Prejudice vs Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Prejudice vs Discrimination Essay Typewrite a 1 ? to 2 page paper comparing and contrasting prejudice and discrimination. Relate the use of stereotyping and racial profiling to prejudice and discrimination. Merriam-Websters Dictionary defines prejudice and discrimination as: Prejudice (1) : injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of ones rights; especially : detriment to ones legal rights or claims (2) a. (1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics. Discrimination (1) a. : the act of discriminating b : the process by which two stimuli differing in some aspect are responded to differently (2) : the quality or power of finely distinguishing (3) a. : the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually b : prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment The main distinction between prejudice and discrimination is found in Michael LeMays definition of discrimination, where he says Discrimination is applied prejudice. As in the definition above, prejudice is some preconceived notion about an individual, a group, or a race that demonstrate some sort of judgment upon them. This idea of prejudice is usually kept inside of the individual, so as to have a quiet judgment among people. Discrimination, however, is prejudice put into practice. Those who discriminate actively practice prejudice; it is no longer kept inside, but rather openly practiced against the people. Prejudice is best described as an attitude towards a certain group of peoples based solely on their membership in that social or ethnic group, whereas discrimination are actions taken against those members, the behavioral manifestation of prejudice. The practices of prejudice and discrimination stem from an individuals perception of a certain group ?these predetermined perceptions of a group usually come from stereotypes of a people, or racial profiling. LeMays definition of stereotypes is this: Oversimplistic and Overexaggerated beliefs about a group, most often acquired second hand. These images are highly resistant to change. Stereotyping often derive from social categorization and the idea of ? in group vs. ?out group. Social categorizations is sort of the lumping or classification of people into groups based on common characteristics among them, while the concept of the ? in group versus the ? out group is based on a ? we vs. ?they view, by Peter Rose. The difference between the two is that in social categorization, the person removes themself from their judgment, whereas in the ? we vs. ?they approach, the person is included among others in their judgment, but those judged are not part of their own majority group. This process of thought views ? we in favorable terms, and ? they negatively. The impact of stereotypes, as I have stated, directly affect the perceptions of a people in a negative light; when we think of those people, these traits come to mind ? when we meet people from this group, we will focus more on those traits and process them before others. Stereotyping affects our social judgments about a group of people: how much we like the person, our mood and attitudes toward the person, as well as our expectations from that person. Racial profiling is not much off from the principles of stereotyping. Racial profiling is the use of race as a consideration in suspect profiling or other law enforcement practices. This ties into stereotyping in that we suspect suspicious activity from a particular race or people based solely on their ethnicity. A common example of racial profiling would be DWB or driving while black. This is the practice of police or other law enforcement officers targeting African Americans for traffic stops because they believe that African Americans are more likely to be engaged in criminal activity (racial profiling, www. ethnicmajority. com). Overall, one could say that one instance leads to another. Stereotyping can lead to prejudice, which can lead to discrimination. Stereotyping fuels prejudice, though people are not willing to admit this ? they will not admit to stereotyping or being prejudiced, nor discriminating, yet all practices and beliefs of these are rampant today.

Impact Of Theories Relating To Risk Social Work Essay

Impact Of Theories Relating To Risk Social Work Essay To what extent do theories relating to risk inform our understanding of an aspect or aspects of contemporary social work? I am going to briefly discuss the meanings of risk. Whilst I am aware that there are many theories of risk, I have identified three main themes and will be exploring these in relation to contemporary social work, the themes of governmentality, cultural theory and risk society. Present day social work is concerned with matters of vulnerability and risk (Kemshall et al, 1997), (Dalrymple and Burke, 2006), (Parton, 1996), (Titterton, 2005), (Hothersall and Mass-Lowit, 2010). Media coverage of serious case reviews regarding the deaths of children have led to an onslaught of criticism into social work practice. In looking for definitions to define risk, I found several meanings. Traditionally risk was defined neutrally as a chance or likelihood a behaviour or event will occur (Lishman, 2002: 154), (Munro, 2002:64), for example the possibility of a gain as well as a loss. Kemshall (2002) discusses the uses of risk to insurance and a mathematical probability approach to risk. In postmodern society, risk is now attributed to the terms of danger or hazard (Lupton, 1999 a: 12). The concept of Governmentality was developed by the French philosopher Michel Foucault in the later years of his life between the late 1970s and his death in 1984. His concept provides an understanding of power, not just in terms of the power of the state from a top-down approach, but in the more subtle forms of power exercised through a network of institutions, practices, procedures and techniques which act to regulate social conduct (Joseph 2010:225). Power is noticeable in a positive way through the production of knowledge and discourses that are internalised by individuals, guiding the behaviour of populations and leading to more efficient forms of social control. Parton (1994) cited in Pease (2002) writes how individuals permit government at a distance through being encouraged and supported to exercise freedom and choice. Because power is de-centred individuals play a role in their own self-governance. Criticisms of Foucault argue that he fails to recognise that power is not equal to all. It can also be argued that he lacks reference to the exercise of power in relation to race, age, gender and class, especially how accessible power is between different social groups. Cooper (1994: 450) argues about the character of the technologies of power regarding racist and gendered discourses being used. It was argued that Foucault was not attentive to how people respond to discourses in their daily lives (Lupton: 1999 b: 102). Critics also believed that Foucault lacked awareness in the power institutions had over individuals and that individuals behaviour in society was down to following rules of conventions (Hoy: 1986:151). Feminist critics such as Hartstock (1990:171-172) believe Foucaults understanding of power diminishes individuals to objects of power than individuals able to resist. Foucaults work on defining the relations and mechanisms of power like governmentality can support social workers to think about their position of power within the structures (that maintain the oppression of service users) in their work. Empowerment uses social science to solve social problems and is a social justice discourse in social work. It allows social workers to redistribute power and knowledge in their practice, whilst challenging and combating injustice and oppression. Empowerment develops capacities of individuals, whilst emphasising individual responsibility. Pease (2002:137) argues that there is an assumption that power is something that can be given and empowering someone is to confer. Therefore as Braye and Preston-Shoot (2003:100) discuss, empowerment is about oppressed people taking the power and demanding to be heard. Because knowledge is central to understanding power within society, in order to empower service users there must be a reallocation of knowledge, an ins urrection of subjugated knowledge as indicated by Foucault (1977). Listening to service users and allowing them to have more control over seeking solutions to their problems or identifying their needs within the wider social context, is another example of empowerment. We belong to many social groups, some by choice and some because they are forced upon us. Within these groups, some have more or less power over others. Social workers need to be aware of difference and diversity and develop a greater sense of self awareness about the risks of labelling, stereotyping and holding subjective beliefs. The term Risk Society describes a society that is exposed to harm as a result of human activity. German sociologist Ulrich Beck (1992) first used the term, although British sociologist Anthony Giddens has also written on the same subject matter. Both authors argue humans have always been subjected to risk, e.g. natural disasters but these are seen as being caused by non-human forces. Modern society is now exposed to risks such as terrorism, chemical pollution and nuclear power. Giddens (1999) defines these as external and manufactured risks, external being risks arising from nature (e.g. flooding) and manufactured risks being the result of human activity, e.g. developments in science and technology. As humans are responsible for manufactured risks, both Beck and Giddens argue that societies can assess the level of risk being produced in a reflexive way that can alter the planned activity itself. People are now more wary of what professionals tell us, which is different to the view of the older generation. We are more critical of professionals and more likely to question them They believe there is an increase in reflexivity (the idea that society can adapt to new risks) as a response to risk and uncertainty in postmodern soci ety, but Beck (1992:21) relates this to more risks and hazards being produced, where Giddens (1999:3) believes in human subjectivity being more sensitive to risk. Criticisms of risk society question the level of risk in postmodern society. Turner (1994: 180) questions whether life has become more risky in the present day, than how it affected individuals in the past. Ungar, cited in Goode and Ben-Yehuda (2009: 82) argues that the threats of today infuse fear as well as, not instead of the past fears. Culture, race and gender do not feature in both Beck and Giddens writings and it could be argued that it would be difficult for an individual to be reflexive regarding conflicts of this nature. Joffe (1999) argues that there had been a failure to recognise emotion in respect to how people cope with living in a risk society. Delanty (1999:171) draws from the criticisms by Lash, arguing that Beck and Giddens do not recognise the cultural dimension of reflexivity, due to disregarding collective agency such as the community in favour of individualism. Social work has changed from a concern with need to one of risk (Kemshall, 2002). The media perception of social workers failing in their duty to prevent the deaths of children or protect the public from individuals known to be mentally ill, has led to more bureaucratic solutions, through legislation, procedures and guidelines (Ferguson, 2004). Blame is allocated due to the emphasis in risk (Douglas, 1992). The regulation of risk replaces need as a focal point and reasoning for social work intervention. Lishman (2007: 164) writes how working with risk will always remain a risky business, but with the assistance of sound methods and defensible decision-making it can be well managed. Titterton (2005:50) argues there is no such thing as a risk free option: all options hold potential risks. Lishman explains further that in the climate of the blame culture, risk assessments need to be of a standard that contain defensible decisions that can hold up in cases where there has been a risk failure (2007:157). There is the danger that in using risk assessments to check availability for a service, there is the potential for the social worker to be distanced from the service user. Involving the service user to do their own risk assessments and explain what they believe are the risks is a form of empowerment, which places them at the centre of the process. Clutton et al (2006: 18) links the involvement of the service user to empowerment, Risk assessment may be empowering if it allows the service user to take an informed decision on future action. Social workers have to be able to asses the predicted outcomes of a potential risk to a service user but this is not always easy. Differing interpretations of a situation due to the cultural and social background of people and groups can make understanding risk and risk management difficult in decision making (Reed et al, 2004:149). Service users have started to make choices in how they interact with social services e.g. self-referral. In order to make plans about their lives, social workers need to interact with families in new ways that recognise their disadvantage and oppression in society. It could be asked if service users really have choice or do they have options within choice? Harris and White (2009:100) consider choice to be a key element of the governments modernisation agenda and are established in services such as direct payments and choice of hospital. Labelling of service users in assessments as disturbed, at risk, in need, describes behaviour from a value perspective (Dalrymple and Burke, 2006). Slovic (1999) writes how risk assessments are coloured by subjective judgements of the social worker at every stage of the assessment process. Hall et al (2006:23) argues however that categorisation of service users in reports, meetings and in the court is an expectation of social workers as a practical and professional duty to provide assessments and provide a course of action or services. The notion of Culture Theory developed by Mary Douglas (1966, 1798) and Douglas and Wildavsky (1982) has been influential in looking at perspectives on risk. Cultural theory aims to explain how personality and cultural traits influence risk perceptions and why different people and social groups fear different risks. Douglas argues the relation of risk to politics and its link to accountability responsibility and blame (Lupton, 1999:39). Douglas and Wildavsky (1982) introduced the grid/group concept to explain how cultural proportions can compare society. It defines how people can be divided into four types that predict how they react to different types of hazards- Individualist, Egalitarian, Hierarchists and Fatalist. Thompson et al (1990:5) explain group as referring to how much the individual is integrated into enclosed units and grid to how much a persons life is restricted as a cause of exterior compulsory instructions. Douglass theory is not without criticism. Lupton (1999:7) questions the medias contributory role to the risk knowledge of their audience. It can be argued that you cannot foresee how anyone will behave in response to a particular circumstance and that cultural theory is opaque, not taking into account the complexities of modern society (Rayner, 1992, Boholm, 1996). Tansey and O Riordan (1999) argue the theory is deterministic and takes no account of the free will of individuals. Ostrander (1992) makes a prominent argument, suggesting that cultural theory should apply to social environments in order to distinguish social systems as a whole. It could also be argued that as Douglas does not explain how risk perceptions regarding to individuals and organisations change over time, her theory could be seen as static (Bellaby (1990). Gross and Rayner (1985:18) argue that Douglas fails to explain, what economic inducements or deprivations dispose persons to change their social position. Accountability means being answerable to others for the quality and efficiency of ones efforts. Social workers are accountable to service users, the community, their department and their supervisors. They must be able to explain what it is they do, how it is done and that their work meets professional standards for competence. Mishra (1984), cited in Wilson et al, (2008:39) writes how there is a reduction in professional autonomy and control due to accountability and structural demands being placed on agencies. Social workers, through fear of miscalculating a situation can undertake cautious and defensive practice which falls short of considering the implications, risks and benefits to the service user of the decisions made and measures taken. Bamford (1990) writes how social workers must develop a system of accountability which does not lose sight of the needs of the clients and their support systems. O Hanlon, cited in Parton and O Byrne (2000: 88), separates blame from accountability in that accountability features responsibility, is empowering and promotes self agency. Blame does not invite co-operation, is alienating and closes down possibilities. An example of the links between risk and blame is the case of baby Peter, who was killed by his mothers partner and was the subject of a multiple amount of media attention, proportioning blame on the social workers in his care. The description of harm and danger portrayed by the media, the government and organisational responses to complaints and legal action, resulting in a blame culture is a consequence of risk aversion employed by some social workers (Furedi, 2002). This could leave social workers feeling the need to protect themselves and hesitant, leading to passing the blame onto other people. Webb, (2006:70) links blame culture to risk avoidance being the main priority, resulting in tighter measures of accountability and trans parency being involved. Kemshall (2002: 94) suggests blame serves to strengthen accountability, but also subtly to control information flow and usage and to reinforce loyalty and solidarity with particular viewpoints on risk. Responsibility of the social worker is linked to accountability. These are sustained in codes of practice, the law and daily verbal exchanges. Hall et al (2006: 16) describes how professionals are mindful of their interactions, should their speech causes their conduct to be accountable. Parton and OByrne (2000: 183) discuss the ethics of responsibility in which service users are able to talk freely about themselves, their situation and the best way to solve their problems. Social workers are supporting service users to take responsibility for their own actions, which replaces concepts of cause and determination Howe (1986), cited in Parton (1996:88). The responsibility of the social worker is to the well-being of service users, but there are times when they work in situations that are conflicting. Dominelli (2009:11) offers one explanation of this in a care-control dilemma, when there is a need to balance the determination of the service user with harm. The social workers responsibil ity to the wider society and adherence to the law mean that at times the well-being of the service users may not take priority. In conclusion we have considered the impact of risk in the field of social work. In doing so we have identified three main theories, that of Govermentality, Risk Society and Culture Theory. We have analysed the impact of social work on these theories. Govermentality Theory helps us to understand power and the production of knowledge that enables individuals to govern themselves. Empowerment, as discussed previously enables service users to gain control over decisions that affect their lives. Risk Society Theory helps us to understand how communities are organised in its response to risk. This has been discussed in relation to social work in the media and the bureaucratic defensive practices that have developed as a result of extensive coverage of high profile service failings. Culture Theory seeks to explain how the social context in which we operate affects our responses to risk. As considered earlier, accountability is a means for social workers to explain their actions and the rea soning behind them, blame culture leads to social workers feeling apprehensive and self-preserving of their role. The social worker also has responsibility to the service users, but also to the wider society. Word count 2563

†REFLECTION Monitoring and Ensuring Quality Care

– REFLECTION Monitoring and Ensuring Quality Care Introduction The purpose of this paper is to reflect on a recent personal experience of patient care, which enabled me to achieve a module 9 competency, Actively seeks to extend own knowledge. I will be critically analyzing one nursing practice incident using Boud, et al (1985) model of reflection, (please see appendix 1) which will enable me to monitor and ensure quality patient care in future practice. The nursing incident happened when I was looking after a patient requiring enteral tube feeding (ETF). It is important to note that all confidential information relating to patients, wards, hospitals and professional colleagues has not been included in this paper to ensure ethical practice and adherence to the NMC code of professional conduct, section 5 which affirms that I must guard against breaches of confidentiality (NMC 2008). Reflection is a useful tool for the continuation of professional development among nurses (Somerville and Keeling 2004). The word reflection originates from the verb reflectere which means to bend or turn backwards (Hancock 1998). It is a tool, which unlike text books and videos, does not have a limited shelf-life, it is cost effective, is portable and can be used world wide. Patient Profile The aspect of nursing care I have chosen to reflect on is the care of a patient who required enteral tube feeding (ETF) due to dysphagia a condition in which the action of swallowing is difficult to perform (Unison Health Care 1998). This nursing intervention was essential for a patient in my care, who I shall call John. Please see appendix 2 for Johns past medical history. The Plan of Treatment for John John was admitted to my area of practice six days ago following his CVA. He is receiving ETF via an NG tube as an immediate intervention and is being assessed to see if he is a suitable candidate for a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube which are used as a more permanent form of enteral tube feeding (Holmes 2004). The nasogastric tube is about 22 inches [55.9cm] in length (Holmes 2004) and was inserted into his left nostril down through the pharynx, through the oesophagus and through the cardiac sphincter muscle and into the stomach (Marieb 2001). Food can be administered through the tube directly into the stomach and the swallowing process does not need to take place. The food is administered by a pump that controls the amount of feed given in mls per hour. This description could sound as though ETF is always safe and effective and has no complications. Elia (2001) affirms that ETF is typically safe and easy to administer. However John did experience a number of difficul ties that could have been rectified sooner than they were. On reflection of Johns care it is clear to see (with the benefit of hindsight) that if Johns care was managed differently and if complications were noticed and acted on promptly, his hospital experience could have been very different. 1.) Returning to the experience Problems John faced. John experienced two main complications as a result of ETF. The first was regurgitation of the feed into his throat and mouth and the second was diarrhoea. The rate of the feed had been increased over a period of days to its optimal rate, following the ETF guidelines provided by the NHS trust that I was working in. The infusion was commenced during the night while he was sleeping to allow John greater freedom during the day as he could be disconnected from the pump. The regurgitation happened during the first night that the pump was running at the optimal flow rate. Davis and Shere (1994) report that regurgitation is a common complication of ETF. As a consequence, John had to swallow what had come up into his mouth. The rationale for John to undergo enteral tube feeding was to prevent further weight loss and aspiration which can be caused by dysphagia (DeLegge 1995, Gibbon 2002 and Davies 1999). Aspiration has various meanings, however in this context it refers to the movement of for eign material i.e. fluids or food, into the trachea and further down into the lungs (Unison Health Care 1998). This can occur when the swallowing mechanism is ineffective or impaired. Infection of the lobe of the lung, in which the foreign material has lodged, occurs. This is called aspiration pneumonia (Unison Health Care 1998). Patients suffering from dysphagia are at risk of developing aspiration pneumonia (DeLegge 1995 and Gibbon 2002). ETF was commenced to overcome this risk but now the very intervention that was intended to eliminate the risk has caused an even greater risk of aspiration pneumonia. According to Marieb (2001) there are two stages of deglutition (swallowing). The buccal phase, which is a voluntary action, occurs in the mouth and is the first phase of deglutition. The tongue progressively elevates anteriorly to posteriorly, propelling the bolus through the oral cavity. When the bolus has moved to the base of the tongue, the soft palate is raised, preventing food from being regurgitated via the nasal passage (Davies 1999). The second is the involuntary pharyngeal-oesophageal phase which Davies (1999) describes as a complex sequence of muscular movements. After a CVA the ability to initiate the secondary phase of deglutition can be disrupted resulting in ineffective or complete failure of this phase of deglutition. This short explanation of pathophysiology demonstrates how important it is to know nursing rationales for nursing interventions. Patients suffering from dysphagia can sometimes overcome the problem by eating a pureed diet and drinking thickened fluids, but this depends on the severity of the dysphagia (Stringer 1999). John needs ETF because his dysphagia is too advanced to be overcome by a change in diet. Arrowsmith (1993) recommends that patients who are receiving ETF via a NG tube that are lying in bed, should have their head and shoulders elevated 30-40 degrees during feeding and up to one hour afterwards to minimise gastric pooling and reflux of the feed. This example demonstrates how a simple action can make a substantial impact on the quality of care that they experience. It has the twofold purpose of Impact of the quality of care that they experience. It has twofold purpose of promoting the effectiveness of the intervention and minimises harm to the patient by reducing the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Assessing for signs of aspiration in a patient suffering from dysphagia should always be taken seriously by nursing staff. Stringer (1999) reports that if dysphagia is serious enough it can prevent the victim from swallowing their own saliva. The average person swallows approximately 590 times each day 146 when eating, 394 when awake and not eating and 50 times during sleep (Davies 1999). With the average person swallowing literally hundreds of times each day, patients are at risk of aspirating (on their own saliva) regardless of ETF. Barer (1989) found that over one third of conscious acute stroke patients admitted to hospital had unsafe swallowing. Davies (1999) citing Ellul and Barer (1994) affirms that dysphagia in the first three days after stroke is associated with a five to tenfold increased risk of chest infection during the first week. This is due to varying degrees of aspiration. Aspiration is a potentially fatal complication of ETF. John also experienced three episodes of diarrhoea since starting ETF. John was only provided with a commode which was only dealing with the symptoms rather than treating the cause. No contact was made with the senior house officer or dietician. Furthermore there did not appear to be much concern among the nursing team and there was no discussion or sharing of knowledge between colleagues accept what came from myself. I told my mentor what I had been reading during my reflection time and pointed out some reasons that have been identified as causing diarrhoea for patients receiving ETF. The attitude of my mentor was apathetic, and commented, Hes bound to pick up a bug, give it time, it will pass. This shocked me as Somerville and Keeling (2004) reports that the nursing profession depends on a culture of mutual support, and this was not what I received from my mentor. I wanted to discuss the temperature of the feed, his current medication and the cleanliness in which the feed was prepared and administered. If the feed is too cold when it is administered it can cause diarrhoea (Arrowsmith 2003). Howell (2002) reports that diarrhoea can be the result of ETF but it can also be due to the side effects of medications. Antibiotics can cause the common side affect of diarrhoea (BMA 2001) but John was not receiving any. Diarrhoea in ETF can also be caused through the introduction of bacteria through poor hygiene standards in the preparation and administration of the feed; however the preparation and administration does not need to be performed aspptically. This is only indicated if the patient is immunocompromised (Arrowsmith 1993). My professional knowledge reminded me that I could not dismiss the diarrhoea as a coincidence. If there were nursing interventions that could be used and I didnt use them, I would be failing to provide quality care for my patient. Nurses are responsible not only for their actions but also for their omissions (NMC 2008). I wanted to refer to each others professional knowledge through discussion, and to the ETF guidelines to see if there was a simple cause to the problem that could be rectified before consultation with the doctor or dietician became necessary. I was able to rule out most factors that can cause diarrhoea. This led me to believe that the infusion rate could be too fast. These are the factors that I wanted to discuss with my mentor so I could contact the dietician to seek help from the multidisciplinary team. Gibbon (2002) asserts that stroke care requires the services of a multi-professional te am, working towards an agreed therapeutic plan hence my reason to collaborate with the dietician. 2.) Attending to feelings What did I feel was Positive? During reflection time I was very interested and pleased to find this research to suggest that there could be something that I could do to put an end to the discomfort, distress and potentially disastrous complications of a patient in my care. Many times as a student I have felt that I personally, am not making a great difference to my patients health and wellbeing as I am not working independently, but under my mentor who in general decides on a course of action for our patients. This time I have found the answer from my own research. All that remains is for me to bring this research to my mentors attention and then put the intervention into practice. The patient will benefit, and I will have a great sense of achievement as I will have, in a small way, improved the quality of someones life, accomplishing one of the reasons why I decided to take a career in nursing. Attending to feelings What did I feel was Negative? In response to the apathy that I encountered, I felt disappointed and powerless and undervalued. My original mentor was off on temporary short term sickness due to a small operation and therefore I was allocated another Junior Ward Sister to take her place for the short period of time in her absence. I felt disappointed because my contribution to the care of my patient was not welcomed and that this mentor was not as patient or interested in my learning and on-going development. I also thought it was unfair because I had evidence to base my suggestions on. It was not a vague idea I had conceived but it was grounded in research. I felt powerless because as a junior and inexperienced member of the team I felt I had little influence over the overwhelming hierarchy. Morris (2004) states that student nurses possess little power because they are viewed as inexperienced. I wanted to make my mentor realise that the patient could be suffering (from diarrhoea and regurgitation) because of our negligence and not from inevitable causes. Why was Cognitive Learning Being Achieved? In this situation I was learning a number of things, mainly relating to communication, team work, assertiveness, accountability and responsibility. I learned that my priority is with the care of my patient and not with my popularity among colleagues, just as the NMC (2008) signifies when it states when facing professional dilemmas, your first consideration in all activities must be in the interests and safety of patients. When I met with my original mentor on her return back to work we discussed this incident of practice and she praised my efforts in extending my knowledge to improve patients care. I therefore achieved the competency, actively seeks to extend own knowledge. Do Any Barriers to Learning Exist? The barriers that existed to my learning were the apathy of the nurses and the limits of my own assertiveness. It was very hard on this ward to feel proud of the care that was being given. The ward was poorly staffed, the ward manager was unanimously unpopular, the ward relied heavily on agency staff that was not familiar with the ward and my temporary mentor wanted to leave nursing because of all of the above (and more). As a new and enthusiastic team member I found my self fighting against the low morale and low motivation of the current staff. Job satisfaction can impact on the care that nurses provide. Brown (1995) believes that when nurses enjoy good job satisfaction they provide a higher standard of care to their patients. Rohrlach (1998) and Govier (1999) cited by Kitson (2003) discovered that nurses who were happy with the care they were giving were more likely to stay within the clinical area which would in turn provide some stability and security within the workplace. Accor ding to this research, the inability to give quality care (due to the problems mentioned) was resulting in low morale. The dilemma I faced was as follows. I had already approached my mentor once regarding Johns problems and detected that there was little interest in what I had to offer and in the nurses willingness to correct any problems. If I addressed the issue again, I risked worsening the relationship between my mentor and myself. Morris (2004) identifies that student nurses often feel nervous about speaking out because they feel the need to conform or do not wish to be viewed in a negative way. Student nurses risk upsetting the status quo by speaking out. If I left the issue my patient may be suffering discomfort unnecessarily, but as a student I will never be held accountable in a way that registered nurses midwives or health visitors are (NMC 2008). Would this justify me leaving the issues and conforming to the apathy and bad practice of my mentor? Morris (2004) disagrees. She says that although students are not legally accountable for their actions and omissions, they are morally responsible for ensuring that patients are receiving good standards of care. The student nurse must be responsible. Semple and Cable (2003) affirm that responsibility is concerned with answering for what you do. Registered nurses, midwifes and health visitors are accountable which, Semple and Cable (2003) defines as being answerable for the consequences of what you do. 3.) Re-evaluating the Experience Drawing Conclusions Drawing conclusions is the most vital part of the process of reflection. It will shape future practice and quality of care. Conclusions that are drawn from reflection must agree with the Nursing and Midwifery Council code of professional conduct. It is with the NMC that all matters of conduct, practice and attitude are dictated to nurses. The NMC (2008) motto, protecting the public through professional standards can only be achieved if all those on the NMC register are willing to submit to the conditions and regulations that it upholds. Indeed Somerville and Keeling (2004) affirm that in order for nurses to meet the demands of the NMC, they must focus on their knowledge skills and behaviour which can be achieved through reflection. On reflection of the described incident, it was difficult to know what to do. My mentor was not up to date with the knowledge of this area of practice. I cannot, and do not expect her to know everything, however Glover (1999) points out the nurses should be reliant on others for information. The NMC (2008) states that nurses should work cooperatively within teams and respect the skills, expertise and contributions of colleagues, treating them fairly and without discrimination. Therefore I expected my temporary mentor to take more interest in what I had to offer. Indeed Morris (2004) argues that qualified nurses are obliged to listen to other staff regardless of their qualification status. Announcing that practice should be in accordance with the NMC is too simplistic an answer to such a diverse problem. It is correct to say this but how will this be achieved? The ward is in need of good clinical leadership, first of all from the sister in charge. Nadeem (2002) states that the call for good leadership in the NHS has reintroduced the matron figure and also the new role of nurse consultants. Specialist nurses do have a role in ensuring safe practice and quality care but this should be in addition to effective local leadership i.e. leadership from the ward sister. Leadership is perceived as being good if there is good team working and if managers have good relationships with staff (Lipley 2003) which is one area that needs consideration in this scenario. Meeting the staffs needs improves satisfaction, productivity and efficiency (Nadeem 2002) which in this instance principally means the provision of resources, i.e. human resources. Nurses who are happy with the care they give are more likely to stay within their clinical area (Rohrlach 1998 and Govier 1999 cited by Kitson 2003). This would provide some stability and security in the workplace. Clinical governance has also come to play a prominent role in ensuring quality care. The government has defined clinical governance as a framework through which NHS organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding standards of care, by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care will flourish (Department of Health 1998). It had been noted that unacceptable variations in clinical practice where becoming common in the NHS (Department of Health 2010). While some patients were receiving excellent health care, e.g. in stroke care, other patients in the country were receiving sub-optimal stroke care due to differences in facilities, funding, education and staff. Each clinical area can improve the quality of care by (1) using modern matrons and nu rse consultants as clinical leaders, (2) by having adequate staff to care effectively and to lift morale among existing staff and (3) by implementing clinical governance which will result in the flourishing of good practices across wards, departments and NHS trusts through the sharing of expertise, research and ideas. The wards problems could also be addressed through annual reviews or by encouraging staff to keep an up-to-date portfolio (Somerville and Keeling 2004). This will allow nurses to identify strengths and opportunities for development. Critically analysing using reflection on this incident has been valuable in maintaining the quality of care as set out in the NMC code of professional conduct. Gallacher (2004) says that she questions different peoples practices in order to provide her patients with first class quality care. Clinical practice will not improve if it remains unquestioned. Hindsight gives the practitioner the opportunity to discriminate between good and bad practices. Safe, legal and quality care can only be given if it is in keeping with the NMC code of professional conduct. Reference list Arrowsmith, H. (1993) Nursing Management of Patients Receiving a Nasogastric Feed. In: British Journal of Nursing. 2 (21) 1053-1058 Barer, D. (1989) The Natural History and Functional Consequences of Dysphagia after Hemispheric Stroke. In: Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 52, 236-241 BMA (2008) New Guide to Medicines and Drugs. London: British Medical Association. Brown, R. (1995) Education for Specialist and Advanced Practice. In: British Journal of Nursing. 4 (5) 266-268 Department of Health (1998) First Class Service: Quality in the New NHS. London: The Stationery Office. Davies, S. (1999) Dysphagia in Acute Strokes. In: Nursing Standard. 13 (30) 49-55 Davis, J. Shere, K. (1994) Applied Nutrition and Diet Therapy for Nurses. 2nd Ed. Philadelphia: PA,WB Saunders. DeLegge, M. (1995) Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrojejunostomy: A Dual Centre Safety and Efficacy Trial. In: Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. 19 (3) 239-243 Gallacher, G. (2004) Gaining a Better Understanding of Reflection to Improve Practice. In: Nursing Times. 100 (23) 39 Gibbon, B. (2002) Rehabilitation Following Stroke. In: Nursing Standard. 16 (29) 47-52 Glover, D. (1999) Accountability. In: Nursing Times Clinical Monograph. 27, 1-11 Elia, M. (2001) Trends in Artificial Nutrition Support in the UK during 1996-2000. Maidenhead: BAPEN. Hancock, P. (1998) Reflective Practice using a Learning Journal. In: Nursing Standard. 13 (17) 36-39 Holmes, S. (2004) Enteral Feeding and Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy. In: Nursing Standard. 18 (20) 41-43 Howell, M. (2002) Do Nurses know enough about Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy? In: Nursing times. 98 (17) 40-42 Hutton C (2005) After a stroke: 300 tips for making life easier, London.UK Kitson, J. (2003) Education for High Dependency Nursing. In: Paediatric Nursing. 15 (1) 7-10 Lipley, N. (2003) Research Shows Benefits of Nurse Leadership Training. In: Nursing Management. 10 (2) 4-5 Marieb, E.N. (2001) Human Anatomy and Physiology. 5th Ed. United States of America: Benjamin Cummings. Morris, R. (2004) Speak out or Shut up? Accountability and the Student Nurse. In: Paediatric Nursing. 16 (6) 20-22 Nadeem, M. (2002) Evolution of Leadership in Nursing. In: Nursing Management. 9 (7) 20-5 Nursing and Midwifery Code of Professional Conduct. London: Nursing Council (2008) and Midwifery Council. Nursing and Midwifery An NMC Guide for Student of Nursing and Council (2008) Midwifery. London: Nursing and Midwifery Council. Semple, M. Cable, S. (2008) The new Code of Professional Conduct. In: Nursing Standard. 17 (23) 40-48 Somerville, D. Keeling, J. (2004) A Practical Approach to Promote Reflective Practice within Nursing. In: Nursing Times. 100 (12) 42-45 Stephanie K, Daniels, Maggie Lee Huckabee (2008) Dysphagia following stroke (clinical dysphagia) London. Stringer, S. (1999) Managing Dysphagia in Palliative Care. In: Professional Nurse. 14 (7) 489-492 Appendix 1 Three stages to the process of reflection. Boud, Keough and Walker (1985). a) Returning to experience Observations what happened? What was my reaction? Clarify personal perceptions b) Attending to feelings What did I feel at the time? What did I feel was positive? Why is cognitive learning being achieved? What did I feel was negative? Do any barriers to learning exist? Raise awareness and clarify feelings c) Re-evaluating the experience Draw conclusions and insights together with existing knowledge Identify gaps in knowledge Integrate existing and new knowledge

Robert Jordans Wheel of Time :: Robert Jordan Wheel of Time

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time â€Å"The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.† (Jordan, 1). In the world of Robert Jordan’s bestselling fantasy series, "The Wheel of Time", the life of the ordinary people has been undergoing some extraordinary changes. The legendary Dragon has been Reborn, and the Last Battle to decide the fate of humanity draws nigh. Meanwhile, outside of this world sit millions of readers, from all reaches of life, waiting anxiously for the next chapter in the story to be told. They debate what has happened, what it means in the context of the story, what it means for the future of the Wheel, as well as how it impacts their lives’. The Wheel of Time is a world where absolute good battles absolute evil, and yet shades of grey cloud the landscape. A world of hope and despair, a world of peace and war. From this world a following has grown. People from different cultures, different languages, and different political ideologies gravitate together forming a cohesive group that helps to spread the word about the work of Robert Jordan. In much the same manner that J.R.R. Tolkien created a myth for the modern ages with his saga "The Lord of the Rings" and George Lucas has done with his "Star Wars" series of movies, so has Robert Jordan entered into the realm of mythology with his work "The Wheel of Time". And this myth, like those which have come recently, and those from antiquity, has created a community of followers around it. They are drawn together initially because of a personal interest, and they stay not only for that interest, but because of the community that grows as a result of engaging themselves with this story. The world of the Wheel is one that is beginning to see turmoil when it is first introduced to the readers. Winter is holding on much longer than it should, and there is fear in the air (Jordan Eye 11). Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time :: Robert Jordan Wheel of Time Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time â€Å"The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Mountains of Mist. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.† (Jordan, 1). In the world of Robert Jordan’s bestselling fantasy series, "The Wheel of Time", the life of the ordinary people has been undergoing some extraordinary changes. The legendary Dragon has been Reborn, and the Last Battle to decide the fate of humanity draws nigh. Meanwhile, outside of this world sit millions of readers, from all reaches of life, waiting anxiously for the next chapter in the story to be told. They debate what has happened, what it means in the context of the story, what it means for the future of the Wheel, as well as how it impacts their lives’. The Wheel of Time is a world where absolute good battles absolute evil, and yet shades of grey cloud the landscape. A world of hope and despair, a world of peace and war. From this world a following has grown. People from different cultures, different languages, and different political ideologies gravitate together forming a cohesive group that helps to spread the word about the work of Robert Jordan. In much the same manner that J.R.R. Tolkien created a myth for the modern ages with his saga "The Lord of the Rings" and George Lucas has done with his "Star Wars" series of movies, so has Robert Jordan entered into the realm of mythology with his work "The Wheel of Time". And this myth, like those which have come recently, and those from antiquity, has created a community of followers around it. They are drawn together initially because of a personal interest, and they stay not only for that interest, but because of the community that grows as a result of engaging themselves with this story. The world of the Wheel is one that is beginning to see turmoil when it is first introduced to the readers. Winter is holding on much longer than it should, and there is fear in the air (Jordan Eye 11).

Mark Twain Essay -- essays research papers fc

Mark Twain was a pilot, a comic lecturer, a humorist, a short story writer, and a novelist, to name a few of his many accomplishments. On November 30, 1835, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, otherwise known as Mark Twain, became the first man of any importance ever to be born west of the Mississippi River. He has become an icon as the American writer. This is because his way of writing cannot be simulated by Europeans or anyone else, due to the fact that the western setting of America creates a whole new atmosphere and style of writing. Mark Twain is a classic American writer that acquired fame by using satire, writing with single-minded use of words, and by writing the way that most people think and speak. Twain writes with single-minded use of words, which is understood to be plain and simple, yet still intelligent, which enhances American literature. He writes what comes into his mind without fear. This is an example from Huckleberry Finn: ... "then comes a h-wack! bum! bum! bumble-umble-um-bum-bum-bum-bum - and the thunder would go rumbling and grumbling away" ... (Twain 45). This enriches American literature, because it is a clever way, and the only way to make the reader actually seem to hear and feel the sounds the writer is trying to convey. This is an example from Tom Sawyer : "Set her back on the stabboard! Ting-a-ling-ling! chow! ch-chow-wow! chow!". (Twain 15). This dialect can be explained as a familiar speech spoken around us all the time. It is the speech of the illiterate, the preliterate, the children, and the poor people (Bloom 46). This is actually a very intelligent style of writing, for it is difficult for an author to write in a different level of dialect than they actually speak. The reader can tell that this dialect isn’t Twain’s own, since he doesn’t write with it in every part of the book. Huckleberry Finn is supposed to be written from Huck’s point of view. The story is written as he would speak it, so mistakes inevitably appear. However, this single- minded dialect was worked, composed, and written by Twain. It was not done haphazardly (Bloom 46). American literature would not be the same if not for Twain’s ideas for ways of writing in a way that spectacularly conveys the feelings of touch, sound, and sight by the use of single-minded words. Another way that Mark Twain enriche... ...inded words captures the reader’s attention, making them feel almost as if they are in the book themselves. His masterful use of the vernacular portrays the speech of early rural America. Twain’s use of the vernacular lets the reader read more smoothly since they do not have to pay attention to the structural significance of the word. Since Mark Twain was the first truly great western author to define American writing, he has opened the way for many future authors to come. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Interpretations of Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. NewYork: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Clemens, Samuel L. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. NewYork: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1953. Clemens, Samuel L. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. NewYork: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1958. Http://galenet.gale.com/a/acp/netacgi/nph...thor-search.html/&r=1&f=l3;1; + "1647-1".ID. Kesterson, David B. ed. Critics on Mark Twain. Florida: University of Miami Press, 1973. Rasmussen, Kent R. Mark Twain A to Z. NewYork: Facts on File, Inc., 1995. Stapleton, Michael, comp. The Cambridge Guide to English Literature. NewYork: Cambridge University Press, 1983.

Biographical Sketch Of August Aichorn

Born in Vienna about 129 years ago on the 27th of July August Aichhorn was to change the face of Special Education forever in the years to come. Of course, no one in his family or amongst his friends or neighbors could have predicted his illustrious future since he was, like most kids, little more than a gawky bespectacled studious little thing while in school.There was little to be noticed about him except that he had a twin brother. This twin brother he lost at the age of 20. Heartbroken and a little frazzled (since he had after all been close to his sibling) he began teaching at a school in Vienna. He seemed to have had his career pretty clearly etched out in his mind.And a pretty predictable path it followed too. Teaching was a respectable profession those days and young respectable young men from well-established families (like him) jumped at the chance to pursue it. Only problem was that in those days once you chose a career for yourself you were expected to stick to it until y ou were too old to continue with it and had to retire with a pension.The hop-skip and jump routine we are so used to performing in the job market today was an absolute no-no then. Unfortunately Aichhorn soon discovered that conventional rules such as these did not matter much to him.In 1907 when the Boy’s military settlement was introduced in Vienna Aichhorn, then an enthusiastic 27 year old, opposed it vehemently and finally managed to outdo the system with his exuberance. Soon after, in 1908 he assumed the role of the chairman of a brand new board designed only to organize boys’ settlements.By means of his rather effective and well-directed activism he therefore managed to keep he education system, a system he had now grown to love and honor, from being maligned by the now growing ‘military spirit’.With great determination he now endeavored to take his devotion to the system to the next logical level, the institution he organized in Oberhollabrunn for de linquent boys was an outcome of this very attempt. (Dollard, 2006)In Oberhollabrunn Aichhorn managed the unthinkable by creating out of the dilapidated remains of a refugee camp what was later considered to be one the most sensitive, touching and humanitarian studies of human behavior. This was a period of flux for what had once been a great and much respected monarchy in Austria.Old Austrian traditions were now being dragged into the street and left ankle deep in poverty and shame. Austrians were striving to keep themselves afloat despite the tremendous inflation and revolution brewed. Amongst it all Aichhorn chose to, characteristically, stay away from all the humdrum and surrender himself completely to work.As in every other state of chaos Austria was now becoming a cauldron for trouble, crime and delinquency was frothing up and societal pressures were getting harder to bear than ever before. Amidst it all Aichhorn dreamed of a way to bring back hope to crime doers. Of course he was not original in his subject choice.Dozens before him had meddled with the same topic rather unsuccessfully. Many of Aichhorn predecessors had advocated some old school mercy and ‘understanding, while others had strongly recommended a good dose of thrashing all in order to bring wrongdoers to their senses and recuperate them.Aichhorn however was not a big fan of either approach. In Oberhollabrunn he had the opportunity to put into practical use the sort of methods he considered truly effective to deal with crime and delinquency. What he saw and understood he finally put down in the form of a book, now the ‘Bible’ in the field – Wayward Youth. (Lamb, 2004)It is perhaps a little difficult to really grasp the importance of the door Aichhorn managed to open up to the public and academicians by suggesting that psychoanalytic principles be applied to the study of delinquent behavior today in 2007, when much has been said and done in this direction.Despite the progress we have made in the field however Aichhorn’s work, the Wayward Youth still continues to be a supremely important resource book simply because of its pioneering nature. In the field of crime and delinquent psychology Aichhorn’s work still continue to provide the basic fundamentals even when we have walked far enough to form complex sentences with these letters we will still have to turn to Aichhorn for support.What makes Wayward Youth such a complete pioneer is the fact that it distinguishes between what it terms the ‘latent’ and the ‘manifest’ delinquents. Further, it suggests that an arrested development inclines a person towards ‘antisocial’ behavior.Hence, a troubled child-parent relationship in the early years of the infant might be the primary reason behind his/her delinquent actions in later life.Aichhorn’s capacity to deal with delinquents is often been described as ‘instinctive’ or ‘intui tive’. After having discovered his talent in dealing with antisocial behavior Aichhron was further influenced and encouraged to train himself in the field of psychoanalysis by none other than Anna Freud, daughter of the man who began it all Sigmund Freud, who was herself engaged in some remarkable studies of the human mind.Aichhorn joined the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute at the ripe age or 44, in 1922. He would later organize a special service for child guidance in the same institution.Aichhorn remained in Austria even during the tumultuous 1930’s, thanks to his non-Jew background and the utter ease with which he handled the Nazis.He worked quietly during the war years and waited patiently for the storm to pass and a new day for psychoanalysis to begin in the post-war era once the war ended Aichhorn enthusiastically reopened the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society, only now it was to be called August Aichhorn Gesellschaft. (King, 2000)It was also a regeneration time. Ideo logical conflicts and military interests were shaking civilization right up to its foundations. The doubts, dilemmas and confusions were gradually, quite slowly indeed, giving way to a new and unique cultural revolution. It was happening all across the Western world.People suddenly seemed to realize that there was enough of political warfare to disgrace humanity. (Fletcher, 2005)The prevailing standards suddenly seemed to be meaningless, and the insurgent youths wanted something different to happen and Aichhorn was one of the characters of the era that found himself into his own elements in such a situation.He never lost hope and continued to proceed in the direction he was meant to be. It is certain he never became frustrated like many of the individuals of the post war period and stood firm on his ground rather that drift away. (Kar, 2006)Many think Aichhorn’s tryst with delinquents began early even while he struggled as a grade school teacher in the city of Vienna. He hank ered for a theoretical base which would be able to support and expand his understanding of the world of these crime doers and help him set them right again.Hungry to fulfill this desire he studied neuropathology, like many his age during that period unfortunately neuropathology did little to quench his question, instead it only made him wonder further.Desperate he now tried his hands at experimental psychology, which too failed to satisfy him. It was only when he would finally discover psycho-analysis that he would finally find all the missing pieces to his puzzle. (Edelman, 2001)

To What Extent Does the Impact of World War I Explain the Outbreak of the Two Revolutions in 1917 ?

To what extent does the impact of World War I explain the outbreak of the two revolutions in 1917 ? To a certain extent, the First World War was a major contributing factor to the two revolutions that took place in 1917, the February and October Revolution. The war worsened the issues that already existed in Russia and also highlighted the lack of leadership shown by the Tsar and the Provisional Government set up after the February Revolution and also the Tsars military command over the army during the war. However, World War One was not the only reason for the revolutions taking place and acted as a tipping factor from the already undergoing social, political and economical problems plaguing Russia which led to the fall of the Tsar and the Provisional Government. The war was a massive mistake for Russia, it gained success support at first from the Russian public until they started to lose battles. After defeats in 1915 the poor attempt at retreating and the number of those wounded the high command and the Tsar were blamed which led to Nicholas II making one of his biggest mistakes ever whilst in his reign, Tsar Nicholas II took the advice of Grigori Rasputin, a peasant who was friends with the royal family from trying to heal their son of haemophilia, and went and led the Russian war effort. The tsar had a slender knowledge about war which led to him putting himself in a vulnerable position as he would now have to make all correct decisions or would be blamed by the people back home for any wrong decisions. Joe Gaucci, a historian, backs up this claim and states that the Tsars decision â€Å"proved disastrous as the government became increasingly chaotic†. Over 200,000 men were lost in the war and with 15 million peasants pulled from the farms the food shortage became a larger problem. The army started to lose faith in the Tsar, this was a vital for the revolution as they stopped shooting on the rioters and leading to the revolution continuing. The war also led to the downfall of the provisional government. After the Tsar leaving his role, the public called for peace and for Russia to leave the war. The provisional government tried to regain the support of the army and the Russian public by making the army launch the June offensive, with the July offensive in the first two weeks being able to exploit the poor morale of the Austrian Army were then pushed back because of soldiers refusing to obey order thus overriding the early success. After the Germans counter-attacked leaving thousands of soldiers deserted the army suffered a collapse. Not only did this show how poorly the Russian army was organised, equipped and mentally able to win the war but it also showed the Provisional Governments disregard of listening to the publics cries to stop the war. During the first revolution the political issues were a large factor for it to happen. With the Tsar leaving the country to command the army, the Tsarina was left in charge. This was a poor decision at first because the Tsarina was German and many people saw her as either a spy for Germany or having split allegiances so would make poor decisions and not consider what was best for Russia. The government became very unstable with the Tsarina in charge as she continually kept changing the ministers especially if they did not want to make decisions directed by the ‘Man of God’. On top of this the Tsarina took advice from a peasant called Rasputin, who was first Tsars Nicholas II’s sons doctor to try and cure his haemophilia. Rasputin was a advisor to the Tsarina and many speculated having an affair with her, while Tsarina was firing ministers he persuaded her to induct ministers, who were corrupt, into the high court. For the second revolution and the Provisional Government it was Lenin and the Bolsheviks who were the main political issue. Lenin knew the government was weak and published his ‘April theses’ which highlighted two areas ‘All power to the Soviets’ and ‘Peace, Bread, Land’ which also follows the saying ‘Bread and Circuses’ which is the common metaphor to explain the needs to keep the public of a country happy. After this in July the Bolsheviks supposedly were the brains behind the ‘July Days’ which almost lead to a revolution, instead it lead to the Provisional Government arresting main leaders of the Bolsheviks such as Trotsky, however the bolsheivik party was still allowed to run. The biggest provisional government mistake was during the Kornilov affair in which the bolsheivks were released from prison, given guns and told to fight, in the end they were not needed but were seen as the heroes of the day. The provisional Governments poor handling of the Bolsheiviks could also lead to someone believing that politics was the reason for the Revolutions. Both of the political factors for the revolutions breaking out could be attributed to World War I Economic Problems During both revolutions Russia was struggling with economic problems. The three main factors which affected the economy of Russia was the Inflation, Food shortages and the affect of industrialization in the cities. Inflation occurred mainly because of the Governments spending which increased by 400% between August 1914 and March 1917, this would have occurred because of the war but affected the people of Russia as inflation increased as they kept printing more money, taxes then slumped as sale of alcohol was banned which contributed a large sum of taxes as the government possessed a monopoly on the sale of vodka. When the war started in 1914 15 million peasants were called up to aid the war effort, this resulted in the agriculture sector becoming affected and eventually food shortages started in 1916, this affected the cities a considerable amount as transport was mainly used for supplying the army and everything they needed. With industrialization happening at the same time as the war, Petrograd and Moscow’s populations increased and resulted in overcrowding. Factories were hiring more people than they were before the war and many people were affected by the food shortages, the first signs of a revolution started in 1916 when one million workers went on strike. These economic problems can all be attributed to World War I breaking out. Why the war wasn’t a factor Some could argue that the World War was not the cause of the two revolutions. The Tsar had gained alot of support from the war at first and many believe they should work together to win the war but all of this came undone when he removed himself from Russia to join the army in the front line. It could also be argued that even though the war contributed to the Revolution the problems for the revolutions was there before the war and anything could have triggered the revolution. But its just so happened that poor decisions during the war lead to the revolution occurring. The first revolution could be the result of the poor political set up in Russia. With a Duma being granted by the Tsar after the 1905 Revolution. With the Duma being set up after the October manifesto it was useless as it had no power with the Tsar still being the main controller of the Duma. It could not do anything against the Tsar otherwise risking being shut down and even though it supposedly gave more power to the people in matter of fact the Tsar had the majority of control. conclusion In conclusion, even though there were factors such as social, economic and political within the country which varied between short and long term as well as foolish decisions made by Tsar Nicholas II and Kerensky leader of the provisional government. The world war was the cause of most of the problems and also was the cataylyst of tese problems making them worse. Because of this reasoning the World War should be considered as a large cause and factor for both October and February revolution of Russia in 1917.