Promote Professional Development Essay

PROMOTE PROFRESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 1.1 Explain the importance of continually improving knowledge and practice. As a professional, I have a responsibility to engage in continuous professional development. This means taking action in keeping my skills and knowledge and to seeking to improve my capabilities across the range of task I carry out daily. Continually improving my knowledge is essential to my role and ensures I have the skills and knowledge to create the best for the organisation that I work for. I need to be aware of most up to date legislations and guidelines, and the well fare requirements. As a senior support worker it is even more vital that I am aware and up to date with the above, as part of my role is to guide, support and influence other staff to do well in their own roles. Your own professional development does not only impact on yourself but other staff, the organisation and the service users. Reflective practice is a huge part of professional development and you need to be skilful in this to really benefit from it, criticising your own practice might not always be easy but taking a step back, and taking another look at it can benefit yourself and your skills. To be able to improve my own knowledge is very important to me, to be able to benefit my role or future role. In doing this I feel I am progressing in my career, keeping myself desirable to other employers and maximising my potential to do well in my career. Therefore if I continue to develop professionally and improve my knowledge resulting in me improving my practice I will: Become a positive role model to other staff Be confident in my own abilities and future employment Lead and influence staff positively with the correct information and highest standards 1.2 Analyse potential barriers to professional development. As with all aspects of working in a healthcare setting there is a risk of facing potential boundaries and barriers to professional development. Some of which could be: Training Cost of or development days and whether staffs cover is available – this could obviously impact whether staff member are able to attend training and rations within the setting would undoubtedly  still have to be adhered to, and whether funding would be available to send the desired staff on the course. In order for me to progress within my professional development, I should consider any potential barriers. Once these barriers have been identified I should look at these barriers as challenges to overcome and not problems which may remain unsolved. I consider barriers as a stepping stone to improving my skills and knowledge in the perfect world for myself and every member of staff to attend new and refresher courses would be an accomplishment in itself. Unfortunately there will be barriers to cross. PERSONAL BARRIERS could be in the form of: Intellectual limitations. We all have different learning styles. Some may have no problem sitting in a class in front of a teacher taking notes or seeing visuals. While others will learn better being more practical. I myself will learn better being more hands on. Show me how to do something and I will be able to do it. However put me in a class room and I find it more difficult to learn. I have tried to overcome this classroom issue by teaching myself not to make lengthy notes on everything that I hear. What I now do is make short notes. Language barriers could play a big part in a member of staff understanding what they are hearing and reading. Should this happen managers should encourage this member of staff to get extra help from their managers and Early Years Foundation Stage advisor. English for speakers of other languages or for additional language courses should be suggested for this person to attend. Then you may have a member of staff who is over confident and think training/courses are a waste of time and be less willing to attend. 1.3 Compare the use of different sources and systems of support for professional development Equipped with an understanding of the types of barriers faced in healthcare, we now have to identify the barriers that our organisation faces. This will involve looking at the specific barriers for different individuals in our organisation in relation to a particular piece of evidence-based guidance. When implementing any new policy or guidance, it is essential to identify the gap between recommended practice and current practice (baseline assessment). Ideally, this assessment will also help to identify the potential and actual barriers to change, allowing you to pinpoint the practical actions needed to implement the change along with the groups of  professionals who are key in bridging this gap. Those affected by change maybe the managers or support staff and individual roles and how people work with others will need to be considered. Talking to a key individual or a group of key individuals is an informal way of gaining Insight into a particular problem or situation. This method has a number of advantages, For example: †¢ It enables ideas to be explored in an iterative fashion †¢ Detailed information can be obtained †¢ It is quick and inexpensive. There may be some disadvantages, for example: †¢ It relies heavily on the key individual(s) †¢ The responses may be subject to bias †¢ It may be difficult to find the right person (or people) to talk to †¢ Additional corroboration may be needed. Talking to a key individual may be used, for example, when you are considering Introducing a new procedure on to a service. By discussing the potential barriers That might arise as a result of introducing the new procedure with key individuals that Will be affected, you can get specific details of the problems you are likely to face. Several ways Direct observation Sometimes the best way of assessing current clinical practice in your organisation is by Observing individual behaviours and interactions. This is especially appropriate if you are Looking at events that happen quite often, for example, personal care. This method has A number of advantages, for example: †¢ It enables detailed analysis of current behaviours in context †¢ It eliminates reporting bias †¢ It can provide a useful method for monitoring progress, if repeated on a  regular basis. Use a questionnaire A questionnaire is a good way of exploring the knowledge, Beliefs, attitudes and behaviour of a group of geographically Dispersed healthcare professionals. Careful thought Needs to be given to the design of the questions, as the Quality of the answers relies heavily on the quality of the Questions. Both electronic and paper formats can be used to encourage responses. This method has a number of  advantages, for example: †¢ It allows rapid collection of relatively large amounts of data from a large number of people †¢ It enables statistical analysis of standardised data †¢ It provides the opportunity to highlight the need for change through communication of the results †¢ It is relatively inexpensive. Team meeting Team meetings are a powerful means of evaluating current practice and testing new ideas. They comprise a facilitated discussion or interview involving the full support team. Open questions are posed by the facilitator, who then encourages the group to discuss their experiences and thoughts, and reflect on the views of others. This method has a number of advantages, for example: †¢ It enables a representative group of people to share ideas †¢ It allows a wide range of in-depth information to be obtained †¢ It encourages new ideas and perspectives †¢ It helps get people engaged in the change process Supervisions/Appraisals The primary functions of supervision are: administrative case management; reflecting on and learning from practice; personal support; professional development; and mediation, in which the supervisor acts as a bridge between  the individual staff member and the organisation they work for. Organisations are likely to succeed by having workers who are skilful, knowledgeable, clear about their roles, and who are assisted in their practice by sound advice and emotional support. This should come from a supervisor with whom they have a good professional relationship. Research into what happens within supervision suggests that effective supervision generates good outcomes for workers while experience suggests that â€Å"the consequences of absent, inadequate, or negative forms of supervision poses a threat to workforce stability, capacity, confidence, competence and morale.

Homework: Harmful or Helpful

Is Homework Harmful or Helpful to Students? The student body hates nothing more than finding out that, on top of the work assigned in class, there is an additional 10 questions to be completed at home. The big question that has arisen lately is: Is homework helpful to students, or does it create unnecessary stress? I personally have to say that homework is not helping us students learn anything more. First of all, homework causes students to become stressed out or even depressed. Second of all, it does not expand the student’s learning much. Third of all, too much of it can effect the student’s home life.Forth of all, doing too much homework can have negative effects on the body. As a student myself, I find that getting homework is somewhat helpful, but only to a certain degree. Many nights, students have pages upon pages of homework to complete and it’s difficult to get it all done within the specified timeframe. Having to deal with homework is very bad when you also have to complete important projects or assignments. This is because, if you don’t get your homework done, you get into trouble and could be penalized, but if you don’t get your assignments done, your grades will go down drastically.Getting both tasks done at the same time is troubling for most students and most of the time students will just bail on their work and give up because of the amount of stress. There have even been studies that prove that too much homework causes depression in children, especially from the ages of 14 – 19. Many people-especially teachers-will have you believe that homework is essential to a student’s success and helps to expand their learning skills and knowledge. However, this is not entirely true. I am going to use math as an example.If a student does all of his or her homework for math, writes the unit test, and passes, yes I suppose they have learned something. However, the information they have learned will only stay fresh in their mind for a short amount of time. Eventually they will completely forget about whatever they learned and will need to be retaught everything next year. So, in truth, they really haven’t learned anything, only memorized what they had to until they no longer needed it. Many topics learned throughout the school year are never even used in real life scenarios.For example, unless you have decided to take up biology as an occupation, many people will not use any kind of science in their lives. When a student comes home from school, most of the time they almost immediately start on their homework. If there is a great amount of work to be finished for the next day, they will work all through the evening and night trying to finish, usually skipping out on dinner or family time. When that student isn’t present very often and spends little time with the family, that cause problems between them and leads to fighting and weakened relationships. Read also  Homework Solutions – Chapter 3If the homework issue is consistent, parents may feel the need to speak to the teacher or even the principal, stating that their child has been neglecting to do much or anything except try to finish work. A few parents may even begin arguing with their child, wondering why they have so much homework and why they can’t spend time with their family for once. Arguing will create more stress for the student and will affect their performance in school. In extreme cases, too much homework can result in negative consequences on the body and mind.As well as stress, a heavy workload can cause everything from mild to strong body pains, to mental health issues, to physical inactivity, to sleep loss. If there is only a half hour or so of homework to be completed then it isn’t a huge concern. Although, oftentimes there is more than that and it has negative effects. Leaning over a desk for a long amount of time can cause back, neck, h and and joint pains that could last for days. If the subject being worked on involves a lot of thinking and brainwork, the student can suffer from headaches and dizziness.If the student is constantly sitting and doing work, they probably aren’t getting much physical activity and that could lead to obesity or sometimes malnutrition if they are skipping supper to finish. The most common negative effect of too much homework is mainly stress and lack of sleep. This happens because the child is worried that they need to complete everything or else the teacher will penalize them, so they stay up all night perfecting the assignment or task.There are an endless amount of reasons for why homework is bad for students, and there are many reasons to counter this argument. If you choose to believe the latter, then that is your choice; but think about this: Is homework really so important to the world that the health and wellbeing of students has to be put into jeopardy? Children donâ€⠄¢t need stress, family issues, and constant torment at this time. The issue really isn’t worth ruining our youth’s short amount of time to be carefree and have fun before they have to face the harsh reality of adulthood.

Sources of Power in Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sources of Power in Organization - Essay Example According to Murphy and Willmott (2010), power is needed to direct the system because it has a formal chain of command in which some responsibilities are essential regardless of the performers. Moreover, some positions in an organization have access to greater resources or their contribution is crucial. Therefore, the significant of power processes in the organization is attributed to the organizational relationships, both vertical and horizontal (Miller, 2008). Sources of Power According to Daft and Marci (2010), leaders at all levels in the organization access power that sometimes end up unrecognized or underused. The leaders may have the power of expertise where influences are as a result of improving and communicating specialized ideas. It comes from the superiors’ credibility with lower level employees, and the experience of work a person has worked in the firm is significant. Moreover, the education qualifications, and perception that an individual has extra ideas on a specific topic can also be the source of expert power. For instance, a lower level secretary may have expert power because he or she has extra details about how the company operates. Meanwhile, she or he can make suggestions on how to increase income via costs reimbursements. However, expert power may result in the ethical problems when it is used to manipulate others or used to obtain an unfair advantage. For instance, accounting firm may obtain additional revenue by ignoring the importance of the accuracy of financial reports that they examine in an audit. Daft and Marci (2010) indicate that referent power may occur when one person perceives that his or her goals are related to another person in the organization. ... The second person may opt to influence the first to take actions that will allow both to attain their objectives. Because they share the same interests, the first person will perceive the other’s use of referent power as beneficial. However, for this power to effective some kind of empathy must exist between the parties. Griffin and Moorhead (2011) claim that identification with others assists to enhance the decision maker’s confidence that increase individual referent power in the organization. According to Griffin and Moorhead (2011), reward power is the situation where individual’s ability to influence the behavior of others by offering them something desirable. Reward power could encourage persons to be selfish and not in the interest of others. Daft and Lane (2005) indicate that coercive is a source of power that is the opposite of reward power. Many organizations have used a system whereby they systematically sack the lowest performing employees in the orga nization on an annual basis. Â  According to Daft and Lane (2005), coercion is used in the situation where there is an inequality of power. It is perceived that an individual who are faced with coercion issues may seek a counterbalance by creating relationships with others, and powerful people end up leaving the organization. Thus, in the organization that practices the coercion power, the alignments usually come to an end in the long run (Champoux, 2010). Murphy and Willmott (2010) indicate that power in the organization can be exercised in various ways that include upward, downward and horizontally. In an organization, a large amount of power is distributed to top managers by the organization system. However, employees also obtain unequal power to their formal positions and exercise

Chemical compound Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Chemical compound - Essay Example he mineral spirit for various issues and this may amount to poisoning .The severity of exposure to this compound is evident in its symptomatic respiratory challenge, headache, and irritation of the skin. The hydrocarbon part of the mineral spirit has carbon which has more affinity to oxygen when inhaled and deprive hemoglobin its ability to combine with oxygen hence leading strained breathing. The relevance of this article is evident in this era of increased use of paints and drug addiction which include inhalation of such mineral spirits. Although many people have deliberately or ignorantly used these compounds, the dander is reflected in increased respiratory problems. It is worth to note that as part of the health guide and prevailing risk of exposure to some chemical compounds, the article is significant. The article gives an insight into the causes, effects, symptoms and immediate remedial measures towards a victim of exposure to these chemical compounds. The affordability and wide scope of applying mineral spirit has seen it cause phenomenal cases of poisoning that in extreme cases end in fatalities. It is therefore important to understand the chemical component of any compound to establish the extent of

David cole Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

David cole - Essay Example They knew that either way, the two could die. However, Eli chooses not to wait for the Soviet troops to liberate them (Shermer and Grobman 72). His reasoning for choosing to accompany the Nazis was because he did not understand the motive of the Soviet troop in liberating them. The design of the gas chamber demonstrates that its purpose had no relation with the handling of gas. Since the gas chambers were never sealed, there was no provision for preventing the gas from condensing on the walls, ceiling or the floor. Neither was there a provision to exhaust the mixture of the gas and air from the building. This was the design of the facility according to Fred Leuchter, who examined the chamber. The free standing chimney could have served the purpose of exhausting the gases. The Donahue interview reinforces Leuchter’s findings. David Cole comes to a conclusion that the design of the chamber was not to kill any human being. In addition, he describes the facilities as life

Current Trends in Cardiac Health Care Research Paper

Current Trends in Cardiac Health Care - Research Paper Example These factors include changes in mortality rates, the demographic descriptions and medical health background of a â€Å"typical† cardiac disease patient, and the types of medical treatment these patients receive. Mortality Rates Patients who are admitted to the hospital for cardiac or cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, have a mortality rate several times higher than that of general admissions. This is unsurprising, since cardiac disease is much more serious than many conditions that nevertheless require hospitalizations. On the positive side, studies have shown that the mortality rate for patients who are admitted promptly after the beginning of symptoms has been slowly but significantly declining. Statistics show that patients are more likely to admit themselves to the hospital upon signs of an urgent cardiac event; for example, though the number of heart attacks per 1000 persons in California and a decline in hospital admissions in general, there has actually been an increase in hospital admissions for heart attacks (Office of Statewide Planning and Development, 2011). This fits in with the general trend for heart attacks in hospital emergency wards that has been seen since the early 1980s. The rate of heart attack had been dropping steadily from 1980 onward, until about the middle of the 1990s, when a new test had been developed to detect heart attack. Predictably, the statistics then show the rate of heart attacks detected to rise again, but due more to the higher sensitivity of the new test and not to any actual change in the rate of heart attack in the population (Office of Statewide Planning and Development, 2011). Mortality rates for cardiac disease patients are unfortunately also affected by hospital profit and cost of care concerns. Treatment for cardiac disease is becoming a lucrative area of sub-specialization, and many smaller hospitals have begun opening cardiac ICUs and cardiac surgery departments in order to increa se their profitability (Ronning, 2007). However, the mortality and adverse event rates for patients admitted to these smaller hospitals is much higher than those of bigger, more experienced hospitals; if the trend continues, a rise in mortality rates could very well occur (Joynt, Orav, & Jha, 2011). The combination of the cutting-edge nature of cardiac care with a doctor who is unfamiliar with the field in general and does not perform many such treatments greatly affects patient outcome. This correlation has been recognized to the point that cardiac surgeons are recommended to perform a minimum number of invasive cardiac surgeries a year, in order to maintain the proper level of training and familiarity with the procedure (Tu, Austin, & Chan, 2001). Patient Demographics and History The picture of the typical heart disease or cardiac disease patient is also showing changes over time. For example, women are becoming an ever-larger percentage of admissions; in Canada by 2004, women mad e up approximately half of such admissions (Tu, Jackevicius, Lee, & Donovan, 2010). Racial percentages for cardiac-related hospitalizations have also shifted, moving some of the preponderance of patients from the Caucasian segment to other racial groups, though Caucasians still represent the majority of cardiac patients. However, this could be due to the shifting racial proportions of the entire population, and not necessarily due

Film review the film is My Antonia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Film review the film is My Antonia - Essay Example Set in the late nineteenth century Nebraska, the story revolves around the travails of orphan Jimmy Burden, who moves into his grandparents’ (played by Jason Robards and Eva Marie Saint) farm that is located nearby Black Hawk, Nebraska. Young Jimmy is immediately drawn to 15-year neighbor Antonia Shimerda (played by Elina Lowensohn) and they become close friends. Conflict arises when Antonia’s father wants Jimmy to teach her English, whereas Jimmy’s grandfather is concerned about his grandson’s own education. But soon the Shimerda family meets a tragedy and contact with the Burdens is severed as the latter move into town. As the ageing grandparents pool their resources into making their grandson a graduate, Antonia renews her contact with Jimmy as she also now lives in town. The subsequent narrative is about the evolution and endurance of their friendship, which lasts for many years, even as Jimmy takes further strides in his academic and professional life . The relationship between Jimmy and Antonia has a romantic basis to it, but neither of them expresses it in overt ways. The intrusion of the beautiful Lena also disrupts the harmony of their relationship. As Jimmy takes greater interest in Lena, he drifts further apart from Antonia. This element of the relationship adds suspense and intrigue to the narrative and keeps audience interest alive throughout. The adaptation to film comes off well, although some of the smaller characters in the novel do not find space in the shorter film format. Yet, the essence of the novel is fully captured through the strong impression that the character of Antonia makes on the audience. Even as the film moves toward the final denouement, the benevolence and kindness of Antonia lingers on the mind of the discerning viewer, standing as a testament to the film’s overall success. For example, even as she realizes that Jimmy is lost to her, Antonia does not cry foul and neglect her duties toward her family. She carries on bravely and reconstructs her life in a manner fitting the circumstances. When Jimmy eventually meets Antonia toward the end of the film, he finds her living a happy married with children. The film ends upon this note of implicit regard and goodwill for each other. As for the performance given by lead actors, excepting for Elina Lowensohn's stand-out central performance, none of the other actors evince much energy, especially Neil Patrick Harris in the lead role. Even accommodating for the fact that Jimmy Burden is a reserved character in the film, he nowhere nearly capture the emotional turmoil that Cather portrayed so eloquently. One of the larger themes covered by the movie is the disparate treatment meted out to immigrant communities. This is most evident in the ordeals of the Shimerda family in assimilating with the local community in Black Hawk, Nebraska. Willa Cather was a writer of great cultural and social sensitivity. And the film My Antonio successf ully captures the thrust and emphasis of her presentation of American social problems. For example, reviewer Tom Wiener correctly notes in his review article that â€Å"The strongest portrayal in the film is the plight of European immigrants and in particular the young women. As Antonia plaintively says, "Girls like me don't get chances," and although she almost blows what she thinks is her best shot, she does land on her feet--no thanks to the self-absorbed Jimmy. A longer film might

Starting A Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Starting A Business - Essay Example Another source I can take advantage of is to borrow money from friends or relatives, who have more than sufficient cash and willing to lend.1 Aside from these sources, I can also borrow from the bank and utilize available credit lines that specifically meet my needs as a start-up entrepreneur. In addition to banks, there are other lending facilities such as investment companies and private lenders from where I can borrow money.2 Should money from these sources fall short, I can also use my credit card as an alternative. However, it should be noted that resorting to these borrowing institutions or facilities for capital requirement entails the payment of interest. This means that on top of the principal amount, I will have to pay the interest or cost of borrowing. Failure to service arising obligations from my borrowings in these institutions may result to piling interest, which can surge meteorically, thus, doubling the debt amount to be repaid. Such would have adverse effects not only on the financial position of the company but also the reputation in the market. I can also present my business plan to venture capitalists, who would be willing to share the burden of the risk by providing capital for the proposed business. In considering this option, I would still have to think about the terms and conditions of the capital provision of the venture capitalist. This is because such may result in me, the business owner, having less control over the operations of the company. Some venture capitalists prefer to have direct participation in running the business.3 In addition, I can seek funding from organizations that extend grants to deserving entrepreneurs. For example, I can apply for funding assistance from American Express Small Business Assistance that supports small businesses. There are also other government agencies that can be excellent sources of grants and loans for starting a business.4 Government Agencies and Regulations to Deal with Before I can start manufacturing and selling the Chunky Corn products, I would have to apply for licenses in the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which provides voluntary pre-marketing consultations that would help examine if the biotechnology food, in this case the corn products, meet the regulatory standards for safety.5 In dealing with the FDA, I would have to ensure that the products I would be offering to the public conform to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Under this regulation, the manufacturer, Chunky Corn, Inc., is legally responsible to produce these safe products under sanitary conditions. Furthermore, since my products are made from genetically engineered corns, my application may have to undergo special review by the FDA to find out if levels of toxicants in my food products are substantially higher than present in other edible varieties of same corn species.6 In terms of labeling, the company should adhere to labeling standards such that labels accurately describe the corn products by its common name and reveal important facts associated with the claims made. The labels should also be truthful and not misleading.7 Aside from licenses on the products, I would also have to deal with other government agencies for other aspects of the business. For example, I would have to deal with the local office of the Secretary of State for

Managing Diversity and Equality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Managing Diversity and Equality - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the British labour market is a highly diverse one and, according to available statistics, is continually moving towards greater diversity.   According to 2005 data released by the Office of National Statistics, 5.4% of the current labour force is foreign, with EU and former Commonwealth migration statistics, among other non-British sources of labour inflow, indicating a continual increase. The previous year, 2005, was witness to the largest ever influx of foreign workers to Britain, totalling approximately 400,000.   In addition to that, diversity statistics indicate that ethnic minority groups comprise approximately 8% of the current workforce; 25% are non-Christian; and around 12% are disabled.   Statistics pertaining to gays and lesbians are indeterminate, largely because of a lack of national surveys but, are estimated to stand between 5-7%. The implication here is that the British workforce is, incontrovertibly diverse; a fa ct which poses challenges to organizational management. Over the past thirty years, legislature has effectively acknowledged the reality of the nation's existent and, ever-increasing, gender, ethnic, racial, religious and cultural diversity and has sought its positive address. From 2003 to 2006, Employment Equality regulations addressed the issues of all of age, religion/belief and sexual orientation, effectively establishing the legal and regulatory framework for both the prevention of direct and indirect discrimination against minority group employees while, at the same time, outlining the imperatives of equity. Prior to that, all of the Equal Pay Act (1970), the Sex Discrimination Act (1975), the Race Relations Act (1976) and the Race Relations Amendment Act (2000), among others, sought to ensure against both direct and indirect discrimination in the provision of goods and services and within the workplace. Consequently, from the legal and regulatory perspective, Britain has take n the requisite steps to ensure that its minority groups are extended the necessary opportunities for integration and assimilation. While the legal and regulatory framework provides against both direct and indirect discrimination in the workplace, the fact remains that it did so largely because it outlawed the aforementioned. It imposed a toleration of differences upon employees and co-workers but, does not establish the mechanism for directing either to look beyond the differences or, indeed, to accept, rather than simply tolerate them. From the perspective of the management sciences, the aforementioned can function to inhibit efficient and effective operation; can stand as an obstacle towards the articulation, let alone realisation, of strategic objectives; and can offset the design and subsequent dissemination of a unifying organizational culture. Of equal importance is the potentially negative effect it can have upon teamwork. At the same time, if managed efficiently, the benefi ts of a diversified workforce can reflect upon both financial and non-financial performance indicators. The concept of diversity management arose from within this context. It aims, not only to achieve more than toleration for differences but, the realisation of the benefits of workforce diversity for the organisations in question.

Magnetic Resonance Instrumentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Magnetic Resonance Instrumentation - Essay Example This is achieved by increasing using multiple turns of the coil to increase its sensitivity, to allow high duty of pulsing. At the same time, the design will consider the inductance of the coil gradient, which will have to be minimized. The components of the MR system that are important in this regard include the gradient amplifier, voltage across the inductive, and the resistance across the gradient coil. Q3. The effects of gradient G(r) on Larmor processional frequency at a position r is to change the processional frequency at this position r. Q4. The optimal separation of two current carrying loops to produce as linear a magnetic field gradient as is possible at the centre of the two loops is when 2Z1 =, where a refers to the coil radius. The reason as to why this separation is different from the necessary one to produce a homogenous field is because separating the field in that manner help in generating relatively pure fields. Q5. Slew rate refers to the maximum gradient strength as a factor of the rise time (Vmax/L). The slew rate needs to be as large as possible because it helps in stimulating the peripheral nerves of the human body, thereby creating a â€Å"crawling† type sensation on the skin. Q6. Reason why it is necessary to shield gradient coils: This is done mainly to reduce the net inductance of the system Q7. Type of effect caused by gradient coil shielding to reduce combat the effects of eddy-current induced magnetic fields. Q8. The causes of undesirable sounds produced by magnetic resonance imaging at runtime are due to gradient coil experiencing magnetic forces and torques when being pulsed. The reason is that as the coils get physically restrained, the energy associated with the magnetic forces is released acoustically as loused sound. The undesirable sound can be reduced by: Designing a gradient coil that are torque and force balanced; Shaping the gradient pulses to reduce sound produced; Using acoustically absorbent formers for the co ils; Encasing the gradient coils in an evacuated chamber so that waves of the sound are not compatible. Q9. The main cause of nerve stimulation due to magnetic resonance imaging is the slew rate push and the maximum gradient strengths that induce field in the patient, thereby stimulating the nerves. This is mainly observed by experiencing a â€Å"crawling† type sensation on the skin. It can also be observed through twitching of muscles as the nerves get stimulated. Q10. The causes of impurities in the static magnetic field (BO) include: The patient and radiofrequency coils in the DSV, which may alter the magnetic field due to their magnetic properties; Imperfection in the magnetic manufacturing process; Installation site where ferrous installations done near the magnet may end up altering the homogeneity of the magnetic field over the DSV. Q11. The two types of image quality reduction caused by zonal impurities in the static magnetic field are: Artifacts; Homogeneity. Part B The three topics in my order of preference are: 1) Interventional MR system; 2) MR gradient coils: action and performance; 3) RF resonators for MR applications. The main reason as to why I have chosen the three topics is due to my desire to learn more about them so that I can acquire more knowledge

Nursing Process Essay Example for Free

Nursing Process Essay The client is a 70 year old, Caucasian male who is a retired siding salesman from Riverside, IA, who has an extensive history with Paralysis agitans (Parkinson’s disease). The client was first admitted to the long term care facility in December 2012. The client explained that he came to be at this facility after â€Å"already being in two places like this†. He was removed/discharged from the last long-term care facility for being what he called â€Å"disruptive†. The client described the staff at the last facility as not very kind to the residents. There was an incident where the drugs that were prescribed to the client made him hallucinate and he became unruly with the staff and was restrained and taken to the hospital for evaluation. He was then transferred to this long term care facility. Wanting to gather the client’s health history, an interview was scheduled. In starting the interview with the client, he was asked if he would be comfortable with being asked some questions and was informed that he did not have to answer any questions that he was uncomfortable with. Due to the client’s paralysis agitans and his muscle weakness he is primarily in a wheelchair. The client was asked if there was anything that he needed before starting and if he would prefer the door be closed or the curtain be drawn for privacy, he stated that wasn’t necessary. It was observed that the client had tremors in his right hand and arm. A few minutes after sitting down, the client asked for help moving his hand that was resting on the bed to the arm of his wheelchair; in doing this it seemed to help calm the tremors. When speaking with the client, he is of sound mind and has a sense of humor. This indicates that the client’s paralysis agitans has not affected the area in the right hemisphere of the brain that controls personality. The client noted that he was in respectable physical health until 1996. He then explained that in the spring of 1996, while he was running he suffered from a TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack). The client sought out professional answers from 5 specialists and was diagnosed with Paralysis agitans. The client conveyed this was a concern he had because his father also had Paralysis agitans. The client describes that the Paralysis agitans has  progressively become worse over the past 18 years. It was observed that his speech was slow and monotonous. The client spoke in a low and discreet volume. A lack of facial expressions was also noticed. The client can walk with the assistance of a walker but is generally in a wheelchair. Name of Drug Dosage Route Time Related to Carbidopa-Levo 25 100 tab Orally TID Paralysis agitans Comtan 200 mg tablet Orally TID Paralysis agitans Seroquel XR 50 mg tablet Orally In the afternoon Nonorganic psychosis He is prescribed 3 tablets to be taken orally 3 times a day Carbidopa-Levodopa 25-100 (25 mg of Carbidopa and 100 mg of Levodopa) for paralysis agitans. He is also prescribed 200 mg of Comtan to be taken orally 3 times a day for paralysis agitans. These drugs raise the level of dopamine in the brain. A side effect of having elevated levels of dopamine in the brain is psychosis. The client is also given 50 mg of Seroquel XR orally in the afternoon to alleviate his nonorganic psychosis. It is documented in the client’s chart that there are symptoms of sleep apnea. When asked, the client stated that he was unaware of having that condition. The client does not use a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine  while sleeping at night. When talking more in depth about sleep patterns and concerns the client stated that he gets approximately 8 hours a sleep a night, this is without any help from sleep aids. When speaking of his bedtime rituals he said that he does have two beers, back to back, at night right before bedtime, while watching television. He does not have difficulty falling asleep but did claim that he sometimes has a hard time staying asleep at night. When questioned about taking occasional naps throughout the day he stated â€Å"depends on if I’ve been up all night†. The client then explained that it is the noise level at the long term care facility that keeps him awake. When inquiring about the client’s family he stated that he has been married for 48 years and has two children, a son who is 44 years old and a daughter that is 39 years old. The client also has seven grandchildren. When asked what he likes to do in his spare time he replied that he loves spending time with his wife and children. He stated that before coming to this long term care facility he enjoyed playing card and gambling. He now plays computer games for fun, when his wife is there to help him. The client explained that he has a â€Å"little bit† of high blood pressure and it was noted in his chart that he is given an 81MG Aspirin daily for atrial fibrillation. Aspirin 81 mg Orally o.d. A-fib Acetaminophen 325 mg Orally Every 6 hour Pain He has no history of heart surgeries or surgeries of any kind. The client reported that he has never had rheumatic fever. When asked about blood clots, the client responded that he believes that his TIA in 1996 was a result of arterial emboli. The client claims that sometimes he has numbness in his legs and his hamstrings tighten up and it can be painful. He stated that he will ask for his prescribed 650 MG of acetaminophen for the pain. When speaking about everyday stresses with the client, he stated that he doesn’t have a lot of stress but gets irritated when that staff turn on the lights every morning at 6:30 am. When asked if there was anything that he does when he notices that he is stressed, the client mentioned that when he was younger he would travel to Vedic City in Iowa and practice with the Maharishi meditating. He says that meditating has been very helpful in his adult life. The client also mentioned that he liked to follow the Maharishi lifestyle and eat only organic foods but it is not possible to follow that when residing at a long term care facility. Other things that he does to distress are look at his pictures that he has on his shelf in his room. The one that helps him the most is a black and white picture of him in a small airplane with his flight instructor standing on the wing. The client use to pilot planes when he was younger. When the client was asked if he was religious and he explained that he is Methodist but hasn’t been to church in about 5 years. He did state that he does pray occasionally. The client stated that is not afraid of dying but he is afraid of falling. He then joked that maybe it’s not so much the falling but maybe it’s the landing. When assessing the client’s vitals it was noted that he has slightly elevated blood pressure of 129/84 and could be cause for concern of pre-hypertension. Metoprolol tartrate 25 mg Orally BID Hypertension It is noted in his chart that the client is given a 25 mg tablet of metoprolol tartrate orally twice a day for hypertension. His respirations were within normal range at 18 respirations per minute. SaO2 was at 86%. The client’s temperature was taken orally and was 97.6  °F. The client is 6 feet and 1 inch tall and weighs 257 lbs. The client has a BMI of 33.9. The client received a vaccination for influenza on 10/16/13. The clients chart states that he requires assistance with many daily activities. He is dependent on help with dressing, and bathing. When asked, the client stated that it is challenging to get dressed and undressed due to the stiffness in his arms and legs. The client is on a regular diet and states that he  doesn’t have any difficulty swallowing foods and doesn’t require help with feeding. When asked about appetite he said that sometimes he doesn’t have much of an appetite but he believes that is due to the medications that he is taking. The client explains that he is not aware of having any food allergies. He also stated that after eating he does not experience sensations of nausea/vomiting, but does encounter heartburn/indigestion occasionally, which he takes 30 ml an antacid suspension. He is also given one multivitamin orally daily for supplement. Antacid Suspension 30 ml Orally Every 6 hours Supplement heartburn Multivitamin 1 tablet Orally o.d. Supplement When the client was asked about dentures he stated that he does not have dentures even though dentures were noted in his chart. He states he needs aid in transferring from bed to a chair and with toileting. When asked about the character of his stools he explained that both consistency and color were normal. The client also stated that he does not need the help of laxatives. Noted in the client’s chart he is given a 100 mg capsule of Docusate sodium orally 2 times a day to help with constipation. Docusate sodium 100 mg capsule Orally BID Constipation The client does not have any history of kidney or bladder disease. He claims that the frequency, amount and color of his urine are normal. He also claims that he does not have any difficulty voiding and there is no pain or burning while urinating. According to the CNA, the client is able to stand,  holding the hand rails, while urinating. It is noted in the clients care plan that he is urinary incontinent which is related to impaired mobility and PRN straight catheter needed for intermittent retention secondary to BPH. The client is given one 0.4 mg of Tamsulosin HCL orally a day for BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia). Tamsulosin HCL 0.4 mh Orally o.d. BPH The client needs assistance with bathing as well. The client also has a DNR order. Parkinson’s disease (paralysis agitans) is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects ones mobility. According to Hubert and VanMeter, Parkinson’s disease is a â€Å"dysfunction of the extrapyramidal motor system that occurs because of progressive degenerative changes in the basal nuclei, principally in the substantia nigra.†(UMMC, 2012) The substantia nigra is the primary area of the brain that is affected by Parkinson’s disease (PD). (UMMC, 2012) The substantia nigra is comprised of a specific set of neurons that send chemical signals, called dopamine. Dopamine then travels to the striatum, responsible for balance, control of movements, and walking, by means of long fibers called axons. (Okun, 2013) These regular body movements are controlled by the activity of dopamine on these axons. With PD the neurons in the substantia nigra break down and die causing the loss of dopamine, which in turn causes the nerve cells in the striatum to trigger excessively. The excessive firing of neurons makes it impossible for one to control their movements, a sign of Parkinson’s disease. (Okun, 2013) According to the Parkinson’s disease Foundation (2014): As many as one million Americans live with Parkinsons disease, which is more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrigs disease. Also approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinsons disease each year, and this number does not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected. An estimated  seven to 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinsons disease. Incidence of Parkinson’s increases with age, but an estimated four percent of people with PD are diagnosed before the age of 50 and men are one and a half times more likely to have Parkinsons than women. (p 1) Since PD is a progressively degenerative disease the signs and symptoms change over time and vary from person to person. A widely used clinical rating scale is the Hoehn and Yahr scale (HY); this helps to identify signs and symptoms in the various stages of Parkinson’s disease. (MGH, 2005) Early stages, like HY’s stage one, of Parkinson’s disease the symptoms are usually mild and appear unilateral. There may be changes in facial expressions, posture and locomotion; these symptoms are usually untimely and bothersome but not disabling. As the disease progresses, into stage two of the HY scale, it may begin to affect ambulation and be noticeable bilaterally with minimal disability. (MGH, 2005) As symptoms worsen, as in stage three of the HY scale, there is considerable slowing of body movements, early impairment of equilibrium with walking and standing and generalized dysfunction that is moderately severe. The Hoehn and Yahr scale’s stage four explains that signs and symptoms are severe but the person can still walk to a limited extent. (MGH, 2005) Rigidity and bradykinesia become factors in mobility. In stage five the person is unable to walk or stand so is bedridden or confined to a wheelchair. This stage is referred to as the â€Å"cachectic stage †. Constant nursing care is required in stage five (Costa and Quelhas, 2009). There are many complications that are associated with PD; one can be difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), likely due to the loss of control of muscles in the throat. (UMMC, 2012) Drooling can occur since saliva may accrue in the mouth due to dysphagia. Difficulty swallowing can also lead to malnourishment, but also poses a risk for aspiration pneumonia (Leopold and Kagel, 1997). Constipation can be another complication as to the slowing of the digestive tract. Parkinson’s disease can also cause urinary retention and urinary incontinence. Dementia and difficulty thinking comes in later stages of PD. (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2012) Depression is very common in patients with Parkinsons. The disease process itself causes changes in chemicals in the brain that affect mood and well-being. Anxiety is also very common and may be present along with depression (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2012). Sleep problems  and sleeping disorders are also associated with PD, with this comes fatigue. Some patients may experience feeling light headed when standing due to the drop in blood pressure (orthostatic hypotension). Pain can also be another symptom related to Parkinson’s disease (Okun, 2013). There is not yet a cure for Parkinson’s disease but there are treatments that can help alleviate the symptoms. The most commonly used is drug therapy. Medications can help with difficulty with movement, walking and controlling tremors by increasing the brains amount of dopamine. (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2012) The most common and most effective Parkinson’s disease drug is Levodopa. This is a natural chemical that passes into your brain and is converted to dopamine (Okun, 2013). There is also surgical procedures available, deep brain stimulation. With this procedure the surgeon implants electrodes into a specific location in the patient’s brain. A gen erator is implanted in the patient’s chest, which is attached to the electrodes. This generator sends electrical impulses to the patient’s brain, which may lessen the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. (University of Maryland Medical Center, 2012) Other ways that help control the effects of PD is a healthy diet. Constipation is a complication associated with PD, so a diet that is balanced with whole grains, fruits and vegetables helps to manage this complication. Balance, coordination, flexibility and muscle strength deteriorate with PD so, exercise is encouraged. Exercise also helps with decreasing anxiety and depression. The client exhibits many of the discussed signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The client experiences resting tremors, bradykinesia, mask like face (hypomimic), slowed speech and is in a wheelchair. He scores very poorly according to the Hoehn and Yahr scale. The client is on medications to help diminish the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Impaired physical mobility level 3, related to bradykinesia, ak inesia, neuromuscular impairment motor weakness, pain and tremors. (Berman Snyder, 2012) Evidenced by lack of decisive movement within physical environment, including movement in bed, transfers, and ambulation. Limited range of motion (ROM). Decreased muscle stamina, strength and control. Limitation in independent, purposeful physical movement of the body and impairment unilaterally on the right side. Due to the muscular and neuromuscular weakness related to Parkinson’s disease, evidenced by it being difficult for the patient to ambulate. The client has a defect of extrapyramidal tract, in the basal ganglia, with loss of the neurotransmitter dopamine. (Berman Snyder, 2012) Classic triad of symptoms: tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia (Jarvis, 2012). Tremors associated with paralysis agitans make it difficult maneuver. Tremors cease with voluntary movement and during sleep (VanMeter and Hubert, 2014). Immobility is an expected human response to Parkinson’s disease. The client’s immobility puts him at risk for thrombophlebitis, skin breakdown, pneumonia and depression. Immobility impedes circulation and diminishes the supply of nutrients to specific areas. As a result, skin breakdown and formation of pressure (decubitus) ulcer can occur (Berman and Snyder, 2012). Immobility also promotes clot formation. Self-care deficits related to neuromuscular impairment, immobility, decreased strength, and loss of muscle control and lack of coordination, ridgity and tremors. Self-care deficits, dressing, hygiene and toileting, evidenced by tremors and motor disturbance. The client lacks the ability to cleanse his body, comb his hair, brush his teeth and do skin care. . The client is also unable to dress himself satisfactory. He does not have the capability to fasten his clothes. The patient is assisted with ADL’s. Patient is incapable to bathe, dress or brush teeth without aid. Patient occasionally needs assistance with feeding. Assistance is also required with toileting. Aid is needed with ADL’s because of the lack of coordination and for safety. This nursing diagnosis is important because it ensures hygiene, improves quality of life, and promotes dignity, self-worth, independence and freedom. Risk for falls related to decreased mobility, a nd unsteady gait secondary to sedentary lifestyle and Parkinson’s disease. Patient uses a wheelchair and ambulates with a walker. Patients gait is impaired due to Parkinson’s disease. Festination, or a propulsive gait (short, shuffled steps with increasing acceleration), occurs as postural reflexes are impaired, leading to falls (VanMeter and Hubert, 2014). Falls also result in psychological implications for the patient with a decrease in self-confidence and a fear of further falls. This contributes to a decrease in mobility and culminates in a significant reduction in quality of life (Jarvis, 2012). Impaired bowel elimination/constipation related to medication, physical disability and decreased activity. Evidenced by the client not passing stools daily. Medications prescribed to patient for Parkinson’s disease attribute to constipation. The patients experience with immobility is also a  contributing factor for constipation. This nursing diagnosis is important because it allows nursing staff to monitor the patient’s bowel movements and avoid fecal impaction. Imbalanced nutrition less than body requirements related to tremors, slowing the process of eating, difficulty chewing and swallowing. Evidenced by the client occasionally needing assistance with eating. Pressure sores develop more quickly in patients with a nutritional deficit. Proper nutrition also provides needed energy for participating in an exercise or a rehabilitative program. The goal is to optimize the client’s nutritional status. Impaired verbal communication related to decreased speech volume, decreased ability to speak, stiff facial muscles, delayed speech, and inability to move facial muscles. Evidenced by lack of expression on the client’s face, client’s hindered speech. Loss of dopamine can affect the facial muscles, making them stiff and slow and resulting in a characteristic lack of expression. Speech impairment is referred to as dysarthria and is often characterized as weak, slow, or uncoordinated speaking that can affect volume and pitch. Difficulty speaking and writing because of tremors, hypophonia, and â€Å"freeze† incidents. This is an expected consequence of Parkinson’s disease. Nursing Care Plan- Alteration in impaired physical mobility- Parkinson’s disease Related to: Goals Intervention Bradykinsia Client will use a walker to go to breakfast in the mornings and not need assistance with transfers. Client will be able to perform all active ROM by 3 months Examine current mobility and observation of an increase in damage. Do exercise program to increase muscle strength. Perform passive or active assistive ROM exercises and muscle stretching exercises to all appendages. To promote increased venous return, prevent stiffness, and maintain muscle strength and endurance. Without movement, the collagen tissues at the joint become ankylosed (permanently immobile) (Berman Synder, 2012) Akinesia Client will gain power of voluntary movements. Joint contractures will not occur. Assess the possibility of deep brain stimulation. Refer to physical therapy. When the muscle fibers are not able to shorten and lengthen, eventually a contracture forms, limiting joint mobility (Berman Synder, 2012) Tremors Client’s tremors will decrease. Encourage deep breathing, imagery techniques and meditation. Encourage holding an object in hand Suggest holding the arm of the chair. Stimulating the brain by concentrating on breathing may cease tremors. (www.theparkinsonhub.com) Pain Client will not experience pain 4 on a scale of 0-10 Before activity observe for and, if possible, treat pain. Assess patients willingness or ability to explore a range of techniques aimed at controlling pain. Administer pain medication per physician orders. Encourage/assist to reposition frequently to position of comfort. Pain limits mobility and is often exacerbated by movement. (www.ptnow.org) Nursing Care Plan- Alteration in Skin Integrity, Impaired: Risk for Pressure Sores; Pressure Ulcers, Bed Sores; Decubitus Care Related to: Goal Interventions Rationale Neuromuscular impairment Client will be free of any pressure ulcers for length of long term stay. Monitor site of skin impairment at least once a day for color changes, redness, swelling, warmth, pain or any other signs of infection. Pay special attention to high risk areas and ask client questions to determine whether he is experiencing loss of sensation. Apply barrier cream to peri area/ buttocks as needed. Use ROHO cushion on wheelchair. Checking skin once a day will ensure that skin stays intact. (Jarvis, 2012) Immobility Client will be able to express s/s of impaired skin. Teach skin and wound assessment and ways to monitor for s/s of infection, complications and healing. Use prophylactic antipressure devices as appropriate Early assessment and interventions may help complications from developing. To prevent tissue breakdown. (Jarvis, 2012) Nursing Care Plan- Self Care Deficits Related to: Goal Intervention Rationale Immobility Client will assist with bathing, grooming, dressing, oral care and eating daily. Assist client with bathing, grooming, dressing, oral care and eating daily. Use high back wheelchair. The effectiveness of the bowel or bladder program will be enhanced if the natural and personal patterns of the patient are respected. Loss of muscle control and lack of coordination Client will improve muscle control and coordination in all extremities for the length of long term stay. Client will walk to dining room and in hallways- 5 mins a day 5 days a week. Use consistent routines and allow adequate time for patient to complete tasks. Assist client with ambulation. This helps patient organize and carry out self-care skills. Tremors Client will be able to assist with dressing. Provide appropriate assistive devices for dressing as assessed by nurse and occupational therapist. Encourage use of clothing one size larger. Teach and support the client during the clients activities Apply extensions on breaks with ball grips The use of a button hook or of loop and pile closures on clothes may make it possible for a patient to continue independence in this self-care activity. Ensures easier dressing and comfort. Grips will be easier to grasp with tremors. Neuromuscular impairment Client will be clean, dressed, well groomed daily to promote dignity and psychosocial well-being. Assist with shower as needed. Assist with daily hygiene, grooming, dressing, oral care, and eating as needed. This promotes dignity and psychosocial well-being. Nursing Care Plan- Falls, risk for Related to: Goal Intervention Rationale Decreased muscle tone Client will express an understanding of the factors involved in possible injury. Educate the client about what makes them at risk for falls. Bed should be in lowest position. Provide assistance to transfer as needed. Reinforce the need for call light. If the client is educated and shows an understanding of the factors involved with falls, they are less likely to fall. Prevent fall. Nursing Care Plan- Impaired Bowel elimination/constipation Related to: Goal Intervention Rationale Inactivity, immobility Client will have soft formed stool every other day that are passed without difficulty. Encourage physical activity and regular exercise. Adjust toileting times to meet client’s needs. Report changes in skin integrity forum during daily care Ambulation and/or abdominal exercises strengthen abdominal muscles that facilitate defecation. low-fiber diet Evaluate usual dietary habits, eating habits, eating schedule, and liquid intake. Initiate supplemental high-protein feedings as appropriate. Change in mealtime, type of food, disruption of usual schedule, and anxiety can lead to constipation. Proper nutrition is required to maintain adequate energy level. Diminished muscle tone Encourage isometric abdominal and gluteal exercise Apply skin moisturizers/barrier creams as needed To strengthen muscles needed for evacuation unless contraindicated. (http://www.gutsense.org) Medications Encourage liquid intake of 2000 to 3000 ml per day To optimize hydration status and prevent hardening of stool (VanMeter Hubert, 2014) My thinking about my resident has definitely changed since the initial day when I conducted a health history assessment on him. I knew that first day that I was going to appreciate getting to know this resident because of how smoothly the conversation flowed. This resident had some amazing stories to tell. I absolutely adore that fact that he and his wife have been married for 48 years. I enjoyed listening to him remember what life was like before being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, it appeared to lighten his spirit. I feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to care for such a genuine soul. My whole clinical experience was a positive one. I realized that if I lacked the knowledge about a particular task to ask for help. I liked the fact that clinicals was hands on and that I gained experience in a long term health care facility. Another thing that this clinical rotation  taught me was that it takes an exceptional type of person to go into geriatric nursing. Probably the number one thing that I’m going to take away from this clinical experience is the total importance of dignity. I too will be old someday and I applied the golden rule to this experience. I treated others as I want to someday, and hopefully, will be treated. What a fantastic learning experience. References: Berman, A., Snyder, S. (2012). Kozier Erbs Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, Process, and Practice. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education. Coleman, J., (September 1, 2013) Meditation Mitigating Parkinsons Symptoms. Retrieved from http://www.theparkinsonhub.com/your-quality-of-life/article/meditationmitigating-parkinsons-symptoms.html Costa, M. Quelhas, R. (2009). Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Disease. The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 2009; 21:413-419. Jarvis, C. (2012). Physical Examination Health Assessment. St. Louis: Elsevier Kegelmeyer, D., (July 1, 2013) Functional Limitation Reporting (FLR) Under Medicare: Tests and Measures for High-Volume Conditions. Retrieved from http://www.ptnow.org/FunctionalLimitationReporting/TestsMeasures/Default.aspx Leopold N., Kagel M. (1997). Pharyngo-esophageal dysphagia in Parkinson’s disease. Dysphagia 1997; 12:11–18 Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) (May, 2005) Hoe hn and Yahr Staging of Parkinsons Disease, Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living. Massachusetts General Hospital. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu/functional/pdstages.htm#HoehnandYahr Okun, M. (2013). Parkinsons Treatment: 10 Secrets to a Happier Life. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Michael S. Okun M.D. Parkinson’s disease Foundation (2014, March) Understanding Parkinson’s. Parkinson’s Disease Foundation. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://www.pdf.org/en/understanding_pd University of Maryland Medical Center (2012, September) Parkinson’s disease. University of Maryland Medical Center. Retrieved March 2, 2014, from http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/parkinsons-disease#ixzz2upFLCggw VanMeter, K. C., Hubert, R. J. (2014). Goulds Pathophysiology for the Health Professions. St. Louis: Elsevier.

Employer Associations & Modern Awards Essay Example for Free

Employer Associations Modern Awards Essay There have been substantial changes to modern awards over the years that employer associations have historically and are currently advocating. In this regard, issues such as penalty rates and flexibility stemming from employer association submissions have been researched and examined by (Sheldon Thornthwaite 2013) portraying evidence that employer associations relatively prefer cost cutting and enhanced managerial prerogative as oppose to productivity. Entailed within this essay the key concepts such as penalty rates, managerial prerogative, flexibility and productivity will be discussed with particular focus the modern award reviews combined with an overview of Sheldon and Thornthwaite’s argument in summary and concurrence. According to (Boxall Purcell, 2011) management goals are predominantly associated with cost efficiency, controllable flexibility, legitimacy and managerial power. It is these goals that evidently become the concern of relevant employer associations, as such they take on the role of combining, allocating and utilising resources in order to achieve organisational objectives. There have however been significant changes over the years regarding employer association involvement particularly seen over the course of the 1980’s. Employer associations aim to influence and negotiate with the Government of the day as well as tribunals in an effort to ensure that the mutual concerns of organisations are being met. (Sheldon Thornthwaite, 2013) discuss key system issues with regard to employer associations mainly focusing on restricting union’s right of entry, penalty rates and other provisions incorporating aspects of substantive and procedural rules. Modern Award reviews primarily began in 2012, it is during this time that leading associations took the opportunity to not only push for more workable provisions but also to campaign for more substantial changes within various awards. Employer associations accounted for a large number of submissions to the tribunal on a broad range of issued in particular penalty rates, public holidays and flexibility. In the technical sense, penalty rates are a form of tangible benefit within the financial context which generally refers to those payments made to workers outside normal working hours. Regulator motivations for including penalty rates in modern awards as stated by (Sloane, 2014) are twofold: firstly, to compensate workers for work performed during what was historically known as ‘unsociable hours’ and secondly, to dissuade employers from operating within those hours. However,  as advocated by (Sheldon Thornthwaite, 2013) the modern award reviews have ‘provided a forum for employers and their associations to escalate their campaign to the significance of penalty rates in industries operating during the traditionally ‘unsociable hours’, which is evidence that employer associations prefer to enhance managerial prerogative over productivity which is predominantly concerned with the cost of resources. The push for the examination of provisions regarding penalty rates has mostly been seen to affect the tourism and retail industries. Flexibility is made up of numerous components however, within in the context of the workplace involves thinking creatively about how working lives can be better structured to match individual and business needs (Job Access, 2012). Following the review of penalty rate provisions, amendments to the flexibility clause were sought after with particular attention paid to the manufacturing industry. Greater flexibility was requested in the taking and cashing out of annual leave in a further attempt to enhance cost cutting initiatives through control measures which ultimately leads to the underlying concept of elevated managerial prerogative. Managerial prerogative may be defined as management’s unqualified authority to exercise its discretion in certain areas under the belief that they have exclusive rights to make decisions and therefore resist any interference with that control (Storey, 1983). Sheldon Thornthwaite make reference to managerial prerogative in the defensive context through aggressive industrial action which has historically been used as a means of strengthening managerial prerogative. The 2011 Qantas lockout serves as one of the most significant demonstrations of managerial prerogative through the organisations decision to engage in a lockout. As part of a wider push to entrench managerial prerogative employers were also seen to be engaging in aggressive bargaining strategies in order to escalate disputes with the intention of gaining access to arbitration which has an adverse affect on productivity. (Stewart, 2005) promotes the fact that there needs to be greater emphasis on productivity which forges greater efficiency and high trust work systems founded on flexible and fair employment. Productivity is the economic factor stemming from the adequate use of resources; productivity is essentially the measure of achievement through the amount of output that is achieved as result of the input predominantly referring to land, labour and capital as the key resources. Between penalty rates and productivity there is no association they are separated by the contexts of which they are defined. (AI Group, 2012) identify key problem areas within the Fair Work Act Review and state that it is ‘hampering productivity growth, workplace flexibility and competitiveness’ thus meaning that penalty rates do not influence productivity levels. (Sheldon Thornthwaite, 2013) do make it apparent that employer association’s main concerns do in fact favour cost cutting and managerial prerogative rather than focusing on the importance of productivity enhancement. (Sheldon Thornthwaite, 2013) further explored critiques from employer associations whose predominant concern was based on the fact that managerial prerogative was reduced through the increasing weakness of employer’ freedom to contract. (DEEWR, 2012) Released a report referring to more productive and equitable workplaces which disappointed employer associations thus further confirming productivity enhancement to be of no concern. It is clearly demonstrated that employer associations’ main concerns were that of cost cutting and managerial prerogative it is however, the amalgamation of all the relevant key concepts discussed that essentially equip organisations with a competitive advantage. The core concepts behind the submissions made by employer associations clearly obscure the importance of larger issues which further represents that employer associations prioritise the ease of managements working lives over that of the worker. Bibliography Australian Industry (AI) Group (2012), Applications to Vary a Modern Award – 2012 Review, Stephen Smith, Director – National Workplace Relations. Boxall, P and Purcell, J (2011), The Goals of Human Resource Management, Strategy and Human Resource Management, 3rd Edition, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, pp. 1-36. Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (2012), Towards More Productive and Equitable Workplaces: An Evaluation of the Fair Work Legislation, Australian Government. Job Access, Flexibility in the Workplace, Australian Government, Accessed 1st May 2014 Sheldon, P and Thornthwaite, L. (2013), Employer and Employer Association Matters in 2012, Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 55: No. 3, pp. 386-402. Sloane, J (2014), Pay Penalty Rates, but not Through Awards System, The Australian. Stewart, A (2005), A Simple Plan for Workplace Regulation, Industrial Law News, Issue 7. Storey, J (1983). Managerial Prerogative and the Question of Control, Routledge Kegan Paul Publishing, London.

Human Resource Management (HRM) in Different Organisations

Human Resource Management (HRM) in Different Organisations Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization. Human Resource Management can also be performed by line managers. (http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/f/hr_management.htm) Storey defines HRM as a distinctive approach to employment management which seeks to achieve competitive advantage through the strategic development of a highly committed and capable workforce, using an arryay of cultural, structural and personnel techniques. (Human Resource Management by Julie Beardwell Tim Claydon 5th edition) Thus, HRM includes so many activities like planning, recruitment, selection, training, motivation, remuneration, etc. HRM aims at mounting people through work. In addition to this concern for the individual, HRM is also about developing the environment within the company for developing good qualities. There must be good professional relationship between boss and the employees. The HR manager has to look at all these aspects of the company with long term view to the company. One way of presentating this is that it might have been said of the personnel manager that they were involved mainly in recruitment, payment and keeping account. They therefore concerned themselves with a fairly slight view of the people in the organization. (http://www.encompassculture.com/readinggroups/teachingmanagement/humanresourcemanagement/) The main activities of HRM: The one that we would list are as follows: Recruitment and selection Examples: HRM at nokia:Nokia Connecting People this motto is known all over the world. Nokia employs thousands of people from the world each and every year. Their method of recruitment is really very accurate and selective, and they recruit the people who fulfill their all requirements for the job. ( http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Nokia-Analysis/131739) Training and development Example: HRM at hospitality industry: Nowadays, in each and every industry, training is necessary. An introductory guide is fully updated with recent informations, news and datas.the hospitality industry mainly give attention to following avtivity of human resource management. Selection, appointment and induction Training and management development Labor turnover Employee relations and employment law (http://www.flipkart.com/human-resource-management-hospitality-industry/0750666366-s5w3f9hgko) HRM at B S healthcare London: It is the place where I am working. After interview they had a training for all new comers. It is basically a pharmacy industry which makes the medicines on daily order bases. When I was selected in the interview, I was told to complete 10 specific tasks related to my job of making the medicines, specially suspensions. And after identifying the skills they train the new employees nicely. (Personal experience) Example: Disneys Polynesian Resort: It has developed a training program, to facilitate employee understanding and commitment to the business and its values called Magic of Polynesia. At Edward Jones, new brokers attend 17 weeks of training at costs ranging between $50,000 and $70,000 per person. Conversely, many organizations provide minimal initial training, little on-going development programs, and poorly implemented on-the-job training (http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/1100302-1.html) Human resource planning Provision of contracts Provision of fair treatment Provision of equal opportunities Assessing performance of employees Employee counseling Example: HRM at health centers: Health centre employees must have some nice degree but it is also important that they behave very nicely to the patients. So continuous viewing of the staff in health centers must be monitored by the manager. Generally, in health centers HRM is being observed in following ways: A study of nurse staffing, organization and quality of care A study of staffing level, mix and outcome indicators An examination of nurse staffing, patient mortality rates.( http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/2/1/6#IDAQXWED) Employee welfare Example: HRM at Starbucks: Starbucks believes that one of their most expensive resources are their workers. Here the personnel are provided very good environment to work and they are very well treated by the boss also. Managers believe that they are playing the major role in their benefits. All workers are called partners of the starbucks, no matter what job they are doing in the coffee shop. Each partner is eligible to receive health care, participate in the Bean Stock program, and get a free pound of coffee each week. (http://www.academicmind.com/unpublishedpapers/business/marketing/2002-04-000aag-catching-the-starbucks-fever.html) Example: HRM at Hotels: Here, management staff is getting more benefits than non management receives. If the staff work more than 40 hours then they are paid per hour on regular basis and thay may get extra pay for doing over-time. They also have very good pension scheme and they can join in from day 1. (Human Resource management in hotel industry: strategy and innovation by Kim Hoque) Health and safety Example: HRM at airlines industry: Airlines have adopted a short-permits, cost-rational move toward to HRM and health and safety, evidenced by a range of plannings, in order to increase competitive advantage. But, here profit was considered more important than the health and safety of the workers. But nowadays, the management has been improved and the workers get more benefits from the company. (http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkpdfcontentId=879290) Disciplining individual Dealing with grievances Dismissal Negotiation Encouraging involvement (Introducing human resource management by Margaret Foot 2nd edition) Major characteristics of HRM: The major characteristics of HRM have been identified as follows: The importance of adopting a strategic approach is emphasized. Line managers play a very important role. They achieve the competitive advantage by the efforts of the workers. This can variously be interpreted into actions known as soft HRM. A unitary rather than a pluralist approach prevail in the relationship between managers and employees. (Introducing human resource management by Margaret Foot 2nd edition) Strategic human resource management: Strategic human resource management can be defined as the linking of human resources with strategic goals and objectives in order to progress business performance and develop organizational culture that foster innovation, flexibility and competitive advantage. In an organisation SHRM means accepting and involving the HR function as a strategic colleague in the formulation and execution of the companys strategies through HR behavior such as recruiting, selecting, training and rewarding personnel. (http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Strategic-Human-Resource-Management?id=549585) (http://www.indianmba.com/Faculty_Column/FC722/fc722.html) Since the early 1980s when human resource management arrived on the managerial agenda, there has been considerable debate concerning its nature and its nature and its value to organizations. Indeed, the now large literature rarely differentiates between HRM and SHRM. Some have focused HRM as a means of gaining commitment and linked this to outcomes of enhanced organizational performance and business effectiveness through best practice models or high performance work practices. (Human Resource Management by Julie Bardwell Tim Claydon, 5th edition) Features of SHRM: The key features of SHRM are: There is a strong relation between HR policy and practices and final organizational strategic aims and the organizational environment. There is some organizing diagram linking HR intervention so that they are equally helpful Much of the responsibility for the management of human resources is developed losing the line.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Example: HRM at Cisco System: Charles Schwab was the manager at Cisco system. They think that for providing outstanding customer services, it is necessary to treat their own employees very well. This translates into Schwab employees with five years of service being eligible for four-week paid sabbaticals that can be combined with vacation time. The practices at these sharp contrast to the well-known restaurants that pay minimum weges. ( http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/1100302-1.html) How SHRM differs from HRM: In the last two decades there has been an increasing awareness that HR functions were like an island unto itself with softer people-centred values far away from the hard world of real business. In order to justify its own existence HR functions had to be seen as more intimately connected with the strategy and day to day running of the business side of the enterprise. Strategic human resource management focuses on human resource programs with long-term objectives. Instead of focusing on internal human resource issues, the focus is on addressing and solving problems that effect people management programs in the long run and often globally. ((http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Strategic-Human-Resource-Management?id=549585) (http://www.indianmba.com/Faculty_Column/FC722/fc722.html) What are strategic goals and objectives?: Strategic goals are statements of what you wish to get over the period of planned plan, for examples next month, next year, ten years. They reflect the detailed analysis you do that starts with creating a idea, a role statement and a work statement, and then your analysis of your environment, strengths, opportunities and threats. In other way, drafting five or six major strategic or business goals may seem relatively simple. The actual writing may be but connecting the goals to the break of the strategic planning process requires a high degree of analytic and reasonable skill. Example: HRM in boots: boots is a company which produces different kind of products. It is very difficult to make a major change in the organizational staff, ans also it is too difficult for multitask business to single task operations. During the year 2002-03 boots engaged in a programme of focus group meeting for all of their retail employees with the aim of informing and engaging everyone in the business; this involved more than 51000 people staff. The key objective of the meeting was that all staff develop understanding of Boots markets, customers and competitors. (http://www.bized.co.uk/compfact/boots/boots_old/boots_old_15.htm) Organizational innovation and HRM: Innovations can be defined as deliberate and radical changes in existing products or services, processes or the organisation in order to reach competitive advantage compared with competitors . Crucial aspects in this definition are: Innovation means the introduction of something new, at least for the standing organization, in terms of new products or services, new technology or new forms of organization; Innovation takes place with the intention to gain some advantage; Innovations develop through radical jumps although many authors also speak of incremental innovation; Innovations can be managed; this means that there are activities/stages such as goal formulation, design and organization, implementation and monitoring. But they can also present an opportunity: answering them gives the organization the option to expand or to develop into a new direction. In our conceptual framework we distinguish four types of developments: Economic developments, like changes in markets and industries, changes in demands for products and/or services, etc. Technological developments, like the development and application of new technology. Social/cultural developments, like demographical changes, changes in individual preferences, such as individualization, emancipation of specific groups, etc. Political developments, like changes in government policies (towards innovations), general trends like liberalization of trade, supra-national co-operation, etc. (http://www.allbusiness.com/professional-scientific/management-consulting/1024364-1.html) Example of HRM-innovation: The delegation of the responsibility for the development and introduction of new work methods to a team (devolution). Example of HRM-innovation: The introduction of a reward system that is related to innovation outcomes, like the number of new products, the successful implementation of a new technology, etc. Example of HRM-innovation: The HR leadership award which was a part of global excellence awards presented at the congress, is in recognition of Mr. Joshis leadership and contribution to the field of HR. as a tradability. Example of HRM-innovations: The introduction of a more flexible staffing approach e.g. by giving people contracts for the duration of their projects instead of permanent contracts. (http://www.zyduscadila.com/press/Asia%20Pacfic%20HRM%20Congress%20Award%20.pdf) HRM and FLEXIBILITY: The human resource management practices that may affect labor flexibility, that is, the adaptability of a firms workforce. A random sample of managers in the largest manufacturers in Taiwan completed a structured questionnaire containing a measure of employee participation as an indicator of a firms labor flexibility. Important terms related to flexibility of an organization are listed below: Labor market flexibility, where it is said that regulation and resulting inflexibility of the job market act against growth and should be minimized. Flexible firm: a model of organization developed by the former Institute of Manpower Studies in the UK during the 1980s. Argues for a workforce composed of core and peripheral workforces. They take care of the organizations key functions. Peripheral workers are split into three categories: Regular employees engaged in relatively low-skill, routine work. Fairly low pay and insecure the next wave of technology can remove the need for these people. Contingent employees working on high-skill tasks, perhaps on short-term contracts or projects. High pay, no job security but this is compensated for by the freedom to pick and choose projects. Low-skill, low pay contract workers often provided by an agency for cleaning, routine security, catering, etc. Within the model there are some key explanatory concepts:numerical,functionalandpayflexibility and also distancing. The model has its critics and there is little evidence that organizations have made much use of it as a strategic concept. However, individual components such as sub-contracting are commonplace. Flexible specialization. An argument that fordism or mass production is declining in favor of smaller niche market manufacturing. Consumers are more demanding, it seems, wanting more individual products. Questionable. Example: HRM at McDonalds: McDonalds places emphasis on the training and development of its workers. They provide career opportunities for people to achieve their potential. Specially, the firm offers both part-time and full-time career opportunities, which helps staff to combine work with family or educational commitments. Job progression is used to encourage employees who got their 1st job in the firm to progress to manage positions. Over half of the companys middle and senior managers have moved up from restaurant-based positions. ( http://www.bized.co.uk/compfact/mcdonalds/mc16.htm) Managing organizations strategically: A processual view of strategy sees it as the pattern emerging over the time in an organization as actions of both planned and unplanned nature are carried out to enable the organization as a whole to carry on into the future. It follows from this view that strategic choices or managerial decisions are those that have: A corporate dimension: relate to the whole organization as opposed simply to a part of it; A long term implication: whether this be a matter of just surviving in the sense of staying viable or a matter of aiming to operate at higher level of performance. (The strategic management of human resources-Jhon Leopold 2nd edition) SHRM and culture: Over the past decade, the management of a firms entire supply chain has become the process for building improved and stronger upstream and downstream business linkage. Over the past decade, the management of a firms total supply chain has become the process for building better and stronger upstream and downstream business linkages. He concept organizational culture refers to the character of a firm, i.e., what makes the organization unique in the eyes of insiders and outsiders. While there are many definitions of culture, the common theme is the presence of shared values, beliefs, assumptions, and patterns of behavior. Two critical cultural elements are inherent in this definition. The first element of culture is the shared nature of job or role expectations. Over time, supply chain members also develop a common awareness about what is expected of them and what they can anticipate in return. In this sense, there are two aspects of shared expectations: The internal culture that characterizes employee expectations and The external culture that designates channel member expectations. (The strategic management of human resources-Jhon Leopold 2nd edition) Conclusion: I, definitely, think that the linking of HRM with strategic goals and objectives by any organization will help to improve business performance and develop organizational culture s that foster and flexibility. Research on diversity of national cultures and their influence on employees behavior inspire much optimism about emerging perspectives on culture and SHRM practices. There is a growing amount of research that illuminates differences in the way organizations around the globe make decisions, allocate resources, negotiate, manage and motivate employees and train them. Also, from above examples, it can be said that human resource management plays most important role in development of any organization. Strategic HRM is really important for creating innovative culture of an organization. REFERENCES: What Is Human Resource Management?-http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/f/hr_management.htm HRM INTRODUCTION-http://tutor2u.net/business/people/hrm_introduction.htm hrm- http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/human-resource-management-HRM.html Strategic human resource management-http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/corpstrtgy/general/strathrm.htm HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT http://www.encompassculture.com/readinggroups/teachingmanagement/humanresourcemanagement/ Influence of Culture on Strategic Human Resourcehttp://www.strathmore.edu/research/strategic-human-resource-mgt.pdf Challenges of hrm-http://www.zeromillion.com/business/hrm.html What is hrm?-http://ezinearticles.com/?What-is-Strategic-Human-Resource-Management?id=549585 Can you give me an example of human resource management at the company?-http://www.bized.co.uk/compfact/mcdonalds/mc16.htm Nokia analysis-http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Nokia-Analysis/131739 Office of Personnel Management- http://www.opm.gov/studies/alignnet.pdf Can you give me an example of HRM at the company?-http://www.bized.co.uk/compfact/boots/boots_old/boots_old_15.htm HRM in the airline industry: strategies an outcomeshttp://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewContentItem.do?contentType=ArticlehdAction=lnkpdfcontentId=879290 Hrm at The Hospitality Industry http://www.flipkart.com/human-resource-management-hospitality-industry/0750666366-s5w3f9hgko The effects of culture and human resource management- http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/1100302-1.html Hand book on hrm- http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=D78K7QIdR3UCpg=PA142dq=hrm%2Bgoalssource=gbs_selected_pagescad=3#v=onepageq=hrm%2Bgoalsf=false Innovating Organisations and HRM:-http://www.allbusiness.com/professional-scientific/management-consulting/1024364-1.html What Are The Characteristics of Good Strategic Goals and Objectives Within Strategic Planning?http://work911.com/planningmaster/faq/goalsgood.htm http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/2/1/6#IDAQXWED JOURNAL of diversity management- Third Quarter 2007 Human Resource Management by Julie Beardwell Tim Claydon, 5th edition Organizational Behaviour by David Buchanan, 5th edition Introducing human resource management by Margaret Foot 2nd edition The strategic management of human resources-Jhon Leopold 2nd edition Human resource management practiceBy Michael Armstrong page 144 Human Resource management in hotel industry: strategy and innovation by Kim Hoque Strategic Human Resource Management by Susan Jacson BIBLIOGRAPHY: JOURNAL of diversity management- Third Quarter 2007 Human Resource Management by Julie Beardwell Tim Claydon, 5th edition Organizational Behaviour by David Buchanan, 5th edition Introducing human resource management by Margaret Foot 2nd edition The strategic management of human resources-Jhon Leopold 2nd edition Human resource management practiceBy Michael Armstrong page 144 Human Resource management in hotel industry: strategy and innovation by Kim Hoque Strategic Human Resource Management by Susan Jacson

The Use of Heritage in Everyday Use and A Pair of Tickets :: Alice Walker Amy Tan Papers

The Use of Heritage in Everyday Use and A Pair of Tickets A key factor in Alice Walker’s â€Å"Everyday Use,† and Amy Tan’s â€Å"A Pair of Tickets,† is heritage. Throughout both stories the use of heritage can be seen easily. Walker’s avoidance of heritage in her writings and Tan’s understanding of heritage in her writing. Through this readers can see the true meaning of heritage. Understanding both sides of these two stories gives readers a chance to explore their own heritage and reflect on how they accept their past. By contrasting the family characters in â€Å"Everyday Use,† Walker illustrates lost heritage by placing the significance of heritage solely on material objects. Walker presents Mama and Maggie, the younger daughter, as an example that heritage in both knowledge and form passing from one generation to another through a learning experience connection. However, by a broken connection, Dee the older daughter, represents a misconception of heritage as material. Dee, the â€Å"heritage queen† portrays a rags to riches daughter who does not understand what heritage is all about. Her definition of heritage hangs on a wall to show off, not to be used. Dee’s avoidance of heritage becomes clear when she is talking to Mama about changing her name, she says, â€Å"I couldn’t bear it any longer being named after the people who oppress me† (Walker 75). Thus resembling that Dee just takes another name without even understanding what her original name means. She tr ies to explain to Mama that her name now has meaning, quality, and heritage; never realizing that the new name means nothing. Changing her name bothers Mama and Maggie because Dee’s name is a fourth generation name, truly giving it heritage. Dee likes to gloat to her friends about how she was raised, so she tries to show off by decorating her house with useful items from her past. Her argument with Mama about taking quilts that were hand stitched as opposed to sewn by machine gives readers a chance to see Dee’s outlook of heritage is short lived. Dee says to Mama, â€Å"But they’re priceless. . . Maggie would put them on the bed and in five years they’d be in rags. Less than that!† (Walker 77). Mama will not allow her daughter to take the quilts because she has been saving them for Dee’s sister, Maggie, and she wants the quilts to be put into everyday use. By helping

should cookies be banned :: essays research papers

Over the years internet privacy has been major concern worldwide. Even with such advanced technology we still can’t perfect the intrusion technology. But first before we try to ban cookies we should realize what we tend to loose. All cookies are not intrusive but a navigation tool as well. Internet cookies are extremely valuable to consumers and website operators alike, despite concerns that they threaten web users’ personal privacy. Without cookies, the Internet would be slower, the electronic marketplace, a difficult place to navigate and the entire online experience frustrating. The Internet Alliance urges lawmakers not to regulate cookies but to work with industry to address the underlying issues: privacy and security. Together we must alert consumers on how to use technology and common sense to protect their own personal privacy online. First, it is important to understand what cookies are and how they benefit the web browser. A cookie is a small piece of information that is sent to your browser when you access a particular site. When a cookie arrives, your browser saves this information to your hard drive; when you return to that site, some of the stored information is sent back to the web server. But a cookie is not an executable program; it cannot scan your hard drive or be used to find out information you have not given the web site. Without cookies, a consumer in an online bookstore, for example, could not put items in a shopping basket. Each item would have to be selected and purchased separately. The common practice of refining queries through a search engine would not be possible because without a cookie, there would be no record of the previous query. Cookies also allow web servers to collect and add specific data about a consumer and their browsing habits. Some use that data to send marketing information to consumers. It is this practice that raises privacy concerns. The Internet Alliance believes that consumers should be able to set the level of privacy they want when surfing the Web. If they want to be anonymous, they should have that right. Only technology can make that possible. Only an educated consumer, armed with technology can establish real online privacy protection. So what should consumers do? First, Web servers can and do track who visits their site. They collect information. So browsing habits determine the cookie you receive, who has access to your information and what advertising you get.