International Relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International Relation - Essay Example For the Non governmental organizations to be able to impact their influence, they need the support of larger multinational organizations as well (Palmer 2006). One such relationship has been in existence with the United Nations for over 50 years now. This relationship is not adequately recorded as it has experienced a lot of metamorphoses over time (Palmer 2006). However the most important thing is the common goals each of these organizations have; a world that is clean, healthy, and has opportunity for all to live their lives in justice and without fear. The UN and the NGOs both support this (Ishkanian 2008). The role of Non governmental organizations in bringing the world to its senses (consciousness) is basically consultative though recently the involvement of the NGOs has become more intensive just like governments and political organizations. The most influential NGOs are the international ones and this increased participation of the International NGOs is what has come to be commonly described as the "Civil Society" (Palmer 2006). The UN describes this as the world where social movements systematize themselves focused on certain goals, constituencies, and thematic interests (UN secretary) NGOs' Promotion of Democracy Its has been the goal of the non governmental organization and the united nations to achieve a 100 percent democratic world over the next 25 years and this can only be achieved by radical reinforcement of the principal freedom fighters (Ishkanian 2008). The NGOs have an advantage of a strong foundation of success and experience over the past decades. The freedom house has been very active in fighting fascism as an effort to create a democratic world since 1940 while the league of women voters took up the initiative to fight for democracy in the period after the World War II in Germany and Europe at large helping Spain and Portugal achieve democracy (Gagnon Jr 1995). Even America in the 1980s experienced a lot of NGO contribution to promoting democratic activities such as expansion of freedoms. The freedom house has indicated that over the past 33 years, the number of non free nations in terms of democracy has reduced by 50%. The AFL-CIO has played a very important role in the achievement and strengthening cohesion in Poland while the National Democratic Institute has been involved in teaching democrats in Hungary about communism and benefits of democracy. NGOs are very effective as they can operate even in dangerous nations where dictators are still in power and where dictatorship is no longer in existence. This fact can be the mother of all strategies of initiating and maintaining democracies (Donald 1994). Dictatorship is the moist challenging issue in the achievement of democracy, paradoxically, with international NGOs in place, these fact is often very string as there is immense knowledge of how dictators in the past have left power and long lasting democracies implemented. Recently, a research by the freedom house indicated that so far over 67 transitions of freedom have been won

Improving the value of the performance appraisal system Essay

Improving the value of the performance appraisal system - Essay Example This motivates creative and positive discussion in the workplace. Additionally, using an appraisal for each employee plays a major role in the managers attempt to improve performance appraisals (Deb, 2009). This means that the manager will assess the ability and performance of all employees as per their capacity as opposed to having a general format that all employees use. This move will create a focus-driven discussion that will allow the manager discuss issues based on an individual. Lastly, empowering the employees will lead to an improved performance appraisal (Deb, 2009). This refers to the managers helping the employees set meaningful goals and plan well on how to implement the same. The employees will also feel that the manager trusts them and most will commit to fulfilling the set goals. If the employees set the goals well, and achieve them in the end, it means the performance appraisal is successful (Deb,

Knowledge Based Practice in Substance Abuse Interventions

Knowledge Based Practice in Substance Abuse Interventions Knowledge based practice Introduction This paper will look at how research informs practice. I will be looking at young people and substance misuse and older people and how research might inform or affect my practice. Good professional practice is knowledge based practice which often means that it is practice based on what others have done, or research that others have undertaken. Research is an important part of most aspects of the human services. In health, in education, and in social work research is important informs our view of the world and can provide a framework for dealing with a particular subject or case. Research has a prominent place in the social services and it is important to the social worker. When people undertake research into areas of social and health care, then these findings and recommendations are generally used to inform practice. Not only is research important in informing social work practice, it is also important when it comes to Government policy. Like most social workers I have found some research an invaluable asset when dealing with disaffected and vulnerable groups such as young children and socially excluded young people. Some research may have been undertaken some time in the past but its findings still prove to be useful today. Willis’ (1977 in Giddens 2001) used group interviews (what are sometimes called focus group interviews) in his study of working class boyS and the ways in which the education system attempts to prepares them for the labour market. Both individual and group interviews were used in collecting this data, and while the work has been criticised it provided, and continues to provide useful information about how working class boys communicate and interact. This type of research is a source of invaluable knowledge to someone working with young people. It provides some insights into why youngsters react against authority and why they might act the way they do. Research can be a two edged sword, on the one hand it informs, and on the other it can produce lasting impressions that can lead to oppressive policy making. While Government papers on young people set a framework for soc ial workers, this kind of early research is useful when dealing with them in a practice context. Yet another valuable, yet some might say, problematic, source of information is Bowlby’s (1946) work on why young people commit crime or get involved in substance abuse. While Bowlby’s work, (which points to maternal deprivation as a cause of problematic behaviour in young people )has been deeply criticised within academic circles his ideas still have a significant impact on current Government discourses on youth. Certainly many social workers find themselves dealing with youngsters who have substance abuse problems and may feel themselves in an ethical dilemma when confronted with some of the policies in this area. One of the worst influences that work such as this has had is the growing tendency to treat anyone who does not conform to society’s norms as sick and deviant. Government initiatives on drugs, more often than not, appear to be targeted at poor and working class communities. Further there is a tendency for these initiatives to link poverty and drugs in the minds of other people. If an adolescent comes from the poorer part of town and is perhaps unemployed then this can lead to people in authority thinking that he/she is more likely to be seen as a drugs user even if they are not. Eley (2002) maintains that this leads to the association of drugs and crime with those who are already underprivileged in society. For social workers this is can be an extremely problematic situation. Do I as a social worker automatically assume something about a young person who is in trouble, and label them as sick and deviant, or do I adhere to what I believe to be the case, that everyone is of equal worth and therefore deserves an equal chance. If I am to abide, in my professional capacity by the 1998 Human Rights Act, then ethically, I could be duty bound to ignore Government guidelines in this area. Moore (1996) says that Government overstates the case on drug misuse when it refers to drug users as addicts because, he argues, most of the drug use that takes place in Britain is recreational This implies that those who use them are in control of the situation with regard to when they take drugs e.g. weekends, and how much they spend. Theorists are divided on why adolescents take drugs therefore it might be argued that the reason adolescents use drugs are quite complex and differ from person to person. This means that a social worker should act in accordance with the Human Rights Act when dealing with the problems of young people because that also implies treating each case on its individual merits Becker (1963) has argued that young people are often viewed as delinquent because of the way society viewed certain acts, such as drug taking. Calling or labelling a young person as deviant is problematic because it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Those in authority often take the view that young people, and particularly underprivileged young people are deviant and if the label is applied often enough, and by those with the power to apply it, then that is how the adolescent may come to view themselves. Taylor, Walton and Young (1973) however, say that no theory is sufficient unless there is also an analysis of the power relationships that exist in society. Hall (1978) maintains that the way in which adolescents are represented in the media has a huge effect on the way in which they are viewed by others. This can then have a further effect on their actions. In my own professional practice I have to be aware of such theories and how they inform public perception and Government policy. I also have to be aware of them in my practice and this might involve questioning the assumptions and methods behind certain research findings i.e. I am questioning their theories. Theories aid us in making sense of the world, one explanation of theory is an observation of observed regularities for example that women do more housework than men. Many things are not self-evident but need an explanation, thus Abbott and Wallace (1997) maintain that all of us are theorists because of the need to analyse and interpret our ordinary everyday experiences in order to make sense of them In sociological theory, some theories are extremely abstract, for example critical theory. Merton (1967 in Giddens, 2001) has called these theories ‘grand theories’ because they operate at a general and abstract level, theories such as those of Willis and Bowlby are middle range theory, because they are looking at an aspect of social life. Usually Merton (1967in Giddens 2001) maintains it is the middle range theories that are more likely to guide research. Labelling theory and Becker’s work, for example is a middle range approach to research that was developed out of the sociology of deviance. The problem is that while I as a social worker dealing with a young person with substance abuse issues might prefer to treat that person as an individual, and ethically I am bound to do so, Government discourses take a quite different view. Drug abuse and crime as mentioned earlier are closely associated in public discourses with poverty and this is evident in recent policy making. When evaluating research and research findings social workers need to find some sort of framework within which to evaluate the work this might be the 12 step approach advocated by Locke or it might be something as simple as using a content analysis approach to evaluate what the researcher has done and decide how effective that research may be. The Government’s report, No More Excuses (The Causes of Youth Crime) states that deprivation and poverty are usually a contributing factor in youth crime.[1] Government research suggests that while young people who offend may not do it very often, there are a few persistent offenders who are responsible for the greater part of youth crime new Youth Justice reforms will concentrate on preventing crime and on early intervention where children and young people are at risk of becoming involved in crime.[2] Leitner et al (1993) maintain that the British public is concerned about drug use, drug dealing, and the crime that is associated with this. Pudney (2003) maintains that if young people take soft drugs such as cannabis then they are more likely to progress to hard drugs and to criminal activity. He also argues that such behaviour is strongly associated with unobservable personal characteristics and New Labour have consistently targeted drugs initiatives at underprivileged commun ities. Working with young people means that I have to take into account Government reports as well as other research findings. At the same time I, like many other social workers, have as Moore (2002) points out, entered social work because of a commitment to social justice, or at the very least a desire to help others and to see improvement and positive change in people’s lives. Some critics maintain that the way in which social services often operates is self-serving rather than serving the needs of the clients, yet social workers do police themselves and their profession. The way in which they do this is to think critically about what they are doing, why they are doing it, and what moral implications this may have. Certainly social work ethics should not lead anyone to believe that the social work profession should serve itself, rather the needs of the client should be most important. One of the ways this is achieved is by establishing clear relationship boundaries early on and thi s is vital when working with young people who have issues around substance misuse. The BASW has to say about social work ethics and values. The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work (BASW,2001). [3] Social work practice, in order to be ethical practice must be centred on the needs of service users Social workers of necessity intervene in people’s lives and have an influence on situations, ethical decision making is therefore a vital component of social work practice (Osmo and Landau, 2001). Yet another area where social work practice can be a minefield is in working with older people. When working with older people a social worker has a duty to abide by the 1990 NHS and community care act. Working with older people can be difficult on the one hand there is what you want to achieve as a social worker and on the other there are guidelines that may prevent you from doing your best for a client. There are an increasing number of legal and policy requirements that the social worker dealing with an older person must adhere to. It is difficult for the social worker to negotiate the needs and wishes of the client while remaining within the legislative framework. Working together is not always straightforward. The more recent Health and Social Care Bill of 2001 gives Government powers to require health bodies and local authorities whose services are failing to pool their resources. Parrott (2002) undertook research into the care management process and how it affects social worke rs and service users. He points out that there is often no common guidelines on which services should be provided, or the standard of care to expect. The social worker may find that he/she has to perform most of the assessment and to discover whether an older person’s family would be prepared to help so that he/she could remain in their own home. Whatever the decision the social worker would also need to ensure that the client could, at some level, participate in the decision making process. Thus the process is fraught with problems, for example a social worker might assess a person as needing a certain level of care but this has to be agreed with the social worker’s supervisor and with care management. So the person may not receive the care that the social worker deems appropriate. Thus the social worker has a dilemma. While knowledge does inform practice it is not the only thing that the social worker has to deal with, management decisions also affect the process as Parrott’s research shows. One thing that has become apparent to me is while research can inform practice, it should not be allowed to determine it, if and when it does this can result in oppressive practice and a complete disregard of the rights of the service user and this is against ethical practice as outlined by the BASW. Conclusion This paper has looked at knowledge based practice and how research informs what a social worker does. When dealing with research one is not looking at it in isolation but also having to deal with policies that emerge as a result of that research. Many of the funding restrictions that social workers have to deal with are a result of the 1988 Griffiths report which found that getting organizations to work together, and using a market based approach to social care would save the Government money. Bibliography Abbott and Wallace (1997) An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives, London, Routledge Becker, H.S. 1963. Outsiders. New York, Free Press. Bennet, T. Holloway, K. and Williams T. 2001.Drug use and offending: Summary results of the first year of the New-ADAM research programme. Home Office Research Study 236 Home Office London Blaxter, L, Hughes, C and Tight, M (1996) How to research. OU press Bowlby, J. 1946. Forty-four Juvenile Thieves. London, Tindall and Cox. British Association of Social Workers (2002) The Code of Ethics for Social Work.http://www.basw.co.uk/. Bryman, A 2004 Social Research Methods 2nd ed. Oxford, Oxford University Press Eley, S. 2002. â€Å"Community-backed drug initiatives in the UK: a review and commentary on evaluations.† Health Social Care in the Community10(2),99-105. Giddens, 2001 4th ed. Sociology Cambridge, Polity Hall,S. Critcher, C. Jefferson,T. Clarke, J. and Roberts, B. 1979 Policing the Crisis. Mugging, Leitner M., Shapland J. Wiles P. 1993. Drug Usage and Drugs Prevention: The Views and Habits of the General Public. HMSO, London. Moore, S. 2002 3rd Edition Social Welfare Alive Cheltenham, Nelson Thornes Moore, S.1996 Investigating Crime and Deviance London, Collins Educational Parrott, L 2002 Social Work and Social Care London, Routledge. Taylor Walton and Young. 1973. The New Criminology. London, Routledge 1 [1] http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/nme.html#CHAP1 [2] http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs/nme.html#CHAP1 [3] http://www.basw.co.uk/articles.php?articleId=2page=2

Computational Complexity and Philosophical Dualism :: Dualism Essays

Computational Complexity and Philosophical Dualism ABSTRACT: I examine some recent controversies involving the possibility of mechanical simulation of mathematical intuition. The first part is concerned with a presentation of the Lucas-Penrose position and recapitulates some basic logical conceptual machinery (GÃ ¶del's proof, Hilbert's Tenth Problem and Turing's Halting Problem). The second part is devoted to a presentation of the main outlines of Complexity Theory as well as to the introduction of Bremermann's notion of transcomputability and fundamental limit. The third part attempts to draw a connection/relationship between Complexity Theory and undecidability focusing on a new revised version of the Lucas-Penrose position in light of physical a priori limitations of computing machines. Finally, the last part derives some epistemological/philosophical implications of the relationship between GÃ ¶del's incompleteness theorem and Complexity Theory for the mind/brain problem in Artificial Intelligence and discusses the compatibili ty of functionalism with a materialist theory of the mind. This paper purports to re-examine the Lucas-Penrose argument against Artificial Intelligence in the light of Complexity Theory. Arguments against strong AI based on some philosophical consequences derived from an interpretation of GÃ ¶del's proof have been around for many years since their initial formulation by Lucas (1961) and their recent revival by Penrose (1989,1994). For one thing, Penrose is right in sustaining that mental activity cannot be modeled as a Turing Machine. However, such a view does not have to follow from the uncomputable nature of some human cognitive capabilities such as mathematical intuition. In what follows I intend to show that even if mathematical intuition were mechanizable (as part of a conception of mental activity understood as the realization of an algorithm) the Turing Machine model of the human mind becomes self-refuting. Our contention will start from the notion of transcomputability. Such a notion will allow us to draw a pathway between formal and physical limitations of symbol-based artificial intelligence by bridging up computational complexity and undecidability. Furthermore, linking complexity and undecidability will reveal that functionalism is incompatible with a materialist theory of the mind and that adherents of functionalism have systematically overlooked implementational issues. 1 - The Lucas-Penrose argument — Lucas-Penrose argument runs as follows: GÃ ¶del's incompleteness theorem shows that computational systems are limited in a way that humans are not. In any consistent formal system powerful enough to do a certain sort of arithmetic there will be a true sentence — a GÃ ¶del sentence (G) — that the system cannot prove.

The Timeout Process

The implementation of the timeout processes could well be the most important procedure to be introduced to the operating theatre in recent times. This seemingly small change has had a dramatic impact on patient outcome, staff cohesion and cost reduction in medical institutions. However, there are still issues that are obstructing the effectiveness of the timeout, namely poor compliance by some team members who believe that the fast turnover of cases does not allow for the timeout, that they have never had a problem in the past or that the timeout is questioning their competence.This essay will look at the positive outcome that the timeout process has had in the operating theatre, why it is working and how to ensure that it remains a priority. The writer will also address the problem of poor compliance by some members, why they are resistant to the timeout process and what can be done to ensure their co-operation thereby creating a positive outcome for more patients. In order to place the checklist process in a proper perspective the following historical event is provided: In aviation, pilots have been using checklist since 1935.It was formulated after the crash of the new Boeing Model 299 on its test flight, which killed two of the five crew members. One of the fatalities was Major Ployer P. Hill the Air Corps’ Chief of Flight Testing. The ensuing investigation ruled that the accident was pilot error and not mechanical failure. As the result of this ruling a group of test pilots took it upon themselves to investigate the reason for the pilot error.They concluded that the new technology had a lot more sequential steps for the pilot to follow than the older aircrafts, which made it easier for Major Ployer P. Hill, a highly experienced pilot, to have missed a crucial step. The solution they formulated to rectify this dilemma was a simple checklist. By following this checklist the Model 299 was flown for 1. 8 million miles without an accident. Gawande (2010, p. 32 – 34). Likewise, the nursing profession has been using checklists in various forms, from the implementation of routine recording of vital signs to medication charts.However, it was only in 2001 that a critical care specialist, Peter Pranovost, decided to formulate a simple checklist to try and reduce central line infections in the ICU at the John Hopkins Hospital, where he was working at the time. Peter Pranovost and his colleagues monitored the results of their idea for a year. In that time the ten-day line infection rate went from 11 percent to zero. They proceeded to test other checklists with equally impressive results. (Gawande 2010, p. 7- 39) Several studies were done on surgical outcomes that showed that about half of the complications experienced could have been prevented through the use of this checklist. In these studies it was shown â€Å"that in industrial countries major complications occur in 3% to 16% of inpatient surgical procedures, and permanent disa bility or death rates are about 0. 4% to 0. 8%. In developing countries, studies suggest death rates of 5% to 10 % during major operations.Mortality from general anaesthesia alone is reported to be as high as one in 150 in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Infections and other postoperative complications are also a serious concern around the world. † WHO (2007). In 2007 the World Health Organization (WHO) decided that something must be done to improve the situation A team of experts, led by Dr Atule Gawande, was brought together to find a solution. They formulated the surgical checklist and challenged the world to use it. The group investigated the impact of the WHO checklist in eight hospitals worldwide, four in high-income settings and four in low and middle-income settings. Data on in-hospital complications occurring within the first 30 days after surgery were collected prospectively from consecutively enrolled adult patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery, 3733 before and 3955 after the implementation of the checklist. The overall death rate was reduced from 1. 5% to 0. 8% (P= 0. 003) and in-patient complications from 11. 0% to 7% (P< 0. 001)†. Haynes (2009) What does this surgical checklist entail?As stated by WHO â€Å"The checklist identifies three phases of an operation, each corresponding to a specific period in the normal flow of work: Before the induction of anaesthesia (â€Å"sign in†), before the incision of the skin (â€Å"time out†) and before the patient leaves the operating room (â€Å"sign out†). In each phase, a checklist coordinator must confirm that the surgery team has completed the listed tasks before it proceeds with the operation†. Many institutions worldwide have adopted the surgical timeout; they have changed a few points of the WHO checklist to better meet their needs, with impressive results.A study following 8000 surgical procedures, found that the implementation of the timeout resulted in a 30% reduction in the rate of surgical complications and deaths (Hayes 2009). Not only has patient mortality and expenditure decreased but its application showed an increase in staff cohesion. The surgical checklist has helped to increase communication by ensuring that all members as a team take the time to check and discuss potential problems and expected outcomes for the patient.This enhanced interaction between the multidisciplinary team lends itself to the staff’s increase awareness of potential problems and adverse conditions, which contributes to improved patient outcomes. Taylor (2010) surveyed operating room staff and found a perceived improvement in communication, teamwork, respect and patient safety related to the use of the timeout. Improved patient outcome following the implementation of the surgical checklist has been clearly demonstrated within Veterans Affairs (Neily et al 2010) as well as in the Netherlands (deVries et al 2010) and Iran (Askarian et al 2011).In the Netherlands study by deVries, it was found that most postoperative complications declined and that this decline could be credited to improved communication. An interesting outcome was that rates of bleeding and anastomotic leaks also declined as well as technical problems which occur primarily at the surgeons hands. The findings of this study suggest that the indirect effects of implementing checklists may be much more important than their specific content. (Birkmeyer 2010) Improved communication leads to respect for each team member and trust in each other.To maintain a high degree of efficacy all staff members should be provided with continuous education and evaluation of their performance. All members should therefore be informed and have access to the data that shows the benefits of using the surgical checklist. This will prevent the staff from becoming complacent. However, complacency is not the only obstacle preventing the success of the surgical checklist, poor or even non c ompliance is of greater concern. There are a number of reasons for this. A checklist implies that mistakes can and do happen.In a study which investigated medical professionals’ attitude to the safety systems 30% of nurses and doctors stated that they ‘did not make errors’. (Sexton 2000; p745-9) A great number of medical personnel have this misconception that they do not make mistakes or they feel that admitting to mistakes, no matter how minor, will lead to their colleagues loosing respect for them and some fear being punished as the medical profession as a whole has a low tolerance for errors. These feelings can cause staff members not to report minor incidences; unfortunately many minor incidences can lead to major problems.The hierarchy system that exists in the theatre environment also leads to poor compliance with regards to the surgical timeout. Although nursing in theory is now deemed to be a profession that works alongside doctors, not for them or subser vient to them, in practise this is not always the case. When there is resistance from the surgeon or anaesthetist toward the checklist this resistance is expressed verbally in an active ridiculing manner, or non-verbally by just ignoring the process (Valen, Waehle et al 2012, p 4).When this type of attitude is displayed the theatre nurses’ main objective becomes self-preservation and the maintenance of peace, which makes the nurse rush the checklist and omitted points that may cause the surgeon or anaesthetist to become more displeased. If the surgeon and anaesthetist are supportive of the checklist, it is more likely that it will be done correctly. (Mahajan 2011, p161-8) One often finds that staff feel that doing the surgical checklist will cause delays in patient turnover, they also feel that the current system is working for them and their team so why fix what is not broken.The 2010 report by Patient Safety First showed that while most trusts reported that the checklist le d to improved safety and teamwork the most common challenges to its implementation were negative clinician attitudes. (Allard, 2011, p711-17) In the operating theatre setting there are three professions involved, namely, nursing, surgery and anaesthesia and all three are working towards a common result and yet each profession is accustomed to doing this to achieve individual goals.All three are faced with staff shortages, educational duties and economic pressures. (Lingard et al 2006, p 471-83) These pressures lead to the inconsistent use of the checklist. When the checklist process is started all staff are meant to stop what they are doing, thereby giving their full attention to the checklist. However, this is not always the case as team members may be reluctant to alter their work routine and feel that what they are doing is more important, or that if people of the team knew what they were doing the checklist would not be necessary. Amalberti et al 2005, p756-64) If there is no cl ear decision made as to who is responsible for the completion of the surgical checklist, points may not be addressed or in the rush the checklist may just be ticked so that it is complete when it is audited. Vats et al( 2010, p340) discovered that there was confusion over who’s responsibility it was to do the sign-out checks which were frequently missed due to it being at the most time pressured part of the process and also found some checklists to be incomplete, hurried, dismissed or completed without key members participation.As can be seen from the above observations there are a number of factors that lead to poor compliance and this presents a challenge in finding ways to remedy this. It is hard for junior or more timid members of the team to implement the checklist if the more senior or assertive members are not compliant. Paull et al (2009, p 675-78) states that leadership support was deemed the strongest single predictor of successful checklist implementation among six ty four Veterans Health Administration Facilities.When studying the implementation efforts of five hospitals Conley et al (2011, p873 – 79) found that having the department chiefs as members of the implementation team and actively promoting the checklist was a big factor in its success. The senior staff need to lead by example and should be seen actively supporting and participating in this process, which in turn will ensure compliance by the rest of the staff. A team approach is recommended, with the team being made up of respected members of physicians, anaesthetists and nurses.Having all disciplines represented in these teams is important as they are likely to positively influence their peers. (Reinertsen et al. 2007) This team approach removes the need for a nurse to approach a doctor or anaesthetist, which would prove difficult and they would more inclined to ignore the advice given. To ensure the surgical checklist is adopted completely by the multidisciplinary team, it should be first introduced on a small scale, to one team or theatre.This allows for more comprehensive training in the correct way to complete the surgical checklist (Taylor 2010), Positive feedback will filter from the team doing the checklist to the teams not involved, so when they have to start using the check list they will have a positive attitude towards it. This is when changes should be made to the list which will customize it to the institution. The success of the surgical checklist will filter to the other surgical teams, thereby causing wider acceptance and compliance. Langley 2009) Modifying the original WHO checklist will ensure equal participation from all team members and, therefore, creates a checklist that is inherently â€Å"team led†. A feeling of ownership will be cultivated. The WHO published a comprehensive implementation manual (WHO, 2008) to accompany the introduction of the WHO checklist that encouraged modification to fit with local practice, cautio ning against making the checklist overly complex. The Multidisciplinary team members need to receive comprehensive training with regards to how the surgical checklist is to be presented to the other staff members.They need to have clear guidelines as to who will take ownership of the checklist, in many cases it is the circulating nurse. The checklist should ideally not be recited from memory; it should be read from the list. All activity should stop when the checklist is being presented. To maintain the interest and compliance of all staff, regular feedback should be given, namely real-time feedback. As Ursprung et al (2005) cited in their discussion on improving safety, providing real-time feedback is critical for early detection and remediation of problems that may arise.Data should be collected on a regular basis and be correlated, as to provide solid evidence that will provide proof of the goals the staff have achieved and evidence of what still needs to be addressed. Thereby, m aintaining their interest in the checklists importance. The surgical checklist when approached in the proper manner is a simple tool that has the potential to improve patient outcomes expediential. Various studies by A. B Haynes (2009), J. Neily (2010), C.Hayes (2009) just to name a few have shown marked improvement with regards to patient complications and mortality rates. To prevent poor compliance by members there are a number of strategies that can be adopted. Senior members should be seen to actively participate in the checklist process so that the rest of the staff will take ownership of their checklists. To assure the success of the checklist, a small team should be formed comprising of respected members of the three disciplines involved, this will allow for peer interaction.Introducing the checklist on a small scale allows for more comprehensive education and positive feedback to the members not involved. The culture in theatre needs to change, the theory that doctors and nu rses are both professionals in their own rights and neither are boss over the other, needs to be put into practise. The multidisciplinary team in theatre needs to become a team, forget their individual agendas and make the positive outcome for their patients their priority.The surgical checklist will help, as it creates the opportunity for open communication between the multidisciplinary team, which leads to greater respect and trust between the members. With the ever increasing number of surgeries performed each year, the need for quicker turnover times will become greater, therefore without the surgical checklist, surgical complications and mortality rates will increase. It is the opinion of the writer based on the evidence gathered, that the implementation of a comprehensive surgical checklist, should be mandatory for every medical facility in the world.

Cmi 3004 & 3006

In this assignment I will look at the ways in which data is gathered and selected, I will show my understanding of how to interpret data and information, and how I communicate the results of the information analysis. For the second part of the assignment I will show my understanding of the following: * The process of recruitment and selection * The process for recruitment, and * The process for selection The Process of Human Resource Management Plan â€Å"The human resource planning process, demands the HR manager to first understand the business requirement. Only if he comprehends the nature and scope of the business, will he be able to employ those who will deliver the required performance. When it comes to engaging the manpower, the manager should have a keen eye for spotting the talent. It ensures that the workforce is competent enough to meet the targets. Additionally, the existing ‘talent pool' in the workplace should be taken into consideration, so that people with complimentary skills can be employed. The functions of the HR manager are varied; he has to assess the currently employed workforce and their shortcomings. Identifying these shortcomings goes a long way in choosing an efficient workforce. While recruiting the new employees, the HR manager must calculate the expected workload. This way the HR department can design an accurate job profile and job expectations. Once you have the decided job descriptions, looking for candidates who fit the job will be easy. Don't be fooled by their qualifications, it is only the relevant experience that matters more. A good HR manager is one who has the zeal and passion to motivate his prospective employees to perform to their potential. Human resource planning process, thus, can be considered as one of the strategic steps for building the strong foundation of an efficient workforce in an organization! † www. buzzle. com Human resources use data by processing it into information, any data on its own is raw facts that cannot be used unless it is given a meaning or a context only then it can be processed into a usable form. Qualitative Data The term qualitative data is used to describe a type of information that can be counted or expressed numerically. This type of data is often collected in experiments, manipulated and statistically analysed. Quantitative data can be represented visually in graphs, histograms, tables and charts. Qualitative Data Qualitative data is extremely varied in nature. It includes virtually any information that can be captured that is not numerical in nature. Here are some of the major categories or types: * Interview transcript * Field notes (notes taken in the field being studied) * Video * Audio recordings * Images * Documents (reports, meeting minutes, e-mails) Human resources make the decision on having 8 housing support workers based on data and information that affects their decision. Data and information relating to these factors have a major influence on the decision of how many Housing Support Workers are needed in the sheltered housing schemes. * Economical factors * Number of tenants needing support * Funding provided * Budget for salary * Required hours for support (24hr) There are 200 elderly people living in 6 sheltered housing schemes, HSW’s are required to see all of them on daily basis. The organisation provides a personalised service to the sheltered housing tenants; each scheme is monitored and assessed in relation to the tenant’s needs, health conditions, mobility, and general wellbeing. There are seven schemes in total, but overall there are four, this is because in six schemes, two schemes are combined into one. The hours that a HSW is needed on each scheme vary depending on the needs of the tenants, although all schemes have an emergency call system in which enables them to contact a housing support worker 24/7. Two of the schemes have HSW’s on site 24 hours a day, these schemes have tenants who need more support, this is due to them being more frail and dependant, also the scheme is attached to the MAAZ Community centre, which has a cafe that provides hot meals 6 days a week, this location is very convenient for our tenants. Need for change Staff numbers have declined since 2008; the team consisted of ten Housing Support Workers and two Senior Housing Support Workers. All Schemes but one had a HSW onsite 24/7. Four Housing Support Workers retired, and the two Senior Housing Support Workers were made redundant. At the time the total of the sheltered accommodation flats was 150, now the total is 200 flats, the amount of Housing support workers is eight. An assessment was done, and it concluded that two schemes do not need a HSW onsite 24 hour. The hours were reduced from 24 hours to 8 hours a day in one scheme, and reduced from 8 hours to 4 hours a day in another scheme. â€Å"According to a report written by Professor Ian Philip in 2004, National Director for Older People’s Health, older people are living longer. † www. direct. gov. uk According to the above fact, the demand for various services for older people is increasing. Sheltered Housing is a great way for an older person to remain independent in their own home and have support available if they required it. Taking that fact into consideration; LJHA has provided two schemes that have 24/7 support available on site. The decision to have the HSW’s on site 24 hours a day at those two schemes was based on many factors including the age of the tenants. The average age of tenants at those two schemes is higher than all the other schemes, therefore the tenants are more likely to be frail, have mobility difficulties, and health problems, this is why more support is allocated at those schemes. Average age in (SH ; QHL 92), (SGW 91) Average age in (BH; LPC 79), (BC ; GP 74) Recruitment and Selection Job: Housing Support Worker Job Description:The Housing Support Worker’s job is to deliver appropriate levels of support to tenants living in designated housing complexes. The post holder will be able to work on their own initiative and also as part of a competent and efficient staff team. The job requires professionalism, confidentiality, flexibility, and good humour to ensure a smooth running and safe service for tenants/residents. Range of Duties: Ensure new tenants are welcomed and given relevant information about the scheme and service available * Maintain contact with tenants in accordance with agreed support plans * Provide appropriate and necessary support to enable the tenant to sustain their tenancy * Work individually and as part of the housing support team * Be alert to individual tenant’s circumstances and condition and take appropriate action to promo te the wellbeing of the individual * Liaise with and co-ordinate other professionals/ agencies for the wellbeing of the tenant * Contribute to the maintenance of up to date records and ensure that all relevant information is noted * Respond promptly to alarm calls and emergencies and take such appropriate action as may be required * Monitor and promote security and health and safety within the scheme and tenants’ homes * Develop and facilitate tenants groupings and activities * Ensure/ support tenants to make the best use of resources * Comply with ractice/ administrative processes for Supporting People * Ensure compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory procedures * Undertake such training courses as are thought necessary by management and work towards achieving relevant recognised and professional qualification as determined by the Housing Services Manager The Process of recruitment and selection â€Å"Recruitment is the process of identifying that the organizat ion needs to employ someone up to the point at which application forms for the post have arrived at the organization. Selection then consists of the processes involved in choosing from applicants a suitable candidate to fill a post. † www. thetimes100. co. uk At LJHA the recruitment process involves working through a series of stages: * Defining the role * Attracting applications * Managing the application and selection process * Interviewing process A job role is either advertised internally or externally, this decision is based on the role and the expectations of the organisation. Internal advertising provides opportunities for development and career progression within the organisation. Advertising externally allows the organisation to attract new skills, LJHA usually advertises through the Job Centre or by Word of Mouth. Candidates who are interested in applying for the role are invited to an open day, the role is explained to them in depth and they are shown around the work environment, and are encouraged to ask questions about the role. This allows the candidates to consider whether the organisation is one where they would like to work for. An application form, job description, and skills specification (Appendix 1,2,3) is given to the candidates who are interested in the vacancy, after completing the application form the manages discuss which candidates are suitable. The short listed candidates are then invited to an interview. For the role of a Housing Support Worker the selected candidates are interviewed by two managers and one tenant’s representative, they are introduced and briefed on the job description. The interview includes a scenario test (Appendix 4) in which the candidate is asked to prioritize eight tasks in order of importance. Then the candidate is asked seven questions (Appendix 5). During the interview the candidate is scored based on their knowledge and skills, I have included a copy of the skills specification scoring sheet (Appendix 6). Candidates are selected after the managers deliberation, meeting the criteria set for the role is important, this criteria includes, experience of working with older people, ability to use own initiative, ability to work as part of a team, having administrative skills, and ability to use computers. (Appendix 6) When the successful candidate is chosen, an offer of employment is then made; this offer is conditional to two satisfactory references and a full CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check. Ethical ; Legal considerations that may impact the recruitment and selection process Every employer has the legal responsibility to ensure that no unlawful discrimination occurs in the recruitment and selection process on the grounds of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. Equality of opportunity is an integral part of the recruitment and selection process, and to this end employers may offer training and encouragement to any under-represented groups. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Race Relations Act 1976, the Employment Equality Regulations (covering sexual orientation, religion or belief, and age)  and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 set out the legal requirements for employers. Organisations should be aware that the rovisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 not only make it unlawful to discriminate against disabled individuals without justifiable reason but also require employers to make reasonable adjustments to the workplace or working arrangements. Employers also have the responsibility of ensuring tha t the employee’s personal details are respected and properly protected, this is supported by the Data Protection Act 1998. The Data Protection Act 1998 requires employers to use data in accordance with the principles of data protection. These require that data shall be: * Fairly and lawfully processed * Processed for limited purposes * Adequate, relevant and not excessive * Accurate * Not kept longer than necessary * Processed in accordance with the data subjects rights Kept securely * Not transferred to countries outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection. Job postings â€Å"According to the BC Human Rights Code (Discrimination in employment advertisements), you must not publish job postings or advertisements that give preference to: * Race * Colour * Ancestry * Place of origin * Political belief * Religion * Marital status * Family status * Physical * Mental disability * Sex * Sexual orientation * Age† www. go2hr. ca Methods of communicating infor mation to staff, and their effectiveness In our organisation we use four methods of communicating, they are, Visual, Written, Verbal, and Non Verbal. Visual: it is common to incorporate visual communication in order to share ideas that relate to tasks in the workplace, this could include using, charts, pictures, presentations. Written: Written communication is also quite important when it comes to the workplace. This form of communication involves either writing or typing out information, facts, figures, and other types of necessary information in order to express ideas. Examples of this type of communication include reports, evaluations, emails, instant messages, physical and electronic memos, training materials, and other types of documents that are similar in nature. In the workplace, this is a flexible type of communication as it could be formal or informal – depending on the message(s) that are being expressed. Verbal: Verbal communication is a core component when it comes to the overall success of an organisation Non Verbal: means that a physical manner of communication is being used to share ideas and meanings among others. The physical activities may include the way that you move your body, the tone that is displayed when it comes to the tone of an individual's voice, and touching. In the workplace, it is not appropriate to touch another individual, but it is possible to ensure that the voice tone and the stance of the body is held appropriately so that the ideas, information, and thoughts are successfully shared with the intended audience. Verbal & Non Verbal Meetings have proven to be much more effective when trying to ascertain the facts, not only by making the member of staff feel at ease but also by watching their body language and prying all of the relevant information from them to resolve the problem efficiently† www. managers. org. uk For any communication method to be effe ctive, the following should apply: * The sender and receiver of information are properly matched * The message is communicated clearly – i. e. without misunderstanding or misinterpretation * Communication is made using an appropriate communication channel and/or method * The receiver of the communication is able to pass on any relevant and appropriate feedback (i. e. wo-way communication) There are many reasons why it is important for an organisation to achieve effective communication: * Motivates employees – helps them feel part of the organisation * Easier to control and coordinate work related activity – prevents different departments of an organisation going in opposite directions * Makes successful decision making easier – decisions are based on more complete and accurate information * Better communication with customers/clients will increase profits * Improve relationships with external agencies â€Å"The link between communication and motivation i s particularly important. Good communication is an important part of motivating employees and the main motivational theorists recognised this; Mayo emphasised importance of communication in meeting employees’ social needs, and Maslow and Herzberg stressed the importance of recognising employee’s achievements and self-esteem needs† www. cliffsnotes. com Bibliography www. buzzle. com www. direct. gov. uk www. thetimes100. co. uk www. go2hr. ca www. managers. org. uk www. cliffsnotes. com

The Glass Ceiling Research Paper Example

The Glass Ceiling Research Paper Example The Glass Ceiling Paper The Glass Ceiling Paper Despite the advances that have been made in creating equal employment opportunities, discrimination still exists. Minorities, women and the protected class members rise only so high but go no further; this may be described as the Glass Ceiling an invisible but real barrier to upward mobility. The Glass Ceiling is constructed from organisation culture, stereotype thinking and managerial attitudes. When an organisation precludes an individual from advancing as far as they can, both the organisation and the individuals lose. Shattering the glass ceiling would allow for the organisation to develop effective ways of eliminating foregoing mobility barriers, make greater use of selection plans and by moving away from casual, subjective methods (such as typical promotability ratings, quick reviews of personnel files, supervisory informal recommendations) and also pay close attention to the types of KSAOs necessary for advancements and establish programs to communicate these KSAOs to those employees. Disadvantages of the glass ceiling could be excessive turnover this may be a result of employees who find themselves in dead-end jobs or who discover that there are severely limited promotional opportunities, as a result employees are prone to leave the organisation. Another disadvantage would be increased recruiting costs, in that excessive turnover increases recruiting costs: constant and sometimes intensive efforts are required just to keep the position filled, if a companys reputation states that it lacks interest in the career of its employees, the recruiting task becomes more expensive and more difficult. Underutilization of talent may be another disadvantage, in that the absence of career-centered developmental activities that are available may not be used efficiently. Employees may be hired to do a particular job, with little or no thought given to other jobs for which they could be trained and developed. Employee dissatisfaction is also a disadvantage of the glass ceiling; this is a result of the employment expectations not being filled and so employees become de-motivated, unsatisfied and their productivity declines. Another disadvantage could be poor promotional decision based on favoritism, politics and other inconsequential factors rather than on performance, preparation and organisational needs. Moreover, when the wrong persons are promoted for the wrong reasons, it will place a negative impact on the organisation, due to their job performance. Other disadvantage includes Potential Discrimination where in the absence of formulized career planning and development, promotion decisions may tend to be made on the basis of non-relevant job factors (such as stereotype and friendships). Stymied Progression, where for every employee whose upward mobility is precluded, one or more other employees cannot progress because the employee whose progress is stymied blocks the promotion channel.  The consequence of not engaging in career planning and development has underscored the need for a formulized program. Career management should not be left to chance because the organisational risk of doing so is too great. Conclusion The selection of internal candidates follows a process very similar to the selection of external candidates as both methods includes a logic of prediction which states that indicators of a person degree of success in past situations should be predictive of how successful he or she will likely to be in new situations. This is applied and based on this information a selection plan is developed and implemented. One area in which there is a huge difference in internal and external methods is the nature of the predictor. Predictors used for internal selection tend to have greater depth and more relevance and are better suited for verification as a result there are often different types of predictors used for internal than for external selection decisions. The methods that were in selecting the internal candidates were the Initial Assessment Methods, Substantive Assessment Method and Discretionary Assessment Method, which occur at different stages in the selection process. The initial assessment methods that were used to narrow down the applicant pool to a qualified set of candidates were skills inventory, peer assessment, informal discussions and recommendations. The next method in the selection process is the Substantive Assessment method. This assessment is used to select finalists from the list of candidates. The predictors used for making this decision were seniority and experience, job knowledge tests, performance appraisal, promotability rating and lastly interview simulation. In order to narrow down to those who will receive job offers the discretionary assessment method is used. Multiple assessors are generally used with internal selection, simply put not only the hiring managers opinion are used to select who will receive the job but the views of others such as previous manager or top management.  In making job offers there are legal issues to be taken into consideration. Two areas for internal selection are the Uniformed Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedure (UGESP) and Glass ceiling. The UGESP ensures that internal selection methods are valid if adverse impact is occurring. Reference List Dessler G., (2005). Human Resource Management, 10th edition. Prentice Hall.  Heneman H. G. III Judge T, A., (2007). Staffing Organization, 5th edition. McGraw- Hill Irwin.

The Lamentation essays

The Lamentation essays Giotto was one of the earliest artists to portray the illusions of real life, in terms of emotion and space on a flat surface. With Cimabue, Giotto is often regarded as the founder on modern painting, as he broke away from the rigid formula that had been the foundation of religious paintings. His painting turned from the flatter, Byzantine style to a more naturalistic approach full of life even a century before the Renaissance. The Lamentation is an excellent example of the emotion displayed in Giotto's work. The Lamentation is painted on a wall of the Arena Chapel in Italy. It required the artist to paint directly on the chapel walls, hence, Giotto used a medium that would adhere to a wall, like fresco. The lamentation was another traditional subject that showed figures mourning the death of Christ. Lamentation is asymmetrical compared to Byzantine compositions with symmetry. Giotto concentrates on the dramatic scene in the lower left area where the face of Mary who is grief-stricken over the loss of her son, and the lifeless face of the dead Christ are painted. The focus is on Mary and Jesus who are surrounded by saints, people, and angels. Both earthly and heavenly mourners show individual illustrations of grief through facial expressions as well as body language. For instance the figure of a saint who bends over with his arms outspread, or the saint on the far right, who stands with his arms at his sid es, his hands clasped. The painting is three dimensional in form. This is created using foreshortening in the angels and in the saints arms, which are flung backwards. This is probably why the angels appear to be moving about like birds. The scenery a bare, rocky landscape with a dead tree, intensifies the feeling of pain and suffering which dominates the painting. The figures with the sad eyes, the partly opened mouths, the tilted or clasped hands are deeply emotional. Not to forget the m ...

The Great Gatsby Questions for Study and Discussion

'The Great Gatsby' Questions for Study and Discussion The Great Gatsby is the most famous novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The story is a symbolic portrayal of the decline of the American Dream. Its an accurate portrayal of the Jazz age cemented him as a fixture in literary history. Fitzgerald is a master storyteller and layers his novels with themes and symbolism. Here are a few questions to get your next book club started with. Study Questions for The Great Gatsby What is important about the title of The Great Gatsby?  Which adaptations of the novel have you seen? What did you think of them?What are the conflicts in The Great Gatsby? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or emotional) are in this novel? Are they resolved?Why is Gatsby unable to put the past behind him? Why does he demand Daisy renounce her former love for her husband?What choice would you have made in Daisys situation?What role does Daisy play in Gatsbys downfall?How is alcohol used in the novel?The novel is told from the perspective of a friend  Gatsby, why do you think the author chose Nick to tell the story?How does F. Scott Fitzgerald reveal character in The Great Gatsby?How is class depicted in the novel? What point is the author trying to make?What are some themes and symbols in The Great Gatsby?What does the green light represent?Why does the author call our attention to the ad for Doctor T.J.  Eckleburg optometry? What is the meaning of the vacan t eyes which watch the characters? Is Gatsby consistent in his actions? Why did he change his name? Do you ever find him fake (or contrived)? Is he a fully developed character?Do you consider Gatsby to be a self-made man? Is he a good portrayal of reaching the American Dream?Do you find the characters likable? Would you want to meet the characters?Did the novel end the way you expected?How essential is the setting? Could the story have taken place anywhere else? In any other time?What do you think the lavish parties at Gatsbys mansion were meant to represent? What is the author trying to say about American culture?What is the role of women in The Great Gatsby? Is love relevant? Are relationships meaningful?What did you think about Daisys assessment that women must be pretty but unintelligent if they want to be happy? What in her life led her to this conclusion?Why is The Great Gatsby controversial? Why has it been banned/challenged?How does religion figure into the novel? How would the novel be different if religion ( or spirituality) played a more prominent role in the text? How does The Great Gatsby relate to current society? How well did it represent the Jazz Age (society and literature at the time it was published)? Is the novel still relevant?Would you recommend The Great Gatsby to a friend?

Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Business Plan - Essay Example The business analysis section of the business plan gives emphasis on the details of the restaurant that is going to be set up in London. It highlights the products and services that are to be served and offered to the customers in London. Hence, an overall blueprint of the business is provided in this section. King’s Cross Delite will be a multi-cuisine restaurant in London, whose main aim is to provide delicious and healthy foods to the customers. The restaurant will be established near King’s Cross railway station. The reason for choosing such a position is that it is the most populous and attractive place in London, where thousands of passengers come to the city and leave the city every day. The passenger includes students, office goers, tourists and businessmen. A multi-cuisine restaurant in such a place will not only attract customers but also increase the number of customers daily. The restaurant will have a new theme, which is not tried by any other restaurant in London. The customers, who will be visiting the restaurant, will get the feeling that they are inside a sea. The watery background will be provided in order to present a calm and comfortable climate for the customers while consuming their food. It not only creates a clear ambience but it will also give a feeling of having food under water. The water will have several fishes, not large one, but small and familiar ones along with water plants and insects. If the business plan is recognized to be feasible for developing the restaurant business, King’s Cross Delite will be inaugurated in January 2016. Less than a year time will be required to build the structure of the restaurant and kitchen. The most important part of the restaurant will be its kitchen; it is an open-kitchen, which will allow the customers to see how the dishes are prepared and whether the chefs are maintaining a

Fracture of Ice Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Fracture of Ice - Term Paper Example Ice consists of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Water molecule has four nearest neighbors arranged near the vertices of regular tetrahedron centered about the molecule of interest. Oxygen atom of each molecule is strongly covalent bonded to two hydrogen atoms while molecules are weakly hydrogen bonded to each other. Like any other crystalline solid, ice is subject to stress undergoes elastic deformation returning to its original shape when the stress ceases or stops. If the shear stress or force is applied to a sample of ice for a long time, the sample will first deform plastically with permanent alteration of shape or simply change in shape. Plastic deformation or creep is of rather great importance in the study of glacier flow. It involves generally processes like intra-crystalline gliding in which layers within an ice crystal shear parallel to each other without destroying the continuity. During an ice structure interaction, area of high pressure form (HPZs). The HPZs are not linearly distributed across the area of interaction and varies in intensity and location in respect with time. Their formation is critical in evolution of interaction. When HPZs form near the edge of an ice sheet, they can precipitate large-scale fracture and sparling events. This hence reduces both load felt by the structure and ice sheet. Formation of the HPZs causes creation of layer damage. This layer contains fine grains that are as a result of a combination of processes such as recrystallization and micro-cracking. Pre-existing flaws within the ice may also play a role in scale effect. In nature, ice contains many flaws which may either be in form of large cracks and leads, entrained air bubbles or dirt and irregular grain size as well as composition. Point defects- Hydrogen and oxygen appear to have the same diffusion coefficient in ice, implying that the

Post-Tsunami Tourism in Thailand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

Post-Tsunami Tourism in Thailand - Essay Example According to the research in the last decade, the tourism industry in Thailand has been growing and the UNWTO has observed that tourism will continue increasing in developing countries in future. Statistics show that Thailand is one amongst world’s 50 developing countries with tourism as the primary industry sourcing foreign exchange. Regarding tourist arrivals, Thailand is estimated to have 6.9 percent growth in tourist arrivals by the year 2020, having 37 million people visiting the country. It should be mentioned that this would be almost 10 percent of the entire Asia pacific tourism market. A major contributor to Thailand in terms of tourists is Malaysia which amounted up to approximately 12 percent in the year 2005. In 2004, a major break- in for the tourism industry of Thailand happened due to the Indian Ocean Tsunami which brought massive destruction at Thailand’s coast. This was caused by an earthquake in the region which recorded 9.0 in the Richter Scale. It is supposed to be the fourth largest earthquake in the history of the world. It has been documented that waves even up to a height of 13 meters were formed at the coasts of Phang Nga. More than 5300 people died and reports confirmed more than 250000 fatalities. This is considered to be the worst of all tsunamis regarding the destruction it caused. The natural disaster largely affected the tourism industry of the country. The damage was not only limited to the infrastructural loss, it had effects on the tourism arrivals and the safety concerns of the tourists. Additionally, the vulnerability of tourism as an economic and social system has been largely highlighted by the impacts of the disaster (Calgaro and Lloyd, 2008). The coastal communities which were dependent on tourism were largely affected. However, the connection between environmental changes and tourism with reference to its impacts on the community and on Thailand as a nation must be analyzed to understand this issue in depth . According to Cohen (2008), Thailand’s successful post-tsunami recovery is due to a group of factors, not only to the driving forces of the tourism industry. Yet, there are astonishingly very few studies on the effects of natural disasters on the tourism industry in spite of the reality that a large number of the world’s most prominent and thriving tourism areas are exposed to disastrous natural occurrences or societal problems. Thus, the objective of this essay is to critically analyze the impact of the tsunami on the tourism industry of Thailand. The essay identifies the connection between tourism and natural disasters and relates it to Thailand’s context. This is important as this connection would lead to insights about appropriate marketing strategies to minimize the negative impacts of natural disasters on the tourism industry. Tourism developments in Thailand after the tsunami are also being discussed in detail. Furthermore, the essay evaluates the cur rent tourism scenario in the country in the post-tsunami context and recommends suitable strategies to effectively restore Thailand’s popularity as a tourism destination. Natural Disasters and their Impacts on Tourism The Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004 demonstrates the hazards of natural catastrophes to the tourism industry and tourism areas. As stated by Murphy and Bayley (1989, as cited in Gossling and Hall, 2006, 286): â€Å"Tourism can be significantly exposed to natural disasters, because of its attachment to high-risk areas with exotic scenery. The lure of snow-capped peaks brings the hazard of avalanches. Tropical beaches attract tourists to the potential paths of hurricanes...† Gossling and Hall (2006) explained that the above passage simply illustrates the truth that natural disasters are no restriction to the operations of the tourism industry. In contrast, the threats of natural catas

Website evaluation for a destination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Website evaluation for a destination - Essay Example The font size and color combination was not so good. Here we can have a same theme of heading. Each heading in the webpage has different color that gives the feeing of distraction to the users. 14 Acceding to most of the questionnaire respondents the website navigation is good. In this web site we have a clear view of our presence in the website. Here we have proper and functional hyperlinks that offer us the capability to navigate through the whole website in an effective way. 14 Web based information platforms are aimed at offering the people valuable information about the relevant area or subject. The human computer based analysis offers the capability to weigh up and assess these systems working and performance regarding their interaction to users. This research and analysis based report will also offer deep and comprehensive overview of the website evaluation through the human computer interaction rules. This website is an E-Tourism website that belongs to Bangladesh. It is an official website of Bangladesh Government for tourism and its online address is: www.bangladeshtourism.gov.bd. The main intention of this research is to evaluate this website regarding its design, content, usability and interactivity for the better and effective system development that can effectively interact with its audience. The subject of Human–computer interaction deals with the analysis of the interaction among people and computer. In this paradigm we analyze how we can build a system (web site) that is able to offer better support and facility during the usage of system. This subject investigates the user psychology, behaviors and develops the system or designs the web site that is capable to meet the user expectations regarding system working. Website evaluation for better design, content, usability and interactivity is main area that developer needs to address while developing a web site for the user. Human computer interaction rules based evaluation process is

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 183

Essay Example I was a bit upset for there was nothing interesting about them; they were just common people everyone can see in a cafà © in the morning. Despite this, I enjoyed being there because of the sun that shone just right through the window, the cafà © smelled of coffee and freshly baked muffins, and I felt peaceful and contended with my life. At that very moment, a man came in and caught my attention immediately. He seemed to be very excited, even nervous. He looked around as if he was looking for someone or something, sat down at a table and ordered tea. The man was dressed very neatly, and at first I thought that he came on a date; it was too early for that though, and I put that thought to rest. Also, it was quite an early morning for a business meeting. Curiosity was eating me up as the man checked his watch almost every two minutes and looked out the window. He was definitely waiting for someone. About fifteen minutes of waiting passed, and a boy bounced into the cafà ©. He was about thirteen or fourteen years old, not too tall, and he reminded me of someone I had already seen before. When he came up to the man, I understood who the boy reminded me of. It became obvious they were a father and a son. When the man saw the boy, he glowed with happiness and finally calmed down. The boy was also very glad to see his father for he ran up and hugged him. It was such a nice and moving scene! I think that the fact that they met at the cafà © suggests that they did not live together; perhaps, the boy’s parents were divorced, and his mother had a sole custody of her child. In any case, it was clear that they had not seen each other for a long time. As I looked around, I noticed that everybody who was at the cafà © at the moment also was watching the man and his son. Just like me, they also seemed to be moved by the scene. At that very instance, I felt that the entire cafà © was filled with peace, happiness and even

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

Public Law - Essay Example Conversely, the 1688 settlement between the incoming king and Parliament enshrined the independence of the judiciary under the Bill of Rights, however required them to implement the will of the Sovereign Parliament. However, the supremacy of Parliament itself has been attacked on limits of judicial review4. The 1688 settlement introduced checks and balances in restraint of autocratic power. Theoretically, the Crown, House of Commons and the House of Lords could not pass any legislation to support a course of action unless they were accepted by the other bodies involved. However, the gradual erosion of the power of the House of Lords means that there is effectively no check on the House of Commons5. For example, the executive clearly carries out legislative functions and a prime example is the Law Commission. Additionally, the judiciary obtain their power from the Crown and there is a distinct overlap of functions between the powers, which should be separated for the effective application of the separation of powers and the efficacy of Parliament as check on the executive6. This is further compounded by the fact that the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers are Parliament members and part of the legislature and the Prime Minister is head of the executive. This obfuscation of the theoretical separation of powers has ramifications for the procedure of passing Acts of Parliament. Parliament is essentially the legislative section of the British political system. As such, through the executive Prime Minister and the Cabinet, Parliament sanctions executive sovereignty in a party governmental system. Theoretically Parliament is a policy influencing body, relying on the executive to formulate policy and reacts to it and therefore the party machine reinforces power of the executive to initiate policy. Parliament is not therefore involved in the policy making process and has minor powers of initiation. Whilst government controls Parliament the passing of an

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 183

Essay Example I was a bit upset for there was nothing interesting about them; they were just common people everyone can see in a cafà © in the morning. Despite this, I enjoyed being there because of the sun that shone just right through the window, the cafà © smelled of coffee and freshly baked muffins, and I felt peaceful and contended with my life. At that very moment, a man came in and caught my attention immediately. He seemed to be very excited, even nervous. He looked around as if he was looking for someone or something, sat down at a table and ordered tea. The man was dressed very neatly, and at first I thought that he came on a date; it was too early for that though, and I put that thought to rest. Also, it was quite an early morning for a business meeting. Curiosity was eating me up as the man checked his watch almost every two minutes and looked out the window. He was definitely waiting for someone. About fifteen minutes of waiting passed, and a boy bounced into the cafà ©. He was about thirteen or fourteen years old, not too tall, and he reminded me of someone I had already seen before. When he came up to the man, I understood who the boy reminded me of. It became obvious they were a father and a son. When the man saw the boy, he glowed with happiness and finally calmed down. The boy was also very glad to see his father for he ran up and hugged him. It was such a nice and moving scene! I think that the fact that they met at the cafà © suggests that they did not live together; perhaps, the boy’s parents were divorced, and his mother had a sole custody of her child. In any case, it was clear that they had not seen each other for a long time. As I looked around, I noticed that everybody who was at the cafà © at the moment also was watching the man and his son. Just like me, they also seemed to be moved by the scene. At that very instance, I felt that the entire cafà © was filled with peace, happiness and even

Corporal Punishment Essay Example for Free

Corporal Punishment Essay For hundreds of years, it has been customary for a child to receive a spank or slap as a form of discipline, one that parents of all cultures have used. Corporal punishment of a child by a parent or teacher has been legal in Canada since 1892, though 51% of Canadians believe that the use of corporal punishment does not reflect the attitude of Canada’s majority (Barnett). In recent years, corporal punishment has had more investigation, showing that, â€Å"corporal punishment by it’s nature can escalate into physical maltreatment† (Gershoff and Larzelere). Child abuse can be defined as â€Å"Physical, sexual, or emotional ill treatment or neglect of a child especially by those responsible for its welfare† (dictionary.com). Child abuse researchers suggest that physical punishment increases a child’s chance of developing a mental illness, incites antisocial behaviour, and stunts intellectual growth. The psychological effects of corporal punishment directly influence to a child’s mental and emotional stability. Corporal punishment is permanently damaging to a child’s development, and should be considered child abuse. Corporal punishment increases a child’s chance of developing a debilitating mental illness, specifically those caused by internalising problems, such as depression and anxiety (Smith). By using Ivan Pavlov’s theory of Learned Reflexology, it can be deduced that the high anxiety levels of children who have been routinely punished by a physical means is caused by the expectation of being stricken. It was â€Å"found that the stress of corporal punishment shows up as an increase in post-traumatic stress symptoms such as being fearful that terrible things are about to happen and being easily startled†(ScienceDaily). Physical punishment produces a large amount of stress and feelings of hopelessness in a child, leading many adults who were corporally punished in childhood to develop anxiety-related mental illnesses. â€Å"According to Strauss (1999), mental health problems are associated with physical punishment due to their being an outcome of the suppression of childhood anger associated with being hit by adults who children depend on for love and nurturance†(Smith). The main role of a guardian in a young child’s life is to protect and provide for the youth and, through corporal punishment, the child-parent relationship is damaged, producing children with antisocial tendencies. By using corporal punishment as a means of discipline, a child learns to distrust parents or other guardians, resulting in antisocial behaviour. When an adult the child trusts implements corporal punishment as a means of discipline, feelings of hostility and betrayal develop. This hostility is a result of the duplicity of a parent’s role to protect the child, causing many children to feel as though their parents and others dislike them. Said an adult who had been physically punished for delinquent behaviour as a child, â€Å"My parents were very strict†¦I was basically very good and I was hit frequently†¦It made me go out and do the same thing again, what I’d been smacked for. The message I got from them when they hit me was not ‘what you’re doing is bad, don’t do it again’. The message I got was ‘we don’t love you’.†(Smith). When rule-enforcing figures disappear, delinquent behaviour emerges, suggesting, â€Å"that parental corporal punishment erodes the parent–child relationship and in turn decreases children’s motivation to internalize parents’ values and those of the society, which in turn results in low self-control (Hirschi, 1969)† (Gershoff). Corporal punishment does not stimulate reasoning skills in a child, resulting in low-self control, as mentioned, and thus a shorter span of cognitive ability. Intellectual development begins when children are very young, and by using corporal punishment as a means of instruction, a child’s intellectual development is permanently damaged. A child that is spanked in the first grade is proven to score 5 IQ points lower than a child that was not spanked at all (Talawar, Carlson, and et al). Studies show that â€Å"[c]hildren in a school that uses corporal punishment performed significantly worse in tasks involving â€Å"executive functioning† – psychological processes such as planning, abstract thinking, and delaying gratification – than those in a school relying on milder disciplinary measures [†¦]† (Talawar, Carlson, and et al ). Executive functioning tasks require self-control, a skill that children who have been disciplined physically, as opposed to with reasoning and explanation, do not have. â€Å"Thus, poorer cognitive outcomes may result if parents who physically punish their children make less use of inductive methods of discipline, such as explanation and reasoning- procedures that are likely to enhance cognitive growth† (Smith). By contemplating the effect of an action and the whether or not the action is appropriate, children exercise executive functioning processes, which will give a child the skills to contemplate problems of academic or real-world nature. Corporal punishment has a permanent, negative effect on a child’s future mental stability, sociability, and intellectual potential. The Canadian Human Rights Act says that, â€Å"the prohibited grounds of discrimination are race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for which a pardon has been granted†( RSC 1985, c H-6). The continuation of corporal punishment in modern society, â€Å"encourages a view of children as less worthy of protection and respect for their bodily integrity based on outdated notions of their inferior personhood† (Barnett). 51% of Canadians do not feel that the physical punishment of a child is right or just (Barnett), and believe that it should not be used as a parenting technique. Corporal punishment’s damaging effect on a child’s psychological well-being, both in child and adulthood, proves that it is a form of abuse. There are alternative parenting techniques that are proven to produce better results, and encourage the progress of a child’s development. â€Å"Children are one third of our population and all of our future,†(quotegarden.com). Should the future not have the right to the same amount of protection as their predecessors? Works Cited: Barnett, Laura. Parlaiment of Canada. Law and Government Division. The Spanking Law: Section 43 of the Criminal Code. Ottawa: , 2008. Web. . â€Å"Children who are Spanked Have Lower IQs, New Research Finds. ScienceDaily. 24 Sep 2009: n. page. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. . Gershoff, Elizabeth. Corporal Punishment by Parents and Associated Child Behaviors and Experiences: A Meta-Analytic and Theoretical Review. endcorporalpunishment.org. American Psychological Association, 2002. Web. 21 Jan 2012. . Gershoff, Elizabeth, and Robert Larzelere. Is Corporal Punishment an Effective Means of Discipline?. American Psychological Association 26 06 2002. n.pag. American Psychological Association. Web. 23 Jan 2012.

Earth and Space Reflection

Earth and Space Reflection Reflecting on our class these past few weeks, makes me realize the inadequacies of my scientific knowledge. In order to help students learn science content, teachers must have a firm grasp of the important ideas in the discipline. I fall short of my content knowledge. In part, my lack of science knowledge might be a result of my college degree plan. I took the basic sciences in high school and in college. At the time of my undergraduate degree, elementary teachers had less extensive college coursework in sciences than did my intermediate or high school counterparts. For this reflection, I am challenging myself by choosing TEK 8.8A and 8.8B. These two TEKS reflect new information I have processed from our class discussions and investigations. TEK Breakdown TEK8.8A is a readiness standard and uses the verb describe to communicate to students. The students expectations are to use models for classification of universal components including by not limiting stars, nebulae, and galaxies (Lead 4ward, 2017). Teachers and students might also include planets, Galilean moons, asteroids, meteors, and comets. There are various ways to compare and describe these components of the universe. Some possible comparisons might be relative mass, relative size, orbiting objects that the components orbit, and objects that orbit the component (TEKS Resources, 2016). In this TEK, the students will be exposed to the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram for the first time. This model will allow students to examine and investigate the relationship between brightness, surface temperature and color of the stars. TEK 8.8 B is a supporting standard. I chose this TEK because although I thought I had some knowledge of the Sun, I lacked important knowledge and understanding to convey to students. The verb recognize will communicate that students expectations are to identify the Sun but also include recognizable attributes such as a medium sized star, near the edge of a disc-shaped galaxy, and many thousand miles closer to the Earth than any other star (Lead 4ward, 2017). Future Learning/Past Learning Eight grade students were exposed to TEK 6.11A during sixth grade with an introduction to the physical properties, locations, and movements of the components of our solar system. Students also had TEK 7.9A in seventh grade. In seventh grade students analyzed the characteristics of objects in our solar system that allowed life to exist such as the proximity of the Sun, presence of water, and composition of the atmosphere (Lead 4ward, 2017). Both TEKS helps eight graders to better comprehend the present school year science TEK 8.8A. However, students leaving eighth grade should know the universe is comprised of billions of galaxies. Each of these galaxies are comprised of billions of stars. Although these galaxies seem nothing more than fuzzy, dim spots seen through the lens of our eyes, they exist (TEKS Resource, 2016). Students should also comprehend that some of these galaxies are so remote that their light takes several billion years to reach the Earth. The understanding that peopl e on Earth see these galaxies as they existed long ago. Types of Instruction Students should be allowed to work in small group of 3-5 participants. This allows a safe learning environment for reflection, reasoning, discussions, and explaining. A graffiti writing wall could be established at the beginning of the content study. Each day students could add new evidence of learning, and use this wall as a reference for reviewing information. Eighth grade students have many challenging vocabulary words. Therefore, instruction is a must. Some words to consider; Universe, stars, nebulae, galaxies, Hertzsprung Russell, (HR) diagram, asteroid belt, nuclear fusion, blue giant, main sequence, luminosity, super nova, milky way, spiral, elliptical, irregular, telescope, big band theory, Hubble, etc. These words could be incorporated in a journal. Student could generate definitions and picture sketches. Also, vocabulary card sorts could be created to reinforce vocabulary acquisition. Using a PowerPoint along with realia pictures of the universe should be shown with information pertaining to the content. PowerPoints provide great note taking opportunities for students. Students could research information such as definitions of components of the universe (stars, nebulae, galaxies) and recognize and explain the types of galaxies. This type of information could be integrated into a group PowerPoint to present to the classmates. Using Discovery Education for videos on space, the universe, and the night sky will assist students in making connections with the content. Using provoking questions throughout the days of study would provide great student discussions about video information and content learning. A few questions to consider might be; What can observing stars tell us? or When we look into the night sky we are actually looking in the past. How do we explain that? Sentence stems should be used to assist students with their thinking and writing. Graphic organizers could be used for taking notes from the videos. Scaffold Instruction Differentiation for all whether ELLs, special education, or regular education students should be identified and specific. The incorporation of additional resources and teaching tools must be considered. One idea to be considered would be pacing. Slowing down a lesson may take longer to teach, but the end product is greater quality and the experience for the learner is much more rewarding. In small groups, reviewing standards should always be considered and individualized intervention as well. All students but especially our ELLs, should receive sheltered instructional strategies. Students should have the opportunity to incorporate their prior knowledge before beginning any lesson. Prior knowledge sets the foundation for new ideas and concepts. Pre-teaching vocabulary and using visual aids sets the students up for success. Throughout the lesson, teachers should always pause, ask questions, pause for responses, and finally a review of information. These scaffolding practices assures st udents achievement. Personal Growth When we started this unit of study I had many questions about the origin of the universe and the age of the earth. I had many questions about the components of space. As we studied these topics, I was reminded that the questions that scientists ask must be testable. Scientists have provided answers to testable questions that have helped us calculate the age of the universe, the distance of certain stars, and how fast they are receding from us. Whether we can get a definitive answer, we can be confident in the process by which the explanations were developed. These explanations allow us to rely on the knowledge that is produced through the process of science. Ive come to understand that many of these scientific questions can be answered by science investigations and calculations. Reference Texas Education Agency, Lead 4ward, (2017). Process standards. Retrieved from http://lead4ward.com/docs/resources/snapshots/science/teks_snapshot_science_gr_08.pdf Texas Education Agency, Lead 4ward, (2017). Resources. Retrieved from http://lead4ward.com/resources/ Texas Management Curriculum Management Cooperative, TEKS Resources, (2016). 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Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby Essay -- The Great Gatsby F.

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is filled with symbols and symbolism, which try to convey Fitzgerald's ideas to the reader. The symbols are uniquely involved in the plot of the story, which makes their implications more real. There are three major symbols that serve very important significance in the symbolism of the novel. They are "the valley of the ashes," the reality that represents the corruption in the world, the green light of Daisy's lap that Gatsby sees across the bay and lastly, the symbolism of the East Egg and West Egg or more important the east and the west of the country. The "Valley of the Ashes" is located next to the river, where railroad and highway intersect. It is a dumpster between West Egg and New York. The "valley of ashes" poisons the American landscape with waste produced in the manufacture of the rich. It represents the spiritual desolation of modern society. Also, the "valley of ashes" plays a symbolic factor in portraying the destruction of Gatsby's dream just like the industry plays the most important role in the destruction of ...

Israel Vibration :: Music

"Don’t fight ‘gainst the Rastaman with him culture music, ‘cause the Rastaman no mean no harm, what the Rastaman want to do is calm the storm" — Albert "Apple Gabirel" Craig Israel Vibration is one of the greatest triumphs to come out of the Jamaican reggae scene. Those familiar with the band feel the warmth of recognition and appreciation when the name comes up in a discussion of reggae music. That warmth and feeling is amplified for anyone who has heard or seen this special trio of singers perform their unique and powerful act in a live performance. For two decades the positive vibrations have been keeping us dancing and feeling the emotions of their spiritual message. Like many other reggae stars of Jamaica, Israel Vibration feel that God has given them the gift of song for the purpose of conveying the message of Rastafari to the people. These three men make musical magic that blends together traditional roots reggae with raw human emotion and a strong spiritual message. I am especially found of the music and story of Israel Vibration. I plan to discuss a biography and discography of Israel Vibes. Then I will try to describe what Israel Vibrations mus ic means to me, both live and recorded. The three men Albert Criag, Cecil Spence, and Lacelle Bulgin were all born in economically deprived areas of Jamaica during the late 1940’s early 1950’s. This was a terrible time in Jamaica due to the horrific Polio epidemic that swept though the cities and rural towns. Polio claimed the lives of thousands of people and crippled many others. Each of the three men fell victim to Poliomyelitis at a very young age. Most Polio infections occur from a source of contaminated drinking water. The virus enters the body through the intestine where it then multiplies. It spreads into the bloodstream where it eventually infects the nervous system and destroys motor neurons that control muscle movement. The virus only paralyzes 1% of its victims but unfortunately all three singers where in that 1 percentile. Albert "Apple" Craig was the youngest son in a family of ten children. He was the apple of his father’s eye so they called him Apple. One of the major inspirations in Apples life was his mother. She was a spiritual healer and told him that one day he will be a great leader in the world and millions of people will follow behind him.

Breast Reduction

The Pros and Cons of a Breast Reduction Savanna Elevate Hudson Instructor: Pamela Congealed ENG 121 English Composition I July 29, 2014 The decision to have a breast reduction surgery came after years of continuous back pain throughout my life. My experience has been a real Journey in researching the right doctor and asking the right questions for this type of surgery. My Journey began in 2012 after many attempts to lose weight. I began doing several exercises with hope that my breast would firm up and I would see a change see a change with my weight.After seeing no changes I decided to take another route. I tried many different diets, personal trainers, meal plans and body wrap suits. With that I tried I still say no results. Ultimately I decided that I should start looking into breast reduction surgery to see if it was a good fit for me. In 2014 after during all my research I find a surgeon and had my consultation. I was made aware of financial obligation which was ten-thousand dol lars after discussing it with my significant other I then decided to have the surgery.I was made aware of the complications that old come from having this particular surgery. The complications could range from bleeding during surgery, possible of a stroke, heart attack, are even blood clotting. After finding the right doctor and discussing all the pros and cons then, I decided that it would be well worth the risk to have the surgery. I express to the surgery I wanted my current double H -bra size reduce c-cup. A week before surgery I completed my pre-pop and was cleared for surgery due to all labs being normal. The surgery was approximately three hours longs.I was immediately after surgery I was admitted into the hospital due to my inability to fully wake after the surgery. The next morning following surgery I waken with severe pain, swelling, and soreness. I had bandage wrapped around my entire breast area with drainage tubes on the left and right side. I was hospitalized for two d ays and unable to move due excruciating pain. After two days of being hospitalized I was being discharge and I received my aftercare instructions. My instructions were a bit rigorous because I had to remember several things.These things included getting use to wearing a bra purport, remembering to take my medications, applying medicated cream to the incision creams, and continuing to drain my breast pumps and keep them clean after showering. My significant other helps me with all my personal needs. He helped me bathes, put on my clothes and shoes, and even feed me. I needed help because I was not able to fend for myself. After a week I had my first doctor visit sense surgery, and my bandages were removed as well as the tubs. I didn't know whether to be happy or cry when I looked at my scars in the mirror.I observed the incision from the right underarm to my left underarm. I was also shown where both nipples were removed and replaced by being sewn back on. The doctor also told me he removed five pound of breast tissue from each breast. My doctor assured me that the swelling, drainage and pain would subside overtime. He also went over a few restriction that I had to follow while recover at home. I couldn't lift my arms over my head, no bending are stretching, no exercising, and no other strenuous activities. I would have three- four doctors visit before I would be able to return to work.I was out from work for eight week from the surgery. He also advised that the full recovery time could take up to one- two years. Since the reduction I went from a double H cup too C-cup and had to buy new clothes. I am now able to shop at my favorite which sis Victoria Secret. I really enjoy wearing tank tops, sun dresses, and sleeves shirts. Crop tops and sports bras. In going through with the surgery, it has been the greatest thing I could've done. I am happier than Vive been in years, and my health overall is excellent. Life as I know it now is awesome.It is a great feeling t o be able to run and play with the kids and not become short of breath, be able to function daily without any back pain, and most importantly wear clothing that looks great on me. I am no longer on a diet every other week. I have changed the way I eat, and Vive incorporated exercising, and increased my water intake for myself and my family as well. I learned how to buy the right foods, and how to eat them properly to ensure that it would help me burn calories. I would give word of advice to anyone that is thinking about having this surgery.I would advise them to do extensive research on the doctors, always ask lots of questions and remember that no question is a dumb question. They're many research tools available such as you-tube, which how the actual footage of the procedure and Google is helpful information on specialist and procedure. I would also make sure that you truly know what the complications are, and how it will change your life before you decide to do it. I suggest that you have a good support system to get you through your recovery. I truly thank my significant other for all his purport and encouragement from the beginning to the end as well other family members.It's also important to do your research on the surgery because it range anywhere from five thousand are more. I also make sure you're able to be out from work least eight weeks for this type for surgery. Overall, I would not recommend this major surgery to anyone if there are other options available. After listening to several women that had this procedure done, and comparing and contrasting I am proud to say that I could not be happier by having had this surgery. This has truly been a life changing event in my life.