With reference to the NMC Professional Code of Conduct (2008) how should a nurse act in order to promote and maintain a client’s dignity Essay Example

With reference to the NMC Professional Code of Conduct (2008) how should a nurse act in order to promote and maintain a client’s dignity? Essay 34 year old Mary White is in your care. She has limited mobility which means that she is unable to walk without assistance. Her chronic and life limiting condition has recently led to a problem with eating and drinking and now Mary is unable to feed herself (although she can take food from a spoon and drink from a beaker) and requires total assistance in this activity. Whilst her body has deteriorated and her speech is limited Mary White’s cognitive function is intact although she is tearful and depressed. It is meal time and you are preparing to attend to Mary White’s nutritional needs. Objectives: †¢ Define the concept of dignity and discuss the importance of dignity in nursing care †¢ Discuss how the Code of Professional Conduct (NMC 2008) will guide your actions †¢ What are the issues that need to be considered when helping a patient to eat and drink †¢ What skills would you need to use to encourage Mary to eat and drink †¢ Reflect on how your understanding of dignity in health care may affect your future practice We will write a custom essay sample on With reference to the NMC Professional Code of Conduct (2008) how should a nurse act in order to promote and maintain a client’s dignity? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on With reference to the NMC Professional Code of Conduct (2008) how should a nurse act in order to promote and maintain a client’s dignity? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on With reference to the NMC Professional Code of Conduct (2008) how should a nurse act in order to promote and maintain a client’s dignity? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Essay: Nurses play an important role in the healthcare industry. It is required of them to take care of difficult and uncooperative patients. Their services are invaluable in the domain of palliative care as well. But in recent years, from being a humanitarian service, nursing has grown into a specialized branch of healthcare industry. The profession of Nursing has undergone several changes over the last few decades. From being an ad hoc service, it has now become a separate field of study in its own right. As a result of growing expectations, new standards of accountability have also been developed and enforced. This is true here in the UK and much of the developed world (Tortora, 2005). This essay will deal with Scenario Two, namely that of patient Mary. By referring to the recently constituted Nursing and Midwifery Council’s Professional Code of Conduct this essay will layout the dos and don’ts for a Nurse in the hypothetical scenario of caring for patient Mary. The Code of Conduct is a comprehensive document that outlines the core responsibilities of Nurses in the United Kingdom. Each aspect of nursing is neatly organized under a separate heading with two further levels of relevant subheadings. The first principle to be followed is stated as â€Å"Make the care of people your first concern, treating them as individuals and respecting their dignity†. Here, the key concept is ‘dignity’. In fact, it would not be far fetched to state that ‘dignity’ is at the centre of all nursing activity. In the case of Mary, since she is immobile and has limited speaking ability, it is quite easy to forget that she is a full human being. A testament to her complete humanness is her fully functioning cognition. While Mary might not be able to articulate what she wants or what she feels, she can feel pain, hurt, anger, disappointment, happiness, etc. In other words, the entire gamut of human emotion is accessible to her f unctioning brain, although recognition of this fact might escape a casual observer at first (Marieb, 2005). As a Nurse adhering to the principles set forth in the Code of Conduct, I would first let Mary know that I treat her on par with any other human being. While taking complete care of a bed ridden patient can at times get tedious and monotonous, I would find ways of circumventing these. The best way of avoiding the monotony associated with nursing a bed ridden patient is by developing a personal bond with her. In the case of Mary, I will express through my words, gestures and general demeanour that I really care about her health and well being. Since Mary’s cognitive functions are fully alright, she can hear and understand what I am speaking to her. As any good nurse will do, I will attempt to win over her confidence and trust through my words and actions. A pedagogic approach would be unsuitable in the case of Mary, as her health condition is not frequently encountered in nursing practice. A more flexible and pragmatic approach would be more suitable. For example, a NMC president Nancy Kirkland says, â€Å"Rather than be prescriptive in the Code and set out pages and pages of rules that might be inappropriate and might not arise in different circumstances, we felt it would be better to use this other approach which allows the profession to use their professional judgement, relevant to the situation they are in† (www.nmc-uk.org, 2008). Considering the fact that Mary cannot verbally communicate her likes and dislikes, it is imperative that I understand what and when she likes to eat. As the broader Code of Conduct document spells out, collaborating with Mary would entail making arrangements to meet her language and communication needs. Moreover, I must share information with her in a way she can understand and the information that she seeks about her health is also duly provided her. The limited mobility available to Mary would allow her to nod in approval or disapproval of the food I am feeding her. Before I make preparations for her meal, I would intimate her of the items I have chosen for her meal. I would observe her subtle reaction and understand what she is trying to communicate. It is important that I do not force her to do something she does not want too. While the food chosen by me might adhere to the recommendations made by the nutritionist, I can still exercise discretion in tailoring it to Maryâ⠂¬â„¢s preferences. As the Code of Conduct documents indicate, â€Å"Patients who have had a stroke may have difficulty in communicating. Nurses need to be alert to this, particularly if these patients are being treated fro and unrelated conditions as their communication need could be overlooked†. (www.nmc-uk.org, 2008) There are issues of practical convenience that need to be considered in feeding Mary. I will make sure that she is comfortably seated and that she assumes a suitable posture for eating food. I would observe if Mary is able to masticate the spoon fed morsel of food. If she has difficulty in chewing the intake properly, then I might resort to a semi-solid meal – one which could be easily swallowed. There are other such contingencies that could arise in the process of feeding Mary. But all times, I would adhere to the recommendations of the nutritionist and all times avoid those food items that had invoked allergic reactions in Mary in the past. It is also important to remember that Mary is showing signs of depression. Depressed patients will not generally have a healthy appetite. Their general lack of interest in life would mean that they are disinterested in food as well. There have been a few cases of injudicious action by nurses in the last few years. There are functional laws within the jurisdiction of theUnited Kingdomthat provide legal recourse to hospitalized patients who are provided negligent or inappropriate care by nurses. The following passage, taken from The Journal, dated November 25, 2005 illustrates this point: â€Å"A midwife from South Tyneside Hospital is facing a Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing, charged with not giving appropriate care to two patients between September and October 2003. Siew Seng Bradwell, 51, fromSouth Shieldswill appear before the council on Monday for the four-day hearing. A spokeswoman for the NMC said yesterday: ‘There are eight charges, all relating to failing to listen to the patient and giving unnecessary intervention’† (The Journal, 2005). This story is particularly relevant to the case of Mary, as she has difficulty in communicating due to her limited speech. As a nurse attending the ailing Mary, I would be eager to find out why she is tearful most of the time and showing signs of depression. To some degree, the chronic and early decline of her health is a contributing factor behind this. But Mary is only 34 years of age and she might not be mentally prepared for her bearing this burden. What she needs at this stage is not just nutritional inputs but also spiritual ones. Using the services of a psychological counsellor is an option that I would definitely use, for when Mary comes out of her Depression, her appetite for food will also return to normal. In addition to availing the services of a professional psychologist, I would also apply basic psychotherapeutic principles that are inculcated in every nurse. Hence, the scope of services that a nurse can offer is very wide ranging. Helen Keleher makes some valid observations in the introduction to her book titled Community Nursing Practice: Theory, Skills and Issues, where she states â€Å"Understanding the social basis of health is essential for effective nursing practice in the community because health is much more complex than merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The philosophy of community nursing embraces and promotes the social model of health, which provides a framework for community practice. The social foundations of health include the social context in which people live, work and play, as well as a wide range of social, economic, cultural, environmental and political factors that influence the health of every person and population group. Collectively these are known as the determinants of health† (Keleher, 2007) The case of Mary should also be approached from the aforementioned perspective. As a nursing professional, I am expected to go beyond the text book rules and guidelines. I would try to understand the determinants of Mary’s health before arriving at concrete solutions for her. Many of the health determinants are not easy to quantify, for they are subjective assessments (Jones Symon, 2000). As a result, the process I adopt to gather Mary’s health determinants should go beyond merely pedagogic ones to include subjective and intuitive assessments. The Environment of Care advice sheet is useful here, as it lays out precautions and actions to be taken in contingency situations. As Mary has shown signs of depression, it is not far fetched to think that she may think of suicide. It is a moot point that she has limited mobility, which would thwart any attempts at suicide. The likely issue is not so much the probability of suicide as the very thought of it. I will have to make sure that the environment in which Mary lives is free of dangerous objects. If Mary is be to cared at her home and not at the controlled environment of a hospital, then the task of making the surroundings safe becomes more challenging. As the detailed document pertaining to environment of care states,

Outlines for Every Type of Writing Composition

Outlines for Every Type of Writing Composition An outline is a plan for or a summary of a writing project or speech. Outlines are usually in the form of a list divided into headings and subheadings that distinguish main points from supporting points. Most word processors contain an outlining feature that allows writers to format outlines automatically. An outline may be either informal or formal. Informal Outlines The working outline (or scratch outline or informal outline) is a private affair - fluid, subject to constant revision, made without attention to form, and destined for the wastebasket. But enough working outlines have been retrieved from wastebaskets that something can be said about them...A working outline usually begins with a few phrases and some descriptive details or examples. From them grow fragmentary statements, tentative generalizations, hypotheses. One or two of these take on prominence, shaping into the main ideas that seem worth developing. New examples bring to mind new ideas, and these find a place in the list of phrases, canceling out some of the original ones. The writer keeps adding and subtracting, juggling and shifting, until he has his key points in an order that makes sense to him. He scribbles a sentence, works in a transition, adds examples...By then, if he has kept expanding and correcting it, his outline comes close to being a rough summary of the essay its elf. Wilma R. Ebbitt and David R. Ebbitt Using the Outline as a Draft Outlining might not be very useful if writers are required to produce a rigid plan before actually writing. But when an outline is viewed as a kind of draft, subject to change, evolving as the actual writing takes place, then it can be a powerful tool for writing. Architects often produce multiple sketches of plans, trying out different approaches to a building, and they adapt their plans as a building goes up, sometimes substantially (it is fortunately much easier for writers to start over or make basic changes).   Steven Lynn The Post-Draft You might prefer...to construct an outline after, rather than before, writing a rough draft. This lets you create a draft without restricting the free flow of ideas and helps you rewrite by determining where you need to fill in, cut out, or reorganize. You may discover where your line of reasoning is not logical; you may also reconsider whether you should arrange your reasons from the most important to the least or vice versa in order to create a more persuasive effect. Ultimately, outlining after the first draft can prove useful in producing subsequent drafts and a polished final effort. Gary Goshgarian Topic Sentence Outlines Two types of outlines are most common: short topic outlines and lengthy sentence outlines. A topic outline consists of short phrases arranged to reflect your primary method of development. A topic outline is especially useful for short documents such as letters, e-mails, or memos...For a large writing project, create a topic outline first, and then use it as a basis for creating a sentence outline. A sentence outline summarizes each idea in a complete sentence that may become the topic sentence for a paragraph in the rough draft. If most of your notes can be shaped into topic sentences for paragraphs in the rough draft, you can be relatively sure that your document will be well organized. Gerald J. Alred and Charles T. Brusaw Formal Outlines Some teachers ask students to submit formal outlines with their papers. Here is a common format used in constructing a formal outline: I. (main topic) A. (subtopics of I)B. 1. (subtopics of B)2. a. (subtopics of 2)b. i. (subtopics of b)ii. Note that subtopics are indented so that all letters or numbers of the same kind appear directly under one another. Whether phrases (in a topic outline) or complete sentences (in a sentence outline) are used, topics and subtopics should be parallel in form. Make sure that all items have at least two subtopics or none at all. Example of Vertical Outline To outline your material vertically, write your thesis at the head of the page and then use headings and indented subheadings: Thesis: Though many things make me want to score goals, I love scoring most of all because it momentarily gives me a sense of power. I. Common reasons for wanting to score goals A. Help teamB. Gain gloryC. Hear cheers of crowd II. My reasons for wanting to score goals A. Feel relaxed 1. Know Im going to score a goal2. Move smoothly, not awkwardly3. Get relief from pressure to do well B. See world in freeze-frame 1. See puck going into goal2. See other players and crowd C. Feel momentary sense of power 1. Do better than goalie2. Take ultimate mind trip3. Conquer anxiety4. Return to Earth after a moment Besides listing points in order of rising importance, this outline groups them under headings that show their relation to each other and to the thesis. James A.W. Heffernan and John E. Lincoln Sources: Ebbitt, Wilma R. and David R. Ebbitt. Writers Guide and Index to English. 6th edition, Scott, Foresman, 1978. Lynn, Steven. Rhetoric and Composition: An Introduction. 1st edition, Cambridge University Press, 2010. Goshgarian, Gary and Kathleen Krueger. An Argument Rhetoric and Reader. 8th edition, Pearson, January 19, 2014. Alred, Gerald J. and Charles T. Brusaw. Handbook of Technical Writing. 8th edition, St. Martins Press, March 7, 2006. Heffernan, James A.W. and John E. Lincoln. Writing: A College Handbook. 3rd edition, W.W. Norton Co, 1990. Coyle, William and Joe Law. Research Papers. 15th edition, Cengage Learning, June 10, 2009.

Araling panlipunan

At least 2000 years before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Philippines are home to small seafaring communities. These communities traded with neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam and China through barter. Chinese Ming Dynasty porcelain and metal ware have been unearthed in various parts of the Philippines. Tropical items such as gold pieces, beeswax, and pearls were among the trading goods of pre-colonial Filipinos; Chinese merchants brought with them porcelain, metal ware and silk. The first form of coinage in the country was gold beads, referred to as piloncitos. Beads, barter rings of varying sizes and other gold pieces were some of the objects used in commerce. The term piloncito comes from the word pilon, a local sugar container that resembles the coin. They are engraved with the Brahmanic character ma which looks like an upside down R. We can only guess that this character refers to the pre-colonial kingdom of Ma-yi which is roughly the Philippines we know today. Spanish Era Manila became the trading center of oriental goods under the Spanish rule. The setup introduced alternative forms of currencies to the Philippines. Macuquinas (cobs),dos mundos (pillar dollars),counter stamped and portrait series coins, all made of silver, slowly replaced the gold beads. Due to the shortage of fractional coins, the Royalty of Spain authorized the production of copper coins by the Municipality of Manila. In 1728, the first copper coins called barillas were issued. Peso Fuertes, the first bank notes, was circulated in 1852. In 1861, Casa de Moneda de Manila minted the first gold coins called Isabelinas and Alfonsinos. Both of these gold coins are inscribed with the word Filipinas. Revolutionary Period After Emilio Aguinaldo was proclaimed the President of the First Philippine Republic, two kinds of 2-centavo coins were struck in the army arsenal in Malolos, Bulacan. Paper money was also issued. The American Regime In 1901, America defeated Spain and took over the country. The Philippine Coinage Act was passed by the US Congress. It authorized the production of  silver coins from 1903 to 1912. These coins were minted from the Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver mints. The coin was designed by a young Filipino artist named Melecio Figueroa. Silver certificates were issued until 1918, later replaced with Treasury Certificates from 1918 to 1935. Because of high cost of minting and transportation, the American government decided to re-open the Manila mint in 1920. The mint produced coins until the Comm onwealth government. Notable coins during this period are those issued for use within the Culion Leper Colony. Republic Period In 1949, the Central Bank of the Philippines was created through the Republic Act No. 265. The English Series, the CBPs first official banknotes, was issued in 1951. It was followed by the Pilipino Series in 1967, the Ang Bagong Lipunan Series in 1973 and the New Design Series in 1985. English Series coins were introduced in 1959, followed by the Pilipino Series in 1967, the Ang Bagong Lipunan Series in 1975. The Flora and Fauna Series was introduced in 1983. An improved version was circulated in 1992. All of these series were demonetized in 1998. GANITO KAMI: Saint Catherine of Sienna MAGULO, MAINGAY, LOKO-LOKO, PASAWAY, SAKIT SA ULO AT IRESPONSABLE: Ganyan kami kung ituturing. Pero syempre, kung may hindi magaganda, meron namang katanggap-taggap sa lahat; May PAGKAKAISA, PAGMAMAHALAN, PAGKAKAIBIGAN at higit sa lahat, may MALASAKIT SA BAWAT ISA. Ayan ang mga bagay na hinding-hindi namin maitatanggi sa iba. Kung minsan, kami’y sakit sa ulo, ngunit gagawa at gagawa kami ng paraan para lang makabawi sa taong nagawan namin ng mali o kasalanan. Lahat ng gulo, pag-aaway o hindi pagkakaunawaan sa loob ng klase ay nagagawa naming solusyonan; dahil lamang sa aming PAGMAMAHAL. Mga pag-aaway na minsa’y nagdudulot ng hirap at pasakit sa aming guro. Lalong lalo na sa aming Gurong-tagapayo na si Ms. Cherrylyn L. Nitoral. Madalas kaming magkaroon ng alitan sa kanya. Pero syempre, gagawa kami ng paraan para maayos ang aming relasyon sa kanya. Sabi nila, ang St. Catherine daw ang pinakamatalino sa lahat ng seksyon sa aming â€Å"batch†. At ito ang aming hindi pinababayaang mawala. Dahil dito, labis na natutuwa ang aming â€Å"Adviser†. Iniisip tuloy namin na ito ang nakakapagpawala ng â€Å"stress† na dulot ng iba naming kaklase sa kanya. Kaya naman, sinusubukan talaga naming maging responsible para lang sa kanya. Ganyan ang ST. CATHERINE. MAGULO, MAINGAY, LOKO-LOKO, PASAWAY, SAKIT SA ULO AT IRESPONSABLE pero may kaya parin kaming maipagmalaki. May PAGKAKAISA, PAGMAMAHALAN, PAGKAKAIBIGAN at higit sa lahat, may MALASAKIT SA BAWAT ISA ang tanging mayroon kami na pinagkakaingat-ingatan namin.

Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Questions - Essay Example Therefore each individual may have unique personalities due to unique life experiences and their interpretations. These are products of the concept of self leading to individual perceptions and feelings which ultimately strive to maintain and enhance the person. As indicated in Roger's theory of self-actualization, the human behavior, which is essentially an expression of human actions in the social environment actually emanates from "self." The concept of self as indicated in Roger is "organized, consistent, conceptual gestalt composed of perceptions of the characteristics" of self and its relationships to others and various other aspects of life along with "the values attached to these perceptions." Therefore self does exist which essentially thrives in personal perceptions, feelings about one's own, perceptions about strengths and weaknesses, and interpretations about interrelations. In this way social experiences and their perceptions in the context of self shape the "self" when it continues to become fulfilled through its natural tendency to encounter new experiences. The concept of self-actualization contends that people can become fully functional with freedom and emotional support leading to a psychological growth. Each individual has a real self comprising of self perceptions and an ideal self which represents the individual's desire gained from experiences. When these two "self"s are congruent without any conflicts there is no need for adjustment leading to a seamless growth of self leading to the fullest possible functioning, where movement toward personality dimensions such as flexibility, autonomy, and self-acceptance are without events. Lack of self-actualization, on the contrary may lead to lack of self-esteem, lack of flexibility, feelings of inferiority, and other negative emotions. Therefore, formation of self values from experiences in public, private, and natural dimensions and the strong senses of these values impart flexibility to personality which can create another opportunity to enrich self. It means ideal and values gained an d perceived from experiences impart new strengths regardless of external or internal pressures. Personality is experienced to be unchanging or perceived to be constant as a result of personal biases and tendency to selectivity in attending those elements of the person's phenomenal field that are consistent with his prior experience. Q4. The role of past experiences in shaping personality: How do life experiences affect personality Since personality is a byproduct of real-world experiences and attachment of meaning to it by self, the personality is considered to be a derivative of experiences and feelings. A person thus will be having various experiences which would continue to shape the personality as the meanings of personal experiences alter. This would mean every individual will have unique past experiences and their subjective interpretations uniquely configured leading to development

SWOT Analysis Master Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

SWOT Analysis Master - Case Study Example 2005). Since long, A Company known for inventing the personal computer range on this earth is APPLE COMPUTER. This company has begun a revolutionary raid into personal computing with Apple II. It is highly accredited to help people how to use computers with its accomplishment of the graphical user line in Apple Macintosh. Every single product / service is designed in a different way. Product analysis enables us to see the different features of the product, how different it is in appearance, its feature, its price, its demand and other factors which are required to be considered before its production. A critical review of such points helps management in designing and selling products. The Ipod shuffle has distinctive features. It is the world's smallest music player. Ipod shuffle has two amazing features that make it a best device. First the song capacity is 4 minutes per song and 128 Kbps AAC encoding. It has a capacity to save songs up to 500. It has a very small size and easier to use. It dramatically allows the users to control all its functions quickly. The music library of Ipod shuffle can save 1000 songs. And has a plenty of space to store multiple play lists. Ipod Shuffle is also considered a fashionable accessory which is very famous these days. The voice quality of ipod shuffle as per musician is very huge and dramatic. Moreover it has a huge library in 14 different languages. Situation Analysis: As per market share, Apple at present maintains the most minuscule worldwide user base which is merely 2.5% of any operating system. The Microsoft Windows dominate by 92% in this race. What makes Apple exclusive is its capability to offer inventive and dependable hardware along with trend-setting & consumer responsive software. No other company does so. Amazingly this enabled Apple to ingeniously mingle its strengths in these areas to give fresh solutions to users. Market Analysis: i. Management: In order to persistently innovation of Apple Ipod & retaining enough funds, during competitor launching new product, valuable management is needed for the training & development of employees (JWT, 2008). ii. Capital Accessibility: Calamity of cash flow may be happen cause of heavy competition. When competitors capriciously launch their product in the market, adequate funds must be on hand. iii. Adoption of New Technology: In order to progress

Poetry Response Essay Example for Free

Poetry Response Essay I really love this poem by Wendy Copes because of the message that it tells me. For some reason there are those people who wish to pull someone down. Sometimes it is because of jealousy, envy and pride. In reality, no matter how hard you try to be good and to appreciate everyone, you really cannot please anybody. There will always be those who are against you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The poem tells me that I should not let anyone interfere with what I am doing or to let anyone block my way to greater heights. That I should always do my best and show everyone what I can do, what I am able to do, my talents and abilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Everyone has his or her own goal in life and we must focus on that goal, not looking to anyone but on that goal alone. We should not get our attention off our goal and let someone mess with that. We should always remain focused in achieving that goal or else we may not be able to achieve it. It is true that no one can live alone and that we need others to be able to live and be happy. Still we should not let those who dislike us or envy us to be the reason for our failure, if we do so, we will certainly achieve nothing. Every time that an opportunity for us to be recognized is given grab it. We should not favor or look onto anyone who wants the same opportunity like us. Every opportunity is a stepping stone in achieving our goal, our desire, and our future. The world is a place wherein the strongest is given greater opportunity over the weak, the talented above those that are not, and the wise over the fools.   We should let our light shine, and our talents to be revealed in order to be acknowledged both by man and society. Also, the poem tells us that we should not be move or hindered by anyone. We should not be ashamed in showing our talents and as well as emotions. We must be true to ourselves and not compromising to anyone. If we are glad let it show in our own way. Dance or jump or shout if you want to. We should not let anyone to be reason for our sadness and downfall. Works Cited The British Council. No date. â€Å"Wendy Cope†. November 19, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth174

Ray Bradburys Something Wicked This Way Comes Essay -- essays research

Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes David Glasgo Modules 15-16 Dec 20, 1996 Someone knows your secret dream, that one great wish that you would pay anything for. That person suddenly makes your dream come true - before you learn the price you have to pay. Ray Bradbury's, Something Wicked This Way Comes, is a chilling and suspenseful thriller, making a boy's secret dream come true right before his own eyes and that of his friend's too. The story in this book continually jumps back and forth between three characters; two which are always together and the other the library janitor and father of the one. Bradbury's style keeps the book flowing smoothly throughout all of his hopping and skipping around. He seems to be a mastermind of writing as the story develops before your eyes and you get drawn in never wanting to leave, until the book is over and you know the ending. I felt like I was sitting right there on the clouds watching all of this take place. Bradbury pulls you into the book and makes it "our place, too." All of this starts off quite interesting. It is October, the month of Halloween, and in this strange year Halloween came early. A lightning rod salesman, come to the town predicting a humongous storm that is coming this way. The clouds speak their own words, telling the same. Jim Nightshade and William Halloway, neighbors and best friends, one born a minute before October thirtieth and...