Book presentation

â€Å"The Perks Of Being A Wallflower† by Stephen Cashbooks. This novel is written in letters to an anonymous person, explaining his experiences as they happen. In these letters we learn about his family and friends. The story takes place In a Pittsburgh during the years of 1991 & 1992 The Perks Of Being A Wallflower Is a truly moving story about Charlie, a freshman In high school who Is by no means popular.He Is very shy, but that all comes down to a mental Issue that occurred because of something that happened when he was younger, which you will get the sit of later on In the book. Being socially awkward and feeling he has no-one to support him, Charlie becomes friends with Patrick and , Sam, who are seniors. Charlie meets Patrick through shop class, and approaches him and his sister Sam at a high school football game. Sam and Patrick are step brother and sister.What I love about this novel is Charlie's philosophical thoughts on life. I like how he talks a lot about simple, everyday things, and all time says how he feels and that he thinks. In this book not just talking about Charlie's feelings and experiences, but as well as addressing the problems of youth. Much attention is paid not only to friends, love and parties but also to family relationships. If you read this story you will laugh, cry and keep reading on. It is not to be missed.Charlie will show you that high school can be enjoyed if you have the right friends and becoming a teenager isn't as scary as you think, even though it seems that way. This story has stayed with me for a long while and I am sure if you read it, you will remember it forever. I highly recommend this book to a wide range of people, especially for young people who do not like to read much, because The grammar is ere simple, Charlie uses understandable words, so do not translate many phrases.I'm very proud of myself that I have read the first serious book in English, and highly recommend it for you. Book presentation By Mul tilayered place in a Pittsburgh during the years of 1991 & 1992 The Perks Of Being A Wallflower is a truly moving story about Charlie, a freshman in high school who is by no means popular. He is very shy, but that all comes down to a mental issue that occurred gist of later on in the book. Being socially awkward and feeling he has no-one to book not Just talking about Charlie's feelings and experiences, but as well as

Netflix Analysis

The following analysis is about Netflix and Blockbuster. Two successful companies with similar target market but at the same time with very different strategies which can make the difference of success in the future or contrary go down. First of all we need to clarify what is the specific situation of each one. Blockbuster is a rental home video company that has been leading the market during many years, since the VHS cassette till the appearance of the DVD and the expansion of the internet. They have had a well-designed strategy which let them growth significantly being the leaders in the market, having in 2006 more than 5000 locations within the US. They basically offered a huge number of in-store movie rental. As it is said in the text their financial success is based on the maximization of the days that a movie is rented. Also it is important to mention that a big part of their revenues came from the ‘’late fees’’ (10% of the total revenues in 2004). But as the times were changing, the customer’s needs were changing too and Blockbuster was in the need to adapt his business to the market. Netflix, being so visionary ten years ago, was launched as a personalized DVD movie rental using USPS to deliver DVDs to its subscribers and using a pricing model similar to the one used by video stores. The following analysis focuses on how those two companies that cover the same needs, they have totally different strategies and by analyzing both strategies we will see how a good strategy and a good knowledge of the market can make the difference and take a company to the success. Basing on the data and information in the case, Blockbuster would be ‘’short’’ and Netflix would be ‘’long’’. Blockbuster has an old-fashioned strategy, they focused all their efforts in differentiate from Netflix by integrating online and traditional in-shop services and by copying Netflix’s strategy of no late fees. Despite their attempts they had significant operation losses and they just grew 5% (they expected a bigger growth by suppressing late fees). Contrary, Netflix would be ‘’long’’ because from the beginning they were visionary, and they were offering what customers needed while the times were changing. Because of that their net income has been growing significantly. As inferred in Exhibit 1 in the case, net income multiplied in just two years (in 2004 was 21595$ and in 2006 the net income was 49082$). It is important to take into account what jobs did Netflix and Blockbuster for consumers. Blockbuster was the leader in the market by offering consumers in shop movie rent. They perfectly covered the need of watching the latest movies at home. They were very successful and so they expanded by opening new locations with the objective that at least 70% of the population have a Blockbuster very close. Netflix though, offered movies but unlike Blockbuster, they deliver the rented movies to the customer’s houses. They changed the concept of traditional movie renter. Netflix was created as a new concept, but covering the same need that Blockbuster was covering. Over time, Netflix grew more and more thanks to this competitive advantage that made the difference from Blockbuster. About their profit models, Netflix reached profitability by investing capital in opening more distribution centers producing more subscriptions thanks to the improved delivery service. As showed on Exhibit 2 in the case, the increase on the number of subscribers was very significant with 107 in 1999 to 6316 subscribers in 2006. Netflix based its strategy in the concepts of convenience and selection and they showed it by introducing the prepaid subscription based model where customers had to pay a monthly fee instead of the old per rental charge model. With this strategy they were be able to have better customer retention. On the other hand, Blockbuster was primarily focused on making the company profitable by expanding geographically, opening new locations so that they can increase the market share. Blockbuster focused the strategy on the concept of ‘’movie night’’, it means that their market is a specific niche in which customers make an impulsive decision and rent a movie when they get in the shop. That’s why they only have high-demand movies (unlike Netflix that apart from high demand movies, they also have old or independent movies). The Netflix success is due to a series of different steps that the company has had to face from the beginning till nowadays. The changes in the customers’ needs and in the society led Netflix to a constantly changing strategies. They launched the platform in 1997 like an alternative way to the traditional movie renters, to provide home movies services better satisfying customer’s needs. They took advantage of the latest hit in the new technologies, the DVD. And they acted like early-adopters of the DVD focusing their efforts in attracting owners of this new device. They were being successful, but they started losing customers so they were in the need to make some changes. And they did. Netflix totally changed the pricing strategy from the traditional pay-per-rent to the subscription model which allowed customers unlimited movies a month. They came up with the recommendation system as they needed to differentiate from the traditional video rental stores offering something that they didn’t offer. To increase the quality and number of offered movies, they created business relationships with the major studios so that they reach customer’s needs. As a consequence of this growth, they increase the distribution channel with USPS. But apart from that, Netflix was having a huge problem. They were constantly losing customers. To solve these problems they thought different: attract the old customers that have canceled their subscriptions. To reach this goal, they changed the unsubscribing policy and instead of trying to retain them, they made the cancellation process as easy as the subscription one. Probably many of the customers that left before will come back to Netflix when the platform will earn more awareness or when just decided that they want to reopen their accounts. So if all those processes were easy for them, the impression of the brand on the customer’s mind will be positive. At this point Netflix was doing well, the numbers of subscription were increasing and their net income was increasing too. What would be next? The new technologies market is a constantly growing and changing market. Something that is being a hit now, in one year could be completely forgotten. With the expansion of the internet many in-shop services will be affected. Services that can be offered via internet will replace the traditional commerce. And this will be the case in the video rental. The traditional video rental services whether in-shop or delivery will tend to disappear because of the following reasons or assumptions: -Internet is growing more and more. Many improvements are being made to improve the quality. -The number of people who have internet at home is also increasing. -Customers are adapting to the new era and they are adapting to new technologies and regulations. So basing on that, as Netflix already did years ago, they should be innovative again and take the risk to change in order to keep profitability for the company. They can’t avoid the new trends, if they don’t follow the changes and they don’t adapt to them, they will disappear because customers will change to those brands that cover their actual needs. Netflix was offering what customer’s needed, but this is changing with the appearance of VOD, and so by covering the same need, they should adapt to the times by changing their strategy.

Active Listening

Active Listening Hear What People are Really Saying Listening is one of the most important skills you can have. How well you listen has a major impact on your job effectiveness, and on the quality of your relationships with others. * We listen to obtain information. * We listen to understand. * We listen for enjoyment. * We listen to learn. Given all this listening we do, you would think we'd be good at it! In fact most of us are not, and research suggests that we remember between 25 percent and 50 percent of what we hear.That means that when you talk to your boss, colleagues, customers or spouse for 10 minutes, they pay attention to less than half of the conversation. This is dismal! Turn it around and it reveals that when you are receiving directions or being presented with information, you aren't hearing the whole message either. You hope the important parts are captured in your 25-50 percent, but what if they're not? Clearly, listening is a skill that we can all benefit from impr oving. By becoming a better listener, you will improve your productivity, as well as your ability to influence, persuade and negotiate.What's more, you'll avoid conflict and misunderstandings. All of these are necessary for workplace success! Good communication skills require a high level of self-awareness. By understanding your personal style of communicating, you will go a long way towards creating good and lasting impressions with others. About Active Listening The way to become a better listener is to practice â€Å"active listening. † This is where you make a conscious effort to hear not only the words that another person is saying but, more importantly, try to understand the complete message being sent.In order to do this you must pay attention to the other person very carefully. You cannot allow yourself to become distracted by whatever else may be going on around you, or by forming counter arguments that you'll make when the other person stops speaking. Nor can you al low yourself to get bored, and lose focus on what the other person is saying. All of these contribute to a lack of listening and understanding. If you're finding it particularly difficult to concentrate on what someone is saying, try repeating their words mentally as they say them – this will reinforce their message and help you stay focused.To enhance your listening skills, you need to let the other person know that you are listening to what he or she is saying. To understand the importance of this, ask yourself if you've ever been engaged in a conversation when you wondered if the other person was listening to what you were saying. You wonder if your message is getting across, or if it's even worthwhile continuing to speak. It feels like talking to a brick wall and it's something you want to avoid. Acknowledgement can be something as simple as a nod of the head or a simple â€Å"uh huh. You aren't necessarily agreeing with the person, you are simply indicating that you are listening. Using body language and other signs to acknowledge you are listening also reminds you to pay attention and not let your mind wander. You should also try to respond to the speaker in a way that will both encourage him or her to continue speaking, so that you can get the information if you need. While nodding and â€Å"uh huhing† says you're interested, an occasional question or comment to recap what has been said communicates that you understand the message as well.Becoming an Active Listener There are five key elements of active listening. They all help you ensure that you hear the other person, and that the other person knows you are hearing what they say. 1. Pay Attention Give the speaker your undivided attention, and acknowledge the message. Recognize that non-verbal communication also â€Å"speaks† loudly. * Look at the speaker directly. * Put aside distracting thoughts. * Don't mentally prepare a rebuttal! * Avoid being distracted by environmental fact ors. For example, side conversations. â€Å"Listen† to the speaker's body language. 2. Show That You're Listening Use your own body language and gestures to convey your attention. * Nod occasionally. * Smile and use other facial expressions. * Note your posture and make sure it is open and inviting. * Encourage the speaker to continue with small verbal comments like yes, and uh huh. 3. Provide Feedback Our personal filters, assumptions, judgments, and beliefs can distort what we hear. As a listener, your role is to understand what is being said.This may require you to reflect what is being said and ask questions. * Reflect what has been said by paraphrasing. â€Å"What I'm hearing is,† and â€Å"Sounds like you are saying,† are great ways to reflect back. * Ask questions to clarify certain points. â€Å"What do you mean when you say. † â€Å"Is this what you mean? † * Summarize the speaker's comments periodically. If you find yourself responding em otionally to what someone said, say so, and ask for more information: â€Å"I may not be understanding you correctly, and I find myself taking what you said personally.What I thought you just said is XXX; is that what you meant? † 4. Defer Judgment Interrupting is a waste of time. It frustrates the speaker and limits full understanding of the message. * Allow the speaker to finish each point before asking questions. * Don't interrupt with counter arguments. 5. Respond Appropriately Active listening is a model for respect and understanding. You are gaining information and perspective. You add nothing by attacking the speaker or otherwise putting him or her down. * Be candid, open, and honest in your response. Assert your opinions respectfully. Treat the other person in a way that you think he or she would want to be treated. Listening is the ability to accurately receive messages in the communication process. Listening is key to all effective communication, without the ability to listen effectively messages are easily misunderstood – communication breaks down and the sender of the message can easily become frustrated or irritated. Listening is so important that many top employers give regular listening skills training for their employees.This is not surprising when you consider that  good listening skills can lead to: better customer satisfaction, greater productivity with fewer mistakes, increased sharing of information that in turn can lead to more creative and innovative work. Good listening skills also have benefits in our personal lives, including: a greater number of friends and social networks, improved self-esteem and confidence, higher grades in academic work and increased health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that, whereas speaking raises blood pressure, listening brings it down.Listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing refers to the sounds that you hear, whereas listening requires more than that: it requires focus. Listening me ans paying attention not only to the story, but how it is told, the use of language and voice, and how the other person uses his or her body. In other words, it means being aware of both verbal and non-verbal messages. Your ability to listen effectively depends on the degree to which you perceive and understand these messages. â€Å"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen.Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. † Rachel Naomi Remen We spend a lot of our time listening Adults spend an average of 70% of their time engaged in some sort of communication, of this an average of 45% is spent listening compared to 30% speaking, 16% reading and 9% writing. (Adler, R. et al. 2001). 10 Principles of Listening A good listener will listen not only to what is being said, but also to what is left unsaid or only partially said. Listening involves observing body language and noticing inconsistencies between verb al and non-verbal messages.For example, if someone tells you that they are happy with their life but through gritted teeth or with tears filling their eyes, you should consider that the verbal and non-verbal messages are in conflict, they maybe don't mean what they say. Listening requires you to concentrate and use your other senses in addition to simply hearing the words spoken. Listening is not the same as hearing and in order to listen effectively you need to use more than just your ears. 1. Stop Talking â€Å"If we were supposed to talk more than we listen, we would have two tongues and one ear. † Mark Twain. Don't talk, listen.When somebody else is talking listen to what they are saying, do not interrupt, talk over them or finish their sentences for them. Stop, just listen. When the other person has finished talking you may need to clarify to ensure you have received their message accurately. 2. Prepare Yourself to Listen Relax. Focus on the speaker. Put other things out of mind. The human mind is easily distracted by other thoughts – what’s for lunch, what time do I need to leave to catch my train, is it going to rain – try to put other thoughts out of mind and concentrate on the messages that are being communicated. 3.Put the Speaker at Ease Help the speaker to feel free to speak. Remember their needs and concerns. Nod or use other gestures or words to encourage them to continue. Maintain eye contact but don’t stare – show you are listening and understanding what is being said. 4. Remove Distractions Focus on what is being said: don’t doodle, shuffle papers, look out the window, pick your fingernails or similar. Avoid unnecessary interruptions. These behaviours disrupt the listening process and send messages to the speaker that you are bored or distracted. 5. Empathize Try to understand the other person’s point of view.Look at issues from their perspective. Let go of preconceived ideas. By having a n open mind we can more fully empathise with the speaker. If the speaker says something that you disagree with then wait and construct an argument to counter what is said but keep an open mind to the views and opinions of others. (See our page:  What is Empathy? ) 6. Be Patient A pause, even a long pause, does not necessarily mean that the speaker has finished. Be patient and let the speaker continue in their own time, sometimes it takes time to formulate what to say and how to say it.Never interrupt or finish a sentence for someone. 7. Avoid Personal Prejudice Try to be impartial. Don't become irritated and don't let the person’s habits or mannerisms distract you from what they are really saying. Everybody has a different way of speaking – some people are for example more nervous or shy than others, some have regional accents or make excessive arm movements, some people like to pace whilst talking – others like to sit still. Focus on what is being said and tr y to ignore styles of delivery. 8. Listen to the ToneVolume and tone both add to what someone is saying. A good speaker will use both volume and tone to their advantage to keep an audience attentive; everybody will use pitch, tone and volume of voice in certain situations – let these help you to understand the emphasis of what is being said. 9. Listen for Ideas – Not Just Words You need to get the whole picture, not just isolated bits and pieces. Maybe one of the most difficult aspects of listening is the ability to link together pieces of information to reveal the ideas of others.With proper concentration, letting go of distractions, and focus this becomes easier. 10. Wait and Watch for Non-Verbal Communication Gestures, facial expressions, and eye-movements can all be important. We don’t just listen with our ears but also with our eyes – watch and pick up the additional information being transmitted via non-verbal communication. Do not jump to conclusio ns about what you see and hear. You should always seek clarification to ensure that your understanding is correct.

T-Mobile - Sprint Merger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

T-Mobile - Sprint Merger - Essay Example It partnered with Clearwire and dominates more than 43 markets. T-mobile International AG is a German holding based in Bonn, operating GSM and cellular networks in Europe and US. Globally T mobile has more than 150 million subscribers and it is 10th largest mobile service provider of world. T - Mobile USA is fourth largest mobile service provider of US. Sprint plans for 4G upgrade through T mobile. T-mobile has effective network build out and better advantage over competitors. T-mobile has high paying customers tied to monthly schemes. Hence, the merger will be beneficial for Sprint shareholders. Sprint is third largest mobile wireless service provider having increasing number of subscribers and better customer satisfaction rate, and it uses Google’s software, enjoys a strong spectrum position in conjunction with Clearwire’s WiMAX Network making it first 4G product offering and has unlimited data plans. T - Mobile shareholders will be benefitted in the deal as Sprint owns more spectrum than its competitors and its customer list is 48% more than T-mobile. Overall, it is an attractive stock for shareholders and the target shareholder may earn positive returns from competitive offers. The shareholder earnings of T-mobile and Sprint Nextel depend on the conditions, in which, the deal is made. Mergers can be successful if the merging firms retain focus on better outcomes (Swerdlow et al. 2001, p. 2) Deutsche Telekom spent $30 billion to get VoiceStream Wireless- which is now T-mobile USA and the deal has been beyond limits for Deutsche Telekom, which plans to get into $20 billion to $30 billion deal with Spirit. The equity value of T-mobile is $26.8 billion and equity value of Sprint is $19.8 million. Sprint’s total market value is $13.8 billion and it carries $20 billion debt load. Sprint suffered losses of $8.6 billion from 2008 -

Human Nature and Human Destiny Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Human Nature and Human Destiny - Essay Example However, every human is curious to know how the universe got created, who controls the universe, how did man first come into being. Answers to these cannot be derived from any number of scientific experiments, theories or inventions. These are the questions that lead a man of high intellect to go beyond regular boundaries of knowledge and seek answers. That the world was created by some unexplainable power, makes the intellect and will of the humans go beyond to ascertain how things came into being and who or what that â€Å"Supreme Power† is. Genesis 1:27 reads, "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."  (Imperato, 2009)   He went on to create man with intellect, emotions and free will. These factors set us apart from any other living organism in the universe (Mendelson, 2010). For e.g. animals function the same way as they have ever since their inception, without much of change in their behavioural pa ttern. Man on the other hand is known to resist conventionality and is always recreating, discovering, inventing and thinking ahead. While many do not confirm to any religion, they have been unable to resist seeking answers to the above. They have pushed their intellect and will in their quest to pursue the unexplainable.

Criminal Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Criminal Law - Essay Example Finally, there is the possibility that the actions of the doctor in giving the wrong blood transfusion and taking Alan off of life support would break the chain of causation so that Derek would not be liable for homicide after all. Therefore there a number of possible offenses and a number of possible defenses here for Derek and the Doctor. What homicidal offences might Derek have committed? What are the potential difficulties with regards to mens rea and actus reas? First, did Derek cause death or great bodily harm to Alan? The answer to this is yes, so the actus reus for homicide has been established. Second, can we establish that Derek aimed to cause death or great bodily harm to Alan? If so, then the mens rea for homicide has been established.1 While, in this case, it would be a stretch to state that Derek aimed to kill Alan, it may be shown that he, in fact, did intend great bodily harm to Alan when he set fire to Alan’s flat. What is not known is whether Derek was aware that Alan was inside the flat or not. If Derek had thought that Alan was not in his flat, then it could conceivably be said that Derek did not form the proper mens rea for homicide, because, in that case, Derek would have only had the mens rea for arson and not homicide. On the other hand, if it could be shown that Derek was affirmatively aware that Alan was asleep in the flat, then it could be said that Derek did, indeed, intend to cause great bodily harm to Alan, and the mens rea would be established. At any rate, even if Derek is not responsible for homicide, he would probably be responsible for manslaughter, as one only has to prove, as the actus reus for manslaughter that a person intended an unlawful act to another person for manslaughter to be established. As Derek intended arson on Alan’s home, this could be said that Derek intended an unlawful act on Alan, so he would be guilty of manslaughter even if there is no mens rea for homicide.2 Moreover, the mens rea might b e negated by Derek’s intoxication.3 The test here is whether Derek was so intoxicated that he could not form the mens rea that is necessary to commit the homicide. The facts stated that Derek had quickly downed four vodkas. This would certainly make a person drunk, however, the actual crime occurred four hours after Derek drank these vodkas, so Derek was probably not still so intoxicated by vodkas that he could not form the mens rea for the act. That said, the facts also said that Derek was suffering blackouts before the incident, although it is unclear what is causing these blackouts. Therefore, this might be a case of diminished responsibility. The rule on that is there must be present an abnormality of the mind that substantially impairs his mental responsibility.4 This is a possibility – perhaps Derek is suffering from an abnormality that would cause him to perform criminal acts of which he was somehow unaware. If this is the case, then he would have a defence unde r this. What defences might Derek have to homicide? The first defence will be that of provocation. The elements of provocation are as follows 1) the loss of self-control must coincide with the killing;5 2) a reasonable person would react in the same manner.6 We also have to look at the reasonable person in

Three questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Three questions - Essay Example A research was conducted, on managerial communication in hospital nursing, to identify obstacles and strategies to overcome these barriers. The research study involved the use of a qualitative approach that used 19 nurses from a university hospital. Semi-structured and vignette interviews were used as a mode of collecting data, and thematic analysis was employed as the technique of data analysis (dos Santos et al, 2012). The results garnered from the analysis of the participant nurses’ response to the interview questions provided interesting indicators. The results illustrated that there was fragmentation of work processes, work team involvement, work shifts and resistance to change (dos Santos et al, 2012). To counter these difficulties and challenges, training programs and workshops were held, which were meant to impart the basic and necessary communication skills essential to successful nursing practice. The training covered aspects such as formalization of conduct, communi cation and optimization of communication (Dos Santos et al. 2012). The results were able to illustrate the importance of effective communication in the execution of nursing duties. This is because communication affects the way that change is executed; this is in the sense that effective communication makes it easier for people to accept change. ... A negative attitude will negate their efforts in a manner that will diminish their ability or efforts in carrying out their duties. Attitude determines whether an individual is motivated or not towards their job or other responsibilities they are tasked with executing. In a work situation, the motivational levels of employees towards their work are a significant factor that should be considered by those heading human resource departments (HR) (Oldham & Hackman, 2010). This is because employees are highly motivated to improve operations in the workplace that results into better production of goods and services. HR managers should ensure that the job description of any task, which employees are delegated to, has an element (s) that serves to boost their morale, which translates to a positive attitude in the employee towards their work detail. When employees are given jobs that they deem demeaning or oppressive to them, they develop a negative attitude towards their job. This limits the ir performance, which usually manifests in the quality of the work done at the end of the day (Oldham & Hackman, 2010). To ensure that employees are satisfied with the type of work they are delegated, HR managers should adopt mechanisms of involving their employees in job design and implementation. This gives employee the chance to influence and have a say in matters that affect them directly. Involving employees in job design and implementation helps a firm achieve enhanced employee harmony, satisfaction, loyalty and the overall increase in productivity (Oldham & Hackman, 2010). Maslow’s theory states that humans are driven by their needs that predispose them to self-actualization that motivates

Case 1 Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

1 - Case Study Example 1. Innovation: Innovative approaches to cost-cutting like simpler ticketing system, personal TV for every passenger, uniform and efficient flight machines, usage of technology to reduce wastage, time etc have contributed to the successful establishment and sustenance of JetBlue during economic slowdown. Providing work-from-home opportunities for ticket reservations and planning also added to their cost-savings in infrastructure and staff. 2. Standardization: Low and uniform operating costs were an advantage to the then market conditions that demanded short passenger trips. Standardization in their services, like uniform class and trained interchangeable crew members also helped in saving costs and improving efficiency. 3. Competitive advantage: JetBlue’s cost-cutting strategies worked well while providing services better than counterpart low-cost airlines. JetBlue focused on cutting non-value adding costs to provide better quality. They invested higher amounts in equipment that required low maintenance; for example, personalised televisions versus meals; leather seats versus fabric ones. 4. Hiring: Neeleman’s strategy of hiring the best and experienced people in industry, like Dave Barger, and enthusiastic customer service professionals was advantageous of not only acquiring more customers but also in retaining their customers during testing times. 5. Customer focus: Their strong customer focus and genuine service helped increase customer base by word of mouth and also earn customer loyalty. Eventually, JetBlue has established a brand of its own with unique features and services. 6. Marketing strategy: JetBlue’s fun-filled and eye-catching marketing strategies that were supported equally by their practices were visible to and experienced by their customers, which helped improve their brand value. 1. Firm value and debt: JetBlue’s high debt makes

Curriculum Design Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Curriculum Design Project - Research Paper Example It is due to such aims that an inclusive curriculum design principally takes into consideration the targeted audiences’ or learners’ cultural, educational and social backgrounds as well as experiences (Morgan & Houghton, 2011). Emphasizing these characteristics of an effective curriculum, a curriculum design for K-12 level course will be planned in this project. The design of an efficient curriculum for the K-12 level course needs to reflect a fundamental understanding and acknowledgement to the altering nature of the 21st century society. As the audiences in this level tend to be the early learners, i.e. pupils in Kindergarten and high schools, the curriculum also should be simple, precise, easily comprehendible and interesting to suffice the psychological development needs of the learners. In this similar concern, an effective curriculum design can be duly considered as one of the significant constituents, which possesses strong abilities to instill the rudimental sig ns of a responsible person. The development of a comprehensive curriculum design project for the K-12 education level would also facilitate the societal development process to a substantial extent, by strengthening the roots of its educational system (ACARA, 2009; Kennedy & Archambault, 2012). The various attributes of an effective curriculum design, especially when concentrating on the needs of K-12 education level, should typically comprise creativeness and a clear purpose so as to effectively connect with the educational needs of the pupils (AAAS, n.d.). In today’s globalized economic purview, quality of education standards is regarded as one of the key strategies to gain developmental opportunities (The White House, n.d.). In this regard, the effectiveness of K-12 curricula can be regarded as an obligatory constituent, particularly in the US educational setting (California K12 Books, 2013). Apart from effective organizing and planning, implementing a focused, strategicall y aligned and structure execution process is also mandatory to ensure complete benefits of the K-12 curriculum. Thus, teachers, who are the main executers of the K-12 curricula, must also be trained with suitable skills along with knowledge in order to generate the highest possible advantages from the designed project (Carl, 2009). With this concern, this paper intends to develop a comprehensive curriculum design for the K-12 course. In this regard, a detailed analysis of the subject area or the course of Language Arts/English within the K-12 education environment has been chosen. This particular course is readily accessible in every educational institution of the US attached within K-12 educational system or environment. The course is intended for targeting the younger kids with the attributes of developing their comprehension, phonics, reading and writing fluency. Phase One Curriculum Outline/Learning Structure: Past to Future The curriculum encompassing Language Arts/English cour ses, in the K-12 level will aid the students to develop their writing and reading skills and most importantly, inspires them to inculcate a love for literature. It can be observed that this particular curriculum or course typically focuses upon incorporating classic works in the learning phase. Correspondingly, it emphasizes the values of writing as a procedure and

Hippie Culture Essay Example for Free

Hippie Culture Essay Few social movements marked the twentieth century in the United States as the protest movement of the 1960s. However, despite the scope and scale of such a wide movement that encapsulated so many different peoples and causes, including voting rights, women’s rights, civil rights, and ending the war in Vietnam, the movement is better known by a stereotype of the type of people that seemed so instrumental in perpetuating the movement: hippies. Though the great majority of those in the protest movement were not hippies, the movies, music, and cultural events that marked the times were dominated by hippie culture, and few events represented this fact as the stereotype-reinforcing Woodstock Music Festival. By the time Woodstock happened in 1969, the hippie movement was already something that had been growing the entire decade and most people who were not hippies had a good idea what a hippie was. If one would have to describe a hippie then, it could be said to be a young man or woman that was dirty, hairy, unemployed, and on drugs. While these are only a few attributes ascribed to a few hippies, the stereotypes became so strong that they were hard to remove from the other significant contributions they made, including in music, art, culture, and social awareness. So, while hippies were far more complex than most people chose to see them, they were pigeonholed to the stereotype of spoiled middle-class kids with too much time and freedom, and who refused to do their patriotic duties as their mothers and fathers had done before them, most specifically by starting families and fighting in the country’s wars. However, the decade leading up to Woodstock only helped reinforce many of these stereotypes. Hippie culture could have been said to begin the words and ideas of the Beat writers such as Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and others. These writers laid the foundation for the rebellious, anti-establishment ideals that would come to be so strongly embraced by the hippie culture during the 1960s. However, it would be Bob Dylan, who was strongly influenced by the Beats, who would use their ideas in his folk music. Dylan’s popularity not only made folk music popular, but his songwriting also tackled many of the issues of the time, including war, civil rights, and the basic questions of whether America was heading in the right direction, and if not, why. Dylan’s music influenced the songwriting of almost every major recording artist that came after him, or at least any that achieved any amount of success. Through Dylan and those he influenced, music became the first defining characteristic of hippie culture, showing a long history of music defining cultural movements and times through its almost religious effect on those that listen to it. Religious forces, like art, music, and everything that inspires classification as sacred, Emile Durkheim (1965) writes: â€Å"do not translate the manner in which physical things affect our senses, but the way in which the collective consciousness acts upon individual consciousnesses† (1965, p. 254). Music has the ability to act as a symbol of this collective consciousness, bringing the masses together to celebrate a shared philosophy or perspective. While many contend that art and music is nothing more than an escape from the everyday anxieties that life offers up, it is far more than that. Similar to the sacred in religion, which Durkheim asserts is not rooted in fear as humanist and existentialist theorists claim, but in the idealism of the collective mentality, music becomes sacred when presented in a way that appeals to the individual and the collective. Music and those who perform it act in ways similar to religious totems, representing the ideals of the collective and how they inhabit the individual, and take their roots in exhalation and celebration. According to Durkheim, â€Å"In fine, the sentiments at the root of totemism are those of happy confidence rather than terror and compression† (1965, p. 56). Music became the inspiration for hippie culture and gave them the confidence to fight back against ideals they saw as wrong, including the Vietnam War. There was no better representation of this than Woodstock. The Woodstock Music Art Festival that took place on a farm near Woodstock, New York, August 15 through August 18, 1969 not only assembled some of the greatest rock, pop, and folk musicians of the day, but also had a half million enthusiastic young and old fans celebrating life and music in a concert that changed the way the younger generation was viewed. After Woodstock, the burgeoning counter culture exploded into the mainstream, as the entire United States realized that the hippie culture was a force that could not be ignored, and its icons such as The Who, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and Jimi Hendrix reinforced many of the stereotypes of long hair, reckless behavior, and sexuality. Woodstock would become a legendary orgy of drug use, sexual intercourse, nudity, and mud, but also of peace, love, and a general togetherness that also characterized hippie culture. Another popular stereotype was the hippie general disregard for all authority, and Woodstock was no different. Over one-hundred thousand tickets had been sold to the event, but soon fans were crashing over fences and simply began streaming in to see the show (Woodstock. com, 2009). However, there were very few incidents of violence and the festival went on to become one of the iconic points in the culture of the 1960s. It also marked the beginning of the end of hippie culture. Woodstock was the last hurrah for a generation of young men and women that did their best to rebel against the previous generations and create their own persona. Unfortunately, stereotypes were rich and long concerning hippie culture, and Woodstock did well to encourage both the good and bad stereotypes. They displayed their amazing music and free-loving culture, but also their drug abuse and contentment with filth. By the time the 1970s began, hippie culture was all but dead, even though many of the hippies continued to live on. Today, hippies are seen as largely a joke and very superficial, which may speak of their ultimate failure to live up to their own ideals. The country is still largely conservative in many regards, still refuses many of the ideals of peace and love that the hippies inspired, and is still at war with foreign countries. Hippies are now seen in modern form as environmentalists, annoying activists for un-American or unethical causes, potheads or vegetarians. Hippies are no longer seen as a viable threat to the conservative ideals of the United States, and have in essence become all style and no substance. While stereotypes helped perpetuate the romantic notion of the idealistic hippie, they just as equally helped destroy a notion that never really existed in the first place.

Effects of Allergies on the Body

Effects of Allergies on the Body The human body is made with different kinds of immunity, which protects it from anything that could harm the body. During an allergic reaction, the immune system erroneously believes that what have entered the body are harmful, thus producing antibodies called IgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies to protect itself from the harmful element. It then circulates through the blood forming IgEs, which are specific to something as light as food. After this food-specific IgE is formed, it attaches itself to the mast cell which in turn produces chemicals into the bloodstream. These chemicals include what we call Histamine which acts on the parts of the body near to the mast cell attached with IgE antibodies. Examples are nose, eye, throat, skin, lungs, or gastrointestinal tract. This causes the distinctive allergic reactions. Take note that these cells are present in all body tissues. Once the body detects the food which it recognizes as the antibody, the bodys immune system will again fight the food off by going through the whole process of the allergic reaction. While other allergic reactions could be life-threatening such as anaphylaxis or asthma some could be just a simple rash, itchy eyes or sneezing. The reaction depends on the person and is known to be unpredictable. Title: common allergens There are almost 25% of the worlds populations who believe they have food allergies but studies show that only 6% of children and 2% of adults suffers from known types of allergic reactions. Some might just have food intolerance. Such is not linked with the immune system. Here are 8 common allergens most people are allergic to: Peanuts Milk Eggs Fish Tree nuts Wheat Shellfish Soy Kids in their earlier years might outgrow their allergies. However, it always depends on the food that they are allergic to. Usually allergies brought by eggs, milk, soy etc., are likely to be outgrown by children by the time they reach the age of 5 but only 20% of them outgrow allergies cause by peanuts and 10% on tree nuts. Allergic reactions triggered by shellfish or fish which develops later in life are unlikely to be outgrown. A person could be allergic to any foods depending on the reaction of its immune system which either rejects or accepts a type of substance that enters the body. Once the immune system marked the substance as harmful to the body, the substance, then, becomes an allergen for the person Title: first aid during allergic reactions It has been a fact that prevention is better than cure and for persons who are recently experiencing allergies from different allergens, it is a must follow rule. However, there are still situations in which the person forgets or accidentally bumps to some allergens he might not know of. Mild allergic reactions could usually be treated at home; here are some first aid instructions on mild allergies: For mild skin reactions, shower or apply cold compress. For itching, apply calamine lotion or take over the counter antihistamine or Claritin. If you were prescribed with epinephrine, inject yourself, as instructed. This kind of injections is premeasured for rapid relief of severe allergic reactions. For obstruction on breathing, it would be best if any Bystander would be able to perform CPR before the ambulance arrives to keep the patient breathing. For other reactions you should: stay calm, stay away from possible exposure to allergen, take antihistamine or Claritin and if you are feeling light headed or dizzy lie down with your leg raised higher than your head to keep the blood circulating to your brain. These first aid instructions could only be applied to mild reactions; it is still a must to call for a doctor or an ambulance to provide appropriate medication. Title: misconception about allergies There are now thousands of people around the world suffering from different kinds of allergic reactions. Listed below are some misconceptions on allergies: Most food allergies could be outgrown. It is indeed a fact that for kids below five years of age does outgrow some of their mild allergies. However, allergies which are distinctive pass the age of five is unlikely outgrown. Food allergy is not fatal. Mild allergies are not dangerous but there are cases in which triggers anaphylaxis or shortness of breath that could be fatal, this kind of reactions usually comes from peanuts. A person who has allergies is allergic to other foods. Studies show that a person with food allergies is only allergic to not more than four kinds of food. Some could be allergic to sugar. If there is one thing that the body could not be allergic to it would be sugar and fats. Food intolerance is an allergic reaction. Although gastrointestinal tract is included to parts which are affected during allergic reactions, having an upset stomach may be a result of something else. Always bear in mind that if the reaction you are experiencing involves your immune system then and only then can it could be called an allergic reaction. Title: symptoms of food allergies Symptoms of food allergies do not show up until the body digests it. Depending on the time of digestion, only few symptoms would become distinctive. This reaction may take from a few minutes to a few hours. The initial allergic reactions could be from simple itching to difficulty breathing, while the food is being digested in the stomach, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea or vomiting would start, this phase is most often confused with food allergies or food intolerance. After digestion, the antibodies produced by the bodys immune system would go into the bloodstream to fight off the allergens this phase may cause eczema (skin inflammation) or hives (red or itchy bumps on skins). And when it reaches the respiratory organs, depending on the kind of allergic reaction could cause difficulty in breathing, as this allergens pass through the blood vessels it may also cause muscle weakness or lightheadedness and worst could be anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis could be seriously fatal even if it started out with just a feeling of tingling in the throat this could go on to shortness of breath. Proper medical attention is required. Some mild food allergies may stop to just itching and after some few treatments or dose of antihistamine. Title: Allergy: A Brief Explanation Allergy is exaggerated  and  a substance that causes an allergic reaction called allergens. Such common allergens that may result to an allergy exposure are the   plant pollens from grasses, trees, or ragweed; tiny scales shed from the feathers, hair or skin of various animals; arachnids and insects, such as house dust mites, bees, and wasps; and drugs, such as penicillin. Hard-shelled animal (e.g. .lobster, crabs, and shrimps), eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, soybeans, tree nuts, and wheat are among the most common food allergies. Researchers estimate that at least 24 million people in the United States suffer from allergies, about 19 percent of the population. Allergy affects the immune system. Immune System is a  group  of  cells,  molecules, and organs that act together to protect our body against foreign invaders that may cause disease, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The health of our body is dependent on the immune systems ability  to recognize, drive away and destroy these invaders. Upon first exposure to an allergen, no allergic symptoms may develop. When the person is exposed to same substances at a later time, the allergic reaction against the lgE (immunoglobulin E) antibodies may activate the allergen. Here are some allergy symptoms: Itching Sneezing Stuffy nose Watery eyes Inflammation of the airways in the lungs Wheezing There are also seldom incidents of allergic shock and death. Title: Allergy: Does it affect self-image? Allergies are abnormal reaction of the immune system to certain substances. Allergic reactions vary from one individual to another. A person may be allergic to something that is typically harmless to other people. These substances are called allergens, which include food, house dust, medicines, insect stings, and latex rubber. Self-image is about how people think of themselves physically. It can be closely linked to self-esteem because as individuals grow, they care more of how others see them. Self-esteem is essential because this influences how a person acts. When you are confident about yourself, you are more in control of your behavior, you can make more friends, and you enjoy life more. Allergies can have a major impact on a persons emotional state. When allergies attack, physical symptoms such as sneezing, sniffling, watery eyes, congestion and itching, can affect peoples mood, some may feel annoyed, irritable, and frustrated. Some sufferers could actually feel less attractive and may feel self-conscious which makes them less productive in life. One of the best ways to deal with allergies is to avoid the allergens. Although there are significant improvements in the medical arena as to how allergies can be treated, avoidance remains the best way to stay away from allergic reactions. Do this, and be able to maintain good self-image at the same time. Title: Different Allergy Symptoms Allergen is any substance that causes an allergic reaction. Many allergens such as pollen of plants, molds exposure, dust mites, animal dander and the hazardous chemicals are airborne particles. In these cases, symptoms arise in areas in contact with air, such as the eyes, the nose, and the lungs. Example is  allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fevers, a condition due to  allergy  that imitates a continuing cold. Symptom includes irritation of the nose, sneezing, itching and redness of the eyes. Inhaled allergens can also lead to an asthmatic symptoms caused by narrowing of the airways and increased production of  secretion  in the lungs, shortness of breath coughing and wheezing. Aside from these allergens in surrounding area, allergic reactions can result from  foods,  insect stings, and reactions to  medicines  like aspirin  and  antibiotics  such as  penicillin. Symptoms of food allergy include  abdominal pain,  swollen or inflated,  vomiting,  diarrhea,  itchy skin, and  swelling of the skin during hives. Food allergies rarely cause  asthmatic reactions, or  rhinitis. Insect stings, antibiotics, and certain medicines produce a systemic allergic response that is also called  anaphylaxis (extreme sensitivity); multiple organ systems can be affected, including the  digestive system, the respiratory system, and the  circulatory system.  Depending of the rate of severity, it can cause  continuous reactions, enlargement,  low blood pressure,  coma, and even  death. Latex is also common causes of allergic reactions this is a substances that touches the skin. This is also known as contact skin inflammation. Skin allergies often cause rashes, or swelling and inflammation within the skin. Title: Peanut Allergy: Is there a Cure? Peanut, also known as groundnut, belongs to the legume family with a scientific name, Arachis hypogaea. Allergic reactions can be mild to severe in some people. Although the main cause of developing peanut allergy is unknown, it is believed to have something to do with how peanuts are processed. The method of cooking of peanuts in Asia, for example, is frying and boiling, making it less allergenic compared to dry roasting done in Westernized countries that makes allergens more potent. Peanut allergy is a form of food allergy commonly experienced by school age children and adults. It is potentially dangerous and can be life threatening, too. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, urticaria, asthma, swelling of the lips, face, throat and skin, and anaphylactic shock. If these symptoms are left untreated, it can be very fatal and may even lead to death. Peanut is a common food especially in Western countries. It is also a major ingredient in some commercially manufactured products, thus making it difficult to keep away from. Accidental exposure may be experienced. Despite the fact that the allergy can last a lifetime, some children have been said to outgrow peanut allergies. At present, the treatment for allergic reactions to peanut is not confirmed. However, management of peanut allergy has been practiced including desensitization of the immune system to the allergens acquired form peanuts. But the only way to avoid the occurrence of allergic reaction is to keep away from eating peanuts and peanut products. Title: Is Allergy Control effective? Allergy control plays a significant role in the prevention of hypersensitivity reactions. Allergies affect people in many different ways. It represents itself in various cases and it is caused by a variety of allergens. If a person has a certain allergy to something, it is important to always be knowledgeable about its cause to be able to prevent it from recurring. When you are aware of the substance causing the allergic reaction, you are more in control of the situation, you know how to manage it, and you are less likely to experience fatal consequences. How do we avoid allergens? There are specific ways for a particular allergen, but commonly, it is always advisable to be hygienic at all times. You must prevent yourself from being in contact with the allergen. And you can also try medications that are prescribed for certain allergies, like antihistamines, decongestants, eye drops, and nasal sprays. There is also an Allergy shot, known as immunotherapy, wherein an allergen is introduced to your body on a regular basis to gradually make you immune to such allergen. If not all, most of the allergies have no known cure. It is believed that strict avoidance is always the best way to combat allergic reactions. And so with this thought, allergy control is indeed effective. Title: A Brief Discussion of Skin Allergy Many think that just because their skin has rashes and that it itches, they already have skin allergy. This is not true because not all skin rashes are connected with skin allergy. Below are some of the most common skin allergies: Atopic Dermatitis Urticaria or Hives Contact Dermatitis Skin Itching without the presence of rashes There are different causes of allergy as well. The most common are the jewelry metals and perfumes. The reaction that takes place after your skin touches the allergen is called allergic contact dermatitis. The top metals causing this are nickel, gold, and Thimerosal. There are also fragrance substances that cause such reactions. Examples are the Balsam of Peru and fragrance mixes. So what will you do if you have skin allergy? The first thing you need to do is to determine its cause. You may have pet allergies or seasonal allergies. Identifying what is causing them can help you prevent them. After learning its cause, it is best to consult a doctor right away to learn about the remedies you can try. This is very important especially if you have severe allergic reactions. However, the best thing you can do is to avoid trigger factors. Avoid contact with your allergens to prevent problems. Title: Sun Allergy: How it affects your outlook in life. The sun symbolizes beauty and radiance. It represents life, happiness and mysticism. For some people, when the sun rises, normally they will embrace it with open arms. They will grab every chance they get to enjoy the sunshine. But if you are allergic to it, how does the sun make you feel? If you are faced with the challenges that a ray of light present to you, how do you react? Sun allergy is often characterized by an itchy red rash caused by an exposure to sunlight. It is commonly located on the neck, hands, arms and lower legs. Sometimes, severe skin reactions may occur, like small blisters and hives that may even spread to skin areas covered with clothes. This kind of allergy occurs only in sensitive individuals, in some instances, brief exposure to sun can trigger allergic reactions. For people with sun allergy, being outdoors, like having to enjoy the beach is quite an ordeal. There are remedies, like application of sunscreen and sun block, wearing of sunglasses and clothes that cover the skin. But being under the sun without the worries of allergic reactions is one of the best gifts that life has to offer. If the sun is the symbol of beauty and radiance, if it represents life, happiness and mysticism, then for a person allergic to it, it may be difficult to have the same opinion as others have. Title: Is There Cure for Allergies? There are different forms of allergies. One can be allergic to a specific type of food. There are also those who are allergic to certain medicines while others react to other allergens like dusts, pollens and other small particles. There are a lot of people that do not realize that they are allergic to something until they experience reactions after taking or having contact with the allergens. The symptoms may not show right away. The reactions may not show until a few minutes or hours after the encounter with the allergens. This is why it is essential that you are familiar with the symptoms. The common symptoms are difficulty in breathing, nausea, rashes, watery eyes and congestion. The symptoms vary depending on the level of the allergic reactions. There are over the counter medicines that that you can take to fight the allergic reactions. However, you still have to see your doctor to make sure that they are good for you. Many claim to give allergy cure. There are a lot of natural products offered in the market today. Some of them are the Nettle and Ginkgo Biloba. However, the best cure for allergies is prevention. Always check the label of your food purchases. You have to keep your home clean as well and see to it that the air you breathe is clean. Title: A Look at Allergy Developments Many ask about allergy developments. To understand it better, one should learn about its different categories. Once  allergy  antibodies have been form in a persons body in response to a particular allergen, an allergic reaction can occur when the person comes in contact with that allergen. The said allergens can be inhaled, eaten, injected, or contacted by the skin. When allergy antibodies are activated by an allergen, they cause body cells to release a substance called histamine, a chemical that dilates blood vessels, promotes fluid secretions, and stimulates nerves that cause muscles to spasm. These reactions create various allergy symptoms. Eyes become itchy, red, and watery when pollen allergens affect it. When the allergens affect the lungs it causes emission of mucus and inflammation, swelling, and narrowing of the airways, that result in asthma. Symptoms include spasms of the airways and sudden difficulty in breathing. Patients  are  sometimes surprised by the sudden start of allergies in adult life. This is able to occur when the combination of a persons genetic makeup and a longstanding but unnoticed reactivity to an allergen finally culminates in a detectable disease. This so-called allergic threshold is crossed when allergens finally produce enough reaction in the body to cause detectable symptoms. Many people  think  that emotions, such as stress, cause allergies, but most physicians believe this is incorrect. In fact, the opposite may be true: People with allergies live with symptoms that can produce serious emotional upset. Title: Allergy Risk Factors: An Overview Allergy risk factors can be categorized into two, the host and the environmental factors. Examples of Host factors are age, heredity, sex, and race. Among them, heredity is the most significant. There are also instances when the occurrences of allergic disorders are not linked with genetic aspects. Allergy attacks can be provoked by environmental factors; allergy causes are the dust, peanuts, and pollens. These factors can be easily identified and allergy treatment can be taken if one is sensitive to pollen. The threat of allergic sensitization and the development of the allergies differ with age.   The peak occurrence of hay fever is highest in children and young adults and the incidence of asthma is highest in children under 10. In comparison to females, males are more likely to develop allergy. However, young female adults are likely to be affected with diseases like asthma. There are also comparisons made in international differences. Results show there is high incidents of allergic diseases in industrialized areas compared to areas, which remain traditional, with rich agriculture. Since our bodies progress to deal with a certain level of such pathogens, when it is not exposed to this level the immune system will attack harmless antigens, and thus normally benevolent microbial objects, like pollen, will trigger an immune response. Title: A struggle with Milk Allergy Milk allergy is a form of food allergy. It is an allergy to proteins in cows milk or milk from other animals that is usually not dangerous to other people. It can cause anaphylaxis, which can lead to death if not treated accordingly. People allergic to milk are probably having a hard time dealing with it. Not only because it is a good source of calcium and vitamin D, it is also an ingredient to some of the most delicious foods ever made, like ice cream, cakes, and pizzas. Some food products may not obviously contain milk in it, but being cautious at all times will help in the prevention of an allergic reaction. Always read food labels before consumption and do not eat anything that you are not sure of. It is sad that there is no cure for milk allergy. Avoidance of milk and milk products is still the best way to prevent the occurrence of the allergy. If a person allergic to milk has accidentally ingested food with this content, and start to experience symptoms such as swelling of the mouth, difficulty of breathing and chest pain, he may give himself a shot of Epinephrine right away before help arrives. It is important to seek medical help just in case you need follow up treatment for the allergic attack. Title: Understanding Dust Allergy Even the simplest dust can cause allergy. However, the dust allergy is not caused by dust alone. The sniffing and sneezing are caused by house dust, which is composed of various particles. Some of the items that may be included in the house dust are the following: Cockroach waste Human and pet dander Mold They are very difficult to detect because they are invisible in the naked eye. They may be lurking in your carpets, sofa, bed and other furniture. They breed and develop in areas that are damp and humid. Once they come in contact with the skin or when inhaled, these allergens cause allergic reactions. Such reaction could lead to the scaling of the skin and other allergy symptoms. There are also severe reactions that can be fatal if not dealt with right away. Learning about the dust mites caused by the house dust is your best defense against dust allergy. Frequent cleaning is a must. Remember that they thrive in dark, warm and moist places. You should also wash fabrics regularly. These include your bed sheets and pillow cases. Clean your sofa regularly as well. Vacuum the carpets too. A clean house is your best armor against dust mites that cause dust allergy. See to it that you do not provide them with a breeding ground. Title: Is it Easy to Prevent Yourself from Allergy Asthma? When we speak of breathing, it is always connected to being alive and being able to do the things we want in this world. Having problems with it can actually cause us panic and worry about dying because we all know that in the absence of breathing, it only means one thing, we are dead. Allergy asthma is a common respiratory problem that affects mostly young children and young adults, and can be a problem even until later years of life. It is characterized by wheezing, productive cough and difficulty in breathing. It causes mild agitation but could be fatal depending on the number of allergens affecting the airways. There is no permanent cure for Asthma but there are several ways to control it and lessen its effect on daily living. Treatment of allergy asthma involves a lot of medications including bronchodilators and inhalers, which provide a quick relief from discomfort in breathing. Alternative ways like herbs and dietary supplements are also available to help manage the conditions brought about by the disease. It is also said that the best treatment is trying to prevent yourself from being affected by the disease. But this could be impossible to some because allergy asthma is hereditary. People with family history of asthma are at higher risk of developing the disease. If it is in the genes, getting away from it could be difficult. Title: Role of an allergist Allergist is a physician who specializes in diagnosing and suggests proper allergy treatment. His the one who shows a brief physical examination, looking in the nose, the eyes, the ears, the throat, listening to the chest and examining the skin. In various cases the allergist also performs allergy skin test. This is a kind of test that uses painless injection into the surface of our skin. A person who has a positive skin test response that occur after 15 to 30 minutes, there is a local skin reaction. Allergy treatment varies with the severity and a type of allergy symptom. On the assumption that medicines cannot control allergy symptoms, the allergist may recommend allergen immunotherapy. And it is a treatment of disease or other disorders by strengthening our bodys immune system. Testing the antibodies is an example. This is a series of injection, which helps reduce the patients reaction to allergens. In several cases, the best allergy treatment is to remove the offending allergens from the patients environment. Food allergies are the most difficult allergy type to be diagnosed and to be treated. Its skin tests are inaccurate, and blood test can be indecisive. Allergist helps the patients identify the specific suspicious foods they should not to eat. He helps patients to identify which food is the offending allergen. Allergist also gives special diet to the patients in order to eliminates food he is allergic to. Title: Skin allergy: a threat to ones confidence Most people, if not all, get their confidence with their physical appearance. Aside from facial attributes and physical features, the skin has a big role in your self-projection. Sometimes, we even judge a person and can conclude a lot of things by just looking at their skin. With clear and smooth skin, you can boost your morale and be happy with yourself. When you are happy with yourself, you contribute to your health and wellness. On the other hand, when symptoms like rashes, itchiness, swelling, irritation and inflammation are evident, it indicates skin allergy or skin disease. Sometimes, people may think they you are infectious that they even avoid being near you and all. It is needless to say that is appalling for anyone who encounters these kinds of situation. The skin, without any doubt, is very important. Not only because it covers the inside of our body but also because it protects us from a lot of diseases. Skin is the humans first line of defence against any harmful substances in the environment. Human skin can be sensitive to some substances that come into contact with it. These harmful substances are called allergens. Skin allergy may vary from person to person, as well as the treatment for such allergy may differ. So it is essential to maintain its integrity and keep it from being damaged. In this way, maintaining confidence will be achievable.

The Nature Versus Nurture Debate Psychology Essay

The Nature Versus Nurture Debate Psychology Essay The present studies have come to conclude that nature and nurture are inextricable. Both nature and nurture a reciprocal complement to do all the work of determining development. It is extremely unlikely that there are no human being without genetic material to shape the growth and cell differentiation before conception. This means that genetic effects are not only pervasive but necessary. However, it is hard to describe that all process of genetic modification is dominated by genetic influences. Because, environmental factors are inextricably relative with shaping organization as well as affect organization to survive. Both reciprocal genetic and environmental factors influence on individual heritability as well as cognitive ability (Bouchard McGue, 1998). In human behavioral perspective, multifactorial human traits and psychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia are good evidences to explain the relationship the genetic with the environmental sources. A parent which have undergone disrupt family function are highly prone to their child to have the risk of developing antisocial traits. The reason is that the parents genes bring out environmental risks, and these risks contribute to a child to expose to risky environments either directly or indirectly. In other words, their offspring genes that were genetic-environment correlated may cause a psychological characteristic to rise and a nurtured environment for that characteristic to develop further (Bouchard McGue, 1998). Behavioral scientist can be understand most psychiatric disorders using this approach, but it will require more psychosocial researches that manifest close correlation between both genetic-environment and human traits through the multidisciplinary association and, particularly for geneticists and psychosocial researchers (Bouchard McGue). Recent most psychologists tend to accept the idea that nature and nurture can act mutually and both of them influence on heritability. However, in the beginning of nature-nurture concept, Francis Galton carried his thesis that intellectual ability is largely genetically rather than environmentally determined and that the parents genius transmit their offspring was the result of a natural superiority through his book, Hereditary Genius (1869) (Mcleod, 2007). By an examination of a large group of eminent people in different fields, Galton attempted to survey their relatives in order to reveal their relatives how many of them were superior for enough stars. He calculated the rate of eminent people in various degrees of similarity to the initial famous people. These findings were showed human breeding were able to manipulate to produce superior people as well as eliminating or excluding biologically inferior people were necessary for improve quality of the human race. His thesis has unassailable weaknesses that his findings were overly influenced by the British practice of primogeniture and by his inclusion of People  who can define  Well-thought-of  as geniuses (Rothenberg, 2005).His researches were limited to comparing offspring from different families, largely due to a lack of available data.  Furthermore, his hypothesis of direct hereditary transmission of eminent genius was over interpretation; because that hereditary genius was close not a matter of certainties but possibilities of a judge. Even in the biologically superior society that he hoped for, consequences could not be expected with certainty for individual cases. It is also possible that he had already exposed the lack of accuracy study due to Galtons lack of interest in natural history. Nevertheless, he was a first pioneer who not only defines the modern conception of the nature-nurture dichotomy but established both the theoretical and statistical science foundations of beh avior genetics, and promoted the idea and potential value of intelligence testing (Fancher, 2009). In the present Rothenberg study (2005), he verified the still-influential statistical studies of Frances Galton on the inheritance of genius as well as surveyed the family background factors in order to evaluate empirically the hypothesis  of  hereditary transmission of genius or creativity. He collected family background occupational data from the group of 435 Nobel laureates were engaged in natural science fields such as chemistry, physics, medicine and physiology from 1901 through 2003. These for same parent-offspring occupations were compared with a matching group of 548 eminent people with noncreative occupations and also with 560 outstanding non prize winners for general population occupation. The study revealed that both family back ground genetic and environment factor are less likely to influence Nobel laureates in the natural sciences. Instead of direct inheritance of creativity from their parents, the effort and desires of the parent influences on Nobel laureates motiv ation to achieve creative accomplishment in their science filed (Rothenberg, 2005). The limitation of Rothenbergs study is based on similarity criteria between parent and offspring behavior, of behavioral genetics rather than on a gene-transmission approach. For all that, his thesis is seems to obviously controverts the Galtons idea of direct hereditary transmission of eminent. Rothenbergs study takes into account for derived from a wide cultural and ethnic range as well as from the extended time period of the 20th and 21th centuries, his findings is more reliable then Galtons and weight in an idea that a genius or talent is born when the  relationship  between nature with nurture is reciprocal. This concept of interaction between nature and nurture can be adjusted and useful in the daily life. From relationship parents with their problematic children, as change parents idea, they can be found a breakthrough. Parents complain of raising their difficult children who are self-absorbed, rebellious, inattentive, and violent. They could not understand their children as well as struggle to find an effective solution to their problematic children. The parents have tried to find a proper solution for handle their hard to handle children from many researches and books, but they could not find it. The approach  stance on  nature-nurture will suggests a possible solution to parents who have been suffering from their problem children Parents should know why their children are hard to handle before solve the problem. Babies come into world with unique traits in physical makeup. Even in the fetus period, babies can expose individual differences in the workings of their motor systems and in specific sensory perceptions (Inal YÄ ±dÄ ±z, 2012). Some babies are born with overly sensitive and over reactive or under sensitive and under active. When give a stimulus to them, overly sensitive babies may be taking in and decoding information in a certain sense, otherwise, another may have undergone difficulty with comprehending information through that sense (Inal YÄ ±dÄ ±z). If a child with over sensitive receives a fearful stimulus, he or she may rapidly increase rigid traits to become a problem child. Many children who have suffered that experiences can make a vast difference according to their parents how to relative to them. After analysis and understand their childrens natural characteristics, parent are able to solve their problem through three ways. First of all, it is important that their parents have made an effort to read their childrens physical makeup and signals as well as to support them learn new ways to cope. Secondly, Parents give the right sense of security to their children. When their children are aggressive and overwhelmed, parents console them by using gentle gesture and comfortable verbalizing for they will be comfort themselves by their feelings. Lastly, parents gradually show them how to take charge of their own environment. A child with fixed temperamental characteristics can be significantly adjusted his or her behavior and personality by early caregiving experiences (Slatcher Trentacosta, 2012). In a nutshell, when parents are trying to recognize their childrens personality and traits as well as set their behavior for their childrens temper, their children can remove a tag as dif ficult children of themselves. During the second half of the 20th century, there has made steady progress on the effects of nature, nurture, and developmental processes. Therefore, we are able to understand many of the mechanisms of human gene, behavior, multifactorial human traits and psychiatric disorders (Rutter, 2002). Nature and nurture are not only indivisible but also reciprocal each other. Parents natural specific characteristics such as or genius and creative traits can be influence on their offspring. However, environmental factor also need to fulfill a complete condition. In the front head, genetic and psychosocial research are forecasting to find more strong gene-environment correlations and interactions through the multidisciplinary association studies. Similarly, other fields without direct relative of psychological study will be also expected to lead them developing  their research ideas and  also  to help with funding applications.

The Dangers of Avalanches Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Dangers of Avalanches Imagine a day of skiing or snowmobiling, where all is good and that last mountain must be conquered. Once on the slope, it may seem perfect, until the snow begins to give away and start to slide. Tumbling down a slope moving at 150 miles per hour, smashing into trees, becoming buried under 100,000 tons of snow, only to guess which way is up, how does one survive? Will the rescuers be able to find the buried victim? For centuries, mountain dwellers and travelers have had to reckon with the deadly forces of snowy torrents descending with lightning speed down mountainsides. Researchers and experts are making progress in detection, prevention and safety measures, but avalanches still take their deadly toll throughout the world. Each year, avalanches claim more than 150 lives worldwide, a number that has been increasing over the past few decades (Cooper). Traditionally, the victims have included skiers and climbers. Today an increasing number are backcountry snowboarders and gasoline crazed snowmobilers (whyfiles.org). An Avalanche is defined as a "rapidly descending large mass of snow, ice, soil, rock or mixtures of these materials, sliding or falling in response to the force of gravity." All that is necessary for an avalanche is a mass of snow and a slope for it to slide down. Avalanches occur regularly on mountains around the world, and are harmless, unless someone happens to be in the way. They tend to run down the same pathways every year, and danger zones are usually well-known (infoplease.com). Avalanches are born from a weakness in the snow. Snow is a shape-changer, depending on prevailing temperature and weather conditions. Snow begins life as a fluffy six-armed crystal flake, but while it... ...www.nature.com/nsu/990902/990902-3.html Fink, Micah. PBS: Savage Planet. "Extremes: Forecasting Avalanches." 10 March 2004. <http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageplanet/04extremes/02avalforecast/indexmid.html> Fredstor Jill A. and Fesler, Doug. Snow Sense. "A Guide to Evaluation Snow Avalanche Hazard." Alaska Mountain Safety Center, 1994. McClung, David and Schaerer, Peter. The Avalanche Handbook. Douglas and McIntyre, Ltd. 1993. National Snow and Ice Data Center. "Why Avalanche Awareness?" 12 March 2004. <http://nsidc.org/snow/avalanche/index.html> National Weather Service, "The Handy Weather Answer Book," Visible Ink. Detroit 1997. 9 March 2004. < http://www.crh.noaa.gov/riw/avalanch1.htm> TechLink, "Army Technology to be used for Better Avalanche Protection," 8 March 2004 <http://techlink.msu.montana.edu/dt/armyavalancheprediction.html>

The End of Oppression for Jamaican Women Essay -- Oppression Feminism

The End of Oppression for Jamaican Women Women have been oppressed in many places and in many different ways over the years, but in Jamaica this continuing trend is finally to be broken. "Sexual or gender inequality represents as essential and integral feature of social relations and culture construction in Jamaica, where for the past four hundred years colonial and imperialist exploitation has governed the development of economic, political, and sociocultural patterns and structures."(Harrison: Women in Jamaica's Urban Informal Economy pg. 12) Women have different roles in politics, economics and religion than their counterparts. It is important to know not just the general role of women, but it is also important to know where they come from. Women have not played a big role in politics, have been oppressed economically, and have not received equal pay. In the Rastafarian culture women are subservient, this is slowly changing. Where does this leave Jamaican women? A race looking for strong women role models. "Black women do not lack heroines or role models. They do though, need to rescue them from the shadows of selective history." (http://www.internurse.com /marymain.htm) Throughout the history of Jamaica there have been great women leaders and musicians, such as, Nanny of the Maroons, Queen Omega, Mary Jane Seacole, Marcia Griffith, Judy Mowatt, and Sister Carol. Currently it is very important today in Jamaica for young girls to have role models. Not only has Jamaican society and Rastafarian culture suppressed women, but other countries have as well. Going way back in history to the 1700's one can find a strong woman who is still talked about today. Nanny of the Maroons lived in the 1700'sm when people living in Ja... ..., 1997, URL: http://www.bobmarley.com/life/legacy/rita/ritainterview.html. Steffens, Roger, "Rita Marley", URL: http://hem.passagen.se/perdavid/ritaM.htm. 4/3/00. Timm, Bob, "Interview with Sister Carol", Nov 3, 1999, URL: http://ska.about.com/entertainment/ska/library/1999/aa110399b.htm. 4/11/00. United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, "Consultation on Gender and Industrial Policy", Aug. 1995, URL: http://www.unrisd.org/html/focus/focus1/eng/f1e12.htm. 4/3/00. Webmaster@jamaicaway.com, "Excellent Nanny of Maroons", 1999, URL: www.jamaicaway.com/Heroes/NannyPage.html. 4/3/00. Webmaster@sit.edu, "Jamaica Gender and Development", Jan 10, 2000, URL: http://www.sit.edu/studyabroad/americas/jamaica.html. 3/25/00. Whitemanm, Burchell, "Nanny of the Maroons", Feb. 1998, URL: www.kasnet.com/heroesofjamaica/nan/nan/nan1.htm. 4/3/00.

Development of the piano from the romantic era to the classic era Essay

Development of thepiano from theromanticera to theclassicera Introduction            This paper preludes the history of one most versatile instrument in the entertainment industry and its development. In the closing quarter of the eighteenth century, the pianoforte turned into the principal instrument of parading western art music. The piano most commonly called the piano instruments caught the hearts of many both amateurs and professionals. A piano sustains different pitches in an attractive and lyrical craze.            Having the ability to play any kind of tune in the orchestra, a piano can broadly feature the definition of a stringed keyboard with a hammer action in its instrumentation. The piano is capable of gradation of both soft and shrill this made the essential instrument of harmony pedagogy. As the dusk of the nineteenth century became, the piano was a common feature most middle-class populations of both North America and Europe. Most western composers including Mozart have played this instrument. The classical era            Cristofori developed an instrument named the gravicembalo col piano e forte, translated as the â€Å"soft and loud keyboard instrument.† This name sequentially shortened to pianoforte and subsequently to just piano. The device displayed in New York City in the metropolitan museum (Eugene). A combination of the magnificent tone underneath aptitude of the clavichord with the influence of the harpsichord led to three inventories. The inventors were functioning separately; they invented approximately the same piano actions – Christofori of Padua, Schroter of Saxony (1717) and Marius of Paris (1716).            Marius did not accomplish creating a piano. He deserted his models, since they were not pertinent to the present harpsichord. Schroter’s exploit resulted in the creation of the Vienna action and school of piano edifice. On the other hand, Christofori’s piano in 1747 was with Silbermann. It was in the workshop of Silbermann that an English school of piano making emerged (Eugene). The creation of the Piano as an intact and absolute instrument accredited to Christofori Bartolommeo of Italy. German and Italian makers swap the quills by hammers of harpsichord. They steadily overcame the numerous problems of its structure. A gifted French instrument maker Sebastian Erard introduced an ingenious advanced mechanism all previous ideas. This invention led to the piano â€Å"action† of our day (Bachus). The Broadwood as well did much to build up the supreme tone of the instrument. The manufacture of piano became one of the world’s industries.            France, Australia Germany, and England were doing their preeminent to advance the traditional instrument. The claim for superior power resulted to the preamble of the substantial metal framing necessitated by the amplified tension of steel strings. The increased solidity, strength and qualities increase sonorousness and power to the tone. American makers and inventors have contributed much to the instruments improvement (Bachus). The classical period spanning over seventy years was a period when composers started pulling in the sovereignty of the numerous baroque time musical styles. They achieved by creating stringent compositional â€Å"regulations.† Within this inflexibility, grand composers like Mozart and Haydn created several of the utmost classical music known to the world. However, they were not the solitary writers accountable for excellent classical music at the time Joseph Franz Haydn (1732-1809)            Haydn was an incredible composer, exemplified the denotation of classical era composition. Even though he was not as showy as younger, Mozart was. His compositions always remained accurate to its form. Unlike a number of other composers, Haydn had a â€Å"consistent and sound† job composing, performing, directing, managing and teaching musicians from the royals of the Esterhazy family unit (Eugene). In this period, Haydn composed countless pieces for the performance of the chivalrous orchestra. With an astounding creative work, with the inclusion of over the 60 string quartets and 100 symphonies, he is occasionally referred to as the â€Å"father of string Quartet or symphony.† Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)            Mozart was born in 1756 and he started the work of composing when he was five years old. He began touring Europe a short time he began composing. Unfortunately, Mozart passed on at the juvenile at 35 (Eugene). However, throughout his short existence, Mozart had over 600 compositions. His style of composition and that of Haydn are similar. The only difference was its consisted of long notes, and was more flamboyant. The romantic era            Political and social stress in the period of 1825-1900 following the French revolution and the nationalistic trends resulted to â€Å"romanticism.† The period was dramatic mud with thought. The contradictions between socialism and capitalism, faith and science, logic and emotion were significantly thought provoking. There were a revolt and impatience in the rules of classism and music as well as the practices of Mozart. The perfections of the romantic composers were one with an individualistic approach to emotions and feelings (Wood)            In 1822, the Erard brothers untested the most prominent of all piano measures: the double escapement action. The rationale of the apparatus was the similar to that of 1808. However, while highlighting its drop from the Cristofori – Silbermann orientation, the purpose of every of its disconnected parts worked out with tranquil superior insight and originality (Bachus). Nevertheless, the hammer failed to fall back entirely after the fast escapement, but came to rest concurrently on a sprung and a check piece; sloping lever retained the tack hammer in proximity with the strings.            The key then elevated a little; the check unconstrained the hammer and thus propelled alongside the strings again. The keys movement transmitted to the hammer through the slanted lever. The act noted at formerly for its extraordinary lightness, suppleness, and dependability. Its importance cannot be overstated since only little modifications of the elements were required for the modern piano (Isacoff).            Romantic music amplified power and emotional expression to portray human feelings. It preserved the formal structures from the classical period and created new forms that were viewed as better suited to the new subject matter. The theme in the novel music was at the moment not only entirely abstract, but also universally drained from other art sources as history and literature. Ludwig van Beethoven            He was baptized in 1770 a German pianist and composer. He remained an important figure in the transition from classical to romantic music. He is one of the most influential of all times in the western art. He was a citizen of the Roman Empire who was an inborn of Bonn, the capital of Electorate of cologne. In his early twenties, he moved to Vienna. In Vienna, he studied with Haydn Joseph and swiftly gained a reputation as an expert pianist. His status started deteriorating in the end 1790; however, he progressively continued to composing and performing even after he became deaf (Isacoff). In the onset of the romantic literature revolution Beethoven, composition the 1824 symphony number nine was notable. An elaborate set made the introduction of a            soloist and chorus. It seemed like in a solely instrumental appearance of the classical symphony that did not entirely express his feelings. After this drastic exodus from tradition, a lot of composers felt liberated to try out other styles. Schubert            Schubert’s music efficiently connects the music in the Classical to the Romantic era. It does this using inventive scoring, lovely melodies, and nature imagery; it weds traditional classical type and increase them. In his unfortunate petite life, he composed sonatas, symphonies operas, chamber, piano music, and more than 600 songs (Wood). However, despite the genre, his talent for the creation of gorgeous melodies remains unmatched in history. Schubert’s music was as well adoring, at times dark. He had emphasis on the minor and major key shifts backed with adventurous harmonics. Some Outstanding illustrations of his talent for tune are in admired A major quintet (Isacoff). They are inclusive of a set variance on the melody of one of his famous songs and from which he was nicknamed â€Å"The Trout.† Even though he left incomplete for no known rationale, Schubert’s inspiring and gorgeous Symphony in B minor no. 8 in, is one of his most adm ired works. Wilhelm Richard Wagner            Wilhelm was a German composer. He was famous for style as an essayist and theatre director. Conduct. He primarily had a unique opera the â€Å"music dramas.† His compositions, chiefly those of his afterward time, are prominent for their composite texture, orchestration and rich harmonies (Isacoff). The complex exercise of leitmotifs: musical themes connected with plot elements, places, ideas, and characters. Dissimilar from most of the other opera composers, Wagner was a writer of both libretto and music for each for his works. Wagner introduced swift shift in tonal center and chromaticism in language. The advancements greatly influenced the development of classical music in Europe. His Isolde and Tristan occasionally referred as the mark for the onset of modern music. The influence of Wagner spared beyond music into philosophy, literature, and visual arts. He constructed his opera, the Bayreuth Festspielhaus that contained a variety of new features (Wood). This was the point where the Parsifal and Ring found their premiers that many stage works are performed. Conclusion            Through the classical into the romantic era, the piano has significant changes. Composers gave melody into the romance period it had more emotion and melody. Music develops from the church forum into the streets and a worthwhile job. The magnificent tone underneath that was displayed at the New York museum formulated in the romantic era. This was through the ingenious inventions of Sebastian Erald. The works of Americans not forgotten as they fined tuned the construction of the instrument as well as an introduction the metal frame in the now modern pianoforte. References Bachus, Nancy. The Classical Piano: The Infuluence of Society, Style, and Musical Trends on the Great Piano Composers. Alfred Music Publishing, 2006. Eugene, K. Anthology of classical piano music: intermediate to early advanced works by 27 composers. Cambridge: Havard university Press, 2003. Isacoff, Stuart. A Natural History of the Piano: The Instrument, the Music, the Musicians – from Mozart to Jazz and Everything in Between. Great Russell: Souvenir Press, 2012. Wood, Gillen D’Arcy. Romanticism and Music Culture in Britain, 1770-1840: Virtue and Virtuosity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. Source document

Rights of Drug Administration

THE SIX RIGHTS OF DRUG ADMINISTRATION Right Drug Many drugs have similar spellings and variable concentrations. Before the administration of the medication, it is imperative to compare the exact spelling and concentration of the prescribed drug with the medication card or drug profile and the medication container. Regardless of the drug distribution system used, the drug label should be read at least three times: 1. Before removing the drug from the shelf or unit dose cart. 2. Before preparing or measuring the actual prescribed dose 3.Before replacing the drug on the shelf or before opening a unit dose container (just prior to administering the drug to the patient) Right Time When scheduling the administration time of a medication, factors such as timing abbreviations, standardized times, consistency of blood levels, absorption, diagnostic testing, and the use of p. r. n. medications must be considered. 1. Standard Abbreviations—The drug order specifies the frequency of drug a dministration. Standard abbreviations used as part of the drug order specify the times of administrati0n.The nurse should also check institutional policy concerning administration of medications. Hospitals often have standardized interpretations for abbreviations. The nurse must memorize and utilize standard abbreviations in interpreting, transcribing, and administering medications accurately. 2. Standardized Administration Times—For patient safety, certain medications are administered at specific times. This allows laboratory work or ECGs to be completed first, in order to determine the size of the next dose to be administered. 3.Maintenance of Consistent Blood Levels—The schedule for the administration of a drug should be planned to maintain consistent blood levels of the drug in order to maximize the therapeutic effectiveness. 4. Maximum Drug Absorption—The schedule for oral administration of drugs must be planned to prevent incompatibilities and maximize abs orption. Certain drugs require administration on an empty stomach. Thus, they are given 1hour before or 2 hours after meals. Other medications should be given with foods to enhance absorption or reduce irritations.Still other drugs are not given with diary products or antacids. It is important to maintain the recommended schedule of administration for maximum therapeutic effectiveness. 5. Diagnostic Testing—Determine whether any diagnostic tests have been ordered for completion prior to initiating or continuing therapy. Before beginning antimicrobial therapy, assure that all culture specimens (such as blood, urine, or wound) have been collected. If a physician has ordered serum levels of the drug, coordinate the administration time of the medication with the time the phlebotomist is going to draw the blood sample.When completing the requisition for a serum level of a medication, always make a notation of the date and time that the drug was at last administered. Timing is impo rtant; if tests are not conducted at the same time intervals in the same patient, the data gained are of little value. 6. P. R. N. Medications—Before the administration of any p. r. n. medication, the patient’s chart should be checked to ensure that the drug has not been administered by someone else, or that the specified time interval has passed since the medication was last administered. When a p. rn. medication is given, it should be charted immediately.Record the response to the medication. Right Dose Check the drug dosage ordered against the range specified in the reference books available at the nurses’ station. 1. Abnormal Hepatic or Renal Function—Always consider the hepatic and renal function of the specific patient who will receive the drug. Depending on the rate of drug metabolism and route of excretion from the body, certain drugs require a reduction in dosage to prevent toxicity. Conversely, patients being dialyzed may require higher than nor mal doses. Whenever a dosage is outside the normal range for that drug, it should be verified before administration.Once verification has been obtained, a brief explanation should be recorded in the nurses’ notes and on the Kardex 9or drug profile) so that others administering the medication will not be repeatedly contacted with the same questions. The following laboratory tests are used to monitor liver function: aspartame aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). The blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Crs), and creatinine clearance (Ccr) are used to monitor renal function. 2.Pediatric and Geriatric Patients—Specific doses for some drugs are not yet firmly established for the elderly and for the pediatric patient. The nurse should question any order outside the normal range before administration. For pediatric patients, the most reliable method is by proporti onal amount of body surface area or body weight. 3. Nausea and Vomiting—If a patient is vomiting, oral medications should be withheld and the physician contacted for alternate medication orders, as the parenteral or rectal route may be preferred. Investigate the onset of the nausea and vomiting.If itbegan after the start of the medication regimen, consideration should be given to rescheduling the oral medication. Administration with food usually decreases gastric irritation. Consult with a physician for changes in orders. Right Patient When using the medication card system, compare the name of the patient on the medication card with the patient’s identification bracelet. With the unit dose system, compare the name on the drug profile with the individual’s identification bracelet. When checking the bracelet under either system, always check for allergies, as well.Some institutional policies require that the individual be called by name as a means of identificatio n. This practice must take into consideration the patient’s mental alertness and orientation. It is much safer ALWAYS to check the identification bracelet. 1. Pediatric Patients—Never ask children their names as a means of positive identification. Children may change beds, try to avoid you, or seek attention by identifying themselves as someone else. Check identification bracelets EVERY TIME. 2. Geriatric Patients—It is a wise policy to check identification bracelets, in addition to confirming names verbally.In a long-term care setting, residents usually do not wear identification bracelets. In these instances, only a person who is familiar with the residents should administer medications. Many errors may be voided by carefully following the practices just presented. Make it a habit to check the identification bracelet EVERY TIME a medication is administered. The adverse effects of administration to the wrong medication to the wrong patient and the potential for a lawsuit can thus be avoided. Right Route The drug order should specify the route to be used for the administration of the medication.Never substitute one dosage form of medication for another unless the physician is specifically consulted and an order for the change is obtained. There can be a great variation in the absorption rate of the medication through various routes of administration. The intravenous route delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream. This route provides the fastest onset, but also the greatest danger of potential adverse effects such as tachycardia and hypotension. The intramuscular route provides the next fastest absorption rate, based upon availability of blood supply.This route can be quite painful, as is the case with many antibiotics. The subcutaneous route is next fastest, based on blood supply. In some instances the oral route may be as fast as the intramuscular route, depending on the medication being given, the dosage form (liquids are absorbed faster than tablets), and whether there is food in the stomach. The oral route is usually safe if the patient is conscious and able to swallow. The rectal route should be avoided, if possible, due to irritation of mucosal tissues and erratic absorption rates.In case of error, the oral and rectal routes have the advantage of recoverability for a short time after administration. Right Drug Preparation and Administration Maintain the higher standards of drug preparation and administration. Focus your entire attention on the calculation, preparation, and administration of the ordered medication. A drug reconstituted by a nurse should be clearly labeled with the patient’s name, the dose or strength per unit of volume, the date and time the drug was reconstituted, the amount and type of diluent used, the expiration date/ or time, and the initials or name of the nurse who prepared it.Once reconstituted, the drug should be stored according to the manufacturer’s recommendation . †¢ CHECK the label of the container for the drug name, concentration, and route of appropriate administration. †¢ CHECK the patient’s chart, Kardex, medication administration record, or identification bracelet for allergies. If no information is found, ask the patient, prior to the administration of the administration of the medication, if he or she has any allergies. †¢ CHECK the patient’s chart, Kardex, medication administration record for rotation schedules of injectable or topically applied medications. CHECK medications to be mixed in one syringe with a list approved by the hospital or the pharmacy for compatibility. Normally, all drugs mixed in a single syringe should be administered within 15 minutes after mixing. Immediately prior to administration, ALWAYS CHECK the contents of syringe for clarity and the absence of any precipitate; if either is present, do not administer the contents of the syringe. †¢ CHECK the patient’s identity EVERY TIME a medication is administered. †¢ DO approach the patient in a firm but kind manner that conveys the feeling that cooperation is expected. DO adjust the patient to the most appropriate position for the route of administration (for example for oral medications, sit the patient upright to facilitate swallowing). Have appropriate fluids ready before administration. †¢ DO remain with the patient to be certain that all medications have been swallowed. †¢ DO use every opportunity to teach the patient and family about the drug being administered. †¢ DO give simple and honest answers or explanations to the patient regarding the medication and treatment. DO use a plastic container, medicine cup, medicine dropper, oral syringe, or nipple to administer oral medications to an infant or small child. †¢ DO reward the child who has been cooperative by giving praise; comfort and hold the uncooperative child after completing the medication administration. †¢ D O NOT prepare or administer a drug from a container that is not properly labeled or from a container where the label is not fully legible. †¢ DO NOT give any medication prepared by an individual other than the pharmacist. ALWAYS check the drug name, dosage, frequency, and route ofadministration against the order.Student nurses must know the practice limitations instituted by the hospital or school and which medications can be administered under what level of supervision. †¢ DO NOT return an unused portion or dose of medication to a stock supply bottle. †¢ DO NOT attempt to administer any drug orally to a comatose patient. †¢ DO NOT leave a medication at the patient’s bedside to be taken â€Å"later†; remain with the individual until the drug is taken and swallowed. †¢ DO NOT dilute a liquid medication form unless there are specific written orders to do so. BEFORE DISCHARGE: (1) Explain the proper method of taking prescribed medications to the p atient. (2)Stress the need for punctuality in the administration of medications, and what to do if a dosage is missed. (3)Teach the patient to store medications separately from other containers and personal hygiene items. (4)Provide the patient with written instructions reiterating the medication names, schedules, and how to obtain refills. Write the instructions in a language understood by the patient, and use LARGE BOLD LETTERS when necessary. (5) Identify anticipated therapeutic response. 6)Instruct the patient, family member(s), or significant others on how to collect and record data for use by the physician to monitor the patient’s response to drug and other treatment modalities. (7)Give the patient, or another responsible individual, a list of signs and symptoms that should be reported to the physician. (8)Stress measures that can be initiated to minimize or prevent anticipated side effects to the prescribed medication. It is important to do this further encourage the p atient to be complaint with the prescribed regimen.Right Documentation Documentation of nursing actions and patient observations has always been an important ethical responsibility, but now it is becoming a major medicolegal consideration as well. Indeed, it is becoming known as the sixth right. Always chart the following information: date and time of administration, name of medication, dosage, route, and site of administration. Documentation of drug action should be made in the regularly scheduled assessments for changes in the disease symptoms the patient is exhibiting.Promptly record and report adverse symptoms observe. Document health teaching performed and evaluate and record the degree of understanding exhibited by the patient. †¢ DO record when a drug is not administered and why. †¢ DO NOT record a medication until after it has been given. †¢ DO NOT record in the nurses’ notes that an incident report has been completed when a medication error has occurre d. However, data regarding clinical observations of the patient related to the occurrence should be charted to serve as a baseline for future comparisons.Whenever a medication error does occur, an incident report is completed to describe the circumstances of the event. An incident report related to a medication error should include the following data: date, time the drug was ordered, drug name, dose, and route of administration. Information regarding the date, time, drug administered, and dose and route of administration should be given, and the therapeutic response or adverse clinical observations present should be noted. Finally, record the date, time, and physician’s ordered given. Be FACTUAL; do not state opinions on the incident report.