Week 3-Sheila Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Week 3-Sheila - Coursework Example They make this move with an aim of increasing the knowledge base the organization is going to rely on when making decisions. However, this technological move comes with the challenge of team members lacking trust in one another. Therefore, the management has to consider some factors in order to create trust in team players (Allison, 2013). The first factor is employing of proper communication tools to be used by the globally distributed worker teams. Such tools should be those which can be used to make long distance communications effectively. They should also be appealing enough so that the team can at least trust the channel used to pass the information. For example the use of videoconferencing is appropriate in instilling trust in team members (Boundless.com, 2014). Commitment among the members is another key factor that determines the trust that globally distributed worker teams will have on each other. Committed team members will ensure they are always ready to participate, and the work they do is perfect. In such a case the team players in different parts of the world will trust the knowledge and work done with their fellows as far as they may be situated (Carmody, 2012). Having common goals as a team is another factor that builds trust in the globally distributed team. The common goals are going to bring the team players together and this is a way of building trust among them. For example, with common goals, members will trust the information brought in by another member since they all believe in satisfying same goals (Chesebro, 2012). Organizational portal is one of the new technologies that improve communication among members of an organization or a team who are far away from each other. The tool is based on the idea of creating many platforms that every member will use to communicate to the rest of the team. the technology behind creating a portal for a team or organization is supported with a

The Wishing Tree Essay Example for Free

The Wishing Tree Essay February 27, 2013 It was the beginning of fall and the wind carried the aroma of fresh fallen leaves. The day was calm; children were playing outside, bikers were riding in the wind and homes were content with fall joy. Things seemed to be going well for everyone, everyone except Samantha Lewinski and her mother. Even the most amazing weather in the world couldn’t stop them from arguing. Samantha was growing into a young woman and she felt she knew everything she needed to know to take care of herself. Samantha had an idea of who she wanted to be and what she wanted to do. Her mother had a different idea. Her mother knew that Samantha was growing into a little woman but she was concerned with Samantha’s safety. These two different perspectives caused a whirlwind of confusion which in result caused many disputes. Samantha and her mother were known for their disruptive arguments throughout the neighborhood and this was the tenth argument this week for them. In their anger they were unaware of the changes to come. Maybe they should have enjoyed the beautiful evening. â€Å"No Sam! That party is going to run until 3:30am and if you don’t want to come home earlier than that, you’re not going at all! Samantha’s mother yelled so loud and hard the veins bulged out of the sides of her face. â€Å"You never let me do anything! Samantha’s heart was beating furiously. She quickly ran out the back door; tears wildly flying out the corners of her eyes. She hated her mother and all she wanted to do was get away. Into the woods she ran. She ran until she could feel her thighs and ankles burning from exhaustion. She sat on the ground, leaning against a large tree breathing violent, harsh breaths. Looking around she realized she had reached a calm, quiet, open spot in the woods. She had never seen this place before. The grass peeking through the fallen leaves was green and soft. The branches from the tree she leaned on reached across a small creek in front of her and the sun glittered off of the water like sprinkles of pixie dust. Samantha sat there in the silence thinking out loud. I’m so sick of my mom, she doesn’t understand me†, Samantha spoke out loud between breaths. Suddenly she heard a voice say, â€Å"I can remove your troubles. Three wishes I’ll provide you with and your problems will drift away. † Samantha, frightened yet curious turned around to see who was speaking to her up in the tree. Only no one was there. Soon she realized it was the tree that was speaking to her but her fear slid away as she pondered on the offer from the tree. Samantha looked at the tree with a sly grin saying, â€Å"I wish I belonged to a different family where the mom will let me do anything I want. The wishing tree shifted its branches and said, â€Å"Your wish has come true. † Samantha smiled with a grin from ear to ear, thanked the tree and immediately ran back home. Minutes later, Samantha arrived home. Bursting through the door with excitement and expectation, she ran into the living room. Samantha was very disappointed. Everyone in her family was the same, nothing had changed. Then she came up with an idea to ask her mother about the party again. This time when she asked, her mother looked at her with blank eyes and simply said, â€Å"Yes, you may. Samantha ran to her room to get dressed, called a ride and was shortly prancing out the front door. The party was a sweet 16 for S amantha’s’ close friend Julie. It was supposed to be pure innocent fun; Samantha had no knowledge of the events to come. Deeper into the party around 1am Samantha’s crush since elementary, Shawn Roberts entered into the party with a large cooler. Eventually it became obvious to Samantha and Julie that the cooler contained alcohol. Everyone drank except Samantha. People began to argue and things got out of control. Consequently, the cops were called by a neighbor and everyone in the party was taken to the police station. Samantha was terrified and wondered if she had made a mistake by asking the wishing tree for a new family. Moments later at the police station everyone was only given a warning and had their parents called. Samantha’s mother pulled in last. She entered the police station with an expression that showed no emotion or anger. Her mother stayed calm throughout the whole drive and even when they arrived home. Samantha kind of wanted to get in trouble for the first time in her life. She realized that her mother was right that day during the argument in the kitchen. If her mother was normal she would have never been in that situation. Now Samantha regretted her wish but she didn’t want to waste a wish to get her real mother back. The next morning Samantha woke up extra early so she could go back to the wishing tree to get her next wish. She ran as fast as she could, the wind blowing through her hair as she dodged twigs and branches. Swiftly, she had once again reached the calm spot in the woods. It seemed even more beautiful than before. It was a little warmer than before and the sun glistened on the water so bright it hurt to look at it. The wind blew roughly, whistling as it passed through the tall strong trees. The wishing tree sat very still in its dramatically stretched pose, looking as though it was trying to touch the water beneath it. Samantha was so excited to get her wish she felt like she was going to burst. As she approached the tree it spoke slowly saying, â€Å"Now child, there is one thing I have forgotten to tell you. Once you have made a wish it can never be taken back†. â€Å"Ok, yea, whatever just hurry before my mom comes looking for me†, said Samantha. Alright, young lady please state your second wish†, said the wishing tree. Samantha looked at the tree with the brightest eyes â€Å"I wish I could be beautiful forever and never grow old†, she told the wishing tree. â€Å"Your wish has come true,† said the tree. Without hesitation Samantha pivoted on her toes and proudly trotted back home. The following day Samantha’s mother left to go shopping. She decided to leave without bothering Samantha because she figured Samantha wouldn’t want to go anyway. Samantha’s mother arrived at the store slowly searching the racks for a new button up for work. She wasn’t having any luck so she looked up and strolled away from the area she was when suddenly she saw the most stunning blouse. It was a deep red button up with ruffles along the center. As she studied the shirt she noticed the face on the mannequin resembled her daughters’, almost exactly. The mannequins close resemblance began to gross her out so she backed away. â€Å"The eyes look so real†, thought Samantha’s mother as she turned around and walked off to find a different shirt. A tear ran out of the mannequins’ eye and down its plastic cheek as it watched the woman walk away.

Clinical Supervision in Practice and District Nursing

Clinical Supervision in Practice and District Nursing CLINICAL SUPERVISION IN PRACTICE AND DISTRICT NURSING: A LITERATURE REVIEW The following research reports a systematic literature review of studies which have assessed the development, implementation and outcomes of clinical supervision within practice and district nursing. 1.0 ABSTRACT Background – The demands which are being placed on nurses within the modern health care environment continue to increase. It is important that effective measures are identified which provide appropriate education, support and quality control for nurses to ensure that they can meet these demands. One such approach is referred to as clinical supervision. Through this, a nurse can be supervised by a more superior colleague who can oversee their actions and make interventions when necessary. Aims – This literature review will critically review research which has assessed the development, implementation and outcomes of clinical supervision in practice and district nursing. This will enable an assessment of the effectiveness and efficacy of clinical supervision within this group of health care workers. Methodology – A systematic literature review was conducted. Relevant articles were identified via computer based searches, manual searches and internet-based searches. Results – It was found that clinical supervision was developed based on a set of standards but that more work is required to improve the dissemination of these standards, role definitions and to standardise the process of supervisor selection and training. A need was also identified for supervisors to me made more available for both nurses and the supervisors themselves. Finally, the perceived benefits of clinical supervision in terms of support, socialisation into ward culture, providing clinical experience and improving the nurses’ job satisfaction were discussed. Further research is recommended to developed standardised and validated assessment tools to enable empirical analyses of the effect of clinical supervision on nurse performance and the quality of care provided to patients. Conclusions – Clinical supervision is seen to be an effective way of providing support for practice and district nurses. However, more work is needed to ensure that it is more feasible and that it is not viewed as a form of control or assessment by the nurses. Keywords – Clinical Supervision Practice District Nursing Evaluation What do we already know about the topic? Clinical Supervision focuses on providing nurses with education, support and management (quality control) Health care workers perceive that clinical supervision aids support, skill development, team building, provides a monitor and helps colleagues to share information Little research has critically analysed the effectiveness and efficacy of clinical supervision for practice and district nursing What does this study add to the knowledge in this topic? Clinical supervision standards have been developed but they need to be more effectively disseminated, standardised and the roles need to be better defined This review highlights the need for there to be an increase in the availability of supervisors for both nurses and the supervisors themselves Standardised assessment tools need to be developed and validated to enable an assessment of the effect of clinical supervision on nurse performance and quality of care 2.0 INTRODUCTION The world of nursing has gone through a period of significant change over the last ten years. In the acute nursing environment, nurses are using increasingly more complex health care interventions and have to incorporate the use of advances in both medical technology and disease management. Within primary care, nurses are required to face the burden of chronic disease and to facilitate patients beginning to self manage their own health. Such changes have been made as a result of Governmental policy and strategic approaches (Wanless 2002, Wanless 2004). Such changes have resulted in there being a range of extra demands being placed upon the nurse, both during and after their training. The Royal College of Nursing (2004a and 2004b) acknowledged the change which is occurring and stated that nurses’ continuous education needs to be assessed and adapted to meet the changing role of the nurse. Changing have particularly taken place within the education of student nurses through the implementation of Project 2000 (UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting 1986)Nurses are now required to undertake tasks which were traditionally performed by doctors. Through these changes the need for effective CLINICAL supervision within nursing has become ever more salient. As a result of the potential effects which a supervisor nurse relationship can have on the nurse’s learning, their experience of training, their subsequent performance on the training course, their future effectiveness as a nurse and ultimately on the quality of the care which is provided by the nurses, it is an important topic to consider within the fields OF BOTH PRACTICE AND DISTRICT nursing. 3.0 BACKGROUND Much has been written about the practitioner as facilitator, supervisor, assessor and role model, and the overlay of role functions (Windsor 1987, Hughes 1990, Donovan 1990, Bailey 1992). Despite this, there is still a lack of consensus within the literature in terms of a clear definition of what is meant by the term ‘supervisor’ (Hagerty 1986, Phillips et al 1996a, Phillips et al 1996b). It has been argued that the task of defining the term supervisor is made more complicated by the fact that other terms are used, such as assessor, facilitator and mentor, to describe the same role (Phillips et al 1996a, Phillips et al 1996b). As a result of the wide range of aspects of the role which is played by a supervisor, it can be stated that a definition of supervisor can only be a general description as anything more specific would run the risk of excluding important elements of the position (Davies et al 1994). For the purposes of the following review, the definition of supervi sion which was provided by Zwolski (1982) will be adopted: ‘Supervision is a relationship which is aimed at guiding the novice towards an established place within the profession’ (Zwolski 1982) In the nursing profession the aims of the supervisor will be to form a relationship with their nurses which enables them to be successful during their training and throughout their subsequent career. Jarvis (1995) emphasised that it is important to focus on the supervisor’s role as a function and as a relationship with the nurse rather than being about them as a teacher or practitioner. Through this role the supervisor can help to narrow the gap between theory and practice (Pelosi-Beaulieu 1988, Armitage and Burnard 1991). Butterworth and Faugier (1994) theorise that the role of clinical supervisor has three key elements, namely Education, Support and Management (through quality control). However one conceptualises clinical supervision within practice and district nursing, the benefits of the process have been demonstrated through previous research. It has been found that nurses require their supervisor to provide a good role model and to provide a source of support, particularly in the earlier years of a nurse’s career (Gray and Smith 2000). Research has indicated that nurses tend to leave the profession because they cannot cope with the demands of training or the job itself (Fulbrook et al 2000) or because of more personal factors (MORI 2003). It may be that clinical supervision has a broader role to play here in reducing the probability that a nurse will leave the profession. Based on questionnaire research, Thomas and Reid (1995) identified five important benefits of clinical supervision. They were support, skill development, team building, monitoring clinical performance and the sharing of information. The following review will consider research which has focussed on the clinical supervision within practice and district nursing. 4.0 METHOD A systematic review aims to integrate existing information from a comprehensive range of sources, utilising a scientific replicable approach, which gives a balanced view, hence minimising bias (Hart 1998). In other words, a scientific approach will help to ensure that research evidence is either included or excluded based upon well defined and standardised criteria. This should ensure that the possible effects of researcher bias should be kept to a minimum. Brealey and Glenny (1999) also states that systematic reviews provide a means of integrating valid information from the research literature to provide a basis for rational decision making concerning the provision of healthcare. 4.1 SOURCES OF DATA The methodology employed within the research will involve obtaining data from three key sources: Computerised searches, Manual searches, and the Internet. Each of these data sources will now be considered in more detail. 4.1.1 COMPUTERISED SEARCHES Multiple databases, both online and CD–Rom will be accessed to retrieve literature because they cite the majority of relevant texts. (Loy 2000) The computerised bibliographic databases are:- MEDLINE EMBASE CINAHL PSYCHINFO British Nursing Info BNI Cochrane Science Direct(All Sciences Electronic Journals) However because articles may not be correctly indexed within the computerised databases, other strategies will be applied in order to achieve a comprehensive search (Sindhu Dickson 1997). 4.1.2 MANUAL SEARCHES A manual search will be performed to ensure that all relevant literature is accessed. The manual searches will include:- Books relevant to the topic from university libraries and web sites Inverse searching- by locating index terms of relevant journal articles and texts Systematically searching reference lists and bibliographies of relevant journal articles and texts 4.1.3 THE INTERNET The internet will provide a global perspective of the research topic and a searchable database of Internet files collected by a computer. Sites accessed will include:- Department of Health National Institute of Clinical Excellence English National Board of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Google 4.2 IDENTIFICATION OF KEY WORDS The selection of search terms is an important task. The search needs to be sensitive in that it should identify as many of the key articles as possible. It should also be specific in reducing the number of irrelevant articles which it produces. The search words were derived based on the research question, as recommended by Loy (2000). They were: Clinical Supervision Practice Nursing District Nursing Evaluation Effectiveness 4.3 INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA. In order that a manageable quantity of pertinent literature is included in this study, it is essential that inclusion and exclusion criteria are applied. These are outlined below: 4.3.1 INCLUSION CRITERIA The articles which are highlighted within the proposed searches will be assessed in terms of whether or not they meet the following criteria. Each article will need to be viewed as appropriate with regards to all of these constraints if they are to be included in the final analysis. From the pool of data which is obtained, the most appropriate articles which meet these inclusion criteria will be selected for use within the review. A literature review encompassing all methodologies will be applied (International studies will be included Available in English Relate to Clinical Supervision Relate to Practice or District Nursing 4.3.2 EXCLUSION CRITERIA The articles highlighted by the searches will also be assessed in terms of whether or not they fulfil the following exclusion criteria. If a potentially relevant article meets one or more of these criteria then they will be immediately excluded from the data set and will not be included within the analysis stage of the methodology. Articles relating to supervision in industries other than health care will not be included Literature in a foreign language will be excluded because of the cost and difficulties in obtaining translation. Research reported prior to 1985 will not be included within this review. 4.4 CONSIDERATION OF ETHICAL ISSUES Any research involving NHS patients/service users, carers, NHS data, organs or tissues, NHS staff, or premises requires the approval of a NHS research ethics committee (Department of Health 2001). A literature review involves commenting on the work of others, work that is primarily published or in the public domain. This research methodology does not require access to confidential case records, staff, patients or clients so permission from an ethics committee is not required to carry out the review. The researcher will also act professionally when identifying, reviewing and reporting relevant studies. 5.0 RESULTS The most relevant research which was identified by the methodology employed within this research will now be critically analysed. In order to structure the discussion more effectively, the analysis will address the three stages which should comprise the evaluation of a training intervention (Kirkpatrick 1979). Thus the discussion will consider the development, implementation and outcomes of clinical supervision in practice and district nursing. 5.1 EVALUATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUPERVISION PROGRAMMES Whenever one is considering a health care intervention, it is important to first address the foundations upon which it was developed. In the case of clinical supervision, one must consider the relevant policies and theoretical frameworks. A set of standards which govern the preparation and role of supervisors were produced by the UK Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (2004). The English National Board have outlined the five key aspects of the supervisors role: Assisting, Befriending, Guiding, Advising and Counselling (Anforth 1992). Research has been conducted with the aim of evaluating the supervision process from a theoretical perspective as well as those of the nurses and supervisors themselves. This research will now be outlined. Researchers have conducted reviews of clinical supervision of nurses and have highlighted some potential limitations. Andrews and Wallis (1999) reported that a range of different frameworks for conceptualising the supervisor role were prevalent and that more specific guidelines needed to be developed. They also found that supervisors often attended short and local courses whose effectiveness had not been evaluated. Furthermore, Wilson-Barnett et al (1995) stated that the continued use of terms such as mentor, assessor and facilitator, as well as supervisor, led to confusion of the specific nature of the role. Therefore, it appears that although standards have been developed regarding clinical supervision in nursing, further work may be required to ensure that they are more effectively disseminated. The process of clinical supervision needs to also be evaluated from the nurses’ perspective. Watson (1999) conducted semi-structured interviews with 35 nurses to investigate their perceptions of the clinical supervision which they had received. Two key findings were reported. Firstly, the respondents reported that they felt that the supervision process was not sufficiently defined by the English National Board. They also felt that the supervision process was not adequately clarified by their internal organisation. Standards were seen to be appropriate but they were not effectively applied to the practical situation. This research did employ a small sample and the extent to which the findings can be generalised to the UK as a whole may be questioned Having said this, these findings do demonstrate that nurses clinical supervision is based on appropriate standards but that the roles of supervision and the person being supervised need to be more specifically defined. The third and final area of evaluation concerns the supervisors themselves. Cahill (1996) reviewed the relevant research in this area and reported that there are a range of different supervisor selection and training procedures. This ensures that there is sufficient scope for different supervisors to be selected based on different criteria and for them to then go on and receive different levels of training. This lack of standardisation has the potential to mean that the quality of supervision provided throughout the UK may significantly differ. Further research in this field has been reported. For instance, Neary (1997 and 2000) interviewed 155 clinical supervisors. It was found that there was some confusion over the nature which the supervisor/nurse relationship should take. The supervisors were not clear on what their specific role was and the extent to which they should help their nurses. This causes problems in terms of competency assessment as the supervisors were not clear on what was expected of them and the nurses whom they were supervising. Therefore, issues regarding standardisation and role definition are prevalent within supervisor perceptions of this topic. This section has demonstrated that work is required to improve the dissemination of standards, role definitions and the standardisation of supervisor selection and training. 5.2 EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SUPERVISION PROGRAMMES A relevant research study which has been conducted in this area involved nurses and their supervisors completing activity diaries for a week (Lloyd-Jones et al 2001). The data provided via the activity diaries were then analysed in order to determine the extent to which the nurses were adequately supervised and what happened when their supervisors were not present. It was reported within this research that the nurses did spend a significant amount of time away from their supervisor. It was identified that in the absence of a supervisor, the student nurse was often supervised, either directly or indirectly, by another qualified member of staff. Although this may be a good short term solution, it is unlikely to be standardised across organisations and to only occur when there is an appropriate member of staff available. More strategic approaches to clinical supervision may be required such that practice and district nurses have appropriate support when it is required. The importance of supervisor availability has been highlighted within international research. For example, Saarikoski (2002) collected data from 558 student nurses who were based in both Finland and the UK. They completed the Clinical Learning Experience and Supervision Instrument. The Finish students were found to be significantly more positive regarding their clinical experience and their supervision relative to the UK students. This difference was found to be significantly associated with the fact that Finish students spent a significantly longer amount of time with their supervisor. This methodology benefits from using a relatively large sample. Other research has focussed on the extent to which the supervisors themselves are adequately supervised. Aston et al (2001) conducted research which was commissioned by the English National Board. They collected information via documentation, one-to-one interviews and focus groups using samples of 76 lecturers and 46 practitioners. The research focused on the participants’ perceptions of the extent to which the supervisors of student nurses are adequately supervised, monitored and audited. It was found that supervisors believed that they were not sufficiently prepared, supported or monitored. They had a wide range of different experiences and they believed that there was a need for a more organised approach which would enable more consistent support and supervision to be available. It is important that the supervisors themselves are supervised so that they have someone to guide and advise them in their role and to provide them with the support that they need to effectively supervise their student nurses. The methodology used in this study benefits from having a relatively large s ample and because it obtained data from a number of different sources. This facilitated an overall view of the topic to be gained by enabling a more comprehensive approach. This section has demonstrated that further work is required in the implementation of clinical supervision to ensure that both practice and district nurses, as well as their supervisors, are appropriately supervised. 5.3 EVALUATION OF THE OUTCOMES OF SUPERVISION PROGRAMMES A key area of any evaluation will focus on the relevant outcomes. However, in terms of clinical supervision, this is not a straight forward task as there is a lack of clear and standardised assessment tools. Calman et al (2002) conducted 12 focus groups and 72 one-to-one interviews with nurses and supervisors to gain an understanding of their perceptions. It was reported that assessment tools were not seen to provide a fair reflection of a person’s ability and that the approaches taken varied significantly between organisations. As a result of this the research which has empirically assessed the effects of clinical supervision on both the quality of patient care and the nurses’ skill acquisition is limited. Having said this, questionnaire research involving 19 nurses has highlighted some of the perceived positive outcomes of clinical supervision (Earnshaw 1995). The respondents indicated that the supervision provided vital support, aided their socialisation in terms of ward culture and facilitated their gaining of clinical experience which helped to improve their skills. Thus, through both direct and indirect methods, clinical supervision can have positive outcomes in terms of the nurses themselves. However, one cautionary note should be made here in that further research by Cahill (1996) has revealed that some nurses view clinical supervision as a form of control and assessment rather than a source of help to them. Therefore, more standardised and validated assessment tools are required before confident conclusions can be made regarding the actual effects of clinical supervision on nurses’ skills and the quality of the care which they provide to their patients. There are some perceived outcomes of both a positive and negative nature which are associated with clinical supervision. Further work here would help to maximise and realise the perceived benefits and to minimise the effects of any possible negative aspects. Other relevant research has focused on the outcomes of clinical supervision in terms of the nurses job satisfaction. Gray and Smith (2000) interviewed 10 nurses at five different points in their careers. A positive correlation was found between the quality of the supervisor/nurse relationship and the nurses’ satisfaction with their learning experience within their role. Therefore, if a positive relationship can be facilitated between a nurse and their supervision then this should, in theory, help to improve the chance that the nurse will be satisfied within their role. Research has also investigated the longer term aspects of the relationship between clinical supervision of the nurses’ satisfaction with their career. One such study was recently conducted by Pearcey and Elliott (2004) and involved interviews with 14 student nurses. Four key aspects were associated with whether or not the student nurses would be likely to go on and seek a career as a nurse in the future. These factors included ward culture, the reaction to negative incidents, the student nurses perceptions of the qualified nurses/supervisors and how these people were seen to treat the trainee nurses. Thus the supervisors can help to improve the learning experience in each of these areas. This section has shown that improvements need to be made in establishing a standardised assessment to enable more accurate evaluations of the effectiveness of clinical supervision to take place. Nurse perceptions of clinical supervision do reveal that there are both positive and negative outcomes. One interesting finding merits consideration here. Andrew and Chilton (2000) interviewed supervisors and nurses regarding the benefits of a teaching qualification on the outcome of clinical supervision. The supervisors reported that they felt that it made them more effective in the supervisory role and that they provided better support as a result of the qualification. However, the nurses’ ratings of supervisors with and without a teaching qualifications revealed no significant differences. Thus more work is required in developing the training of supervisors to ensure that it has a positive effect. 6.0 CONCLUSIONS This review has considered research which has evaluated clinical supervision within practice and district nursing. The discussion focussed on the development, implementation and the outcomes of clinical supervision. In terms of the developmental factors, a need for an improvement in the dissemination of standards was identified along with the establishment of clearer role definitions. A drive towards a more standardised approach to supervisor selection and training is also advocated. As for the implementation of clinical supervision, the need for both nurses and supervisors to be supervised was identified. Research has demonstrated that supervisor availability is associated with the nurse’s performance and hence it is important that supervisors are available as much as possible. The final section of the discussion considered the outcomes of clinical supervision. The lack of standardised and validated assessment tools ensure that it is difficult to quantify the effects of clinical supervision on the nurses’ performances and ultimately on the quality of patient care. However, the perceived benefits of clinical supervision, such as support, socialisation, enabling clinical experience and enhancing job satisfaction, were identified. It may also have longer term benefits in terms of reducing the probability that a nurse will leave the profession. It is through working towards the realisation of the perceived benefits that clinical supervision can be made as effective as possible. Through this, more effective training programmes for clinical supervisors can be developed and the potentially negative view of clinical supervision as being about control and assessment can be replaced with a more positive image of aiding continuous improvement in nurse satisfact ion and performance along with the quality of care which is given to patients. 7.0 References Andrews M and Chilton F. Student and supervisor perceptions of supervising effectiveness. Nurse Education Today, 2000, 20 (7), pp 555-562 Andrews M and Wallis M. Supervision in nursing: A literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1999, 29 (1), pp 201-207 Anforth P. Supervisors not assessors. Nurse Education Today, 1992, 12 (4), pp 299-302 Armitage P and Burnard P. Supervisors or preceptors? Narrowing the theory/practice gap. Nurse Education Today, 1991, 11 (3), pp 225-229 Aston L, Mallik M, Day C and Fraser D. An exploration into the teacher/lecturers in practice: Findings from a case study in adult nursing. Nurse Education Today, 2000, 20 (3), pp 178-188 Bailey D. Facilitator not teacher: a role change for tutors in open learning nursing education. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1992, 17, 983-991 Brealey S. and Glenny A, A Framework for radiographers planning to undertake a systematic review. Radiography, 5 131-146, 1999 Butterworth T and Faugier J Clinical supervision in Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting. A briefing paper. Nursing Times. 1994, Vol.90 No.48 pp.38-42 Cahill HA. A qualitative analysis of student nurses’ experiences of supervision. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 1996, 24 (4), pp 791-799 Calman L, Watson R, Norman I, Redfern S and Murrells T. Assessing practice of student nurses: Methods, preparation of assessors and student views. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2002, 38 (5), pp 516-523 Davies WB, Neary M, Philips R. Final Report. The Practitioner-Teacher. A Study in the Introduction of Supervisors in the Pre-Registration Nurse Education Programme in Wales. Cardiff, UWCC, School of Education, 1994. Department of Health. National service framework for older people: Modern standards and service models. London, UK: Author 2001. Donovan J. The concept and role of supervisor. Nurse Education Today, 1990, 10 (4), pp 294-298 Earnshaw GJ. Supervision: The students’ views. Nurse Education Today, 1995, 15 (4), pp 274-279 Fulbrook, P., Rolfe, G., Albarran, J. and Boxall, F. ‘Fit for Practice: Project 2000 Student Nurses Views on how well the Curriculum prepares them for Clinical Practice’ Nurse Education Today 2000, 20 (5): pp 350-357 Gray MA and Smith LN. The qualities of an effective supervisor from the student nurses’ perspective: Findings from a longitudinal qualitative study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2000, 32 (6), pp 1542-1549 Hagerty B. A second look at supervisors. Nursing Outlook. 1986, 34, 16-20. Hart C. Doing a literature reviewLondon: Sage Publications 1998 Hughes P. Evaluating the impact of continual professional education (ENB 941). Nurse Education Today, 1990, 10 (6), pp 328-336 Kirkpatrick DL. Techniques for evaluating training programmes. Training and Development Journal, 1979, 33 (6), pp 78-92 Jarvis P. Towards a philosophical understanding of supervising. Nurse Education Today, 1995, 15 (6), pp 414-419 Lloyd-Jones M, Walters and Akehurst R. The implications of contact with the supervisor for pre-registration nursing and midwifery students. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2001, 35 (2), pp 151-160 Loy. J. New on the Net MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, 2000 MORI. Student Nurses: The Pressure of Work. 2003 www.mori.co.uk Neary M. Supporting students’ learning and professional development through the process of continuous assessment and supervision. Nurse Education Today, 2000, 20 (6), pp 463-474 Neary M. Defining the role of supervisors, assessors and supervisors: Part 1 and 2. Nursing Standard, 1997, 11 (43), pp 34-38 Pearcey PA and Elliott BE. Student impressions of clinical nursing. Nurse Education Today, 2004, 24 (5), pp 382-387 Pelosi-Beaulieu L Preceptorship and supervision: bridging the gap between nursing education and nursing practice. NSNA/Imprint, 1988, 111-115. Phillips RM, Davies WB, Neary M. The practitioner-teacher: a study in the introduction of supervisors in the pre-registration nurse education programme in Wales part 1. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1996a, 23 (5), pp 1037-1044 Phillips RM, Davies WB, Neary M. The practitioner-teacher: a study in the introduction of supervisors in the pre-registration nurse education programme in Wales part 2. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1996b, 23 (6), pp 1080-1088. RCN. The Future Nurse: The RCN Vision. London: Royal College of Nursing, 2004a RCN. The Future Nurse: The RCN Vision Explained

Panama Presentation :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joshua Myers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  HUM 215   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Spring 2005   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bakhtiarova Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Country: Panama Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capital City: Panama City Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Geographic Location (region): Central America Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Coordinates: 9 00 N 80 00 W Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Boarders with Costa Rica to the West and Columbia to the East. Panama also borders with the Pacific Ocean to the South and Caribbean Sea to the North. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Population: 3,039,150 (July 2005 est.) Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ethnic make-up: Mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) - 70%; Amerindian and mixed (West Indian) - 14%; white - 10%; Amerindian 6% Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Education rate: Over one million people (37%) live below the poverty line; over half a million (12.3%) live in extreme poverty. The difference between rich and poor in Panama is one of the highest in the world. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Major History Events XV – XX centuries: o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The earliest known inhabitants of Panama were the Cuevas and the Coclà © cultures, but their numbers were decimated by disease and the sword when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. After several forays along the country's Caribbean shore, the Spanish established a settlement, Nombre de Dios, at the mouth of the Rà ­o Chagres on the Caribbean coast in 1510. Panama's Pacific coast later became the springboard for invasions of Peru, and the wealth generated by these incursions was carried overland from the Pacific port of Panama (City) to Nombre de Dios. The transport of wealth attracted pirates, and by the 18th century the Caribbean was so dangerous that Spanish ships began bypassing Panama and sailing directly from Peru around Cape Horn to reach Europe. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Panama went into decline, and became a province of Colombia when the South American nation received its independence in 1821. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A French attempt to build a canal in 1880 resulted in the death of 22,000 workers from malaria and yellow fever and bankruptcy for everyone involved. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Panama declared independent Nov. 3, 1903, with the full support of the USA. Columbia never agreed to their independence until 1921 when the USA finally paid Columbia $25,000,000.00 in compensation. o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  USA began to build the canal again in 1904; in 1914 the first ship saled through the canal. Ø  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Major problems or conflicts that the country faced in the last 50 years: o  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The only big problem was with the USA. The two countries argued over the canal contract until a new treaty was signed in 1977.

A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust Essay

What comes into your mind when you hear the word holocaust? What would be the most powerful deterrent against another holocaust? Will keeping the memory of a holocaust prevent it from happening again? Holocaust refers to the great destruction of humans made by other humans that result in extensive loss of life. In holocaust, there is a thorough destruction of life, especially by fire. In the modern world 1900 to present, it refers to the killing of some six million European Jews by the Nazis, thus the survivors in the holocaust of 1900 were able to write their experiences about the event. The literature was made possible because of the Holocaust of World War II. The literature includes true stories of survival, loss, and death. An example of a holocaust literature was â€Å"The Night†, written by Elie Wiesel. The novel â€Å"The Night† is about Elie Wiesel’s teenage experiences at different Nazi camps. He said that he would never forget those flames which consumed his faith forever. Other literatures influenced by Holocaust of World War II include Saul Bellow’s â€Å"Mr. Sammler’s Planet,† Anne Frank’s â€Å"The Diary of a Young Girl. † In conclusion, holocaust is the extensive loss of life through fire. Upon reading holocaust literatures, one will be able to see clearly that the most powerful deterrent against another holocaust are the survivor’s memories and testimonies about their experiences. Works Cited â€Å"Survivor Testimony and Literature. † 2005. A Teacher’s Guide to the Holocaust. 4 August 2008 < http://fcit. usf. edu/HOLOCAUST/ARTS/litSurvi. htm>.

Caught Up in Different Worlds

The short story Caught Up in Different Worlds is a fascinating piece that takes the readers through different jaunts of experiences of a woman called Sylvania, a good pretender who can imply to be happy even if sad, and can also appear to be sad when really happy. She is caught in different escapades that force her to fake what she does not feel. When wedding Horace, she pretends to be happy, yet in a real sense, she hates what she goes through. Later, when Horace dies, she pretends to be at a great loss, yet feeling relieved at last. This study examines the story alongside different stylistic devices used by the author. The devices include anaphora, asyndeton, polysyndeton, and kenning. Sylvania's parents arrange her marriage with Horace in accordance with their culture where parents decide whom to marry their sons and daughters. That is done to ensure they marry the right person. Even if they do not agree, children are obliged to accept their parents' verdicts. As a result, Sylvania pretends to be happy to meet Horace as her husband, but inside her is a heart of pain and despair that is forced to accept something she does not feel for. The story is a captivating piece about the experiences of a woman living in a world controlled by her parents who choose to express what she does not feel, just to conform to their expectations. She appears to be happy from outside, yet suffering from inside.AnaphoraAnaphora is one of the stylistic devices used in the story. It is the repetition of common or similar words at the start of consecutive phrases in conjunction with the pinnacle of the story. The author uses anaphora to express Sylvania's feelings on the last day of the wedding. While in her room, he engages in a monologue repeating the words ‘How I wish they understood'. The speaker uses the statement to explicate her inner feelings about what she is yet to face. The reader is able to see a jovial woman from outside but is in pain from inside. At one time, she opted to run away not to wed Horace, but on the other hand, she is strongly held by the love and respect she has for her parents. Horace, on the other hand, is comfortable and promises to be a good husband. The readers follow the story keenly to see how Sylvania would survive in the arms of a man she does not have any feeling for. At the end of the story, Horace involves in a road accident that claims his life. In that too, Sylvania pretends to be grieved and saddened by the death of her husband, but from inside, she is happy that she is free at last and makes her own decision. The culture allows a widow to remarry any man of her choice without being dictated by her parents. Therefore, the story is about a character that lives by pretense to please the people around her.AsyndetonAsyndeton is an act of omitting conjunctions between clauses, words, and phrases. In the story, Sylvania eulogizes her husband as loving and caring by the statement, â€Å"Horace, is loving, caring.† the people who listen to her are carried by her expressions to realize that they have not stayed for long in the marriage and feel that it is a great loss to her. She makes them think so by appearing so, but on the other hand, she feels relieved and happy at last. She falsely narrates how she was happy to have him as her husband, yet by the time of a wedding, she had thought of running only to be kept by the love and respect she has for her parents. In fact, the readers usually have an extended advantage over the characters since they can see the holistic story of what takes place. Among the people attending the two events, wedding and burial go home with a different image of Sylvania. They think that she is happy when she is very sad. On the other occasion, they think of her to be sad, yet she is the happiest. Therefore, any written piece has a lot for the readers compared to the characters involved.PolysyndetonPolysyndeton is structurally opposite to asyndeton. It involves the use of a conjunction between each phrase, word or clause. The use of polysyndeton is apparent at the beginning of the story where Sylvania is informed about the impending wedding. According to his father, though not named in the story, Horace is a good man with standard discipline and qualities of a husband. When given the news, Sylvania appreciates and accepts to marry as a demand of the custom, while inside her heart she does not have any feeling for him. Similarly, when the message of his death is delivered to her, she appears to be shocked and wails bitterly, yet feeling better to finally live a life that is uncensored by her parents. The other uses complete sentences that are well conjunct to express Sylvania's inner world. The story is so electrifying to see the way Sylvania is able to pretend and get away with it. In fact, Horace also lived with Sylvania for their short time in marriage imagining that she loved him, but not really. From this plinth, Sylvania represents many people in the society who live in particular ways just to impress the people around them, yet they do not like what they are. Therefore, it is an educating piece for the readers and the society to avoid putting more pressure on people to an extent that they live to express what they are really not.KenningKenning is used to creatively describe something in a more creative and skillful way. Chopin uses the same in her story on the first page, paragraph four and five. The story gives the readers an outlook of what Sylvania looks like while inside her room, during the wedding and when eulogizing her husband. As depicted in the story, she narrates her experience with Horace right from the time they had their first encounter. She also refers to him as a loving, caring and responsible husband. The readers can imagine a woman who enjoyed her marriage. They see someone at a great loss, more so because the marriage did not last long. Two things they are not aware of is that Sylvania did not enjoy the marriage, did not support her parents' choice and is very happy to have the news about the death of her husband. Life is a journey where two people can walk together facing the same direction, but not having a common destiny. Horace and the people around him thought that his wife loved her. When he died, people thought that it was a blow to his wife. However, the truth of the matter is that no assumptions were consistent with whatever Sylvania was.ConclusionThe story gives the readers an outlook of Sylvania, more so whatever she feels about the wedding and the death of her husband. People living around her are very unclear about what she really is. The story is a captivating piece about the experiences of a woman living in a world controlled by her parents. They choose a husband for her and she pretends to like it, yet not. When the husband dies, she pretends to be in a great pain of loss yet happy inside. It represents the people in the society who can smile to please people, but from inside, they suffer. Therefore, it has a lot for the readers to desire. Study Outline Attention Getter: The short story Caught up in Different Worlds is a fascinating piece that takes the readers through different jaunts of experiences of a woman called Sylvania, a good pretender who can imply to be happy even if sad, and can also appear to be sad when really happy. Thesis Statement: The story is a captivating piece about the experiences of a woman living in a world controlled by her parents who choose to express what she does not feel, just to conform to their expectations. She appears to be happy from outside, yet suffering from inside. Main PointsPoint#1: Anaphoraa) Explanation of anaphorab) How it used in the storyc) It's relevance to the storyPoint#2: Asyndetona) Explanation of asyndetonb) How it used in the storyc) It's relevancePoint#3: Asyndetona) Meaning of asyndetonb) How it is used in the storyc) It's relevancePoint#4: Polysyndetona) Meaning of polysyndetonb) How the author used it in the storyc) It's significance in the storyPoint#5: Kenninga) Meaning of Kenningb) How it is used in the storyc) It's relevance. The readers learn a lot from the story, more so the inner world of Sylvania. It tells more about living in a bigoted society. It paints the picture of the pressure that the society places on people to live according to certain expectations. The story is an electrifying piece with much for the readers to desire.

Hook the Mouse to Catch Events Outside an Application

Hook the Mouse to Catch Events Outside an Application Learn how to track the mouse activity even when your Delphi application is not active, sits in the tray or does not have any UI at all. By installing a system-wide (or global) mouse hook you can monitor what the user is doing with the mouse and act accordingly. What Is a Hook and How Does It Work? In short, a hook is a (callback) function you can create as part of a DLL (dynamic link library) or your application to monitor the goings on inside the Windows operating system.There are 2 types of hooks - global and local. A local hook monitors things happening only for a specific program (or thread). A global hook monitors the entire system (all threads). To create a global hook you need 2 projects, 1 to make the executable file and 1 to make a DLL containing the hook procedure. Our article on working with keyboard hooks from Delphi explains how to intercept the keyboard input for controls that cannot receive the input focus (like TImage). Hooking the Mouse By design, the movement of the mouse is restricted by the size of your desktop screen (including the Windows Task Bar). When you move the mouse to the left/right/top/bottom edge, the mouse will stop - as expected (if you do not have more that one monitor). Heres an idea for the system-wide mouse hook: If for example, you want to move the mouse to the right side of the screen when it moves toward the left edge (and touches it), you might write a global mouse hook to reposition the mouse pointer. You start by creating a dynamic link library project. The DLL should export two methods: HookMouse and UnHookMouse. The HookMouse procedure calls the SetWindowsHookEx API passing the WH_MOUSE for the first parameter - thus installing a hook procedure that monitors mouse messages. One of the parameters to the SetWindowsHookEx is your callback function Windows will call when there is a mouse message to be processed: SetWindowsHookEx(WH_MOUSE, HookProc, HInstance,0) ; The last parameter (value 0) in the SetWindowsHookEx defines we are registering a global hook. The HookProc parses the mouse related messages and sends a custom message (MouseHookMessage) to our test project: function HookProc(nCode: Integer; MsgID: WParam; Data: LParam): LResult; stdcall;var   Ã‚   mousePoint: TPoint;   Ã‚   notifyTestForm : boolean;   Ã‚   MouseDirection : TMouseDirection; begin   Ã‚   mousePoint : PMouseHookStruct(Data)^.pt;   Ã‚   notifyTestForm : false;   Ã‚   if (mousePoint.X 0) then   Ã‚   begin   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Windows.SetCursorPos(-2 Screen.Width, mousePoint.y) ;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   notifyTestForm : true;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   MouseDirection : mdRight;   Ã‚   end;....  Ã‚   if notifyTestForm then   Ã‚   begin   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PostMessage(FindWindow(TMainHookTestForm, nil), MouseHookMessage, MsgID, Integer(MouseDirection)) ;   Ã‚   end;  Ã‚   Result : CallNextHookEx(Hook,nCode,MsgID,Data) ;end; Tip: Read the Win32 SDK Help files to find out about the PMouseHookStruct record and the signature of the HookProc function. Note: A hook function does not need to send anything anywhere - the PostMessage call is used only to indicate that the DLL can communicate with the outer world. Mouse Hook "Listener" The MouseHookMessage message is posted to your test project - a form named TMainHookTestForm. Youll override the WndProc method to get the message and act as needed: procedure TMainHookTestForm.WndProc(var Message: TMessage) ;begin   Ã‚   inherited WndProc(Message) ;  Ã‚   if Message.Msg HookCommon.MouseHookMessage then   Ã‚   begin   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   //implementation found in the accompanying code   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Signal(TMouseDirection(Message.LParam)) ;   Ã‚   end;end; Of course, when the form is created (OnCreate) you call the HookMouse procedure from the DLL, when it gets closed (OnDestroy) you call the UnHookMouse procedure. Note: Hooks tend to slow down the system because they increase the amount of processing the system must perform for each message. You should install a hook only when necessary, and remove it as soon as possible.

Definition of the Hastert Rule

Definition of the Hastert Rule The Hastert Rule is an informal policy in House Republican leadership designed to limit the debate on bills that dont have support from a majority of its conference. When Republicans hold a majority in the 435-member House, they use the Hastert Rule to forbid any legislation that doesnt have support from a majority of the majority from coming up for a vote. What does that mean? It means if Republicans control the House and piece of legislation must have the support of most members of the GOP to see a vote on the floor. The Hastert Rule is much less rigid that the 80-percent rule held by the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus. The Hastert Rule is named for former  Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, a Republican from Illinois who served as the chambers longest-serving  speaker, from 1998 until his resignation in 2007. Hastert believed the role of a speaker was, in his words, not to expedite legislation that runs counter to the wishes of the majority of his majority. Previous Republican speakers of the House followed the same guiding principle, including former U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich. Criticism of the Hastert Rule Critics of the Hastert Rule say its too rigid and limits debate on important national issues while issues favored by Republicans get attention. In other words, it puts the interests of a political party over the interests of people. Critics also blame the Hastert Rule for spiking House action on any legislation passed in a bipartisan fashion in the U.S. Senate. The Hastert Rule was blamed, for example,  for holding up House votes on the farm bill and immigration reform in 2013. Hastert himself attempted to distance himself from the rule during the government shutdown of 2013, when Republican House Speaker John Boehner refused to allow a vote on a measure funding federal government operations under the belief that a conservative bloc of the GOP conference was opposed to it. Hastert told The Daily Beast that the so-called Hastert Rule wasnt really set in stone. â€Å"Generally speaking, I needed to have a majority of my majority, at least half of my conference. This wasn’t a rule  Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The Hastert Rule is kind of a misnomer.† He added of Republicans under his leadership:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"If we had to work with Democrats, we did.† And in 2019, amid the longest government shutdown in history, a congressman referred to the policy as the stupidest rule ever created - named after somebody who is in prison that has allowed a minority of tyrants in the Congress. (Hastert served 13 months in prison after pleading guilty to violating federal banking laws. He admitted breaking the law to pay hush money to a teenage boy he had sexually molested in the 1960s and 1970s when he was a wrestling coach.) Nonetheless, Hastert is on the record saying the following during his tenure as speaker: On occasion, a particular issue might excite a majority made up mostly of the minority. Campaign finance is a particularly good example of this phenomenon. The job of speaker is not to expedite legislation that runs counter to the wishes of the majority of his majority. Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute has called the Hastert Rule detrimental in that it puts party ahead of the House as a whole, and therefore the will of the people. As House speakers, he said in 2004,  You are the party leader, but you are ratified by the whole House. You are a constitutional officer. Support for the Hastert Rule Conservative advocacy groups including the Conservative Action Project have argued that the Hastert Rule should be made written policy by the House Republican Conference so the party can remain in good standing with the people who elected them to office. Not only will this rule prevent bad policy being passed against the wishes of the Republican majority, it will strengthen the hand of our leadership in negotiations – knowing that legislation cannot pass the House without significant Republican support, wrote  former Attorney General Edwin Meese and a group of like-minded, prominent conservatives. Such concerns, however, are merely partisan and the Hastert Rule remains an unwritten principle guiding Republican House speakers. Adherence to the Hastert Rule A New York Times analysis of adherence to the Hastert Rule found all Republican House speakers had violated it at one point or another. Boehner had allowed House bills to come up for a vote even though they didnt have support from a majority of the majority. Also in violation of the Hastert Rule at least a dozen times over his career as speaker: Dennis Hastert himself.

Classical music of 20th and 21st Personal Statement

Classical music of 20th and 21st - Personal Statement Example This "Classical music of 20th and 21st" outlines the development of classical music in this period of time and composers who influenced it the most. Arnold Schoenberg is a 20th century avant-garde composer that would go on to influence John Cage. His contributions to contemporary composition and music are well regarded. In terms of the questions of tonality and consonance, Schoenberg has a number of periods that must be considered. In his early compositional periods, he was more aligned with tonality, albeit in an experimental context. As he moved on to his later periods after 1908, he gradually adopted a more avant-garde style that embraced consonance (Kamien 2008). One such example of compositions in this later period is ‘Pierrot Lunaire.’ Similar to Arnold Schoenberg, Charles Ives began his compositional journey producing works with traditional tonal qualities. His work in such early compositions as ‘Variations on America’ demonstrates this tonal concern. In Ives’ middle and later periods he gradually adopted a more experimental style based on atonality and experimentation. His work in ‘Symphony 2’ demonstrated a shift in this direction that would later be more fully realized in his mature work. As his work further developed in ‘The Unanswered Question’ and ‘Three Places in New England’ he adopts a nearly entirely atonal sound. These works build towards what traditional classical music would realize in a melodic climax, but rather than delivering this, Schoenberg returns to atonal dissonance. Igor Stravinsky Russian composer Igor Stravinsky explored tonality in a variety of his compositions. Among the composers examined, he is perhaps the most renowned for the fantastical nature of the reaction to his famed composition ‘The Rite of Spring’. The composition, written for a 1913 ballet was such an avant-garde experience that the crowd rioted. The composition itself, while exploring traditional tonality in segments, is largely an atonal work. Some of Stravinsky’s other famed compositions demonstrate a similar concern with these challenging elements of sound. For instance, his work on ‘Histoire du soldat’ demonstrated similar concerns with consonance. Stravinsky’s late period work would explore 18th century classical styles, yet reinterpret them with his characteristic experimental elements, meshing both tonality and consonance. Sergei Prokofiev Similar to Stravinsky, Prokofiev was a Russian composer who developed a number of works for the ballet. To a great degree his works reflected a similar concern

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

Radiation - Essay Example Finally, I could be exposed to radiation from radio nuclides ingested into the body through food, say from crops that might have taken up radioactive isotopes from the ground or soil as noted by the US Environmental Protection Agency, EPA (2012). Therefore, both natural and artificial objects could expose me to radiation. Exposure to radiation poses adverse health effects, particularly when the duration of exposure is elongated and the intensity of radiation is high. Radiation could cause cancer as tissues get exposed to radioactive elements. Secondly, when foetuses are exposed to radiation, birth defects could occur which include smaller brain size or head, mental retardation or poorly formed eyes. Finally, radiation, particularly ultraviolet radiation from the sun, causes cataracts which are the leading cause of blindness (Nadakavukaren, 2011). The sievert, Sv, is the unit of radiation weighted dose which measures the harmful potential of radiation based on the type of radiation and also the sensitivity of the body organs and tissues involved. 3. Imagine that the LADWP decided to build a power plant on the vacant land at the northwest corner of Lassen and Zelzah.   For the purposes of this exercise, they are considering one of the following three options: a coal power plant that employs 100 people, a solar plant that employs less than ten full time employees, or a nuclear power plant that produces three times the amount of energy as the other two choices. Provide 9 full sentences describing the pros and cons of the proposed options.   Focus on the environmental health issues and include at least 2 statistics in the response. The argument should be balanced and incorporate factual material from at least 3 journal articles from the database link noted above. Should LADWP opt to build a coal power plant, they could benefit from its widespread availability which further protects the environment from the pollution that could result from its transportation had it

INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH Essay

INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIAL RESEARCH - Essay Example 3. Focus/scope The focus is comparing rationalistic and naturalistic paradigms in evaluating student teachers’ reflective practice held at Utrecht University and Trondheim University. 4. Location & Duration The locations of the study are Utrecht University and Trondheim University. The duration is a period of two to four months at the end of the teacher education programme. 5. Research Design & Methods Naturalistic (qualitative) method and mixed methods are used. The researchers have moved away from traditional research methods towards a concern for story-telling. 6. Key Concepts and Ideas The REFLECT project is linked to the postmodern period characterised by Guba and Lincoln or post-experimental enquiry. It involves two paradigms, rationalistic and naturalistic, in which the reflections of student teachers are compared through the Utrecht study and Trondheim study. 7. Key Findings, Recommendations, & Implications for Your Enquiry Interactions between communicating persons â €“ student teacher, teacher educator, and researcher -are the one creating â€Å"voices†. The researchers are part of the story they are telling. The researchers’ interpretation is the true voice of the refection in the study. The shift from a rationalistic perspective towards a more naturalistic one is mirrored in the Trondheim study. No recommendations are provided. The implications for my enquiry are that the paradigms can aid in evaluatinghow misbehavior of students may be affected on the teacher performance in classroom? Admiraal and Wubbels’ (2012) have focused on comparing two research approaches of reflective practice of two different modes of tele-guidance. This comparison is seen herein as an essential stance for the study in providing a clear view of the methodologies and approaches used. The purpose of this critical evaluation is to lay down the similarities and differences between two approaches in reflective thinking, aiming to draw inferences on how these approaches may be adopted to my own study, which is how misbehavior of students may affect the teacher’s performance in the classroom. The direction of Admiraal and Wubbels’ (2012) study to take on a storytelling method from the traditional research methods is congruent to its purpose and nature, being focused on comparing two research approaches of reflective practice of two different modes of tele-guidance. The position of the study is highlighted in the fact that it resulted in two different reports on student teachers’ reflective stances despite the fact that they share some perspectives on educational practices and reflections. Admiraal and Wubbels have emphasised that the different analyses and results are where the differences in beliefs in the Utrecht and Trondheim studies lie, apparently to see any alternatives to viewing the same phenomenon through two different lenses. This direction of the studies apparently seeks to adopt replicability by employing mixed methods and qualitative method respectively, called ‘convergence’ by Gorard and Taylor. Similarly, my study on how misbehavior of students may affect the teacher’s performance in the classroom shall take on a qualitative method and a case study design, which can be drawn from in-depth interviews and participant observation. The Utrecht and Trondheim studies are focused on adopting two different paradigms to seeing two student teaching practice environments, contrasting each other

Needs assessment and learner analysis Assignment

Needs assessment and learner analysis - Assignment Example Beverly observes that vaccines do not guarantee the success of preventing a disease (2012). Some vaccines are known to fail, therefore making the patient vulnerable to an attack. On this note, the effectiveness of the performance of a vaccine depends on many factors. Stratton (2004) denotes that the nature of a disease is a factor that may affect the effectiveness of a vaccine. For instance tuberculosis has the capability of resisting any form of a vaccine. Stratton (2004) and Beverly (2012) observe that the strain of the vaccine and the timetable of the vaccination program can influence the success or failure of a vaccination program. Some vaccines work better for a particular strain of disease, and other fail to work. It is also important to follow the timetable of the vaccination program, or else the vaccine might fail to work. Another factor is the genetic nature of an individual, and whether he has the capability of generating anti-bodies which will react with the vaccine to prevent a disease (Beverly 2012 and Stratton 2004). Stratton further denotes that the age of an individual plays a greater role in the efficiency of an immunization (2004). For instance, it is useless to immunize adults against polio, because the vaccine will not work. After conducting a needs assessment on the efficiency of early immunization, this paper is therefore a report on the findings, and a learner analysis of the vaccination program. The main audiences of the analysis are parents who serve in the military. The military provides immunization for their officers through the military immunization agency (Lemon, 2002). Lemon further asserts that the agency has the mandate of ensuring that military officers and their children are immunized against diseases that are a threat to their lives (2002). However, it is important to ensure early immunization of their children, since age is a factor in the

Comedian Russell Peters' jokes are controversial in that it is racial Essay

Comedian Russell Peters' jokes are controversial in that it is racial - Essay Example Many authors consider him a comedian using every slang term to make audience laugh at the cost of the racial identities. In the subsequent part of this paper, first race and comedy are elaborated and is followed by the analysis of the racist jokes of Peters before summarization. Race and Comedy The race based comedy is not new. In the older times, it was a part of the entertainer’s role to include openly racist stereotypes, degrading the socially deprived groups living within the community with no sign of apology. Undoubtedly, such stereotypes represented the existing realities in which certain races were clearly highlighted as superior to other races. Everyday racism exists in a wide range of interactions (Tator and Henry 27). The racist expressions involve in the many and small ways in which racism is experienced in the manifestations such as anecdotes, behaviors , racialised, sexualized and ethnicised jokes, gestures, glares and glances and in other forms of speech. And, mo st of the time, not the perpetrator but the victim painfully feels the impacts of the racially based comments. Although racist sentiments may be highlighted in less overt ways in the recent times, some racists use comedy as an ideal tool for mocking ethnic and other minorities. In this regard, Billig contends that if today there are taboos against the outward expression of racism, then the racist joke represents a way of expressing the unsayable (Humor and Hatred 285). Hutcheon argues that humor is not far from hatred, reaching at the level of unambiguous gender or ethnicity stereotypes along with requiring suspension of empathy where the victim being an object of ridicule (268). Humor consists of complex connotations. Hutcheon states that humor represents paradoxes as the utterance of humor may leave opposite pragmatic effects: what is welcomed as polemical and transgressive to some might be insulting to others and what is subversive for some may be offensive to others (p.52). This makes an analysis of ethnic humor so complex; is there a point making the joke as non-offensive? Absolutely not, the potential to offend lies within many types of humor, even if majority of the audience cannot stop roaring with laughter (Hirji 570). Analysis of Russell Peters Jokes The main function of racist jokes is to reinforce the presumed superiority of one ethnic or racial group over another (Howlitt and Owusu-Bempah 50). Without question, Peters does make audience a good laugh. However, what is the root of the racist joke? Is the joke offering difference depending upon who is the subject (Hirji 575)? Hijri quotes some lines of Peters as saying that somebody is going to get hurt real bad (575); delivered in a thick Indian accent with an aim of highlighting a mimicking fathers who threaten their children with violence and severe punishment; pertaining to his own family or to South Asians generally: This joke does highlight the issues around race and in particular cultures and its integration in a humorous way; at the same time, it does raise some questions about the domestic violence as well. In one of his famous jokes in which he speaks about the difference between Asians and South Asians saying that I think the god that making Indian people was making some kind of practical joke with all the other gods†¦. It’s hot and we’re hairy. Men and women [laughs at audience reaction]. Indian girls are getting mad, putting down their sleeves [mimics their angry reaction] ‘

Family Medical Leave Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Family Medical Leave Act - Essay Example Until 1993, workers were at the mercy of their employer's demands, and would often be forced to resign to accommodate their sick child or ailing parent. Larger workforces usually had some form of a leave of absence, but there was no standardization or legal protection to guarantee that your job would still be waiting for you when you returned. In 1993, President Clinton signed the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that guaranteed US workers that they would have some amount of legal protection if they are forced to take time off from work to take care of a sick family member, or help a woman through the childbirth period. While the intent of the FMLA is simple enough, there are myriad caveats and regulations that enact the legislation. The 1993 FMLA, and subsequent amendments, have created a law that allows time off to be taken by an immediate family member to care for a sick or injured relative. The time frame allowed is generally 12 weeks, though this may vary in specific situations. Because the law attempts to accommodate a wide range of scenarios, and anticipate the application of the law, it has numerous special provisions and entitlements. The purpose of this paper will be to clearly define the eligibility requirements for FMLA leave. This paper will explain what is required to obtain a leave under FMLA. It will present examples of the proper use of the FMLA, as well as the improper use of the Act. This paper will examine the potential for fraud and abuse under the law, and what is currently done to eliminate or reduce these cases. In addition, it will explain the penalty for abuse, and attempt to reveal why abuse may be difficult to identify and punish. It will accomplish these goals by examining the law fr om the standpoint of the individual as well as the organization. While this paper will strive to be complete, it is recognized that the number of specific rules, regulations, and exceptions makes a full and detailed explanation beyond the scope of this paper. The paper will cover the most widely used, and most common requests that are made to employers by workers that have a family member in need of care. Brief Historical Background The 1993 Act was finally passed and signed into law by President Clinton after two unsuccessful attempts were vetoed by President George Bush SR. in the 101st and 102nd Congresses. A Senate Report from the time noted the "demographic revolution" of the time, as well as the increasing numbers of women in the workforce, the number of adults who care for their parents, and the growing number of single parent families (Lee, 1993, 8). The Senate further contended that these numbers would have "profound consequences for the lives of working men and women and their families" (Lee, 1993, 8). In essence, single parent homes left sick children with no caregiver except the breadwinner, and aging adults that would be left to the mercy of the welfare system. In passing the FMLA in 1993 Congress stated that the Act was to "provide job security as well as a proper balance between work and family life for employees, resulting in increased worker productivity for employers" (Lee, 1993, 9). At the tim e the bill was passed, private employers had "failed to adequately respond to economic and social changes that intensified the tensions between work and

Needs assessment and learner analysis Assignment

Needs assessment and learner analysis - Assignment Example Beverly observes that vaccines do not guarantee the success of preventing a disease (2012). Some vaccines are known to fail, therefore making the patient vulnerable to an attack. On this note, the effectiveness of the performance of a vaccine depends on many factors. Stratton (2004) denotes that the nature of a disease is a factor that may affect the effectiveness of a vaccine. For instance tuberculosis has the capability of resisting any form of a vaccine. Stratton (2004) and Beverly (2012) observe that the strain of the vaccine and the timetable of the vaccination program can influence the success or failure of a vaccination program. Some vaccines work better for a particular strain of disease, and other fail to work. It is also important to follow the timetable of the vaccination program, or else the vaccine might fail to work. Another factor is the genetic nature of an individual, and whether he has the capability of generating anti-bodies which will react with the vaccine to prevent a disease (Beverly 2012 and Stratton 2004). Stratton further denotes that the age of an individual plays a greater role in the efficiency of an immunization (2004). For instance, it is useless to immunize adults against polio, because the vaccine will not work. After conducting a needs assessment on the efficiency of early immunization, this paper is therefore a report on the findings, and a learner analysis of the vaccination program. The main audiences of the analysis are parents who serve in the military. The military provides immunization for their officers through the military immunization agency (Lemon, 2002). Lemon further asserts that the agency has the mandate of ensuring that military officers and their children are immunized against diseases that are a threat to their lives (2002). However, it is important to ensure early immunization of their children, since age is a factor in the

Family Medical Leave Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Family Medical Leave Act - Essay Example Until 1993, workers were at the mercy of their employer's demands, and would often be forced to resign to accommodate their sick child or ailing parent. Larger workforces usually had some form of a leave of absence, but there was no standardization or legal protection to guarantee that your job would still be waiting for you when you returned. In 1993, President Clinton signed the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) that guaranteed US workers that they would have some amount of legal protection if they are forced to take time off from work to take care of a sick family member, or help a woman through the childbirth period. While the intent of the FMLA is simple enough, there are myriad caveats and regulations that enact the legislation. The 1993 FMLA, and subsequent amendments, have created a law that allows time off to be taken by an immediate family member to care for a sick or injured relative. The time frame allowed is generally 12 weeks, though this may vary in specific situations. Because the law attempts to accommodate a wide range of scenarios, and anticipate the application of the law, it has numerous special provisions and entitlements. The purpose of this paper will be to clearly define the eligibility requirements for FMLA leave. This paper will explain what is required to obtain a leave under FMLA. It will present examples of the proper use of the FMLA, as well as the improper use of the Act. This paper will examine the potential for fraud and abuse under the law, and what is currently done to eliminate or reduce these cases. In addition, it will explain the penalty for abuse, and attempt to reveal why abuse may be difficult to identify and punish. It will accomplish these goals by examining the law fr om the standpoint of the individual as well as the organization. While this paper will strive to be complete, it is recognized that the number of specific rules, regulations, and exceptions makes a full and detailed explanation beyond the scope of this paper. The paper will cover the most widely used, and most common requests that are made to employers by workers that have a family member in need of care. Brief Historical Background The 1993 Act was finally passed and signed into law by President Clinton after two unsuccessful attempts were vetoed by President George Bush SR. in the 101st and 102nd Congresses. A Senate Report from the time noted the "demographic revolution" of the time, as well as the increasing numbers of women in the workforce, the number of adults who care for their parents, and the growing number of single parent families (Lee, 1993, 8). The Senate further contended that these numbers would have "profound consequences for the lives of working men and women and their families" (Lee, 1993, 8). In essence, single parent homes left sick children with no caregiver except the breadwinner, and aging adults that would be left to the mercy of the welfare system. In passing the FMLA in 1993 Congress stated that the Act was to "provide job security as well as a proper balance between work and family life for employees, resulting in increased worker productivity for employers" (Lee, 1993, 9). At the tim e the bill was passed, private employers had "failed to adequately respond to economic and social changes that intensified the tensions between work and

Transcendendalist theories and beliefs, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau, transcendentalism today Essay Example for Free

Transcendendalist theories and beliefs, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau, transcendentalism today Essay In the world of Ralph Waldo Emerson, nothing is more simple than greatness, to be simple is to be great. Emerson believed in simplifying life, he believed that the less possessions a person had the less they had to worry about. He developed a new and creative way of philosophy titled transcendentalism. Transcendentalism dealt with finding joy in nature, simplicity, and individualism. Simplicity is the state of being simple, uncomplicated, or uncompounded. Simplifying life cuts back on stress and worries. Whats the point in owning 50 pairs of shoes, when all that is really needed is 1 good pair that can be worn every day? Simplifying life cuts back on unnecessary items, there fore cutting back on stress. Today people are more materialistic then ever. They need everything and will buy anything. People forget that man makes possessions, possessions dont make the man. To be an individual means to strike off on ones own path. To not follow in the footsteps of others, theres no fun in doing what everybody else does. Transcendentalism urges people to take their destiny by the hand and follow it wherever it should lead them, for they will receive true enlightenment and fulfillment in life. If everybody just did the same thing the world would be a very boring place, everyone was created different for a reason. Emerson and Thoreau lived in a very traditional sort of society, however, the times have changed. Today so much more is accepted people are no longer afraid to be individuals. If a person wants to dye their hair pink, pierce their face 17 times and get 45 tattoos, nobody really cares. Now days people can express their individual personalities without fear. Thoreau felt that a man could only really find himself by looking to nature, and the great outdoors. For a year he actually moved out into the middle of the woods just to be at peace with himself and live off the land. However that would be kind of difficult to do these days unless one already owns the land, and pays taxes. In recent times people still love nature, they love to get away to the great outdoors for a weekend of camping, or fishing, or a day at the beach. In conclusion, transcendentalism is a very unique and different way of thinking. Yet it is still the way human beings naturally act, they love nature, and they are all created as individuals. People, however, are somewhat greedy and materialistic by nature, they have basic needs. This way of thinking is very awe-inspiring and hopefully will not disappear anytime soon.

A Brief Introduction To Cosmetology Beauty Essay

A Brief Introduction To Cosmetology Beauty Essay Cosmetology: To begin with, a brief introduction to cosmetology. This by definition is the study of beauty and beauty treatment. It is divided into various specialties; there are those that deal with nail care. Others deal with hairstyles and hair cutting; these are barbers or hair stylists. Nail care deals with manicures (hands) and pedicures (feet) also there are those that shampoo hair. To be a cosmetologist one requires training and licensing so as to operate fully as a practitioner legally. The following paper shows how I obtained my license for cosmetology and also the running of my beauty salon. s 1. Describe the experience by telling who, what, when and why you participated in the training. Be specific in your response citing dates and places and the length of time of your certification. If you have a license, tell what was needed to obtain and maintain the license. Im a licensed cosmetologist and since 1998, I have been holding a license which I earned from Premier Beauty salon located in South Bend Indiana. All along I have gained experience and skills both informal and formal in the world of cosmetics. This has been achieved by working with various clients and handling customers in my own shop, Versatility Creative Hair care which was established in the year 2000. I have attended various training courses that are relevant to my line of work. These include Introduction to Cosmetology which was held in South Bend, IN within the dates 7/24/98-7/26/98. For 7 hours daily. This deals with theory of long graphics, haircutter, roller and pin-curl placements blow dry and ironing among other aspects of hair cosmetology. Here I got to interact with my clients and take care of many of their preferences. This added to my people skills as I earned myself trust with some of the customers after doing their hair well. These theories and aspects are very essential since introduction to cosmetology is the firm base for cosmetology as it provide an outline of what the course is all about, since cosmetology is broken down in various fields, I did hair and beauty where I specified with hair treatment, how hair is supposed to be cut trimmed and according to client standards. Another major class I undertook is Cosmetology I: this took place in South Bend, IN within the dates 7/23/98-7/24/98. For about 7 hours daily. This covers topics on various hair color, hair related disorders, thermal hair straightening, manicuring, hair shaping and hair styling. Cosmetology I served as a core subject for me since topics like hair related disorders and learning about various chemicals is very important due to effective handling of some of my clients complaining of hair disorders. I administered various chemicals carefully investigating each clients hair type. This adds credit to my professionalism as I serve also as a consultant. Cosmetology I. there are some chemicals that are harmful to hair and nail that could have negative impact either on the client or the cosmetologists health and therefore cosmetology 1 is very relevant as it helps in getting prevention from adverse effects like the ones mentioned above Cosmetology Laboratory I: held in South Bend, IN within the dates 7/23/98-7/27/98. For about 8 hours daily. I gained first hand practical skills discussed in Cosmetology I and Introduction to Cosmetology. I gained interaction with clients further improving my people skills while still taking the course. This has proved as a foundation for my relationship with my employees and customers and also application of my skills to the clients in my shop today. At the end of this course, evaluation was based on how I interacted with the clients, people skills, how well I was competent with the course content, how I administered various cosmetic products to my clients and also in order to achieve this license, you had to be very practical and professional in your overall output. First students work with mannequins before actually working on actual people just in the same case as medicine students are first given corpses. After a little experience, they are taken to the floor and actually handed clients, concise care is needed as you apply the skills acquired appropriately. Practical work in cosmetology is the most important concept since the theoretical content without actual practice is baseless and void. I completed another course, Combined Techniques Shop Application- within the dates 7/23/98-7/23/98. For about 7 hours in this course all the tasks that have been assigned are supposed to be performed where an analysis will be performed to check the accuracy. I had to be accurate on this one since three quarters of the work has to be efficient and accurate. Haircutting II, III and Hairstyling II: within the dates 7/24/98-7/28/98. For about 7 hours daily. This training took place in South Bend, IN Between. In hairstyling I learnt the various modern hairstyles that are used. This came with graphic demonstrations where I learnt about the various styles I would try on my clients. It also gave me a setting to have a clear mind on how I would come up with my own designs. In Haircutting 2 and 3, I gained more practical skills in the laboratory and prepared myself more since this was necessary for the state licensing examination. 2. Reflect on your experience and relate your thoughts and observations. Was this experience valuable? Why? Why not? Through day to day activities in training, I got to have pretty many observations. Not always everything was about hair, manicure or other beauty therapies. There are cases I had to deal with people suffering from various disorders like acne, whiteheads, pimples whereby I had to administer various cosmetics for them. For example I observed that many clients had acne and would come to me for consultancy. I got to advise one lady who had an affliction of rosacea to use a special cream by the name Rosacea Homemade cream as well as a special herbal remedy that I had learnt of from my facilitator. The lady purchased the product but did not follow the right dosage and therefore the affliction never subsided. Therefore my thought on this is that if administered any product by a licensed cosmetologist then its advisable to continue its use unless the side effect are severe and this is where a medical practitioner is consulted. Another quite important observation that I made was that if you w ere to succeed in this course, you are never to miss classes. The coursework is very relevant and each topic covered will prove handy in either practical sessions or in the workplace. While at Indiana, most of my fellow students assumed sessions and missed training. This proved to be very disappointing since you could see the disparities between them and the rest of the students in practical classes like Cosmetology Clinic I, Cosmetology Clinic II, Cosmetology Clinic III and Cosmetology Clinic IV. Training is very relevant in the work field ahead. I chose to pursue cosmetology due to the passion I had for it. It deals with many fields of work namely: Home care/personal services- deals with home beauty care Makeup artists and aestheticians- are situated in the film industries and movies to build up costumes and attend to actors Hair and nail care- here manicures which is the preparation of fingernails i.e. sharpening, filing, etc. hair is also dealt with whereby hair is cut and shaped according to the clients wish. Cosmetology specialists also take care of the dead bodies in morgues before last respects are paid. This is to make the corpses look good before burial. This line of cosmetology is very tough and isnt for the faint hearted. My view of this line of work is that only those who are brave enough and are well aware of what they are doing will succeed. Then theres the hair salon (and barbershop) where this is my favorite whereby most customers in my shop come for complete makeovers where hair is cut and styled to their desire. One of the major advantages of this course is that many who join it are very joyous and enthusiastic in their work like myself but at first it wasnt that easy since I had difficulty in dealing first hand with customers, handling their hair, hands, feet but now after I attended the course in detail, had many practical sessions, I gained my experience and now since then, I can handle my clients with ease and gain trust with customers just by performing a good job on them. I am glad to say that I have many clients who cannot go to any other Hair salon or beauty centre. I have learned to consult with my employees (3 full time stylists and 1 Barber) they serve a great deal in improving the shops reputation since they are well qualified and have the appropriate people skills to offer 100% output. Also as the founder of Versatility Creative Hair Care Designs, I have gained the appropriate management skills to run my shop better and these management skills are not only to be used in this bus iness but also in other investments/businesses that I have. This experience is very valuable in all aspects of my day to day activities because all the skills gained will be applied everywhere. It is therefore very relevant. 3. After reflecting, identify specific concepts, theories, rules or principles that would make this a college learning experience. A principle that is important in making this a learning experience is that one has to be dedicated in doing his/her work. As stated earlier this line of study and training has to come from the heart in that a student must be committed in performing all jobs pertaining to cosmetology since it is broken down into various fields, cosmetology has some limitations e.eg in the line of those that work in morgues. Some may dislike the work involved and even drop out. This proves to be a learning experience in that one is able to chose his/her line of work at an early stage. During the course, students interpret and learn how to practice various aspects of safety sanitations cleanliness and proper hygiene. This is relevant in gaining college experience. While at the centre I gained leadership, management, teamwork and people skills which are very essential for success in the workplace, training centre or any other relevant field. Other skills are now relevant to the field for example haircutt ing skills evaluating scalp and hair disorders. Another rule with this study is that the cosmologists must have the right attitude toward their work. This I learnt during a seminar I attended in Atlanta on 9/25/2000 where we were taught what happens to those with a bad attitude to their clients. Also at this time I attended a hair show in Chicago where I learnt different styles of doing hair. As a student, this skill is the most essential since you deal with real life human beings with feelings as opposed to the mannequins that may be used in class. To add to that point, professionals are responsible for applying problem solving and decision making skills. This is used either in the school, society or workplace. You have to be a team member in order to succeed in this field of work. For example during the training, I got to research valuable information in various cosmetology industries and this created diverse knowledge for me and gave me a firm base for the preparation and setting up of my shop which I in good operation till now . Sales Technique was a class that I took that assisted me in selling skills; these are the work of a salesperson where selling skills are acquired and prove to be relevant since they are used everywhere. Conflicts arise in all workplaces in the society. Conflict resolution is one of the concepts that are very much needed by someone who is pursuing this course in a Beauty college. I also have attended another seminar also held at Atlanta that covered conflict resolution and also demonstrate the methods that are needed and are used to resolve conflicts. Another major principle is that effective communication skills are very essential; throughout school be it from the lowest level of education to the peak, languages are a core thing to have knowledge about. A language like English is used in speech (while dealing with customers), writing, (e.g. writing orders and letters) and therefore learning it is a key thing in the college world. Concentration and alertness is another core value in being a cosmetology student. Practices like designing wavy curls on hair, nail artistry requires full length attention on the client so that a perfect job is performed. I learnt that I had to very attentive and steady in order to produce top output. I also had a chance to talk to clients and analyze what they like and dont like about the service that was been administered to them in terms of hair care, manicures, pedicures, and purchasing of cosmetic products. I developed a persistent side where I would make sure I understood my client in every aspect and that contributed to my alertness since I wouldnt want to have them disappointed in me. The concepts that I covered in class I was quite able to perform them practically since most of my coursework is practical; I had courses like Special Topics in Barbering Technology where I got an opportunity to go to workshops and seminars in Chicago. Here I learnt how to follow instructions wh ich is very effective in team work and management skills in the office. In a unit Shop Management, I learnt techniques for establishing a barber shop which provides skills and concepts of record keeping/book keeping, personnel management where you deal with employees and how to deal with them in the workplace. Supply management is another aspect taught where principles of marketing and supply are practiced and acquired. Public relation is also another major concept I gained which deals with how you relate with people everywhere in the society. Be it people of higher stature than yourself or lower than you learn how to effectively deal with them. Here I get to learn to respect my employees even to this day. I learnt how to share information with my fellow students and those I worked with. Since this is a people-oriented field, I learnt how to work individually with my customers and make them feel good about themselves which is a morale booster even for the workers. Courtesy which is an important virtue in life is also acquired. I learnt to be a hard worker since cosmetology is a very competitive field. This competition makes workers extra active since they have to produce the best. I have also learnt to be tolerant and patient since most of my work and other cosmetologists is done either while standing up or even kneeling. Therefore this can be very disturbing for someone without the principle of patience. Since my schedule is not usually fixed, I have learnt to involve myself in other life affairs and also decisions like changing of the location of the salon which can be done with ease. It helps in that I can create work schedules of my own thus improving my time-management skills. A creative mind is developed in the cosmetic world where I have increased my thinking in coming up with new designs to serve my customers, this new designs are in terms of hair styles, new manicure and pedicure styles, am thinking of expanding the spa too. Through teaching, I have been able to distribute my knowledge since I lef t college in 1998 through several forums and seminars where I have shared my knowledge with others. Cleanliness and personal hygiene is a key principle in cosmetology. This is because cosmetologists must keep every region that they are working on clean and also the equipment has to be thoroughly sanitized and sterilized. You wouldnt want clients being exposed to germs and bacteria due to an unhygienic beauty salon. This is where I acquired more skills relating to the hygiene and maintenance of a salon. I always made sure that the working areas together with the instruments are in perfect condition. The cosmetologist should also be very well groomed and clean as this makes even the client very free and comfortable while being served. 4. Tell how you have applied these learning concepts on your job and in your personal life When I learnt how to be alert and attentive in class especially while dealing with clients in their various beauty treatments, not only has it helped my cosmetology career but out in the world I has helped improve my beauty salon. This means that I can focus on the various prospects that my business has to offer. Now I can manage my salon carefully analyzing the invoices coming and going out of the salon, orders also coming and going out and Im able to manage them effectively without the introduction of external parties. Also by being alert and attentive, I can relate with my clients better because better because by listening to them (also a skill I fully developed) I get to learn what they rely want and serve them or allocate them to someone who will serve them properly. As a result of this, trust is gained and I had mentioned earlier, you will not lose your customers easily. Following instructions being another skill I developed has become very important. My work is client oriented and this is when a client comes in and gives the instructions and then the work of the stylist is to follow them to finite detail, carefully not to disappoint the customer and therefore that is also why high levels of courtesy have to be maintained. Instructions are found in very many instances of life, airports, hotels, police stations only to mention a few. By learning how to follow very little instructions from people of all kinds then I have n problem in following instructions outside my line of work. This creates a good reputation for me and enhances my people skills even more. Dedication was another characteristic that I picked up along the line. Many factors lead to ones dedication in his/her work since this is where one gets his/her income to feed the family. Therefore extra devotion has to be carried in every field of work. In my case I learnt that my work if done by a person with no dedication, would result to be tiresome and a waste of time. And this reflects to all careers since in most cases, people tend to repeat the same thing that they do day-in day-out suggesting a robotic-like manner of work. Therefore I learnt that I must avert myself from the world of despair to succeed and thats where dedication comes in. Due to competition in the field of cosmetic products and constant need for beauty among human beings, the field of cosmetology will never cease to grow wider and wider. I have grown to be a very hard-worker in order to compete with other cosmetology companies and beauty salons in terms of offering client services and selling of their produc ts. This opens up for creation of new ideas for styles and products. This concept is applied diversely in personal life since hard work bears good fruit. As a mother, father or even a single person, there must be some element of hard work. During my free time I find myself sparing some time to analyze and consider how I can run my salon better. Effective public relation is one of the core subjects that are taught in the fields that involve dealing with clients. These include diplomats, front-office managers, secretaries as well as cosmetologists. Public relation involves ones behavior while dealing with clients and how one is able to manage conversations between people involving transactions, meetings and other aspects of interaction. As a cosmetologist you are taught almost in every training course how to deal with a client in any situation. I learnt how to serve clients and this is not a theoretical aspect but rather 100% must be put into practical where the student interviews the client and finds out what he/she wants, the client either agrees or disagrees or adds on to the opinion. Public relation is essential in every persons life and in every aspect of life. I improved this skill while still receiving training and this has helped a lot since my interaction with people outside my workplace is very efficient. Decision m aking, critical thinking and problem solving skills are other major rules that must be present in every cosmetologist. A situation presents itself and from it a critical analysis has to be performed, the problem solving skill applied and an appropriate decision made. This is usually done very carefully since in most cases it is a very crucial situation that leads to strong effects. These are usually looked at from the perspective of what if one event occurs, the effect it will have to the other. In modern day to day life, one may not know it but these situations do occur. In my case such affected me in that I made very tough decisions when setting up my salon and also there are critical problems that face the shop that either I have to solve alone, or with my employees. Knowledge is power. I conducted various research both during training and while I worked. During this research I had a chance to increase my knowledge in the cosmetology world. This opened a chance for me to be invited to a seminar and also provides a firm base for me as a consultant to my clients and other cosmetologists like myself. Also by being creative and open minded, I have not only created new designs for my salon but also at home I have used creativity to improve my houses interior design and make it look brighter. I have acquired book keeping skills as a result of being an entrepreneur and shop management skills. This is very efficient since the skill can be transferred to other investments and businesses of interest. In conclusion the college experience was very relevant as it boosted my career and helped me not only in acquiring personal skills at work and in the management of my salon, but also gaining diverse skills that are applicable in day to day life.