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Davidson/London/Ladewig, Olds’ Maternal–Newborn Nursing and Women’s
Health Across the Lifespan 9th Edition Test Bank
Chapter 8
Question 1
Type: MCSA
When discussing the feminization of poverty, the nurse educator will inform the students of what fact?
1. There is a rising trend of women filing for bankruptcy.
2. Fifty percent of the world’s population live on less than $10 a day.
3. Poverty is not directly linked to level of education attained.
4. Women work fewer hours for more pay than men do.
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The rising trend of women filing for bankruptcy is due to reduced consumer protection and
increased leverage for lenders.
Rationale 2: Eighty percent of the world’s population live on less than $10 a day.
Rationale 3: Poverty is directly linked to level of education attained.
Rationale 4: Women work more hours for less pay than men do.
Global Rationale:
Cognitive Level: Applying

Client Need: Safe Effective Care Environment
Client Need Sub: Management of Care
Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Nursing Process: Planning
Learning Outcome:
Question 2
Type: MCMA
The nurse is on a panel at a conference discussing poverty and health care for those living below the poverty
level. Statements the nurse must include are:
Note: Credit will be given only if all correct and no incorrect choices are selected.
Standard Text: Select all that apply.
Davidson/London/Ladewig, Olds’ Maternal–Newborn Nursing and Women’s Health Across the Lifespan 9th Ed. Test Bank
Copyright 2012 by Pearson Education, Inc.
1. The poverty level is defined as a family of four living on less than $22,050 per year.
2. Two thirds of all poor people in the U.S. are women and children.
3. Demographic factors most strongly associated with children’s poverty are female-headed households and race.
4. The greatest number of people living under the poverty level are elderly.
5. Parental race does not affect the level of poverty.
Correct Answer: 1,2,3
Rationale 1: Increasing numbers of U.S. women and their children are attempting to live on $22,050 or less,
which is the current income that defines the poverty level for a family of four.
Rationale 2: Currently, two thirds of all poor people in the U.S. are women and children.
Rationale 3: The two demographic factors most strongly associated with children’s poverty are female-headed
family and race.
Rationale 4: With two thirds of the women and children in the United States living in poverty, they account for
the greatest number, not the elderly.
Rationale 5: ethnic-minority parents tend to have less education and lower incomes on average than do Caucasian
parents.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 3
Type: MCSA
The nurse manager is examining a complaint about wage discrimination. To resolve this complaint, the nurse
manager must understand that the basic premise of "comparable worth" means that:
1. Men and women doing the same job should receive the same pay.
2. A person's pay should be based more on the number of hours worked rather than on the type of work
performed.
3. Women are especially well-suited for some kinds of jobs, as are men for others.
4. Unemployment compensation should be based on the salary the person was making while employed.
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Comparable worth means equal pay for work that is of comparable value and requires comparable
skills, responsibility, education, and experience.
Rationale 2: Number of hours worked is not a factor.
Rationale 3: Assuming that one gender is better suited to a particular type of work than the other gender is sex
discrimination.
Rationale 4: Unemployment compensation is a different issue than comparable worth.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 4
Type: MCMA
In a community clinic, a number of women working low-paying jobs come in for health care in the evening. The
nurse knows the women are working in situations where they:
1. Have no health insurance.
2. Have “pink collar” jobs.
3. Earn less pay than do their male counterparts.
4. Will be receiving a pension upon retirement.
5. Have no problem securing child care.
Rationale 1: More part-time workers, who make up 20% of the U.S. workforce–many of them women–often have
no benefits such as sick leave and health insurance
Rationale 2: About one third of women work in a cluster of “pink collar” occupations, which tend to be poorly
paid when compared with male-dominated positions requiring comparable levels of responsibility, skill, and
education.
Rationale 3: Women are paid less than men for comparable work in virtually all occupations.
Rationale 4: Because women are paid less when they work, they receive smaller pensions and Social Security
benefits when they retire.
Rationale 5: The issue of child care is difficult, as it is expensive and places a tremendous burden on the single
parent’s household budget
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 5
Type: MCSA
The nurse is planning a community educational presentation for people living below the poverty level. The nurse
knows that the largest population in this socioeconomic category is:
1. Adults in communal living situations.
2. Young married couples under the age of 20.
3. Single women with children.
4. Single adults.
Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: Adults living together or in a commune are not usually below the poverty level.
Rationale 2: Young married couples are not the most likely to encounter poverty.
Rationale 3: Single women with children, regardless of previous marital status, are the group most likely to be
living below the poverty level.
Rationale 4: Single adults are not the most likely to encounter poverty.
Global Rationale:
Client Need: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 6
Type: MCSA
The community clinic nurse manager is working on a long-term budget. The manager understands that in the next
few years, Medicaid is expected to pay for fewer births. This is, in part, because:
1. The U.S. economy is becoming stronger.
2. More women are able to pay for private insurance.
3. New public policies are providing other forms of payment.
4. Eligibility rules for Medicaid have been changed.
Correct Answer: 4
Rationale 1: The strength of the economy is not a factor in Medicaid regulations.
Rationale 2: Private insurance is expensive, and not affordable to poor women who would be Medicaid-eligible.
Rationale 3: Although some states are implementing affordable healthcare options, not all states have chosen to
do so.
Rationale 4: Eligibility for Medicaid has decreased eligibility for many women.
Global Rationale:
Cognitive Level: Analyzing

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 7
Type: MCSA
The nurse working at a homeless shelter is studying case statistics. Of the total homeless population served at the
shelter, which group would the nurse's statistics likely uncover as the fastest-growing group?
1. Unemployed women
2. Families with children
3. The mentally ill
4. The elderly
Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: Unemployment is one aspect of this trend, but unemployed women are not the fastest-growing
group.
Rationale 2: Homelessness among families with children, especially single-parent families with a female head of
household, is rising faster than among any other group.
Rationale 3: The mentally ill are one part of this equation, but not the fastest-growing group.
Rationale 4: The elderly are part of the group living in the shelters, but not the fastest-growing group.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Nursing Process: Assessment
Learning Outcome:
Question 8
Type: MCMA
The nurse is working in an obstetrical clinic in an urban setting. The nurse knows that there are certain facts that
affect the health care of this group of women, including:
Note: Credit will be given only if all correct choices and no incorrect choices are selected.
1. Women who receive adequate prenatal care are less likely to develop preterm labor.
2. Women who do not receive prenatal care are more likely to have low-birth-weight babies.
3. A lack of prenatal care is a risk for infant morbidity and mortality.
4. Women who do not receive prenatal care are at a greater risk for various illnesses.
5. Women who do not receive prenatal care are more likely to have high-birth-weight babies.
Correct Answer: 1,2,3,4

Rationale 1: Women who receive adequate prenatal care are less likely to develop severe complications, such as
preterm labor.
Rationale 2: Women who do not receive adequate prenatal care are likely to have low-weight babies related to
preterm labor.
Rationale 3: Lack of prenatal care is a risk for infant morbidity and mortality.
Rationale 4: Women who do not receive adequate prenatal care are at a greater risk for many illnesses that can
negatively affect their pregnancies.
Rationale 5: This statement is not true, as women who do not receive prenatal will often have lower-weight
babies.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub: Safety and Infection Control
Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Nursing Process: Implementation
Learning Outcome:
Question 9
Type: MCSA
The nurse working with a patient who is seeking a family and medical leave knows that an eligibility requirement
of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 is that the employee must:
1. Work at least 40 hours per week.
2. Have been employed for at least 1 month.
3. Work for a company with fewer than 50 employees.
4. Furnish a physician's statement that verifies the need.
Correct Answer: 4
Rationale 1: Coverage is not mandated for employees who work fewer than 25 hours per week.
Rationale 2: Coverage is not mandated for employees who have been employed less than 1 year.
Rationale 3: Only companies with 50 or more employees are covered by FMLA.
Rationale 4: The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 permits employees to take up to 12 weeks of
unpaid leave from work following the birth or adoption of a child or the placement of a foster child, or if faced
with serious illness, or the illness of a spouse, child, or parent. A physician's statement must verify the need.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 10
Type: MCMA
A woman who works full-time approaches her employer after suddenly discovering that she and her husband will
be receiving a child for adoption. The patient knows that she is entitled to certain rights as a result of the Family
and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993. Which criteria of the act apply to this patient?
1. An employee is entitled to return to the former position or one considered comparable.
2. The employee is covered because she works more than 25 hours per week.
3. The employee is covered by this act because 25 employees work at the company.
4. The act is part of a larger national paid maternity leave program.
5. The employee’s medical coverage must continue during the leave.
Rationale 1: This is part of the act. The position that one returns to must be at least comparable.
Rationale 2: A full-time employee works more than 25 hours a week.
Rationale 3: The company would have to have at least 50 employees. Nothing in the scenario suggests this.
Rationale 4: This act is not part of a larger national act. It is a single act.
Rationale 5: The medical coverage must continue during the leave, according to the act.
Global Rationale:
Learning Outcome:
Question 11
Type: MCSA
The nurse manager is discussing the Family and Medical Leave Act with the staff. What statement does the nurse
make about the act?
1. The act covers men as well as women, and they are allowed to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave and continue with
their medical coverage.
2. Men can have 6 weeks under the act, where women can have 2.
3. Paid maternity and paternity leave does not occur in other countries.
4. The United States is the one country that has a paid maternity leave program.
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: This is true. Men are covered under the act for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.
Rationale 2: Men and women can both have 12 weeks.
Rationale 3: Paid leave occurs much more in other countries. Many countries have paid maternity and paternity
leave.
Rationale 4: The United States does not have a paid maternity leave program.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 12
Type: MCSA
The pregnant patient employed at a factory asks the nurse whether exposure to chemicals can cause harm to her
fetus. The nurse should advise that exposure to which substance can lead to neurological damage?
1. Lead
2. Latex
3. Formaldehyde
4. Benzene
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Lead exposure during pregnancy, as well as during childhood, can cause neurological damage.
Rationale 2: Exposure to latex is not known to cause neurological damage.
Rationale 3: Exposure to formaldehyde is not known to cause neurological damage.
Rationale 4: Exposure to benzene is not known to cause neurological damage.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 13
Type: MCSA
A new nurse is teaching a class to expectant parents about environmental hazards at home. Which statement, if
made by an expectant parent, would indicate the need for further teaching?
1. “Air pollution is an environmental hazard caused by the release of toxins into the air.”
2. “Indoor air pollution poses the more serious threat to women’s health, as most Americans spend 90% of their
time indoors.”
3. “Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is the leading cause of lung cancer, which kills more women than
any other type of cancer, including breast.”
4. “Asthma, an increasingly common and serious problem in children, is worsened by most forms of indoor air
pollution.”
Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: This is a true statement. Air pollution is caused by various toxins being released in to the air.
Rationale 2: Indoor air pollution does pose a serious threat–for example, dust and pet dander.
Rationale 3: Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Smoking is the first.
Rationale 4: This is true. Dust, smoking, and deodorants can all contribute to asthma.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 14
Type: MCMA
The nurse in a community clinic is providing a nutrition course for pregnant women. The nurse tells them that the
fish a pregnant woman should avoid or eat in limited amounts include:
1. Golden snapper.
2. Swordfish.
3. Tuna.
4. Farmed salmon.
5. Tilapia.
Correct Answer: 1,2,3,4
Rationale 1: Pregnant women and toddlers should not eat the flesh of large, predator fish that can have a large
buildup of mercury in their fat, such as tilefish (white or golden snapper).
Rationale 2: Pregnant women and toddlers should not eat the flesh of large, predator fish that can have a large
buildup of mercury in their fat, such as swordfish.
Rationale 3: Because tuna are also large predator fish, pregnant women should not eat more than 6 ounces of
white albacore tuna per week or more than 12 ounces per week of “light” tuna.
Rationale 4: Farmed salmon contains much higher PCB levels than wild salmon does.
Rationale 5: Tilapia is not a predator fish, and is safe to eat.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 15
Type: MCSA
The community nurse has presented an educational presentation at a low-income assisted-living facility with
residents from several races and ethnic groups. Which statement made by an older African American woman
indicates that teaching has been effective?
1. "I have a lower risk of dying from diabetes than my white friend."
2. "Income doesn't affect our health risks as much as rich people."
3. "I am twice as likely to have coronary heart disease as my white neighbor."
4. "Generic medications might not work as well as the trade name pills."
Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: African American women have higher rates of chronic disease and death from chronic disease than
do white women.
Rationale 2: The poor elderly often face barriers when obtaining health care, leading to poor outcomes.
Rationale 3: African American women have higher rates of chronic disease and death from chronic disease than
do white women.
Rationale 4: Generic medications have the same pharmacologic effect as do trade name medications.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Nursing/Integrated Concepts: Nursing Process: Evaluation
Learning Outcome:
Question 16
Type: MCSA
The nurse is leading a discussion among nursing students about differences in living conditions between men and
women. Which statement, if made by the nursing student, would correctly depict the susceptibility of older
women?
1. “Older women tend to have more educational preparation than older men.”
2. “Women typically earn less than men and often work in jobs without pension benefits or only limited benefits.”
3. “Intermittent employment is less common in women, increasing their Social Security and retirement benefits.”
4. “Women generally have fewer family caregiving responsibilities than men.”
Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: This is not true. Men tend to have more education.
Rationale 2: This is true, as women tend to earn less and work in jobs that seldom have pensions.
Rationale 3: This is not true, as intermittent employment is more common in women, and does not lead to an
increase in Social Security and retirement benefits.
Rationale 4: Women usually have more family caregiving responsibilities.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 17
Type: MCSA
The nurse manager is preparing an educational in-service for staff nurses about elder abuse. The nurse manager
develops a hypothetical situation: A wheelchair-bound patient who lives with her daughter has experienced
hunger because she cannot reach the cupboards to make lunch. Which category of elder abuse does this example
describe?
1. Psychologic abuse
2. Physical abuse
3. Neglect
4. Financial abuse
Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: Psychologic abuse is usually verbal.
Rationale 2: Physical abuse involves some degree of violence.
Rationale 3: Neglect can be by either a caretaker or neglecting oneself.
Rationale 4: Financial abuse involves money.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 18
Type: MCSA
The nurse is trying to explain the different forms of elder abuse to a nursing student. Which statement, if made by
the nursing student, would indicate the need for further teaching?
1. “Substance abuse and stressful events in the life of the abuser can contribute to the risk of abuse.”
2. “The prototypical victim of elder abuse is a white woman over 80 years old who lives in her own home or the
home of a family member.”
3. “The abuser is most often a child of the patient; the next most likely abuser is a spouse, and the third most
likely primary caregivers.”
4. “Elder abuse includes any deliberate action, or lack of action, that causes harm to an elderly person.”
Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: It is true that substance abuse and stressful events in the life of the abuser can contribute to the risk.
Rationale 2: It is true that the prototypical victim of elder abuse is a white woman over 80 years old who lives in
her own home or the home of a family member.
Rationale 3: The most common abuser is a spouse, followed by family members and then primary caregivers.
Rationale 4: It is true that elder abuse includes any deliberate action, or lack of action, that causes harm to an
elderly person.
Global Rationale:
Learning Outcome:
Question 19
Type: MCSA
A public health nurse, along with a student, is visiting the home of an elderly woman who is widowed and lives
alone. Her 40-year-old son is her caregiver, and the public health nurses visit about once a week to follow up on
her high blood pressure, recent surgery for a hip fracture, and diabetes. The nurse and student find the home
unkept, sink full of dirty dishes, and the patient in clothes that are extremely soiled. She cannot reach her walker
to get up, and she has been incontinent. This type of abuse is called:
1. Neglect.
2. Abandonment.
3. Physical abuse.
4. Financial abuse.
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The abuse described is called neglect. Assistance and personal hygiene have not been provided.
Rationale 2: It is not evident that there has been abandonment.
Rationale 3: There is no evidence of physical abuse.
Rationale 4: There is no evidence of financial abuse according to scenario.
Global Rationale:
Cognitive Level: Evaluating

Learning Outcome:
Question 20
Type: MCSA
The community health nurse manager is reviewing the charts of elderly patients. Which issue are these patients
most likely to experience?
1. Adequate financial resources to purchase medications
2. Senior services that provide transportation to healthcare appointments
3. Multiple medications prescribed by different physicians
4. Medicare that covers healthcare costs so no out-of-pocket expenses occur
Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: The elderly are more often apt to face poverty and to use money to buy food rather than medicine.
Rationale 2: Not all elderly have adequate access to transportation for health care.
Rationale 3: Polypharmacy–medication prescriptions from different providers, resulting in the patient’s taking
multiple medications–has the potential to cause problems with side effects and medication interactions.
Rationale 4: Medicare rarely covers all healthcare expenses, and if a patient does not have co-insurance, out-of-
pocket expenses can be substantial.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 21
Type: MCSA
The nurse is planning care at a retirement community. The nurse understands that, compared with a male of the
same age, a 75-year-old woman is more likely to have a:
1. Living spouse.
2. Pension.
3. Disability.
4. Better education.
Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: Men tend to have shorter lifespans than do women.
Rationale 2: Elderly women are less likely to have held jobs that provided a pension.
Rationale 3: More elderly women experience disabilities, in part because of their longer lifespans. Men tend to
have shorter lifespans than do women.
Rationale 4: Most families believed that education of girls was less important than education of boys when the
elderly were of school age.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 22
Type: MCSA
A home care nurse is looking over the charts of four elderly female patients. The nurse knows that which patient
has the highest risk for developing diabetes and heart disease?
1. A Caucasian woman.
2. A woman of Italian descent.
3. An Amish woman.
4. An African American woman
Correct Answer: 4
Rationale 1: Caucasian women do not have as great a risk of high blood pressure and heart disease as they do of
lung cancer.
Rationale 2: A woman of Italian descent does not have a great risk for high blood pressure and diabetes.
Rationale 3: An Amish woman is Caucasian, and does not have a great risk of high blood pressure or diabetes.
Rationale 4: An African American woman has a great risk of high blood pressure and diabetes.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 23
Type: MCMA
The nurse in a community clinic recognizes that older women face various barriers to obtaining health care. The
barriers that must be overcome include:
Note: Credit will only be given if all correct and no incorrect choices are selected.
1. Transportation difficulties.
2. Lack of health coverage.
3. Symptom-specific treatment.
4. Adequate research on chronic conditions.
5. The Family and Medical Leave Act.
Rationale 1: Older women can face multiple barriers when obtaining health care, and difficulty with
transportation is one of them.
Rationale 2: Older women can face multiple barriers when obtaining health care, and lack of health coverage is
one of them.
Rationale 3: Older women can face multiple barriers when obtaining health care, and symptom-specific, rather
than holistic, care is one of them.
Rationale 4: There is a lack of research regarding chronic conditions affecting women.
Rationale 5: The Family and Medical Leave Act mandates parental leave for childbirth or adoption in companies
with over 50 employees.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 24
Type: MCSA
The nurse is caring for a 20-year-old labor patient who is autistic. This patient will not talk with the nurse, she
wants her mother right at her side, and she obviously does not understand what is going on with her. Which term
best describes the disability of this patient?
1. Developmental
2. Learning
3. Neurological
4. Sensory
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: Autism is classified as a developmental disability that manifests before 22 years of age and creates
limitations in three or more areas.
Rationale 2: Learning disabilities inhibit educational attainment.
Rationale 3: Autism is not a neurological disability.
Rationale 4: Sensory disabilities have to do with vision and hearing.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 25
Type: MCSA
The nurse is caring for a new mother who is intellectually disabled. She has chosen to keep her baby, and will live
with her parents, who both work full-time. Public health nurses are going to be following this patient and her baby
closely. What is the main thing the nurse will have to remember when caring for this patient?
1. This patient will need to have a babysitter at all times.
2. She is not going to be able to keep this baby, due to her disability.
3. The father of the baby needs to move in with the family to assist with care.
4. The nurse and the patient’s family will have to give clear, concise, easy-to-understand directions multiple
times.
Correct Answer: 4
Rationale 1: This is likely not true, as she will be able to care for her baby with the availability of her family and
the nurse.
Rationale 2: The patient will be able to keep her baby as long as it is being properly cared for.
Rationale 3: This would only be true if the family wished this and he were involved with the woman and the
baby.
Rationale 4: When working with patients with intellectual disabilities, it is important for the nurse to provide
clear, concise, and understandable instructions multiple times.
Global Rationale:
Cognitive Level: Evaluating

Learning Outcome:
Question 26
Type: MCSA
The nurse is teaching a group of parents of severely disabled school-aged girls. The nurse tells the parents that
these girls:
1. Need education about STIs, contraception, and routine gynecological checkups.
2. Would be better off if they had permanent sterilization.
3. Will probably not be sexually active.
4. Are not able to understand about contraception and sex.
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: No matter how disabled they might be, these girls need to have the same education on sexual matters
as do other girls.
Rationale 2: Permanent sterilization of severely disabled females was done in the mid-20th century, but cannot be
done now without permission of the patient.
Rationale 3: This is a false statement. The individual with an intellectual disability can be sexually active.
Rationale 4: Although they are disabled, these girls should able to understand about contraception and sex with
clear and concise explanations.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 27
Type: MCMA
The nurse is assessing a woman with a paralyzed arm who has lost her health insurance due to unemployment.
The nurse recognizes that barriers to employment for women with disabilities include:
1. No access to transportation.
2. Employer attitudes.
3. Lack of wheelchair access.
4. Wide door openings into buildings.
5. Readily available ramps.
Rationale 1: People with disabilities might not drive or have easy access to public transportation.
Rationale 2: Employers are sometimes reluctant to hire persons with disabilities.
Rationale 3: Many buildings are still without ramps and wide door openings that facilitate wheelchair access.
Rationale 4: Many buildings are still without ramps and wide door openings that facilitate wheelchair access
Rationale 5: Many buildings are still without ramps and wide door openings that facilitate wheelchair access
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 28
Type: MCSA
The nurse making home visits to a number of adult women with disabilities monitors the patients closely out of
awareness that:
1. They do not need as much care as do other women, because they are not able to get out into public.
2. They receive more preventive care than do women without disabilities.
3. These women seldom develop osteoporosis.
4. They receive less preventive care and have greater yearly health expenditures than do women without
disabilities.
Correct Answer: 4
Rationale 1: Women with disabilities need more care because of their disabilities.
Rationale 2: Women with disabilities receive less preventive care than do women without disabilities.
Rationale 3: Women with disabilities develop osteoporosis more often than do women without disabilities, and
need to be screened.
Rationale 4: Women with disabilities receive less preventive care and have more than twice the yearly health
expenditures that women without disabilities do. Their disabilities often increase their need for health care.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 29
Type: MCSA
The nurse is caring for a patient who says she is lesbian. The well-educated nurse will be aware that the patient:
1. Is at lesser risk for sexually transmitted diseases and cervical cancer than a heterosexual woman would be.
2. Is less likely to experience domestic violence than a heterosexual woman would be, and does not need to be
asked about it.
3. Is at greater risk for breast cancer than a heterosexual woman would be.
4. Does not need to have a Pap smear as frequently as a heterosexual woman would.
Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: Lesbians are at just as great a risk for sexually transmitted diseases and cervical cancer as are
heterosexual women.
Rationale 2: Lesbians do experience domestic violence, and they do need to be asked about it as a part of their
history.
Rationale 3: Lesbians are at a greater risk for breast cancer, especially if they have never given birth.
Rationale 4: Lesbians need Pap smears and gynecological follow-up as often as any other woman does.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 30
Type: MCSA
The lesbian woman who is pregnant by in vitro fertilization from an unknown donor comes to the obstetric clinic
in her seventh month with her partner. When asked by the nurse why she has waited so long to come in, the
patient remarks, “Oh, you know why.” The nurse suspects that this patient is:
1. Experiencing a fear of discrimination on the part of providers.
2. Without insurance, and is afraid she will be turned away.
3. In good health, and did not need to come in any sooner.
4. Independent in her health care, and opted for self-care until now.
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The woman most likely has a fear of discrimination due to her sexual status. This is a very real fear,
as health providers are often ignorant concerning gays and lesbians.
Rationale 2: This might be true, but it is less likely that a lack of health insurance would prevent a pregnant
woman from seeking health care than that another reason would.
Rationale 3: The woman might be in good health, but that does not mean she should postpone seeking health care
until later in her pregnancy.
Rationale 4: The woman might be independent, but that is not likely to prevent her from seeking health care early
in her pregnancy.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 31
Type: MCSA
The nurse at a women's clinic is reviewing a new patient health information questionnaire. Which question does
she find to be insulting and discriminatory toward lesbian patients?
1. Who should be contacted in case of emergency?
2. What method of birth control do you use?
3. How often do you drink alcohol?
4. Do you feel safe in your relationship?
Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: Asking who should be contacted in an emergency is not an insulting or discriminatory question.
Emergency contact is important for all patients.
Rationale 2: Assuming that a patient uses birth control assumes that the patient is heterosexual, creating a
heterosexist atmosphere.
Rationale 3: Lesbians should be assessed for chemical dependency and domestic abuse the same as anyone else.
Rationale 4: Asking whether the patient feels safe in her relationship is common for all patients who come into
the hospital.
Global Rationale:
Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 32
Type: MCMA
The nurse has presented an educational session to local politicians about the health impact of discrimination based
on sexual orientation. Which statements indicate that further education is needed?
1. "Lesbians who stay at home to raise children receive healthcare benefits through their partner's employer."
2. “A lesbian will receive her partner's retirement funds if the partner dies unexpectedly.”
3. "Lesbian couples can be homeless because of eviction based solely on their sexual orientation."
4. "A veteran discharged from the Army because she is lesbian cannot receive care at the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs."
5. "A parent with children can be fired in most states if it becomes known that she is a lesbian."
Correct Answer: 1,2
Rationale 1: Gay couples experience many sources of economic discrimination based on sexual orientation,
including not being offered the same healthcare benefits that a legally married spouse is entitled to receive.
Rationale 2: Gay couples experience many sources of economic discrimination based on sexual orientation,
including not receiving pensions or retirement funds after the death of a partner.
Rationale 3: Most states allow overt discrimination, including housing discrimination, based on sexual
orientation.
Rationale 4: Discharge from the armed forces based on sexual orientation prevents access to Veterans
Administration benefits.
Rationale 5: Most states allow overt discrimination, including on-the-job discrimination based on sexual
orientation.
Global Rationale:
Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 33
Type: MCSA
A lesbian woman tells her nurse that she has begun to work for a new company. The woman’s biggest fear is that
her new employer will find out about her sexual orientation. Why is this woman afraid of this discovery?
1. The 1997 Employment Non-discrimination Act was passed into law.
2. It is still legal in many states to fire a lesbian on the basis of sexual orientation.
3. Discrimination exists only in the private sector.
4. The American Civil Liberties Union is ill equipped to deal with employment discrimination.
Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: The 1997 Employment Non-discrimination Act was defeated by one vote, and an updated bill has
yet to be passed.
Rationale 2: A number of states still say it is legal to fire due to sexual orientation.
Rationale 3: Discrimination exists in both the private and public sector.
Rationale 4: Discrimination is the most frequent complaint that the Amercian Civil Liberties Union receives, and
the ACLU is well equipped to deal with the issue.
Global Rationale:

Learning Outcome:
Question 34
Type: MCMA
The nurse is working with a group of recent immigrants from a country in which female genital mutilation (FGM)
is practiced. In order to be effective in teaching about gynecologic care in the U.S., the nurse must keep which
issues in mind?
1. Women might undergo FGM willingly to support the status quo of society.
2. Women might undergo the procedure to be considered for marriage.
3. Societies that practice FGM view women as having equal rights with men.
4. FGM is usually done during infancy so women have no memory of the procedure.
5. Women will view the term female genital mutilation as culturally appropriate.
Correct Answer: 1,2
Rationale 1: Because FGM is so closely associated with female identity, even the educated women in a given
society might support it.
Rationale 2: If FGM is the norm, and only those females who have had the procedure can be married, women
seeking the security of marriage will willingly submit to the practice.
Rationale 3: Societies that practice FGM are strongly patriarchal, and value females based on the labor they can
perform and childbearing ability.
Rationale 4: FGM is rarely performed during infancy, and is usually done during adolescence.
Rationale 5: Many women in countries where FMG is practiced find the term female genital mutilation
disrespectful and inappropriate because it implies that women have been mutilated and are not whole, and that the
people who perform it are cruel mutilators. It is women, in fact, who actively promote and carry out FGM.
Global Rationale:

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
Question 35
Type: MCMA
The culturally competent nurse recognizes that health implications of female genital mutilation can include:
1. Hemorrhage.
2. HIV transmission.
3. Chronic urinary infections.
4. Increased sexual pleasure.
5. Easier childbirth.
Rationale 1: Hemorrhage is the most common immediate complication of all the female genital mutilation
procedures done.
Rationale 2: HIV transmission can occur from female genital mutilation in developing countries where the
instruments are not sterile.
Rationale 3: Chronic urinary infections caused by inadequate emptying of the bladder are common with female
genital mutilation.
Rationale 4: Many infibulated women experience pain during sexual intercourse (dyspareunia).
Rationale 5: Infibulation-related complications associated with childbirth include obstructed labor, nonreassuring
fetal status, postpartum hemorrhage, and postpartum sepsis.
Global Rationale:
Cognitive Level: Understanding

Client Need Sub:
Learning Outcome:
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no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Il tallone di ferro
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
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eBook.
Title: Il tallone di ferro
Author: Jack London
Translator: Gian Dàuli
Release date: November 16, 2023 [eBook #72139]
Language: Italian
Original publication: Milano: Modernissima, 1925
Credits: Barbara Magni and the Online Distributed Proofreading

Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced
from images made available by The Internet Archive)
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IL TALLONE

DI FERRO ***
IL TALLONE DI FERRO
JACK LONDON
IL
TALLONE DI FERRO
ROMANZO DI PREVISIONE SOCIALE
A cura di GIAN DÀULI
MODERNISSIMA
MILANO — Via Vivaio, 10
PROPRIETÀ LETTERARIA RISERVATA
Stab. Tipo-Lit. FED. SACCHETTI & C. — Via Zecca
Vecchia, 7 — Milano (7)
INDICE
«E io so che un terzo di tutto il
genere umano sulla terra perirà
nella Grande Guerra, e un terzo
perirà nella Grande Distruzione,
ma l’ultimo terzo vivrà nel Grande
Millennio, che sarà il Regno di Dio
sulla Terra».
Selma Lagerfel
Jack London scrisse il Tallone di ferro nel 1907 [1]. Dopo un attento
esame del disordine economico del secolo XIX e delle condizioni di
lotta tra plutocrazia e proletariato egli, seguendo i maggiori uomini di
scienza e statisti del suo tempo, comprese come un inesorabile
dilemma si dibattesse nella coscienza della Società contemporanea
oppressa dagli armamenti e da una produzione inadeguata,
eccessiva ed artificiosa insieme: la rivoluzione, o la guerra.
Davanti a questo terribile dilemma, la sua grande anima di poeta, di
sognatore e di ribelle previde l’avvenire, e visse, con le creature
immortali della immaginazione, parte del grande dramma che
culminò, sette anni dopo, nella guerra mondiale.
Ma più che la guerra, il London previde la rivoluzione liberatrice, per
successive rivolte di popolo, delle quali egli descrisse una, così
sanguinaria e feroce, che fu accusato, nel 1907, di essere «un
terribile pessimista». In realtà il London anticipò con l’immaginazione
ciò che accadde negli Stati Uniti ed altrove tra gli anni 1912 e 1918;
così che oggi, nel 1925, noi possiamo giudicarlo profeta di sciagure,
se si vuole, ma profeta.
Infatti, nell’autunno del 1907, mentre il mondo s’adagiava nelle più
rosee e svariate ideologie umanitarie, Jack London, osservatore
acuto e chiaroveggente, anticipando e descrivendo gli avvenimenti
che sarebbero accaduti nel 1913, scriveva: «L’oligarchia voleva la
guerra con la Germania, e la voleva per molte ragioni. Nello
scompiglio che tale guerra avrebbe causato, nel rimescolìo delle
carte internazionali e nella conclusione di nuovi trattati e di nuove
alleanze, l’oligarchia aveva molto da guadagnare. Inoltre, la guerra
avrebbe esaurito gran parte dell’eccesso dì produzione nazionale,
ridotto gli eserciti di disoccupati che minacciavano tutti i paesi, e
concesso all’oligarchia spazio e tempo per perfezionare i suoi piani
di lotta sociale.
«Tale guerra avrebbe dato all’Oligarchia (si parla di quella degli Stati
Uniti) il possesso del mercato mondiale. Inoltre, avrebbe creato un
esercito permanente in continua efficienza, e nello stesso tempo
avrebbe sostituito nella mente del popolo l’idea di «America contro
Germania» a quella di «Socialismo contro Oligarchia». In realtà, la
guerra avrebbe fatto tutto questo se non ci fossero stati socialisti.
Un’adunanza segreta dei capi dell’Ovest fu convocata nelle nostre
quattro camerette di Pell Street. In essa fu esaminato prima
l’atteggiamento che il partito doveva assumere. Non era la prima
volta che veniva discussa la possibilità d’un conflitto armato; ma era
la prima volta che ciò si faceva negli Stati Uniti. Dopo la nostra
riunione segreta, ci ponemmo in contatto con l’organizzazione
nazionale, e ben presto furono scambiati marconigrammi attraverso
l’Atlantico, fra noi e l’Ufficio Internazionale del Lavoro. I socialisti
tedeschi erano disposti ad agire con noi... Il 4 dicembre (1913),
l’Ambasciatore americano fu richiamato dalla capitale tedesca. La
stessa notte una flotta da guerra tedesca si lanciava su Honolulu
affondando tre incrociatori e una torpediniera doganale e
bombardando la città. Il giorno dopo, sia la Germania che gli Stati
Uniti dichiararono la guerra, e in un’ora i socialisti dichiararono lo
sciopero generale nei due paesi. Per la prima volta il Dio della
Guerra tedesco si trovò di fronte gli uomini del suo impero, gli uomini
che facevano funzionare il suo impero. La novità della situazione
stava nel fatto che la rivolta era passiva: il popolo non lottava. Il
popolo rimaneva inerte; e rimanendo inerte legava le mani al Dio
della Guerra... Neppure una ruota si muoveva nel suo impero,
nessun treno procedeva, nessun telegramma percorreva i fili, perchè
ferrovieri e telegrafisti avevano cessato di lavorare, come il resto
della popolazione».
La guerra mondiale preconizzata da Jack London pel dicembre del
1913 ebbe inizio, invece, otto mesi dopo, nell’agosto del 1914, ma
l’azione delle organizzazioni operaie per impedire il conflitto, benchè
tentata, non ebbe buon successo per colpa del proletariato
tedesco [2].
Se Jack London avesse potuto prevedere la sconfitta del socialismo
nella guerra, avrebbe certamente mutato corso allo svolgimento del
suo racconto, pur lasciandone immutata la sostanza, ma non è da
pensare — dato il carattere sociale e ideale di tutta la sua opera —
che egli potesse seguire l’illusione di quelli che accettarono la guerra
come una soluzione tragica, ma definitiva della crisi mondiale, o dei
sognatori wilsoniani che credettero di aver combattuto e vinto la
guerra contro la guerra, e di poter ottenere il disarmo mediante la
Società delle Nazioni, o di coloro che vanno ripetendo che la guerra
ha trasformato la società e iniziato un’êra nuova.
Non c’è menzogna maggiore e peggiore di questa, e, a volerle
credere, più fatale ai destini umani.
La guerra non fu la soluzione di una crisi, ma tragico inevitabile
risultato delle condizioni della Società di prima della guerra, per
amoralità, immoralità, egoismo, ignoranza, avidità di ricchezza e di
piacere, squilibrio economico, ingiustizia sociale, e un’infinità di altri
mali nascosti dall’ipocrisia, svalutati dall’ottimismo, giustificati con
sofismi. La crisi perdura tuttora, perchè gli uomini, anzichè
ravvedersi degli errori passati che causarono la guerra, sembrano
quasi compiacersene e gloriarsene, giudicando la grande strage
come un fenomeno meraviglioso, e vanto non vergogna
dell’Umanità.
La spaventosa esperienza collettiva, che dovrebbe essere
considerata come un’esperienza di colpe comuni o, almeno, come
una dura e crudele necessità imposta da colpe altrui, e tale da far
ravvedere e rendere, comunque, pensosi delle cause che recarono
tanti lutti e tante rovine, pare, infatti, che faccia perdere ai più
coscienza del bene e del male, e li imbaldanzisca come se fossero
tutti trionfatori e salvatori della Patria e dell’Umanità. Ed è di oggi il
triste spettacolo dei pusillanimi, degli imboscati e intriganti di ieri,
che, sorretti dagli arricchiti di guerra, dòminano la piazza e tentano di
usurpare la gloria dei pochi veri benemeriti della Nazione, per
creare, a proprio e totale beneficio, l’ingiusto privilegio del governo
del proprio paese e dell’amministrazione della cosa pubblica.
Ma ritorniamo a Jack London, a proposito del quale questa
digressione non può considerarsi oziosa. Vien fatto di pensare,
infatti, che se le condizioni della Società prima del 1914 crearono la
Grande Guerra, il perdurare e l’aggravarsi delle stesse condizioni
non possa che preparare quella catastrofe anche maggiore, a breve
scadenza, e cioè quella Grande Distruzione prevista e
magistralmente descritta dal London. La Grande Distruzione sarà
inevitabile e vicina se gli uomini di buona volontà non agiranno
prontamente, con coraggio, e perseveranza.
Ma come agire, come evitare la nuova sventura?
***
Anatole France scrisse che è necessario che coloro che hanno il

dono prezioso e raro di prevedere, manifestino i pericoli che
presentono. Anche Jack London «aveva il genio che vede quello che
è nascosto alla folla degli uomini, e possedeva una scienza che gli
permetteva d’anticipare i tempi. Egli previde l’assieme degli
avvenimenti che si sono svolti nella nostra epoca». Ma, ahimè! chi
gli diede ascolto? Le sue previsioni furono lette prima della guerra da
centinaia di migliaia di uomini sparsi in tutto il mondo. Forse qualche
pensatore solitario gli credette, ma i più lo considerarono pazzo o
visionario, molti lo chiamarono pessimista, e i suoi compagni di fede
l’accusarono di seminare lo spavento nelle file del proletariato.
Pertanto, l’ottimismo di prima della guerra non dovrebbe essere più
possibile.
Chi non vede che la guerra ha reso più selvaggio l’urto degli
interessi, accresciuto smisuratamente l’avidità del potere, della
ricchezza e del piacere, fra contese sociali e politiche esasperate e il
terrore delle continue minacce fra nazioni, e classi, segni tutti del
rapido processo di decomposizione della società contemporanea?
Mai nella storia dell’Umanità fu vista una maggiore miseria spirituale
e morale, mai l’anima umana fu così offesa e degradata da tanti
delitti!
Perciò il Tallone di ferro riappare oggi, dopo quasi vent’anni dacchè
fu scritto, come specchio di dolorosa attualità, riflette fedelmente i
mali che travagliano la vita e la coscienza degli individui e delle
nazioni, mostra i pericoli del nostro disordine sociale. Però, mentre
vediamo quello che in realtà fu ed è il tallone di ferro della
plutocrazia, non possiamo non meditare sulle deformazioni del
movimento operaio che, incapace, ieri, per insufficiente preparazione
morale e spirituale, d’impedire la guerra, minaccia oggi la società col
terribile tallone di ferro della demagogia e dell’ignoranza. Se
volessimo generalizzare, dovremmo ricordare un infinito numero di
talloni di ferro! Ma già il quadro è troppo fosco e pauroso nel suo
assieme per attardarci nei particolari. Lasciamo anzi che la speranza
rientri nei cuori, sia pure per un istante, con le immagini delle
creature che raddolciscono e rendono caro questo libro di orrori: con
l’immagine di Ernesto Everhard, il rivoluzionario «pieno di coraggio e
di saggezza, pieno di forza e di dolcezza», che tanto somiglia allo
scrittore che l’ha creato: con quella della moglie di Everhard,
dall’anima grande e innamorata e dallo spirito forte; con quelle del
vescovo Morehouse e del padre di Avis, indimenticabili, l’uno per
l’ingenua anima evangelica, l’altro per l’amore della scienza, che lo
rende immune dalle cattiverie degli uomini e superiore alle traversie
della vita. Creature buone e sublimi come queste creature del
London esistono pure nella vita reale e mantengono accesa, anche
nelle epoche più buie, con la fiamma dell’amore, la lampada della
civiltà.
È da sperare comunque che se la società contemporanea dovrà
precipitare, con tutte le passate ideologie e gli antichi ordinamenti,
nell’abisso approfondito dalla guerra, sia almeno rapida la rovina per
una più rapida rinascita, e che non occorreranno i tre secoli di tallone
di ferro preconizzati dal London perchè l’umanità rinnovata riprenda
il cammino verso altitudini mai toccate. È certo intanto che il
problema, da economico e politico qual era nel secolo scorso, è
divenuto oggi essenzialmente morale; e sarà domani semplicemente
religioso. Ormai sappiamo che non trionferanno nè le idee di Carlo
Marx, nè quelle di Guglielmo James, nè del Sorel, nè del Bergson. Vi
sarà probabilmente un ritorno alla morale cristiana, e si considererà
nuovamente la vita come una prova di rinuncia e di dolore; ma
dovranno alla fine cadere le barriere tra classe e classe, tra nazione
e nazione, scomparire le diversità di lingua e di religione, perchè gli
uomini possano riconoscersi membri di un’unica famiglia umana.
Abbandonate le discordie, i vivi ascolteranno la voce dei morti, si
caricheranno con lietezza la loro parte di lavoro per il progresso
umano, e comprendendosi ed amandosi, prepareranno un mondo
migliore per le future generazioni. Allora le antiche verità degli
Evangeli avranno una nuova interpretazione e, soprattutto, una
nuova pratica; sarà, in altre parole, il trionfo dell’amore, della
Religione, dell’Umanità secondo una nuova disciplina morale,
coscientemente accettata in regime di libertà Universale; e la
devozione del forte per il debole, la venerazione del debole per il
forte diventeranno norma di vita veramente civile. Jack London ha
previsto e auspicato tutto ciò, con grandezza di cuore.
La certezza di una Umanità riconciliata, unita, concorde, solidale
davanti al dolore ed al mistero illumina, appunto, e riscalda come un
chiarore di sole, tutte le opere di Jack London; il quale ci appare
come un Cavaliere della Verità, e poeta e profeta dell’amore
universale.
Rapallo, gennaio del 1925.
GIAN DÀULI.
Questa traduzione è
dedicata allo spirito
formidabile di GIOVANNI
ANSALDO.
G. D.
IL TALLONE DI FERRO
(THE IRON HEEL)
CAPITOLO I.
LA MIA AQUILA.
La brezza d’estate agita i pini giganteschi, e le onde della Wild Water

rumoreggiano ritmicamente sulle pietre muscose. Numerose farfalle
danzano al sole e da ogni parte freme ed ondeggia il ronzio delle
api. In mezzo ad una quiete così profonda, io me ne sto sola,
pensierosa ed agitata.
È tale e tanta la mia serenità, che mi turba, e mi sembra irreale.
Tutto è tranquillo intorno, ma è come la calma che precede la
tempesta. Tendo l’orecchio e spio, con tutti i sensi, il minimo indizio
del cataclisma imminente. Purchè non sia prematuro, o purchè non
scoppi troppo presto [3].
La mia inquietudine è giustificata. Penso, penso continuamente, e
non posso fare a meno di pensare. Ho vissuto così a lungo nella
mischia, che la calma mi opprime, e la mia immaginazione prevede,
istintivamente, quel turbine di rovina e di morte che si scatenerà
ancora, fra poco. Mi pare di sentire le grida delle vittime, mi pare di
vedere, come pel passato, tanta tenera e preziosa carne contusa e
mutilata, tante anime strappate violentemente dai loro nobili corpi e
lanciate verso Dio [4]. Poveri esseri noi siamo: costretti alla
carneficina e alla distruzione per ottenere il nostro intento, per far
regnare sulla terra una pace e una felicità durature!
E poi sono proprio sola! Quando non penso a ciò che deve essere,
penso a ciò che è stato, a ciò che non è più. Penso alla mia aquila
che batteva l’aria colle sue instancabili ali, e prese il volo verso il suo
sole, verso l’ideale radioso della libertà umana.
Non potrei starmene inerte ad aspettare il grande avvenimento, che
è opera sua, un’opera della quale egli non può più vedere il
compimento. È lavoro delle sue mani, creazione della sua mente.
Egli le ha dedicato gli anni migliori, l’ha nutrita della sua vita [5].
Perciò voglio consacrare questo periodo di attesa e di ansia al
ricordo di mio marito. Io sola, al mondo, potrò far luce su quella
personalità così nobile, che non sarà mai abbastanza nota.
Era un’anima immensa! Quando il mio amore si purifica di ogni
egoismo, rimpiango sopratutto che egli sia scomparso e che non
veda l’aurora vicina. Non possiamo fallire! Egli ha costruito troppo
solidamente e con troppa sicurezza. Dal petto dell’umanità atterrata,
strapperemo il maledetto Tallone di Ferro! Al segnale della riscossa
insorgeranno, ovunque, le legioni dei lavoratori, così che mai, nella
storia, si sarà veduto alcunchè di simile. La solidarietà delle masse
lavoratrici è assicurata; per la prima volta scoppierà una rivoluzione
internazionale, in tutto il mondo [6].
Vedete bene, sono così assillata da questo pensiero, che da lungo
tempo vivo, giorno e notte, persino i particolari del grande
avvenimento. E non posso disgiungerli dal ricordo di colui che ne era
l’anima.
Tutti sanno che ha lavorato molto e sofferto crudelmente per la
libertà; ma nessuno sa meglio di me che, durante i venti anni di
tumulto nei quali ho condiviso la sua vita, ho potuto apprezzare la
sua pazienza, il suo sforzo incessante, la sua totale dedizione alla
causa per la quale è morto, or sono appena due mesi.
Cercherò di raccontare semplicemente come mai Ernesto Everhard
sia entrato a far parte della mia vita, come il suo influsso su me sia
cresciuto al punto di farmi diventare parte di lui stesso, e quali
mutamenti meravigliosi abbia operato sul mio destino; così, potrete
vederlo con i miei occhi e conoscerlo come l’ho conosciuto io, a
parte certi segreti troppo intimi e dolci per essere rivelati.
Lo vidi la prima volta nel febbraio del 1912, quando, invitato a pranzo
da mio padre, [7] entrò in casa nostra a Berkeley; e non posso dire
che ne ricevessi una buona impressione. C’era molta gente in casa;
e nella sala dove aspettavamo l’arrivo degli ospiti, egli fece
un’entrata molto meschina. Era la sera dei «predicatori», come mio
padre ci diceva confidenzialmente, e certo Ernesto non era a suo
agio fra quella gente di chiesa.
Prima di tutto, era mal vestito. Portava un abito di panno oscuro,
acquistato già fatto, che gli stava male. Veramente, anche in seguito,
non riuscì mai a trovare un vestito che gli stesse bene addosso.
Quella sera, come sempre, quando si moveva, i suoi muscoli gli
sollevavano la stoffa, e, a causa dell’ampio petto, la giacca gli si
aggrinziva in una quantità di pieghe fra le spalle. Aveva il collo d’un
campione di boxe [8], grosso e robusto. Ecco dunque, dicevo fra me,
quel filosofo sociale, ex maniscalco, che papà ha scoperto. Infatti,
con quei bicipiti e quel collo, ne aveva l’aspetto. Lo definii
immediatamente come una specie di prodigio, un Blind Tom [9] della
classe operaia.
E quando, poi, mi strinse la mano; era la sua, una stretta di mano
sicura e forte, ma mi guardò arditamente con i suoi occhi neri...
troppo arditamente, anzi, secondo me. Capirete, ero una creatura
nata e vissuta in quell’ambiente, ed avevo, a quel tempo, istinti di
classe molto forti.
Quell’ardire mi sarebbe sembrato imperdonabile in un uomo della
mia stessa classe. So che dovetti abbassare gli occhi, e che quando
me ne liberai, presentandolo ad altri, provai un vero sollievo nel
voltarmi per salutare il Vescovo Morehouse, uno dei miei prediletti,
uomo di mezza età, dolce e serio, dall’aspetto buono di un Cristo, e
di un sapiente.
Ma quell’ardire, che io attribuii a presunzione, fu, in realtà, il filo
conduttore per mezzo del quale mi fu possibile conoscere il carattere
di Ernesto Everhard, ch’era semplice e retto, non aveva paura di
nulla, e non voleva perdere il tempo in forme convenzionali. «Mi
siete subito piaciuta», mi disse molto tempo dopo. «Perchè, dunque,
non avrei dovuto riempire i miei occhi di ciò che mi piaceva?». Ho
detto che nulla lo intimoriva. Era un aristocratico per natura, sebbene
combattesse l’aristocrazia; un superuomo, la bestia bionda descritta
da Nietzsche [10], e, nonostante ciò, un democratico appassionato.
Occupata com’ero ad accogliere gli altri invitati, e forse anche per la
cattiva impressione avuta, dimenticai quasi del tutto il filosofo
operaio. Attirò la mia attenzione una o due volte, durante il pranzo,
mentre ascoltava la conversazione di alcuni pastori. Gli vidi brillare
negli occhi una luce strana, come se egli si divertisse; e conclusi che
doveva essere pieno di umorismo, e gli perdonai quasi il modo
ridicolo di vestire.
Ma il tempo passava: il pranzo era inoltrato, ed egli non aveva
aperto bocca una volta sola mentre i pastori discorrevano
animatamente della classe operaia, e dei suoi rapporti col clero, e di
tutto ciò che la chiesa aveva fatto e faceva per essa. Osservai che
mio padre era seccato di quel mutismo, e approfittò di un momento
di calma per chiedergli quale fosse il suo parere. Ernesto si limitò ad
alzare le spalle, e dopo un secco: «non ho niente da dire», riprese a
mangiare delle mandorle salate.
Ma mio padre non si dava tanto facilmente per vinto, e dopo pochi
secondi, disse: «Abbiamo in mezzo a noi un membro della classe
operaia. Sono certo che egli potrebbe presentarci le cose da un
punto di vista nuovo e interessante. Alludo al signor Ernesto
Everhard».
Tutti manifestarono il loro interesse, e sollecitarono Ernesto ad
esporre le sue idee, con un atteggiamento così largo, tollerante,
benevolo, che pareva condiscendenza. E vidi che anche Ernesto
osservò questo con una specie di allegria, perchè girò lentamente gli
occhi intorno, lungo la tavola, e io scorsi in quegli occhi uno
scintillare di malizia.
— Non sono tagliato per le cortesi discussioni ecclesiastiche, —
cominciò modestamente: poi esitò.
Si udirono delle voci di incoraggiamento:
— Avanti, avanti!
E il Dottor Hammerfield aggiunse:
— Non temiamo la verità da chiunque sia detta, purchè in buona
fede.
— Voi separate dunque la sincerità dalla verità? — chiese vivamente
Ernesto, ridendo.
Il Dottor Hammerfield rimase un momento perplesso e finì col
balbettare:
— Il migliore fra noi può sbagliare, giovanotto, il migliore.
Un mutamento improvviso apparve in Ernesto. In un attimo, sembrò
un altro uomo.
— Ebbene, allora lasciatemi cominciare col dirvi che vi sbagliate
tutti. Voi non sapete niente, meno che niente della classe operaia. La
vostra sociologia è errata e priva di valore come il vostro modo di
ragionare.
Più che le parole, mi colpì il tono con cui le diceva, e fui scossa alla
prima parola. Era uno squillo di tromba che mi fece vibrare tutta. E
tutti ne furono scossi, svegliati dalla solita monotonia e dal solito
intorpidimento.
— Che c’è dunque di così terribilmente falso e privo di valore nel
nostro modo di ragionare, giovanotto? — chiese il Dottor
Hammerfield, con voce che rivelava dispetto.
— Voi siete dei metafisici, potete provare ogni cosa con la
metafisica, e naturalmente qualunque altro metafisico può provare,
con sua soddisfazione, che avete torto. Siete degli anarchici nel
campo del pensiero. E avete la passione delle costruzioni cosmiche.
Ognuno di voi vive una concezione personale, creata dalla sua
fantasia, e secondo i suoi desiderii. Ma non conoscete nulla del vero
mondo nel quale vivete, e il vostro pensiero non ha posto nella
realtà, se non come fenomeno di squilibrio mentale.
«Sapete che cosa pensavo sentendovi parlare a vanvera?
Ricordavo quegli scolastici del Medio Evo che discutevano

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Olds Maternal Newborn Nursing and

Womens Health Across the Lifespan

Olds Maternal Newborn Nursing and Womens Health Across

Foundations of Maternal Newborn and Womens Health

Foundations of Maternal Newborn and Womens Health

Foundations of Maternal Newborn and Womens Health

Maternal Newborn Nursing The Critical Components of

Contemporary Maternal Newborn Nursing Care 8th Edition

Counseling Across the Lifespan Prevention and Treatment

Contemporary Womens Health Issues for Today and the

1. There is a rising trend of women filing for bankruptcy.

3. Poverty is not directly linked to level of education attained.

Rationale 3: Poverty is directly linked to level of education attained.

Cognitive Level: Applying

Standard Text: Select all that apply.

5. Parental race does not affect the level of poverty.

Correct Answer: 1,2,3

Cognitive Level: Applying

Rationale 2: Number of hours worked is not a factor.

Rationale 4: Unemployment compensation is a different issue than comparable worth.

Cognitive Level: Applying

Standard Text: Select all that apply.

1. Have no health insurance.

2. Have “pink collar” jobs.

3. Earn less pay than do their male counterparts.

4. Will be receiving a pension upon retirement.

5. Have no problem securing child care.

Correct Answer: 1,2,3

Cognitive Level: Applying

1. Adults in communal living situations.

2. Young married couples under the age of 20.

3. Single women with children.

1. The U.S. economy is becoming stronger.

2. More women are able to pay for private insurance.

3. New public policies are providing other forms of payment.

4. Eligibility rules for Medicaid have been changed.

Rationale 1: The strength of the economy is not a factor in Medicaid regulations.

Cognitive Level: Analyzing

3. The mentally ill

Cognitive Level: Applying

Standard Text: Select all that apply.

3. A lack of prenatal care is a risk for infant morbidity and mortality.

Correct Answer: 1,2,3,4

Cognitive Level: Applying

1. Work at least 40 hours per week.

2. Have been employed for at least 1 month.

3. Work for a company with fewer than 50 employees.

4. Furnish a physician's statement that verifies the need.

Rationale 3: Only companies with 50 or more employees are covered by FMLA.

Cognitive Level: Applying

Standard Text: Select all that apply.

1. An employee is entitled to return to the former position or one considered comparable.

4. The act is part of a larger national paid maternity leave program.

5. The employee’s medical coverage must continue during the leave.

Correct Answer: 1,2,5

Rationale 2: A full-time employee works more than 25 hours a week.

Rationale 2: Men and women can both have 12 weeks.

Cognitive Level: Analyzing

Rationale 2: Exposure to latex is not known to cause neurological damage.

Rationale 3: Exposure to formaldehyde is not known to cause neurological damage.

Rationale 4: Exposure to benzene is not known to cause neurological damage.

Cognitive Level: Applying

Cognitive Level: Applying