Change is a feature of modern life; discuss and critically analyse how Essay

Change is a feature of modern life; discuss and critically analyse how a nurse can manage change in order to deliver effective patient care - Essay Example The presentation of current conditions regarding the above issue is also followed with views of literature on the specific subject with an effort to choose and evaluate the most appropriate model for the presentation of the nurse-patient relationship as been formulated under the influence of change in the internal and the external organizational environment. Change management is the process [1] of developing ‘a planned approach to change in an organization’. In this context it can be assumed that its main objective is ‘to maximize the collective benefits for all people involved in the change and minimize the risk of failure of implementing the change’. For the above reasons, it has been found that the discipline of change management ‘deals primarily with the human aspect of change, and is therefore related to pure and industrial psychology’. There are several theories referring to the role and the structure of change management, the most known of which is that of Lewin. Lewin’s theory of force field analysis (Lewin 1951) is widely used in change management and can be used to help understand most change processes in organisations. In force field analysis change, is characterised as ‘a state of imbalance between driving forces (e.g. new personnel, changing markets, new technology) and restraining forces (e.g. individuals fear of failure, organisational inertia)’. Moreover, in order to achieve change ‘towards a goal or vision three steps are required: Third, once the change is complete the forces are brought back into quasi-equilibrium and re-frozen’. The above theory although explains the role of secondary forces in an organizational environment does not offer an adequate explanation regarding the criteria on which the ‘frozen, de-frozen’ procedures are going to be based. Moreover, it has been

Diversity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Diversity - Research Paper Example Lost is an action, adventure, mystery, serial drama, science fiction and mystical drama film, While Greys Anatomy is an American medical drama series. In Lost, a plane, ‘oceanic 815’, flying to Los Angeles crashes on a mystifying island, leaving its survivors marooned in it without the resources to get help from the mainland. Greys Anatomy is all about the lives of the interns, inhabitants and their mentors in the illusory Seattle Grace hospital. It depicts their struggles to achieve their medical internships and have proper personal lives. In the two films, Asian American characters have been cast in quality roles. Lost has featured four Asian American characters; ‘Daniel Dae Kim’, ‘Yunjin Kim’ and ‘Naveen Andrews’ for main characters, and Ken Leung as a minor character. Greys Anatomy features Sandra Oh as the only character of Asian American descent. The Asian American characters in Lost have been given different roles; Daniel Dae Kim plays the husband of Yunjin Kim who is the offspring of an influential Korean entrepreneur and mobster. Naveen Andrews plays the role of a former Iraqi republican guard, while Ken Leung plays the role of a sarcastic supposed ghost whisperer. Greys Anatomy Sandra Oh plays the role of a surgical intern who progresses to a full surgeon. Asian Americans are underrepresented in primetime films, as white film writers do not write for this ethnic group. Asian American characters encompass only of 4% of the prime time television populace (Kendall, 186). Preponderance of the characters portrayed in key television population is cast in drama and science fiction making up 63%. 21% are cast in crime or law enforcement series, and 16% are cast in sitcoms or comedies (Kendall, 186). There are ranges of rationale why Asian Americans are underrepresented in prime time shows. Firstly, tribal issues frequently come up with writers writing for white characters only (Larson, 69). Secondly,

Understanding the Principles and Practises of Assessment Essay Example for Free

Understanding the Principles and Practises of Assessment Essay Assessment is the process of measuring the achievement of learners. It is an obvious way of checking that learning has taken place and is a good way of measuring the learner’s knowledge and practical skills that they have learnt. It is important for the assessor to initially establish whether the learner has any specific learning needs so that they can prepare to support the learner in whichever way they feel necessary. Learning and development are closely connected. The learner needs guidance in order to understand what it is they are required to learn, also to check that they are on track and also ways in which they can improve. This is generally where formative assessment comes into play. Formative assessment is used whilst learners are developing their skills and can also be useful throughout their course. It gives the assessor the opportunity to provide the learner with constructive feedback which they can use to improve their future performances. It also allows the learner to build on their strengths and learn from mistakes by listening to the assessor’s feedback, preparing them for summative assessment. Summative assessment is used when the students are up to a standard where they can carry out an assessment without any support or guidance. This should be up to industry standards and completed to commercial timing. By this stage there should be very few, if any areas for improvement and the learner must have a very strong underpinning knowledge of the subject. (AC 1.2) Define the key concepts and principles of assessment It is vital that assessment has to be fair, consistent and valid to ensure all learners have an equal chance of receiving a fair assessment. An assessor should not be swayed to give a learner an easier assessment because they favour them or on grounds of gender, race, sexual orientation or religious beliefs; the assessment process should be the same for every learner and purely judged on their knowledge, skill and competence within their subject area. There may be occasions where the assessment process has to be adapted to suit learners’ individual needs; however this still should eventually lead to the same outcome. In order for an assessment to be fair the assessor should clearly identify to the learner what outcomes are being assessed so that there is no area for confusion between the learner and assessor. Assessors should take guidance from the awarding body that they work alongside for the assessment criteria, for example in my area of work; I have to abide by the criteri a that is set out by VTCT. To ensure that the evidence is sufficient the learner should successfully cover all of the criteria set out by the awarding body and by the industry in which they are working. The most reliable way to ensure that an assessment is valid and reliable is for the assessor to observe a student first hand. This is the clearest way for the assessor to be sure that the student possesses the knowledge that is shown in their work and that it has not been copied from another source. This evidence should also be current, so therefore the assessor would need to have witnessed this within a reasonable timeframe as things change so frequently. It is important for assessors to ensure that they are up to date with current trends and changes within their industry and all assessors are required to keep up to date with continual professional development. It is also vital that all assessors are assessing to the same standard, this is usually monitored and updated during team standardisation meetings whic h should be carried out regularly. (AC 1.3) Explain the responsibilities of the assessor An assessor should firstly fully understand the standards and requirements they are working to. This means that all assessors should be fully qualified to the required standard within their industry and should regularly attend team standardisation meetings to ensure they are assessing to the same standards as other assessors.

Government Guidelines for Child Nutrition

Government Guidelines for Child Nutrition MAGDA ZIMON GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES ON FOOD AND NUTRITION The UK Department of Health guidelines (May 2003) recommend breast feeding exclusively for the first six months, as this should meet all baby’s nutritional needs. Most babies should not need solid food before the age of six months. Milk is still the major food, it is very important to remember, when baby starting solids, that milk is still the best and most natural food for growing babies. In the first few days of breastfeeding is a very important source of antibodies which help to build up a baby’s immune system. It is also medically proven that breastfed babies are less likely to develop certain disease in lester life. Good. Milk should contain all the nutrients our baby needs to grow. There are 65 calories in 120ml/4 fl oz milk, and formula milk is fortified with vitamins and iron. Cow’s milk is not such a good food for human babies so is best not started until baby is one year old. Between four and six months babies should have 600-800 ml/ 21-28 fl oz breast or infant formula each day. 600 ml/ 21fl oz is enough when solid are introduced. For most babies who eat fresh food in sufficient quantities and drink formula milk until the age one year, vitamin supplements are probably unnecessary . However in the UK the Department of Health recommends that if your baby is being breastfed(breast milk does not contain enough Vitamin D) or is drinking less 500 ml /18 fl oz of infant formula a day mother should give baby vitamin supplements. Vitamins are necessary for the correct development of the brain and nervous system. Vitamins are essential for all types of growth and development and they can be found in many forms. A healthy, balanced diet, coupled with daily physical exercise, is crucial to the development of children. It is not simply sufficient to serve healthy meals and snacks; it is vital that children understand the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet so that they themselves are more likely to choose healthy options when given a choice. Diet is all about educating the individual to understand the importance of eating sensibly while understanding that they can enjoy food. Food habits are developed during childhood which will affect us for all our lives and this is way it is important for children to develop healthy eating habits from the outset. Establishing healthy eating habits in the early years will encourage children to eat sensibly throughout their lives, promote normal growth and development and protect against disease in later life. RECOMMENDED FOOD AT AGE OF 6 MONTH TO ONE YEAR BABY’S AGE TYPE OF FOOD STARCHY FOOD VEGETABLES AND FRUIT MEAT AND MEAT ALTERNATIVES 6 monts starts with a fine semi-liquid puree mixed with milk, or cooled boiled water baby rice cereal pureed cooked carrots, parsnip, apple, pear, mashed banana small amount of pureed lean soft-cooked beef, lamb, pork, poultry, pureed lentils 7-9 months mashed or chopped, finger food try white or wholemeal bred, pasta, rice, noodles, couscous porridge cucumber, green beans, leek, peas mushroom, onion, sweetcorn, tomato, mango, melon, strawberries, grapes (seedless) introduce a little boneless white fish(cod or haddock) hard boiled egg yolk(no egg white until nine months) 9-12 months most foods should now be mashed or chopped, and some left whole for baby to chew on home-made pizza, chips, cakes, puddings and biscuits are healthier alternatives to shop-bought encourage baby to eat raw fruit and lightly cooked vegetables as snacks meat and meat alternatives:sliced ham, chicken or turkey, and small chopped sausages make good finger food;introduce boiled eggs or omelette. One year onwards child can now eat most family food;now can safely introduce honey offer one serving of potato, pasta, bread, rice or couscous at every meal;limit very starchy food such as crisps, pastries or other savoury snacks aim to serve four portions a day-offer as snacks or blend into a stew or soup. start to include oily fish such as salmon mackerel and pilchards;carefully remove small bones from fish SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS Childminders should always discuss with the parents of the children in their care which meals they will be expected and what food should be given. It is absolutely paramount when preparing meals that childminder take into consideration factors such as culture and religion and ensure that the food they provide is in keeping with the parents wishes. It is important to recognise and cater for differing dietary needs and this should not only be the case if you are caring for a child from different culture from your own. All children should be introduced to variety of different food and you can do this by offering foods which are associated with certain religious festivals. For example, the Christian tradition of serving mice pies at Christmas and pancakes on Shrove Tuesday can be done alongside offering Chinese food to celebrate the start of the Chines New Year, or poori to celebrate Diwali. Diets vary immensely and can differ according to belief or preference. Vegetarianism for example, may be chosen for several reason including religious or cultural beliefs or simply concern for welfare of animals. A food allergy is an abnormal response of immune system to what is otherwise a harmless food. Ninety per cent of all food allergy reactions are caused by just eight foods. These food are: milk peanuts eggs tree nuts, including almonds, pecan and walnuts fish shellfish wheat soya Symptoms of an allergic reaction can be varied but will usually include: vomiting diarrhoea eczema wheezing cramps difficulty in breathing Childminder must always respect a child’s cultural background regardless of whether the culture is their own or not. They should use their knowledge and understanding to encourage children to learn about other cultures ia a positive way. A child’s culture can have a huge impact on their development. It is absolutely paramount that childcare practitioner work in partnership with the parents of the children placed in their care to ensure a good relationship which is beneficial to everyone concerned. Practitioner need to take time to talk to the child’s parents to ascertain a suitable strategy for caring for their child and to ensure continuity of care: dietary requirements food allergies dietary difference necessary medications emergency contact information Childminder and parents need to communicate regularly and effectively in order to establish a good rapport so that the parents can be confident that their chosen childcare practitioner is right for them and, more importantly, for their child. FOOD THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED BY YOUNG CHILDREN Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures and yet it is also a source of worry for most parents. Although baby is able to eat a lot more kinds of food, there are still some they should not eat: SALT-from seven months to a year old , 1 g of salt a day is the maximum amount for baby should have, which they will get from their breast or formula milk feeds. Do not add any salt to foods for young babies as their kidneys can not cope with it. Baby foods are not allowed to contain salt, but such ingredients as bacon and cheese will contain some. It is best not to encourage a liking for salt at any age. SUGAR-only add sugar to food or drinks you give your baby if it is necessary. Children does not need sugar. Sugar could encourage a sweet tooth and lead to tooth decay when the first teeth start to come through. HONEY-this is a sugar and can cause the same problems as sugar. Do not give honey until your child is one year old, even for easing coughs. Very occasionally it can contain a type of bacteria which can produce toxins in the baby’s intestines and can cause a very serious illness(infant botulism. After the age of one, the baby’s intestine matures and the bacteria are not able to grow. NUTS- these can be a choking hazards, especially whole nuts. Nuts and nut pastes should also be avoided if family has a history of allergies. Nuts products can induce a severe allergic reaction-anaphylactic shock-which can be life threatening, so it is best to be cautious. EGGS-can be given from six months but they must be throughly cooked until both the white and the yolk are solid. Allergic reaction to eggs can be quite common, particularly to the egg whites. Soft boiled eggs can be given after one year. FISH AND SHELLFISH-are highly allergic. The amount of mercury in these foods can affect a baby’s growing nervous system. CHILDHOOD CHRONIC DISEASES The list of health problems that can affect a child’s growth and development is huge and can range from simple colds and ear infections, which are short-lived, to much more serious problems such as cystic fibrosis, which can be life threatening. If you are caring for a child with a particular health problem it is absolutely vital that you work with the parents to provide the best care possible for the child. You will need to glean as much information as you can about the child’s condition in order to plan for their care and well-being. Parents will be very knowledgeable about any condition that affects their child and they are the best people to ask for advice and information. However you may also like to source further information from doctors, health visitors and the internet. ASTHMA- is Britain’s most common long-term childhood illness, according to the National Asthma Campaign. Asthma is a particular kind of chronic allergic reaction affecting the airways, leading to inflammation, narrowed airways and characteristic symptoms which include: wheezing shortness of breath tightness in the chest coughing These symptoms are usually variable, intermittent, often worse at night, and can be provoked by various triggers including cigarette smoke, house-dust mites, contact with animals and exercise. All allergic reactions, including food allergy, eczema, hay-fever and the life-threatening anaphylaxis, are on the increase. Asthma impacts not only on the child, with frequent episodes of wheezy illness which can be frightening, time off school, visit to the GP, but also on the family, leading to constant anxiety and sleepless nights. DIABETES- is a disease affecting the pancreas. This gland produces the substance insulin, which helps the body use up the sugar which comes from the diet. If there is insufficient insulin glucose builds up in the the bloodstream and douses problems for many organs of the body. Most young diabetics will use a blood glucose measuring device at home to check the blood glucose level frequently. A child and their family will need a period of adjustment after diabetes is diagnosed. They must establish a routine for blood glucose monitoring and injecting, learn how to count carbohydrates, see diabetes health professionals regularly and cope with fluctuating blood glucose levels. New challenges may arise as a child moves through different life stages. CYSTIC FIBROSIS-this is an inherited disease in which a number of body tissues an abnormally thick mucus. For example, the lining of the air passages in the lungs normally produces a thin mucus which keeps the lining moist. In cystic fibrosis this is very thick, leading to the air passages becoming blocked and susceptible to infection. The condition also affected the pancreas. This gland produces digestive juices and if it is affected by cystic fibrosis food can not be digestive properly. This mean that the child’s bowel movements may be loose, fatty, and foul-smelling although sometimes constipation will be a problem. Cystic fibrosis affects approximately one child in 3. 000 in UK. A test of the amount of salt in the sweat will confirm the diagnosis. There is no cure. However if it is diagnosed early, damage to the lungs can be prevented. CEREBRAL PALSY-results from damage to the parts of the brain which control the body’s movements and posture. This damage may occur before birth, during birth or during the first two years of life. The developing brain may be damaged by lack of oxygen, infection in the mother during pregnancy or a placenta which is not functioning properly. Children with cerebral palsy may need ongoing treatment throughout their childhood. Parents should always be involved in the treatment programme and in most cases will be able to help with exercises at home. Some sufferers from cerebral palsy may also have a mental handicap as a result of brain damage, but equally there may be no mental handicap whatsoever. These chronic health conditions, in addition to causing issues with child development both physically, emotionally and intellectually, can also cause great distress for those caring for the child. ———————————————————————————————— REFERENCE- Gina Ford-â€Å"The Contented Little Baby Book Of Weaning†- 2012 Gina Ford-â€Å"The Contented Child’s Food Bible†-2012 Jane Rossiter and Rosemary Seddon-â€Å"The Diabetics Kids Cookbook† -1987 Meenu Singh -â€Å"Asthma in Children† 2011 Teresa Kilgour -â€Å"Children’s Illnesses (Understanding)(Family Doctor Books) 2008

martin luther king :: essays research papers

History is indeed made up of significant events which shape our future and outstanding leaders who influence our destiny. Martin Luther King's contributions to our history place him in this inimitable position. In his short life, Martin Luther King was instrumental in helping us realize and rectify those unspeakable flaws which were tarnishing the name of America. The events which took place in and around his life were earth shattering, for they represented an America which was hostile and quite different from America as we see it today. Martin Luther King, Jr. catapulted to fame when he came to the assistance of Rosa Parks, the Montgomery, Alabama Black seamstress who refused to give up her seat on a segregated Montgomery bus to a White passenger. In those days American Blacks were confined to positions of second class citizenship by restrictive laws and customs. To break these laws would mean subjugation and humiliation by the police and the legal system. Beatings, imprisonment and sometimes death were waiting for those who defied the System. Black Americans needed a Martin Luther King, but above all America needed him. The significant qualities of this special man cannot be underestimated nor taken for granted. Within a span of 13 years from 1955 to his death in 1968 he was able to expound, expose, and extricate America from many wrongs. His tactics of protest involved non-violent passive resistance to racial injustice. It was the right prescription for our country, and it was right on time. Hope in America was waning on the part of many Black Americans, but Martin Luther King, Jr. provided a candle along with a light. He also provided this nation with a road map so that all people could locate and share together in the abundance of this great democracy. We honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. because he showed us the way to mend those broken fences and to move on in building this land rather than destroying it. He led campaign after campaign in the streets of America and on to the governor's mansion - even to the White House - in an effort to secure change.

Viruses: Complex Molecules Or Simple Life Forms? :: essays research papers

Viruses: Complex Molecules or Simple Life Forms? Viruses have been defined as "entities whose genomes are elements of nucleic acid that replicate inside living cells using the cellular synthetic machinery, and cause the synthesis of specialised elements that can transfer the genome to other cells." They are stationaryand are unable to grow. Because of all these factors, it is debatable whether viruses are the most complex of molecules or the simplest life forms. While the definition of living organisms must be adapted, the majority of evidence leads to the classification of viruses as living organisms. Viruses are composed of a nucleic acid core, a protein capsid, and occasionally a membraneous envelope. The nucleic acid core is composed of either DNA or in the case of retroviruses, RNA, but never both. In retroviruses, the RNA gets transcribed to DNA bye the enzyme reverse transcriptase. The protein capsid is a protein layer that wraps around the virus. There are four basic shapes of viruses. The tobacco mosiac, adenovirus, influenza virus, and t-even bacteriophage are each examples of a different virus structure. Each individual protein subunit composing the capsid is a capsomere. The tobacco mosiac virus has a helical capsoid and is rod shaped. The adenovirus is polyhedral and has a protein spike at each vertex. The influenza virus is made of a flexible, helecal capsid. It has an outer membranous enevelope that is covered with glycoprotein spikes. The T-even bacteriophage consists of a polyhedral head and a tail. The tail is used to inject DNA into a bacterium while the head stores the DNA. Basic life is defined as the simplest form capable of displaying the most essential attributes of a living thing. This makes the only real criterion for life the ability to replicate. Only systems containing nucleic acids are capable of this phenomenon. With this reasoning, a better definition is the unit element of a continuous lineage with an individual evolutionary history. Because of viruses inability to survive when not in a host, they must have evolved from other forms of life. The origin of viruses is an easy thing to theorize about so many hypothesese have been made. One such hypothesis is that viruses were once complete living parasites. Over time they have lost all other cellular components. This is backed up by the idea that all cells degenerate over time. Some people think along very similar lines that viruses are representatives of an early "nearly living" stage of life. This goes along with the first hypothesis in that it accounts for a loss of components. All creatures that become parasitic can be seen losing their obsolete functions and

Academic History

I am currently enrolled in the Business School at Villanova University. My academic standing is good and I have maintained a grade point average of 3.62. I believe I am stable and the change I wish to make in my choice of universities is based on logic and not a whim. I have not transferred before, so this will be a first.My university experience has not had any significant breaks; it flows in an unbroken line from my initial enrollment to the present time. I suffered a few hiccoughs alone the way, but I have persevered, and I managed to rise from the bottom of my seventh year class in Shanghai to the rank of number one in ESL.I was in an alien environment and it was no small matter to adapt to the different culture I found in Shanghai. Despite my lack of height I managed to excel in varsity basketball as well. I think it is worth noting that I am not a native English speaker, but I took my deficiency in the language as a challenge and managed to thrive. I am proud of the fact that I quickly moved from ESL to 1B Class in the British system, which is equivalent to AP.I am steadfast in my resolve and I have not changed career paths. I have found that there is a lack of cultural diversity at Villanova. I initially did not realize the lack was so profound. I had erroneously assumed that matters would balance themselves and I would find there was more diversity than I first saw.This proved not to be the case, however. I believe that the university experience is not one-dimensional. I think a university education is only complete when the student is rounded into a productive member of society instead of just being grounded in the basics of his or her major.I was once accepted at the University of Washington, and I have every hope that the university will look favorably on my application once more, permitting me to correct my mistake and allowing me to attend the University of Washington as I should have done in the first place.  Major and Career Goals:It is my inte ntion to major in Finance. I believe that the university is home to one of the best and most extensive business programs in the United States. I am Taiwanese by birth and spent most of my life in Shanghai, which has a reputation as being the future â€Å"Finance Center† for all of Asia.Early on I came to realize the importance of knowledge in financial dealings, with money management being particularly important.   I spent my high school years in pursuit of learning all I could on the subject of economics, calculus and other math related subjects. Business is the life-blood of my country’s economy.I am savvy enough to understand that capital is the engine that drives business. It is as the old Chinese proverb says, â€Å"Money is not everything, but without money nothing can be done.† But I also realize that money alone is not enough. Having funding is only the first step toward a successful business. The entrepreneur must have the knowledge and associated ski lls to handle turning a profit and ensuring that the business operations run smoothly.Money management is the second part of the equation in producing success. I believe that a degree from the University of Washington will go far toward ensuring that I will have this knowledge and the necessary skills. I have expectations that a degree from your university’s Finance program will benefit me greatly as I scale the corporate ladder.Further, I believe that a University of Washington education will help me fulfill my avowed goal of becoming a specialist in investment analysis. My intention is to become an investment or business analyst in the United States, with an eye toward the Wall Street Journal. I have a fervent believe that I can attain this dream if I am blessed and fortunate enough to be accepted at the University of Washington.Cultural Understanding:The University of Washington is culturally diverse, and being Taiwanese, I am acutely aware of how important that can be for a student, irrespective of his area of study. I look forward to the healthy interaction and social intercourse that will avail itself to me in the richer milieu of this university.I look forward to the exchange of ideas and the broadening effect that intercultural communication can bring. In essence I look forward to being able to share my culture and I look forward to the learning experience I will receive from the various cultures of my fellow students.I fully expect the school to pave the path which I will follow as I experience personal growth on the road to my ultimate goals. It is not a capricious decision, I have carefully studied my options and have chosen what I believe to be the most advantageous avenue for me.When considering the reputation which the university enjoys I feel confident that my acceptance into the business program will furnish me with the needed tools to accomplish my goal in this life. I expect to become a highly competent business analyst, but more, I ex pect to become a productive citizen, replete with the values that will enhance the fulfillment of my aspirations.I expect to become a valued alumnus, having been enriched by the university experience. This growth in personal values and mores is important to my sense of self worth, and will make me a more valuable member of society.It is my belief that the true excellence of any institution of higher learning lies in its ability to educate the whole person. A school becomes truly excellent by excelling in the programs that it offers as well as the values it inculcates in its students, which is how I see the University of Washington.