Bonnie and Clyde free essay sample

In December 1967 Time magazine announced a ‘renaissance’ in American film culture exemplified by Bonnie and Clyde. Critically assess the film, its impact and legacy. American film industry has been having crisis since the end of World War II. However, the most severe crisis started in the post-war years and culminated in the period of the late 60s and early 70s when the Big Hollywood Studios came to the brink of bankruptcy. In 1967, when Bonnie and Clyde was produced and released, it brought the American film industry into a new era which resulted in a Hollywood renaissance that reached its peak in the mid-seventies. As a consequence, directors were suddenly became the centre of the American filmmaking industry, and several studios, such as Warner Brothers and Columbia, ‘responded by creating low-budget production units dedicated to producing the work of exciting new talents like Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese and Peter Bogdanovich. ’ (Miller, 2005) The term ‘New Hollywood’ was introduced after the success of Bonnie and Clyde. In the meantime, Bonnie and Clyde is considered as one of the first of the ‘New Hollywood’ era. New Hollywood (or also known as Hollywood Renaissance) films like Bonnie and Clyde (1967), The Graduate (1967), and Easy Rider (1969) marked symbolised a return to a truly American Cinema. Moreover, the films’ artistic sensibilities brought them closer to their European counterparts. In effect, the period of the late 60s and early 70s signalled a rebirth of the American Film and paved the way for what is now called New Hollywood. Bonnie and Clyde is an American crime film directed by Arthur Penn and was released in 1967. The film stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the title Characters Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker. The film received attacks by the critics from around the globe when it first released on cinema in August. By November Bonnie and Clyde has become the most popular film of the year. According to Cook, the film has become so popular that ‘its protagonists became cult figures. Double-breasted suits and fedora hats of the type worn by Clyde were all the rage in men’s clothing, and Bonnie’s thirties hemlines temporarily banished the miniskirt from the world of women’s fashion. You could even buy transparent decals with which to simulate bullet holes on the windshield of your car in imitation of a famous shot from the film. ’ (Cook, 1981) Bonnie and Clyde is a violent gangster film combining comedy, terror, love, and ferocious violence. The story talks about two gangsters, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Bonnie Parker met Clyde Barrow when Clyde was trying to steal her mother’s car. Almost immediately, Bonnie abandons her dreams of becoming a movie star and takes off on a whirlwind tour of Depression-era Texas, where they become legendary bank robbers. As their fame grows, so does their gang with the addition of gas station attendant C. W. Moss and Clyde’s brother and sister-in-law. But with their growing notoriety as modern-day Robin Hoods and murderers comes the increasing threat of a fatal run-in with the law. After a heart-breaking visit with Bonnie’s family, in which she realises that she literally can’t go home again, they are caught in a series of ever-more-deadly ambushes that decimate the Barrow Gang and threaten to end the legend of Bonnie and Clyde. This film is based on the true event and people. Bonnie and Clyde were well-known outlaws, robbers, and criminals who travelled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. Bonnie and Clyde became very popular among the society is because it depicts the story of Bonnie and Clyde’s rise and self-destructive fall as anti-authoritarian criminal gangsters. ‘Their targets are not the common people but the avaricious banks and the armies of police that protect types of the anti-establishment heroes who have become to dominate so many American films since, and they resonated perfectly with the revolutionary tenor of the late sixties. (Cook, 1981) The film, with many opposing moods and shifts in tone, is a cross between gangster film, tragic-romantic traditions, a road film and buddy film, and comedy. Furthermore, it ‘exemplified many of the characteristics of experimental film-making from the French New Wave movement. ’ (Dirks, 2003) In the meantime, the advertising poster proclaimed Bon nie and Clyde as â€Å"They’re young†¦they’re in love†¦and they kill people. † The film also depicts this two outlaw couples not just being killed at the end, but they were destroyed, because Bonnie and Clyde were shot tragically. Even today the sequence has an almost unbearable intensity because our dramatic identification with the characters is so complete. ’ (Cook, 1981) In the late 1960s, the film’s sympathetic, revolutionary characters and its social criticism appealed to anti-authority American youth who were part of the counter-cultural movement protesting the Vietnam War, the corrupt social order, and the U. S. government’s role. The outlaw couple’s robberies of banks, was viewed somewhat sympathetically by the rural dispossessed, during the time when the institutions were ‘robbing’ and ruining indebted. The robberies of the glamorous, thrill-seeking young couple – mostly innocent and minor at the beginning of their crime spree, unfortunately escalate into more violent and murderous escapades. ’ (Dirks, 2003) Pauline Kael, an American film critic, also appreciated the film and applauded the violence as central to its meaning. She says in her review: â€Å"It is a kind of violence that says something to us; it is something that artists must be free to use Will we, as some people have suggested, be lured into imitating the violent crimes of Clyde and Bonnie because Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are ‘glamorous’? It’s difficult to see how, since the characters they play are horrified by it and ultimately destroyed by it†¦Bonnie and Clyde needs violence, violence is its meaning. † (Harris, 2008) The impact of violence in the movie was confirmed by the ensuing successes of Badlands (1973). Badlands is also a movie about an outlaw couple which based on the Starkweather-Fugate killing spree of the 1958, starring a fifteen-year-old girl and her twenty-five-year-old boyfriend slaughtered her entire family and several others in the Dakota badlands. Easy Rider (1969) is also one of Bonnie and Clyde legacy. It talks about two countercultural bikers who travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans in search of America. The Wild Bunch (1969) adapted the violence in Bonnie and Clyde, depicted by an aging group of outlaws who look for one last big score as the ‘traditional’ American West is disappearing around them. Other than that, Thelma amp; Louise (1991) transformed ‘outlaw couple’ into two feminine, also known as Thelma and Louise. They both had a life and one day they decided to break out of their normal life and jump in the car and hit the road. Louise killed a man who threatens to rape Thelma during the journey, and soon they were hunted by the American police while they try to escape to Mexico. Without a doubt, Bonnie and Clyde is a great and important film after almost fifty years of release. It has been called ‘the first American film’ and ‘its influences can easily be traced into the future works of acclaimed directors like Terrence Malik, Martin Scorsese, Sam Peckinpah, and Quentin Tarantino. ’ (Koban, 2004) The film was able to make critics think twice, spark fashion trends, and start a new revolution within Hollywood. Along with many other anti-establishment movements, Bonnie and Clyde began an anti-establishment movement within the film industry. ‘The younger generation related to the deeper meaning of Bonnie and Clyde while the older generation rejected yet another attack on their traditional values and ideals. ’ (Emma, 2005) References Cook, D. A. , 1981. A history of narrative film. Norton, New York. Dirks, T. , 2003. Bonnie and Clyde (1967). URL http://www. filmsite. org/bonn. html (accessed 12. 4. 12). Emma, 2005. Bonnie and Clyde Paper | Emma’s History Portfolio. URL http://299history. umwblogs. org/history-portfolio/history-299/bonnie-and-clyde-paper/ (accessed 12. 5. 12). Harris, M. , 2008. Pictures at a revolution? : five movies and the birth of the new Hollywood. Penguin Press, New York. Koban, C. J. , 2004. BONNIE AND CLYDE. URL http://www. craigerscinemacorner. com/Reviews/bonnie_and_clyde. htm (accessed 12. 6. 12). Miller, F. , 2005. The Essentials Bonnie and Clyde Turner Classic Movies. URL http://www. tcm. com/this-month/article/24133|24134/The-Essentials-Bonnie-and-Clyde. html (accessed 12. 5. 12).

Sample Essays

Sample EssaysSample essays and sample literary analysis essays have become a common addition to the syllabus of many college and university courses. Some of the most common issues that appear in these essays are factual and critical thinking. However, they may also contain in-depth prose and complex analysis of literary works and the ideologies that have developed around them. In addition, these types of essays often include varied formats and styles.It should be understood that a typical essay is not structured like this. The essays contained in the sample essays are generally more structured, including logic, examples, and an outline or sub-section heading that provides additional information. For example, the first section of the sample essay can provide a synopsis of the entire story, a specific set of characters, and a synopsis of events occurring in the third act of the play.A sample of literary analysis essay that discusses a period or particular media often contains a specifi c text. For example, the sample essay may be a literary analysis of Shakespeare's tragedies that discuss the societal issues surrounding the characters and also the experiences that the characters go through.One of the biggest challenges for students preparing for the writing or analysis test is that they often take too much time reviewing their essay before they actually write it. In fact, it is often very difficult to find time during class to write something constructive. However, when students have their assignments out in the open, they are forced to create a stronger case for their argument. One way to do this is to prepare a sample essay to use as a reference or support for any particular argument they wish to make.The right documents are often not available to the student until after the test. If the student's grade is important, then it is crucial that they follow the proper format when they prepare samples of literary analysis essay for college admissions and/or for a test .The sample essays included in the sample essays are typically short and not necessarily longer than one page. Therefore, students may have an opportunity to devote more time reviewing their essay than if they were writing an essay on a topic that took longer. However, for a student who has yet to write a coherent thesis statement, it is likely that the literary analysis will be less relevant than it would have been to someone who had already written his or her thesis. Therefore, the sample essays in this genre should only be used as a resource for further research.Furthermore, because of the immense popularity of the sample essays, they are available online for free. In addition, many companies offer a variety of sample essays for free as part of the sales pitch. However, this does not mean that the samples are always accurate or reliable; students should never depend on the information provided by the samples without verifying the facts or checking out the company's reputation.

Why Free Speech Is An Important Freedom

Steps to Take to Get Into Law School

Steps to Take to Get Into Law School Getting into law school can feel like an overwhelming process, especially at the beginning. You might feel like youre looking at a mountain way too high to climb. But scaling a mountain begins with just one step, then another and another, and eventually, those steps take you to the top. Here are a few that will lead you to acceptance by a law school.   Difficulty: N/A Time Required: 4 years Heres How Go to college.All law schools require that entering students hold at least a bachelors degree. You should attend the best college you possible and achieve the highest grades possible. Your GPA will be one of the two most important factors in your application, but you dont have to major in prelaw.Choose your undergraduate major and courses  in areas in which you think youll excel. Lay out a  timeline for how you can best prepare for law school during your undergrad years.Take the LSAT.The second most important factor in your law school application is your LSAT score. If youre currently in college, the best times to take the LSAT are the summer after your junior year or the fall of your senior year. is the best time to take the LSAT. Take it the summer or fall before the fall during which you want to start law school if youve already graduated.Prepare well and be sure to read up on how schools handle multiple LSAT scores before you decide to retake the LSAT. You should also registe r with LSDAS at this time. Choose where youre going to apply.There are many factors you should consider when youre deciding where to apply to law school. Consider visiting schools that interest you and pay at least some attention to law school rankings.Write your personal statement.Your personal statement comes in third in importance behind your LSAT score and your GPA. Start by brainstorming with some writing prompts and get writing! Research some tips for writing a great personal statement, being sure to avoid certain topics and common mistakes.Finish your applications well in advance of the deadline.Make sure to ask for recommendations early enough that your referees have plenty of time to write outstanding letters. Also, write any additional statements you might need, such as a Why X Law School Statement and/or an addendum. Request transcripts and make sure everything the law schools want in your application files is in there well in advance of the deadline.After youve completed all the above steps in an orderly fashion, you can be confident that you have maximized your chances of getting into law school. Good luck! Tips Start preparing for applying to law schools as soon as youve decided to do so.Dont wait until the last minute to send in applications. Many schools have rolling admissions policies, which means they accept students throughout the admissions process.Have someone with a good eye for detail proofread your application packet, especially your personal statement.

Standards of care from a legal and a nursing perspective Essay

Standards of care from a legal and a nursing perspective - Essay Example The nurse is also expected to recognize adequately and report adverse cases or near misses and to take any possible actions that would minimize or prevent harm as a result of adverse events. As such, it is important for nurses to seek appropriate assistance where required and contribute to a supportive, safe and professional environment in their practice, in order to uphold client well-being and to uphold the trust of the public in the profession (Cartwright-Vanzant, 2011). The current professional environment is defined by increased competence resulting from the constant change in practice and technology. The new health care systems are undergoing constant evolution, and the consumers are looking for health care providers with high competences to handle their changing needs (Cartwright-Vanzant, 2011). Upon licensing of a nurse, they are viewed as having met the minimum competency levels. As such, various standards have been developed to ensure that such competency is enhanced throughout their practice. The nurses are thus left with the sole duty of expanding and enhancing their skills and knowledge in order to maintain a high level of competency equal to their role. It is for the nurse to take up responsibility for the personal knowledge and skills’ currency. Through evaluation of an individual nurse’s performance by other health professionals, a nurse’s responsibility to the society is upheld (Guido,

The Middle Eastern relations with world powers Essay

The Middle Eastern relations with world powers - Essay Example The relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United States of America begun nearly a century ago. This relationship is based on mutual respect and common interests – economic, political, technological and social. The Saudi-US friendship has been through numerous conflicts and crises, but, has grown from strength to strength. The origins of this relationship go back to the personal admiration King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud the Kingdom’s founder, held for President Woodrow Wilson. Oil has always been the major element of the Saudi-US relationship. The Kingdom supplies crude oil to the United States averaging 1.52 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia received quite a number of US companies, which at first came to provide products and services for the oil industry but later entered into other ventures. When Saudi Arabia embarked on an ambitious development program in the industry, healthcare, education, and agriculture, it sought assistance from th e United States. U.S. experts and companies were closely involved in building up the Kingdom’s modern infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, roads, airports, seaports, industrial cities and telecommunications facilities. From that time, United States has partnered with Saudi Arabia in trade for more than fifty years. At present, America exports goods and services worth billions of dollars to the Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia in return exports a sizable portion of crude oil to the United States.... Oil has always been the major element of the Saudi-US relationship. The Kingdom supplies crude oil to the United States averaging 1.52 million barrels per day. Saudi Arabia received quite a number of US companies, which at first came to provide products and services for the oil industry but later entered into other ventures. When Saudi Arabia embarked on an ambitious development program in industry, health care, education and agriculture, it sought assistance from the United States. U.S. experts and companies were closely involved in building up the Kingdom’s modern infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, roads, airports, seaports, industrial cities and telecommunications facilities. From that time, United States has partnered with Saudi Arabia in trade for more than fifty years. At present, America exports goods and services worth billions of dollars to the Kingdom, and Saudi Arabia in return exports a sizable portion of crude oil to the United States. This commercial a nd economic association has resulted in rapid growth, in two way trade. It has increased from $56.2 million in 1950 to over $34 billion in 2005. Joint ventures between American and Saudi companies in fields such as energy, petrochemicals, manufacturing, finance and telecommunications have been formed. An example is Motiva, which is a joint venture involving Shell Oil Company and Saudi Refining Inc. It is one of the major refining and marketing companies in the United States. The US-Saudi relationship extends beyond oil, business and international politics to the people. Thousands of Americans live and work in Saudi Arabia. In turn, hundreds of

Job Satisfaction Among Ghanaian Mental Health Nurses

Job Satisfaction Among Ghanaian Mental Health Nurses 1.1 Background Study The main objective of this research is to evaluate the attitudes of Ghanaian mental health nurses and the level of job satisfaction in the three government psychiatric hospitals in Ghana. It has been identified that most people who suffer from mental illness are always vulnerable and at high risk of suffering from stigmatisation and discrimination. Mental health professionals such as nurses are always in contact with patients and their attitudes towards these patients can play a major factor in their recovery. This aspect of study has been neglected especially in developing countries like Ghana. This study is to try as much as possible to find out how the nurses’ attitudes affect their patients and the role job satisfaction plays. Over the years mental health has changed in many faces including the establishment of mental institutions, which has also gone through several changes in different countries thereby drastically reducing the number of psychiatric admissions in general hospitals. However, it is important for one to know if these changes reflect the attitudes of people towards mental illness especially mental health nurses. The perception of mental illness plays a major role in the psychiatric medical profession which several disputes on what should be classified as pathological and which should be seen as normal. These disputes have several consequences on the diagnosis, research, and policies concerning psychiatry and may also have some form of bias on the selection of treatments and prognosis due to the widespread of unauthentic ascriptions of the causes of the illness (Wakefield, 2007). According to World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health is â€Å"a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community† (WHO 2001). There are several definitions by researchers on mental health, which is a fundamental aspect of well-being and quality of life and also a basic element of social structure, productivity, peace and stability in the environment (WHO, 2005). This definition by WHO stresses on the positive scopes of mental health and Shives (2008) also states that mental health is a positive state in which each and everybody is responsible, self-directive and displays self-awareness where ones behaviour is generally accepted within a group. However Bryne (2000) stated that multiple factors influence the level of mental health of person at any point in time and one of the major hindrances to the realisation of positive health and well being leads to stigma. Mental illness is a psychological response to stress that interferes with or inhibits a person’s ability to easily meet human needs and functions within a culture (NSW, Department of Health, 2007). Moreover, the American Psychiatric Association also defines mental illness as a â€Å"clinically significant behaviour and psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual associated with present distress, disability or loss of freedom† (Bryne, 2000). Mental illness is a major contributor to the burden of disease internationally, which has a major influence on the disability, co-morbidity, and mortality being experienced globally (CAMIMH 2007, Lauber Sartorius 2007). World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that about 450million people will suffer from some form of mental disorder with 13% of the global disease burden being made of schizophrenia, depression, epilepsy, dementia, alcohol dependence, neurological and substance-abuse disorders which exceeds both cardiovascular disease and cancer (National Institute of Health) moreover people with mental illness are more likely to be at risk of other health conditions as well. It is estimated that at least one member in every four families has a mental disorder and the primary caregivers of those affected are the family members and this brings some form of burden to these families, which are mostly ignored (WHO, 2010). Depression is estimated to be the second highest cause of disease burden in middle-income countries and the third highest in low-income countries by 2030 (WHO, 2010). Moreover, in addition to the health and social cost, which is a problem, there is also the victimisation of human rights violation, stigmatisation and discrimination of people with mental illness, which occurs both inside, and outside of psychiatric institutions (WHO, 2010). According some researchers, people with mental illness are at increased risk of drifting into or remaining in poverty through increased health expenditure, reduced stigma and loss of employment and associated earnings (Lund et al, 2911). This puts lots of pressure on people with mental illness and their families especially in low income or developing countries where it is more stressful (NSW, Department of Health, 2007). People diagnosed with mental illness are looked at differently in the world as compared to people who are diagnosed with general health problems. Thus most people have the impression that mental illness patients are strange, frightening, unpredictable, aggressive and lack self-control especially those diagnosed with mental disorders such as schizophrenia which is always associated with negative stereotypes of being very aggressive and dangerous (Crisp et al, 2000). Individuals suffering from mental illness for some time now have been at a higher risk of experiencing prejudice and discrimination and most of these prejudice leads to stigmatisation even within health institutions (Linden and Kavanagh, 2011). Prejudice can be said to be an emotional response to stereotypes which is tolerated where stereotypes are mostly unfavourable intercessions used to describe a group or persons based on their merits thus leading to discrimination which is the real behaviour based on prejudice (Lauber et al, 2006). Stigma and prejudice mostly play a basic role in the abuse of human right, which is sadly still being practiced, in some psychiatric institutions and care homes and remain the basis of mental health organisations in some developing countries in the world. Goffman (1963) cited in (Newton-Howes et al, 2008) describes stigma as a mark of shame or dishonour which can have a negative self esteem and appraisal on a the person thereby becoming a hindrance to recovery, moreover Gray (2002) also stated that, stigma was originally used to mark Greek slaves separating them from men. The stigma of mental illness although more often is related to context than to person’s appearance, still remains a powerful negative attribute in all social relations (Bryne, 2000) and the stigma of mental illness comes from the possession of a devalued attribute of an individual which is seen by society as a hostile response (Goffman, 1963) cited in (Newton-Howes et al, 2008). World Health Organisation (2011) states that stigmatisation of mentally ill patients by the healthcare providers is the worst form of stigma which affects the quality and rate of recovery. There are several evidence from other studies conducted by researchers from other populations which proves that stigma can sometimes been seen to pervade professional groups including mental health nurses. Research by Read and Harre (2001), found that negative attitudes are mostly displayed by mental health nurses towards patients who are disturbed which is mostly present in the patients at acute level of their illness. Health professionals mostly come into contact with people with mental illness regularly and they play an important role in shaping attitudes towards mental ill people. Moreover, these health professionals serve as a role model on how to approach people with mental illness however Schulze (2007), states that healthcare professionals have been identified to assume three main positions when it comes to stigmatisation and these include people with mental illness being stigmatised, they being stigmatised by their own association with mental illness and finally playing the role of advocator’s or de-stigmatises. Stigma affects the progression and healing of people with mental illness according to Perlick et al, (2001) and the loss of income, low self-esteem, loneliness, isolation, delayed seeking of treatment and many more are the results of stigma and discrimination towards people with mental illness (Sharac et al, 2010; illac et al, 2011). Creating major campaign of the awareness of stigmatising attitudes will support healthcare workers to be more reflective in the treatment methods towards people with mental illness. Sartorius (2007) stated that, people who suffer from mental illness do not frequently pursue treatment due to the fact that healthcare professionals including nurses are considered prime contributors of stigma and discrimination. Some staff who have been given special training in taking care of people with mental illness do hold negative stigmatising attitudes towards their patients as well which proves that stigma is not only held by individuals with lack of knowledge about mental illness even though educational intervention can help reduce its effect in the community or country as a whole (Burti and Mosher, 2003; Pinfold et al, 2003). Mental health services in Ghana are not well recognised as there are lots of inequalities in the provision of resources for this sector as compared to the needs of the general hospitals. Moreover there is still lack of knowledge about mental illness, which is a major contributor of stigma towards people affected with mental illness and the healthcare professionals who even take care of them. The population of Ghana has increased extremely since the country’s independence from 1957 resulting in the growing number of people suffering from mental illness (Ghana Statistical Service, 2003). Mental health service in Ghana is mostly available in primary health care yet the majority of care is provided through specialised psychiatric hospitals of which there are three (3) all located in the southern part of the country providing 7.08beds per 100,000 populations (Ghana Health Service, 2012). The WHO estimates that out of the 21.6 million Ghanaians, about 650, 000 are believed to be suffering from some form of severe mental disorder and 2,166, 000 are suffering from moderate to mild form of mental illness (WHO, 2007). Nevertheless, this estimate has not been recognised as a serious health issues and Ghana has not yet developed facilities and public health services including mental health care to keep up with the growing demand of these services and population expansion (Offori-Attah et al. 2010). According to the WHO Atlas Survey about 65% of beds in the psychiatric hospitals, are extremely unsatisfactory. The ratio of these beds in Accra the capital city of Ghana is 6.21:1 thus the total number of beds to the rest of the country indicating a high intensity of resources in the capital (Ofori-Atta et al, 2010). WHO has also reported that most psychiatric hospitals have scarce, undignified, and even harmful practices as well as unhygienic and inhuman living conditions (WHO, 2003). The main focus of psychiatric care today in the world is mainly on a number of key conditions such tolerance and non-discrimination being one of the most important aspect (Hannigan, 1999). Inadequate knowledge about mental illness and negative attitudes mostly towards individuals suffering from mental illness has been noted to be prevalent in the general public (Nordt, Rossler and Luber, 2006) thus most major research of attitudes towards people with mental illness has been mainly focused on the general public with the opinions of professionals who come into contact with the mentally ill specifically mental health workers recently being highlighted (Angermeyer Dietrich, 2006). Numerous challenges faced by mental health institutions such as lack of resources, increased work load and shortage of staffs put lots of burden on the nurses which negatively affects the quality of nursing care given to these patients therefore positive changes in mental health services will go a long way to impact on the role and practice of mental health nursing (Cleary, Walter and Hunt, 2005). Low job satisfaction plays a major role in the outcome of patients’ care and there have been lack of research in the country concerning this. Job satisfaction of healthcare professionals is a very important aspect that should not be neglected as it can affect the outcome of care given to these patients. Moreover, there are lots of evidence gaps in the country concerning mental health issues and that is the why it is important to conduct this research in order to fill some of these gaps. Job satisfaction is a complex situation, which can be construed, and it involves the absence of pain, oppressiveness and intolerance as well as enjoyment (Sultana and Begum, 2001). Studies on job satisfaction are mostly based on fountains of emotional response of the employees which is linked with some socio-cultural institutions and the personal elements such as pay, promotion, supervision, benefits, nature of work, co-workers, working condition, social status and many more (Sultana and Begum, 2001). 1.2 RATIONALE Research fills a very important aspect in the society where discoveries are made as well as confirming or rejecting ideas, controlling or predicting events and developing or refining theories. Thus one develops knowledge as a result of these functions from research. It is unsurprising that human right abuse is mostly related to the poor standard of mental health care in low-income countries such as Ghana and the need for ways to restraint is the most obvious choice for healthcare professionals in the absence of neuroleptics (Read, Adiibokah and Nyame, 2009). Studying the attitudes of healthcare professionals especially in the field of mental illness is important. According to Baker et al (2005), attitudes are made of cognitive, affective, and behavioural components, which are activated due to exposure of stimulus or objects. Moreover, the quality of nursing care provided by mental health professionals can be influenced by the attitudes of the nurses towards these patients (Baker, 2008). There have been several campaigns to change negative attitudes and promote positive attitudes towards mental health problems by some countries, which include the United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and India (Royal College of Psychiatrist (2001) and World Psychiatrist Association (2001). Ghana health service (GHS) is the main provider of biomedical care for mental illness in the country however there are just three government psychiatric hospitals in the country providing free healthcare for patients which are all located in the south of the country serving over 21million Ghanaians. All three hospitals have suffered from lack of resources to overcrowding with the end results being poor quality of healthcare. The status of mental health nurses in some communities is low and the advantage of being part of this profession has been dent with some form of stigma such as stigma by association or courtesy stigma (Hinshaw 2007, Thornicroft 2007, Halter 2008) whereby professionals associated with the care of people suffering from mental illness are judged by the same stereotyping stigma. It is therefore very important to explore the theoretical relationship between job satisfaction and professionals stigma towards mental illness. The focus of this study is to address some of the gaps in mental health concerning stigma and job satisfaction mental health nurses are facing in Ghana. The findings of this study will be a stepping stone to address issues that will come out as a result of the study or re-enforce any positive findings as well. The outcomes of this study may allow a greater understanding of how these attitudes are connected and the realistic outcomes can help to the strategize anti-stigma campaigns such as identifying shortfalls of certain groups or identifying logical way 1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION To what extent do mental health nurses in Ghana stigmatise people with mental illness? What personal and professional background factors (including job satisfaction) explain the attitudes that Ghanaian mental health nurses have towards mental illness? What characteristics are associated with nurses’ attitudes towards mental illness? What is the rate of job satisfaction in mental health nursing and does it affect the care patients receive? 1.4 OBJECTIVES The main objective of this research is to evaluate the attitudes of psychiatric nurses in Ghana towards the care of mentally ill patients. The specific objectives are as follow: To identify the relationship and levels of job satisfaction and stigma towards psychiatric patients among Ghanaian mental health nurses. To determine prevalence of stigma among mental health nurses in Ghana. To explore the rate of job satisfaction in mental health nursing and the impact it has on the attitudes of nursing providing care for patients. To examine the characteristics associated with the attitudes on mental health nurses in Ghana. To disseminate findings to increase awareness and knowledge among healthcare professionals’ especially mental health nurses. The findings of this study will be used to: Develop programs and strategies to reduce stigma. Help create awareness of stigma in healthcare professionals. Develop policies to reduce stress in the hospitals. Suggest improvements/amendments to existing mental health policies. 1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS The following research hypothesis was formulated for testing: the researcher hypothesised that the more psychiatric nurses are satisfied with their job, the more they will exhibit positive attitude towards mental ill patients. The researcher also hypothesise that the more psychiatric nurses are stigmatised about their job, the quality of care they provide will be less and they will exhibit negative attitudes towards their patients