Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Using Recrystallisation Improve The Purity Of Aspirin Biology Essay

Using Recrystallisation Improve The Purity Of Aspirin Biology Essay In this experiment I have investigated the research question How does the process of recrystallisation improve the purity of Aspirin. I used a well documented method of preparing Aspirin. Having obtained the Aspirin I performed several recrystallisation processes on it. I then determined accurately the quantity of Aspirin in each of my sample by volumetric analysis. I was then able to determine purity and percentage yield by comparing it to an original tablet Aspirin in the market. I also used melting point to assess purity. I learnt about Aspirin when we did the chapter medicine and drugs in our class. Aspirin is a very common drug used in our daily lives. The common chemical name is  acetylsalicylic acid. Salicylic acid was identified and isolated from the bark of a willow tree but it could not be synthesised in laboratory. In 1893, Felix Hoffman Jr., a chemist found out a practical way for synthesizing an ester derivative of salicylic acid, acetylsalicylic acid. Acetylsalicylic acid, a weaker acid than salicylic acid, was found to have the medicinal properties of salicylic acid without having the objectionable taste or producing the stomach problems as a side effect. The acetyl group effectively masks the acidity of the drug during its ingestion and after it passes into the small intestine, it is converted back to salicylic acid where it can enter the bloodstream and do its pain relieving action  [1]  . Acetylsalicylic acid is powerful as a pain reliever, fever reducer, and swelling-reducing dru g but it also has faults, it causes stomach irritation to some individuals and also may lead to Reye syndrome in young children. I was excited to see if this drug we use has the same purity when prepared in lab and when bought from outside. Aspirin is an important analgesic therefore methods of improving purity are essential. The preparation of Aspirin involves organic synthesis and I learnt about this process when I studied organic chemistry and it an interesting topic to research about. The preparation of drugs that I use in my daily lives excited me particularly as I want to do biochemistry in university and also work in a pharmaceutical company for drug designing. Hence, I decided upon making aspirin in the lab and researching about it. BACKGROUNG INFORMATION 2.1 Synthesis of Aspirin The above is the reaction for the formation of Aspirin. This organic synthesis is an esterification reaction between a compound containing a OH group (ester) and an acid. Esters are a type of organic acid in which the hydroxide groups are replaced. The H from the OH group is replaced by a carboxyl carbon C=O group.  Esterification is the  acid catalyzed reaction of a carboxyl (-COOH) group and an -OH group of an alcohol or phenol  to form a carboxylate ester. A catalyst is required for the reaction for example concentrated H2SO4.In the synthesis of Aspirin the -OH group is the phenolic -OH  group attached to ring of the salicylic acid  [2]  . 2.2 Purification of Aspirin using the process of recrystallisation I used the process of recrystallisation to investigate how effective this process is in making Aspirin pure. The process of recrystallisation takes advantage of the relative solubilities of contaminants compared to that of Aspirin  [3]  . The technique is to use a solvent in which the solid is sparingly soluble at low temperature and quite soluble at higher temperature (at the boiling point of the solvent). In my research Aspirin is insoluble in cold water and hence in the process of recrystallisation I first dissolved Aspirin crystals into hot water and then let it cool down so that it would crystallize out. The solid is dissolved in the minimum quantity of solvent required to produce a solution at the boiling point of the solvent. Upon cooling the solution to room temperature or below, the solid crystallizes out of solution due to its lower solubility at the lower temperature  [4]  . Impurities (i.e., any foreign substance) in a solid are classified as soluble or insoluble. The removal of insoluble impurities is accomplished by filtering the hot solution. The insoluble impurities remain on the filter paper. Ideally, soluble impurities remain in solution when the solid being purified crystallizes. (Depending upon concentration and solubility of the impurity in the selected solvent it may sometimes be necessary to recrystallise more than one time. That is some of the soluble impurity might also crystallize. If any soluble impurity crystallizes, the melting point of your product will be depressed). When recrystallisation is complete the purified solid is isolated by filtration and the crystals are washed with a small quantity of cold solvent (to rinse off the solution of soluble impurities coating the freshly filtered solid)  [5]  . 2.3 Determination of purity using melting point apparatus I also used melting point determination to give further evidence towards the purity of aspirin. Melting point is a useful measure for the purity of a solid. Melting point apparatus is commonly used for this purpose. It consists of a heated metal block with holes for a thermometer and melting point tubes. The capillary tubes are provided open-ended and the crystalline solid can be transferred into the tube and forced to the bottom with gentle tapping. The compound is heated slowly especially around its melting point for accuracy. There are attractive forces (intermolecular interactions) between the molecules in a solid that keep them together in an ordered crystalline structure. If enough heat energy is added to the solid the internal kinetic energy of the molecules causes them to move in the solid. At the temperature where the energy of molecular motion overcomes the attractive forces between molecules the compound begins to melt. When a solid is pure the molecules are all identical and thus the interactions between molecules are similar and thus the sample will melt at a distinct temperature. Impure compounds, on the other hand, have a range of intermolecular interactions between molecules and will melt over a range of temperatures.  [6]   3. APPARATUS  [7]  :- 3.1 Equipments: The apparatus listed below does not list quantities for repeat readings. Conical flask (100 cm3) (ÃÆ'-1) Measuring cylinders (10 cm3) ( ±0.5cm3) (ÃÆ'-2) Beaker (100 cm3) (ÃÆ'-2) Glass rod (ÃÆ'-1) Vacuum filtration flask (ÃÆ'-1) Rubber tubing for vacuum flask (ÃÆ'-1) Hirsch funnel (ÃÆ'-1) Water bath containing crushed ice (ÃÆ'-1) Source of hot water (ÃÆ'-1) Test-tubes (ÃÆ'-4) Meltemp apparatus for finding the melting point of Aspirin Burette (50cm3) (ÃÆ'-1) Clamp stand (ÃÆ'-1) Spatula (ÃÆ'-2) Watch glass (ÃÆ'-1) Melting point capillary tube (ÃÆ'-1) Filter paper to fit Hirsch funnel (ÃÆ'-1) 3.2 Chemicals: 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid) (2g) Ethanoic anhydride (4cm3) Concentrated sulphuric acid (5 drops) Ethanoic acid (glacial) (4cm3) (1)Aspirin tablet Phenolphthalein solution Sodium hydroxide solution (0.1 mol dm-3) 95% alcohol 4. DIAGRAM: 4.1 Hirsch Funnel: 4.2 Melting Point Apparatus: 5. METHOD  [8]  :- Shake 2g of 2-hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid) (CARE Irritant) with 4 cm3 of ethanoic anhydride (CARE Corrosive) in a 100 cm3 conical flask. Add 5 drops of concentrated sulphuric acid (CARE Corrosive) and continue agitating the flask for about 10 minutes. Crystals of Aspirin will appear and soon the whole will form a crystalline mush. Dilute by stirring in 4cm3 of cold glacial ethanoic acid (CARE Corrosive) and cool by placing in a water bath containing crushed ice. Filter off the crystals using a Hirsch funnel (a small funnel for vacuum filtration), washing once with ice cold water to remove residual acid. Place the crude Aspirin in a 100cm3 beaker. Add hot, but not boiling, water until it dissolves. A mass of very pure Aspirin crystals will form; cool the flask by surrounding it with cold water. Filter them again and rinse the crystals with the chilled water. The insoluble impurities remain on the filter paper and the filtrate contains the product. Aspirin can be recovered from this solution by evaporation of the recrystallisation.  [9]   Leave the crystals overnight on a watch glass to dry completely. This process is known as recrystallisation and is a way of purifying a solid product (Aspirin). Do the recrystallisation process three times and after every recrystallisation remove some sample of Aspirin and store in a test tube to test later. Now do titration of the samples stored after each recrystallisation. Take some of Aspirin for each sample and leave some in the test tube for testing the melting point. For the process of titration, take the Aspirin from each sample into a 50 cm3 conical flask and dissolve it in 5 cm3 of 95% alcohol and add two drops of phenolphthalein solution to it. Titrate the solution in the conical flask with 0.1 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide from a burette (CARE Eye protection must be worn). Record the volume needed to produce the first tinge of pale pink colour in the indicator. This measure the end-point of the titration. Take a capillary tube and gently press the open end into the pile of Aspirin crystals on the paper so that a  few  crystals of Aspirin  enter the capillary tube. Tap the closed end of the capillary onto the bench top, so that the Aspirin  crystals work their way to the bottom.   The Aspirin crystals should be firmly packed, and fill the capillary tube to a depth of  no more than  1-2 mm.   Insert the capillary tube containing the sample into the melting point apparatus.   Record the temperature where the melting point is first observed and when it becomes a liquid completely.   This is your melting point range.  [10]   Then do the titration of an original tablet of Aspirin available in the market. Then test the melting point of the original tablet of Aspirin by the method described above. Compare the melting point which you get from the samples and the original tablet of Aspirin with the one given in the data booklet. 6. OBSERVATIONS:- When I mixed salicylic acid with ethanoic anhydride, the solution turned milky. When to the solution I added concentrated sulphuric acid, the solution turns colourless and then after agitating for 10 minutes the solution again turns milky white. The beaker is hot and hence we can say that the reaction between concentrated sulphuric acid and the solution (ethanoic anhydride + salicylic acid) is exothermic. When I was doing my melting point I saw that the solid obtained after the first recrystallisation actually turned black before actually getting close to the melting point of the original Aspirin. As the number of recrystallisation increased I could see that the melted Aspirin was still white and was getting closer to the melting point of the original Aspirin (135 °C) as mentioned in the data book. 7. DATA COLLECTION AND PROCESSING:- 7.1 The data of titrations of different recrystallisation samples of Aspirin:- 7.1.1 Original Aspirin tablet Burette solution (cm3) 0.1 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide solution Indicator Phenolphthalein solution Trial 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Burette readings (cm3) Final ( ±0.1) 44.5 44.0 44.0 44.3 Initial ( ±0.1) 69.0 69.0 69.0 69.0 Volume used (titre) cm3 ( ±0.2) 25.0 25.0 I have not used as they are not concordant. I have used these reading for my mean titre. Mean titre (cm3) ( ±0.2) 25.0 + 25.0 = 50.0 50.0 à · 2 = 25.0 (mean titre) Volumetric calculations Volume of NaOH used = 25.0 cm3. Moles of NaOH n = CV V = 25.0 cm3 = 25.0 à · 1000 = 0.025 dm3 n = 0.1 ÃÆ'- 0.025 = 0.0025 mol So, moles of Aspirin will also be equal to 0.0025mol because the reaction ratio between NaOH and Aspirin is 1:1. Weighed out sample of Aspirin = 0.62 g How many grams of Aspirin reacted with NaOH? Aspirin = C9H8O4 g = n ÃÆ'- Mr = 0.0025 ÃÆ'- Mr [(12.01 ÃÆ'- 9) + (1.01 ÃÆ'- 8) + (16.00 ÃÆ'- 4)] = 0.0025 ÃÆ'- 180.17 = 0.45 g Percentage of Aspirin reacted = (0.45 à · 0.62) ÃÆ'- 100 = 73% 7.1.2 Aspirin after 1st recrystallisation Burette solution (cm3) 0.1 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide solution Indicator Phenolphthalein solution Trial 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Burette readings (cm3) Final ( ±0.1) 3.4 3.6 3.7 3.8 Initial ( ±0.1) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Volume used (titre) cm3 ( ±0.2) 3.6 3.7 3.8 I have used these reading for my mean titre. Mean titre (cm3) ( ±0.2) 3.6 + 3.7 + 3.8 = 11.1 11.1 à · 3 = 3.7 (mean titre) Volumetric calculations Volume of NaOH used = 3.7 cm3. Moles of NaOH n = CV V = 3.7 cm3 = 3.7 à · 1000 = 0.0037 dm3 n = 0.1 ÃÆ'- 0.0037 = 0.00037 mol So, moles of Aspirin will also be equal to 0.00037mol because the reaction ratio between NaOH and Aspirin is 1:1. Weighed out sample of Aspirin = 0.30 g How many grams of Aspirin reacted with NaOH? Aspirin = C9H8O4 g = n ÃÆ'- Mr = 0.00037 ÃÆ'- Mr [(12.01 ÃÆ'- 9) + (1.01 ÃÆ'- 8) + (16.00 ÃÆ'- 4)] = 0.00037 ÃÆ'- 180.17 = 0.066 g Percentage of Aspirin reacted = (0. 066 à · 0.30) ÃÆ'- 100 = 22% 7.1.3 Aspirin after 2nd recrystallisation Burette solution (cm3) 0.1 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide solution Indicator Phenolphthalein solution Trial 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Burette readings (cm3) Final ( ±0.1) 12.6 12.1 12.1 12.3 Initial ( ±0.1) 9.2 9.2 9.2 9.2 Volume used (titre) cm3 ( ±0.2) 2.9 2.9 I have not used as they are not concordant. I have used these reading for my mean titre. Mean titre (cm3) ( ±0.2) 2.9 + 2.9 = 5.8 5.8 à · 2 = 2.9 (mean titre) Volumetric calculations Volume of NaOH used = 2.9 cm3. Moles of NaOH n = CV V = 2.9 cm3 = 2.9 à · 1000 = 0.0029 dm3 n = 0.1 ÃÆ'- 0.0029 = 0.00029 mol So, moles of Aspirin will also be equal to 0.00029mol because the reaction ratio between NaOH and Aspirin is 1:1. Weighed out sample of Aspirin = 0.15 g How many grams of Aspirin reacted with NaOH? Aspirin = C9H8O4 g = n ÃÆ'- Mr = 0.00029 ÃÆ'- Mr [(12.01 ÃÆ'- 9) + (1.01 ÃÆ'- 8) + (16.00 ÃÆ'- 4)] = 0.00029 ÃÆ'- 180.17 = 0.052 g Percentage of Aspirin reacted = (0. 052 à · 0.15) ÃÆ'- 100 = 35% 7.1.4 Aspirin after 3rd recrystallisation Burette solution (cm3) 0.1 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide solution Indicator Phenolphthalein solution Trial 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Burette readings (cm3) Final ( ±0.1) 17.2 17.6 17.9 17.9 Initial ( ±0.1) 13.1 13.1 13.1 13.1 Volume used (titre) cm3 ( ±0.2) I have not used as they are not concordant. 4.8 4.8 I have used these reading for my mean titre. Mean titre (cm3) ( ±0.2) 4.8 + 4.8 = 9.6 9.6 à · 2 = 4.8 (mean titre) Volumetric calculations Volume of NaOH used = 4.8 cm3. Moles of NaOH n = CV V = 4.8 cm3 = 4.8 à · 1000 = 0.0048 dm3 n = 0.1 ÃÆ'- 0.0048 = 0.00048 mol So, moles of Aspirin will also be equal to 0.00048mol because the reaction ratio between NaOH and Aspirin is 1:1. Weighed out sample of Aspirin = 0.15 g How many grams of Aspirin reacted with NaOH? Aspirin = C9H8O4 g = n ÃÆ'- Mr = 0.00048 ÃÆ'- Mr [(12.01 ÃÆ'- 9) + (1.01 ÃÆ'- 8) + (16.00 ÃÆ'- 4)] = 0.00048 ÃÆ'- 180.17 = 0.086 g Percentage of Aspirin reacted = (0. 086 à · 0.15) ÃÆ'- 100 = 57% 7.1.5 Aspirin after 4th recrystallisation Burette solution (cm3) 0.1 mol dm-3 sodium hydroxide solution Indicator Phenolphthalein solution Trial 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Burette readings (cm3) Final ( ±0.1) 21.3 20.9 21.0 21.1 Initial ( ±0.1) 16.9 16.9 16.9 16.9 Volume used (titre) cm3 ( ±0.2) 4.0 4.1 4.2 I have used these reading for my mean titre. Mean titre (cm3) ( ±0.2) 4.0 + 4.1 + 4.2 = 12.3 12.3 à · 3 = 4.1 (mean titre) Volumetric calculations Volume of NaOH used = 4.1 cm3. Moles of NaOH n = CV V = 4.1 cm3 = 4.1 à · 1000 = 0.0041 dm3 n = 0.1 ÃÆ'- 0.0041 = 0.00041 mol So, moles of Aspirin will also be equal to 0.00041mol because the reaction ratio between NaOH and Aspirin is 1:1. Weighed out sample of Aspirin = 0.10 g How many grams of Aspirin reacted with NaOH? Aspirin = C9H8O4 g = n ÃÆ'- Mr = 0.00041 ÃÆ'- Mr [(12.01 ÃÆ'- 9) + (1.01 ÃÆ'- 8) + (16.00 ÃÆ'- 4)] = 0.00041 ÃÆ'- 180.17 = 0.074 g Percentage of Aspirin reacted = (0. 074 à · 0.10) ÃÆ'- 100 = 74% 7.2 The data of melting points of different recrystallisation samples of Aspirin:- 7.2.1 Melting point after first recrystallisation Number of recrystallisation Temperature ( °C) ( ± 0.1 °C) Original melting point of Aspirin ( °C) Trial 1st reading 2nd reading 3rd reading Average 1 155.0 152.5 151.9 151.7 152.0 135.0 2 154.1 150.0 148.5 148.2 148.9 135.0 3 115.2 120.9 122.8 122.9 122.2 135.0 4 124.7 125.4 126.1 126.9 126.1 135.0 Original tablet 128.0 128.8 129.2 129.9 129.3 135.0 7.2.2 Graph showing the difference between melting points of Aspirin which was prepared and recrystallised in lab and melting of Aspirin from the data book Y-axis = temperature (in à ¢Ã‚ Ã‚ °C) X-axis = number of recrystallisations of aspirin samples prepared in lab and aspirin available in market 8. INTERPRETATION OF THE DATA I will now explain the results of melting point and titration. From the results of titrations we can see a trend flowing and how after each recrystallisation the sample gets purer. As the quantity of Aspirin decreased after each recrystallisation, the mass of Aspirin in that quantity was more compared to the previous recrystallisation. When compared to the original tablet which we get in the market, I could speculate that the producer has done almost four recrystallisations to get that purity of Aspirin. More pure Aspirin can be obtained if more recrystallisations are done. We could say that the difference in melting point might be higher because it might contain impurities like unreacted salicylic acid or other by-products of the reaction or decomposition products. We can see that the difference in the melting point is getting less as the number of recrystallisation increase and closer to the melting point of Aspirin published in the data booklet. Further evidence to my theory that the number of recrystallisations increases the purity is my melting point data. From my graph it can be seen clearly that as the number of recrystallisations increase the closer to the melting point of pure aspirin we get in the market. My data shows that the percentage purity of aspirin increased with each recrystallisation process. For example, after the first recrystallisation the percentage purity was only 22%, however when fourth recrystallisation was done the percentage purity was 74% showing a significant increase. This can be seen in the following graph:- 9. CONCLUSION In answer to my research question, How does the process of recrystallisation improve the purity of Aspirin? I have found significantly that the percentage purity increases with each recrystallisation and this is evident in my graph under the heading Interpretation of the data. Recrystallisation is an important technique in organic Chemistry. The general method is to find a solvent that dissolves the product more readily at high temperature than at low temperature, make a hot solution, and allow to crystallise on cooling. The crude product might contain; impurities which are insoluble in the solvent; impurities which are slightly soluble in the solvent; and impurities which dissolve readily in the solvent. The solvent itself has also to be removed or it behaves as an impurity in its own right. It must not leave behind any residue. One simple way to tell whether an organic compound is pure is to measure its melting (or boiling) point. A pure compound melts sharply: if impurities are present it melts slowly (over a range of temperature).  [11]   The process of recrystallisation in my experiment increased the purity of Aspirin but with a decrease in the quantity produced. The solid will readily dissolve in a larger quantity of solvent; the larger the volume of solvent the greater the loss of product  [12]  . This is the reason why after every recrystallisation I lose Aspirin. The process of recrystallisation removes the impurities present and this can be concluded from the fact that the difference between the melting point of the sample and the melting point of Aspirin from data booklet decreases with each recrystallisation. I could conclude that a pharmaceutical company should always have a balance between producing a very pure product, which means many recrystallisation processes and producing enough quantity of the product to make it a profitable industry. 10. EVALUATION 10.1 Random error The apparatus I used had uncertainties like the measuring flask has an uncertainty of  ±0.5cm3, the burette had an uncertainty of  ±0.1cm3 and the melting point apparatus also had an uncertainty of  ± 0.1 °C. This results in errors in my results. The equipment error could be reduced by using equipments with less error. For example, I could use a burette with an error of  ±0.05 cm3 instead of a burette with error of  ±0.1 cm3. 10.2 Systematic error In the process of titration there could a parallax error caused if the reading from the burette is not read at eye-level. So, when taking the reading from the burette, the level of the eye should be same as the level of the meniscus. When we are titrating different samples of recrystallisations the colour of the indicator changes from pale pink to dark and it is difficult to know the end-point of the titration process. 10.3 Modifications in the method of preparation of Aspirin and its recrystallisation I modified the method to improve it in the following ways: After each recrystallisation there was loss of Aspirin and the decrease in the mass of Aspirin limited the number of recrystallisations needed to get the most pure form of Aspirin. So, if I doubled the mass of reactants I can get doubled the mass of Aspirin produced and an increase in the number of recrystallisations. When I mixed salicylic acid and ethanoic anhydride solution in concentrated sulphuric acid it is hard to get the formation of a crystalline mush of Aspirin by agitating the flask. Hence, instead I used a magnetic stirrer which gives a uniform stirring and all the chemicals are mixed properly. I found this to be more effective at producing the mush. During the process of recrystallisation a lot of Aspirin is lost. When I used the filter paper, I cut it the same size as the Hirsh funnel. Instead I could have used a bigger filter paper in the funnel so that the impurities do not leak out of the edges of the filter paper and I could get a purer sample of Aspirin. When the Aspirin is left overnight to dry in an evaporating dish, there could be many contaminants which would get mixed in the Aspirin and if this is not taken into consideration in pharmaceutical industries then this could lead to serious health problems. Hence, the Aspiring should be covered when left overnight to dry. I could use different methods of purification of Aspirin like thin layer chromatography which is a sensitive and quick way of detecting impurities in an organic product (Aspirin). I could also use spectroscopy which provides a very good method for analyzing an organic compound. By comparing the infra-red spectrum for Aspirin with the spectrum of compound in a database I can check on its purity. 11. UNANSWERED QUESTIONS Unfortunately, not all my questions could be answered in this experiment. It would have been interesting in further researching and comparing more brands of Aspirin available in the market, if the producers just recrystallised the sample of Aspirin twice so that they do not lose a lot of their product in the process of recrystallisation or the producers actually tried to produce a pure sample of Aspirin ignoring the decrease in yield after each recrystallisation and considering the fact that this can affect the health of humans. When an organic compound has been made it needs to be purified, particularly if it is a  pharmaceutical chemical. This is because most organic reactions produce by-products but, even if the reaction is a clean one, the purity standards for many products are so stringent that small amounts of other compounds have to be removed. In particular the catalyst used in this reaction is concentrated sulphuric acid and must all be removed.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Chopins Lilacs and the Story of the Annunciation :: Chopin Lilacs Essays

Chopin's Lilacs and the Story of the Annunciation  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   When the theologian Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza writes that the myth of the Virgin Mary "sanctions a deep psychological and institutional split" (59) among women in the Catholic tradition, she captures what Kate Chopin also captured in her story "Lilacs." There, sisterhood between secular and religious women appears fragmented and nearly impossible. To scrutinize the division, Kate Chopin fashions her story around the portion of the Virgin Mary myth told in St. Luke's gospel of the Annunciation of the birth of Jesus spoken to Mary by the archangel Gabriel. Working with that text, "Lilacs" mocks a tradition prizing virginity and separating the cloistered from the secular. Irony prevails, but so too does the sorrow born of religious restraint and condemnation. From the tension in the Annunciation between the virginal and the non-virginal comes ages of women divided from one another on the basis of chastity and divided internally into spiritual and physical selves.    Chopin's "Lilacs" plays out this division on the grounds of a Sacred Heart convent and in the apartments of a Parisian mondaine to question whether a life almost wholly spiritual or a life almost wholly physical can be anything but the subject of ridicule. The narrator tempts us to enjoy the ridicule only to have us feel more painfully at the story's end the dolorous effects of con strained desire, effects which diminish both nun and secular woman.    As a story that draws so heavily on the details and symbols of the Annunciation story, "Lilacs," we could assume, would want to remind us of Mary's (and, by extension, woman's) salvific role as the vessel chosen by God to ensure humankind's redemption. But "Lilacs" fails to announce the good news for women as it sees too clearly that what was salvific for humankind ended up dividing women within themselves and within the Catholic tradition because of that tradition's insistence on Mary's virginity before and after childbirth. This insistence separated the ideal virginal mother from real women and mothers whose joyously experienced sexuality closed the doors to work within the clerical ministry even until today. The Annunciation story for Kate Chopin is a story told at the expense of women's sexuality and spirituality, full and complementary as they might have been. The notion of a failed annunciation, then, opens "Lilacs": "Mme. Adrienne Farival never announced her coming.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Finding True Compassion Essay

In human society, man is surrounded by those less privileged, those in a state of desperation. In her piece â€Å"On Compassion†, Barbara Ascher describes brief scenes that capture the basis of transaction between the helpless and those in a position to give help, arguing that the only way society can achieve true compassion is by truly identifying with the suffering of others. Ascher observes the world around her as a member of society, describing encounters between those in a place of misery and those in normal walks of life. As she observes the â€Å"grinning man† on the street corner and the old man who smelled of â€Å"cigarettes and urine†, she distinguishes herself from her fellow human beings. Ascher notices these people, while others â€Å"look away† and â€Å"daydream a bit†, making her stand out as someone who can acknowledge and understand those in times of hardship. Because Ascher writes as someone who can identify with adversity, she succeeds in persuading society as a whole to embrace compassion through understanding. Ascher draws a strict line between those suffering and those privileged in her piece to specifically isolate her audience. At the very beginning of her essay, Ascher describes a group of pedestrians assembled at a street corner, intent on ignoring the haggard homeless man before them. A man â€Å"lifts and lowers the shiny toe of his right shoe, watching the light reflect† – doing anything to avoid confronting the â€Å"grinning man† in any way. Later in her piece, Ascher describes â€Å"ladies in high-heeled shoes† and how they â€Å"pick their way through poverty and madness†, hoping to escape the torment experienced by those around them. Ascher accuses these people as being the flawed majority of a compassionless society, exposing how they actively attempt to ignore and push past the living adversity that walks the streets around them. The â€Å"troublesome presence is removed from the awareness of the electorate†, but Ascher tries to persuade these people to do the exact opposite; by letting in the hardship they also grow to grasp compassion. Ascher describes scenarios in which she questions whether or not acts of â€Å"compassion† are simply facades that hide misguided motives. The woman who protects herself and her child by â€Å"bearing the dollar like a cross† obviously acts out of fear, attempting to ward off the unwanted presence of the homeless man. Ascher uses rhetorical questions to challenge the woman’s motives, inquiring â€Å"was it fear or compassion that motivated the gift? † Ascher also questions the motives of the coffee shop owner, asking if pity, care or compassion compelled her decision to feed the homeless man day after day. Ascher takes up an extremely accusatory tone, directly exposing the mayor of New York City’s misguided motives behind the â€Å"involuntary hospitalization† of the homeless in his city. Ascher questions the grounds upon which these people act to enforce her argument that humanity must learn to identify with the â€Å"rags with voices† to become truly compassionate. Ascher exposes the flaws in society’s acts of â€Å"compassion†, reminding everyday men and women that their tendency to fear and distance themselves from the helpless only proves to hinder their capacity for compassion. As people walk through the Greek tragedy that is life, the only way to truly brighten the stage is to embrace the darkness that afflicts other â€Å"players†, hoping to shed the pure light of compassion.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Stress paper (nursing) - 1669 Words

Stress Paper Steven Smith Saint Xavier University Stress Paper The main stressors in my life are school, and disturbed sleep pattern related to stress and hectic workload. Some common coping mechanisms to relief the stress that I researched and found to be effective, were, deep breathing, yoga, proper nutrition, and time management. These are just a few of the many stress coping mechanisms that I researched and thought they fit best with my active lifestyle, and interests. The first of my stressors is school; school is a stressor because it is more demanding than it was in past years there it is now asking more from me along with all my other responsibilities. School takes up a lot of time†¦show more content†¦Another coping mechanism for my disturbed sleep pattern is time management according to an article from College teaching talked about a Research project looking at how students spend their time between work, school, and social interaction, They had the students keep a time diary to keep track of their day to day activity. It showed that most of any given day was spent on social interaction and then working due to finical strains and the least on schoolwork and activities (Hanson, T. L., Drumheller, K., Mallard, J., McKee, C., Schlegel, P. 2011). This time diary is a great way for me to see where my time is spent and allow my to cut out or at the least cut down on unnecessary time spent doing things that are not related to schoolwork or work which will allow me to better manage my day and get to bed at a reasonable hour and not have to be stressed because all the work has been done in a timely fashion. In conclusion the biggest stressors in my life are school, and my disturbed sleep pattern. School is a stressor because it causes me to miss work, which hurts me financially because not only do I miss work but I also use the money from working to help fund schooling. I found the best coping mechanism to fit my life style was yoga because it has been shown to lessens the affects of stress, help with focus, and confidence ( Rizzolo et al. 2009). Which will fit in nicely with my already activeShow MoreRelatedNursing Students As A Nurse1545 Words   |  7 PagesQuestion In nursing schools around the world, nursing students, in particular, are known for being pushed to the brink. It’s a simple technique, considering that you’re preparing them for careers where they are on their toes day-in and day-out, catering to the needs and well-being of others all the while managing the high demand of a post-secondary education. 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