Reflective Material

Monica Wells MSM 5100 August 28, 2011 Why did Jim feel it necessary to analyze reflective material produced by students rather than just interview final-year students in his research? ANSWER: I feel that Jim choose to use both means of collecting data to ensure he was able to see the whole picture. Additionally, I feel it was good for him to lay down a base line for the interviews by reviewing the reflective data. I also believe this allowed him to get a better understanding of the students and the data prior to conducting interviews. Why was it important to plan and manage the interview the way described. ANSWER: I believe that it was good to explain to the students what he was attempting to do during the interview process. I also believe that as an interviewer you want as few distractions as possible thus not disrupting the flow of the information. Iti s also important to put the students at ease and not have them concerned about what they say and how it will be used. Furthermore, I believe as an interviewer one wants as few distractions as possible during the process. With Jim allowing for cross flow of communication and having them in a group, I believe that it enabled the process to get to the route of the problem. More often that not, people feed off of others comments thus adding to the discussion. As Jim only interjected when they got off topic this allowed for him to gather more data during the timeframe they were allotted. How did Jim deal with the ethical issues in his research? ANSWER: I feel that by Jim explaining up front to the students that he was recording and offering up the possibility of erasing something the students did not like, this made the ethical questions disappear. He took the time at the beginning to tell them what was going on and what he intended to do with the data gathered. I feel he covered any ethical dilemmas that could be raised. Why was it valid for Jim to decide to interview tutors when originally he had not intended to? ANSWER: I believe it was valid to interview the tutors because his initial dat collection led to him to believe there was more than what met the eye. I don’t believe the initial information was able to answer the why, how and when questions would like an interview did. It was able to get to the route of the problem allowing for him to make the WBL a better plan. The more he was able to learn about the flaws the better for him. Additionally i feel the answers in the primarily data led to more questions. He found out that many students had not been placed and now he knew why they had not.

Memory and attention

Dorothy Irene Height was born March 24, 1912 in Richmond, Virginia to Fannie Burroughs and James Height. Both of Height's parents had been widowed twice before and each brought children to the marriage. Fannie Burroughs and James Height had two children together, Dorothy and her sister Anthanette. In 1916 the family moved north to Rankin, Pennsylvania (near Pittsburgh) where Height attended public schools. Height's mother was active in the Pennsylvania Federation of Colored Women's Clubs and regularly took Dorothy along to meetings where she early established her â€Å"place in the sisterhood.Height's long association with the YWCA began in a Girl Reserve Club in Rankin organized under the auspices of the Pittsburgh YWCA. An enthusiastic participant, who was soon elected President of the Club, Height was appalled to learn that her race barred her from swimming in the pool at the central YWCA branch. â€Å"l was only twelve years old. I had never heard of ‘social action,' nor seen anyone engaged in it, but I barely took a breath before saying that I would like to see the executive director,† Height related in her 2003 memoir. Though her arguments could not bring about a change in policy in 1920s Pittsburgh,Height later dedicated much of her professionl energy to bringing profound change to the YWCA. In need of money to attend college, Height entered an oratorical contest sponsored by the IBPO Elks. Her speech on the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments to the U. S. Constitution won her a full four-year scholarship. Turned down for admission to Barnard because the college's quota of two African-American students per year was already filled, Height instead went to New York University where she earned a B. S. in the School of Education in 1932 and an M. A. in psychology n 1934.From 1934-37, Height worked in the New York City Department of Welfare, an experience she credited with teaching her the skills to deal with conflict without intensi fying it. From there she moved to a Job as a counselor at the YWCA of New York City, Harlem Branch, in the fall of 1937. Soon after Joining the staff there, Height met Mary McLeod Bethune and Eleanor Roosevelt at a meeting of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) held at the YWCA. In her 2003 memoir, Height described the meeting: â€Å"On that fall day the redoubtable Mary McLeod Bethune put her hand on me.She drew me into her dazzling orbit of people in power and people in poverty†¦. ‘The freedom gates are half ajar,' she said. ‘We must pry them fully open. ‘ I have been committed to the calling ever since. † The following year Height served as Acting Director of the YWCA of New York City's Emma Ransom House residence. In addition to her YWCA and NCNW work, Height was also very active in the United Christian Youth Movement, a group intensely interested in relating faith to real world problems. In 1939 Height went to Washington, DC to be Executive of the Phyllis Wheatley Branch of the DC YWCA.She returned to New York City to Join the YWCA national staff in the fall of 1944, Joining the program staff with â€Å"special responsibility† in the field of Interracial Relations. This work included training activities, writing, and working with the Public Affairs committee on race issues where her â€Å"insight into the attitude and feeling of both white and negro people [was] heavily counted on. † It was during this period that the YWCA adopted its Interracial Charter (1946), which not fght against injustice on the basis of race, â€Å"whether in the community, the nation or he world. Convinced that segregation causes prejudice through estrangement, Height facilitated meetings, ran workshops, and wrote articles and pamphlets aimed at helping white YWCA members transcend their fears and bring their daily activities in line with the Association's principles. In 1950 Height moved to the Training Services department where she focused primarily on professional training for YWCA staff. She spent the fall of 1952 in India as a visiting professor at the Delhi School of Social Work, then returned to her training work in New York City.The increasing omentum of the Civil Rights movement prompted the YWCA's National Board to allocate funds to launch a country-wide Action Program for Integration and Desegregation of Community YWCAs in 1963. Height took leave from her position as Associate Director for Training to head this two-year Action Program. At the end of that period, the National Board adopted a proposal to accelerate the work â€Å"in going beyond token integration and making a bold assault on all aspects of racial segregation. It established an Office of Racial Integration (re-named Office of Racial Justice in 1969) as part of the Executive Office. In her role as its first Director, Height helped to monitor the Association's progress toward full integration, kept abreast of the civil rights movemen t, facilitated â€Å"honest dialogue,† aided the Association in making best use of its African-American leadership (both volunteer and stafO, and helped in their recruitment and retention.

Local Anesthesia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Local Anesthesia - Essay Example In states wherein the application of local anesthesia is allowed, the dental hygienist is initially authorized by the dentist of the dental clinic to administer the reagent to the client (DeAngelis and Goral, 2000). The application of local anesthesia has been delegated to dental hygienists because this procedure is not frequently employed, with exception to a few particular dental scenarios (Wilkins, 1994). However, majority of the cases wherein local anesthesia was administered to the client indicated satisfaction in the dental services that they received. It is thus apparent that the administration of local anesthesia to clients of a dental clinic experiences significantly less pain than those who were not given any local anesthesia. It has been reported that local anesthesia is usually administered during periodontal practice, with approximately 10% of clients needing this reagent. The utilization of local anesthesia presents a number of discrepancies in terms of its frequency and reasons for use. Firstly, it has been reported that the administration of local anesthesia by dental hygienists are more often performed based on the request of the client, as compared to the frequency of request by the attending dentist. It is thus possible that some of these cases could have been conducted without the need for a local block. Secondly, the frequency of use of local anesthesia by dental hygienists varied among states, thus there may be additional reasons that could influence the options of the client, dental hygienist and dentist. The application of local anesthesia has also been associated with a number of side effects, including that of a toxic reaction to the reagent (Brand et al., 2009). Other associated reactions may be linked to the loss of sensitivity of the mouth area, thus resulting in a change in the quality of service of the client soon after a dental proc edure has been performed. Given such discrepancies with regards to the utilization of local anesthesia by dental hygienists, this study would thus want to address the issue of local anesthesia administration in two specific states, namely Connecticut and Washington. It should be understood that Washington carries a longer history of implementation of local anesthesia, as compared to Connecticut. It would thus be important and informative to determine whether there are any differences in the frequency of use of local anesthesia in these two states. In addition, the satisfaction of both dentists and dental hygienists from the use of local anesthesia would be examined in this study. Any information that would be gathered from this investigation may provide a better understanding of the reasons and factors that influence the administration of local anesthesia to dental clients. This study will be performed by collecting the perceptions of dentists and dental hygienists on the issue of the administration of local anesthesia. A battery of questions that are related to the use of local anesthesia during dental services will be presented in questionnaires that will be given to study participants. One limitation of this investigation is that the study population may be fully represent the entire country, yet the particular features of each

Im attaching the file that has all the information you need Essay

Im attaching the file that has all the information you need - Essay Example In other disciplines, mostly economics, international relations, political science, cultural studies, films and media, marketing and advertising, and communication, the probable date when globalization actually began was from1970s. It is difficult to comprehend such a significant occurrence in world history just began in the last four or three decades ago. These occurrences that began in about four decades ago merely accelerated the process of globalization, and as such they do not predict the actual date of globalization, they are just the antecedents of globalization. This paper seeks to get the deeper meaning and definition of the term globalization and the important factors that accelerated it. The paper also analyses three different phenomena which show indicate the existence and slow spread of globalization which dates back nearly 600 years ago and finally I would carefully present my own perception of the concept. Shortcomings of the Presentist Approach The mere understanding of the concept of globalization from the perspective of complex connectivity only refer to the concept in modern times, but ideally the analysis of the term implies economic, social, cultural, and political activities of human began much further in time. The term globalization was initially used in the business disciplines; in fact, it was first used in this field in 1970s, is has since spread out to other studies. According to Jones ‘†¦.thinkers began to refer to this process as globalization and by the 1980s this was already becoming one of the key vogue concepts pushed in both the academic literature on management and in the popular business literature†. The rise in the use of the term is mostly associated with the post war periods when many multinational corporations were setting up footprints in other countries, then the growth in information and communication technology, jet travel, global value chains, global advertising and global finance. The presentist vie ws of the term globalization do reveal very many short comings of their understanding of the term. First, due to their leanings, very many research works on globalization tends to overlook structural patterns, they present as original the older features and misreading of contemporary trends. Second, this view implies a Eurocentric view, meaning that world history probably began with the rise of western imperialism many dub it as the â€Å"the rise of the west†. Consequently, this perception of globalization ignores or down plays contribution to globalization by non western societies. These perceptions tend to downplay the historical perspective of the concept and present a narrow understanding of both history and globalization with understanding of the term modernity. Vary many historians have accounted for the concept without necessarily referring to the word itself, in fact; they recorded happenings that implied globalization before the advent of the word globalization. By any account, this is merely a semantic problem, as historians have found evidence of wide and deep infrastructures of global network amongst different societies without necessarily using the term globalization. Globalization is an approach that asserts that the world has never been isolated, unconnected communities, trade and other social interactions have

OCA2 Gene - Hair Color Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

OCA2 Gene - Hair Color - Essay Example I will analyze the Oculocutaneous Albinism gene type 2 (OCA2) and its effect on color change of the hair and how different individuals of diverse ethnic backgrounds are affected. Oculocutaneous Albinism Type II and Hair Color Changes Identification of OCA2 may have the following implications on a child or individual: A change in the color of the hair or an elevated color levels in hair, the iris is normally translucent, dancing eyes that may lead to impaired vision, or a general eye complication that makes it difficult to have a normal vision. OCA is normally diagnosed in a child or an adult with poor vision or reduced visual contact. In addition, these individuals often have a change in skin complexion and a different hair color that is considered not normal. In dark skinned affected individuals, it is easier to identify OCA2 because the skin may lighten and the color of the hair changed. In light-skinned individuals however, it may be more difficult; hence, there is need to conside r the other symptoms like a change in iris color. Albinism does not discriminate and affects all races. Our case type 2 is mostly evident in individuals in African and African American population. It however affects both male and female sexes with it being more evident in male persons female because albinism is sex linked. Albinism is often more evident in individuals during childhood stage where the characteristics mostly witnessed are a change in skin pigments and a change in hair color (Peracha). Individuals having Oculocutaneous albinism because of mutation in the OCA2 gene often depict traits of blond, light brown or light yellow hair. There is often reduced coloring in the skin, hair and the eyes sometimes impaired vision. The key cause of these traits is always a reduction in the production of melanin that is responsible for the normalcy in the color of these components. Several mutations exist in individuals with OCA2, some of which I have listed above. The commonly found mu tation is the complete absence of the gene responsible for normal coloring. This is usually evident among occupants in sub- Saharan Africa where extreme cases of albinism are witnessed, among African Americans and in Native Americans. These genes are inherited from our parents and mostly are not noticeable in the carrier parents until passed on to the children where they are now more evident. In OCA2, individuals from European Ethnic origin often experience a light yellow color change often evident during birth. In some cases, the hair may have white pigments and may darken with time. This group of Oculocutaneous albinism normally shows much lighter symptoms as compared to the first group. Caucasians with OCA2 have red hair in place of blonde while in most Africans and African Americans, the hair color is light brown complemented by light skin. In another instance, individuals from Asian and northern European origins are found to have a normal skin and hair complexion and only stand out when they are compared to their family members. Their skin complexion is normally lighter when compared to that of individual members of their family who are unaffected. It is evident that the skin color in OCA2 is not as affected as the one in Oculocutaneous albino group one that has a very sharp distinction in pigment alteration. This is evidence that the melanocytes in this

Marine Smith Electronics and Boat Repair Case Study

Marine Smith Electronics and Boat Repair - Case Study Example Customer loyalty and commitment is important for us. Marine Smith has a lot of competition however it is ready to compete ahead and differentiate itself by offering hassle free but a full stocked repair. The customers will be provided with guaranteed boat repair in least possible time. We will have a customer oriented focus on the business; our employees are trained and are held responsible for providing superior services, developing a long lasting trust bond with the customer. This is important because in electronic and boat repair business trust and honest counts more then image of repair facilities. We will focus on both upper and lower class but few of our item prices will be more as depending upon its standard and quality. Marine Smith electronics and boat repair will stand against the barriers and remove them as time passes and the company grows, we expect the business to prosper in the next 3 years. MarineSmith Electronics and Boat Repair will provide electronics and boat repair services to all of Orange County. MISSION STATEMENT Our goal is to successfully penetrate the Orange County market and secure a loyal customer base that recognizes MarineSmith as the leader in Electronics and Boat Repair. ... Our objective is to have at least 95% customer satisfaction in the areas of honesty, reliability, and quality workmanship. Business philosophy is that for the first time we will provide quality workmanship. PRODUCT MARKET AND INDUSTRY Based on our plan we have decided to increase our net profits likewise. The total registered boats in Orange country are 4684 and there usage is divided as in chart Most of the boats are used in recreational activities and so our main focus will be on this area. Our services would be marketed towards boat owners, and being famous for tourism with around 45 million international and domestic tourist (Anaheim Orange country), it has a bright market and loyal customers in the country. COMPANY SUMMARY Marine smith electronics and boat repair is a new company and is a limited liability corporation. The economic growth of the last several years has resulted in increased disposable income. Many people have chosen to spend part of their increased income on their recreational activities. As a result, the need for reliable and convenient repair services has substantially risen as well. Marine Smith will position itself to capitalize on the growing need of the middle and upper class market for quality services in the Orange country. The company will be owned by Mr. Slaurie Smith. The initial startup cost would be as follows,

Hotel Chocolat Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Hotel Chocolat - Essay Example Then the company started expanding in its domestic land and opened almost 43 stores in the UK and 23 stores inside John Lewis outlets. Hotel Chocolat mainly aims at making fresh chocolates which are way more adventurous in terms of taste. It produces chocolates using less sugar and more of cocoa, very different from the chocolates made by other companies. It follows originality and ethics in its services (Hotel Chocolat, 2010). In order to learn cocoa plantation the company decided to work with the local communities of Ghana. After achieving success in the production of chocolates, the company started many new projects. The company opened a restaurant called Boucan at its cocoa estate located in Saint Lucia. After its expansion in the domestic land, the company is now aiming at internationalisation. For this, the company needs an internationalisation strategy. According to Tyndall, Cameron and Taggart (1990), companies should achieve control over the business operation of both international and foreign market in order to achieve their strategic objectives. The next section of the study will discuss strategic options for the chosen company. In the first part it will be shown how the company will move towards diversification of products in the niche market and also show its internationalisation strategy, by using strategy clock and Ansoff’s matrix. In the second part, using suitability, feasibility and acceptability analysis model an analysis will be done to see whether or not the strategic options selected for the company in the first part is justified. In the third part, recommendation is to be provided, which is based on the directions and methods of strategic development which is appropriate for the organisation for the next 3 to 5 years. Finally, a conclusion will be drawn on the entire project. At first it has to be decided, which strategy out of the three strategies of

Echo Planar Imaging, or EPI, Fast Imaging Techniques (MRI) Essay

Echo Planar Imaging, or EPI, Fast Imaging Techniques (MRI) - Essay Example EPI is fast because it uses single excitation of a slice followed by the continuous readout through the k-space using GRE pulse sequence (Delbeke, Martin, Patton and Sandler, 2002). After the RF excitation MR imaging mostly depends upon the formation of echo at some point. Spin echo (SE) sequences are the most former MR sequences (in fact earlier to imaging) (Westbrook, 2009). EPI is called blip because between echoes phase blip causes change in Ky and a new line is sampled. In EPI each gradient refocused echo contributes one line in k-space. The positive and negative read gradients change the direction in which the line is read. In contemporary MR system that are capable of EPI, the fast varying magnetic field linked with the shifting of the magnetic field gradients is capable to produce currents within tissue, which may exceed the nerve depolarization threshold and cause peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). However, the chance of cardiac muscle stimulation also exists, as a result p resenting an artifact (Delbeke, Martin, Patton and Sandler, 2002). From the research on animals it can be suggested that stimulation of respiratory system takes place at exposure levels of the order of 3 times that necessary for PNS, while cardiac stimulation requires 80 times the PNS threshold. The probability of occurring PNS is mostly in EPI. Particularly one has to be cautious of 2 situations: (a) Whilst sloping slices are utilized and it is probable to have a greater slew rate through adding the contributions from two or three sets of gradient coils. (b) For coronal or segittal EPI where the possible current loops in the torso are greatest when the read gradient is in the head-tool direction. In general, dB/dt is monitored through the scanner and lead to the likelihood of stimulation (Delbeke, Martin, Patton and Sandler, 2002). Spin Echo EPI The most commonly used sequence is known as spin echo. It is characterized by the initial application of a radio-frequency pulse of 90 deg rees, followed by one more in front of 180 degrees, then double the time between these two pulses a signal or echo from stimulated tissue is successively applied with several pulse sequences of 90 and 180 degrees, each of which produces an echo which will form the radio wave which provides molecular information. In carefully constructed sequences extra slices are excited while waiting for T1 recovery, so one phase encoding step is acquired for several slices during TR (Weishaupt, Koechli and Marincek, 2008). In a spin echo sequence, the phase encoding changes amplitude every TR. This is to give each echo the correct 'kick' to place it on the right line. You can think of it like a soccer ball tied to a piece of elastic. You need a hefty kick to move it to the outer edges of k-space (large phase encoding gradient), and a little kick for a line closer to the center (small phase encoding gradient). The spins always return to the centre line (i.e. the elastic in our analogy) because you are re-exciting the spins each TR in a spin echo sequence (Bankman, 2008). (Weishaupt, Koechli and Marincek, 2008). Figure shows spin echo pulse diagram, with the sampling of k –space. Reducing the time of the Image For acquiring an image time required is based on the following relation. Tacq = Nacq X Nv X TR Where, Nacq = acquisition number, Ny = Number of steps for phase encoding, and TR= Time period for repetition. Hence in order to reduce time of

Environmental Analysis Essay Example for Free

Environmental Analysis Essay Landfill gas is generated during the decomposition of organic substances in municipal and industrial wastes. Since it is made up of powerful greenhouse gases, primarily methane gas and carbon dioxide, the prevention of escape to atmosphere is desirable and has the added benefit of being utilised as a renewable energy source (Clarke Energy, 2014). One such company focussed on dealing with this issue is Landfill Gas Industries Pty Ltd (L.G.I. Pty Ltd) they are ‘a specialist designer, supplier, installer, and operator of systems that capture, extract and burn gas produced in landfills’ (L. G.I. Pty Ltd, 2014). L.G.I. Pty Ltd has several opportunities that could impact the company’s operations in Australia, such as government regulation, the number of councils and landfills available and the fact that all landfills require a solution to the landfill gas problem. However L.G.I. Pty Ltd also has several threats potentially impacting its operations, for example from large energy generators, large waste companies and opposition to landfill gas. With the continuing pace of global environmental awareness and a general growing consensus about the potential damage of greenhouse gases, the Australian Government may introduction legislation and associated taxation such as the use of carbon credits that are designed punish landfill owners with unabated gas emissions (Department of the Environment, 2011). A company such as L.G.I. Pty Ltd is well placed to install systems that can reduce these emissions and in turn reduce the financial penalties of operating a landfill, many of which are run by local councils and therefore paid for directly by ratepayers. With 565 local government councils in Australia (The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, 2014) and each with a need to process its residents’ garbage, many of which themselves operate landfill sites and/or have legacy landfills within their boundaries. Whilst the market has a finite limit there is considerable appeal for councils to adapt such technologies at their landfills and has the potential to generate ‘huge savings for [councils] and the environment’ (Landfill Gas Pty Ltd, 2008). L.G.I. Pty Ltd is committed to take advantage of councils’ needs by having ‘developed successful landfill gas installations on sites of all scales across Australia’ (Landfill Gas Industries Pty Ltd, 2014). Wherever there is a landfill, there is potential dangers aside from the environmental concerns unless mitigation techniques are employed, such as the risk of fire and explosion which for example  occurred in Loscoe, England in 1986 when a nearby house was destroyed (Danish EPA, 2001). There is also the potential of gas migration to occur below the surface and in turn contaminate the groundwater (Environment Protection Authority, 2008). If a landfill site is not suitable for electricity production, gas mitigation is nonetheless desired for safety and hygiene reasons. L.G.I. Pty Ltd ‘manufactures and installs its own range of state of the art flares’ (Landfill Gas Industries Pty Ltd, 2014) allowing the flammable gases to be safely burnt off. Therefore all current and legacy landfill sites are potential business for L.G.I. Pty Ltd The first major threat to L.G.I. Pty Ltd comes from existing large energy generators, such as AGL, Origin and Energy Australia, these 3 companies have a combined market share of over 60% of the energy sector (IBISWorld, 2014). As these companies have the need to supply electricity to their customers they have the desire to source viable and sustainable generation methods, AGL for example already ‘owns and operates several renewable landfill gas and biogas (sewage) generation facilities across Australia’ (AGL, 2014). If these companies decide to expand in this sector and compete for this resource, they could undermine L.G.I. Pty Ltd’s potential simply by means of more efficient access to financial capital required to setup and by the greater potential political bargaining power they possess such as when competing for tenders. Such as with large energy generators, large waste companies also pose a potential threat for L.G.I. Pty Ltd. Many councils utilise outsourced waste collection, processing, recycling and landfill operators to fulfil their needs. Operators such as Veolia and Sita which operate landfills as part of their business must ‘manage odour across [their] landfills in accordance with the Environmental Protection Licence’ (Sita, 2014). These operators have their own equipment and methods for gas mitigation and therefore pose a threat to L.G.I. Pty Ltd if more councils outsource their waste needs to private companies, they in turn aside from environmental requirements have a commercial obligation to seek profit. There is nonetheless opposition to companies that seek to turn landfill gas into electricity, for several reasons such as its relative high costs, local air pollution but namely it suggests that it is acceptable to dump waste at landfill sites rather than pursue waste minimisa tion or recycling initiatives (Shrank, 2011). Veolia states that it ‘encourages waste  minimisation and recycling’ (Veolia, 2014), however if a financial incentive exists if it fails that endeavour then people are right to be sceptical. The threat of a change in public opinion and awareness towards waste disposal could potentially impact L.G.I. Pty Ltd, particularly if they are seen as not encouraging waste minimisation or if their operations produce an unacceptable amount of air pollution. Landfill gas is an unavoidable by-product of our modern society and it possess several risks if left unmanaged to public health and safety. L.G.I. Pty Ltd is well placed to mitigate these risks and also potentially return a financial benefit to its clients, specifically local councils. In terms of opportunities, L.G.I. Pty Ltd faces a finite barrier in terms of number of landfills in Australia, it may seek to export its expertise to markets overseas to pursue further growth. It may also be of benefit to lobby government to encourage further legislation and taxation penalties regarding greenhouse gas emissions, potentially expanding its market. Of the threats facing L.G.I. Pty Ltd, the biggest is represented by existing the large companies in the electricity generating and waste disposal sectors, who invariable have better access to capital and lobbying power to further develop this industry. Finally, public opinion could negatively impact L.G.I. Pty Ltd if they are seen to be exploiting a resource which ideally should be minimised in the first instance. Clarke Energy, (2014). Landfill Gas | Landfill gas generator. [Online] Available at: http://www.clarke-energy.com/gas-type/landfill-gas/ [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. Landfill Gas Industries Pty Ltd, (2014). Landfill Gas Industries Renewable Electricity Leaders. [Online] Available at: http://landfillgasindustries.com.au/about-landfill-gas/ [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. Department of the Environment, (2011). Capture and combustion of landfill gas. [Online] Available at: http://www.climatechange.gov.au/reducing-carbon/carbon-farming-initiative/methodologies/methodology-determinations/capture-and-combustion-landfill-gas [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, (2014). Local Government. [Online] Available at: http://www.regional.gov.au/local/index.aspx [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. Landfill Gas Pty Ltd, (2008). Landfill Gas Pty Ltd. [online] Available at: http://www.landfillgas.com.au/home.html [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. Danish EPA, (2001). Miljstyrelsen. [Online] Available at: http://www2.mst.dk/common/Udgivramme/Frame.asp?pg=http://www2.mst.dk/Udgiv/publikationer/2001/87-7944-831-3/html/kap30.htm [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. Environment Protection Authority, (2008). Guidelines for groundwater investigation and monitoring for landfills. [Online] Available at: http://www.epa.sa.gov.au/xstd_files/Waste/Public%20consultation/guidelines_landfill.pdf [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. IBISWorld, (2014). Major Companies. [Online] Available at: http://clients1.ibisworld.com.au.ezproxy.lib.swin.edu.au/reports/au/industry/majorcompanies.aspx?entid=2147 [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. AGL, (2014). Landfill Gas and Biogas. [Online] Available at: http://www.agl.com.au/about-agl/how-we-source-energy/renewable-energy/landfill-gas-and-biogas [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. Sita, (2014). Landfill Gas Management | SITA Australia. [Online] Available at: http://www.sita.com.au/facilitie s/landfills/landfill-gas-management/ [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. Shrank, S. (2011). Opposition to Waste-to-Energy: A Waste of Waste?. [Online] Worldwatch Institute. Available at: http://blogs.worldwatch.org/revolt/opposition-to-waste-to-energy-a-waste-of-waste/ [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014]. Veolia, (2014). Recovering Resources from Waste Veolia Australia and New Zealand. [Online] Available at: http://www.veolia.com.au/municipal-residential/recovering-resources-from-waste [Accessed 8 Aug. 2014].

Achievement standard 91329 study exemplar Essay Example for Free

Achievement standard 91329 study exemplar Essay Anaerobic training is used to enhance performance in non-endurance activities to promote strength, speed and power and also to strengthen muscles in a shorter amount of time. Anaerobic training triggers two main energy systems: the high energy phosphate systems, (adenine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP)) and the anaerobic glycolysis system. High energy phosphates are used in small doses within muscle cells and the anaerobic glycolysis system is used in the absence of oxygen inside the cells or when ATP is needed in higher quantities but it cannot be produced fast enough during aerobic metabolism. These energy systems will help to build strength within the muscles and will contribute to a better health and well-being. Demonstrate in-depth understanding on the bodies’ physiological responses from participating in the session. During my training my body was exerting a lot of ATP around my body to give me energy to do the workout. I worked between 75-90% of my max heart rate because the workouts I was doing were very short but intense which meant I had to work harder to get the maximum amount of ATP out of my body. I noticed that after my workouts I was fatigued because the ATP energy within the muscle cells around the area of work had been all used up. Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the strength and weaknesses of the application of the method of training. You should show an interrelationship between the biophysical principles. Anaerobic training is really good in context to the various sports I participate in because in netball, basketball and touch you are not always on the move but you have to exert small bursts of energy at a time e.g. following the opposition on defence, dribbling the ball towards the hoop and running with the touch ball. The small exerts of energy are using a high build-up of ATP within the muscle cells. Being able to keep working through the pain of working at a 75-90% max heart rate helps to burn fat faster and build muscle. Task 3: Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the application of biophysical principles. (a)Demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the application of three methods of training (methods of training may include: continuous, fartlek, circuit, interval (short and long), flexibility, resistance and plyometric) you have used in your training programme. Method of training: Short interval training I used short interval training in my training programme because I wanted to challenge myself and improve my health and well-being in a short amount of time. I order to do this I had to work between a 75-90% max heart rate so that my muscles and heart were working as hard as they could to produce maximum physical results. I decided to work at a 2:1 work/rest ratio so my body had enough rest to produce more ATP and so my heart rate can lower a bit so I have to work harder to build it up again. I tried to move as little as possible during rest time so my body has enough time to lower as low as it possibly can before rising again to the same heart rate. During my training I noticed that I was talking to myself various times in a workout telling myself to keep going and reminding myself of the number of reps that were left. This showed that my brain was also being trained along with my muscles and the brain is one of the hardest muscles to train in the body. Method of training: Plyometric training I used plyometric training to build power and speed in my legs by speed skipping and double under skipping. This type of training is important to building power and speed in my lower body by pushing my muscles to move from extension to contraction in a short time at an explosive rate. When doing double under skipping I experienced very small shocks on landing in which my hip, knee and ankle extensors endured a powerful eccentric contraction. When this happened my muscles were forced to tense. The eccentric contraction is then quickly switched to the isometric (when I stopped moving downwards) and then the concentric contractions, in a rapid time frame which is repeated many times. Isometric contraction always occurs in the transition from the  eccentric to the concentric contraction, but in this rapid transition it is practically eliminated. This is builds strength in legs which can be important to runners when leaving a starting block. The reason why I used this method of training was mainly to build strength in my legs which is beneficial to my lower body. Method of training: Fartlek training Fartlek training was used in my training programme to provide variation to the normal training I did. This placed stress on my aerobic and anaerobic systems and I allowed me to work as fast or as slow as I needed to. Between the high intensity running, I did easy and less strenuous jogging to recover for the next high intensity sprint and I could alter the periods of time that I did high intensity and low intensity running which was a bonus to myself. The benefits of the fartlek training were that I could alter the intensity level to suit myself and it was effective to have the two intensities put into one workout. Having this choice to alter the workout did not stop me from pushing myself though. Fartlek training helped to strengthen my legs and improve my breathing so I could maintain at a high speed for a longer period of time. Choose four principles of training. Principles of training may include the F.I.T.T principle (frequency, intensity, time, type), as well as specificity, progression, reversibility, rest and variety. Demonstrate in depth how and why these were applied to the methods of training in your programme. Principle of training: Intensity How did you apply it to your training programme? I specified the intensity of the workout on my training programme before I started working out so I knew to work at a high intensity or a low intensity. To work out my max heart rate I used the max heart rate chart on the wall in the weights room and I double checked it by using the max heart rate formula: 220 – age, which made my max heart rate 204 bpm. I specified in my training programme that I would be working between 75% and 90% of my max heart rate so I used a heart rate app on my phone because we did not have a heart rate monitor at school and double checked it by putting my hand on my pulse and timing it with a stop watch for a minute which would give me  my bpm straight after the workout. This would ensure that I was working between 150-180 bpm. Why did you apply it to your training programme? I applied intensity in my training programme because it kept my heart rate between the 75% and 90% max heart rate. I was working at a very high intensity which caused oxygen transfer into my muscles to be harder. Due to the anaerobic training I did in my training programme, the periods of time I could work within the 75-90% max heart rate area increased and I could easily get rid of the lactic acid that had built up to use within other energy systems in my body. Principle of training: Frequency How did you apply it to your training programme? I ensured that before I started my training programme that I would be training on specific days within the three week period that we were given to complete the training. I wrote these dates down before I started, determining which days I would train and which days I would rest. This assured the teacher supervising and I that I had to follow this plan and stick to the days designated for training. Why did you apply it to your training programme? I applied frequency in my training programme because it helped to balance the amount of stress I put on myself to adapt to the training and allowing enough time to rest and recover. In addition with the foods I ate within the time allocated to train, training frequently (about 4 or 5 times a week) helped my body to burn calories for my health and well-being in which my training programme was intended to improve. Principle of training: Specificity  How did you apply it to your training programme?  To apply specificity in my training programme I had to do a lot of written work before I had even started training. Not only did I specify the days on which I would train or rest, I had to also specify the amount of time I was going to train or do each activity for, what type of training was going to be involved on each day, what specific activities I was going to do with or without equipment on each day and the max heart rate area I was going to be  working within for the day’s session. I did this by writing all down in my training programme before the three week period and then following each session recorded for each date. Because I was merely training to improve my health and well-being I could do a variety of training within my training programme to improve specific parts of my body e.g. plyometric training to build speed and strength in my lower body and fartlek training to improve my breathing while running. Why did you apply it to your training programme? I applied specificity in my training programme because it was forward thinking and helped me to stick to the plan I had set out and be more organised on the training day. Because my training programme was designed specifically to improve my health and well-being I was not training for a purpose such as interval sprints to improve 100m sprints. Making sure that each training session was specific allowed me to train various parts of my body rather than training for a specific activity likt long distance running. Principle of training: Variety How did you apply it to your training programme? I used different methods of training within my training programme to create variety. Each training session in my training programme was different and I was using a different method of training each day e.g. On Monday 26th August 2013, I used plyometric training as my method of training followed by short interval training on Tuesday 27th August 2013. I also mixed methods of training in my workout to create even more variety and test my body’s adaption capacity e.g. adding skipping in to a short interval workout to incorporate a plyometric aspect into my workout. Why did you apply it to your training programme? The main reason I applied variety in my training programme was to prevent boredom from doing the same thing during the three week training period. In my training programme not one training session was the same, some consisted of elements from other sessions but none were exactly the same. I did this because it gave me a chance to work different areas of my body using different methods of training. Training programme evaluation Strengths of training programme. I think that the main strength in my training programme was the variety and intensity that my training programme offered. Due to the lack of specified purpose for training, I could experiment with my trainings and evaluate on whether that session was a success or needed improvement. This proved to be a benefit for my body because I was able to work all parts of my body in the one workout rather that working on only one area of my body. This provided minute amounts of muscle and resistance of energy system developments which was a huge benefit to my psychological health because I knew that this training was working and gave me more self-confidence. Because I added variety into my training programme, especially into my short interval training, it helped to build strength and speed faster than if I did the same training each session. Another strength within my training programme was the simplicity of it. It was easy to follow and I didn’t need to use much equipment in the gym which makes my training programme easy to follow and someone else could easily use it to train with. Weaknesses of training programme. Using methods of training that worked mainly my lower body was one of my weaknesses because it did not provide me with adequate upper body training. Because I used plyometric and fartlek training methods which both worked my lower body muscle groups and they did not benefit my upper body. Also the duration of the short interval training session I did were a bit too long, especially during the first week of the training period, so I was fatigued very early in the session and it was hard to carry on working at the rate I started at. What modifications would you make to the application of the biophysical principles used in your programme? To improve the application of my biophysical principles used in my programme, I would alter it to focus on one specific physical activity but only doing different kinds of workouts that will help to improve that physical activity like doing different workouts focusing on running if I wanted to improve my running skills. Doing this will allow me to accurately measure whether my training is working by looking at results from before I started training and after I have finished training. I would also start with low intensity workouts during the first  week and then eventually elevating the intensity over the weeks following to minimise the fatigue levels while working out. By doing this it will allow my body time to adapt to the intensity and stress of the workouts.

Concept of perceived effective leadership

Concept of perceived effective leadership The literature review will focus on two dimensions of literature. The first is to look at the kind of leadership that is termed as effective by looking at numerous definition of leadership and the conceptualization of leader effectiveness done by previous studies as well as conceptualization by Kouzes and Posner (2002) in which he measured effective leadership using his Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI). The second is to look at the definition of integrity and how it is conceptualized and measured from the perspective of leadership. To this, the author wishes to use the Perceived Leader Integrity Scale (PLIS) developed by Craig and Gustafson (1998) as previous studies indicated that it is one of the reliable ways to measure integrity from perspective of leadership. Having the two components of this study defined, this paper also attempted to explain the theory underlying the relationship between the two components based on previous studies. This chapter critically and selectively reviews the concept of perceived effective leadership and perceived integrity in leadership and their relationship from published journals and articles. The author believes that this could be useful for understanding and the development of theoretical models. 2.2. Effective leadership As public organizations are facing an increasingly complex environment due to globalization, advancement in technology and communication, more diverse workforce, the need to meet and satisfy citizens and customers satisfaction through high-quality services, the outcry for effective leadership in public organizations has become crystal-clear though it has been contended that effective leaders with integrity are often lacking in organizations (Haberfeld, 2006; Rowe, 2006) to bring the desired impact. Previous research indicated that leadership is a complex process and leadership theories have been defined and developed substantially over the last decades and as claimed by Bennis and Nanus (1985) cited in Olu Oyinlade (2006) that leadership had been defined by researchers in over 350 different ways in the 30 years prior to 1985. This was also agreed by Bass in 1990 who stated that there seems to be many definitions of leadership than the number of researchers striving to study the concept. According to Conger (1992) also cited in Olu Oyinlade that so far there is no single agreed-upon definition as leadership is largely an intuitive concept and this is agreed by Bennis (2007) that recent research suggests there is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. The most common so far of leadership theories are the traits theory, behavioural theory, contingency theory, and leader-member exchange (LMX), the transformational and transactional theory. Due to the vast definitions of leade rship, Bass (1990) cited in Schafer (2009) hinted and pinpointed some common unifying theory implying that leadership is the persuasive power and ability to influence group of people or individuals or other behaviours in an coordinated manner to achieve some pre-determined goal. Kouzes and Posner (2004) defined leadership by their followers and it involves a relationship between those who want to lead and those who choose to follow. They suggested that any discussion of leadership should follow this norm of relationship. Kouzes and Posners assertion for leaders and followers relationship is based on followers perception and they normally depend upon leaders for collective success. Thus, the implication to follow good leaders is high and to follow bad leaders is too costly as it cannot be denied that some leaders are often tempted and lured to manipulate their position for personal gain (Van Vugt et al., 2008). Previous studies on followers assessment of leadership focused on the behaviours associated with effective leadership and past findings also indicated that dimensions of what they call as effective leadership vary from instrument to instrument of research. To this, prior study by Parry and Proctor-Thomson (2002) in citing Bass (1985) in their study on Perceived integrity of transformational leaders in organisational settings suggested that effective leadership can be related to transformational leadership behaviours of idealized influence, inspiring motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration which are very much admired and could become respected role-model. The researchers used Perceived Leader Integrity Scale (PLIS) by Craig and Gustafson (1989) to measure leaders integrity and Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) developed by Bass (1985) to measure transformational leadership involving a sample 1,354 out of 6,025 managers throughout New Zealand and fou nd a strong positive relationship between perceived integrity and demonstration of transformational leadership behaviours. However, this study will not apply the MLQ as an instrument to measure effective leadership as it is criticised on the ground that it lacks ability to measure accurately and distinguish the four dimensions of transformational leadership from one another (Bycio, Hackett Allen, 1995; Tepper and Percy, 1994; Tracey Hinkin, 1998; Yammarino Dubinsky, 1994) although it has been widely used in many investigations of transformational and transactional leadership (Den Hartog, Van Muijen Koopman , 1997). Some theorists also raised questions regarding the notion that transformational leadership may not necessarily lead followers to higher ethical ground but instead may lead to unethical and immoral direction (Giampetro, Brown, Browne Kubasek, 1998; Yukl, 1998) as cited in Parry and Proctor-Thomson (2002). This has given rise to another dimension of transformational leadership in what Bass and Steidlmeier (1999) called as authentic which refers to real ethical leader and pseudo-transformational which is unlikely to be ethical leader. This notion of transformational leader related to effective leadership will not be applied in this study as some researcher like Ciulla (1995) raised the issue of Hitler problem who argued that Hitler must not be in the same category as Martin Luther King, Jr. though the Nazis during his time might have treated him to be effective and transformational. The idea of charismatic leadership too will not be related to effective leadership in this study although Conger and Kanungo (1998) described charismatic leaders to possess all the qualities of vision, drive, passion and ability of leaders to inspire their followers into action. But Bass (1985) argued that charismatic leaders often lead to dictatorship than real leaders with inclusion of qualities such as narcissism, manipulation of people and defensiveness in the example such as Hitler and Mussolini. To this, Kouzes and Posner (1988) came up with their Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) to conceptualize leadership behaviours associated with leader effectiveness based on five dimensions of practices: Modelling the Way, Inspiring a Shared Vision, Challenging the Process, Enabling Others to Act, and Encouraging the Heart. The construction of LPI is although not designed for transformational or transactional leadership styles, but the instruments contents of different scales may from subordinates point of view contains elements of transformational and transactional leadership styles (Fields Herold, 1997). Other studies indicated an increase in perception of effective leadership can lead to an increase in subordinate and organizational effectiveness. To this, researchers like Jaussi and Dionne (2004) in their study on Unconventional leader behaviour, subordinate satisfaction, effort and perception of leader effectiveness cited Bass (1990) claimed that an increased in perception of leader effectiveness can lead to elevated subordinate performance which in turn can enhance organizational effectiveness as one the three outcomes documented in previous leadership literature. As there are too many literatures associated with effective leadership, this paper only attempted to use the term effective leadership as derived by Kouzes and Posner (2002) through his Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) and the dimensions that articulate and explain effective leadership. The reason as to why practices are selected rather than traits and characteristics of leadership is based on the understanding of leaders behaviour through the role theory that can provide insight and understanding on how roles and behaviours influence subordinates behaviour. Role has been defined as a socially specified pattern of behaviour that accompanies a particular position within a social context (Deaux Wrightsman, 1988) cited in Huse (1998). In another definition, roles are also the combination of expectations and performances on the part of those who are interacting with each other (Neal, 1983). Hooijberg and Quinn (1992) also stated that in order to increase their effectiveness, leaders may perform and execute variety of leadership roles and practices in the organizational setting. Another reason for the role theory to be accepted and not the traits theory is because previous literatures on the traits theory popularised in 1930s only explained leadership effectiveness by means of natural characteristics, skills and abilities such as self-efficacy, decisiveness, and interpersonal competences to be associated with organizational effectiveness. But this theory has been subjected to criticism on the ground that this theory lacks predictive power in linking leadership traits to performance (Stogdill, 1948). Consequently, in 1940s and 1950s, the leadership behaviour theory was introduced to explain leadership effectiveness based on leaders behaviours and practices they should play to provide new perspective on understanding leadership effectiveness (Steers, Porter Bigley, 1996) cited in Oyinlade (2006). The theory explains that the behaviour of the leader occurs within the context of various roles and practices the leader plays. This further justifies why leadership practices and behaviours are important to influence subordinates behaviour and this also helps to explain that the effectiveness of the leader is influenced by his/her roles obligations and expectations. 2.3. Measurement of effective leadership In a study done in 2008 to more than 1,000 police supervisors attending the FBI National Academy (NA) in Quantico, Virginia which involved 1,042 of the 1,071 (97.3 percent) NA attendees completed all or part of the survey, the survey concluded that efficacy of police chiefs who are effective leaders was most strongly linked with integrity, work ethic, communication, and care for personnel while ineffective leaders were characterized as failing to express these traits or were characterized as suffering from questionable ethics and integrity. The study revealed that 37.5 percent of respondents ranked honesty and integrity as the most important characteristics of an effective leader. The study also acknowledged that development of effective leaders and leadership practices is a persistent problem in policing (Schafer, 2009) A study done in 2008 involving a total of 1,000 high public school teachers in Amman, Jordan which studied the behaviours of their principals using Kouzes and Posners LPI has shown that 550 school teachers represent 55 per cent of the targeted respondents of 1,000 have assessed their principals as moderately practising Kouzes and Posners leadership practices model and identified them as transformational which is also associated with effective leadership (Abu-Tineh et.al. 2008). 2.4. Integrity Integrity is a concept commonly discussed in a formal and informal way and usually associated with leadership and organisational theory, but it is yet to be defined and theoretically understood (Rieke Guastello, 1995) as cited in Parry and Proctor-Thomson (2002). Previous definitions on integrity indicated that integrity has been defined in different manner and in different forms due to different lines of research by previous researchers. This was conceded by Hooijberg et.al (2010) that the complexity regarding its meaning and interpretation makes it difficult to be understood. Hence, its broad dimensions had led to many researchers to associate it with ethics, honesty, trust, credibility, and character that have been used and applied interchangeably in many past literatures (Hooijberg et.al., 2010; Becker, 1998; Yukl Van Fleet, 1990); Kouzes and Posner (2002); Ciulla (2004). In 2007 and 2009, Palanski and Yammarino cited in Hooijberg et. al. who successfully found evidence of rela tionship between integrity and honesty also asserted that it involves matching deeds to words, a sense of morality and that it lies in the eyes of the beholder. This was shared by Kirkpartrick and Locke (1991) and Covey (1992) described integrity as walking the talk with no desire other than for the good of others. This was supported by Mayer, Davis, and Schoorman, (1995) by stating that integrity should be more than walk the talk but is associated to an individuals full commitment to underlying principles. For Kolthoff et al. (2010) stated integrity has its foundation in ethics and Lawton (1998) asserted that ethics and integrity encapsulate a code of conduct as basis for actions. Notably some examples of ethics violation in public organizations include lying, cheating, rule-bending, stealing public property, harming others and so on (Ciulla, 2004). For Van der Wal; Huberts; Van Den Heuvel and Kolthoff (2006), they described integrity within organizational context to constitute wholeness and in the Latin word -integritas which means acting according to moral values, norms and rules and which must take place within the context and environment in which one works or operates and accepted by the members of the organisation. For integrity also means trust as Bennis (1989) stated that integrity is the basis of trust and Simons (1999) in asserting that trust of subordinates in leaders behaviours is very important suggested behavioural integrity (BI) rather than self-perceived integrity or any statement on integrity as the main focus research on integrity to describe leaderships style and behaviours as there often mismatch between actual values and enacted values of leaders behaviour. The author duly admits that this has been the common flaw in public service where leaders normally ignore subordinates trust and in many instances they do not need subordinates trust as they probably feel proud to helm public organizations and hence could have acted on their own for selfish gain. It is here that mistrust and dishonesty exist within public organizations and as Kolthoff et al. (2010) pointed out that integrity is affected. Other researchers like Padilla, Hogan, and Kaiser (2007) also believed and argued that the occurrences of corruption, unethical and bad behaviours, mismanagement and so on perpetrated by people in position of power appointed in public organizations can be traced to issues of integrity. That is why integrity must be perceived as a moral courage and the will and willingness public servants ought to do and to go against what is not right and believes to be wrong (Kolade, 1999). How integrity is important for leadership? Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991); Kouzes and Posner (2002) cited in Hooijberg et.al (2010) asserted that integrity is not only good for organizations but also to be an important trait of leaders. Becker (1998) argued that excellent leaders are people viewed and perceived to be high in integrity because they do not want to gain something out of organizational resources for selfish reasons. This is consistent with Badaracco and Ellsworths (1990) notion that leaders with values and integrity normally make decisions in accordance with the enacted values of the organization and for Kouzes and Posner, (2002) added that leaders with integrity would be able to convince followers that they are worth to be followed. While Kanungo and Mendonca (1996) cited in Parry and Proctor-Thomson (2002) also stated that integrity in leadership has become an increasing concern for business and organisations. To this, many theorists now believe that leadership without i ntegrity may put the organisations at risk, (Morgan, 1993; Mowday, Porter Steers, 1982; Posner Schmidt, 1984). Perhaps, the most important definition of integrity related to leadership was given by Tan Sri Mohd. Sidek Hassan who is the Chief Secretary to the government of Malaysia in his speech dated 25 Mac 2009 that integrity can be defined as continuous adherence to moral principles, honesty, wholeness, the quality of being unimpaired; soundness. He also reminded civil servants on the need to instil integrity especially on the role of leadership in public institutions in order to deliver high quality of service delivery (http://www.pmo.gov.my/ksn/?frontpage/speech/detail/1512. accessed 5th April 2011). From the so many definitions of integrity mentioned above, it is clear that integrity plays an important role in establishing and maintaining high ethical standards in public organizations but it must start with the top echelon of the organizations which must be perceived to have integrity as without it the whole system and existing reform measures will be meaningless. 2.5. Measurement of integrity Hogan and Kaiser (2010) in their study on How to assess (not to assess) the integrity of managers stated that various attempts have been made in the past to assess and measure integrity in leadership including using the Big Five Personality Theory as researcher like Allport (1937) and other moral philosophers linked leaders integrity to personality and they believed that leaders personality could influence individuals and groups behaviours. To this, measurement of leaders personality using The Big Five Personality theory was a questionable issue related to how sound the integrity test works with leaders (Howard Thomas, 2010) and although it can predict counterproductive work behaviour based on the three dimensions of personality theory: Conscientiousness, Agreeableness and Emotional Stability; but it does not measure counterproductive behaviours. Another critic for the theory was by Mischel (1977) who suggested that personality is most important in weak situations and of course in s trong situation it could provide solid cues about leaders appropriate behaviour which resulted in peoples supportive actions. Hogan and Kaiser (2010) also stated that another measurement technique linked integrity to leaders competency model theory and by using the data that delivered subordinates ratings of 672 directors and vice presidents employed by a Fortune 500 technology firm in the United States, this method defines integrity as a leadership competency and measures it using co-worker ratings of observed ethical behaviour. The test used 23-items to measure five competencies and integrity is one of them. The result of the competency test found that the behavioural ratings suggested only a negligible proportion of managers may have integrity issues and do not identify leaders with integrity issues as most of the items in the questionnaire only reflect the desirable end of integrity construct. The study also did not differentiate between high and low-performing managers, and hence cannot be used as an appropriate measurement to identify leaders with integrity issues. What have been done by previous measurements only focused on positive behaviours of managers that might not have been able to identify leaders with integrity issues. However, using Craig and Gustafson (1998) measurement technique of Perceived Leader Integrity Scale (PLIS) which focussed on perception of unethical behaviours of leaders using only a short version of 8-items questionnaire survey rather than 32-items, Hogan and Kaiser (2010) in their study using data from 80 employed MBA students at a university in the South-Eastern United States has proven that this technique is a reliable way of assessing leaders with potential integrity issues as correlation and regression analyses using the PLIS suggested that trust and leaders integrity is the primary determinant of employee attitudes and effective leadership perceptions. Apart from using PLIS, Hogan and Kaiser also used Leader Behaviour Description Questionnaire (LBDQ) developed by Stogdill (1963) in the study to assess the leaders effectiveness via two-factor of leaders behaviour, that is, Initiating Structure and Consideration scales (10-items for each scale) and found that PLIS is the strongest predictor of all the three predictors and another result indicated that leader perceived integrity was highly correlated with consideration rather than initiating structure which means leaders need to pay more attention to the needs of the subordinates. So, this study will use the PLIS to measure perceived leaders integrity from subordinates assessment in the focus area, that is, the selected Sabah states agencies in Kota Kinabalu. 2.6. Relationship between effective leadership and perceived integrity Parry and Proctor-Thomson (2002) in their study on Perceived Integrity of Transformational Leaders in Organisational Settings involving 1,354 useable samples out of 6,025 managers in private and public organizations throughout New Zealand using both PLIS and MLQ to measure perceived leader integrity and effectiveness respectively found that there was positively significant correlation between leader perceived integrity and a range of leader effectiveness measures in which leader effectiveness was measured with items such as satisfaction with leadership, perceived leader effectiveness, extra efforts from followers and motivation of followers. A study done by Hooijberg et.al in 2010 involving 175 bureau chiefs and directors of a state government agency in the North-eastern USA taking part in a leadership-training program using 20-items survey of Competing Values Framework (CVF) to assess managers effectiveness through eight leadership roles: Producer, Director, Coordinator, Monitor, Mentor, Facilitator, Innovator and as Broker revealed that integrity has an above impact of leadership effectiveness followed by honesty and goal-orientation is the leadership role that bosses highly associated with leaders effectiveness. In addition to the above studies, other past literatures on the study of leadership focussed on the impact of leadership on organization and indicated it was the leaderships role to protect and enhance the invulnerability of public agencies to threats of integrity as suggested by Selznick (1957) that the integrity of the institution is vulnerable to corruption if the leader fails to protect the institutions distinctive values, competence and role. The importance of leaders to demonstrate integrity was also studied by Gray (1985) and Fiedler (1995) as cited in Huse (1998) who argued that leaders will inspire others when they demonstrated integrity. This shows that leadership with integrity is vital to protect organizations vulnerability to corruption as well as to inspire others to behave in a forthright and open-manner and lead the organization into the future which is part of leaders demonstration of integrity. The study by OECD in 2005 on Public Sector Integrity: A Framework for assessment regarding perception of integrity in all its member countries such as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Germay, Japan and host of other countries indicated that integrity in public agencies starts at the top and through leaders actions and behaviour. Instilling a culture of integrity has to come from the top such as the senior management, head of department, governing board etc. Leaders in public organizations must keep integrity at the forefront activities so that employees can take their cues and examples from the top. Other research also has shown that supervisors or leaders are the primary influence on the ethical behaviours of their subordinates (Morgan, 1993; Posner Schmidt, 1984). Their contention is based on the belief that as integrity is also about ethical behaviours, this indicates that if leaders exercise ethical behaviour this will lead to larger implications on subordinates behaviours and behaviours of others in the organization. To this, an effective leadership must lead the initiatives to create an atmosphere where individuals in the organization feel safe to move forward to becoming an ideal and competitive organization. But this will depend on the leaderships beliefs in motivation and competitive spirit of all members in the organization on the adherence to values of honesty, ethics, and trust. What is important is a statement by Morgan (1993) who emphasized the ethical leaderships positive impact on organisational effectiveness will result in ethical development which is very important to the leaders success. Morgan also found that followers perception of leaders ethics was positively related to their perceptions of leaders effectiveness. 2.7. Summary of Literature Review Based on the numerous definitions of integrity given by previous researchers such as Becker (1998), integrity is conceptualized as similar to honesty, trust, ethics, matching words with deeds and actions, and a commitment in actions to set of principles and values. In other words, integrity is about something ethical and morality in words and in actions in accordance with existing norms, cultures, values, processes, rules and laws in which managers and leaders in public organizations must adhere to in order to create and maintain public trust. Previous studies indicated that effective leadership can be conceptualized and perceived using Kouzes and Posners (2002) Leadership Practices Inventory or LPI which emphasizes on leadership practices in five dimensions : Inspiring Vision, Model the Way, Challenge the process, Enable others to act and Encourage the heart. Recent study by Abu-Tineh et.al (2008) done in 2008 in Amman, Jordan involving a sample of 550 school teachers resulted in the school teachers assessed their school principals as having practiced Kouzes and Posners leadership practices and has identified them as transformational which is also related to effective leadership. The leaders integrity can be perceived by using Craig and Gustafsons (1998) Perceived Leader Integrity Scale of PLIS in which Parry and Proctor-Thomson in 2002 has conducted a study on a sample of 1,354 private and public managers in New Zealand using PLIS and found a moderate to positive relationship between perceived leader integrity and transformational leadership behaviours measured using Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Other previous literatures also pinpointed to the needs for perceived effective leadership to possess moral values such as honesty, trust and ethics or in other words integrity to maintain trust and create followers positive perception of leaders effectiveness and integrity to bring the desired impact to the organizations.

Nutrition Essay -- Health Nutrition Pyramid Diet

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Table of Contents Nutrition Therapy  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 Nutrition Consult  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 Meal planning  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 Body Weight Considerations  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 Psychosocial support.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 Calorie Intake  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 Nutrient Composition of the Diet  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 Fat Intake  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5 Carbohydrate Intake  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 Sucrose  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 Fructose  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 Vitamins and Minerals  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7 Alcohol Intake  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  7 References  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8 Nutrition Therapy The most fundamental component of the diabetes treatment plan for all patients with type II diabetes is medical nutrition therapy. Specific goals of nutrition therapy in type II diabetes are to:[1] Achieve and maintain as near-normal blood glucose levels as possible by balancing food intake with physical activity, supplemented by oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin (endogenous or exogenous) as needed Normalize blood pressure Normalize serum lipid levels Help patients attain and maintain a reasonable body weight (defined as the weight an individual and health-care provider acknowledge as possible to achieve and maintain on a short- and long-term basis) Promote overall health through optimal nutrition and lifestyle behaviors. Because no single dietary approach is appropriate for all patients, given the heterogeneous nature of type II diabetes, meal plans and diet modifications should be individualized to meet a patient's unique needs and lifestyle. Accordingly, any nutrition intervention should be based on a thorough assessment of a patient's typical food intake and eating habits and should include an evaluation of current nutritional status. Some patients with mild-to-moderate diabetes can be effectively treated with an appropriate balance of diet modification and exercise as the sole therapeutic intervention, particularly if their fasting blood glucose level is < 200 mg/dL. The majority of patients, however, will require pharmacologic intervention in addition to diet and exercise prescriptions. It is important to note that ... ...ng insulin or sulfonylureas are susceptible to hypoglycemia if alcohol is consumed on an empty stomach. Therefore, these individuals should make sure to take any desired alcohol with a meal. Patients with diabetes and coexisting medical problems such as pancreatitis, dyslipidemis, or neuropathy may need to reduce or abstain from alcohol intake. References American Diabetes Association. Medical Management of Non-insulin-dependent (Type II) Diabetes, 3rd ed. Alexandria, Va: American Diabetes Association; 1994:22-39. American Diabetes Association. Diabetes 1996 Vital Statistics. Alexandria, Va: American Diabetes Association; 1996. Davidson MB. Diabetes Mellitus: Diagnosis and Treatment, 3rd ed. New York, NY: Churchill Livingstone; 1991:35-93. Henry RR. Protein content of the diabetic diet. Diabetes Care. 1994;17:1502-1513. Mudaliar SR, Henry RR. Role of glycemic control and protein restriction in clinical management of diabetic kidney disease. Endocr Pract. 1996;2:220-226. American Diabetes Association. Clinical practice recommendations 1995. Position statement: nutrition recommendations and principles for people with diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care. 1995;18(suppl 1):16-19.

Christianity Essay -- essays research papers fc

Christianity, Islam, and Judaism: Perspective on Fasting One of the longest established disciplines of the human body is that of fasting. Fasting is abstaining from food, drink, sleep or sex to focus on a period of spiritual growth(www.alinaam.org.za).Fasting has also been used in nearly every religion in the world, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Many of history's great spiritual leaders fasted for mental and spiritual clarity, including Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed. Fasting is an important element in religious practices. Christian Perspective Nowhere in the New Testament is fasting commanded as a binding obligation upon the Christian. However, if one elects to fast it should be nothing less than drawing nearer to God. Even though fasting is not commanded that doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t mean that fasting isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t recommended as a part of a Christianà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s spiritual growth. Fasting is very important in Christianity. Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights. The Book of Acts records believersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ fasting before they made important decisions (Act 13:4, 14:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2: 37; 5:33). Although fasting in Scriptures is almost always a fasting from food; there are other ways to fast. Anything you can temporarily give up in order to better focus on God can be considered a fast (1 Cor. 7:1-5). Fasting should be limited to a set time, especially when the fasting is food. The occasions for a fast is total voluntary. Christians fast for different reasons. They fast during difficult times, to express sorrow or regret for sin or to seek guidance from God. Christian also fast to communicate emotion to God. Christian fasting is more than denying he or herself food or something else of the flesh à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a sacrificial lifestyle before God. In Isaiah 58, a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“true fastà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬? is not just a one-time act of humility and denial before God; it is a lifestyle of servant ministry to others. Isaiah tells us, fasting encourages humility, loosens the chains of injustice, unties the chords of the yoke, frees the oppressed, feeds the hungry, provides for the poor, and clothes the naked. (Isaiah 58: 1-9). The concept of Christian fasting isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t a one-day thing à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s a lifestyle of servant living for God and others. Jewish Perspective Fasting is a part of the Jewish tradition. Fasting was instituted in Biblical times as a sign of morning, or when... ...d Judaism rely heavily upon law for fasting. They have major fasts based on the Holy Quà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ran and the Torah. Christian fasts are not restricted to commands from the Bible. As a matter of fact, fasting is not required at all. They are encouraged to fast for spiritual growth. If Christians decide to fast, they have individual freedom to choose when and how they fast. Unlike Christians, Muslims and Jews have to fast completely from food. Christians have a choice to fast from whatever keeps them from focusing on God. Even though Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have different perspective on fasting, they all have a common goal to get closer to God. No matter how a fast is carried out, one should never lose sight of the main goal of fasting. Fasting provides an environment for a deeper spiritual life. Bibliography http://www.aish.com Retrieved February 20, 2005. http://www.alinaam.org.za/ramadhaan/freligions.htm Retrieved February 20, 2005. Fisher, Mary Pat (2002). Living Religions, Fifth Edition Prentice-Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. The Holy Bible, New International Version Grand Rapids, Michigan 1973. http://www.islamworld.net / Retrieved February 26, 2005.

Consideration when building market-competitve compensation system Essay

Discuss and explain the considerations when building market-competitive compensation systems. A company that strives to be competitive in whatever market they belong to will always look for strategic and competitive advantages. Building a market-competitive compensation system is the first step needed to attract, retain, and promote high performing individuals who will help a company reach and maintain that edge over competitors, so it is imperative to get it right the first time: offer compensation that is far above the median wage and the company must lower its bottom line, leaving it less money to reinvest, pay stockholders, etc. Offer too low a compensation package and the company will not be able to attract the high performers it is looking for to drive the competitive advantages further. To build a market-competitive pay system a company must: Conduct Strategic Analyses – When a company conducts a strategic analysis of both the external market (industry profile, competitor information, long-term growth prospects) and internal factors (functional capabilities, financial situation) it is looking for the parameters or the limits that it can perform and grow with (Martocchio 146) . Assess competitor’s pay practices with compensation surveys – The textbook goes into depth the factors surrounding compensation surveys, much of which are better explained in a statistics class. It is understandably difficult for a company to develop an internal custom compensation survey, as training personnel who have never done this is difficult, not the mention a company’s competition is understandably resistant to releasing pay numbers to rivals! Published surveys do exist, however, and consulting firms are there, depending on the industry. The most important strategic considerations to develop in a survey are determ ining the relevant job market and choosing benchmark jobs within that market (150). Integrate internal job structure with external market pay rates – Using regression analysis, which â€Å"describes the linear relationship between two variables (i.e. simple regression) or between the linear composite of multiple variables and one other variable (i.e. multiple regression)† (380). In simpler terms, it is finding the sweet spot for the company pay based on external markets and what they pay and factors internal  to the company (relevant work experience, job value, etc). Determine compensation policies – A Company has three pay level policies to choose from: market lead, market lag, or market match. A market lead policy â€Å"leads† the way, establishing a pay which is higher than market trends but may result in reduced profits. This is, however, what a company may want to do to differentiate itself from the competition. Market lag policy has a company compensating employees less than the average. This is best suited to a lowest-cost strate gy and the claim can be made that those low costs are passed to the clients or consumers. Market match policy ensures the company is compensating its personnel the same as current market trends. It is a safe way to go but does little to help a company distinguish itself from competitors, but if it fits within the strategic goals of a company it is the way to go. Works Cited Martocchio, Joseph J. Strategic Compensation: A Human Resource Management Approach 7th Edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2013.

Ptlls 008 Roles, Responsibilities Essay

Important to define the terms prior to listing the entities which may impact on my work: Legislative requirement: A duty to act according to the law as defined in an Act of Parliament and usually enforceable through the courts. Code of Practice: A set of rules outlining how a person in a particular profession or situation is expected to behave. Statutory Code of Practice: A Code of Practice approved by Parliament and admissible as evidence in any legal action. The Children Act (2004) – Every Child Matters underpinned the Change For Children agenda. The Act came into being following the death of Victoria Climbie. The Act is applicable to children and vulnerable adults up to the age of 25. Focused on five specific outcomes for children: Be healthy Stay Safe Enjoy and Achieve Make a positive contribution Achieve economic well-being Protection of Children Act (1991) – gave local authorities to investigates cases of child abuse. Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) – introduced a vetting and barring service for those working with children and vulnerable adults. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks (previously CRB checks). Code of Professional Practice (2008) – introduced by the Lifelong Learning Sector. The code is based on 7 behaviours expected of teachers. Copyright Designs and Patents Act (1988) – relates to copying and adapting materials. The Data Protection (1998) – relates to information held on people by others. Education and Skills Act (2008) – aimed at increasing participation in learning. The Equality Act (2010) – brought all the areas of discrimination: race, sex, disability, race into one Act. The 2010 Act identifies 9 areas of discrimination. Freedom Of Information Act (2000) – individuals can ask to see the information held on them Health and Safety At Work (1974) – imposes obligations on all to operate within a safe and healthy environment Human Rights Act (1998) – basic rights for all The Further Education Teacher’s Qualifications (England) Regulations (2007) – professional status for teachers in FE and a qualification route GRAVELLS, A. (2012) Preparing To Teach In The Lifelong Learning Sector 1. 2 Analyse own responsibilities for promoting equality and valuing diversity The definition of equality is to treat everybody equally, especially in terms of status, rights and opportunities. The 2010 Equality Act brought together a number of different pieces of legislation which means it is unlawful to discriminate against people on the grounds of pay, sex, race and disability. Diversity means being aware that every person is unique, not only because of their visible differences such as race, age or disability, but also non visible differences, religion, social background, economic status or political beliefs. Inclusion is about being objective and looking beyond first impressions. It’s about diversity and breaking down barriers, changing lives and promoting equality. Within my role it’s important for me to base my practice around the concepts of equality, diversity and inclusion and keep an open mind. Without an open mind I may not support all people equally to recognise their potential and achieve their aspirations. Discrimination could then be argued to have occurred as students would not have been treated equally. Particular to my role as a potential facilitator would be the areas of Differentiation Preconceived stereotypes Encouraging a wide variety of views Use of culturally diverse images and resources Learning support where appropriate 1. 3 Evaluate own role and responsibilities in lifelong learning Reflective Journal Annex A It is important to consider this question in relation to internal and external influences. My role as a facilitator is connected to the Learning Cycle. The cycle consists of five reoccurring elements. It is appropriate for me to answer this question offering examples for each element. Identify needs. Role – arranging assessments to identify student need particularly in the key skill areas: numeracy, literacy and ICT Responsibility – offering information, advice and guidance on the contents of the course Plan learning Role – planning schemes of work and when it will be taught Responsibility – designing a scheme of work, lesson plans and resources Deliver/Facilitate learning Role – establish ground rules Responsibility – deal with inappropriate behaviour as it arises Assessing Learning Role – assess progress whether it be for internal purposes or national examination bodies Responsibility – offering feedback to students Evaluation Role – improve the teaching and learning process Responsibility – evaluate session taught perhaps through student reflective journals 1. 4 Review own role and responsibilities in identifying and meeting the needs of learner Reflective Journal Annex B To meet the needs of the learner, firstly I would conduct an initial assessment, particularly in the areas of key skills: literacy, numeracy and ICT. This would enable both myself and the learner to identify and agree areas where additional support was required to enhance learning Secondly I would negotiate Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) to enable both the learner and myself to set targets and monitor outcomes. Thirdly I would initiate regular tutorials where individuals could receive dedicated individual attention where achievement could be celebrated and support and help offered. Lastly, I would constantly be mindful of barriers to learning whether this be learning or personal ones. In such cases where there were issues depending on the nature of these issues I would either deal with them myself or signpost the student to an appropriate professional 2. Understand the relationships between teachers and other professionals in lifelong learning 2. 1 Analyse the boundaries between the teaching role and other professional roles There are three areas on which I intend to focus. First the teachers time is limited it therefore may be appropriate to refer a student to another professional, for example if the students wishes to discuss their career ideas, although I would feel comfortable doing this I may not have the time. I would therefore signpost them to a career expert. Secondly the teacher may not have a particular expertise and teachers should be respectful of the abilities of other professionals. For example if my computer projector broke down I would ask a technician to repair it. They would have both the expertise and health and safety knowledge to complete the task. Thirdly within the busy life of a classroom it is not always possible to meet the specific needs of the learner whether this is in respect of key skills, language barriers or personal problems. In any of the incidents it would be appropriate for me to refer them to another professional. The key is always to support the learning of the learner.

Bitstream

Some of them were top heavy structure, lot of dimensions in the organization etc. Jim sole cleared all these issues very intelligently. He started a team building process and the task and targets Of the company were made clear to everybody. According to Jim, he wanted the person who is able to take decisions and manage the people. Though Jim himself was in favor of selecting from his lot of people, but for the new venture in network printing, he thought that a person, who has some prior experience in the similar fields like VARY and network printing, would be more suitable.The key was to get the right brain t right place and matching personal goals with the job requirements that will make better chances of success. According to Sole, a person with positive attitude, intellectual curiosity, variety of experience, flexible, comfortable in handling situations, looking for fresh challenge was required. A person who can oversee the tail end of the development process and making sure that the product is the one what the customer needed. Also the person should be seasoned and who can leverage the resources Bitterest has developed.Options available as suitable candidate: The first candidate for the job IS William Wendell. He has the right kind of experience that is required, both in VARY and printing industry but not much of it. As per the remarks from Peter, he is â€Å"very political† and â€Å"very focused on own career†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ. According to me the later characteristic matches with the requirement as the success of the project, as this will sync with his own career advancement. The first remark is somewhat disturbing as for Bitterest a person who is a team leader and group worker is required.This will not disturb the team already there at Bitterest. The second option is Fred Fallow. According to me he is young and dynamic, but the experience is not that much for the job. He has variety of experience also. According to Peter remark, he is work hard and play hard kind of person. At times these types of persons are good but in certain situation they have casual approach that can lead to big problems. The third option is Chris Cowan. He has a lot of experience but according to me he is too old for this new project.At this level of experience, stubbornness comes in the attitude that will harm the new project as well as the teams developed by Jim. Even Peter remarks also tell that he is sometimes abrasive and headstrong. The last option is Mitchell Madison. Similar to Chris he has also tons of experience and in fact he is working as UP for the last 12 years or so. He can also develop similar attitude as Chris. As the remarks of Peter say that he is already getting almost $30000 more than what Bitterest is planning to offer.Preferred choice: According me the best suited candidate for the above post is William Wendell. He is young and having suitable work experience in both VARY and printing industry. Also he is career cautious that will add up for the success of the project. This is a developing field and he will surely want to do the best in this field. Though the danger is from his political side, but I think it may get tramline when he will join bitterest, where the culture is of team work. Apart from this he has all criteria matching with what desires.

Media and Nursing Essay

The differences between nurses at the associate degree level verses the competencies of a baccalaureate degree level is skill and education. Skills and knowledge are needed to provide safe and competent care regardless of what level of nursing that you are pursuing. According to the journal, Associate degree level nurses are trained more so at the bedside level. The Baccalaureate level nurse are trained to think and critically and solve problems. The Associate level nurse are trained to asses and look for abnormal findings such as abnormal blood pressures, a CHF patient with a significant weight gain in twenty four hours. The Baccalaureate level nurses are trained to think critically and solve problems. Although both levels are required to use critical thinking skills to pass the state board exam, the baccalaureate level nursing goes more in depth on how to utilize these skills. The Associate Nurse basically provides care for the patient, this includes completing all activities of daily living, assessing the skin, obtaining vital signs, obtaining lab samples, starting peripheral lines or administering intravenous fluids. The Baccalaureate level nurse educate the patient and attempt to prevent worsening conditions, the baccalaureate level nurse also instructs and educates the patient to monitor their surgical sites for signs and symptoms of infections such as redness, swelling, or drainage and to report the findings immediately. The BSN advises and instructs the patient to report signs and symptoms of pain at the earliest onset. The BSN advises the patient on the importance of reporting these findings. The Baccalaureate Nurse is in most cases a charge nurse who deals with staffing issues and deals with unit emergencies as they may arise. A senior Associate level nurse may be a charge nurse based on years of experience, knowledge and practice. Although both levels must have clinical competence they have different levels of knowledge used in the practice of nursing. According to the Journal of Professional Nursing Issue in May 2008, the educational preparation of nurses must provide the necessary skills and foundation for graduates to practice at a level of competency and safety (www. library. gcu. edu). This writer has personally witnessed a BSN level urse; actually a couple, that are new graduates who are not competent. They were obtaining blood pressures and was not sure how to place the cuff on properly or where to place the stethoscope on the patient’s arm and then they asked, â€Å" how do you know which on is the systolic and which is diastolic. This writer was frantic but as an associate level nurse eager to assist these new graduates on the proper way of obtaining a blood pressure and they were very appreciative. In thinking about this question further about entry into practice, I had to do some reflection. As I come from an AD program, I have to say that for the time (graduated 2007), and for the expectations of entry-level RN practice at that time, I received the most complete and comprehensive education that I could have ever asked for at Florida Gateway College in Lake City, Florida. I knew I was prepared to begin working as a safe, competent professional and I quickly learned as I worked alongside new BSN graduates that I was more clinically prepared in many ways. That being said, I also knew that if I wanted to have more choice with regard to my future, I would have to pursue at minimum a BSN. So, I find a definitive answered to the question posed to be difficult. Regarding ENTRY into practice, I believe that an AD program prepared nurse can be a huge asset to nursing practice, and in many ways is more prepared now than even I was with regard to some issues (e. g. : critical thinking and competency and skills). In light of the current shortage, as well as other issues, the reality is that AD program graduates are here to stay, due to the fact that they are geared for bedside nursing and the acute care setting is becoming more prominent. I do believe that if possible, a student should pursue BSN education in the nearest future to advance in knowledge and education, but there are often obstacles to that for some students. This nurse has enjoyed being at the AND level working closely with the patients at the bedside, working closely with the Primary Care Providers and all of the members of the Interdisciplinary team, but now I feel that there are more marketable opportunities as a BSN level nurse. At the end of the day it does not matter what level nursing you are on, you must keep the patient’s best interest as far as safety and education level at heart. The more you enhance and advance your knowledge the more you can teach your patients about prevention and safety. The health care field is however becoming more demanding as far as medically and requiring employees to be technology savvy. So to summarize, the AND level nurse is trained for the bedside and the BSN level nurse is trained more so to think critically and to solve problems.