Needle Stick Injury free essay sample

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

Abraham Lincoln1 essays

Abraham Lincoln1 essays regarded by many historians as the greatest president ever to stand at America's helm. This reputation is extremely well deserved, as Lincoln was able to preserve the Union and gain victory in the civil war, despite his fighting an uphill battle against his own presidential cabinet. Had he not been struggling against this divided government, President Lincoln could have achieved victory with extreme efficiency and a minimum of wanton bloodshed (Angle 659). After Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861, he was forced to battle a split cabinet because of campaign promises made to various Republican factions, which made it almost mandatory for certain individuals to be appointed to cabinet posts. He ruled his cabinet with an iron hand, and often acted without cabinet consent or advice. Although his opponents called his method of rule "dictatorial" and "unconstitutional," it was the only effective way to get anything done (Simmons 142). In the beginning, Lincoln's secretary of state, William H. Seward, clearly considered himself the President's superior, and blandly offered to assume the executive responsibility. He entered the cabinet with the thought of becoming the power behind the 2 Presidential chair and openly opposed Lincoln's control of the Union. This made Lincoln's position as Chief of State exceedingly difficult and hindered his communication and control of the military. As time passed, however, Seward recognized Lincoln's capabilities and gave him complete loyalty (Simmons 174). This could not be said of Salmon P. Chase, Lincoln's first secretary of the treasury. Blinded by an inflated ego, Chase pursued his own presidential aspirations. He was in constant conflict with Seward, and in general opposition to Lincoln, particularly over the issue of slavery. Chase has been described as "jealous of the President," and "overly ambitious." Lincoln's personal secre ...

Coursework portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coursework portfolio - Essay Example The required skills for the aforementioned job position comprise brilliant communication skills, proficiency in Information Technology (IT) related skills and effective problem-solving as well as decision-making skills (Warwick District Council, n. d). The major duties for the job position of a sales presenter would comprise business development activities, meeting the customers, generating leads and making sales presentations. The required skills include outstanding communication abilities, tenacity, superior level of confidence and self-motivation (International Finance Corporation, n. d). Conversely, the main responsibilities as well as roles of a care assistant are to provide active support as well as deliberately working with the students and most importantly assisting the teaching staffs associated with Individual Care Plans. Moreover, the care assistants would also have to attend and enthusiastically contribute towards Individual Care Plan reviews in conjunction with maintaini ng any kind of related records. Working mutually with the coordinators of Learning Support along with the lecturing staffs and offering useful practical services to the students are also acknowledged to be the duties of a care assistant. In addition, the other important duties of a care assistant include periodic reporting to the Coordinators of Learning Support, Wellbeing Advisors and teachers along with other relevant external agencies. The skills which are required for this particular job position are high enthusiasm, optimism, self motivation and superb communication skills (Trussville City Schools, 2006). Suitability for Each Job On The Basis Of Seven CBI ‘Employability Skills’ Employability Skills Customer Service Advisor Sales Presenter Care Assistant Application of Numeracy I have completed my graduation course which included the subject of Mathematics and also pursued a financial accounting course which involved numerous calculations. Team Working I was a part of a dynamic team in a knowledge process outsourcing (KPO) organisation where I was required to work jointly with the team members and perform as a team during my one year of service. Self Management I experienced the value of self management quality while working in the KPO organisation. Business and Customer Awareness I am presently pursuing a business management course which principally focuses upon the awareness as well as the satisfaction of the customers in the business sector. Application of IT During my graduation, I also pursued a course in Advanced Diploma in Computer Hardware Engineering (ADCHE). The main subjects included Computer Basics, Microsoft Office, Internet, Software Installation and Networking. Problem Solving In one of my subjects in Graduation i.e. Business Regulatory Framework and Company Law (BRF & CL), I had to learn to analyse as well as to recognise the different problems which I had applied in the past while I was working in the KPO organisation. Communi cation & Literacy Though I had completed my graduation program from abroad, it was a remarkable experience for me to communicate with various people belonging to diverse

Crash Cultural Identity Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Crash Cultural Identity Assignment - Essay Example The fact, that he was brave enough to fight with the guy, who tried to steal his car, became the evidence of the inner change, which had happened to Cameron. At the same time, it should be noted, that the characters put their cultural identity not only in their group, but they also want to be accepted and acknowledged in all cultural groups. On the other hand, the characters, who are supposed negative, as Ryan (the policemen, who has sexually assaulted Christine, Cameron's wife) or the attorney's wife Jean, being extremely impatient towards any other race except her own, also try to put themselves forward not only in their cultural group, but in others as well. Ryan not only wants to be the best among his co-workers, who are of Caucasian race, he also wants to show his superiority over other races, and thus make them understand his significance in terms of all races. The issue of cultural identity is shown to be manipulated through the scene in the attorney's office.

Nursing Retention in South Africa

Nursing Retention in South Africa 2nd Paper Quantitative Research Title Mokoka,K.E., Ehlers, V.J. Oosthuizen, M.J. (2011). Factors influencing the retention of registered nurses in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. Curationis, 34(1), 9. Retrieved from http://dx.doi. org/10.4102/curationis. v34i1.16 Introduction South African Nursing Council has predicted a critical nursing staff shortage within the country in the near future. This phenomena occurred as the number of nurse graduates has reduced by 42% over a period of 10 years. The authors carried out this exploratory descriptive quantitative study with the intention to investigate work related factors that influence nurses decision to stay with current employer. Questionnaires were posted to 536 registered nurses selected using random sampling method. Authors employed postal questionnaires as data collection instrument to targeted respondents with covering letters and stamped addressed return envelope. However, only 108 questionnaires returned where 73.1% of responded nurses expressed thoughts of leaving their job. Data analysis of this study employed quantitative descriptive procedures using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) tool. As a result, financial factors was the most important factor influencing nurses retention. Re commendations based on the results of this study made to the employers for implementation to reduce turnover and enhance retention. Data collection method will be discussed in this study. Data collection method Structured self report survey-based method was used by the authors in the data collection. Researchers have the options of face to face interview, phone interview, postal questionnaires and online (electronic) questionnaires. Since this cross sectional quantitative survey consisted of large number of sample to achieve generalization of the study, postal questionnaires as data collection instrument is favored (Stenhammar et al., 2011). In addition to that, Ashby et al. (2010) reported that postal questionnaires tool is frequently used for health services research. In fact, postal questionnaires approach used by researchers can be distributed throughout a wider geographic area thus increases the number of return samples. McDonald and Adam (2003) claimed that postal data collection received twice response rate than online method. Similarly, Shih and Fan (2007) reported that postal mail survey gives better response rate as compare to electronic mail after a review into 35 studies. Subsequently, high questionnaires response rate will ensure studys validity and avoid bias (Stenhammar et al., 2011). However, postal survey with incomplete questionnaires is excluded hence the occurrence of item-missing data reduce s data quality. Meanwhile, force function set up to ensure completion of questionnaire for online data is not possible for postal data. Indeed, Basi (1999) found that completion of data by online respondent is more than that of postal respondent. On the contrary, Stanton (1998) compared postal and online questionnaires and suggested that there were no differences in the item variability and amount of incomplete data. Even so, there were variety of findings in the studies that compare the postal and online methods (e.g. Buchanan,2003; Epstein et al., 2001; Lewis et al., 2009). As many researchers begin to recognize the impending trend where network interactions progressively gain popularity among the population, it is highly possible that electronic devices will play an active role in time. According to McDonald and Adam (2003), online technologies might include interactive television, handphones and 3D simulations touch screen devices. However in 1999, Dommeyer and Moriarty concluded that online data collection methods do not result in higher response levels and Cobanoglu et al. (2001) stated that postal survey was a common research method in year 2000. When exploring the social background of the participants, mail response samples showed conventional and introvert profiles. Whereas, the online response samples showed profile of technology savvy group (Schillewaert Meulemeester, 2005). Clearly, penetration of technologies and adaptation of users are other important factors to consider by researchers while referring to the social-demographics pattern of t he population. There were total of 89 questions in this study that may reduce the response rate significantly. Given the circumstances that nurses in the sample group have been busy at workplace and back home (handling household chore), they are less likely to participate in the study actively. In this case, question designs by researchers must be focused and short to extract required information and encourage participation. As pointed out in a pilot study carried out by Jepson et al. (2004) the threshold for questionnaire length on a favorable response rate was approximately 1000 words. In addition, Edwards et al. (2003) supported this hypothesis after the review of 251 relevant reports concluding that using shorter questionnaire increases response rate. In another word, questionnaire design is important to speed up returns. All things considered, novice researchers consider the use of questionnaires are advised to refer experts and literature on the similar study ( Drummond et al., 2007; Dunn et al., 2002; Marshall, 2004 ). Then again, traditional research method such as postal survey costs more as compared to online survey. Postal cost includes those of printing, preparing mail cover and two way postage (MacDonald Adam, 2003; Mehta Sivadas, 1995; Weibie Wallace, 1998). Moreover, to improve postal questionnaire response rates few measures were introduced for examples including pencils and erasers in the postage package, sending reminder in the form of text messages or electronic mail. For the study on cost effectiveness of including pencils and erasers, Aveyard et al. (2001) found that there was no benefit shown to set off the cost. Nevertheless, text messages as suggested can be conveniently implemented as a strategy to increase response rate by researchers because participants take shorter time to access text messages on phone than electronic mail ( Keding et al., 2016; Man et al., 2010). Conclusion Selection of data collection instrument is essential to enhance survey quality while taking into consideration the aspect of accuracy, cost and timeliness. Unfortunately, studies looking at comparative result among different data collection methods over the years has produced conflicting outcome (Weigold et al., 2013). In time, health care providers being the technologically sophisticated population may be able to provide higher response rate in web-based survey with the improvement of internet accessibility and successful technology adoption (Weible Wallace, 1998). On the whole, ongoing study is required to monitor the evolution of health care research so that the researchers can decide on the suitable method for their studies.

Night and Dawn †A Comparison of Elie Wisel’s writings Essay

Night and Dawn, both written by Elie Wiesel, are two books that have changed the way people view life and death. Night is a story of the Holocaust that occurs in the time frame of the mid-1900s. Elie, the author and the main character of Night, tells of the horrific years he spent in Germany’s concentration camps. During this time period, millions of Jewish people were shot by merciless Nazis. Dawn focuses on a young boy Elisha who is recruited into a terrorist organization after the Holocaust. He eventually finds himself caught in the middle of the war between the Jewish and the British fighting for freedom. Both of Wiesel’s stories involve poignant emotions. Night shows the reader the horror of being murdered. Similarly, Dawn is about the horror of murdering someone. It is interesting to note that in Night, the Jewish is in front of the gun; in Dawn, the Jewish man is behind a gun. Both situations contain the predominant emotion of fear. The two stories vary, but behind their covers, these stories deal with the same topic–cruel murder. Elie Wiesel deals with this topic through the characters, the character’s histories, and their similarities and differences. Elie Wiesel’s journey begins in Sighet where his family believed strongly in their religion. The Nazis have set the goal — genocide of the Jewish citizens. He is sent to a concentration camp in Germany where he must endure the harsh brutality of the Nazis. It is only at these concentration camps that Elie discovers the truth about himself. Dawn is about a scarred Jewish man Elisha who is recruited to join an extremist group that is fighting for their freedom against the English. One of the terrorist party members, David, is captured by the English during an operation of smuggling arms and is threatened to be killed for committing this crime. The Jewish freedom fighters suddenly become enraged and devise their own plan; The capture of their own hostage, Captain Dawson. The Jewish then plan to exchange the Captain for David. Elisha, who just joined the group, is then assigned his first task–the harsh mission of murdering the Captain. While Elisha may not have a physically painful task, he must endure the mental anguish that murder brings. Once the murdered, now the murderer. Wiesel utilizes the characters to emphasize his purposes. The two main characters in Night and Dawn, Elie and Elisha, share both similarities and differences. Elie keeps his feelings and his actions within his mind. His thoughts tell the story and provide readers with emotion. On the other hand, Elisha tends to act his thoughts out, which is the main reason that he joined the terrorist group. For example, Elie prays regularly in order to fuel his hope that one day he will find freedom; Elisha contrastingly kills and destructs out of his emotional and horrendous past. This they both lost their precious childhood at such an early age. Their childhood provides us with the chance to be naà ¯ve and more importantly, the chance to be innocent. Innocence is the only time in life, where you do not possess the knowledge to differentiate between right and wrong. Unfortunately, the main characters did not have the time to slowly explore maturity. Instead, they were forced into the scary and unstable life of adulthood ultimately leading Elie and Elisha down to the fork in the path. The two narrators try to convince themselves that their actions are helpful to society or to themselves. For example, Elisha says, â€Å"I’ll think of David too, I reflected. He’ll protect me. John Dawson may try to make me laugh, but I won’t do it. David will come to my rescue† (79). Elisha is trying to reassure himself that David, the Jewish hostage, is a good reason to murder the Captain. Similarly, Elie had many thoughts toward his commitment to God. When he finally questions his faith he claims, â€Å"I felt very strong. I was the accuser, God the accused† (65). As shown through these examples, throughout the novels, the reader is able to grasp and feel Wiesel’s thoughts and ideas by carefully observing and analyzing the characters of Elie and Elisha. Wiesel wrote Night in an attempt to leave the reader feeling as if he were a Jewish citizen during the time of the Holocaust. The author achieves this through his vivid descriptions and emotional family affairs, such as the time where Elie is separated from his family. When connecting with a character, one understands the character’s dilemmas, such as Elie’s questioning of his religious faith. In Dawn, Wiesel’s purpose was to make the reader see through the eyes of a murderer, and the difficulty of murdering without a reason in which he believes. Elisha struggles because he  cannot find the answer to the question within himself: â€Å"Why am I killing Captain Dawson?† Both stories try to make the reader empathize with the main character. Both Elie and Elisha have a difficult time living in Night and Dawn. The author exaggerates this in Dawn by using the phrase â€Å"Poor boy!† to describe Elisha. In Night, the author tried to gain sympathy for Eli e by putting him into painful situations. One event that represents this was the time where Elie was whipped by a Kapo, â€Å"He took his time between each stroke. Only the first ones really hurt me. I could hear him counting† (55). Going into more depth, Wiesel writes about how each character deals with his pain. Elie copes with loss through his belief in God and his strength; Elisha copes with his loss by communicating with apparitions of the people by which he has been influenced, and the people he has influenced. While making the readers sympathize with the main characters, Wiesel also uses both stories as important information that reflect on our past and our present. Night and Dawn serve as documentations that show readers some of the darkest moments in our history. In these two novels, the author compares the past to the present. While the audience reads this book, it may realize that we still face the same problems today as we did fifty years ago. Perhaps Wiesel wrote these books in attempt to change the future for the better of mankind. Even though there are many similarities between Night and Dawn, the books also have significant differences. Foremost, in Dawn, The tables have turned, and this time they are in control. Many times throughout Dawn, the terrorists say, â€Å"This is war,† in an attempt to give reason to the assassination of the English man. However, they are simply â€Å"putting on the field-gray uniform of the SS† (30). Perhaps the Nazis used this same excuse while brutally slaughtering thousands of Jewish people. The attacker must put himself in the victim’s shoes; likewise, the reader must put himself into the main character’s shoes. And although the tables have turned for the Jewish man, the reader can still relate to the main character because he is in his shoes. This slaughtering inevitably scars each victim. Of course, each character deals with his pain in a different way. In Night, Elie uses his thoughts to heal his wounds constructively. In Dawn, Elisha acts out his thoughts and seeks revenge destructively. A prime example that is  representative of Elie is the time when he sees the young boy that is being hung. At this event, a man asks, â€Å"Where is God now?† Elie then responds with the following thought: â€Å"Where is He? Here He is–He is hanging here on this gallows†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (62). However, Elie does not speak out; rather, he keeps his thoughts within himself. On the other hand, Elisha uses his instinct to guide him into sin. As Elisha bitterly states: I understood Gad’s bitterness; indeed I envied it. He was losing a friend, and it hurt. But when you lose a friend every day it doesn’t hurt so much. And I’d lost plenty of friends in my time; sometimes I thought of myself as a living graveyard. That was the real reason I followed Gad to Palestine and became a terrorist: I had no more friends to lose (35). This suggests that Elie has become totally numb to the idea of death. He has been set free to the burden of mourning. This is why Elisha does not cry or yell out in pain after he murders Captain Dawson. It is interesting to note that even though Elie and Elisha find themselves in similar situations, they each deal with their problems in their own unique ways. These two novels carry the same purpose–touching the hearts of the readers from their history, to their agonizing life during the Holocaust. In Dawn, Wiesel states that â€Å"War is like night†¦ It covers everything†. This statement proved true for both Elie and Elisha; however, the war did not give them the same view on life or of the Holocaust. Dawn and Night show the good and the bad that resulted from living in a painful past. Elie searches within himself to discover inner peace, even during such a painful period in his life. Similarly, Elisha also searches within himself but unlike Elie, he discovers extreme hatred. Dawn and Night are stunning novels that bring the reader into some of the most painful and agonizing scenario; this was what Wiesel desired–and he has been successful.

Managing Marine Resources Sustainably

MANAGING MARINE RESOURCES SUSTAINABLY 8/17/2011 Sanie Joel V. Cagoco Managing Marine Resources Sustainably 2011 ARTICLE SUMMARY Eutrophication is a syndrome of ecosystem responses to human activities that fertilize water bodies with nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P), often leading to changes in animal and plant populations and degradation of water and habitat quality. Nitrogen and phosphorous are essential components of structural proteins, enzymes, cell membranes, nucleic acids and molecules that capture and utilize light and chemical energy to support life. The biologically available forms of Nitrogen and Phosphorous are present at low concentrations in pristine lakes, rivers, estuaries and in vast regions of the upper ocean. The natural resources of the sea are extremely valuable and, for the most part, are renewable. If properly managed, they should provide continuing returns into the future without diminishing their productivity. Yet, for many of these resources, including those of importance to industries such as ? shing and tourism, ef? ient management and sustainable exploitation have been the exception rather than the rule. Resources have been depleted and have collapsed due to over-exploitation, with severe economic and social consequences for the humans relying on them. Increasing demand for ocean resources due to population growth and economic expansion has raised concern about the sustainability of the ocean resources and amenities that contribute to the well-being of people around the globe. Highly productive fisheries have collapsed, marine and coastal habitats have been Eutrophication was first evident in lakes and rivers as they became choked with excessive growth of rooted plants and floating algal scums, prompting intense study in the 1960’s – 70’s and culmination in the scientific basis for banning phosphate detergents and upgrading sewage treatment to reduce wastewater Nitrogen and Phosphorous discharges to inland waters. lost or degraded, and carbon dioxide from fossil fuels is changing the climate and some of the basic properties of the marine environment. These stresses increase the urgency of developing sustainable practices for activities in the ocean. Of the ocean's renewable resources, fish are probably the most pressing concern to people around the world. The sustainability of the ocean's fisheries is essential for the well-being of people in both developing and industrialized nations, through markets that range from local to global in scale. Seafood is the major source of protein for more than 1 billion people internationally, while about 44 million depend on fishing or fish farming for their livelihood. Because seafood provides an immediate connection between the ocean and people, we discuss fish production in terms of managing the wild harvest and developing sustainable quaculture practices. (Susan Roberts and Kenneth Brink) 1 Managing Marine Resources Sustainably 2011 Common to most definitions of sustainability is the concept of using renewable resources without jeopardizing their availability for use by future generations. Sustainable means different things to different people, and notably has been a point of contention in fisheries management. The 1992 UN Convention on Biological Diversity defined sustainable use as ? the use of components of biological diversity in a way and at a rate that does not lead to long-term decline of biological diversity, thereby maintaining its otential to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations. Fisheries management involves regulating when, where, how, and how much fishermen are allowed to harvest to ensure that there will be fish in the future. It draws on fisheries science in order to find ways to protect fishery resources so sustainable exploitation is possible. Modern fisheries management is often referred to as a governmental system of appropriate management rules based on defined objectives and a mix of management means to implement the rules, which are put in place by a system of monitoring control and surveillance. Thru Fishery management, oceans would be fished and farmed to protect long-term production, not to generate the highest short-term cash flow. Market prices for catches would rise and fall within a predictable and profitable range, which would reward fairly the boat owners’ investments and crews’ labor. Fishing families would earn stable, year-round wages, and their coastal communities would thrive on these fishing wages and income generated by supporting businesses. Consumers would have stable supplies of high-quality local seafood. An armistice would end the debilitating wars between fishermen and environmentalists; government regulators would make quick realistic decisions; and court dockets would be empty of head-of-the-pin fisheries cases Many different strategies have been proposed to make fisheries more sustainable. A few of these approaches, which could be pursued in concert, are described here: (a) adopting more conservative catch limits, (b) changing the economic incentives of the fishing industry, and (c) enhancing the demand for sustainable products. An ecosystem is the basic functional unit in ecology, as it includes both organisms and their abiotic environment. No organism can exist without the environment. Ecosystem represents the highest level of ecological integration which is energy based. A pond, a lake, a coral reef, part of any field and a laboratory culture can be some of the examples of ecosystems. Thus an ecosystem is 2 Managing Marine Resources Sustainably 2011 defined as a specific unit of all the organisms occupying a given area which interacts with the physical environment producing distinct trophic structure, biotic diversity and material cycling. Aquaculture, also known as aqua farming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, molluscs and aquatic. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and Growing our own seafood through aquaculture can provide part of the solution to a major saltwater populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the harvesting of wild fish. Mariculture refers to aquaculture practiced in marine environments. The wild capture fisheries are only one part of the seafood industry. The largest growth in seafood production since 1990 has been in aquaculture, which currently accounts for about one-third of the world’s total fish and shell harvest. Aquaculture is expected to increase in importance as the demand for seafood increases. ecological catastrophe – overharvesting of the world’s marine life – while contributing to the global supply of healthy seafood. In aquaculture, there is also the option of farming herbivores instead of carnivores. This typically means culturing filter-feeding shellfish such as mussels, clams, and oysters. These species do not require fish feeds – they are mostly herbivores that consume phytoplankton in the water and their culture can be beneficial in areas prone to phytoplankton blooms and eutrophication. However, some of the other concerns about aquaculture also apply to the culture of these mollusks including the effects of aquaculture operations on marine habitats and resident species. ARTICLE’S RELATIONSHIP TO PHILIPPINE ENVIRONTMENTAL CONDITION AND IT’S AGENCIES CONCERNED The country’s main environmental institution is the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). It was created in 1987 by Executive Order No. 192, which consolidated several government agencies performing environmental functions. The DENR is primarily responsible for the conservation, management, development and proper use of the country’s environment and natural resources, specifically forest and grazing lands, mineral resources, and lands of the public domain, as well as the licensing and regulation of all natural resources. 3 Managing Marine Resources Sustainably 2011 Apart from the DENR, there are other national government agencies involved in environmental management. The major ones include the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Health (DOH), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), National Water Resources Board (NWRB), National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR), and Philippine National Oil Corporation (PNOC) (the last two, in connection with watershed areas and reservations supporting hydroelectric power generation and geothermal fields, respectively). Moreover, even agencies not traditionally associated with environmental functions, such as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), have been given environmental management roles under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. Given the country’s poor fiscal position, limited financial resources is a problem that the DENR and other agencies with environmental management functions share with the rest of the bureaucracy. To address the environmental sector’s financial needs despite this limitation, reforms are necessary in both demand and supply sides. Progress has been made in terms of the institutional arrangements in the Philippines in addressing marine resources sustainably but the present situation requires a comprehensive strategy that will enable the country to effectively chart a more sustainable future. The establishment of a clear institutional mechanism by which the challenge of managing marine resources can be addressed is necessary. Ambiguities in the government institutions tasked to deal with marine resources issues must be eliminated. The highest priority however is to adopt and implement a strategic framework which should guide the Philippine response in managing our marine resources. CONCLUSION If aquaculture is to fulfill its great promise, however, governments and citizens alike must be vigilant. Short-term economic considerations will make it all too easy for marine aquaculture to slip into the ecologically harmful methods of large-scale, intensive livestock production increasingly adopted on land. Despite some recent improvements, experience to date with commercial salmon farming is not encouraging in this regard. The most popular farmed species among consumers in developed countries tend to be carnivores, creating an additional challenge to sustainability. Forms of 4 Managing Marine Resources Sustainably 2011 aquaculture that consume more fish than they produce cannot assist society in addressing the global problem of wild fisheries depletion. As we look forward over a century, it is clear that human impacts will continue, but that the nature and form of those impacts will surely change. New approaches are being developed to help balance the uses of coastal and marine environments, including no consumptive ecosystem services such as erosion control, biological carbon sequestration, recreation and tourism. Continued investments in research and strategic, long-term planning can help to ensure that future generations will have an opportunity to experience and enjoy the ocean and its many resources. The responsible use of the planet’s resources to meet the needs of society for healthful food is a goal universally supported by those across the spectrum of the aquaculture debate. All human activities have an effect on the environment, but in these early years of the 21st century, we are increasingly realizing that we have trod too heavily on the planet. Unsustainable consumption patterns, particularly in developed countries, are leading to global ecological disruption and rapid depletion of both renewable and nonrenewable resources. It is in this context that the future of aquaculture must be determined. Growing our own seafood through aquaculture can provide part of the solution to a major ecological catastrophe—overharvesting of the world’s marine life—while contributing to the global supply of healthy seafood. About the article’s authors: S. J. Roberts is the director of the Ocean Studies Board at the National Research Council where she has worked since 1998. She received her B. S. in zoology from Duke University and Ph. D. in marine biology from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She has undertaken research on fish physiology, symbiosis, and developmental biology. At the National Research Council, she has conducted many studies on marine resource issues such as marine protected areas, ecosystem effects of fishing, and endangered species. K. H. Brink is a physical oceanographer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where he has worked since 1980. He was educated at Cornell (B. S. ) and Yale (Ph. D. ). His research concentrates on currents over the continental shelf, and their implications. His service as President of The Oceanography Society, and as Chair of the National Research Council's Ocean Studies Board, have involved him in a range of practical concerns about the ocean. 5