John Smith Essays (413 words) - Application Software, Computing

John Smith History LITTLE BIG HISTORY ASSIGNMENT Assignment summary Write your own little big history (in Dutch or English): Select a subject or object that you really like. Find one connection between your choice and a topic discussed in each class mentioned in the assignment form. Elaborate the three most intriguing connections that you have found between your choice and big history: one connection must come from the history of the non-living world, one from the history of life, and one from human history. Combine these three elaborations into one single story, discussing the possible links between the three connections that you have found. Goals of the assignment The little big history assignment has several goals. First of all, and most importantly, by linking your subject or object to all of big history, it becomes clear that all its phases can be found in your choice. This enriches your understanding of it, because it is examined from multiple, interdisciplinary, perspectives. Secondly, the assignment encourages you to come up with new, unusual, ideas. It has long been argued that "all decisive advances in the history of scientific thought can be described in terms of mental cross-fertilization between different disciplines."1 The discovery of the planets' movements and the structure of DNA can serve as examples. The astronomer Johannes Keppler allegedly came up with his laws of planetary motion by picturing the Sun, the stars and the dark space in-between them as the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. And Francis Crick, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, reported he first came up with the double helix model of DNA after thinking about reproducing sculptures with the aid of plaster molds.2 Big history provides a platform that enables you to think out of the box' along similar lines; it enables you to connect things to all different disciplines and allows new ideas to emerge from these links. In other words, the little big history assignment challenges you to take advantage of the big history platform and come up with creative, new, ideas. Thirdly, it helps to bring to life more abstract concepts presented in the course by linking them to a subject or object that is important to you personally. Assignment in more detail Select a subject or object that you really like. You can pick anything that you like. For instance, you can pick subjects like why people wage wars,' or why people developed democracies,' or objects like your smartphone or house.

Understanding the importance of Green IT in business The WritePass Journal

Understanding the importance of Green IT in business Understanding the importance of Green IT in business Introduction:Approaches to Green IT:Solutions:Industry initiatives:Motivations: Conclusion:References:Related Introduction: As the Information Technology has become the considerable part in social infrastructure, it plays an important role in human’s life. Computing is a rapid growing technology or area which depletes energy a lot. A computer which is a machine performs well depletes lots of energy. Generally a computer consumes lot of energy for functioning. By the rapid development of the technologies people usually tend to use and depends on this technologies more and more. As the energy is a non renewable resource this rapid usage will lead us to many issues. If we go on use this computer rapidly in future it will soon cost more to power a computer than purchasing a new one. So to overcome this wastage of energy mainly in the data centers considerably and to minimize the cost effectiveness and also to reduce the effects on the environment an initiative was designed, declared and commenced by the U.S environmental protection agency in 1992 as an energy star program which was designed to promote and recognize the energy efficiency. This program was basically designed to encourage and recognize the energy efficiency in the monitors, climate control equipments and other technologies. Therefore to minimize this wastage of energy and to recognize the efficiency the term Green Computing was emerged shortly after the energy star program and this method of initiative was introduced to maximize the energy efficiency and increase the recyclability of products and the factory waste, mainly to preserve the environment from the bad effects of the technological enhancement. Green computing is also generally referred as Green IT. The main idea is to have the least human impact on the environment and it mainly aims to achieve the environmental sustainability. Green computing or Green IT refers to the study and the efficient use of eco friendly computing technology. According to Sam Murugesan (Article: Harnessing Green IT)   Green Computing is â€Å"the study and practice of designing, manufacturing, using and disposing of computers, servers and associated sub systems- such as monitors, printers, storage devices, networking and communication systems- efficiently and effectively with minimal or no impact on the environment† (Murugesan 2008). Information Technology has brought several changes and also found many solutions for the environmental sustainability but at the same time it also caused a lot of issues particularly in the data centers where the energy is consumed excessively (Murugesan 2010). Information Technology affects the environment in several dissimilar ways in the every stage of the computers life that is from the production and to the end of the disposal stage that is last stage. Therefore increase in the consumption of the energy may leads to green house affect due to carbon dioxide gas emissions because the source of energy is from oil, coal and burning of gas.(Murugesan 2008). Hopper, the professor of computer technology at the university of Cambridge declared that â€Å" the system we now employ is hugely wasteful† and he has proposed a system that is much efficient and helps in minimizing the consumption of energy resource, because he believed that moving the data is always cheaper than energy resource.(Kurp 2008). Approaches to Green IT: Murugesan has explained a holistic approach and he told to follow this approach for completely addressing the environmental impacts of Information Technology this approach consists of four steps to gain the environmental sustainability: 1. Green Use which aims in minimizing the energy consumption of the computer systems and also the products using them in an efficient manner. 2. Green disposal where reusing of systems and refurbishing takes place and also the proper disposing, unwanted recycling of computers and other equipment takes place. 3. Green design where designing the energy efficient and environmentally sound computers and accessories such as servers and cooling devices. 4. Green manufacturing which targets to manufacture the computer systems and its components with minimal effect on the environment. Murugesan illustrated some of the area and activities where the above four steps focuses on: 1. Designing for the environmental sustainability. 2. Energy-efficient computing. 3. Power management. 4. Design of the data center and its layout and location 5. Server virtualization to split the server. 6. Responsible disposal, reusing and recycling. 7. Regulatory compliance. 8. Green metrics, assessment tools and methodology. 9. Environment-related risk reducing. 10 .Use of renewable energy sources and 11. Eco-labeling of IT products    Solutions: Dell and Hewlett Packard are the two computer manufacturing companies who had decided to solve the problem by retooling their products. On the other hand the efficient environmental solution from the David Wang the data center architect for Teradata says that have a look at the entire lifecycle of the computer the complete picture from manufacturing as every step depletes energy he says that make a reliable method to remove the heat from the data centers than buying a new one. (Kurp 2008) The solutions produced by the Hasbrouck and Woodruff, they have suggested two strategies for Green IT: 1. Minimize the computing technology’s contribution to the issue by producing the energy efficient computers by taking reusability into consideration during computers’ designing and make use of less materials and work toward computers’ and related systems’ recycling. Moreover they have shown that truing off the inactive computers; by utilizing energy efficient computer devices and reduction of emissions that are emitted from computers’ manufacturing are the significant parts of this strategy. 2. Hand over computing a role in changing the problem by creating green appliances which enable design green processes and objects such as design green buildings, invent source of renewable energy and designing fuel efficient aircraft. In Green computing or Green IT the most efforts have been directed towards the first strategy to solve the environmental issues which have increased along with the usage of the computers. As a result of several problems caused by the computers, several associations are turning to green computing to save the money and reduce the waste. To do so Dick Sullivan listed five trends majorly: 1. Server Virtualization in all the forms particularly for servers, storage and network environments. In other words changing the entire machines into a software based entities for example a room with five servers is transformed and replaced with a single efficient server with having high performance. 2. Make use of the cloud computing where it doesn’t require the own data centers, servers or storage systems. Although most of the organizations require only small amount of equipment and functionality in that casting they can usually buy what they require from someone else who will be the one responsible to the security, power and maintenance. 3. Sullivan proposed that a huge amount of data is basically an exact duplicate of other data, so changing it into intelligent compression or into single instance storage which can eliminate this waste and cut the total data storage required. 4. Solid state disk is not comprised of moving parts and is not magnetic that is reason it is a stronger, secure and the faster way to access the data. 5. Every person can be part or effect of green computing project suppose when s/he has more awareness of her/his direct and indirect daily computing habits. Suppose for Employees considering an example, who can support green computing if they use to turn off computers not in use, banning screen savers and shorten the turn-off times when computers are inactive. On the other hand, printing waste a lot of papers, so managing this daily process by printing only as needed and adopting double sided printing will make a significant impact (Clarke 2009). Industry initiatives: Many efforts have been made to encourage and support the concept of green computing. The climate savers computing initiative is mainly to aims at encouraging and enhancing, deployment and adaptation of smaller technologies in order to maximize the efficiency of power delivery and to minimize the waste of energy, as this is an initiative with nonprofit group of businesses, consumers and organizations started by Google and Intel in 2007and by 2010   their main aim is to reduce the total co2 emission of computer systems by 54 million tons (Wikipedia) 1. Climate savers computing initiative. 2. Green electronics council. 3. Green computing impact organization. 4. Green Grid. Motivations: It is better to raise the awareness in the people about the danger or the impact that threatens the earth if they continue to use the same traditional methods and computers and also to teach the benefits of green IT. By implementing the Green IT issues in all the impact areas which offer individual and financial benefits where information technology will achieve the better and most efficiency approach through green initiatives. In one of the survey made my sun micro system Australia 1500 responses have been gathered from 758 dissimilar sized organizations. Almost all these responses revealed that the main reasons for following green IT practices are due to reducing in consumption of energy and get lower costs. However most companies have started to prioritize the environmental problems and most of the institutions and corporate ask their suppliers then consider into account how to â€Å"green up† their products and manufacturing processes  Ã‚   not only the companies but also several people began to adhere to eco friendly environmental issues of Information Technology.(Murugesan 2008)    Conclusion: Green computing or Green IT is popular in note and it is not only considered as an organizational responsibility that must be undertaken by all the computer users. Home computer owners must also follow the Green IT practices to make the environment sustainable. References: 1. Murugesan. S., 2008, â€Å"Harnessing Green IT: Principles and Practices,† IEEE IT Professional, January–February 2008, pp 24-33. 2. Murugesan, S., 2010. Making IT Green. IEEE Computer Society, Vol. 12, No. 2. 3. Hasbrouck, J. Woodruff, A., 2008. Green Homeowners as Lead Adopters: Sustainable Living and Green Computing. Intel Technology Journal, 12(1), 39-48. 4. Kurp, P., 2008. Green Computing. Communications of the ACM, Vol 51(10), 11-13. 5.   Clarke, K., 2009. Green computing trends you should know. Associations Now, Vol 5(8), 19 6. brighthub.com/environment/green-computing/articles/62742.aspx

Management Diversity and equal opportunity Article

Management Diversity and equal opportunity - Article Example Valueing and managing diversity requires policies, procedures, relationships and practices that will ensure fairness and equality. (Rice K,2007) However on the other side the scope these diversities in the business environments can be made use to effectively improvise the organisation's performance. In totality, the success of an organization in adapting to the diversity would directly depend upon the equal distribution of opportunities in terms of responsibilities, benefits, career opportunities and personal respect among the team. Advancement in technology, travel options, communications and liberalization of international business regulations has incorporated numerous possibilities of conditions with diverse natures within the work environment. This trend was found to increase in the early nineties. The transference of a command driven economy to a market driven one, sheltered markets to competitive ones, domestic trade to international trade and the trend of monopoly to the trend of competition has extensively made possible the chances and demand of diversity in the business setup and processes involved. However these chances and demand are expected to have an upward trend in the coming years as well. In the modern business scenarios, diversity has been observed in the following areas. Cultural Diversity A modern definition of culture is "the shared ways in which groups of people understand and interpret the world (Fons & Charles 1997,p.3-4). A diversity in the interpretation and understanding as defined by Fons & Charles is being experienced in the human resources of business entities mainly due to the resultants of globalisation namely in- sourcing and out-sourcing. Moreover the policies on exchange of manpower among different nationalities promoted by the shortage of skilled manpower in many countries have led many companies to hire people belonging to different countries with diverse cultures. International educational opportunities are also increasing the availability of multi-cultural man power. The diverse understanding of business procedures and varied interpretation of management scenarios by this multi-cultural workforce adds complex cultural diversity to the work environment. Inter personal relationship The modern work groups hold much diversity in their inter-personal relationship attitudes. Although this may vary from person to person, the range of the diversity is much high with reference to the modern work groups which includes staff from different countries and cultures. Christopher & Diana (1996, p75) have mentioned seven factors concerning to the human relationships including time, space, odors, frankness, intimacy of relationships, values and expression of emotions. When an employee or a group from a particular part would insist on punctuality, others from different part of the globe would not pay much importance for time. Space is also viewed differently by different people. When some need to be close to their colleagues some others would prefer to keep a distance. Frankness is another factor which can bring in diversity in inter-personal relationships among the staff. High-context cultures are more frank than low-context cultures. (Lesikar R & Flatley M 2002,p.442). Intim acy among the

Did The Peace Movement Really Help End The Vietnam War Essay

Did The Peace Movement Really Help End The Vietnam War - Essay Example Johnson is among the most unpopular United States president of all times. Diplomacy in a democratic country is believed to be a key driver for peace initiatives and unity. Following such notion, it would be rightful to assert that indeed, the Peace Movement truly helped end the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War is also known in history books as the Vietnam Conflict or the Second Indochina War that started in the later part of the 1950s. It was a war fought between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, which is North Vietnam and the Republic of Vietnam, which is South Vietnam1. Truly, Vietnam War was nothing more but an internal conflict between power strugglers in a nation, which just won its independence from its colonizers ( in its case France). Other nations got involved when North Vietnam had the support of socialist country of Soviet Union and the communist China. The involvement of communist and socialist nations in the war prompted the involvement of the pro-democratic Western nations. Thus, the United States got involved in the war that should have been fought in the local front. President Dwight D Eisenhower was then the US president when the country decided to show off its power against the non-democratic forces. Vietnam War was seen by analysts and historians as a perfect venue where the United States could show to the world how democracy could rule the world and how it could easily defeat the hard and authoritative ways of the socialists and the communists1. The US' involvement in the Vietnam War was also the main focus of the government of the popular and assassinated president of the United States, John F. Kennedy. Initially, Mr Kennedy's intention was only to provide Vietnamese troops assistance through trainings. He also wanted to battle out the threat of communism and socialism to countries especially in the east. Mr. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963. But the involvement of the United States to the Vietnam War went on until the entire duration of President Lyndon B. Johnson's term, which ran from 1963 to 1969. It was during this period that numerous protests and activist movements were staged throughout the country. The citizens of the United States then created a model that would eventually become the framework of other anti-war and peaceful protests not just in the country but also in the whole world2. The so-called Peace Movement in the United States was a clear and loud opposition to the government's firm stand to support South Vietnam on its fight to win and rule over the whole Vietnam. The Peace Movement was a series of protest rallies, demonstrations and mass assemblies that, for the first time in world history, involved Americans from all walks of life. The anti-war movement actually consisted of college students, middle-class citizens, labor unions and government institutions. The Peace Movement gained its prominence in 1965, then peaked and became mostly hyped and controversial in 1968. Encompassing political, racial, and cultural spheres, the anti-war Peace Movement exposed a deep schism within the American society during that time1. It was noted, moreover, that the Peace Movement also made way for several opposing groups to take a consensus for once

Discussion Question 1 Week 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Question 1 Week 4 - Assignment Example In a cigarette industry where I am employed, in the past twenty years, the U.S. cigarette companies used to spend as much as $1.1 billion on marketing alone. That marketing involved advertising, labeling and promotion of cigarette smoking. Before the enactment of the law in 1970, brands of cigarettes regularly sponsored the American television and radio programs in 1960s and 1950s. In early 1970s, marketing of cigarettes then extended to newspapers, magazines and to billboards. Ten years before the enactment of the tobacco law, all tobacco companies continued to advertise, promote and label cigarette packages with messages such as â€Å"approved by doctor† along with images of beautiful models and athlete who are enjoying their life with cigarettes in their hands to raise the awareness, sales and preference of the cigarette brand. Due to the kind of cigarette advertisements by cigarette companies, consumers of cigarettes continued to smoke without knowing the health impact of excessive usage of tobacco and cigarettes. That was because smoking advertisements were majorly focused on glamorizing smoking and did not expose the grim realities of using tobacco. For all that period, the cigarette companies did not succeed in fulfilling the promise of enlightening its consumers about health effects caused by smoking. Adamson (2010) states that the failure of manufacturers of cigarettes to discharge these promises making the consumers to remain misinformed concerning the smoking risks associated with their health. The Tobacco Control Act was endorsed to regulate advertising and marketing of cigarette and tobacco. These included introduction of new warnings for products of smokeless tobacco and prohibition of manufacturing products that used deceptive descriptive terms like â€Å"low†, â€Å"light† and â€Å"mild†. In the next 10 years, if this law is not repealed, it will lead to a negative impact on cigarette business. This is

Communication Skills in Nursing

Communication Skills in Nursing Communication is a vital part of the nurses role. Theorists such as Peplau (1952), Rogers (1970) and King (1971) all emphasise therapeutic communication as a primary part of nursing and a major focus of nursing practice. Long (1992) further suggests that communication contains many components including presence, listening, perception, caring, disclosure, acceptance, empathy, authenticity and respect. Stuart and Sundeen (1991, p.127) warn that while communication can facilitate the development of a therapeutic relationship it can also create barriers between clients and colleagues. Within Healthcare, communication may be described as a transitional process that is dynamic and constantly changing (Hargie, Saunders and Dickenson, 1994, p.329). It primarily involves communication between the nurse and the patient. If the interaction is to be meaningful, information should be exchanged; this involves the nurse adopting a planned, holistic approach which eventually forms the basis of a therapeutic relationship. Fielding and Llewelyn (1987) contend that poor communication is the primary cause of complaints by patients. This is supported by Young (1995) who reports that one third of complaints to the Health Service Commissioner were related to communication with nursing staff. Studies by Boore (1979) and Devine and Cook (1983) demonstrate that good communication actually assisted the rate of patient recovery thus reducing hospital admission times. This suggests that good communication skills are cost effective. In this assignment, I have reflected on situations that have taken place during my clinical work experience. These situations have helped to develop and utilise my interpersonal skills, helping to maintain therapeutic relationships with patients. In this instance, I have used Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle as the framework for my reflection. Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle consists of six stages in nursing practice and learning from the experiences. Description of the situation that arose. Conclusion of what else would I could have done. Action plan is there so I can prepare if the situation rises again. Analysis of the feeling Evaluation of the experience Analysis to make sense of the experience My Reflective Cycle Baird and Winter (2005) illustrate the importance of reflective practice. They state that reflecting will help to generate knowledge and professional practice, increase ones ability to adapt to new situations, develop self esteem and greater job satisfaction. However, Siviter (2004) explains that reflection is about gaining self confidence, identifying ways to improve, learning from ones own mistakes and behaviour, looking at other peoples perspectives, being self aware and making future improvements by learning from the past. I have come to realise that it is important for me to improve and build therapeutic relationships with my patients by helping to establish a rapport through trust and mutual understanding, creating the special link between patient and nurse as described by Harkreader and Hogan (2004). Peplau (1952), cited in Harkreader and Hogan (2004), notes that good contact in therapeutic relationships builds trust as well as raising the patients self esteem, often leading t o the patients personal growth. Ruesh (1961), cited in Arnold and Boggs (2007), states that the purpose of therapeutic communication is to improve the patients ability to function. Therefore, in order to establish a therapeutic nurse/patient interaction, a nurse must possess certain qualities e.g. caring, sincerity, empathy and trustworthiness (Kathol, 2003) (P.33). These qualities can be expressed by promoting effective communication and relationships by the implementation of interpersonal skills. Johnson (2008) defines interpersonal skills as the ability to communicate effectively. Chitty and Black (2007, p 218) mention that communication is the exchange of information, thoughts and ideas via simultaneous verbal and non verbal communication. They explain that while verbal communication relies on the spoken word, non-verbal communication is just as important, consisting of gestures, postures, facial expressions, plus the tone and level of volume of ones voice. Thus, my reflection i n this assignment is based on the development of therapeutic relationships between the nurse and patient using interpersonal skills. My reflection is about a particular patient, to whom, in order to maintain patient information confidentiality (NMC, 2004), I will refer to as Mr R. It concerns an event which took place when I was working on a surgical ward. Whilst there were male and female wards, female and male surgical patients were encouraged mingle. On this particular day, I noticed that one of the male patients was sitting alone on his bed. This was Mr R., a 64 year old gentleman who had been diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the pancreas, with a life expectancy of 18-24 months. He was unable to control his pain, and whilst some relief could be provided by chemotherapy, Mr R. had a good understanding of his condition and knew that there was no cure available. He was unable to walk by himself and always needed assistance even to stand up or sit down. Because of his mobility problems I offered to get him his cup of tea and I then sat with him as he was lonely. I would now like to discuss the feelings and thoughts I experienced at the time. Before I gave Mr R. his cup of tea, I approached him in a friendly manner and introduced myself; I tried to establish a good rapport with him because I wanted him to feel comfortable with me even though I was not a family member or relative. When I first asked Mr R. if I could get him a cup of tea, he looked at me and replied I have asked the girl for a cup of tea, I dont know where she is. I answered Well, I will see where she is and if I cant find her, I will gladly get one for you Mr R. In doing this, I demonstrated emphatic listening. According to Wold (2004, p 13), emphatic listening is about the willingness to understand the other person, not just judging by appearance. Then I touched MrR.s shoulders, kept talking and raised my tone a little because I was unsure of his reaction. At the same time, I used body language to communicate the action of drinking. I paused and repeated my actions, but this time I used some simple words which I though Mr R. would understand. Mr R. looked at me and nodded his head. As I was giving him his cup of tea, I maintained eye contact as I didnt want him to feel shy or embarrassed. Fortunately, using body language helped me to communicate with this gentleman. At the time I was worried that he would be unable to understand me since English is not my first language but I was able to communicate effectively with him by verbal and non-verbal means, using appropriate gestures and facial expressions. Body language and facial expressions are referred to as a non-verbal communication (Funnell et al. 2005 p.443). I kept thinking that I needed to improve my English in order for him to better understand and interpret my actions. I thought of the language barrier that could break verbal communication. Castledine (2002, p.923) mentions that the language barrier arises when individuals come from different social backgrounds or use slang or colloquial phrases in conversation. Luckily, when dealing with Mr R. the particular gestures and facial expressions I used helped him to understand that I was offering him assistance. The eye contact I maintained helped show my willingness to help him; it gave him reassurance and encouraged him to place his confidence in me. This is supported by Caris-Verhallen et al (1999) who mention that direct eye contact expresses a sense of interest in the other person and provides another form of communication. In my dealings with Mr R., I tried to communicate in the best and appropriate way possible in order to make him feel comfortable; as a result he placed his trust in me and was more co-operative. Evaluation In evaluating my actions, I feel that I behaved correctly since my actions gave Mr R. both the assistance he needed and provided him with some company. I was able to successfully develop the nurse-patient relationship. Although McCabe (2004, p-44) would describe this as task centred communication one of the key components missing in communication by nurses I feel that the situation involved both good patient and task centred communication. I feel that I treated Mr R. with empathy because he was unable to perform certain tasks himself due to his mobility problems and was now refusing chemotherapy. It was my duty to make sure he was comfortable and felt supported and reassured. My involvement in the nurse-patient relationship was not restricted to task centred communication but included a patient centred approach using basic techniques to provide warmth and empathy toward the patient. I found that I was able to improve my non-verbal communication skills in my dealings with Mr R. When he first mentioned having chemotherapy, he volunteered very little information, thus demonstrating the role of non-verbal communication. Caris-Verhallen et al (1999, p.809) state that the role of non-verbal communication becomes important when communicating with elderly people with incurable cancer (Hollman et al 2005, p.31) There are a number of effective ways to maximise communication with people, for example, by trying to gain the persons attention before speaking this makes one more visible and helps to prevent the person from feeling intimidated or under any kind of pressure; the use of sensitive touch can also make them feel more comfortable. I feel that the interaction with Mr R. had been beneficial to me in that it helped me to learn how to adapt my communication skills both verbally and non-verbally. I used body language to its full effect since the language barrier made verbal communication with Mr.R. difficult. I used simple sentences that Mr R. could easily understand in order to encourage his participation. Wold (2004, p.76) mention that gestures are a specific type of non-verbal communication intended to express ideas; they are useful for people who have limited verbal communication skills. I also used facial expressions to help encourage him to have chemotherapy treatment which might not cure his problem but would give him some relief and make him feel healthier. Facial expressions are the most expressive means of non-verbal communication but are also limited to certain cultural and age barriers (Wold 2004 p.76). My facial expressions were intended to encourage Mr R. to reconsider his decision with regard to chemotherapy treatment. Whilst I could not go into all the details about his treatment, I was able to advise him to complete his treatment in order to alleviate his symptoms. Analysis In order to analyse the situation, I aim to evaluate the important communication skills that enabled me to provide the best level of nursing care for Mr R. My dealings with Mr R. involved interpersonal communication i.e. communication between two people (Funnell et al 2005, p-438).I realised that non-verbal communication did help me considerably in providing Mr R. with appropriate nursing care even though he could only understand a few of the words I was speaking. I did notice that one of the problems that occurred with this style of communication was the language barrier but despite this I continued by using appropriate communication techniques to aid the conversation. Although it was quite difficult at first, the use of non verbal communication skills helped encourage him to speak and also allowed him to understand me. The situation showed me that Mr R. was able to respond when I asked him the question without me having to wait for an answer he was unable to give. Funnell et al (2005, p 438) point out that communication occurs when a person responds to the message received and assigns a meaning to it. Mr R. had indicated his agreement by nodding his head. Delaune and Ladner (2002, P-191) explain that this channel is one of the key components of communication techniques and processes, being used as a medium to send out messages. In addition Mr R. also gave me feedback by showing that he was able to understand the messages being conveyed by my body language, facial expression and eye contact. The channels of communication I used can therefore be classed as both visual and auditory. Delaune and Ladner (2002 p.191) state that feedback occurs when the sender receives information after the receiver reacts to the message, however Chitty and Black (2007, p.218) define feedback as a response to a message. I n this particular situation, I was the sender who conveyed the message to Mr R. and Mr R. was the receiver who agreed to talk about his chemotherapy treatment and allowed me to assist. Consequently I feel that my dealings with Mr R. involved the 5 key components of communication outlined by Delaune and Ladner (2002, p.191) i.e. senders, message, channel, receiver and feedback. Reflecting on this event allowed me to explore how communication skills play a key role in the nurse and patient relationship in the delivery of patient-focussed care. Whilst I was trying to assist Mr R. when he was attempting to walk, I realised that he needed time to adapt to the changes in his activities of daily living. I was also considering ways of successful and effective communication to ensure a good nursing outcome. I concluded that it was vital to establish a rapport with Mr R. to encourage him to participate in the exchange both verbally and non-verbally. This might then give him the confidence to communicate effectively with the other staff nurses; this might later prevent him from being neglected due to his age or his inability to understand the information given to him about his treatment and the benefits of that treatment. I have set out an action plan of clinical practice for future reference. If there were patients who needed help with feeding or with other procedures, I would ensure that I was well prepared to deal patients who werent able to communicate properly. This is because, as a nurse, it is my role to ensure that patients are provided with the best possible care. To achieve this, I need to be able to communicate effectively with patients in different situations and with patients who have differing needs. I need to communicate effectively as it is important to know what patients need most during there stay on the ward under my supervision. Whilst I have a lot of experience in this field of practice, communication remains a fundamental part of the nursing process which needs to be developed in nurse-patient relationships. Wood (2006, p.13) states that communication is the key to unlock the foundation of relationships. Good communication is essential if one is to get to know a patients individu al health status (Walsh, 2005, p.30). Active learning can also help to identify the existence of barriers to communication when interacting with patients. Active learning means listening without making judgements; I always try to listen to patients opinions or complaints since this gives me the opportunity to see the patients perspective (Arnold, 2007, p.201). On the other hand, it is crucial to avoid the barriers that occur in communication with the patients and be able to detect language barriers. This can be done by questioning patients about their health and by asking them if they need help in their daily activities. I set about overcoming such barriers by asking open-ended questions and interrupting when necessary to seek additional facts (Funnell et al, 2005, p.453). Walsh (2005, p.31) also points out that stereotyping and making assumptions about patients, by making judgements on first impressions and a lack of awareness of communication skills are the main barriers to good communication. I must not judge patients by making assumptions on my first impression but should go out of my way to make the patient feel valued as an individual. I should respect each patients fundamental values, beliefs, culture, and individual means of communication (Heath, 300, p.27). I should be able to know how to establish a rapport with each patient. Cellini (1998, p.49) suggests a number of ways in which this can be achieved, including making oneself visible to the patient, anticipating patients needs, being reliable, listening effectively; all these factors will give me guidelines to improve my communication skills. Another important factor to include in my action plan is the need to take into account any disabilities patients may have such as poor hearing, visual impairment or mental disability. This could help give the patient some control and allow them to make the best use of body language. Once I know that a patient has some form of disability, I will be able to prepare a course of action in advance, deciding on the most appropriate and effective means of communication. Heath (2000, p.28) mentions that communicating with patients who have an impairment requires a particular and certain type of skill and consideration. Nazarko (2004, p.9) suggests that one should not repeat oneself if the patient is unable to understand but rather try to rephrase what one is saying in terms they can understand e.g. try speaking a little more slowly when communicating with disabled people or the hard of hearing. Hearing problems are the most common disability amongst adults due to the ageing process (Schofield. 2002, p.21). In summary, my action plan will show how to establish a good rapport with the patient, by recognising what affects the patients ability to communicate well and how to avoid barriers to effective communication in the future. Conclusion In conclusion, I have outlined the reasons behind my choosing Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle as the framework of my reflection and have discussed the importance of reflection in nursing practice. I feel I have discussed each stage of the cycle, outlining my ability to develop therapeutic relationship by using interpersonal skills in my dealings with one particular patient. I feel that most parts of the reflective cycle (Gibbs 1988) can be applied to the situation on which I have reflected. Without the model of structured reflection I do not feel I would have had the confidence to consider the situation in any depth (Graham cited in Johns 1997 a, p.91-92) and I fear reflection would have been remained at a descriptive level. I have been able to apply the situation to theory; as Boud Keogh Walker (1985, p.19) explain that reflection in the context of learning is a generic term for those intellectual and effective activities whereby individuals engage to explore their experiences in ord er to lead to a better understanding and appreciation. Boyd Fales (1983, p.100) agree with this and state that reflective learning is the process of internally examining and exploring an issue of concern, trigged by an experience that creates and clarifies meaning in terms of self and which results in a changed conceptual perspective. However, I personally believe that the reflective process is merely based on each individuals own personality and beliefs as well as their attitude and approach to the life. Appendix Mr R., a 64 year old gentleman, was an inpatient on a surgical ward. Earlier that day his consultant had directly informed him that he had inoperable cancer of the pancreas with a life expectancy of 18-24 months. Some relief might be offered by chemotherapy, but there was no cure. Mr R. was understandably shocked, but had suspected the diagnosis. At that time he remained in the care of the specialist nurse. Later in the day, as I was passing through the ward, I notice Mr. R. alone on his bed. Prescriptive A prescriptive intervention seeks to direct the behaviour of the client, usually behaviour that is outside the client-practitioner relationship. My first intervention was to open the conversation and demonstrate warmth. I provided information myself and gave Mr R. the choice of staying on his own or engaging with me. By shaking Mr R.s hands I was attempting to provide reassurance and support as well as communicating warmth in order to reduce his anxiety and promote an effective nurse-patient relationship. Practitioner: Hello Mr. R, I am one of the nurses here this  morning with Dr. M. Is there anything I can get you or would you rather be on your own? (Shook hands). Mr. R: NO, I remember you from this morning, come and sit down. Ive asked the girl for a cup of tea, I dont know where shes got to. Practitioner: Well give me a minute and Ill bring you one in. Do you take sugar? Mr. R: I suppose I shouldnt, then why worry. Two please. Practitioner: (Returning with a cup of tea) Here we are, dont blame me if its horrible, I got it from the trolley. (I smiled at Mr.R. and tried to establish eye contact, then sat down in the chair next to him). Mr. R: Thanks, thats just what I need. 2. Informative An informative intervention seeks to impart knowledge, information and meaning to the patient. My intention was to reinforce the nurse-patient relationship by smiling and attempting to establish eye contact as well as using facial expressions to put the patient at ease and establish a good rapport. By making Mr. R a cup of tea it created a pleasant response in a time of crisis. Practitioner: Jane (specialist nurse) was here this morning, what did you think about what she had to say? Mr. R: Oh yes she was very nice, mind you Im an old hand at this, I looked after my wife when she had cancer. Mr. R: She was riddled with cancer, but we kept her at home and looked after her. She could make a cracking cup of tea (Mr.R. smiles) Practitioner: (smiles and nods) When did she pass away? 3. Confronting A confronting intervention seeks to raise the clients consciousness about limiting behaviour or attitudes of which they are relatively unaware. By meeting the patients needs at that time I felt the urge to continue to show a display of warmth and develop the relationship further. Mr. R: It will be two years next month that she died. Practitioner: You must miss her. Mr. R: Theres not a day goes by that I dont talk to her. Goodness knows what she would make of all this, its brought it all back. 4. Cathartic A cathartic intervention seeks to enable the client to discharge/react to a painful emotion primarily grief, fear and/or anger. Mr. R spoke emotively and angrily by using such words as riddled and cancer. He spoke loudly and angrily with congruent non-verbal cues. Practitioner: Has what youve been discussing with Jane reminded you of your wifes death? Mr. R: Yes, (patient covers his face with his hands). Practitioner: What is it about what youve heard that is worrying you, do you think you can tell me? 5. Catalytic A catalytic intervention seeks to elicit self-discovery, self direct living, learning and problem solving in the client. Mr. R had a broad scope in which to discuss any concerns he may have had, but his response only concerned his wife, not him as his wife was the one who suffered from cancer. Mr. R: (Pause)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..Im an old hand at this and I dont want any of that chemo. Practitioner: What is it about the chemotherapy you dont like? Mr. R: My wife had it and we went through hell. Practitioner: You went through hell Mr. R: The doctors made her have the chemo and she still died in agony. 6. Supportive A supportive intervention seeks to affirm worth and value of the clients person, qualities, attitudes and actions. It is done to encourage the client to say more and to explore the issue further. Support is provided by non-verbal means like giving warmth, supportive posture and maintaining eye contact. I wanted to convince Mr. R that I was interested in what he had to say and help him believe that he was worth listening to that his opinions really mattered. Practitioner: Do you think the same thing will happen to you? Mr. R: Yes, thats the one thing Im worried about. Practitioner:.em, if Im honest with you chemotherapy treatment is not a subject I know a lot about. (Pause), would you like to see the specialist nurse again? She can go over things with you and explain your options. Mr. R Well if she doesnt mind, Im just not sure the chemo will be worth it. Learning outcomes From this experience, I have learned the importance of:- Practice in accordance with the NMC (2004) code of professional conduct, performance, when caring for adult patients including confidentially, informed consent, accountability, patient advocacy and a safe environment. Demonstrating fair and anti-discriminatory behaviour, acknowledging differences in the beliefs, spiritual and cultural practices of individuals. Understanding the rationale for undertaking and documenting, a comprehensive, systematic and accurate nursing assessment of physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs. Interpreting assessment data to prioritise interventions in evidence based plan of care. Discussing factors that will influence the effective working relationships between health and social care teams. Demonstrating the ability to critically reflect upon practice.

The Personality of Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othell

The Personality of Othello   Ã‚  Ã‚   Othello’s speech to Brabantio and the Duke in Act 1, Scene 3 is of major importance in describing Othello’s personality. This long speech, found in lines 149 to 196, shows Othello for the first time as a person with depth and less as a soldier. This speech is important to the book as a whole because it is a testimony to the strength of the love between Othello and Desdemona, which will later play a major role in the plot. It is also one of the first times that we see Othello trying to influence his audience with his words. The speech given by Othello is intended to convince Brabantio that Desdemona is with him willfully, and not by â€Å"spells and medicines bought of montebanks† (line 74). Her father loved me, oft invited me, Still questioned me the story of my life From year to year–the (battles,) sieges, (fortunes) That I have passed. I ran it through, even from my boyish days To th' very moment that he bade me tell it, Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances: Of moving accidents by flood and field, Of hairbreadth 'scapes i' th' imminent deadly breach Of being taken by the insolent foe And portance in my traveler's history, Wherein of antres vast and deserts idle, Rough quarries, rocks, (and) hills whose (heads) touch heaven, It was my hint to speak–such was my process– And of the cannibals that each (other) eat, The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads (Do grow) beneath their shoulders. These things to hear Would Desdemona seriously incline. But still the house affairs would draw her (thence,) Which ever as she could with haste dispatch She'd come again, and with a greedty ear Devour up my discourse. Which I, observing, Took once a pliant hour, and found good means T... ...hakespeare’s Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. Bartels, Emily C. "Strategies of submission: Desdemona, the Duchess, and the assertion of desire" Studies of English Literature Spring 1996: (Online) accessed. April 27 1999 http://www. Galileo pechnet.edu Bloom, Harold. "Introduction" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987. Jones, Eldred. "Othello- An Interpretation" Critical Essays on Shakespeare’s Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. Neely, Carol. "Women and Men in Othello" Critical Essays on Shakespeare’s Othello. Ed. Anthony G. Barthelemy Pub. Macmillan New York, NY 1994. Snyder, Susan. "Beyond the Comedy: Othello" Modern Critical Interpretations, Othello Ed. Harold Bloom, Pub. Chelsea House New Haven CT 1987.