Tuesday, November 26, 2019

The History of Port Royal, Jamaica

The History of Port Royal, Jamaica Port Royal is a town on the southern coast of Jamaica. It was initially colonized by the Spanish but was attacked and captured by the English in 1655. Because of its excellent natural harbor and critical position, Port Royal quickly became a significant haven for pirates and buccaneers, who were made welcome because of the need for defenders. Port Royal was never the same after a 1692 earthquake, but there is still a town there today. The 1655 Invasion of Jamaica In 1655, England sent a fleet to the Caribbean under the command of Admirals Penn and Venables to capture Hispaniola and the town of Santo Domingo. The Spanish defenses there proved too formidable, but the invaders did not want to return to England empty-handed, so they attacked and captured the lightly fortified and sparsely populated island of Jamaica instead. The English began construction of a fort on a natural harbor on the southern shores of Jamaica. A town sprang up near the fort: at first known as Point Cagway, it was renamed Port Royal in 1660. Pirates in Defense of Port Royal The administrators of the town were concerned that the Spanish could re-take Jamaica. Fort Charles on the harbor was operational and formidable, and there were four other smaller forts spread around the town, but there was little manpower to defend the city in the event of an attack truly. They began inviting pirates and buccaneers to come and set up shop there, thus assuring that there would be a constant supply of ships and veteran fighting men on hand. They even contacted the infamous Brethren of the Coast, an organization of pirates and Buccaneers. The arrangement was beneficial for both the ​pirates and the town, which no longer feared attacks from the Spanish or other naval powers. A Perfect Place for Pirates It soon became apparent that Port Royal was the perfect place for privates and privateers. It had a large deepwater natural harbor for protecting ships at anchor, and it was close to Spanish shipping lanes and ports. Once it started to gain fame as a pirate haven, the town quickly changed: it filled up brothels, taverns and drinking halls. Merchants who were willing to buy goods from pirates soon set up shop. Before long, Port Royal was the busiest port in the Americas, primarily run and operated by pirates and Buccaneers. Port Royal Thrives The booming business done by pirates and privateers in the Caribbean soon led to other industries. Port Royal soon became a trading center for slaves, sugar and raw materials such as wood. Smuggling boomed, as Spanish ports in the New World were officially closed to foreigners but represented a huge market for African slaves and goods manufactured in Europe. Because it was a rough-and-tumble outpost, Port Royal had a loose attitude towards religions, and soon was home to Anglicans, Jews, Quakers, Puritans, Presbyterians, and Catholics. By 1690, Port Royal was as large and important a town as Boston, and many of the local merchants were quite wealthy. The 1692 Earthquake and Other Disasters It all came crashing down on June 7, 1692. That day, a massive earthquake shook Port Royal, dumping most of it into the harbor. An estimated 5,000 died in the quake or shortly after that of injuries or disease. The city was ruined. Looting was rampant, and for a time all order broke down. Many thought that the city had been singled out for punishment by God for its wickedness. An effort was made to rebuild the city, but it was devastated once again in 1703 by a fire. It was repeatedly hit by hurricanes and even more earthquakes in following years, and by 1774 it was essentially a quiet village. Port Royal Today Today, Port Royal is a small Jamaican coastal fishing village. It retains very little of its former glory. Some old buildings are still intact, and it’s worth a trip for history buffs. It is a valuable archaeological site, however, and digs in the old harbor continue to turn up interesting items. With increased interest in the Age of Piracy, Port Royal is poised to undergo a renaissance of sorts, with theme parks, museums and other attractions being built and planned. Famous Pirates and Port Royal Port Royals glory days as the greatest of the pirate ports were brief but noteworthy. Many famous pirates and privateers of the day passed through Port Royal. Here are some of the more memorable moments of Port Royal as a pirate haven. In 1668, legendary privateer Captain Henry Morgan departed for his famous attack on the city of Portobello from Port Royal.In 1669, Morgan followed up with an attack on Lake Maracaibo, also launched from Port Royal.In 1671, Morgan made his greatest and final raid, the sacking of the city of Panama, launched from Port Royal.On August 25, 1688, Captain Morgan died in Port Royal and was given a send-off worthy of the greatest of the privateers: warships in port fired their guns, he lay in state at the Kings House, and his body was carried through town on a gun carriage to its final resting place.In December of 1718, pirate John Calico Jack Rackham captured the merchant ship Kingston within sight of Port Royal, infuriating local merchants, who sent bounty hunters after him.On November 18, 1720, Rackham and four other pirates who had been captured were hanged at Gallows Point at Port Royal. Two of his crewmates -   Anne Bonny and Mary Read  - were spared because they were both pregna nt.On March 29, 1721, infamous pirate Charles Vane was hanged at Gallows Point in Port Royal. Sources Defoe, Daniel. A General History of the Pyrates. Dover Maritime, Paperback, Dover Publications, January 26, 1999. Konstam, Angus. The World Atlas of Pirates. Guilford: the Lyons Press, 2009.

Friday, November 22, 2019

How to effectively explain why you have gaps on your resume

How to effectively explain why you have gaps on your resume Job gaps happen, because life happens. Maybe you’ve gotten laid off (or even fired). Maybe you took some time off from working to attend to personal matters, like a health issue, or caring for a child or family member. Our careers aren’t always constant, linear paths. But unfairly or not, having gaps can put you at a disadvantage against other candidates that have been working constantly in the field, picking up steady experience and a continuous progression through the ranks. Let’s explore how to maximize your resume to show that you’re just as qualified, gaps and all.Consider whether you should mention it at all.If the gap happened in the past, and you’re currently (or recently) employed, then you don’t need to talk about your gap at all unless asked. Don’t jump the gun just because you’re anxious about it- your interviewer might not even bring it up!Be honest†¦Sure, a few fake dates may go unnoticed by the resume reader. But they might not. And if your hiring process involves a background check, or you get tripped up when talking about your experience in person at a job interview, it’s going to be an embarrassing (and likely costly) mistake. If you’ve been out of the workforce for two years, acknowledge that fact, potentially in your cover letter, always emphasizing that you’re ready to jump back in.If an interviewer asks you why you left your last job (which is a while ago) and you happen to have lost your job, it’s okay to admit that. People get the downsizing factor- it happens to most people at some point. But again: emphasize that your skills and experience have grown and that you’re excited about this new opportunity.†¦but finesse dates if you have to.Instead of using specific months of employment, go with the year. You won’t be able to hide a gap of a year or more that way, but if you’ve been out of the game for more than a few months but less than a year, it can be easier to obscure that to the reader.Be careful of the kind of information you reveal about your gap.This applies especially if you took time off to have a kid or had a medical issue in the past. Interviewers aren’t allowed to discriminate against you on the basis of family status or physical disability, which means they can’t ask you about those things. If you go ahead and mention them yourself, though, then you’ve opened that door. So, it’s important to tread carefully. Instead of saying, â€Å"I took some time off to treat my clinical depression,† say something vague like, â€Å"I took time off for a family health issue, but now that things are better I’m so ready to put my store manager hat back on.†Tweak your resume format.Not every resume has to have the traditional job experience + skills + education format, with your work experience moving backwards chronologically. If you’re trying to set a narrative for your resume around a gap in employment, put your skills up front, taking care to spotlight ones that directly relate to the job at hand. The hiring manager needs to know, first and foremost, that you’re a good fit for the job. So you can make that connection easier if you show that you have the skills.If you have a fairly long work history, in the experience section you can emphasize only the most relevant jobs (â€Å"Relevant Work Experience), omitting ones that are way back or just not very applicable to this new job. That way, you’re not setting the expectation that every bit of your work experience is listed on the resume.Look for other kinds of experience to highlight.Maybe you volunteered while you were out of work. Maybe you took classes in coding that bumped your skills up to the next level. Look outside the usual job experience bullet points to show that you may have a gap, but you haven’t been totally out of it. Anything you can use to show that you’ve been building in the meantime will help you make the case that you’re ready to seize this new opportunity.So if you have a gap on your resume, don’t despair. It can feel intimidating to know you’re up against people who don’t have the same issue, but always remember that you’ve got great experience and skills. It’s all about showing how you plan to use those to overcome whatever challenges have come your way.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Psychological Testing and Assessment Paper Essay

Psychological Testing and Assessment Paper - Essay Example Psychological test is one of the recognized measurement tools used in psychology. Cohen, Swerdlik and Sturnam (2013) define psychological test as devices and/or procedures used to measure psychological variables with regard to their effects on human life. Cohen, Swerdlik and Sturnam (2013) alternatively define psychological test process of determining psychology related variables through use of procedures and devices designed to produce a sample of behaviors. Counselors, and marriage as well as family therapists rely on psychological tests to accomplish their treatment goals of dysfunctional elements in their clients. Counselors need psychological tests such as interviews and observations to study behaviors and conducts of their clients. Interviews enable counselor to perform personality, intelligence, attitude, brain and behavioral tests on clients. Marriage and family therapists perform personality tests on related individuals facing difficult time to understand inherent motivators to act as they do. Personality tests enable counselors to weigh trust, confidence, courage, self-esteem, understanding, honesty and transparency between and among clients (Nichols, 2013). Measuring trust is usually important in marriage therapy where couples experience problem due to distrust. A married woman may use observations of behavioral change in the partner to suspect infidelity. If the two have not found time to talk about their challenges, the woma n would continue to express distrust in the marriage and behave in a manner that only escalates instability in the marriage. Marriage and family therapists also measure honesty levels in their clients to determine commitment of related members in their relationships. Honesty here, concerns open and truthful communication among members. Therapists understand dishonest communication have great propensity to lead to unstable relationship within families.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

British General Elections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

British General Elections - Essay Example Yet Brynin and Newton suggest an interesting fact that people whose political ideals and attitudes are compatible with the newspaper they read are more likely to vote than people whose attitudes are considerably cross pressured or go against their own. The study points out that the effects of the newspaper in determining voter choices is significant though not too large and newspapers effects seem to be greater for closely fought elections as that in 1992 than in 1997. Newspaper effects are even high for Labour reinforced political support than for conservative reinforced. The study highlights the fact that newspapers do have a statistically significant effect in determining political behaviour of the voters although the influence of newspapers is more conspicuous during close election results rather than in landslide victories. The study also focuses on the fact that the Conservative press dominated daily circulation in Britain from 1945-1992 and this may have helped the party to wi n elections continually and remain in power. The role of the press in voter decision making process and in consequent determination of election results could be considered as significant especially for close elections and voter turnout is determined by the newspapers and the impact that the news reports has on the electorate. The fact that there has been a decline in electorate turnout in the present British elections has raised concerns and Rallings and Thrasher (2003) point out that poor voter turnout is a long feature in British politics. They discuss the recent reforms and electoral arrangements that have attempted to encourage higher voter participation by reducing costs of voting although the effects of these reforms may not be complete if the voters do not comprehend the value of their own voting contributions to the development of the community or the nation. Thus it is important for the electorate to perceive the importance of their vote in shaping the nation and its future and this may be the single most important factor in increasing voter turnout. Rallings and Thrasher point out that the electors who vote in general elections but not in local contests may be more affected by changes and commitment to local community needs and concerns would help to counter voter apathy. The election results an d outcomes regarding winning of elections would be important as a mobilising tool as when local elections seem to bring about changes within the local community, then possibly there will be less apathy for the elections and voter turnouts will increase. The turnout to the British general elections of 1997 was at 71% which caused concerns about the long term scenario of political participation in the country. Pattie and Johnston (2001) provide a political analysis of voter turnout and suggest that there was rapid decline in turnout during the 1950 through 1970 although there has been no long term decline in general election turnout between 1974 and 1997. According to the analysis, close

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System Essay Example for Free

Denver International Airport Baggage-Handling System Essay Critical Factors *A change in the project specifications after the freeze date was agreed up on in the contract. These changes created a domino effect of problems. This was in violation of the contract with BAE which stated there would be a number of freeze dates for mechanical design, software design, and permanent power. *A lack of efficient and effective communication between the city, project management team, and consultants. This manifests itself in basic issues like vendors blocking roadways for other vendors, the city canceling orders for electrical filtering components that were critical path, and too many unilateral decision made because no one was in charge. *A late start with respect to deciding the type of technology to be used for the baggage handling system. BAE didnt even bid on the project because the scope and the timeline were not feasible. The city, under the guidance of Chief Airport Engineer Slinger arranged the deal that included penalty and time clauses for both the city and the vendor. *The City of Denver did not listen to the requested and needed amount of time to actually construct the baggage handling system. The City had a deadline to meet and did not want to hear about any more delays. In spite of this, the vendors wrote contracts that attempted to cover their bases to ensure these deadlines would be met. In the end, extenuating circumstances conspired to prevent these dates from being met. *BAE lost control of their project to the PMT that had no experience in airport construction, baggage handling system technologies, and the introduction of the new technologies. PMT forced BAE to modify their management structure and project approach to fit the PMT needs. BAE had a track record of success using their own management structures. This modification created confusion, inefficiency, and ultimately failure. *2 major changes in personnel. The resignation of the head of the DIA project  in May 1992 and the death of Chief Airport Engineer Slinger in October 1992. Slingers replacement was not able to make decisions without going thru a lengthy process for approval. Slinger managed through the force of his charisma and willingness to take risks and make decisions. His replacement understood the principals but didnt have the bulldozer personality that was necessary for the heroics to get the project completed. Her superiors knew this and retraced the autonomy that was prevalent with Slinger. Without this autonomy and personality, missing deadlines was rampant. *The Citys lack of help for BAE to continue to have their unrestricted access and were unable to makeup from the delays. The City just did not give BAE what they were told they would have in general. The city was in violation of their agreements. *Poor relationship with management. This was evident throughout the project. The initiative started as a political position, gained momentum, and ended in another political dilemma. At the time of this case study, relations between the city, the vendor, and the federal government were rapidly moving towards litigation. There are few instances of attorneys successfully delivering on complex engineering-oriented projects. *Human Capital Restrictions The project needs the best experts to get this thing completed. The restriction of using Denver based contractors in situations should be eliminated. *Finance These guys expected to being servicing the bond debt based on a specific timeline. Since the airport is not open, there is not a revenue stream to support the payment requirements. Re-financing might help take some of the pressure away. *The lackluster economy of the late 80s, the gulf war impact on the airlines, and Continentals chapter 11 collaborated to create additional concerns for the city that distracted them from their mission to manage and deliver the airport. *They city decided long after construction began to implement an airport-wide baggage handling system. Their only smart decision was to contract with BAE to revise the scale of the project they already started with United. Their major mistakes were waiting too long to reach this decision, then tying the hands of BAE once they agreed. The types of technology required for a system this large should have been made much earlier in the facility design process. Delaying this decision resulted in several instances of rebuilding facilities to support more weight, provide more ventilation, and larger payload handling. *This was a build/design project. The idea of making design decisions after construction was underway is an recipe for catastrophe in a project of this magnitude. The citys insistence that this be held to a tight schedule yet allowing multiple design changes was unfortunate. There were too many players, lots of pressure, and the whole project was run by committee with differing agendas. The project administrators had to balance administrative, political, and social imperatives. *the Citys requirements that a percentage of the project be done by local and minority talent hamstrung BAE to deliver. They were forced to hire subcontractors resulting in longer times and higher costs. *The change tracking system took over three years to implement due to the need to make differing technologies play well together and the low priority placed on this by the vendors. *The city invited reporters to preview the first test of the baggage handling system without notifying the vendor. This became a public relations nightmare and added public resentment to the list of problems facing the delivery team. Alternative Solutions Human Resources Because the project has reached a critical state, the project team must recognize the need to bring in the best human capital to be able to complete the project. Thus, it is crucial that the associate director, program manager, city leaders, contract compliance personnel, and DIA coordinator review the current mandate of using local providers. At this point, it would appear that successful completion of the baggage handling system is not only reliant on the specific component itself but several other DIA projects and disciplines such as electrical service. The director and program manager must consider using the necessary experts regardless of the base of origin. Ultimately, the lead decision makers must recognize that completing this project will require the best talent available and eliminate any restrictions on using such resources. Communication and Operational Process The overall communication and operational process requires an improved set of rules by which each party will operate. Each discipline is apparently working within a vacuum environment and do not value the project as a whole. The project leaders must establish an operational charter dictating the rules and enforce such. It appears that the management of the project has occurred from the aspect of individual contractors. Communicating the status of each aspect of this project to a central coordinating team would allow the organization to manage resources from an enterprise project level rather than looking at each contractor as an individual project. City council also needs to let the PMs do their jobs. They need to have the same confidence in Gail Edmond as they did in Slinger before he passed away. Their lack of confidence in Gail Edmond is evident and needs to be resolved in one of two ways. The first is that they give Gail Edmond the same respect as they did for Slinger. City council will not hold extra meetings to give Gail Edmond approval for every decision she makes. The second resolution is that a new PM is brought is that city council has confidence in. This  resolution can put the project way behind schedule. Organization Structure Any shared leadership must be eliminated immediately and the direction of the project must be provided by a specific leader. Furthermore, as part of a communication and operational change, the organization hierarchy should be reviewed. This may involve the creation of a new position such as a relationship coordinator. This individual would be charged with resolving disputes between resources involved in various aspects of the overall project with the specific mission on insuring that resources and disciplines do not compromise the timeline of peer activities within the project. The baggage system team must have complete access to complete their job. Thus, any interruption caused by another discipline should be reported and immediately resolved by the relationship coordinator. In addition to implementing a relationship coordinator, a task force charged with facilitating the successful completion of the project may create some synergies throughout the project as a whole. It is unclear as to whether or not each discipline is aware of the complete picture. A task force could provide a mechanism for eliminating redundant activity, scheduling conflicts, and resolve certain deficiencies that are present and delaying advancement and smooth progression. Finally, at this stage, the project cannot absorb further setbacks as a result of organizational structure or leadership. Thus, implementing personnel redundancies could prove to be a prudent consideration. Key personnel should have a redundant mechanism in place to support any further turnover prior to the completion of the project. Project Specifications It is reasonable to assume that all of the specifications for this project should be frozen. However, it appears that certain parties may not be completely aware of these specifications leading to change requests as  issues are realized. These project specifications must be immediately reviewed. If further changes are going to be requested, these requests must be received immediately. By scheduling a specification meeting, which will likely last for several consecutive days, the director and program manager will be able to confidently freeze the specifications. Finance Situation On a parallel, but separate path, the director and city officials may need to consider re-financing the bond package. The current financing package was established based on a specific timeline. The fact that there is a lack of anticipated cash flow may be causing certain decision makers to engage in activities to get things done quickly rather than done right. Essentially, it appears that moving forward with the right plan will actually lead to completion quicker than moving forward with a fast plan. If indeed decisions are made because of pressure to get things operational therefore leading to a revenue stream to support the debt service, refinancing could relieve this pressure. Relationships All parties must meet immediately. Because the vendor and city are not talking, involving an impartial party to facilitate this meeting would be beneficial. In general, it is crucial for everyone involved to recognize that this situation did not develop overnight, but rather, numerous problems and process issues have lead to the current status. The mission to complete this project and open the airport remains. Thus, the parties must recognize that there are options to moving forward toward completion, address differences, implement process changes, and move forward. Alternative Baggage Handling System The state of the art baggage handling system created by BAE has many issues that need to be worked out. Building the backup baggage handling system and using it while the issues are being worked out from the state of the art  baggage handling system can allow the airport to open sooner and allow the necessary revenues to begin to pay back the bonds. This alternative will allow BAE to properly diagnose and fix all of the issues that the system is currently experiencing. BAE originally told the City of Denver that a project this size should be completed in about 2.5 years.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Acne Essay -- Medicine Medical Birth Control Pape

Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Acne What does Ortho Tri-Cyclen do for the treatment of acne and how does it work? In 1960, the medical world of the United States was revolutionized by the introduction of The Pill. For the past forty years, The Pill has been the most popular form of reversible birth control. But beside the stellar contraceptive effectiveness rate ranging from 97-99.9% (when taken as directed), many other non-contraceptive benefits exist in conjunction with this method of birth control. Studies have proven that a women’s incidence of ovarian and endometrial cancers, benign cysts of the ovaries and breasts, and pelvic inflammatory disease, all decrease with pill use. Heavy bleeding and severe cramps are also minimized (www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/CONSUMER/CON00027.html). Recent claims state that birth control may also effectively treat some types of acne. Though, back in 1966, The Rocky Mountain Medical Journal published an article illustrating the effectiveness of estrogen-progestin combination in the treatment of stubborn acne, and maintaining that the cyclic admin istration of oral contraception is a useful measure for many women. It was not until January 2, 1997 that marked another big step in the world of the birth control pill when, for the first time, an oral contraceptive was approved for marketing by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an effective treatment for acne. Ortho Tri-Cyclen, originally introduced in 1992 by the Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical Corporation, is the first low dose birth control pill approved for a noncontraceptive indication. (www.pslgroup.com/dg/fa6a/htm.) Ortho Tri-Cyclen is the only birth control pill that has been clinically proven for the treatment of mo... ... acne vulgaris. Journal of American Acad Dermatology, 37(5Pt1), 746-54 Olson WH, Lippman JS, Robisch DM, (1998). The duration of response to norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol in the treatment of acne vulgaris. Internal Journal of Fertil Womens Med, 43(6), 286-90 Redmond GP, (1998). Effectiveness of oral contraceptives in the treatment of acne, Contraception, 58(3 Suppl), 29S-33S Redmond GP, Olson WH, Lippman JS, Kafrissen ME, Jones TM, Jorizzo JL, (1997). Norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol in the treatment of acne vulgaris: a radomized, placebo controlled trial. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 89(4), 615-22 Van Hoff MH, Hirasing RA, Kaptein MB, Koppenaal C, Voorhorst FJ, Schoemaker J, (1998). The use of oral contraceptives by adolescents for contraception, menstrual cycle problems or acne. Acta Obstetrics and Gynecol Scand, 77(9), 898-904

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

American Cancer Society Essay

Am I a patient, no. Am I a survivor, no. I am someone who has seen cancer through the eyes of others. An uncontrolled division of abnormal cells creates the cancer within the body (â€Å"What is Cancer†). More than 1 million people in the United States are diagnosed with cancer each year (â€Å"Learn about Cancer†). An estimated 10,450 new cases and 1,350 cancer deaths are expected to occur among children in 2014 (â€Å"What are the key statistics†). The American Cancer Society is one of the greatest resources to turn to when cancer strikes. The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913 to raise the public’s awareness about cancer (â€Å"The Early Years†). With millions of supporters, the American Cancer Society saves lives and works to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays. They do this by helping people stay well, get well, by helping support the findings of cures, and fighting back against the disease (â€Å"Who We Are†). It is imperative to fund basic research with the American Cancer Society because it saves lives. The American Cancer Society strives to help our society stay healthy by helping people take the necessary steps to prevent cancer or detect it early. Through the American Cancer Society Clinical Trials Matching Service, patients are connected with more than 64,000 different treatment options. Also provided is an online support community for cancer survivors and caregivers that have brought together more than 93,000 people since 2000 (â€Å"Online Communities and Support†). The American Cancer Society acquires results by investing in research that helps to understand cancer causes, determine how to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it (â€Å"Explore Research†). The American Cancer Society has several fundraising methods. The main fundraiser The American Cancer Society holds is a walk called the Relay for Life. This event takes place across the globe in different communities to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones, and fight back against this detrimental disease. The Relay for Life has varying meaning to different people, but we all want the same result, a cure for cancer. We walk, we talk, we cry, we laugh, we learn, we love, and we hope. Today there are nearly 14 million cancer survivors, and with the money raised, the number of survivors will continue to rise (â€Å"What is Relay For Life†). Personally, my family has been involved in American Cancer Society fundraisers for the past several years. Not only has our family been able to raise money for the cancer society, but we have also entered races and walks for the cure. Cancer affects every individual and family in a different way physically and emotionally. Whether you are joining the fight to end cancer for a family member, or a friend everyone has personal reasons for taking action. What we all share is the belief that we can end this terrible disease if we work together. The donations, long-term involvement, and healthy choices of our society, have helped contribute to a 20% drop in death rates from cancer since the early 1990s (McDaniel np). The American Cancer Society is continually working hard to lower the death rate, and while the disease still claims 1,500 lives a day in the United States, change can be made by speaking out (â€Å"Cancer Facts and Figures 2013). Donating, signing up for a local fundraising e vent, helping fund the next research breakthrough, or spreading the word to friends and family are all ways society can join the fight against cancer. The American Cancer Society also helps families by helping them understand and cope with the fact that diseases such as cancer can occur at anytime, and in any age group. Cancer brings families together in though times, and the importance of life is soon realized. The American Cancer Society has helped save these lives and has brought families together and continues to do so today. Cancer does not define us but how we chose to cope with it does. Every one needs to involve as many people as we can to raise money for research and education. There is a passionate aggression in each of us as we are fighting to save more lives. The American Cancer Society would not exist without fundraisers and donations. Advocates are imperative for the support and fundraising of the American Cancer Society. Without it, individuals around the world would continue to get cancer and not know what to do about it. Without the research and effort The American Cancer Society puts in patients would get no where, have a lack of education, not know what to do when they get it, and most importantly never have a cure to cancer. We need the American Cancer Society and they need our support. So let’s finish the fight and  donate today! Works Cited American Cancer Society. American Cancer Society Inc., 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. . Cancer Action Network. American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Inc., 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. . McDaniel, Justine. â€Å"Cancer Society, Researchers Look Back on Decades’ Worth of Progress†¦Ã¢â‚¬  McClatchy Washington DC News Bureau. 07 Oct. 2013: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. Relay for Life. American Cancer Society Inc., 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2014. .

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Assessment and Nurses Essay

The aim of this assignment is to explore the four stages of APIE, explaining their importance in nursing, as well as identifying possible problems within the stages, in relation to the videos of Joe. These issues will then be anaylsed using theory, to create possible explanations and consequences for the behaviour and actions shown by Joe and the nurses. APIE is a nursing process which guides health professionals through the problem solving approach, which promotes the individualised, holistic delivery of care. It is tailored around the patient’s needs and allows nurses to holistically assess the patient, then plan and set goals according to the information gathered. These plans and goals are then implemented into the care delivery and evaluated for effectiveness (Wilson, 2012). Assessment Assessment requires looking at the patient holistically and establishing what the patient was like before being admitted and what they are like now. If there is any change between the two, then the cause of this change must be identified. Once this is established, a detailed plan can be derived to tackle the actual problem and potential problems which may arise as a result. Assessment is important because it views the person as an individual (Barrett, Wilson and Woollands, 2009). The consequences of wrongly assessing a patient are that at the planning stage, care may be tailored incorrectly to their gender, religion and other factors which are paramount to that individual. This will in turn affect the way care is implemented. An individual’s culture, values and beliefs are highly influential in establishing what the carer may do for them and what they prefer to do themselves (Baldwin, Longhurst, Smith, et al, 2003). Information collected may be objective or subjective. Objective data is measurable and verifiable whereas subjective data is determined by the individual in order to understand their experience (Long, Phipps and Cassmeyer, 1995). In order to validate and verify the information collected during assessment, it is crucial to relay the information collected back to the patient (Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, 2007). One explanation of Joe’s behaviour is the Cognitive Dissonance Theory (Festinger, 1954) in the sense that he expresses an idealistic view by saying that he would not change anything about the implementation of his care and stating that all the nurses are lovely. These statements are contradicted by the fact the nurses do not acknowledge him when he repeatedly asks for his glasses, and they talk over him and ignore him as he is getting out of bed. He makes excuses for their bad practice by stating that the nurses are busy and that it does not matter anyway because he does not have anywhere to go. Joe may be using cognitive dissonance as a coping strategy to maintain harmony and avoid the truth (McLeod, 2008). Coping strategies are a way of the individual dealing with their problem to make it more manageable. These strategies, whether adaptive or maladaptive, should be identified though patient interaction in the assessment stage. If the coping strategy is maladaptive thenit should be identified by the nurses and then plans and goals should be set out to find the cause of this behaviour and how to rectify it. Joe may be using a coping strategy to cope with hisdeterioration in independence, since becoming immobile and incontinent. The reasons behind these problems occurring should be identified at this stage, before moving on to the planning stage (Barrett et al, 2009). Physiologically, Joe is at Stage Eight of Erikson’s (1980) Development which means he should be at a stage where he is evaluating his life and passing on his wisdom to others, however Joe is not able to communicate in the home as he is sat alone at meal times and is not listened to by the carers. Erikson (1980) states that we continue developing until we die and that by Joe’s stage, all the ego strengths from the past seven stages come together and are used to evaluate one’s life. On observation however, it seems clear that some of the ego strengths are being damaged – will power, purpose and confidence and fidelity are undermined by the fact he is called â€Å"silly thing† and ignored when he repeatedly asks for his glasses. Stage Two autonomy is also undermined as he is not given the independence of choosing him own meals or choosing what time he wakes up or eats breakfast. This shows that Joe was not assessed in accordance with his age. To rectify this problem, Joe needs to be made more autonomous, given encouragement to use  the urinal instead of a catheter and allowing him to make his own choices. The government White Paper (2006) focuses on the need for individualised care and calls for service to be tailored around the needs of the individual and not the service provider. It aims to place the individual in control of their life and promote independence, by providing a more flexible service, with a view to a reaching and fulfilling a healthy old age. In addition, violence, stress and abuse which pose a threat to an individual’s overall well being, must be identified and addressed. The nurses did not view Joe as an individual because they did not give him the opportunity to choose what he wanted to eat, or allow him to get dressed before leaving his room. To adopt a more individualised approach, the nurses should have let him choose what tine to get up in a morning, allowing him to get dressed and further choose what he wanted to eat for breakfast, therefore adhering to The White Paper guidelines. Planning Planning is important because it clearly sets out SMART Goals which are patient centered and therefore involve the patient directly, when the goals are being established (Barrett et al, 2009). A consequence of not involving the patient directly or clarifying details to the patient is that the goals will not be met, or goals will be set which are irrelevant. Important goals may be omitted or set goals will not be beneficial to the individual. A Systematic Nursing Diagnosis should gather information from the patient about the consequences of living with their particular condition and the impact it has on their life. A way of doing so, is establishing a baseline – what was the patient like before the condition arose, and what are they like now. In addition to this, it should be identified how the patient copes with this change. For example, Joe should have been asked what it is like for him having a catheter. Joe’s daily continence routine before wearing a catheter should have been established, in order to compare it to his current daily routine. Then Joe should be asked how he is coping with this change and how this change affects his life. The same method should also have been used to assess his immobility, so that a needs statement may be written, along with a baseline, in order to make progress measurable (Barrett et al, 2009). Joe used to be able to walk when he was admitted, now he is in a wheelchair. He says he cannot get to the bathroom on his own, and because of this, his independence has been compromised. The nurses should take into account the psychological, sociological and biological implications of this change in mobility. If APIE, was done correctly, the cause of Joe’s impaired mobility should be established, as well as what can be done to avoid any potential problems arising from immobility such as constipation, oedema, decreased muscle mass and compromised circulation(Carpenito-Moyet, 2009). A further goal which was not identified at this stage was to maintain Joe’s identity and masculinity by letting him wear his own clothes and asking what he wanted to wear, as oppose to sitting in pyjamas all day. This is bad practice because sitting in pyjamas all day assumes Joe into The Sick Role, a Functionalist role identified by Talcott Parsons (1951)as withdrawing from normal social behaviour and adopting a more deviant role, which deems them excluded from the social responsibilities and normal day to day functioning(Bilton, Bonnett, Jones, Lawson, Skinner, Stanworth and Webster,2002). The nurses further show signs of this behaviour because they seat Joe alone at breakfast, thus excluding him from social interaction. An explanation of this may be that the nurses gain a sense of power if they are able to assume someone into a passive role, because the sick role gives the health professional authority over a patient’s health, plus the right to gain personal information from them. A consequence of the nurses behaving in this way, may lead to the self-fulfilling prophecy whereby Joe adapts and begins to conform to the sick role which is assumed of him. This process of conforming to deviance is also known as deviance amplification (Bilton et al, 2002). The reasons for the carers not setting a goal for this aspect of Joe’s life may be due to the nurses not being aware of the implications of sitting someone in pyjamas all day. Another explanation may be that the nurses automatically ‘labelled’ Joe as being ill, thus assuming him into a sick role without pre meditation of doing so. Joe may not feel comfortable asking to wear his own clothes in case he is seen as being a difficult patient, due to sociological cognition that the practitioner is dominant and  the patient must conform to their rulings (Bilton et al, 2002). A suggestion to alleviate this problem may be to put a goal in place for Joe to wear his own clothes. Implementation Implementation is important because it puts into action what has been set out in the care plan and in the goal setting process. The consequence of not implementing care properly is that a standardised method of care may be implemented as oppose to a holistic method, which respects individual needs and cultural diversity (Barrett et al, 2009). The NMC Code (2008) supports this by emphasising the need to treat patients as individuals as well as listening to them and responding accordingly. The nurses did not implement Joe’s care properly because they did not respond to his request for his glasses, which he asked for several times. A possible explanation for their behaviour may be due to ageist views. To support this theory, studies have highlighted a preference amongst care workers to work with children or young adults – an ageist view which has resulted in older people often not properly assessed or receiving thorough care. Overall, this age group often do not benefit from the up most efforts of medical staff (Gross, 1992). Another theory to explain Joe’s and the nurses’ behaviour may be explained by the Social Disengagement Theory which illustrates co-operation of the elderly individual in the process of disengagement between them and society. Erikson (1951)guides an individual through life up until old age, from which point, the individual is left to mature and develop by reflecting on their past, thus disengaging with their role in society and conforming to a more submissive role. (Cumming, Dean and Newell, 1960). Some argue that the ageist view is justified. A. B. Shaw, of Bradford Royal Infirmary (1994) argues that in an age of limited healthcare, ageism towards the elderly is a positive method in reserving healthcare facilities for those who will most benefit, i. e. the younger generation. This argument however is not in keeping with the NMC Code (2008) which states that you must not offer care which is discriminatory in any way. A. B. Shaw’s view however, may be the same view adopted by the nurses, which could explain their behaviour. The nurses could possibly have implemented his care better by taking a holistic approach to Joe, and not simply viewing him as another statistic. If the assessment and planning stages had been one correctly then the implementation of his care would have been at a higher standard and more patient centered. Joe’s undesirable learned behaviour is to keep quiet and shut up. He has learnt this by the fact that every time he speaks, he is ignored. Learning is a process which results in permanent changes in behaviour. Joe’s catheter (also mentioned in the planning stage) was not checked in the morning. Joe complains that his catheter often gets full and pulls. The consequences of not checking his catheter regularly are that signs of dehydration or infection may go unnoticed. The amount of urine should also be checked because if the amount is low, it may be that that the catheter is blocked or obstructed (McMillen and Pitcher, 2010). Normal urinary output should be around 30ml per hour. (Colvin, Guffey, Hoelscher and Smith, 2011). The nurses should be familiar with catheter care and should initiate learning of such procedures, in order to benefit the patient and promote Joe’s wellbeing. Evaluation There are two types of evaluation: summative evaluation and formative evaluation. Summative evaluations evaluate how effective the general approach to care and the process of care were. It determines whether a holistic approach to care was used and how effective the assessment process was in defining the nursing diagnosis; in order to lead to patient centered planning regards their needs statements and baselines. Goals are also assessed in terms of relevance and how realistic they were. Formative evaluations rely on direct nurse to patient interaction to determine whether the problem has got better or worse. For this to be effective, a baseline must be in place for each goal, in order to assess whether the patient has moved away from or towards the goal. Patient activity and behaviour also are scrutinised to fulfill this evaluation. Interaction with the patient, in order to learn about their experiences, is key to this type of evaluation as they know themselves better than anyone Evaluation is important because it reviews the effectiveness of the current plan. If the current plan is not deemed to be beneficial to the patient then it is important to return to the assessment stage and correct any problems (Barrett et al, 2009). The consequence of not evaluating correctly is that the process has therefore been ineffective in establishing any potential problems with the previous stages. The elderly have different nutritional requirements to younger adults due to age related biological changes such as changes in metabolism, digestive enzyme ability and changes in the gastrointestinal tract (Long et. al. , 1995). On admission, Joe was asked to write down which foods he liked to eat, yet he is given porridge every day and was told it was his ‘favourite’. The Evaluation Stage should involve interaction with Joe to identify whether his needs were met in the previous three stages(Long et. al. , 1995). The Evaluation stage here has therefore been unsuccessful because it has not identified that the assessment process has failed to produce a patient centered nursing diagnosis for his diet and fluid intake. The consequences of feeding someone that same food every day is that Joe is at risk of Protein Energy Malnutrition, onset by inadequate protein, carbohydrates and fats in the diet, or vitamin deficiencies (Waugh and Grant, 2010). The consequences of malnutrition in the elderly, if sustained are fatigue, muscle loss due to the body using muscle for energy, impaired immune response and organ function (due to lack of the nutrients required to perform) and eventually death (Cope, 1996). Joe mentions that all he would like is a lovely cup of tea, because when they do give him a drink, it is lukewarm, so he probably does not wish to drink it. The consequences of Joe not been given a drink with his breakfast is that he may become dehydrated. The elderly are at an increased risk of dehydration due to biological factors such as reduced thirst perception, body water mass, reduced kidney ability and vasopressin, so it is even more important to evaluate fluid intake in this age group, therefore the nurses should be ensuring Joe’s fluid intake meets the recommended guidelines (Lavizzo-Mourey, 1997). Becoming dehydrated may also lead to Joe experiencing mental confusion, fatigue, constipation, loss of appetite (which will contribute to malnutrition), concentrated urine, fatigue and irritability (Denby, Baic and Rinzler, 2006). Oedema is a further manifestation of dehydration, a problem which may be made worse by Joe’s immobility. Other manifestations include confusion (which will be heightened by the fact Joe cannot see properly without his glasses) and if not treated may lead to coma. Untreated, dehydration leads to shock were tissues begin to malfunction and major organs such as the liver and kidney become damaged due to a reduction in circulating blood volume (Rosdahl and Kowalski, 2007). Nurses should be aware of these signs in order to recognise when a patient is suffering from dehydration and malnutrition, in order to rectify the problem within a safe timescale. Tea is also not a recommended drink to give older adults with a meal because it inhibits iron absorption. Low iron levels may cause anaemia, as well as memory loss and fatigue. His diet should therefore be evaluated to include more red meat, oily fish, eggs and breakfast cereals which are fortified with iron. Finding a substitute to drinking tea at mealtimes may also be considered at this stage (Denby, Baic and Rinzler, 2006). As supported by the evidence shown above, it can be concluded that the behaviour of the nurses does not support the guidelines illustrated in the stages of A. P. I. E, therefore the nurses have failed to successfully use a problem solving process. Information gathered during the assessment stage was not sufficient enough to devise suitable plans and goals, therefore the implementation stage failed. Evaluation was also unsuccessful as it did not identify were the previous stages had gone wrong. Because all of the stages are interrelated, failure in one stage has a knock on effect to the other stages (Barrett et al, 2009). Because the nurses failed at the assessment stage, it automatically affected the rest of the process. 201101791.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Understanding Participial Phrases

Understanding Participial Phrases A participial phrase or clause is a wonderful tool for writers because it gives color and action to a sentence. By employing verbals- words derived from a verb- along with other grammatical elements, an author can craft clauses that function as an adjective, modifying nouns and pronouns. The participial phrase contains a participle and the other words in the phrase that modify the noun or pronoun. They cant stand alone as complete sentences. Present or Past Participial phrases or clauses consist of a present participle  (a verbal ending in ing) or past participle (a verbal ending in en ed,  d, t, n, or ne), plus modifiers, objects, and complements. A participle may  be followed by  an  adverb, a  prepositional phrase, an  adverb clause, or any combination of these.  They are set off by commas and function the same way adjectives do in a sentence. Past-participial phrase:  Invented by an Indiana housewife in 1889, the first dishwasher was driven by a steam engine.Present-participial phrase:  Working before unfriendly crowds, the referee has orders to exude poise under the most trying circumstances. Here, for example, the participial phrase consists of a present participle (holding), an object (the flashlight), and an adverb (steadily): Holding the flashlight steadily,  Jenny approached the strange creature. In the next sentence, the participial phrase includes a present participle (making), an object (a great ring), and a prepositional phrase (of white light): Jenny waved the flashlight over her head,  making a great ring of white light. Placement and Punctuation Participial phrases can appear in one of three places within a sentence, but  be careful not to risk awkwardness or confusion by placing it too far from the word it modifies. For example, a participial phrase that indicates a cause usually precedes the  main clause and sometimes follows the  subject, but only rarely appears at the end of the sentence. No matter where they are, they always modify a subject. Correctly punctuating a sentence that contains such a clause depends on where it is placed in reference to the subject. Before the main  clause, the participial phrase is followed by a comma: Speeding down the highway, Bob didnt notice the police car. After the main clause, it is preceded by a comma: The gamblers silently arranged their cards, losing themselves in thought. In mid-sentence position, it is set off by commas before and after: The real estate agent, thinking of her profit potential, decided not to buy the property. In each sentence below, the participial phrase clearly modifies the subject (my sister) and suggests a cause: Discouraged by the long hours and low pay, my sister finally quit her job.My sister,  discouraged by the long hours and low pay, finally quit her job. But consider what happens when the participial phrase moves to the end of the sentence: My sister finally quit her job,  discouraged by the long hours and low pay. Here the logical order of cause-effect is reversed, and as a result, the sentence may be less effective than the first two versions. While the sentence absolutely works grammatically, some may misread that the job is feeling discouraged, instead of the sister. Dangling Participial Phrases Although participial phrases can be an effective tool, beware. A misplaced or dangling participial phrase can cause embarrassing errors. The easiest way to tell whether a phrase is being used correctly is to look at the subject it is modifying. Does the relationship make sense? Dangling phrase: Reaching for a glass, the cold soda called my name.Corrected phrase: Reaching for a glass, I could hear the cold soda calling my name. The first example is illogical; a bottle of soda cant reach for a glass- but a person can pick up that glass and fill it. Be careful when combining sentences and converting one to a participial phrase to keep the subject of the sentence that goes with the adjectival phrase. For instance, you wouldnt want the following sentences: I curled my toes and squinted.The doctor prepared to puncture my arm with a needle. to turn into: Curling my toes and squinting, the doctor prepared to puncture my arm with a needle. Here the participial phrase refers to  the doctor  when it should refer to  I- a pronoun thats not in the sentence. This kind of problem is called a  dangling modifier, dangling participle, or misplaced modifier. We can correct this dangling modifier either by adding  I  to the sentence or by replacing the participial phrase with an  adverb clause: Curling my toes and squinting,  I waited for the doctor to puncture my arm with a needle.As I curled my toes and squinted, the doctor prepared to puncture my arm with a needle. Gerunds vs. Participles A gerund is a verbal that also ends in ing, just like participles in the present tense. You can tell them apart by looking at how they function within a sentence.  A gerund functions as a  noun, while a  present participle functions as an adjective. Gerund:  Laughing  is good for you.Present participle: The laughing woman clapped her hands with joy. Gerund Clauses vs. Participial Phrases Confusing gerunds or participles can be easy because both can also form clauses. The simplest way to differentiate the two is to use the word it in place of the verbal. If the sentence still makes grammatical sense, youve got a gerund clause: If not, its a participial phrase. Gerund phrase: Playing golf relaxes Shelly.Participial phrase: Waiting for takeoff, the pilot radioed the control tower.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Sport Research Paper

Sport Research Paper Sport Research Paper Sport Research Paper: How to Write It Correctly? Are you a fan of a team or an athlete? I have to say the sport world is absolutely captivating thing. It is special emotions, when you support or empathize with your sporting favorites: the joy of win and the sorrow of defeat, the tears of euphoria and tears of soul pain, passion and aversion, fanaticism and sensible critical view on the results. The rational fanaticism stimulates people to learn the history of sport, think analytically and express the opinion argumentatively. Of course, this knowledge could be really useful during your study in the college. When you get the assignment to write a sport research paper, it would be absolutely easy to do this work correctly. I think every one should know how it works in reality. Sport Research Paper: Topic It would not be a surprise, if I say that almost the whole part of success depends on the works topic. There is a big specter of various sports research paper topics that relate to different events. It could be a research of some historical sporting development in the past, or, it could be absolutely urgent research of modern life. Anyway, it is good when your have the alternatives and you may choose the appropriate topic. Take the topic you are the most competent in. Sport Research Paper: Description It is important to follow the rules of working on a sport research paper:In the first stage of your work think up the correct thesis statement that reflects the main conception of the research and answers on the main question of the work; Start your description of the issue. Be logical, laconic and consecutive in your expression; Provide your sport research paper with strong facts and arguments. Probably, you may put the quotes of some authoritative sport coaches, pundits or important sport figures; Compare the opinions of other authors and your own thoughts; explain the differences and similarities between the ideas. Consider some real examples of sport activity that concern your topic.Sport Research Paper: ConclusionIn this part of the work you should to: conclude the main points of research paper; show the possible perspectives; show that your work is important and topical even nowadays. Anyway, do not neglect the chance to look through various informational sources that could give additional reliability to your sport research paper. As we can see, the sport life includes both a physical practice and the side of criticism and analysis.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Bullock Gold Mining and a Job at East Coast Yachts Essay

The Bullock Gold Mining and a Job at East Coast Yachts - Essay Example atio. This shows that the firm has less liquidity compared to the industry. Current ratio is greater than the lower quartile this implies that there exist other firms with less liquidity within the industry (Ehrhardt & Eugene, 91). The firm may posses more expected cash flows, or easier means to short-term debt. The turnover ratios appear to be greater compared to the industry median actually all are greater than the upper quartile. This implies that the firm utilizes its assets efficiently to generate sales. The financial leverage ratios appear to be lower than the industry median but higher than the lower quartile. ... East Coast Yachts’ has a satisfactory performance, although attention is needed in the liquidity ratios. c) Creating Inventory Ratio Inventory to current liabilities ratio East Coast Yachts is lower, the current ratio is lower, but the quick ratio is higher in comparison to the industry median. This means that East Coast Yachts has few stock to current liabilities compared to the industry median (Ehrhardt & Eugene, 92). Since the cash ratio is less compared to the industry median, East Coast Yachts has fewer stock compared to the industry median, but more accounts receivable. d)Interpretation of the Ratios Current ratio: Good (Well managed current accounts.) Bad (Liquidity issues) Quick ratio: Good (Well managed current accounts.) Bad (Liquidity issues) Total asset turnover: Good (Well utilized assets.) Bad (Old and depreciated assets) Inventory turnover: Good (Well managed inventory) Bad (Inventory shortages) Receivables turnover: Good (Well collected receivables) Bad (Strict credit terms) Total debt ratio: Good (Hard to get credit issues) Bad (Increase shareholder returns) Debt equity Ratio: Good (Hard to get credit issues) Bad (Increase shareholders equity) Equity multiplier: Good (Hard to get credit issues) Bad (Increase shareholders equity) Interest coverage: Good (Hard to get CREDIT ISSUES) Bad (Increase shareholders equity) Profit margin: Good (Good performance) (Bad: Good cost control) Question 3 a)Internal growth rate, ROE = (Net income)/(Total equity) = $12,562,200/$ 55,341,000 = 0.2270 or 22.70% b (Addition to Retained earnings)/(Net income) = $5,024,800/$12,562,200 = 0.40 or 40% Sustainable growth rate = (ROE ? b)/(1-(ROE ? b)) = (0.2270 ? 0.40)/(1-(0.2270 ? 0.40)) = 0.0999 or 9.99% Income Statement Sales