Monday, September 30, 2019

Medication to individuals Essay

Administer medication to individuals, and monitor the effects (ASM 34) Outcome 1 – Understand legislation, policy and procedures relevant to administration of medication 1. Identify current legislation, guidelines policies and protocols relevant to the administration of medication Health and Safety at Work Act, COSHH (control of substances hazardous to health), the Medicines Act, the Misuse of Drugs Act, the Health and Social Care Act (Regulated Activities) and the Essential Standards, the RPS Handling Medicines in Social Care Guidelines, Health Act 2006. Outcome 2 – Know about common types of medication and their use 1. Describe common types of medication including their effects and potential side effects Paracetamol – Side effects of paracetamol are rare but can include a rash or swelling – this could be a sign of an allergic reaction, hypotension (low blood pressure) when given in hospital by infusion (a continuous drip of medicine into a vein in your arm), liver and kidney damage, when taken at higher-than-recommended doses (overdose). ferrous sulphate (iron deficiency) – Possible side effects are allergic reaction e.g. itchy skin rash, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing, constipation occasionally causing faecal impaction, diarrhoea, stomach pain, feeling sick and blackened stools. Warfarin (anticoagulant) – possible side effects are hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat, skin changes, or discoloration anywhere on your body, little or no urinating, urine being dark in colour. 2. Identify medication which demands the measurement of specific physiological measurements Drugs like insulin (blood has to be taken from a pinprick so that glucose can be measured before the insulin can be given), warfarin to thin the blood – again blood levels must be checked regularly, digoxin to slow and steady the heart (pulse should be checked prior to administration and advice taken if the pulse dips below 60 beats per minute) 3. Describe the common adverse reactions to medication, how each can be recognised and the appropriate action(s) required Common adverse reactions  are diarrhoea, skin rashes, sickness, facial swelling, blistering of the skin and wheezing. These can all be recognised by reading the side effects on medication packets or contacting a pharmacist. The appropriate action to take if a person supported is having an adverse reaction is to contact doctors/hospital so they can be treated appropriately. 4. Explain the different routes of medicine administration The different routes are orally, anally and injected into arteries, veins and muscles. Outcome 3 – Understand procedures and techniques for the administration of medication 1. Explain the types, purpose and function of materials and equipment needed for the administration of medication via the different routes Types of materials/equipment you might us and the functions; Gloves to apply cream etc to the inidividual without coming into contact with them and increase the chance of spreading infections etc. Medicine spoon/pot to make sure the right ammount is measured and the individual is not accidentaly over or underdosed. Oral syringe so you can accurately measure medicine in liquid formtissues, Eye or ear drops so you can accurately administer drops into the eye or ears quickly and easily. Outcome 4 – Be able to prepare for the administration of medication 2. Explain the appropriate timing of medication eg check that the individual has not taken any medication recently If you look on the bottle itself it should tell you the appropriate time of day, how many to take, and it should also include a section that has warnings on it. There should also be a MAR chart in place to record what was taken and at what time to ensure no mistakes are made. Dosage cannot be altered unless a doctor alters or updates it. The person adminsitering the meds must observe the person they administer them to and ensure that they took them. Pocketing meds or refusing meds are handled according to the person’s meds and orders. Sometimes it is marked as declined / refused meds. Sometimes it is documented that they did not swallow it initially and had to be encouraged etc. or whatever happened according to the facilities guidelines. Outcome 5 – Be able to administer and monitor individuals medication 3. Describe how to report any immediate problems with the administration You would record the problem/refusal on the MAR chart available and annotate the care plan, then inform the Home Manager or who ever in charge at that time and then perhaps discuss the issue with the service user’s GP depending on what the actual problem is. 5. Explain why it may be necessary to confirm that the individual actually takes the medication and does not pass the medication to others There could be conflict of other medication if passed on to someone else. It could cause allergic reactions, risks of overdose or even storing up of medication. You are signing to say you saw them take the medication so if you sign without being sure those records will be incorrect. 7. Describe how to dispose of out of date and part used medications in accordance with legal and organisational requirements Your home should have a policy and procedure for disposal of medication so you would ask to see it if you are not familiar with it. Lots of organisations have a Returns Book and a specific place to store medication in sealed envelopes, with name date, name of drug etc, that needs to be disposed of or returned.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Advantages and Disadvantages of Family Businesses

Family ownership or management of business is predominant in different countries. Family businesses exist in different sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing and services. Many of today’s prominent business firms that provide popular products and services and own respected brands are family businesses. Some businesses also start out as family businesses before shifting to other forms of business organisation. Family businesses are also significant contributors to economic growth. Firms owned or managed by families can be small, medium or large.Regardless of the size and scale of operation, the sheer number of family businesses translates into a diverse range of consumer products as well as employment opportunities and household income. However, like other forms of business organisations, family businesses have advantages and disadvantages that require consideration to support justifications for suitability in the present business environment.Advantages of Family Businesses Family businesses offer a number of advantages. These advantages explain the predominance of family businesses and the increase in firms owned and operated by families.The first advantage is the commitment towards the business that family members exhibit (Leach & Bogod 1999; Longenecker et al. 2006). Firms established and operated by families enjoy the commitment of family members involved in managing the business.There is a strong attachment to the business, as an outcome of direct and personal efforts. There is also the strong motivation to keep the business going. This leads to prudent decision-making over expenditures and investments (Longenecker et al. 2006). The business has high value to family members as a source of family pride and a legacy passed on from one generation to the next (Fleming 2000).The second advantage is flexibility over a wide range of areas, particularly work arrangements and responsiveness to change (Leach & Bogod 1999). Family members managing the busine ss are flexible when it comes to the time and effort they give to their work. As a highly valued venture, the family business becomes a priority to ensure business success (Fleming 2000). Family businesses also exhibit flexibility in responding to changing conditions in the business environment. Direct involvement in operations supports immediate recognition of problems and emerging opportunities (Sonfield & Lussier 2009).Decision-making over solutions or in tapping into opportunities also happens fast to respond to issues and needs. The third advantage is long-term planning fuelled by the goal of sustainability (Leach & Bogod 1999). The intention for family businesses is to continue across different generations (Fleming 2000). This intention influence strategic planning to ensure the stability and sustainability of the business. There is better anticipation and control of risks. Contingency plans are set in place. There is also high reliance on business knowledge and skills acquire d by the family (Lee, 2004).The fourth advantage is the exercise of direct control over the business by family members (Sonfield & Lussier 2009). The management of the business by family members supports speedy decision-making (Leach & Bogod 1999). Direct knowledge of operations provides information needed to support sound decisions. Decision-making can happen on the spot as problems emerge or comprise an expedited process. Moreover, family businesses are able to transmit family values into the corporate culture to ensure that operations align with the goals envisioned by the family (Fleming 2000).The last advantage is the achievement of employee motivation (Leenders & Waarts 2001). One source of employee motivation is the trust (Tagiuri & Davis 1996) emerging in the relationships within the business adopted from the fiduciary relationship among family members. Employees are extended trust to create the perception of value to the business.Another source of employee motivation is goo d channels of communication (Tagiuri & Davis 1996) that create a pleasant work environment. Communication not only eases work but also ensures the necessary support for the conduct of work. Appreciation and recognition are also easily communicated.Disadvantages of Family BusinessesFamily businesses also have disadvantages. Even if family businesses comprise the predominant form of business organisation worldwide, there are also family businesses that fail when the disadvantages overshadow the advantages. The first disadvantage is the rigidity of business structure and culture (Leach & Bogod 1999). Family businesses have the tendency to stick to tradition. While traditional practices may have led to the success of the firm, the changing business environment may require change.The value accorded to traditions and the fear of losing control may work against needed change. The second disadvantage is the impending conflict between family values and business interest (Leach & Bogod 1999) and conflict between personal life and the business (Longenecker et al. 2006). There is an overlap between family and business interests. Conflict emerges in areas when there is deviation between family and business interest such as in decisions to bring in external investors or change business practices. Decision-making can also become emotional when personal considerations intertwine with business (Fleming 2000).The inability to find a point of compromise can result to serious problems. The third disadvantage is the difficulty of continuity or succession (Leenders & Waarts 2001). Succession is a process charged with strong emotions and high stakes (Fleming 2000). Conflicts can arise when there are different family members aiming to become successors. The process requires consideration of competence apart from membership in the family to ensure not only the continuity of the family business but also the sustainability of the business itself (Lee, 2004). Unaddressed emotional issues can lead to the failure of the business.The fourth disadvantage is the threat of leadership crisis (Leach & Bogod 1999). A problem in the allocation of power can emerge when there is reluctance to allocate greater power to one member of the family to facilitate decision-making. There is likely to be preference for equal sharing of power, which can delay decisions during a deadlock (Sonfield & Lussier 2009). Problems with leadership can also relate to succession. There may not be good leaders in the family but there is preference for family members to lead the business (Fleming 2000).The last disadvantage is difficulties in achieving efficiency and profitability because of the preference for equity to the detriment of efficiency (Lee 2004). The placement of unknowledgeable and inexperienced family members in key positions instead of hiring external experts to take charge, while the family member gains experience, can lead to irrational or rash decisions that affect the performance o f the business (Fleming 2000). Similar situations focusing solely on equity can result to inefficiency that has a direct adverse effect on profitability.ConclusionFamily businesses have advantages and disadvantages. The family business, as a form of business organisation, suits today’s business environment through the advantages that are inherent or prominent in family owned or managed firms such as commitment, flexibility, control, long-term planning, and employee motivation. Addressing the disadvantages can be by finding the strategic balance between family and business concerns or interests that work for the business at present and in the future. In doing so, family businesses can ensure sustainability even in the fast-paced business environment.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Sustainability and population density Dissertation

Sustainability and population density - Dissertation Example The chief issue in such a situation is the creation of effective governance by the various State authorities that must necessarily work towards maintaining a sustainable development (SD) program, and apply adequate restraints on the human demand for natural resources, in order to protect the natural supply. 1.1 Sustainable development Sustainable development  (SD) refers to use of natural resources that aims at satisfying human needs, while safeguarding the  environment,  in order to create a developmental plan that aims that aims at meeting not only the requirements of the present generation but also that of the future generations. The term sustainable development was first coined by the  Brundtland Commission,  which defined it as the word as "which implies meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (United Nations, 42/187 Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987; WCED, 1987). Fig 1: Sustainable Development: Components, Scenarios, Consequences, this diagram shows the path of sustainable development that creates a link between the past, present, and future generations (Winograd and Farrow, 2002, 4). ... Sustainable development links the concerns that arise out of  bearing the total capacity  of  the natural resources  along with social pressures. In 1970, we find that the term "sustainability" was used to characterize an  economy  that was "in equilibrium with basic ecological support systems" (Stivers, 1976). SD can be divided into three basic parts:  environmental  protection,  social  sustainability, and economic progress (fig 2). Fig 2: A Visual Representations of Sustainable Development through pillars and circles, showing the three basic components (Adams, 2006, 2). Sustainable development is a quantitative variable and can be measured through observations on how well a community is adhering to the needs and conjectures of the present and future citizens. There are various indicators to measure the SD within a community. 1.2 Sustainability indicators Indicators are essential part of any process that helps to evaluate how much of the work done has achieved t he desired target, while also indicating how much work remains to be done. An appropriate indicator makes one aware of an existing problem, and helps to assess the various measures to fix the problem. Indicators of a sustainable development refer to the areas that form a weak connection between environmental protection, economic development, and social sustainability. Sustainability indicators reflect the close interrelation that exists between the three different dimensions for SDs, which are represented in the figure below: Fig 3: A diagram showing the close interactions between environment, the economy, and social sustainable measures of SD (Sustainable Measures, What is an indicator of sustainability? 2010). As seen in the above diagram the environmental or natural

Friday, September 27, 2019

HRM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

HRM - Essay Example Achieving strategic integration is one of the policies described in the Harvard model by David Guest (1987, 1989a, 1989b, 1991) and it is the ability of the organization to integrate HRM issues into its strategic plans, ensure that the various aspects of HRM cohere, and provide for the line managers to incorporate an HRM prospective into their decision making (Armstrong, M 2000; p 13). Wright and McMahan (1992: 298) define SHRM as â€Å"the pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable an organization to achieve its goals†. Schuler and Jackson (1987) have quoted few examples of HR strategies associated with a few strategic outcomes associated with achieving competitive advantage for organizations to achieve, such as cost reduction, quality enhancement and Innovation. For example, strategic practices to achieve Quality Enhancement would require good recruitment and selection, comprehensive induction programmes, empowerment and high discretion jobs, high levels of training and development, harmonization, highly competitive pay and benefits packages, and a key role of performance appraisal. The integration or strategic-fit model is regarded central to the concept of strategic HRM. This is also referred to as the matching model. According to this model, the HR strategy should be an integral part of the business strategy contributing to the business planning process. The strategic integration happens in two ways, the vertical and the horizontal. The HR strategy aligned to the business strategy is referred t o as the vertical integration, and the integration between different elements of the people strategy is referred to as the horizontal strategy (Shields, 2007). The SHRM version of Miles and Snow model (1984) suggests that organizations follow generic strategy and then develop a structure

Thursday, September 26, 2019

In the two(2) novels, analyze how the science in Science Fiction is Essay

In the two(2) novels, analyze how the science in Science Fiction is essential to making Science Fiction a literature of cognitive estrangement - Essay Example Individuals will then believe, that confidence, to be a sense of power. So, we can see the link between science, psychology and power, with science being the initiator. But, some times the acquired power could be a false sense of power as well. This paper will discuss this link and the role of science through the characters, Case and Armitage in Neuromancer written by William Gibson and through Androids in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, written by Philip K. Dick, and thereby analyze how the science in Science Fiction is essential to making Science Fiction a literature of cognitive estrangement. The environment in Neuromancer is full of science in the form of cyberspace. In that environment, the central character of Case, a computer hacker was recruited by a shadowy character, Armitage along with Molly to complete a series of missions. And in the course of the story, that mission control gets transferred to an Artificial Intelligence entity, named Wintermute, which uses Case’s services and science to integrate with another AI entity, Neuromancer. The mind of Case is an addicted one. Apart from the drug addict ness, which he suffered due to his low life; Case’s mind was also addicted to an entirely different entity, the entity of Cyberspace. That is, Case’s desire to connect to the cyberspace was thwarted by the injections of neurotoxins administrated by his corporate employers for his act of stealing. So, this injection of neurotoxins destabilized his nervous system and made him ‘handicapped’ to jack in the cyberspace. This of inability of Case to connect to the cyberspace created a sort of craving for the cyberspace and which only transformed into addiction. â€Å"For Case, whod lived for the bodiless exultation of cyberspace, it was the Fall. (Gibson p.12)†. And, this addicted mind got a new thought process when Mr. Armitage, wanted to utilize Case’s hacking abilities. So, using the computer technology and

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Astronomy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Astronomy - Essay Example Global warming due to climate change is recognized by many individuals, but big business, politicians, and deniers have caused serious doubt among some. The five following current articles reviewed show the perception of today’s world about the climate change occurring. â€Å"Climate change may trigger earthquakes and volcanoes† is an article about the link between volcanoes and earthquakes and climate change. Even slight climate changes can cause responses of the earth’s crust. â€Å"Evidence of a link between climate and the rumblings of the crust has been around for years, but only now is it becoming clear just how sensitive rock can be to the air, ice and water aboveâ€Å" (Fisher). With the warming of the earth, the sensitive crust is erupting more than other. This article showed how new technology is proving the link between earthquakes and volcanoes due to global warming. It also presents the idea the whole world is already being affected by global warming, not just the Artic regions. Global warming affects the whole Earth. â€Å"Scientists: Pace of Climate Change Exceeds Estimates† is article reviewing the expectations of world scientists about global warming and the rapid climate change. Scientists are now finding out their original estimates of climate change and global warming. At first the predictions were bad, but more recently the predictions have become worse. Scientists had not planned on the earth’s reaction to climate change worsening the affects of the global warming. The cycle of warming and worsening has already begun. Scientists have found: The permafrost holds 1 trillion tons of carbon, and as much as 10 percent of that could be released this century, Field said. Along with carbon dioxide melting permafrost releases methane, which is 25 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. In â€Å"Address threat of climate change† a passionate plea for the world to take action to stop climate change is asserted. Since

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Psychology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Psychology - Research Paper Example With regard to these chapters, this paper assesses the role played by nature in a child’s development. Many scholars argue that genetics determine human development (Kendra 2). Genes determine heredity and every individual has genes from his or her parents- mother and father. These genes are responsible for determining characteristics such as skin colour, height, weight and the colour of one’s hair. They also determine how a person acquires cognitive skills as well as directing the mental processes and physical features. Genes are passed from one generation to another. The two main types of genes-dominant and recessive, determine a child’s physical look. They also influence the rate at which a child grows (Gilbert 22). Therefore, children may start doing some activities earlier than others depending on their genetic characteristics. For instance, some can begin sitting without assistance by the age of 6 months. This may be delayed or may come early in other children. Genes are also responsible for genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis and cerebral palsy (Kendra 7). If a parent has such disorders, they are likely to pass them onto their children who will also do the same to the future generations. However, the environment under which a child grows also largely determines the physical and biological development of a child (Berger 50). A foetus that is exposed to chemicals and pollutants develops in a different manner compared to one that develops in a clean womb (Kendra 9). For example, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome caused by exposure of a foetus to alcohol while in the womb leads to physical as well as cognitive malfunctions. Nutrition influences physical and social development (Gilbert 41). A well fed child grows up to be healthy and enjoys all childhood activities. On the contrary, a poorly fed child is weak and may not enjoy what other children do since play and learning is hindered by malnutrition.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Reuse Collection System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reuse Collection System - Essay Example There are five (5) distinct phases in the whole process of refuse collection, which are the following: first step is from the house (kitchen, toilet, etc.) to the refuse can, second step is from the garbage can to the garbage truck, third step is the garbage truck going from one house to the next house, fourth step is selecting the most efficient truck routes, and lastly, the movement of a garbage truck to the final destination (either a materials recovery facility, a disposal site such as a sanitary landfill, or to a transfer station for eventual transfer to another final destination), so this process of refuse collection is actually a multi-phase process (Worrell & Vesilind, 2012). Some improvements are the home garbage compactor which reduces the waste volume to about one-fifth the original volume or size, the increasing use of plastic garbage bags to control any fluid leakages, use of garbage trucks which are side-loaded instead of rear-loaded to reduce worker injuries (strains, bruises, cuts, and fractures), use of can-on-wheels (waste wheelers), use of hydraulic hoists, use of garbage can snatchers, and covered trucks with compactors to increase the volume capacity a single truck can carry on its regular route per day to minimize trips. On a larger scale, environmental awareness gave the insight never to locate a landfill on top of water underground aquifer, near a wetland or bodies of water like lakes and rivers (Greenberg,

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Short Stories Essay Lamb to the Slaughter Essay Example for Free

Short Stories Essay Lamb to the Slaughter Essay Most murder mysteries often have a motive to prompt an investigation, and most classic murder mysteries include a detective to solve the case. Murder mysteries obviously also include a murder, may it be spectacular, cold blooded or accidental. There is also a murderer and a victim and a weapon of some description.. However, not all murder mysteries involve an alibi which in my opinion, adds to the suspense of the story. The main focus of a murder mystery is the location of the story or where it is set. There may be many different locations in a murder story, however there must be one main location for the story to be effective. Lamb to the Slaughter was written by Roald Dahl who is infamous for his enthralling stories, most of which are directed at a younger audience. It was first published in 1954. In Lamb to the Slaughter, the use of modern language automatically gives the impression that it is written in the present day. Roald Dahl is much more famous for his stories which are directed at a younger audience, however Lamb to the Slaughter is directed at an older audience ranging from GCSE students to adults. In his style of writing, Roald Dahl always writes about ordinary people who get involved in difficult situations to make his stories more suspenseful. The other short story, which I will be investigating, is The Speckled Band. The Speckled Band was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and it was first published in 1892. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is infamous for writing The Sherlock Holmes Adventures and The Speckled Band is just one story of many and The Speckled Band is written in speech of the time when it was first published much like Lamb to the Slaughter. Much more formal English language was used when compared to Lamb to the Slaughter. The main characters in The Speckled Band are Holmes and Watson and you could tell that they were well educated just by analysing how they spoke. Sir Arthur Conan Doyles creation has had worldwide success and has also been made into a Television series. The stories prove so popular because of the way Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the stories. He was very descriptive and gave the reader a real atmosphere of what it must be like to be in Sherlock Holmes Land. The setting also enhances the suspense and the atmosphere of the stories which is also another successful formula, which proves the Sherlock Holmes Stories to be  so popular. Sherlock Holmes is probably thee most famous detective in the world now and it is all thanks to the creation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Lamb to the Slaughter and The Speckled Band are both murder stories however they both deal with different types of murders. However in both stories there is a focus on animals that being the snake in The Speckled Band and the Leg Of Lamb in Lamb to the Slaughter. The Speckled Band is the longer, more sophisticated story of the pair and deals with exotic animals. This may be a personal theme of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. While the Lamb to the Slaughter murder is brutally simple, but in this case the murder is so good the murderess gets off. In the Speckled Band we want the detective to solve the murder to tell us how it was done, while in the Lamb to the Slaughter we know how the murder was committed, and we read on to see if she gets away with it. We also have two different styles as one of them was written in the 19th Century and the other in the 20th Century. The Speckled Band starts with the reader being introduced to how many cases Dr Holmes and Watson have solved and also what sort of cases these were. These cases were not ordinary cases, they were all difficult; strange, but none-commonplace, so any normal cases were shunned. The first sentence is also very long; taking up eight lines, so the reader can get background all in one go, without having to refer back to anywhere. The story is retrospect, as the plot of the story has already been started. We are introduced to the case and Dr Holmes; by Dr Watson, the faithful companion to Holmes. The entire first paragraph is devoted to describing the case of Dr Grimesby Roylott of Stoke Moran The first mention we get of Holmes is when at the beginning of the second paragraph he wakes Watson up, which we find unusual as, we are told he is a late riser. At the bottom of the next page we get our first archaism of the story. These are old style words or phrases that are now no longer in use, the one we get here is intimate friend, in this sentence he is referring to Dr Watson, and now most people no longer say male friends are intimate. We also get the feeling that Holmes has collected a considerable amount of money for his efforts on the seventy odd cases he has solved. This is shown by the fact he is only a bachelor; but he still manages to have a maid, and  he also drinks coffee which is an expensive drink; as in 1883 coffee was a recent import and so only for the upper classes. He is also respectful and a gentlemen and cares a lot for people, You must not fear, he said leaning forward and patting her arm. We then come across defray which is another archaism and means to make good or repay. We also find that Holmes finds his work rewarding, as when Miss Stoner says she cant pay yet, Holmes lets her pay when she can. The narrative then told by Miss Stoner goes on to say she was a step daughter to one of the oldest Saxon families in England, this family has fallen apart as has the Saxons. Being old as well would mean they were honourable. The estate had stretched to Berkshire and Hampshire, which are both rich a reas. The Dr Grimesby Roylott went to Calcutta, which was the jewel in the crown, of the British Empire, and soon got a prison sentence for beating a native butler to death, but as he was white, he did not get a death sentence. This shows us that he had a huge temper and was strong enough to kill someone with a beating. While in the Indies he married Mrs Stoner who had ?1000 a year, which would be given to him while her daughters resided with him. So when she died shortly after they returned to England near Crewe in a railway accident, they moved in with Dr Grimesby Roylott back to his roots at Stoke Moran. While they lived with him the ?1000 a year saw to all their needs. Until Doctor Grimesby Roylott changed and started throwing fits of anger, and as he was a man of immense strength he often got into brawls. It was said to be part hereditary and part from living in the tropics for so long. He had even thrown the local blacksmith over a bridge, so if he could do that to a blacksmith, normal people had no chance. He also allowed gypsies onto his land, and would disappear off with them for weeks at a time. He also had a cheetah and a baboon roaming his land, showing that he could not leave India behind. Her sister met a half-pay Major of Marines at her aunts house, and if she were to marry him Dr Grimesby Roylott would have to pay ?250 a year of his ?1000. A half pay soldier is a private soldier who already has enough money to live, and doesnt need paying; he is an amateur soldier. On the day of the murder the weather had been bad and full of forbidding, offering perhaps some pathetic fallacy of the awful deed done that night. Then from the story being quiet and conversational it very quickly turns into a scene of action and murder. The last words of her sister were very confusing, and so puzzled everyone;  which added mystery and cynicism. The next main event was when Percy Armitage asks for her hand in marriage. When this happens she is told to move to the room where her sister had died. From this point onwards the reader is very neutral, as they talk of what to do, and in a classic Sherlock Holmes way he talks of what to do and when to do it, but it will all happen because of logic. The next page is just Dr Holmes summing up and analysing all that he has been told. Dr Grimesby Roylott then burst through the door and starts shouting and threatening Holmes, he is never phased by any of this and responds quietly and politely to the raging shouts directed at him. We then see the great detective start on his quest; he shows he is also well aquatinted with firearms as he tells Watson to get an Eleys No2. So they then set off on the journey to Stoke Moran, when reached the story tells of the darkness surrounding Stoke Moran, and the Great House and its owner. During this part of the story, Watson asks Holmes questions on behalf of the reader, and so the reader gets all the information that Watson gets. Sherlock Holmes then goes through the whole process of trying to solve the mystery of how the murderer got into the house room, but it is without success, so it is still a mystery to Watson, the reader and probably Holmes. It is obvious though over the next few pages that Holmes begins to understand how the murder was committed. It is also shown that he begins to dislike Dr Grimesby Roylott increasingly, as he understands more about the murder and how it was committed. We then get the plan of Sherlock Holmes to show us how the murder was committed. The plan works perfectly, but with one fatal part for Dr Grimesby Roylott. The doctor is bitten by the murder weapon, the evil doctor dies dressed even in death in an eastern style. After this we are brought up to date by Dr Watson as he finishes writing the narrative. The start of the Lamb to the Slaughter differs from the Speckled Band because it is in the pas-tense. It builds up a picture. It also shows that it is in the 20th century as it has a Thermos bucket. We are then introduced straight away with no description a character who is Mary Maloney, who is six months with a child; and so an unlikely murderer. Where as in the Speckled Band we are introduced to Holmes after a page of description of his background; and  he is the story. The story style is more immediate and straightforward, and in the Speckled Band we have Dr Watson as a filter to help us. We get description of movement over the next paragraphs. This helps us to assess the mood in the house, and the tension between the two people. We also get to know the characters, and their routines, where as in the Speckled band we know who the main characters are and what they do, while out of no where we are told that Mr Maloney is a policeman with no build up to it all. We are also told that the couple have a conversation that lasts only about four or five minutes. We are not told what happened in this conversation, so we are forced to make our own opinion, of what he said to her, while in the Speckled Band we are given every detail. We are then made to make up our own mind about this and the next part of the story, when she walks across the room, she couldnt even feel her feet touching the floor. This shows she is walking on an autopilot, she may have pre-meditated the murder. She then goes downstairs to get the leg of lamb. We are told all this in the Lamb to the slaughter, but in the Speckled Band we dont know what the murder weapon is, but we do know that it is pre-meditated. We are then told that Mrs Maloney goes out to the shops to get an alibi, that she was happy and chirpy and not looking or acting like someone who had just committed murder, she puts on the face of a expectant mother and a very happy wife. She does this perfectly and gets th e alibi needed for later in the story. So when she gets back to the house she does not need to act to cry or feel sorrow at the death of her husband because she really loved him, and was probably sorry for killing him. The stories do also differ as, one person calls all the moves of the investigation, and the other has a team of people working all working together to try and solve the murder, when the single investigator solves the crime and the group of detectives fail. We then get a long drawn out conversation between the policemen, which is all-ironic. As they talk about the murder weapon, they are describing the joint that they are eating. Towards the end Mary gets referred less and less as a person and more as an object; this shows her identity as a murderer is disappearing. Both of the murders are perfectly planned and carried out, but the one has a detective, which we need to solve the case, and the other is a case of will the murderer be caught?

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Plato and Gettier on Knowledge Essay Example for Free

Plato and Gettier on Knowledge Essay Plato in one of his most famous earliest dialogue Meno tried to provide a new way of explaining how we humans acquire knowledge. The common notion of the ancient Greeks and even to our times on how we acquire knowledge is the characteristic of knowledge to be taught and learned. Knowledge in a sense is an outside entity that resides outside ourselves. We learn outside of ourselves through our environment or other people that try to teach us. However, the events and flow of discussion in Meno had convinced Plato to provide a new framework that will be able to discuss how we acquire knowledge. Platos basic discussion says that knowledge acquisition is more in fact a matter of recollection rather than learning. We acquire knowledge and ideas from the inside of ourselves and not through the lessons outside ours. Plato rooted this from the belief of the priest and diviners and even philosophers to the immortality of the soul. The soul had existed since time immemorial making it able to know everything it needs to know. Whatever knowledge and ideas had already been embedded on the soul because of immortal existence. However, as the soul transfer from one body to another body because of the mortality of the human body, Plato argued that as the body withers and dies, all the knowledge are forgotten and put into background. From here, Plato would argue for the knowledge acquisition to be a matter of recollection and remembering of the knowledge and ideas already possessed by the soul. Plato believed that whatever we know is a recollected and remembered idea of the souls former existence. This concept was explained by Socrates to Meno with the help of Menos slave. Socrates called the slave and asked some questions regarding geometry and the measurement of some shapes. Socrates tried to ask some questions that direct the slave to answer them rightfully. It is important to note the slave is uneducated in the classical sense. However, through Socrates questions, he managed to enable to direct the slave towards right answers. This had help to prove to Meno that the soul already possessed the knowledge and opinions about everything. For Plato, this knowledge can be accessed by examining ourselves and with yourself or someone asking the right questions that will redirect you to the knowledge and ideas inside your soul. Knowledge is defined in its justification, truth and being a belief. After discussing the nature of knowledge and how we can acquire it, Socrates and Meno moved on to discuss to define opinion and its relevance on the affairs of man. The task is simple, to define opinion (true opinion) and to contrast it to knowledge. Primarily, Socrates acknowledged the role of a good opinion in the human affairs. He did not disregard it completely but rather understand its use in some cases. In fact, he acknowledges the inclination of virtuous men to rely on their true opinion to do good things. However, Socrates clearly undermines opinion; even they are good when it is contrasted to knowledge. For Plato, an opinion does not last long and easily withers in contrast to knowledge that has the capability to last eternally. The main difference lies on the presence of a rationality and grounds on knowledge and its absence of an n opinion. He used the example of a statue. He stated that the statue with that is tied in a good foundation will be able to last longer compare to a statue that is not tied. For Socrates, though an opinion can produce the same awe to an observer, it is a natural tendency for humans to ask the question of why and how. These questions cannot be answered by an opinion because of its absence of ground. In this sense, knowledge exceeds an opinion. This definition of knowledge that is characterized by Plato which is defined as a justified true belief had dominated from the ancient Greeks up to the mid-late 20th century. The general belief that knowledge for it to be referred as knowledge must be able to satisfy three basic characteristics, which is (1) justification (2) truth (3) belief was questioned by Edmund Gettiers paper entitled â€Å"Is Justified True Belief Knowledge? †. This short paper that had managed to provide a doubt to the long tradition in epistemology that considers knowledge to be a justified true belief. Edmund Gettier provided to two cases or examples will put in to question the long era of this ancient belief. He presented a case in which the three conditions are present namely justification, truth, belief yet unable to be count as knowledge because of the play of other factors. In Gettiers examples which were referred as Gettiers cases, the three criteria were only made possible by some elements of luck and chance which clearly invalidate it to be knowledge. This put an end to a long tradition of considering knowledge by the virtue of three elements of justification, truth and belief. Though the paper of Gettier did not provide an alternative view or solution to his problem, responses on his paper can be summarized to the attempts of many philosophers to look or find out for the fourth criteria that will make the definition of knowledge. Works Cited Plato. Grube G. M. A. (trans) Cooper, John (rev) Five dialogues. 2002. Hacket Publishing Company Inc. IN. Print Gettier. Edmund. Is Justified True Belief Knowledge? Web.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Relationship Between Rubber Hand Illusion And Interoceptive Awareness

Relationship Between Rubber Hand Illusion And Interoceptive Awareness When and artificial hand is placed in a position compatible with the participants own posture, i.e. a position that is plausible anatomically with regard to the participants body, then the combination of visual input from the rubber hand and tactile stimulation to the participants hidden hand produces the feeling that the rubber hand is part of the body in around half of participants. The incidence of the illusion as well as its intensity is substantially reduced when the visual and tactile stimuli are applied asynchronously, so that the feeling on the hand is not matched by what the participant sees on the rubber hand. This reduction also occurs when the rubber hand is put in a posture that is anatomically implausible(e.g. Tsakiris Haggard, 2005). The term interoception was coined by Charles Sherrington (1907) in the same paper that he introduces the terms proprioception and exteroception. in the original definition, the term referred solely to visceral sensations. However, now it has come to encompass the physiological state of the body as a whole, and the mechanism by which afferent information reaches conscious awareness and affects behaviour, which can occur both indirectly and directly. Interoception relates to the way in which people perceive feelings from their bodies that affect mood, the sense of well-being and even emotions (Cameron, 2002). The field of interoception has been aided greatly by the advent of functional imaging. Thus far, research has been limited in its scope to contribute to the understanding of self-awareness and, by extension, consciousness. The rubber hand illusion has important implications for interoception because it implies that information from proprioceptors- the mechanoreceptors in the hand and arm- can be overridden fairly easily by visual information. However, it is important to remember that it is not visual information alone that the participant is subject to; they are also receiving proprioceptive input to their unseen hand. Ramachandran (2005) suggests that rather than the more cognitive Helmholtzian unconscious inference explanation posited by others (e.g. Lackner, 1988), the rubber hand illusion can be explained from a Bayesian perspective. Several (e.g. Alais Burr, 2004; Ernst Banks, 2002) have shown that adults are able to integrate information both within and between senses in what appears to be a statistically optimal (Bayes-optimal) fashion. The fact that Bayesian models fit human behavioural results so well fits with the evidence that synchronous stimulation in two modalities can bring about chang es in interoception. In a more natural environment, the probability of seeing something in the outside world being stimulated and feeling identical stimulation on a consistent body part is vanishingly unlikely and so it seems unsurprising that the neural machinery that fuses information between the senses is subject to this illusion. A more recent experiment has shown that both the afferent and efferent elements of the body in motion are able to influence the feeling of ownership (Tsakiris, Prabhu Haggard, 2006). The authors found that the rubber hand illusion could be elicited solely on the basis of hand movements. In a variation on the methodology, participants had a virtual hand projected to the front of them while their own hand was hidden. Both the participants index finger and the same finger of the virtual hand underwent up and down motions, which could be done either actively or passively. When movements were in synchrony, participants reported that they felt as if their own hand was nearer the virtual hand than when motion was asynchronous as in the classic illusion. Under the passive condition, as in the classic condition, the illusion is a result of integration of visual and proprioceptive information. Conversely, there is also efferent information signalling that the finger is moving in the active co ndition. One difference between the conditions was that the proprioceptive drift only affected the index finger in the passive condition. The rest of the fingers were not perceived as being closer to the virtual hand. However, in the active condition, proprioceptive drift affected the whole hand. Therefore, the effect was more local when afferent information alone was available, but more global when there was efferent information as well. Tsakiris et al came to the conclusion that efferent information can influence interoception and the sense of bodily ownership by unifying the body into a coherent whole. One possible argument against the view that the rubber hand illusion shows that visual information can override proprioceptive information is that the participant may simply be speaking metaphorically when they say that they feel as if the rubber hand is part of their body. This problem arises from the fact that measures of the extent of the elusion are based on self report. Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) studies have examined whether the rubber hand is truly incorporated into the participants body image. Evolutionarily, it is necessary to protect the body from physical harm, and so threat to they body elicits feelings of anxiety, the withdrawal tendency, and increased autonomic arousal (e.g. Cooke Graziano, 2003; Kalisch et al, 2005). Therefore, it seems fair to say that for something to qualify as being part of the body, the brains homeostatic mechanisms should react as if it is when it is under threat. This hypothesis has received support from the fact that hitting the table near t he false hand with a hammer leads to increased GSR during the rubber hand illusion (Armel Ramachandran, 2003). There was no change in GSR during the control condition in which the rubber and real hands were stimulated asynchronously. Ehrsson et al (2007) have gone even further than this and shown using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging that areas of the brain associated with interoception, i.e. the anterior cingulate cortex and insula are active during the rubber hand illusion. The convexity cortex of the anterior cingulate and cingulate cortex have been shown to become active during both the experience of pain and anticipation of it (e.g. Craig et al, 1996; Wager et al, 2004). The anterior insular cortex has also been shown to become active during pain anticipation, the experience of pain and also pain empathy (e.g. Singer et al, 2004). Furthermore, coactivation of these regions during experiments has been linked to interoceptive awareness and emotional processing (Farrell, Laird Egan, 2005; Craig, 2003). The authors suggested that the activity they found in response to threat to the rubber hand most likely reflected participants anxiety as they were elevated more when the participant felt ownership of the rubber hand than when they did not. Significantly, this activity was specific to threats to the body and was not seen in response to empathy for pain or looking at the syringe (which was used to threaten the rubber hand). This is strong evidence that the rubber hand illusion leads to changes in the participants interoception. Tsakaris (2010) describes the rubber hand illusion as a model example of how the normal sense of embodiment works, and argues that it can be used to examine how the experience of the body as belonging to the individual comes about, is maintained, and perhaps even how it can be disturbed. He puts forward a neurocognitive model in which body ownership is the result of interactions between current information from all of the senses and internal models regarding the body. This model begins with pre-existing models of the body that are stored in the right temporo-parietal junction. These allow distinction between objects that may be embodied and those that may not. Subsequently, on-line postural and anatomical representations of the body (in the secondary somatosensory cortex) allow modulation of this multisensory information. This in turn allows the visual and haptic co-ordinate systems to be recalibrated in order to respond to current demands of the environment. This is done by the vent ral premotor and posterior parietal cortices, which contain neurons that code for recalibration of the hand-centred co-ordinate system. This results in referral of haptic sensation that leads to subjective experiences of body ownership, which arises in the right posterior insula. Some similar ideas are expressed by de Vignemont. She argues that bodily sensations are experience through a multimodal spatial representation of ones body. This view leads directly to the prediction that the sense of ownership of the body should be influenced by information in the visual modality, as in the rubber hand illusion. She also points out that proprioceptive information decays very quickly while the hand is stationary, and that it is often vision that dominates the other sensory modalities (e.g. Welch and Warren, 1986). This provides further support for the idea that the spatial content of haptic sensations should rely more on the visual modality than proprioception. This can account for the fact that when Botvinick and Cohen asked their participants to reach towards the hand that had been stimulated (using their other hand), this motion was displaced toward the rubber hand rather than their unseen hand. This distortion of proprioception and the sense of the location of th e body comes from the emphasis on information in the visual modality, which can also account for the subjective feeling of ownership of the hand. This results from the localisation of the haptic information within a representation of the body that has been constructed from the information available to the participant. In the illusion, the descriptive aspect of the haptic sensation is accurate, however, the spatial aspect has been shifted. Craig (2009) examines the role of the insula in interoceptive awareness in areas as diverse as gastric distension, heartbeat and pain. He identifies awareness of bodily movements (rather than the sense of agency regarding movements) as a possible role for the insular cortex, as well as speech, self recognition and various emotions, describing an emotional salience network in which insular cortical areas feature. He also suggests that the anterior insular cortex plays a role in performance maintenance in which it is put at the heart of the switch to self reflective networks from central executive functioning. The insula is argued to contain representations of the self at every moment in time and to provide comparison between representations at different points in time. The predictive role that this implies may explain the role of the insula in emotions such as anxiety. He also examines the role of the anterior cingulate cortex in interoception and self awareness, noting its numerous c onnections with the insular cortex. He also posits an evolutionary theory, wherein the anterior cingulate and anterior insular cortex developed independently, but subsequently came to have more integrated functioning that performed the role of interoception, specifically managing autonomic activity. He argues that this explains the close relationship of the two areas in various neuroimaging studies. In conclusion, the rubber hand illusion has provided much insight into human interoception. It has revealed the different kinds of information involved in this process by showing how it can be tricked, as well as the flexibility inherent in the system. Neuroimaging studies using the illusion have revealed the mediating brain areas, which in turn leads to tantalising hints about how the conscious sense of the body arises. The experience of ownership of the body may be a significant aspect of self-specificity. This illustrated by the different ways that multisensory integration and internal models of the body are able to manipulate important psychological and even physical elements of the self, the prime example being the rubber hand illusion. Interoception has important implications for some groups of patients, in particular amputees. The rubber hand illusion has shown how outside objects can fairly easily be integrated into the body image. The withdrawal reactions that are elicited f rom participants are the same in kind to those that arise when replacement limbs are under threat.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

President Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles Essay -- American Histor

President Wilson and the Treaty of Versailles President Wilson’s righteous views of his efforts were so strong that not even the advice and urging of his closest confidants could sway his stance. While it is true that opposition forces helped to defeat the treaty, it was ultimately Wilson’s stubbornness that led to its defeat in the Senate. There were many factors that led to the initial outbreak of World War I in Europe. A constant struggle to gain the upper hand in the â€Å"balance of power† existed, and it resulted in the formation of many alliances between European nations. For the most part, these agreements stipulated that the nations would aid one another if one of them were to be attacked by an enemy. Eventually two distinct sides formed: the Allies and the Central Powers. The former consisted of Britain, France, Italy, and Japan, while the latter was made up of Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and what was left of the Ottoman Empire. Nationalism was an important factor in the outbreak of war as well. The French desperately wanted revenge against Germany, as well as the return of the Alsace-Lorraine region which Germany had seized from them. The Germans had their own nationalism at work, as their government took great pride in the industrial growth of the country, as well as the mounting power of their military. Conflict for power existed not only in Europe, but because of imperialism it spread across much of the Eastern Hemisphere. First and foremost, economic rivalries had developed between Britain, Germany, and France. The two Allied members of the group were very concerned about their Central opponent, as both wished to contain Germany’s territorial claims on the resource- and labor-rich continent of Africa. But what would ultimately lead to the outbreak of the first world war was Germany’s ever-increasing belief in militarism. The German military power had continued to grow as their industrial sector did the same; such power was seen as a symbol of national pride by the government. Other nations had built up their arms stockpiles as well, though they did not glorify it nearly as much as the Germans did. Nevertheless, the availability of arms, when combined with other political and economic factors, meant that a full-scale conflict was all but unavoidable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Billions upon billions of dollars worth of resources were poured... ...er that same vote, and finally Wilson’s plan of ratification without any reservations. All of the votes failed, with Wilson’s losing the worst by a 55-35 margin. The treaty with Lodge’s reservations was only defeated 50-41, so if Wilson had been the least bit flexible he may have been able to sway 20 or so senators to vote his way, which would at the very least set the stage for some sort of peace. Instead, Wilson’s self-righteousness buried his cause. Although his intentions were in the best interests of the world’s nations, Wilson’s method of getting the Versailles Treaty ratified ultimately led to its failure of passage by his own country. Not consulting the Senate during treaty negotiations was a terrible first step, but the president’s subsequent hard-line stance and unwillingness to concede anything left no chance for the doctrine to be passed. President Wilson is solely to blame for the Versailles Treaty’s failure. How prophetic he was in September of 1919, when in a pro-treaty speech he said, â€Å"I am obliged to come to you in mortification and shame and say I have not been able to fulfill the promise. You are betrayed. You have fought for something that you did not get.†

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

UNDERSTANDIN OIL :: essays research papers

The brutal attacks/bombings this week in New York, and Washington D.C., along with threats of attacks there and elsewhere in the country have changed our times forever. While the mass media concentrates on the details of the destruction, and the blanketed words of politicians, I will attempt to understand and explain the events from the fence. BOMBING AND BEING BOMBED ARE THE SAME THINGS ON DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE FENCE. Terror is not a spontaneous human action without credence. People just don’t hijack planes and commit harikari (suicide) without any weight of thought to the action. No one in the media seems to ask WHY DID THESE PEOPLE DO THIS HORRIFIC ACT OF VIOLENCE AND DESTRUCTION? To be able to understand the answer to this, we must first look at our U.S. Mideast Policy. During most of the 20th century, U.S. businesses have worked on attaining oil rights and concessions from countries in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. After WWI, secret back door deals by our State Dept. yielded oil rights from then defeated Turkey to fields in what is now Iraq and Saudi Arabia, in return for looking the other way at a crime against humanity, the Genocide of the Armenians by the Turks. Oil profits have been the motivating factors behind many attempts at counterinsurgency of democratic regimes by the CIA and the U.S in the Middle East (such as Iran in the 1950s, where the Shah replaced the Prime Minister who refused to give up oil rights to the U.S., and since the people couldn’t deal with the Shah, an extremist government headed by the Ayatollah Khomeini ultimately prevailed). During the Iran-Iraq war, America supplied both sides with weapons and advice. These are n ot the actions of a rich superpower wanting peace. Let’s not forget that Saddam Hussein, before being America’s vision of the Anti-Christ, was a close ally of the U.S., and the CIA. So what was the firm belief system of consecutive American administrations that caused all this to occur ? PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WILL LEAD TO HIGHER OIL AND GASOLINE PRICES. Let’s not also forget the power of the Arms industry, disguised as defense, that still sells billions of dollars of weapons to the area. Therefore it has not been in the short-term economic interest of the U.S. to foster Peace in the Middle East. Using the above reasoning, the U.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

New Industries in the Caribbean Essay

Caribbean economies from their earliest periods of colonization were essentially agrarian based (during slavery). Economical activities included livestock farming and small farming done by the peasants. There were also trading and commerce which included the establishment of shops, inns and taverns. Large plantations were worked by a mass of slaves with the premier crop being Sugar Cane. When the colonizers first came to the West Indies they mainly grew crops such as coffee, cotton, ginger, banana and cocoa mainly for export. However during the second half of the 18th century, these crops lost their comparative advantage to sugar. When sugar experienced its depression the planters relaxed their stronghold over control of the land and some estate workers turned their attention to the peasant sector and other industries. NEW INDUSTRIES By the beginning of the twentieth century, the peasantry had begun to play a very important role in the diversification of the West Indian economies. The Royal Commissions before the Norman Commission, and the Norman Commissions had made recommendations for the development of the peasantry (Curtis: p 32). Many of the export crops recommended by the Norman Commission were already being cultivated by the peasantry. For these crops to have greater success, the peasantry would need capital for greater investment. But this capital was not forthcoming. This was due to the fact that they had limited capital, occupied small plots of land because they were charged a lot for these lands. Additionally the peasants cannot produce at subsistence level. The black peasantry in particularly faced a number of obstacles which included the increase in land prices, eviction from lands, refusal to subdivide and sell lands and also heavy taxations. The planters most of the times sold large pieces of lands for lower cost to the whites in comparison to the ex-slaves. Rice, which had been cultivated earlier as a subsistence crop in Guyana began to assume importance as a cash crop in the late nineteenth century. The abandonment of sugar cultivation on some estates made more land available, as did the opening up of riverain crown lands in 1898 on what for some were manageable terms of purchase. By 1900 government interest was being channeled through the board of agriculture ith conducted experiments in different rice varieties and supplied seed to the growers. A more objective was to develop a uniform grain size to reduce wastage in the milling process and by 1908 this had been substantially achieved. All of this stimulated further expansion so that, whereas in 1891 the land under rice amounted to only 4000 acres, there was a tenfold increase in the following two decades, and by 1917 for every ten acres planted in sugar, Guyana, eig ht acres were planted in rice. Expanding rice acreage was accompanied by the mushrooming of small mils. In 1914 there were 86 of them in existence. They were hardly elaborate structures but they were linked to the large mercantile firms in the capital and they controlled growers in the villages through a system of advances. Many of the millers, like many large rice growers were Indians who employed Indian labour, and the evidence suggests that ethnicity hardly guaranteed favourble treatment. In 1905 it was exporting to the Caribbean. Rice enjoyed considerable prosperity during the first war. In the inter-war period alternative sources of supply to the Caribbean market dried up and this provided the main basis for the steady expansion of the industry in Guyana. Guyana is by far the most important producer of rice in the Commonwealth Caribbean. There were about 20 thousand peasant farmers in 1952; by 1965 their numbers were believed to have more than doubled, reaching 45 thousand. There were 222 rice mills in 1960 and 199 in 1970. All were privately owned, except two which were owned and operated by the Rice Development Company. Bananas were first introduced into Jamaica in 1516. However the first exports took place in 1869 after the depression of sugar. As the industry flourished American companies came in to handle the trade as the peasants supplied bananas to a US [Boston] banana trader Lorenzo Dow Baker. Boston Fruit Company later formed to trade in Bananas with Caribbean and Central America which later became the United Fruit Company [UFCo]. By 1890 the value of Banana exports exceeded that of sugar and rum, and it retained this position except for a few years until the Second World War. By 1937 Jamaica provided twice as many stems as any other country in the world. It thus became a plantation crop-corporations and large entrepreneurs. Banana soon became the principal exports from Jamaica, and Windward Island. Trading partners also changed-Destination was now USA. During the war the industry declined because the ships could not be spared to transport the product. By the beginning of the nineteenth century coffee was also an important crop in Jamaica (The Banana production was done mainly by the Middle class mulattoes). During the depression sugar farmers in Trinidad turned their attention to cocoa which was the first major export of the island, and by 1900 it had become the major export once again. It retained this position until 1921 when Ghanaian cocoa began to swamp the world market. During that time too cocoa was also an important crop in St. Lucia, St. Kitts and St. Vincent. In the 1930’s citrus, which had been cultivated in the stricken cocoa areas became important. So too did Pineapples in the 19th century. Relatively small scale farmers earned cash for production of bananas, coffee, cocoa and pimento for exports. They also produced tubers, fruits and vegetables for domestic markets. A substantial part of small farming was for subsistence with relatively small surpluses for sale. Bauxite, tourism and urban-based manufacturing and services replaced export agriculture as the dominant sectors of the economy in the post-war era, as the British West Indies pursued a programme of â€Å"industrialization-by-invitation† The mineral resources which include bauxite, aluminum, gold et cetera have been developed by foreign capital and for the export market, to a much greater extent than the main agricultural products. In Guyana the American-owned Bauxite industry shipped its first load of ore in 1922. Expansion was steady throughout the inter-war period but it was not until the second war that bauxite became an important force in the economy. The Jamaican bauxite industry was developed by American companies after the second war. Demand for aluminum by the United States military and space programmes and by the automobile and other consumer goods industries created a lucrative market for bauxite and aluminum. As of such in 1957 Jamaica became the world’s leading bauxite producer and the main U. S. supplier. The U. S. dollar earnings from this new export financed the import of capital goods manufacturing industries that were set up to produce for the growing domestic and regional markets. The investment cycle of the multinational bauxite mining companies began topping offs as the decade of the 1960s drew to a close. Bauxite and aluminum thus replaced sugar and bananas as the leading export product after the Second World War. In 1964 Jamaican bauxite industry had over 800 registered manufacturing establishments including a cement factory, cigarette factories, breweries and bottling plants, extiles, clothing factories and plant producing soap, margarine and edible oil. In February 1967 an agreement was announced between the Jamaican government and an American metal-fabrication company to erect an aluminum plant in Jamaica. The petroleum industry in Trinidad and Tobago is the oldest mineral industry in the common-wealth Caribbean. The first successful well dates back to 1857 but it was not until the first decade of this century that the industry was established. By 1909 the country was exporting oil and by 1919 five refineries were in operation. The industry is largely owned and controlled by foreigners. The production of crude oil is mainly in the hands of four companies-Texaco, Shell, Trinidad Northern Area owned by Trinidad Tesoro, Shell and Texaco as equal partners. However by 1980 the government had purchased all foreign operations except Amoco. The tourist industry was developed after the Second World War, and this two is foreign owned and controlled. This industry is an offshoot of the banana and bauxite industry especially in Jamaica. The establishment and development of the tourist industry were facilitated by incentive legislation and special institutions. Jamaica passed the Hotels Aid Law, 1944, granting accelerated depreciation allowances and duty-free importation of materials for the construction and furnishing of hotels, and the Hotel Incentives Law, 1968, granting tax holidays and other concessions. The Hotel Aids Act passed in Barbados in 1967 allows duty free importation of building materials and equipment and grants a tax holiday of ten years. And all three territories set up Tourists Boards to promote and service the industry. As in the other generating sectors of the economies, there is a large proportion of foreign ownership in the tourist industry. In 1971 thirty-five per cent of the hotels in Jamaica were wholly foreign owned, 56 per cent wholly locally owned and 9 per cent joint ventures. Foreign ownership was more pronounced in Barbados. Foreigners owned 61 per cent of the capacity there: 33 per cent was owned by nationals of the United Kingdom. 16 per cent by Canadians and 12 per cent by Americans. Barbadians owned 34 per cent, and 5 per cent was jointly owned. Local ownership was dominant (80 per cent) among the smaller establishments which provided 25 per cent of the total capacity. Trade and commerce was also taking place in many places in the British West Indies as well. According to Beckles and Shepherd (1993) â€Å"export trade in the British Islands showed in a number of the units spectacular increases to the peak of prosperity between 1929 and 1940. † British Guiana traded with Europe and North America, commodities such as sugar cane, coffee and fruits. Trinidad exported petroleum products such as oil to places such as North America and the United Kingdom. Jamaica too traded tropical fruits, sugar cane, coffee, cocoa and other commodities with Europe and North America. In the late 1950s, Jamaica became the biggest supplier of bauxite to the United States. RACE: The Indians are concentrated mainly on the sugar estates while the Africans are concentrated in the villages and the towns. The Africans have always been more mobile geographically and socially and the chief supporters of the urbanization movement. They provide the overwhelming majority of the labour force in the bauxite industry and mining camps in the interior of Guyana, and the petroleum industry in Trinidad, and the bulk of the factory and service workers in both countries. Until the 1950s they occupied a somewhat monopolistic position in the white-collar and professional positions. The Indians supply the bulk of the field sugar workers and also the rice producers in Guyana. -Europeans owned most of the wealth-producing assets in the colonial economy. The indigenous Ihere, imported labour] populations were allowed to engage in small-scale peasant farming on the fringes of large white-owned plantations but mainly relegated to providing cheap labour for the white settlers in the expanding corporate economy. Where this posed problems, intermediary racial groups (Chinese, Indians, etc. ) were brought in to fill the gaps in labour supply. As export staples increased the wealth base of the colonial economy and as some diversification into minerals, tourism and manufacturing increased that wealth base further, commerce and services expanded. This opened up opportunities for small-scale capital and smaller entrepreneurial firms to operate alongside the large white-controlled corporations. (Thompson: p 244). In Jamaica, this intermediate minority group comprised immigrant â€Å"white ethnics† like the Lebanese and Jews (who joined a much older community of Jamaican Jews dating back to the period of colonization and settlement) and the Chinese, whose upper and middle echelons, occupying a â€Å"shopkeeper† niche, secured for the group the real and/or symbolic function of â€Å"social whites†. A racially mixed â€Å"brown middle class† also formed a component of this â€Å"minority, intermediary ethnic group†. The traditional white planter class was displaced both by foreign corporate capital, whose interests were concentrated on sugar, and later bauxite and tourism, and the intermediary ethnic groups with whom they eventually merged. The latter groups formed a domestic merchant and manufacturing sector alongside the transnational enclaves. A black rural middle class emerged on the basis of medium-sized holdings concentrating on export crops such as bananas, pimento, coffee and citrus. They comprised a tiny minority of the rural population, however, most of whom occupied a range between full-time peasants and full-time proletarians. The race related dualism of Caribbean economy was classically exhibited in the division between the (TNC or â€Å"Jamaica-white†-owned) plantation and (black) peasant economies of rural Jamaica. In 1938, this division was reflected in a tenure system which â€Å"concentrated over fifty per cent of agricultural land into some 800 holdings and left nearly 100,000 poor peasants and their families with twelve per cent of the land* (Post, 1981: 2-3). In addition, the black peasant economy was itself internally stratified, partly along the lines of the division between export production and domestic food crop production, which was itself related to size of holding. In addition, there were roughly 80,000 households at the lower margins of the peasantry with an average of a quarter of an acre each. .A significant bureaucratic and professional black middle class emerged, but Blacks failed to challenge the entrenched economic positions of the intermediary-ethnic elites. In the meantime, economic frustration and disfranchisement led large numbers of peasant and working class Blacks to participate in â€Å"a massive outward migration to Britain and a large-scale exodus from rural to urban areas, which translated rural poverty into urban ghettoes and urban poverty† (ibid. : 252). In the late 1960s and early 1970s, many ethnic elites from the BWI began migrating abroad. This â€Å"created unanticipated and unexpected new openings for black entry into the entrepreneurial class and facilitated large-scale entry of Blacks into the middle and upper levels of private sector management† (ibid: 254). Blacks became well established within the corporate managerial elite and gained a foothold in many sectors of the economy manufacturing, construction, business services, tourism, commerce and agriculture alongside the still dominant minority ethnic groups. Their enterprises tended to be smaller, but a few were large. Other developments were the growth of import-trade higglering, which represented an expansion and in some cases a very lucrative enhancement of a traditional female working class role. The big corporate sector enterprises in insurance, banking, distribution, manufacturing, hotels and services remained under the predominant ownership of the economically dominant minority Jews, Whites, Lebanese and Browns†. Indeed, migration of some of the less important families appears to have facilitated a consolidation and expansion of corporate ownership among the biggest capitalist families.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Comparison of The Lottery and The Story of an Hour Essay

â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, by Kate Chopin; this story was about a wife who was told that her husband had died. The wife went through many emotions but the main emotion she went through upon hearing about her husband’s death was elation. She felt free from his presence in her life, but at the same time, she also felt sadness. She did not feel sadness for her husband’s death. She felt the sadness for her happiness about his death. â€Å"When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: â€Å"free, free, free!† (The Story of an Hour, by Kathy Chopin). In this excerpt the writer describes how Mrs. Mallard was feeling about the death of her husband. â€Å"But now there was a dull stare in her eye, whose gaze was fixed away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a suspension of intelligent thought.† This quotation appears after Mrs. Mallard goes to her room to be alone with her thoughts. This quote gives us insight into how Mrs. Mallard feelings are developing about the death if her husband. She sees something completely different than what someone else would see after finding out their husband has died suddenly. â€Å"The Lottery†, by Shirley Jackson; this story is about rituals. The townspeople gather every year on June 27th. The townspeople have many emotions toward their yearly ritual. They feel apprehension, excitement, anticipations, sadness and relief. In this story, the Lottery is to pick someone in the town that must be stoned to death to maintain their yearly ritual. The person that wins after the motions of picking pieces of paper out of a box happens to be the late comer to the Event. â€Å"Soon the men began to gather, surveying their own children, speaking of planting and rain, tractors and taxes. They stood together, away from the pile of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed† (The Lottery, Shirley Jackson) this quote gives the reader insight into how the men were apprehensive and uneasy around one another. They exhibited signs of worry and uneasiness about the events that were to follow. These two stories are alike in the way that the characters in the story go through high and low emotions. Both writers are females and they write their stories in the third person, both stories are best described as a limited third person. Kate Chopin has written her story from the point of view of the wife but mostly third person limited. The story begins with a narrator but then the wife’s thoughts begin to tell what she is feeling from her point. In The Lottery, the story is third person only, the author, has the narrator tell the story as if he were there but not directly involved in the actions of the story. These two stories have a unique way of getting the reader’s attention in how they wrote their stories. Kate Chopin gives the reader the impression the story is going to be a long drawn out tale but the story is based off the hour that Mrs. Mallard has to contemplate what her life will be like without her husband. Whereas, The Lottery is a drawn out story that in real time only takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete the task of picking out pieces of papers and stoning the winner. Shirley Jackson expands her story on what the atmosphere is like with the townspeople, she also goes in depth with the many characters. Shirley Jackson’s, The Lottery could have been shorten but would have spoiled the suspense.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Why Study History

People live in the present; no one lives in the past. The past causes the future and that’s where history comes from, history is important to know. We need to know history to understand societies and the way of the people who live in the societies behave History is interesting; it deals with real events and people. History offers a variety of topics and personal interests. Everything has a history; wars, nations and peoples. History is visible in every place of the world. History knowledge is very important, to not know history is ignorance in my opinion. Everyone should know where they come from. History focuses on the cause and affect around us today. I am majoring in history because to me history is a beautiful story that is untold. There is history everywhere you go and it intrigues me of why something was built, invented or done. There is a reason why everything happens and I love the thought of knowing the history of what made people do the things they have done in the past. To me history is seeing through the eyes of others, I am majoring in history because it has been by far my favorite subject my entire life. I always made excellent grades when I was in elementary school and high school. I choose to pursue history as a career, since I enjoyed it so much. History is an exploration to me and when you discover what you are looking for it can be rewarding and makes everything make sense. By seeing through others eyes we see where the failure and achievement came from. While studying history I have learned to question the things that I assume and the beliefs of societies. By learning the history of things I have learned to understand the assumptions I have made of people and why they choose to do the things they have done. I am glad that I have choose to pursue a career in history because of the things you learn and what you can gain from studying other cultures as well as your own. I study history because it can be used in everyday life and history is something that we learn from so the mistakes that were made in the past will not be repeated. Studying history is important in many ways, by studying history you gain more knowledge and are able to understand the world we live in.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Comparing Manchester Airport to Starbucks

One of the aims of Starbucks is Global Responsibility. This is similar to Manchester Airport's aim Environmentally Friendly because Manchester Airport is planning to cut the amount of CO2 emissions and recycle more; also Manchester Airport provide triple glazing windows for people who live very close to Manchester Airport so that they aren't affected by the sound. Starbucks is intending to make 100% of their cups recyclable by 2015, also to make 100% of their coffees in high quality, to contribute over 1 million lion hours of community service by 2015, to make 100% of their coffees fair traded. Also Starbucks is aiming to reduce energy and water conservation plus, Starbucks staff cleans their equipments such as mugs, cups etc, so that it's re-usable. These are similar because both of the company is planning to make the environment better by recycling plus they both care about other people and the planet because Manchester Airport is providing triple glazing windows, in addition, Starbucks is paying their farmers with fair trade. This shows that both of the company care about other people because they provide something to customers so that it's suitable in the condition they live in. Differences They are also different because Manchester Airport runs only in tertiary sector because they provide a service to people. Starbucks runs on entire sector primary, secondary and tertiary because they pay farmers to grow the beans so they are primary, they are in the secondary sector because they roast the beans into coffee, and they are in the tertiary sector because they sell the products and provide a service to customers. In addition there is also a big difference between both because Starbucks sells products such as coffees, cold drinks, equipments etc. Also Starbucks produces its own product. Manchester Airport only rents out space to Airlines. Starbucks serves cold drinks, hot drinks, muffins and cake and more and they even merchandise cups with the Starbucks logo on it. Manchester Airport provides a service; they have shops in the airport so that you can buy food and drinks. Plus on top Manchester Airport's activities has a massive difference compared to Starbucks the only similarity is that they both work in the tertiary sector plus, they both provide a service to customers. Starbucks coffee company and Manchester airport are very different business so their activities are not similar at all. Starbucks activities involve selling more than just coffee; they sell cold beverages, hot beverages and have a wide variety of different types of teas. Starbucks also sell merchandise such as Which Business is bigger? Starbucks business is far bigger than Manchester Airport; this is because Starbucks run internationally, Starbucks runs in more than 55 countries and they have 16,635 stores worldwide therefore, they are making massive profit worldwide and so they would need more staff to operate the business. Manchester Airport has only has one airport in Manchester, they are not an international business so they make less profit and so they have less staff. Competitors Competitors Manchester Airport – Liverpool and Heathrow Both of the company's competitors are similar because their rivals do exactly the same thing. Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Nero and Costa Coffee is Starbucks rival runs in all of the sectors, pay their farmers with fair trade, provide coffee and recipes, provide cold drinks and sell equipment, for example espresso machine and filter machine. Costa Coffee sells coffees such as espresso, cappuccino, Americano etc. These drinks are exactly the same as what Starbucks provide. However Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Nero has a different theme which is used on its website, it's very different compared to Starbucks, Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Nero has a black background on its website and the logo is just a plain blue rectangle box that says Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Nero. This website doesn't look that appealing, because it's very plain nor does it look posh. Costa Coffee website theme is a maroon background and a plain white logo saying â€Å"Costa†. Starbucks logo looks more nicer than Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Nero and Costa Coffee because it's not just plain it's a circle logo that says â€Å"Starbucks Coffee† and on the centre it shows a coffee, the background of the website is cream and has a picture of a leaf at the back, the website is also well organised, it's more far more easier to navigate therefore it would be more appealing to customers. I think that Costa Coffee won't be able to compete well against Starbucks because they only have 442 Stores and also Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Nero has only 520 shops worldwide, whereas Starbucks has 16,635 Stores, Starbucks website looks far more organised and more expensive than both of their competitors therefore, I believe that Starbucks are successful on being competitive. Liverpool and Heathrow Airport are just exactly same as Manchester Airport because they rent out space to airlines and provide a service to customers. Heathrow is Manchester Airports main UK competition because it has 5 terminals, more airlines fly from there, particularly long haul flights to the US with British Airports. To compete Manchester Airport could rent out to airlines for less money so that they try to gain more business with long haul companies such as continental virgin Atlantic. Liverpool John Lennon Airport is main local competition – they specialise in Budget Airlines such as Ryan air and Easy jet, therefore Manchester Airport has got to attract budget airlines. Qatar airlines fly from Manchester Airport. Manchester Airport has better services such as shops, restaurants etc. Heathrow Airport has 67 million customers every year, whereas Manchester Airport has only 53 Million customers every year. So I believe that Manchester Airport isn't that good at competing with other airlines, however they can improve by making more space so that more airlines can fly, and make more long haul flights and rent space to airlines for cheaper so that they get more airlines.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Assignment Report On Eight Domains Of The Nmc Framework

Assignment Report On Eight Domains Of The Nmc Framework The purpose of this assignment is to demonstrate my clinical and educational practice, especially in mentoring pre-registration nursing students, newly qualified nurses and internationally-educated nurses. All registered nurses have a professional duty to become mentors and play an important role in facilitating students to build their competency. I will aim to reflect on practice relative to the Eight Domains of the NMC framework and give an accurate analysis on how this can impact a student’s experiences and learning opportunities. Papp (2002) stated that, â€Å"student nurses highly value clinical practice and the possibilities it offers in the process of growing to become a nurse and a professional†. It is essential to create a positive learning environment that allows students to build confidence and therefore, bridge the gap between theory and practice. This promotes students’ interests in learning and encourages them to participate more. NMC Domains Establishing effective working relationships I was expecting a second-year student starting on the ward, therefore a students’ welcome pack was prepared and a discussion took place over the phone a few days prior the start day. The student had a few questions about shift times and was excited but worried to start, due to having no neurosurgical experience. I assured them that most of the other students were in that situation and that the team was looking forward to meeting and working with her. On the morning she arrived, I, as the nurse in charge, had allocated some of my morning duties to other members of staff so I could have an initial conversation with the student. In addition, I introduced her to the rest of the team, orientated her within the unit, and explained my role in the ward and the type of patients and how we distributed them. We discussed the student’s goals for this placement, the action plans to achieve them and further beneficial learning opportunities, for example: theatre time, bed meetings, shadowing specialist nurses, etc. I believe this initial meeting is an essential factor in building a mutual trust and working relation. Dunn and Hansford (1997) highlighted the importance of staff and student relationship informing initial perceptions of their learning environment as well as feeling part of an established nursing team. Facilitating Learning Within the initial conversation with the student I was working with, we discussed the learners’ objectives for this placement. I asked her what she felt she wanted from me as a mentor, what style of learning she preferred and what she felt assisted her to gain confidence with clinical skills. I discovered this made the student feel at ease in the learning environment. Furthermore, the student was reluctant and anxious to a verbal handover on the phone and we identified that as a goal to achieve in this placement. On the following days, I took the student and sat her next to me in three different occasions when I had to handover a patient to a local hospital. After she observed how I conduct myself, I asked her to go away and list the important clinical aspects she would need to inform the other hospital when doing a handover. A few days later, she had the occasion to handover a patient independently with me sitting next to her for support and with the list she made as a guide. She started very nervously but gained confidence towards the end of the call. She was very proud of what she had achieved and the approach allowed the student and myself to develop a learning plan based on the student’s needs. Research shows that clinical learning environments are considered as an anxiety and stress-provoking factor for pre-registration nursing students which can be barriers to learning. Effective and supportive mentorship help reduce anxiety and stress and could enhance students’ learning and performance. Assessment and Accountability Pellatt (2006) explains the importance of the nurses’ accountability when working with the students. As the nurse is accountable for the tasks they may delegate to the student, but insuring the student is competent in these tasks it will allow for safe practice. It is important to find out whether students have the traits to practice safely and effectively without any direct supervision on their own to be competent. A third-year student was allocated by myself the task of checking the vital signs of four patients. Even though the student was the one performing the task I, as the registered nurse, had the responsibility to check the observations were recorder and documented. When checking the patients’ observations charts, I realized that although they were filled out, one patient who should have been scoring on the Early Warning Score (EWS) system had not been identified and had been scored at 0. The EWS is a guide used to quickly determine the degree of illness of a patient. It has a policy to escalate and act quickly to prevent further deterioration (. As this student has been placed in the hospital for other clinical placements, I had expectations that he would have fully understood the EWS. We must work within our limits and if we do not know something, we must ‘ask’ in order to provide safe care. Moreover, I asked the student to evaluate his performance by asking him how well he thought he did. I listened to his side of the story and provide constructive feedback to identify his strengths as well as areas he has to work on. Giving constructive feedback is an important role of a mentor in student assessment. From this discussion, we put into place an action plan that allowed him to practice more on patients observations and study the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. I gave him a list of articles about EWS and asked him to read and interpret them. I also directed him to a microteaching session of EWS system. Once he felt confident and comfortable with his skills, the sign-off mentor and myself allocated him with four patients and evaluated him at the end of the shift. By the end of the day, the student was competent and self-assured in carrying out vital sign observations and mapping them on EWS. Mentoring gives an opportunity to reflect on our own actions and beliefs and helps us change our practices. Upon reflection, I have acknowledged my own strengths and weaknesses as a mentor, and become more aware of my role as an assessor. Thus, sometimes, nurses fail to fail students because they are not adequately prepared for the role. However, when a student does fail to meet the necessary foundation competence required by the NMC, then the only option would be to fail the student based on these ground rules. I believe that it takes a skilled mentor to quickly identify when a student requires more support and guide them through their learning with all available resources. Evaluation of learning In mentoring a student nurse it is essential to continuously evaluate and reflect on practice. Vuorinen et al (2001) found that evaluation is an important aspect of professional development. Therefore, ensuring adequate evaluation techniques are being used is imperative to a student nurses progression. As a mentor I encourage and welcome feedback from students with regards to my mentoring techniques and the environment in which they are learning. There is a difference in being a teacher or evaluator compared to being an assessor, an important role aspect of being mentors (Webb Shakespeare 2008). Being a mentor is challenging, especially when there is a shortage of staff as it reduces the amount of time that mentors could allocate to student assessment. Not only is this important for the progression but also my reflection on a personal practice. Clynes and Raffery (2014) highlight that effective feedback should not only explore areas or current practice, but should empower the studen t to proceed with excellent practical skills. Create an environment for learning When we share feedback on the learning environment, it allows my colleagues and I to ensure the ward is deemed appropriate by students’. Saarikoski Leino-kilpi (2002) emphasizes the need for a positive ward environment and a good leadership structure within the ward in order to maximize learning potential. Midgley (2006) identifies the importance of learning in clinical practice and the balance of theoretical and practical work by student nurses. Working with a first-year student on her first placement, we identified her objective e of learning about basic nursing care and how to ensure patients met their Activities of Daily Living (ADLS) (Roper, Logan and Tierney 2000). In order to facilitate her objective, every morning we highlighted the patients with dependency scores that indicated they would need more nursing care that someone who was completely independent with their ADLs. We carried out the basic nursing care together until the student felt comfortable doing this by herself when appropriate. Every morning, she would highlight the patients’ needs and use this to plan the care she would provide. The student excelled in the care given to these patients and updated care plans as and when was necessary. Context of practice When I became ward manager that I currently work on, I realized that the handover was not as efficient as required. It was an area in which I felt we, as nurses, could develop our ward handover procedure. In addition, I felt important information was left out which will potentially improve our clinical care for the patients. Sexton et al (2003) discussed the use of good communication tools for nursing handovers in order to provide continuity of care. I decided to use Safety Briefing forms to emphasize the patients who needed more attention (e.g. risk of falls, step down from ICU, etc.) so that the whole team was aware of particular patients’ needs. The students and members of the team seemed to appreciate the simple tool which allowed them to discuss patients’ care, due to the structure they were provided with. I feel that introducing this tool to the team I work with has changed communication and in turn patients care for the better. Not only has it benefitted the current staff but it gives students the opportunity to practice and gain confidence in what can sometimes be challenging communication situations. Evidence based practice Brown et al (2008) recognized the importance of evidence based practice to ensure patients’ safety at all times. However, there are barriers which are identified including time and resources. The importance of applying theory to practice was highlighted by Upton. D (1999) therefore it is essential that a good mentor facilitates this. While working with a second-year student, we allocated him with a patient who had contracted Clostridium Difficile. The patient was nursed in a side room with isolation protocols in place following Infection control policy. The student working with me at the time discarded the apron and gloves inside the side room as per indicated. Nevertheless, he forgot to wash his hands to decontaminate them. Gerding et al (2014) provide evidence to show that C.Difficile spores will survive in the hands, therefore the evidence states that we must only use soap and water in these instances and ensure that patients and visitors use the same approach. I sat with t he student and showed him the evidence articles, asking him to read through them. In response, he acknowledged that he needs to improve his nursing care and took it upon himself to remind visitors before and after entering a room that washing hands with soap and water is a must. Leadership Bally J. (2007) recognizes the importance of leadership in ensuring effective nursing standards. Not only is it important for nurses to have good leadership support from their seniors, but it is also essential that all nurses are themselves good leaders. Latham et al (2008) states the importance of nurses supporting team members is imperative to good patient care and career progression. Consequently, it is evident that a mentor should have good leadership skills in order to be an advocate for their student nurse and support them though their training. Wilkes Z (2006) describes the mentors role a one of support but also objective and analytical. When working with a student it is always essential that the student’s objectives and aims are met though planning and regular discussions of feedback and encouragement. I met a student at her first neurosurgical placement. She developed a strong interest in our area and discussed her eagerness of seeing more aspects of neurosurgery, particularly brain tumors. I promoted her spending time with theatre cases of oncology, followed by shadowing oncology nurses and their discussions at the Multidisciplinary Team Meeting every week. She was also present at family meetings where the results were discussed with the patient and the treatment to follow explained to the family. The student enjoyed her time and felt that she engaged well with members of the medical team. We set up objectives for her to achieve and had different meetings afterwards to see if the objectives where achieved. She found ‘difficult and painful’ to break up sad news to patients and found that this area of neurosurgery was very challenging and complex but one she would love to dedicate to in the future. We went thought some literature together and shared experiences with he r so she could understand that feeling pain and sadness thrt4ough our nursing career when facing extreme upset situations were common to most of us and nothing to feel ashamed of.