Needle Stick Injury free essay sample

Method In 2003, a sharps awareness campaign began in San Martino Hospital in Genoa, Italy. In 2005, a safety catheter was introduced and healthcare workers were trained in its use. Data for all occupational accidents from 2003 to 2007 were collected and analysed. Results After introduction of the sharps awareness campaign and use of safety catheters, reported incidents of sharps injuries involving catheters fell from 19 in 2004 to two in 2007 and in neither of those two cases were needlestick prevention devices used. Overall, the rate of needlestick injuries was 24. 1 per 100,000 cases when conventional catheters were used and 0. 4 per 100,000 cases with safety catheters. Conclusion The sharps awareness campaign and newly adopted needlestick prevention device may have contributed to the prevention of percutaneous injuries caused by catheters. Until the onset of the campaign, the reported annual incidence of needlestick injuries was six. This increased to a peak of 19 reported injuries in 2004, which could be attributed to improved reporting effected by the campaign. We will write a custom essay sample on Needle Stick Injury or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Authors Dimitri Sossai, manager, Health Safety and Prevention Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa; Vincenzo Puro, manager, Department of Epidemiology, Istituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive, Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome; Luca Chiappatoli and Giulio Dagnino, biomedical engineers; Bernardo Odone, chemist; Annamaria Polimeri, biologist, Health Safety and Prevention Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa; Laila Ruzza, Paola Palombo and Marian Stella Fuscoe, registered nurses, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino, Genoa; Paola Scognamiglio, epidemiologist, Istituto Nazionale per le Malattie Infettive Lazzaro Spallanzani, Rome, Italy. Email: dimitri. [emailprotected] it Keywords Needlestick injuries, risk prevention, safety needle system These keywords are based on subject headings from the British Nursing Index. All articles are subject to external double-blind peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software. For author and research article guidelines visit the Nursing Standard home page at www. nursing-standard. co. uk. For related articles visit our online archive and search using the keywords. 42 march 24 :: vol 24 no 29 :: 2010 SHARPS INJURIES are one of the most common types of occupational accidents that healthcare workers experience (Elder and Paterson 2006). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2004) in the United States (US) has estimated that around 400,000 percutaneous injuries occur in the hospital setting each year. However, true injury rates are difficult to assess as underreporting is assumed to be as high as 70% (Lee et al 2005). There is a risk of disease transmission of blood-borne pathogens with a sharps injury, particularly if it is caused by a hollow-bore needle used to access veins or arteries (Trim 2004). Worldwide, 2. 5% of cases of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and 40% of cases of hepatitis B and hepatitis C among healthcare workers result from occupational exposure to infected blood (Wilburn 2004). The risk of infection following percutaneous exposure to infected blood is notable, with rates of 6-30% for hepatitis B, 0-7% for hepatitis C and 0. 3% for HIV (White 2008). In addition to the hazard of disease transmission, the fear of potential infection may pose a considerable burden on the psychological, emotional and social wellbeing of the injured healthcare worker (Lee et al 2005). More than 38% of all occupational accidents involving biological hazards in the NHS result from skin contact, while 24% are caused by accidental puncture with injection needles (Sossai 2006). The rates for hospitals are even more concerning. According to a study of the Italian National Society for Prevention and Protection in the Health Service (Associazione Italiana Responsabili Servizi Prevenzione e Protezione in Ambiente Sanitario), more than 50% of occupational accidents in hospitals are caused by accidental puncture with injection needles (Sossai 2006). Exposure prevention remains the primary strategy for reducing occupational contact with blood-borne pathogens (Huber and Terezhalmy 2007). Over the past 20 years, numerous preventive measures have been implemented including educating and training staff, changes in practice, hepatitis B vaccinations, awareness campaigns and needlestick injury policies. One particular NURSING STANDARD preventive strategy uses engineered needlestick prevention devices to protect hospital workers from accidental injuries. There are two types. Passive needlestick prevention devices have a safety feature that is activated automatically, while active needlestick prevention devices require the user to activate the safety mechanism (Trim 2004). The use of needlestick prevention devices and the documentation of all needlestick injuries by healthcare workers has been enforced by law since 2000. Similar regulation efforts are under way in Europe (Hadaway 2001, Wilburn 2004, Hoban 2005, White 2008). In Italy, and elsewhere in Europe, employers have a statutory obligation (Directive 2000/54/CE and 89/391/CEE) to prevent occupational risks and protect workers. In line with these requirements, San Martino Hospital in Genoa, Italy, one of the largest hospitals in Europe with more than 1,400 beds and more than 4,400 employees, launched a sharps awareness campaign in 2003. This campaign consisted of specific staff training, education and the gradual introduction of needlestick prevention devices (safety catheters) to replace conventional intravenous catheters. By March 2005, almost all conventional catheters had been replaced by needlestick prevention devices. Aim The aim of this study was to verify the effect of the sharps awareness campaign and the introduction of needlestick prevention devices on the rate of needlestick injuries in San Martino Hospital. Method The hospital chose the passively activated Introcan Safety IV Catheter system (B. Braun). This has a self-activating safety clip that automatically shields the needle’s sharp bevel during retraction of the needle after cannula insertion. With regard to design and handling, this safety catheter is identical to the conventional catheter (Trim 2004, Wilburn 2004). At San Martino Hospital, a sharps awareness campaign was launched in 2003. In 2005, safety devices were first introduced, initially in departments at increased risk of needlestick injuries or infection (infectious diseases, general surgery and organ transplant departments). By the end of 2005, they had been introduced in all hospital departments. Healthcare workers in approximately 90 departments including outpatient clinics, operating theatres, intensive care units, day hospitals and surgery, received training in using the device. Training sessions were carried out by manufacturers of the safety catheter and by members of the hospital’s NURSING STANDARD department of health safety and prevention. Between 2005 and 2007 this practical training was supplemented by courses on the biological risk of needlestick injuries aimed at all long-term employed healthcare staff. In addition, a compulsory training course on the need for prevention and safety precautions related to needlestick injuries, and the correct practical application of safety devices for all new employees, began and was carried out monthly. During this period, 596 of 3,392 (18%) long-term employed physicians, nurses and technicians and 882 (100%) new employees received safety training. In San Martino Hospital, a specific protocol needs to be followed when an accident entailing biological risk occurs. The affected employee has to report the accident to the department of preventive and occupational medicine where health monitoring and infectious prophylaxis are initiated, if required, in collaboration with the Institute for Hygiene and Preventive Medicine. Subsequently, the injured person is required to register the accident at the hospital’s human resources department where detailed information on the injury and the injured person are recorded on a standardised incident report form and in an incident reporting file. Reports of the accident are forwarded to the National Institute for Insurance gainst Accidents at Work (Istituto Nazionale per Assicurazione Infortuni sul Lavoro) and the Hygiene Institute of Genoa University. The incident reporting file is the hospital’s internal administrative database for all occupational accidents and is used for statistical purposes. It provides the data for an annual injury monitoring report. The file began in 1994 and holds detaile d documentation of all occupational injuries occurring at San Martino Hospital. Documented details include the time, location and accurate descriptions of an accident, and the profession, department, ward or operating unit of the injured employee involved. The type of device responsible for sharps injuries and the use of any safety measures during the incident are also documented. In this study, occupational injury data collected between 2003 and 2007 were obtained from the incident reporting file and analysed retrospectively. Data of interest included all occupational incidents and all percutaneous injuries caused by catheter needles and sharps. In particular, needlestick injuries caused by catheters were investigated. For all needlestick injuries from catheters, the occupation of the affected staff member was examined. The total number of catheters used each year was the denominator. All hospital employees were included in the study. The human resources department supplied data on the number and march 24 :: vol 24 no 29 :: 2010 43 art science research type of staff in the hospital. Formal ethical approval was not required because the population used was recruited from the database of the occupational injuries register of the human resources department. The data used were taken from official declarations and total anonymity was guaranteed. conventional device is more than 25 times higher than the risk associated with the use of the safety device. Discussion The implementation of a sharps awareness campaign and the introduction of needlestick prevention devices at San Martino Hospital resulted in a significant reported decrease in needlestick injuries. Conventional catheters appear to carry a significantly higher risk of injuries than safety catheters (Table 1). This suggests that the needlestick p revention devices contributed to the prevention of percutaneous incidents. A potential problem of this type of surveillance results from factors that could influence healthcare staff to report injuries, especially those with a low risk of infection. In this study, reporting rates are unknown and these could have influenced the findings. Injury reporting was encouraged during training, so an increasing rate of underreporting appears unlikely. Similar results have been observed with other safety needle devices (Asai et al 2002, Trim 2004, Adams and Elliott 2006, Tuma and Sepkowitz 2006). These results are consistent with estimates in which the use of engineered safety devices accounts for definite prevention in 21% and probable prevention in 61% of needlestick injuries (Elder and Paterson 2006). However, the results of the current study are limited by the short observation period and initial findings need to be confirmed by a follow-up study. Three and two incidents occurred with catheters in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Only one of these incidents occurred with a safety catheter. The catheter’s safety mechanism was not activated because of an unexpected movement by the patient before insertion of the cannula. Risk for the healthcare worker was estimated at almost zero, as the needle had not come into contact with the patient’s blood. In the other four incidents, conventional devices were used that did not have a safety Results The overall number of employees at San Martino Hospital fluctuated annually between 4,447 and 4,636 individuals from 2003 to 2007. The number of occupational accidents documented decreased from 537 to 405 in the same period. During the study, the number of injuries with needles and sharps entailing biological risk reported annually reduced from 163 to 86. These accounted for approximately one quarter to one third of all occupational incidents. After launching the sharps awareness campaign in 2003, the number of injuries caused by catheters increased initially (n=10 in 2003 and n=19 in 2004), possibly because the sharps awareness campaign aimed to reduce underreporting. From 2005 to 2007 the total number of reported injuries decreased (n=10 in 2005, n=3 in 2006, and n=2 in 2007). During the study period, nurses were affected more often by needlestick injuries than physicians. The overall annual number of needlestick prevention devices used by the hospital after their introduction in 2005 (n=130,000) increased to 165,000 in 2006 and decreased to 163,000 in 2007 (Tables 1 and 2). The average number of annual injuries per 100,000 phlebotomies performed were calculated (estimated by needles used per year). The relative risks were calculated as the ratio of the injury rates for the conventional catheters and for the safety catheters. The results highlight a lower rate of annual needlestick injuries until the start of the sharps awareness campaign and an escalation of reported incidents after its launch. This phenomenon might have resulted from underreporting, confirmed by the low incident rate of reported needlestick injuries before the onset of the campaign. Underreporting of needlestick injuries is a common and serious problem. It is even observed after needlestick injuries with high-risk patients and occurs with all types of healthcare worker (Wilburn 2004, Hoban 2005, Makary et al 2007). True injury rates may be ten times higher than those reported (Elder and Paterson 2006). The increase in incidents in 2003 suggests that educational measures and training might have sensitised healthcare staff to the seriousness of the problem and increased their readiness to report needlestick injuries for their own safety. Only timely reported needlestick injuries allow for immediate preventive measures and effective post-exposure treatment (Lee et al 2005). Even after 2003, it may still be possible that not all needlestick injuries were reported. Although all new employees received training after 2005, accounting for approximately 25% of the hospital’s healthcare staff until 2007, before then only 18% of employees of long standing participated in safety education measures. Thus, the majority of employees lack theoretical education in sharps safety and may be more prone NURSING STANDARD to misjudge the risk of needlestick injuries and consequently fail to report incidents. It might also be possible that some long-term staff increased their risk awareness after observing colleagues. It is to be expected that the awareness of possible injury outcome and reporting will improve further as the sharps safety awareness campaign continues as a result of cumulative training of hospital staff (Makary et al 2007). Despite introducing continuous on-the-job training with all employees, a certain degree of underreporting is still likely to occur because, contrary to better knowledge, some employees will avoid the time-consuming effort associated with administrative and medical procedures involved in needlestick injury reporting (Lee et al 2005, Makary et al 2007).

Poems Copmarison

Poems Copmarison Analysis of Do not go gentle into that good night The main theme in the poem Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas, is an argument to fight against the encroaching arms of death. While the word fight is never actually utilized despite its similarity to the meter of the poem, words such as rage, burn and rave are all utilized in such a way that it portrays a fight against death itself.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Poems Copmarison specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to better understanding the overall context of the poem, it is important to examine the last stanza which states and you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray, Do not go gentle into that good night (Thomas, 1). From this, the entire context of the poem becomes clear wherein it appears that the author wrote the poem as an appeal to his father who is near the death in that he wanted h is father to continue to live and to fight. The author phrases his arguments to fight by mentioning various types of praiseworthy behavior by wise mean, good men, grave men and wild men (Thomas, 1). This is one of the symbolisms of the poem wherein the author attempts to parallel the traits of such individuals and attributes them to his father in order to convince him to live on. This is seen in the use of the phrase Do not go gentle into that good night and Rage, rage against the dying of the light after each description of each type of man as if to imply that men of such character and distinction would not allow themselves to die so easily (Thomas, 1). This is a particularly interesting motif that the author is using since it shows that he is not ready to let his father go just yet. This may be due to unresolved issues, the love of a son for his father or an assortment of other factors that are not evident within the poem itself. Other interesting symbols utilized throughout the p oem are references to day and night as well as lightning and meteors. This is particularly interesting to take a note of since such methods of symbolism imply that the author acknowledges that all life must end yet before it does it must do so in a spectacular fashion. For example, a day does not transit into night without a bright sunset; lightning is a brief yet brilliant flash of light while a meteor is a blazing trail of fire that lights of the night sky. This seems to imply that the author wants to have one last talk with this father, that he wants him to go out blazing like the sun, like a meteor or like lightning.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The poem seemingly emphasizes that his father should go down blazing and fighting and not apparently bed stricken as derived from the phrase there on the sad height which seemingly implies being placed on a hospita l bed (Thomas, 1). Overall, the poem is an excellent piece of literature that portrays a sons love for this father and how he wanted to have more time with him. Analysis of Let Evening Come When reading the poem Let Evening Come by Jane Kenyon, at first glance, it seems to be a poem emphasizing her desire for night to come however after several readings it becomes apparent that the term evening is symbolic of the coming of death. This interpretation becomes apparent after examining the line let the cricket take up chafing as a woman takes up her needles and her yarn due to the fact that a woman taking up yarn is symbolic of a person entering old age and taking up knitting as a hobby (Kenyon, 1). Not only that, the term â€Å"crickets take up chafing† can also be interpreted as the time in which crickets stop making noises with their legs which either happens at night or when they are dead (Kenyon, 1). Throughout the poem, it becomes apparent that the author is not afraid of d eath and the reason for this is based on the last stanza which states God does not leave us comfortless (Kenyon, 1). When taking this particular phrase and combining it with references to a bottle in a ditch, a scoop of oats or air in the lung, these seemingly inconsequential aspects can actually be combined and interpreted as being symbolic of Gods all encompassing love (Kenyon, 1). In that, there is no person that God does not love and as such even if death should come we should not be afraid for God is with us. This I believe is the main theme of the poem and the message that the author is trying to impart to readers. It must also be noted that unlike other poems which speak of the coming of death this poem does not have the same haunting feel of regret or dismay rather when reading it what becomes apparent is a feeling of acceptance of the coming of death that the author imparts in each stanza and phrase and as such shows how her belief in the love of God keeps the fear of death away. Analysis of the Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock When examining this particular work by T.S. Elliot, one cannot help but think that the author wrote it while he was drunk or not in his right state of mind. It is riddled with random musings, thoughts and ideas that apparently turn and tumble upon each other until they seemingly coalesce into a stanza that barely makes logical sense. It is hard to determine whether the author is being literal in some aspects or symbolic in others with thoughts and ideas seemingly implying one thing in one interpretation yet meaning another in yet another interpretation. What is evident though is that the voice of the poem, J. Alfred Prufrock, is apparently trying to tell a woman that he has a distinct romantic interest in her yet it is hard to determine whether he is talking to her already or to himself and reveling in his own imaginary world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Poems Copmarison specifically for you for o nly $16.05 $11/page Learn More One line in the poem the taking of toast and tea and the stanza it is in seemingly implies that the character of Prufrock is on his way to tea and is going to talk to the woman so to speak informing her of his interest (Eliot, 1). Taking this particular method of interpretation into consideration, it can be assumed that the jumbled and at times chaotic method of writing throughout the poem may in fact be the authors way of imitating the jumble of thoughts and words that goes through a mans head as he is about to tell the woman he likes that he likes her. If this is so, then the author has fully captured the chaos that would normally be in a mans mind and as such the lucidity and sheer randomness of the way in which ideas are formed and stated starts to make sense. In fact, it might just be that the inspiration for this particular poem is derived from the authors own experiences in telling the woman he loves that he likes her. Analysis o f Disillusionment of Ten O’clock The poem Disillusionment of Ten O’clock by Wallace Stevens is actually full of various metaphors and symbolic interpretations that speak volumes more than what is apparent in the poem. The main message that the author is trying to convey in the poem is that many people live hollowed out lives that lack color and make them seem like the walking dead. For example, the phrase the houses are haunted by white night-gowns, none are green, or purple with green rings, or green with yellow rings, or yellow with blue rings is meant to symbolize the fact that the people who live within the house are like the walking dead cold, lifeless and utter devoid of life (Stevens, 1). This comparison is further emphasized by the statement that says that the white night gowns are totally devoid of color. In this case, the color white symbolizes the bleak empty existences that such people live while the colors (green, blue, or purple) represent what is missing in their life such as joy, happiness and adventure. The author does end on a hopeful note in the end though when he mentions the sailor who dreams of baboons, periwinkles and catching tigers in red weather (Stevens, 1). This is emphasize that not all individuals in world today are bleak, empty and devoid of imagination but rather there still exists hope for those with imagination and a sense of adventure.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Analysis of Design In the poem Design by Robert Frost, readers are treated to the musings of the author regarding the grand design of all things and an implied question as to whether or not a grand entity shapes our destiny or if we ourselves shape our future. This evident by the first lines of the poem found a dimpled spider, fat and white, on a white heal-all, holding up a moth, like a white piece of rigid satin cloth (Frost, 1). From this, it can be seen that the author has created a scene where there is a white spider, on a white flower holding a white moth and spends the rest of the poem inquiring whether even in something so small there is a grand design that placed the spider in the right position to catch the right kind of prey. From this, Frost implies that all of us may be part of some greater design with coincidences appearing that may not be coincidences at all but rather are part of a plan for our lives. In this, Frost questions whether we have any free will at all and in fact are nothing more than moving parts in some great machine, being moved at the whim of some all powerful entity. Eliot, Thomas. The Love song of J. Alfred Prufrock. Bartleby. N.p., 1920. Web. Frost, Robert. Design. Poem Hunter. N.p., 2003. Web. Kenyon, Jane. Let evening come. American Poems. N.p., 2005. Web. Stevens, Wallace. Disillusionment of Ten O’clock. Poem Hunter. N.p., 2003. Web. Thomas, Dylan. Do not go gentle into that good night. Poets.org. New Directions, N.I.. Web.

MGT501 - Management and Organizational Behavior Mod 2 Case Assignment Essay

MGT501 - Management and Organizational Behavior Mod 2 Case Assignment - Essay Example The military is an elite organism made up of those who are more able than many. However, it is also unusual in the fact that its income or funding is determined by the governments budget. This is a challenge. They can be the greatest in the world but unlike many organizations, they do not earn more for being great, they must fit that greatness inside the budget given. They deal with this by basing many of their functions on economic laws. Those laws are applied to almost everything they do (Fedorov., 2001). It is a little strange to think of the military as an economic machine but it certainly is. The military is a very close knit organism. They have a very organized way of managing to make each piece of the organism happen. Each one knows their job extremely well is very organized in his interaction with the other parts of the organism. Each cell does not think out of the box because they do not want them to think out of the box but follow the ritual exactly as it is written as it may save the life of one of the other cells later. . Like the military, the orchestra is a system made up of many subsystems and like the military those subsystems are very responsible for carrying out their individual and distinct duties. The orchestra functions very much the same as the military in its demand for each and every person to know their job really well for the good of the whole organization. If the viola cannot play the music they are supposed to play tonight, he can endanger the whole program. Just like the military organism they work in harmony. When the organization is a productive system which is the fact with both the military system and the orchestra, the open systems approach to analyzing their system is effective. In looking at a systems analysis which is shown above, the organizations environment and the relationship between it and the system are analyzed. The four major subsystems that are apparent are the economic system which we have discussed in the

Nike and Labour Laws - The Seattle University Should Eliminate Its Con Essay

Nike and Labour Laws - The Seattle University Should Eliminate Its Contract to Supply SU-Logoed Apparel - Essay Example As the development of most of the products sold in the school took place in the bdevelop0ing countries, it is apparent that the company considered this move in order to cut expenses involved in the manufacturing process. Currently, most companies set up manufacturing plants in the developing countries in order to take advantage of cheap labour. Amid the increasing population growth, most people in the developing countries are jobless. Even those that have jobs are inadequate to sustain their lives. As such, foreign multinationals, in an effort to increase their levels of profits take the advantage of this situation in these countries. Further, most of these countries have weak labour laws. Because their governments are desperate to attract investors into the countries in order to help in job creation, they develop labour laws that encourage external investors to set up plants in the countries. The result of this is an increase in the level of poverty for these workers. With weak laws and governance structures, the multinationals show no concern in providing good incentives to the people. Rather, workers struggle in poor working conditions, with poor working contracts and low salaries. In other instances, they work for long hours and rarely receive any leaves. Nike, taking advantage of this situation also established its operations in these countries in an effort to increase its profitability. According to Dunn (2010), n its current position, Nike does not observe fair labour practices, especially for the plants in the developing countries. Subsequently, it became a reason for scrutiny for its labour practices. The company in most cases does not train its employees for the kind of work they handle. According to Butler (2010), Nike’s inhuman conditions are a source of suffering and increased diseases for most of its workers. Treating the working conditions of its workers shows the company’s negligence in protecting humanity, argues Butler (2010). However, its abuse of child labour is the main reason why the company has faced numerous accusations on its lack of labour ethics.     

Century World Affairs Essay Example for Free

Century World Affairs Essay The Caribbean Island of Cuba became a republic after its liberation from Spain at the hands of the USA. American presence, both in military, financial and diplomatic terms however continued as a means of providing stability and solvency to the island nation. The Cuban President’s were incompetent and unpopular with the general populace, thus, producing revolt. From 1925 onwards, although technically still a democratic republic, the country became an elite dictatorship with an army officer named Fulgencio Batista, having seized control of the Cuban army, pulling the strings from behind the curtains. The government remained corrupt and incompetent with a rising sense of resentment amongst the general population on their state of affairs. Following 1940, he was the official President of the country until his departure from office in 1944. In 1952, he seized power again and ruled by decree until 1955 when he was elected President in an election with only himself as the candidate. To mark his victory, the new President issued an amnesty for political prisoners and opponents. One of the prisoners was Fidel Castro, who had been jailed for his involvement in the 26th of July incident in 1953, whereby he had led a column of men to ambush the Cuban military installations at the Moncada Barracks. Castro wasted no time in resuming his revolutionary activities and in 1956, accompanied by Argentine Ernesto â€Å"Che’ Guevara, launched an invasion of Cuba, setting sail with his followers from the coast of Mexico. Initially, the rebels were crushed by Batista’s forces but the well organized defense of the guerilla headquarters in the Sierra Maestra Mountains sent the wrong signals to Batista’s forces. Fledging support for the rebels also made matters worse with constant guerilla attacks against Cuban army installations and personnel leading to a fall in moral within the Cuban military ranks. With a demoralized army, Batista panicked as the prospect of a full fledged civil war became imminent and fled the country, allowing Castro to march easily into Havana and form government. America was deeply aligned with Batista’s government all along the way as American businesses had deep rooted interests in the island nation. There is evidence that Castro’s invasion of Cuba in 1956 could have been funded by the CIA, although these claims remain unsubstantiated. However, given the fact that Batista’s increasingly authoritarian actions were a cause of much embarrassment for democratic Washington, it could be believed that there might have been funding with an attempt to â€Å"tame† Batista and soften his dictatorial style. Major American involvement came in 1961, when Cuban exiles trained by the American CIA launched an invasion of Cuba to topple Castro’s government but were defeated at the hands of the Castro’s army within three days. This event came to be known as â€Å"the bay of pigs invasion†. The revolution survives till today having succeeded in the provision of idealistic social development targets, although the economy remains small and largely dependent on sugar cane exports. BOLIVIA After centuries of Spanish colonial rule, Bolivia gained independence and became an autonomous republic in 1825, having had to fight a bloody war with colonial Spain. While great leaps were made in socio economic development, the indigenous population remained poor and following the Chaco War (1932-1935) where the country suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Paraguay, resentment against the traditional ruling class grew further as the loss of life and territory was humungous. Following the Chaco war, The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) was created. It represented the middle-class and had a Marxist approach modified for a nationalist and socialist agenda. The party was part of the military civilian regime of Gualberto Villarroel from 1943 to 1946 but was soon expelled from the country by opponent forces. The MNR then staged a brief and bloody civil war in 1949 against the Bolivian government but failed to make any breakthrough. It was in the elections of 1951, that the MNR finally hit jack pot. Having won the elections, it was denied the right to Presidency by the Opposition parties who claimed that the elections were rigged. Following months of protests, agitation and civil unrest, not to mention the various attempts by the MNR leadership to stage a coup, events took a new turn when MNR revolutionaries together with the La Paz police force took control of La Paz, the de facto capital of the country. What followed was a bloody, half hearted battle on the side of the Bolivian army. Mass deflections and poor moral gave the MNR a victory and a chance to form government. During its 12 years in power, the MNR was responsible for bringing universal adult suffrage to Bolivia, put land reforms into practice and promot rural education. The largest tin mines were nationalized in 1952. However, the most remarkable feat of the revolution was the fact that it incorporated the indigeneos population into the normal way of life. US policy remained largely neutral in Bolivia’s case. The US had war in the Korean Penensuila to deal with at that time. However, the overthrow of the MNR by the Bolivian army in 1964 is sometimes refered to as a CIA backed initiative, suggesting that American policy was largely anti MNR, even if neutral from the outset. CHILE Chile gained independence from colonial Spain in 1810, when it was established as an autonomus republic. It was in 1970 that Chile made history of sorts when it elected by a narrow margin a Marxist government under President Salvador Allende. Whereas all previous communist governments in the world had emerged from chaos and upheavel, the population of Chile legally elected their communist government. The government, however, comprised various left wing groups and Allende suffered from his inability to bring stakeholder conflict resolution. Allende’s problems intensified as he went along. His nationalization of major industries scared away private investment and created dissent amonsgt portions of the population. His problems were further aggravated by capitalist plots and US hostility, esp by the CIA. Allende still took matters at the forefront and continued reforms to the economy and the social sector, demanding international aid and recognition to help him implement his plan for the social and economic development of Chile along socialist lines. While he had many supporters, his opposition was also plenty. While Allende struggled to keep the pieces together in the face of internal coalition bickering, resent amongst portions of the population and US hostility, the opposition and the army merely hoped that Allende would lose the 1973 election and allow for a more centrist President to take power. However, this was not to be as Allende’s government survived the 1973 election, with millions amongst the population voting for Allende a second time. Following a constitutional crisis and widespread economic woes and allegations that Allende would soon turn the country towards dictatorship, the military intervened and overthrew his government on September 11, 1973. As a woman Revolutionary As a woman revolutionary in the Cuban revolution, one of the things I would have done differently would have been to secure closer ties with America for economic reasons, instead of becoming a tool in the cold war. Closer relations with America would not imply a compromise on Marxist principles. It would rather imply an act of logical sense as America is geograpgically close to Cuba and its products are in high demand there. Closer ties with the USSR and the East European Communist bloc make less sense as these countries were geographically distant. In a way, closer economic ties with the USSR have a higher opportunity cost. Appeal of Marxist thought in Latin America Marxist thought has had a profound effect on Latin American politics. As early as the 1920’s, Marxist movements were springing up in various countries. The reasons are simple. Rising poverty, deplorable conditions of the indigenous Indian population at the hands of the ruling class (of Spanish descent), economic and social backwardness and corrupt and/or incompetent governments forced people to seek alternative ways at addressing the issues at hand. It was these conditions that fueled Marxist thought in Latin America. For many countries, the concept of equality appealed further then ever as they saw the present system merely as an extension of the colonial system, with the capitalist mindset at play. Equality of income, rights and stature in society was a totally new concept and presented a welcome change from capitalist individualism. Lack of freedom under strict military governments and persecution at the hands of intelligence agencies as a result of political motivations made matters worse. Furthermore, Marxist ideology to seize the opportunity and to fight for ones right further fueled anger amongst an already resentful population. Revolution provided an opportunity for the hard pressed populace to vent their anger at incompetent governments. Another important factor at play was hostility to the USA. The USA was seen as a powerhouse of capitalism and US business interests in Latin America were no secret to the local population. The USA had done little to support the population against their incompetent leaders and the perception of the USA was thus that of a Capitalist agent bent on world dominance. The success of Marxism in the USSR esp. it’s powerful transition from a petty backward country to a world economic and military super power standing eye to eye with the USA provided much food for thought. With the exception of Cuba, communism never really found its deep roots in any country in Latin America. True the Allende Presidency in Chile, the MNR regime of Bolivia from 1952-1964 and the present day regime of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela are near examples, it is worth mentioning that these have been mere off shoots of Marxist theory, aiming to bring changes to the original theory and apply them in a more local context. Thus, generally, Marxist thought has provoked a more centre left approach amongst the population of Latin America. It is also worth mentioning that the impact of Marxist thought on Latin America has been so profound that many of the leading figures that the theory is synonymous with are derived from this region. Fidel Castro became a symbol of defiance for the Capitalist West. Allende is renowned for his foray into democracy through democratic elections, bring communism to a country through peaceful means Similarly, Che Guevara is today not only a symbol of communist ideals of using force to attain their goals but is also recognized as the undisputed founder of modern Guerrilla warfare, a tactic, still utilized by communists and non communists alike to this day in their fight against imperialism, capitalism and injustice. Works Cited Watson, Jack. Success in 20th Century World Affairs. London: John Murray, 1991. Adam Hart -Davis. World History – A visual guide. London: Longman , 2007. Smith, Alison. Mastering 20th Century World Affairs. London: Longman, 1991. Selected Readings from The History Channel Website www. Historychannel. com

No Steroids In Baseball :: Steroids Athletes Drugs Sports Essays Papers

In baseball there has always been a steroid issue. In the years since 2005 the problem has expanded. Many more players are now using these drugs to boost their performance. I think that steroids are products that should be absolutely illegal and no player at any time should be able to use them. Steroids are drugs commonly classified as anabolic, androgenic and corticosteroids. Corticosteroids like cortisone are drugs used to control inflammation, and do not build muscle. Anabolic steroids are used by athletes to bulk up and improve their performance. Anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones that cause the body to produce muscle and prevent muscle breakdown. Some athletes take steroids hoping that it will improve their ability to run faster, hit farther, jump higher, etc. Some people are not aware that anabolic steroids are a form of a drug. In the United States, it is against the law to use these steroids without a prescription. In many sports the issue of steroids has always been huge. Recently, mainly in baseball many players have been tested for steroids, and many are results are positive. These punishments have been mere warnings and suspensions to the players. The first player to ever admit to using any type of anabolic steroid was Ken Caminiti, he admitted to using steroids after he retired in his 14th season. He said that in his 9th season in the majors was when he was first influenced to take performance-enhancing drugs. He was a 3 time All-Star, won the MVP award in ‘96, got 3 gold gloves and 1 silver slugger award. After he retired in 2001 he finally admitted to using steroids. About three years later on October 10th 2004 Caminiti died due to a drug problem because of the use of steroids and cocaine. Caminiti had said that he made tons of mistakes. One being an alcoholic and the other using cocaine, But he did not say using steroids was a mistake. After Caminiti’s death many major league players were highly influenced, and stopped using steroids. But there are 30 major leagues teams and each team has 25 players on the active roster, 40 on the regular roster. So if you multiply 30 by 25 then you get 750 baseball players just on the active roster. So even if Caminiti scared a bunch of players there is a bunch of people who still use steroids. Some of the most recent players that have been convicted are giants slugger Barry Bonds, and New York Yankees 1st baseman Jason Giambi.

Negative Effects on Children Essay

Parents are too busy earning a living so that they can feed, cloth and educate their children. Consequently, they spend much time away from home and from their children. Since their parents are not around, the children have no choice but to spend their time in front of the television. It then goes without saying that children spend a lot of time in front of the television set where they are exposed to sex and violence. The question then is; does the exposure to sex and violence have negative effects on children? There is no simple or obvious answer. Some people may argue that the sex and violence on television does not have negative effects on children. This group of people believe that that the amount of sex and violence on television is not enough to warrant the change in the behavior of the children. More over, that some children are too young to understand the scenes on television, anyway. Others yet may argue that exposure to sex and violence, however limited it may be, does have negative effects on the children. It influences them to commit antisocial and sometimes immoral behavior. Nevertheless, it is important to analyze the issue critically before settling for any one conclusion. SUMMARY OF INFORMATION The media has both positive and negative influences on children. On the one hand, it provides their growing minds with information. On the other hand, it also provides them with negative information in the form of sexual and violent content that corrupts their young minds (Singer & Singer, 2002). According to Josephson, when children watch television, they understand the content in very different ways. How they understand the television content is highly influenced by their ages, their attention spans and also their life experiences (1995). Case in point. Think about children who are less than five years old and the kind of attention span they have. Yes they may take the time to sit in front of the television, but after a few minutes they will have gotten restless and moved on to some other activity, say playing with their toys or just running around. More over, even though these children may appear to be paying close attention to the scenes on television, it is very likely that in their minds, they may fail to register what the exact content of program is. It is only the mature, much older, children and adults who are capable of discerning program content. According to Cameron, this is because most children under that age of seven cannot easily tell fantasy and reality from each other. To them it’s all one and the same thing. At this stage of their development, it is hard for the children to understand the motives and justifications for the violence on television (2009). Children are unaware of whether the characters on television are real or not. Consequently, Bugs Bunny is just as real as the news anchor. Therefore, since the child does not know what is real and what is not, it is then possible then possible that they will also not be able to distinguish whether or not to copy what they see. It is for this reason that it would be incorrect to conclude with certainty that indeed all the sex and violence on television does have negative effects on children. It is only after the age of two that children begin to really pay attention on what is on television. As the children grow older, they learn to differentiate between what they see on television and reality. By the time these children grow into teenagers and adulthoods they shift their focus from television preferring to instead spend their time on other activities such as developing relationships with their peers of the opposite sex. Nevertheless, it is during adolescent that sex and violence on television may have a greater impact on the children. Those without guidance may try out what they see on television. Thus, it is important to note that it is the amount of time that a child spends in front of the television that really matters. According to Huesmann, children who consistently watch violent programs on television are more likely to be negatively affected than their counterparts who do not. Think about it. A child who frequently watches Monday night wrestling, which by all standards may be described as a violent program, is more likely to try wrestling with his friends. What is even more interesting is that the child may also attempt using the same wrestling behaviors, as seen on television, as a way of solving conflicts with others (2001). Thus, children who watch/are exposed to violence on television are more aggressive (Jonassen & Harris, 2003). According to Greenspan, in the process, these children are bound to injure not only themselves but others in the process (2007). Concurrently, children who habitually watched television programs raced with sexual content were much more likely to be involved than their counterparts who were not. According to Stein, frequent watching of sexual content on television was a big influence in teen pregnancy (2008). It is probable that the children may want to try out what they may have watched and the consequences in this case are teenage pregnancy. Nathanson & Cantor (1998), argue that at some point in time children will be exposed to television; it is unavoidable. It may not happen in their homes. Children may go visiting their friends where they may have to watch television meaning they may be exposed to sex and violence. It is therefore up to parents to protect their children from prolonged exposure to sex and violence on television. The simplest way of doing this is by restricting the number of hours that children actually spend in front of the television. Rather than letting children watch television after school, parents may choose to enroll their children in such after school activities such as soccer practice or ballet. Such activities are sure to keep children away from exposure to negative TV programs. Even when children are left under the care of a nanny, parents should leave strict instructions on just how much time their children should be allowed to watch television. It would also be important if the parents themselves were to change their television watching habits. In most instances, toddlers are heavily influenced by their parents (Josephson, 1995). Therefore, if the parents were to stay away from the television but instead partake in other activities, their children would follow suit. This way the parent’s would not have to worry about the television negatively affecting their children. Another way that parents may protect their children is by letting children watch television programs that have PG rating. The idea behind this concept is that parents should watch a television program first before they let their children. The main idea here is for the parents to determine the suitability of the program. PG also means that parents should watch the program with their children so that they may offset any negative effects. By all standards, PG rating is good and workable idea. However, according to Cameron, very few parents may want to do this (2009). SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH STUDY Most of the research that has been carried out has focused on the effects of television violence on children. However, according to Eyal & Kunkel, there has also been research whose aim was to show the association between the watching of sex on television and pregnancy among teenagers. The argument is that there is a relationship between the exposure of children and young adults and their expectations about sex and also their engagement in premarital sex (2008). One such study was published in 2008 in the Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics. According to Chandra, Martino, Collins, Elliot, Berry, Kanouse & Mlu, while there was increasing evidence (from previous studies and research) that the exposure of children/youth to sexual content on television is a big influence on their sexual attitudes and behavior, the studies were yet to establish the king of association that existed between the exposure of children to sexual content and adolescent/teen pregnancy. Accordingly, the study by Chandra et al, sought to establish this relationship (2008). The participants were some 2000 children between the ages of 12 and 17 years. These children were tracked for period of three years; till they were aged 15 and 20 years. The participants by interviewed by telephone. According to Chandra et al, the participants who constituted the sample were drawn from a list of house holds that had been commercially purchased. the researchers were careful to select the households that had a high probability of housing adolescents aged between the ages of 12 and 17 years. The final study sample therefore comprised of 57% males, 665 white, 12% Hispanics and 17% blacks all of them adolescents with an average age 18. 1 years. Survey, was the chosen research design. The survey was meant to measure and collect data on the television viewing habits of the adolescents, their knowledge of sexual matters, In addition, their behaviors and attitudes towards sex plus demographic and psychosocial variable, such as age, sex and education level which are known to predict sexual behavior, were also measured (2008). As a way of encouraging the participants to respond to the survey questions, the survey was conducted in private. From the survey, it was established that to a great extent the exposure of children/teens to sexual content on television was a big predictor of teen pregnancy. From the research, the teens that were exposed to high levels of sexual content on television were found to be twice as likely to experience pregnancy in the subsequent three years. The reverse was true for those who had lower levels of exposure. So, 25% of those who watched frequently watched sexual content on television were involved in a pregnancy. The number was high compared to that of the adolescents who watched the least; which stood at 12% (Chandra et al, 2008). The results of the study go to show that indeed habitual exposure to sexual content on television does have negative effects on children. From the study, most of the children who frequently watched sexual content on television were subsequently involved in a pregnancy compared to their counterparts who did not watch sexual content on the television much. Accordingly, there is a link between the exposure of children to sex and sexual content on television and the negative effects of pregnancy. Thus, it is clearly evident that sex, and even violence, on television has negative effects on children, more so when the exposure is frequent, prolonged and unsupervised. It is for this reason that the exposure of children and violence on television should be restricted. For instance, by watching television with their children and discussions the depictions of sex on television, they may be able to tone down the influence of the sex and the violence (Chandra et al, 2008). CRITICAL ANALYSIS Most of the information contained in internet sites, into the question of whether all the sex and violence on television has negative effects on children, does indeed provide information to the affirmative. Children spend a lot of time in front of the television from an early age. When children are young, say between the ages of two and five, the sex and the violence cannot be said to have influence on them. This is because children are very young and are not able to tell fantasy from reality. More over, they have a limited attention span which makes their concentration and internalization of the content on television impossible. However, it is when children are all grown up, into their teens that the sex and violence can be said to have some kind of effect on children. When children are older, they are also more mature and therefore able to differentiate fantasy from fiction. Furthermore, the fact that they are older means they may try out what they watch on television. There is strong evidence behind this information. For instance, it has been reported that children who watch wrestling duplicate the same aggressive behaviors that they watch on television. They are openly aggressive towards their peers. Sometimes, they even use the same behaviors to solve their conflicts with their peers. However, the internet information goes on to explain that children have to be exposed to prolonged sex and violence on television for there to be negative effects. More over, that the children who are frequently exposed to the sex and violence on television are more susceptible to the negative effects. It is for this reason that parents restrict how much time their children spend in front of the televisions. The research study also goes to provide information on the link between frequent exposure of children to sexual content in television and negative effects, in this case pregnancy. There is strong evident in support of this. Of the 2000 children who were surveyed in the research, 25% of those who had frequent exposure to sexual content were found to be more likely to be involved in a pregnancy in subsequent years. This was as compared to 12% of those who were not as frequently exposed to sex and sexual content on television. Just like the information compared in the internet sources, as soon as children are old enough to differentiate between fantasy and reality it is very likely that with prolonged exposure, they may want to try out what they see in television. Again, it is prolonged exposure that makes all the difference. The best way of mitigating the negative effects of exposure to sex and violence on television, parents should watch and discuss how sex and even violence is portrayed in television. This would also help to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies. CONCLUSION It is evident that television content, sex and violence, has some negative effects on children. It is true that quite a large number of children watch television and are therefore exposed to sex and violence. Nevertheless, it is important to note that not all these children who are exposed are susceptible to the negative effects. Certain groups of children are more prone to acting out what they see on television. It is this group that is likely to aggressive and or immoral. This is the group of children that has prolonged and frequent exposure to sex and violence on television. It is for this reason that exposure to television is limited. Thus, it may be correct to conclude that all the sex and violence on television has negative effects on children. However, it is also important to note that it is only prolonged exposure to the sex and the violence that results in the negative effects. It is the children who frequently watch television programs laced with sex and violence that are more likely to be aggressive and promiscuous as compared to their counterparts who do not. According to the information contained in this report, negative influences of sex and violence on television only become visible when the children are much older. Thus, it remains largely unclear as to why frequent exposure of adolescents to violence and sex on television influences then negatively, After all, are they not at an age where they are capable of differentiating right from wrong; fiction (what is on television and reality (what they should not do); and therefore refrain from engaging in certain activities? More research may be necessary to provide insight into the reasons why children prefer to act out the negativity they view on television rather than on the positive. Is there, for instance, more gratification in doing what is considered negative as compared to doing what is right? Answers to these questions may shed more light on to why sex and violence has negative effects on children at all. REFERENCES Cameron, J. (2009). The view on TV violence. iafrica. com. Retrieved 15 April, 2009 from http://lifestyle.iafrica. com/parenting/fatherhood/274094. htm Chandra, A. , Martino, S. , Collins, R. , Elliot, M. , Berry, S. , Kanouse, D. & Mlu, A. (2008). Does watching sex on television predict teen pregnancy? Findings from a national longitudinal survey of youth. Pediatrics. 122(5): 1047. Eyal, Keren & Kunkel, D. (2008). The effects of television drama shows on emerging adult’s sexual attitudes and moral judgments. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. 52 (2): 161.