SQL & PL/SQL

Hi,

I have a UTF8 database, converted all the data types to NVARCHAR2 AND NCHAR so I could store the Unicode characters. I have changed the program that reads the file using utilfile from fopen,get_line to fopen_nchar and get_line_nchar to make sure the program handles Unicode characters.

In one of the existing program in the where clause as well as assignments of strings to NVARCHAR2 variable should I prefix with N where N converts the characters into Unicode where columns Or variables are NVARCHAR2 OR NCHAR data types.

i.e.
In the where clause lets say status column of a table is STATUS NVARCHAR2(64) . In the where clause should I change from Stauts = 'valid' to status = N'valid' where N converts the characters into Unicode type explicitly instead of relying on oracle to implicitly convert ?

Please give your suggestions?

Thanks.
Vin.