What I have learned from the study of Metaphysics Dissertation

What I have learned from the study of Metaphysics - Dissertation Example Before embarking on my journey of discovery in the study of metaphysics I was not very sure what to expect. I knew that it would give me an opportunity to explore new avenues, and I hoped that I would grow in maturity and understand more about life,but beyond that my expectations were quite vague. My first impression of the course was shock. I was surprised at the daunting list of books and articles that I was expected to read and understand. Somehow I had thought that there would be more thinking for myself and less reading of the work of other people. With practice, however, I have come to appreciate that a lot of time can be saved by learning what other people have thought about in the many centuries before it was my time to be on this planet. The best human minds of the past have taken the trouble to leave their insights for future generations, and this is a great gift. It took quite a long time, however, for me to learn how to make best use of this gift, so that it would have re al meaning in my life, and not just be a collection of titles on a shelf. One discovery which has been very important for me has been the realization that thought lies at the heart of our lives. When I was reading As a Man Thinketh by James Allen it was as if a curtain opened, and some things which I had sensed from a distance, suddenly became sharp and clear. I had already been quite familiar with the destructive effect that negative thoughts had been having on my life, and it has been a struggle sometimes to overcome fear and even panic. This text taught me that what goes on inside my head can also have good and positive effects, so long as I learn to channel the positive things in the world and have courage to take responsibility and control for my own actions, while leaving the things I cannot change to exist as they are. Most of the things that people are afraid of are due to bad experiences in the past, or stress in the present, and it was a valuable lesson for me to discover that mental attitude can have a big influence on shaping the way that the future unfolds. Reading a book such as The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by Levi H. Dowling was an interesting experience for me, because it raised all sorts of questions about the sources that underpin most of the modern denominations of Christianity, and the different branches of Judaism, Islam and other world religions. I was intrigued, but not was entirely convinced by the authenticity of this material, but it caused me to wonder about how the scriptures that modern Christians use came to be in the form that they are. It was clear to me that large sections of the life of Jesus were not recorded there, and this means that the record has gaps. The missing teenage years are possibly very relevant to today’s world, but the traditional texts do not include them. I reflected on the combination of written texts, religious practices and personal experience of God that makes up modern Christianity, and this gave me a deeper understanding of how and why differences arise in the way that particular groups choose to live out their faith. Emphasis on one or other aspect can change the whole style of a religious group, and even cause major difference in items of doctrine. In the past I have been perplexed by this, but now I can see that it is very human for variations to creep in, and for multiple paths to be formed, leading in the same general direction. I am less worried about minor differences now, and can see that there is something to be gained in an appreciation of different perspectives. I do not think that any one group, or even any one religion, has the complete and absolute truth, and now I can see value in the differences. One thing that I will always be grateful for is the discovery that opening the mind can be a wonderful thing. Instead of looking down on some types of metaphysical belief and activity, like for example some of the more unusual features of â€Å"

Registered Nurse who is being interviewed by magazine about roles and Research Paper

Registered Nurse who is being interviewed by magazine about roles and responsibilities - Research Paper Example To a professional nurse, it this would call for an understanding of the theories and principles upon which nursing practice bases. Therefore, a professional nurse essentially needs to exhibit social perceptiveness, active listening, critical thinking and effective communication skills. Nursing profession has greatly been stereotyped. Some of these stereotypes include nursing as a profession for kind but dumb women, widely perceived to be doctors’ handsmaidens. Timby (2009) blame the media for propagating these stereotypes. Nurses are in reality highly intelligent, required to have a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing before practicing, of which one requires to have had a diploma in nursing or passed high school proficiency examination before enrolment. Moreover, men increasingly choose nursing as a career and do well in specialties such as operating room, emergency and intensive care nursing. What the public does not know is that nurses’ roles include being a clinica l specialist and practitioner. For example, a clinical nurse expert in cardiac disease would provide expertise care to cardiac disease patients and nurse practitioners have been providing primary care health services in health institutions, especially in rural areas. Virginia Henderson, a theorist in the nature of nursing, is my role model theorist. This is because she appreciates the basic role of a nurse as assisting persons, both the sick and the healthy, gain independence, by putting oneself in the patient’s position. Nurses do not have it easy as it seems. Despite the limited room for conscientious objection to doctor’s orders, perceived as a challenge to doctor’s clinical judgment and psychiatry ethos, nurses do not just follow orders since they become morally culpable for every action they take. Thede (2012) cites the notion of moral agency that presumes every rational being as having the ability to reason morally hence responsible for their actions. As s uch, just following orders would be insufficient. Nurses require scientific knowledge to be able to decide the appropriate course of action despite having orders from doctors. The public could not be aware of the nurses’ responsibility of commitment to patient and informatics. Hence, for example, nurses have to ensure that patients sleep on pressure-relieving bedding materials so as to keep them safe from pressure ulcers. The informatics responsibility requires them, say, to use advanced computer and information technology to record patients’ notes faster and sooner than the traditional handwritten notes. There are values that are foundational in nursing career to ensure wellness outcome and optimal health in patients. Three of these that are core to keep during my nursing career include altruism, human dignity and autonomy. Altruism will see to it that I am concerned for the well-being and welfare of others as noted by AACN (2008). This would be reflected by my advoca cy and concern for the welfare of not only patients, but also nurses and other healthcare givers. The value of human dignity which entails respecting the inherent uniqueness and worth of populations and individuals will be reflected through respecting and valuing all colleagues and patients. Finally, autonomy which refers to the right to self determination will be