The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale free essay sample

This paper will cover the historical significance of the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale. This scale was originally called the Binet-Simon scale. Albert Binet and Theodore Simon together created this scale. This scale was originally created for children. Intelligence testing became significant in the 21st century as it enabled mainly schools to seek out children who need academic help. However, this test was taken a step further in the 21st century by major corporations who use the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale as a major tool during the hiring process and to determine a person’s IQ. Historical Significance The field of psychology owes the† notion of intelligence to the French psychologist Alfred Binet, who developed the Binet Simon scale together with his student Theodore Simon in 1904† (Rosati, 2004). Albert Binet and Theodore Simon believed â€Å"that in intelligence there is a fundamental faculty, the alteration or the lack of which, is of the utmost importance for practical life. We will write a custom essay sample on The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This faculty is judgment, otherwise called good sense, practical sense, initiative, the faculty of adapting ones self to circumstances. A person may be a moron or an imbecile if he is lacking in judgment; but with good judgment he can never be either. Indeed the rest of the intellectual faculties seem of little importance in comparison with judgment. However, in 1916 the Binet-Simon intelligence test was re-named to the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale by Lewis Terman (Becker, 2003). History of Stanford-Binet In 1891, Binet began working at the Sorbonnes Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and was appointed its Director in 1894. Theodore Simon applied to do doctoral research under Binets supervision (Plucker, 2012) According to Plucker, (2012) Binet and Simon created a scale that contained a variety of tasks the two men thought would representative a child’s abilities at various ages. This scale was based on many years of observing children in his or her natural settings. This scale consisted of thirty tasks each one more complicated than the task before. According to Plucker (2012) Binet and Simon believed that the easiest tasks could be accomplished by all children, even those who were severely retarded. â€Å"Some of the simplest test items assessed whether or not a child could follow a lighted match with his eyes or shake hands with the examiner. Slightly harder tasks required children to point to various named body parts, repeat back a series of 3 digits, repeat simple sentences, and to define words like house, fork or mama. More difficult test items required children to state the difference between pairs of things, reproduce drawings from memory or to construct sentences from three given words such as Paris, river and fortune. The hardest test items included asking children to repeat back 7 random digits, find three rhymes for the French word obeisance and to answer complicated questions† (Plucker, 2012, p 2). Significance in the 21st Century One of the main significance to the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale is its ability to measure a person’s IQ. According Kreger, (2012), â€Å"up until 1986 the Stanford-Binet Intelligence scale and all five editions remained the test of choice in identifying gifted children. According to Kreger (2012) in 1989 Kathi Kearney wrote that â€Å"it is her belief that the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale should be given as a supplementary test† (p3). According to Link (2002) â€Å"The Stanford-Binet IQ test is simply drawing on these same material cognitive techniques and associating ones ability to use them with the term intelligence, allowing the social classification that was the purpose of the test to be made according to the ability to think scientifically† The Effects on Psychology The Stanford-Binet Intelligence scale has played a huge role in the field of psychology. Today, there are many different categories of psychology. However, the Stanford-Binet scale fits best in the fields of child psychology, and industrial and organizational psychology (IO). As explained above this scale is based mainly around the ability to determine gifted children. Many gifted children are used as research subjects in psychology to help aide researchers in the advancement of intelligence. School psychologists especially use the Stanford-Binet to determine placement of a child based on his or her intelligence. Many large corporations retain the services of IO psychologist’s to ensure that employees are able to function and comprehend his or her job duties and responsibilities. Conclusion This paper covered an important part of psychological testing; the Stanford-Binet intelligence scale. This scale was originally called the Binet-Simon scale but was re-named in 1916 by Lewis Terman. This test is revolved around a person’s age and what is believed to be the normal range of IQ at that particular time. The significance of the Stanford-Binet revolves mainly around psychologists being able to recognize a â€Å"gifted child†. However, there are many ways in which this scale can be used. Employers of major corporations can also use this test to ensure the intelligence and integrity of its employees. Psychologists in almost every field use the Stanford-Binet scale; however it is most prevalent in child and IO psychology.

3 Top Tips for Writing Exceptional Georgetown Essays

3 Top Tips for Writing Exceptional Georgetown Essays SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips With an acceptance rate of just 17 percent, Georgetown is ranked as an extremely competitive school. If you want to be a part of the student body, you need to impress, and one of the best opportunities you have to do that is in your Georgetown essays. Don’t let the Georgetown essay prompts intimidate you. Though they may look complicated at first- and they do ask complex questions- some foresight and planning will help you write essays that are sure to impress. This guide will walk you through the Georgetown essays, giving you a look into the expectations and thought process behind each of the essay prompts. Feature Image:Patrickneil/Wikimedia Commons What Should You Know About the Georgetown Essay Prompts? Georgetown doesn't use the Common or Coalition Application. Instead, you’ll be filling out an application tailored specifically to their desires, though it may cover most of the same information. Because of that, you’ll want to pay extra close attention to what you discuss in your essays. Your essays should be tied specifically to Georgetown rather than the more general approach of the Coalition or Common Application. The Georgetown essays include one short essay of about a half-page, single-spaced, one longer one-page essay required of all students, and a second one-page essay specifically tied to one of Georgetown’s four schools: Georgetown College, the School of Nursing and Health Studies, Walsh School of Foreign Service, and the McDonough School of Business. Students in the arts- specifically music, dance, theater, and studio art- may submit additional portfolios as part of their application, but it isn’t required. Writing your Georgetown essays might feel something like this, but there's a clear path through! What Are the Required Georgetown Essay Prompts? Because Georgetown’s application is only for Georgetown, you’ll immediately notice that they’re a lot more specific than the Common or Coalition prompts. You should keep that specificity in mind as you answer the questions, thinking not just about why you want to go to a good school, but why you want to attend Georgetown specifically. How to Answer the Georgetown Short Essay Prompt Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved.(One half-page, single spaced.) This question is pretty straightforward. Though you’ve no doubt discussed your extracurriculars throughout your application, this question asks you to think deeper about one of them. Ask yourself why you do those activities, and what they personally mean to you. â€Å"Why,† not â€Å"what,† should be the question you’re answering. Flesh out your mentions of extracurriculars in your application with discussions of why you do them and what you’ve learned. The activity you discuss should be significant to you- not something you do purely for fun or something you do because your parents make you. As with the first question, don’t inflate things to look more impressive. If you spent most of your summer watching TV, that might be relevant if you’re an aspiring screenwriter, and you can mention it- but again, answer the question ofwhy. Why did you choose the shows you did? What did you learn from them? That said, watching TV isn’tthe bestchoice. You’d be better off discussing how you spent your summer working on an original short film or participating in a workshop for aspiring screenwriters- but no matter what your preferred activity, there is a way to discuss why it’s significant to you and what you learned from it. This prompt gives you space to discuss your interests, particularly the things that can’t be represented by numbers as grades and test scores can. It gives Georgetown a clearer picture of you, which helps in their decision. This is also a space to expand on participation. Maybe you never became captain of the swim team and you’ve been worried that the lack of leadership might count against you. In this essay, you can explain that though that was your goal, you didn’t quite make it- but that you learned a lot anyway. This essay really is about what’s significant to you, so there are no wrong answers- it’s your execution that matters. Avoid being too general, or focusing too much on picking the most impressive thing from your roster if that thing didn’t actually matter to you. Be genuine with what’s significant to you and your essay will be stronger for it. This essay is the perfect one to show off what makes you unique. How to Answer the Georgetown Essay Prompt for All Applicants As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief essay, either personal or creative, which you feel best describes you. (One page, single-spaced.) Notice how the emphasis on this question is on you. This is called a â€Å"Why You?† style essay- though the application is for Georgetown, the admissions office wants to know why you’ll be a good fit for the college and what you in particular will bring to the student body. What this means is that Georgetown doesn’t want to hear about how they have the best program or the greatest campus. They want to know about you and what makes you unique. When answering this question, think about what makes you a good fit for Georgetown’s student body. Consider their mission statement, their origin as a Catholic and Jesuit college, and what that means today. That doesn’t mean that you need to identify yourself as Catholic if you aren’t (please don’t do that), but that you should consider the role that faith plays in Georgetown’s approach to education. How does their mission statement connectto your own life and educational goals? Demonstrating that you understand the school’s mission and how you can contribute to it as a student is one of the most important parts of this question. But â€Å"Why You?† is only part of the question. The specific mention of diversity is important, too. Its inclusion in the question means that it’s important to Georgetown, and they want you to demonstrate that it’s important to you, too. Don’t get too fixated on typical meanings of â€Å"diverse.† We often use the word to refer to the variety of genders, sexualities, races, socio-economic statuses, and so on that exist in the world, but diversity of thought is worthwhile, too. Of course, you should write about your gender, sexuality, race, and so on if it’s relevant to what you’ll bring to campus- and it often is- but don’t feel like it’s all you have to offer. Think about what your experience has taught you, and how those lessons will contribute to Georgetown’s diverse student body. That can mean discussing overcoming socio-economic hardship, or it can mean relating how you and your seven brothers used to squabble until you realized working together got chores done faster. Everybody has a unique story to tell, and this is Georgetown offering you space to tell yours. Georgetown invites you to get creative here, but if you want to take a more embellished approach than a traditional essay, be sure that that creativity comes through in your writing and language rather than in the events. Don’t inflate things to look more interesting or diverse than you are- this is your chance to flesh out the grades and test scores with your personality, so be sure it’s your personality that the admissions office sees. How to Answer the Georgetown College Essay Prompt Georgetown College is the largest undergraduate school at Georgetown University, and contains many of the school's arts and sciences programs. What does it mean to you to be educated? How might Georgetown College help you achieve this aim? (Applicants to the Sciences and Mathematics or the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics should address their chosen course of study.) (One page, single-spaced.) This question is asking about your personal relationship with education and learning. But more than that, it’s asking you why you want to attend Georgetown, making it a â€Å"Why Us?† essay. When answering this prompt, think about your goals and how Georgetown fits into them. They don’t need to hear about how they’re a good school and you’ve always wanted to attend a competitive college- they already know that, and most other students also want to attend a good school. Why Georgetown specifically, as opposed to all the other possible schools you could apply to? This is a good place to demonstrate familiarity with their mission and curriculum. Are there particular classes or faculty driving your decision to attend? Mention them! Think holistically here. How will attending Georgetown enrich your education and help you reach your career goals? Keep their mission statement in mind as you write- consider the ideas of diversity, service to humanity, and community and how those fit into your goals. Again, avoid generalities. Your essay should have enough concrete connection to Georgetown that you couldn’t easily swap another school’s name in and still have it make sense. Of course, there will always be some overlap with other schools, but be sure that the true spirit of Georgetown comes through in your essay. Give yourself some time to prepare for your Georgetown essay and you'll be feeling like this. How to Answer the Georgetown School of Nursing Health Studies Essay Prompt Georgetown’s School of Nursing and Health Studies is exactly what it sounds like. This is where you’ll be applying if you’re interested in any of the health care fields, which is reflected in the prompt. Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying health care. Please specifically address your intended major (Global Health, Health Care Management Policy, Human Science, or Nursing).(One page, single-spaced.) This question isn’t quite a clear-cut â€Å"Why Us?† or â€Å"Why You?† question, unlike the previous ones. Instead, it’s asking â€Å"Why Health Care?† Again, always keep in mind Georgetown’s mission as a college: diversity, discussion, and the wellbeing of humanity. All of these things can factor into your essay in a meaningful way. Think beyond health care being a reliable and well-paying field. Why do you want to care for people? Why the health field, specifically? Tying Georgetown’s mission into this question is a great way to demonstrate your interest in the field, but also in the specific ways that this school teaches. In this question, Georgetown wants you to demonstrate your interest in the field. If you’re invested in health care, you’re more likely to succeed in the program. The admissions office also wants to know what passion and interest you’ll bring to the school, making you a student they want to invest in. If you don’t already know why you’ve chosen to pursue health care over other fields, now’s the time to start thinking about it. Health care can often be thankless, difficult, and even frightening if you’re working in emergency situations. What drives you to do it anyway? Maybe you’ve struggled with illness yourself, and you want to commit to researching cures. Or maybe you’re fascinated by the ways that disease impacts society, and you want to learn more about prevention and how to enact it on an individual basis. No matter what your career goal is, it’s important that you can explain why you’ve chosen this field over all others. However, be sure you can tie your interest to Georgetown specifically. Your essay will be even stronger if it explains not just what appeals to you about health care, but why Georgetown is the right college to help you achieve your goals. How to Answer the Walsh School of Foreign Service Essay Prompt If you’re interested in international relations, Wash School of Foreign Service is likely where you’ll be applying. Briefly discuss a current global issue, indicating why you consider it important and what you suggest should be done to deal with it.(One page, single-spaced.) Though college essays are generally not the place to launch into potentially inflammatory political topics, this question is specifically asking you to discuss a global issue. However, your answer should be well-reasoned and informed, demonstrating a thorough understanding of not just the side you agree with, but also the arguments of the opposition. This question wants you to demonstrate your awareness of the world. As a student of foreign service, you should be acquainted with what’s happening around the world and concerned with how to address important issues. You should use this opportunity to demonstrate not only what you know, but how you think about it, keeping in mind Georgetown’s mission of diversity and care for humanity. If you can show that you are interested in and engaged with the world, you demonstrate to Georgetown that you have a genuine interest in foreign service. But the service part is also important- don’t forget the part of the question that asks for your suggestions as to what can be done about the issue. Though Georgetown will no doubt be impressed if you manage to truly solve world hunger in your application, don’t worry too much about coming up with a wild, unheard-of solution. You need to support your ideas more than anything, showing Georgetown how you can address issues on a global scale with thoughtfulness and an understanding of context. Avoid focusing on an issue solely because it's a popular one if you don’t have the understanding to back it up. Georgetown wants your informed thinking on a specific topic, not an uninformed opinion on a global problem. Poverty is a global issue with plenty of potential solutions, but it's also a complex issue with many contributing factors, all of which vary throughout the world. What'sone angle that you understand well enough to speak confidently about it? A global issue is naturally going to be a big topic, but by focusing on an area you understand- such as food scarcity, a history of colonization, or climate change- your essay will be sharp and clear. The McDonough School of Business' prompt is all about why you've chosen Georgetown. How to Answer the McDonough School of Business Essay Prompt The McDonough School of Business is exactly what it sounds like. If you’re attending Georgetown with an interest in business, you’ll need to answer the following prompt: â€Å"The McDonough School of Business is a national and global leader in providing graduates with essential ethical, analytical, financial and global perspectives. Please discuss your motivations for studying business at Georgetown.†(One page, single-spaced.) The McDonough School of Business prompt is a classic â€Å"Why Us?† question, asking you to identify not just that Georgetown is a good school, but why it’s the right school for you and your interests. To answer this question, consider the university’s ethos and curriculum. Look at their course offerings and consider those as well as whatever reasons you have for applying. Think specifically, not generally- beyond it being a well-respected university, what does Georgetown have to offer you that other well-respected universities do not? Georgetown wants to hear that you’re committed to their program specifically, so answer in specifics. Identify features of their program in particular, and be sure to answer the question of why those features draw you to Georgetown. If you have a personal anecdote about Georgetown, such as a moment on a tour, a personal connection to the campus, or admiration for a particular alumni, this essay is a good place to discuss it. If not, it’s always a good idea to use concrete specifics, such as classes and extracurriculars that appeal to you. Fold those into a discussion of Georgetown’s mission and your own career goals to paint a complete picture of why this is the right school for you. This could be you and your new classmates at Georgetown. What Does a Successful Georgetown Essay Look Like? Planning an essay can be difficult as you try to weigh what the school might want against everything you could possibly cover. Thankfully, there's at least one successful Georgetown essay out there you can read in its entirety: "Listen, girl. He's over 60 and speaks no English. There is no way we would hire him." His tone was rude, but I sadly understood why my dad wasn't hired. I faced my hopeful dad and watched his smile drop as I told him that Dave just remembered that they hired someone yesterday and that they really couldn't afford to hire anyone else. My dad was disappointed, but nonetheless he graciously shook Dave's hand and thanked him for his time.Job searching is difficult for everyone, but in a world full of Daves, it's almost impossible. Daves are people who look at my family and immediately think less of us. They think illegal, poor and uneducated. Daves never allow my dad to pass the first round of job applications. Daves watch like hawks as my brother and I enter stores. Daves inconsiderately correct my mother's grammar. Because there are Daves in the world, I have become a protector for my family. I excuse their behavior as just being a "typical American." I convince my mother that they are only staring at her lovely new purse. I convince my dad they are only shouting about store sales to us. Aside from being a protector, I am also an advocate. As an advocate, I make sure my family is never taken advantage of. I am always looking out for scams and discrepancies. I am the one asking the questions when we buy or sell a car. I make sure all details are discussed and no specifics are left unanswered. It’s not hard to see why the writer was accepted to Georgetown. This essay clearly demonstrates her experience and understanding of the world. The last paragraph is a great example of how to turn that experience into something actionable- she wants to go into public service, politics, or diplomacy because of how she’s helped her parents and the bigotry she’s witnessed as she’s done so. We know from reading exactly what the writer will bring to Georgetown: an understanding of the world and the way it’s treated her and her family. She demonstrates her understanding of diversity clearly, which answers the first prompt- it shows what makes her unique as well as what she’ll contribute. The essay shows her personal story and how that’s influenced her lifelong plans. Because the admissions office understands where she comes from and the essay finishes with where she hopes to go- as well as covering some of the obstacles she’s overcome- they have a complete picture of her as a student. One area the essay could be improved is strengthening the connection to Georgetown specifically. This essay is quite strong- she did get into Georgetown with it- but spending a little more time reflecting on how her life experience connects to Georgetown’s mission would give it a little extra oomph. As it is, this could be an application essay for pretty much any school. Drawing a clear connection from your experiences to the college you’re applying to demonstrates a stronger degree of interest, making your essay stand out. Prepare ahead of time and your Georgetown essays will be far easier. Key Points of Advice for Georgetown Essays No matter which prompts you're answering, it's a good idea to follow general advice for your Georgetown essays, too. Though the application for Georgetown is unique to the school, it still follows most of the common rules of college applications, so be sure to read up on some common tips for college applications. #1: Read Prompts Carefully Don’t just answer the surface-level question. You have quite a bit of space to answer each of these, so read each one carefully, understand the deeper questions it might be asking, such as â€Å"Why You?† and be sure to answer those as well. Brainstorming will be a huge help here, as you can get all of your ideas out and select the ones that support your point the best. #2: Connect Your Story to Your School When you're writing "Why Us?" essays, think about your story- the things that have made you who you are, your ambition, your goals- and add in how Georgetown is the next step on your journey.Think beyond that it has a good reputation or that lots of impressive people have graduated from there. Draw a clear line between you and Georgetown by tying your experience in with its curriculum and mission statement. This will demonstrate that you’re not just reusing the same essay for a bunch of schools, and that Georgetown is your real goal. #3: Edit and Revise Editing and revision are your best friends when it comes to a polished Georgetown essay. Don’t just fire off a draft and call it good. Spend some time planning, writing, editing, and revising, being sure to start early so you can let your drafts rest between readings. Spending more time will take some of the stress out of writing and let you put in more effort to get it into shape. The longer you have, the more thought you can put into it, so start early! What’s Next? Give yourself plenty of time to get your Georgetown essay done by staying on top of all the deadlines for your application. What else do you need to get into your dream school aside from stellar essays? This guide has all the requirements to get into Georgetown. Even if you're not going to Georgetown, you should understand the college application process from start to finish. This helpful guide will walk you through applying to college starting from your freshman year of high school! Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:

American Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

American Literature - Essay Example It is orderly because that is what keeps people’s lives moving, is order. The story introduces the reader the traveling school master, Ichabod Crane, whose very organized life involves spending a week at a time at the homes of the local students, where he is well fed, sheltered, and has the opportunity to meet and perhaps marry a young woman who might inherit some means greater than his own. Ichabod’s organization is symbolic of the organization within which he lives. It is a very organized, chaotic free life that Ichabod leads. As the story departs from the historic, and begins to delve into the mystery of the urban myths, like that of the story of â€Å"Douffe Martling (65),† then the organization and sense of sleepy little town calm begins to dissipate. â€Å"But all these were nothing to the tales of ghosts and ap ­paritions that succeeded. The neighborhood is rich in legend ­ary treasures of the kind. Local tales and superstitions thrive best in these sheltered long-settled retreats; but are trampled under foot by the shifting throng that forms the population of most of our country places. Besides, there is no encourage ­ment for ghosts in most of our villages, for they have scarcely had time to finish their first nap, and turn themselves in their graves, before their surviving friends have traveled away from the neighborhood; so that when they turn out at night to walk their rounds, they have no acquaintance left to call upon. This is perhaps the reason why we so seldom hear of ghosts except in our long-established Dutch communities (66).† It is only when we take ourselves out of the mundane daily life routines that it becomes really exciting, because then we can inject our environments with the sense of intrigue and suspense. Even if the characters are created by our social imagination, intended to create entertainment value, they are necessary to break the mundane daily routine. So we create ghosts and goblins, and those things that are

Academic Cheating Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Academic Cheating - Essay Example Students are adept and exam cheating methods are dynamic and this fact reduces the chances of catching students cheating. Exam administrators prefer to discourage exam cheating by severe punishment and proactively, positively altering student’s idea of cheating in exam. Cheating is a desperate move that results from desperation and luck of confidence in one self. It does not however guarantee success. Loyola Marymount University like many other academic institutions have set up systems and procedures of dealing with academic dishonest. Punishment if found guilty depend on severity of the violation of examination codes and extenuating circumstances. Such Punishment may include cancelation of exam, suspension and expulsion. Server punishment when caught, still show how important passing exam is. Education should not be about passing exam, there would be no difference anyway between those who cheated and those who passed the paper honestly. Education should be learning. It is evident; cheating in exam cheating is a moral behavior that is triggered by luck of confidence in one’s self, and probably pressure from parents and teachers. Exam should test skills that are useful at work place or in contemporary life. It is not sufficient to condemn our academic system by looking at what it has done to our society (where those failing exam and dropping out of college employ those who pass and graduate). Students should be at the center of anti-cheating policies and results of exams should not be allowed to be the basis of discrimination and scale if it should determine whether a student is graduating or not. Habit of honest should be built. The academic community should therefore shift there focus from creating anti-cheating policies to addressing the cause of cheating. McCabe, Trevino and Kenneth found that students not only develop academic dishonest be observing peers but also actively learn how to

Nursing. Nurse know thyself Essay Example for Free

Nursing. Nurse know thyself Essay Nursing is a rewarding, exciting and sometimes challenging career. Nursing is not limited to simply changing bandages, giving shots and offering of support. In fact, the role of a nurse is ‘protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering thought the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in care of individuals, families, communities, and populations’ (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2010, p. 1). Sometimes, having a passion to serve others just isn’t enough to make it in nursing. In order to be an effective caregiver to a patient, the nurse must treat the patient as a whole. This means building trust between the patient and the nurse, therefore, promoting healing and a sense of peace. A nurse does this by following a code of ethics. Ethics gives the nurse a framework for making ‘logical and consistent decisions’ (Burhardt Nathaniel, 2008, p. 29). Although, ethics offers a guideline, it does not tell us what we should do; nurses must decide that on an individual basis. Ethics is having the ability to make wrong or right decisions based on our own morals. Morals and values are fundamental beliefs that are acquired from childhood throughout adulthood. Everyone is shaped according to their own spiritual, cultural and individual values that were instilled at a young age. These values and morals are the things that help nurses make ethical decisions, therefore it is critical that we evaluate our own values and morals. Because we, as nurses, are asked to question our own values and morals it is important to examine where we stand in our own spirituality. Thus, it is important to know thyself. Socrates believed that if you do not know yourself, or seek to know yourself, then you know nothing. Knowing where you stand on a lot of ‘hot topics’ makes it easier to stand behind your patient on their decision and therefore, you are able to be supportive of these decisions. Ethics is an area that challenges me on a daily basis. There is two important theories that are important to nursing: utilitarianism and deontology. Utilitarianism ‘is the moral theory that holds that an action is judged as good or bad in relation to the consequence, outcome, or end result that is derived from’ (Burhardt   Nathaniel, 2008, p. 33). Utilitarianism uses the thought of the greatest good for the largest number of people. Utilitarianism is a helpful theory in situations when you feel the rights of the patient are being ignored. Whereas, the deontological theory states ‘no action can be judged as right which cannot reasonably become a strict law’ (Burhardt Nathaniel, 2008, p. 39). Although these processes have both advantages and disadvantages, I would tend to use a more situational approach. I believe that having a situational approach favors autonomy of the patient. Using this approach, I feel that I can help the patient make an informed individual decision regarding their healthcare, whether it be based on religious beliefs, personal reasons or simply that it is in their best interest. Working in an area of maternal/fetal cardiology, it can be difficult at times to separate my own believes to that of which is the best outcome for both mother and baby. It seems that almost on a weekly basis the cardiologist is handing down a diagnosis that leaves the family to ponder the decision of ‘do we have what it takes to handle a very sick, complicated child?’ Sometimes these parents are faced with the reality of do they continue along the path of pregnancy or do they stop where they are, and try again in the future. It is a reality that unfortunately many families are left with, as sometimes the babies are given a very grave outcome. It is a very true fact in my own heart that God only deals you the deck that you are able to handle, but when faced with the financial uncertainty, and the uncertainty of the child’s future, sometimes very difficult decisions need to be made. As their nurse it is my responsibility to back the physician with aiding the family in seeing all their options regardless if they fit into my own values. Being able to step back and provide unbiased care to my families is a small part of what my nursing is all about. Being able to do so helps to build a strong relationship between myself and my patients. Along with following an ethical framework in nursing, one must follow a scope of practice. Such guidelines shape the responsibility of the professional nursing organization and serve to protect the public. The American Nurses Association (ANA) helps to paint the picture of how the nurse should practice, whereas the Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) sets the limits of practice that the nurse must work within, serving to protect not only the public but the nurse herself. As a nurse, I strive to be both clinically competent in my delivery of care,  being aware of the constant challenges and educationally competent. I try to set aside time to attend a weekly grand rounds meeting, where additional education is provided. This allows me to stay current and up to date on effective treatment options, new medications, research findings and team collaboration for optimal patient outcomes. In addition, completing required competencies, I am a member of the Society of Pediatric Cardiovascular Nurses (SPCN) which also strengthens my knowledge and skill in providing the best evidence based practice to my patients and their families. Attending meetings and conferences also helps to build my level of education and knowledge base. Education is critical in the nursing profession, being a lifelong learner is important to keep up with the ebb and flow of nursing practice. ‘Lifelong learning is an essential ingredient for ensuring high quality of patient care’ (Gopee, 2002, p. 608). If you were to trace nursing back to the original roots we continue to provide the most basic of needs to our patients; this is knowing that someone cares for them (Vance). I feel that I provide a level of compassionate care to my patients and their families. I understand that their needs will change depending on their health as well as their environment. My greatest joy comes from helping the patients effectively respond to their health care needs regardless of which stage of life they may most currently be in. In my opinion, the main focus of nursing, comes down to respecting, guiding, providing information, to clients who is the past had the perception of nurses as simply being the people who provided medications, and treatments. The future is bright in the nursing field as we stride for a respectful place as a profession in the health care system. References American Nurses Association. (2010). Scope of Nursing Practice. In Nursing (2nd ed., pp. 1-30). Silver Spring, Maryland: Nursebooks. Burhardt, M. A., Nathaniel, A. K. (2008). Ethics issues (3rd ed.). Canada: Delmar learning. Gopee, N. (2002, December). Human and social capital as facilitators of lifelong learning in nursing. Nurse Education Today, 22, 608-616. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0260-6917(02)00139-9 Vance, T. Caring and the Professional Practice of Nursing. Journal of Nursing. Retrieved from http://rnjournal.com/journal-of-nursing/caring-and-the-professional-practice-of-nursing

Graduation Speech: May You Have Joy and Sorrow :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

I would like to begin my speech with these beautiful words of wisdom: "Not enjoyment and not sorrow is our destined end or way but to act that each tomorrow brings us farther than today." Did you hear that? "Not enjoyment and not sorrow is our destined end or way, but to act that each tomorrow brings us farther than today." What, do you all have hearts of stone? Where are the tears? Don't you see it even rhymes? Way-today, today-way, see that? I guess I sound a little too bitter about this don't I? I don't mean to. I am actually excited to be speaking here today, even to be speaking about the class motto. I don't agree with it, but that doesn't mean I can't spend three minutes talking about it. Those of you who know me reasonably well know that there's not much I couldn't spend three minutes talking about. I've been told that I talk a lot. But there I go already, back to the class motto. Not enjoyment and not sorrow, but to act. There are some things that I regret about the last four years of my life, but the enjoyment and the sorrow certainly aren't among them. Life is all about the happy and the sad, and it should be. I don't want every day of my life to be measured by what I accomplished over the day before. Certainly, there are areas in which we as a society could use progress and action, but that should never exclude enjoyment and sorrow from being a part of living. Today, especially of all days, we should be thinking of these things. I am not worried this 8th of June about what I can do to advance myself past where I was on the seventh. I am worried about the fact that it is entirely possible that I may never see some of you again in my life after tonight. Not my best friends certainly, but all of those people we enjoy saying "Hi" to between periods, someone from an old team or a class in ninth grade. That's sorrow. But then it's surely not all bad. It's summer, maybe not on the calendar, but in our mi nds. This is the summer of our senior year. These are the three months out of our lives that most of our parents can only dream of returning to.

America’s First Black President

America’s First Black President Years of terror and war brought Americans of all ethnicities to believed that a time for change had come; change came in the form of two minorities who had the ability and desire to revitalize a country that had been burdened with doubt and financial frailty. Times have changed, race is still controversy topic, but due to programs like Affirmative Action and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, minorities are stepping up to take places of power in our country. African Americans are no longer the disadvantaged citizens they once were considered to be, the media, internet and entertainment industries have evolved the thinking of Americans leading to the social acceptance of African Americans and other minority groups. Americans’ have elected their first minority President and he won’t be the last. After 43 Presidential elections Americans made history by elected their 44th President, in 2008 Barack Obama, an African American man, was nominated and elected President of the United States. Obama was not the first African American to run for the honored position as United States President, the honor of the first African American who ran for this position belongs to a woman. In 1968, as a Democratic Party nomination for Presidency, Shirley Chisholm of New York made history by running not only being the first African American woman to run for President. She was followed by Jesse Jackson who ran for President in 1984 and 1988 and Lenora Fulani who also ran in 1988. In 2004, Carol Mosely Braun and Minister Al Sharpton also ran as Democratic Party candidates for United States President. The only African American Republican to run for President has been Alan Keys, he ran in 1996 and 2000. Obama faces criticism for not being ‘black enough' even though anyone with even a small percentage of African American blood is considered, mixed blood has never before kept a man from being considered ‘black’ until the chance of a ‘black man’ being elected President became probable. For example, historical evidence has shown that Warren G. Harding the 29th President of the United States, serving from 1921 1923 was an ‘octoroon' passing as white, with one African-American great-grandparent. Evidence of his mixed ancestry and the efforts to cover it up by his family because in the 1920’s even a hint of African American ancestry would have ruined his political career. Obviously even an individual with a smaller percentage of African American blood than President Barack Obama have been deemed ‘black enough’ for it to ruin their careers so claims that President Obama isn’t black enough are unfounded and just another attempt to belittle and criticize a black man for attempting to be great. African American have desired to lead their country for half a century, their country however, wasn’t ready for a minority leader until the state affairs became a mockery that was questioned by both it’s citizens and foreign allies. Some say that President Obama was the least qualified of all major candidates in both parties and the farthest to the left; with absolutely no military experience and no foreign policy experience. If this is true, then the question that begs to be answered is what prompted Americans to elect him as their President. Is the war on terror the only contributing factor that resulted in the election of an African American man as President of a country who historically only elected married Christian white middle aged males as their President or did the power of the media and youth lead to this victory? No, the war on terror is not what determined the 44th President of the United States. President Obama’s landmark victory was due, in part, to a groundswell of support among young Americans; he won nearly 70% of the vote among young Americans under 25. Unlike the African American who ran in the past President Obama had the media in his corner; the internet with social networking sites like Facebook and Youtube had significant impact on each candidate’s ability to garner voters support. With 2 million American supporters on Facebook and over 1500 video’s on YouTube about Barack Obama, it’s no wonder that his name and face was recognizable by so many. When Barack Obama first announced his candidacy, many said that America was not ready to elect a black president and that he could not garner the votes necessary to defeat first the Democratic favorite, Hillary Clinton, and later John McCain in a nationwide election. Understanding the power of the media and influence American youth who are taking more active roles in politics is how President Barack Obama and his team managed to accomplish the difficult task of getting an African American elected as President. Debaters still argue whether that American’s first African American President is qualified for his role or not; the fact remains that whether he is ready or not his is President and has a duty to do his best just as the Presidents before him have done. Race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation should not have any bearings on the qualification of a presidential candidate; the fact that these characteristic do have influence the perception of a person’s ability proves that America hasn’t come as far as many minorities would hope for. Shunryu Suzuki says â€Å"Without accepting the fact that everything changes, we cannot find perfect composure. But unfortunately, although it is true, it is difficult for us to accept it. Because we cannot accept the truth of transience, we suffer. † A change has been made, it’s up to American citizens to accept that minorities are no longer minorities; men and women of every race, religion and sexual orientation know that in electing an African American as President we are one step closer to genuine equality in all Americans.