Criteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criteria - Essay Example No two individuals are alike either physically or mentally in this world and hence their learning abilities also might be different. This paper briefly explains my experiences as a learner. The learning theory of constructivism argues that knowledge is actively constructed and not received passively from the environment (Constructivism: a theory of learning, n. d). It is easy to know things, but it is difficult to learn things. Acquisition of knowledge is the initial step of learning. But the knowledge we receive from the environment may not be perfect. In order to construct this knowledge to a perfect shape, we should analyse the knowledge more deeply. For example, during my high school days, one of my science teachers asked me what electricity is. I replied that it is the flow of electrons. Then the teacher asked me in which direction the electron is flowing. I replied it is from cathode to anode. Then he asked me if the electron is flowing from cathode to anode, then why electricity is represented from anode to cathode. I became answerless and the teacher explained that our learning will never be a perfect one if we fail to go deep into the roots of the topic. From then onwards, I have changed my learning style and started to analyse things more deeply. I have realized that knowledge is useless if we fail to do something with that. Nickerson et al, (1985) have mentioned that understanding requires the connecting of facts, the relating of newly acquired information to what is already known and the weaving of bits of knowledge into an integrated and cohesive whole (Nickerson et al, 1985, p.234). Analogy in learning is the process of identifying similarities between two concepts (Teaching approaches: analogies, n. d, p. 2). Complicated topics can be learned properly if we are able to establish some analogies. For example, solar system and the distribution, rotation, revolutions etc of the planets are

Foundations in Evidence based Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Foundations in Evidence based Practice - Essay Example Clinical expertise and patient preference are the overriding components of this model with clinical expertise coming to the forefront, when patients are too frail to provide adequate patient preferences Nursing professionals are taught the means of collecting clinical evidence through the evaluation of information from clinical research. However not always is pertinent and adequate information available on a timely basis. In addition clinical evidence may be at odds to patient preference and the clinical experience for the given clinical problem. Thus mere adherence to clinical evidence does not contribute to evidence based practice. (Steinberg & Luce, 2005). Patients are individuals with their individualistic desires in the treatment and management of their clinical problems. Quality of life and quantity of life are two perspectives in clinical problems. Clinical evidence may focus on one of these aspects, while patient preference may be for the other. Clinical evidence cannot be imposed through a paternalistic attitude ignoring the dignity and autonomy of the patient. Clinical experience provides the means in such situations to respect the preferences of the patient. It is this blending of clinical evidence with clinical experience and judgment that provides the means to respect patient autonomy and deliver evidence based practice. (Cody, 2003). Support and information, attentiveness and respect for the individual contribute to patient autonomy (Proot, Crebolder, Abu-Saad, Macor & ter Muelen, 2000). Care in the critical care units involves high costs due to the involvement of expensive life supporting devices like the mechanical ventilator. Clinical evidence suggests that three to six percent of patients in critical care units would require extended use of the mechanical ventilator and the prognosis is such cases is a high rate of mortality and poor quality of life in the rest. Thus clinical