Life After Essay on General Topics

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Idiot Nation By John Taylor Gatto - 1537 Words

The United States is one of the best country in many areas such as technology and health care or education, but compared with other develop nations, the united states education system is still behind many country including United Kingdom, Japan, China. America’s standards of education are far lower than several other countries, because the American public education systems is less effective, students are lack of motivation to learn. According to Michael Moore, in the book Idiot Nation, and John Taylor Gatto in Against School, they argue that the education system in the United States is deeply flawed. America’s schools having a poor curriculum, many facilities are in bad conditions and lack of resources that students need to learn. The†¦show more content†¦This is one reason that materials in many school libraries today date from the 1960s and early 1970s, before funding was diverted. (p.141-142). the school library not update many new edition textbooks, sometim es we can find many earlier text books with old edition in the school library that not related to the fact that we need in classrooms. Since the new text books are more expensive so the school library budget should be increase to buy more new textbooks because outdated books will give students misinformation. I agree with the source, I think it is important for students to select what to read and what to learn to help them gain the knowledge. If they still learning from the old materials, this causes students to disengagement and impact on student effecting learning. By select of instructional materials that meet the needs of students and fit the constraints of the learning environment, student can be more actively learn. Therefore, encourage students to use the new textbooks can make them ask more questions from the books that require more critical thinking skills. Also, new information can help students develop higher thinking skill related to the fact. For example, students go be yond the textbook to study complex topics based on real-world issues, such as the recent industry in the communities or the health develop... they canShow MoreRelatedThe Degrading Quality of Education in America: Idiot Nation by Michael Moore and Against School by John Taylor Gatto996 Words   |  4 Pagesgained at school. However, in the articles, â€Å"Idiot Nation† by Michael Moore and â€Å"Against School† by John Taylor Gatto, the authors express their concerns about the degrading quality of education. There are many problems the education system is facing today, and several of them are having negative effects on the quality of the education that the students are receiving which are highlighted aptly by the effective use of rhetorical strategies by Moore and Gatto. The purpose of Michael Moore’s article isRead MoreAmerican Public Education Essays1553 Words   |  7 Pagesopen doors for opportunities to the path of having a good future. In the five readings, each written by a different author, there was a lesson learned and something to take away from each one. Reading through the passages by Mann, Moore, Malcolm X, Gatto, Rose, and Anyon, each author contributed his or her point of view on general public education. This topic can be very argumentative depending on the quality of education people receive. Education today is the single most important mean for individualsRead MoreQuestions On Problems With Schooling1642 Words   |  7 Pagesschool, but if a change in the school system was to happen students could learn easier and not struggle in any subject. Change in schooling needs to happen The essays â€Å"I Just Wanna Be Average† by Mike Rose, the essay â€Å"Against School† by John Taylor Gatto, and â€Å"Idiot Natio n† by Michael Moore. All of these authors believe change needs to happen. They all speak of their school and the problems they had with the education system. Some of the problems that need solved in the education system are simple howeverRead MorePersonal Responsibility in Education1308 Words   |  6 Pages and that I must stop waiting for anyone to help me advance either one. John Taylor Gatto, Michael Moore, and Jean Anyon all suggest exactly what my friends and I gradually became aware of in high school – that the public school system is rife with inequalities and deficiencies, only guaranteeing reproduction to replacement for the unskilled labor force, rather than encouraging innovation to change the world. Anyon and Gatto reveal the hidden pretext of the American public school, and Moore and MalcolmRead MoreEducation Is The Act Of Learning Things Around Us993 Words   |  4 Pages In todays society, a school education is no longer an option or privileg e, but rather a necessity in America. Author John Taylor Gatto say, in â€Å"Against School,† â€Å"Do we really need school?† (143). If children will not go to school, then how they will learn to read and write? Education is the act of learning things around us and helps us to understand a goal in life. Most people who believe that ones need higher education in order to succeed in life. We often don’t understand why we needRead MoreEssay about Worth of the Public Education1893 Words   |  8 PagesEducation has a tremendous impact on the human society. It begins at birth and continues until a person’s last day on earth. Human beings gain knowledge and information through education, and use them constantly throughout their lives. Leaders of nations have been thinking constantly how to educate their citizens, because of education’s role as a vital instrument in the development of an individual and society. There are different forms of education ex ist in the human society. The Most obvious one

Bowling For Columbine Gun Control Essay Example For Students

Bowling For Columbine Gun Control Essay Gun ControlGuns have many functions. Some people use them for many different sports, some use them for protection, and some use them for murder. The Constitution of the United States of America gives us the right to keep and bear arms. This brings up a very good argument that guns should be outlawed because of the rise in violent crimes with firearms. Should this statistic ruin it for the rest of the nation who dont use guns in violent crimes. These people use guns for legal reasons. Guns are a very big risk to the safety to the American population. With guns in the hands of criminals, they are able to perpetrate serious crimes. If you put a ban on guns there would be a decrease of violent crimes. With fewer guns on the street, there would be less of a chance of you being attacked with a gun. Violent crimes wouldnt disappear, they would decrease. In his essay Desuka states, True, even if handguns are outlawed, some criminals would manage to get them, but surely fewer petty criminals will have guns. (423). A ban on guns will hurt the economy greatly. When the ban is imposed, the government will have to reimburse gun owners for surrendering their guns. the number of handguns is estimated to be between 50 million and 90 million, the cost will be considerable, but it will be far less than the costs-both in money and sorrow- that result from deaths due to handguns. (Desuka 423). This statement totally justifies the ban on guns. The economy will surely suffer but that is nothing compared to the pain associated with burying a family member. By putting a ban on guns, it is a violation of the second amendment. I believe it is more than justified. What would you rather have? One less constitutional right or one less loved one? In this case, the violation of the second amendment is the least of our worries. Our most important worry is getting the guns off the streets. Legal Issues Essays

Safety Cultures A Case Study from the Oil and Gas Industry free essay sample

These definitions share a common thread, the idea that culture is socially constructed. In other words, members of the culture in question create, define, protect and teach it to new members. Humans cannot operate without cultures. These systems provide roadIN BRIEF maps for their members to know how †¢This case study discusses to make sense of what is happening in how new training videos were their lives and how to deal with it. Patdeveloped for high-risk, blueton (2002) defines culture as: collar workers in the oil and [T]hat collection of behavior patgas extraction industry. terns and beliefs that constitutes: †¢NIOSH’s Oil and Gas Injury †¢standards for deciding what is; Reduction project is focused †¢standards for deciding how on developing culturally one feels about it; relevant and acceptable mate†¢standards for deciding what to rials for workers. do about it; †¢Steps for undertaking an †¢standards for deciding how to occupational ethnography or go about doing it. We will write a custom essay sample on Safety Cultures: A Case Study from the Oil and Gas Industry or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page p. 81) work culture study are examCulture has been described as â€Å"the ined, as are ideas on why work collective programming of the mind stories matter, and who might be the most effective people to which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from star in training videos. another† (Hofstede, 1997, p. 5). Sim†¢Tips on creating training ply, culture is â€Å"the way we do things videos in the field are offered around here. † as well. An individual can be a member of Elaine T. Cullen, Ph. D. , M. B. A. , CMSP, has spent nearly 40 years in the field of occupational safety and health research, specializing in underground coal and hard rock mining. Based in Spokane, WA, she worked for the U. S. Bureau of Mines’ Spokane Research Lab for 26 years, then for NIOSH, for which she was the lab’s communications chief. After retiring from the federal government, she started Prima Consulting Services and is currently working as an occupational health consultant with NIOSH’s Oil and Gas Injury Prevention program. Cullen’s primary research interests are in developing effective training for high-risk workers, and in the power stories have to teach workplace safety. She is a member of ASSE’s Inland Northwest Chapter and of the Mining and Oil Gas practice specialties. Effective Training By Elaine T. Cullen C many different cultures. A person may be a member of a family that has its own rules and traditions; s/he may be a member of a church that provides definite guidance on what constitutes moral behavior; s/he may be an alumnus of a school with well-defined customs; and s/he may work for an organization with established policies and procedures. Each culture differs from the others, with different members, and with rules and standards that govern different elements of a person’s life. All of these cultures share common traits, however. Cultures: †¢are socially constructed systems; †¢have developed over time; †¢are shared by all of the members; †¢define who is a member and who is not; †¢provide a social road map on what is acceptable and what is not; †¢can be difficult to describe but are quite obvious to both members and outsiders. Cultures are important because they control, to a large degree, the actions of everyone inside of them. Arnould and Wallendorf (1994) describe culture as â€Å"the cumulative total of learned beliefs, values, and customs that serve to order, guide, and direct the behavior of members . . . [it is] that which one needs to know to behave in a manner acceptable to its members† (p. 485). A member of a culture cannot go against that culture and expect to 40 ProfessionalSafety MARCH 2011 www. asse. org remain a trusted insider. The culture will always have penalties for rule breakers; in extreme cases, those penalties will include banishment. Occupational Ethnography Occupational cultures have particular significance for SHE professionals because they control how workers behave on the job. Workers in high-risk industries such as mining, commercial fishing, or oil and gas extraction do not generally define themselves by who they work for, but rather by what they do. In many of these industries, workers are fairly transient, moving from mine to mine, boat to boat, or rig to rig, looking not only for better pay, but also for better working conditions or, sometimes, to do something different. Hard rock mining has a term for these miners, calling them tramp miners, because they tramp from site to site, or gypos, a term generally believed to derive from their gypsy nature. Workers who refer to themselves as gypos, roughnecks or seiners are more strongly connected to their occupational norms than to any company policies. If they do not like the company rules, they simply move on. Policies and procedures that are not acceptable to a work culture will not be adopted by the workforce, regardless of organizational consequences. Therefore, it makes sense for a person trying to convince workers to change the way they do things to understand their work cultures and to use those cultures rather than struggle against them. Ethnography is the study of human cultures. While sociologists often use ethnography to learn why young people start smoking, for example, or how fraternal orders attract new members, it is an excellent tool to learn how occupational cultures work. It is the primary tool used in a NIOSH project focused on developing effective safety and health training for the landbased oil and gas (OG) extraction and production industry, commonly known as the upstream portion of that industry (which includes exploration, drilling and all servicing operations for the wells themselves). Research included in this project is qualitative rather than quantitative in nature in that researchers are more interested in discovering what is going on and why than in measuring or evaluating. Gathering Information on Work Cultures If occupational culture is a key to worker behavior, then it makes sense that a safety trainer, training developer or operator should understand the norms and values, the expectations and prohibitions, the heroes and the villains, and, particularly, the stories shared among members of the culture. All of these factors provide clues about what controls the culture has on the workers, and all can be used to craft training that not only will be accepted, but also valued. How does one begin to study a work culture? A work culture cannot be studied effectively from a distance. To learn the culture and what really matters to workers, one must visit worksites and spend time with workers, whether on fishing boats or at construction sites, mines or oil rigs. When NIOSH funded the project to study the culture of OG extraction and production workers, the first step was to create an organized plan to gather information on key topics. This plan was based on experiences and knowledge gained while studying mining cultures. This included: †¢demographic patterns; †¢environmental issues; †¢work practices; †¢occupational norms and values; †¢workplace taboos and prohibitions; †¢language unique to this culture; †¢beliefs common to workers, particularly beliefs about safety; †¢geographical differences from one oil field to another; †¢recognized heroes and mentors; †¢stories told by members; †¢differences in company cultures. Ethnographers gather this type of information in three primary ways (LeCompte Schensul, 1999). They study: 1) what people say (this includes the â€Å"tribal language† or jargon commonly used); 2) what people do; 3) what artifacts (or documents) they choose to create. Studying any culture in situ requires immersion of the researcher, to some degree, in the work culture itself. While SHE personnel may be tempted to make suggestions or try to influence workers’ actions when observing, it is critical to stay out of the way and make no attempt to change or bias the culture at this stage of the process. This does not include situations where workers’ lives are in danger. SHE professionals must address those immediately. ) To develop a valid picture of work culture that is useful for creating culturally acceptable training materials, the researcher must stay neutral, and confine his/her actions to asking questions, seeking clarification and watching. Those accustomed to fast responses to any situation may initially perceive an ethnographic study as a long, drawn -out process, particularly if they have no prior knowledge of the work or the culture of the workers. However, learning about workers in order to create safety training that is unique to their needs is not a waste of time. The most obvious benefit is the ability to create more effective training. Learning About the OG Industry The data gathering plan for this project began with going into the field and talking to workers. The OG extraction industry in the U. S. is divided www. asse. org MARCH 2011 ProfessionalSafety 41 Photo 1: Walking rigs are large land-based rigs used on locations where numerous wells are drilled in a small area. nto distinct fields that are tracked and reported by the Energy Administration Information office of the Department of Energy (www. eia. doe. gov/ oil_gas/rpd/topfields. pdf). Certain fields were selected as starting points, including the Permian Basin in west Texas, the Piceance Basin in western Colorado, the San Juan Basin in northwest New Mexico, the Barnett Shales in central Texas, the Jonah Fields of northern Colorado, and the TXLA-MS Salt Province o f east Texas and Louisiana. These fields included both natural gas and oil formations, and shallow as well as deep reserves. OG companies do not generally drill their own wells. Specialized companies are contracted to do this, along with numerous well servicing contractors that help bring a well into production. For the early phases of this project, the primary focus was on the drilling operations rather than the service tasks. Later phases of the project will include other types of rigs as well as other operations such as the trucking companies that move rigs from site to site. In July 2008, site visits were set up to learn about drilling operations and to begin gathering information on the workforce. Drill rigs come in many sizes, and companies hire rigs depending on the depth of the hole to be drilled and the geologic complexity that will be encountered. For wells that are shallow (e. g. , less than 1 mile deep), rigs are smaller and may even be truck-mounted, similar to water well drilling units. Larger rigs are more complex, but the processes used to drill a hole and to move the rig to new locations are largely the same, regardless of size. Most drill rigs use five- or six-person crews, with either two or three crews per rig, depending on shift 42 ProfessionalSafety MARCH 2011 www. sse. org (or tower as it is known in the industry) length. The rig boss, known as the tool pusher, lives on site in a house trailer provided by the company so that he is always available. Each rig usually has two tool pushers, and these men rotate their hitches (number of days worked before going on leave) so that a supervisor is always on site. For the rigs visited, the hitches for tool pushers ran ged from 3 days to 2 weeks, while the hitches for the men ranged from 1 to 3 weeks. Use of the word â€Å"men† is purposeful. In more than 2 years and visits to more than 40 rigs, the author has not encountered a woman working on a rig. This is a male-dominated work culture. Learning about a new industry takes more than a few visits to worksites. One must systematically gather information. Consequently, a list of questions was developed to help identify cultural norms. The initial list was based on the author’s experiences in the mining industry; it was meant to be general enough to provide a broad introduction to the industry that could subsequently be refined to capture more subtle cultural data. Information was gathered on the following: †¢drill rig site, name, company and method; †¢location and size of workforce; †¢union affiliation (if any); †¢contractors (if any); †¢rough percentage of new hires (workers with less than 1 year of experience); †¢general workforce demographics; †¢training required and who provided it (both for career and for this rig); †¢preferred materials/media for training, including available facilities; †¢common beliefs and perceptions about safety and work hazards; †¢work practices and how work is assigned to different workers; †¢best practices and/or company policies concerning operations; †¢recognized â€Å"masters† (who do people look up to and why); †¢incidents, injuries and near misses workers have experienced or witnessed. Some items fell out fairly quickly. For example, labor unions are not common, and every rig visited was contracted rather than owned and operated by the en ergy company. In addition, this industry reacts rapidly to commodity prices. When prices are high, a site will have a significant number of new hires with little experience; when prices drop, new hires are the first to lose their jobs, as the rigs they work on are stacked and no longer available for hire. Therefore, the percentage of inexperienced workers was a moving target. The original questions served as a starting point. Workers provided much information that was used to refine the data gathering necessary to begin developing a picture of this unique work culture. Over the next 2 years, the research team visited more than 40 rigs in seven different areas of the country. These included small, mobile rigs, rigs in service for more than 60 years (most still using manual methods), others that were only months old as well as much more automated, and large â€Å"walking† rigs. Walking rigs are large land-based rigs used on locations where numerous wells are drilled in a small area. Rather than dismantling the rig to move it to a new site, workers â€Å"walk† it forward to its intended location. This relatively new technology is more commonly found in western oil fields, where many wells are clustered on a single site (Photo 1). More than 1,000 photographs were taken of rigs, sites, workers, and any other signs or artifacts that would provide clues about the culture. Standard ethnographic tools were employed, including interviews, observations, field notes, informal conversations, and review of documents such as company policies, safety posters and training materials. In all cases, the primary gatekeeper for access to the sites was the safety director for the energy company or the drilling company. These individuals provided a wealth of information on tasks and procedures as well as access to the rigs. In all cases, they were invaluable to the project’s success. Why Stories Matter High-risk work cultures share a love of stories. Stories provide more than entertainment on worksites; they are used to share information about cultural norms and expectations, and provide graphic illustrations about what happens if those norms are violated (Cullen, 2008). The roughnecks working in the OG drilling industry are no exception. They shared stories about people they had met, about near misses (called â€Å"near hits† by most of them), about weather extremes, and about many incidents that provided harsh but valuable lessons on how to do this work. They also talked about what they do when not working, including stories about family, friends and leisure-time activities. All of these provide keys to what these workers value. Stories share important features that make them valuable to an ethnographer. First, they are always culturally-based. This means that they are situated; they are about someone, who is doing something located somewhere, during a specific time. Stories reveal much about the culture, through the language used, the actions of heroes and villains, and the reactions of listeners. Stories also help people organize information in a way that is understandable. New hires in the OG industry often have a difficult time breaking out (a term used for entering the workforce for the first time) because of the unfamiliar tools, terms, work practices or expectations they must master in order to perform the job (Livo Rietz, 1986). It can be bewildering to be new on a jobsite where even the tools have unfamiliar names. To remain safe while they learn the job, new workers need a way to deal with an abundance of information; stories help them do so (Cullen Fein, 2005). If the goal of safety training is to educate new employees on work hazards and convince all employees to act safely on the job, stories are an excellent tool. Haven (2007) presents the results of several research studies on the power of stories to provide information and help create meaning. He says research shows that stories are effective teaching tools because they evoke prior knowledge; provide details that may be otherwise ignored; and improve comprehension (p. 92). Stories are remembered by listeners because they are more interesting than facts or statistics. Listeners can learn vicariously, putting themselves into the story to not only think about what is happening, but also to feel the emotions and decide what they would have done had they been the protagonist. Trainees listen with different levels of consciousness, according to Neuhauser (1993), who believes that using the whole brain allows learners to understand what they are hearing, as well as to feel it. For safety trainers, stories are one of the most powerful tools available. The good news is that stories are everywhere. Every incident/injury statistic has a story behind it, and every SHE regulation is â€Å"written in blood. † Workers are eager to share Studying any cultheir stories if they believe they will not be penal- ture in situ requires immersion of the ized for doing so. researcher, to some degree, in the work Insiders Gatekeepers One primary role of cultures is to define who is/is culture itself. not a member (Van Maanen Barley, 1984). Highrisk work cultures are particularly adept at this because members believe they are the only ones who â€Å"have what it takes† to perform the work. They be- Occupational Culture Occupational culture and organizational culture are not the same. While an organization’s rules—its policies and procedures—are usually written and distributed, occupational rules are not. Work culture rules are pragmatic in that they are developed over time by workers themselves, and provide a road map for survival for members of the culture to follow. Insiders instruct new members in â€Å"the way we do things around here† and provide both rewards for following cultural rules, and sanctions for violating them. Members tie their identity closely to their work (not their company), and share values, norms and perspectives with those who perform the same type of work, often choosing to socialize exclusively with fellow workers. Occupational cultures that involve shared danger, such as firefighters, the military or high-risk industries, are strong and will resist changes suggested by outsiders. The sense of fraternity that shared danger creates is part of the identity of insiders, who do not believe others could do the work, or that they understand those who do. Occupational cultures are powerful tools that can be used to create effective training. www. asse. org MARCH 2011 ProfessionalSafety 43 Photos 2 and 3 show the patch dog and worm stickers developed for the OG project. ieve that outsiders do not understand the dangers and the difficulty and, therefore, have little credibility inside the culture. For workers in these industries to learn from safety messages or trainers, the messages/train ers need to be perceived as being knowledgeable about and sympathetic to the culture. Gatekeepers can be both formal and informal leaders. For this project, the formal leaders provided access to worksites and to other insiders. Initially, contacts were safety directors or supervisors, who were generous with their time and were willing to spend days in the field, visiting different rigs in the area. On a rig site, visitors must check in with the site manager (the tool pusher). Some sites also had a company man who represented the energy company’s interests. He was also concerned with safety, but the drilling operations were the tool pusher’s responsibility. On the rig floor, the driller was generally the first-line supervisor and in charge of the safety of the work team, which was made up of a motor man, a derrick man (who also was responsible for checking on drilling fluid, or mud), and one or more floor hands. This is a hierarchical team, with workers breaking out as floor hands and moving into other positions when ready and as positions become available. More experienced workers often have performed all of these jobs and can fill in for others as necessary. When a new hire first breaks out, he is known as a worm, a position he will hold for several months until he reaches a level of knowledge and expertise at which point he can be a floor hand. Worms usually wear hardhats of a different color (e. g. , green or orange) so that other workers can immediately identify them and can watch out for and teach them. Informal leaders are almost always present on high-risk worksites. These individuals have earned the respect and admiration of peers, usually by mastering aspects of the job with which others struggle. They may have many years’ experience or may have a special talent for performing a certain task. They may also have survived an incident that gives them authority to speak about specific hazards and what can happen if safety precautions are ignored. It is easy to identify these people. Others on the team may tell stories about them (the â€Å"hero stories† that include information about valued attributes in the culture) and they are usually the go-to people when someone needs advice or information. Workers may hang back when asked to do something, waiting to see what the masters do. These people can be powerful gatekeepers into MARCH 2011 www. asse. org occupational cultures. If they refuse to cooperate for whatever reason, it is unlikely that other members will cooperate. They are also excellent choices to be spokespersons or informal trainers if one is producing safety training products. They are trusted insiders and will command others’ attention, while outsiders have yet to establish any credibility and could be viewed with skepticism if not disdain. As information was gathered, the author talked to workers with only a few days experience to those who had been there nearly 40 years. Believing that roughnecks were similar to miners and would appreciate hardhat stickers, several stickers were designed. Workers were asked to provide input on which stickers they thought would work in their industry. These designs used some â€Å"tribal language† encountered in the oil fields, including the term worm for an inexperienced hand, and patch dog for those who had been in the oil patch and were tough enough to do the job (Photos 2 and 3). These were handed out at every rig visited, and were always enthusiastically accepted. Creating Effective Training Videos in the Field The underlying goal of the NIOSH ethnographic study was to learn enough about the culture of OG drillers to develop safety and health training that would resonate with and be accepted by workers, and memorable enough to change how they think and act about safety hazards. NIOSH successfully used video to develop training for the mining industry, so this medium was selected for the oil fields. Compelling Content Is Key For new training to be effective, it must be interesting, credible and compelling. Lessons learned in the mining industry proved to be significant in the OG industry. These include the following: †¢Workers are all adults and must be trained as adults (using adult learning theories). †¢They perform the job every day and are familiar with the dangers and challenges. †¢They are good at what they do and proud of it. †¢Not everyone has what it takes to be a roughneck. Those who do are admired and accepted as members of the work culture. †¢Roughnecks can be transient, moving from rig to rig, or oil field to oil field. †¢Work culture controls, to a large degree, how they do their jobs. †¢Workers value safety and understand that one wrong move by anyone can put everyone in danger. †¢This is a macho culture, with few (if any) women. Roughnecks are proud of their ability to solve unexpected problems. Any training product developed must respond to these norms to be accepted. Like mining, construction, commercial fishing or other high-risk industry, OG drilling includes many hazardous operations that would be good candi dates for safety training. 44 ProfessionalSafety Unlike mining, however, no federally mandated standard regulates which topics must be presented nor establishes a minimum number of hours of safety training required before people can start work. The U. S. mining industry has access to a comprehensive incident/injury database because MSHA mandates that every injury or incident be reported. Penalties for failure to do so are severe, so the database includes a wealth of information a trainer or training developer can use to identify specific areas where additional safety training would be valuable. No such database exists for the land-based OG industry. Data are gathered by agencies at state and federal levels, or by associations and individual companies, but no comprehensive database captures injuries occurring in the upstream OG industry. Fatality data are available, but comprehensive injury data are not. Therefore, a systematic review of incident/injury information was not possible. As a result, the best way to learn what topics to include in training was to ask the workers themselves. Tool pushers and drillers are responsible for training rig workers in most cases. During site visits, they were asked to identify topics about which they would like to have more training materials. Based on their responses, the NIOSH team developed a potential list of topics. After further questioning about dangerous operations, the team decided to make a training/hazard recognition video on rig moves. It is important to note that while new hires can benefit from safety training, people who have performed this work for long periods are often disdainful of training. Research conducted in the mining industry shows that experienced workers are insulted by traditional training, particularly if it is provided by people who do not perform the work they do each day. However, the need to remind them about hazards remains. Stories can bridge the knowledge gap between new employees and experienced ones. Drill rigs can be massive pieces of equipment. When all necessary peripheral equipment is added (which could include mud tanks, the dog house, mixing sheds, diesel engines, fuel tanks, tool sheds, offices and house trailers), these operations are similar to small towns. Photo 4 shows an overview of a drill site. Equipment on these sites must be dismantled and moved quickly to the next site when the hole is finished. Workers agree that taking rigs down and reassembling them in a new location is dangerous work, with a high potential for injury. Identify the Players Before moving to the development phase of the project, the NIOSH team had to take several steps: †¢Find an industry partner who would allow filming of the rig move operation. †¢Identify a master who would act as narrator for the video, describing what was going on and what the hazards might be. †¢Interview the identified expert at length to identify topics to cover. †¢Schedule a shoot on location, using a professional videographer. Another step in the development phase was to capture as many stories as possible during shooting (Photo 5) while being mindful that those who did not wish to participate would not be required to do so. The most valuable training stories often fall in the â€Å"fool stories† category (Cullen, 2008). These usually result in near misses, but can also include injuries to the storyteller or others. These stories must be respected and used in the spirit in which they are shared—to prevent someone else from suffering similar consequences. If people are punished for disclosing these stories, they will never share them and valuable occupational wisdom will be lost. The video on rig moves was filmed in west Texas in November 2009, and in western Colorado in March 2010. Devon Energy provided excellent support and access to several sites in the Midland-Odessa, TX, area, and EnCana did the same for the Colorado shoot. McVay Drilling and Bandura Drilling were the drilling contractors on the Texas segment, while Patterson-UTI was the drilling contractor in Colorado. Sterling Crane was also present on the Colorado site; this contractor placed the different pieces of the rig, tanks and man camp as they were brought up the mountain. These contracwww. asse. org MARCH 2011 Photo 4: Drill rigs can be massive pieces of equipment. When all necessary peripheral equipment is added these operations are similar to small towns. The research team gathered as many stories as possible while filming (Photo 5, above). Willie Stephenson (Photo 6, left), a tool pusher on a McVay rig, was the primary narrator. ProfessionalSafety 45 A rig move is a complex task (Photo 7, right) involving many people, primarily roughnecks who do the assembly/ disassembly, and a trucking crew (Photo 8, below) to move parts from site to site. †¢Edit it all together into two separate videos. †¢Send drafts out for review by safety and operations experts in the OG sector. †¢Revise the drafts to reflect the experts’ comments and suggestions. †¢Gain final approval for the videos from NIOSH. †¢Release the videos. †¢Market and distribute free of charge to industry stakeholders. Avoid Common Mistakes To develop training that high-risk workers will accept and find memorable, it is best to keep a few basic guidelines in mind. First, workers know much more about the work than an outsider ever will, so be sure to include them in the process. Based on the author’s experiences in the mining and commercial fishing industries, workers eagerly share what they have learned if given a chance. Their own safety is at stake if someone is working unsafely, and they understand that they have a vested interest in making sure everyone knows how to do things correctly. Ignoring them or underestimating their interest in safety is a mistake. Many training developers select the wrong spokesperson. The person providing the lessons must look, walk and talk like those who will be watching the safety video. Using a â€Å"talking head† who is disconnected from the industry or who does not perform this type of work is not a good idea. Professional actors, while arguably more comfortable in front of a camera than workers might be, are not credible as occupational teachers. They do not understand industry jargon or the nuances of the work, which will be obvious to the trainees. Using a company executive as a spokesperson is also ineffective. A CEO talking about how to perform specific tasks while wearing a clean, pressed shirt and shiny hardhat will not be convincing to workers. The best choice for the master trainer is someone who looks the part and speaks with occupational (not organizational) authority. The master trainer should use language understandable to trainees, who will understand quickly that he is a cultural insider who knows what he is talking about. Even new hires are generally adept at identifying people who can keep them safe and teach them, and they will gravitate toward those people, regardless of who the company assigns as a mentor or trainer (Machles, Bonkemeyer McMichael, 2009). Putting recognized, knowledgeable insiders in a training video, if they are willing, makes a lot of sense. Once the decision is made to create a training video, consider the topic. It is much easier to proceed if the topic is narrowly focused. For example, â€Å"entering confined spaces† is probably a better choice than â€Å"oil and gas safety. † Duration is another consideration. Some trainers believe that no video should be more than 5 to ors were instrumental in helping the team to film various operations and capture 32 interviews. Willie Stephenson (Photo 6, p. 45), a tool pusher on a McVay rig, agreed to be the primary narrator and he was interviewed on camera for several hours. Other narrators were used to add depth and bread th to the story. Devon, McVay, Bandura, Patterson-UTI, Sterling and EnCana were true partners in this project, and it could not have been completed without their guidance, suggestions, assistance and support. The original plan was to develop a single video, but because a rig move is a complex task involving many people (Photos 7 and 8), the team realized it would be difficult to make a single all-encompassing safety awareness video. After watching several rig moves, it was noted that two primary groups are involved: 1) the roughnecks, who assemble and disassemble the rigs; and 2) the truckers, who load and transport all the pieces to the new site. Because these tasks were fundamentally different and equally dangerous, it seemed logical to make two videos, one for roughnecks and one for truckers. At the time of this writing, the first video, Move It! Rig Move Safety for Roughnecks, had been completed and released at a large safety conference in late 2010 (Photo 9). The second video, Move It! Rig Move Safety for Truckers, is scheduled for production in the first half of 2011. Both videos will follow the process and schedule developed by the author while working in the mining sector. This process/ schedule includes the following steps: †¢Gather as much footage as possible on location. Interview insiders on what is going on and what is important to the process. †¢Log all B-roll footage gathered. †¢Tra nscribe all interviews. †¢Create a story line from the master interviews. †¢Select shots from the B-roll to illustrate the points included in the narratives. 46 ProfessionalSafety MARCH 2011 www. asse. org 6 minutes long. NIOSH research has shown that this perceived limitation may be due to the fact that some videos simply do not hold people’s attention. If the story is well-told and the storytellers are credible, training videos can be longer. In fact, one NIOSH video about a disastrous fire in an underground silver mine that killed 91 people runs more than 60 minutes (Cullen, 2002). It is used in training sessions, and has also been used by other industries, such as firefighters, the military, occupational nursing and tunneling. The story is compelling because the 27 â€Å"stars† tell the story based on their own experiences during the fire; its length is not considered a negative. Using industry experts, such as SHE professionals and some workers, as technical reviewers is also recommended. They will identify elements that are not quite accurate or information that be left out or added. The video must be technically accurate. Different companies have different policies that should be considered. For example, if one company requires worms to wear green hardhats, the video should not feature new hires wearing red hardhats. Such differences are opportunities to discuss with trainees geographic or organizational differences in how certain tasks are performed (e. g. , state or provincial regulations, environmental issues, workforce issues, multiple factors). While impossible to show how everyone does things, strive to show best practices as defined by industry experts. When NIOSH was developing safety videos for the mining industry, a premier was held so people in the video could attend. This was a way to thank them for participating and an opportunity to introduce the new video to the industry. Because workers move around so often in many of these industries, the informal grapevine is active. Marketing and distribution efforts are often boosted when the â€Å"stars† tell colleagues and coworkers about the video and that it will be shown during a safety meeting. Miners looked forward to seeing the videos and actually started asking when the safety meetings might be held rather than trying to avoid them. It is hoped similar informal marketing will occur in the OG industry. If workers are eager to see new safety videos, they will pay attention to the messages included and remember them longer, which is a major goal of any training program. Conclusion Workers in high-risk industries face hazards that most people never experience. While these industries have higher injury rates than other industries, perhaps it is noteworthy that they perform their work with as few injuries as they do. This must be attributed to the efforts of safety directors and trainers, regulatory agencies, managers and operators, supervisors and the workers themselves. Training for workers is both mandated and nec- essary, but training will not work if it is not acceptable to the workers. Trainers who utilize the power that occupational cultures have to control and change the actions and beliefs of their members will be more effective in reducing injury rates. No one wants to get hurt on the job. Therefore, SHE professionals need to provide the most effective training possible to help keep people safe. Occupational cultures, and the norms, beliefs and stories they include, are always present on worksites. They can be valuable keys to creating training that works, sending everyone home safely at the end of the shift. PS References Arnould, E. J. M. Wallendorf. (1994). Marketoriented ethnography: Interpretation building and marketing strategy formulation. Journal of Marketing Research, 31(4), 484-504. Cullen, E. T. (2002). You are my sunshine (NIOSH Publication No. 2002-132d-video). Spokane, WA: Spokane Research Laboratory. Cullen, E. T. (2008, July). Tell me a story: Using stories to improve occupational safety training. Professional Safety, 53(7), 20-27. Cullen, E. T. Fein, A. H. (2005). Tell me a story: Why stories are essential to effective safety training (NIOSH Publication No. 2005-152). Cincinnati, OH: Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, NIOSH. Haven, K. (2007). Story proof: The science behind the startling power of story. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. Hofstede, G. (1997). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. New York: McGraw-Hill. LeCompte, M. D. Schensul, J. (1999). Designing and conducting ethnographic research. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press. Livo, N. J. Rietz, S. A. (1986). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge, U. K. : Cambridge University Press. Machles, D. , Bonkemeyer, E. McMichael, J. (2010, Jan. ). Community of practice: A workplace safety case study. Professional Safety, 56(1), 46-51. Neuhauser, P. C. 1993). Corporate legends and lore. Austin, TX: PCN Associates. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Van Maanen, J. Barley, S. R. (1984). Occupational communities: Culture and control in organizations. In B. M. Shaw L. L. Cummings (Eds. ), Research in organizational behavior (Vol. 6, pp. 287-366). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press. Because the workers involved in rig moves perform fundamentally different and equally dangerous tasks, the research team decided to make two videos, one for roughnecks (Photo 9) and one for truckers. www. asse. org MARCH 2011 ProfessionalSafety 47

Implications of U.S. Foreign Policy in Iran essays

Implications of U.S. Foreign Policy in Iran essays As the countries of the world line up into increasingly polarized political camps, the United States is facing a wide range of foreign policy issues that have assumed critical levels in recent weeks. Not only are countries in the Middle East openly defying U.S. hegemony in the region, countries in its own hemisphere such as Venezuela are arming themselves and proclaiming their opposition to American foreign policy as well. In the wake of September 11, 2001, many observers are suggesting that there is no longer any room for second guesses or false starts, and preemptive military action against international pariahs such as North Korea and Iran should be the order of the day. While the foreign policy hawks are beating these military drums, though, there are some vitally important considerations involved in this analysis that must be taken into account before formulating policy decisions, including the impact of Irans current political leadership and policies on Americas survival, se curity, stability and stature in the international community. To this end, this paper provides an analysis of the impact of the current situation in Iran on these U.S. national interests, followed by a discussion of recent events in Iran that have affected these interests. An application of the various elements of U.S. power to this situation is followed by a summary of the research and salient findings in the conclusion. Impact of Current Situation on U.S. National Interests. Survival and Security: Iran is a state-sponsor of terrorism and may be developing nuclear weapons. Today, the United States is prosecuting ground wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and may well become involved in other regions around the world in the foreseeable future, as part of its war on terrorism. In this regard, Iran, together with other rogue nations such as North Korea, have been designated state sponsors of terrorism and remain under U.S. economic sanctions a...

128 Words You Can Use Instead of Very

128 Words You Can Use Instead of Very Developing your professional reputation has a lot to do with the way you communicate with the people around you. The way you communicate can make or break your reputation. Sometimes the smallest things you say can have a drastic impact on how you are perceived. For instance, take the word â€Å"very†. We’ve all used â€Å"very† to describe things. Very big, very small, very good, very powerful, etc. But these are great examples of your language being overly simplistic. Even if you have an advanced degree in English literature, if you use the word â€Å"very† to describe something, then people may perceive you as someone who lacks an advanced understanding of the English language. That being said, we’ve found an infographic detailing 128 words you can use instead of â€Å"very†.   These words should be used in  it’s place  when you are in formal situations  such as the workplace.Source: [ProofReadingServices]

Human Resources #5 -Due Nov 13 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Resources #5 -Due Nov 13 - Essay Example This is highly recommended at lower levels at Abbott Laboratories where knowledge and skills count most to deliver the best products to customers. On the job training can be delivered at the work place itself, as it keeps the focus on the need to upgrade or sharpen the skills in the same area of activity. It will be cost effective as well. This kind of training is most useful at all levels, especially for the new entrants. OJT can be delivered in classrooms as well. The informal way of on the job training fosters better employee relations as well. ‘Special Assignments’ similarly give lower-level executives firsthand experience in working on actual problems. Behavior modeling involves showing trainees the right way of doing something, letting trainees practice that way, and then giving feedback on the trainees’ performance. Modeling is one of the effective ways of learning. Trainees watch films or videos that show models behaving effectively in a problem situation. Role playing will also be very helpful as trainees are given roles to play in a simulated situation. This improves interpersonal skills among the employees. By social reinforcement, the trainer strengthens the learning by complimenting and praising. It helps gaining confidence and getting recognition. When the trained employees carry their learning to the work place by using their updated skills, they will show improved performance. Behavioral methods are more of giving practical training to the trainees. The various methods under Behavioral approach allow the trainee to behavior in a real fashion. These methods are best used for skill development. Any training method that helps building strong teams is of great value to every organization, especially for Abbott Laboratories with its global presence. Team work is the life of an organization. Effective team building techniques are immensely helpful for fostering team spirit and

Why The Lahad Datu Crisis In Sabah (Malaysia) Happened Research Paper

Why The Lahad Datu Crisis In Sabah (Malaysia) Happened - Research Paper Example Sabah has been a quota of the Malaysian alliance ever since the early1960s1. However, the Sulu Sultanate, which is situated in southern Philippines, has persistently asserted its historical and exclusive privileges over the zone. Furthermore, the Philippines have nevertheless to publicly descent its assertion that Sabah is a portion of its region. The government of Malaysia had requested the armed Filipinos in Lahad Datu to admit defeat for three weeks now without a success. Unfortunately, on March 5th, the army confronted the group and terminated the livelihood. The clash and subsequent military operations reportedly resulted into the killing of more than fifty people, inclusive of eight associates of the Malaysian police. The Malaysian ministry of welfare was fast to name the armed Filipinos as bombers. The government of the Philippines, which is presently accomplishing a peace treaty with Muslim separaties in the southern portion of the nation, also condemned the livelihood. Remar kably, the prime minister of Malaysia has yet to let go the notion that Malaysian opposition politicians have collaborated with the Sulu sultan in order to undermine the nation and bring down the presiding alliance ahead of the year`s universal polls. This research aims at analyzing the reasons why Lahad Datu crisis in Sabah (Malaysia )happened.... Thus, because of such restriction, the Lahad Datu crisis in Sabah was inevitable. This is because such limitations on travel will likely cause shortages on foodstuffs for the people, which is a dangerous action for people in such area. However, it is feared that the Sabah crisis is most likely to leave problems for both Malaysia and the Philippines for the coming future. Therefore, in order to avoid such crisis from happening, it is necessary that the officials of Malaysia and the Philippines settle for the last time the issue of Sabah. From research, the Philippines preserves a central regional entitlement to eastern Sabah, initially referred to as north Bomeo, through the custom of the Sultanate of Sulu. This claim is based on the idea that the domain of the sultanate has traditionally traversed from the Sulu archipelago into portions of northern Bomeo4. Therefore, because of such claims, the embassy of Malaysia in Philippines gives out a cheque of some amount to the lawful counsel of the beneficiaries of the Sultan of Sulu in maintain the terms of an pact made in 1878. Malaysia views the amount as a yearly cession payment for the disputed nation; however, the progeny of Sultan views it as a lease imbursement. Nevertheless, Malaysia has categorically canceled any Philippine local entitlement to Sabah as it infers the 1878 pact as that of cession and that it supposes that the inhabitants of Sabah had practiced their rights to independence when they decided to join the Malaysia confederation in 1963. Thus, analytically, it is because of such issues that led to the Lahad Datu crisis in Sabah. In addition, another reason for the Lahad Datu

The enzyme potato catalase Essay Example for Free

The enzyme potato catalase Essay Analysis Instead of filtering out poor data for my results I have decided to select the best result to concentrate on. I removed quite a few results. The reasons for removing results was either because of missing data, anomalous data (not following the trend of others that I believed to be correct), and unusual entries such as amount of oxygen collected decreasing as the experiment went on. This most likely was because of inaccurate readings as other explanations, such as the oxygen dissolving in the water, are unlikely. These are the result I have chosen: The effect of hydrogen peroxide (substrate) concentration upon the rate of oxygen production in the presence of Catalase Concentration of Hydrogen Peroxide (vol) Volume of gas collected in inverted measuring cylinder at end of each successive minute (cm3) over a period of 4 minutes Student InitialsThis is an example of one of the results I did not include: From my selected results I also split them into the 4 different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide tested for ease of use which went as follows:5cm2 10cm2 1 Minute 2 Minutes 3 Minutes 4 Minutes 1 Minutes 2 Minutes 3 Minutes 4 Minutes Minutes 2 Minutes 3 Minutes 4 Minutes 1 Minutes 2 Minutes 3 Minutes 4 Minutes 1I did not include this as some information is missing, possible implying that the way in which the experiment was performed was faulty. This could lead me to a false conclusion. This is another example of the type of results I did not include:   As you can see the amount of oxygen collected has decreased throughout the experiment, this is very unusual, and likely suggests that the readings were incorrectly read, for this reason I do not want inaccurate data to lead me to a poor conclusion. Read more: Essay on  Potato Catalase After that I found the standard deviation of all my results to further check there were no anomalous data, these are my findings: CONCENTRATION 5cm2 Entry/Minute Sum of Standard Deviation   Standard Deviation0CONCENTRATION 10cm2 Entry/Minute Sum of Standard Deviation CONCENTRATION 20cm2 Entry/Minute Sum of Standard Deviation 7. 26 5. 98 7. 45 8. 72 Standard Deviation   Although there are a few entries with high deviation (for example entry number 6 on the 5cm2 concentration table) all his/her results are consistently off the standard deviation, this suggests that there is nothing wrong with their collection of data, so there for I decided to leave them in. After selecting my results, I have taken the mean of the selecting results, it is as follows: Concentration/Time This graph shows that as the concentration of hydrogen peroxide increases so does the amount of oxygen produced. It increases at roughly the same rate throughout the reaction and the amount of oxygen produced is generally a higher amount with a higher concentration. This half matchs with my hypothesis, I predicted that the reaction would start to slow down after the initial reaction had occurred, this does not however seem to be the case. However, the initial rate of reaction is a lot higher The possible reasons for this could be that the reaction did not have enough time to start to level off or slow down as there was still a lot of substrate left over and the reaction could still be performed at maximum rate, if this was the case it would not start to slow down until there was significantly less substrate available, obviously this has not been the case. These results do match my hypothesis in that I said as concentration increased, so would the amount of oxygen produced and the rate of reaction would generally be greater. Here is a graph to show the initial rate of reaction for different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide As you can see, as the concentration increases, so does the initial rate of reaction, this is because a greater amount of hydrogen peroxide is available, which means more substrate molecules come in contact with the enzymes (and thus their active site) and can be separated into their products, this is explained simply by collision theory in the introduction. The reason that later on in the reaction the rate of the reaction may be different is because there is likely to be less substrate left over as the reactions occurring would have separated them into their products, hence the reaction rate would not be going as fast. Appendix Mean Added up all the entries, then divided them by the number of entries there were. E. g. The mean for   Would be (1. 1+1. 3+1. 2+1. 4)/4 which equals 1. 25 Standard Deviation For the single entries: (Entry-(mean of all results in that concentration and minute))to the power of 2 For the total standard deviation: Square root of (Sum of all single standard deviations/number of entries 1). Bibliography Biology 1 (Cambridge Advanced Sciences) Internet URLs: http://www. clunet. edu/BioDev/omm/catalase/frames/cattx. htm http://www. beyondtechnology. com/tips016. shtml The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Patterns of Behaviour section.

Dammed Dams :: essays research papers

Dammed Dams The basic principle of a dammed dam is to prevent water from being passed. People have been continuing and to build and perfect these structures, not knowing the full intensity of their side effects. If one takes a weighing scale and put the benefits of the damns on one side and the side effects on the other side, the side effects will out weight the benefits 10 times over. One of these dammed dams has been placed on the river Colorado, actually not one but 40 of these dreaded dams. We should actually change the term River to a huge plumbing system. The Colorado River is known as the most controlled and legislated river in the world. In order to satisfy the needs of humans we have created the one of the largest plumbing system in the world so that we can go to our fridge and have a glass of water. The water has been taken from the river and the fridge has bee powered by the hydroelectric generators, which have been installed on the dammed damns. The consequence of these damn has been devastating to the environment. I therefore urge the student government association to organize an environment exposition so we can educate the students of Embry Riddle. These dammed dams have had devastating effects on the ecosystem, which depends on the constant flow of the river to survive. Fish such has salmon and other species have considerably declined due to the fact they cant reach their breeding grounds. There are four fishes which are listed on the endangered species list and for them to be listed on the list it took a law suite!! I mean why does it have to take law suite to acknowledge the critical habitat of these species If one decides to fish on this river one has to keep in mind that most of the water is destined for the fountains in Las Vegas and the swimming pools in California. So I urge the student association to organize a exposition so we may realize that the water the fishes are swimming in is already bought. Where does all this water go? Water the most unique compound on earth, which is required to sustain life by all life forms, is been used to the extent that at our currant progress of water consumption we will have a water war in the next 2 centuries! So where does all this water go?

Capital Budgeting Case Essay

This week, Learning Team C, has completed capital budgeting on Corporation A and Corporation B. We were given $250,000.000 to acquire a corporation. We decided to choose Corporation B. To ensure that our decision was the best, this week, we defined, analyzed, and interpreted the Net Present Value and the Internal Rate of Return for both Corporations. We made the decision based on more financial sense. Below, we have outlined our decision making process. Defined What we have done first to help define our Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return was to project 5 years in advance the income and cashflow would potentially look like. Understanding that Corporation A has a ten percent discount rate each year and Corporation B has an eleven percent discount rate, Learning Team C was able to an income statement and cashflow statement defining the detailed financial statements on how our company would operate the two corporations. The next step in our decision making process would be to analyze what we have detailed. Analyze generate To be able to compare the two corporations the team reviewed the projected cash flows for each corporation. What the team learned was that both corporations had a negative Net Present Value, Corporation A NPV is $-966.580.90, whereas B is $-633, 959, 95. Reviewing this report Team C identified that Corporation B began to generate revenue in the coming fourth and fifth years. In addition to the revenue turning over, but so did Corporation B’s Cashflow. Corporation B began to see cashflow by the fourth and fifth year. The team has analyzed, that as the corporation continues to grow due to the Net Present Value. The next step would be to interpret what we just analyzed. Interpret How Learning Team C came up in choosing Corporation B was through the Net Present Value. Corporation B will be giving the company, over five years, a current value cash return of approximately $-633, 959, 95 above the eleven  percent return. In conclusion, making it the more favorable choice. Conclusion This week Learning Team C has defined, analyzed, and interpreted two corporations by completing a capital budgeting exercise. They have agreed that Corporation B would be the company that they would acquire from a business standpoint. Net Present Value was used to help influence and determine this decision.

Public Budgeting- Revenue Sources

Three revenue sources in public budgeting Property Tax: Property tax can be defined as a levy that the government issues on a person’s property. The value assessed to the property is taxed. Revenue of local governments like cities and counties are derived from property taxes. The revenue is used for administration in government and expenses concerning law enforcement, paramedics etc. ; and also to fund courts in local governments and helps for the payment of services which include civic centers, community programs, libraries, parks and recreation, and schools.Property taxes are also often used to pay some state programs such as Medicaid (in New York for example) and also to provide public assistance such as assistance to needy family (TANF), child welfare services and other social services such as supported employment, adult protective services, domestic violence and personal care assistance. This revenue can also be tracked in public safety like in juvenile detention, probati on services and other mandates (corrections/ county jail, law library in county jail, staffing for state and county court, prosecution services, community colleges etc. ).Property tax revenue can be tracked in many ways, it depends on each state but all states generally use these revenues to fund almost the same programs. Intergovernmental Revenue: Intergovernmental revenue is the funds obtained from other governments. These funds usually include grants, taxes which are shared, and contingent loans and advances. Here, funding emanates from all governments (federal, state and local governments). â€Å"Financial arrangements for funding and delivering intergovernmental services can be complex according to the variability of government structure, organization, roles and responsibilities.For example, government support concerning elementary and secondary schools includes direct funds from the federal government that are passed through state and local governments to local educational ag encies† (www. gao. gov). There are also funds allocated to cover costs for elementary and secondary education, these funds include the rent on school buildings for example. Charges for services: Charges for services are defined as customers’ charges and others charges coming from governmental and business activities. Charges for services within the governmental activities category include items such as licenses and permits (for example, business licenses and building permits), fines and forfeits, and operating special assessments sometimes charged for services provided outside the normal service area or beyond the normal level of services. Charges to other governments for services such as incarceration of prisoners also are reported in the Charges for Services column† (Kattelus & Reck, 2007).These charges include various services rendered within the states for example park entrance fees, document fees, court-filling fees etc. It also implies any government which p urchases, uses or benefits from goods and services provided. References Wilson, E. R. , Kattelus, S. C. , & Reck, J. L. (2007). Accounting for governmental and nonprofit entities. (14th ed. ). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Irwin. http://www. gao. gov/special. pubs/longterm/state/intergovrevenue. html

Analyzing Short Stories Essay

Analyzing Short Stories Essay Analyzing Short Stories Essay ïÆ'’ Understand the importance of short stories ïÆ'’ Identify the elements of fiction found in a short story ïÆ'’ Define important elements of fiction ïÆ'’ Identify steps in analyzing a short story ïÆ'’ Storytelling is the oldest form of art and is a way to learn about a culture and/ or a historical period. ïÆ'’ Short stories represent links in the chain of human experience – meaningthe author is attempting to say something about life through their art (their writing). ïÆ'’ Writers who lived in different times and in different places had different stories to tell. Since each writer writes with his or her own unique voice, each short story has its differences. ï  ¶ Different types of short stories ï  ¶ Different themes ï  ¶ Different styles of writing. ïÆ'’ However, all short stories have similarities: ï  ¶ They express ideas ï  ¶ They are about common life experiences ï  ¶ They involve people, thoughts, places, action, and time. ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ In the earliest part of human history, primitive people began to tell stories about their success in hunting or fighting. ïÆ'’ Soon, a storyteller learned when he could fluff the facts and add details in order to improve their stories. ïÆ'’ Throughout time the simple narratives of personal adventure were combined with attempts to explain powerful forces of nature. These attempts helped to create myths, legends, folktales, and the hero-tale. ïÆ'’ All around the world people began to understand the importance of writing down their cultures great stories, therefore there is no one specific date of the first written story, but there are examples of some of the first. ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ Story telling poems written by Homer Aesop’s fables are short stories The Bible contains many short stories The Canterbury Tales by Geoffery Chaucer are short stories. ïÆ'’ While there is a long tradition of written storytelling, the short story form as we know it is less than 300 years old/ ïÆ'’ Was developed as an art form in the 19th century ( the 1800’s). ïÆ'’ As the popularity of short stories grew, they began to be published in magazines. ïÆ'’ The popularity of the short story did not begin to decline until television became popular around 1950. ïÆ'’ The form and style of the short story still continues to grow in the hands of many gifted writers. ïÆ'’ To analyze a short story a reader must begin by reading and thinking about the story’s title. ïÆ'’ Titles serve many different purposes: 1.To give the name of a major character. ex: â€Å"Tony Kytes, the Arch Deceiver† 2.To provide the theme or setting of the story ex: â€Å"Quality† 3.To suggest the main incident of the story ex: â€Å"Occurrence at Owl Creel Bridge 4.To name an object that plays an important role ex: â€Å"The Skeleton† 5. To suggest the type of short story ex: â€Å"The Mysterious Mansion† 6.To give the tone of the story ex: â€Å"The Specter† 7. To get the reader interested ex: â€Å"The Lady or the tiger?† ïÆ'’ After deciding which purpose the title serves the reader should carefully read and consider the opening paragraphs. The opening paragraph may: 1. Launch the action of the story 2. Introduce characters 3. Describe the setting 4. State or hint at the main idea 5. Tell how the story came to be told or written ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ Definition: where and when the story takes place; the location and time. ïÆ'’ It gives important clues about the nature of the story. It provides the â€Å"mental backdrop† of the story. There are some elements of setting to consider: ï  ¶ Place- the actual location ï  ¶ Time- historical period; time of year; time of day ï  ¶ Weather conditions- rainy, snowy, sunny, etc. ï  ¶ Social conditions- what is the daily life of the characters like? What are their living conditions? ïÆ'’ ïÆ'’ The setting of a story may or may not be directly stated. ïÆ'’ Definition: The chain of events in a story that to its outcome; The sequence of events. There are 5 essential parts to plot: 1. Introduction 2. Rising Action 3. Climax 4. Falling Action 5. Resolution ïÆ'’ Ri Ac sin tio g n Introduction g llin n Fa tio Ac

Quotes From Charles Dickenss Oliver Twist

Quotes From Charles Dickenss Oliver Twist Charles Dickens second novel, Oliver Twist, is the story of an orphan growing up among criminals in London, England. The novel, one of Dickenss most popular works, is known for its harsh depiction of poverty, child labor, and life in the London slums of the mid-19th century. Poverty Oliver Twist was published at a time when many of Dickenss countrymen were living in great poverty. The most unfortunate were sent to workhouses, where they received food and lodging in exchange for their labor. The protagonist of Dickenss novel ends up in such a workhouse as a child. To earn his gruel, Oliver spends his days picking oakum. Please, sir, I want some more. [Chapter 2] Oliver Twist has asked for more! [Chapter 2] I am very hungry and tired... I have walked a long way. I have been walking these seven days. [Chapter 8] Bleak, dark, and piercing cold, it was a night for the well-housed and fed to draw round the bright fire, and thank God they were at home; and for the homeless starving wretch to lay him down and die. Many hunger-worn outcasts close their eyes in our bare streets at such times, who, let their crimes have been what they may, can hardly open them in a more bitter world. [Chapter 23] Human Nature Dickens was admired not only as a novelist but also as a social critic, and in Oliver Twist he uses his sharp eye to dissect the weaknesses of human nature. The social canvas of the novel, which includes the poor underclass of London and the criminal justice system designed to contain it, allows Dickens to explore what happens when humans are reduced to the basest conditions. The doctor seemed especially troubled by the fact of the robbery having been unexpected, and attempted in the night-time; as if it were the established custom of gentlemen in the housebreaking way to transact business at noon, and to make an appointment, by the twopenny post, a day or two previous. [Chapter 7] Although Oliver had been brought up by philosophers, he was not theoretically acquainted with the beautiful axiom that self-preservation is the first law of nature. [Chapter 10] There is a passion for hunting something deeply implanted in the human breast. [Chapter 10] But death, fires, and burglary, make all men equals. [Chapter 28] Such is the influence which the condition of our own thoughts, exercises, even over the appearance of external objects. Men who look on nature, and their fellow-men, and cry that all is dark and gloomy, are in the right; but the sombre colours are reflections from their own jaundiced eyes and hearts. The real hues are delicate, and need a clearer vision. [Chapter 33] The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the racking thoughts that crowd upon the mind, and make the heart beat violently, and the breath come thick, by the force of the images they conjure up before it; the desperate anxiety  to be doing something  to relieve the pain, or lessen the danger, which we have no power to alleviate; the sinking of soul and spirit, which the sad remembrance of our helplessness produces; what tortures can equal these; what reflections of endeavours can, in the full tide and fever of the time, allay them! [Chapter 33] Society and Class As the story of a poor orphan, and of the downtrodden more generally, Oliver Twist is filled with Dickenss thoughts about the role of class in English society. The author is highly critical of the institutions that protect the upper classes while leaving the poor to starve and die. Throughout the book, Dickens raises questions about how society organizes itself and treats its worst-off members. Why everybody lets him alone enough, for the matter of that. Neither his father nor his mother will ever interfere with him. All his relations let him have his own way pretty well. [Chapter 5] I only know two sorts of boys. Mealy boys, and beef-faced boys. [Chapter 10] Dignity, and even holiness too, sometimes, are more questions of coat and waistcoat than some people imagine. [Chapter 37] We need be careful how we deal with those about us, when every death carries to some small circle of survivors, thoughts of so much omitted, and so little done- of so many things forgotten, and so many more which might have been repaired! There is no remorse so deep as that which is unavailing; if we would be spared its tortures, let us remember this, in time. [Chapter 8] The sun,the bright sun, that brings back, not light alone, but new life, and hope, and freshness to manburst upon the crowded city in clear and radiant glory. Through costly-coloured glass and paper-mended window, through cathedral dome and rotten crevice, it shed its equal ray.  [Chapter 46]

Public Architecture of the Roman Empire Research Paper

Public Architecture of the Roman Empire - Research Paper Example The history of Roman Empire was divided into two distinctive eras. The first era was known as the Republican period where the origins of their architecture can be traced to the Etruscans who followed the Greek and the Phoenician traditions, building large temples to honor their Gods. The second era of their architecture was started in 27 BC which is considered as a period of the Empire. Their empire covered many areas across the Europe and these countries consisted of a vast number of people with different cultures and traditions. So, the architecture of Roman Empire turned eclectic (consisting elements of the diversity of regional cultures and traditions). History of Roman Architecture: Romans adopted the style of architecture from Greeks but some styles of buildings were of Etruscan period. Romans and Greeks used five different styles of buildings from pre 500 BC to the first century AD. They include three orders of architecture which Romans took from Greeks which are Doric, Ionic and Corinthian and then added Composite as their own style. The Classical architecture of Rome and Greece came in different periods and with different types of design and style. The first period was the Doric stage and buildings built in this style usually had no base and this stage was before the 5th century BC. The second stage was the Ionic stage which was visibly more complex than the Doric style. The next architectural stage was the Corinthian style and it originated after the 5th BC. Then the fourth style was the Tuscan column which was introduced by Etruscans. No examples of this type of architecture are present today. The last architectural style was the Composite order which was first seen in 82 AD on the arch of Titus. This form was the most complex as it used the arches in an organized manner. By using the Composite order of architecture, Romans used their skills of concrete in developing architectural figures like the arch, vault and the dome. Pantheon was the best examp le of domed buildings which was built by Marcus Agrippa in the last century and it was later refurbished by Hadrian. The building was actually built as a temple for Romans to worship their gods but later on was changed into a Church. This building is famous for being one of the oldest and largest of the buildings. Monuments and Infrastructure in the Roman Architecture In ancient times the monuments were of great significance and the Romans were specially known for their monuments. In the Republican period a monument known as the Forum was quite famous for the political activities that went throughout the place. The monuments in those times were built in such a fashion that people used to come and visit them frequently. These monuments became a symbol of architecture for the Romans later on. Infrastructure was also an area of interest for the Romans as they developed their city walls well before the 4th century. The water supply and the network of aqueducts were also famous for their linearity. Roads were also developed from such an early time and were used accordingly by the people for their needs. Thus Roman architecture became well known for its integrity and smoothness from the very beginning (Grundmann & Furst 1998). Religious Buildings: The layouts of Roman temples were highly influenced

Merrill Lynch Change Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Merrill Lynch Change Management - Case Study Example The goal of change management is to make sure that change is not being resisted by employees and is being properly incorporated. To make the process of change smoother, a structured and systematic approach should be used. One thing we should always remember is that even though it can be necessary, we should not bring about a change just for the sake of changing. Normally these changes are done to stay competitive, to upgrade the company. The necessity of change does not take place from within the firm; it is usually because of outside drivers or forces. There are many models which help in change management. One of these is the AKDAR model; Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement. According to Tech-FAQ, this model says: "Awareness is sharing the knowledge of why the change is taking place. Desire is having the motivation to participate in the change process. This desire must exist for the employees and the organisation as a whole. Knowledge of how to change must be known, not just that there is a need to change. Ability is making the change happen by changing behaviours and implementing new skills. Reinforcement is when individuals and organisations are reinforced to sustain the changes; making them the new behaviour otherwise they will go back to their old behaviour". Literature Review The force field analysis, developed by Kurt Lewin was developed initially for social situations. It talks about forces which can help you achieve your goals or factors which will hinder the process of getting towards your goals. According to 12-Manage, Lewin's view of this analysis is that "issue is held in balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of forces - those seeking to promote change (driving forces) and those attempting to maintain the status quo (restraining forces)". The driving forces should be more than the restraining forces; this would shift the equilibrium and a change will occur. The force field analysis is a method which helps in identifying the most important target groups for a campaign, identify competitors, it helps in identifying how to influence these target groups and helps in investigation the balance of power regarding an issue. The driving forces are written on the left while the restraining forces are written on the right. The force field analysis consists of a series of steps according to Valuebasedmanagment.net, 1. Analyse the current situation 2. Know the desired situation3. Identify where the current situation will go if no action is taken 4. List all the driving forces toward the desired situation 5. List all the restraining forces toward the desired situation 6. Question all of the forces: are they valid Can they be changed Which are the critical ones 7. Give a score to

Germany and the germans Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Germany and the germans - Essay Example It would not be untrue if said that religion took its complete toll on him and the course of his life changed forever after experiencing some personal hardships. Here is actually where the climax in the life story of Martin Luther develops because after experiencing a serious emotional turbulence episode one day as he was returning to Erfurt after visiting home, he actually decided to become a monk later on and gave up his law studies in favor of other newly developed interests. This change of plans and decisions did not gain him much appreciation from the family and friends circle in the start, but later on things got better for him when he got appointed as a priest in the church and then he immersed himself in advanced theological studies (Advameg, Inc). This phase of his life is considered to be very critical by all historians because that was when he began to develop ideas and arguments against the traditional and orthodox Christian beliefs. Martin Luther is a very powerful figure in the history of Christianity and studying his life and different events related to it holds immense fascination in itself. This is because Luther entered a monastery when he was quite young and not many people feel any strong bondage with religion when they are that young. Luther, however, is quite distinguished in respect that not only he underwent complete religious transformation as a youth but he also decided to give up his law studies in order to become a monk and then later on in life, he went on to study theology. By this time, he began developing many theories and arguments that openly defied the traditionally established Christian rules which gained him much criticism from the Roman Catholic Church. That was a very hard time for Luther because in spite of so much antagonism and repulsion, he decided to stay firm on his writings which were already distributed throughout Germany. If on one hand he was considered

Service Quality Standards in Health and Social Care

Service Quality Standards in Health and Social Care In health and social care services, quality is an essential component and a concept with many different interpretations and perspectives. It is important to both users of health and social care services and external stakeholders. While completing this unit I have gained knowledge of these differing perspectives and considered ways in which health and care service quality may he improved. I have tried to explore the requirements of external regulators and compare them with the expectations of those who use services. I have also learnt about few methods that can be used to assess different quality perspectives, and develop the ability to evaluate these methods against service objectives. I have also focussed on concepts of managing service quality with an aim of achieving continuous improvement and exceeding minimum standards. I have made a sincere attempt to understand strategies for achieving quality in health and social care services. By completing this unit, I sincerely hope that I have learnt basics of as to how to evaluate systems, policies and procedures in health and social care services. I have learnt about methodologies for evaluating health and social care service quality. TASK 1 Stakeholders are essential in health and social care regarding quality; discuss analysing the role of external agencies in setting standards. (1.1; 1.2) Stakeholder as one who is involved in or affected by a course of action. Patients are part of the stakeholder group that both pays for our health care system and are the end-user of it. The interests of health care organizations, medical professionals and other health care providers are represented through various government bodies, professional organizations and labour unions. We must try and understand quality considering the perspectives of staff and also perspectives of those who use services. Quality might have the same outcome but opinions of the health and social care staff and the patients might be quite different. In simple terms, quality is fitness for purpose. Quality is about meeting the service users requirements. If quality is about meeting service users requirements, it is important to discover what these requirements are. If we provide services with extras that service users dont want, we will not be adding quality. Stakeholders can be the external agencies eg Care Quality Commission; Supporting People; National Institute for Clinical Excellence; Health Service Commissioners; local authorities; users of services eg direct users of services, families, carers; professionals; managers; support workers. There are many organisations in the UK known as health and social care regulators. Each organisation oversees one or more of the health and social care professions by regulating individual professionals across the UK. These organisations, also known as regulators, were set up to protect the public so that whenever you see a health or social care professional, whether private or in the NHS, you can be sure they meet the standards set by the relevant regulator. To practise profession in health and social care, people must be registered with the relevant regulator. If they are not registered and still practise, then they are breaking the law and they may be prosecuted. These registers are made up of only those professionals who have demonstrated that they have met the standards set. These registers are open to the public. So if you want to check your professional is registered, you can do this either online or by calling the relevant organisation. In health and social care, professionals, clinicians and others, whose work is informed by traditional bodies of knowledge, are increasingly aware of the need for continuous personal development. High- quality services cannot be sustained unless health and care staff are consistently engaged in learning, individually and together. All care services need to work to standards and have a system for measuring that they are meeting standards. The health care system has audits which check that services meet quality standards, while social services have inspection units which register and inspect services. Standards are influenced by laws, subsequent regulations, codes of conduct and values. All organisations such as homes, day centres or community services, need a system to monitor how effectively services are being delivered and whether service users are having their needs met. Organisations may have their own quality monitoring systems. At a local level, quality assurance groups may seek to clarify, prioritise or set standards. Different parts of the system and external agencies need to work together, as part of a culture of open and honest cooperation, to identify potential or actual serious quality failures and take corrective action in the interests of protecting patients. Explain what the potential impacts of not appropriately managing quality in health and social care settings might be? (1.3) If quality in health and social care settings is not appropriately managed, this could lead to serious consequences. It could lead to inability to improve the health and social well-being of people in the area for which they are responsible; Planning and commissioning health and social care will be unable to meet the needs of people in that area. It will cause inability to secure the delivery to people in an area of health and social care that is safe, efficient, co-ordinated and cost-effective. Also the availability and quality of health and social care in that area will deteriorate. The development of standards, guidance and strategic targets will be stagnant. This would mean that local targets will not be achieved. It would mean that patient satisfaction will diminish and targets and expectations will not be met. Obviously, if the quality is inappropriately managed, it would have a significant impact on all three basic criteria. It would lead to poor clinical effectiveness. Safety of the patient ill not be guaranteed and this would lead to poor outcome in terms of patient experiences. Where the regulatory bodies find that providers are not meeting the standards, they require them to improve and has a range of enforcement powers they can use. These powers include warning notices, penalties, suspension or restriction of a providers activities, or in extreme cases, cancellation of a providers registration which effectively means closure of a service. Providers who train healthcare professionals also have a responsibility to deliver training in a safe and effective way in line with the standards set by the professional regulators. The professional regulators have an interest where the quality of training may put patients at risk. I. What are the major quality issues that were identified in the last State of Social Care (CSCI, 2009) standards report? What might be the implications for service users? (2.1) CSCIs report, The State of Social Care in England 2009, concludes that services do not meet the expectations. The report is believed to highlight that social care services are struggling to meet peoples needs. Fewer people are receiving the care they need to enable them to live independent lives in their own homes. It is all so understood that the report will say there are continuing and chronic difficulties in recruitment and retention of staff throughout the whole care sector. People, whether they pay for their care or are publicly funded, are not always getting the individualised help that they need to make decisions about their support which in the long term can be costly to individuals, family carers, councils and the NHS. People are not always getting quality personalised support, particularly those with multiple and complex needs, some of whom may have little, if any, choice about their care. There are concerns about people who are lost to the system because they are ineligible for publicly funded support or are self-funders. There is an increased demand and resources are limited which is putting a lot of pressure. The report states that people who have complex needs are not getting personalised care. It notes excellent examples of people receiving the support they need but adds that too many people are not getting the right amount of personalised care. Many people do not get the information, advice or support they need to help them make informed choices about their care. Implications for service users: Poor quality service can disrupt funding, damage the reputation of organisations and individuals and lead to inappropriate planning decisions. Improving quality improves patient care and value for money. It is important to improve quality because it will lead to preventing ill health and provide patient-centred care. It will also help to manage increasing demand across all programmes of care and to tackle health inequalities. Improved quality will lead to deliver a high-quality. People who would be affected the most because of poor quality will be mainly the older population, people with long-term conditions, people with a physical disability, maternity and child health, family and child care people using mental health services, people with a learning disability acute care and palliative and end of life care. There are many different approaches to understanding quality. Describe any three approaches of your choice highlight a particular strength of each approach. Different understandings of quality: A common quote is: Some things are better than others; that is, they have more quality. It is a grade of goodness or excellence. Quality therefore means free from defects. In my opinion, quality means patients satisfaction. After reading and learning more about quality, I have realised that quality can be understood with variour approaches. It can be measure in terms of the exceptional (highest standards) or in terms of conformity to standards. It can also be described as fitness for purpose, as effectiveness in achieving institutional goals; and as meeting patients needs. Quality as exceptionality This is the more traditional concept of quality. It is associated with the idea of providing a service that is distinctive and special, and which confers status on the owner or user. Many institutions emphasise that health and social care must have exceptional standards. However, it is not possible for the agency to condemn all other institutions. This approach is not always possible. Quality as conformance to standards The word standard is used to indicate pre-determined specifications or expectations. As long as an institution meets the pre-determined standards, it can be considered a quality institution fit for a particular status. This is the approach followed by most regulatory bodies for ensuring that institutions or programmes meet certain threshold levels. Quality as fitness for purpose This approach has the following questions Who will determine the purpose? and What are appropriate purposes?. The answers to these questions depend on the context in which quality is viewed. The purposes may be determined by the institution itself, by the government, or by a group of stakeholders. Quality as effectiveness in achieving institutional goals In this approach, a high quality institution is one that clearly states its mission (purpose) and is efficient in achieving it. This approach may raise issues such as the way in which the institution might set its goals (high, moderate or low), and how appropriate those goals could be. Quality as meeting customers stated or implied needs This is also a variation of the fitness-for-purpose approach. This is where the purpose is customer needs and satisfaction. Quality therefore corresponds to the satisfaction of the patients. Which approach to quality (you may choose one that isnt above) do you feel is more often used by providers of health and social care services users and why do you think that this is the case? (2.2) Standards-based understanding of quality In my view, I think health and social care providers use an approach which is conformance to the standards. Many regulatory bodies set goals and aims for a particular healthcare setting and the organisation works hard to achieve these goals. Implementing quality needs planning. There should be policies and procedures. Government should set some targets. An audit can be an excellent tool to check if appropriate quality of care is being delivered. There should be constant monitoring and review should take place at regular intervals. Good communication is the key to implement good quality. Proper information should be shared especially when shifts finish, hand over should be done adequately. We all should be open and ready for adapting to change. Standards: minimum standards or best practice should be the goal or certain benchmarks should be set. We must have measurable performance indicators. All health and social care settings should have codes of practice. There should be legislation in place which could either be local, national or European legislation. In the standards-based understanding of quality, health and social care institutions must demonstrate their quality against a set of pre-determined standards. These standards will set a threshold level of quality. However, quality assurance today has changed. While in the past quantitative criteria was enough to demonstrate that a standard had been met, more qualitative criteria is now incorporated and institutions may thus be able to more easily maintain their individuality. IV Suggest the potential barriers to delivering quality at this scheme and other health and social care services (2.3) There are a number of barriers to improving quality. It could be due to lack of proper implementation of documented procedures. There is a lack of incentives to change traditional ways of providing care. Also a lack of a patient-centered culture and values. One of the biggest problem is lack of relevant training and support. Also we dont have enough expertise in interpreting survey data. Sometimes it is just the resistance to change which can be quite difficult to overcome. We shall discuss relative impact of a range of potential barriers. The biggest constraint is the time available to focus on improving the quality of services, followed by a lack of leadership. People need to be identified, trained and supported to provide leadership and commitment. Lack of leadership in delivering quality is an important barrier. Training if not received properly could lead to poor quality in health and social care. We know there could be few health and social care workers who received no training, few who were trained in all the identified areas of quality, some who had been trained in only one area (predominantly clinical governance and audit) and the remainder received an inconsistent mix of training in different areas. A consistent package of core training in all facets of quality is needed for all NHS staff. Staff must be rewarded through the appraisal process, this could lead to a morale boost and lead to better quality of work. How does legislation (relating to quality) impact on the delivery of quality in health and social care service(s) offered in England and Wales? (3.1) Rules and regulations must be followed because safety depends on them. They usually come from one of two sources as they may be local and designed by the employer or they may have been designed by the government. Hospitals have their own policies and they also follow rules set by the NHS and the government. Wherever they come from, it is important that they are followed as they are put in place for the good of everyone. One of the main sets of rules and regulations is The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This act provides the basis of health and safety law. It places general duties on all people at work, including employers and employees. All places of employment are subject to health and safety law. Employers must have relevant policies in place. These must be designed for health and social care so that all of the staff can follow them and comply with the safety laws. Most care establishments have the following policies like fire policy, lifting policy and hazardous waste policy. When running or managing a care service and carrying on a regulated activity there are certain things you have to do by law. Though the legislation should be used as guidance only, and is not legal advice. Another important act is Health and Social Care Act 2008. The Health and Social Care Act 2008 established the Care Quality Commission as the regulator of all health and adult social care services. It is important to be aware of all the up to date provisions. We should try to describe quality and safety from the perspective of people who use services and place them at the centre of the registration system. It is important that anyone registered to provide or manage a regulated activity is aware of the guidance that has been produced. It is very important to be aware of the legal side of things so that we can ensure the safety of patients and also ourselves. Identify other factors that might influence the achievement of quality in health and social care services (3.2) How to deliver high-quality healthcare in the most efficient manner possible is the question that is very important. In my opinion, healthcare delivery should be clinically effective, focusing on treatment outcomes, including survival rates, symptoms, complications and patient-reported outcomes. In my view, health and social care must be safe: avoiding harm, looking after people in clean, safe environments, and reporting any medical errors or adverse events. One main goal should be ensuring that healthcare is available to all according to need and avoiding financial barriers that prevent access to necessary care. It is important that health and social care is efficient: paying attention to value for money, avoidance of unnecessary interventions, and careful use of limited resources. Health and social care should be responsive: providing personalized, patient-centred care, delivered with compassion, dignity and respect; measuring, analysing and improving patients experience and satisfaction. How can health and social care workers ensure their knowledge base is up to date and that their work is of a quality standard and what role and responsibilities do health and social care service providers have in relation to this. (3.3) As health care or social care workers, we must endeavour to keep our knowledge base up to date and ensure that our work is of quality standard. Ideal care workers will go out of their way for patients, they try to understand what its like for the service user and carer; they are happy and interested in their work and knowledgeable about their jobs and are always ready to help. Good communication is the key. We must attend seminars, meetings, group discussions and do online studying along with regular text bok reading. Group discussions and team work will help us to realise the gaps in our knowledge. Care workers should have knowledge of services and legislation relevant to users and carers needs. They must know about the benefit system and sources of funding, or who to refer to if they dont. It is of utmost importance that they know when and whom to ask for extra help. Health and social care workers should know about the people they are caring for. They should be familiar with the roles of other people in relation to meeting service user and carer need. Health and social care workers must understand their limitations and have up-to-date knowledge. It is recommended that care workers review their learning over the previous 12 months, and set their development objectives for the coming year. Reflecting on the past and planning for the future in this way makes your development more methodical and easier to measure. Care workers may already be doing this as part of their development review with an employer. CPD is a personal commitment to keeping our professional knowledge up to date and improving our capabilities. It focuses on what we learn and how we develop throughout your career. As a professional, we have a responsibility to keep our skills and knowledge up to date. CPD helps us turn that accountability into a positive opportunity to identify and achieve our own career objectives. CPD is an opportunity to do ourselves some good; the nature and scale of the benefit depends entirely on us. I. Identify method used to assess quality, evaluate the method with two more methods of your choice (one external and internal (4.1) Measuring the quality of health care has become a major concern for funders and providers of health services in recent decades. One of the ways in which quality of care is currently assessed is by taking routinely collected data and analysing that data. The use of routine data has many advantages but there are also some important pitfalls. The Measurement of Quality: Methods for assessing quality can be various. We could use questionnaires, focus groups, structured and semi-structured interviews, panels, complaints procedures, feedback forms and road shows. Nice questionnaires should be prepared which should be given to the patients to fill in their own time. This could give us a fair and honest opinion about our services. Small focus groups and interviews can also be a good technique. To achieve good levels of quality service, we must have complaints procedures in place. Feedback forms could be an excellent measure for quality of any service provided. This could also prove beneficial in improving the quality by acting upon any suggestions made by the patients. Scientific methods of measurement are increasingly necessary. Evaluation requires good methods in order for the resulting data to be useful. Further, data from evaluations are being used to create significant change within organizations, so faulty data based on inaccurate measurement methods carry a great risk. Quality will not be improved simply as a result of inspection. It must be built into the people and the processes carrying out the work of the organization. In health and social care setting we must all define quality, measure its achievement, and create innovations to constantly improve. This requires active involvement of all within the organization, from the mailroom to the boardroom. Visible, supportive leadership is essential. II. If quality is about meeting customers or service users requirements, it is important to discover what these requirements are (Martin and Henderson, 2001 p. 178) Quality is most easily recognised in its absence and many public perceptions of healthcare are based upon measuring the absence of quality for example, waiting times, waiting list sizes, even illness itself are all measurements of the absence of quality. The client/patient: the client/patients view of the quality of their experience will depend upon two factors: a successful outcome and a positive experience before, during and after treatment. However, some procedures which may be deemed clinically desirable to maximise the probability of a successful outcome may be highly uncomfortable and inconvenient for the patient. Increasingly, the separation between these aspects is being questioned as it is recognised that clinical outcomes are influenced by a patients general state of well-being. This increases the need to take account of what has been traditionally considered as non-clinical aspects of care. Service quality is more difficult for patients to evaluate than goods quality. A patients assessment of the quality of health care services is more complex and difficult for them as well. Patients do not evaluate service quality solely on the outcome of a service; they also consider the process of service delivery. The antibiotics may have resolved the throat infection, but if discourtesy and an uncaring attitude marked the patients interaction with the provider, the perception may well be poor service quality. The patient defines the only criteria that count in evaluating service quality. Only patients can judge service quality; all other judgments are irrelevant. Patients requirements, in my opinion, are: Access: approachability and ease of contact. Communication: keeping patients informed in language they can understand. Listening to them is equally important. Less use of of medical jargon. Competence: possession of the required skills and knowledge to perform the service. Courtesy: politeness, respect, consideration, and friendliness of health and social care worker. Credibility: trustworthiness, believability, and honesty of the service provider. Reliability: the ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately. Responsiveness: the willingness to help patients and to provide prompt service. Security: freedom from danger, risk, or doubt. Understanding of the needs of a patient: making the effort to know patients and their needs. III. Service user involvement has become a buzzword in policy aimed at achieving quality. Discuss strategies used to involve service users and their effectiveness. (4.2) Service user involvement is a two way process that involves both service users and their service provider in the sharing of ideas, where service users are able to influence decisions and take part in what is happening Patients, carers, parents and advocates of the sick and vulnerable should have input into the kind of health service we have. They should be consulted about changes to services, and they should be involved in the design of those services. They should help to set the standards by which services are judged, and help to assess whether a particular aspect of the service meets those standards. At every stage, the users of the health service should be offered the opportunity to play an active part in developing, delivering and evaluating their service. Involvement can be achieved by using the following methods. Information sharing This may include letters, posters, newsletters, videos, tapes, text messages and forums. Listening This may include: one to one interviews, group interviews, focus groups, and service user meetings, one off events, questionnaires and workshops Consultation This may include: one to one interviews, group interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, one off specific focused events, workshops, and video or drama events. Participation This may include: user panels focused on specific topics, resident groups, inclusion in organising events, videos and other media to give information to other service users. Patients should be involved in making decisions about their own health care. They should be actively involved in co-designing services, redesigning services, developing services or change management. The government should be undertaking peer education and support. More patients should be taking part in research. These strategies could be used to involve service users.