Acting on impulse: using the neuroscience of impulse control to improve the law

This thesis investigates the potential legal utility of neurotechnologies which measure correlates of impulsive behaviors. Chapter 1 explains my philosophical position and how this position compares to others in the field. Chapter 2 explores some of the technical concepts which must be understood for the discussion of neurotechnologies and their applications to be fruitful. These chapters will be important for both explaining the capabilities of a neuroscientific approach to neural abnormalities as well as how they relate to the kind of regulation in which the law is engaged. The purpose of Chapter 3 will be a descriptive account of Canadian law where I will begin to explore how to apply ideas and experiments from neuroscience to specific areas of law. Chapter 3 will look at actual examples of Canadian criminal law and will span topics from the creation of law to the construction of appropriate sentences. Chapter 4 will debate if and how we should apply the neuroscientific perspective to the law given the ethical concerns surrounding the applications described in Chapter 3. The thrust of the chapter is that the development of the law does not occur in a vacuum and any alteration either to the laws themselves, how they are interpreted, or the technologies used to provide evidence, must have an ethical justification, that is, a way in which the proposed change will better meet the needs of society and the ethical objectives of the law. Sometimes these justifications can be drawn directly from constitutional documents, such as the Charter, or from the Criminal Code, while at other times these justifications depend upon arguments about furthering meaningful responsibility and therapeutic outcomes.

The transition experience for registered nurses new to case management in the community

Case management is increasingly being used within today‟s healthcare system in an effort to reduce healthcare costs while meeting the complex needs of populations within the community. Registered nurses (RNs) are often recruited for the role of case managers in the community because of their specific skill set and ability to navigate the healthcare system. There is a vast amount of literature related to the client and system benefits of case management, the roles and responsibilities of RN case managers, and job satisfaction among RN case managers. However, there is a literature gap noted in relation to the transition experience for RNs new to case management in the community setting. This research study used grounded theory methodology, guided by Glaser and Strauss (1967) to explore the process of RNs transitioning to case management in the community setting. Eleven RNs new to case management in the community were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was carried out using the constant comparative method. Three stages of adjusting to case management in the community were identified: slugging it out, seeing the job as it is, and finding the way. By gaining an understanding of this transition experience, recommendations for nursing practice and administration, education, and research that are based on the evidence from this study can be implemented to improve the transition experience for RNs new to case management in the community setting