Criminalization of Mental Illness Essays - Psychiatry, Health

Criminalization of Mental Illness Estefania Oliveros Psychology of Abnormal Behavior LA 108-66 Criminalization of Mental Illness Mental Illness can be defined as, "any of various disorders characterized chiefly by abnormal behavior or an inability to function socially, including diseases of the mind and personality and certain diseases of the brain. Also called mental disease, mental disorder" (Dictionary, 2002). In other words, anything that affects someone's ability to mentally function normally in today's society, may be considered a disease. Due to the inability of the mentally ill, to function in society and going through the process of being deinstitutionalized, many of their actions have led to consequences that caused them to end up in prisons and jails. This caused the increase of the mentally ill population in the criminal justice system. This was not always the case when it came down to the mentally ill. Institutions were being created to help them maintain a stable lifestyle. The creation of institutions became popular thanks to Dorothe Dix. This happened during the 1840s when she visited a jail and noticed the harsh living conditions of the mentally ill. She believed that these people could be cured and fought for better treatment. Her efforts lead to the establishment of 110 psychiatric hospitals by 1880. The institutions were created to help the mentally ill become more functional in society and provided some sort of treatment for their conditions (Pan, D., 2013). This was a great idea because it gave mentally ill a place where they could be themselves and allow them to express themselves in ways they could not have done before. Although the institutions were providing treatment, due to financial problems the institutions were later forced to shut down. This lead to a progressed called deinstitutionalization or the "release of institutionalized individuals from institutional care (as in a psychiatric hospital) to care in the community" (Dictionary, 2002). Due to deinstitutionalization along with the lack of community support groups, many people found themselves a different type of institutionalization, prisons and jails. This left many mentally ill people to basically survive on their own without being able to comprehend how society was functioning. This is an issue that is still occurring today. According to the National Institute of Corrections, "In a 2006 Special Report, the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) estimated that 705,600 mentally ill adults were incarcerated in state prisons, 78,800 in federal prisons and 479,900 in local jails. In addition, research suggests that "people with mental illnesses are overrepresented in probation and parole populations at estimated rates ranging from two to four times the general population". Growing numbers of mentally ill offenders have strained correctional systems" (Grant, A., 2013). Many people believe that sending the mentally ill to jail or prison will help them have some type of stability in their lives. The reason for this is because society believes that they will be under supervision and this will allow them to have some sort of protection and it will also allow them to stay away from society. Although this might be true for some people, it is not always the case with everyone. "In New York, a man with schizophrenia spent 13 years of a 15-year prison sentence in solitary confinement. In a Minnesota county jail, a man with schizophrenia stabbed out both of his eyes with a pencil in his cell. A study of 132 suicide attempts in a county jail in Washington found that 77 percent of them had a "chronic psychiatric problem," compared with 15 percent among the rest of the jail population" (Swanson, A., 2015). Upon release they are sent back to the same society that sent them to prison or jail in the first place. According to the National Institute of Corrections, "prison and jail inmates with physical health, mental health, and substance use problems experience more reintegration difficulties upon release, and they typically have poorer outcomes with respect to employment, re-offending, and re-incarceration. Maintaining treatment for these health problems may help improve post-release outcomes. Many inmates presently receive health care while incarcerated, but a lack of health insurance and other barriers contribute to declines in health treatment and functioning once released. Access to care through insurance coverage helps not only the individual,

Mastering How to Write a Research Essay †Don’t Re-Invent the Wheel

Mastering How to Write a Research Essay – Don’t Re-Invent the Wheel Mastering How to Write a Research Essay Dont Re-Invent the Wheel There is some discussion today about what constitutes a research essay and what constitutes a research paper. The biggest difference between these two pieces of writing is length, for both require research and the use of that research to support a thesis. But generally, essays are shorter in length. So, as you are struggling with producing a research essay, understand that the processes are the same as for writing a good research paper. With that in mind, lets take a look at the steps involved and how that process can be streamlined and made easier. Selecting a Topic Topic selection is certainly significantly impacted by the length requirements of the instructor, and it is critical for how to start writing a research paper. If your topic is too broad or too narrow, you will be in trouble once you start to write the piece. Here is one of the best tips for topic selection. Choose a topic area that really interests you, and then get online. Look for sample research essays or papers that have been written in the same topic area, and find those specific topics that resulted in a paper that is the length yours must be. Of course, you will NOT use that paper plagiarism is serious and you will be caught, considering the sophisticated scanning software now in use. But you will have refined a topic that meets the length requirements. Doing the Research The biggest issue with the research is organizing it as you go along. If you organize the information you collect by sub-topics areas as you actually do the research, you will save yourself hours of time in the end, trying to do this. So, you need to have your sub-topics identified before you start your research. This is one of the most important tips for writing a research paper that you should use. To get those sub-topics, again, look at how existing research papers on the same topic are organized. Doing this will allow you to develop your own sub-topics in advance. Then, as you conduct your research, use note cards, list the source at the top of each note card along with the sub-topic for the information. Once the card has been filled with information, put it in the stack for the appropriate sub-topic. When all of your research is completed, it is already completely sub-divided. Organizing for Writing Each of your sub-topics is a major heading of any outline or other organizer you may use. Here is where you take each stack of notecards and harvest out the details that you will be included. These should then be listed in the order in which you will cover them within that sub-topic. Rough Draft, Revision, Final Copy You are certainly familiar with these three steps. You write your rough draft from your outline/organizer, and be careful here. You need to make note of the sources used as you go along, so that you can properly cite them in your final draft. Revising that rough draft is not fun, especially if you are not really skilled in grammar and composition. You may need to pay someone else to do this. Once you are ready to write your final draft, be sure that you follow the required format style. Research essays and papers writing is not your favorite coursework assignment, to be sure. They take time, lots of organization, and solid writing skills. These research paper tips, however, should make the process somewhat less painful.

Comparative Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Comparative Politics - Essay Example But knowing the research involved in Comparative Politics, undoubtedly Empirical Approach is not only the most suitable, but also absolutely necessary. Comparative politics is considered to be an area of intense and continuous research, trying to keep up with the world politics, understanding intricacies of international relationships and foreign policies and diplomacies either leading to events or resulting from them. "The study of comparative politics, like the study of the other sciences, has had a logic of its own, a developmental pattern that combined specific questions about the various nations and peoples in the world, specific data, and specific problems, all within a learning process that has taken a specific direction and reached a working synthesis of its own past," Lane (1997, p.2). It is important as it is also the study of different cultures, ideologies, nations and diverse thinking processes. This is different from political correctness and it does not expect all administrations and policies of all countries to be uniform. Actually it celebrates the diversity, accepts peculiarities and the unknown and hence, more natural and less overbearing. It does not revel in terms like barbarians or foreigners. It involves comparing countries, their problems, economic development and democracy, monarchies, military and autocratic rules, violent political dissent and social revolutions, pure and hybrid regimes, predicting the democracies, non-violent political dissents and transitions to democracy, performances of such democracies, design of institutions, new challenges, and in the end, there is a process to compare the comparisons. It also involves in a linear relationship between economic development and democracies, explanations to democratic institutional performances, positive and negative relationships between ideologies and their institutions. Hard facts concerning history, economics, sociology and politics are found through empirism. It emphasizes the collection of empirical data and the rigorous testing of theoretical proposition against this data. "Empiricism: models or theory were non-existent in traditional comparative politics, at least at the level of intention and recognition. Concepts were often employed with little methodological discussion as to their definition and measurement," Bill and Hardgrave in Lane and Ersson (1994, p.2). As unanimity cannot be established in world governments, the interests and attitudes of influential groups that are running the administration in various countries have to be studied under 'Comparative Government' and for this process, there is no replacement of empirical approach. In studies concerning politics, empirical method provides all answers and offers insights to understand diversity. Aristotle, in his days, being disturbed by the infighting and instability of States around him, causing havoc, had studied those governments empirically, by classifying them into three groups and then, by subdividing them into further five groups, according to their wellbeing and wealth, legitimacy, monarchy and tyranny. This is exactly what the present day political scientist does by way of analysing through empirical methods, collecting data, enhancing or condensing the collected evidences and classifying them under various groups, according to their ideologies, forms, institutions, politica l religions, cultures, agendas and national

Perception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Perception - Essay Example Step 4: Save a copy for yourself in an easily accessible place, and post a copy of your summary to the Drop box. And Step 5: Read other students’ posts. Sensation and Perception Functions and Role Sensation is the basic process of detecting that a stimulus is in the world. Perception is the process involved in identifying and interpreting the stimulus that is detected in sensation. (Krantz, 1.6). Three of the main organs for sensation are eyes, ears, and skin. Eye is the organ of sight. The eyes enable us to explore the world with precision, balance, and sense of wonder. Its role in human behavior is very important as it plays a vital role in survival, reproduction, and building/maintaining social and role relationships. The ear is the hearing organ. Our ears provide a rich and complex experience of the world, complementing the visual functions. Ears influence human behavior by means of communication/language. Our ears’ perception affects mental health and our relations hip to others. The skin is the organ of touch and it is the body’s outer covering. Its function includes insulation, temperature regulation, sensation, and protection. It also gives appearance and shape. Our skin helps us withdraw from danger and reacts to environmental stimulation. Its role in behavior involves human interactions and reproduction.

Organization Analysis For UNEP ( United Nation Environment Program ) Research Paper

Organization Analysis For UNEP ( United Nation Environment Program ) - Research Paper Example Employees being a part of UNEP’s prosperity have been mentioned on several occasions. Not much will be mentioned without addressing the organizational theories that have been applied in UNEP since it came into existence. It is easy to understand managerial theories, and identify how they are applied in daily operation of UNEP. UNEP is a thriving organization with so many achievements that have seen the environment being conserved and sustainable development achieved. The information has been gathered from the UNEP website, its documentaries, and from textbooks with relevant information on organization theories and environmental issues. Introduction and Background of the Organization (UNEP) It was until after the UN Conference concerning the Human Environment of 1972 that UNEP was established. The Conference took place in Stockholm, Sweden, and suggested the initiation of a global body to serve as the UN’s environmental conscience system. The UN General Assembly responde d by adopting Resolution 2997, which created the following: The UNEP Secretariat, whose headquarters was placed in Nairobi, Kenya, to offer a central point for environmental coordination and activities in the UN system, led by an Executive Director, ranked as the UN Under-Secretary-General. UNEP Governing Council, which comprised of 58 countries designated for four-year terms by the General Assembly of the UN. This was accorded the task of reviewing the state of the global environment, creating UNEP’S programme precedence, and budget approval. A voluntary Environment Fund was also set up to finance the initiatives of the organization, to be complemented by trust funds and money assigned by the regular budget of the UN. From 1972 down to the 1990s, global governments had declared their pledges to the sustainable development principles. In May 2000, the first Worldwide Ministerial Environment Forum was convened by UNEP in Malmo, Sweden. The forum’s main aim was to send a strong note to the UN General Assembly meant to revisit the sustainable development discussion at the millennium meeting in September 2000. Although the millennium presented many opportunities to UNEP, several challenges also came up. In 2005, the organization’s task was further strengthened when the UNEP Governing Council endorsed the Ball Strategic Plan to apply capacity development and technology support programmes nationally. The critical final years of the world’s commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals will ensure that UNEP goes on providing vital information, practical support, and policy advice to the UN member nations as they collectively work to achieve UN Charter’s promise of a globe of social progress and better living conditions in a wider freedom. UNEP as an organization concerned with environmental matters is large enough to look into the issues at a global point of view. Its Governing Council meets this task appropriately by reportin g to the UN General assembly via the Social and Economic Council. There is equitable representation in each region, where the 58-members elected for the four-year terms represent each state as follows: African States have 16 seats, Asian States have 13 seats, Eastern Europe has 6, Caribbean and Latin American States have 10, while Western Europe and the remaining States have 13 se

Precursores De La Teoria De La Calidad

Precursores De La Teoria De La Calidad Antes de hablar de la calidad debemos referirnos a sus precursores y sobre todo al padre de la misma quien es W. Edward Deming, quien ha recibido numeroso reconocimientos entre ellos podemos hacer mencià ³n de la medalla Shewhart dela Soc. Americana de Control de Calidad en 1956. Desde muy pequeà ±o el Dr. W. Edward Deming aprendià ³ que las cosas que se hacen bien desde el principio siempre acaban bien. El estadista, educador y precursor dela Calidad Total W. Edward Deming, fue desconocido por muchos aà ±os por las corporaciones americanas, Deming viajo a Japà ³n en 1950 a la edad de 49 y pudo enseà ±ar a los administradores, ingenieros y cientà ­ficos Japoneses como podà ­an producir calidad. Luego de treinta aà ±os despuà ©s vio un documental en televisià ³n en la cadena NBC, titulado, â€Å"Si Japà ³n puede, porque nosotros no† y es a la sazà ³n donde corporaciones como Ford, General Motors y Dow Chemical, solo por mencionar algunas de las prestigiosas empresas que se dieron cuenta de lo que estaba atravesando y buscaron de inmediato la asesorà ­a del Dr. Deming. La vida del Dr. Deming se transformo por completo y se volvià ³ un torbellino de consultas y conferencias. La temprana vida de Edward Deming fue caracterizada por la carencia y el trabajo duro. Nacià ³ en Sioux City Iowa el 14 de octubre de 1900. Su padre, quien pedio una demanda judicial en Powell, siempre fue un abogado luchador, pero esto lo hizo que cambiara a toda la familia de dicha ciudad cuando Deming tenà ­a apenas siete aà ±os. Vivieron en una casa humilde donde el preocuparse por que seria su prà ³xima comida era parte de su rà ©gimen diario. Ampliamente cotizado luego que Deming compartià ³ sus ahora famosos â€Å"14 puntos† y â€Å"7 pecados mortales† con algunas de las corporaciones mà ¡s grandes de Amà ©rica. Sus patrones de calidad se convirtieron en sitios comunes en los libros de administracià ³n, y el premio Deming, otorgado por primera vez en Japà ³n pero ahora reconocido internacionalmente, es ahora buscado por algunas de las corporaciones mà ¡s grandes del mundo. Cuando Deming tenà ­a sus ocho aà ±os salià ³ a trabajar a un hotel local, Deming se fue de Powell a la edad de 17 hacia Laraman, ala Universidadde Wyoming donde realizo sus estudios de ingenierà ­a. Y luego recibià ³ un Ph. D en Fà ­sicas Matemà ¡ticas enla Universidadde Yale en 1927 donde al mismo tiempo fue empleado como profesor. Deming recibià ³ muchas ofertas en la industria privada pero tomà ³ un empleo donde trabajarà ­a para el Departamento de Agricultura en Washington, D.C. Fue acà ¡ donde Deming tuvo la dicha de conocer a su esposa, Lola Sharpe, con quien contrajo matrimonio en el 1932, y fue presentado con su guà ­a, Walter Shewhart, un estadà ­stico para Laboratorios Bell y sus escritos impactaron su vida y aquà ­ donde se convirtieron en la base de sus enseà ±anzas. Durantela Segunda GuerraMundial, Deming de dedico a enseà ±ar a los tà ©cnicos e ingenieros americanos estadà ­sticas para que pudieran mejorar la calidad de los materiales de guerra. Fue e n este trabajo en donde atrajo la atencià ³n de los japoneses. Luego de la guerra,la Unià ³n Japonesade Cientà ­ficos e Ingenieros buscà ³ a Deming. Y en julio de 1950, Deming se reunià ³ conla Unià ³nquien fue presentado con los administradores principales de las compaà ±Ãƒ ­as japonesas. Durante los treinta aà ±os siguientes, Deming dedicarà ­a todo su tiempo y esfuerzo a la enseà ±anza de los japoneses y de esta forma transformo su reputacià ³n en la produccià ³n de un motivo de risa a un motivo de admiracià ³n y elogio por las corporaciones. Es por esto que nos hacemos la siguiente pregunta  ¿Por quà © Deming fue todo un à ©xito en Japà ³n y desconocido por las corporaciones en Amà ©rica? Cuando Japà ³n estaba sumergido en una crisis en su economà ­a y en sus industrias le hicieron la invitacià ³n a Deming. Los Japoneses escucharon y cambiaron su forma de pensar, su estilo de como administrar, su trato a los empleados y se tomaron su tiempo. Tan solo c on seguir la filosofà ­a de Deming, los japoneses giraron al lado positivo su economà ­a y productividad por completo para dar paso y poder convertirse en los là ­deres del mercado mundial. Deming fue condecorado por el emperador Horohito con la medalla del Tesoro Sagrado de Japà ³n en su Segundo Grado por tan impresionante cambio que realizo. La mencià ³n decà ­a El pueblo de Japà ³n atribuyen el renacimiento de la industria Japonesa y su à ©xito mundial a Edward Deming No fue hasta la transmisià ³n del documental por NBC en Junio de 1980 donde se destaca el à ©xito industrial de Japà ³n que las corporaciones Americanas inician a prestar atencià ³n. Enfrentados por una produccià ³n decadente y costos increà ­blemente altos, los Presidentes de las corporaciones Americana iniciaron a consultar con Deming acerca de negocios. Se dieron cuanta que las tà ­picas soluciones rà ¡pidas y fà ¡ciles de las corporaciones Americanas ya no funcionaban. Los principios de Deming establecà ­an que mediante el uso de mediciones estadà ­sticas, una compaà ±Ãƒ ­a podrà ­a ser capaz de graficar como un sistema en particular estaba funcionando para luego desarrollar maneras para mejorar dicho sistema. A travà ©s de un proceso de transformacià ³n en avance, y siguiendo los Catorce Puntos y Siete Pecados Mortales, las compaà ±Ãƒ ­as estarà ­an en posicià ³n de mantenerse a la par con los constantes cambios del entorno econà ³mico. Obviamente, esto era mu cho mas largo, incluà ­a mas procesos de los que estaban acostumbrados las corporaciones Americanas; de aquà ­, la resistencia a las ideas de Deming. El Dr. Edward Deming estuvo disponible parala Amà ©rica corporativa para tà ©rminos de consulta y a individuales a travà ©s de sus escritos y tours de seminarios por los prà ³ximos trece aà ±os de su vida. En el 1993 murià ³, pero aun vive su trabajo. Sus Slogans de misià ³n, tales como el de Ford Calidad es el primer trabajo, son aun reconocidos en la industria; sus cursos empresariales son dictados aun usando sus principios como partes integrales del curriculum; y la abreviacià ³n TQM (Total Quality Management) es ampliamente conocido y comà ºnmente utilizado a travà ©s dela Amà ©rica corporativa. Kaoru Ishikawa Conocido como el gurà º de la calidad Kaoru Ishikawa, nacià ³ en la ciudad de Tokio, Japà ³n en el aà ±o de 1915, fue graduado dela Universidadde Tokio. Ishikawa y es hoy conocido como uno de los mà ¡s famosos gurà ºs de la calidad mundial. La teorà ­a de Ishikawa era manufacturar a bajo costo. Podemos encontrar dentro de su filosofà ­a de calidad que la calidad debe ser una revolucià ³n de la gerencia. El control de calidad es prà ¡cticamente desarrollar, diseà ±ar, manufacturar y mantener un producto de calidad. Algunos efectos dentro de empresas que se logran implementando el control de calidad son la reduccià ³n de precios, bajan los costos, se establece y mejora la tà ©cnica, entre otros. Kaoru Ishikawa tambià ©n dio a conocer al mundo sus siete herramientas bà ¡sicas para la calidad la cuales son: la grafica de pareto, el diagrama de causa efecto, la estratificacià ³n, la hoja de verificacià ³n, el histograma, el diagrama de dispersià ³n y la grafica de control de Schewhart. Podemos hacer mencià ³n de algunos de sus libros mà ¡s conocidos los cuales son: Que es el CTC, Guia de Control de calidad Herramientas de Control de Calidad. Kaoru Ishikawa en el Desarrollo dela Calidadnos dice que practicar el Control de Calidad (CTC) es desarrollar, diseà ±ar manufacturar y mantener un producto de calidad que sea el mà ¡s econà ³mico, el mà ¡s à ºtil y sobre todo el mà ¡s satisfactorio para el consumidor. En la Universidadde Tokio Ishikawa fue pedagogo y precursor de la Unià ³nof Japanese Scientists and Engineers (UJSE), la cual se ocupaba de promover la calidad dentro de Japà ³n mientras el ciclo de la post-guerra. Ishikawa inclusive durante gran parte de su vida originà ³ ideas revolucionarias de calidad. En el 1962, Ishikawa dio apertura a los ambientes de calidad en la Nippon Telegraph and Cable. Dando definicià ³n a los clientes como internos y externos de las organizaciones. Se puede decir que la carrera de Kaoru Ishikawa en algunas formas u otras es afà ­n a la historia econà ³mica del Japà ³n contemporà ¡neo. Ishikawa, en Japà ³n entero aprendieron sobre las bases del control de calidad estadà ­stico que los Americanos desplegaron. Pero como los logros econà ³micos del Japà ³n no son limitados a imitar productos extranjeros, los logros de calidad del Japà ³n e Ishikawa en particular van mas allà ¡ de la aplicacià ³n eficiente de ideas importadas. Es posible que la contribucià ³n mà ¡s importante de Ishikawa haya sido su rol en el desarrollo de una estrategia de calidad japonesa. La calidad para los Japoneses es parte de sus propias vidas, no solo la aplican de arriba a abajo en una empresa, sino que tambià ©n al producto, dentro del proceso de produccià ³n, tanto bajo el uso del cliente. Podemos decir que uno de los logros mà ¡s importantes de la vida de Kaoru Ishikawa fue contribuir al à ©xito de los ambientes de calidad. El diagrama de causa-efecto, habitualmente citado el diagrama de Ishikawa, posiblemente es el diagrama que lo hizo fundamentalmente conocido. Este diagrama ha manifestado ser una herramienta muy fuerte que puede ser simplemente utilizada para investigar y solucionar problemas, es tan simple que cualquier persona lo puede utilizar. A pesar que los ambientes de calidad se desplegaron primero en Japà ³n, se difundieron a mà ¡s de 50 paà ­ses, una expansià ³n que Ishikawa jamà ¡s se hubiera imaginado. Inicialmente, Ishikawa entendà ­a que los cà ­rculos dependà ­an de factores à ºnicos que se encontraban en la sociedad japonesa. Pero despuà ©s de ver cà ­rculos creà ¡ndose en Taiwà ¡n y Corea del Sur, à ©l teorizà ³ que los cà ­rculos de calidad pueden desarrollarse en cualquier paà ­s del mundo siempre y cuando dicho paà ­s utilizara el alfabeto Chino. El razonamiento de Ishikawa era que el alfabeto Chino, uno de los sistemas de escritura mà ¡s difà ­ciles pueden ser aprendidos solo con mucho estudio, el trabajo duro y el deseo de la educacià ³n en ese perà ­odo se hicieron sumamente importante en esos paà ­ses. Como parte del comità © para el premio Deming, Ishikawa impulso una auditoria implacable que establece cuales compaà ±Ãƒ ­as son aspirantes para el premio Deming. Dicha auditoria pretende la colaboracià ³n de los altos ejecutivos de la empresa. De acuerdo a Ishikawa el saber de la gente que la empresa es activa y se mueve hacia el perfeccionamiento es el mejor premio que el triunfador puede recibir.   

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Essay -- Diseases, Disorders

The term Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a general name given to a few disorders that all fall under the category of inflamed intestines (they become red and swollen.) This is usually due to a reaction the body causes against its own intestinal tissue. The two most common types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease are Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease (CD). Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract; however, it more commonly affects the small intestine or colon. Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a chronic disease, which means that it lasts a long time and can occur frequently. There are some cases where a person will only suffer from one occurrence of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and then be in remission from there on. Others will have many occurrences. Sufferers of Inflammatory Bowel Disease will go through stages of flare ups and symptoms. Both Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease share the same stages of symptoms. When the diseases are considered active, this is when there is inflammation and irritation. When the diseases are considered to be in remission, the inflammation is lessened or non-existent with no symptoms. The most common sign or symptom of both Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease is abdominal pain and diarrhea. â€Å"Diarrhea can range from mild to severe (as many as 20 or more trips to the bathroom a day). If the diarrhea is extreme, it can lead to dehydration, rapid heartbeat, and a drop in blood pressure. And continued loss of small amounts of blood in the stool can lead to anemia.† (Rosario, 2011) Constipation may also occur due to an obstruction in the intestine or inflammation. Symptoms may depend on which section of the gastrointestinal tract is affected, and may also range in... ...lt in depression. If depression occurs there are also support groups and counseling available to patients suffering from these diseases. Works Cited Harvey, S. (2010, September 28). Health central. Retrieved from http://www.healthcentral.com/ibd/irritable-bowel-syndrome-000069_7-145.html Mayo Clinical Staff. Inflammatory bowel disease. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/inflammatory-bowel-disease/DS01195/DSECTION= tests-and-diagnosis Rosario, J. F. D. (2011). Kids health. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/digestive/ibd.html Rowe, W. (n.d.). Inflammatory bowel disease. Retrieved from http://www.emedicinehealth.com/inflammatory_bowel_disease/article_em.htm Tresca, A. (2009, May 2). The Difference between ulcerative colitis and crohn. Retrieved from http://ibdcrohns.about.com/od/ulcerativecolitis/a/diffuccd.htm

How an organisation communicates Essay

Introduction The aim of this assignment is to relate how an organisation communicates its core values and mission to the public, shareholders and employees. This is an objective that can easily get overlooked in the rush to master environmental analysis, strategic choice and outsourcing decisions. However it is important in practice and it is a challenge that many organisations take very seriously. Setting of organisational objectives is the starting point of managerial actions. An organisation’s end results for which an organisation strives is termed as mission, purpose, objective, goal, target etc. Many times, these terms are used interchangeably as all these denote end results. This unit is about providing direction to people in the organisation and enabling, inspiring, motivating and supporting them to achieve what the organisation has set out to do. It is expected to apply different styles of leadership appropriate to different people and situations. For the purposes of this unit, an organisation can mean a self-contained entity such as a private sector company, a charity or a local authority, or a significant operating unit, with a relative degree of autonomy, within a larger organisation. Task 1 Relate the organisation’s purpose, values and vision to people across the organisation (1.1, 1.2, and 1.3) An organisation’s mission is its basic purpose: e.g., what is it for? Why does it exist? A mission statement formalises the organization’s mission by writing it down. Johnson Scholes and Whittington define a mission statement as ‘a statement of overriding direction and purpose of an organisation’. Some companies refer to ‘vision statements’ instead of mission statements. Below is an example of Tesco’s mission statements; Tesco (a UK supermarket chain) their vision is to be the most highly valued by its customers. Their core purpose is to create value for customers to  earn their life time loyalty. This objective sits right at the heart of their business as one part of their values – ‘No one tries harder for customers.’ For Tesco to be considered a force for good, they must be a good neighbour and a responsible member of society. They know that if they look after their staff, they will look after their customers. Work can be a large part of their lives so people deserve an employer who cares. That’s why one of their values is ‘Treat people how we like to be treated’. They are committed to providing opportunities for their people to get on and turn their jobs into careers and across all of their markets they offer a wide range of competitive benefits. According to Michael Hyatt, the author of the New York Times bestseller, Platform; Get noticed in a Noisy World, it is crucial to translate the core values into behaviours that are easy to understand by your employees. He has identified 6 ways to communicate the core values to every member of the organisation. Living the values; leading by example is the best communication tool any leader possesses. A survey conducted by Deloitte has found that 70% of the employees who agree that their companies had performed well financially said their executive management team speaks to them often about the core values associated with the culture of the company.  Hiring new people based on values; recruiting people who already have values that are in alignment with the company’s core values. You can always easily train a person on how to do the job, but it becomes much harder to train a person to have the same values as your organisation.  Reviewing people based on values; incorporating core values as part of performance management process. Reviewing people based on values is interrelated with rewarding people for demonstrating the values.  Business objectives are the ends that an organisation sets out to achieve. A business creates business plans to enable it to achieve these ends – thus plans are the means to the ends. The objectives and plans that an organisation creates are determined by balancing the requirements of the various stakeholders in the organisation. The stakeholders are those individuals and groups that are affected by and have interest in how the business is run and it achieves. Every business has a range of stakeholders including: The  objectives that a company establishes are based on blending the various interests of these stakeholder groupings.  For example; an objective to be the market leader, will benefit all stakeholders because customers will receive high quality products, shareholders will receive high dividends, and employees will receive good wages and so on. Organisations create a hierarchy of objectives. At the top level, an organisation will often create a ‘mission’ setting out the purpose of the organisation. This will be followed by a set of objectives relating to such aspects as: Objectives about employee satisfaction Objectives about cutting pollution Objectives about customer satisfaction Objectives about market share Objectives about return to shareholders.  A business plan will then enable an organisation to achieve its objectives. The business plan must be set within a time frame and set out how the organisation and the various components of the organisation will work towards meeting required objectives. Responsibilities for delivering various parts of the plan will be allocated to key individuals and performance targets will be established which enabled the plan to be delivered. The business will create a series of polices, programmes and budgets to enable it to achieve planned targets. It is also essential from the outset to clarify how the plan will be evaluated on an ongoing basis. (businesscasestudies.co.uk) Motivation in Virgin Media, the word motivation could be defined as the driving force behind actions and behaviour. It leads individuals to take action to achieve a goal or to fulfil a need or expectation. Understanding what motivates employees at work ensures that a business not only has employees that have the knowledge, skill and ability to do the job, but who are also committed to achieve a high standard of work. There are much positive behaviour that indicates employees are motivated including taking responsibilities, helping colleagues, a commitment to achieving company targets and goals as well as interest and concern of the business. Virgin Media recognises that reward is one of the many motivating factors for a lot of its people and offers competitive salaries. It also offers bonus schemes such as it’sASPIRE field  pay and reward scheme. The scheme rewards every Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 9 or 10 with  £10. However, as a forward thinking business, it understands the importance of different motivational factors. It offers additional benefits including private health care, life assurance, company pension scheme and staff saving scheme. The opportunity to progress within the organisation is also an important factor. All virgin media technicians are managed through the ‘Your Story Framework’ for career progression. This includes regular meetings to discuss performance, review progress against set objectives to enable progression within the company. (businesscasestudies.co.uk) One theorist whose studies became influential is Elton Mayo. Mayo’s research concluded that motivating factors include recognition, a sense of belonging and involvement as well as social aspects of the workplace. In 1943, Abraham Maslow published his theory of a hierarchy of needs. Maslow identified that as individuals, we have five set of needs. At the first level, basic needs are those of food, water, warmth and shelter with wages that meet those needs. Safety needs include protection from danger, for example; health and safety at work as well as job security. Social needs include a sense of belonging in work teams. He identified esteem needs as those of self-confidence, feeling useful and needed by other people. Maslow proposed that having satisfied all the lower needs an individual would then be able to realise their own potential for self-actualisation. (businesscasestudies.co.uk) Task 2 Explain the skills necessary to provide support and advice to people during periods of setbacks and change. (2.1 and 2.2) Change is something that happens in businesses all of the time. Change can occur in an organisation’s internal or external environment. As a result, this process of change is constant. Effective managers are proactive in creating solutions to improve the organisations performance. They must then manage employees through the change process. Managers have to plan and drive change initiatives. This involves managing the change process and making it part of an organisations strategy. Strategies a business achieve its aims and objectives. This helps businesses to develop in a more focused way to the environment in which it operates, whilst facing new challenges with more certainty.  Organisations  require skilled and well qualified managers and leaders to drive change initiatives and effectively manage employees through the process. (businesscasestudies.co.uk) When business is booming, employee morale usually soars. It seems like everyone’s getting bonuses, hiring assistants and basking in the company’s success. But when bad news rolls in, the collective mood of employees can plummet. This can happen when the firm looses a big account, suffers a severe downturn or experiences regulatory of legal setbacks. Employees will then look to managers for guidance and reassurance. During trying times, the manager becomes more than the business owner. They must lead employees by setting an inspiring example. When managers’exhibit strength in the face of adversity, they assure the troops that they are able to steer the company through a rough patch and prevent it from sustaining lasting image. Managers must delegate freely to manage a fast-growth business. But boosting employees’ morale during tough times is one job no one can pass off. (Democratic Leadership style) Managers should make themselves visible when setback occurs. They should start attending staff meetings they normally skipped. Help clerks do filing, answer the phone alongside customer service representatives or relieve exhausted workers on the assembly line or loading dock. By pitching in with a positive attitude, they will lift everyone’s sprit. There is no single best way to build morale in the midst of organisational setbacks. While some employees will shoulder crisis without much complaint, many others will react negatively. Managers can customise behaviour to address those employees’ personality. Here’s one morale booster that will work for all employees; see out their advice and act on it. By soliciting their suggestions and implementing as many of them as possible you make them feel like problem solvers who can exert at least some control over an unpredictable situation. This in other word will be identified as the democratic leadership style which is also known as participative leadership. It is a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process. (psychology.about.com) Example; if a country zoning board imposes a steep fine on your business, ask employees for ideas on how to cut costs. Approve even modest proposals  to save office supplies; this will help employees take ownership of the crisis and work together to outlast it.(edwardlowe.org) There are different types of support and advice people may need and this could be provided in many ways.(www.invo.org.uk) Personal/Professional Development; to review people’s progress and performance and provide positive feedback and encouragement and/or to see if they need any additional pointers to further develop their skills. For example, members of the public who take on research roles such as peer interviewing, may need feedback and guidance when they first put their skills into practice. Practical Support; to help people to familiarise themselves with a new research environment, for example, all research team members might need help with finding their way around a new location or building. Members of the public may need support with meeting their practical needs, such as payment of fees and expenses, making travel arrangements, parking, and assessing childcare. Emotional/Psychological Support; to help people to cope with any distress that arises as a direct consequence of being involved in research, for example, if they become upset after discussing a sensitive or emotional topic, or from hearing about other people’s bad experiences, or from returning to an environment that has been traumatic in the past. Some people may also be challenged by others about the benefit of public involvement in research and may be helped by being prepared to cope with professional or criticism. Emotional/Psychological Support is often as relevant to researches as it is to involve members of the public. On-the-job-Support; to allow people to let off steam or raise any concerns after a difficult meeting or frustrating experience. Some of these types of support can be provided through informal mechanism that develops organically as colleagues start to work together and form a team. Others may be better provided through a more formal approach that will need to be properly resourced. Communicate with Customers and Employees; do not be reluctant to confront bad news. Develop a strategy to disseminate information. It may not be customers you need to talk to, but suppliers and vendors. Managers also have to engage their employees. Listen to staff and address any specific challenges they face. ‘Keep them up to par with what is going on; even you don’t have all of the answers’. Conduct overall cost Analysis; as a manager, look at where you can reduce overhead. Negotiate with suppliers for a better price, find ways to save money. If the company has a bunch of products that doesn’t sell, cut back on inventory. ‘Companies think that because headcount is the biggest line, item on their budget then that is where they should cut costs. Getting rid of employees is the easiest strategy but it might not be the right one’. ‘Layoffs are generally a reaction versus a well thought out strategy. As a manager, you don’t want to cut so deep it hurts the company’. Empower Employees; find ways to increase moral and empower employees to be the best that they can be, their inputs and opinions should be valued. ‘Happy employees, take care of customers’. Employees are an important asset because they are in direct communication with customers. Motivated employees attract more satisfied customers which in turn, lead to increased profits’. Embrace Change; ‘Most people are not good at taking risks when they are threatened, we have a tendency to react by fright or flight’ says James.By becoming too defensive, it could reduce chances which could lead out a set of crisis situations. When face with a company setback, it is necessary to stay positive; look at what is working, be proactive, find new growth opportunities, preserve-hang in there and ride out the storm. (www.inc.com) Task 3 Analyse the need for integrity, fairness and consistency in managerial  decision making. (3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and3.4) Decision-making is a crucial part of good business. It is good information and experience in interpreting information. Decision-making increasingly happens at all levels of a business. The board of directors may make the grand strategic decisions about investment and direction of future growth (www.tutor2u.net) Often, association leaders must make decisions that members do not agree with but maybe greatly affected by. Members may feel they have little to say over the actions implemented by their leaders. Association staff members are often charged with implementing decisions made by leadership, including communicating the decisions to members and helping members understand that the decision will ultimately result in good. Recently, the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) leadership increased annual membership dues. This change alone would help to fund the association better and also provide new opportunities and means for future development. This single alteration has expanded the parameters of this organisation dramatically. They are now considering additional functions, retreats, scholarships programs and resources etc.  It is no secret that economic times are difficult, we find ourselves suddenly in a world of hopeful get-rich-quick strategies, and ‘’extreme couponing’’ champions. Asking people to give more when they have less is not a decision that is considered to be popular. Although the actions and decisions of our leaders are sometimes confusing to others, we must have confidence in the leadership in place, and in the decisions that they make more times than not, members voted them into the position of leadership. (www.raybourn.com, 2012) I think that for unpopular decisions, the more personal the communications method, the better. The scale and geographic spread of an organisation will have a big influence, but the nearer one get to a face to face communication, the better. So, phone is better than email. Video conference is better than phone, in person is better than video conference.  It is useful to think about unpopular decisions from the point of view of the decision itself (unpopular outcome) the process of coming up with the decision (fair process), and the opportunity to deal with the consequences of the decision (work grounds).(www.changingorganisations.com) Different types of communication styles could be used to communicate difficult and unpopular decisions. In business world, communication is necessary for conducting business in an  efficient manner. Any business involves two types of communication; external communication that is directed to the actors in the business environment, and internal communication or organisational communication that is directed to employees. In addition, it is not possible to imagine organisational communication without conflicts. Conflicts are normal in any organisation, because people have different opinions. People communicate their thoughts, idea, knowledge and fears differently in conflicts situations. Managers and team members should know and understand these different styles of communications to avert conflicts. Oral communication is one common form of internal communication for example, in a group or one to one meeting. Nowadays, electronic communication is growing in importance. This can involve written communication, such as an email, text or tweet or oral communication via video conferencing. Intranet; enterprise has recently developed a new intranet system called ‘the hub’ this replaced a purely information based system. It enables input from employees at enterprise’s locations across Western Europe and North America. This channel of communication supports enterprise’s core values. When the outcome of a decision is not known with certainty, a manager faces a decision-making problem under either conditions of risks or conditions of uncertainty. A decision is made under risk when a manager can make a list of all possible outcomes associated with a decision and assign a probability of occurrence to each one of the outcomes. The process of assigning probabilities to outcomes sometimes involves rather sophisticated analysis base on the manager’s extensive experience in similar situations or on other data. An example of a decision made under risk might be the following; a manager decides to spend  £1000 on a magazine ad believing there are three possible outcomes for the ad, 20 percent chance the ad will have only a small effect on sales, a 60 percent chance of a moderate effect and a 20 percent chance of a very large effect. This decision is made under risk because the manager can list each potential outcome and determine the probability of each outcome occurring. Accommodation Style; people prefer to keep their emotions in control and to speak indirectly, using metaphors or other techniques to prevent a conflict from escalating and damaging the relationship. Discussion Style; most managers’ keep their emotions controlled but try to speak clearly and accurately about their disagreements  to the other person. Engagement Style; people in this group are more comfortable with feelings and express them openly. They try to be direct about what their concerns are and are often passionate in their conversations.(psychosocial.actalliance.org) There is no normal style of communication. It simply varies between people and cultures. Communication styles can vary between people in an organisation. As we work with people from different communities and countries, it can be expected we will meet people whose communication styles may differ from our own. It is therefore, important to clear up misunderstandings and misinterpretations early on and to be open to different styles of communications. In contrast to risk, uncertainty exists when a decision maker cannot list all possible outcomes and cannot assign probabilities to the various outcomes. When faced with uncertainty, a manager would know only the different decision option available and the different possible states of nature. The states of nature are the events or conditions that can influence the final outcome or payoff of a decision but cannot be controlled or affected by the manager.  My suggestion is to use the following as a starting point; Summarise the issues relating to the decision Outline the process you went through to arrive at the decision Say what the problem is   Provide opportunity for people to tell you the implications of the decisions from their perspective Ask them to identify possible action or solutions in response to the implications they raise.  Conclusion It is more powerful if top senior managers and directors in every work place get to their people (employees) before the decision is finalised, they need to tell workers what they are contemplating and ask them what the implications are from their own perspective. (Don’t assume you know what their perspective is, even if you know them well and used to do their job yourself). You can then problem solve with them about how to alleviate the negative implications they have identified. And you never know, they might identify some positive implications or opportunities the organisation has not thought of. Bibliography (n.d.). Retrieved March 4th, 2014, from businesscasestudies.co.uk: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/strategy/business-objectives-planning-and-stakeholders.html#axzz2v2QsaooB (n.d.). Retrieved March 4th, 2014, from businesscasestudies.co.uk: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/teacher-resources/#axzz2v2QsaooB (n.d.). (K. Cherry, Producer) Retrieved March 5th, 2014, from psychology.about.com: http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/f/democratic-leadership.htm (n.d.). Retrieved March 5th, 2014, from edwardlowe.org: http://edwardlowe.org/digital-library/maintaining-employee-morale-during-setbacks/ (n.d.). Retrieved March 6th, 2014, from www.invo.org.uk: http://www.invo.org.uk/different-types-of-support/ (n.d.). (R. Bowett, Producer) Retrieved March 7th, 2014, from www.tutor2u.net: http://tutor2u.net/business/organisation/decisionmaking.htm (n.d.). (C. M. Brown, Producer) Retrieved March 8th, 2014, from www.inc.com: http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/10/7-tips-for-dealing-with-a-company-setback.html (Ducham)

Free Essays on Social Security

Summary of Social Security Articles The article entitled â€Å"The Boomers Queasy Future,† dealt with the fact that social security will be running out soon so government officials are looking for ways to remedy this problem. Because the baby boom generation is so big there is a problem with getting them the necessary social security for when they retire. Interest from the trust funds that support social security will be exhausted by the year 2032. One way would be to deny the upper-class their right to Medicare. This would free up some government money for such important things as social security. Raising taxes is another way. However, people would not take too kindly to such repercussions. Today the young generations pay for the older generation so that they can retire. One way to remedy this problem is if everyone paid for their own social security. Another way to solve this inevitable problem is to invest people’s trust funds into the stock market. Another way would be to cut pay roll taxes and put them towards IRA’s or individual retirement accounts. No withdrawals from these accounts could be made until the person reaches 62. However, people do not trust the stock market. The stock market could fluctuate and the other problem is that some people will not be sure what the correct stocks to pick are. People are also strongly opposed to raising the retirement age and cutting benefits such as health care. Nowadays, young people will have to pay for their elder’s retirement as well as pay for their own retirement. Just about the only way to resolve this problem is to establish a Social Security Reserve Board which would invest trust funds into private stocks and bonds. The second article entitled â€Å"Straight Talk on Social Security† also deals with the problems of diminishing retirement funds. President Bush favors the idea of creating personal retirement accounts. Both Democrats and Republicans fav... Free Essays on Social Security Free Essays on Social Security Social Security â€Å"Social Security, public programs designed to provide income and services to individuals in the event of retirement, sickness, disability, death, or unemployment.† (Encarta online Encyclopedia) On June 8th 1934, Franklin D. Roosevelt announced to the nation his intentions to introduce a Social Security program. Roosevelt then brought in five members of his cabinet level officials to study the United States and its economic insecurity so that he could use that information to persuade congress with. This committee was called the Committee on Economic Security. They were responsible for developing and writing the report that would be given to congress so they could see a detailed legislative proposal. The report gave President Roosevelt what he needed to proceed with sending the bill to congress to be voted on. In January 1935 he introduced the bill to both the House of Representatives and the Senate at the same time. The bill was passed by a large majority in both houses. The Social Security Act was finally made a law in August 1935 by President Roosevelt. Along with this act there were several provisions for general welfare. But the Act created a social insuranc e program that would pay retired workers, 65 years of age or older a continuing income after retirement. "We can never insure one hundred percent of the population against one hundred percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life, but we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age." President Roosevelt upon signing Social Security Act. The Social Security program has never been a flawless one. Since the introduction of the program in 1935 it has been modified more than 20 times by major amendments. Still to this day there are struggles within this system. This program still hasn’t achieved everything that... Free Essays on Social Security Most of the problems of the United states are related to the economy. One of the major issues facing the country today is social security. The United States was one of the last major industrialized nations to establish a social security system. In 1911, Wisconsin passed the first state workers compensation law to be held constitutional. At that time, most Americans believed the government should not have to care for the aged, disabled or needy. But such attitudes changed during the Great Depression in the 1930's. In 1935, Congress passed the Social Security Act. This law became the basis of the U.S. social insurance system. It provided cash benefits to only retired workers in commerce or industry. In 1939, Congress amended the act to benefit and dependent children of retired workers and widows and children of deceased workers . In 1950, the act began to cover many farm and domestic workers, non professional self employed workers, and many state and municipal employees. Coverage became nearly universal in 1956, when lawyers and other professional workers came under the system. Social security is a government program that helps workers and retired workers and their families achieve a degree of economic security. Social security also called social insurance (Robertson p. 33), provides cash payments to help replace income lost as a result of retirement, unemployment, disability, or death. The program also helps pay the cost of medical care for people age 65 or older and for some disabled workers. About one-sixth of the people in the United States receive social security benefits. People become eligible to receive benefits by working in a certain period in a job covered by social security. Employers and workers finance the program through payroll taxes. Participation in the social security system is required for about 95 percent of all U.S. workers. Social security d... Free Essays on Social Security Summary of Social Security Articles The article entitled â€Å"The Boomers Queasy Future,† dealt with the fact that social security will be running out soon so government officials are looking for ways to remedy this problem. Because the baby boom generation is so big there is a problem with getting them the necessary social security for when they retire. Interest from the trust funds that support social security will be exhausted by the year 2032. One way would be to deny the upper-class their right to Medicare. This would free up some government money for such important things as social security. Raising taxes is another way. However, people would not take too kindly to such repercussions. Today the young generations pay for the older generation so that they can retire. One way to remedy this problem is if everyone paid for their own social security. Another way to solve this inevitable problem is to invest people’s trust funds into the stock market. Another way would be to cut pay roll taxes and put them towards IRA’s or individual retirement accounts. No withdrawals from these accounts could be made until the person reaches 62. However, people do not trust the stock market. The stock market could fluctuate and the other problem is that some people will not be sure what the correct stocks to pick are. People are also strongly opposed to raising the retirement age and cutting benefits such as health care. Nowadays, young people will have to pay for their elder’s retirement as well as pay for their own retirement. Just about the only way to resolve this problem is to establish a Social Security Reserve Board which would invest trust funds into private stocks and bonds. The second article entitled â€Å"Straight Talk on Social Security† also deals with the problems of diminishing retirement funds. President Bush favors the idea of creating personal retirement accounts. Both Democrats and Republicans fav...

Concept Analysis Critique of Homophobia in Nursing Essays

Concept Analysis Critique of Homophobia in Nursing Essays Concept Analysis Critique of Homophobia in Nursing Essay Concept Analysis Critique of Homophobia in Nursing Essay Running Head: CONCEPT ANALYSIS CRITIQUE Concept Analysis Critique of Christensen’s Homophobia in Nursing Using Walker and Avant’s Framework NUR 701-90 Nursing Theory The Sage Colleges Lori Ciafardoni-Hawkes RN, MSN/MEd November 17, 2010 Concept Analysis Critique of Christensen’s Homophobia in Nursing Using Walker and Avant’s Framework Introduction Concept analysis is discussed by Walker and Avant (2005) as a way to describe phenomena in nursing practice, as it â€Å"allows the theorist, researcher, or clinician to come to grips with the various possibilities within the concept of interest† (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 3). Walker and Avant developed an eight step process of concept analysis, which includes selecting a concept, determining the aims or purposes of the analysis, identifying all uses of the concept that can be discovered, determining the defining attributes, identifying the model case, identifying borderline, related, contrary, invented , and illegitimate cases, identifying antecedents and consequences, and defining empirical referents (Walker amp; Avant, 2005). The following is an examination of the concept analysis procedure developed by Walker and Avant as applied to the article Homophobia in Nursing: A Concept Analysis by Martin Christensen. Selecting a concept is the first step in the 8-step analysis procedure. The chosen concept should be one that is important and interesting to you. Additionally, selection of the concept should be â€Å"useful to your research program or to further theoretical developments in your area of interest† (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 66). Christensen (2005) selected to analyze the concept of homosexuality in nursing because â€Å"†¦nurses draw mainly on their own experiences, experiences that may possess traditional and uncompromising attitudes about homosexuality and the health needs of patients†¦suggest(ing) that attitudes are linked to behavior and that certain predetermined beliefs and attitudes will prevent delivery of holistic and individualized care†( pg. 61). Christensen’s article holds relevance in today’s nursing practice as the definition of family as many have learned it has changed. This new, modern family often includes non-traditional and chosen families rather than blood relatives. People are choosing to define family for themselves and one subset of families is same-sex couples. Nursing professionals need to recognize the family as a patient defines it rather than how text or organizations define it and homophobia need not be part of that equation. As a labor and delivery nurse, I see every definition of family imaginable and as a female in a same-sex marriage; this is one phobia that I am faced with both personally and professionally on a regular basis. Defining this concept and redefining family are both important parts to changing how health care professionals think and are trained and educated. Defining the Concept, Related Terms and Differences Christensen clearly defined the concept of homophobia related to nursing. He explains that nurses often use their own experiences to dictate their care and that if they have issues with homosexuality for personal, religious or other reason that it may interfere with quality, individualized care which all patients and their families deserve (Christensen, 2005). In healthcare, sociology, education and psychology, much work has been done around homophobia (Neville amp; Henrickson, 2006; Richmond and McKenna, 1998; Rondahl, Innala, amp; Carlsson, 2004; Tate amp; Longo, 2004). Baker (1991) presented a paper at The Annual Meeting of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and stated that â€Å"the impact of homophobia on health education practice had received little attention. As a profession, health educators had not yet adequately addressed lesbian and gay health issues†. Baker’s paper â€Å"defined homophobia and discussed the consequences of homophobia in health education and implications for practice. The health education needs of lesbians and gays are seldom met as a consequence of homophobia. Areas of particular relevance to health educators include heterosexual bias in sexuality education curriculum and textbook context, AIDS education, hate violence, adolescent suicide, and health education research on lesbian and gay topics. Strategies for eliminating homophobia include professional development of health educators and curriculum change at the university level† (Baker, 1991, np). Other researchers like Black, Oles and Moore (1998) â€Å"reported on a study of the relationship between students attitudes toward women and toward gay men and lesbians and changes in those attitudes during social work courses at two universities. The study found a significant relationship between students levels of homophobia and sexism. The relationship was stronger for female students than for male students and varied by race and academic major. The article also discussed the implications of the findings for changing social work curricula† (np). Barry (1998) explained â€Å"that a series of contemporary theories that had been used to explain homophobia. Structural, feminist, comparative, gender panic, queer, and socio-historical theories rely on the premises of a diverse set of scholarly disciplines, and in turn, generate their own objects of analysis, whether `homophobia, `heterosexism, or `heteronormativity. While the current flourishing of gay and lesbian studies had generated important insights into the workings of homophobia, analyses have also tended to be limited and fragmentary† (np). There are large gaps in the literature that span greater than ten years. The bulk of the studies seem to have happened when HIV/AIDS was at its height of awareness. While it appears easy to define homophobia, there has not been much research done on this concept in the social sciences. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2010) defines homophobia as â€Å"irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals†. Christensen’s concept analysis defines it similarly. Walker and Avant encourage the use of dictionaries, thesauruses, colleagues, and any available literature to identify multiple uses of the concept. Furthermore, all uses of the term must be considered. â€Å"This review of literature helps you support or validate your ultimate choices of the defining attributes† (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 67). Christensen thoroughly explored homosexuality, as defined by a variety of sources. Further research exposed the coining of homophobia, which is also extensively discussed by Christensen. Christensen examines fear of homosexuality in oneself, fear of contagion, fear of potential sexual advances, and fear of threat to established sex role identity as aspects of homosexuality that nurses may experience as a result of homophobic feelings (Christensen, 2005) Determining the aims of the analysis is the second step outlined by Walker and Avant. This second step helps focus attention on exactly what use you intend to make of the results of your effort. It essentially answers the question: â€Å"Why am I doing this analysis? † (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 66). Christensen has a clear and thorough rationale for choosing to analyze the concept of homosexuality and how the analysis will benefit nursing: â€Å"In seeking conceptual clarity, the analysis may make it possible to promote a single vocabulary for discussion, while allowing an understanding of what signifies the parameters of homophobia in nursing to be. More importantly, it may form the platform for future conjecture and critique within the context of nursing practice† (Christensen, 2005, pg. 61). Antecedents and Consequences The identification of antecedents and consequences are step seven in the concept analysis process presented by Walker and Avant. Antecedents are those events or incidents that must occur prior to the occurrence of the concept and consequences are those events or incidents that occur as a result of the occurrence. Antecedents and consequences help to shed light on the social context and help to define the attributes (Walker and Avant, 2005). In the concept analysis of homophobia, Christensen reports religion and medicine as antecedents; so much so that the emergence of homophobia in nursing on an individual basis may be related to â€Å"Supporting a religious ideology that determines the morality of same sex relationships as being sinful and non-procreative, and subscribing to a medical/nursing inference that homosexuality is a disease/illness that can be cured† (Christensen, 2005, pg. 69). The consequences as they relate to homophobias, identified by Christensen, include â€Å" An avoidance/reluctance of gay/lesbian social and/or professional interaction, heightened anxiety or revulsion when experiencing some gay/lesbian behavior, for example behaviors of affection, and heightened anxiety and fear of contagion when caring for gay/lesbian patients with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS† (Christensen, 2005, pg. 69). Attributes â€Å"Determining the defining attributes is the heart of concept analysis† (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 68). This process should reveal the cluster of attributes that are the most frequently associated with the oncept and that allow the analyst the broadest insight into the concept (Walker amp; Avant, 2005). The cluster of attributes gathered may have a variety of different meanings, thus â€Å"a decision is clearly necessary regarding which will be the most useful and which will provide you the greatest help in relation to the aims of your analysis† (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 68). Christensen identifies internalized feelings and portrayal of those feelings within clinical practice as distinctive attributes related to the concept of homophobia in nursing. Furthermore, Christensen states the defining attributes that may characterize the concept of homophobia within nursing to be â€Å"there must be an internalized awareness of anti-homosexual feelings towards homosexual individuals, and that here must be manifestations of those anti-homosexual feelings by the corresponding behavior patterns, which occur when providing care to gay individuals† (Christensen, 2005, pg. 65). Model Cases A model case is the identification of a case that clearly demonstrates the defining attributes. â€Å"That is, the model case should be a pure case of the concept, a paradigmatic example, or a pure exemplar. Basically, the model case is one that we are absolutely sure is an instance of the concept† (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 69). Model cases can be constructed from the analyst, found in literature, or in the best-case scenario, actual examples from real life (Walker amp; Avant, 2005). Christensen describes a model case that clearly identifies the defining attributes, which allows the concept to be tested. The subject, Nurse Mary, in the case model is described as â€Å"exhibiting the internalized feelings of homophobia and expressed these in her behaviors toward Jackie, the patient, and Karen, the patient’s significant other. The feelings and behaviors expressed in this case are fear, anger, disapproval, contempt, avoidance, and disgust† (Christensen, 2005, pg. 67). Identifying additional and different cases is suggested by Walker amp; Avant (2005). â€Å"Examining cases that are not exactly the same as the concept of interest but are similar to it or contrary to it in some ways will help you make better judgments about which defining attributes or characteristics have the best fit† (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 70). Additionally, cases include those that are borderline, elated, contrary, invented, or illegitimate. â€Å"The basic purpose for these cases is to help you decide what â€Å"counts† as a defining attribute for the concept of interest and what doesn’t count† (Walker amp; Avant, 2005, pg. 70). The Christensen concept analysis effectively utilizes a borderline case that only contains some of the defining attributes held within the definition of the concept. In th e borderline case, â€Å"the person described still experiences the internalized feelings of disgust and fear towards homophobia. However, in this case, he does not allow these feelings to cloud his clinical judgment in providing care to this patient, which is evident in the thank you letter† (Christensen, 2005, pg. 68). Additionally, Christensen utilizes a contrary case, which demonstrates none of the defining attributes outlined in the wording of the definition. â€Å"The individual described shows no internalized fears or behaviors and consequently has established an excellent rapport with her brother’s partner† (Christensen, 2005, pg. 68). Implications for Measurement The final step in the concept analysis is determining the empirical referents of the defining attributes. â€Å"Empirical referents are classes or categories of actual phenomena that by their existence or presence demonstrate the occurrence of the concept itself† (Walker amp; Avant, pg. 73). How does one measure homophobia? Christensen clearly shows the â€Å"observable phenomena and highlights the presence of homophobia in some individuals as: â€Å"Avoidance of homosexual patients, reluctance to provide care to homosexual patients, and speaking negatively about homosexuals and homosexuality† (Christensen, 2005, pg. 9). Application to Nursing Theorist-Madeleine Leininger Leininger is the founder of the transcultural nursing movement in education research and practice. In 1995, Leininger defined transcultural nursing as â€Å"a substantive area of study and practice focused on comparative cultural care (caring) values, beliefs, and practices of individuals or groups o f similar or different cultures with the goal of providing culture-specific and universal nursing care practices in promoting health or well-being or to help people to face unfavorable human conditions, illness, or death in culturally meaningful ways â€Å"(p. 8). The practice of transcultural nursing addresses the cultural dynamics that influence the nurse–client relationship. Because of its focus on this specific aspect of nursing, a theory was needed to study and explain outcomes of this type of care. Leininger creatively developed the Theory of Culture Care: Diversity and Universality with the goal to provide culturally congruent wholistic care. Her theory is appropriate in homophobia because healthcare professionals need to be able to treat each client as an individual without bias or judgment. Application to Nursing Practice Henrici (2007) in her paper on homophobia in healthcare states: â€Å"According to the American Nurses’ Association (ANA) (2001), nurses have a history of working with vulnerable populations and fighting for social justice. Providing substandard care to lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations is negating that history. High standards of ethics are expected so that all populations and clients receive the same level of care. If nurses counteract the rights of the patient by letting their attitudes toward homosexuality influence the type of care the patient receives, then the negative influence leads to an ethical issue. The first Provision of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2001) indicated that foremost, the patient should be treated with respect and dignity for human life. The nurse must show compassion and deliver health care in a non-judgmental manner, regardless of individual lifestyle and religious beliefs. Caring for a patient as a person with unique needs and differences should be upheld in every patient-nurse relationship. Refusing to treat a patient on behalf of difference in religious thought or lifestyle, and incorporating prejudice statements is unacceptable ethical behavior in the eyes of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses Provision three of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2001) takes into account patient confidentiality, maintaining patient’s rights, and advocating for the patient. Information shared between the nurse and the patient that need not be reported by law, should be kept confidential and not shared with individuals that are outside of the patient’s care. This is necessary to build a trust in the nurse/patient relationship. As an advocate, the nurse fights to defend the patient’s rights. Impaired practice and unethical care need to be addressed in order for the patient to receive the best care. When confidential information is spread to others, and if the nurse is part of the unethical care of the patient, then trust is diminished and advocacy becomes non-existent. According to the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses, these acts are considered unethical to the nature of nursing. Provision seven of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2001) addresses the idea that nursing, as a profession, needs to refine and advance the scope of nursing through continuing education. In order to advance in the field of nursing, nurses need to didactically embrace new knowledge, evaluate the knowledge, publicize the information, and put the new knowledge into clinical practice. Without furthering education, the field of nursing becomes stagnant in the ethical treatment of patients. Society is dynamic; therefore, nursing must change in order to progress with the social changes of the patients. If further education is impeded, it is considered unethical practice, according to the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses† (pg. 59-61). Application to Research â€Å"Concept analysis clarifies the symbols (words and terms) used in communication. The main advantage of concept analysis is that it renders very precise theoretical as well as operational definitions for use in theory and research† (Walker amp; Avant, pg. 74). Walker and Avant developed an 8-step concept analysis procedure that allows for analysts to easily understand and master the process without overlooking any of the critical components of concept analysis. The steps are not necessarily sequential. However, Christensen’s concept analysis of homophobia in nursing systematically uses all of Walker and Avant’s steps, as detailed in the body of this paper. Christensen’s concept analysis of homophobia in nursing is thoroughly discussed. Yet, greater research could have been conducted into identifying additional cases, as only borderline and contrary cases were considered. Tackling and debating related, invented, and/or illegitimate cases could have further supported the concept analysis. Ultimately, Christensen effectively convinces readers that homophobia in nursing may hinder the patient’s right to receive adequate, professional, and compassionate care (Christensen, 2005). Conclusion Christensen (2005) stated, â€Å"homophobia in nursing may undoubtedly be an extreme violation of the individual’s right to receive adequate, professional, and compassionate care† (p. 70). Henrici (2007) sums it up best by saying â€Å"Even though at times we as nurses may not agree with patients’ lifestyles, religious beliefs, or cultural upbringings, every patient deserves the most competent and compassionate care we can provide. By avoiding the patient, limiting therapeutic touch and communication, speaking unkindly of the patient’s sexuality with others, and not furthering education and understanding of cultural diversity the nurse has breached provisions one, three and seven of the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2001). There is a lack of research in the U. S. on the topic of homophobia in health care. More education on the topic of non-judgmental care relating to lesbian, gay and bisexual patients is necessary. Nurses should be held responsible for actions that are not in compliance with the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses (2001) particularly where patient care is sacrificed due to disagreement of lifestyle and sexual preferences. Homophobia is real. Judgmental comments occur and do affect quality of care. Realizing that the health care needs of to lesbian, gay and bisexual patients are unique must be addressed through education and cultural diversity training† (pg. 61) . References American Nurses Association. (2001). Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretative Statements. Retrieved November 14, 2010, from nursingworld. org/ethics/code/protected_nwcoe303. htm. Baker, J (1991) Homophobia in Health Education: Implications for Practice. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (San Francisco, CA, April 2-6, 1991). Retrieved November 16, 2010 from http://searcheric. org/ericdb/ed332964. htm. Barry, A. (1998) Theorizing Homophobia. Sexualities, Vol. 1, No. 4, 387-404. Retrieved November 7, 2010 from EBSCOhost. Black, B. Oles, T; amp; Moore, L (1998) The Relationship Between Attitudes: Homophobia and Sexism Among Social Work Students. Affilia, Vol. 13, No. 2, 166-189. Retrieved November 12, 2010 from EBSCOhost. Christensen, M. , (2005). Homophobia in Nursing: A Concept Analysis. Nursing Forum. 40 (2) Retrieved October 30, 2010, from: EBSCOhost. Henrici, R (2007) Homophobia: Does it Affect Quality of Care. Journal of Undergraduate Nursing Writing. Vol 1 (1). 56-62. Retrieved November 17, 2010 from EBSCOhost. Leininger, M. (1995) Transcultural Nursing: Concepts, Theories, Research and Practices. McGraw-Hill. 1995. Merriam-Webster’s Medical Dictionary. (n. d. ) Retrieved November 16, 2010, from http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/homophobia. Neville, S. , amp; Henrickson, M. (2006). Perceptions of lesbian, gay and bisexual people of primary healthcare services. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 55, 407-415. Retrieved November 3, 2010 from EBSCOhost. Richmond, J. , amp; McKenna, H. (1998). Homophobia: An evolutionary analysis of the concept as applied to nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 28, 362-368. Retrieved November 1, 2010 from EBSCOhost. Rondahl, G. , Innala, S. amp; Carlsson, M. (2004). Nurse’s attitudes towards lesbians and gay men. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 47, 386-392. Retrieved November 12, 2010 from EBSCOhost. Tate, F. , amp; Longo, D. (2004). Homophobia: A challenge for psychosocial nursing. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing amp; Mental Health Services, 42, 26-33. Retrieved November 16, 2010 from EBSCOhost. Walker, L. O. , amp; Avant, K. C. , (20 05). The Strategies for Theory Construction in (4th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. 10. Potential Application to Research

The title is related to New applications of mathematics or Maths and Essay

The title is related to New applications of mathematics or Maths and technology - Essay Example The resultants are thus technological advancements in every field of life. May it be the field of arts, science or the corporate management the application of mathematics in each of these fields has proved to be meritorious for the concerned field. This study commences with an introduction of the applications of mathematics on both arts and science. It further focuses on one of the fields of science, namely ‘biology’, for elaboration and evidence. Mathematics can be described as a science of numbers that involves quantities, relationships and measurements. A further focus on this science reveals results of its different applications as follows: APPLICATIONS OF MATHEMATICS TO ARTS The domain of arts is widespread on a number of things. It uses creativity and skill to bring objects to a state that confirms to aesthetic sense. The applications of mathematics, that is, of numerical quantities and relationships, on procedures of art, have originated certain domains that were not known to man earlier. Geometrical patterns are evident in almost everything around us. This was realized even by ancient Greeks. Art models and sculptures dating back to those times can be seen to have clear influence of mathematical patterns. Consider, for example, the 5,000 year old ‘Flower of Life’. This pattern consists of an array of circles positioned in different rows. These circles are positioned such that the radius of one row of circles is positioned on the circumference of the circles of the neighboring rows. Figure 1 depicts the Flower of Life. Looking at the figure from another angle reveals certain mathematical facts implemented into it. Looking closely it is seen that a triangle is formed when the centers of three neighboring circles are focused. Application of the Sine and Cosine rules to the triangle and assuming that the circles have a radius of unit 1 it is observed that each row is v3/2 apart. Then there are innumerable other artifacts that displ ay the applications of mathematics. Examples are: ‘The Golden Ratio’ (The famous portrait of Mona Lisa exhibits an aesthetic application of divine ratio), ‘The Pyramids’, ‘The Parthenon’, ‘De Divina Porportione’ and so on. APPLICATIONS OF MATHEMATICS TO BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE Biology can be interpreted as ‘The study of life’. The word ‘bio’ means ‘life’. Both the mathematics and biology are completely distinct from each other at their core. Time and again, it has been proved that the assistance of math in biology has opened horizons of knowledge that were once not known to man. This article attempts to verify that despite being different in nature the application of mathematics in Biology holds immense importance. Edward K. Yeargers,  Ronald W. Shonkwiler,  J. V. Herod (1996) state in their book that Biology produces interesting problems and mathematics provides models to understand them. Afte r results have been obtained from the models, biology returns to test them. (p.1). How that is done is a very vast paradigm, the details of which would take thousands of words to cover. The studies of mathematics when applied to biology result in various amazing discoveries. A few of the applications of mathematics in biology are attempted to be discussed below. Biology and Mathematics make a very unique and suitable combination. Mathematical descriptions are very well taken by Biology as if they were tailor-made for them. Various key elements in quantitative biology are understandable through the study of mathematics.

Symbolism in the Short Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Symbolism in the Short Story - Essay Example For instance, a substantial part of the story is spent on describing the â€Å"stepping stones† in the river and the girl’s passage of it. Stepping stones and rivers have traditionally been symbolic of the journey of life. Rivers are also important as boundaries and crossing them often signifies passage from one world to another. The crossing of river Jordan into the Promised Land, for instance, is a crucial element of the Bible (Ferber, 2007, p. 170). The stepping stones, that are at first harder to cross and easy afterwards are also symbolic of the passage of life. This is the first hint that the speaker may be coming from a different land, or even a different plane of existence. The emphasis on the â€Å"glassy† sky is yet another symbolic clue. Glassy has connotations of an unnatural or artificial material, as it is man-made. It can also signify a certain deadness of the subject, an absence of expression as in the phrase â€Å"glassy eyes†. The absence of life, and the distance she feels from manmade objects further intensify the suggestion that the speaker is already dead. The narrator also mentions several objects of the landscape that she finds missing, suggesting a rather long absence. There was now a road that had replaced the pave and the pine tree she knew was gone.