Temporary agencies in organisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Temporary agencies in organisation - Essay Example Generally, client organizations divide its workforce between core and peripherals. Core workforces are derived within the organization, while peripherals are obtained outside the organization. Literature indicates those firms are responsible in making the decision on the jobs that should be retained for the permanent employees and tasks to outsource (Booth, Francesconi and Frank, 2002). Outsourced tasks require less organizations skills and knowledge such as routine. Based on this model, firms distinguish core labour in order to reduce turnover of skilled workers. In other words, the addition of the temporary agency staff in a firm helps to make quicker adjustments of the number of staffs when need arises. Therefore, during economic contraction, firms hire the temporary agency workers. The firm will no longer have the need to sack the permanent members of the workforce (Forde, 2000). In addition, the firm may opt to use temporary staffing agencies to reduce the increasing labour costs. Research indicates that most temporary agency workers receive less pay compared to the permanent members of the workforce (Booth, Francesconi and Frank, 2002). However, this may differ between the bottom and top end of the labour market. In addition, firms are able to reduce operation costs by reducing liabilities such as holiday pay sick pay and maternity cover, although this may differ in various countries. In some countries, the temporary agency workers are entitled for payments. Moreover, the use of the temporary agency workers reduces the fixed cost of hiring permanent staffs. Outsourcing some functions allows a firm to reduce their non-core proficiencies. Therefore, the firm has more time to focus on its main functions. The client organizations get opportunity for screening the temporary workers for potential permanent employees at low cost. Hiring core workforce from a pool of temporary staff can be

Virtue Ethics and Mattel's Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Virtue Ethics and Mattel's Case - Essay Example Truthfulness also means reporting regularly to the board of directors and top management, who at the beginning of GMP, were dedicated to realizing the virtues of their program. They wanted business ethics that had clear standards and measures, and Sethi et al. (2011) helped provide those necessities. The main concern with GMP is the clash between the truthfulness principle and actual reporting practices. After finding problems with one of Mexico’s Mattel plants, operational level managers greatly pressured MIMCO to change its draft report, and suggested that the council overreacted to â€Å"isolated instances† (Sethi et al., 2011, p. 497). MIMCO received a â€Å"list of changes in language† and were asked to include them in the draft report (Sethi et al., 2011, p. 497). This challenge shows the difference between operational managers’ and top management’s commitment to GMP. Apparently, commitment discrepancy exists between the top and operational ma nagers, which undermine the truthfulness of GMP. Courage is another virtue that does not depend sacrificing people’s lives, but on moral courage, where people are not afraid to know and to accept the truth, as well as to use the truth to do what is right (Harper, 2008, p. 197). Solomon (1993) argued that moral courage concerns a process of understanding the big picture, the mission and goals of the organization, and how the organization can attain the best intentions (p. 48). It refers to sticking to the best intentions, however difficult it might be. Being courageous can then be related to truthfulness, because the brave does not fear the truth. When Mattel asked Sethi to lead the...Justice is fundamental to Mattel because it affects GMP’s policies, procedures, and outcomes. Justice concerns being fair to others and responding to unjust policies, procedures, and outcomes. In business, justice refers to the rules and procedures that people use to attain justice, when m aking decisions . Justice concentrates on giving people what is due to them, by respecting their rights and fairly rewarding perceived performance in the workplace. To evaluate the fairness of ethical decisions, three kinds of justice are often used. Distributive justice is the first form of justice, and it pertains to evaluating the outcomes of business decisions and transactions. For Mattel, it seeks to promote distributive justice because it is concerned about the equity of its decision outcomes. The company promotes fair hiring and workplace conditions, for instance, that served workers’ interests. On the contrary, Mattel cannot attain distributive justice, when its licensees are concerned. GMP applied only to companies owned and/or managed by Mattel, which does not include licensees. Justice for all employees cannot be attained through selective auditing policies.

Reflective Essay on Clinical Decision Making

Reflective Essay on Clinical Decision Making Clinical decision making in nursing involves applying critical thinking skills to select the best available evidence based option to control risks and address patients needs in the provision of high quality care that nurses are accountable for. Standing, M. (2011) Nurses are accountable for the quality, safety and effectiveness of their clinical decision making. We are accountable to the patients, clients and service users to whom we owe a duty of care. According to Standing, M. (2011), accountability in decision making is being answerable to patients, the public, employers, NMC and the law for the consequences of our actions and having to explain, justify, and defend our decisions. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2008) states that nurses are personally accountable for their actions during practice and therefore they must be able to justify their decisions at all time. Nurses have to balance a number of elements before they make a decision, however the patients best interest is their main priority. Decision making involves assessing available options and their effectiveness. It applies judgement regarding our reasons for doing or not doing things. As nurses, we use different information sources to support our judgement and decision making. Nursing is the use of clinical judgement in the provision of care to enable people to improve, maintain, or recover health, to cope with health problems, and to achieve the best possible quality of life whatever their disease or disability, until death. (Royal College of Nursing, 2003) Decision making requires thinking skills to exercise judgement in assessing the benefits of available options and choosing a preferred option that is then acted upon. Judgement is not decision making but is closely related. Decision making links judgement to practice by acting on it in choosing from the options available. There are different models of decision making in nursing developed to help nurses make their decision on all aspects of nursing care and I decided to focus on risk analysis and management and evidence based decision making. Clinical practice is often concerned with risk reduction and with the developing trend in healthcare litigation, there is a big emphasis on risk management for both the patients and health care staffs. Clinical risk management will fundamentally happen through the interpretation and application of agreed individual care plans. The development of a comprehensive and individualised care plan will relate to the broad range of effective treatment, rehabilitation and support services provided at the current level of clinical knowledge (Morgan, S., 1998). Risk assessment is a process of identifying and investigating factors associated with the increased probability of specified risk occurring. It is an examination of the context and details of past risk incidents in the light of current circumstances. It is also concerned with the patterns of circumstances in which these factors may arise. A nurse may assess a patient as at risk of developing pressure sores, and then implement measures to try and reduced the likelihood of this event occurring by providing equipment such as specialist mattress. Risk assessment is a continuous process in which nurses gather information from multiple sources and other health care professionals with the focus of identifying the factors that is associated with the increased probability of risk happening. It is the foundation on which decisions are made and risks plans are then formulated through available national and local policies and procedures (Morgan, S.,1998). According to Lipsedge (1995), good practice in risk assessment requires nurses to translate their knowledge into a clearly distinct formulation of the risks. The formulation should ideally reflect aspects of each individual, context and systems that may influence the potential for risks. The primary aim of pressure ulcer risk assessment tool is to help nurses identify individuals at risk of pressure ulcers and determine the degree of risk (Shakespeare 1994).Formal pressure ulcer risk assessment involves the use of a tool that assists in identifying those patients likely to develop a pressure ulcer. According to Guy, H. (2007), risk assessment on pressure ulcer requires multifactorial consideration. Risk-assessment tools are a useful signpost to risk factors but must not be used in isolation to identify risk. It is important to carry out a care plan once the patient is identified to be at risk of developing a pressure sore so that occurrence of pressure damage can be prevented. Most nurses are familiar with the use of pressure sore risk assessment tools such as the Braden or Waterlow scales. These tools collect data regarding various factors thought to be associated with the development of pressure sores. There is normally some form of scoring system which shows the probability of the pressure sore occurring. For example, if a patient scores 15 or over on the Waterlow scale, the individual may be considered at risk of developing pressure sores and therefore the nurses will have to maintain a pressure ulcer prevention (PUP) bundle in order to keep track of the patients condition. According to Waterlow (1985), recommended care interventions are available with each recommendation corresponding to the risk score parameters of the Waterlow scale. The Waterlow scale is mostly used in adult field of nursing. It can also be used with hospitalised mental health and learning disability patients. However, the Waterlow scale is specifically designed for adults and therefore it is not appropriate to be use on children. Paediatrics use a different pressure ulcer risk assessment tool called the Glamorgan scale (Willock, J. et al, 2007). No risk assessment tool can be 100% accurate. The key issue in examining risk assessment tools is how good they are at distinguishing those at risk from those who are not and if they are better or more accurate than simply relying on professional judgement (Thompson, C. Dowding, D., 2002). When considering risk assessment and risk reduction, it is important that the initial assessment of risk is accurate. Evidence refers to information that is used to support particular beliefs, decisions and actions. Evidence-based decision making is a prescriptive approach to making choices based on ideas of how research and theory can be used to improve decision making in regards to delivery and quality of patient care. According to Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008a, p.7), nurses are now required to use evidence based practice. For example, nurses must deliver care based on the best available evidence or practice and must ensure any advice given to patients are evidence based. Sackett el al (1996) defines evidence base practice as the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient by incorporating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from a systematic research. This means that one solution will not be the same for all clinical scenarios and it is the nurses role to identify the research that best fits the clinical situation. According to McKibbon (1998): Evidence based practice is an approach to health care wherein health professionals use the best evidence possible, i.e. the most appropriate information available to make clinical decisions for individual patients. Evidence based practice values, enhances and builds on clinical expertise, knowledge of disease mechanisms, and pathophysiology. It involves complex and conscientious decision making based not only on the available evidence but also on patient characteristics, situations and preferences. It recognises that health care is individualised and ever changing and involves uncertainties and probabilities. Ultimately, Evidence base practice is the formalisation of the care process that the best clinicians have practiced for generations. McKibbon (1998) recognises the importance of the patient when making decisions about their own care. According to Reigle, Steven, Belcher et al (2008) and Talsma, Grady, Feetham, et al (2008), the reason why evidence based practice is consistently implemented is because it leads to the highest quality of care and best patient outcomes. It involves combining the knowledge of an expert, patient preferences and research evidence within the context of available resources. Also, studies by McGuinty and Anderson (2008) and Williams (2004) showed that evidence based practice has reduced healthcare costs and geographic variation in delivery of care. Integrating research evidence into decision making involves forming a focused clinical question in response to a recognised information need, searching for the most appropriate evidence to meet that need, critically appraising the retrieved evidence, incorporating the evidence into a strategy for action, and evaluating the effects of any decisions and actions taken. Thompson et al (2004) One of the tools used in evidence based practice is the use of the early warning score system (EWS). EWS were developed to assist health care professionals detect if patients are deteriorating. It is based on physiological parameters taken when recording patient observation e.g. the patients heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, oxygen saturations and systolic blood pressure. The EWS is designed for adults and can also be use with mental health and learning disability patients. However, due to children and adults different physiological responses, EWS is inappropriate to use on children. Alternatively, Paediatric Early Warning Scores (PEWS) is use for children, to record observations and is use to assess the childs condition i.e. If the childs score is high then this means he/she is at risk of deteriorating, this gives nurses an early indication that an action has to be done. The use of early warning score (EWS) is the best practice for clinical observations (Department of Health, 2000), and this is backed up by NCEPOD (2005) who emphasised that every in-patient should have a EWS recorded. Accurate and timely observations and adherence to EWS is essential in order to recognise patients who are at risk of deterioration. According to NICE (2007), nurses caring for patients in acute hospital settings should be skilled in monitoring, measuring, and interpreting data and have prompt response to the acutely ill patient and they should be assessed in order to demonstrate their competency. Early intervention can help prevent patients condition from deteriorating which then helps avoid the need to transfer the patient to a higher level of care. However, despite the good outcome of using evidence based practice in decision making with regards to patient care, there are issues such as nurses do not always make their decision based on available evidence due to lack of skills i.e. poor IT skills, lack of research skills and literature. There are also misconceptions that traditional ways is the best way, or that gathering evidence is too difficult and time consuming. Becoming skilled in clinical decision making requires the application of a range of evidence regarding patient concern, physical and human resources within healthcare contexts, understanding health and illnesses, developing expertise in applying therapeutic approaches, a commitment to enhance the wellbeing of those in your care and fulfilling the requirements of the relevant professional body. Overall, as nurses, it is important to have a basis when we make a decision regarding patient care. Risk is integral to nursing and the assessment of risk is one of the most common judgements nurses make. Each decision making model requires certain set of skills in order to be put on proper use and get the right results. Nurses are expected to use valid evidence to support their decisions when deciding what care to provide each patient. It is also important that nurses use their resources cost effectively by ensuring that resources and equipment are used correctly by the patient. Sometimes it is difficult for the nurse to come to a decision that will satisfy clients and co-workers and they also may be challenged at any time, however the important thing is that the nurse takes full responsibility and is able to justify his/her decision. Making the wrong clinical decision is not only harmful to patients but can also damage a nurses career. Learning about developing and applying effecti ve clinical decision making skills is vital for the wellbeing of patients and nurses capacity to demonstrate that decisions are justified.

The Implicat of Sin in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Implicat of Sin in The Scarlet Letter Sin is the transgression of a moral code designated by either society or the transgressor. The Puritans of Boston in the novel, The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, establish a rigid moral code by which to purge their society of deviants. As this society is inherently theocratic, the beliefs and restrictions established by religion are not only incorporated into law but constitute all law. In this manner, the moral code of the Puritan society thoroughly pervades the lives of its individuals, and any presence of iniquity is felt in all aspects of their lives. In The Scarlet Letter, the characters' lives are controlled by the sin they commit. Hester Prynne's adultery causes her alienation from the Puritan society in which she lives. After the term of her confinement ends, she moves into a remote, secluded cottage on the outskirts of town, inducing a physical separation from the townspeople. Because of this seclusion from society, the Puritans regard her with much curiosity and suspicion: " Children...would creep nigh enough to behold her plying her needle at the cottage-window...and discerning the scarlet letter on her breast, would scamper off with a strange, contagious fear." In addition to the physical separation, a more intangible manner of exclusion also exists, in that Hester becomes a pariah. She is subject to derision and malice from the lowliest of vagrants to the most genteel of individuals of the community, though many are often the recipients of her care and attention: "The poor...whom she sought out to be the objects of her bounty, often reviled the hand that was stretched forth to succor them...Dames of elevated rank, likewise, were accustomed to distill drops of bitterness into her heart." Hester cannot feel any sort of kinship with the townspeople in light of the treatment she receives from them, thus alienating her even further from Puritan society. Formerly an inhabitant within the bounds of the community as well as a member of the community, she is now outcast in both respects. Just as the act of adultery is pivotal in Hester's life, this sin effects a similar manipulation of Arthur Dimmesdale's life. Dimmesdale's guilt over his sin continually torments him throughout

Aztec Belief System Essay

Throughout the history of mankind civilizations have trusted in the existence of a higher power. Although the existence of a higher power doesn’t bear as large of an impact on societies like the United States today, it was the focal point of life in many civilizations of the past. A great example of a civilization that was extremely reliant on the connection between humans and higher powers was the Aztecs. The Aztecs believed that they were connected to the universe by a sacred energy. They believed this energy was the source of all natural events and if it were unbalanced, they would suffer. In order to maintain the balance, the Aztecs performed ceremonial sacrifices, bloodletting, and other forms of violent cultural behavior. The connection between the Aztecs and the universe is evident among their myths about how humans were created. One creation myth is the story of the goddess Tlaltecutli. In the story Tlaltecutli was ripped apart by the gods Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca and her body parts were used to create the earth and the other gods. This event caused Tlaltecutli to desire human hearts and she would not be quiet until they were brought to her. Nor would she bear fruit until she had been drenched in human blood. Another creation myth, and the most common legend amongst the Aztecs, was that the god Quetzalcoatl descended into the underworld and retrieved the bones and ashes of previous human beings in order to recreate humanity because the universe had been destroyed after the fourth Sun went out. Quetzalcoatl ground the bones into powder and used his blood to fertilize it and create humans.   The Aztecs also had a myth that explained how the Sun and moon were created. According to legend, the gods Nanautzin and Tecuziztecatl sacrificed themselves by jumping into a fire, which turned them into the Sun and moon. The other gods also sacrificed themselves to provide nourishment for the Sun. However the Sun and the Earth still had an insatiable craving for human blood, therefore war was created to satisfy the Sun’s needs. What’s interesting about these creation myths is that they all included some form of death, sacrifice, or blood shed in order to create something. The creation myths shaped the foundation for why Aztecs placed so much emphasis on violent cultural behavior. In the Aztec society, human sacrifice was extremely common. This is because sacrifices were the main method of creating cosmic order between humans and the universe. Pubic sacrifices took place at the beginning of each of the 18 twenty-day months. The sacrifices consisted of mostly captured warriors, but in rare cases included children and young women. The purpose of public sacrifice was to acquire the divine forces embedded in the physiology of human beings in order to nourish the Sun, Earth, and rain. Aztec ceremonies consisted of days of ritual preparation, ceremonial sacrifice, and acts of nourishing the gods and the community. Priests carried out the sacrifices, which included many forms such as decapitation, burning, hurling from great heights, strangulation, and arrow sacrifice. The most common was the removal of the heart. The heart and the head were the two most important body parts to the Aztecs. Tonalli was a type of energy that came from the head and determined the shape of one’s temperament and destiny. Tonalli was first acquired as an embryo in a female uterus. The Sun was the most powerful way to increase tonalli. It was believed that hair prevented tonalli from leaving the body. Therefore hair was a major prize in warfare. When heads were decapitated during ceremonies, the city as a whole gained tonalli. Teyolia, or â€Å"diving fire†, was the energy that came from the heart and determined a person’s sensibilities and thinking patterns. When a person died his or her tayolia traveled to the world of the dead, or â€Å"sky of the Sun†. Tayolia gives energy to the Sun, which is why heart sacrifices were so popular.   Giving hearts and heads wasn’t the only donation made to the higher powers. Bloodshed was also seen as a type of nourishment. The Aztecs believed that spilling blood was vital to please the gods and to ensure natural forces such as strong harvests. Another Aztec creation myth, the story of Tezcatlipoca, gives strong insight into the importance of bloodshed. In the story the body of Tezcatlipoca was cut into pieces and divided over the four directions of the world, with his blood flowing into the center. The divine blood redistributed energy to animals, body parts, vegetation, and the calendar. Although The Aztecs believed that by giving the hearts and heads of their victims to the gods and the universe, they would be blessed with gifts like bountiful harvests, strength in war, and healthy lives, they didn’t practice sacrifice just to receive blessings; they also feared that the universe would be destroyed. The Aztecs believed that there had been four previous ages that the universe passed through prior to the present age, the Fifth Age. At the end of each age, the Sun went out and caused a catastrophic event that destroyed all life on Earth. In the Second Age, for example, it was believed that the beings that lived there were carried away by the wind. (AD1, p. 4) The fear of the Sun going out again and ending the Fifth Age is one the main catalysts for explaining why the Aztecs placed so much importance on human sacrifice, warfare, and other violent cultural behavior. In order to ensure that the Sun wouldn’t go out again, the Aztecs participated in what is known as the New Fire Ceremony. It took place once every fifty-two years and was used to ensure that the Sun would last for another fifty-two years. The rebirth was achieved by the heart sacrifice of a brave, captured warrior specifically chosen by the king. The ceremony began at the top of a mountain with a priest cutting out the warrior’s heart and throwing it into a fire. The people in the village would then cut themselves and splatter their blood in the direction of the fire. The fire was then brought down the mountain and the people blistered themselves with fire. The Aztecs believed that if they did not perform the ceremony properly to nourish the Sun, it would go out and the demons of the darkness would descend to eat all human beings. The New Fire Ceremony is a great example of how the Aztecs viewed the connection between human beings and the cosmos. The role of humankind in the Aztec society was very pre-determined. Men were devoted to warfare and females were devoted to the household. Warfare was extremely important to Aztec men because it was used as a way to appease the gods with the hearts of prisoners of war.   It was also used a way to rank the importance and worth of a man. Men higher up in the military rank received more luxuries and entitlements than men of lower ranks. For example, a top war commander, or â€Å"quauhpilli†, was given land by the ruler and could run schools for commoners.   Military service was a compulsory obligation by all free men. The Aztec’s innate desire for combat is a direct impact of the believed connection between conflict and nourishment for the universe. When a male child was born, he is dedicated to the Sun, and â€Å"the flowery death† of the warrior in battle or on the killing stone. This shows that the Aztecs believed that the only honorable death for a male is on the battlefield or being sacrificed on another tribes killing stone. The Aztec devotion to the universe was so strong that they not only believed that they had to sacrifice others in battle to please the gods; they had to sacrifice themselves as well. The culture and beliefs of the Aztec civilization were much different than the culture and beliefs of society today. Human sacrificing no longer occurs because it is considered cruel and unusual punishment. Humans do not believe that sacrifices and bloodshed are necessary to please a higher power. Although there are certain religions that believe that the way humans act bear some consequence on things like karma and where we go in the afterlife, it is rare to find a society in today’s world that believes wholeheartedly that there is a direct connection between human’s actions, the divine, and natural forces, like the Aztecs believed. Science and technology have allowed humans to understand that we can control all aspects of processes such as growing crops and that the gods have no effect on it. Warfare, although still important, does not have nearly as strong of an impact on humans today. Warfare is only needed for protection, to defend other countries, or in certain areas of the world, to attempt to settle religious differences like the Shiite and Sunni Muslims. Today, men and women have the choice to grow up and become whatever they want. Men are not required to serve in the military and women have the ability to do more than just take care of the household. The main difference between the Aztecs and humans today is that for the Aztecs, the connection to the universe was the most important aspect of life, while today creating a family, treating others fairly, and having proper morals are the most important aspects of life. The majority of people just want to make the most of their lives on Earth while they still have time, and depending on their beliefs, if they do it right they will reach an afterlife when they die. The Aztecs were one of mankind’s most interesting civilizations. They devoted their lives to pleasing the universe and believed that sacrifice and bloodshed were the best ways of doing it. They attempted to control every aspect of their lives in order to keep the connection between humans and the universe in balance. The Aztec belief system was very extreme. No other civilization has put so much emphasis on sacrifices, and more than likely, no civilization ever will again.

Frederick Douglass How I Learned to Read and Write Essay

During the 1800’s, the institution of slavery was still ongoing in the few slave states left in America. Slavery was still proving to be unjust and unfair, not allowing for African Americans to be considered equals. However, some slaves were able to overcome the many restrictions and boundaries that slavery forced upon them. In Frederick Douglass’ essay â€Å"Learning to Read and Write,† Douglass portrays himself as an intelligent and dignified slave who’s able to overcome the racial boundaries placed upon him. Frederick Douglass saw that his only pathway to freedom was through literacy, so his goal was to learn how to read and write no matter the circumstances. Douglass realized becoming a literate slave was considered as having too much power because it made him aware of unjust circumstances of slavery. For a slave to become literate wasn’t tolerated. If a slaves knew how to read and write, it would make them unfit for being slaves. At the age of twelve, Frederick Douglass manipulates his circumstances caused by slavery and uses various stratagems to learn how to read and write. Eager to learn, Douglass manipulated his circumstances under slavery to become literate. At first, Master Hugh’s wife had started tutoring Douglass, teaching him the alphabet. These lessons continued until she was further instructed by her husband not to do so. He believed that if slaves could read and write they would no longer obey him without question or thought. Due to this belief, tutoring ended abruptly. Masters Hugh’s wife carried out her husband’s commands, but she also tried to prevent Douglass from becoming educated by anyone else either. However, Douglass was able to obtain newspapers and or various books to further his education. The mistress and her husband demonstrated with their actions and beliefs during this time, that slavery and education were incompatible. However, Douglass had already taken the first step in his eager pursuit to literacy. Douglass’ quest for literacy led him to use various stratagems in order to learn how to read. Douglass had already gained command of the alphabet, so he devised a plan to become friends with poor white children whom he met on errands and to use them as teachers. He paid for his reading lessons with pieces of bread. By meeting at various times and places, he had finally succeeded in learning to read. With the little money he had earned doing errands, he bought a copy of The Columbian Orator (The common text for schools in New England at the time). Douglass was particularly interested in a dialogue in The Columbian Orator, one pertaining to a slave being emancipated after trying to escape for the third time. The dialogue consisted of a conversation between the master and the slave. The slave had proven he was intelligent with the smart and impressive replies to the master in the dialogue, thus leading to the emancipation of the slave on behalf of the master. Douglass learned the morality of the power of truth over conscience in the dialogue, which made him envious. The more Frederick Douglass learned, the more slavery became a burden. Douglass had become more aware of the unjustness of slavery and the social forces placed upon his people because of it. Knowingly, Douglass was determined to overcome these social forces and become a freed slave. Becoming more aware of his situation in society, Douglass felt wretched by his condition and sought to learn to write in order to better it. After he realized the strongholds and stipulations held upon him, Douglass sought to hear anything he can about slavery. Douglass became fascinated with the word abolition, and not knowing what it meant bothered him. Douglass, eager to find the meaning of the word, picked up a newspaper containing an account of petitions for the abolition of slavery and slave trade. It was not long before Frederick realized what the word now meant. Young Douglass was enlightened with new ideas that both tormented and inspired him. He soon began to detest slavery, and he knew that writing was the final step to fulfill his plight to become literate. So Douglass traveled to Mr. Water’s Wharf where he met two Irishmen who felt sorry for him being a slave and advised him to run away. However, Douglass believed that if he learned to write he could possible write his own ticket out of slavery. With this new found idea, he traveled to Durgin and Bailey’s ship-yard where he learned to write by using abbreviations. Different abbreviations stood for various areas on the ship where the timber was to be placed. He soon learned the names of the abbreviated letters and challenged the boys who had taught him to read, in writing contests. This method, along with his rigorous copying of words from various copy-books and Webster’s Spelling Book, allowed Douglass to finally become a literate black male in America. Frederick Douglass was able to overcome the social boundaries and conflicts that slavery forced upon him in his quest for literacy. Although his journey was hard and against all odds, Douglass knew that his only escape from the narrow-minded world of slavery was to be able to become educated. With his literacy came power and his ability to write his own ticket. Frederick Douglass’ aspiration for a becoming an equal citizen in America was astounding. He overcame the stipulations and restrictions that slavery forced upon him. When he wanted to give up all hope, his search for freedom and wellbeing was his motivation.