Nursing Case Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing Case Studies - Essay Example Case study represents two cases in nursing practice: Ms. A. and Mr. P. Ms. A. is an apparently healthy 26-year-old white woman. Since the beginning of the current golf season, Ms. A has noted increased shortness of breath and low levels of energy and enthusiasm. These symptoms seem worse during her menses. Today, while playing in a golf tournament at a high, mountainous course, she became light-headed and was taken by her golfing partner to the emergency clinic. The attending physician’s notes indicated a temp of 98 degrees F, an elevated heart rate and respiratory rate, and low blood pressure. Ms. A states, â€Å"Menorrhagia and dysmenorrheal have been a problem for 10-12 years, and I take 1,000 mg of aspirin every 3 to 4 hours for 6 days during menstruation.† During the summer months, while playing golf, she also takes aspirin to avoid â€Å"stiffness in my joints.† Laboratory values are also presented in the essay. The question to the case 1 is as follows: Considering the circumstances and the preliminary workup, what type of ane mia does Ms. A most likely have? Mr. P is a 76-year-old male with cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure who has been hospitalized frequently to treat CHF symptoms. He has difficulty maintaining diet restrictions and managing his polypharmacy. He has 4+ pitting edema, moist crackles throughout lung fields, and labored breathing. There is no family other than his wife, who verbalizes sadness over his declining health and over her inability to get out of the house. She is overwhelmed with the stack of medical bills, as Mr. P always took care of the financial issues. Mr. P is despondent and asks why God has not taken him. The question to the case 2 is as follows: Which nursing approach to care will be the best to fit this case?RESPONSES CASE 1 Ms. A’s case and the clinical results give very symptomatic indications of the type of anemia she may be suffering from at the moment. In the first place, it is important to establish that Ms. A currently is privilege to both symptoms of her anemia in general and sign s pointing to the type of anemia she is suffering from. It is important to establish these two clear distinctions because of the rationale that a problem well identified is a problem that can get good management and subsequent cure. Firstly, quoting from various sources, Annette (2003) observes that â€Å"anemia refers to red blood cell (RBC) mass, amount of hemoglobin, and/or volume of packed RBCs less than normal.† The predetermined conditions for measuring the normalcy or otherwise of the red blood cell as given by Annette (2003) is â€Å"either as a hematocrit or hemoglobin concentration > 2 standard deviations below the normal mean for age (Abshire, 2001; Cohen, 1996; Korones & Cohen, 1997; Walters & Abelson, 1996). From this definition, it could be observed that symptoms such as shortness of breath, low levels of energy and lowered enthusiasm are actually symptoms only to the anemia she is suffering in general. Indeed there would be shortness of breath because of the i ll-functioning nature of red blood cells, which are supposed to transport blood to the heart to make the heart function in a normal way with reference to both external and internal respiration. There also exist low levels of energy and enthusiasm because there is impairment to the use of energy by the heart (Saari, 1999). The traces of clinical events and general rationale bring the discussion closer to knowing the type of anemia Ms. A was suffering from. It is reported that there exists over 400 types of anemia (Web MD, 2012). Careful consideration would however reveal that Ms. A is suffering from moderate anemia, which is highly nutritional. First, the anemia is regarded as moderate particularly because of the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit and Erythrocyte count. Annette (2003) for instance observes that in moderate anemia, hemoglobin of 8-9.5 g/dl may present. The current hemoglobin is also quoted as 8.0 g/dl. In a

The strengths and weaknesses of the EU

The strengths and weaknesses of the EU In 2005 Turkish Foreign minister stated I believe that Turkey will become a full member of the EU in the end. Then those who have some hesitations about Turkey will have totally different views. In fact, Turkeys orientation towards the institutions of the West dates from the creation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. Since then, commitments to Westernization and modernization have been central themes of Turkeys state ideology.Indeed, Turkish political elite considers that accession to the EU is a symbol for the successful completion of the longà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ term Ataturk revolution On the other hand, from the European perspective and according to the last European progress report; Turkey has significant deficiencies from a political, economic and even institutional perspective. And so, Turkeys membership might not be very well perceived from the European angle. In fact, even thought significant political and economic changes were made, Turkish accession to the EU is still at a slow pace. Some consider that this is due to the fact that turkeys membership will push the European borders to some troubled region, and as a consequence the EU will acquire direct contact with region of instability. And so, if for some, Turkey will weaken the EU because not only it does not belong to the EU geographically and identically but also because it has many structural and institutional weaknesses for others a literate and qualified Turkish population will make a positive impact on the EU . Therefore, the question here will be whether the Turkish membership will strengthen or weaken the European Union. And my thesis is that Turkeys membership could affect not only the nature but also the functioning of the EU. In order to answer this question, focuses will be made on the liberal intergovernmentalism theory. In fact this theory considers that members will calculate the advantages of enlargement in terms of the cost and benefits of socioeconomics interdependence of various types. And so, liberal intergovernmentalism seeks to analyze how can we rescue and adapt the nation states mainly by analyzing state preferences not only in economical but also in geopolitical and ideological field. Hence to achieve this Chapter I will approach how Turkeys membership will strengthen the European Union Chapter II will analyze how Turkey can weaken the EU and finally Chapter III will be a synthesis. Main part: The European Union has never been an exclusive club. From the beginning of the integration process, fellow European countries were welcome to apply for membership. However, as the Union was deepening its integration and growing in size, the question of where and when to stop the enlargement became controversial. In fact, with Turkeys possibility to join the EU many debates seems to be emerging. Therefore, it seems necessary to the EU to a democratic governance system to ensure that a Union of 28 or 30 or more countries can function effectively not become a recipe for stagnation or even implosion. For the accession to be possible Turkey has also to maintain its progress in both economic and political because regression would be fatal to its goal of EU membership. 2.1- Turkey Weakening the EU: Many European leaders have argued that the European identity will be lost if Turkey joined the European Union. For instance, former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl once said that a Muslim country like Turkey does not belong in Europe. In addition, the former President of France, Valà ©ry Giscard dEstaing stated in an interview in Le Monde in 2002 that a future inclusion of Turkey in the Union would be the end of Europe since Turkey is not a European country. In fact, from the unions perspective the accession of a country is rational if it provides security to the union and raises the economical benefit. However since Turkey has a small economy and has limited trade volume, many assume that it will have marginal effect on growth in the current EU. As the numbers that were published concerning this subject shows Turkey is considered to have the poorest income in the region. And so, Turkish accession (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) would increase regional economic disparities in the enlarged EU by an estimated 9%, representing a major challenge for cohesion policy. In addition to that, Turkeys demography is also considered as a burden to the EU. In fact, Turkeys population estimated at 73 million is considered one of the largest populations in Europe. And so, with the accession of Turkey there is a risk that migration from Turkey to other European countries raises. Moreover, Turkeys demography might also affect negatively the decision making in the European Union. As Laffan and Stubb note there are fears that Turkey as one of the largest states in the EU could deteriorate not only the voting relations between the members states but also the whole political and institutional European architecture. And so, with a population predicted to increase to 83 million by 2014, Turkey will be the most powerful country in the voting system. In fact, if Turkey joined the EU, Turkey will have right to 96 members in the European parliament and by this she will be joining the club of the big countries such as France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. So with this sharing system Turkey will have a proportion of 12, 8% of votes. This is why smaller countries such as Holland are opposed to this enlargement. Actually, they refuse the idea that Turkey, a new coming country will play such an important role in the decision making of the union whereas their role is being reduced with every enlargement. In fact, with Turkeys adhesion, and a European union with 28 countries, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Turkey will be deciding the future of the 24 others. Turkish demography is also considered a problem because the Turkish population in mainly Muslim. In fact, some government insisted to mention the Christian nature of the EU in the draft of the European constitution in 2003 and this shows to what extent some might refuse the idea that countries without Christian tradition become members of the EU. Moreover, recent polls show that the majority of Europeans now oppose further enlargement of the European Union, and that Turkey receives particularly low levels of support in France, and across Europe more broadly, mainly because it is perceived as religiously different . Furthermore, Turkish accession means that the EU in reality swaps the instability problems of a stable neighbor with severe instability problems of Iran Iraq and Syria. In fact, Turkeys difficulties in gaining EU membership might be better understood as practical geopolitical problems associated with enlargement. And so, being caught between the Middle East and the Caucasus would make the enlarged EU more exposed and vulnerable. Finally, Turkeys relation with its neighboring European countries does not bring any help and so Turkey faces two local rivals (Greece and Cyprus) in the EU who hold veto power over Turkish accession. 2.2- Turkey Strengthening the EU: In opposition, Turkey might positively influence the European Union. First of all, and from an economical perspective, Turkey is considered as one of the largest market in the world. It is the seventh major import partner with the EU and the fifth major export partner. As Avery notes its growing economy and young labor force would bring benefits for the single market. And so, since EU will need in the future young and cheap labor, Turkeys accession might then be helpful for the future development and the economic growth of the European Union. Besides, Turkey is a large country with a large demography, and so its potential as a market of good is important. In fact, as the statistics shows turkey is the seventh major important partner of the EU and the fifth major import partner. In addition, and since the construction of the oil pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Turkeys role as a key transit country for energy supplies is also imperative to the EU. And so, It can be argued that in economic terms Turkey not only is important to the EU both for its impact on internal and external economic relations but also that it will strengthen the EUs economic capabilities. Secondly, Admission of Turkey to the European Union would provide undeniable proof that Europe is not a closed Christian Club . In fact, with Turkeys accession the union will appear as a more tolerant society. And so, with this integration Europe could play an inestimable role in future relations between the West and the Islamic world. This can also help promoting the soft power of the European Union and reinforcing it. Moreover, due to her geo- strategic position Turkey would add new dimensions to the Unions foreign policy efforts in such vitally important regions as the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Central Asia and South Caucasus.And so; this will help the union gain an important role in those regions. For instance, concerning the Middle East region, Turkeys membership would be very helpful to the EU. In fact, the good relations that Turkey entertains with both Israeli and Palestinians will help increasing the unions weight and this could be put to good use in common efforts towards peacemaking and stabilization in this strategically critical region. Furthermore, concerning the European Security and defense policy Turkeys considerable military capabilities and the countrys potential as a forward base would be important and much-needed assets. In fact, Turkey has participated in the work of the convention to the future of Europe and brought her own vision to improve the European security and defense policy so that she can be able to face todays challenges. In addition, As one of the strongest NATO partners, with a clear orientation toward ESDP, Turkey would be of great value for the European defense system. Finally, refusing the integration of Turkey, might affect the credibility of the EU. In fact, as Smith notes The sense of responsibility toward the candidate countries, the sense of shared European identity, the strategic imperatives favouring big bang enlargement and the fact that the EU could not have backed down from its promises without a serious loss of credibility and legitimacy all helped to sustain the momentum. Synthesis: Turkey has two souls: one secular and European, the other Asian and Muslim. And this is where the whole problem stands. On one hand, Turkey tend to join the EU and resemble to the European countries and on the other questions about whether Turkey is European or whether Turkey should join the EU are still subject of debates. In fact, another problem needs to be raised here: The Turkish public opinion. Actually, The Turkish public is becoming increasingly resentful towards the EU because of a perception that, while the country is negotiating membership, the EU itself is still debating whether or not it should be allowed in. Even thought Turkey has made many reforms in order to attain the European standard, some changes still needs to be done. First of all and from a political perspective, Turkey has ratified two UN treaties the first concerning civil and political rights and the second social and economic rights but this is still not sufficient. The European Commission still argues that political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights are not fully guaranteed and that more efforts are needed to enhance the coherence of legal provisions and practice. From an economic point of view Turkeys recent economic reforms have shown it capable of lowering inflation and promoting enterprise growth while weathering two recent, regional economic shocks. And so, if liberal intergovernamentalists, such as Moravcsik, perceives economic groups as the key driving force for integration then with the changes that were made Turkey can be perceived as capable of being member of the EU since both Turkey and the EU will benefit from this integration. In fact and as we said before, Turkey is an important market of good for the EU and can provide the young labor force that the union needs which makes it eligible to be a member. From a religious point of view, its true that Turkey is a big country with a population mainly Muslim, but lets not forget that 12 million Muslims live already in Europe and many more are likely to make their way to Europe. In addition, Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina are also Muslim countries and potential candidate to the EU and no one is objecting their potential candidature. Finally, a NO to Turkey-now or in the very near future-would have extremely grave and negative consequences not only for the nearby region but also for European security interests. And so, the thesis that Turkeys membership could affect not only the nature but also the functioning of the EU is proven. In fact, even if the arguments that proves that Turkey will strengthen the EU seems to be more convincing from my perspective, the idea that Turkey will bring changes to the nature of the EU seems to be a fact whatever ones conviction is. However, the changes can be seen differently according to ones perspective. And so, being convinced that Turkey will weaken the EU, then the changes will be seen negatively and vice versa. 3. Conclusion: In his recent book, The Limits of Europe, EU Commissioner Frits Bolkestein warns against European overstretch. Turkish accession, he argues, would reduce Europe to a glorified customs union, and create risks for the European project. What Bolkestein meant, as he made clear in September 2004, was that Turkeys large population might well create a more Muslim Europe, either by intra-European migration or by EU voting mechanisms weighted by population size (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)The advantages for an enlarged Europe, he argues, lie in exporting stability but at the risk of importing instability. However, And based on the arguments showed below, we can say that the conditions that are presented as weakening the EU are not very convincing anymore. In fact, since the enlargement in 2004, things have changed. And so, if the European Union would like to prove today, that shes a united international actor, and if the European Union would like to prove that having one purpose might bring together actors no matter how different they are, but willing to work for that purpose, then the EU should accept Turkish membership. But what about the alternative presented by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy? Will turkey become a privileged partner instead of a full member? And what about the possibility to make some changes for reducing Turkeys influence before Turkeys entry to the EU, as it was the case with the Nice Treaty before the eastern enlargement?

the meaning of a friend Essays -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Never having any guidance, or direction, he has always seemed to work through all obstacles. Langston was a young man, roughly beginning his first year of medical school. Everyone he knew saw it a miricle that he ever made it as far as a bachelors degree, much less a Medical Degree.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Born a â€Å"mistake† never knowing his mother, or father he spent much of his childhood and adolescence running from foster homes east and west, he had never known unconditional love or the feel of a true family. At the age of 24, only one person in his life had ever before cared enough to keep in touch with him. She was a young woman he called Mams. Natalie Green Entered is life when he was around the age of four, as his â€Å"big sister†. She was only 18 and needed community service hours to receive a scholarship, never anticipating that such a loving relationship would grow with the young boy. Mams was an only child to a middle class black family, raised with a father that believe you must earn and work for everything you receive. Even then the nature and history, of Langston’s life, at the age of four, shocked her. For the 12 months they spent together, in St.Louis, every weekend, and twice during the week they escaped from their lives. She took him to plays, book readings, social events, anything she thought would open his eyes to the opportunities surrounding him. As a result Langston was well on his was to success. Even after she left for collage, and he moved to a new â€Å"home†, every birthday, Easter, Christmas, Halloween, and any other special event, Langston would receive a letter or post card with just enough words to make him keep trying. She was the main and only motivation in his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On a Sunny day, in the beginning of September, Langston hopped on his bike and hurried home to his apartment to change clothes and rush to work, his daily routine. The door flung open, his shoes flew across the room, he ran to the bathroom he turned on the shower, then ran into the kitchen, and was then brought to a paused when he noticed the mail he must have overlooked when first entering. The shower still running, he grabbed the mail, not expecting anything in paticular besides the usual junk mail. When suddenly he was suprised to see a peach envelope with purple ink writing, reading Langston Brown ... ...nishment Langston realized those were the closing words of Mam’s eulogy, Langston had been so greif stricken he totally zoned out the entire funeral ceremony, even the lasting momentos she left for him. Mams hadn’t forgotten him, nor not cared for him, for whatever reason she felt she had to die, she wanted Langston to know how much she was proud of him, and how much she believed he was capable of acheiving.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Such a small, yet overlooked aspect. Who knew how much these few words could change Langston’s life. Suddenly he felt powerful and ambitious once again. He no longer blamed himself, or questioned the ways of life, he learned to accept the past and prepare for the future. Though some people looked down on Natalie Green for her â€Å"cowardly† death, contrary, Langston still holds her in the highest respect, for she changed his life in ways he can never repay. She gave him hope and strength when there was no one else around to care if he woke up the next morning. She understood how much he needed her in his life. Natalie Green was his Mams, warm hearted, strong, independent; the most influential, loving person in his life.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Models of practices that underpin equality Essay

1.1- Explain models of practices that underpin equality, diversity and inclusion in own area of responsibility? My role as a senior care assistant requires me to support individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. At all times, I am expected to uphold and promote equitable practice and offer equality of opportunity while taking into account peoples political, economical, social and civil rights while promoting diversity and inclusion. I must consider my own areas of responsibility within my workplace and how my practice underpins the values and principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. In addition to this, my role is to support and influence the practice of my staff, to ensure that staff and residents are treated equally and fairly without discrimination. This is done by using a person centred approach, which is a model of practice that ensures individuals are central to the planning of their support, and are empowered to identify personal choices about how they want to live their lives. This also relates to the service users, as it enables them to be actively involved in all aspects of their care. Equality is ensuring that everyone is treated equally and fairly regardless of their ability, religion, beliefs, gender, race, age, social status or sexual orientation. Diversity recognises that although people have things in common with each other, they are also different and unique in many ways. Diversity is about recognising and valuing those differences, and consists of visible and non-visible factors. These include, personal characteristics such as background, culture, personality and work style in addition to the characteristics that are protected under discrimination legislation in terms of race, gender, disability, religion and belief, sexual orientation and age. By recognising and understanding individual differences and embracing them, a productive environment whereby everyone feels valued can be created, known as inclusion. The policies and procedures within my workplace are underpinned by a variety of legislation and current codes of practice. These provide me with a framework for ensuring that I uphold the principles and ethics of equality, diversity and inclusion.(see appendix) The Equality Act 2010 is the law that bans discrimination and helps achieve equal opportunities in the workplace and in the wider society. The Act brought together and replaced previous equality legislation, such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), the Race Relations Act 1976 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. It simplified and updated the law and strengthened it in important ways. The Act protects people from discrimination on the grounds covered by the previous equality laws. These are now called â€Å"protected characteristics†, and are; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage nd civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex and sexual orientation. The Act also promotes equality of opportunity to prevent discrimination arising in the first place. The Equality Act also protects people from various forms of discrimination relating to disability, and also discrimination and harassment: Direct discrimination is when you are treated less favourably than another person because of your disability. This also extends to people who are  discriminated against because of their association with someone who has a disability or because they are thought to be disabled. Discrimination arising from disability is when you’re treated less favourably because of something connected with your disability (rather than the disability itself). But it’s not discrimination if the employer or service provider can justify how they treat you, or if they didn’t know that you are disabled. Indirect discrimination happens when a rule, policy or practice is applied to everyone, but it has a particular disadvantage for disabled people. But it’s not discrimination if it can be justified. Failure to make reasonable adjustments is when you need a reasonable adjustment so you are not at a ‘substantial disadvantage’, but the adjustment has not been made. The duty to make reasonable adjustments covers the way things are done, a physical feature (such as steps to a building), or the absence of an auxiliary aid or service (such as an induction loop or an interpreter). Harassment is unwanted behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating your dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Victimisation – when you’re treated badly because you’ve made or supported a complaint under the Equality Act. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) creates a framework to provide protection for people who cannot make decisions for themselves. It contains provision for assessing whether people have the mental capacity to make decisions, procedures for making decisions on behalf of people who lack mental capacity and safeguards. The underlying philosophy of the MCA Is that any decision made must be in their best interests. The MCA is governed by 5 core principles. These can be summarised as follows: Presumption of capacity (section 1(2) MCA).Every adult has the right to make their own decisions if they have the capacity to do so. Family carers and healthcare or social care staff must assume that a person has the capacity to make decisions, unless it can be established that the person does not have capacity Maximising decision making capacity (section 1(3) MCA). People should receive support to help them make their own decisions. Before concluding that someone lacks capacity to make a particular decision, it is important to take all possible steps to try to help them reach a decision themselves. Right to make unwise decisions (section 1(4) MCA). People have  the right to make decisions that others might think are unwise. A person who makes a decision that others think is unwise should not automatically be labelled as lacking the capacity to make a decision. Best interests (section 1(5) MCA). Any act done for, or any decision made on behalf of, someone who lacks capacity must be in their best interests. Least restrictive option (section 1(6) MCA). Any act done for, or any decision made on behalf of, someone who lacks capacity should be the least restrictive option possible. The Human Rights Act is a UK law passed in 1998. It means that any person can defend their rights in the UK courts and that public organisations (including the government, police and local councils) must treat everyone equally, with fairness, dignity and respect. The human rights that are contained within this law are based on the articles of the European Convention, and does two things; judges must read and give effect to legislation in a way which is compatible with the Convention Rights, and it is unlawful for a public authority to act in a way which is incompatible with a Convention right. The rights that are protected by the HRA are; The right to life The prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment Protection against slavery and forced labour The right to liberty and freedom The right to a fair trial and no punishment without law Respect for privacy and family life and the right to marry Freedom of thought, religion and belief Freedom of expression Free speech and peaceful protest No discrimination Protection of property, the right to an education and the right to free elections GSCC Codes of practice- Although the GSCC closed in July 2012, the codes of conduct are still used in care homes. The document contains agreed codes of practice for social care workers and employers of social care workers  describing the standards of conduct and practice within which they should work. 1.2 – Analyse the potential effects of barriers to equality and inclusion in own area of responsibility? Equality in the workplace is about more than simply giving equal treatment to all employees and complying with the Equality Act. Within the home, we work to remove the barriers which affect recruitment and progression. These barriers can include age, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or belief, social background, physical or mental disabilities, marital or parental status, gender identity, communication and language. All policies and practices within the organisation create equal opportunities for personal and professional growth- from establishing fair pay structures offering equal access to benefits to ensuring that promotion and progression is fair. At the very minimum, employers are required to eliminate discrimination from the whole employment cycle, starting from the application stage and throughout an employee’s career. Barriers that prevent equality and inclusion are as follows; Physical- Buildings and access, personal physical health, sensory loss Attitudinal- Personal feelings, thoughts and behaviours Structural- Economic, environmental, social systems Institutional- Policies and procedures where some people are disadvantaged over others e.g. maternity leave Examples of inequality in the workplace include; Direct discrimination- when an employer treats an employee less favourably than someone else because of a protected characteristic Indirect discrimination- when a working condition or rule disadvantages one group of people more than another. E.g. saying that applicants for a job must be clean shaven puts members of some religious groups at a disadvantage. Indirect discrimination is unlawful whether it is done on purpose or not. Equality laws may be jeopardised if training and promotion is targeted at younger members of the team, assuming that older workers are not as interested in career progression as their younger colleagues. Failure to  provide adequate facilities for disabled people in the workplace, or failure to tackle bullying and harassment against an employee from a different ethnic origin may contribute towards a tribunal claim. Discriminatory tactics in screening of potential staff members, e.g. deliberately choosing male staff over female staff regardless of their ability to do a job. Effects of this type of discrimination include; diminished life chances, social exclusion, marginalisation, poor interpersonal interactions and communication, disempowerment, and low self-esteem and self-identity. Oppression is another barrier that can affect equality, diversity and inclusion. It is the consequence of five different factors including; stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination (as stated above), oppression and internalised oppression. It is defined as the â€Å"unjust or cruel exercise of power† (Webster, 2013). Standing up and taking action when this type of behaviour occurs is a way to eliminate oppression. Also, being aware about what oppression is as well as methods of prevention can be used as an effort to reduce, if not eliminate, and enables staff to work in an anti- oppressive manner. Oppression happens in many atmospheres, especially in a working environment. Prevention is the main key to avoiding this type of hostility. This can be done with enforcement of policies, including written disciplinary actions that will be utilised if this occurs, as well as a chain of authority. Having a written policy clearly sets out the expectations of employees by the employers, not only of what is acceptable and unacceptable, but what consequences are to be enforced on to non- compliant employees. This should be read and signed by all employees as a preventative measure to avoid further problems. The chain of authority is listed so employees are aware of who they will have to answer to in this situation, and who will be enforcing the consequences of their actions. The mechanics of oppression are described as participating, turning a blind eye and denial. Staff who witness this type of behaviour, being well aware but not taking action or altogether denying that the behaviour is occurring are examples showing how oppression continues to exist. Failure to uphold equality, diversity and inclusion through practice will  breach European and UK law and codes of practice and incur penalties such as loss of registration and significant damage to reputation. Consequences for the individual range from low self-esteem, poor mental and physical health and risk of harm and abuse. Therefore, it is paramount that regular training, supervisions and discussions take place to ensure that staff do not display this type of behaviour, or are victimised by others. As a senior, it is important that I notice these barriers and act quickly to prevent any issues from developing. 1.3 – Analyse the impact of legislation and policy initiatives on the promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion? It is important that I am familiar with the Acts of Parliament, regulations, guidance and codes of practice in order to promote best practice within the home and to inform staff, ensuring they are up to date on any changes. As a qualified social worker, I already have some background knowledge on different acts and legislation within the health and social care sector, and have put these into practice in two six month placements throughout my academic career, and also my current job in the care sector. Equality, diversity and inclusion are addressed within the essential standards set out by CQC which are underpinned by the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Regulation 17(2) (h) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 says that : â€Å"the registered person must†¦take care to ensure that care and treatment is provided to service users with due regard to their age, sex, religious persuasion, sexual orientation, racial origin, cultural and linguistic background and any disability they may have†. This regulation relates to Outcome 1 – respecting and involving people who use services. However, the wording of this regulation suggests that these equality characteristics should be considered in all aspects of care, treatment and support. This is also the approach taken by CQC in the essential standards. In addition, Regulation 9(1)(b)(iv) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 says that: â€Å"The registered person must take proper steps to ensure that each service user is protected against the risks of receiving care or treatment that is inappropriate or unsafe, by means of†¦ the planning and  delivery of care and, where appropriate, treatment in such a way as to— avoid unlawful discrimination including, where applicable, by providing for the making of reasonable adjustments in service provision to meet the service user’s individual needs.† This regulation relates to Outcome 4.Regulation 17(1) a of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (regulated activities) regulations 2009 says that: â€Å"The registered person must, so far as is reasonably practicable, make suitable arrangements to ensure†¦the dignity, privacy and independence of service user s.† Regulation 17(2) (a) says that: â€Å"the registered person must treat service users with consideration and respect† This regulation relates to Outcome 1. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has now been repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010. Formerly, it made it unlawful to discriminate against people in respect of their disabilities in relation to employment, the provision of goods and services, education and transport. The DDA 1995 departed from principles of older UK discrimination law (the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Race Relations Act 1976). These acts, also repealed and replaced by the Equality Act 2010, made direct and indirect discrimination unlawful. The core concepts of the DDA 1995 are instead: less favourable treatment for a reason related to a disabled person’s disability; and failure to make a â€Å"reasonable adjustment†. â€Å"Reasonable adjustment† or, as it is known in some other jurisdictions, ‘reasonable accommodation’, is the radical concept that makes the DDA 1995 so different from the older legislation. Instead of the rather passive approach of indirect discrimination (where someone can take action if they have been disadvantaged by a policy, practice or criterion that a body with duties under the law has adopted), reasonable adjustment is an active approach that requires employers, service providers etc to take steps to remove barriers from disabled people’s participation. The National Minimum Standards sets out the standards for care homes for older people, which form the basis on which the new National Care Standards Commission will determine whether such care homes meet the needs, and secure the welfare and social inclusion of the people who live there. The standards  set out in this document are core standards which apply to all care homes providing accommodation for older people. They acknowledge the unique and complex needs of individuals, and the additional specific knowledge, skills and facilities needed in order for a care home to deliver an individually tailored and comprehensive service. As stated in outcome 1.1 I have discussed the Equality Act 2010, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. It is also essential that all staff are familiar with the homes own policies on diversity, equality and inclusion (see appendix) If these policies are not adhered to, it could result in guidelines, legislations and requirements also not being adhered to, which could result in the residents and staff being subjected to abuse. 2.4- How do you support others to challenge discrimination and exclusion? As a senior, I have an important role to play in championing diversity, equality and inclusion in my workplace. I am expected to articulate my own beliefs and values regarding diversity, recognise equality, respect and tolerance, and encourage non- judgemental attitudes and anti- discriminatory practice in order to inspire and lead my team. It is also important to encourage a positive culture within the workplace that promotes the principles of good practice. Examples of opportunities include; Developing and delivering training and CPD reviews so that the team is kept up to date with new developments Providing a safe environment where people feel empowered and supported to challenge discrimination and poor practice Ensure all staff are aware of the â€Å"whistleblowing† policy and other policies in place to challenge discrimination. (see appendix) I am also the workforce representative, so this means that staff can openly discuss any issues or concerns they have which could include issues of discrimination and exclusion. I have received some complaints that staff feel they are being victimised, as there has recently been a divide between night/day staff, with each day/ night members complaining that the other are not pulling their weight, or they are not assisting the residents in meeting  their personal care needs to a high standards e.g. wet beds, soiled pads not being changed etc. To rectify this issue, staff members were expected to complete a night/ day shift that was opposite to their usual shift pattern, in hopes to highlight what the different shift patterns and routines entailed and what was expected from staff members. The work â€Å"clique† was also used which has serious connotations as can be linked to bullying, which is a form of victimisation and exclusion. There was a management meeting held to discuss these issues and ways to rectify them. A â€Å"team building† night out was arranged, in hopes to bring all staff together. When discrimination and exclusion occur in policy and practice, I have a duty of care to challenge it, by reviewing and monitoring situations to identify and give examples of best practice. This can be done by undertaking supervisions, encouraging reflective practice to consider individual roles and accountability, maintaining quality assurance systems and record keeping, monitoring and evaluating processes and regular training. Ensuring staff are familiar and adhere to policies and procedures (see appendix) is also a positive way to address issues of discrimination and exclusion, as it ensures staff are fully aware it will not be tolerated within the care home. In relation to the residents there are many laws and policies that are aimed to prevent this. The â€Å"No secrets† white paper is a UK Government initiative from the Department of Health which provides guidance on developing and implementing policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse. Abuse can be defined as: Physical, sexual, psychological, financial, neglect and discriminatory. The Protection of Vulnerable Adults (POVA) policy also states the duty of care placed on local authorities and organisations to protect older people from abuse and harm. As the care home specifically caters for residents with Alzheimer’s and dementia, there is a higher chance that these residents can face widespread discrimination for a number of reasons. There is significant misunderstanding and stigma attached to dementia that manifests itself in widespread discriminatory attitudes. Age discrimination is also a factor that they could face, and potentially more at risk of discrimination and infringements on their human rights because they may not have the capacity to challenge or report what has  occurred, meaning they face a poorer quality of life. At the care home, we ensure that this type of discrimination is challenged by offering high quality care based on individualised care and support which builds on a person’s abilities and strengths, treating people with dignity and respect offering choice and safeguarding privacy, and that staff are properly trained in caring for residents with dementia and who are fully supported in their role. If a resident or a member of their family feel they are being discriminated against, the complaints procedure enables them to formally complain, and feel fully supported in doing so. The à ¢â‚¬Å"residents charter of rights† policy is available to all residents, their families and visitors, and details how they should be treated according to the Health and Social Care Act 2008, and also the essential standards set out by CQC. 3.1- Analyse how systems and processes can promote equality and inclusion or reinforce discrimination and exclusion? Every organisation has policies and procedures in place that are informed by legislation and national guidelines, in hope to promote anti- discriminatory practice. At the care home, we have a mission statement that details the way we intend to create a positive working environment whereby the shared principles and values of good quality support are upheld throughout the organisation. The statement reads; Vision Statement: We strive to be at the forefront of delivering exceptional standards of care and establishing ourselves as a leading and innovative care group in the United Kingdom. Mission Statement: We believe in a holistic care approach supported by dedicated and motivated staff team who are specifically trained to deliver a quality service. Our ethos encourages independence of residents in a friendly, welcoming, and safe environment with a â€Å"home from home† atmosphere. Philosophy of Care: QCG philosophy encompasses five basic principles of care which are; Quality of care with a holistic approach ensuring psychological, spiritual and physical well-being of residents A motivated, enthusiastic and specifically trained staff team to deliver this care Ensuring dignity and respect of residents in a non-discriminatory way in accordance with the resident’s charter of rights. (see appendix) Encouraging an independent and supported lifestyle with well-structured activities and social programmes A homely care approach fostering friendships, family involvement, local community interaction and support. The effectiveness of these systems and processes will need to be monitored, and this can be done through; A regular review and audit of policies and practice will identify areas to be addressed Individual and family questionnaires can identify areas that require improvement, but also highlight areas of good practice and provide the benchmarks for reviewing and monitoring practice within the workplace. In depth and thorough induction training to ensure new employees are aware of their job roles and responsibilities Complaints procedures can contribute to providing evidence in particular cases. Developing and maintaining effective complaints procedures will enable areas to be identified relating to diversity and equality which require improvement. 4.1- Describe ethical dilemmas that may arise in own area of responsibility when balancing individuals rights and duty of care? Confidentiality My duty of care towards the resident, and my responsibility to safeguard individual privacy could cause legal and ethical tensions. Ethical dilemmas arise frequently throughout the social care sector, particularly within my role as a senior carer, and it is my duty and the duty of the home to ensure that individuals are protected from harm. A number of factors need to be considered including the residents need to be informed as to how information about them is used and consent should be sought to share information with outside agencies. However, information can be disclosed where there is an overriding public interest e.g. where abuse is suspected. In this circumstance, confidentiality can be broken if a resident is at serious risk of; harm to themselves, harm to others, exploitation or physical/ sexual/ verbal abuse, significant financial gain or loss. I would also need to assess whether or not the resident has capacity and adhere to the MCA 2005 framework. The five principles of assessment are; Presume capacity unless established otherwise Take practical steps to enable decision making Accept that people can make unwise decisions Act in the persons best interests Use the action least restrictive of the persons rights and freedom of choice The use of sharing of service user information forms an essential part of the provision of health and social care, however the nature of this information needs to be in line with the legal duty to keep all personal information confidential. The relationship between staff and resident needs to be one of fidelity and trust, and residents have a legitimate expectation that private information will not be shared, used or disclosed without their consent. Therefore, all staff have strong legal and ethical obligations to protect resident information and the law and standards that govern practice and the handling of personal and confidential information are; The Data Protection Act The Human Rights Act 1998 (article 8) The Freedom of Information Act (2000) The Essential standards of quality and safety The Equality Act 2010 The Public Interest Disclosure Act (1999) Own Beliefs and values Each person has a unique set of values and beliefs, and strive to live their lives by these. The same is true for the resident who are supported within the care home, and occasionally personal values and beliefs may be different from the residents and their families. If the resident has a Lasting Power of Attorney in place that has a say over their health and welfare, or if they had a living will in place prior to a decline in their mental illness than this can also cause an ethical dilemma. A resident in the care home had a living will in place where, in the event that they had a decline in their mental state and became very unwell, then they would not want to be treated for this illness. The resident does now unfortunately have severe dementia; he became unwell with a chest infection, and his daughter, who has Lasting Power of Attorney, did not want him treated. Personally, I did not agree with this decision, as felt that it was not a severe illness as stated in his living will, and could be overcome with some antibiotics. His daughter did not want the GP contacted, however, I felt it was in the best interests  of the resident to speak with the GP regarding this issue, as felt he could become seriously unwell without antibiotics, so I was therefore trying to protect him from harm. This was a serous ethical dilemma for me and a big learning curve. After a long discussion with the GP, it was decided that the GP would contact the daughter to explain the possible severity of the situation, and she eventually agreed to treatment. Other factors that can cause ethical dilemmas include; the management of resources- balancing good support with available resources can be a challenge, organisational policies- While there may be solid reasoning’s behind the policies, some may impact negatively on a staff member if for example they are unable to work unsupervised due to disability, safeguarding- disclosing information of a safeguarding matter to the correct person if a resident and/or staff member has asked you not to disclose and balancing the needs of the family and the needs of the individual- sometimes challenging the families wishes to meet the needs of the individual may be necessary. 4.2- Explain the principle of informed choice? Choice and control is about freedom to act, for example to be independent and mobile, as well as freedom to decide. Having choice and control over one’s life and involvement supports autonomy and self-esteem. The issues of choice, control, involvement and self-determination are at the forefront of current government policy. Department of Health research found that health and social care recipient’s value having information to make choices and decisions for themselves, and that feeling confident and maintaining control is important. Putting People First (2007) outlined a shared vision for social care and radical reform. Autonomy – through maximum choice, control and power for people over the services they receive – is central to the values outlined in the paper. Information, advice, advocacy and support with decision-making, are all key to ensuring that people can exercise autonomy. Every resident in the care home has a consent to care and treatment form in place that they must agree to before care can be carried out. This means they agree to information sharing, intervention from GP’s and nurses etc. If the resident is unable to give signed consent but it appears they can give  verbal consent than their next of kin can sign for them. However, if the resident is unable to give signed or verbal consent, than this would affect their informed choice as a Mental Capacity Assessment and Best Interests Assessment is carried out. For most residents in the care home, making complex decisions and choices requires additional support as the majority have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or dementia. There are different processes for decision making when considering choices. An informed choice is when an individual is supported to make a decision, and as a senior, I have a responsibility to provide residents and their families with all the necessary information to make those decisions. It is important to be mindful of the range of accessible information the individual requires in order for them to make the decision, and this decision must be unbiased and evidence based. It is important to also consider how the resident communicates and who else may need to be involved such as family members, GP’S social workers etc. Many of the residents have a Power of Attorney in place which covers finances, and approximately four residents have a Lasting Power of Attorney which covers health and welfare. In this case, decisions can be a lot harder to make as a family member may have the final say regardless of the residents values, which should always be upheld. This is because the resident may not be able to express their wishes due to a decline in their mental illness. The residents are however, protected by the Mental Capacity Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

Race and ethnicity in the United States Census Essay

Race is a biological entity, but it has been proven that the concept of race can be constructed or manipulated by societies that even though since an anthropological and biological perspective the barrier between races is very clear. Ethnicity isn’t a societal concept founded by the color of skin, since everyone knows individuals of the identical race have variations of skin color. For example in European circles, Middle Easterners such as Arabs, Jews, Iranians (Indo-Europeans or Aryans); North Africans like Berbers and Arabs; Latin Americans of pure Caucasian descent and Northern Indians and Pakistanis are not considered Caucasian or white, even though anthropologically and genetically they are. People can deny kinship or invent their kinship to people of other genetic markers if this makes them keep their status or way of life; this has to do with issues like migration, religion and the like. Race refers to the bodily and biotic features for specific sets of individuals. For example: anyone may recognize an individual’s ethnicity founded up skeleton construction, predominantly the cranium, since the various races have distinctive, skeleton structures. Diverse ethnicities have diverse bone concentrations. Afro-American’s have the thickest bone because they need to stockpile â€Å"calcium and vitamin D in their bones† because of the dusky color that does not allow the sun to simply infiltrate and produce the vitamins to protect their skeletal frame (Comer, 1972). White and Asian ethnicity produce smaller skeletal density since light skin permits the sun to infiltrate into the skin easier. This makes it easier to take up vitamin D from the sun. There are a large number of variations within ethical groups than may be condensed to tinier clusters of ethnic clusters. However, ethnic groupings are not unsubstantiated and illogical societal tags. There is a plethora of fabrication concerning race around, and most 19th century anthropology scientists that studied race were mistaken concerning many facts, however the entire theory should not be trashed. Even Darwin made mistakes concerning many facts, however it should not require the complete Theory of Evolution should be trashed as well.. A societal structure may function as an instrument of organization that sustains the domination of specific ethnic races and the subservience of other races. Race is described as being â€Å" ‘Race’ is first and foremost an unequal relationship between social aggregates, characterized by dominant and subordinate forms of social interaction, and reinforced by the intricate patterns of public discourse, power, ownership and privilege within the economic, social and political institutions of society† (Commer,1997). Ethnicity merely turns out to be genuine when societies act in other habits that cause subservience to last. It converts actual once society acts toward one another that maintain the subservience. Race often causes ethically emotional discourse which includes constant practices of displacement and ethnic suffering. Principles and individuality are also societal structures (permanent. The description of individuality by Sarikaya: â€Å"†¦identity is not only a story, a narrative which we tell ourselves about ourselves, it is stories which change with historical circumstances. And identity shifts with the way in which we think and hear them and experience them. Far from only coming from the still small point of truth inside us, identities actually come from outside, they are the way in which we are recognized and then come to step into the place of the recognitions which others give us. Without the others there is no self, there is no self-recognition† (Sarikaya, 2011). It is similar to a camera, the controlling scrutiny changes an individual to thing and â€Å"†¦the normalizing gaze [is] a surveillance that makes it possible to qualify, to classify and to punish, and it establishes, over individuals a visibility through which one differentiates and judges them† (Foucault,1991 pg. 25). Race has the capacity to change anyone into a historic minute outside of that which a person is unable to step out of. Race adopts the theory that there is a pattern of regularity and accurate, each person separate from this pattern should be conveyed to the pattern – the normalcy is considered to be a young, Caucasian, Christian, man. The societal imagination is a broad area that groups is now created, made-up, placed and formed by dominate dialogues and governing society. There is no social justice or injustice of classifying or not classifying people according to the race they belong to, some can say racial classifications are harmful to the unity of the group, that it causes racism, etc. It should not be something bad or something to be afraid of or something to avoid, there should be not prejudice in the concept of race, and everyone should be happy with their ancestry and celebrate their phenotype and genotype and not suffer prejudice from society for being descendant of certain people. References: Comer, J. P. , (1972). Beyond Black and White. New York, NY: Quadrangle Books. Retried from: http://kcmo. ent. sirsi. net/client/en_US/NKCPL/search/results/? ln=en_US&q=Beyond+Bla ck+and+White&rt=&rw=0. Foucault, M. , (1991). Discipline and Punish The birth of prison (2nd ed. ) New York, NY: Random House, Inc. Sarikaya, D. (2001). The Construction of Afro-Caribbean Identity in the Poetry of Linton Kwesi Johnson. Journal of Caribbean Literatures, (Spring 2011, Vol. 7, Issue 1, p161-175, 15p). Retrieved from: http://av4kc7fg4g. search.serialssolutions. com. ezproxy. apollolibrary. com/? ctx_ver=Z39. 88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc %3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon. serialssolutions. com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:jo urnal&rft. genre=article&rft. atitle=The+construction+of+Afro-Caribbean+cultural+identity+in+t he+poetry+of+Linton+Kwesi+Johnson&rft. jtitle=Journal+of+Caribbean+Literatures&rft. au=Sar ikaya %2C+Dilek&rft. date=2011-01-01&rft. pub=Journal+of+Caribbean+Literatures&rft. issn=1086-01 0X&rft. eissn=2167-9460&rft. volume=7&rft. issue=1&rft. spage=161&rft. externalDBID=n %2Fa&rft. externalDocID=338524281¶mdict=en-US.

buy custom Post Partum Period essay

buy custom Post Partum Period essay Post partum period is generally agreed as the period starting immediately after a mother has given birth to a baby. It is not clearly agreed on the length of this period. Many attempts have been made to divide this period into distinct sections. Many authors have come up with many phases in making a trial to demarcate the period (Rosdahi Kowalski, 2007, 901; Blackburn, 2007, 320). Most of the authors have divided the period into three or four phases. As a response to this confusion Pairman, Pincombe and Thorogood (2006, p. 458) have compiled information from regional workshops which were held in New Zealand. These workshops identified four phases of postpartum period described as below. The phases are said to have different characteristics which make it possible for them to be distinguished from each other. The authors argue that in the first and second phase physical recovery is the main concern for most women. This is equally accompanied by the concern for caring and being able to breast feed their babies. The authors advocate for women to be supported emotionally at this period of time. Such support may include simple acts like holding of their hands. They argue that the midwives should be attentive and, aware of the normal physiology and being able to give practical help and advice (Pairman, Pincombe and Thorogood, 2006, p. 458). This will be quite helpful especially for the case of Anna considering the fact that she has undergone episiotomy. The authors further argue that, women need to be reassurd regarding their physiological wellbeing this is a fact which is very applicable for this case study. Anna will definitely need a lot of reassuring from a midwife concerning her well being factoring in her delivery procedure. Pairman, Pincombe and Thorogood (2006, 458) associate these phases with high level of physical pain which is likely to cause emotional distress. They further implicate this distress with inability to cope with physical and emotional changes. Therefore, in this case study the husband (Ian) will have to be constantly attentive to his wife and provide the emotional support whenever it is possibly required. This in the actual sense will help Anna to feel more reassured and will help in the process of healing. Pairman, Pincombe and Thorogood (2006, 458) advocates for women to engage more in breast feeding as this has the effect of boosting the levels of prolactin and oxytocin. Buckley (Pairman, Pincombe Thorogood 2006, p. 458) on writing on the benefit of oxytocin on women claims, oxytocin acts to keep the mother relaxed and calm, and there is an indication that it is involved in tolerance and adaptation, and feminine response such as tending and befriending (p. 458). Therefore, it will equally be important for Anna to breast feed more often at this period as it will help her to balance her emotions. Production of prolactin will be beneficial to Anna. The authors quote Riordan Auerbach (1993) implicating milk production with the presence of prolactin. Insights byy Buckley (2004) show that, it reduces stress response, alters sleep patterns and stimulates natural hormonal analgesia (Pairman, Pincombe Thorogood, 2006, 458). This will be quite good as it will help Anna to heal quite quickly wihtb less pain-analgesia factor. This the period characterized with the healing of a woman and the making of the progress in breastfeeding and gaining confidence in her efforts to care for herself and the baby. At this point the women will begin to take note of the changes that have occurred and their significance (Pillitteri, 2007, p. 200). In this case study the midwife and Ian will need to talk more to Anna as this, according to Pairman, Pincombe and Thorogood (2006, 458), will help her to make a difference on how she feels about herself and the baby. This period should be used by the midwife to enhance her self knowledge and learning. This phase occurs in the sixth week of the post natal care. It involves the woman and her family accepting the transition to parenthood. The family at this phase accepts the changes in the family dynamics and takes the responsibility in taking care of the baby (Pairman, Pincombe and Thorogood, 2006, 458; Wickham, 2004, p. 154). At his phase the midwife is no longer required. The Post partum period is mostly associated with transition challenges (Wickham, 2004, p. 154). In this case study it is even more challenging due to the fact that Anna has undergone episiotomy. The next section discusses the aims of prenatal care in the light of this case study. Buy custom Post Partum Period essay

BLack Robe essays

BLack Robe essays After reading the assigned biographies and viewing the movie "Black Robe", I think the "Black Legend" fails to accurately define Indian/European relationships. Bartolome de Las Casas initially makes the Spanish conquistadors look like very abusive and uncaring men. He writes, "The Christians, with their horses and swords and lances, began to slaughter and practise strange cruelties among them." The Indians, on the other hand, are described as a kind and delicate people, like lambs or gentle sheep; but still considered inferior to the Europeans. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, a Spanish nobleman, initially viewed the Indians as a people to be conquered and enslaved. He came to America in hopes of finding treasures of gold but, instead, I think he found himself. Cabeza de Vaca was born into a family of adventurers so it is not surprising that he joined Panfilo de Narvaez's expedition to the "West Indies" to conquer the land we know as present-day Florida. Upon reaching Florida after months at sea and a winter in Cuba, the Indians of the land were not overjoyed to see this new batch of Spaniards. In fact, after meeting Narvaez's emissary, "the entire village fled into the forest." When Narvaez came ashore, he read the requerimiento which simply stated the Indians were now subjects of the King of Spain and were required to obey all Spanish law and become Christians. Should they refuse to obey, they would become enslaved and sold. It mattered not to Narvaez that the Indians were not present when he read this. An expedition set out to find what ikons as present-day Mexico. Cabeza de Vaca was part of this expedition which lasted several years and took him through present-day Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. As Cabeza de Vaca searched for Mexico, he came to realize that this race of people known as Indians were not so heathen as he once thought. Although he still viewed them as inferior to the Europeans, he did conclude that t...

Definition and Examples of Symbolic Action

Definition and Examples of Symbolic Action A term used by 20th-century rhetorician Kenneth Burke to refer in general to systems of communication that rely on symbols. Symbolic Action According to Burke In Permanence and Change (1935), Burke distinguishes human language as symbolic action from the linguistic behaviors of nonhuman species. In Language as Symbolic Action (1966), Burke states that all language is inherently persuasive because symbolic acts do something as well as say something. Books such as Permanence and Change (1935) and Attitudes Toward History (1937) explore symbolic action in such areas as magic, ritual, history, and religion, while A Grammar of Motives (1945) and A Rhetoric of Motives work out what Burke calls the dramatistic basis of all symbolic action. (Charles L. ONeill, Kenneth Burke. Encyclopedia of the Essay, ed. by Tracy Chevalier. Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997) Language and Symbolic Action Language is a species of action, symbolic actionand its nature is such that it can be used as a tool. . . .I define literature as a form of symbolic action, undertaken for its own sake.(Kenneth Burke, Language as Symbolic Action. Univ. of California Press, 1966)To comprehend symbolic action, [Kenneth] Burke dialectically compares it with practical action. The chopping down of a tree is a practical act whereas the writing about the chopping of a tree is a symbolic art. The internal reaction to a situation is an attitude, and the externalization of that attitude is a symbolic action. Symbols can be used for practical purposes or for sheer joy. For instance, we may use symbols to earn a living or because we like to exercise our ability to use them. However philosophically distinct the two are, they often overlap.(Robert L. Heath, Realism and Relativism: A Perspective on Kenneth Burke. Mercer Univ. Press, 1986)The lack of a clear definition of symbolic action in The Philosophy of Literar y Form [Kenneth Burke, 1941] is not the weakness some might imagine it to be, for the idea of symbolic action is just a beginning point. Burke is simply distinguishing between broad classes of human experience, with the intention of confining his discussion to the dimensions of action in language. Burke is more interested in how we craft language into a strategic or stylized answer (that is, in how symbolic action works) than in defining symbolic action in the first place. (Ross Wolin, The Rhetorical Imagination of Kenneth Burke. Univ. of South Carolina Press, 2001) Multiple Meanings The conclusion to be drawn from setting various definitions of symbolic action side by side is that [Kenneth] Burke does not mean the same thing every time he uses the term. . . . An examination of the many uses of the term reveals that it has three separate but interrelated meanings . . .: linguistic, representative, and purgative-redemptive. The first includes all verbal action; the second covers all acts which are representative images of the essential self; and the third includes all acts with a purgative-redemptive function. Clearly, symbolic action includes much more than poetry; and clearly, almost anything from the full range of human action could be a symbolic act in one or more of the senses given above. . . .Burkes almost dogmatic assertion that all poetic acts are always symbolic acts in all three meanings is one of the unique features of his system. His argument is that though any act may be symbolic in one or more ways, all poems are always representative, purgative-redemptive acts. This means that every poem is the true image of the self which created it, and that every poem performs a purgative-redemptive function for the self. (William H. Ruec kert, Kenneth Burke and the Drama of Human Relations, 2nd ed. Univ. of California Press, 1982)

Strategy at Tesco Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Strategy at Tesco - Assignment Example is therefore a lot of pressure on traditional means of consumer shopping and the consumer behavior in the current scene of the UK economy is bad news for all. In the third quarter however, there has been seen a slight increase in sales due to people shopping for winter clothes and school uniforms and economists believe that this my point to a recovery of the economy, starting in the beginning of 2013. The third quarter saw sales volumes grow by 1%, compared to 0% in the previous quarter – a tremendous improvement when compared to the low growth seen in the last two years of very low shopping. (Uruci 2012) Looking at the current figures, although the growth rate seems to be on the rise, there is always that nagging doubt whether the economy is going to flourish or fall in the near future and how that is going to affect the retail industry. Take for instance the Olympic season – online sales in the UK fell since people were busy watching the Olympics instead of shopping as they normally would. Such is the state of the economy in the UK. (BBC 2012) Founded in 1919 by Jack Cohen, Tesco is one of the largest retailers in the world. They operate in 14 countries and employ over 520,000 people, and serve millions of customers every week. (Tesco PLC: History). What used to originally be a grocery retailer has grown tremendously to include books, clothing, electronics, furniture, petrol, software, financial services, DVD rentals, telecom and internet services, music downloads and so much more. Food or groceries however, still remains their greatest strength. Tesco currently appeals to a wide audience, across social groups because of its variety of products that range between Tesco Value and Tesco Finest. This gives them a benefit as they aren’t just focused on cost, but they work to provide quality and experience as well. Tesco is in an extremely competitive environment. They face competition from quite a lot of retail stores, many primarily grocers like

Potential reasons for the increase of gas prices Essay

Potential reasons for the increase of gas prices - Essay Example It is not believed by everyone, but it is a fact that the total quantity of crude oil is not utilized for the production of gasoline. Gasoline is produced by converting only fifty-one percent of an oil barrel. Subsequently, heating oil, jet fuel, refinery gas, and a number of other oil products are produced by rest of the oil barrel. In the result, the role of a high demand commodity is played by the oil, and as oil is not produced by most of the countries, import of oil has been a regular and necessary practice in most parts of the world. (Jaffe, pp. 23-25, 2006) This also results in the increase in the high prices of the oil and gas around the globe. Thus, fluctuation of prices can vary due to the demand and supply of different countries in a global oil and gasoline market. For instance, a flourishing economy has been represented by China, which has resulted in its high requirement of oil, as compared to its oil and gas requirement in the previous years. In the result, crude oil becomes shortage due to an increment in its global demand, and consequently, gasoline, jet fuel, lubricants, and prices of similar products become high. Therefore, increase in the demand of oil in a stabilized and economical country can affect the price of gasoline in other countries of the world. Thus, fluctuation of oil demand and supply is another potential factor that results in the higher prices of gasoline and other oil products in different regions of the planet.

Red Scare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Red Scare - Essay Example It might be said that from the government's point of view the roots of the "Red Scare" lie in the subversive actions of foreign and leftist elements in the United States, so it decided to suppress dissent and help promote pro-war opinion in the preparation for the American entry into World War. At the heart of the Red Scare was the conscription law of 1917, which was put in place during World War I for the armed forces to be able to conscript more Americans. This law caused many problems for the conscientious objector to WWI, because for one to claim that status, one had to be a member of a "well-recognized" religious organization which forbade their members to participation in war. As a result of such legislation, 20,000 conscientious objectors were inducted into the armed forces (Feuerlicht 74). After the real war ended in 1918, the ideological war turned against conscientious objectors and other radical minorities such as Wobblies, who were members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and Socialists as well. These Wobblies and Socialists were damned as being subversives who were trying to overthrow the United States government. Wobblies, in particular, were persecuted against for speaking out against the capitalist system. Although most of what they said was on ly to attract attention to their cause, their rhetoric was taken seriously by the government and its officials. From the very beginning of the Red Scare, the Wobblies were the subject of attack by the government, because they were a symbol of radicalism. The government put in place legislation, not only against the Wobblies, but also against Socialists and Communists, due to the fact that the government did not distinguish one of its enemies from another. One such action taken by the government prevented Wobblies who were not yet citizens from naturalization, even if they quit their organization. In 1917, the US government made a law (Espionage Act) which gave the Secretary of Labor the power to arrest or deport any alien "advocating or teaching" destruction of property or the "overthrow of government by force." Words such as "advocating" and the vague language used in the law allowed the government to use deportation as a cure for the anti-government views of its enemies, namely th e Wobblies, Communists, and Socialists. After the war formally ended in 1918, all the groups which opposed the war came under fire. They were seen as destructive to the peace and security of the American nation. The focus of the attacks was no longer on the conscientious objectors, for many of them were already jailed during the war, and were still in jail at the time; it had switched over to the Socialists and the Wobblies (Renshaw 63-65; Zinn 108). In 1917, President Wilson established a "Committee on Public Information" to create and release news favorable to the Allied cause and hostile to Germany. To enforce the efforts of the Committee, the "Bureau of Investigation" was created and disrupted the work of German-American, union, and leftist organizations through raids, arrests, and legal prosecution. The Socialist Party of America strongly opposed the war on pacifist grounds and the result was persecution and punishment under the provisions of the Espionage Act (Murray 18). This act penalized anyone who obstructed the operation of the armed forces, was insubordinate, or displayed disloyalty

Film critiques on One Wonderful Sunday ( Kurosawa, 1947) Essay

Film critiques on One Wonderful Sunday ( Kurosawa, 1947) - Essay Example There is no denying the fact that One Wonderful Sunday is an exquisitely composed, gripping and sometimes frustratingly slow, micro-scale love story that unravels in the times marred by tumultuous and in a sense devastating social and political upheaval and change. The one essential feature that marks the experiences of the young couple on a Sunday, at times trying to engage in affordable recreation, and resorting to a mock rehearsal of their discernibly doomed dreams, is the persistent physical and emotional dislocation they have to grapple with. The landscape through which they pass is typically symbolic in the sense that it is marked by the charred ruins of an old world, interspersed with the enticing and glossy advertising signs indicative of an unavoidable transition to a new order. Amidst this confusing and unsettling background, the two lovers try to yearn for an emotional and mental space where their dreams could have some sort of relevance and scope. With the orphans hauntin g the ruins of a devastated Tokyo, the gumption of the broke and cold couple to somehow make the best of the grim situation in which they are placed, indeed grabs the admiration and fancy of the viewers, no matter the age or time in which they are placed. This masterpiece by Kurosawa also brings out the historical relevance of those times in a circuitous and subtle way. Though nowhere in the movie one come across the allied troops, yet there presence lurks in the backdrop in the form of tell tale signs like a litter basket labeled â€Å"trash† placed unintentionally in one corner of the screen. These symbols of allied occupation do stand out as being imbued with multiple meanings, pointing towards irrevocable historical changes. Placed against this gargantuan scenario marking international level military and political plans, the musings of the young couple in the movie stand out as movingly innocent and somewhat depressing. In a

Forest Management and unlawfull logging in Cameroon (centre Africa ) Thesis

Forest Management and unlawfull logging in Cameroon (centre Africa ) - Thesis Example The Congo Basin in Africa has the second largest rain forest in the world after the Amazon rain forest. It had almost one hundred and ninety million hectares in 1995 (Hutter, 2000) and was spread across countries like Equatorial Guinea, The Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Gabon and also Cameroon. Cameroon is located to the north of the equator and is bordered by countries like Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, Chad, and Nigeria. While in the north, Cameroon is covered by savannas, in the south it is has a dense tropical forest (Cameroon Forests, n.d.). The country is inhabited by more than two hundred ethnic groups and has a diverse wildlife with over four hundred species of mammals and seven hundred species of birds. There are also numerous plant species in these forests many of which are endangered. About seventy five percent of Cameroon consists of dense forests or woodlands. The country al so has an affluent literary heritage. The biodiversity of Cameroon especially in flora and fauna is worth a mention. Of the total forested area seventy percent has a dense forest cover with a thick canopy of leaves that covers the sky. It consists of fifty percent of the country’s area. The entire forested region of the country is not suitable for logging. Out of the twenty four million hectare spread of dense forest in the country seventeen million is suitable for logging activity (Cameroon, n.d.). Logging is an important economic activity for the people of Cameroon and accounted for nine percent of the tax revenue of the country. Data suggests that logging generated $60 million for the Cameroon government in 1997-98 as tax revenue. Commercial logging had been an active source of livelihood for a large number of people for over a century. But in recent times the environment of the Cameroon is being threatened by rampant felling of trees for the timbre. In the past few decade s a large amount of the forest has given way to open lands for agricultural tracts, farms and human settlements. Though cutting of trees for agricultural lands is the primary reason of deforestation, logging activities is also responsible for the threat that the forest faces. Some facts about deforestation have been revealed in a report of the Global Forest Watch. The report mentions that the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization estimated that out of the 21.6 million hectares of historic forest cover of Cameroon in 1980 only 19.6 million remained in 1995. From 1980 to 1998 the population of Cameroon increased by more than sixty six percent (from 8.6 million to 14.3 million). This caused an increase in demand for land and resources. The excess demand of land for agriculture and human inhabitation was satisfied at the expense of the forest cover. According to the legislation of Cameroon, the locals have a right over the products of the forests though the government owns t he right to the trees and everything below the soil like oil. As of now, Cameroon ranks among the top five exporter of timbre in the world. But the population is increasing steadily and the modest reserve of oil that the country had been blessed with is depleting at a fast rate. This depletion of oil, the environmentalists fear, will put more pressure on the demand for forest resources to supplement the loss of income when all the oil has been exhausted. Logging is very crucial activity for the regional as well as the national income of the country. The government of the country has realized this. So they have given a high priority to the conservation of forest and the issue figures in almost all the agendas of the local and national politics. Towards the end of the past millennium the president of the country Paul Biya organized a summit for the head of the states to discuss the issue of proper management of the forest and its resources. It resulted in the Yaounde Declaration where five

Select an Industry and Analyse it According to Porter's Five Forces Essay

Select an Industry and Analyse it According to Porter's Five Forces - Essay Example However, before venturing into this tiny automobile industry, it is essential to evaluate the competitive forces. If the forces are intense, it becomes difficult to achieve attractive returns on investment (Porter, 2008). However, the company achieves profits when the forces are benign. The strongest competitive forces determine the profitability of the industry and also guide the firm in developing the strategy. Based on Porter’s Five Forces Model, the picture of competition can be build in three stages – identification of the specific competitive pressures with each of the five forces, evaluate the strength of each of the five competitive forces, and determine if the collective effect of the five forces is conducive to making profits within the industry. The five forces that shape strategy have been shown in the diagram below and each of them has been discussed separately: Source: Porter (2008). Threat of new entrants The automobile industry is mature and to survive i n this industry the firm must be able to achieve economies of scale. This requires mass production and heavy investments. Because of low sales consolidation is taking place in the industry. Apart from manufacturing regular innovation is necessary to sustain and this requires heavy investments in research and development as well. The cost of entry into an industry also depends upon the probable reaction from existing competitors (Porter, n.d.). High switching costs also deter a manufacturer from entering an industry. Switching costs in this case may be high because of periodical technology up-gradation to survive in the market. Automobile manufacturing and especially with new technology requires intensive distribution strategy with several distribution channels. This becomes difficult for a new entrant to establish and hence threat from new entrants is low. However, foreign competition, new technology and management skills do pose a threat in the industry. Moreover, the UK government is supportive of innovation in the auto industry which makes the threat from new entrants high. Bargaining power of suppliers The automobile manufacturers now outsource bulk of their auto parts to other manufacturers thereby enabling them to focus on the core products, on innovation and research and development. This is known as the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) principle where the industry brand name works with a large number of suppliers (Molnar, 2009).This implies that one automobile manufacturer is dependent on several suppliers at the same time and these suppliers too may be sub-contracting work in turn. Thus there are several layers of suppliers for each automobile manufacturer. Toyota in fact has two or three suppliers for the same parts which reduces their dependency on one single supplier (SD, 2005). This suggests that the bargaining power of suppliers is low in the industry. However, since this is a new concept with innovative technology the dependency on supplier s may be high initially as more manufacturers enter the market. Bargaining power of buyers The automobile industry is totally dependent on the sale of output by the buyers. Thus the bargaining power of buyers is high. Buyers have become demanding of facilities and are also price

Forest Management and unlawfull logging in Cameroon (centre Africa ) Thesis

Forest Management and unlawfull logging in Cameroon (centre Africa ) - Thesis Example The Congo Basin in Africa has the second largest rain forest in the world after the Amazon rain forest. It had almost one hundred and ninety million hectares in 1995 (Hutter, 2000) and was spread across countries like Equatorial Guinea, The Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Gabon and also Cameroon. Cameroon is located to the north of the equator and is bordered by countries like Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Central African Republic, Chad, and Nigeria. While in the north, Cameroon is covered by savannas, in the south it is has a dense tropical forest (Cameroon Forests, n.d.). The country is inhabited by more than two hundred ethnic groups and has a diverse wildlife with over four hundred species of mammals and seven hundred species of birds. There are also numerous plant species in these forests many of which are endangered. About seventy five percent of Cameroon consists of dense forests or woodlands. The country al so has an affluent literary heritage. The biodiversity of Cameroon especially in flora and fauna is worth a mention. Of the total forested area seventy percent has a dense forest cover with a thick canopy of leaves that covers the sky. It consists of fifty percent of the country’s area. The entire forested region of the country is not suitable for logging. Out of the twenty four million hectare spread of dense forest in the country seventeen million is suitable for logging activity (Cameroon, n.d.). Logging is an important economic activity for the people of Cameroon and accounted for nine percent of the tax revenue of the country. Data suggests that logging generated $60 million for the Cameroon government in 1997-98 as tax revenue. Commercial logging had been an active source of livelihood for a large number of people for over a century. But in recent times the environment of the Cameroon is being threatened by rampant felling of trees for the timbre. In the past few decade s a large amount of the forest has given way to open lands for agricultural tracts, farms and human settlements. Though cutting of trees for agricultural lands is the primary reason of deforestation, logging activities is also responsible for the threat that the forest faces. Some facts about deforestation have been revealed in a report of the Global Forest Watch. The report mentions that the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization estimated that out of the 21.6 million hectares of historic forest cover of Cameroon in 1980 only 19.6 million remained in 1995. From 1980 to 1998 the population of Cameroon increased by more than sixty six percent (from 8.6 million to 14.3 million). This caused an increase in demand for land and resources. The excess demand of land for agriculture and human inhabitation was satisfied at the expense of the forest cover. According to the legislation of Cameroon, the locals have a right over the products of the forests though the government owns t he right to the trees and everything below the soil like oil. As of now, Cameroon ranks among the top five exporter of timbre in the world. But the population is increasing steadily and the modest reserve of oil that the country had been blessed with is depleting at a fast rate. This depletion of oil, the environmentalists fear, will put more pressure on the demand for forest resources to supplement the loss of income when all the oil has been exhausted. Logging is very crucial activity for the regional as well as the national income of the country. The government of the country has realized this. So they have given a high priority to the conservation of forest and the issue figures in almost all the agendas of the local and national politics. Towards the end of the past millennium the president of the country Paul Biya organized a summit for the head of the states to discuss the issue of proper management of the forest and its resources. It resulted in the Yaounde Declaration where five

Psychological perspectives for Health and social care Assignment

Psychological perspectives for Health and social care - Assignment Example Furthermore, there are various psychological approaches to health and social care practices that one can adopt in order to improve psychological development (Moonie 2005; Brotherton & Parker 2008).The behaviourist perspective implies that changes in behaviour are caused by learning from external factors such as rewards and punishments. According to the work of popular behaviourists, Pavlov and Skinner, one learns from the consequences of ones actions; these actions are connected with the satisfaction (reward) or displeasure (punishment) that follows them, taking into consideration life experiences, genetics, individual progress and much more. The cognitive perspective is more about an individual’s thinking process, opinions, motivation and beliefs having an impact on behaviour. This inspires individuals to take responsibility for their own health and modify abnormal feelings and thoughts. Social learning is probably the commonest perspective; it is impossible for one to exist in a group, culture or society without conforming due to the social influence; an example of this would be smoking cigarettes because ‘all the cool kids do it’. The biological perspective states that behaviour is confirmed by genes, or rather the physical structure and function of the brain as it directs our behaviour; for instance excessive eating (which can lead to obesity).

Effect of Sucrose Holding Solution on Flower Longevity

Effect of Sucrose Holding Solution on Flower Longevity Vigneshwaree Sabapathy Introduction and Objectives: The industry for cut flowers has become worldwide and its market continues to grow every year (Sheela, 2008). Cut flowers are living organs composed of foliar and floral parts that are harvested and sold for ornamental purposes (Sheela, 2008). Because they are highly perishable commodities, their post-harvest longevity is significant in determining its value. Flower longevity is the time taken for a flower to remain fresh-looking before they start wilting. There are many factors influencing flower longevity including temperature, light, supply of water and carbohydrates, humidity and the presence of plant hormones such as ethylene (Reid, 2009; Reid Jiang, 2012). To control these factors, suitable post-harvest procedures during transportation, packaging and storage should be adopted. One common procedure used is to store cut flowers at low temperatures and in holding solutions containing sugar immediately after cutting (Reid, 2009; Abou El-Ghait et al., 2012). The most commonly used sugar is sucrose. Sucrose supplies the flowers with substrates for respiration and promotes adequate water relations (Elhindi, 2012; Ichimura Hismatsu, 1999). In this experiment, the effects of various concentrations of sucrose on the longevity of roses, orchids and chrysanthemums are observed so as to determine the best holding solution for each of the flowers. Materials Method: Plastic beakers were used to prepare five different holding solutions. Of the five beakers, four had 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% concentration of sucrose solution respectively and the remaining one had tap water. Tap water was used to prepare the sucrose holding solutions into which 2 teaspoons of vinegar were added to every 1L of solution. In total, 10 stalks each of roses, orchids and chrysanthemums were obtained. Two stalks of each type of flower ware placed in each of the five holding solutions. Approximately 5cm from the edge of the stalks were then cut using scissors while the stalks were immersed in their respective holding solutions. Once this was done, the beakers of flowers were placed in a room and the number of days taken for all floral organs to wilt was recorded over a two week period. Within this period, the holding solutions were changed every week. OBSERVATION! Results: Three different species of flowers (roses, orchids and chrysanthemums) were placed in five different holding solutions with varying concentrations of sucrose and the number of days taken for all floral organs to wilt in each holding solution was recorded. The results obtained are illustrated in the Table below. Table 1: Number of days required for the various species of cut flowers to wilt in different holding solutions. Figure 1: Graph showing the number of days for the roses, chrysanthemums and orchids to wilt in the different holding solutions. Based on both Table 1 and Figure 1, it is seen that roses wilted at a faster rate as compared to the chrysanthemums and orchids in all five holding solutions. The roses placed in the 0% sucrose holding solution wilted the fastest, 7 days after the start of the experiment. The roses in 10% sucrose then wilted by the 8th day, followed by 5% sucrose and tap water on the 9th day and finally 15% sucrose on the 11th day. As for the chrysanthemums, those left in tap water and in 0% sucrose holding solution wilted by the 13th day. On the other hand, those in the 5%, 10% and 15% sucrose holding solutions had not begun to wilt by the end of the 14 day experimental period. For the orchids, those placed in tap water and 0% sucrose wilted on the 14th day while those in the 5%, 10% and 15% sucrose holding solution did not exhibit any signs of wilting by the end of the 14th day. From these results, it can be seen that the orchid has the highest longevity followed by chrysanthemum and finally the rose. Furthermore from the five different holding solutions, the one with 15% sucrose is more effective, with the least effective being the 0% sucrose holding solution. As the flowers wilted, discoloration of the petals and drooping of both flowers and leaves were first observed. Afterwards, the petals of the flowers began browning at the edges and eventually as wilting progresses, the entire petal turned brown. This was apparent in both the roses and chrysanthemums but less so in orchids. In the final stages of wilting, the flowers became dry and crisp. Discussion: Physiological changes that lead to early wilting is caused by the inability of the flower to maintain photosynthesis due to diminishing sugar stored in the stem and petals (Jowkar Salehi, 2006). Another reason is the formation of emboli and bacterial plug at the base of the stem during cutting that leads to reduction in water uptake (Van Meetern et al., 2001; Reid, 2012). To overcome this, stems are cut once again under water as done in this experiment (Reid, 2009). To delay the wilting process, a post-harvest procedure that involves placing the cut flowers in a holding solution containing water to preserve turgidity, sucrose and an acidifying agent such as vinegar is carried out (Sheela, 2008; Reid, 2009). Sucrose functions as a source of energy that provides additional substrates to the flowers for respiration (Pun Ichimura, 2003). An increase in respiration rate, increases flower longevity. Sucrose also promotes bud opening of cut flowers such as roses by supplying food for petal expansion (Pun Ichimura, 2003). Furthermore, low concentrations of sucrose help maintain water balance in flowers. Sucrose decreases water loss in rose petals and increases the uptake of water, by inducing the closure of stomata and increasing the osmotic concentration of the flowers respectively (Elhindi, 2012; Pun Ichimura, 2003). The concentration of sucrose to be used differs depending on the species of flowers being treated and often ranges between 5 to 20% ( Nenguwo, 1998). Vinegar in the holding solution reduces the pH to 3 or 4 so as to encourage the uptake of water since water with a low pH is easily taken up by the stem as compared to water with a higher pH (Clark et al., 2010). Acidifying the holding solution with vinegar also reduces the growth of bacteria and removes minerals in the solution that interferes with water uptake (Nenguwo, 1998; Clark et al., 2010). Between the three types of flowers, it was found that roses had the shortest flower longevity, with a recorded maximum longevity of 11 days in 15% sucrose holding solution. The short vase life of roses is caused by water stress as a result of a quick loss in fresh weight, incomplete opening of the bud and the inability to maintain turgidity (Thwala et al., 2013). Roses tend to lose more water as compared to other flowers because of its petals being thinner and having a larger surface area (Jones, 2001). In addition, inadequate transport of water through the neck of the flower causes it to droop (Thwala et al., 2013). As the loss of water continues without being replaced, the flower begins to wilt and eventually drops off. Aside from water stress, the plant hormone ethylene causes the early wilting of roses. Rose cultivars that give of fragrances, produces more of the plant hormone ethylene. Being sensitive to this hormone, premature wilting and the failure of bud opening occurs (Jone s, 2001). Based on Figure 1, chrysanthemums placed in tap water and 0% sucrose wilted by the 13th day while the others took more than 14 days to wilt. This shows that chrysanthemums have longer flower longevity than roses. One reason for this is because unlike roses, chrysanthemums are relatively insensitive to ethylene (Jones, 2001). Another reason is that despite having thin petals, it has a smaller petal area and so less water is loss. The shorter flower longevity in tap water and 0% sucrose holding solution as compared to the other holding solutions suggest that the presence of sucrose does increase the vase life of chrysanthemums. Like chrysanthemums, the rate of water loss in orchids is considerably low. This may be due to the fact that even though they have large petal areas, their petals are thicker than that of roses and chrysanthemums. Additionally, unlike in roses, the orchid stems lack supporting leaves and because of this the orchid has greater flower longevity as seen in this experiment (Thwala et al., 2013). One other reason for their flowers being long-lived is because they have low pollination rate and specialized pollination systems which causes them to be pollen-limited (Abdala-Roberts et al., 2007). As a result, the senescence of flowers in orchids is linked and tightly controlled by pollination. After comparing the effects of the five holding solutions on longevity, the 15% sucrose holding solution demonstrated the most prolonged longevity in all three flower types. The high concentration of sucrose in this solution means that it is able to provide sufficient nutrients for flower maintenance. Conclusion: Flower longevity is dependent on a number of external factors such as temperature, carbohydrate and water supply, light and the plant growth regulators. Therefore, the addition of acid such as vinegar and sucrose are used to help in prolonging the vase-life of cut flowers. From the results of the experiment conducted, it can be concluded that the 15% sucrose solution acidified with vinegar is the most ideal to be used as a holding solution for cut flowers. In addition, it was found that chrysanthemums and orchids have similar flower longevity which is much longer than that of the rose. This may be due to differences in ethylene sensitivity and regulation of senescence and wilting. Since cut flowers are one of the most perishable commodities, conducting this experiment helps florist determine the most suitable holding solution to prolong flower longevity for a particular cut flower.