Vikings Essays (1069 words) - Vikings, Viking Age, Viking, Thrall

Vikings Vikings Who were the Vikings? The definition of a Viking is "one belonging to the pirate crews from among the Northmen, who plundered the coasts of Europe in the eight, ninth, and tenth centuries." Some historical accounts have presented an image of the Vikings as brutal, savage, unfeeling warriors who pillaged and burned with reckless abandon. This is not the whole story. While the Vikings were great warriors, they did not kill for sport or burn and pillage without a motive. They were cunning warriors who sought to make, and ultimately did make, great changes in the lands they conquered. The period known as the Viking Age started in the 9th century and lasted until the 11th century. During this time, Viking ships sailed from Scandinavia, at the center of the Viking World, out across the Northern Hemisphere. They went out on voyages of piracy and invasion, and journeys of exploration, commerce, and settlement. (The Vikings-Donovan. Pg. 15). The Vikings expanded their empire over a great distance. To the east, they traveled as far as the Black Sea and to the west they sailed at least as far as the coast of North America. No one knows exactly why the Vikings decided to expand. Some believe their quest for expansion was due to the overpopulation of their homeland, while others believe that climatic conditions and crop failure forced their migration. (From Viking to Crusader. Rizzoli) Before the year A.D. 1100 the Vikings were polytheistic. They believed that the leader of the gods was Odin, who was the god of battle, poetry, and death. He was also the father of all of the other gods. He presided over Valhalla ("the Hall of the Chosen"), the Viking heaven. It was believed that when a Viking died in battle, a warrior maiden called a Valkyrie escorted him to Valhalla. Once the warrior arrived at Valhalla, he began a new life where he fought all-day and feasted all night. This belief in the conditions of the Viking afterlife shows us that the Vikings held fighting and feasting in very high regard. The Vikings had several other very important gods as well. The most popular god was Thor. He was the ruler of thunder and the sky. Thor was so popular that many Vikings wore lucky charms shaped like the hammer Thor supposedly swung to make thunder. Another very important god was Freya, who was the goddess of love and the"provider" of large families. (The Vikings...Living History). To honor their gods, the Vikings offered sacrifices. A chieftain-priest called a gothi conducted these sacrifices. They were held either inside a temple or at sacred location outside. Vikings could offer anything of value to be sacrificed. Precious metals, clothes, and other inanimate items were buried or thrown in a bog. Sacrificial animals were eaten. The greatest sacrifice of all was to give up a son. This happened on a number of occasions but one in particular stands out. When a war between Earl Hakon (ruler of Norway from 965-995) and a neighboring band of Vikings was going badly, Earl promised to sacrifice his son. The battle changed immediately and Earl's Vikings defeated the neighboring Vikings with minimal losses. Earl gave his son to a servant to be put to death. After the Vikings converted to Christianity sometime between 1050-1100 AD the practice of making sacrifices ended. (The Vikings...Living History) In Viking society there were three classes of people. They were the Bondis, Jarls, and Thralls. The Jarls were military leaders and sometimes priests. The Bondis were farmers or merchants, and the Thralls were slaves who were either born into slavery or captured in battle. A Jarl would own a farmstead and around 30 Thralls. He could also hire poorer freemen to work for pay. The Thralls had to cut their hair short and wear white coats. The Thralls did most of the heavy labor on the farm. Thralls lived very hard lives. A Jarl was allowed to beat his Thralls to death as long as he publicly announced what he'd done on the same day. (The Viking World...Campbell) Although the Vikings shared many customs (way of life, treatment of women, respect for elders), a common religion, and a language called Old Norse, they were not a unified nation. They did, however, have very definite codes of behavior. Their first loyalty was to their clan (family) and secondly they were loyal to their local community. Each year, these communities held meetings called "Things". The purpose of these meetings was to allow freemen to vote on their leaders and laws. Before the year 800 A.D. the Vikings were many

Philosphy of Nursing Essays

Philosphy of Nursing Essays Philosphy of Nursing Essay Philosphy of Nursing Essay My philosophy of nursing is centered on the needs of the patients; both physical and emotional. Patient’s needs are not just limited to their primary illness; but their needs include the whole person and their family. A nurse must have the ability to adapt to each patient’s situation and realize that although the core values of the care provided is theoretically the same; each patient requires an individualized plan of care. In my practice, I try to develop a good relationship with each of my patients. In the operating room instilling a level of comfort that encourages them to voice their concerns about their care, upcoming procedure, and possible outcomes is vital to the patient’s wellbeing. Florence Nightingale’s theory involving the environment of care is the primary focus of my day to day nursing; however, Hildegard Peplau’s theory of the many roles a nurse must play when caring for a patient is paramount if I am to provide the best possible care to the surgical patient (Blais Hayes, 2011). Healthcare and nursing were foreign to me when I entered nursing school. I was sure of two things when I started the program. Feeling a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day was very important and I loved caring for others. As I continued my journey through nursing school and into the workforce I developed my own philosophy about nursing. In the operating room the controlled environment and the technical aspects of patient care are very important. If any one area is compromised, the outcome for the surgical patient could be poor. Florence Nightingale believed the environment of care affected the patient’s wellbeing and if one aspect was missing poor health or illness would occur (Blais Hayes, 2011). Florence Nightingale defined nursing a hundred years ago as â€Å"utilizing the environment of a patient to assist in recovery† (Blais Hayes, 2011, p. 100). Nightingale believed that there PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 3 were five environmental factors linked to a person’s health; pure fresh air, pure water, efficient drainage, cleanliness, and direct sunlight. If any of these five factors were lacking poor health and illness was sure to occur (Blais Hayes, 2011). She refused the theories of contagions or germ infections. She believed that diseases would develop on their own from lack of air, poor lighting, or an improper diet. Patient care came before anything and anything that interfered with that should be cast aside. Because of her concern for the welfare of her patients, she preferred her theory above the theory of â€Å"infections† (Benedict, 2012, p. 2). Nightingale also emphasized the importance of keeping patient’s warm (Blais Hayes, 2011). It is the standard of care today for patients to be actively warmed during surgery from fluids or air convection. Studies have shown these patients have shorter hospital stays and fewer postop complications, such as infections and postop pain. Nutrition was also another focus of Nightingale’s theory (Blais Hayes, 2011). She taught others to make sure the sick patients ate well and in a timely manner. She believed wellness and healing was promoted by a healthy diet, â€Å"The role of proteins in the onset and progression of disease is important because of their enzymatic, transport, and recognition-receptor functions in cellular physiology† (McCance, Heuther, Brasher, Rote, 2010, p. 12). Hildegard Peplau was psychiatric nurse who in the midst of nursing theories relating to individual care delved into a theory encompassing â€Å"the client unit† (Forchuk Dorsay, 1995, p. 2). Patient’s undergoing surgical procedures have many concerns and questions. The same is true for their families. The nurse must be able to establish a relationship with each patient which encourages freedom to ask questions without feeling â€Å"dumb†. Patient interviews must also be directed with broad open question to allow the patient to express their anxieties and fears (Forchuk Dorsay, 1995). PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 4 Peplau also believed the nurse would have varying roles throughout the course of the patient’s care. â€Å"During the nurse client relationship, nurses assume many roles: stranger, teacher, resource person, surrogate leader, and counselor† (Blais Hayes, 2011, p. 100). This theory is practiced more often in the mental health settings; however it is fitting for all aspects of nursing. Preoperatively nurses are the patient’s teachers and counselors, helping them to understand their upcoming procedures and cope with anxieties. Intraoperatively the nurse is the resource person and leader, providing the needs and protecting the compromised patient. In the postoperative phase, the nurse is a resource person and a teacher for the patient and his or her at home caregiver or family member. In conclusion, Florence Nightingale and Hildegard Peplau both have relevant theories applicable to the modern nurse. As a surgical nurse I share the philosophy of Florence Nightingale, because of her rigorous belief in the affect the environment of care has on a patient’s health. Peplau’s philosophy to develop relationships with the patient and the family is also part of my fundamental beliefs when providing patient care. As a nurse and most especially a surgical nurse I am all things to the patient and their family throughout the course of their surgical procedure. PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING 5 References Benedict, E. (2012). The Constant Flame from the archives, three articles that explore the life and legend of Florence Nightingale. Canadian Nurse, 108(5), 18-20. Hayes, K. K. , Blias, J. S. (2011). Professional Nursing Practice: Concepts and Perspectives (6th ed. ). In K. K. Hayes, Professional Nursing Practice: Concepts and Perspectives (6th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Forchuk, C. , Dorsay, J. (1995). Hildegard Peplau meets family systems nursing: innovation in theory-based practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 21(1), 110-115. doi:10. 1046/j. 13652648. 1995. 21010110. x McCance, K. L. , Huether, S. E. , Brasher, V. L. , Rote, N. S. (2010). Proteins. In H. S. McCance Kathryn, Pathophysiology: the Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults and Children, 6th ed. (p. 12). Maryland Heights, Missouri: Mosby Elsevier.