High School and Extracurricular School Food Essay

This brief addresses â€Å"open† or â€Å"off † campus policies that allow high school students to go off campus to purchase and eat food during their lunch periods. The brief highlights issues related to open campus policies and complements the separate Legal Notes: Open Campus Lunch, which highlights some of the legal issues related to off campus lunch and the creation of effective policy addressing this matter. OPEN CAMPUS LUNCH POLICY DECISIONMAKERS Copies of Legal Notes: Open Campus Lunch, Mapping School Food, and other related materials are available on the Public Health Advocacy Institute website at: www.phaionline. org/schoolfood. For more on Potter Boxes, please review Mapping School Food. A quick primer, Potter Boxes at a Glance, is also provided near the end of this brief. This issue brief and the legal notes will help you craft your own Potter Box—a decision-making matrix—that provides a legal and social framework and helps identify key legal access points directed towards reaching your policy goal. This brief defines an open or off campus policy as one that allows select or all students to leave campus during the lunch period to purchase or consume food and beverages. Therefore, a school with a â€Å"modified† policy that only allows certain students who meet specified requirements to go off campus is considered to have an open campus policy. This brief defines a closed campus policy as one that does not allow any students to leave campus during lunch or any other time during the school day. The focus of this brief is on high schools, although research and data that extend to elementary and middle school students were evaluated in preparation of this brief. Open and closed campus policies can be set at the state level by a state board of education or by the state’s education code. Typically, policies are set at the district level by the school district board. The district can create base guidelines establishing an open campus, but it can additionally allow the principal at each school the authority to make provisions or decide under certain circumstances whether or not to allow off campus privileges. In California, for instance, the Stockton Unified School District board policy makes detailed provisions for open campuses but gives the school principal the power to completely close campus if there are specific reasons to do so. In addition to board members, the superintendent is a key decision-maker because he or she must implement the board’s policies. Off campus policies can also be set at the school level by the principal. See legal notes, School Structure, Power, and Responsibility: From State Laws to High School Handbooks, for additional information. Open campus lunch laws and policies do not exist in a vacuum. Policy goals, community support, and specific situational facts must be taken into consideration or the law or policy can be rendered useless, harmful, or ignored. OPEN AND CLOSED CAMPUSES BY THE NUMBERS High schools tend to have unhealthier school food environments than elementary schools. Open and closed school campus policies have the potential to affect students’ health, safety, and security, as well as to influence the school environment itself in these 1 Open Campus Lunch Off the Map: Extracurricular School Food areas. The 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study showed that nationwide 71. 1 percent of high school districts and 73. 1 percent of high schools had a closed campus policy where students could not leave campus during lunch or at any other time during the school day (compared with 65. 9 and 73. 4 percent, respectively, in 2000). This is similar to a finding of about 25 percent of high schools having open campuses obtained in spring 2005 by the third School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study (SNDA-III). Percentages can vary by state and study. A 2003 survey of California high schools found that 46 percent had open campuses, the same as it found in its 2000 survey. We conducted a small, informal survey with people who provided input for Mapping School Food and who impact the school food environment in Arkansas, California, Massachusetts, and Mississippi. We also reviewed notes from interviews conducted in 2007 in preparation for Mapping School Food. The results of the survey are anecdotal evidence to enhance this brief and cannot be generalized. A little under one fifth of those surveyed stated that the school or district they worked with had an open campus policy. Some did not have open campuses because they worked primarily with younger students not yet in high school. There is a strong link between a student’s dietary behavior and his or her risk of becoming overweight. Students should eat less low-nutrient, energy-dense foods and beverages and more fruits, vegetables, and low- or no-fat milk. A study of Minnesota secondary school students found a strong link between frequency of eating fast food and â€Å"poorer food choices,† resulting in more fatty and sugary foods—and less fruits, vegetables, and milk—consumed. Most of those we surveyed felt that food and beverages obtained through concession stands, fundraisers, school stores, and off campus lunch periods were unhealthy, and over half believed that students would purchase healthier foods if they were available. They thought that most of their students who bought food and beverages near campus did so at chain fast food establishments and minimarts with prepared foods. Depending on what is offered in the cafeteria and school, closing the campus for lunch could eliminate the fast food option and help strengthen good food choices. Foods subsidized by federal programs must comply with certain nutrition regulations and generally are called program foods, while all other school food generally can be considered non-program or competitive foods. For more information, see Mapping School Food, particularly Appendix: Federal School Meal Programs and its Legal Practitioner’s Point. The United States Department of Agriculture’s SNDA-III found that students who participated in  the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) were more likely to consume fruits, vegetables, and milk. Correspondingly, non-participants were more likely to consume snacks, desserts, and beverages like sodas during the lunch period. Policy changes that restricted non-program foods, meaning food obtained through school stores, snack bars, and a la carte options, resulted in a reduction of sugar-sweetened beverages consumed by middle and high school youth. Closed high school campuses also were linked to an increase in eating vegetables. However, these initial analyses from the dataset collected during the 2004–2005 scholastic year must be taken into consideration with one finding of no strong association between school food policies and high school students’ obesity risk. Continued research into this rich data set is necessary to clarify and further inform these analyses. Policymakers should explore if closing campuses for lunch will improve healthier choices and eating habits. The 2003 California High School Fast Food â€Å"The food environment surrounding schools could easily negate school food policies and health education in the classroom, especially in high schools with an open campus policy that allows students to leave campus during their lunch break. † STURM (2008) STUDENT HEALTH, NUTRITION, EATING PATTERNS, AND SCHOOL FOOD The school environment is an important sphere in the development of dietary behavior. Policymakers should craft school food laws or rules that encourage healthier options while restricting unhealthier options. They also should assess open campus lunch policies because these policies can affect policy goals regarding the school food environment. 2 Open Campus Lunch Off the Map: Extracurricular School Food Survey found indications that schools with an open campus lunch policy reported less participation in the NSLP compared to schools with closed campus policies. The SNDA-III reported that 14 percent of high school students who were interviewed about what they ate on a certain day reported that they did not participate in the NSLP because they went off campus to eat lunch. Thus, there is the possibility that closed campus policies could encourage increased NSLP participation and healthier eating habits. Open and closed campus lunch policies must be examined further in the context of their relationship to school food and student health. There is also a perception issue that demands attention. Regarding open campus lunch policies, one Massachusetts Food Service Director commented, â€Å"It sends the message that school food is not as good as fast food and also there are a great deal of safety issues involved with leaving and returning. † Some students may perceive a certain stigma with regard to cafeteria food—particularly program foods—which must be corrected. CLUSTERING OF FAST FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS, RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC DISPARITIES food or other establishments clustering around the school should evaluated. School policy must also consider student subgroups that could be disparately impacted by the clustering of fast food establishments and/or the adverse health effects of overweight. Studies show that fast food restaurants cluster within easy walking distance around schools. A recent study of middle and high schools in California found a direct relationship between fast food establishments being near those schools and the students being overweight. It also found that students within walking distance of fast food restaurants were significantly less likely to say they had eaten fruits or vegetables and more likely to have consumed soda. The study did find a larger association of overweight being associated with fast food proximity for Black students which it did not find with other racial and ethnic minority student populations. It also found the same increased association for students in urban schools. Overweight is a health indicator displaying significant disparities amongst racial and ethnic minority youth, as certain groups have higher risks of obesity and resultant health problems compared with others. Studies also have indicated that low-income and racial minority students can tend to live in communities with less safe streets, poorer facilities, and/or greater access to low-nutrient, energy-dense foods and less access to healthy foods. One study examined high and middle schools and their proximity to restaurants, convenience stores, snack stores, and liquor stores. Observing racial and socioeconomic variances, it found that Hispanic students are more likely to go to schools within close Open campus and other school policies should aid student development in all areas including nutrition and health. Fast food availability around schools encourages consumption of low-nutrient, energydense food and could influence students’ developing decision-making skills and habits regarding nutrition. When crafting school policy, the significance of fast â€Å"While it is important to respect adolescents’ increasing autonomy and decisionmaking skills, research clearly shows that food availability is one of the strongest correlates of food choices in adolescents. † NEUMARK – SZTAINER ET AL . (2005) In study results published in 2005, over a thousand, mostly suburban, high school students were surveyed across twenty high schools in a region in Minnesota. At least six of the high schools had an open campus policy. The study found that students on an open campus were â€Å"significantly more likely† to get their lunches from fast food establishments and convenience stores. It also found that students in upper grade levels purchased lunch from convenience stores or fast food restaurants with greater frequency than students in lower grade levels. The study concluded that school food policies that limit access to low-nutrient, energy-dense foods and beverages are linked with students purchasing these types of food and beverages less frequently. 3 Open Campus Lunch Off the Map: Extracurricular School Food walking distance of those types of establishments. That particular study did not find such strong associations among other racial groups, except with regard to liquor stores. Another study published in early 2009 found that fast food restaurants in New York were concentrated in commercial areas and in predominantly Black communities in both low-income and more affluent areas. More data and studies are needed to clarify the relationship between different establishments’ proximity to schools and student eating patterns—and how racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other factors are related to fast food establishment clustering, overweight, and health risks. Still, these factors newly have been considered in local land use law, and they should be considered when crafting current school policy. In Los Angeles, an ordinance recently passed that puts a one year moratorium on building new fast food establishments in areas of South Los Angeles, which have large Latino and Black communities. The ordinance was significantly motivated by the city council’s concerns about how the proliferation of fast food restaurants escalate socioeconomic problems in low-income neighborhoods—and this proliferation’s impact on food security and children’s health and nutrition. Hopefully, the moratorium will provide time for more permanent regulatory controls to be put in place. See legal notes, Legal Interventions—Holistic Considerations, for additional information. LOCAL BUSINESSES AND ENVIRONMENT go off campus for lunch, said that local businesses donate money to the school, and a closed campus policy would likely cause the loss of those donations. However, in our informal survey, the few people that did work with schools that received donations from local businesses that sell food or beverages did not feel that those donations were a necessary part of the school’s overall budget. When constructing your Potter Box, the facts of the situation will clarify specific concerns, such as local establishments’ reliance on youths’ lunch money and whether these businesses donate or contribute to the high school(s) to an extent that it could impact policy decisions. Local businesses therefore can be attuned to the school’s schedule and policies. â€Å"We always know when kids aren’t going to be in school,† a pizza manager told a newspaper. â€Å"When kids are home from school they’re ordering pizzas, so we schedule another driver. † Local businesses also may contribute to the schools in non-monetary ways like monitoring and reporting student behavior. Antioch Unified School District in California is starting a â€Å"We Tip† program where local businesses are encouraged to report truancy. Improved average daily attendance results in more monetary support from the government. Programs like â€Å"We Tip† have to be measured against closed campus policies to see which is—or if both applied together are—more effective and beneficial to the school. Most of those we surveyed who had experience with off campus policies felt that such policies were popular with local businesses and students and, conversely, not popular at all with cafeteria staff and food service directors. They also thought their location and community could not accommodate an open campus lunch policy. The outflow of students during the lunch period may cause problems or potential hazards in the local area. Residents may be worried about students bringing large groups of their peers and congregating in homes or complexes. Schools in rural areas may not have businesses nearby. Off campus lunch can be viewed as a valuable revenue stream for local businesses. One â€Å"highly profitable† fast food location up for sale advertised in 2007 as a factor in its value that it is located next to â€Å"a high school which allows off campus lunch time to their students. † These businesses may in turn make donations or otherwise support the school. The school’s perception of the value of these local business donations could conflict with instituting healthier school food initiatives. A principal from Modoc County, California, who estimated that 80 percent of students 4 Open Campus Lunch. Off the Map: Extracurricular School Food SAFETY ISSUES, TIME, AND CAR ACCIDENTS Safety issues also factor into determining open and closed campus policy. One Californian who works in nutritional education emphasized that safety issues were concerns â€Å"especially at the high school where there is an open campus. † Newspapers report incidents like fighting, fatal car accidents, mugging, substance abuse and arrest, and sexual assault as occurring off campus during lunch periods. Although these incident rates may be relatively small, each incident can have a significant impact on the school and its students. Time is a considerable factor in evaluating a policy’s safety and feasibility. The lunch period may be too short for students to reasonably go off campus for lunch. An overwhelming number of those we surveyed thought that there was not enough time for students to go off campus, buy and eat lunch, and return on time. Some of those surveyed reported having as little as twenty minutes allotted for lunch, and a student article, discussed below in Student Input and Support, averaged a 37 minute high school lunch period. Schools with open campus policies should monitor whether or not the policy affects afternoon tardiness or truancy. Also, time issues may encourage unhealthier eating off campus. One Virginia public high school has an â€Å"Off-Site Lunch Contract Senior Privilege Form† as part of its off campus lunch driver permit. The contract stresses that this is a privilege, limited to seniors and extended lunch days. It requires students not to travel alone, sets area restrictions, and states, â€Å"There is plenty of variety in fast food establishments within the boundaries provided. Students should choose establishments that can serve within five to ten minutes of your arrival. You should allow at minimum 15 minutes of driving/parking time. † In granting the privilege to go off campus for lunch, the school policy seems to encourage students to eat fast food in order for the policy to operate smoothly and for students to return on time. Traffic accidents are a major concern for many high schools. Student drivers add to lunchtime traffic congestion, and students driving to pick up lunch may rush back to class. A study of three North Carolina counties over four years found that there was a â€Å"significantly higher† rate of risk for car accidents during open campus lunch periods compared to any other time of the day and compared to a county with closed campus lunch. There were also more passengers in the cars during lunch period accidents. Safety concerns and student fatalities during lunch periods have resulted in the proposal of two New York State assembly bills designed to regulate off campus policy. Student injuries and death that occurred while the students were off campus during the lunch period also have resulted in lawsuits being brought against school districts and officials. See legal notes, Open Campus Lunch Tort Concerns and School Structure, Power, and Responsibility: From State Laws to High School Handbooks, for more information. CAFETERIA AND CAMPUS CONCERNS— ADEQUATE TIME, FACILITIES, SUPERVISION, AND BUDGET Closing an open campus may give high schools the ability to refocus school food issues like cafeteria breakfast, lunch, vendors, and water fountains. One Arkansas School District Nurse commented, â€Å"My districts do not want anything on campus that competes with the federal lunch program. † A closed campus could assist in a comprehensive approach to improving school food and offering healthy food choices on campus. What are the practical considerations when closing an open campus? About half of those surveyed who had experience with open campus lunch policies thought their school or district, as it stood, could provide lunch to all its students. A few specifically suggested that schools would need to improve food options in cafeterias, extend the lunch periods, and expand and renovate facilities for food preparation. A school or district deciding to close a campus for lunch needs to ensure the necessary resources are in place before the policy is implemented. 5 Open Campus Lunch Off the Map: Extracurricular School Food. The high school or district needs to determine whether the cafeteria and campus can adequately handle a closed campus. For example: What kinds of burden will the additional students who used to go off campus for lunch put on the cafeteria? Factors include: Time. Adequate time to eat lunch is a concern in the cafeteria just as much as it is off campus. One California food services staff exclaimed, â€Å"30 minutes to serve 3,000! † Some cafeterias have to stagger their lunch periods, with students eating lunch anywhere from 10:30 a. m. to 2:00 p. m. The 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study found students on average have 22. 8 minutes to eat lunch once seated. It also found an increase in school districts that required a â€Å"minimum seating time† for eating lunch once seated. Facilities. This includes cafeteria space, kitchen and food production capacity, etc. The school might want to consider renovations that would help accommodate more and even healthier food options or improve the flow of students getting their food. Facilities also include fences and other structures that may be necessary to control a closed campus. A California principal anticipated, â€Å"All 1,200 students eat at the same time and it would be a nightmare to serve all of these students with the current setup. † A California Nutrition Educationalist stated, â€Å"Closing the campus at the high school has been discussed numerous times in the past with the results always being that it would be too difficult to close campus and we are lacking in facilities to accommodate the students. † Supervision. School officials have a duty to supervise the students on campus. When deciding whether to close a campus, it should be deter-mined whether there are enough resources and staff to adequately supervise the students during the lunch period. Also, can students leaving and entering the campus be adequately supervised? Budget. Foreseeable costs incurred by staff or facilities changes need to be supported by already overextended school budgets. Among the school food decision-makers we informally surveyed, the top two concerns to their district or school were the school budget and the school food budget. This could be a potential barrier to closing a campus. However, closing a school’s campus could be seen as an investment in student health, safety, and perhaps monetary return. Most of those we surveyed with open campus lunch policy experience thought that a closed campus would increase cafeteria profit, and none of them thought it would decrease profit. Specific research may be needed for an advocate to determine whether and by how much a closed campus policy could increase cafeteria revenues. Potential impact on student health should also be evaluated. For example: How will closing campus affect students’ eating patterns both on campus and outside of school? What are the choices on a closed campus and how healthy are they? What changes can be made to offer a variety of healthier, appealing food choices? One high school in Missouri was able to close its campus after it moved into a newly built structure that could accommodate serving food to all the students and staff. Yet closing a campus for lunch does not necessarily keep fast food away, as the food services supervisor contemplated using vendors such as Pizza Hut and Quiznos—in part because â€Å"it helps out the community merchants. † â€Å"Our food service program operates in the black now, whereas it never did before,† said Kevin Ivers, Bridgman’s superintendent, noting that the high school had added a second lunch period to reduce lines, and overhauled the menu to introduce quesadillas, yogurt, salads and fruit. â€Å"That enables us to put more money into the classrooms. † NEW YORK TIMES ( MAY 2008) A 2008 New York Times article noted that school districts in New York and nationwide were instituting closed campus lunch policies due to car accident-related deaths, injury, and truancy. The Times also anecdotally interviewed specific high schools where closing campuses for lunch had improved attendance for post-lunch classes, increased cafeteria sales by in some cases over 10 percent and 22 percent, and turned a food service program operating at a loss into a profitable one. However it also cited concerns that closed campus lunch policies were part of a trend in restricting youths and hindering their decision-making experiences. 6 Open Campus Lunch Off the Map: Extracurricular School Food STUDENT INPUT AND SUPPORT. Student input and support are critical to a successful closed campus lunch policy. School lunch is a popular topic for high school students. LA Youth, an online student journal that reaches half a million Los Angeles County youth, published an informal survey a few years ago where student reporters found out â€Å"What’s for Lunch? † in their high schools. Examining twenty four public and private high schools in Southern California, it found that lunch on average lasts thirtyseven minutes. About two thirds of schools had vendors in cafeterias or push carts, and most schools had open campus policies for seniors. Only about four schools had a fully closed campus. The survey also noted types of vendors (Subway, Pizza Hut, and Dominos being the most common), cafeteria menus (Mexican food and sandwiches being popular), and cafeteria food prices. Many students may balk at a closed campus policy, seeing it as restricting their freedom and taking away a reward for good grades, attendance, or other open campus policy requirements. A Californian nursing manager described the toughest obstacles to changing open campus policy as the â€Å"objections of community stores and restaurants and student protests. † Students may be more likely to advocate for open campus policies. After two high school students approached the School Committee, a Massachusetts high school started an off campus pilot program open to only seniors in good standing. At the time, key issues or concerns with the program were safety, student initiative/input, incentives for students to improve grades and behavior, monetary impact on school food, student nutrition, â€Å"rewarding children with junk food,† and potentially teaching responsibility and time management. While the pilot program and these issues were being discussed in 2004, the high school currently allows seniors who meet certain requirements off campus lunch privileges. Other students have opened up online forums such as MySpace message boards to discuss and protest their school’s attempts to close their campus for lunch. An advocate seeking to change a high school or district’s off campus lunch policy may consider surveying or interviewing students to find out what is important to them so as to determine potential sources of student support. These tools also could be useful in  finding what influences students’ food and beverage choices—such as cost, certain tastes, convenience— in order to make healthy choices in school food more appealing. Another LA Youth article discussed a student having informal weekly potlucks with friends that focused on â€Å"food adventure† and not on eating healthier foods. This could nonetheless spark ideas and discussions about using similar methods to promote healthier eating programs and deciding what types of equipment could be helpful, such as microwaves and secured refrigerators. Other student newspapers have covered open campus policies. One student reporter, who found that fifteen out of twenty students surveyed ate daily at Jack in the Box, Wendy’s, or McDonald’s, recommended that her high school â€Å"ban off-campus lunch, and improve the food in our school cafeteria. † Most of those we surveyed were involved with schools that had nutrition education programs. Perhaps encouraging student-led nutritional education projects to supplement or strengthen existing nutrition education programs could lead to some innovative ideas, positive results, and student support for policies like closed campus lunch. LACK OF ENFORCEMENT AND LEADERSHIP The number one obstacle to implementing the type of food program desired by those surveyed was lack of enforcement of school food policies. The next two obstacles were lack of resources and time constraints in the budget’s timeline. One person surveyed recommended to â€Å"put in policies a way of enforcing any regulations that are mandated. † Another who worked in food service in California suggested â€Å"tougher penalties. † A community health nurse specialist in Arkansas pointed to the relationship between leadership and enforcement: â€Å"Leadership in schools has to enforce the school’s policies or the policy is ineffective. † A food service director in Massachusetts stated, â€Å"Lack of funding has resulted in lack of good leadership for the district. Policies on safety, wellness, etc. , have taken a back seat to teacher loss and budget cuts. With our school budget in a deficit and no town support for an over-ride, my personal feeling is we will keep losing students to school choice and private schools. † For legal analysis on building enforcement and accountability into school policy, see legal notes, Enforcement Issues and Possible Enforcement Mechanisms. 7 Open Campus Lunch Off the Map: Extracurricular School Food. OTHER POLICY CHANGE CONCERNS Sources describe open campus lunch for students as a â€Å"privilege. † Policymakers and advocates should stress that off campus lunch is not a right or requirement. If the policy has academic achievement, attendance, and/or other requirements, this policy is also characterized as a reward for students. Advocates may want to consider suggesting alternate rewards. While wellness policies generally do not address off campus lunch policies, perhaps the two should be integrated in order to frame the off campus issue as one of student health. One superintendent told a newspaper that it was â€Å"hard for one campus to have one rule and another campus to have another. ‘We don’t want advantages or disadvantages to going one way or the other. ’† Students also have stated that it was unfair if their campus was closed and neighboring high school students could go off campus for lunch. Perhaps consider a comprehensive district ban. Tradition or culture may be obstacles to changing the policy. As a food service director from Massachusetts noted, â€Å"Change is never easy. We do not have off campus lunch. However, I worked in a school that did previously and it was very difficult to change even though it was discussed every year! † YOUR NEXT STEPS To help you with your next steps, this issue brief provides factors that will help you construct your own Potter Box about off campus lunch policy. Hopefully, this brief, the accompanying legal piece, and Mapping School Food will provide you with a strong foundation upon which to construct policy that fulfills your own goals. A blank Potter Box for you to fill out is provided on page 12 of Mapping School Food, or you can make your own. You may also want to consult the Model Decision-Maker Potter Box on page 13 and the other filled-in Potter Boxes in Mapping School Food. POTTER BOXES AT A GLANCE BOX 2 Values and Tools BOX 1 Excerpts from Mapping School Food: The Potter Box is a four-part square that can help you make informed decisions. While the Potter Box cannot make a decision for you, it can help clarify your options and why you would choose one option over another. We have adapted the Potter Box to help you clarify the interactions between the many factors that affect school food decisions and critique the different factors that affect your own decision making. This modified version of the Potter Box can†¦help you understand the law and to identify key decision-makers. It also demonstrates how the law plays out in real-world situations and the assumptions and concerns that various decision-makers bring to bear on school food policy. Facts List all the facts known about the situation or problem. List the factors that drive your school food decisions. What are the elements that you need to consider when making decisions? What tools do you typically use? How are the solutions to the problem evaluated?

Contribute to the Support of the Positive Environments Essay

An positive enviroment has requirements.The early years foundation stage requires all prodivers to keep some written records e.x a recored of all medicines administered to children and a record of complaints received from parents and their outcomes.This is to keep the child safe and let the teachers know how to impove the enviroment.Most school are vist by Ofsted once a year to check if th are meeting the legal health and safet reuirements are in place.Ofsted national standarads included : – smoke alarms and emergency equipment available that is ready to use. – Tempreture at the right degrees -all areas well lit -Plugs covered. Mu 2.8 contribute to the support of the positive environments for children and young people 3.4 Quiet time gives the child time to decrease their stress levels and give them a chance to calm down.While physical Acitivities helps the child to strenght their mucles and heart.Its importance for the child to have a balance between these two so they will get both of the physical and mental effect of them.Rest and Quiet time focuses on the well being of the mental and emotion level. The child rests give them time to think and rest their mucles while Physical acitivities focuses on the physical as in streghting and weight of the child.It helps to develop the communication skills that helps the child with their future.It teachies the child how to work as an team and the importance of exercise.Rest and Quiet time gives the child the knowledge of how to calm themselfs down and in the right sense of how to let their emotions out.It helps them to control their breathing and thoughs. Mu 2.8 contribute to the support of the positive environments for children and young people 4.1 An balanced deit contains a balance of all five food groups: grains,vegetables,fruits,dairy and meats (ormeant alternatives).Child need an balance of food and nutrient to develop and grow.Child should have their 5 a day becuase they are a good souce of their vitamins and minerals.heir Fruit and vegtable helps them to say healthy and reduce the risk of heart disease,stroke and some cancers. An balance diet helps to develop the body and strenghts the body.The health eating programmed is about creating healthy and happy children and young people to help them to focus on learning.The foods we feed our child affects their weight,cholecterol levels,blood pressure,insulin regulation,brain function,emotional health and immune system.An commitment to a healthy life style is shown to bring many years of activity and enjoyment.

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Philosophical meanings behind 4 films - Assignment Example Like the title implies, Surrogates has meaning attached to it that is of interesting moral consequence. As we see in Laches, Plato explores the various depth perceptions of morality. Plato’s Republic, books 2, 3, and 4, are reflected in the questions that are faced by the main character in the movie Garden State, where Zach Braff is playing a character named Andrew Largeman, or â€Å"Large,† as he is called by his friends. Basically, Plato sets up the stage for the later chapter of the Republic wherein he will discuss virtue more in-depth. In the beginning, however, Plato, like Large, is considering pondering the great questions of life. Largeman questions whether he really needs medication, while Plato philosophizes about what consists of the good, the truthful, and the beautiful. Plato’s seventh book of the Republic more adequately reflects what is meant by virtuousness, or basically what is good and moral. Large in Garden State reflects the ideas that morals are a part of family values as he tries to build a future with Sam, the female lead in Garden State whom Andrew meets at a doctor’s office. He is there as a patient and so is she. They navigate the treacherous waters of being boyfriend and girlfriend while not yet being exclusively so, and basically they become an â€Å"item† together (a couple) throughout the course of the movie. Plato was someone who was interested in communication and this movie Garden State demonstrates the importance of communication and family in everyday life, as that is part of what constituted virtuousness was doing good things. Nicomachean Ethics are present in the movie The Social Network, as basically we see how ethics pervades (or, perhaps, is â€Å"lost†) in this movie. Friends betray friends over the emerging company of Facebook, which causes a lot of difficulty for everyone involved in the nascent stages of one of the world’s largest social networking

Patient Teaching Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Patient Teaching Plan - Assignment Example Diabetes is a chronic disease which necessitates changes in lifestyle, particularly in the field of nutrition and exercise. The overall objective of this lesson is to assist the patient i.e. Mr. Don Jones with a proper course of action to deal with diabetes and to make self-governed behavioral changes. The study materials for understanding the basic information about diabetes can be found in several websites (Northshore University, 2009). Fundamental and complex thoughts about diabetes are identified and explained completely. Furthermore, connection between different perceptions of diabetes are recognized. 2. Understand the symptoms of diabetes Identification of indications and symptoms which helps to recognize the existence of diabetes among individuals. This lesson requires providing education on the aspects of monitoring blood glucose as well as urine. The patient i.e. Mr. Jones will be reminded about recording information with proper date and time so that he can understand any si gns and symptoms such as urinary band and renal disease among others (Northshore University, 2009). Learning objectives are identified and are fulfilled appropriately. 3. ... He needs to understand how different food products can have a harmful effect on his health as they might increase his blood sugar level. Thus, the patient will be taught about the direction of gathering proper blood samples. Researches have depicted that patients having proper education on comprehending the information about blood sugar level can make better analysis of information (Nadeau, Koski, Strychar & Yale, 2001). The teaching materials are prearranged with brief explanations and finalized in a proper manner. 4. Prepare, combine and vaccinate insulin when required Demonstration of drawing up and injecting insulin to the patients The diabetes patient i.e. Mr. Jones must be prompted about different treatments so that he can manage diabetes as well as can maintain proper diet. Several patients with diabetes frequently become disheartened or despondent while taking medications or insulin. Thus, the teaching session would comprise an appraisal of different types of insulin and the process of blending insulin. This session would also help to clarify the patients regarding management of insulin and medications, and also about the significance of taking therapies as recommended with proper dosage. He will be provided books on diabetes as a part of education material. However, keeping in view that Mr. Jones has a 6th grade reading level and poor eyesight, his diabetes education material would comprise a number of images related to Do’s and Don’ts so that it is easier for him to understand (Northshore University, 2009). The patient is capable of implementing the knowledge appropriately for managing diabetes. 5. Understand risk of side effects from food or medicines Recognition of possible known risks with respect to side effects for medicine and foods

THE IMPACT OF IOM REPORT ON NURSING Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

THE IMPACT OF IOM REPORT ON NURSING - Assignment Example The recommendation of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) on the future of nursing has been viewed by nearly 64 million people within the first year of its publication, undoubtedly indicating that it is one of the most inspiring pieces of medical literature of the 21st century, not only having an enduring influence on healthcare but most importantly creating a pioneering route ahead for the nursing profession. The fast changing dynamics of nurses’ practice in the last decade has made it necessary for the health industry to bring about important changes in nursing practice. In an endeavor to sustain and enhance the potential of nursing and progression in healthcare, the Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWIF) produced an action oriented blueprint ‘The Future of Nursing: Leading change and advancing health’. With the dawn of the 21st century, our nation is encountering a lot of new trends and challenges in healthcare, most importantly, as the population of elderly people is escalating with the approaching decades and concern being changing to a graver and broader diversity of chronic ailments. For this reason, the IOM report has recommended providing nurses with an enhanced system of education that helps them accomplish higher levels of education and training as well as endorses flawless academic progression (IOM, 2011, p. 163). Moreover, according to IOM it is also important to direct the educational systems for preparing nurses towards community settings like primary care, long-term care and public health. The IOM committee further suggested that the nursing curriculum in schools should be reassessed, renewed, and made adequately adaptive in science, technology, research, and rich fundamental theories as it will augment their decision making skills concerning dynamic clinical situation s in all settings and thereby, meet the continual changing requirements in health care. Another recommendation stated that the entrance level qualification for nursing practice should be upgraded to acquisition of a baccalaureate degree rather than simply a diploma or associate degree in nursing. The impact of this will be that nurses shall become better equipped with competencies to participate in configuration of health policies, financial decision-making, leadership, and quality enhancements. In fact, nurses will be imparted with additional critical thinking aptitudes which will enable them to provide more effective and enhanced quality of care to the patient (IOM, 2011, p. 169-170). The IOM suggested that by 2020 the percentage of nurses who attain a Baccalaureate in the Science of Nursing (BSN) should be augmented to 80%, among which minimum 10% of BSN nurses should be persuaded to enter a master or doctoral program, to help twofold the number of nurses who take up doctoral deg rees in future (IOM, 2011, p. 163).. This recommendation is paramount as this will produce more nurses at Master’s and Doctoral levels who will be able to serve as primary care providers, researchers, and become part of the faculty team which is huge requirement in this profession currently (IOM, 2011, p. 163). Another arena which the IOM pinpointed which needs to be improvised was the ongoing crisis of nurses with the right skills. This crisis is due to the high turnover rates primarily caused by the hurdles confronted by new graduates when transferring skills into practice. For this, the IOM suggested initiation of nurse residency programs as this will assist in delivering complete knowledge and

Teaching plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Teaching plan - Essay Example content in the form of behavioral objectives, put the interest of the interest of the student ahead of the teacher and finally ensure the set part connects the students back to the previous lessons. The three main objectives to be used during the teaching process were: to translate the written material into Mandarin, use pre and post quiz to determine learning objectives and outcomes respectively, and clients performing exercises according to what was learnt. The first and third teaching objectives are cognitive learning goals whereas the second objective is a psychomotor learning goal. It is imperative to assess the learning goals to determine the quality of learning intended for the clients. Bloom’s taxonomy, originally created in and for an academic setting, is useful in determining the usefulness of set goals in facilitating holistic learning. Bloom placed value in the mastery of subjects and advancement of higher orders of thinking as opposed to mere transference of facts. According to this classification, cognitive learning entails the transference of knowledge, psychomotor involves skills, and the affective domain concerns the attitudes towards a subject. The clients were given the opportunity to pictures and posters of various exercises. After that, they received a demonstration of each exercise and an explanation of the material presented on the board. The large poster outlined the benefits of exercise, the types of exercises to be used to improve strength, endurance, flexibility and balance, helpful tips during exercising, and points to remember during exercising. The first step of looking at the posters and having the material explain to them is in the cognitive domain of learning. The information is comprehended by the mind, but has not yet resulted in behavioral change. The clients performed the exercises in a seated position and were taught how to carry out the exercises safely. The first aspect of learning while seated is in the cognitive

Concert reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Concert reflection - Essay Example The music texture is a combination of homophony and polyphony. The use of imitation is also dominant in the concert. The organizing principle of the music is based on contrast and variations. It has a clear flow of ternary form. The music has a slow speed with uneven spacing. Its dynamics is characterized with softness with a piano play. The concert has a wide voice range. It has a combination of soprano, alto, and tenor. The musical instrument families associated with the concerts include Keyboard instruments, chordophones, and brass. The type of singing group in the concert is known as choral groups. This is evident in acappella singing that features in the performance when all voices sing at the same time. It has a clear Chamber music ensemble as revealed by the pattern used. The singers occasionally remain silence while a single singer sings in certain parts. This was a duet performance in Philadelphia by a great artist known as Pink. Her music is known to follow the romanesca melodic formula. This performance is done at times while seated or standing and has a number of accompaniments which may be limited to the mood of the song. The mood of the song is determined by the message in the song. The rhythm is slow and organized in the basic meters. In has much syncopation in almost all the lines of the music. The music is based on major scale. â€Å"The melody is derived from the singer’s vocal tone that aligns well with the instrumentalist.†(O’toole 123) The vertical events sound in line with the music providing good harmony. Being a western music in the present generation, it borrows much from the lineage having major scale. The concert had a high central tone that could ignite the audience. The music had a dissonance musical space. The texture of her this concert is known to be monophony. It has some sections that take the imitation texture. The music form of the concert is has basic elements of contrast and repetition. This form of music

Red bull strategy Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Red bull strategy - Coursework Example On January 2035 the executive of Red bull is from a seminar and he reflects back 20years back on the pivotal meeting he had with the management ranks in 2014. In that strategic period of time, Red bull has drastically undergone robust growth strides and is the biggest energy drink producing and merchandising company. Reed bull is now selling its products in every province, of each nation around the globe. The combining ratio of the corporation has become the envy of each company in the retail sector. Profitability of the organization has been increasing every year in the past 20 years, and the company has as a result attained a war chest that has put it in a position to acquire other small companies. The operational, and distribution models of Red bull regionally and internationally are platforms for the exercise and sharing of best practice worldwide. The models have improved Red bull’s efficiency through the implementation of automation and centralization and at the same tim e have devolved decision making to the location level of Red bull internationally. The highly advanced quality of production and customer involvement in the product formulation continue offering Red bull distinguished competitive advantage over its rivals. The Chief executive is contented that the actions he took for creation of the future in 2014 have bore excellent results. Red bull is a regional company that has its focus on retail services. In the year 2014, Redbull’s business experienced challenge from retailers that had the capability of merchandising regionally. The competition was experienced on a combined proportion, which made it very difficult for Red bull, a regional merchandiser to withstand. Red bull is capable of offering special products that are custom made for various segments of its market share. However, the cost of providing the special products adversely affects Red bull’s combined ratio, causing Red bull to

Social Policy (Group Work) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social Policy (Group Work) - Essay Example l relationships are considered to be â€Å"connected to each other (Myers: 286).† This definition of a group clarifies its components: that it has to consist the elements of relationship, involved no. of individuals, and connection (4). Moreover, in order to be called a group, the involved members who participate in the activities should have the ff. characteristics: 1) interrelating and interacting with each other; 2) sharing same norms; 3) developing roles or shared set of roles; 4) developing the feeling of sense of belongingness; and lastly, 5) sharing a common goal (Douglas: 13). The aims of a group purports to help its members achieve the goals for each individual members: 1) to enhance individual’s functioning; 2) to enrich every individual’s life; 3) to ameliorate existing problems and to provide solutions for conflicts in the group, community or the organisation; for the ff. desired effects: 1) to produce social change and 2) to promote social justice (Myers: 591). To cite an example, the Parenting group is the best sample for explaining the purposive, basic parenting or leadership styles which are pivotal roles of parents in forming and shaping an individual. The parenting group works to induce change in the individual; however the Parenting group must be consisting of the following SMART characteristics: 1) Specific—a group that defines each members (parents) as the facilitator and leader of change and their children as the students or followers; 2) Measurable—that the parenting group helps its members specify the timeline n eeded and the tools required to achieve their goals; 3) Achievable—the parents making sure that the children’s goals are doable and feasible; 4) Relevant—that the parenting group makes sure that the goals of their child/ren are rational and reasonable; and lastly, 5) Timely—that the parents ensure that individual and group goals are not obsolete and rather, follows the current trend as demanded by time (Douglas:

School Shooting Involving a 6 Year Old Boy Essay Example for Free

School Shooting Involving a 6 Year Old Boy Essay A 6 year old boy brought a gun to school and shot and killed a fellow classmate. The police conducted a search of the boy’s home and found another stolen gun (12 gauge shot gun) and illegal drugs in the possession of the boy’s 19 year old brother, who was charged with involuntary man slaughter. The most likely circumstances that could have led this boy to commit such a violent crime would be guided participation, emotional regulation, and reactive aggression. Michigan state law says that any children under the age of seven are not considered criminally responsible for their actions. The charges for this crime were filed against the 19 year old brother who was found in possession of stolen guns and illegal drugs. As children develop over time their greatest influences are their parents and their peers. Kathleen Berger (2011), author of The Developing Person Through the Life Span, defines guided participation as, â€Å"the process by which people learn from others who guide their experiences and explorations† (p.241). Parents will set the standard for what children will view as the way life should be lived. Sadly, in this particular circumstance the 6 year old boy’s two male role models both reside in jail for gun-related charges. This child may have been exposed to multiple different kinds of behavior involving gun violence. Behavior such as this would send a message to the child, this is the way you get what you want in life. However if this child were raised in a Christian home, this shooting may have been prevented. In Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV) it says â€Å"Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it†. Another circumstance that may have led to this violent crime happening is  poorly developed emotional regulation. Emotional regulation is defined by Berger (2011) as, â€Å"the ability to control when and how emotions are expressed† (p.265). In child development emotional regulation is developed from the ages of 2 to 6. If this 6 year old boy suffers from poorly developed emotional regulation, this could have led to his shooting of a classmate. If a child is never made to understand that there are consequences to their actions, then they will never be able to determine how far is too far. As children our sin nature is for us to get upset and angry when we don’t get what we want, or when things don’t go our way. Resulting in a fit or temper tantrum being thrown that may involve violent behavior. Reaction aggression is defined by Berger (2011) as, â€Å"impulse retaliation for another person’s intentional or accidental action, verbal or physical† (p.279). The goal behind this behavior is to get their way or get what they want. In the process who or what they may hurt in the process is of no concern to them. This type of behavior is our sin nature that we are born with, if not corrected further violent behavior patterns such as the shooting of a classmate may occur. In closing, the 6 year old boy who earlier that day shot a classmate could have been affected by guided participation, emotional regulation, and reactive aggression. Guided participation may have played the role of this 6 year old boy observing conflicts being resolved via gun violence by the role models in his home. If such behavior was observed this 6 year old boy may not have developed emotional regulation, if he were to develop emotional regulation it may have prevented this crime from ever happening. Reaction aggression may have also played a key role leading up to this crime. If gun violence was used in the home, it is only natural for this 6 year old boy to also use gun violence. Michigan state law believes children under the age of seven are presumed to lack responsibility are not considered criminally responsible for their actions. Since the police found the 19 year old brother in possession of stolen weapons he was charged with involuntary manslaughter for the shooting. The police viewed the 6 year old boy as a product of his surroundings and in no way could he fully understand the  extent of his actions earlier that day. References Berger, K. (2011). The Developing Person Through the Life Span (8th ed., p. 241,265,279). New York: Worth.

Synthesis Techniques for Fabrication of Nanofibers

Synthesis Techniques for Fabrication of Nanofibers Chapter # 02 Synthesis Techniques Introduction The different synthesis techniques for fabrication of nanofibers and nanoparticles will be discussed briefly in this chapter. The selected techniques and the experimental procedure for the synthesis of the nanoparticles and composite nanofibers will be discussed in detail. Synthesis Techniques for Nanoparticles Synthesis method being used for the preparation of nanomaterials is one of the most important factors that affect the different properties of the nanomaterials. There are two major classes of synthesis techniques used for preparation of nanoparticles Bottom-up approach Top-down approach Bottom-up Approach Bottom-up approach refers to the synthesis techniques in which nanoparticles are created from atomic scale to nanoscale. There are different techniques which refer to bottom-up approach Co-precipitation technique Sol-gel technique Wet-Chemical Methods In these methods the precursor solutions with appropriate stoichiometric ratios are mixed together and processed through heating resulting in the desired product. Wet chemical methods are advantageous because the particle size and shape is controllable and also the homogeneity in particle size distribution can be achieved by these methods [ref]. these factors play a vital role in enhancing the different properties of the material such as structural properties, thermal properties, electrical properties etc. The given examples of the bottom-up method are categorized as wet-chemical techniques. In co-precipitation method, the precursor solutions are mixed together and are heated at an appropriately selected temperature. The nucleation occurs precipitates are formed. The by by-products are washed away and the resulted powder is further processed for the different desired characterizations. Both the methods are advantageous in their own ways but sol-gel method is more convenient and efficient method for the preparation of nanomaterials at appropriately selected conditions. Also the major drawback of co-precipitation method is the non-uniformity of particles due to the intense agglomeration during the synthesis [ref] Top-down Approach In top-down approach, the material is processed from bulk state to nano regime by a number of methods. Solid state reaction method is one of top-down methods. Solid-state Reaction Method In solid state reaction method the precursors are directly mixed and ground into fine powder. The powder is further processed through hydraulic press and is pelletized for high heat treatment generally said to be sintering. The sintered pellet is characterized to check the desired properties of the sample. The process occurs at the interface of the solids (precursors) at higher temperature. The appropriate processing temperature and reaction time is selected particularly for the precursors used. At higher temperature, the diffusion of reactants starts causing the reaction to begin. For faster reaction, high surface contact area of the solids and small diffusion distance for the reactant is required which is attained by the well-mixing of the precursors [ref]. Although this is a low-cost method but the major drawback of this method is the non-homogeneity in particle distribution and size. Impurity in desired phase is also introduced during the grinding procedure of the precursors. The desired nanostructure is also not easy to achieve by this process [ref 54]. Sol-gel Synthesis Technique for NaxLi1-xCoO2 (x=0.0,0.5,1.0) Sol-gel method is one of the wet-chemical methods for the preparation of the various nanostructures. The variety of nanostructures can be produced by controlling the various parameters of sol-gel process such as the type of precursors, solvent type, processing temperature etc. the major advantage of the sol-gel process over other methods is the phase purity of the product as well as the homogeneity in the particle size and particle size distribution. This process involves two major steps Hydrolysis Condensation Hydrolysis of the selected metal oxide precursor occurs forming the particular hydroxides. The condensation occurs to form a network of linked hydroxides in the form of dense porous gel. In sol-gel process the precursor solutions are mixed together with a suitable gelling agent in appropriately selected ratio. The solution is then mixed homogeneously and heated until the gel is formed. The temperature is further raise to burn the gel which results in powder formation. The powder is heat treated and characterized to study the desired properties. Experimental Procedure Sol-gel method is used for the preparation of composition NaxLi1-xCoO2 (x=0.0,0.5,1.0). the precursors used are: Li2SO4.H2O (99.99% purity), Cu(NO3)2.6H2O (99.99% purity) and NaNO3 (99.99% purity). The selected precursors were added in appropriate stoichiometric amounts into ethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol was used as gelling agent. The molar ratio between the total mass of precursors to the volume of the gelling agent was kept 1:14 to achieve the homogeneity. The solution was initially magnetically stirred at room temperature to get the homogeneous solution. The solution was then heated at 100Â ±2Â ºC until the formation of the gel. The temperature of the gel was further increased upto 150Â ±2Â ºC which caused the gel to burn. The resulted powder was hen processed through hydraulic press to prepare pellets of dimensions 13mm x 3mm. the sintering of the pellets was done at 550 Â ºC for two hours to achieve high phase purity. The flow diagram of the experimental procedure is given in figure 2.1 Synthesis Techniques for Nanofibers There are a number of techniques used to fabricate nanofibers, some of them are mentioned Drawing Template Synthesis Phase Separation Self-Assembly Electrospinning Brief detail of all these techniques is given below Drawing Drawing is the techniqus to fabricate long single nanofiber one-by-one from the droplet of polymer. Following steps are involved in this technique a substrate material is applied a millimeter drop of polymer solution a micropipette is moved towards the drop. When micropipette comes in contact with the drop, it is pulled back with a certain rate. which depends upon the nature of the polymer solution. A long nanofiber is drawn from the liquid. The diameter of the resultant nanofiber depends on the type of the polymer, its composition, drawing velocity and speed of evaporation of the solvent. The major drawback of this technique is that only a strong viscoelastic material that can undergo strong deformation during this process when stress is applied while pulling the nanofiber, can be used in this process. So, choice of material is limited in this process. Template Synthesis In template synthesis, a metal oxide membrane having pores of nanoscale diameter is used. The metal oxide membrane is placed over a solidifying solution. Polymer solution is extruded by the membrane by applying high water pressure over it. Polymer solution after passing through the membrane comes in contact with solidifying solution which converts the polymer solution into nanofibers. The diameter of the nanofibers depends on the diameter of the pores of membrane. Fig. 2.2 show the different steps involved in this process. Phase separation In this mechanism, separation of phases is involved due to the physical incompatibility. Following are the steps involved A polymer is mixed with a suitable solvent Gelation occurs in this mixture The final step involves the separation of phases. One of the phases-which is that of the solvent- is extracted leaving behind the other remaining phase. The remaining phase is the nanofibrous structure. Self-Assembly Self-assembly processing involves the smaller molecules as basic building blocks to build-up the nanofibers. Molecules are spontaneously organized into an individual and stable structure with preprogrammed non covalent bonds. Nanofibers of very thin diameter can be fabricated using this process but it requires very complicated procedures. The low productivity is another limitation of this method. Electrospinning This is the selected synthesis technique for the current research work. Electrospinning is the most efficient and simple technique to produce ultra-thin nanofibers. There are different components of the electrospinning setup which include High voltage source Syringe Needle Metal Collector Schematic of electrospinning process High voltage source is used in this procedure. The positive end of the source is connected with the needle while the metal collector is grounded by connecting it with the negative end of the voltage source. This creates the potential difference between the two ends which accelerates the polymer solution from the needle towards the collector in the form of solution jet. Before the solution jet reaches the collector surface, the solvent of the solution is evaporated and is collected as an interconnected web of the fibers. The polymer solution in the needle is held due to its surface tension, which induces a charge on the solution surface. The charge repulsion and contraction among the surface charge and its counter electrode causes a force that is directly opposite to the surface tension. As the intensity of the electric field increases, the hemispherical surface of the solution at the tip of the needle elongates to form a conical shape called Taylor cone. As the electric field is further increased, the repulsive electrostatic force overcomes the surface tension of the solution and jet of the solution is ejected from the Taylor cone. The ejected polymer solution undergoes instability and elongation process which allows the jet to become very long and thin. Meanwhile the solvent is evaporated from the polymer solution, leaving behind a charged polymer fiber. In electrospinning technique there are different processing parameters which affect the diameter of the nanofibers. These parameters include voltage, needle tip to collector distance, feed rate and the concentration. This method is advantageous over other methods due to its versatility, cost effectiveness and also by controlling the different processing parameters; the dimensions of the nanofibers can be controlled. Sol-gel Combined Electrospinning Technique Combining sol-gel method with electrospinning is the most convenient technique to prepare composite nanofibers.the different precursors involved in the sol-gel technique have different hydrolysis rate which leads to the in homogeneity of sol. To avoid such probles, electrospinning is combined with the sol-gel process. The problem is solved by electrospinning procedure due to the confinement of the different sol-gel reaction stages (hydrolysis, condensation and gelation) withing extremetly small space i-e the spinning jet and the final nanofiber [ref]. Experimental Procedure: Sol-gel combined electrospinning technique is used for the preparation of composite nanofibers with NaxLi1-xCoO2 (x=0.0,0.5,1.0). The precursors used are: Li2SO4.H2O (99.99% purity), Cu(NO3)2.6H2O (99.99% purity) and NaNO3 (99.99% purity). The polymers selected for this purpose were Poly vinyl Pyrrolidone (PVP) with a molecular weight of 40,000 g/mol and Poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) having a molecular weight of 89,000 g/mol. Polymer Solution Preparation Polymer solution was prepared by firstly selecting the appropriate solvents for the selected polymers. The solvent used for the PVP polymer was Ethanol and that for PVA polymwer was DI water. The molarity of PVP and PVA polymer solution were calibrated as 0.008M and 0.0006M respectively. Both polymers were separately added to their respective solvents and the solutions were magnetically stirred for 1 hour at room temperature. After acquiring the homogeneity, both solutions were mixed together and stirred at room temperature for 1 hour. Precursors Solution Preparation The precursors solution was separately prepared. The precursors were added to their respective solvents separately and magnetically stirred at room temperature. DI water was used as a solvent for Li2SO4.H2O while ethanol was used for Cu(NO3)2.6H2O and NaNO3. 0.2M solutions were prepared for each precursor separately. After acquiring the homogeneous solutions, all three solutions were mixed together and magnetically stirred for 45 min. After achieving a homogeneous precursors solution, the polymer solution was added to it. the final solution was heated and stirred at 100Â ±5Â ºC for 1 hour. The resultant solution was then loaded to the syringe and was further processed through electrospinning. The figure shows the flow diagram of the discussed method

Reflective Writing for Learning Disability Nurse

Reflective Writing for Learning Disability Nurse Summary reflection –Modules 5 9 Working as a learning disability nurse, poses a career fraught with many interesting and often frustrating challenges. However, this is a population that cannot be ignored or slighted medically just because they present with special needs (DOH 2001). Emerson et al. (2001) state that 2.5 – 3% of the population in the UK are among the learning disabled, with 30% of these individuals presenting with categorically severe or profound learning disabilities. Emerson et al. (2001) also tell us that frequently multiple learning disabilities present in the same individual, including physical and/or sensory impairments, physical or sensory disability and/or behavioural difficulties. The five modules presented an opportunity to explore various aspects of this specialty area and reflect on the experience on a module by module basis. The act of revisiting the individual reflection pieces to present the current summary essay allowed for not only intellectually experiencing what I wrote, but it also allowed me to re-experience each situation and gain a new appreciation for the patients I worked with, the teams I took part in, the pros and cons of each situation and what I have learned that will be immediately applicable to a real world work environment. Importance of reflection Driscoll and Teh (2001) tell us that practitioners can gain a stronger understanding about various interventions and protocols used, as well as reviewing the situation specifics of each incident, through the process of reflection. In particular, Foster (1985) stressed the importance of using a journal for purposes of written reflection on nursing practices and procedures in order to help clarify issues and make them more real and visual. Gardiner and Lawley (1995) believe that self awareness, one of the outcomes of nursing reflection, can enable staff to recognise the skills they employ and add meaning to their interactions with peers, team members and clients/patients. There were many positives and negatives I experienced on a module by module basis, but in summary, these will be presented thematically. Achievements Module Five offered the opportunity to gain insight into the lifestyle experienced by those with learning disabilities. Similarly, Module Seven provided much needed and interesting information on the role of special health needs observed in those with special needs. This enabled me to make a difference for a client with diabetes through the development of a health care action plan that included the client’s smoking cessation; something the social worker assigned to the case was no knowledgeable of. It was quite exciting to improve my communication skills throughout the five modules. For example, I was able to improve my rapport with other colleagues and various multidisciplinary healthcare professionals as well as clients as I achieved Module Nine communication based learning objectives. Godsell and Scarbrough (2006) comment communication skills are essential for healthcare practitioners. I believe they are even more critical for those working with the learning disabled. Another example was the ability to communicate effectively myself and help others, such as residential home management, communicate with a specific autistic client experiencing difficulty in choosing daily activities based on his disability. I was able to include this client in the decisions made which is critical to empowering the client with a sense of self. Similarly, during Module Five, I worked with a cerebral palsy client who was screaming due to discomfort; that was her mode of communication, which at th e time I failed to recognise, but upon reflection now know actions as well as words are important modes of communication for those with learning disabilities. Shortcomings In general, a major negative I encountered was feeling I was used as â€Å"the help† rather than as a student nurse during my placement. This limited my ability to contribute and to grow personally and professionally. This was particularly evident during Module Five. Similarly, during Module Eight I was faced with a situation creating a significant amount of stress with no stress management advice or training opportunities from which to learn how to effectively cope. Contrary to Davidson’s (2001) research, there were no in-house stress management training opportunities to take advantage of. There was a sharp discrepancy in Module Nine when reviewing the Valuing People (2001) discourse in relation to people with learning disabilities (PWLD) between what was written in the document and what I experienced at work; whereas the document stresses the rights inherent for all people be extended to PWLD, it was my experience that daily patients and clients were denied access to services due to budgetary measures rather than expressing interest in people’s rights to quality healthcare and a quality standard of life. Gates (2003) tells us those with learning disabilities have rights and should be encouraged to attain respect and reach their potential. Challenges/Learning opportunities One of the main challenges I experienced in the module series, particularly with Module Five, was relating theory to practice. However, through additional research and self motivated learning I was able to bridge the gap. I also experienced a number of personal and professional challenges that I believe helped me become a stronger person and future professional. For example, at the beginning of Module Six, my mentor informed me he would not be available to me. This was very frustrating and upsetting as I knew without the help of a mentor, it would be very difficult to achieve the specific learning objectives outlined. However, I was able to turn this situation into a positive by becoming an active contributor to my own educational process by learning, understanding and solving real life problems (Kaufman, Mann Jennet 2000). Similarly, in Module Nine, I found several of the teaching styles challenging, but that helped to develop my research skills and allow me to make contributions in the group and EBL sessions. This also helped to develop my learning and presentation skills. An additional challenge in Module Nine was situation I encountered when viewing a medication administration concern at work. While I informed my manager of the situation, the team had a negative reaction rather than positive which would have been consistent with concern over patient/client care. Thomas, Mason and Ford (2003) tell us it is difficult for workers to become whistleblowers, especially in situations related to patient/client care or maintaining standards of care. This was an even more difficult challenge for me as I was only a student with limited status in the work environment. This was similar to the situation I found myself in during Module Seven when the community care social worker appeared to be neglecting the client’s diabetes, which is inconsistent with the General Social Care Council (2002) code of practices. I felt I was caught in the middle being a student making suggestions and pointing out care inconsistencies. Through the increased communication skills I developed, I was able to participate with the social worker in the role Gates (2003) identified as a learning disability nurse educator and facilitate changes. In conclusion, through the combined effects of achieving the modules’ learning objectives, reflection on the positive and negative events as well as challenges I encountered throughout modules 5 – 9 have enhanced my skill development of working with the learning disabled, improved my problem solving skills, allowed for improved communicative ability both on interdisciplinary teams as well as working with learning or developmentally challenged persons. The added use of written reflection as a tool will further my ability to transfer these skills into practice in my future placement and allow me to be effective in my nursing capacity on day one of my engagement. References Davidson, J. 2001. Stress management: Minute 10 guide. New York: Macmillan, USA. Department of Health. 2001. Valuing People: A new strategy for learning disability for the 21st century. White Paper CM5086. Great Britain. Driscoll, J Teh, B. 2001. The potential of reflective practice to develop individual orthopaedic nurse practitioner and their practice. Journal of Orthopedic Nursing, 5, 95 – 103. Emerson, E, Hatton, C, Felce, D Murphy, A. 2001. Fundamental facts. London: The Foundation of People with a Learning Disability. Gates, B. 2004. Learning disabilities: Towards inclusion (4th ed). London: Churchill Livingstone. General Social Care Council. 2002. Code of Practice for Social Care Workers and  Code of Practice for Employers of Social Care Workers. [Online]. Retrieved from: http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/8E693C62-9B17-48E1-A806-3F6F280354FD/0/CodesofPractice.doc [Accessed 20 September 2008]. Godsell, M Scarbrough, K. 2006. Improving communication for people with learning disabilities. Nursing Standards, 20(30), 58 – 68. Kaufman, DM, Mann, KV Jennet, P. 2000. Teaching and learning in medical education: How theory can inform practice. London: Association for the Study of Medical Education Monograph. Gardiner, A Lawley, K. 1995. Health and social care: Longman advanced GNVQ test and assessment guide. London: Longman Publishing Group. Thomas, A, Mason, L Ford, S. 2003. Care management in practice for the registered manager award: Essential reading for all care managers (2nd ed). Oxford: Heinemann Educational Publishers

Cultural Anthropology Book Report Essay -- essays research papers

Classical Readings on Cultural Anthropology What do we have to learn through the study of different cultures? I was hoping for some wonderful revelation in the collection of writings. I may have found one. This book was a difficult read for me. I am not sure whether it’s my age or my inexperience with classical readings. I also found it difficult to formulate a report on a collection of readings, the last report I did was on Laura Ingall’s Little House on the Prairie. This reading was a little more challenging. The main point that seemed to jump out at me is that perceptions change, our theory of reality changes with every viewpoint. Every culture can seem primitive, self destructive, nonsensical, immoral or just wrong, depending on who is doing the observation and what perspective they are observing from. In the first reading, Narcirema, points very clearly to the fact that our own culture could seem very odd, irrational, and ritualistic to an outsider. But aren’t we all outsiders to everyone else? Don’t we see ourselves as â€Å"normal† and everyone else as â€Å"abnormal†? I think it is human nature more than ethnocentrism. My daily rituals would seem very irrational to another woman of my age in different circumstances. That’s where the saying comes from that you don’t really know a person till you walk a mile in their shoes. The second reading of â€Å"Queer Customs† gets right to my point that culture is an abstraction; therefore each person doing the viewing views it differently. Culture is pointed out as being a â€Å"way of thinking, feeling, and believing† and since I have never met anyone who thought exactly the way I did about everything, one would have to conclude that we each have our own culture and our own views of other cultures. I wasn’t really sure that the next reading really fit in with the others in the book. Rapport-talk versus Report-talk seemed insignificant to the other passages. It is a well-known fact, in all walks of life that men and women of any race, creed, or culture are different and that we have different and sometimes contrasting ways of communicating with each other. I was surprised to find this seemingly simple theory in this book. Yet again back to my question; am I getting the intended message from the author? The Christmas Ox story made so much more sense to me and had great importance when I read the passage on Potlach.... ...tely cause the demise of the entire culture. Sharp’s and Bodley’s detailed description of simple â€Å"helpful† actions that have generational, historical implications are dramatic and still, and maybe even more so, relevant to modern cultural diffusion. We don’t often think critically about our efforts to â€Å"help† others. We just dive in and â€Å"fix things†, this seems to come with the thinking that â€Å"we know better than they do†. This is a common problem in today’s governments around the world. This is the result of ethnocentrism. This book has certainly taught me one thing. American culture is very ethnocentric. Ours is one that is a â€Å"nightmare† to navigate the good and the bad because there are so many double standards. I think this speaks to the very core of contention among Americans these days. Very few of our leaders do what is right, and each of us has our own definition of right. Maybe if more people could really walk outside of their own daily rituals, beliefs, habits and commandments, and truly look at human kind without a superiority gauge, then the world would be a better place with less war, less suffering, less judgment and more peace, happiness, success, and creativity.

Essay on the Tyrant in Richard III and Macbeth -- comparison compare c

The Tyrant in Richard III and Macbeth  Ã‚   In Richard III and Macbeth Shakespeare used the title characters to reveal the typical characteristics of the tyrant such as limited foresight, mental instability, paranoia, the alienation of allies, and a clearly defined persona of evilness. Both Richard III and Macbeth are noblemen that usurp the crown through treachery, deceitfulness, and murder. Their rule is short-lived, though, because the reign with fear and terror. This clearly sets them up as tyrants, however, Shakespeare elaborated on this subject and revealed the typical characteristics of the tyrant through their actions, their climb to power, and the way they reigned. In the first act of Richard III the audience sees that Richard has developed an elaborate plan to become king (1.1.28-35). His plan is well thought out and looks to the future, not just the present. At the end of act 1 scene 1 Richard describes his plan and begins to get ahead of himself. Then he remembers the plan as a whole and realizes he must execute it in order to succeed. "But yet I run before my horse to market. / Clarence still breathes, Edward still lives and reigns; / When they are gone, then must I count my gains" (1.1.160-163). Through this opening act we see that Richard poses considerable foresight and even acts upon it. By the end of the play, however, this foresight has disappeared. Richard totally ignores Buckingham and refuses to compensate Buckingham for his help in usurping the throne (4.2.119-122). Richard fails to foresee that this action will cause Buckingham to turn against him. This lack or decrease of foresight is one of the principal characteristics of the tyrant. We see in Macbeth that foresight was a quality that Mac... ...mental instability, paranoia, the alienation of allies, and a clearly defined persona of evil in the title characters of two of his most famous plays, Richard III and Macbeth.    Works Cited and Consulted Eccles, Mark. "Richard III on Stage and Screen." Richard III. New York: Signet Classic, 1988. 265-78. Hallett, Charles A. and Elaine S. Hallett. The Revenger's Madness. Lincoln: U of Nebraska P, 1980. (Epigraph) Ornstein, Richard. "Richard III." Richard III. New York: Signet Classic, 1988. 239-264. Shakespeare, William. Richard III. The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1997 Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. The Norton Shakespeare. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1997 Spivack, Charlotte. The Comedy of Evil on Shakespeare's Stage. London: Associated UPs, 1978.

Taiwan Must Eliminate the Dependence on Nuclear Power Essay -- Nuclear

The public awareness of nuclear power in Taiwan has increased markedly especially after the Fukushima nuclear accidents made nuclear power a contentious front-page issue. Nowadays, Taiwan produces 22% (i.e. 5028 megawatts ) of her energy from nuclear power produced by three power plants with 6 reactors. In addition to these three power plants, the under-construction nuclear power plant four has never been far away from the center of public opinion in the past 20 years. The rising environmental and anti-nuclear movements in Taiwan have created no shortage of policy disputes and public concern on the use of nuclear power for electricity generation (Hsiao.Liu et al, 1999).It seems to be an irresistible trend to make Taiwan a â€Å"nuke-free home†. But it must be a long-term process rather than an immediate action. Before we completely enable to get rid of nuclear power, there are a lot we can do to accelerate the process such as starting an energy saving revolution, developing th e technology of renewable energy and even properly making use of the existing nuclear power plants. 1. The condition of Taiwan After the Fukushima nuclear disaster, an international review of nuclear safety indicated that two of the three nuclear power plants operating in Taiwan were listed as the most dangerous in the world (Jung-Chun Ho et al, 2013). According to a survey conducted by Jung-Chun Ho et al in August 2011, 66% of the 2819 responders perceived that Taiwan's safety management of nuclear power plants was inferior to Japan's, while 40% perceived a higher possibility of nuclear accidents like that in Japan. Actually, the condition of Taiwan decides that it should create a â€Å"nuke-free home† First of all, Taiwan is a small and geological unstable ar... ... 21. 2013. Pages 674–683. 14. Fleiter. T, Fehrenbach. D.Worrell, E. Eichhammer.†Energy efficiency in the German pulp and paper industry—a model-based assessment of saving potentials†. Energy, 40 (2012), pp. 84–99. 15. Chen Falin, Lu Shyi-Min, Tsenga Kuo-Tung, Leeb Si-Chen, Wanga Eric. â€Å"Assessment of renewable energy reserves in Taiwan.†Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,Volume 14, Issue 9, 2010, Pages 2511–2528. 16. Cheng-Dar Yuea,Chung-Ming Liua, Eric M.L. Lioub. â€Å"A transition toward a sustainable energy future: feasibility assessment and development strategies of wind power in Taiwan†. Energy Policy, Volume 29, Issue 12, October 2001, Pages 951–963. 17. â€Å"Taiwan's renewable energy sector grows 19 pct. in Q3.† The China Post, November 26, 2013. 18. Carmen Paun, Jens Kastner. â€Å"European review of Taiwanese safety.† World Nuclear News, 20 November 2013.

The gender income gap

Abstract The Gender Wage Gap is something invented by prehistoric man back in the sass's. Designed to keep women from making the same money and receiving the same benefits as their male counter-parts. This was a devise born in gender discrimination , intended to keep women in her place. When it was found to be unconstitutional they tried to fix it , but the monster had grown out of proportion. It had gotten so out of hand that no one not even the original creator could recognize it.There are so many factors that make up the gap but the largest factor still remains as discrimination. The Gender Gap For as long as there have been Jobs and Women in the workplace. There still exists a terrible unaddressed form of gender prejudice. Statistics indicate that it doses*Г? matter if they have the same Skills, more time on the Job or the same Education. Women do not make the same money and receive the same benefits as men doing the same Job. How many female Coo's have you seen in fortune 50 0 companies?According to Francine Blab & Lawrence Kahn from the National Bureau of Economic Research @ http://www. Never. Org/papers/we Both gender-specific factors,including gender differences in qualifications and discrimination, and overall age structure contributed to this ever increasing gap. As far back as 1957 women chose occupations for which on -the -Job training is less important, gender differences in occupations would also be expected. Women would especially avoid jobs requiring large investments in skills which are unique to a particular enterprise.Because the returns to such investments are reaped only as long as one remains with that employer. At the same time, employers may be reluctant to hire women for such Jobs because the firm bears some of the cost of such firm-specific training, and ears not getting a full return on that investment. Many employers thought of women as temporary workers due to the probability of them leaving to start a family or already having a family or a successful husband who had the means to support them. Here lies the fallacy off man has to support his family.The ever present threat of pregnancy loomed in the heads of most employers. The playing field was evened out a little with the emergence of the birth control pill. The Power of the Pill. According to Claudia Golden & Lawrence Katz from the National Bureau of Economic Research @ http://www. Never. Org/papers/7527 When the pill was introduced to the female population after FDA approval in the sass's. Its had a direct positive effect on women's career investment by almost eliminating the chance of getting pregnant and thus the cost of having sex.The Pill also created a social multiplier effect by encouraging the delay of marriage generally and thus increasing a career woman's likelihood of finding an appropriate mate after professional school. Even though women are outpacing men in getting college degrees thief not enough to close the gender pay gap. The American As sociation of University Women tackled he pay gap question by looking at workers of the same educational attainment*name kind of college, same grades;loading the same kinds of Jobs, and having made the same choices about marriage and number of kids.They found that college-educated women earn 5 percent less the first year out of school than their male peers. Ten years later, even if they keep working on par with those men, the women earn 12% less. .. Jane Farrell and Sarah Jane Glenn explore the question of whether there is more gender equality among minority men and women than among whites†¦. Playing the Numbers. The Gender *rising High Education. According to Doyle, William R. Change. (May/June 2010) volume 42 Issue corporate Resources. There are two factors that contribute to the higher education gender gap in the US.First, the gap begins, and in mostly accounted for, by gaps in high school completion. Second the labor market continues to provide differential earnings for men and women, even those who are similar in terms of the education, experience, and choice of careers. Even if women and men had similar educational credentials, scores on standardized tests, field of study, and degree from college of similar selectivity the gap in earnings would be about $4,400. The Gender Gap for Young Professionals in the Corporate and Financial sector.According to a report written by M. Bertrand, C. Golden and L. Katz from the National Bureau of Economic Research @ http://www. Never. Org/papers/w14681 The career's of Mamba's, who graduated between 1990 and 2006 from a top US Business school, are studied to understand how career dynamics differ by gender. Although male and female Mamba's have nearly identical (labor) incomes at the outset of their career's , their earnings soon diverge , with a male annual earnings advantage reaching almost 60 log points and ten to 16 years after MBA completion.There were three identifiable reasons for the large and rising gender ga p in earnings: is differences in training prior to MBA graduation; differences in career interruptions; differences in weekly hours. Gender differences in earnings across the years following MBA completion. The presence of children is the main contributor to the lesser Job experience, greater career discontinuity and shorter work hours for female Mamba's. Gender differences in the annual Income of psychiatrists. According to Weeks, W. B. , & Wallace. ,A. E. (2007)Psychiatric Services,58(4),51 5-20.American Psychiatric Publishing,Len. In this article published on a study of the annual Income of female psychiatrists vs. that of male counterparts was 13% lower on an average from the 1980 thru to the 1990 and persisted on thru to 2001. It also stated that the female Doctor would more likely be employees of the practice, as opposed to having an ownership interest in the practice. This tells me that it din*Г? even matter how much education a woman had . Even in the halls of higher lea rning , there still existed this gender gap.It din*Г? matter if she had the same Education as a male doctor, There was still no equality in pay. And you know there was no physical inhibitors. Why wives earn less than husbands. According to Kraft,Susan. American Demographics.. Jan 94, Volvo. 16 Issue 1, Corporate Resources. Some married women are closing the earnings gap with married men, but most work fewer hours and at lower paying Jobs. A woman has a hard time matching a mans income, even if the man doses*Г? work. Because men who don*Г? work still have income from unemployment, disability, pensions, and investments.Working wives whose husbands don*Г? work make the largest contribution to family income, but even their contributions accounts for less than half(42%) of that segment's aggregate income. Then we have the two income households, where many wives find it too expensive to work. Many dual income families must subtract the cost of child care, and a second car. They only add an addition 14% to the families income. So more than likely they are working for Job benefits. And last but not least according to Thatcher, J. (2013). Art Monthly 50:50, (367), 5-8.Women are still woefully under-represented in the art world argues Jennifer Thatcher. :Last year an artist fired one of their studio assistants for being pregnant. She recalled that as soon as she made the announcement she was treated fervently , and spoken to as though she had made a huge mistake. Despite working as hard as she could in an attempt to prove she could manage the work. She was eventually asked to leave and forgo her rights to statutory maternity pay. There lies the Physical inhibitors, Gender Specific discrimination.This type of discrimination still exists in the work place, and they are not trying to hide it. To be spoken to and treat like you had a disorder of some sort is Just not exceptionable and against the law. For over 50 years women have suffered the consequences of this wage gap, between them and their male counter-parts. Since 1963 there has been a bill sitting in the halls of Justice and not in-forced due to its lack of Importance to our nations leaders (UN-popular). Women have suffered UN-imaginable hardships caused from this gap . Women are doomed from the beginning starting with their very first paycheck.The gap Just gets wider and wider not stopping until they receive their very last Social Security check. This gap has had serious ramifications for women and their families. What happened to our human rights? I thought I lived in America, we have gone to war in foreign countries defending their human rights. But when this issue comes up , they Just explain it away by saying men have to support their families Based on the evidence that I have submitted, you be the Judge is it fair that men and women doing the same Job don*Г? get paid the same money? This is discrimination in its worst form.