Category: critical thinking

The knowledge of one’s worthiness is crucial to a person’s ability to feel a sense of love and connection. In 2010, Brene Brown did a TED talk on how impactful being vulnerable is to our ability to feel belonging and connection which received over 40.5 million views. She explains that the soul of her work as a researcher is to study, predict, and control phenomena, but through her research, she discovered that the best way to live is to cease predicting and controlling and get comfortable with vulnerability. This revelation caused a life-changing breakdown for Brown, triggering her pursuit of learning to live whole-heartedly and vulnerable. She found that to feel vulnerable is what it means to be alive and gives us the ability to create, belong, and love.

The main factor that keeps us from feeling connected to those around us is a fear that maybe we do not deserve that connection. We are all afraid that there is a quality we unfortunately have that makes us not good enough, but we must learn to embrace our imperfections. Some may find it easier to feel self-worth than others. For those on the hunt for higher life satisfaction, many options can help such as therapy and understanding positive psychology. The key to discovering the feeling of self-worth is to overcome shame, guilt, and fear with vulnerability, humility, and forgiveness.

Some personality traits can make it easier to be vulnerable and self-accepting. The Five Factor Model is a grouping of five personality traits that describe the fundamental dimensions on which people differ from others. These traits are Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. A rating higher in Openness and Agreeableness may be seen as a tendency to appreciate a wider array of ideas, morals, and emotions, and have more helpful and forgiving behaviors. Lower levels of Neuroticism are represented by more self-secure, self-satisfaction, and lower irritability. People on both ends of the spectrum for Conscientiousness and Extraversion have reported both high and low self-esteem suggesting that these traits do not affect one’s self-worth. All of this being true, not everyone on the planet has these exact traits which is great because it allows us to have a more rich and diverse population. However, it also means that some people may have more trouble experiencing self-worth than others.

For those, like Brown, who are seeking a whole-hearted and vulnerable life, therapy is an option. One form of therapy that may be particularly helpful for self-esteem is humanistic/person-centered therapy (PCT) in which the therapist adopts the role of passive guide, also known as unconditional positive regard, by conveying understanding, sympathy, and warmth while being free of praise or criticism. This environment encourages the patient to be comfortable searching within themselves and recognize their self-worth. PCT is highly favorable with patients with most finding the supportive environment very gratifying. However, this kind of therapy uses similar strategies for all clients and may not be the right fit for everyone.

Fortunately, there are other types of therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The theory of this model of therapy is that thoughts generate feelings that cause behaviors, and then those behaviors bolster those original thoughts, working in a cycle. The basis of CBT is reappraisal/cognitive restructuring in which the therapist identifies the patient’s untrue maladaptive thoughts for the patient to dispose of such thought patterns or adjust them to something more adaptive. This type of therapy uses therapist-assigned homework to work on in-the-moment behavior goals in between sessions. More work and effort is required of the patient in this therapeutic design because of its present-focused style, CBT has the greatest empirical backing for its effectiveness and is found, consistently, to be better than other therapies. This treatment method can take negative thoughts and turn them into positive ones of self-worth, self-acceptance, and a sense of gratitude for life as it is.

Positivity is extremely important to our well-being. Positive Psychology is the methodical study of what makes humans flourish with the three key strengths being gratitude, humility, and forgiveness. Practicing gratefulness improves life satisfaction by increasing positive conscious thoughts of pleasant life experiences. Humility also contributes to life satisfaction because it involves accurate self-appraisal of one’s strengths and weaknesses causing a sense of self-acceptance and openness to diverse experiences of ideas, new information, and receiving advice. Humility is important to holding a positive perspective of one’s capabilities. Lastly, forgiveness is the source of inner peace. Holding resentment towards oneself and others is what leads to hate and self-loathing. Forgiveness is imperative to overcoming feelings of shame and guilt, and for holding onto harmony within relationships. Forgiveness is an extremely powerful action people can take, both internally and with others, to improve their ability to be vulnerable and connect.

Bonaparte is known as the most famous military leader in France. Many see the ruler as inadequate because he led to the downfall of France, but Napoleon did not only just lead armies. He was the emperor of France and created many reforms in the French government. Napoleon Bonaparte was a virtuous leader because he reformed France. Bonaparte established the Napoleonic code which granted all male citizens uniform rights and an equal tax system. He also provided an education system for all men.

Napoleon was born on August 15, 1769. He was born in Corsica, a Mediterranean island, but he spent most of his childhood in France because he attended a school on the mainland of France. His parents, Letizia Romalino Bonaparte and Carlo Buonaparte had eight children, but only two survived, one of whom was Napoleon. Napoleon soon learned the French language due to his education, and in 1785 he graduated from the French military academy. After graduation, he became a part of an artillery regiment for the French army, where he served as a second lieutenant (“Napoleonic Code Approved in France”). In 1796 Napoleon married an attractive woman, Josephine de Beauharnais. With many military triumphs, Napoleon slowly rose to power and soon became emperor of France. Due to his wife, Josephine, being infertile he divorced and remarried an 18-year-old girl. She was the daughter of Emperor Francis I of Austria, and her name was Archduchess Marie Louise. Together they had one child named Napoleon (a WBO Student). Napoleon had great energy and ambition while leading France, but his ambition ultimately led to his downfall, where he was exiled to an island called Saint Helena in October of 1815. He then died there on May 5, 1821 (at 51 years old). It was said that he most likely died of stomach cancer, but no one is 100% sure (“Napoleonic Code Approved in France”).

“The goal of the French Revolution was to replace France’s all-powerful king with a government that gave citizens “liberty, equality, and fraternity.” Bonaparte supported the ideal of equality – fair, predictable laws that protected the rights of citizens” (Heuston 64). In 1800 Napoleon came to power and began the vigorous and time-consuming task of revising France’s outdated legal system. It took him four years of planning and questioning to decide whether or not to enact the Napoleonic code. Napoleon established a special group of people, called a commission, to meet and discuss the legal revisions for France. This special commission met more than 80 times and in 1804 the code was established and known as the “new legal framework” for France. This set of laws reformed France and gave structure after the revolution. (“Napoleonic Code Approved in France”). The code was based on the articles in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which General Lafayette wrote as a result of the French Revolution (“‘Code Napoleon’ and ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man’ Comparison”). Under the Napoleonic Code, all men were granted equal rights and the right to religious freedom (“Napoleonic Code Approved in France”). Article one of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, says “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good” (Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen). Napoleon wanted the Napoleonic code to make all men born free and equal. Social differences, like religion, should not matter. Napoleon wanted every French citizen to have an impact on this new government, in article 6 it says, ”Law is the expression of the general will. Every citizen has a right to participate… All citizens … are equally eligible to all dignities and to all public positions and occupations, according to their abilities, and without distinction except that of their virtues and talents” (Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen). Everyone influences the law. Every citizen has a right to participate through their representative. All citizens are thought to be equal under the law, they all have an equal chance to get a job according to abilities, not social ranking. These articles were used to create the Napoleonic Code, which was applied to the territories under Napoleon’s power. They also influenced the laws of South America and many other European countries (Napoleonic Code Approved in France). The Napoleonic Code gives uniform rights to all men.

Before Napoleon rose to power the French taxation system collapsed, which was a key factor in the French Revolution (McLean). During the revolution, the three estates of France would draft up Cahiers, which are lists of grievances (“Cahiers De Doléances”). When Napoleon came to power he created an efficient taxation system that granted a steady flow of money, he took into mind all these grievances and fixed them (McLean). “Napoleon set up an efficient method of tax collection… In addition to ensuring the government a steady supply of tax money, this action promoted sound financial management” (Beck, Roger B). Before Napoleon the economy was not successful, this was because of the French Revolution, and under his control, France’s economy stabilized. Many grievances were taken into consideration when Napoleon was improving the economy. One grievance said there should not be an increase in taxes until all the debts and payments were paid off. As stated in Cahier of 1789, The Third Estate of Versailles, Art.33,” There shall be no increase in taxation until the receipts and expenditures have been compared with the utmost care”(Cahier of 1789, The Third Estate of Versailles). If taxation is needed then it must be approved by the people’s representatives and permitted by the king. Art.21 in the same Cahier says, “No tax shall be legal unless accepted by the people’s representatives and sanctioned by the king” (Cahier of 1789, The Third Estate of Versailles). Later in the Cahier (Art.26) it says,” All new taxes,… shall be established only for a limited time, never to exceed two or three years. At the expiration of this term, they shall be no longer collected”(Cahier of 1789, The Third Estate of Versailles). All new taxes should only last for two or three years, when the time is up no more money should be collected. Another Cahier says that if they need to pay taxes in case of war, then the amount should be determined by each person’s wealth. Someone who is bringing home more money should pay a higher tax than someone who is barely able to put food on the table for their family. “Art. 29. The amount which each citizen shall be obliged to pay, in case of war, because of an increase in the existing taxes, at a certain rate per livre (currency), shall be determined beforehand by the States General in conjunction with the king” (Cahier of 1789, The Third Estate of Versailles). For example, the first estate, which is made up of clergy, should pay more in taxes than the second estate, which is made up of nobility. This is because the clergy make more money than the nobility. All these Cahiers were used to create an efficient tax system in France. This new taxation system that Napoleon created granted the country a prosperous economy.

Napoleon granted all men a chance at education. He established tons of new lychees in France. Lycées are secondary schools founded by the government for boys ages 10-16. Boys who went to these schools were able to have a position in the bureaucracy or military. Napoleon recognized the importance of education for young men (“Napoleonic Reforms”). These Lycées are so important that every court in a district had at least one lycée, “There shall be at least one lycée for each tribunal of appeal district” (“Documents upon Napoleon and Education”). These government-controlled schools were created to teach young boys language and science, to help them prepare for a jab in the government or military, ”Lycées shall be established for instruction in letters and the sciences” (Documents upon Napoleon and Education). There should be at least eight professors per lycées, the government can increase the amount of professors if they see fit. If more students are attending one lycee than the other the government would hire more professors. The main reason why Napoleon set up these schools was to replace corrupt officials with law-abiding ones, “Napoleon also took steps to corruption and inefficiency in the government. He dismissed corrupt officials and, to provide the government with trained officials set up Lycées, or government-run public schools” (Beck 230). These lycés gave all young men a chance at valuable education to get high-paying jobs in the government or military.

Napoleon Bonaparte was a positive monarch because he improved France. Bonaparte established the Napoleonic code which granted all male citizens equal rights and a fair tax system. He also created an education system for all young men. These examples show how Napoleon was a virtuous leader.

Works Cited

1. Bartebly.com. “‘Code Napoleon’ and ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man’ Comparison.” ‘Code Napoleon’ and “Declaration of the Rights of Man” Comparison, 8 Apr. 2013, www.bartleby.com/essay/Code-Napoleon-and-Declaration-of-the-Rights-PKJQ4EQJTJ.
2. Beck, Roger B. Modern World History: Patterns of Interaction. McDougal Littell, 2005.
3. “Cahier of 1789, The Third Estate of Versailles.” Cahier 3, history.hanover.edu/texts/cahiers3.html.
4. “Cahiers De Doléances.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 14 Mar. 2019, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahiers_de_dol%C3%A9ances.
5. “Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen.” Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, www.hrcr.org/docs/frenchdec.html.
6. Editors, History.com. “Napoleon Bonaparte.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/france/napoleon. Accessed 25 Apr. 2019.
7. Heuston, Kimberley Burton. Napoleon was Emperor and Conqueror. Paw Prints, 2011.
8. History.com Editors. “Napoleonic Code Approved in France.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Feb. 2010, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/napoleonic-code-approved-in-france.
9. HistoryWiz. “Napoleonic Reforms.” Napoleonic Reforms – HistoryWiz Napoleon and the French Revolution, www.historywiz.com/reforms.htm.
10. Maloy, Anderson ,Frank. “Documents upon Napoleon and Education.” Documents upon Napoleon and Education, 1904, www.napoleon-series.org/research/government/legislation/c_education.html.
11. McLean, John. “History of Western Civilization II.” Napoleon’s Government | History of Western Civilization II, courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/napoleons-government.
12. WBO Student, www.worldbookonline.com/student-new/#/article/home/ar381040/napoleon.

Everyone has committed a crime. However, some sins are unforgivable, to the point that they seem unforgivable. The ‘unforgivable sin’ is the obedience of the mind to the intellect. Nathaniel Hawthorne through Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester Prynne, and Roger Chillingworth There are some excellent examples in The Scarlet Letter. Through the differences in the lives of these three roles, Hawthorne taught that confession rather than concealment is a better option. This is important because most people prefer to hide their flaws because they will appreciate what other people think of themselves. However, this search for perfection is an important element of Puritan society, Hawthorne rejected this point, showing that Hawthorne showed his behavior by criticizing his Puritan thinking with his personality. As textual evidence, it can be seen that Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne committed adultery, but this is not a seemingly unforgivable crime. His fault was that he told the people a lie about his adultery.

Dimsdale lied not to tell the people that he did not commit adultery, but not to tell them anything. This forces Hester to endure all the punishments until the end of the novel when Dimmesdale finally exposes her secrets to the city. Chillingworth also committed a sin that seemed unforgivable. It seems to be a person without a heart. His sin is Dimmesdale’s slow revenge and torture, but since this is the goal he has pursued since the beginning of the novel, his heart is hard to find. Dimmesdale committed the crime of violating the Ten Commandments, while Chillingworth committed many of the seven deadly sins, primarily jealousy and anger. When he discovered Hester’s adultery, he was not only angry and wanted revenge, but also jealous. He is jealous that his wife is the mother of another man’s son.

Chilingworth’s anger was the most unforgivable of his sins. It can also be said that Dimmesdale and Hester did not commit an unforgivable sin because they repented for themselves from the heart. However, Hester boldly admitted this and predated Dimmesdale. But their hearts succumbed to intelligence and confession, instead of eliminating their sins. Used to end the consequences of your sins. Hester’s crime was hiding Chillingworth’s identity from Dimmesdale, and Dimmesdale’s crime was hiding her role in Hester’s adultery from the community. In this sense, these two sins are unforgivable, covered by deception, and hurt your loved ones, Killingworth. When Dimmesdale asked her about Chillingworth, she asked, ‘Who is that person, Hester?’ I tremble before him! Do you know this person? I hate it, Hester! Hester was silent and let Dimsdale continue to suffer. Because Hester concealed her knowledge of Chillingworth and instead convinced Dimmesdale that she was still perfect, Hawthorne was used throughout the novel They both punish her by depriving her of her femininity, saying that she is dead in her heart and that she wears a hat to cover up your beautiful hair… Suffice it to say that this transition is disgusting. On the contrary, when Hester finally tells Dimsdale in the woods and pleads guilty, she regains her beauty, and after taking off her hair, ‘Her sex, her youth, and her beauty are all rich and come back ‘The transformation is described as miraculous: ‘Recovering from… an irreparable past.’ Through Hester, Hawthorne demonstrated the consequences of unforgivable sins to emphasize the importance of openness and honesty. Sex. Hester, unlike Dimsdale, is free from sin. When a person cannot forgive himself like Arthur Dimmesdale, he needs the forgiveness of everyone else before he can forgive himself. Dimmesdale could not tell anyone what he did because he might be sentenced to death for it. He is a pastor. He was too scared of other people’s reactions to tell others what he did. Therefore, he cannot be forgiven. This sin was eaten up in Demisdale until he could no longer live. All this is because he cannot get forgiveness from the people in the community and himself. Although all these evils are forgivable, they don’t seem to be the case because of our human nature.

Do you ask for forgiveness frequently? When excess affects self-esteem

Do you ask for forgiveness frequently? Saying ‘sorry’, in principle, is one of the social ‘glues’ that strengthen our relationships. However, doing it constantly can weaken our self-esteem. Let us think that the act of apologizing must be punctual and meaningful, not a continuous and almost obsessive exercise where, in some way, our lack of confidence is revealed.

‘Sorry to bother you, but: can I ask you a question?’, ‘Excuse me, can you leave me that pen there?’, ‘Sorry, but I think that …’ We could give a thousand examples of those situations in which the noun ‘sorry ‘Becomes the protagonist of our conversations.

Something that at first could be a distinctive feature of our courtesy or good education sometimes becomes a dynamic with negative implications for ourselves.

Jean de la Bruyère said that there is only a permissible excess in our world, and it is none other than to show genuine gratitude. Because the act of giving thanks is not the same as being truly grateful.

The same happens with forgiveness. We can pronounce this word twenty times a day, forty times even. However, it will always be preferable to use this term when it is truly necessary. Let’s reflect on it.

“Asking for forgiveness does not always mean that we are wrong and that the other is right. It simply means that we value a relationship much more than our ego. ”

-Anonymous-

Do you ask for forgiveness frequently? Stop apologizing excessively

When you ask for forgiveness, you often imply that the other should free you from something. Sooner or later, the people around you will end up tired, or even more, they will end up thinking that you don’t have enough confidence to act autonomously. Thus, and as happens in any area of ​​life, every extreme is bad, whether we abuse something as if we completely dispense with any dimension.

An example of the latter is Donald Trump. One of his best-known phrases is that he states ‘never apologize because he simply never makes mistakes. ‘ Another example of this is that of Martin Winterkorn, the former CEO of Volkswagen.

Despite the fraud committed in the emissions of his diesel cars, it took almost a year to publicly apologize. When he did, the trust of a large part of the customers was already ‘broken. ‘

On the other side of the scale are undoubtedly all those profiles that make use and abuse of apologies. Sometimes for education and courtesy and sometimes for simple insecurity, they are not aware of the implications that this may have. Let’s see it below.

We devalue the purpose of forgiveness

Forgiving and asking for forgiveness are two highly therapeutic exercises. They resolve conflicts, release charges, and relieve tensions. Few acts involve greater responsibility than assuming involvement in a grievance or offense to ask the other party to be forgiven for it. Now, if we spend the day asking for forgiveness for minor things, the essence of forgiveness loses meaning and relevance.

We devalue ourselves

Do you ask for forgiveness frequently? Then stop for a moment to reflect on the following idea. How do you think others see you every time you apologize for something that has no importance or impact? Some situations do not justify the use of this word. Much of the time when you use it there has been no real circumstance in which you need to be forgiven.

We must understand that not by asking for more times forgiveness we will be more humble, more correct, or respectful. Do not apologize for asking, for passing, for sitting, for that pencil that you drop, for asking for help, for breathing … It combines self-esteem and strengthens your confidence.

Woman worried and thinking about him, do you ask for forgiveness frequently?

We apologize as a wild card to get out of certain situations

Most of us do: ask for forgiveness like someone who uses a wild card to get out of the way in certain situations. These are moments when somehow, our insecurity or shyness emerges. Let’s think about it. It is common to ask for forgiveness when we address a stranger or someone who imposes on us ⇔ ‘Sorry can I ask you a question? ‘Excuse me, could you give me that key that I have dropped …’

The problem, therefore, more than in the use of this word is to ‘abuse’ it. When it becomes that persistent resource in our vocabulary, in that gear with which to move in large part of our social scenarios.

When to ask for forgiveness and when not?

Do you ask for forgiveness frequently? Then you probably want to know when it is better to do it and when not. Working on this aspect of our behavior will make us feel more competent and safe in any situation and scenario.

When to ask for forgiveness:

Ask for forgiveness when you have caused harm to someone.

Do it when you have offended, disappointed, or hurt a person’s feelings.

Ask to be forgiven when you repent of a behavior or an action taken.

Be able to ask for forgiveness every time you make a mistake and your mistake affects others.

Ask forgiveness to close stages, to leave old grudges behind.

Let’s try to be able to ask ourselves for forgiveness. We all accumulate errors or poor choices that weigh in our present and deserve to be released, and forgiven.

When not to apologize

Do not ask for forgiveness when you are giving your opinion.

Avoid saying this word in situations where this dimension is meaningless: when you talk to someone when you want to ask a question when you need to take something …

Avoid asking for forgiveness when you need help.

Do you ask for forgiveness frequently? Although there are times when asking for an apology is necessary, in many cases we abuse this term in situations where its use is not effective.

Although we have heard that ‘asking for forgiveness does not make us strong’, we understand that everything has a limit. Sometimes, abuse blurs the real and powerful sense of this healthy term and we lose self-esteem. Let’s make proper and wise use of this wonderful dimension.

To forgive is to be able to travel to the past and return without pain

When they hurt us, our immediate reaction is not to want to forgive who did it to us. We are offended, disappointed, and in some cases in deep pain. But this very common and natural reaction also has its difficulties.

It is true that, in the short term, maintaining rancor can prevent the damage from continuing; and that is why we do not usually forgive the person who caused us pain first. But if we continue to hold a person’s grudge for too long it is as if we are mentally trapped in a situation that no longer exists. This will cause us all kinds of intense feelings, which can cause us to suffer unnecessary suffering.

Two of the most negative states that the mind can maintain, and which occur because of not knowing how to forgive in time, are hate and anger. Seneca described hate and anger as the most horrible and frenetic of all emotions. In many cases, the damages that they cause us are much greater than the possible benefits that can cause us to continue holding the grudge.

However, forgiving those who have hurt us is not as simple as just wanting it. Once we come to accept the harmful effects of maintaining hate, and we want to learn to forgive people who in the past caused us pain, the next question is obvious: how do we do it?

If one encounters a person who has been shot by an arrow, he does not take the time to ask where he came from, or to analyze what type of wood is made; on the contrary, he will focus on trying to extract it immediately to minimize damage. We should do the same with suffering, eliminating it as soon as possible without giving it more room to continue harming us. Below we will describe some of the most powerful reasons to start practicing forgiveness.

‘If you don’t forgive for love, forgive at least for selfishness, for your well-being.’

-Dalai Lama-

Forgiveness is a sign of strength

In the Western mind, patience and tolerance are considered important values to some extent. However, when someone hurts us, responding with patience and tolerance seems to convey weakness and passivity. This is one of the main reasons why it costs us so much to forgive others.

But, since these two virtues are indispensable components of emotions such as forgiveness or love, we should not see them as a sign of weakness. On the contrary, we could begin to understand them rather as a sign of strength, which comes from a deep capacity to stand firm in our values.

Responding to a painful situation with patience and tolerance is a sign of emotional strength, and it will help us get closer to forgiveness than to a reaction of anger and hate. In addition, managing to face a difficult situation with this attitude implies exercising important control over our feelings, which means having good self-esteem and emotional intelligence.

‘To forgive is only learned in life when we have needed to be forgiven a lot’.

Forgiveness is the water that exterminates the fires of the soul

The U theory teaches us that we cannot live in the future with the burden of the past behind us. Saying goodbye to what has already happened, and forgiving the mistakes of others and your own, opens a space for new opportunities.

As Otto Scharmer, creator of the U theory, points out, “Energy follows attention. That is why we should not focus our attention on what we try to avoid, but on what we intend to happen. ” For example, a person who is resentful of the disappointments of the past will search without realizing those same results in all his actions and relationships, because he is anchored in the loop of what happened and not in the new that can happen.

The U theory says, among other things, that as long as we do not let go of old fears and prejudices (for which it uses the English expression let it go), we will not leave room for anything truly new to happen in our life ( let it come). If we do not let go of the burden of the past, there will be no space for life to surprise us with new experiences.

As we can see, forgiving someone when he has hurt us can be very difficult. Precisely for that reason, we must understand the reasons why it is worth learning to do so. Remember that it is in your hands to let go of the past, thus freeing you from a heavy emotional burden that does not let you move forward.

‘Forgiving allows us to be happy and enjoy life since it is human to make mistakes’.

Museums are a trend these days, as evidence we can always see or read news that gives prominence to a museum, whether it’s on television, an article in the newspaper, or a feature in magazines. It’s so joyful to see, that once again we as Filipinos become curious and aware of our heritage in natural, cultural, and historical aspects. Just last May 2018 the new National Museum of Natural History was opened to the public where everyone can learn and discover about the country’s rich and diverse flora and fauna for free. The public, especially the learning institutions can now have a new place and methods to facilitate learning to enhance the learning process of their students in the field of Natural History just like in the field of Anthropology and History.

It’s not new anymore that Museums serve as an avenue of alternative sources of information and the teachers take it as an opportunity every time there’s an educational tour as well as using the museum tour experience to relate their topics to their subject matter. As a former educator and now a museum employee who also as a child who always looks forward to an educational trip, I can say that Museum visits have become mandatory these days as a place to go every time there’s an educational tour not because DepEd mandates it but because they see the importance of it. Museum integration in the classroom particularly in elementary school, can aid curriculum effectiveness and unlock a child’s imagination in creating a unique learning experience. We all know that students learn in many different ways. They effectively have different learning styles. These different styles are categorized into three types; visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Educators are often trying to figure out how to differentiate their lessons to reach a classroom of unique and different learners. What if we could reach those learners all at the same time? We could then effectively guarantee we are suitably appealing to the multiple intelligences of a diverse student population. We can achieve this by incorporating unique museum field trip experiences.

Field Trips or Educational Tour are not mandatory, if the Department of Education is the one to be asked, but they also see the importance that is one of the means to supplement classroom learning and the department is clear in stressing that if ever there’s a need for an educational tour, the places to be visited by the students “must be educational, such as cultural and historical sites, or science exhibits in museums.” Museums, of all places, get the nod and recommendation from the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for improving the quality of basic education. Even the 17th Congress in their 2nd regular session, recently filed a Resolution that strongly urged the Department of Education to require all Private and Public Education schools to prioritize in their conduct of Educational Field Trips Visits to Historical Sites, Landmarks, and Museums within the Philippines. The Congress, the Department of Education, and all the learning institutions are both convinced that museums play a big part in students’ learning, if the learning institution together with the legislative and the executive departments of the country in Education have these kinds of beliefs, this study just want to identify how effective is the museum visit as instructional strategies in enhancing the student engagement in the classroom? Will it yield in their great learning output? What about those students who don’t experience it? Is there an effect in their engagement in the classroom that will affect their learning outcome? These are the questions examined throughout this research.

Dracula is a gothic horror novel written in 1897 by Irish author Abraham “Bram” Stoker, who became well-known after the release of this masterpiece. The novel unfolds the mysterious story of Count Dracula, who tries to flee from Transylvania, a remote region, and goes to England to find new blood and attempts to spread the curse of the undead. It also depicts the fight between good and evil where a joint group of men and women fight against Count Dracula alongside Abraham Van Helsing, a professor and physician whose knowledge is not limited only to science and reasoning but also vampirism and mythological folklores. The novel is composed of marvelous characters and full of hidden messages narrated in a journalistic style and bits of evidence in the form of journal entries, letters, telegrams, and newspaper articles.

The novel “Dracula” was not the first vampire literature created in history. There are vampire myths and lore that date back to ancient times, and there are vampire-like creatures in folklore all over the world, but Stoker’s novel was preceded by and likely influenced by authors with several published vampire stories. His plans and drafts, however, were influenced not only by these and other literary forefathers, but also by his research and intuition into historical works, travel books, and folklore records found in the different libraries, theaters, and museums in the western part of England. Stoker’s work notes manifest his reliance on other historical books such as when the time he visited Whitby and read the history of Wallachia, home of Vlad III Dracula, and Moldavia. While there, three references are what inspired him to give a name to his infamous character and one of them was after a real person who had a penchant for blood: Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia or more widely known as – Vlad the Impaler.

Dracula is one of several significant and long-lasting novels associated with gothic traits such as the mysterious settings, both remote and ancient places, as well as dramatic coincidences in which fate plays a role. In the case of Dracula, issues of marriage and sexuality, and scientific challenges to religious traditions are all addressed. Also, it is one of the group of novels about transition and change, both in the body and the mind.

The novel’s action takes place in the late 1800s and alternates between two geographical settings, the ancient and modern. Dracula begins in Transylvania, a remote place, in which his castle resides, the castle Dracula, then moves to England before going back to Transylvania as the novel’s ending. The settings of the novel counteract one another, where Transylvania acts as a less advanced and more primitive society influenced by folklore, myths, and religion. It also has ties to the Islamic world, which has traditionally been considered outside the borders of Europe. As Harker explains, “The impression I had was that we were leaving the West and entering the East” (Chapter 3, page__ ). As mentioned above, Transylvania is designated as the location where a vampire can emerge and gain power: as Count Dracula explains, “We are in Transylvania and Transylvania is not England. Our ways are not your ways, and there shall be to you many strange things” (Chapter 2, p6). However, the plot’s momentum is based on the fact that the Count has no intention of residing in Eastern Europe instead, he yearns for England to satisfy his blood lust and to start a plague. Setting in England illustrates that Dracula gives trouble to the nation by contamination and manipulation its inhabitants and women. In the end, the protagonists defeat Dracula back in Transylvania, outside of his castle. His return to Transylvania signifies that the reign of terror he caused has been settled and contained.

Most of the characters’ points of view in the novel are in first-person perspective since the novel is composed of written records such as journal entries and letters. Each narrator describes and reflects on his own experience of the novel’s events in their accounts. The reflections they wrote were done daily and they convey an urge of immediacy rather than retrospection. They have no idea what will happen next, but they are constantly reflecting on the events of the previous days. Each narrator also has a point of view regarding their interests and personality. For instance, Dr. John Seward’s entries are mostly in reliance on scientific evidence which makes it difficult for him to recognize Lucy’s illness as supernatural. His entries are suspicious, as he grapples with possibilities he cannot fully accept. Meanwhile, Mina’s entries reflect her sympathy and frankly express her feelings and worries, also she frequently intuits her companions’ need for emotional and moral support. Professor Van Helsing, on the other hand, has a limited presence in the novel as a first-person perspective. His point of view is expressed directly in a few letters, and later in an account of his journey to Castle Dracula with Mina, in which he protects against the Count. This appropriately reflects Van Helsing, at first, for the concealment of his motivations and knowledge about the true nature of Count Dracula from other protagonist characters. Next, Arthur Holmwood and Quincey Morris, neither of them ever become narrators, but both men are primary tools in service in the latter part of the novel. Lastly, Dracula and the three vampire brides, as adversaries of major characters, never had a journal entry except pieces of Dracula’s backstory come out only in Van Helsing’s entries. The novel suggests that the point of view of the characters plays an essential role as this gives the readers mixed emotions and ideas on the personality of each account in the novel.

The main characters in the novel represent Stoker’s ideas, beliefs, and relationships with the world and the people around it. Each one of them has a set of skills and traits that fulfill the portrayal of their character for the novel to be more interesting and lively. Count Dracula is the major antagonist of the novel, an evil, and nobleman who escapes death by drinking human blood to retain his supernatural youth and strength. Dracula was once a leader, passed down from his ancestors, who had wealth and authority in his mortal life. He seeks to regain his power and absolute control in the world as a vampire. Count Dracula is intelligent and patient, yet also full of vain and superiority. The novel suggests that there’s nothing permanent in this world and anyone can change for the better or worse.

Next, is Van Helsing, an old professor and metaphysician, who is one of the protagonist characters and has an open mind and wide expertise against Dracula and his evil acts. He assembled a group of men to protect Lucy Westenra and shared all of his knowledge about vampirism and myths on how to defeat their enemy. He is not perfect at first since his unwillingness to freely share information about Dracula causes problems and mistakes that endanger Mina Murray’s life. The novel suggests that communication, open-mindedness, and teamwork, are the keys to avoiding complications and achieving victory.

Mina Murray and Jonathan Harker are also considered the major characters and lovers in the novel. Mina Murray, later Mina Harker, is a schoolmistress and an ambitious woman. She keeps on learning such as typing, research, and interview skills to be useful to his husband, Jonathan Harker, in the field of his work. Jonathan Harker, on the other hand, is a solicitor lawyer, who was tasked by his firm to have a work trip to Castle Dracula to do methodological paperwork about the estate purchased by Dracula, the Carfax. His stay in the castle is full of torment and suffering which transforms him into a white-haired, and frantic man. His devotion to his wife, now Mina Harker, is everlasting; He would rather become a vampire alongside her than let her suffer alone under the vampirism curse. Assurance of Dracula’s death only will Jonathan be able to return to his law office free of extreme anxiety and stress. The novel suggests the concept of gender equality wherein Mina learns new things to help Jonathan in his work. It shows that the roles of women and men have equal responsibilities and opportunities. Also, the novel portrays the art of love where true love involves responsibility, respect, sacrifice, and care, in the couple showed these kind of traits to each other in the novel.

Lucy Westenra is a young, virgin, and beautiful woman who is also an important character in the novel. She is best friends with Mina Murray, who guides her on how to cope with life more effectively and marriage. Lucy, because of her good heart and beauty, was serenaded by three men namely: Arthur Holmwood, Quincey Morris, and John Seward. She becomes ill when Dracula preys on her and in the latter part of the novel, she transforms into a vampire after her death and begins to hunt down children, earning the name “Bloofer lady” and spreading it in local newspapers for awareness. The novel suggests that true friendship takes care of each other just like how Mina Murray advised Lucy on how to live better and that she must marry only one man, otherwise, it will be complicated. Also, the novel depicts that being beautiful outside is temporary, the true beauty that lasts forever is the good on the inside of a person. Even though Dracula killed Lucy by the curse, she defeated him in terms of morality and virtue which accounts for Dracula’s guilt.

The three suitors of Lucy are also part of the major characters that paves courage to defeat Count Dracula. The first suitor is John Seward, a young doctor and a former apprentice of Professor Van Helsing who runs an asylum located near Dracula’s new residence, Carfax. He tries to learn about psychosis through interviews and observation of Mr. Renfield, one of his lunatic patients, to know how to cure Lucy’s illness. His dedication led him to use medication and scientific reasoning but still, it didn’t heal Lucy and it turns out his love and loyalty to her remain the same no matter what. Following her death, he devotes his life to fighting Dracula. The second suitor is Quincey Morris, a brave and nobleman, who loses his life fighting against Dracula. Just like Seward, he also dedicates his life to avenging Lucy’s death. The last suitor is Arthur Holmwood, also known as Lord Godalming, who is the chosen one and becomes Lucy’s husband. Using his wealth, he finances the expeditions to catch and kill Dracula. These three men became friends despite Lucy’s death and joined the group formed by Van Helsing to defeat Dracula. The novel suggests love, loyalty, sacrifice, and vengeance, in which these men have all these traits to ensure Dracula’s death.

The last of the prominent characters in the novel is Mr. Renfield, a madman who is one of Dracula’s pawns. He is one of the patients of Dr. Seward and is known for being obsessed with consuming life. He eats from flies to spiders to sparrows, and Dracula betrays and kills him after he fails to make him his follower despite the efforts he has made. The novel suggests that don’t trust anyone easily, because some people can’t be trusted and may deceive you for their benefit.

In the novel, there are symbols that the author concealed from the readers to enhance their intellectual values and to have their interpretation and meaning. Me, as a former reader of the novel, I gathered three symbols that were based on my intuition. The first one is regarding the castle and city, in which the castle and villages near it are considered Dracula’s home and his power repository. As a vampire, all places under his property such as the ancient cemetery, and the purchase estate known as Carfax, are also forms of Dracula’s stronghold. In modern cities however, it was the building foundation associated by the people and society including Professor Van Helsing’s knowledge and research, Mina Murray’s skills as a schoolmistress, Dr. John Seward’s medical science knowledge, and Jonathan Harker’s expertise as a solicitorlawyer. The novel suggests it as ancient vs modern, despite years of preparation, Dracula is less at ease and more vulnerable in modern settings compared to the old one.

The second symbol is about the tools and technologies used to fight evil. Vampire folklore existed, which Stoker researched and expanded on in the novel. As the protagonist of the story, several tools used by Van Helsing to destroy vampires and keep Dracula from attacking Lucy have mythological or Christian origins. The communion wafer and crucifix are unmistakably Christian symbols used to overcome Dracula’s evil deeds. Furthermore, other tools, such as garlic and wild rose, have long been used in folk medical remedies to cure a variety of ailments. Lastly, knowledge and modern methods are tools Van Helsing and the group used to kill Dracula. As a result, the novel deployed a toolkit that encompasses ancient and modern resources, superstitions, and the latest technology to succeed against Dracula.

The third and last symbol is about physical bodies and blood. Regardless of how readers perceive the conflict in Dracula, ancient vs new, Eastern vs Western Europe, good versus evil, still, the battlefield of the conflict is physical. The Count is a supernatural creature and is unstoppable, by night at least, in his strength and ability to resurrect his youth by drinking other people’s blood. Readers become aware of the bodies used in his apparent campaign to establish a new era of the kingdom, and they watch as Dracula attempts to create new vampire brides or servants to accompany him in the bodies of Mina and Lucy through the use of blood. On the other hand, his nemesis Van Helsing, at the same time, uses blood in the manner of physical bodies and train

Strategy/Recommendations

Get more funding flowing at the grassroots level to increase participation rates for volleyball. This will increase access to the sport through increasing facilities, and availability of coaches and clubs for those that may never have considered volleyball before. Maybe a touring team could be established for a set period to travel to some of the more remote locations in Australia to increase awareness and run coaching and trial sessions to increase awareness and interest.

An increase in funding for marketing the sport and getting it shown more on TV/media would also help to increase awareness and therefore participation in the sport. Get more recognition and media time for some of the top volleyball athletes to establish strong role models for people to aspire to.

There is a lot of focus on sports as a way of being competitive or the best team. As The Summary of the Future of Australian Sport (Csiro Futures 2013) report indicates, there are other growing ‘megatrends’ such as sports needing to fit more around busy lifestyles, growth of lifestyle sports, and a focus on sports for health. Team sports such as Volleyball will need to fit in with these megatrends in some ways if they want to grow. I think this can be achieved by increasing team sports for social and health benefits and not just competition. It can be more relaxed and fun. For example, Volleyball could be set up as a lunchtime or after-school activity that you can just drop into when you are free and you get placed in a team and have a friendly fun match. Adults could also be provided with drop-in or try-out sessions for friendly teams and matches. That way it combines health and fitness with accessibility community and networking all at the same time.

Volleyball is one of those great sports that does not require much in the way of facilities to play and enjoy. It can be played on a beach with the right net and poles and could be played in many available open spaces where the net can be set up. People just need to be shown how to play the game and to get a taste of how much fun it can be. The health and community/social benefits would then follow.

While some of the sporting ‘megatrends’ may be heading away from the more traditional time-consuming team sports, team sports do still have their place for many people and this can provide health and social interaction benefits. Volleyball can be a cost-effective sport ie it can be played with only a ball, pole, and net and can be easily played for example on a beach.

With additional funding aimed at the grassroots level participation can be increased from all walks of life including indigenous and ethnic groups. In addition, increasing the number of high-profile role models in volleyball would also be a key attractor to the sport.

The importance of forgiveness is a huge concept we humans should heavily focus on. We, humans, justify others’ actions as being unforgivable which leads to bad blood between you and that individual. Your girlfriend cheating on you, being betrayed by your close friend, etc. All these elements could lead to you being unforgivable towards anyone. You have this type of behavior can lead to worse scenarios. This can lead to long-term depression and can seriously affect your future if not taken proper care of it. This module heavily focuses on acts of bitterness, hurt, and guilt. Melanie went through a depression phase during her younger years in life. She mentions her getting married at a very young age to a man named Matt. Throughout the marriage, Melanie seriously became depressed which led to Matt becoming very frustrated but at the same tried to give the support Melanie needed. Matt couldn’t deal with it and furiously left Melanie at her hardest stage. Melanie felt like it was the end of the world and contemplated suicide to let the pain go. Throughout this stage, she felt a sense of strength which slowly helped her but her mindset was still full of toxicity and rage. She states how playing the victim card doesn’t help boost your self-esteem due to the fact trying to gain sympathy from others is going to make you feel weaker. I have experienced the stage of rage and pain which is a stage I never want to experience ever again for the fact it’s the most stressful, overthinking stage, and overall you’re just in a terrible mood and those around will end up not tolerating your negative energy.

Throughout the module, Melanie discusses forgiveness and how it’s a truly great experience when it occurs. Melanie did not have such a great relationship with her mother due to the fact Melanie felt like her mother owed her something in this life. During this situation, Melanie realized how important her mother was to her and how devastated she would feel if she lost her. Melanie explains about her working on herself and having the courage to rebuild a fresh relationship with her mother. I have been in a situation with my mother as well. When I was in my elementary school days, my mother wouldn’t let me go play outside with my friends and wouldn’t let me experience the fresh life outside. She always told me that she was worried for me and that the community we lived in at the time had a very dangerous reputation for any crimes occurring. This upset me because I wanted to play soccer with my school friends and experience more of the outside life as a kid which led to me becoming furious with my mother and ignoring her for the majority of the day. I would have second thoughts about how much she cares for me and how she wants me to feel safe and protected. Eventually, we moved out of the community into a much safer area and I had more freedom to do anything. I noticed I was heavily angry and full of rage which led to me asking for forgiveness then this created a stronger bond between me and her. Melanie discusses her high school experience with an individual who used to physically and verbally bully her. Years went by and they never spoke to each other again. Melanie was still full of anger and rage at the fact the bully didn’t seek forgiveness and just left her feeling furious about the whole situation. Melanie then realized that the importance of self-care can help her psychologically. Overall this module has taught me about self-forgiveness and the importance of letting things go and working on yourself. To this day, I am still working on myself to be the best person I could be because a life with rage and anger isn’t going to get you anywhere.

Embarking on the world of competitive horseback riding as a complete amateur is something that I didn’t expect to do ever in my life. Of course, there were the occasional trips to the barn when I was younger and riding up to meet some horses at a county fair, but I knew absolutely nothing when it came down to the lingo and the ways of competing. My respect for the equestrian community as a whole flipped 180 when I figured out the things that they go through daily. For example, trying not to get bucked, or thrown off, while riding, or even just brushing, feeding, and training a 1200-pound animal. Even though the hardships can be very rewarding, how is that blue, 1st place ribbon earned?

For my research, I knew I had to go to someone who knows the community very well. I conducted an interview over the phone with a very close friend of mine who happens to be a competitive horseback rider herself. My interviewee mentioned over the phone that “you have to have a real connection with your horse, with your reigns, with everything to win” (E. Rogers, personal communication, September 15, 2019). This one statement interested me so much that I then realized what I wanted to research. Why is a co-being relationship between the horse and rider so important for the overall success of the rider? Why is the bond needed when training and riding? Does the horse need to trust the rider as much as the rider needs to trust the horse? With these questions in mind, they further strengthened my knowledge of this community.

Hold Your Horses

Everyone knows that horses have been around a long time, and they did help us out when we needed an extra hand. Before the sport of equitation was created, “horses have carried us through war, they have transported our cargo (and us!) have been a status symbol for the wealthy and have entertained us along the way too” (admin_89, 2014). The entertainment side of horses didn’t start until later on in history. This discourse community truly represents what it means to get your hands dirty, and it takes a certain someone to not be scared by these creatures.

The Human-Horse Relationship

I’ve learned that horses have good days and bad days, just like people. Even the best rider gets frustrated or even bucked off. All horses have different kinds of personalities, so when a horse is having a bad day, it’s probably a good idea for the rider to lay off a bit. Trust is one thing that every horseback rider needs to have with their horse, but not a lot of people know that the horse needs to be able to trust its rider. The horse needs to be able to see that the rider is going to tell them when to jump or go faster. The trust in this co-being relationship is mutual. It’s all about balance. To be successful in the show ring, “harmonious communication and physical coordination between horse and humans relies on mutual trust and cooperation” (Foster, 2018). The partnership that is formed is truly tested every time someone gets on a horse. The rider has to be prepared for anything.

They always say that any animal you buy, they have to match your personality. Well, that’s the same with horses. My interviewee has her horse and she states, “he is my absolute best friend and in the show ring, he and I work together to get that blue, 1st place ribbon” (E. Rogers, personal communication, September 15, 2019). People who ride horses know that having “an increased understanding of the complexity of the horse and rider partnership…could facilitate enhanced performance, promote equine health and welfare, and create happy and successful horse-rider partnerships” (Tabor, Williams, 2017). A rider who has a great relationship with their horse is most likely going to succeed in the show ring.

On occasion, I would go to my best friend’s barn with her, and while she got her horse ready to ride, I would stay back and watch her while petting the other horses that were around. I noticed how timid I was to pet them, while she was kissing their faces, and looked so comfortable. I noticed that when she is at the barn all the time, her relationship with the horses strengthens after being around them, and the horses get more and more used to the people who visit. Constantly being with them and getting used to them makes a difference while practicing and competing. In the show ring, the horse and the rider now become one unit and they have to be able to trust each other to make the right moves when they are needed and when it counts.

Following the Leader

In the world of competitive horseback riding, there are some ground rules made by the horse and rider. Having that respect and knowing the boundaries to not cross is something that is not taken lightly. Leadership is something that riders perfect in training and getting to know the horse helps with that as well. As I began to research the topic of leadership in the equestrian community, I found out that there are times when you need to let the horse lead or the rider take over. A 1200-pound animal would look more dominant, and they can be when they wants to, but the rider has the dominance and power because of the reigns controlling the horse head and the commands that are practiced in training such as “walk, trot, canter, and whoa” (Jones, 2017). With the use of these tools, the rider then has control of the horse while practicing and in competitions, “thus, horses’ responses to training are more likely a result of reinforcement during which correct responses were clearly and consistently rewarded rather than a result of humans attaining high social status and a leadership role” (Hartmann, Christensen, & McGreevy, 2017, p. 7). Understanding that leadership and dominance are only formed through practice and repetition as well as respectful habits is something that I did not know before research. When I was researching the leadership aspects of horseback riding, I would have never thought that you need to be able to give horses their space too. They work so hard and they deserve as much respect as we humans do.

A Bond That Can’t Be Broken

One of the main things that I knew before going into this research project was that horses are not animals to play around with. Many accidents have occurred while riding horses, and education and lessons are being taught every day to further strengthen the knowledge and safety when it comes to horses. The interactions that horses have with humans increase their trust in us as humans, so having that routine set for the horses is beneficial to them. Understanding that the routines or interactions are beneficial to the relationship between the horse and the rider “… may make them aware of the importance of good knowledge of basic learning rules to be able to…train the horse” (Hausberger, Rouche, Henry, & Visser, 2008, p. 18). The lessons that are being taught to the riders will help keep them safe, and the horse safe as well.

Eat, Sleep, Horses, Repeat

With the research that I have conducted, I can tell you that competitive horseback riding is a very expensive sport, and it should only be continued if it is a true passion that the rider has. Many professional horseback riders today started very young and have grown up in the sport. I found through research that they all have their eye on the 1st place prize, so they will work and work to get it. They are always finding ways to improve whether it’s buying a better-looking riding outfit or getting better equipment for their horse that makes it easier to ride. This discourse community is made up of so many different people from many different backgrounds, but they all have the same passion and drive to win. Also, they just love horses. Many riders have their coaches supervise them as they ride to help point out anything that they need to improve on. A lot of the time, the coach that is supervising is the owner of the barn. Either that, or they will have other coaches that they hire to supervise. These coaches are another reason for the riders’ success in the show ring. Without them and the connection the rider has with their horse, it can almost feel like the rider can be alone while competing. Riders are always wanting to improve and get better.

That’s All Foals

This journey of seeing what a competitive horseback rider goes through taught me so much. In the beginning, I barely knew anything, but now I know that getting your hands dirty is taken to a whole other level in this sport. I also had so many questions at first about what it takes to win in this sport. After much research and personal experiences of others, I now know. The bond between the horse and rider is so important for the overall success of the rider because the partnership and trust that is built through practice and hard work are shown in the show ring. I have learned so much about this discourse community within these short 5 months, and I will always have respect for the world of competitive horseback riding.

Defining attributes are the features of ethical dilemmas that are frequently seen and constantly present in the literature. To differentiate from the other concepts these attributes are helpful. After the literature review, at least five defining attributes are observed within the context of nursing.

• 1-Involvement, engagement, and professional commitment.

The nurses must be involved in the ethical conflicting situations to identify and recognize the dilemmas and possible alternatives with professional commitment and continuous engagement with the patients. Without professional commitment and involvement, it is difficult for nurses to identify the dilemmas as well as solutions in the clinical setting.

• 2- Equally unwanted options

For the resolution of ethical conflicting situations, there should be two or more two unwanted alternatives available. Nurses have a choice but mostly the consequences will be unwanted.

• 3-Need for choice.

Nurses must have the ability to select one option from different available options.

• 4-Awareness of options and alternatives

For the awareness of alternatives nurses, must have sound knowledge and experience. On the other hand, if they have deficient knowledge and experience it is difficult to recognize different alternatives.

• 5- Uncertainty of action.

For the nurses, it is difficult to choose because they do not know the actual unwanted outcomes of the choice. Most of the time nurses have inadequate capabilities to know what is right and what is wrong and what can they do. Model case:

The example of an ethical dilemma that has all defining attributes is called a model case of concept analysis by Walker and Avant, (2005) approach. Miss Saira is a cardiac specialized nurse working in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit in one of the tertiary care hospitals in Islamabad for 10 years. During her job course, she has frequently faced an ethical dilemma with patients, families, and other health care workers. She has extensive knowledge and experience about how to deal with dilemmas. Once she was on morning duty and from the outpatient department, a female patient Nasreen was admitted to the ICU with the diagnosis of severe mitral valve stenosis and the surgeon advised urgent surgery for mitral valve replacement. Miss Saira attended to the lady, made her file, checked vital signs, and sent lab samples to the laboratory. She also attached a cardiac monitor and got an ECG. She noticed that Nasreen was very upset and crying. Miss Saira went to her and asked her what the matter was and reassured her. She said that she wanted to share some important information with you that she did not share with the doctor and requested Taira to keep this information confidential. Saira assured her confidentiality after building a trusting relationship with Nasreen. She said, that she is pregnant for the first time and doesn’t want to lose her baby which is why she is worried. Here the nurse faced an ethical conflicting situation about autonomy, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. This is very important to share that information with the dealing surgeon and anesthetist concerning beneficence, and non-maleficence but on the other hand, she will violate the patient’s autonomy, confidentiality, and privacy. It was challenging for her to decide what should do and what should not do. The nurse reassured her and tried to convince her that this surgery was necessary for her to save a life but during surgery, it is difficult to save the baby and it is also very important to share this information with the concerned doctor otherwise for both of you it will have negative consequences. The patient was also reluctant to give consent for surgery, however, after counseling and convincing by Saira, she agreed and allowed that this information would be shared with the doctors and finally, she signed the consent. This was a challenge for the nurse how she will resolve the ethical dilemma without violating the patient’s rights and confidentiality. Moreover, with knowledge and experience, she was able to solve that conflicting situation successfully.

Borderline case:

In the borderline case, some defining attributes are present and some attributes are missing.

Sonia is a registered nurse and working in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit for the last year she doesn’t want to work in the ICU but the administration, it was ordered that she will perform duty there. It is against her wish but she has to do duties in the assigned department. Due to this reason most of the time she did not like to be involved and engaged with the patient’s care. Once she was on duty in the evening shift and assigned a post-operative patient with CABG on the 2nd day. There was an instruction from the surgeon that the patient should be mobilized with assistance but the patient was reluctant to move out of bed because of post-op pain despite pain medications. Sonia asked the patient for his mobilization but he refused to get out of bed because he could not bear the pain so he didn’t want to proceed. She told me that I had no problem and it would lessen my work burden but not be well for me because there would be chances of deep venous thrombosis and pressure ulcers. In this case, some components of ethical dilemma were present but Sonia did not recognize that dilemma because she has the absence of professional commitment due to lack of interest and involvement with patient care.so there were some defining attributes were present and some were missing in this case.

Contrary case:

Mrs. Parveen, a post-op case of mitral valve replacement was discharged from the cardiac surgery intensive care unit and shifted to the cardiac surgery general ward for further post-op observations. Miss Raheela is a 30-year-old registered nurse with a cardiac specialty who works in a government hospital. She has been working in the cardiac surgery general ward for the last 5 years and was assigned to take care of Mrs. Parveen in rehabilitative post-op care. She was an educated lady and easily understood the instructions followed the treatment plan and took medication given by Miss Raheela. When Miss Parveen was in a good mood she told Raheela that she was the best nurse with a professional attitude and sympathy for the patients. She admired the staff and was thankful for her good services. In this contrary case, it has been shown that there is no conflicting situation that will raise an ethical dilemma. Defining attributes, no uncertainty, no problematic situation, and no unpleasant options are seen.

Related case

In the related case, there will be a choice similar to the dilemma but actually, that is no dilemma. The registered nurse Miss Fozia is working in the emergency department having a patient for a blood transfusion. She has different gauge intravenous cannulas from them she has to choose the appropriate cannula through which blood transfusion is carried out smoothly without any interruption. She knows well that for blood transfusion, a suitable cannula is needed. However, after the assessment, it has been noticed that this situation is not related to the dilemma but in fact, the nurse has to choose the right option from different alternatives without decision-making problems and uncertainty to choose the right action.

Antecedents

Antecedents are the causes or the reasons before the occurrence of a situation related to the ethical dilemma. The conflicting situation must be present before the ethical dilemma and availability of alternatives for the resolution of the situation by choosing one possible option from the two or more two unwanted alternatives. The nurses should be able to deal with that dilemma wisely within the ethical boundaries and for the resolution of the dilemma, the nurses must have understanding, command, and professional commitment.