Calamity of the White Picket is a collection of essays that portray how perfection-whether a perfect image, perfect relationship, perfect friendship, or perfect family-becomes withered down, destroyed, and turned into something else. They explore how the idealized image of a family surrounded by a cute white picket fence is dismantled and rearranged through theft, addiction, and a disintegrated family. The essays explore drug addictions, childhood nostalgia, the relationship between heritage and property, innocence, and a stolen best friend. The collection is a train ride of family problems, broken friendships, lying and stealing, and hidden secrets about love and sex. Through these essays, I let go of my versions of the white picket fence, and embrace the new and complicated life that replaces it, ultimately still trying to maintain happiness.

Bakgrund: Cirka 780 000 personer i Sverige har ett missbruk eller beroende av alkohol och 55 000 personer har ett missbruk eller beroende av narkotika. Drog- och/eller alkoholmissbruk är ett substansmissbruk, ett tillstånd då en person tar för mycket av en substans än vad som är tänkt. Missbruket påverkar människan på olika sätt, så som fysiskt, psykiskt och socialt. Hälsan hos dessa individer är många gånger sämre relaterat till att de får komplikationer av missbruket som kräver sjukhusvård. Denna grupp upplever ofta att de får sämre vård och bemötande än andra patienter av sjuksköterskor inom vården. Syfte: Att beskriva sjuksköterskors erfarenheter av att vårda patienter med drog- och alkoholmissbruk inom sjukvården. Metod: En beskrivande litteraturstudie av 12 identifierade artiklar med kvalitativ och kvantitativ ansats från databasen PubMed. Huvudresultat: Det fanns osäkerheter för sjuksköterskor vid omvårdnad av patienter med drog- och alkoholmissbruk, dels av otillräcklig utbildning och kunskap. Det fanns osäkerhet på grund av att sjuksköterskorna inte alltid kunde tro på vad patienterna säger på grund av manipulation och rädsla för att patienterna kunde bli våldsamma. Patienterna fick inte alltid den hjälp de behövde efter vårdtillfället vilket blev en frustration för sjuksköterskorna. En bra miljö och ett helhetsperspektiv var viktiga faktorer för att kunna ge bra omvårdnad till patienterna. Slutsats: Sjuksköterskor upplevde rädsla och oro kring patienter med drog- och alkoholmissbruk till följd av bristande kunskap och utbildning om ämnet och patientgruppen. Omvårdnaden till dessa patienter är starkt kopplad till bandet som sjuksköterskorna formar till patienterna samt den omkringliggande miljön. / Background: About 780 000 people in Sweden have an addiction to alcohol and 55 000 people have an addiction to drugs. This is called substance abuse, which is when a person uses more of a substance than recommended. Addiction affects humans in different ways, such as physically, psychologically and socially. The health of these people is usually worse, related to complications of their addiction which requires hospital care. This group often experiences that they receive poorer care and treatment than other patients from nurses. Aim: To describe nurses’ experience caring for people with substance abuse in healthcare environments. Method: A review article of 12 identified articles with quantitative and qualitative design from PubMed. Main result: There is an uncertainty for nurses at care for patients of drug- and alcohol abuse, mostly due to lacking education and knowledge. This uncertainty is grounded in nurses not being sure whether to believe what the patient tells them is the truth due to manipulation, and fear in case of violence from the patients. Patients have not always received the proper care after the initial healthcare which became a frustration for the nurses. A good environment and a holistic perspective was important factors for taking care of a patient's needs. Conclusion: Nurses experienced fear and uncertainty over patients with drugs- and alcohol abuse due to lacking knowledge and education in the subject and the group of patients. Care for these patients are connected to the bond formed between nurses and the patient, as well as the surrounding environment.

Bakgrund: Patienter med drog- och alkoholmissbruk riskerar många komplikationer till följd av missbruket. Missbruket leder till många dödsfall varje år och är en stor kostnad för samhället. Patienter med missbruksproblematik upplever att de behandlas orättvist i omvårdnaden. Sjuksköterskor anser att omvårdnaden av den här patientgruppen är komplex. Syfte: Syftet är att sammanställa forskning om sjuksköterskors inställning och upplevelser av att vårda patienter med drog- och alkoholmissbruk inom både somatisk och psykiatrisk vård. Metod: En litteraturstudie, med 16 vetenskapliga artiklar, 12 med kvalitativ metod och fyra med kvantitativ metod. Resultat: Resultatet presenterades i olika kategorier som var: ”Att vara osäker”, ”Att känna sig otillräcklig”, ”Att känna sig inkompetent i sin roll”, ”Att kommunicera med patienten” samt ”Att vara ensam eller i team”. Sjuksköterskorna upplevde svårigheter i omvårdnaden med den här patientgruppen. Kunskapsbrist beskrevs i samband med omvårdnaden samt känslor som ångest och stress. En del relationer mellan sjuksköterska och patient baserades på misstro och några sjuksköterskor uttryckte en vilja att förbättra omvårdnaden med den här patientgruppen. Slutsats: Utifrån denna litteraturstudie kan slutsatsen dras att sjuksköterskor kan uppleva brister i omvårdnaden av patienter med drog- och alkoholmissbruk. Bristerna visar sig genom osäkerhet, otillräcklighet, känsla av inkompetens, i kommunikationen med patienten och samverkan i teamet. Utbildning, kunskap, samverkan och engagemang visar sig vara viktiga faktorer som kan påverka kvaliteten på omvårdnaden av den här patientgruppen. Det innebär således att det finns ytterligare behov av att utveckla både kunskapsläget och rutinerna när det kommer till denna typ av vård. / Background: Patients with drug- and alcohol abuse risk various complications related to the misuse. Drug- and alcohol abuse leads to a high yearly rate of death and an important social cost. Patients with drug- and alcohol abuse experience that they are treated unfairly in the care. Nurses consider the nursing care of this patient group to be complex. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses’ experiences in the care for patients with drug- and alcohol abuse, both in somatic and psychiatric wards. Method: A literature review including 16 scientific articles, 12 with qualitative method, 4 with quantitative method. Results: The result is presented in different themes: “To be unsure”, “To feel inadequate”, “To feel incompetent”, “To communicate with the patient” and “To work alone vs in a team”. The nurses experienced difficulties in the care. A lack of knowledge was described and also emotions like anxiety and stress. Many relationships were based on distrust. Some of the nurses expressed a will to ameliorate the care for this patient group. Conclusion: The conclusion of this literature review is that nurses can experience deficits in the care of patients with drug- and alcohol abuse. The deficits manifest through insecurity, insufficiency, a sense of incapacity, in the communication with the patient and in the interplay inside the team. Education, knowledge, teamwork and commitment show to be important factors that can affect the quality of the care for this patient group. This implies that there are additional needs to evolve the knowledge and routines concerning this type of care.

In 1996 Francois Bloemhof's teenage fiction, Slinger-slinger, was a prize-winner in the beginners' category of the Sanlam competition for fiction for youth. The book was acclaimed because of the open manner in which the author wrote about sensitive themes such as hetero- and homosexuality, promiscuity, divorce, incest, tense family relationships, and drug and alcohol abuse. The main theme of Slinger-slinger is teenage sexual aspects, such as the sexual awakening and identity of teenagers. In 1998 a sensation was caused in the media as upset parents, teachers and other adults protested against the inclusion of Slinger-slinger in the ATKV's Children's Book Award, category 13-15 years of age. Two conflicting opinions about Slingerslinger could be distinguished: one group was of the opinion that the sexual theme and strong language were not suited for teenage fiction, while the other group was of the opinion that teenagers needed to read about realistic themes to prepare them for the real world. No comments were published about the opinions of the supposed readers, namely teenagers. Steenberg (1988:168-172), Van der Westhuizen (1989:5-7) and Van Zyl (1990:17) wrote that teenagers read to fulfil their needs. Teenagers' reading needs are directly connected to their emotional, cognitive and physical developmental stages. The aim of the study The aim of this study is firstly to evaluate Slinger-slinger according to the elements of the reader study model to determine whether it addresses the reading needs and interests of teenage readers; and secondly to ascertain whether teenagers liked Slinger-slinger. Research procedures and methodology A study of the literature was done in order to determine the reading needs and developmental tasks of teenagers, and the role that teenage fiction can play in their development to adulthood. Together with this background study, an evaluation model, containing story elements viewed from a reader study perspective, as well as criteria for the evaluation of the handling of sexual aspects in teenage fiction, was developed to determine whether Slinger-slinger is successful teenage fiction. In the empirical study the above-mentioned evaluation model for teenage fiction were applied to Slinger-slinger. In the second part of the empirical study a questionnaire was compiled to obtain the opinions of teenage readers about the success of Slinger-slinger as a whole, as well as the success of the handling of the sexual aspects. The questionnaire also served to obtain information about the reading needs of teenage readers in regard to realistic teenage fiction and teenage fiction with a sexual theme. Conclusion It is concluded that Francois Bloemhof's Slinger-slinger succeeds as realistic teenage fiction because it answers to the reading needs of teenage readers. Bloemhof succeeded in his handling of the sexual aspects in Slinger-slinger an in doing so fulfils teenager's reading and information needs, and thus assists them on their way to maturity. The questionnaire ascertained that the teenage readers who participated in the study were of the opinion that Slinger-slinger is a successful and interesting teenage book, and that they would like to read more realistic Afrikaans teenage fiction such as Slinger-slinger. / Thesis (M.Bibl.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.

In 1996 Francois Bloemhof's teenage fiction, Slinger-slinger, was a prize-winner in the beginners' category of the Sanlam competition for fiction for youth. The book was acclaimed because of the open manner in which the author wrote about sensitive themes such as hetero- and homosexuality, promiscuity, divorce, incest, tense family relationships, and drug and alcohol abuse. The main theme of Slinger-slinger is teenage sexual aspects, such as the sexual awakening and identity of teenagers. In 1998 a sensation was caused in the media as upset parents, teachers and other adults protested against the inclusion of Slinger-slinger in the ATKV's Children's Book Award, category 13-15 years of age. Two conflicting opinions about Slingerslinger could be distinguished: one group was of the opinion that the sexual theme and strong language were not suited for teenage fiction, while the other group was of the opinion that teenagers needed to read about realistic themes to prepare them for the real world. No comments were published about the opinions of the supposed readers, namely teenagers. Steenberg (1988:168-172), Van der Westhuizen (1989:5-7) and Van Zyl (1990:17) wrote that teenagers read to fulfil their needs. Teenagers' reading needs are directly connected to their emotional, cognitive and physical developmental stages. The aim of the study The aim of this study is firstly to evaluate Slinger-slinger according to the elements of the reader study model to determine whether it addresses the reading needs and interests of teenage readers; and secondly to ascertain whether teenagers liked Slinger-slinger. Research procedures and methodology A study of the literature was done in order to determine the reading needs and developmental tasks of teenagers, and the role that teenage fiction can play in their development to adulthood. Together with this background study, an evaluation model, containing story elements viewed from a reader study perspective, as well as criteria for the evaluation of the handling of sexual aspects in teenage fiction, was developed to determine whether Slinger-slinger is successful teenage fiction. In the empirical study the above-mentioned evaluation model for teenage fiction were applied to Slinger-slinger. In the second part of the empirical study a questionnaire was compiled to obtain the opinions of teenage readers about the success of Slinger-slinger as a whole, as well as the success of the handling of the sexual aspects. The questionnaire also served to obtain information about the reading needs of teenage readers in regard to realistic teenage fiction and teenage fiction with a sexual theme. Conclusion It is concluded that Francois Bloemhof's Slinger-slinger succeeds as realistic teenage fiction because it answers to the reading needs of teenage readers. Bloemhof succeeded in his handling of the sexual aspects in Slinger-slinger an in doing so fulfils teenager's reading and information needs, and thus assists them on their way to maturity. The questionnaire ascertained that the teenage readers who participated in the study were of the opinion that Slinger-slinger is a successful and interesting teenage book, and that they would like to read more realistic Afrikaans teenage fiction such as Slinger-slinger. / Thesis (M.Bibl.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.

No description available.

Patriarchal discourse has lead to the marginalisation of women, children and teenagers. The aims of this research were to deconstruct patriarchal discourse; to empower teenagers to speak out for themselves; to facilitate teenagers' identifying, questioning and 'interviewing' of important problems in their lives, and to let teenagers' voices be heard by adults. Post-modern social construction discourse, post-modern and feminist theologies were used to challenge patriarchal discourse. A narrative, pastoral approach was used to assist teenagers to accomplish these aims. Using externalisation, three problems (Depression; Drugs and Alcohol; Verbal, Physical and Sexual Abuse) were exposed for what they really are, and how they influence many teenagers' lives. Alternative stories of how teenagers stand up against these problems were told. The teenagers decided to inform parents and teachers of their lived experiences in three letters. These three interesting, innovative letters are included in this dissertation. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)

Patriarchal discourse has lead to the marginalisation of women, children and teenagers. The aims of this research were to deconstruct patriarchal discourse; to empower teenagers to speak out for themselves; to facilitate teenagers' identifying, questioning and 'interviewing' of important problems in their lives, and to let teenagers' voices be heard by adults. Post-modern social construction discourse, post-modern and feminist theologies were used to challenge patriarchal discourse. A narrative, pastoral approach was used to assist teenagers to accomplish these aims. Using externalisation, three problems (Depression; Drugs and Alcohol; Verbal, Physical and Sexual Abuse) were exposed for what they really are, and how they influence many teenagers' lives. Alternative stories of how teenagers stand up against these problems were told. The teenagers decided to inform parents and teachers of their lived experiences in three letters. These three interesting, innovative letters are included in this dissertation. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology with specialisation in Pastoral Therapy)