Patient rights
Patient rights laws were put in place to help protect the patient from malpractice and harm. There are many of these laws that make sense, such as patient confidentiality or having to consent to a procedure or treatment. Unfortunately, other laws limit what doctors can do. These laws are a barrier that constantly hang over doctors’ heads. I believe that these laws need to be more lax so they can allow the doctors and nurses to do their best work while still protecting the patients under their treatment.
Part of medicine is taking risks and trying things that aren’t necessarily by the book. The more complicated the case, the more complicated the solution will be. I believe patient rights laws don’t take this into account. They assume that everything is as straightforward as giving an antibiotic. Another reason we train doctors for such a long period of time is so they can weigh pros and cons out in order to correctly treat and cure patients. If we inhibit doctors, their ability to minimize pain and suffering diminishes. If we decrease their options, we decrease their patients’ chances of survival.
I propose the introduction of a law similar to the Good Samaritan laws that exist in some states. These laws protect you legally in situations where you are attempting to save another’s life, such as performing CPR. I believe we need to trust our health care professionals to make the right call; if they try their best and something goes wrong, they should not be punished for it. We should not discipline them for doing the very best they can, even if it sometimes it isn’t good enough.
— Eric Winzenried
Logandale, Nevada
Procrastination
As college students, we face a wide variety of challenges in our bid to gain a degree. These challenges range from transition issues and academic woes to financial concerns. One that is usually cast aside and treated lightly is procrastination.
A recent study by the American Psychological Association found that about 80 to 95 percent of college students procrastinate on their school work. Alarming, isn’t it? I know as human beings we tend to put off things that need to be done (especially those tasks that are less appealing) from time to time, but it becomes a serious problem when we do this consistently.
One might ask why we do this to ourselves knowing very well we might regret it down the line. One reason I’ve heard my peers give is that they perform much better under pressure (their mental prowess increases when there is a tighter time constraint). The truth is, we are more likely to make mistakes when we are under that much pressure. I can remember several times when I have had several assignments or projects due about the same time and my ability to work under pressure failed me.
If you feel your procrastination is getting out of hand, please seek help before it becomes a chronic affair.
— Kojo Boakye-Yiadom
Accra, Ghana
A multilingual nation
I believe that the United States should become a multilingual nation. This can be accomplished by introducing dual language immersion programs into public schools.
While some public schools in the U.S. already have programs that promote the learning of a variety of languages, these programs should be more widespread. There are many benefits to dual language immersion programs, including “improved performance on tasks that call for divergent thinking, pattern recognition and problem solving; ability to communicate with other ethnic and cultural groups and enhanced employment opportunities once school is completed.”
However, there are some difficulties that are related to dual language immersion programs. According to Tara Williams Fortune from the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, the biggest problems may include “staffing, curriculum development and program articulation.” While these are somewhat difficult issues to solve, the time and money spent addressing them will be well worth the effort once the children begin learning another language.
The benefits of these programs are obvious, and while it may take some work and time to initiate the programs, it will be worth it for the success of the children and the nation in the long run.
— Sarah Stuehser
St. George, Utah
