Palliative Care Situation Reflection

Palliative Care Situation Reflection Introduction Reflective practice enables nurses to critically review their actions through a process of thoughtful deliberation about past experiences, in order to learn from them (Tickle 1994; Atkins and Murphy 1995; Bailey 1995; Spalding 1998). Reflection is important since it provides opportunities for learning and continuing professional development (Hinchliff et al. 1993; Spalding 1998). Furthermore, it allows the nurse to better handle future situations and deal more ably with challenging events in everyday clinical practice (Jarvis 1992; Smith 1995). A number of models of reflection have been developed. Gibbs cycle considers the process of reflection as six key stages: (1) description of the event, (2) feelings, (3) evaluation, (4) analysis, (5) conclusion and (6) development of an action plan (Gibbs 1988). In this paper, Gibbs cycle will be used to reflect on an clinical incident that I have experienced which focuses on communication in palliative care and specifically, breaking bad news to a patient and his family. Palliative care is the care of any patient with advanced, incurable disease (Urie et al. 2000). Palliative care involves the management of pain and other disease-related symptoms, and aims to improve quality of life using a holistic approach that incorporates physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of care (Urie et al. 2000). Effective communication between nurses and other healthcare professionals, patients, and their families and carers forms a key component of palliative care, particularly when breaking bad news. Research has shown that healthcare professionals cite a number of challenges in communicating effectively, including cultural factors, deciding on the best process of communication and information to deliver, and the difficulty of conveying hope to patients and their carers (de Haes and Teunissen 2005). The NHS Cancer Plan published in 2000 states that: â€Å"the care of all dying patients must improve to the level of the best†, with good communication between healthcare professionals and patients as central to achieving this goal (Department of Health 2000). The Gold Standards Framework (GSF) is a framework designed to ensure a gold standard of care is provided for all patients who are nearing the end of their lives (NHS 2005). There are three stages in this framework: (1) identify, (2) assess and (3) plan, with effective communication a key goal underpinning each of these stages. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on improving supportive and palliative care for adults also stresses the value of good face-to-face communication both between healthcare professionals and patients and also inter-professional communication (NICE 2003). This guidance supports the use of the Liverpool Care for the Dying Patient Pathway (2004) which provides a fr amework for improving communication. It is therefore important that nurses develop the required skills to enable them to communicate effectively with patients and carers, and also with other healthcare professionals within the multidisciplinary care team. Reflection using Gibbs cycle (1) Description of the event Mr Smith is a 39 year old father and company director who discovered a testicular swelling. He chose to ignore this, initially because he misinterpreted it as a sports injury, and later because he felt embarrassed about discussing this with a doctor. Nine months later he presented to the emergency admissions unit as he was becoming breathless far more readily than usual, and suffered a constant backache. These symptoms were found to be due to lung metastases and referred pain caused by metastases in the para-aortic lymph nodes. His prognosis was poor and his family were called so that they could be there when he received the diagnosis to help support him. The consultant delivered the news to Mr Smith and his family in a quiet room, with both myself and another staff nurse present. Understandably, both Mr Smith and his family were devastated. (2) Feelings This case has had a huge impact on me. As this was the first time I had attended a case where bad news of this nature had to be broken to the patient and their family, I was naturally apprehensive prior to the event. On seeing the reactions of Mr Smith and his wife to the news, I was unprepared for the strength of my own emotions and found it hard not to cry. Initially, I felt helpless and unable to do anything to help relieve their suffering. I also felt awkward and as if I was intruding at a time when they should be allowed to grieve together privately. However, these feelings quickly passed and were replaced by a desire to do my best to make Mr Smith’s end-of-life care the best possible and provide as much support to both the patient and his family as I could. (3) Evaluation The consultant broke the news to Mr Smith and his family very well and was able to draw on his considerable experience to handle the situation in a professional manner while showing empathy and sensitivity. The choice of a quiet room rather than an open hospital ward provided an ideal environment which afforded Mr Smith privacy to receive the news. The consultant primarily focused on verbal methods to communicate effectively, but also used non-verbal methods, such as sitting down on their level, rather than standing while they sat down; maintaining eye contact with both Mr and Mrs Smith throughout the conversation; using open body language (e.g. not crossing his arms); and using a soft tone of voice. The consultant did not rush in breaking the news and took time to explain Mr Smith’s diagnosis and prognosis, ensuring that what he was saying was understood and providing clarification where necessary. He was also careful not to give unrealistic answers to any difficult questions that were asked and was as optimistic as possible, while still being open and honest. While the consultant was speaking, the other staff nurse observed the reactions of Mr Smith and his family closely to pick up on non-verbal clues to their thoughts and feelings and was quick to step in to place an arm around the shoulders of Mrs Smith when she began to cry which was clearly of great comfort to her. The only negative aspect of the incident was that I felt that having two staff nurses as well as the consultant present was excessive and initially unsettled the family, serving to emphasise the gravity of the situation. (4) Analysis Effective communication As this was the first time I had been involved in a case like this, my role was largely one of observer. Nonetheless, this was still an excellent learning experience and provided me with the opportunity to develop my verbal and non-verbal communication skills through observation. On reflection, I feel that I could have kept my emotions more under control, but I was unprepared for the strength of Mr and Mrs Smith’s response to the news. The consultant played the key role with support from the other staff nurse, both of whom have considerable experience in palliative care. It was clear that hey had already gained the trust of Mr Smith during previous consultations. Trust has been identified as a major factor in establishing successful relationships between healthcare professionals, patients and carers (de Haes and Teunissen 2005), and this enabled more effective, open and honest communication. In palliative care, it is important to relate to the patient on a personal as well as a professional level (Lugton and Kindlen 1999). There should be consistency between verbal and non-verbal communication in order for the healthcare professional to be perceived as genuine (Benjamin 1981). Evidence has shown non-verbal methods of communication to be more powerful than verbal methods (Henley 1973), with listening and eye contact among the most effective forms of non-verbal communication. Touch has also been identified as an important for nurses in certain situations. The consultant relied mainly on verbal communication which may reflect gender-specific differences in communication with men using verbal forms more frequently and women tending to rely more on non-verbal communication methods (Lugton and Kindlen 1999). Observing the other staff nurse readily use touch to comfort Mrs Smith helped the rest of the family to relax and lessened the tension in the room slightly, also breaking down the ‘barrier’ between the healthcare professionals and the patient/family. I observed that the family appeared to view the nurse as a comforter and more approachable than the consultant, a view that continued throughout Mr Smith’s end-of-life care. Although not relevant to this particular case, it is important to acknowledge that effective communication between members of the multidisciplinary palliative care team is also essential. This can be challenging if, for example, team members have differing philosophies of care. One of the key recommendations of the NICE guidelines on palliative care is the implementation of processes to ensure effective inter-personal communication within multidisciplinary teams and other care providers (NICE 2003). During Mr Smith’s end-of-life care, I had to work closely with other members of the care team and there were instances where it was important for me to consider the perspectives of other team members in order to communicate effectively with them. Regular team meetings were beneficial in creating a forum where difficulties could be discussed and solutions to problems found. Reactions to receiving bad news in palliative care After breaking bad news to a patient, healthcare professionals may have to be prepared to deal with a variety of reactions including denial and collusion, and emotional reactions such as anger, guilt and blame. Denial is often a coping mechanism for patients who are unable to face the fact they have a terminal illness but patients will often begin to face reality as their disease progresses over time (Faulkner 1998). Family members and carers may encourage the patient to stay in denial, as this will delay the time when difficult issues have to be faced and discussed. Collusion between healthcare professionals and families/carers to withhold information from the patient is usually viewed as a way to try and protect the patient (Faulkner 1998). However, honest and open discussion with the patient themselves establishes their level of knowledge and understanding and can help to reassure them about their condition and accept reality. Patients and their families and carers often show strong emotional reactions to bad news. Anger may sometimes be misdirected towards the healthcare professional as the bearer of this news, and it is important that the cause of the anger is identified and addressed. Patients may feel guilt, and that they are somehow being punished for something they have done wrong. Alternatively, the patient may serve to blame their condition on other people. While healthcare professionals are unable to take away these feelings of guilt and blame, ensuring the patient has the chance to talk them through and discuss relevant issues can help them come to terms with these feelings. Mr Smith’s reaction to the news was one of self-blame and guilt – he blamed himself for not visiting a doctor earlier and felt guilty that he was putting his family through so much. He appeared to accept his poor prognosis and asked a number of questions which demonstrated a full understanding of his situation. Spiritual and cultural beliefs can influence an individual’s experience of illness and the concerns of both patients and their families or carers may need to be addressed either at the time bad news is broken or at a later stage during end-of-life care when individuals are facing death (Matzo et al. 2005). Incorporating spiritual care into nursing is therefore particularly important in palliative care; however, since neither Mr Smith or his family were particularly religious, this was not a key issue in this incident or in his subsequent care. Control of cancer-related symptoms in palliative care Patients with advanced cancer are typically polysymptomatic (Grond et al 1994). Common symptoms include pain, fatigue, weakness, anorexia, weight loss, constipation, breathlessness and depression. Effective control of these symptoms is essential for optimal quality of life during end-of-life care. As previously discussed, one of the main processes in the GSF framework involves assessing patients symptoms and planning care centred around these, to ensure that these symptoms are controlled as much as possible (NHS 2005). Three symptoms that required effective management as part of Mr Smith’s care plan were pain, breathlessness and depression. One of Mr Smith’s greatest concerns was that he would suffer considerable pain during the advanced stages of his cancer. This is a common fear held by many cancer patients. Pain is a symptom experienced by up to 70% of cancer patients (Donnelly and Walsh 1995; Vainio and Auvunen 1996). Pain may result from the cancer itself, treatment, debility or unrelated pathologies, and accurate diagnosis of the cause(s) of pain is therefore important. The World Health Organisation (WHO) ‘analgesic ladder’ (WHO 1996) provides a system for managing cancer pain and has been shown to achieve pain relief in almost 90% of patients (Zech et al. 1995; WHO 1996). Pharmacological interventions for pain management include the use of non-opioids such as paracetamol, aspirin, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) for the control of mild pain. In Europe, oral morphine is the dug of choice for the control of moderate to severe cancer pain, but weak or strong opioids may also be used, either with or without non-opioids. Correct dosing of opioids and effective management of common side effects (e.g. constipation) are essential (Walsh 2000), and adjuvant treatment for specific pain may also be required. Non-pharmacological interventions include the provision of emotional and spiritual support, helping the patient to develop coping strategies, use of relaxation techniques, acupuncture or the use of a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS). Evidence from a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials assessing nursing non-pharmacological interventions demonstrated these interventions to be effective for pain management but some trials showed minimal differences between the treatment and control groups (Sindhu 1996). Breathlessness is a common symptom among cancer patients which can be difficult to control and may cause considerable distress to both patients and their carers (Davis 1997; Vora 2004). Appropriate management frequently requires both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions (Bausewein et al. 2008). Pharmacological interventions include the use of bronchodilators, benzodiazepines, opioids, corticosteroids and oxygen therapy (Vora 2004). Non-pharmacological interventions which have been shown to be effective include counselling and support, either alone or in combination with relaxation-breathing training, relaxation and psychotherapy (Bausewein et al. 2008). There is limited evidence that acupuncture or acupressure are effective. Both anxiety and depression are common among patients with advanced cancer but both of these conditions are frequently under diagnosed (Barraclough 1997). Furthermore, these conditions are sometimes viewed as simply natural reactions to the patient’s illness. Pharmacological interventions such as antidepressants should be used if the patient show symptoms of a definite depressive disorder. Non-pharmacological interventions include relaxation, psychosocial therapies and massage (Lander et al. 2000). Optimal management of depression in patients with advanced cancer typically involves a combination of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches (Lander et al. 2000). Ethical and legal considerations in palliative care There are a number of ethical and legal considerations in palliative care such as euthanasia and the right to withhold or withdraw life sustaining treatment. Those aspects which were of importance in this account address the patient’s right to know their diagnosis (i.e. autonomy). Evidence shows that the majority of cancer patients wish to know their diagnosis and the likely progression of their disease (Faulkner 1998). This may present a challenge for clinicians and nurses who may wish to try to protect the patient and convey an optimistic outlook even when the prognosis is poor. In the case of Mr Smith, he wanted to know as much information as possible about his diagnosis and treatment and the consultant and nurse answered his questions as openly and honestly as possible. (5) Conclusion Reflective practice is important both as a learning process and for the continuing professional development of nurses. The use of a model such as Gibbs’s cycle enables the nurse to move logically through the reflective process and provides a structured approach. Effective communication is essential in palliative care. Nurses and other healthcare professionals must be able to communicate effectively both with patients and their families/carers but also with other members of the multidisciplinary care team. The nurse plays a key role in the provision of supportive and palliative care and must develop excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Breaking bad news such as that given to Mr Smith is one of the hardest tasks for healthcare professionals, regardless of their level of experience, and it is essential that the situation is handled professionally, but also with empathy and sensitivity, taking full account of the ethical and legal aspects of the situation. The use of non-verbal communication by the nurse is as important as verbal methods of communication. (6) Action plan This incident provided me with a valuable learning opportunity and were I to encounter a similar situation in the future, I would feel much better prepared to deal with this. I have learnt that preparation is important, for example, selecting a suitable environment in which to break the news, and ensuring that chairs are placed correctly within the room. Rather than relying primarily on verbal communication, I would be more aware of the effectiveness of non-verbal methods, particularly touch, if this was appropriate. I have also developed a greater awareness of the ethical issues surrounding breaking bad news in palliative care, and the need to be open and honest with the patient and their family where possible. References Atkins, S. and Murphy, K. 1995, ‘Reflective practice’, Nursing Standard, vol. 9, no. 45, pp. 3135. Bailey, J. 1995, ‘Clinical reflective practice; reflective practice: implementing theory’, Nursing Standard, vol. 9, no. 46, pp. 2931. Barraclough, J. 1997, ‘ABC of palliative care: depression, anxiety and confusion’, British Medical Journal, vol. 315, pp. 1365–8. Bausewein, C., Booth, S., Gysels, M., Higginson, I. J. 2008, ‘Non-pharmacological interventions for breathlessness in advanced stages of malignant and non-malignant diseases’, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, no. 3. Benjamin 1981, The helping interview, 2nd ed. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Davis, C. L. 1997, ‘ABC of palliative care. Breathlessness, cough and other respiratory problems’, British Medical Journal, vol. 315, pp. 931–4. de Haes, H. Teunissen, S. 2005, ‘Communication in palliative care: a review of recent literature’, Current Opinion in Oncology, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 345–50. Department of Health 2000, The NHS cancer Plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform. Retrieved 1st September 2008 from: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4009609 Donnelly, S. Walsh, D. 1995, ‘The symptoms of advanced cancer’, Seminars in Oncology, vol. 22, pp. 67–72. Faulkner, A. 1998, ‘Communication with patients, families, and other professionals’, British Medical Journal, vol. 316, pp. 130–2. Gibbs, G. 1988, Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic. Grond, S., Zech, D., Diefenbach, C., Bischoff, A. 1994, ‘Prevalence and pattern of symptoms in paients with cancer pain: a prospective evaluation of 1,635 cancer patients referred to a pain clinic’, Journal of Pain Symptom Management, vol. 9, p. 372–82. Henley, N. 1973, ‘Power, Sex, and Nonverbal Communication’, Berkeley Journal of Sociology, vol. 18, pp. 1–26. Hinchliff, S. M., Norman, S. E., Schober, J. E. 1993, Nursing practice and health care, 2nd ed, Edward Arnold, London. Jarvis, P. 1992, ‘Reflective practice and nursing’, Nurse Education Today, vol. 12, pp. 174–81. Lander, M., Wilson, K., Chochinov, H. M. 2000, ‘Depression and the dying older patient’, Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 335–56. Liverpool Care Pathway 2004, Liverpool Care of the Dying Patient Pathway. Retrieved 1st September 2008 from: http://www.endoflifecareforadults.nhs.uk/eolc/files/F2091-LCP_pathway_for_dying_patient_Sep2007.pdf Lugton, J. Kindlen, M. 1999, Palliative care: the nursing role. Churchill Livingstone, London. Matzo, M., Matzo, M. L., Witt Sherman, D. 2005, Palliative Care Nursing: Quality Care to the End of Life, 2nd edn. Springer Publishing Company, New York. NHS 2005, The Gold Standards Framework. Retrieved 1st September 2008 from: http://www.goldstandardsframework.nhs.uk/ NICE 2003, Improving supportive and palliative care for adults. Retrieved 1st September 2008 from: http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/index.jsp?action=downloado=28800 Sindhu, F. 1996, ‘Are non-pharmacological nursing interventions for the management of pain effective? – a meta-analysis’, Journal of Advanced Nursing, vol. 24, pp. 1152–9. Smith, C. 1995, ‘Evaluating nursing care; reflection in practice’, Professional Nurse, vol. 10, no. 9, pp. 593–6. Spalding, N. J. 1998, ‘Reflection in professional development: a personal experience’, British Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, vol. 5, no. 7, pp. 379–82. Tickle, L. 1994, ‘The induction of new teachers’, Castell, London. Urie, J., Fielding, H., McArthur, D., Kinnear, M., Hudson, S., Fallon, M. 2000, ‘Palliative care’, The Pharmaceutical Journal, vol. 265, no. 7119, pp. 603–14. Vora, V. 2004, ‘Breathlessness: a palliative care perspective’, Indian Journal of Palliative Care, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 12–18. Walsh, D. 2000, ‘Pharmacological management of cancer pain’, Seminars in Oncology, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 45–63. WHO 1996, WHO guidelines: cancer pain relief, 2nd ed. World Health Organization, Geneva. Zech, D., Grond, S., Lynch, J., Hertel, D., Lehmann, K. A. 1995, ‘Validation of World Health Organization guidelines for cancer pain relief: a 10 year prospective study’, Pain, vol. 63, pp. 65–76. Vainio, A. Auvunen, A. 1996, ‘Prevalence of symptoms among patients with advanced cancer; an international collaborative group study’, Journal of Pain Symptom Management, vol. 12, pp. 3–10.

The Evolution of Change in Pride and Prejudice Essay -- Literary Analy

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a remarkable story showing the complications between men and women before and during their time of falling in love. The plot is based on how the main characters, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, escape their pride, prejudice and vanity to find each other; however, both must recognize their faults and change them. Jane Austen follows the development of Elizabeth’s and Darcy’s relationship in how they both change in order to overcome their own vanities and be able to love each other. Mr. Darcy is very proud and vain man. Darcy’s pride occurs because his family allows him to follow his principles â€Å"in pride and conceit† (Austen 310). Elizabeth decides soon after meeting him that he is a despicable man, much too abrupt and overweening, and obsequious to be liked by anyone, and lacking even the most basic social skills of the time he is very laconic with everyone The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend. (58) Not only does Elizabeth see Darcy as prideful, but the other characters do as well. Darcy’s pride results in his alienation from the others. Darcy has such a high opinion of himself that he creates a pariah reaction from Elizabeth. Elizabeth has her issues with her prejudice against Mr. Darcy and hi... ...After the proposal they talk about their past relationship by having a very benign conversation, and many misunderstandings are cleared â€Å"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings for you will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you† (Austen 179).Their marriage is presented in a positive light because they have had to work hard to achieve it. Pride and Prejudice is an apt name for the book, since these notions permeate the novel thoroughly, especially in the views of Elizabeth and Darcy. Eventually when Elizabeth accepts Darcy’s final proposal we. Even after they both confess their love for each other; they pose and answer questions for each other. This shows that from the beginning to end, Darcy and Elizabeth have gone through major changes by putting aside their pride of themselves and prejudices for others.

The Great Gatsby: What Makes Daisy So Attractive?

â€Å"Her voice is full of money† (Fitzgerald, 120). This quote, said by important personality Gatsby, explains Daisy’s character and demeanor. Daisy Buchannan is one of the main characters in the novel The Great Gatsby. The wife of Tom Buchannan and the dream of Jay Gatsby, Daisy embodies the immoral and shallow values of the upper class East Egg. Although she is not very sincere, to most Daisy is attractive, beautiful, and sexy. What makes Daisy so inviting? She makes a man improve for her in order to get what they want, she has standards and she wants the best, and only the best. Since the beginning, Jay Gatsby has been madly in love with Daisy, or the thought of Daisy. Gatsby only knew Daisy for one month before he was deployed to war. Is one month enough to fall in love with someone? Five years later, Gatsby still believed that he was in love, and he conceived a new persona to make Daisy come back to him after she married Tom. â€Å"You're acting like a little boy†¦. † (Fitzgerald, 88). This was a quote that the narrator, Nick Caraway, said to Gatsby about how he was acting around Daisy. Jay Gatsby knew to get Daisy back he would need to become the absolute best, the richest, the most handsome, and the most charming. It might have been the challenge of being superior to the rest that was so appealing to Gatsby or it could have been Daisy’s dead-as-a-doorknob personality. The real question is, Is Daisy worth it? What makes Daisy so appealing to smart men such as Gatsby? Is it the challenge of becoming the best, or is it something else? Jay Gatsby wasn’t the only one who thought Daisy was worth more than perceived. Her husband, Tom Buchannan also believed that Daisy was a prize. To Tom, it seemed, that Daisy was a trophy wife, someone he could show off, not care about, come back, and she would still be there. What brought them together was money, the thing that they both loved and had in common. Nick summed up her love for money well, â€Å"She wanted her life shaped now, immediately—and the decision must be made by some force, of money†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fitzgerald, 151). Daisy didn’t care about who she loved more when she had to pick Tom or Gatsby; she cared about the money while she was making one of the biggest decisions of her life. To Tom, Daisy was a beautiful woman who he would love to have for his wife. Tom and Daisy were alike in that way, neither of them cared about personality or values; they cared about their reputation. It wasn’t Daisy’s disposition that made Tom marry her; it was her looks and reputation that he found attractive. Daisy Buchannan wasn’t one of the brightest aristocrats in East Egg to say the least. Her ditzy nature might have been cute to some, but it was obvious that it was more than just a darling quality. Daisy had no common sense, if a man was looking for just looks (like Tom), Daisy was the girl to go to. Her comment to Gatsby, â€Å"I’d like to just get one of those pick clouds and put you in it and push you around† (Fitzgerald, 94) made readers re-think why Jay Gatsby would be so far in love with her. â€Å"She never loved you, do you hear? She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. † (Fitzgerald, 130). There must have been something special about Daisy for Tom Buchannan and Jay Gatsby to have such strong feelings for her. Whether it was her looks, her dimwits, or her money she had what other women would die for, two of the richest and most known men in East Egg fighting over her. What makes Daisy Buchannan so attractive? To some, it’s her looks, the thought of what she might be like, to others it’s her money or her innocent ditz, and certain people might even find her repulsive. The readers of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby will take strong stands on Daisy and her character.

Nuclear Energy A Beneficial Solution For The Future - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 3034 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/08/08 Category Energy Industry Essay Level High school Tags: Nuclear Energy Essay Did you like this example? When I first hear the words Nuclear Energy or Nuclear Power I immediately think of bombs, weapons, radiation, and danger. I associate the word nuclear with a negative connotation and a sense of fear. In school, I had learned about the war and how the United States had used nuclear weapons to bomb other countries to prevail to victory. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Nuclear Energy: A Beneficial Solution For The Future" essay for you Create order However, this was all I had learned regarding this vast, complex topic of nuclear power. I now realize that nuclear energy has the potential to really benefit the earth and has many positive factors to it that are commonly overlooked. The future of Nuclear Energy is bright and should be expanded and given more attention to because it has the potential to greatly impact climate change; an issue the earth is immensely struggling with today. Nuclear power should continue to be used and further researched/funded because it is beneficial to reducing carbon emission, overall it is very safe and non-destructive, and is not only the cleaner option but also the cheaper option. The future of nuclear power should include being used for purposes such as generating electricity and medical advancements not only in the United States, but all countries around the world. Nuclear energy is beneficial to the environment because it releases little to no greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon, are causing an increase in the average temperature of the earths atmosphere, also known as global warming. Global warming attributes to climate change because it is causing glaciers and ice caps to melt which then leads to rising sea levels; all which are greatly hurting the earth and contributing to the large issue of climate change (Climate Change Primer par. 6). Nuclear energy can help reduce the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. In 2014, it was recorded that 13% of the worlds electricity comes from nuclear power plants that emit little to no greenhouse gases (Good par. 4). This percentage should be increased as years go on because we should be taking advantage of this clean energy that nuclear power provides and expanding its uses. Nuclear power plants are crucial to the world becoming a more ecofriendly place. When power plants are closed down, we turn to carbon, coal, and other natural gases to replace the energy that was once produced by nuclear power. This switch from clean energy sources to harmful ones, leads to immense increases in carbon emission.   The USC concluded that closing all of the nuclear power plants that are currently scheduled to be decommissioned or that are unprofitable would cause U.S. power sector emissions to rise by 4-6% (Piercy par. 2). The transfer from nuclear power to natural gases was seen first hand after the tragic event of Fukishima. After the nuclear power plant experienced a meltdown in Japan, the government decided to stop using nuclear energy altogether by shutting down already existing plants and cancelling the development of new ones. Prior to the accident in Fukishima, Japan had 54 nuclear reactors. Now they must rely on fossil fuels to produce the energy lost due to shutting down all these power plants, which is very damaging to the environment (The Nuclear Option, 00:07:26 00:07:50). Another example of greenhouse gas emission rising due to a nuclear power plant closing was seen in California with the shutdown of the San Onofre Generating Station. Fossil fuels were used to replace the electricity that was once powered by the plant and data has shown a substantial increase in the amount of greenhouse gas emission following the shutdown of the plant. California has now ordered that the Diablo Nuclear Power Plant be shutdown in 2024, which has caused an uproar in environmentalists who fear this will lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions as seen in the past (Nikolewski par. 9).   Nuclear power is a clean source of energy in California as it has accounted for 9.18% percent of the states power mix, without producing greenhouse gases (Nikolewski par. 8). Furthermore, nuclear energy is a great way in helping improve our environment. Nuclear power is not only a clean source of energy but also a reliable one. By shutting down power plants, cities are turning to fossil fuels to make up for the energy that was originally powered with nuclear plants. The future of nuclear energy should be to expand the number of nuclear power plants across the country, thus leading to lower levels of greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere. Some environmentalists are against nuclear power because they argue that it is not a renewable source of energy and should not be relied on. Uranium is a key component in the process of creating nuclear energy. However, uranium is not a renewable resource and the quantity of known uranium reserves with ore grades richer than the critical level of 0.01% is very limited (Diesendorf 8). This means that uranium is not going to last forever and is not a reliable source to invest time, research, and money into. With the current status of nuclear energy accounting for 16 percent of the worlds electricity production, the high-grade reserves would only last several decades (Diesendorf 8). Data shows that if we continue to advance nuclear power to the next level and try to use it for half of the worlds electricity, the high-grade reserves would only last around 10 to 20 years (Diesendorf 8). Nuclear energy needs to be further researched and developed to combat these issues. Nuclear power is a good investment for many reasons and more reserves of high-grade uranium ore will be discovered, leading to longer lasting uranium to fuel power plants (Diesendorf 9). Even though nuclear energy is not fully renewable, it is still a clean and reliable source of energy. Solar and wind energy cannot keep up with the high demand for electricity. What happens when the sun doesnt shine, or the wind doesnt blow? A professor from Harvard University named Michael Aziz explained how there is not enough storage for wind and solar energy, so even if these sources of power grow rapidly, it will be a long time before it has a big impact (The Nuclear Option, 00:09:25 00:10:00). Nuclear power is an overall very safe form of energy. People tend to stray away from nuclear power because they associate it with catastrophic events such as Chernobyl or Fukishima and fear the dreadful effects of radiation. Radiation was the cause of many deaths during the Chernobyl incident because firefighters were exposed to high levels of radiation due to them rushing in to help soon after the incident took place, with very little protective gear (Ritchie par. 1). This nuclear accident also took place in 1986, when nuclear energy was very new, and people did not know how to handle it properly. The meltdown at Fukishima occurred in 2011 and no one was killed due to radiation from the power plant. People took the proper precautions and survived even though it forced them to move out of their homes. A nuclear engineer named Nathan Myhrvold stated that Fukishima could have been avoided altogether with modern advancements regarding the structure of the power plant so that it could ha ve withstood a meltdown (The Nuclear Option, 00:24:03 00:24:18). An engineer at Oregon State, named Jose Reyes, invented what he called the AP1000 which is a more safe and efficient way to build nuclear reactors. This innovation has an emergency water reservoir to help prevent a meltdown for 72 hours without the use of electricity. This modern technology could have prevented the disaster at Fukishima (The Nuclear Option, 00:27:16 00:27:51). With modern advancements in nuclear power plants, fear of radiation should not be the reason we are not going all out with nuclear energy. There are so many rules and regulations when building power plants to ensure the safety of the communities surrounding them. If people are against nuclear power because they fear the effects of radiation, they should be more focused on banning cigarettes. A smokers lungs receive more radiation every year than a US radiation worker! US radiation workers receive around 50,000 micro-sieverts per year while a smokers lungs receive about 160,000 micro-sieverts worth of radiation every year (The Most Radioactive Places on Earth, 00:09:30 00:10:15).   This is caused by the radioactive plutonium and radioactive lead in the tobacco that they are smoking. People are surrounded by radiation everyday and do not even realize it. Fears of the harmful effects of radiation should not be a reason people are against nuclear power. Radiation is a part of everyday life and people who run the power plants know how to ensure that no one is receiving more than the healthy amount. Nuclear power plants appear to be unsafe and unpredictable because the news publicizes and focuses on major meltdowns. This only allows people to see the negative and rare aspects of nuclear energy, yet the damage is so intense that people are quick to turn against nuclear power altogether. When looking at the grand scheme of things, there have only been three major reactor accidents in the history of civil nuclear power (Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors, par.1). Two of these incidents did not kill anyone and new technologies have been invented to help ensure accidents like these do not happen again. These accidents are the only major incidents to have occurred in over 17,000 cumulative reactor-years of commercial nuclear power operation in 33 countries (Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors, par.1) yet this information is not made known to the public. Overall nuclear power is a very safe form of electricity as well as being a reliable source of energy. The risk of an accident occurring i s low and declining due to the new advancements in technology regarding safer ways to generate nuclear power. This safe and reliable technology should be used in the future as our prime source of electricity and should be funded so that we may further research and develop all the possibilities nuclear has to offer. People should not worry about their safety when it comes to nuclear power plants. The Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) states that nuclear power plants maintain the highest standard for operational safety, security, cybersecurity and emergency preparedness (Safety, par. 1). So much attention and time is given to ensuring that nuclear power plants are safe for the people in and around them. Nuclear plants take pride in the fact that they not only meet the safety standards created by the government, but they exceed them (Operational Safety, par. 1). The NEI also wrote an article explaining how studies by the National Cancer Institute, the National Research Councils BEIR VII study group and several other nuclear power related organizations all show that U.S. nuclear power plants effectively protect the publics health and safety (Myths Facts About Nuclear Energy, 7). This same article also compared people who worked in nuclear power plants to people who work at restaurants and concluded t hat nuclear power plants were the safe place to work due to all the rules and regulations in place (Myths Facts About Nuclear Energy, 7)! Nuclear power is a very safe form of energy and its use should be increased as well as expanded in the future. The media needs to show the safe statistics about nuclear power because a main concern of people who argue against nuclear is that it is unsafe due to the major meltdowns that have been publicized. Nuclear power is also a smart choice for the future not only because it is a clean form of energy, but it is also cost effective. Nuclear power plants are quite expensive to build, but once they are up and running, they are fairly cheap to run (Economics of Nuclear Power, par. 3). Although solar and wind energy are also affordable and renewable, they are not as reliable as nuclear, thus nuclear is the way to go and is the smart investment. Nuclear energy also produces the same amount of electricity for a cheaper price when compared to solar energy; nuclear plants can produce electricity for just four cents per kilowatt hour compared to solar energys sixteen cents per kilowatt hour (Good par. 11). It is also less expensive to operate a nuclear power plant when compared to a fossil fuel power station. There is also less risk of operating cost inflation within the power plants. Nuclear power plants are also a good investment choice because they are intended to last for over 60 years (Ec onomics of Nuclear Power, par. 4). The World Nuclear Association has also stated that the U.S. saves $12 billion dollars each year for energy costs because of nuclear power (Good par. 8). Furthermore, nuclear energy is not only a clean source of energy for improving climate change, but it is also cost effective and worth the investments so that we may further research and develop nuclear power in our near future. Nuclear power is not only useful in generating electricity; it also has a lot of practical value such as being used in agriculture, fertilizers, medicine and therapy. We need to understand that radiation is not always a harmful thing to humans. In the medical field, radiation is used on a day to day basis to help diagnosis and treat diseases such as cancer. The World Nuclear Association stated that Diagnostic procedures using radioisotopes are now routine (Radioisotopes in Medicine, par. 1). Nuclear medicine is a crucial component to the medical field and uses advance technology such as radiation to provide diagnostic information about the functioning of a persons specific organs, or to treat them (Radioisotopes in Medicine, par. 1). Radiation/radioactivity are very useful when handled in the correct way. People tend to hear the term radiation and get worried or scared that this will hurt them because of all the news about people dying or being hurt due to radiation from the bombs, o r nuclear meltdowns. When in reality we should be publicizing radiation or radioactivity as a good thing in todays society because it is used in about one third of all procedures in modern hospitals (Medical Applications, par. 1)! These procedures are among the best and most effective life-saving tools available, they are safe and painless and dont require anesthesia, and they are helpful to a broad span of medical specialties, from pediatrics to cardiology to psychiatry. (Medical Applications, par. 1). These are key reasons as to why nuclear power should definitely be seen in our future in order to make it safer and to advance medical technology/medicine even more than it is today. These amazing advancements/applications seen in the medicine field should be a key reason the United States as well as other countries are more than willing to further fund nuclear energy so that it may be seen as a big part of our future. Nuclear power is also used in therapeutic ways. Many of the nuclear powered therapies are used to relive pain in patients, such as people battling against leukemia. Patients being treated for leukemia may be experiencing bone pain due to having been through a bone marrow transplant. A therapeutic procedure requiring strontium-89 and (increasingly) samarium-153 are used for the relief of cancer-induced bone pain which has been seen as very effective in patients (Radioisotopes in Medicine, par. 30). Another effective and very useful form of therapy is known as targeted alpha therapy (TAT) or alpha radioimmunotherapy. This type of therapy is used for the control of dispersed cancer cells. TAT has been seen most effective for treating pancreatic, ovarian, and melanoma cancers (Radioisotopes in Medicine, par. 32). Surgical procedures can be a very tramatic and terrifying experiance for some people to go through. Nuclear science has made non-invasive procedures that are able to look over different parts of the body and diagnose all different kinds of conditions a reality. Examples of these non-invasive producers include x-rays, MRI scanners, CAT scans, and ultrasounds (Medical Applications, par. 5). Nuclear medicine has been developing and advancing over time and has been very successful in most developed countries (Medical Applications, par. 8). Thus, we must continue this trend and keep pursing nuclear power and all it has to offer. Advancements in nuclear power have also been able to help fight against deadly viruses such as the Zika virus found in Brazil. Ionizing radiation has been used to sterilize male mosquitoes so that when they mate with females, they bear no fertile offspring. This results in a reduction of the mosquito population, thus an effective technique to reduce the number of disease-carrying mosquitoes (The Many Uses of Nuclear Technology, par. 43). Nuclear power has also been able to help prevent food-borne diseases as well as increase the shelf life of certain produce. A technique called food irradiation exposes foodstuffs to gamma rays to kill bacteria which results in the food not spoiling as quickly, controls for pests, and decreases the likelihood of food-borne diseases (The Many Uses of Nuclear Technology, par. 27). The future of nuclear power has the potential to eliminate deadly viruses and keep food fresher for a longer period of time; both advancements that would greatly impact third world countries which is why nuclear power should be a priority to keep around for future generations. Overall, nuclear power is a very beneficial resource for numerous reasons. Nuclear power has the ability to make the world a cleaner place by producing electricity without emitting greenhouse gases such as carbon. Nuclear power is also a very safe form of electricity since there have been technological advancements in the way we build nuclear power plants so that they can withstand a meltdown. There is also many safety laws and regulations in place by the association known as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), so that the people who work in and live around nuclear power plants are ensured safety to the best of their abilities. Nuclear power also has many practical applications such as being used in agriculture, therapy, and most importantly medicine. Nuclear power is a crucial component in the medical field today along with helping the earth combat global warming and climate change; both main reasons why we must further fund, develop, and research Nuclear energy. T he future of nuclear power should be seen all over the world and be funded/expanded in all countries to ensure that everyone is benefitting from all nuclear energy has to offer.