Diversity Audit

DIVERSITY AUDIT Diversity Audit at Starbucks Starbucks Corporation is a multinational company based in United States. It was founded in the year 1971 and is headquartered at Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is engaged in the business of selling coffee, coffee beans and different types of bakery products all over the world. The company also has a division known as Starbucks Entertainment division which is utilized for marketing films, music and books (Yahoo Finance, 2012). The coffeehouses owned by Starbucks are known for its relaxing atmosphere and the stores are mostly located in places where there is high traffic.This study entails about the diversity audit that have been conducted for Starbucks. The findings of such diversity audit, its assessment and subsequent recommendations have been presented in this study. Findings Diversity audit was conducted for Starbucks through an online survey of the company’s website and other information required for the purpose of conducting th e audit was mostly available over the internet. In addition, some of the employees present in few Starbucks stores were also interviewed to collect relevant facts regarding the cultural diversity prevalent in the company.The key findings of the diversity audit conducted at Starbucks are given below: Starbucks operates its business and stores in different parts of the world. Hence it is obvious that people from different cultures of the world are a part of Starbucks. The people connected with Starbucks can be any of its stakeholders, including its employees, suppliers, etc. As indicated in its website, it can be found that cultural diversity is given high priority and due respect in the company (Starbucks, 2012a). Apart from selling coffees, Starbucks is also engaged in the business of building up new human connections and relationships.Celebration of cultures and community involvement are also part of Starbucks activities. At Starbucks, diversity is defined as the composition of thr ee different aspects. They are: a) Inclusion, b) Accessibility, and c) Equity. Inclusion means human relationships and their engagements in the company. Accessibility refers to removal of barriers for all kinds of people associated with the company and the ease with which people can perform their activities within the organization. Equity represents equal treatment for all with justice and fairness being the two important virtues associated with the company.The strategy of diversity being followed by the company is considered to focus on four main areas. They are: partners, suppliers, customers and communities. The employees of the company are termed as partners here. The company management is involved in the activity of engaging people belonging to different regions and following varied cultures. The people working at Starbucks come from diverse family backgrounds. Starbucks organizes different activities meant for the development of its partners or employees by educating them and engaging them in different kinds of activities.Starbucks is also committed towards giving high levels of satisfaction to its customers by catering to their unique needs. Starbucks is prompt in its service and values the preferences and tastes of its customers. Starbucks tries to build relationships with its customers through adoption of different cultures as required for the purpose. Starbucks also arranges different community development programs as well to show their concern for the community. Starbucks also creates strategic partnerships by investing in companies in the local neighborhood.It also provides different kinds of opportunities for economic development which helps to build a strong relationship between the company and the communities in which it is operating its business. As regards the suppliers of Starbucks, it conducts a program termed as supplier diversity program. This program is meant for increasing the presence of minority groups and women as suppliers of the com pany (Starbucks, 2012a). The diversity effort of the company is mainly directed through a strategic plan formulated by them which is known as Global Diversity Strategy Plan.According to New York Times, nearly 24% of the corporate officers working at Starbucks comprises of women. Women represent around 31% of the population in Starbucks, and 13% of them are people of color. The team members of the Global Diversity team are engaged in different activities in Starbucks. Employees of Starbucks working in different parts of the world and their working environment are assessed and evaluated by the global strategy team of Starbucks. The company also tracks the progress made in the field of diversifying vendors and suppliers of the company. All these are done through an accountability scorecard prepared for he purpose by the global diversity team (The New York Times, n. d. ). The diversity program run by Starbucks named as Starbucks Supplier Diversity Program is meant for encouraging divers ity amongst all the suppliers of the company. The company has set criteria for the suppliers who want to be a part of this program. The two criteria being, a) More than 50% should be owned by either minority people or women, and b) It should be certified by any of the government public agencies like National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC), National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC), etc (Starbucks, 2012b).Results of Audit The interview conducted with the Human Resource Manager of Starbucks suggests that diversity is encouraged at all levels and departments of the organization. The women and minorities are given preferences. There are certain criteria laid down by the company regarding recruitment of minorities and women as a fixed percentage of the total employees recruited by the company. The findings from the interviews carried out in Starbucks store includes the employees comprising of different cultures, working together and having a good relationship with each other.It has been observed that the employees of Starbucks love to share their cultural information amongst each other and want to know more about each other. People from different communities come together at Starbucks and they are encouraged to work as a team. The employees seem to be happy while working in the relaxed and friendly atmosphere at Starbucks. Customers are always greeted with smile as they enter the Starbucks stores. Employees get rewarded for their good performance in the company. Everyone seems to encourage diversity in the company and have due respect for each other.People are found to be highly motivated to work for the company and wish to have a long term relationship with the organization. Most of them are found to be loyal to the company. Employee turnover is low and everyone likes to be a part of the Starbucks brand. People are found to be enjoying their work in Starbucks and do not feel any kind of compulsion being imposed on them. Assessment All the f indings mentioned above suggest that diversity is encouraged in Starbucks in almost all aspects of its business operations.Special initiatives are taken by the higher officials of the company to bring about cultural diversity in their organization. The company feels diversity to be the key towards being successful in their strategy of expansion of its business in different parts of the world. The corporate culture at Starbucks is multicultural in nature. The morale of the employees working in the company seems to be high and people coming from various cultural backgrounds are found to work together quite efficiently in the company.The working environment within the organization is also good. Everyone is found to be happy doing their work in the Starbucks stores. The customers visiting the stores are also found to be having a relaxed time and satisfied with the services offered by the company. The company has made a huge progress in the field of imparting cultural diversity in the co mpany through the implementation of various types of initiatives and programs. Hence the managers of Starbucks have been successfully dealing with the diversity issues related to the company.However, it has been argued sometimes that the steps taken by Starbucks regarding cultural diversity was more of a reactive type than being a proactive one (Grodan, 2008). It implies that Starbucks developed all these diversity initiatives only after they found it necessary for running a sustainable business in different parts of the world. Recommendations As evident from the findings and assessment of the diversity audit conducted for Starbucks, it has been successful in implementing multicultural activities within the organization.It is recommended that the company should continue giving value to diversity at all levels of its operations. This would help the company to maintain its competitive advantage in the market. It would also help the company to expand its business successfully in other nations of the world where it does not have presence now. Diversity in the organization would ensure that all the employees working for the company are treated equally. Hence, it would bring about a healthy competition within the organization which would in turn result in increased fficiency of the employees. Apart from the employees, the company should also continue to encourage diversity for other stakeholders of the company like its suppliers and the customers. It would mean customers from different backgrounds and culture could be easily acquired by the company, thereby leading to increased revenues for the company as well. References Grodan, G. (2008). Issues Facing Starbucks and Bank of America. Retrieved from http://voices. yahoo. com/issues-facing-starbucks-bank-america-1901086. html. Starbucks. (2012a).Diversity at Starbucks. Retrieved from http://www. starbucks. com/about-us/company-information/diversity-at-starbucks. Starbucks. (2012b). Starbucks Supplier Diversity Progra m. Retrieved from http://www. starbucks. com/responsibility/diversity/suppliers. The New York Times. (no date). Leading with Diversity: Starbucks Coffee Company. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/marketing/jobmarket/diversity/starbucks. html. Yahoo Finance. (2012). Starbucks Corporation (SBUX): Profile. Retrieved from http://in. finance. yahoo. com/q/pr? s=SBUX.

Case on Air Deccan

Case Study Strategic management Evaluation II AIR DECCAN: REVOLUTIONISING THE INDIAN SKIES Air Travel in India For decades, air travel in India was meant for the most elite and powerful in society. An overwhelming majority of travellers who could not afford the prohibitive air travel fares, preferred to journey on trains and buses. The revolutionizing effects of liberalization swept India with dynamic changes in the aviation sector. From being a service that few could afford, the sector has now graduated to being a fiercely competitive industry with the presence of a number of private and public airlines and several consumer-oriented offerings. In ten years of competition in the aviation sector, private airlines have changed the rules of the game, and they now account for more than 60 % of the domestic aviation market. More and more middle class families in India now prefer air travel to the more traditional travel by train. In 2003, 10 million Indians travelled by air domestically. In 2004, 25 million took to the skies within India and 6 million Indians travelled abroad. The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation estimates that the domestic Indian market will add 5 million passengers every year for the next five years, growing to 45 million passengers by 2010. Today, the relationship of domestic to international travel stands at 40:60 whereas in 1994 it stood at only 25:75. But taking into account a growing middle class with increased and increasing purchasing power, there are 200-210 million potential spenders. The Indian population grows at a rate of 8% per year. Around 100 million travellers every day on state-owned Indian Railways, If air travel bites into even a small percentage of this huge pie, that’s still clearly a tremendous growth opportunity. The entry of budget airlines like Air Deccan, the introduction of cheap airfares by other domestic carriers, combined with rising incomes and consumption of the middle class as also their growing aspirations, have created this new paradigm: Air travel is no longer for the elite. Air Travel Market The new entrants have caused a shift in the market share for the old hands. The three legacy airlines, Jet Airways, state-owned Indian and Air Sahara, saw their market share slipping in first quarter of this year. Jet Airways, still the leader, found its share of market volumes slipping with 34. 9%. Indian at 23. 9% and Air Deccan at 10% followed suit. Low-cost airlines are certainly giving a tough time to full service carriers whose market share has dipped, as has their revenue. Fares have been slashed drastically and both Jet Airways and Indian are wooing the consumers with special schemes and promotions. Several new entrants such as Air Deccan, SpiceJet, GoAir, Kingfisher and Paramount have begun to dot Indian airspace, garnering a market share of more than 31% in the first quarter of 2006. The leader among this brat-pack is clearly Air Deccan – the airline has doubled its market share to 15. 2 per cent. Kingfisher and SpiceJet have captured a market share of 8. 3 per cent and 6 per cent respectively. Coimbatore-based Paramount Airways has publicly confirmed garnering 0. 3% of the market. Jeh Wadia’s GoAir is also going great guns by cornering 1. 6% of the air traffic in a short time span. These airlines took to the skies after the first quarter of last year. All the airlines have seen an increase in the number of passengers carried in the first quarter. With all the start-ups planning significant increases in capacity this year — Kingfisher (fleet may go up to 20 planes), Deccan (38 planes), SpiceJet (12/14 planes), Go (7/9 planes) and Paramount (10 planes) — the market is set to sizzle. The market is gearing up for an adventurous ride of price wars as six more low-budget airlines waiting in the wings – Jagson Airlines, King Air, Mega Airways, Indus Air and Megapode Airline. IndiGo has made its entry as well, with ambitious plans to induct 100 aircraft into its fleet. According to analysts, airfares will continue to nosedive, as nearly 200 new aircraft will be added to the existing 250 aircraft in the country. All this translates to further downward revision of fares and packaged offers for passengers. Lessons The case is replete with illustrations of how Captain Gopinath crafted the company from scratch. He went on a ‘boot strapping' mode, which is the hallmark of a successful entrepreneur. The constancy of purpose, focus and humility are evident. His ability to sense opportunities from chance encounters (such as a visit to the USA or the Southeast Asian countries) are out of the ordinary experience. These and many other qualities are a ‘must have' list of qualities of a successful entrepreneur. Anyone aspiring to succeed in an entrepreneurial venture will do well to emulate these qualities, among others. Rise of Air Deccan â€Å"It hit me like a ton of bricks. This country has a population of a billion, but only 15 million air passengers. May be the time is right. If one billion people can fly, and we get a miniscule percent of the market, imagine how big that will be? It's not an impossible dream. † – Captain Gopinath, in The Hindu, Sunday, August 15, 2004 Air Deccan, India's first Low-cost Airline (LCA), started off with more of a whimper than a bang in September 2003 with an aborted maiden flight from Hyderabad that didn't quite make it off the ground when a fire broke out in one of its engines. Adding to the embarrassment was the presence of the then Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Pratap Singh Rudy and other senior Indian politicians on the flight. The press had a field day criticizing the ‘maestro behind the mayhem ‘Captain Gopinath, the Managing Director of Air Deccan. There were many prophesies of doom by competing airlines and industry analysts who were convinced that the bad publicity with which the airline took off would drive away customers. Captain Gopinath, however, remained unfazed and calmly went about doing what he did best succeeding at the task that he had set out to do. Making a shaky start with just two ATR turbo-prop aircraft in September 2003, Air Deccan now operates 75 flights a day to around 32 destinations in India and has increased its fleet to three Airbus 320's and seven ATR 42's. This flock of aircraft is constantly growing. As of March 2004, Air Deccan has recorded annual revenues of $120 mn (Rs. 5520 mn) with a passenger load as high as 83% across sectors and some routes like Bangalore-Hyderabad and Bangalore-Goa, recording 100% loads (Exhibit 1 and 2). In December 2004 Captain Gopinath cut a deal with Airbus, the world's largest manufacturer of civil aircraft, for the purchase of 30 A320 aircraft valued at over $1. 4 bn. The delivery of these new aircraft will commence in 2007. While the airbus will operate on trunk routes, the smaller airports will be connected with ATR's. The company has signed a deal with ATR for supply of 30 aircraft over the next few years, of which half will be on lease and the rest will be purchased. A distinctive strength of Air Deccan vis-a-vis any of the big three airlines in the country (Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Sahara) is its ability to penetrate into the small towns of India. This provides the company almost an exclusive access , to 75% of the population of the country that lives in small towns and rural areas. Air Deccan has been instrumental in getting the Government to open up many of these small town airports, some of which had fallen into disuse over the years. In contrast to the swanky airports of the big cities Such as Mumbai and Chennai, these more modest cousins need very little investment on the part of the government to recommission them and the ‘airport terminal’ is often no more than a tin shed or a thatched hut. But according to Captain Gopinath, ‘What the hell, they serve their purpose’. This obsessive focus o costs and functionality is perhaps what best epitomizes the philosophy of the main behind Air Deccan. The Low Cost Business Model: A popular mantra Air Deccan triggered the race to the bottom in the low cost sector. Their model forced the industry to move from having simple economy, business and first class fares, to multiple slab tariffs such as apex fares, internet auctions, special discounts, bulk purchases and last day fares. Some of the tariffs offered are so low that they have brought airline fares neck-to-neck with upper class railway fares. This low cost model is two-fold: offering connectivity between smaller cities and major metros and making air travel a feasible option to a new class of passengers. The features and benefits of the model are listed in the table below: Features| Benefits| Ticketless travel & Online ticket sales| Reduction of huge costs of printing| No international offices| and processing tickets. | Use of secondary city airports| Lower landing and parking costs in| No frequent flyer points| secondary city airports| No free food & beverages/in-flight magazines| High seat capacity due to nil storage of food| No club lounges| Minimal training (of pilots) and| Same aircraft types | maintenance (of spares for different types of aircrafts) costs. | Separate ticket for each sector/flight|   | No premium class|   | Short haul flights| Quicker turnaround and higher aircraft utilization | Challenges and constraints still persist: * India is a very cost conscious society, hence market is very sensitive to air fares * Internet based solutions limited-Bandwidth restrictions and low internet penetration * Changing needs of the business traveller puts more pressure on the travel agents to offer wide variety * Travel agents still the first choice for air bookings * While aviation is centrally managed, the regional structure of India’s government and regulations, combined with the often regional management of airline companies, has created a fragmented market for corporate travel. STRATEGY The challenges that the company has to face are now only beginning. In the initial stages of the company, many of the established players (Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and Sahara) would have trivialized the company and not expected it to reach the level it has reached now . Suddenly, the company has appeared as a big dot on the radar screen of  these well-established players. The existing paradigm is that running an airline requires large funding, something that Captain Gopinath lacked. Hence, the existing players would have concluded that this venture was bound to fail. However, there was a lot of  entrepreneurial creativity manifested by Captain Gopi that helped him make his dream a reality, and today Air Deccan is a force to reckon with. Besides, many other ‘me too' low cost airlines are already on the anvil. The Government and the realities are also things to reckon with. Participant teams may identify other challenges as well. How Captain Gopi and his team will deal with all these identified challenges will make observation interesting. Strategy as per the porter’s force model: Kingfisher Red Oct. 17–MUMBAI, India — Kingfisher airlines has signed up with Air-Deccan to buy out the Bangalore-based low-cost airline's extra ASKMs (available seat kilometres) on category 2, 2A and 3 routes. The Vijay Mallya promoted airline will buy about 800,000 ASKMs for the months of October and November, which will enable it to continue its expansion on the metro routes. The DGCA guidelines require airlines flying on the primary routes to fly a certain percentage of their total flights on other, less popular routes. Growth: Indian Travel is on a roll†¦here’s why In India, travel and tourism activity is expected to grow by 8. 0% per annum in real terms between 2007 and 2016. As per World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), India will emerge as the second-fastest growing tourism economy globally between 2005 and 2014, second only to by China. Successful promotions such as the Tourism Ministry's hit â€Å"Incredible India† multimedia campaign and the budget air travel boom are reckoned to have contributed to the tourism gold rush. Summary: Indian Skies are experiencing a new dawn: * Rising income and consumer confidence in key markets-personal travel demand on an increase * Travel liberalization gathering pace * Leisure travel increasingly more affordable * Low Cost Carriers are reshaping air travel, leading to regional liberalization * Branded hotels with air routes have discovered India in exotic places like Goa and the North East * Airport privatisation of Mumbai and Delhi progress and confidence develops in creating tourism infrastructure

Nursing and the Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nursing and the Media - Essay Example The media can either positively or negatively influence the public image of nursing depending on the stories, news, or advertisements on nursing broadcasted to the public. The media can positively impact on the public image of nursing through broadcasting shows/films of nurses working to save victims of natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes and news stories relating to nurses importance to a safer public positively affected nursing and aided in augmenting respect for nurses (Donelan et al., 2008). However, news. Films, or advertisements on nurse’s strikes and nurses not taking their duty well in terms of caring for the patients and participating in unethical behavior endangering the lives of the patient's results in a negative public image of nurses. News relating to nurse shortage and the general outlook on nursing as a career does not positively or negatively impact on the public image of nurses (Donelan et al., 2008). Avenues of educating the general public include nurses writing articles in newspapers aimed at informing the public regarding nursing roles and scope and changing health care system. Other avenues include posting and circulation of nursing accomplishments, making announcements in dailies, nurses speaking to civic and community groups on nursing roles and responsibilities. Other avenues are posting online in blogs and on social media sites and contacting media outlets and program developers on the need to portray nursing in a positive manner and in the true light of nursing roles and scope.

Products, Brands & Their Distribution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Products, Brands & Their Distribution - Essay Example E-Bay has proved the point that consumers have relationship with their brand. E-Bay is an online market place built to enable local, national and international customers to buy jewelry online. The convenience provided by E-Bay to its customers has helped in building a strong brand image. Customer can shop for the jewelry online and receive the jewelry conveniently through courier. E-Bay has provided a convenient shopping technique for its customers and hence maintains a close relationship with its customers and communicates with them on a personal level. On the other hand customers of auto repair centre do not have a relationship with the branded auto repair centre. Example: a Ford repair centre does not maintain a close relationship with the customers. People prefer to repair their cars within a short period of time so they do not stick to a branded auto repair centre, rather they go to local auto centre where they can get their vehicles repaired within a short period of time. According to Susan Fournier consumers have a relationship with their brands but this does not hold true in case of all products. In case of tinned tomatoes and auto repair, the customers do not have a relationship with its brand. When a customer brings his car for repair, he will prefer an auto centre where his car can be repaired within a short period of time. He is more inclined towards the time duration of the repair so he would prefer any auto repair centre. While the consumer of tinned tomato will prefer that brand that is easily available in the market. He will not develop a relationship with a particular brand. The distribution strategy for Hunts is to provide their product through many distributors and to as many grocery shops as possible. This strategy is appropriate because Hunts deals with perishable goods which need to be delivered within a short period of time. The distribution strategy of E-Bay is to provide an online market place where a variety of products of various

Kant and the critique of metaphysics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kant and the critique of metaphysics - Essay Example The Critique of Pure Reason appeared in 1781, and the two major works such as, the Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals (1785) and the Critique of Practical Reason (1787) are the foundation of ethics.The speculative or pure reason sometimes ruled out the role and importance of reason in this guise. Kant's purpose in the Critique of Pure Reason is to establish the scope and power of reason (Kant, 1929). The reason is treated in terms of the 'conditions of possible experience' or the 'conditions of the possible cognition of objects.' The key issue for Kant in the first Critique is the nature and capacity of reason itself. Before we can consider God, however, Kant argues that we must discover the proper scope of reason, as only then can we discover our capacity to deal with the notion of God or anything else. The pure reason is therefore central not only to his view of knowledge, but also to his view of God (Gogan). Moreover, all judgments are either analytic or synthetic, and either a priori or a posteriori in the view of Kant. Analytic judgments are those in which the predicate inheres in the subject or is presupposed by it (Kant, 1929). The order of nature in reason was located by Kant. The reason does for the understanding what understanding does for the manifold of intuition - "the understanding is an object for reason, just as sensibility is for the understanding.†(Kant, KRV, A664/B692). Reason's regulative capacity renders the unconditioned totality of objects systematic. There are three ideas of reason: self, world and God. God is the Ideal of Reason, whose concept aims . . . at complete determination in accordance with a priori rules. Accordingly it thinks for itself an object which it regards as being completely determinable in accordance with principles (Kant, KRV, A571/B599), that is, in accordance with universal a priori cognition. This ideal of the ens realissimum, of the universal concept of a reality in general, is then thought of as contai ning the being of all beings. But as an idea of reason, the ens realissimum is never met with in appearances. The Ideal of Reason does not satisfy the transcendental conditions and so cannot be considered objectively real. As such, Kant holds that the existence of God cannot be proved by speculative reason. Kant argues that there are three, and only three, possible ways in which speculative reason can argue for the existence of God, characterized as the Ideal of Reason. But all fail to prove God's existence (Kant, KRV, A571/B599). Reason, according to Kant's analysis, can attempt to prove God's existence by either an empirical or a transcendental path, both of which involve going beyond the scope of reason to the transcendental concept (Kant, KRV, A590/B618). In the Critique, however, Kant has refined his notion of possibility. He distinguishes between the form of possibility and the matter of possibility. Kant distinguishes this from the 'Ideal of Reason', which supplies the notion of an 'archetype' or individual ground for systematization (Kant, KRV, A699IB727). This too must be seen as only regulative, as it has no content, that is, 'God' does not correspond to the concept of God. It is the regulative ideal of nature that makes possible the unity of nature itself. The Ideal of nature, as regulative, has a purely methodological status. The Critique of Pure Reason, then, moves God out of the realm of ontology and into that of epistemology. The concept of God is involved in cognition, but is merely an analogical image. From the standpoint of speculative reason, God has no objective reality. Yet Kant posits two types of reality, the cognitive and the moral. These two points of view are tied together by reason. The concept of sensation is not simply a negative boundary to stop us

The Virgin Atlantic Global Marketing Analysis Essay

The Virgin Atlantic Global Marketing Analysis - Essay Example The essay "The Virgin Atlantic Global Marketing Analysis" talks about the Virgin Atlantic, one of the British Airlines that covers the Atlantic region including UK, North America, Caribbean, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Australia. The bases are located in London Heathrow and London Gatwick while another important base is the Manchester Airport.In the operation of airline companies, there are different factors that are considered. One of the said factors evolves in the trends related to tourism in the international community. Basically, when it comes to tourism, the ways of traveling specifically by air can be considered almost a necessity. Thus, due to the continuous development of the both the economy and the culture towards globalization, the global travel is tightly knitted to the trends in tourism.Therefore, there are different trends in tourism that can be considered to dictate the trends in the aviation technology. One is the economy of a country or a destination. For example, for areas wherein there are increasing demands for employment, there is consequently an increase in both business and luxury travels. Though other factors that can affect the trends in the aviation companies and their operation are the continuous development of the technologies that are involved in both flying and business. Therefore, based on the different global trends that dictate the operation techniques and programs of participants in the tourism industry, there are different market drivers.

Business Regulations and practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Business Regulations and practices - Essay Example The offeror, in this case Sullivan, may need to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that he was not in the right frame of mind when he made the offer. if he does, a court of law may render the contract invalid, otherwise it remains binding and Sullivan must sell his 40-acre tract of land to Ball for $60000 (Elliott et al 3). In contract laws, both making an offer by the offeror and acceptance or rejection of the offer by the offeree must be communicated to both parties. The offeree must receive the offer, and the offeror must receive a communication from the offeree notifying him/her or the acceptance or rejection of the offer. Chernek makes an offer to sell used farm equipment to Bollow for $10000. Bollow receives the offer, which is okay. Chernek dies before Bollow accepts the offer. Bollow accepts the offer after the offeror had died, but the Chernek is no longer living to be able to receive the acceptance. There is no valid contract in this case. Bollow must accept that there is no more Chernek to complete the contract by receiving his acceptance (Elliott et al 4). When the equipment were lost to an accidental fire disaster, and it is proven that the fire was indeed purely accidental, the contract becomes invalid because it even happened prior to Bollow sending her acceptance of the offer to Chernek. Since the equipment that would been the subject of a contract no longer exist, and they are burnt down before there is the acceptance bit of the deal, the contract is instantly rendered null and void even if Bollow sends the acceptance. Chernek died before the acceptance of the offer by Bollow. The general rule is that, if the offeror dies before the offeree accepts the contract, it remains terminated. It is evident acceptance was only communicated after Chernek’s death; hence the contract was terminated. What makes

Corruption and Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Corruption and Law - Research Paper Example impact of corruption on the economic growth is high since it creates nonlinear relationship that exists between corruption, terrorism, and crime as well. In general, corruption is a propellant of unethical fibers of the civilization which implies that the exercise posses indisputably action among the people. This however, affects economic and social. When the entire regime in the government of a given nation allows an aspect of corruption, this aspect affects the entire society both morally and economically. However, a clean government is not an assurance that economic prosperity and growth will be attained. This means that rapid economic growth is propelled by the absence of risks and uncertainty within the prevailing regime (Hurd 2011, 47). Economic growth needs effective decision making from higher level of governance as this reduces bureaucratic intervention within the regime in power as per that time of governance. Corruption and economic growth are nonlinear correlation events in the sense that rapid growth in economy of the country can be possible if we have strong institutions devoid of corrupt activities. In addition, the regime should portray stability in its political events and provide reasonable decision making that propel fast economic growth (Detzer 2010, 65-68). We have various institutions in the U.S formed to cover the aspect of terrorism and transnational crime. Such institutions have been seen as aspects that propel corruption in any national governance in many nations worldwide. Corruption is based on international security, which foresees government position leaders, and the entire system comes in hand to support terrorism activities through funding. The aspect of long-term preservation by the transnational crime contributes highly on political campaigns through funding and they ensure that they are involved in nationalistic events. Through these activities, transnational crime however engages many of their activities within the prevailing

Characteristics of Effective Technical Writing Essay Example for Free

Characteristics of Effective Technical Writing Essay Technical writing is meant to get a job done. Everything else is secondary. If the writing style is interesting, so much the better. There are 6 basic characteristics of technical writing: 1. Clarity: The written document must convey a single meaning that the reader can easily understand. Unclear technical writing leads to wasted time, money and resources. 2. Accuracy: This means to not only be careful to avoid errors in recording facts; it also means freedom from bias or subjectivity. If readers suspect you are slanting information by overstating the significance of a particular point, they have every right to doubt the validity of the entire document. 3. Comprehensiveness: A comprehensive technical document provides all the information its readers will need. Readers who must act on a document need to be able to apply the information efficiently and effectively. 4. Accessibility: This refers to the ease with which readers can locate the information they seek. Topic sentences should be used at the beginning of paragraphs. Thesis Statement should be identifiable in the introductory paragraph. 5. Conciseness: To be useful, technical writing must be concise. The longer a document is, the more difficult it is to use, for the obvious reason that it takes more of the reader’s time. A document must strive to balance the claims of clarity, conciseness, and comprehensiveness; it must be long enough to be clear-given the audience, purpose, and subject –but not a word longer. 6. Correctness: Good technical writing observes the conventions of grammar, spelling, punctuation, and usage. Leaving sloppy grammar errors in your writing is like wearing a soup-stained shirt to a business meeting: it will distract your readers, and may make them doubt the importance of your information.

Teaching and Learning Policy Essay Example for Free

Teaching and Learning Policy Essay Learning is a dynamic process which begins at the time of conception and continues for the rest of our lives. At stages along this learning journey we partake in formalised learning in which we may interact with other human beings who may take on the role of teacher. This invariably happens within the confines of a school. The school being the environment designed to help pass on the knowledge, skills and qualities required as preparation for adult life. Our school is a section of a partnership involving pupils, families, the local and extended communities and school staff that give all the opportunity to develop each child’s formal learning and to promote everyone’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development . In this way our school is pivotal in the formation and preparation of opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for life. This policy is for all teaching staff, Governors, parents, members of the community and appropriate outside agencies, including OFSTED, to appreciate our drive for high expectations and our strategies for ensuring that teaching and learning are effective. It sits alongside all other curriculum and management policies including the policy for ‘Performance Management’. It should also be read in conjunction with OFSTED documents and other relevant information including â€Å"The Code of Conduct for Teachers† that will drive our standards forward. Making a Difference Much work has been done on how pupils learn and multiple intelligence theories. This policy considers how as practitioners we can motivate all to ensure effective learning. Research suggests that there are many ways to ensure that effective learning takes place within the different learning environments that a child may encounter within a school. All staff have the ability to make a difference and all must consider the following: †¢ There is no one right way to teach, but teachers and TAs enhance their  effectiveness when teaching is purposeful, efficient, clear, structured and adaptive. Good teaching takes into account all aspects of assessment, prior learning and the individual needs of each child. †¢ High expectations are paramount †¢ Good teaching involves more than exposition and arranging activities; the nature of the interaction is carefully designed, with differentiation matched closely to pupils’ actual abilities and needs. †¢ Good teaching is where the pupils are given opportunity to extend their ability to take charge of their own learning. It is where teachers establish active links to enhance pupils’ learning styles. †¢ The effective learning environment is orderly, stimulating, attractive, safe and supportive. †¢ The effective teaching atmosphere encourages learners to value and draw on their own experience †¢ Good lessons are carefully planned and involve pupil participation as often as possible. They have pace, good questioning strategies and opportunity for reflection. †¢ Learning to learn entails increasing scope for pupils to use their initiative and to develop a capacity for independent work according to age range. †¢ Effective teaching occurs when pupils are given opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they are taught. †¢ Effective learning design allows pupils to summarise what they have experienced and reflect carefully †¢ And effective teaching is complemented by fair discipline, positive reinforcement, and explicit formative feedback. Every member of staff must consider their professional characteristics and reflect and analyse how each pupils’ learning can be enhanced in preparation for the future. It is the role of all staff to dissect their teaching to ensure outstanding teaching and learning opportunities for each child. Monitoring Of Teaching and Learning Monitoring is a regular feature of our school and has become embedded into the culture and working life of our school life .It enables all to have an accurate picture of performance and developments in learning. It is a positive attribute in moving the school forward. Monitoring will occur in a variety of forms :- †¢ Regular monitoring of lessons as part of Performance Management. †¢ Monitoring of lessons as part of specific school initiatives and developments. This will include in-depth monitoring of the core subjects. †¢ Half termly classroom monitoring on working environments and pupils’ learning. †¢ Half termly monitoring of planning and assessment files. †¢ Half termly monitoring of pupils’ books by SMT and appropriate co- ordinators. †¢ Weekly monitoring of books as part of phase meetings. †¢ Weekly light touch monitoring on specific subjects to increase our overall effectiveness and efficiency. Monitoring will positively support teaching staff through :- †¢ Improving individual and team performance †¢ Expanding skills, knowledge and insight for all †¢ Providing a supportive working environment for all †¢ Improving communication that results in improved learning opportunities for pupils. †¢ Identifying individual, team and school needs. †¢ Developing individuals monitoring skills as part of the school’s effectiveness and efficiency. Monitoring is about accountability and will give all the opportunity to discuss positively and staff will be given feedback on lesson observation and scrutiny of their planning and pupils’ work. Written feedback will include a summary of agreed actions to be put in place for the following round of monitoring. Monitoring of lessons, planning, pupil’s work and associated self reviews will provide the basis for the School Development Plan and the vehicle from which Governors and all other interested agencies can gain on the effectiveness of our school. Induction of New Staff To ensure that all new staff have a successful induction and immediately enhance the learning of pupils, the school will allocate a member of staff to work alongside the new member. School procedures and expectations will be discussed and the opportunity to set out the professional needs of the  member of staff will be formalised. Appropriate professional development will be instigated and expectations set. Continued Professional Development Effective CPD is a planned progress. It will be the systematic and progressive improvement of competencies across the school. It is about the meeting of individual and the school objectives and therefore is intrinsically linked with the Performance Management policy, the School’s Development Plan, pupil performance and the needs of the individual. CPD will be designed to meet the individual’s immediate and future needs, it will give a structure to each person’s career development whilst having an impact on pupils’ learning However, each person must take responsibility for reviewing and fulfilling their own needs and school will hold each accountable for developing their own potential. The individual therefore must continually assess their needs and discuss issues with appropriate senior managers. The SDP for each school academic year is available for all working or involved within school. It gives the direction for the school and will indicate how CPD will be organised. Each individual’s performance management objectives will reflect the needs of school and the individual. Planning, Preparation and Assessment Planning, preparation and assessment time is organised so that teachers can work with appropriate colleagues. It gives opportunity for the termly and weekly plans to be scrutinised, assessment of learning analysed and the learning needs of the pupils met. Each phase leader will organise the sessions so that each teacher can maximise the time available. During the sessions the following will occur:- †¢ A selection of books will be scrutinised to ensure marking, presentation and that progress is consistent and of high quality. †¢ Work is analysed and assessment drives the next planning. †¢ The needs  of groups including DSEN and Gifted and Talented pupils are discussed and appropriate planning is put in place. Differentiation is put in place. †¢ Target setting is put in place, monitored and updated. †¢ IEPs are updated as appropriate and new IEPs written at the relevant times. †¢ The needs of staff are discussed and information, as required, passed on to the SMT. †¢ Teaching and classroom practise are discussed †¢ Relevant plans and information is prepared for TAs †¢ The sessions will also discuss resources and ICT All teaching members of staff are given specific details on the formats for planning and the layout of files. These will be scrutinised at phase meetings and by the SMT and co-ordinators throughout the school year to ensure corporative effectiveness. The different forms of assessment are dealt with in the Assessment Policy. All teaching staff must use the information and apply the knowledge to their teaching. Assessment must be consistently used to drive teaching and learning forward. Within this, target setting must be active with all pupils understanding their targets and how they can achieve them. Parents must also be updated of their child’s targets using the school’s pro- formas. Targets must be displayed in classrooms and within the pupils’ books for core subjects. Marking and Feedback to Pupils. The Marking Policy deals with marking issues in detail. Teaching staff must be up to date in marking and marking must give clear indications of how the pupil can move forward appropriate to age . Comments must be positive and opportunity must be given for pupils to act on comments and work on issues that have arisen. Marking will be scrutinised at phase meetings, whole staff meetings, through coordinators monitoring and by the SMT. Pupils will be asked through interviews and in monitoring whether marking and feedback has improved learning. Resources Regular audits of resources are to be carried out by coordinators and phase leaders prior to each block of work is undertaken. Within this remit is the organising of school visits and appropriate visitors to enhance the curriculum and learning opportunities. Pupil Premium, the grant to provide increased opportunities for pupils and to improve learning and reduce gaps between groups of pupils, will be used in part to fund these enhancements. The Pupils’ Voice As stated, good learning is facilitated when pupils have the opportunity to take charge of their own learning. Pupils have a voice and at all keystages staff must give credence to pupils and include them in the planning and delivery of lessons. By monitoring of planning and through discussions with pupils, the SMT will look for this. Prior to specific blocks of work, appropriate to age, pupils will be given time to consider the work ahead and give input. To ensure that every child has the opportunity to gain the range of learning skills to prepare them for life, teaching staff’s planning must show that within lessons pupils have ownership of their learning through teamwork, problem solving, research etc. The Role of Governors The Governing Body of is given at each full governing body meeting and at appropriate sub committee meetings details of monitoring and the review of performance and attainment across the school. As part of its role, the Governing Body will scrutinise our results from monitoring, assessment and internal reviews and ensure that our approaches are consistent and promotes our drive for excellence. Each Governor is linked with a specific area of school and will be in termly contact with co-ordinators to ensure they are fully briefed on teaching and learning. Co-ordinators of core subjects will report to governors termly to again ensure accurate information is passed on. From this the Governing Body will be active in teaching and learning across school. Informing Parents To ensure effective learning for our pupils, parents have to be an informed and active partner. Courses are run throughout the year to update parents on our teaching techniques and strategies so that they can support learning at home and help with homework. Termly Parent feedback sessions are held to update parents on their child’s attainment and progress. At these sessions parents will be given written information on their child’s targets and next steps. They will be given their child’s levels for the core subjects and how this compares to national statistics. For DSEN up to date information will be given and discussed. IEPs will be available for parents to sign and remark on. Yearly school reports will be issued in the summer term and will accurately reflect on the child’s attainment and attitudes. It will also give targets for the next academic year and how parents can support their child. Informal discussions will also take place throughout the year as required to keep parents informed. The Parent Support Adviser is available to help liaise with parents. The PSA will also arrange parent courses to upgrade the parents’ own skills in core subjects, these will have a direct positive effect on pupils’ learning as seen from past experience. Outside Agencies Walsall Children’s Services support school through a variety of important vehicles. The School Improvement Officer will routinely meet with staff and discuss improvement, initiatives, data and monitoring of teaching. Officers will also oversee teaching and learning and support school with CPD issues. Other outside agencies such as Walsall Business Partnership will be used to support the curriculum and maximise learning opportunities for pupils. The school works with local schools and local communities also to improve learning opportunities and inspire pupils.

Advanced decisions in end of life planning

Advanced decisions in end of life planning The advanced care planning (ACP)process is concerned with ensuring the patient has expressed their wishes should their condition deteriorate, leaving them without mental capacity or unable to communicate their decision.(REF LCP)Part of this process is allowing the patient to create advanced decisions with regards to refusing treatment (Joseph, 2010). As end of life planning is such a vast topic this essay will critically evaluate the key principles of advanced decisions with regards to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). CPR is an issue in many health care settings including hospitals, primary care, day hospitals and nursing homes. The ethical debate and the associated problems with advanced decisions are becoming ever more apparent due to the ever increasing number of elderly people in nursing and residential homes. (DH, 2000, 2010). Previous evidence based research has looked at helping elderly people and their families with decision making in end of life planning (references) as well as Patients requesting Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders against the advice of others (REF). There appears to be a gap in the literature concerning the complexity of the tensions associated between the nurse, the rights of the patient and family (or independent advocate) when the patient has specifically requested resuscitation in the event of a cardiac arrest against the advice of the multidisciplinary team. This reflection is based on an issue experienced within my practice and can cause many ethical and moral debates for the nursing staff. The knowledge gained from this reflection will inform my future practice on how patients rights are supported or challenged and the subsequent roles of the nurse. Gibbs (1988) developed his model of reflection in order to reflect on events, critically evaluate fundamental concepts and influence future practice. The first element of this model is based on experience and a description of events. Mr Smith is an elderly gentleman in his late 80s currently living in a nursing home. He has one daughter and a son in law who he is close to and his wife and son passed away a few years ago. Mr Smiths health has been deteriorating over a period of time and the staff nurses and his daughter want to begin the advanced care planning process. For the purpose of this reflection, names and personal data has been changed in line with the NMCs (2008) policy on confidentiality. It is often difficult to establish when a person is reaching the final stages of life (Ellershaw Wilkinson, 2003), however factors have been identified in the Liverpool Care Pathway in order to allow patients to be assessed, including reduced performance status (Karnovsky, 1949); increased dependence in activities of daily living (Barthel, 1965); weight loss and overall physical decline (McNicholl, 2006). Mr Smith had lost a significant amount of weight over the previous 6 months, was requiring more help with various tasks, including personal hygiene and often required the use of a wheelchair as he was becoming more unstable on his feet. It was due to this that it was felt the ACP process was necessary. Effective nursing practice relies upon the ability to develop therapeutic relationships with the patient and family (Peplau, 1952). The qualities of the relationship include good listening skills, a build up of trust and empathy ( Watt-Watson, Garfinkel, Gallop, Stevens, 2002). It is important for relatives to be included in discussions concerning end of life planning as it allows everyone involved to understand and come to terms with the decision (McDermott 2002). A meeting was arranged with Mr smith and his daughter (after consent was gained) to disuss his care wishes in the event of his condition deteriorating. Mr Smith understood that his condition was getting worse but was adamant that he wanted every effort to keep him alive. Therefore, if he went under cardiac arrest Mr Smith would wish the nurse to commence CPR. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitiation (CPR) is a complicated ethical decision comprising of many legal, ethical and emotional decisions for that of the nurse, patient and family (Jeven, 1999). The principle role of the nurse is to assist the patient in restoring or maintaining the best level of health possible (NMC, 2004). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a procedure that aims to prolong the life of an individual who goes under a cardiac arrest by attempting to restore breathing and increase oxygenated blood flow to the brain and heart. The decision to carry out this procedure should be based on any potential risks or benefits to the patient and should not be carried out with no regard to the quality or life expectancy of the patient (BMA, Royal College of Nursing the Resuscitation Council, 2007). These discussions led to a divide in attitudes as it was felt by the majority that a do not resuscitate (DNR) order would be the most sensible and realistic option. A DNR order is often implemented when a person is extremely ill and death is imminent (British Medical Association, 2007). Furthermore, if the patient has other chronic illnesses, which will reduce the quality or length of life, CPR has the potential to prolong suffering and do more harm than good and so would not be deemed beneficial (BMA, Royal College of Nursing the Resuscitation Council, 2007). However, Mr Smith did not agree with this and felt angry and confused as to why his family would suggest that a DNR would be appropriate. He was willing to accept the associated risks of CPR and maintained that his age should not prevent him being entitled to treatment. This statement is supported by equal rights for the elderly, in which people cannot be denied CPR just because of age (DH, 2001). This decision appeared somewhat irrational as he had stated for some time that it was his time to go and he was fed up of suffering and his mental capacity was called into question. The Mental Capacity Act (2005) states that an advanced decision (formerly known as an advanced directive) gives a person over the age of 18, who is deemed to have mental capacity, the ability to consent to or refuse a specific treatment if they become in a position where they lack capacity or are unable to state their decision. A person is considered to have capacity if they are able to understand and retain information in order to make an informed decision; be able to understand the consequences of any interventions and be able to communicate their decision (GMC, 2008). Current English law states that individuals are presumed to have mental capacity unless it can be proven otherwise and this does not take away the allowance for seemingly irrational and risky decisions to be made (NMC, 2004, BMA 2009, DOH, 2001, MCA, 2005) Mr Smith was deemed to have full mental capacity as he fulfilled the criteria outlined by the MCA (2005) and a second opinion doctor was also called to ensure that this was the case. If the patient lacked capacity to make their own decisions, nursing staff must act in line with the patients best wishes (Dimond, 2006). In such circumstances members of the multidisciplinary team must be able to provide clear justification (Hutchinson, 2005). Had it been the case that Mr Smith lacked capacity it would have been reasonable for the nurse to justify not performing CPR, however, failure to comply with his wishes could potentially lead to legal and professional consequences as the NMC (2004) states that patients autonomy must be respected even where this may result in harm. However, the ACP is not legally binding as clinical judgement takes priority (REF LCP). This can put the nurse into a moral dilemma because following professional and legal responsibilities would deny the patient their rights. Beauchamp and Childress (1994) devised an ethical framework based on 4 moral principles to provide guidance on the conflict between the role of the nurse and the rights of the patient. Beneficence, suggests that any decision to be made must be in the best interests of the specific patient as well as weighing up potential benefit and risks (Beauchamp Childress, 2008). In this case it could be suggested that the risks far outweigh any potential benefits and to do CPR would not be the greater good but this would affect the principle of autonomy. Autonomy is the patients right to accept or refuse any medical treatment. It follows deontological theories (Mill, 1982) which deem an action to be right, if it accords with a moral duty or code, regardless of the outcome (Noble-Adams 1999). This approach would justify the nurse performing CPR because they would be following their legal and professional code of conduct in that a patients wishes must be respected and carried out (NMC, 2008). How ever going against the patients wishes could also be deemed as morally right as part of the nurses role is to allow the patient to die with dignity (King,1996). Howver, this could be suggested as following the traditional notion of paternalism, which is not compatible with modern day ethics (Rumbold, 1999). All of these issues cause a moral dilemma for the nurse and impact upon the patients rights as it has been suggested that CPR can deny a patients right to die with dignity by prolonging the dying process (McDermott 2002) and so could be suggested that the greatest good in the situation would be achieved by not performing CPR. The principle of non-maleficence is based on doing no harm (Edwards, 1996). Many people have unrealistic expectations of the success rates of CPR due to media representations (Dean 2001). Patients who survive cardiac arrests following resuscitation is as low as 20% and not all of these inidivudals get to the position of being well enough to be discharged from hospital (Cardozo, 2005). These rates of success are reduced even further when patients have underlying problems and poor health (Schultz 1997). However, it could be argued that the ultimate harm would be to do nothing resulting in death which would also be against Mr smiths wishes. The fact that Mr smith was already considered emaciated and having deteriorating health increases the risk of physical damage during chest compressions but as Mr Smith had already written an advanced directive stating he wished to receive CPR then this should be carried out (Pennels, 2001). This puts the nurse in a serious dilemma as patients and the ir families taking legal action is becoming increasingly common (Oxtoby, 2005) and the nurse is bound by the legalities of their professional code, which would claim that failing to carry out CPR would be considered negligent (Jevon, 1999) and as nurses are professionally accountable for their actions this could put their career in jepoardy(NMC, 2004). The final ethical principle of Justice is concerned with fairness and equality maintaining that every individual has the right to life (Human Rights Act, 1998) and therefore, the patient has a right for the nurse to carry out CPR (even if they have not previously stated this) especially if they have an advanced descision stating that they wish to be resuscitated in the event of cardiac arrest. (Costello, 2002). After all this has been taken into consideration, the rights of the patient, including those who have an advanced decision can still be overruled as before the decision can be applied there must be reasonable evidence to suggest that the decision is still valid and applicable (BMA, 2007). Mr Smith appeared not to be acting in line with his advanced decisions as he was refusing to eat or drink and appeared withdrawn in his personality, not wanting to participate in his activities of living (Roper, Logan and Tierney, 2000). It has been suggested that many health care professionals do not discuss goals of care as they have inadequate communication skills or that there is often conflicting ideas between the patient and professional about what is in their best interests (Haidet et al, 1998) As this has often found to be the case, one of the registered nurses decided to have a further chat with Mr Smith as it was felt that his needs were not being appropriately addressed. It transpired that Mr Smith did wish to die a peaceful death but was scared of what might happen and if he said he did not wish to be resuscitated then he could be left suffering alone in great pain in his last few minutes. The Liverpool Care Pathway suggests that the role of the nurse in the last few days of life shifts to a holistic approach of care to promote comfort and moves away from the idea of active care which includes any invasive or unnecessary procedures that could be avoided (REFERENCE). The Gold Standards Framework provides an holistic assessment plan to aid communication between the nurse and the patient, including how physical, emotional, social, spiritual and communicational needs came be met (Thomas, 2009) The nurse stated that medications can be arranged for end of life care to alleviate any pain and suffering. Discuss syringe drivers, end of life medication and controversy During the final stages of life a natural physiological process causes the swallowing reflex not to work and so the use of oral medication is limited (Thorns Gerrard, 2003). A common palliative care practice is to use a syringe driver to administer drugs (ODoherty et al, 2001), which allows comfortable parenteral treatment of pain, nausea and breathlessness (GrassbyHutchings, 1997). In most circumstances this form of medication administration comes without controversy (Woods, 2004), however, the double effect of sedatives and opiates will reduce anxiety and pain but have also been claimed to supress respiratory function, which has the potential to speed up the dying process (BNF, 2007). The most important aspect of this double effect is that it is permissible so long as death is not intended and is occurs as a byproduct of an intention carried out for the patients best interests (Fohr, 1998). Furthermore, it has been stated that there is a lack of empirical evidence to support this claim (Kaldjian et al, 2004) and research has suggested that repiratory depression does not occur with patients receiving opiods for pain in end of life treatment (Walsh, 1982). The role of the nurse is, therefore to allow the patient to die peacefully. However, health professionals are accountable for their actions and must be able to provide justifications if any problems arise (Dimond, 2004) An assessment using the Abbey pain scale(INCLUDE MORE DETAILS) was carried out to analyse levels of pain experienced by Mr Smith and the appropriate drugs were administered via the syringe driver. Mr Smith continued to deteriorate and died peacefully with his favourite classical music on, his daughter holding his hand and a picture of his wife by his bed. She also clarified that the advanced decision he would have made was only concerned with CPR and did not have to decline all treatment just because he declined one. The nurse asked him if it was clear the end was near what the staff and his family could do to help his transition into death. Mr Smith stated he did not want to be alone and wished to have his family with him to reassure him and comfort him in his last moments. The point of this discussion was not to overrule Mr Smiths advanced decision but to confirm its applicability and validity to his current circumstances. Details of these discussions were recorded in his care plan records in line with relevant policies (REFERENCE) WHAT WAS GOOD/ BAD ABOUT EXPERIENCE? GOOD THAT IT WAS REALISED BEFORE IT WAS TOO LATE BAD COMMUNICATION Analysis what sense can you make of the situation On reflection of the situation the complexities of the tensions between the rights of the patient and the role of the nurse become alarmingly apparent. Nurses are expected to use evidence based knowledge to inform their practice centred on the NMC professional code of conduct. This practice can often involve moral dilemmas on life and death matters for which the nurse can be held professionally accountable. The nurses role is ever more challenging when the patient is entitled to make their own decisions, often deemed unwise or not in their best interests. This reflection informs my practice as it highlights the importance of not only allowing the patient to make an informed decision based on knowledge and evidence but also to explore their feelings behind the decision to be made. In this case it wasnt that Mr Smith wanted CPR in the event of a cardiac arrest because he felt like it was the best option and would extend his life or the quality of it but because he was scared of dying a nd unsure of what would happen. As the nurse discussed his fears and anxieties and suggested ways in which these could be dealt with Mr Smith agreed that a DNR order would be the most effective way to ensure a peaceful and dignified death without prolonging any pain or suffering for him or his family. This experience has taught me that each situation is unique and there can never be any absolute right or wrong in nursing. Patients well-being depends on many factors including anxiety or unmet physical or emotional needs (Dewing, 2002). Communication with patients, their relatives or an advocate is of utmost importance when identifying individual needs as well as understanding the rationale behind decision making. Furthermore, communication between the multidisplinary team is imperative in order to promote best practice (Bridges and Wilkinson, 2011). The insight I have gained from this experience will inform my future practice to understand the feelings and attitudes behind the patients actions and behaviours. Conclusion what else could you have done Action plan, if it rose again what would you do Discussion General Medical Council. (2008). patient and doctor making decisions together. Available: http://www.gmc-uk.org/static/documents/content/Consent_0510.pdf. Last accessed 23 April 2011. Abbey Pain Scale Abbey, J; De Bellis, A; Piller, N; Esterman, A; Giles, L; Parker, D and Lowcay, B. Funded by the JH JD Gunn Medical Research Foundation 1998-2002. 10. Bedell SE, Pelle D, Maher PL, et al. 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Fifth edition. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh. Tschudin V (1992) Ethics in Nursing: The Caring Relationship. Second edition. Butterworth- Heinemann, Oxford. UK Clinical Ethics Network (2006) The Four Principles. www.ethics-network.org.uk/ framework/framework.htm (Last accessed: June 25 2007.)

Tornado Essay -- Natural Disasters Weather

A tornado is defined as a violently rotating column extending from a thunderstorm to the ground. The most violent tornadoes are capable of tremendous destruction with wind speeds of two hundred and fifty miles per hour or more. Damage paths can be more than one mile wide and fifty miles long. In an average year, eight hundred tornadoes are reported nationwide, resulting in eighty deaths and over one thousand five hundred injuries. In the body of my essay, I will tell you about types of tornadoes, where tornadoes come from, where and when tornadoes occur, the damage they inflict, variations of tornadoes, and how to detect tornadoes. There are many types of tornadoes. The average tornado is usually split up into categories based on the strength of the tornado. Most tornadoes, about sixty nine percent 69%, are considered weak, which means they usually last between one minute and ten minutes, have winds less than one hundred and ten miles per hour, and the percent of deaths that occur during these is less than five percent. Strong tornadoes, about twenty nine percent 29%, may last about twenty minutes, have winds between one hundred and ten and two hundred and five miles per hour, and the percent of deaths that are found are about thirty percent of all tornado deaths. The last category for tornadoes is violent ones. With these comes winds greater than two hundred and five miles per hour, they can last about an hour, and have seventy percent of all deaths from tornadoes. Another type of tornado is known as a waterspout. This is a weak tornado that forms over warm water. They are most common along the Gulf Coast and southeastern states. In the western United States, they occur with cold late fall or late winter storms, during a time when you least expect it to develop. They occasionally move inland becoming tornadoes that can cause a great deal of damage and many injuries. Most tornadoes evolve from energy. Tornadoes come from the energy released in a thunderstorm. As powerful as they are, tornadoes account for only a tiny fraction of the energy in a thunderstorm. What makes them dangerous is that their energy is concentrated in a small area, perhaps only a hundred yards across. Not all tornadoes are the same, of course, and science does not yet completely understand how part of a thunderstorm's energy sometimes gets focused into something as small as a tornad... ...ms using all the information they can obtain from weather maps, modern weather radar’s, storm spotters, monitoring power line breaks, and so on. These are all important tornado facts and reasons of why this phenomenon occurs. Tornadoes are natural disasters that we can not do anything about, we just have to learn to live with them and be smart about how we approach them. There is no preventing a tornado from occurring so we must merely take all the precautions so we will be safe. Bibliography: Rosenfeld, Jeffrey O.; Eye of the Storm: Inside the World's Deadliest Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Blizzards; HarperCollins Trade Sales Dept, January 1999 Robinson, Andrew,; Earth Shock: Hurricanes, Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Tornadoes and Other Forces of Nature; Themes & Hudson Ltd., September 1993 Tufty, Barbara; 1001 Questions Answered about Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Other Natural Air Disasters; Dover Publications, Incorporated, August 1987 Verkaik, Arjen; Under the Whirlwind; Whirlwind Books, March 1998 Miller, Norman; "How A Whirlwind Works"; Geographical Magazine, June 1999 Compton's Encyclopedia Online; www.comptons.com SKYWARN Online; www.skywarn.org

The Role of Social Class and Society Essay -- Literary Analysis

Since the beginning of time, social class and race have been paramount in society. Back in the time of caveman, roles and traditions were passed down based on gender. The man was responsible for protection and collecting food while women were responsible for cooking and keeping house. That belief has traversed time and slowly changes with each era. But throughout history, men and women have lived with preconceived notions of their duties to their families. These notions have been passed down generations and have affected how people live within their society. In the novel â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†, social class is revered in the story of the De la Garza family. As we see through the personal journey of Tita, the main character, these distinctions are evident. Set in the time of the Mexican Revolutionary War, the De la Garza family consisted of Mama Elena and her three daughters. â€Å"The most significant, life-changing activities women carried out in the Revolution at the outset were related to their families† (Monk). The oldest daughter was Rosaura, followed by Gertrudis and then the youngest, Tita. Tita’s father had died shortly after Tita’s birth. They lived on a self-serving farm where all members were expected to help. Each female had chores that were to be completed without complaint. Even though the fictional story revolves around recipes, other gender based ideals are revealed. â€Å"These activities were no longer carried out inside four walls, causing family survival to become essential† (Monk). The first tradition mentioned in â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate† was the role of the youngest daughter as pertains to her future. These women were not allowed to marry. Their duty in their life was to care for the mother as ... ...mentsin 1776." Map of General Washington's Battle Engagements in 1776. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. . Guidotti-Hernà ¡ndez, Nicole M. "National Appropriations: Yaqui Autonomu, The Centennial Of The Mexican Revolution And The Bicentennial Of The Mexican Nation." Latin Americanist 55.1 (2011): 69-92. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. "In the Garden of Eden | Pathways." Pathways. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . Monk, Heather Dashner. "Notes On Mexican Women Then And Now Reflections On A Revolution." Against The Current 25.4 (2010): 20-24. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2012 "Nibbles - Family Stress." University of Illinois Extension-Urban Programs Resource Network. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. . The Role of Social Class and Society Essay -- Literary Analysis Since the beginning of time, social class and race have been paramount in society. Back in the time of caveman, roles and traditions were passed down based on gender. The man was responsible for protection and collecting food while women were responsible for cooking and keeping house. That belief has traversed time and slowly changes with each era. But throughout history, men and women have lived with preconceived notions of their duties to their families. These notions have been passed down generations and have affected how people live within their society. In the novel â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate†, social class is revered in the story of the De la Garza family. As we see through the personal journey of Tita, the main character, these distinctions are evident. Set in the time of the Mexican Revolutionary War, the De la Garza family consisted of Mama Elena and her three daughters. â€Å"The most significant, life-changing activities women carried out in the Revolution at the outset were related to their families† (Monk). The oldest daughter was Rosaura, followed by Gertrudis and then the youngest, Tita. Tita’s father had died shortly after Tita’s birth. They lived on a self-serving farm where all members were expected to help. Each female had chores that were to be completed without complaint. Even though the fictional story revolves around recipes, other gender based ideals are revealed. â€Å"These activities were no longer carried out inside four walls, causing family survival to become essential† (Monk). The first tradition mentioned in â€Å"Like Water for Chocolate† was the role of the youngest daughter as pertains to her future. These women were not allowed to marry. Their duty in their life was to care for the mother as ... ...mentsin 1776." Map of General Washington's Battle Engagements in 1776. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. . Guidotti-Hernà ¡ndez, Nicole M. "National Appropriations: Yaqui Autonomu, The Centennial Of The Mexican Revolution And The Bicentennial Of The Mexican Nation." Latin Americanist 55.1 (2011): 69-92. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. "In the Garden of Eden | Pathways." Pathways. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. . Monk, Heather Dashner. "Notes On Mexican Women Then And Now Reflections On A Revolution." Against The Current 25.4 (2010): 20-24. Academic Search Complete. Web. 14 Apr. 2012 "Nibbles - Family Stress." University of Illinois Extension-Urban Programs Resource Network. Web. 3 Apr. 2012. .