Vision for the Future of Nursing Speech or Presentation

Vision for the Future of Nursing - Speech or Presentation Example Evidence-based nursing draws upon the results and findings of ongoing research in nursing so that knowledge incorporates into practice, and the quality of health care improves. The application of nursing theory has immense influence upon the professional nursing practice. Nursing theories assist nurses in the prediction and analysis of, and rational decision making in every day experiences. Nursing theories facilitate the intervention process by providing the nurses with a rationale for obtaining reliable information regarding the patients’ health. Nursing theories establish the standards for the measurement of quality of healthcare provided by the nurses. Finally, the nursing theories function to enhance the autonomy of nurses by defining their individualistic roles and responsibilities. Nurses need to have an adequate knowledge of the nursing theories to enhance their productivity and rational decision making ability. Two features that lay the foundations of almost any kind of model of healthcare delivery are mobility and portability. Today, these features are evident in the growth of ambulatory healthcare centers, freestanding clinics as well as all sorts of nonhospital settings. Trends are changing for the better and more Americans are aging at their homes rather than in old houses these days. There is increased tendency for children to avoid institutions for their parents in the future. This imparts the need for the nurses to deliver the care at the patients’ homes. â€Å"There’s a shift away from institutional care toward individual responsibility, and a move from hospitals and nursing homes to retail, kiosks, and home† (Hines cited in Saver, 2006). This is inconsistent with the general training of the nurses in which they gain education so as to deliver care in a hospital-based environment. In addition to that patients today want increased level of personal control over their healthcare, which generates a need for the nurses t o develop innovative methods of delivery of healthcare and expect more self-diagnostic tests by the patients. These changes have increased the number of challenges for the seasoned nurses. To play their role effectively as before, it is imperative that the hospital-based nurses place more emphasis on assisting the patients with transiting to where they will mostly heal; their homes. Nursing schools are currently suffering from budget constraints because of which, millions of qualified applicants turn away. There has also been a shortage of nursing faculty in the recent years. Research suggests that almost 50% of the faculty members serving in the nursing schools would have reached the age of retirement within the next 10 years; â€Å"the anticipated attrition represents a crisis in the making, with potentially far-reaching consequences for the replenishment of the nurse workforce, which is itself on the verge of losing some 500,000 nurses to retirement† (Aiken, 2011). The dec line of the graduation rate of nurses as well as the nursing faculty is a matter of great concern, especially when there are numerous good employment opportunities for nurses in the present age. The fundamental reason this is happening is that nursing students and faculty members are required to return to school after the completion of basic education and a couple of additional academic degrees and not many nurses find this route simple enough to

Causes of American Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Causes of American Civil War - Essay Example Slavery was not a major issue until the middle of the 19th century. "In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, sponsored by Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, brought slavery to the forefront of national attention" (Leidner, Gordon, 2009). Some states like South Carolina tried to skirt the issue of slavery by seceding from the Union, thus creating a cascading effect on other states. By the time the Civil War began on 12 April, 1861, seven states had seceded from the Union. There was a great deal of emotion. The opposing sides had differences that could have been resolved without going to war. However, the United States was a new nation and also a very big nation. Differences of opinion on critical issues such as the presidency as well as slavery brutally tested each side. Also, there were powerful leaders on both sides whose aggressive positions kindled war rhetoric. Apart from emotions, there were also reasons of economy and propriety. The issues may also have been those of political expediency. "The 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act sponsored by the Democrat Stephen A. Douglas brought slavery to the forefront of national attention" (Leidner, Gordon, 2009). Under this act, slavery could be introduced anywhere in the United States under popular will. The Kansas-Nebraska Act created a firestorm in the North where slavery was not approved. Abraham Lincoln opposed Stephen A. Douglas. One thing led to another. Verbal attacks and legislations led to release of pent-up frustrations and anger. A shot fired by South Carolina on Fort Sumter, a symbol of federal authority, started the Civil War (Abraham Lincoln). To what extent did Abraham Lincoln oppose slavery According to Abraham Lincoln, "slavery was the opposite of opportunity and mobility" (Abraham Lincoln). Lincoln voiced his opposition to slavery although he did not wish to abolish slavery by force in states where it existed. He was of the opinion that slavery will constitutionally exit wherever it existed in the United States through industrialization and the will of the people. He did not feel it necessary to go to war to abolish slavery. Nonetheless, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was a retrograde step in the wrong direction and Lincoln was alarmed. He was concerned it was only a matter of time for the Act to take effect and continue to bolster slavery rather than limit and ultimately eliminate it. Having become president, Lincoln initially tried to deal with the issue diplomatically and reconcile with the seven states that had seceded (Abraham Lincoln). He was not successful. There were hard feelings in the south. They were ready for war in support of slavery. In the circumstances, there was no alternative other than declaration of war. Could a compromise of some kind have prevented the war or was it inevitable There was no room for compromise. There was no way anybody could have compromised with the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The purpose of this Act was to extend slavery rather than limit and abolish it. It allowed racism to continue and grow.