Operational skills Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Operational skills - Case Study Example Compliance with patient management protocols is incorrect when it compromises patient safety. To enhance the operating room effectiveness, the caregivers compliance to patient management protocols must not compromise patient safety. Instrumentation sterilization in Stanfords Hospital may compromise patient safety, and, therefore, any compliance to such a patient management protocol would be incorrect. Protocols provide clinical guide towards clinical care and encourages professional guidance to patients hence leading to improved compliance (Ray and Griffith, 2010). The guidelines and regulations provided in the protocols ensure that the caregivers are consistent in the management of clinic patients, a clear sign of compliance with the protocols. Functional protocols are different to the extent that they are aimed at ensuring quality ans safety through standardizing care process. Through the standardized care process, functional protocols are aimed at ensuring the use of safe, reliable as well as patient-centered care instruments and elements (Ray and Griffith, 2010). The application of functional protocols in Stanfords Hospital would see the implementation of a standardized care process that would prevent instrument

Walden pond Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Walden pond - Essay Example s concentration is on the benefits of early awakening and natural experience at the time when the rest of the inhabitants of the village were in deep slumber. Thoreau utilizes the metaphor of awakening to refer to the variances that exist in him and those in town (Thoreau 145). As the piece suggests, the awakening is evidently in symbolism in the day and yearly seasons. The largest consciousness occurs during the morning extending to the spring. Thoreau associations of his experiences to spiritual awakening are evident throughout the story (Thoreau 147). He defies the earlier notions of men in town that certain requirements of the body such as food and shelter are significant to one’s life. His arguments for defying the natural necessities, as were the notions of men relate to nature. He states that the sunrays in some environments are sufficient to provide the desired warmth (Thoreau 147). His notion of riches in men is they are responsible for the decay of man in terms of spirituality. In his daily tasks, Thoreau relates his experience of life to nature. He depicts the ability of man to live in the middle of the usual world when he utilizes a greater segment of his life in the forest. The flora and fauna provide sufficient support and acceptance (Thoreau

Sources of Power Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sources of Power Paper - Essay Example The motive of public leadership is to set a vision and motivate people to follow it with the purpose of ensuring unity. These leaders create a positive environment and promote shared standards and high performances filled with team spirit and trust. They also aim to drive successful actions and results collectively. The United States of America has a total of 435 constituencies and each have their own public leader. The federal government in the USA is not supposed to intervene in the policies of the constituencies set by the public leaders. These leaders may take help from the Congress who provides them with members to help them with their problems. The major role of the Congress is to provide service to the constituents by assisting them in providing members to win elections. These constituencies have their own voting and elections in which only the people of that constituency will be able to vote. Public leaders of constituencies can be elected by their constituents and their laws can be limited to their constituencies only (Rehfield, 2005). Constituencies in the United States of America are also known as electoral districts. These electoral districts were seen important in the American politics as they influenced the presidential elections. This was mainly because of certain groups that were not allowed to vote before the civil rights act such as the minorities. Electoral districts allowed the blacks to choose their own public leaders through constituency elections. The systems of these constituencies could be decided and created by the public leaders as far as they followed the American constitution. In 1963, the election system of Georgia was called unconstitutional and invalid as it violated the constitutional amendments. In America, the constituencies can have their own leaders and policies thus they can set rules according to their constituencies’ features and needs. This is because of the power which is assigned to them by the constitution and position. The source of their power is their position, their personal powers and through their people. Before the civil rights act, the blacks were discriminated from voting and participating in elections. The electoral districts have given the blacks representation from constituencies where they are in majority (Rehfield, 2005). In the same way, the rural areas have gained representation and participation in presidential elections. However, there are still constituencies where indirect discrimination exists against blacks such as the policy to allow voting to those who have driving licenses knowing that blacks couldn’t afford them. The public leaders elected in the electoral constituencies have constitutional powers. These elected members become the members of the House of Representatives. They are given the powers to create laws and policies for their constituencies. They also participate in the House of Representatives and present their views for their constituency. The pu blic leaders are assigned those powers that are not in the hands of the federal or state government. Some of the aspects are left for the constituency leaders who set laws according to their region’s needs and demands. They play an important role in bringing their constituents together and motivating them towards a single goal. The positional power is not based on the person’s conduct or behavior, but only on the number of votes that he achieved to gain that position. The US Supreme Court has concluded that the federal government cannot intervene in the lawmaking of the constituencies’ leaders unless they are unconstitutional. The public leaders also have personal power which is derived from their own expertise and knowledge. They are given the powers because of their skills and abilities to deal with them such as

Juno Character Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Juno Character Analysis - Essay Example As the film unfolds, the viewer sees that Juno is not a bad girl; she is a young woman dealing with something she is really too young to deal with, she struggles with her situation and uses humor to manage her emotions, and she makes the decision that she feels is best for everyone involved. Throughout the film, the viewer is continually reminded that, despite her pregnancy, Juno is just a teenage girl. She is young and this was not a planned or wanted pregnancy. She is dealing with a entirely new set of emotions that she is not accustomed too. In addition to dealing with the emotions related to her pregnancy, Juno was dealing with facing the feelings she had towards Paulie, the baby’s father. As Juno spends more time with Mark, the adoptive father, she gets confused over her feelings towards him, as well. Juno states the situation of her age best when talking to her father. After witnessing Mark confront Vanessa about not really wanting to have a baby, Juno is filled with emo tions she isn’t sure how to deal with. She is confused and not sure how to deal with her emotions even though she has decided to still allow Vanessa to adopt her baby. After taking a minute to herself to cry, she goes home. Her father asks her where she had been, and she responds by saying, â€Å"just out dealing with things way beyond my maturity level.† Although she is clearly using sarcasm to mask her emotions, her comment accurately reflects the situation. After making the decision to put her baby up for adoption, opposed to keeping the baby or having an abortion, Juno does not deter from this decision. Despite this, she struggles with her decision. Her initial decision to have an abortion is abandoned early. She then immediately decides to put the baby up for adoption, and then works on finding an adoptive family. Juno frequently uses sarcasm and humor to get through emotionally difficult situations. When Vanessa questions her determination to put her baby up for adoption, Juno responds by saying, â€Å"If I could just have the thing and give it to you now I totally would.† If taken out of the context of the movie, this comment would sound cold and uncaring, but it is simply Juno’s way of expressing her determination while maintaining emotional distance. She struggles with the idea of giving the baby up for adoption, but she maintains her humor to stay focused. She also uses her humor to draw attention to her situation. She jokes about the fact she is sixteen and pregnant in an effort to divert negative attention for the same reason. During one of her interactions with Vanessa, Vanessa questions her regarding whether or not her parents know where she is. She responds to Vanessa’s questioning by saying, â€Å"I’m already pregnant so what other shenanigans could I get into?† This breaks the tension by exposing the elephant in the room. Juno makes the decision that she feels is best for everyone involved; this includes her, Paulie, Vanessa, and the baby. Juno recognizes immediately that her and Paulie are not equipped to give the baby a good life. In addition to this inability, she recognizes that fact that neither of them wants to stop being teenagers and start being parents. Forcing themselves to take on a role that neither of t

Project Management and Tran Essay Example for Free

Project Management and Tran Essay Tran was taking his dog Callie on her evening walk as the sun began to set over the coastal range. He looked forward to this time of the day. It was an opportunity to enjoy some peace and quiet. It was also a time to review events on the Ajax project and plot his next moves. Ajax is the code name given by CEBEX for a high-tech security system project funded by the U. S. Department of Defense (DOD). Tran is the project manager and his core them consisted of 30 full-time hardware and software engineers. Tran and his family fled he was 18 and used the education stipend to attend Washington State University. He joined CEBEX upon graduating with a dual degree in mechanical and electrical engineering. After working on a variety of projects for 10 years Tran decided he wanted to enter management. He went to night school at the University of Washington to earn an MBA. Tran became a project manager for the money. He also thought he was good at it. He enjoyed working with people and making the right thing happen. This was his fifth project and up to now he was batting. 500,with half of his projects coming ahead of schedule. Tran was proud that he could now afford to send his oldest child to Stanford University. Ajax was one of many defense projects the CEBEX Corporation had under contract with DOD. CEBEX is a huge defense company with annual sales in excess of $30 billion and more than 120,000 employees worldwide. CEBEX’s five major business areas are Aeronautics, Electronic Systems, Information Solutions, and Space Systems. Ajax was one of several new projects sponsored by the Integrated Systems Solutions division aimed at the homeland security business. CEBEX was confident that it could leverage its technical expertise and political connections to become a major player in this growing market. Ajax was one of several projects directed at designing, developing, and installing a security system at an important government installation. Tran had two major concerns when he started the Ajax project. The first was the technical risks inherent in the project. In theory the design principles made sense and the project used proven technology. Still the technology had never been applied in the field in this matter. From past experience, Tran knew there was a big difference between the laboratory and the real world. He also knew that integrating the audio, optical, tactile, and laser subsystems would test the patience and ingenuity of his team. The second concern involved his team. The team was pretty much split down the middle between hardware and electrical engineers. Not only did these engineers have different skill sets and tend to look at problems differently, but generational differences between the two groups were evident as well. The hardware engineers were almost all former military, family men with conservative attire and beliefs. The electrical engineers were a much motlier crew. They tended to be young, single, and at times very cocky. While the hardware engineers talked about the Seattle Mariners, raising teenagers, and going to Palm Desert to play golf, the software engineers talked about Vapor, the latest concert at Gorge amphitheater, and going mountain biking in Peru. To make matters worse, tension between these two groups within CEBEX festered around salary issues. Electrical engineers were at a premium, and the hardware engineers resented the new hires’ salary packages, which were comparable to what they were earning after 20 years of working for CEBEX. Still the real money was to be made from the incentives associated with project performance. These were all contingent on meeting project milestones and the final completion date. Before actual work started on the project, Tran arranged a tow-day team-building retreat at a lodge on the Olympic peninsula for his entire team as well as key staff from the government installation. He used this time to go over the major objectives of the project and unveil the basic project plan. An internal consultant facilitated several team-building activities that made light of cross-generational issues. Tran felt a real sense of camaraderie within the team. The good feelings generated from the retreat carried over to the beginning of the project. The entire team bought into the mission of the project and technical challenges it represented. Hardware and electrical engineers worked side by side to solve problems and build subsystems. The project plan was built around a series of five tests, with each test being a more rigorous verification of total system performance. Passing each test represented a key milestone for the project. The team was excited about conducting the first Alpha test one week early—only to be disappointed by a series of minor technical glitches that ook two weeks of problem solving to resolve. The team worked extra hard to make up for the lost time. Tran was proud of team and how hard members had worked together. The Alpha II test was conducted on schedule, but once again the system failed to perform. This time three weeks of debugging was needed before the team received the green light to move to the next phase of the project. By this time, team goodwill had been tested, and emotions were a bit frayed. A cloud of disappointment descended over the team as hopes of bonuses disappeared with the project falling further behind schedule. This was augmented by cynics who felt that the original schedule was unfair and the deadlines were impossible to begin with. Tran responded by starting each day with a status meeting where the team reviewed what they accomplished the previous day and set new objectives for that day. He believed these meetings were helpful in establishing positive momentum and reinforcing a team identity among the engineers. He also went out of his way to spend more time with the â€Å"troops,† helping them solve problems, offering encouragement, and a sincere pat on the back when one was deserved. He was cautiously optimistic when the time came to conduct the Alpha III test. It was the end of the day when the switch was turned on, but nothing happened. Within minutes the entire team heard the news. Screams could be heard down the hallway. Perhaps the most telling moment was when Tran looked down at the company’s parking lot and saw most of his project team walking by themselves to their cars. As Callie chased some wild bunnies, Tran pondered what he should do next. 1. How effective has Tran been as a project manager? Explain. 2. What problem(s) does Tran face?

History Of The Film Amazing Grace Theology Religion Essay

History Of The Film Amazing Grace Theology Religion Essay The movie Amazing Grace is all about an extraordinary man named William Wilberforce. In 1784 when he was twenty-one years old, Wilberforce was elected into the British House of Common where he became a politician. A few years later, William Pitt, a close friend of Wilberforces, became prime minister. Together these two came together and introduced a bill banning slavery. Although Wilberforce has the help of anti-slavery activists, there were many people that supported slavery and as a result the bill was not passed. Unfortunately in 1797 Wilberforce was forced to leave his career in politics due to his poor health so he moved into a country home of one of his friends. Here he then meets a woman named Barbara Spooner. Spooner encourages Wilberforce to not give up his goals so he then launches a second campaign to convince Englands lawmakers to end slave trade. William Wilberforce was a very strong Christian and he put all of his faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Wilberforce had very strong foundational values as can be seen throughout the movie through his actions and choices. Wilberforces faith changed him from being a careless wealthy politician into a public servant that was compassionate and caring towards everyone. He used his gifts and skills in order to help create a better society. Wilberforce was very strong in character as he had very strong morals and always knew the right thing to do. While most of society at that time accepted slavery as being a necessity, Wilberforce did not conform. Most people back then has been brainwashed into believing that slavery was okay, but thats not how Wilberforce thought. He saw that slavery was a cruel and evil thing. He knew that it was against Gods will so he did his best in order to end slavery in England. Unfortunately his bill was struck down, but even this did not stop him. He later came ba ck with another attempt at banning slave trade. Wilberforce obviously had very strong faith and character, and as suspected he was very much a servant and did all that he could in order to abolish slavery. Wilberforce literally did everything that he could do in order to end slavery in England. This introduces another question: why would Wilberforce go into so much trouble for something that didnt affect him? This is because he was an excellent servant. Although Wilberforce himself was not a slave he still saw the harm it was causing and he knew the suffering many people were going through because of it. He saw this and knew that he needed to do all that he could in order to help. Although he may have not reached the desired outcome at first, he did everything that he could and worked extremely hard and in the end he was able to abolish slavery. William Wilberforce was uniquely designed by God and therefore has both numerous strengths and weaknesses. One of Wilberforces strengths was that he was a very strong faith. Although there were many difficulties and struggles that Wilberforce was forced to encounter, he always put his trust and faith in God. This ultimately led to his success in abolishing slavery. Although things got difficult for William he never lost his faith in God and because of this incredible faith and persistence he was then able to abolish slavery in England for good. Wilberforce was very passionate about two main things in his first: God and abolishing slavery. Both of these passions were very closely connected together and they both had major impacts on his life. William believed in God and wanted to do everything that he could for Him, and that is where slavery became involved. William knew that slavery was contrary to Gods will and as a result he dedicated his life to abolishing it, but he knew that he couldnt do it all by himself. Wilberforce had a few friends to help him, but God is where most of the help came from. One major experience that had an impact of Wilberforces life purpose was when his bill was declined the first time. Wilberforce was obviously devastated and didnt know exactly what to do. He then moved out to the country where he was then convinced by Barbara Spooner that he had been fighting for a very noble cause and never should have given up in the first place. In my opinion, this is when Wilberforce truly understood his life calling. Up until this point he had been very passionate about the cause, but now his passion has been restored and is even stronger than it had been before. He then realizes that it is his duty to end slavery and as a result he starts up a second campaign. This campaign is much more successful than his previous one and he ends up abolishing slave trade in England. Overall, William Wilberforce was uniquely designed by Jesus Christ and this c an be seen all throughout his life. Wilberforce was able to do incredible things because of Gods help and these experiences that helped strengthen his faith and trust in God. Because William Wilberforce was uniquely designed, he was different than everyone else. This means that he had his very own unique personal mission or life calling. Wilberforces life calling was to make the world a better place. This included getting rid of slavery in England. God opened his eyes in such a way that Wilberforce was able to see the horror of slavery and all of the tragedies it was causing. Wilberforce then realized that slavery was against Gods will and he did the best that he could to get it abolished. He worked restlessly trying to abolish slavery even though he faced many hardships. When his first bill was not passed Wilberforce was crushed, but that did not stop him. William kept on going even after his bill was struck down. He was definitely discouraged at this point but he didnt give up all hope. He persisted and kept on going with his attempts to abolish slavery. In the end, all of these attempts were successful and slavery was then abolished. William Wilberforc e had finally fulfilled his life calling. Wilberforce was drawn to helping those in need and those who were treated unfairly which is why he was so passionate about making slavery illegal. He knew it was bad and he wanted to make the world a better place. Wilberforces vision of a better world was not only one without slavery, but also one where people had freedoms and liberties. He was a very strong Christian and as a result he wanted the world to reflect Gods desires for mankind. He wanted everyone to serve God and each other so that the world would be a less sinful place. Wilberforces main strategy for accomplishing these goals was by putting all of his faith and trust in God. William knew that he couldnt accomplish anything by himself and the he needed help. This help came from God and from numerous other individuals that helped him. He put all of his trust in God even when it seemed like there was nothing that could be done. Because William was able to completely rely on God, Go d was able to work through him and accomplish what needed to be done. William, with Gods help, was able to then abolish slavery and make the world a better place. One very obvious roadblock that William Wilberforce had to overcome was when his first bill was rejected. Wilberforce was very frustrated at this point and he started to lose all hope. Wilberforce became sick and as a result he moved into one of his friends country house. He lived her a while as he was recovering, but then he met someone very special. This need friend of his was Barbara Spooner, and they shared very similar views. Spooner also believed that slavery was a bad thing and that it needed to go. She then encouraged Wilberforce to try again and she told him he should have never given up such a noble cause. Finally, Wilberforce started to overcome this gigantic roadblock in his life. It took much encouragement from Barbara as well as a large amount of faith in God. Wilberforce was already discouraged so he ended up relying on God more than ever and as a result God let his will be done and Wilberforce was successful in the end. Wilberforce put all of his trust and faith in God, and the way that he lived out his life and trusted in God is a great example for the rest of the world. William worked tirelessly and devoted his life to a cause because he knew that it was wrong and contrary to Gods will. As a result he did everything that he could in order to abolish slavery. He went through many struggles and difficulties, but never gave up. This is a great example of how we should be leading out lives. Although times may get tough in our lives, we need to realize what Gods will is a fight through it. Life will throw many roadblocks in our way and sometimes they will seem impossible to overcome. However, if we put all of our faith in God we will then be able to overcome even the most impossible struggles and make the world a better place. William Wilberforce went through many difficulties and struggles in his life, but he never managed to lose sight of what he was doing it for. He was not only doing it to help tho se that were enslaved, but also to make the world a godlier place. He saw that the world was a very sinful place and he sought to change that. This is how we all need to live our lives. We should see the sinfulness in the world and despise it. We should then do everything that we can to destroy evil and make the world a better place so that through everything we do we serve God and do His will.

Effect of Caffeine and Nicotine on the Body and Mind

Effect of Caffeine and Nicotine on the Body and Mind Stacey Campbell Abstract Caffeine and nicotine are products that we are very familiar with. Both are used throughout the world and have been for hundreds if not thousands of years. They are not illegal but they are technically considered to be drugs. They affect the brain in many of the same ways that other drugs that are addictive do. Caffeine and nicotine both affect the body as well. Both substances have been shown to have some measure of benefit but they can both cause health concerns. With repeated use the body can develop a tolerance to them which can lead to abuse, dependency and addiction. Keywords: Caffeine, Nicotine, Addiction, Abuse, Dependency, Health, Body, Brain Caffeine and Nicotine – What They Do To the Body and Mind It is probably safe to assume that most people don’t equate drinking an energy drink loaded with caffeine, not being able to really start their day before their daily appointment with their first cup of coffee or using tobacco products throughout the day with drug use. Caffeine and nicotine are however, â€Å"the most widely used recreational drugs† (Julien, Advokat Comaty, 2011). When examining the reasons that caffeine and nicotine are used by so many people we find that they are both available in a wide variety of products, are affordable and are legal to purchase provided you meet age requirements for purchasing tobacco products. They also have psychostimulant properties that users find pleasurable or rewarding. Using too much of either drug can result in habitual use or dependency. This paper will focus on the ways that caffeine and nicotine use affects the body and the mind. The main reason that I chose to research this topic is that prior to this class I never really thought of caffeine or nicotine as drugs. I knew that people could crave them, experience symptoms of withdrawal if they stopped using them, and that both can have adverse side effects and cause health problems but despite having that knowledge I didn’t think of them like I would cocaine or heroin. This could be simply because I am so familiar with both. I don’t use tobacco products but my parents smoked while I was growing up. People I work with run for their smoke breaks every day. The first thing I do when I get to work is fill up my coffee mug and I look forward to a Diet Mountain Dew when the afternoon starts dragging. Being exposed to tobacco use all my life I have always hated it so I pretty much viewed it as a very harmful, nasty habit. I admittedly have a major crush on, if not a slight addiction to caffeine. I guess I just thought of caffeine as a less than ideal cho ice but because I enjoy the natural sources it is found in I continue to choose to consume them. It will be interesting for me to research the ways that the body and mind are affected by using caffeine and nicotine when looking at them from a different perspective than usual. Caffeine Caffeine can be found in numerous foods and beverages that are included in the typical standard American diet. Among other sources we can find it in our morning cup of coffee, a chocolate bar from the vending machine or a glass of tea with dinner. If we are feeling really tired or need to stay awake to make sure we meet a deadline and we don’t think the coffee is going to cut it we can run to the local drug store and find a few medications that contain caffeine, herbal supplements if we prefer something a little more natural or even energy drinks with very high levels of caffeine if we need an intense surge of caffeine to enhance athletic performance or need to be very alert (Julien et al, 2011). Caffeine gets a bad rap sometimes. While the negative attention isn’t completely unwarranted, author Jessica Girdwain suggests that caffeine may be, â€Å"the world’s best drug† (Girdwain, 2013). She supports her theory by sharing some of the benefits of caffeine. She says that consuming moderate amounts of caffeine can sharpen your mind and improve your cognitive skills by stimulating parts of the brain that are in charge of cognitive thinking, pleasure and alertness. She also claims it can boost a sluggish metabolism by stimulating the central nervous system. Additional benefits she mentions in her article are disease prevention because consuming caffeine can reduce the risk of developing diabetes and some kinds of breast cancer as it can strengthen the body’s defense systems and can trigger the release of dopamine which can decrease the chance of developing depression. She says you may also find that your workouts may be more effective and easier if you drink a little coffee just before because caffeine blocks adenosine so muscles do not get tired as quickly. (Girdwain, 2013). That all sounds like good news to me but as with most other good things using too much can be problematic. There are health hazards that are associated with using too much caffeine or using it long term. The potential for abusing caffeine is low but it is considered to be an atypical drug of abuse and it is possible for some users to show signs of dependence or abuse. They may feel distressed by the amount of caffeine they use, feel like they cannot stop using it or feel unable to control the amount they are using Because of this there has been debate over whether or not caffeine abuse or dependence should be considered a diagnosis (Ogawa Ueki, 2007) Doctors Ogawa and Ueki state that, â€Å"current cases suggest that caffeine can produce a clinical dependence syndrome similar to those produced by other psychoactive substances† (Ogawa Ueki, 2007) Caffeine effects the brain by impersonating the neurochemical adenosine. Adenosine is produced by neurons and the more your body produces the calmer you become. When levels are high enough you get sleepy. The level of adenosine in the body is monitored through receptors, especially the A1 receptor, in the brain and in the body. Caffeine is the same shape and size of adenosine so it enters the receptors the same way but rather than activating them it blocks the nervous systems ability to monitor the level of adenosine. This allows the neurotransmitters glutamate and dopamine, which the body produces naturally, to continue providing their stimulant effect while the adenosine levels are essentially on hold. So caffeine isn’t really doing the stimulating, it just allows the dopamine and glutamate to do their thing unhindered by adenosine. This effect doesn’t last forever and eventually the nervous system will prevail and the tired or sluggish feelings return so we seek out more caffeine. This is why we feel like we can’t function until after the first cup of coffee each morning (DiSalvo, 2012). Caffeine begins to work quickly within the body but it impacts everyone a little differently. Some people will experience insomnia if they have any caffeine after midday while others can have a cup of caffeinated coffee with dessert after dinner and sleep like a baby. Caffeine stimulates the respiratory and central nervous system and can cause an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. It can result in increased production of stomach acid which can irritate the stomach’s lining. It can have a diuretic effect and has been linked to osteoporosis and a decline in bone density. Heavy or prolonged caffeine use can lead to nervousness, agitation, feeling jittery or shaky and heart palpitations. Caffeine abuse can also trigger the adrenal glands to release hormones that will tell the body to release blood glucose from the storehouses. This causes the pancreas to work harder to produce enough insulin to regulate the blood glucose levels in the body (Connolly, 2000). As with other a ddictive drugs people may experience withdrawal symptoms if the decide to cut out the caffeine. They may feel a little edgy, be more irritable, be more tired than usual and have headaches for awhile as the body adjusts to not getting the caffeine fix it has become accustomed to receiving (DiSalvo, 2012). Nicotine Unlike caffeine, nicotine use is widely known to be related to numerous health problems. While Nicotine can have adverse effects it cannot carry the full blame for disease and death related to its use. Nicotine is what causes a person to become dependent on and addicted to tobacco use but the other compounds contained in cigarettes are to blame for the high level of toxicity. Nicotine can be obtained by smoking cigarettes, using smokeless tobacco products like chewing tobacco and tobacco products that are dissolvable (Julien et al, 2011). Many smokers begin smoking at a young age and continue the habit throughout their lifetime. Nicotine is easily absorbed into the body through the skin, gastrointestinal tract, mucosal membranes and lungs. When inhaled it is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream via the lungs. Users can regulate the amount of nicotine in their blood controlling the number of breaths they take, how deeply they inhale, how long they wait before expelling the smoke from their lungs and how many cigarettes they use. Nicotine is dispersed throughout the body rapidly and there are no barriers that it cannot cross and it is found in all bodily fluids (Julien et al, 2011). Nicotine differs from other drugs of addiction because it goes directly to the brain where neurotransmitters that result in gratification are produced instead of stopping at other sensory centers. Using nicotine for an extended time can affect the way the brain functions and even alter the structure of the brain. The centers of the brain that control emotions and motivation develop connections in response to high levels of nicotine. These changes make it very difficult for a person to resist the triggers that make them want to smoke. They may want to or attempt to quit smoking but smoking is more than just a habit, it is also a compulsion. The structural changes in the brain do not revert back to normal simply because one stops smoking. It can take years of abstaining from cigarettes for these changes to be resolved. This makes the risk of relapse very high (Leone, unknown) Within seconds of nicotine entering the bloodstream it enters the brain and binds to neural receptors. This calls the neurons to action. Networks of neurons that are contained within the brain’s reward center signal the release of dopamine, a natural feel good chemical. This makes the brain consider nicotine to be a positive activity, like eating or sexual activity are. Continued nicotine use strengthens this connection and the brain begins to consider it as necessary for survival as eating, drinking and procreating. Dopamine levels drop as nicotine levels do. This results in cravings that trigger the smoker to reach for another cigarette that will deliver the nicotine the brain thinks it must have. As with caffeine and other addictive drugs the more nicotine you use the more you need as the body becomes tolerant. Smokers become chemically dependent early on and the addiction grows stronger over time. Neural pathways that connect smoking to all kinds of emotions and situations begin to form. That is why cigarettes are commonly smoked almost in a ritualistic manner. Stressed? Driving? Just finished a meal or task? Just finished having Sex? Reach for a cigarette because the emotions and situations are connected and these and many others trigger the desire for a nicotine fix because they are associated with each other by the brain (Kellet, 2012) As mentioned above the thousands of compounds found in cigarettes are more hazardous to the body than nicotine itself is. The deadly chemicals and compounds in cigarettes increase the risk of many kinds of cancer throughout the body. It can weaken the immune system, lead to heart disease, shorten life expectancy dramatically, raise blood pressure, increase the risk of stroke and cause many respiratory diseases like emphysema, COPD and asthma. Women who smoke during pregnancy risk increase of premature delivery, low birth weight and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Men who smoke are also more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction. This is certainly not an exhaustive list of the damage cigarettes can cause. (National Cancer Institute, unknown). Nicotine in and of itself can still affect the cardiovascular system, central nervous system and respiratory system negatively. Nicotine has been shown to boost working memory and performance of cognitive tasks (Julien et al, 2011). Some resea rch has also shown that it may help prevent ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Tourette’s Syndrome (Hamilton, Unknown). Even though nicotine may have some benefits it seems that the risks outweigh the benefits. Jack Henningfield said, At this point, I would contend that the cognitive benefits which have been documented are of such limited generality and low magnitude that they could hardly be considered to be clinically meaningful, except for nicotines efficacy in reversing deficits which occur during cigarette abstinence in nicotine dependent people (Henningfield, 1994). Christianity and Substance Abuse Although smoking and caffeine use are not specifically addressed in the Bible there are many passages in the Bible that urge and warn Christians to avoid treating our bodies badly. One that clearly states how Christians should view substance abuse of any kind is found in 1st Corinthians. It reads, â€Å"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body† (1st Corinthians 6:19-20, New International Version). It doesn’t get much clearer than that. While many Christians use caffeine and nicotine those things, especially when used to the point of addiction and abuse, would probably not be considered to be a way that we can glorify God with our bodies. Using these substances will not make a person unforgivable. They can still be saved and cannot lose their salvation if they are already saved. Freeing yourself from addiction is hard but if we a re willing to try we can find encouragement in Scripture as well. Phillipians 4:13 says, â€Å"I can do all things through him who gives me strength† (Holy Bible, NIV). The struggle may be real but the strength of Christ can help us overcome. Caffeine and Nicotine are both substances that affect the brain and body. They create feelings of pleasure within the body that leave us wanting to experience the feelings again. Caffeine can give us a much needed pick me up. It is easy to develop a habit of consuming caffeine and over time can turn into a dependency or addiction as we continue to trick our bodies into being alert and responsive. It is also easy to justify using caffeine as the risk for abusing it is low and moderate use doesn’t seem to be terribly dangerous. There are certainly worse things we could be putting in our bodies than coffee, colas and Hershey bars. Nicotine dependency can happen fairly quickly. The brain adapts to the drug and the desire to keep levels of nicotine and dopamine steady is so strong that it drives the user to keep going back for more. This is often the case even when they know fully well that doing so is likely damaging their health, could shorten their lifespan and can be compromising the health of the people who are around them when they smoke. They may wish to stop smoking but the changes that nicotine causes within the body make quitting a monumental task and if they do manage to stop using products containing nicotine the chance of relapsing is fairly high. There are products available that may help people who are trying to stop smoking. They provide nicotine in measured amounts to help people maintain and decrease nicotine levels while avoiding the habit of smoking cigarettes to get their fix. People can try using chewing gum with nicotine, patches that are applied to the skin that allow nicotine to be absor bed into the body, nasal sprays and electronic cigarettes. These products also eliminate the exposure to the 4000 plus compounds that are released when tobacco is burned (Julien et al, 2011). Conclusion Researching caffeine and nicotine through new lenses has revealed that they both act very similarly to other addictive drugs within the body. The body enjoys them and desires them. The body can become tolerant to both so users will need to use more to satisfy the cravings. They may not be illegal but they certainly can be addictive. Both can cause withdrawal symptoms if they are stopped suddenly. Sounds quite a bit like drug use and abuse to me. References Connolly, R. (2000, August 7). Caffeine. Retrieved from http://www.pe2000.com/self_help_techniques/caffeine/ DiSalvo, D. (212, July 26). What caffene really does to your brain. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2012/07/26/what-caffeine-really-does-to-your-brain/ Girdwain, J. (2013). Is caffeine the worlds BEST drug?. Redbook, 220(3), 90. Hamilton, W. (Unknown). Nicotine benefits. Retrieved from http://www.forces.org/evidence/hamilton/other/nicotine.htm Henningfield, J. (1994). Comments on wests editorial beneficial effect of nicotine: fact or fiction?. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1360-0443.1994.tb00865.x/pdf Julien, R., Advokat, C., Comaty, J. (2011). A primer of drug action. (12th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers. Kellett, C. (2012, December 3). The short and long term effects of nicotine on the brain. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=how nicotine affects the brainsourceid=ie7rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Addressie=oe=rlz= Leone, F. (Unknown). Nicotines effect on the brain. Retrieved from http://phillycopd.com/WP1/web-cme-resourcesintroduction/section-1-tobacco-use-treatment/knowledgecontent/nicotine-brain-effect/ National Cancer Institute. (Unknown). Harms of smoking and health benefits of quitting. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Tobacco/cessation Ogawa, N., Ueki, H. (2007). Clinical importance of caffeine dependence and abuse. Psychiatry Clinical Neurosciences, 61(3), 263-268. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1819.2007.01652.x