Monday, September 30, 2019

Prevalence of Self-Medication Essay

Antibiotic self-medication among university medical undergraduates in Northern Nigeria Joseph O. Fadare 1* and Igbiks Tamuno 2 1Department of Medicine, Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, Nigeria 2Department of Pharmacology, Bayero University, Kano, Kano State, Nigeria. Accepted 20 April, 2011 Self-medication is becoming a common type of self-care behavior among the population of many countries. Many international studies have investigated the prevalence and nature of self-medication practices at the population level. In Nigeria, some workers have also looked at the population prevalence of self-medication in general; however the prevalence of antibiotic self-medication among medical undergraduates has not yet been studied. The interest in studying this practice among this select group is due to the fact that they are the future prescribers and health educators of the population of Nigeria. The study was a cross-sectional pre-tested questionnaire-based study carried out among medical students of the Bayero University, Kano, North-West Nigeria during a two-week period in August 2008. The information from the returned questionnaire were coded, entered and analyzed using SPSS Version 12 statistical software. A total of 183 students filled and returned the questionnaire giving a response rate of 83.2%. Out of these respondents, 120 (65.6%) were males and the mean age of respondents was 23.2  ± 2.5 years (Range 17 to 31). 71 (38.8%) of the medical students admitted to the practice and there was no statistically significant difference among the different levels of medical education (p >0.05). Antibiotics from the penicillin group (ampicillin/cloxacillin, amoxicillin and ampicillin) were the most frequently used. Self-medication with antibiotics is prevalent among medical undergraduates in Northern Nigeria. There is a need for an intervention to address this practice. Key words: Antibiotics, self-medication, medical undergraduates, Nigeria. INTRODUCTION Antibiotics are one of the most prescribed drugs worldwide (Tà ¼nger et al., 2000). Self-medication with antibiotics is a common practice in many countries in the world although the trend seems to be more in developing or resource-poor nations (Awad et al., 2005). Some of the reasons that have been found responsible for this trend include lack of access to health care,  availability of antibiotics as over the counter (OTC) drugs and in open markets and poor regulatory practices (Vaananen et al., 2006). Self-medication with antibiotics has been identified as one form of irrational use of medicine contributing to *Corresponding author. E-mail: jofadare@gmail.com. Tel: +234- 8138048127. increased healthcare costs, antimicrobial drug resistance and sometimes increased morbidity among the popu- lation (Aswapokee et al., 1990; Okeke et al., 1999). The practice of self-medication in general has been widely studied among populations of many countries in Africa, Asia and Europe (Martins et al., 2002; Yousef et al., 2008; Awad et al., 2007a). One of the factors that have been found to influence this practice is the level of education of the research participants (Afolabi, 2008). Many studies have also previously looked at the pre- valence, nature and reasons for self-medication among university undergraduates (non-medical) in different countries of the world (Zafar et al., 2008; Sawalha, 2008; Lucas et al., 2007). There are also studies on general self-medication practices among medical undergraduates in some other countries (Buke et al., 2005; Chowdhury 218 J. Public Health Epidemiol. et al., 2009). In Nigeria, previous studies have concen- trated on general self-medication practices among the population (Afolabi, 2008) and health care workers (Bamgboye et al., 2006). This study of antibiotic self- medication practice among university medical undergraduates in Nigeria is very important as they are a segment of the population that is highly educated and with access to information regarding their health. Looking at this practice among medical undergraduates is also very vital as they represent the future generation of drug prescribers and health educationists. The understanding of the level of antibiotic self-medication practice and the reasons for it will enable for different interventional strategies. It will also help policy makers to develop approaches for a more rational use of antibiotics in the community in general. The main objective of this study was to determine the frequency and nature of antibiotic self-medication practice among university medical undergraduates in the Northern part of Nigeria. This study also sought if there is any relationship between the level of medical education and the self-medication  practice. METHODS The study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study carried out among medical students of the Bayero University, Kano, North- West Nigeria during a two-week period in August 2008. Sampling A total of two hundred and twenty self-administered questionnaires were distributed to students from different level of medical education (200 to 500 Level) using a convenient sampling system. Questionnaire The questionnaire which had been pre-tested among students of another faculty in the university consisted of both open and close ended questions. The questionnaires were administered to the students through their class representatives who also returned the filled ones. The act of filling and returning of the forms was taken as consent of the students to participate and the study was approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee. The lead question was â€Å"Have you practiced self-medication with antibiotics in the last two months?’The duration of two months was chosen because of the belief that recall of medication use is still very reliable within that time frame. Other questions include: The reasons for indulging in self-medication, conditions for which the drugs were taken and the antibiotics that were being used. Statistical analyses The information from the returned questionnaire were coded and entered using SPSS version 12 statistical software. Results were expressed as counts and percentages while Chi-square test was used for to investigate possible associations between sex, level of medical education and antibiotic self-medication practice. A p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant for the purpose of this study. RESULTS A total of one 183 students filled and returned the questionnaire giving a response rate of 83.2%. Out of these respondents, one hundred and twenty (65.6%) were males and the mean age of all respondents was 23.2  ± 2.5 years (Range 17 to 31 years). The distribution of the respondents according to level of medical education is shown in Table 1. In response to the question  whether respondents had practiced self- medication in the preceding two months, 71 (38.8%) of the medical students admitted to the practice and there was no statistically significant difference among the different levels of medical education (p >0.05). Though self-medication with antibiotics was more common among the male students, this difference was not statistically significant (p >0.05). The common conditions for which the antibiotics were taken include diarrhea, sore throat, fever, cough and catarrh among others (Table 2). Antibiotics from the penicillin group (ampicillin/cloxacillin, amoxicillin and ampici llin) were the most frequently used for self-medication among the respondents (Table 3). 29 (42.6%) of the medical undergraduates who indulged in the practice did it because they considered their ailment as being mild while 24 (35.3%) were involved in it because of their past experience with the particular antibiotic. Regarding the source of the antibiotics used for self-medication, majority of the respondents (57.4%) patronized patent medicine stores while hospital and community pharmacies were the suppliers for 13 (19.1%) and 11 (16.2%) of the respondents, respectively. Only 1 respondent (1.5%) used the leftover from a previous prescription in this study. Majority of the medical undergraduates (89.6%) knew that the normal duration of treatment was supposed to be at least a minimum of 5 days; however only 34 (49.3%) of the respondents actually completed the course of treatment. This study also found out that gender of the respondents did not influence significantly the practice of antibiotic self-medication (p = 0.07). DISCUSSION Sample population and self-medication The frequency of antibiotic self- medication observed in our study is slightly lower than that reported in similar studies in Africa (Awad and Eltayeb, 2007b) and closer to that found in population-based studies in Jordan and Lithuania (Al-Azzam et al., 2007; Berzanskyte et al., 2006). This goes to show that there might not be a signi- ficant difference in self-care or health-seeking behavior between our segment of the population and the general population. This conclusion is also supported by findings from a study on self-medication in general among Fadare and Tamuno 219 Table 1. Distribution of respondents by level of medical education and practice of self-medication. University level Self-medication (Y) Self-medication (N) Total number of respondent 200 10 31 41 300 20 26 46 400 27 43 70 500 12 9 21 Missing value 2 3 5 Total 71 112 183 Table 2. Conditions for which self-medication was practiced. Condition No. of respondents (Percentage) Diarrhoea 17 (24.6) Sore throat 14 (20.3) Fever 12 (17.4) Cough 6 (8.7) Catarrh 4 (5.8) Toothache 4 (5.8) Body aches 2 (2.9) Others 10 (14.5) Table 3. Commonly used antibiotics by respondents. Antibiotics Frequency (Percentage) Ampicillin/cloxacillin 15 (22.1) Amoxicillin 12 (17.6) Metronidazole 12 (17.6) Co-trimoxazole 8 (11.8) Ciprofloxacin 6 (8.8) Tetracycline 6 (8.8) Amoxicillin/Clavulanic acid 3 (4.4) Penicillin G 1 (1.5) health care workers of a tertiary healthcare facility in South-West Nigeria where over 70% of them were engaged in the practice (Bamgboye et al., 2006). Another possible explanation is that the earlier quoted population- based studies were carried out in societies where the literacy levels are relatively high. It is also important to note that such levels of antibiotic self-medication even exists in some countries with more stringent access to drugs, this being made possible by use of left-overs from previous prescriptions. Clinical features and self-medication There are similarities in the conditions for which self- medication was practiced in our study with several other university and community-based studies (Zafar et al., 2008; Shankar et al., 2002; James et al., 2006). These findings emphasize the fact that self-medication is usually resorted to by individuals for perceived mild clinical conditions. The problem with this practice is that fever and other similar symptoms which could be due to viral conditions are usually wrongly treated with antibiotics creating a foundation for possible development of resistance to antibiotics in addition to financial loss and possible adverse drug reactions. Antibiotic and self-medication The choice of the antibiotics from the penicillin group (especially ampicillin/cloxacillin and amoxicillin) by majority of respondents in our study is in keeping with findings from other studies (Awad et al., 2005; Awad and Eltayeb, 2007b; Raz et al., 2005). The choice of the antibiotics from the penicillin group could be due to the following reasons: 1. They are cheap, easily accessible, have a good safety profile and somehow broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. The relatively low patronage of antibiotics like amoxicillin/clavulanic acid could be due to its cost (about 1500 Naira /10 US Dollars) per course of treatment, this in a country where over 60% of the population survive on less than 2 US Dollars daily. 2. It is also pertinent to note that at the moment, there are no restrictions to how and where antibiotics can be sold in Nigeria hence the easy accessibility. Most of our respondents got their supply from patent medicine stores, hospital and community pharmacies reinforcing the earlier mentioned problem of lack of regulation. This is at variance with findings from other studies where left-over from old prescriptions were the main source of supply reflecting a more regulated access to antibiotics in these societies (Awad and Eltayeb, 2007b; James et al., 2006). This study revealed no strong associations between gender, level of medical education and the practice of antibiotic self-medication, a finding that is somehow different from the result of similar research in the Arabian Gulf (James et al., 2008) where the prevalence of self- medication was higher in the more senior medical students. Presently in many medical schools in Nigeria, 220 J. Public Health Epidemiol. pharmacology is taught either before the clinical training or at its initial stage and there is no significant reinforce- ment during the latter stages. Also too much attention is being placed on the basic aspect of pharmacology to the detriment of its clinical section and paying attention to this problem might be one level of intervention to address it. Conclusion This study has shown that self-medication with antibiotics is common among medical undergraduates in Northern Nigeria. There is a need for a review of educational programs especially the teaching of clinical pharmaco- logy to include modules on self- medication and rational use of medicines. At the  policy-making level, there is an urgent need to legislate and enforce laws restricting access to antibiotics in Nigeria. Most importantly, there is a need for a robust public enlightenment campaign to educate the populace of the disadvantages and possible complications of antibiotic self-medication. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors’ gratitude goes to the medical undergraduates of Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria who participated in this study. He is also grateful to the organizers of the International Training Course on the Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community, Jaipur, India where the idea for the work was conceptualized. The author was a participant in the 2008 training course and the contribution of the faculty and fellow participants is really appreciated. REFERENCES Afolabi AO (2008). Factors influencing the pattern of self-medication in an adult Nigerian population. Ann. Afr. Med., 7(3): 120-127. Al-Azzam SI, Al-Husein BA, Alzoubi F, Masadeh MM, Al-Horani MS (2007). Self-Medication with antibiotics in Jordanian population. Int. J. Occup. Med. Environ. Health, 20 (4): 373-380. Aswapokee N, Vaithayapichet S, Heller RF (1990). Pattern of antibiotic use in medical wards of a university hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. Rev. Infect. Dis., 12 (1): 136-141. Awad A, Eltayeb I, Matowe L Thalib L (2005). Self-medication with antibiotics and antimalarials in the community of Khartoum State, Sudan. J. Pharm. Pharm. Sci., 8: 326–331. Awad AI, Ball DE, Eltayeb IB (2007). Improving rational drug use in Africa: the example of Sudan. East Mediterr. Health J., 13 (5): 1202- 1211. Awad AI, Eltayeb IB (2007). Self-medication practices with antibiotics and antimalarials among Sudanese undergraduate university students. Ann. Pharmacother., 41(7): 1249-1255. Bamgboye EA, Amoran OE, Yusuf OB (2006). Self medication practices among workers in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Afr. J. Med. Sci., 35(4): 411-415. Berzanskyte A, Valinteliene R, Haaijer-Ruskamp FM, Gurevicius R, Grigoryan L (2006). Self-medication with antibiotics in Lithuania. Int. J. Occup. Med. Environ. Health, 19 (4): 246-253. Buke C, Hosgor-Limoncu M, Ermertcan S, Ciceklioglu M, Tuncel M,Kà ¶se T, Eren S (2005) Irrational use of antibiotics among university students. J. Infect., 51(2): 135-139. Chowdhury N, Matin F,  Chowdhury SF (2009). Medication taking behavior of students attending a private university in Bangladesh. Int. J. Adolesc. Med. Health. 21 (3): 361-370. James H, Handu SS, Al Khaja KA, Otoom S, Sequeira RP (2006). Evaluation of the knowledge, attitude and practice of self-medication among first-year medical students. Med. Princ. Pract., 15 (4): 270- 275. James H, Handu SS, Khaja KA, Sequeira RP (2008). 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E-Culture: Ethical Issiues

Topic: E-Culture:Ethical Issiues Electronic technology is changing our life-style to a great extent. Advancement in the fields of information and communication technology (ICT) and electronics has resulted in the emergence e-commerce, e-business, e-banking, e-mails, e-organizations, e-governance, e-journals, e-books, e-medicine, internet, web-shopping, etc, which have set in a trend for e-culture. Electronic culture is enveloping the entire world, it is a global phenomenon.It is the ICT-availability and Internet access that provides opportunities for production of e-culture. e-Culutre: involves preserving and presenting cultural heritage in line with the challenges of the future; exhibiting valuable cultural assets clearly and informatively using state-of-the-art technology . However, the rapid development of ICT globally also has led to the growth of different ethical issues and made life enormously complex.These issues have virtually no boundaries and may affect any country across the globe. â€Å"Ethics are moral standards that help guide behaviour, actions, and choices. Ethics are grounded in the notion of responsibility (as free moral agents, individuals, organizations, and societies are responsible for the actions that they take) and accountability (individuals, organizations, and society should be held accountable to others for the consequences of their actions)†.ICT ethics are not exceptional from the above-mentioned view of ethics. According to some estimates, three quarter of the present generation of people in the countries saturated with computers will be spending 80 per cent of their free time in the cyberspace, therefore it is important to review the ethical issues because it threatens social environment of societies.Globalization and digital convergence in the emerging knowledge society has raised complex ethical issues in relation to the freedom of expression, access to information, right to privacy, intellectual and property rights. The concept is electronic commerce is the use of internet and the web to do businesses. ‘Commercial transactions involve the exchange of value across organizational or individual boundaries in return for products and services’.The internet and it use of e-com have raised several ethical issues about protection of customer and companies. One of the main issues for e-com is intellectual property which includes copyrights and software piracy. The explosion of interest in the internet, with growing numbers of people obtaining access to it has also increased the potential in ethical issue like breeching privacy and security. Purpose of this report is to address the several ethical issue faced by eCulture in terms of e-commerce and its impact on e-commerce .

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Era of the Disposable Worker Essay

Today we find ourselves in a world of turmoil where employment is concerned. Many people find themselves forced to take part time positions at multiple establishments to â€Å"make ends meet†. In years past, loyalty and respect led the decisions of organizations and corporations. Today stock prices, profits and competition are the main consideration when managers and leaders make changes within a company. Is this the best way to guide the decision making process? What affects do small decisions have on a company as a whole? Individual Business Decisions In a weak economy many businesses find themselves struggling to stay competitively priced and still make a profit. In order to â€Å"keep the doors open† managers are faced with many tough decisions that sometimes lead to deterioration in working conditions for many employees. Managers must then implement planning, â€Å"a process that includes defining goals, establishing strategies, and developing plans to coordinate activities† (Robbins & Judge, 2013, p. 6). Many decisions they make affect conditions and attitudes of the employees of the organization. Reduction of work force causes employees to be on edge and many times make poor decisions for fear of losing their job. This can cause conflicts among workers and lead to less production for the company. Often times the business will choose to cut hours, making full time employees lose benefit eligibility. These decisions made by management can cause working conditions to deteriorate very quickly. Lack of hours, benefits, and conflict among workers causes stress and disturbances in the work place, leading to less than favorable conditions. Responsibility Based Decisions Organizations have a responsibility not only to employees but also to shareholders to be as profitable as possible in all economic conditions. These organizations are responsible for ensuring a safe work place for all employees. According to OSHA regulation a general business is responsible for maintaining conditions and implementing actions that are necessary to  produce a safe working environment for workers (Education Portal, 2003). The organization is not responsible for ensuring job security, full time hours or working conditions although these are considered ethical concerns for a company. The responsibility of an organization is to its shareholders, creditors and customers to offer the best price possible while still making an acceptable profit margin. Managers must ensure the ability to repay its debts as well as the ability to pay the employees to â€Å"keep the doors open† and the organization growing. This is why managements decisions are so prone to conflict and deteroration of working conditions. Alternate Decision Basis There are other factors that drive the decision making process of management other than stock price. The reputation of an organization and the foundational concept on which the business was built can affect the business decisions of a company and its management team. According to (Robbins & Judge) 2013, evidence-based management make managerial decisions based on the most current scientific evidence available. In a particular situation where a manager is faced with a decision, said manager would then research to find relavent evidence and apply that knowledge to make a decision. Intuition, or â€Å"a gut feeling not necessarily supported by research† (Robbins & Judge, 2013) is also a factor that drives the decisions made by organizational managers. Many times intuition is used to make decisions when time is a factor or when faced with an immediate need. Decision Impacts All decisions have an impact whether they be small or large depends on the situation. The economical slump or individual decision to increase the number of temporary employees rather than full time loyal employees has its affects. These temporary employees have no loyalty to the organization because they have no guarantee that they will continue to have a position. The concept of being loyal to your employer and taking pride in your job is being pushed farther into the distance with the new heavy usage of temporary workers. The work environment and profitabilty of many companies suffer due to the lack of concern and permanancy felt by the employees. â€Å"An organization’s employees can be the impetus for innovation and change, or they can be a major stumbling block† (Robbins & Judge, 2013). The ability  to measure this change in attitude and impact on employees from corporate decisions to downsize, impliment temporary workers, and make changes can be difficult. Managers and field supervisors should be aware of employee behavior and sudden changes in atmosphere during and after these changes have been made. Noticable changes or gaps in production, customer satisfaction and profits should also be a â€Å"red flag† to management that employees are being affected by recent decisions. Organizations must be aware of the decisions and the impacts that â€Å"the era of the disposable worker† can have on profits, work conditions, share prices, and employees. References Education Portal. (2003). Ensuring Workplace Safety. Retrieved from http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/osha-ensuring-workplace-safety.html#lesson Robbins, S., & Judge, T. (2013). Organizational behavior. (15th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Publishing.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Hamlets Journey from Antic Disposition to Actual Insanity Essay

Hamlets Journey from Antic Disposition to Actual Insanity - Essay Example Since Hamlet is guided by the ghost of the previous king about his murder by poisoning him into the ear while sleeping in the orchard, the protagonist appears to be determined to retaliate to his uncle i.e. King Claudius and mother Queen Gertrude eventually. He this seeks relief in pretending insanity, but subsequently appears to be becoming real insane out of sheer rage and fury in the wake of the disclosure made by the ghost at the beginning of the play. However, his insanity, either pretended or actual, has been a matter of great interest for the critics and analysts alike, where it becomes very difficult whether his real mental disorder begins after the end of his pretending the same, or he is in full senses till he encounters his fatal end. In addition, the curiosity also arises about the temporary state of insanity he undergoes, which maintains close proximity with real mental retardation instead of the feign kind of lunacy. Hamlet’s insanity appears in the play in Act I Scene V, immediately after the revelation made by the ghost, which invites Hamlet’s arousal, who looks resolute to enquire whether the ghost is justified in its claim or not. However, he is confident about the truthfulness of the statement made by the ghost; it is, therefore, he declares the queen as the most pernicious woman and a villain as well (Act I, Sc. V, line 105), which would not wait for even few weeks to remarry with the new king after the assassination of her previous husband. One of his first soliloquies also elucidates the same that even a beast could mourn longer the death of a spouse than his mother has done (Act I, Sc. II, lines 150-151); consequently, he declares frailty as synonymous to the woman (I, ii, line 146). Consequently, the situation of his father’s murder and his mother’s second marriage disturbs Hamlet in such a way that everything looks drab, dull and dismal to him. Eventually, he decides to take any step, even committing suicide to bring his life to an end. However, he decides pretending insanity, in order to punish the culprits involved in the conspiracy of his father’s murder. Hamlet settles his mind on wearing black clothes while attending the royal court in order to demonstrate his melancholy over his father’s sad demise as well as make the protest against the assassination through his words, acts, and gestures. Since his inner sorrow is so great that his dour appearance is merely a poor mirror of it (I.ii.68), so he would prefer to stay in nightly color in order to realize the queen about the graveness of the sad incident. In addition, he also takes his friend Horatio into confidence by informing him that he would observe feign madness and be finding anything odd and strange in his behavior would be just putting on an act (I, v, 166-183). The play, arranged by Prince Hamlet within the play, reveals that he has not observed real madness till he had hired the services of the actors. It is, therefore, he states that the play is the thing where he would catch the conscience of the king (II, ii, 600-601) by keenly witnessing his expressions at the death scene of the player king. He also plays the same trick on the queen by noticing her expressions, while the player queen views: A second time I killed my husband died when the second husband kissed me in bed.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Every Child Matters Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Every Child Matters - Essay Example This funding is also critical to deliver extra training for existing teachers and new comers. ECM has helped to transform opportunities for younger children through better access to childcare, health, early year education and support for families including parenting support. (Handle, 2008, 135)Proposals for the programme are developed and the Secretary of state David Blunkett announced that the first 60 areas of disadvantage had been identified to lead the projects. identify at least one significant initiative related to ECM and consider how the ECM programme would fit and contribute to the locally agreed strategies for social services, health and education, as set out in early years development plan and others. As a condition of funding existing core services have to participate in the ECM programme. (Kleinfeld, 2005, 70) ECM is used as a new way for setting inter agency and inter departmental working , aiming to breakdown barriers that prevent families receiving the co-ordinated services they needed. With focus on outreach and building trust with parents who were not in receipt of services and may have not come forward for help and advice. Every Child Matters presents an opportunity to consider the health and social care needs of those communities and aided in the development for appropriate delivery mechanisms that were in particular culturally sensitive. ECM aimed to bridge the gap between specialised and more general services for eg; Child mental health professionals trained staff so they could work with families where a child had early signs of emotional and behavioural problems thus preventing more serious problems at a later stage. This kind of service is complementary to work to So cial Services not a replacement. In the first three years the programme will support the development of 250 projects, with an aim to develop effective and co-ordinated

Growth strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Growth strategies - Essay Example The product development strategy involves developing existing products or introducing new lines of products in order to increase the firm’s revenues. The market development strategy involves creating new markets for the company such as penetrating new geographical regions (Gaebler, 2010). Multinational corporations often utilize market development strategies. A diversification strategy makes sense when good opportunities can be found outside the present business (Kotler, 2003). Tenet Healthcare Corporation is a healthcare delivery system founded in 2003. It is one of the nation’s largest healthcare providers with 49 acute care hospitals in 11 states, 64 outpatient centers, 3.88 million outpatient visits (Tenethealth, 2009). The firm generated in 2009 over $9 billion in revenues. The company current has a presence in 22% of the United States region. The company recently made a strategic move to achieve growth. The growth strategy the company utilized was the market devel opment strategy. The company reached an agreement with Keystone Mercy Health Plan which covers Hahmemann University and St. Christopher Hospital for Children in Philadelphia (Tenethealth, 2011). I believe that the approach utilized by the company to achieve growth was the right decision. The firm was able to successfully penetrate the Philadelphia marketplace without investing resources.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Unit 4 Discussion Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Unit 4 Discussion Board - Essay Example Mount Sinai NYU Health is an example of a healthcare organization – a holding company – that has a multi-corporate entity. The health organization has several subsidiaries or healthcare divisions serving the greater New York City area. The hospital is listed in the book, Jonas and Kovner’s Health Care Delivery in the United States (2002), as a conglomerate with subsidiaries in ambulatory care, hospitals, and employed and affiliated physician groups. Other subsidiary-companies provide traditional home health services for Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, and self-payers and other services not covered by federal programs. The organization is centralized, as mission, plans, and CEO financial and acquisition powers are reserved as the parent company’s while local units have separate boards with their strategic authority being limited. (Kovner & Jonas 2002, p. 163). The advantages of a multi-corporate structure in the administration of a healthcare organization such as Mount Sinai NYU Health could be seen in two main areas: profitability and quality of service. In terms of profitability, the multi-corporate structure offers an increase in volume, cost savings, and greater leverage in bargaining with managed care organizations. When it comes to the quality of service, a multi-corporate healthcare organization is said to have improved quality of care that results from standardization and specialized expertise. (p. 164) Another important and obvious aspect about multiple-corporate structure is that it allows for greater flexibility in operations because each division or agency within the whole healthcare organization may assume its own separate legal entity. Therefore, as more services are provided or more subsidiaries are added, the other subsidiaries are less likely to be disturbed. There are critics who argue

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Political communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Political communication - Essay Example Since the flu affects every individual regardless of gender, cultural background or economic status, the campaign is directed to all the people in United Kingdom. Special attention is also given to people coming in the country because they may be bringing the virus just like in the case of the two infected persons confined in a hospital in Scotland who arrived from Mexico (Wake Up Britain, 2009). The campaign aimed to warn people about the dangers of swine flu and at the same time educate them on how to prevent getting infected or infecting others if they suspect they already have the virus. The government used different media such as flyers (Charles, 2009; Department of Health, 2009; NHS & DHSSPS), radio and television broadcast as well as the internet to communicate the information. They hit the right target audience because with the characteristics of the flu, no one is invulnerable. The flyers contained complete information about swine flu and extended more information by giving numbers which people could call in case they need to be educated more about the virus (NHS & DHSSPS, 2009). However, it should be considered that not all who receive leaflets really read them completely. The television advertisement (Department of Health, 2009) can be considered to have effectively relayed the message to the different kinds of people by using models of different races genders and ages. It was short, clear and concise. However, the campaign was quite short and fails to expound on the seriousness of the advice being given. Nevertheless, this could also be understandable because when the campaign was done, everybody seemed to have been well-informed about the swine flu already. Perhaps it could be safe to say that the television is the most accessible medium of information because it is often used for relaxation and people do not need to read what is presented on the screen.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Compare 2 films Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare 2 films - Essay Example An analysis of several scenes will illustrate these points. Ozu’s â€Å"Tokyo Story† tells the journey of an elderly couple to the city of Tokyo where they reunite with their children and grandchildren. Their children, however, don’t have the time to spend with them. A few days later, the elderly couple goes back home. The mother falls ill and eventually dies. After the funeral, the children return to Tokyo leaving their father alone. Kurosawa’s â€Å"Rashomon†, meanwhile, recounts the stories of four different persons about a murder that transpired in the woods. A wife is allegedly raped by a bandit while her husband is murdered. In a dilapidated house that bears the name â€Å"Rashomon†, a priest and a woodcutter relay the story to a commoner. All four stories mutually contradict one another. In the end, an abandoned baby is found at the dilapidated house. 2. Themes Ozu explores the consequences of generational gap in families. Children, on ce grown, will live their own lives and leave their parents behind. Parents, on the other hand, will wish that their children achieve success and live happy lives. As time passes by, parents and children grow emotionally apart. The once warm and caring relationships become cold and neglectful. Neither parents nor children are to be blamed in this situation; it’s just the way things are. ... Kurosawa, meanwhile, explores the subjective nature of reality and the human tendency to embellish one’s positive characteristics and conceal those that are unattractive. Reality, as the film portrays, is a matter of interpretation. One event can be viewed and looked at from different perspectives creating a myriad of meanings out of it. The ultimate and absolute truth of something, therefore, can never be realized. This applies to human beings as well. People choose to believe what they please. Their perception is always influenced by motives both good and bad. 3. Stylistic Analysis Mise-en-scene. This refers to the composition of a scene which include the setting, lighting, costumes, and actor’s gestures, to name a few. Ozu’s mise-en-scene is constructed with utmost control and filled with telling details. The teapots, cups, or slippers are all there for a reason. Each tells a story of its own (eg. slippers lying at the elderly couple’s door at the spa). In â€Å"Rashomon†, the mise-en-scene gives emphasis on nature. Most of the time, the actors are shot beneath the shadows of trees and leaves revealing both their good and bad nature. The sometimes hysterical and animalistic acting of the wife and bandit show how strongly they held to their perception of the event. It seems like they’re trying hard to conceal their bad nature. Cinematography. This refers to the distance and movement of the camera, and the framing and duration of shots. Ozu often utilizes long and medium shots which show entire landscapes, actors in full body or waist up, and the space/background where the actors move around. Close-ups which emphasize facial features and emotions are never used. The camera moves only once

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Human Trafficking of Young Women to be sold in Prostitution Essay Example for Free

Human Trafficking of Young Women to be sold in Prostitution Essay Before going into details, it seemed important to define what human trafficking is. Human trafficking regardless of its type is a criminal offense. The UN Convention against transnational crime define human trafficking as â€Å"the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of a persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the use of power, or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation† (UN Resolution 25, 2001, cited by Vandermey, Meyer, Rys, and Sebranek 2009, p. 246). Under Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are working hard not only to make sure the laws are put into practice, but also to contain this problem (Hart 2009, p. 43). The most severe forms of human trafficking have been defined in U. S. law as sex trafficking in which â€Å"a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained eighteen years of age†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Troubnikoff 2003, p. 3). In order to perpetrate this crime, it needs at least twelve to fifteen people who will be actors. These include an agency manager, office staffs (at least three), recruiters (at least two), a coordinator, drivers, safe house, document vendors, corrupt public officials, operator, cook, and at least six armed men who will take charge of the â€Å"recruits. † It also needs an office space, office equipments, and a safe house. This crime model further needs mobile communication equipments, tainted cars, and high powered guns, and contacts with other transnational crime syndicates are essential in this operation that will facilitate the deployment of women to their prospective clients. Where and how this crime model operates? This type of crime operates in countries where many people are poor and are longing to escape from the grinding poverty. Among their base of operation are the third world countries in Asia, the former Soviet republics especially Russia and Africa. They can easily prey on young women through their promise of dollar earnings plus other benefits that are not available in their country. This crime model operates on two fronts: by fronting a fake man power agency which lured young women into prostitution under a false pretenses of high paying jobs as waitresses, dancers, models, and au pairs abroad, and by kidnapping beautiful young women. The ‘hired’ and kidnapped women will then be required to stay in the safe house where they will be strictly guarded on a twenty four hour basis. The role each actor played On the democratic front, the roles each actor played in this crime model are crucial and communication with clients as well as secrecy is of utmost importance. The roles played by the recruiters, coordinators, the armed men, and the agency manager are the most crucial as they are the ones that are most exposed to their victims. They would be the one that will be subject of the victims’ families rage if their crimes are divulged as well as the object of police manhunt. Thus, they would need to create fictitious names, addresses, and pertinent information. Like in ordinary manpower agencies, the manager confirms the applicants’ application and provides assurance to their â€Å"client† as well as direction of the entire operation. The recruiters are responsible for recruitment and hiring of women. But they need to be very careful because of the government drive to contain the problem of human trafficking. Indeed, they need to use all their convincing power that they offer real job. The agency manager is also the head of the entire operation and is responsible to make their operation smooth and successful. The role played by the coordinator is also important. He is the one that has contact with the clients. In other words, he holds key position and is in contacts â€Å"in some segments† of the operation, and â€Å"organize their services (Zhang 2007, p. 97). Zhang pointed out that the coordinator is central to human trafficking operation though they have â€Å"nothing more than the right connection for to acquire the necessary services for a fee† (p. 97). Drivers, cook, and safe house operators are also important actors towards the deployment of women. Under the law all these actors are equally liable for the crime. But the operation of this crime will not be successful at all without the connivance of a corrupt public official. Corrupt government officials who hold vital responsibility towards the review and issuance of travel documents makes the operation highly successful. The document vendors provide real or false document needed for the deployment. But on the autocratic front, the most critical role played by the actors is that of the armed men who must insure that no one could get away or escape. It is critical because if any of the victims escape, the full force of the law will surely hunt them, as well as those behind them. These men therefore need to be heartless, ruthless, and hardened criminals who would not hesitate to shot or kill anyone would attempt to escape. The Blue print of deceit Ciment and Shanty (2008) asserted that there are various schemes of deceits human traffickers employed to collect and traffic women for prostitution. Among these methods is deception, the recruitment of prostitutes, purchase or rent from relatives, boyfriends, and friends, Kidnapping, and as payment of debt (p. 220). This crime model is a rich source of illegal money as according to estimates, a single individual or a group involved in trafficking women and children for commercial sex â€Å"can make about US$122,000 from one woman in a year† Ciment, J. D. and Shanty, F. G. 008, p. 221) or an estimated 12 billion dollars annually. Deceptions of women are usually done through the form of either false promise of employment or false promise of marriage, or in some cases, a false promise of education. False marriages and mail order brides are used a means of deception to bring women for overseas prostitution. But all these promises are broken once the women are in the hands of the traffickers. They are then turned over to the safe house operators who insure maximum security with the help of armed men assigned to secure any possibility of escape. Recruitment of prostitutes also involved deception as despite these women knew what type of job awaits them. Ciment and Shanty noted that what they are not aware of is â€Å"the degree of exploitation to which they will be subjected (p. 220). The danger for this operation however is that when the supposed victims verify the identity of employment agency with proper government authorities regarding the legality of such employment agency, or the truth about the offered job with embassy of the particular country where the jobs are supposedly available. The same with the mail order bride, there is a need to verify the information of the man to be marrying with the embassy of the country where that man lives. If this is the case, there is a tendency that the whole operation will be disrupted as when formal complaints is made with government authorities regarding the discovery, the whole operation might be disrupted This operation therefore requires careful planning especially with regards to hiring, keeping and deploying women. One particular problem for them is that the families of these women are keen on the developments regarding their daughter’s longing to work abroad. In other words, they might be sensitive to anything that might be suspicious relating to working abroad. With various laws that apply to this crime such as kidnapping, illegal detention, illegal recruitment, exploitation of women and children and anti-human trafficking laws, they can easily be rapt by the authorities. That is, the families and friends of the victims can report to the authorities what ever they perceived as irregularity on the processes, the very time their daughter left their home as they are supposedly in touched with her, all through out the entire processes. In other words any thing that would create suspicion would mean risk for this business; risk in the sense that these families and friends might report to the police the disappearance of their daughters. Thus, they need to carefully lay out plans for deceitful their schemes. They might even involved in civic duties and social functions, befriend people in high places, and to even to the point of disguising as philanthropist in order to project an image that will unlikely to be suspected of crime involvement, and be generous to the families of the victims during the initial stages of the hiring. The actors in this crime model therefore appear harmless, genuinely concern, and would hardly be suspected of any crime involvement. Outwardly, they are not dangerous, dignified, and innocent but inside; they are ruthless, cruel and hardened criminals. The actors of this crime group however will use its entire means to control these women once they have gotten in their hands these women. They will confiscate all communication devices such as cell phones and devices, as well as passports and other travel documents to ensure no one will dare of escape. In order to appease the families of the ‘hired victims’ the agency might provide cash incentives or advance payment to which after everything has been facilitated particularly the deployment of women to their prospective clients, the office will banish in the thin air to transfer to a new location with a new name, new address, new schemes, but the same people, the same processes, and the same modos operande. Upon hiring of women, they need to provide assurance that everything is fine to avoid any suspicion. However, when this democratic approach proved ineffective, they will use violence to silence the families of the victims. Beeks and Amir (2006) cited that once a woman is in trafficker’s hands, the latter uses any and all means to control her: violence, including sexual assault, threats to the victim’s and her family’s lives, drugs, and threat to turn the woman over to unsympathetic authorities (p. 68). Beeks and Amid stated, â€Å"many women refuse to cooperate with the authorities because there was little or no protection, and they faced deportation, and threats against their families if they cooperate with foreign law enforcement† (p. 68). The extent of this crime model Trafficking of women for prostitution is the worst of all the types of human trafficking. According to Ciment and Shanty, there are an estimated 800,000 to 900,000 individuals that trafficked each year to which the majority come from Southeast Asia, particularly Myanmar, India, Thailand, and Cambodia. The former Soviet Union is now seen to be growing source of trafficking for prostitution and the sex industry (p. 195). The extent of human trafficking is not only confined in Asian countries and the former Soviet Union. Nicola (2009) noted that trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation, â€Å"has involved all the European Union and more in general Western European countries in the past twenty years (p. 3). The extent of human trafficking for prostitution apparently is global because the demand for commercial sex is global. There are no doubts that about the global extent of trafficking in women for prostitution as according to Jeffereys (1997) prostitution has been â€Å"industrialized internationally† (p. 307). Jeffreys pointed out that prostitution is a result of the increasing â€Å"internationalization of the world economy, in which local communities in the third world become an integral part of the industrialized countries† (p. 308). Jeffreys explained that as a consequence of the lost traditional resources, such as land, paid labor or other means of income were felt greatly by women and girls who have to take care of children and family because of tradition or the disappearance of male support (p. 308). Jeffreys asserts, â€Å"Military prostitution and sex tourism have increased the global demand for prostitution† (p. 309).

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Four Basic Topologies Network And Summarize

Four Basic Topologies Network And Summarize Nowadays, there have several types of network topologies with different characteristic, price and level, it was very important to choose a suitable network. Now we are going to discuss four basic network topologies : Bus, Ring, Star and Mesh. Lets discuss bus topologies first, bus network topologies is a single cable which use to connect to different points between network, as it only have one channel to support the bus network for communication, so the total capacity will send to all the points averagely. When a point want to send instructions to another point, it will announce a message to all the points thru wire and all the points will see it but only the destination point will receive and return the message to the sender point, other points will not give any response. Bus network topologies are cheaper than other network topologies because it use less cable and materie and also the installation is easier than other topologies. But because it is a single cable, when there have many points connect to the device, it will slow down the transmission speed and the total capacity. On the other hand, once the network have problem, it cost many times to fix it as you have to check all the cable connection to find out the problems. Also in a bus topology, once a single connection failure, it will stop the passage between all points. (The image of the About.com guide) Second topologies which we are going to discuss is Ring topology. In a ring network, each apparatus connected to two users for communication purpose. It looks like a circle and the message move around the circle to each point use single direction. Each node connect to its own cable to the Medium Attachment Unit (MAU). Ring network topology is easy to install and reconfigure and also easy to add new node as only two connections need changes. However, Ring network is not too convenience for the user as the data have to pass through all the points before getting to the destination. For example, if one network have six user, when the A computer want to send message to F computer, it have to pass through B, C, D, E computer and then to F. And if one network failure, whole network will disable because it only have single pathway to transmit the data. (The image of the About.com guide ) The third network topology is Star. Star network is one of the most usual computer network topologies. It features a central connection point call hub or concentrator (Bruce A Hallberg 2005) and it will radiate to other points. The characteristic of Star network is the hub or concentrator work as a central union to provide different route for signal send out to any two sites. Data on star network will send the message to hub or concentrator first before send to the destination point. Hub or concentrator works like a repeater for the data flow. In the star network topology, if one connection stoppage, only one node will lose the connection from this site and it wont be affect to other networks. On the other hand, it will be easy to find out the problem as all network is obey to hub, so once the network out of service, mostly it must be some problem with the hub and the problem can be fix quickly instead of checking all the points. Furthermore, as hub is control everything included add or remove devices, that means Star network is easy to install. If you want to add some new devices to the network, just need to connect the cable to hub and other computer will detect the devices and can use it. It save lots times to install the devices to all computers separately in the network. Moreover, hub can also be act as a backup file, once the network is not work, you can move to another computer and using the data from hub. Although star network is more stable than other network topology, but star network is more expensive as it needs more wires to support the network. And because it is fully obey to hub, once there have many nodes, the network maybe slow down. (The image of the Florida Center for Instructional Technology College of Education, University of South Florid 1997.) Last network topology we have to share is Mesh. Mesh network is a network where all the nodes connected to each other with different ways, maybe single hop or multiple hops. In a mesh network, if one node or cable have problem occur, there will have another way to communicate with other node, it wont be halt the whole network. Mesh network will also default the short way automatically while the message moving on the mesh network, that means the data no need to pass through all the points before reach to destination, it save many times for transaction the data. Mesh network is a network which is not easy to interruption by connection problem as there have many possible patterns that can use. When one node failure to connect, mesh network will find another way to reach the destination easily. Mesh network separate to two similar types: Full mesh and Partial mesh. Full mesh which every node will connect to each other so the network can provide best redundancy function. Once one of the nodes breakdowns, connection between the networks will be stronger under full mesh network because there have more possible route to reach to destination. Because of more wires need, so full mesh network is expensive than partial mesh network and it may also affect the set up procedure because of the complexity. For the economical reasons, some of the company will prefer to use the partial mesh network. In partial mesh network, devices are only connects to a subsection node instead of all nodes. This may affect the entire network once the connection have problem because it only have one or two ways to reach the destination point. Although the communication between the networks is not as strong as full mesh network, but the cost is cheaper than it, so nowadays partial mesh network is more popular than full mesh network. (The image of the network dictionary 2004) Physical communication media is a path that can let the electronic data move from one computer to another. And now will going to describe different physical communication media, for example Twisted-Pair cable, Coaxial Cable and Fiber-optic cable. The first cable we are going to talk about is Twisted-Pair cable. Twisted-pair cable which can be subdivided as unshielded twisted pair (UTP) and shielded twisted pair (STP) (Bruce A Hallberg 2005). Both UTP and STP have eight separate brown metal wires and cover by insulate material. Besides, each pair of wires was wound to each other. UTP and STP not only have similar structure and also have similar transmission technology. Even though STP has a better protection interface and quality than UTP, but it cost more expensive and not easy to install. Using Twisted-pair cables advantage is its size is smaller than others so that it will easy to install and it cost cheaper than Coaxial cable and Fiber-optic cable. On the other hand, the transmission signal is shorter than other communication media and the coverage area is only 100 meters. Another cable we are going to talk about is Coaxial Cable. Coaxial cable is cover by 4 layers: copper wire, insulation, copper mesh and cable jacket. Coaxial cable can aid 10-100 Mbps and it coverage 500 meters. (Scribd n.d.) The advantage of Coaxial Cable is it can run for a long distance between network but use less power. The cost of Coaxial cable is cheaper than Fiber-optic cable and because of it use for many years, so it will be more popular. However, the size of Coaxial Cable not as thin as Twisted-pair cable, so it will be difficult to install and relatively the set up fee will be higher than Twisted-pair cable. The last one we have to talk about is Fiber-Optic cable. Fiber-Optic cable is made by narrow core and insulates material. It use the lights to transmission the date. Most of the corporate network will use Fiber-optic cable as back bones to connect different network. The advantage of Fiber-optic cable is it has a higher data speed and the higher bandwidth is good for future development. But Fiber-optic cable is not quite flexible as it cannot curve, so it will be more difficult to install and the cost is the most expensive one. Different computers have its own different purpose, we are going to compare Microcomputers, Laptop computers, Minicomputers, Mainframe computers and Supercomputers size, speed, processing capabilities, price and how many users can use at the same time. Types of computers Microcomputers Laptop computers Minicomputers Mainframe computers Supercomputer Size Fits on desk Small and conveyable Size in between microcomputers and mainframe computers Partial room of apparatus Full room of apparatus Speed Up to 400 million Up to 400 million Thousands to millions Millions Millions to billions Processing capabilities Word process Surfing the web Database management Calculations Email function Word process Surfing the web Database management Calculations Email function Web surfing Check email Basic productivity software (Daniel J.Gansle,2010) Processing data quickly and information storage, mostly using on airline system, back or insurance company. Process very large amounts of date, such as weather forecasting and government. Price of computers From $2500 up to $17000 From $2500-up to $23000 From $5000-$15000 $300,000- several million dollars Several million dollars and up Simultaneously connected users For individual use only For individual use only Two to four thousand Hundred to thousand Hundred to thousand

Friday, September 20, 2019

A Report On Technological Development Sport Essay

A Report On Technological Development Sport Essay Technological development is becoming more and more essential in spot competition. Technological development refers to the development of techniques or appliance which can improve the quality and magnificence of the sport competitions. However, there could be some difference between different countries; it may depend on the level of the countries development. There are three main aspects revealing that technological development has revolutionized sport competitions. Firstly, the development of telecommunications promotes the globalization of sport competition. Secondly, the use of electronic appliance helps to reduce controversy and ensure the fairness of the results in the competition, such as auto-timing system. Moreover, the improvement sport equipments and analyzing system has become necessary for enhancing the performance of athletes. Firstly, one of the most dramatic revolutions in sport completion is caused by the developments in new technologies of mass communication, especially the development of Internet and satellite television, which are allowing the sport competitions to be publicized around the world much more quickly. As an example, mega-events such as the Olympic Games can be regarded as a media-events (D. Rowe, 2004, 166). According to Roche, the 1936 Berlin Olympics was the first Olympic Games to be radio broadcast to the world; and it was also the first major sport event to be televised, although it was only available in the city of Berlin at that time due to the limited local cable system. Nowadays, the universality of the Internet and television are most effective to the globalization of the sports competition, however, turning the sport competition into global event. Referring to the television, Horne and Manzenreiter indicate that the estimation of 3.9 billion television audiences had watched par ts of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and 40 billion which are cumulative television audiences, contributing to a increase of 27% over the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Moreover, Horne and Manzenreiter also indicate the 2002 FIFA World Cup staged in Japan and South Korea, 41000 hours of programming were provided in 213 countries and about 28.8 television audiences of this event, even more than that in Olympic Games. From this situation, there is no doubt that the development of telecommunication provides a much larger stage for the sport competitions, and makes the sport competition become a global history. Secondly, in the sport competitions, the quality of the athletes is the most important factor in determining their performance. Analysing the movements of athletes could be the effective method to increase the possibilities of championship in the sport competitions; for instance, analyzing the movement or posture of an ice-skate athlete could help the athlete to maximize the speed and overcome the shortcomings. However, the details of the movements cannot be easily seen because the unassisted eye functions at the speed of 1/340th of a second exposure time; fortunately, the use of film, cine and video and many other electronic analyzing devices provide the chance to analyze the movements of athletes in a much more detailed version. For instance, as Everett and Trew, who are from the Department of Physiotherapy, have found that the computerized kinetic analysis system can collect reliable three-dimensional data which uses high-resolution cameras to video athletes movements. These data are very useful to enhance athletes performance and also the recovering, as they can show whether the speed is at maximum or not, uncoordinated or smooth. In this case, it could be said that sport competitions are not only about the competition between athletes and also the level of technology between countries. Finally, the auto-timing system is contributing substantially to the revolution of sport competitions. The hand-held stopwatch has been eliminated from the formal or major sport competitions, as it has the absolute limitation on accuracy, because the result will depend on the judges reaction. The article from Australian Academy of science states that the computerize timing systems nowadays can provide the accuracy to less than 0.001 of a second, which is 10 times the requirement of accuracy under the rules, compares to the first electronic quartz timing system in 1964 which can provide the accuracy of 0.01 of a second. Furthermore, when the vertical line-scanning video system was introduced in 1991, human judgment and error were totally removed in the competitions; the video image of each athlete will be shown when they cross the finished line, at the same time, the timing system will record each athletes result.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Essay on the Women of Young Goodman Brown, The Birthmark, and Rappaccin

The Women of Young Goodman Brown, The Birthmark, and Rappaccini’s Daughter  Ã‚   In his short stories, "Young Goodman Brown," "The Birthmark," and "Rappaccinià ¢s Daughter," Nathaniel Hawthorne uses his female characters to illustrate the folly of demanding perfection in the flawed world of humanity. Although Hawthorneà ¢s women appear to have dangerous aspects, they are true of heart, and thus, they cannot be fully possessed by the corrupt men who seek to control them. Hawthorne endows each of his heroines with both light and dark elements. Although each one is inherently pure, none of these women are entirely free from the accusations leveled by the men in their lives. In "Young Goodman Brown," Hawthorne presents Faith as the ideal new bride. Trusting and childlike, she begs her husband not to leave her home alone. He admonishes her for doubting him. There is no reason to conclude that Faith has anything but perfect trust in Goodman Brown. Any such idea that he may have is merely a projection of his own feelings of guilt and shame (Colacurcio 390). Hawthorne never describes Faith in anything other than tender and glowing terms. She is all that Goodman Brown could hope for in a wife. He himself refers to her as "a blessed angel on earth" (Hawthorne, "Young" 65). However, Hawthorne allows both Goodman Brown and his readers to develop feelings of doubt about Mrs. Brown, introducing a darker aspect to her character. He casually, yet obviously, drops F aithà ¢s pink hair ribbons into the story. The color pink seems to suggest that Faith is occupying some middle ground between white, which is "completely pure," and red, which is "brazenly sinful" (McFarland 37). The pink ribbon mysteriously appears deep in the forest, where Goodman Br... ...eà ¢s Tales. Ed. James McIntosh. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1987. 186-209. Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "Young Goodman Brown." Nathaniel Hawthorneà ¢s Tales. Ed. James McIntosh. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1987. 65-75. Heilman, Robert B. "Hwathorneà ¢s ÃŽThe Birthmarkà ¢: Science as Religion." Nathaniel Hawthorneà ¢s Tales. Ed. James McIntosh. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1987. 421-427. McFarland, Melissa Pennell. A Nathaniel Hawthorne Encyclopedia. New York: Greenwood Press, 1991. Mitchell, Thomas R. "Rappaccini's Garden and Emerson's Concord Translating the Voice of Margaret Fuller." Hawthorne and Women: Engendering and Expanding the Hawthorne Tradition. Ed. John L. Idol. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1999. 75-91. Tharpe, Jac. Nathaniel Hawthorne: Identity and Knowledge. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1967.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Recruitment and Retention in Speech -- Language

Addressing the Significant Shortage in the Profession Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are in high demand throughout the United States. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the United States will need â€Å"about 141, 400 SLPs through the year 2018 to meet the increasing need in the profession and to replace retiring SLPs† (2011, p. 2). The demand for qualified professional in the field continues to rise from year to year. According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2011-2012 Edition, â€Å"employment is expected to grow 19% in the profession in the next decade† (p. 2). A report released in 2008 by the American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE) reported â€Å"SLPs are ranked 14th in the nation for fields with a considerable vacancy as related to other areas in education† (p. 8). In the state of Nebraska, the U.S. Department of Education listed speech language pathology as a â€Å"significant teacher shortage area† (2011, p. 58). Recruiting and retaining qualified professionals has impacted school districts across the nation. The frustrations of many SLPs are similar: job dissatisfaction, lack of sufficient compensation, and oversized workloads contribute to the professional shortage. Research suggests that â€Å"lack of recognition, few opportunities for promotion, excessive paperwork, loss of autonomy, lack of supplies, low pay, and stressful interpersonal interactions all contributed to teachers’ decisions to leave the schools† (Blood, Ridenour, Thomas, Qualls, & Hammer, 2002, p. 283). Job satisfaction â€Å"is the terminology used to describe whether employees are happy and contented and fulfilling their desires and needs at work† (Heathfield, n.d., para. 1). Many SLPs struggle to... ...d, S. (n.d.) Employee satisfaction. Retrieved on November 26, 2011 from http://humanresources.about.com/od/employeesurvey1/g/employee_satisfy.htm. Palacio, M. (2001). Successful strategies for addressing caseload issues. Advance for Speech-Language Pathologists & Audiologists, February 2001. Retrieved from http://speech-language-pathology-audiology.advanceweb.com/Article/Successful-Strategies-for-Addressing-Caseload-Issues.aspx. â€Å"Psychosocial support†. (n.d.). Retrieved on November 27, 2011 from http://www.ovcsupport.net/s/index.php?i=59. U.S. Department of Education. (2011). Teacher shortage area nationwide list. Retrieved on November 26, 2011 from http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.pdf. U.S. Department of Labor (2011). Occupational outlook handbook. Retrieved on November 22, 2011 from http://www.bls.gov/oco/pdf/ocos099.pdf .