Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Ethical Dilemma Essays - Dilemmas, Philosophy, Philosophy Of Life

Ethical Dilemma Essays - Dilemmas, Philosophy, Philosophy Of Life Ethical Dilemma In this paper I will provide information about an ethical dilemma that I have experienced or witnessed. Included in this paper will be the essential points of the dilemma, how it intersects with my personal values and how would I solve this dilemma and why. Ethics as a philosophy is concerned with being a good person, living a good life and doing what a person feels as right. This includes reasoning about general principles and using thought processes to develop appropriate actions to any given situation. Ethics go beyond the formulating of ideas to justify actions; it attempts to show that some ideas, thoughts, and actions are sounder than others (Freeman, 2000). The "Merriam-Webster Dictionary" (2013) website states that ethics in the workplace are the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group. I work as an advocate for a domestic violence agency. Through the last seven years, I have seen people come and go; clients and coworkers alike. I have heard so many stories; good and bad and have dealt with several ethical dilemmas though my time here. The most current and ongoing dilemma in the workplace is with a coworker. The agency I work for has an advocate position at the local Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), which is called the CSO (customer service office) advocate. This position is good for people receiving state benefits in abusive relationships so that the person can talk to an advocate without fear of being found. The advocate in this position is the one causing the dilemma. With any job, there are rules to live by. These are usually stated in workplace policies and procedures, but some are just common sense. My workplace, like many others has policies and procedures. In many places of employment, it is mandatory to call in when running late or when sick. This particular coworker usually does not call in when running late and usually does not call in sick until half-way through the work day. This has been an ethical and moral dilemma for the past few years. She has been asked repeatedly by our director to follow these guidelines but to limited responses. The biggest issue is that calling in is not written in the policies. Common sense says that when a person is running late or sick is that a person calls in before the work day starts. My personal beliefs say that when I am sick or late, it is a common courtesy to let the employer know what is going on. Most employers would fire a person for not calling in. I believe that there need to be a certain amount of accountability for people and if a person cannot participate in the job function, which there are plenty of people qualified who are unemployed and would jump at a chance for a decent paying job. For my other coworkers and I, this has been a major issue. For one, there is no reliability. If we have someone in our office that may need help at the CSO office, we never know if she is there or not. The clients are being hurt by the CSO advocate not showing up for scheduled appointments as well as the possibility of the agency losing a grant because the hours are not being filled. But yet there has been few repercussions associated with the behavior. These behaviors have also had negative effects on the morale of the other employees. The Executive Director of the agency has been documenting these activities and has also stated that she is making sure everything is done legally. The staff does not think that things are being done about the behavior, but we continue to document activity and pass the information to our Director. This seems to be the only thing the staff can do at this point and to have faith that our director will handle the issue in her own time. As Lead Advocate, I continue to pass on information to the Director as well as listen to the director state her ideas and fears about this coworker. The director feels that this person is the type of person who would try to sue the agency

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Natural Mosquito Repellents

Natural Mosquito Repellents When I was pregnant, I wanted to avoid using toxic chemical insect repellents, yet the mosquitoes seemed to find me tastier than ever. My solution at that time was to wear what I called my DEET sheet, which was an old cotton sheet that had been sprayed with S.C. Johnsons Off! Deep Woods formula. While this was highly effective, it wasnt practical for use around kids, so I did research into safer, natural mosquito repellents. I learned that many so-called natural mosquito repellents dont repel mosquitoes (e.g., ultrasonic electronic devices), but some are backed by reputable research and really work. Key Takeaways The two ways to repel mosquitoes are to attract them away from you or to repel them directly.Mosquitoes are often repelled by plant essential oils, especially lemon eucalyptus oil.Even the best repellent may be compromised by a reaction with sunscreen, dilution in water, absorption into the skin, or evaporation into the air. Its important to re-apply repellent to maintain its effectiveness. Mosquitoes have complex methods of detecting hosts and different types of mosquitoes react to different stimuli. Most mosquitoes are active at dawn and dusk, but there are also mosquitoes that seek hosts during the day. You can avoid being bitten by making sure you arent attracting mosquitoes, using attractants to lure mosquitoes elsewhere, using a repellent, and avoiding actions that diminish the effectiveness of the repellent. Mosquito Attractants Use this list of items and activities that attract mosquitoes as a list of things to avoid or that can be used as bait to lure mosquitoes away from you. Dark ClothingMany mosquitoes use vision to locate hosts from a distance. Dark clothes and foliage are initial attractants.Carbon DioxideYou give off more carbon dioxide when you are hot or have been exercising. A burning candle or other fire is another source of carbon dioxide.Lactic AcidYou release more lactic acid when you have been exercising or after eating certain foods (e.g., salty foods, high-potassium foods).Floral or Fruity FragrancesIn addition to perfumes, hair products, and scented sunscreens, watch for the subtle floral fragrance from fabric softeners and dryer sheets.Skin TemperatureThe exact temperature depends on the type of mosquito. Many mosquitoes are attracted to the slightly cooler temperatures of the extremities.MoistureMosquitoes are attracted by perspiration because of the chemicals it contains and also because it increases the humidity around your body. Even small amounts of water (e.g., moist plants or mud puddles) will draw mosquitoes. Standing water also a llows mosquitoes to reproduce. Blood TypePerson with type O blood are more attractive to mosquitoes than those with A, B, or AB blood. This blood type is rare, but if you have a friend or family member with type O blood, mosquitoes (and the Red Cross) like them better than they like you. Natural Mosquito Repellents Its very easy to make your own natural mosquito repellent. These natural products will effectively repel mosquitoes, but they require more frequent reapplication (at least every 2 hours) and higher concentrations than DEET. Because of the differences between types of mosquitoes, products that contain multiple repellents tend to be more effective than those containing a single ingredient. As you can see, natural repellents tend to be volatile plant oils. Citronella OilLemon Eucalyptus OilCinnamon OilCastor OilRosemary OilLemongrass OilCedar OilPeppermint OilClove OilGeranium OilCatnip OilTobaccoNeem OilBirch Tree BarkPossibly Oils from Verbena, Pennyroyal, Lavender, Pine, Cajeput, Basil, Thyme, Allspice, Soybean, and Garlic Another plant-derived substance, pyrethrum, is an insecticide. Pyrethrum comes from the flowers of the daisy Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium. Things that Lower Repellent Effectiveness Despite your best efforts, you may be unintentionally sabotaging your repellents effectiveness. Mosquito repellent doesnt play nicely with: Many SunscreensDilution From Rain, Perspiration, or SwimmingAbsorption Into the SkinEvaporation From Wind or High Temperatures Keep in mind that natural does not automatically imply safe. Many people are sensitive to plant oils. Some natural insect repellents are actually toxic. Therefore, although natural repellents provide an alternative to synthetic chemicals, please remember to follow the manufacturers instructions when using these products. Source M. S. Fradin; J. F. Day (2002). Comparative Efficacy of Insect Repellents against Mosquito Bites. N Engl J Med. 347 (1): 13–18. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa011699