all his religious beliefs by going instantly to the aid of another man who was in pain and suffering. In Corinthians 8:13-15 it says: ‘†¦At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality.’ This means that you should treat others as you wish to be treated. So, when they are in need and you help them out, you may eventually be repaid by them returning the favor to help you out in times of need. This is another reason why Christians feel that it is important to help other people who are in need. In Amos 8:4-10 there are references to the way which people should treat each other it says: ‘†¦you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land†¦ skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest measure†¦Ã¢â‚¬ I will never forget anything they have done†¦I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all you singing into weeping.’ This means that to people who try and rip other people off by charging too much or giving them too little etc will be punished and God will never forget what they have done. The same message again comes across, that people should treat each other in the same way that they wish to be treated and they should not be greedy and try to make a little more money for themselves. In John 13.34-35 Jesus says that you should ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ This is important because Jesus helped everyone who was in need regardless of their race or colour, he treated everybody equally and this is what Christians should do if they want to follow Jesus. Christians believe that you should treat others as they wish to be treated. In Colossians 3:1-15 it says: ‘†¦whatever belongs to your earthly nature†¦evil desires and greed†¦ Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothes yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.’ This shows why Christians try and help other people who are not as well off as them. They feel that they are being greedy because they are living a life of luxury while people are starving in other countries struggling to feed their families. God wanted them to be kind and equal not greedy and selfish. They want to do as Jesus says so they should be kind and generous to other people who are in need. People should resist evil and discrimination by helping others who are in need. Christian aid was set up in 1945 to help many Europeans who had been made homeless by the Second World War. The churches collected à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1 million for this work and by 1948 they decided to collect money for the people in the third world too. In September 1945 it officially became Christian Aid, a department of the British council of churches (all the non- Roman Catholic Churches). Christian Aid believes that ‘†¦God’s new strategy for a new world is to put the poorest first.’ So it provides help for poor people in less economically developed countries (LEDC’s). Christian Aid works wherever the need is greatest, irrespective of religion. It supports local organisations, which are best placed to understand local needs, as well as giving help on the ground through 16 overseas offices. Christian Aid believes in strengthening people to find their own solutions to the problems they face. It strives for a new world transformed by an end to poverty and campaigns to change the rules that keep people poor. They believe that all people were made in God’s image so they are all equal and they should be treated equally. Christian Aid wants to give poverty stricken people the chance to live equally and happily like other people in the world, they want to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, the powerful and powerless. Christian Aid now works in over sixty countries making many poor/homeless peoples life better, by giving both emergency aid and long term assistance to try and battle against poverty. They try and do this by fundraising- Christian Aid needs money to help relieve poverty. Christian Aid has set up a ‘Christian Aid week’, which runs in May each year. This has proven to be very successful because in 1995 alone they raised à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½8.6 million. Many churches and individuals also contribute by having fund-raising events throughout the year- these tend to raise approximately three times as much as Christian Aid week, so again these are very successful. Christian Aid also supports campaigns to help try and improve the poverty in LEDC’s. An example of this was in April 1995 when they launched their first photo petition in aid of trying to ‘drop’ Jamaica’s debt. This campaign had a lot of interest from many famous people, for example Richard Wilson and Michelle Gayle. So, this is again another successful appeal from Christian Aid. The emergency aid that Christian Aid does covers a wide range of things and it usually has priority over long-term aid because without it people would die. Christian Aid spends between 10% and 15% on it funds each year on this. It has a disaster fund which deals with natural disasters and refugees. Christian Aid sends food, antibiotics and shelters to people who need them in an emergency. Two examples of this were the flood victims in Bangladesh in 1995, and they also sent tents and food to war refugees in Bosnia and Rwanda. In the Christian Aid statement of intent it says that they want to ‘†¦improve our response to emergencies and work to prevent them.’ which shows that more can still be done to help people but they need more support and funds. Christian Aid also provides long-term aid for poverty stricken people, towns or villages. Much of Christian Aid’s long and short-term aid is channelled through Christian organisations in the country concerned. They have done many things to help people, examples of this are: They are funding a group of health workers who have built a factory to make basic drugs in Bangladesh (as they cannot afford to import them). This will enable the people of Bangladesh to have easy access to the drugs hopefully saving lives. In Lesotho Christian Aid is financing a local agricultural school to try and reduce soil erosion to increase food production. This will enable people to eat more and sell more food- increasing their profits. Only about 5% of Christian Aid’s budget is spent on educating people about the way Christians can help LEDC’s and educate Churches of Britain about the desperate need for development. A newspaper is printed four times a year called the ‘Christian Aid news’. Which gives information about Christian Aids latest developments and world developments. Bob Finley, chairman of Christian Aid has now completed 53 years of ministry as an evangelist, pastor, missionary, Bible teacher and Christian statesman. In the Christian Aid statement of intent it says that they want to give people the chance ‘†¦to make a difference.’ And they want to help women because they ‘†¦are often the poorest of the poor’. This shows that they are not prejudice in any way and they treat all people equally. Christian Aid has brought many people together (mainly Christians) to help fight the battle of poverty and disease which many people struggle with, all of their plans and quick responses show just how much they respect other people and the lengths they will go to, to follow Gods will. Christian Aid is proving to be successful because in 1959 its income was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½483,000 and in 1997 it was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½39.3 million, this is a massive increase over only 38 years which shows that a lot of people are getting involved. ‘Christians are responsible for each other- no mater where in the world they live’. I disagree with this statement mainly because I am not a Christian and I do not think that it is possible to be responsible for someone who you do not know and who lives so far away. I think that in today’s world the average person (like me) cannot do much to help anyone else. I think this because there is too much pressure on you to find money for yourself, as there is a dramatic increase in unemployment rates and in the amount of people below the average income line. In today’s world it is a struggle sometimes to look after yourself and your family never mind people that you do not know and have never met. However, I do think that people in more power (such as the government) should do more to help poverty-stricken people in other countries to a certain extent. I say to a certain extent because only so much money should be spent on them as countries have their own problems to sort out- such as the NHS crisis in the United Kingdom. I do not think that poverty-stricken people should just be given money though, as this is only a short-term answer. I think that governments should get to the root of the problem and work from there. For example instead of providing food for people to eat they should provide seeds and tools so that they can grow their own and let them live more independently. A Christian would have a different point of view though because they believe that they should do all that is possible to help others as that is what God told them to do. They are ‘Brothers and sisters in Christ’ so they are like brothers and sisters in the family of God. In Colossians 3.11 it says: â€Å"Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.† Which shows that they believe that the church is a universal organisation therefore all of the Christians in it share the same beliefs so they should be treated the same. The Christian beliefs is what unites them all (â€Å"Held everything in common†)so they should help and care for one another, in the same way that Jesus did not mind who he healed or helped. All of the biblical teachings, which I wrote about above, prove this as this as Christians follow God and the teachings that I wrote about described how God wants Christians to behave around other people. Christians should share- in acts 4:32-35 it says: ‘All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had†¦ There were no needy persons among them.’ This shows that everyone should share so that everyone is treated equally and no one is different. The parable of the rich fool and God’s commandments about harvesting the grapes and beating the olives from the trees proves that Christians should only take what they need and save the rest for other people. This is not always possible though so Christians find other ways of helping others out- by giving donations to programs such as Christian Aid. I think that Jesus concluded what happens to greedy people in Luke 12:16-21 by saying: ‘This is how it is with those who pile up the riches for themselves but are not rich in God’s sight.’ As the ‘rich man’ had to ‘†¦give up’ his life for being greedy and selfish and no Christians want to be like he was. In the 2 Corinthians 8.13-15 Paul commends the Corinthian Christians for their willingness to give money to help the Jerusalem Christians. This is today’s equivalent of Christians giving money to other needy people in other countries, they believe that God will commend them for it when they die and go to Heaven. So, this is why Christians believe that ‘they are responsible for each other- no matter where in the world they live.’ Christians believe that people were created in reflection of God, therefore we were all created equally and good. So, people should treat the more unfortunate of us the same as they believe that it is what God wanted. Christians would not just help other Christians, they believe that as we were all created the same we all have the right to live the same kinds of lives instead of everyday being a battle to survive. They believe that they should not be greedy therefore people in richer countries should only take the amount of food they need and they should not waste any so there is enough to go around everyone.

Research article Essay

Based upon your request, I have conducted a research article on a potential venture which our firs can introduce and invest in a developing country such as India. Due to a shortage of healthcare providers and the poor conditions of the healthcare system, many Indians were dying because of the delay in receiving medical treatment, because labor supply of health professionals is intensive in India, the launch of InstyMeds[R] should help significantly resolve these issues. Recently, a company named InstyMeds Corporation developed their first ATM-Style medication dispenser, â€Å"InstyMeds ®Ã¢â‚¬ , which can label and dispense containers of different shapes and size; most drug forms including tablets, liquids, creams and so forth.   InsteyMeds ® claim that the dispensers can issue medication in a faster, simpler and more convenient way compared to those of traditional drug stores. Moreover, these dispensers are user friendly with their touch screen operating systems. For example, once the patient has been seen, the doctor can simply issue the prescription via the InstyMeds ® system, therefore patients are only required to enter the barcode which has been assigned under their name for verification purposes. The dispenser takes care of the rest and the medication will be labeled and dispensed within five minutes [5]. It is an all-in-one dispensing process which can be done at the same hospital/clinic; patients will no longer have to endure waiting times for medications. Because health professionals are inadequate in India, this is the target sector for this firm to launch InstyMeds ®.   At present there is an unstable drugs delivery schedule and a shortage of health specialists, patients are required to wait longer time before they receive their treatment.   For instance, most of the developing countries have only one doctor and pharmacist per 160,000 people [2]. The absence of health care professionals limits the access of both hospitals and pharmacies to up-to-date medical information; this affects the quality of services.   Since the latest information regarding medication is not accessible to the majority of pharmacists, they are heavily dependent upon the inserted package leaflets used as sources of medical information [3]. To prevent pharmacists from engaging these kinds of practices, InstyMeds ® will be an advantageous approach to solving this. Based on the research, InstyMeds ® can greatly benefit India within three reasons: 1. InstyMeds ® would provide benefit to people in India: Installations of InstyMeds ® allows patients to obtain their medicine 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This service is favorable to patients as the local transportation system is not yet sufficiently developed in India. 2. InstyMeds ® means to Pharmacists: The company claim the dispensers will handle more than 100 prescriptions per day; this can reduce the work load of pharmacists and so it allows the hospital to become more flexible when allocating their manpower.   Moreover, InstyMeds ® internal system will prompt pharmacists to re-stock medicine when the dispensers are running out of drugs.   As a result, pharmacists will then have more time to consult patients with regards to the usage of drugs; this will reduce, if not eradicate medical errors and ideally deliver patients a better service. 3. InstyMeds ® will also benefit the Indian government; the available funds that support the healthcare service are constricted for India, and so the use of InstyMeds ® would be an economical way to allocate the resources of healthcare systems. In general, pharmacists often spend a quantity of time keeping track of drug expiration dates, selecting package and labeling, and maintaining stable inventories. InstyMeds ® can handle everything as mentioned above so instead of hiring new pharmacists, costs can be saved and used in building up the infrastructure. Before the InstyMeds ® becomes public, it is a great opportunity for this firm to donate some of the dispensers free of charge to some non profitable organization such as â€Å"Mà ©decins Sans Frontià ¨res†, this is an international humanitarian aid organization that provides emergency medical assistance to populations in danger; the organization operates in more than 70 countries. By offering InstyMeds ® to their organization, offers a gesture and a positive image for our company and will promote the dispenser at the same time. I believe the public will commonly use the dispenser in the near future and so it is a great idea for this firm to be the first company to launch it. InstyMeds ®, would be a new business venture of pharmaceutical services in the next ten years and this dispenser is not only beneficial to those people in India but profitable to our firm as well.   By investing capital into InstyMeds ® while offering free dispenser to the Mà ©decins Sans Frontià ¨res, it will develop an investment strategy, which can maximize both financial return and social benefit. InstyMeds ® would be considered a socially responsible investment; conveying goodwill to the public and eventually bringing up our service to the next level. When the use of InstyMeds ® is grounded, it will become a new profit center for the firm.