The Metaparadigm of Nursing: Present Status and Future Refinements

The Metaparadigm of Nursing: Present Status and Fut ure Refinement s Jacqueline Fawcett, Ph. D. , F. A. A. N. Abstract The central concepts and themes of t he discipline of nursing are identified and formalized as nursing’s metaparadigm. Examples illustrate the direction provided by the metaparadigm for theory development. Refinements of the metaparadigm through conceptual models and programs of nursing research are proposed. T he discipline of nursing will advance only through continuous and systematic development and testing of nursing knowledge.Several recent reviews of the status of nursing theory development indicate that nursing has n o established tradition of scholarship. Reviewers have pointed out that most work appears unfocused and uncoordinated, as each scholar moves quickly from one topic to another and as few scholars combine their efforts in circumscribed areas (Chinn, 1983; Feldman, 1980; Hardy, 1983; Roy, 1983; Walker, 1983). Broad areas for theory development ’ are, however, beginning to be recognized. Analysis of past and present writings of nurse scholars indicates that theoretic and empirical work has always centered on just a few global oncepts and has always dealt with certain general themes. This paper identifies these central concepts and themes and formalizes them as nursing’s metaparadigm. Examples are given to illustrate the direction provided by the metaparadigm for theory development. The paper continues with a discussion o f refinements of t he metaparadigm needed at the levels of jacqueline Fawcett, Ph. D. , F. A. A. N. , i s Associate Professor, and Section Chairperson, Science and Role Development, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Page 84 disciplinary matrices and exemplars nd concludes with proposals for future work needed to advance to the discipline of nursing. Present Status of the Metaparadigm of Nursing The metaparadigrn of any discipline i s a statement or group of statemen ts identifying its relevant phenomena. These statements spell out the phenomena of interest in a most global manner. No attempt i s made to be specific or concrete at the metaparadigm level. Eckberg & Hill (1979) explained that the metaparadigm â€Å"acts as an encapsulating unit, or framework, within which the more restricted . . . structures develop† (p. 927). You can read also Coronary Artery Disease Nursing Care PlanThe Central Concepts of NursingEvidence supporting the existence of a metaparadigm of nursing i s accumulating. A review of the literature on theory development in nursing reveals a consensus about the central concepts of the discipline-person, environment, health, and nursing (Fawcett, 1983; Flaskerud & Halloran, 1980). This consensus i s documented by the following statements: O ne may. . . demarcate nursing in terms of four subsets: 1 ) persons providing care, 2) persons with health problems receiving care, 3) the environment in which care i s given, and 4 ) an end-state, well-being. (Walker, 1971, p. 429) The major concepts identified (from an nalysis of the components, themes, topics, and threads of the conceptual frameworks of 50 baccalaureate nursing programs) were Man, Society, Health, and Nursing. (Yura &Torres, 1975, p. 22) The units person, environment, health, and nursing specify the phenomena of interest to nursi ng science. (Fawcett, 1978, p. 25) Nursing studies the wholeness or health of humans, recognizing that humans are in continuous interaction with their environments. (Donaldson & Crowley, 1978, p. 119) Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship Nursing’s focus i s persons, their environments, their health and nursing itself. Bush, 1979, p. 20) Nursing elements are nursing acts, the p atient, and health. (Stevens, 1979, p. l l ) The foci of nursing are the individual in relation to health, the environment, and the change process, whether it be maturation, adaptation, or coping. (Barnard, 1980, p. 208) Nursing i s defined as the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems. (American Nurses‘ Association, 1980, p. 9 ) The four conceptual areas of nursing are: the person receiving nursing; the environment within which the person exists; the health-illness continuum within which the erson falls at the time of the interaction with the nurse; and finally, nursing actions themselves. (Flaskerud, cited in Brink, 1980, p. 665) The domain of nursing has always included the nurse, the patient, the situation in which they find themselves, and the purpose of their being together, or the health of the patient. In more formalized terms, . . . the major components of the nursing [metalparadigm are nursing (as an action), client (human being), environment (of the client and of the nurse-client), and health. (Newman, 1983, p. 388) There i s general agreement that the central oncepts of the discipline of nursing are the nature of nursing, the individual who received nursing care, society-environment, and health. (Chinn, 1983, p. 396) These statements indicate that there i s considerable agreement among scholars as t o the concepts central to the discipline of nursing. In fact, a review of the literature revealed no contradictory statements. RecurringThemes The relationships between and among the concepts-person, environment, health, nursing-are elaborated in recurring themes found in works of nurse scholars since Nightingale (1859). These themes are listed in Table 1.Summer, 1984, Volumo XVI, blo. 3 Metaparadigm of Nursing TABLE 1 THEMES OF THE YETAPARAWW OF NURSING 1. The principles and laws that govern the life-process, well-being. and optimum function of human beings, sick or well. 2. The patterning of human behavior in interaction with the environment in normal life events and critical life situations. 3. The process by which positive changes in health status are elfected. (Donaldson& Crowley, 1978, p. 113; Gortner, 1980, p. 180) The four central concepts and three recurring themes identify the phenomena central to the discipline of nursing in an abstract, global manner. Read also Recording General Fund Operating Budget and Operating TransactionsThey represent the metaparadigm. As such, they have provided some direction for nursing theory development. As Newman (1983) explained: It i s within the context of these four major components and their interrelationships that theory development in nursing has proceeded. Theoretical differences relate to the emphasis placed on one or more of the components and to the way in which their relationships are viewed. (p. 388) The relationship between the concepts â€Å"person† and â€Å"health† i s considered in the first theme. Theories addressing this theme describe, explain, or predict individuals‘ behavior during eriods of wellness and illness. Newman’s (1979) theory of health i s one example. This theory includes the concepts of movement, time, space, and consciousness. Newman proposes that â€Å"the expansion of consciousness i s what life, and therefore health, i s a ll about† (p. 66). Another example i s Orem’s (1980) theory of self-care, which maintains that â€Å"self-care and care of dependent family members are learned behaviors that purposely regulate human structural integrity, functioning, and human development† (p. 28). S till another example i s Orern’s theory of self-care deficits.This theory maintains that individuals â€Å"are subject t o healthrelated or health-derived limitations that render them incapable of continuous selftare or dependent care or that result in ineffective or incomplete care† (p. 2 7). The relationships among the concepts †person,â€Å" †environment,† and â€Å"health† are considered in the second theme. Theories addressing this theme Summer, 1B84, Volume XVI, No. 3 describe, explain, or predict individuals’ behavioral patterns as they are influenced by environmental factors during periods of wellness and illness. Such theories place the individuals ithin th e context of their surrounding environment rather than considering them in isolation, as in the first theme. Roy and Roberts’ (1981) theory of the person as an adaptive system i s an example. This theory proposes that the person i s a system that adapts to a constantly changing environment. Adaptation i s accomplished through the action of coping mechanisms called the â€Å"regulator† and the â€Å"cognator. † The relationships among the â€Å"person,’’ â€Å"health,† and â€Å"nursing† are considered in the third theme. Environment may also be taken into account here. This heme i s addressed by theories about nursing practice. These theories describe or explain nursing processes or predict the effects of nursing actions. King‘s (1981) theory of goal attainment i s one example. King explains: that a paradigm, or disciplinary matrix, i s more restrictive than a metaparadigm, and that i t â€Å"represents the shared commitments of any disciplinary community, including symbolic generalizations, beliefs, values, and a host of other elements† (p. 926). The authors went on to say, A disciplinary matrix may be seen as the special subculture of a community. It does ot refer to the beliefs of an entire discipline (e. g. biology), but more correctly t o those beliefs of a specialized community (e. g. phage workers in biology). (p. 926) Identification of the metaparadigm i s an important step i n the evolution of a scholarly tradition for nursing. The n e x t step i s r efinement o f t h e metaparadigm concepts and themes, which occurs at the level of the paradigm or disciplinary matrix, rather than at that of the metaparadigm. The Disciplinary Matrix Eckberg and Hill (1979) explained Most disciplines have more than one disciplinary matrix.Each one represents a distinctive frame of reference within which the metaparadigm phenomena are viewed. Furthermore, each disciplinary matrix reflects a particular researc h tradition by identifying the phenomena that are within its domain of inquiry, the methods that are to be used to investigate these phenomena, how theories about these phenomena are to be tested, and how d ata are to be collected (Laudan, 1981, p. 151). More specifically, the research tradition of each disciplinary matrix includes six rules that encompass all phases of an investigation. The first rule identifies the precise nature f the problem to be studied, the purposes to be fulfilled by the investigation, or both. The second rule identifies the phenomena that are to be studied. The third rule identifies the research techniques that are to be employed and the research tools that are to be used. The fourth rule identifies the settings in which data are to be gathered and the subjects who are to provide the data. The fifth rule identifies the methods to be employed in reducing and analyzing the data. The sixth rule identifies the nature of contributions that the research will make to the advancement of knowledge. (Schlotfeldt, 1975, p. ) In nursing, disciplinary matrices are most clearly exemplified by such conceptual models as Johnson‘s (1980) Behavioral System Model, King’s (1981) Open Systems Model, Levine’s (1973) Conservation Model, Neuman’s (1982) Systems Model, Orem’s (1980) Self-care Model, Rogers’ (1980) Life Process Model, and Roy’s (1984) Adaptation Model. Each Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship Page 85 . . . nurse and client interactions are characterized by verbal and nonverbal communication, in which information i s exchanged and interpreted; by transactions, in which values, needs, and wants of each ember of the dyad are shared; by perceptions of nurse and client and the situation; by self in role of client and self in role of nurse; and by stressors influencing each person and the situation in time and space. – (p. 144) Orem’s ( 1 980) theory of nursing systems is another ex ample. This theory maintains that †nursing systems are formed when nurses use their abilities to prescribe, design, and provide nursing for legitimate patients (as individuals or groups) by performing discrete actions and systems of actions† (p. 29). Refinement of the Metaparadigm Metaparadigm of Nursing f these nursing models puts forth a distinctive frame of reference within which the metaparadigm phenomena are viewed. Each provides needed refinement of the metaparadigm by serving as a focus-†ruling some things in as relevent, and ruling others out due to their lesser importance† (Williams, 1979, p. 96). Conceptual models of nursing are beginning to make major contributions to the development of nursing theory. Theories derived directly from King’s model and from Orem’s model were identified earlier. A considerable amount of empirical work designed to test unique nursing theories as well as heories borrowed from other disciplines i s n ow bein g guided by nursing models. Some of the studies are listed in Table 2. TABLE 2 Examples of Research Derived From Conceptual Models of Nursing Oorothy Johnson’s BehavioralSystem Model -An instrument for theory and research development using the behavioral systems model for nursing: The cancer patient. Part I (Derdiarian, 1983). -An instrument for theory and research development using the behavioral systems model for nursing: The cancer patient. Part II (Derdiarian & Forsythe, 1983). -Achievement behavior in chronically ill children (Holaday, 1 974) Maternal response to their chronically ill infants’ attachment behavior of crying (Holaday, 1981) -Maternal conceptual set development: Identifyingpatterns of maternal response to chronically ill infant crying (Holaday, 1 982) -Development of a research tool: Patient indicators of nursing care (Majesky, Brester, & Nishio, 1 978) Myra Levine’s Conservation Model -Effects of lifting techniques on energy expenditure: A pr eliminary investigation (Geden, 1 982) – A comparision of two bearing-downtechniques during the second stage of labor (Yeates & Roberts, 1984) Betty Neuman’s Systems Model Effects of information on postsurgical coping (Ziemer. 1 983) Dorothea Orem’s Self-care Model -Application of Orem’s theoretical constructs to selfcare medication behaviors in the elderly (Harper, 1984) -Development of an instrument to measure exercise of self-care agency (Kearney & Fleischer, 1 979) Martha Roger’s Life Process Model -The relationship between identification and patterns of change in spouses’ body images during and after pregnancy (Fawcett, 1977) -Patients’ perceptions of time: Current research (Fitzpatrick, 1 980) -Reciprocy and helicy used t o relate mEGF and wound healing (Gill & Atwood, 1 981) Therapeutic touch as energy exchange: Testing the theory (Ouinn, 1 984) Callista Roy’s Adaptation Model -Needs of cesarean birth parents (Fawcett, 1 981) -An exploratory study of antenatal preparation for ce- Page 86 sarean birth (Fawcett & Burritt, in press) -Clinical tool development for adult chemotherapy patients: Process and content (Lewis, Firsich. & Parsell, 1 979) -Content analysis of interviews using a nursing model: A look at parents adapting to the impact of childhood cancer (Smith, Garvis, & Martinson, 1 983) Despite the contributions already made by nursing models to theory development, much more work i s needed.In particular, rules addressing methodology and instrumentation must be specified. Moreover, programs of research emanating from each model must be conducted to refute or validate nursing theories. Programmatic research probably i s carried out most expediently by communities of scientists. Hardy (1983) explained that each community of scientists i s . . . a g roup of persons w h o are aware of their uniqueness and the separate identity of their group. The have a special coherence which separates them from n eighboring groups, and this special bond means they have a shared set of values and a common commitment which operates as hey work together t o achieve a common goal. Coordination of their activities may include interaction among the coordination of institutions, organizations, groups, and individuals. Such coordinated groups hold a common perspective, common values and common bonds, a nd they have common sets of activities and functions which they carry out to achieve a common outcome. (p. 430) Each community of scientists, then, represents a distinctive subculture, or disciplinary matrix, of the parent discipline. It can be argued that communities of scientists may be formed outside the organizing framework of nursing models.However, it also can be argued that conceptual models of nursing, like the disciplinary matrices of other disciplines, are the most logical nuclei for communities of scientists. This argument i s supported by three facts. First, the curricula of most schools o f nursing now are based on conceptual models. Second, most graduate programs and many undergraduate programs offer courses dealing with the content and uses of nursing models. And third, clinical agencies are beginning to organize the delivery of nursing care according to the tenets of conceptual ‘models. image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship Collectively, these facts mean that cademicians, students, clinicians, and administrators are thinking about nursing theory, nursing research, and nursing practice within the context of explicit conceptual models. It i s probable, then, that eventually the development of a ll nursing theory will be directed by nursing models. It may even by possible to categorize seemingly isolated past and current work according to conceptual models. This should provide more organization for extant nursing knowledge and should identify gaps and needed areas of inquiry more readily than is possible now. Moreover, such an endeavor should identify membe rs of different ommunities of scientists to each other as w ell as t o the larger scientific community. Exemplars S till further refinement of the metaparadigm i s needed a t the most restrictive level-that of the exemplar. Eckberg and Hill (1979) identified the function of an exemplar as permitting â€Å"a way of seeing one’s subject matter on a concrete level, thereby allowing puzzle solving to take place† (p. 927). They went on to explain: For a discipline to b e a science it must engage i n puzzle-solving activity; but puzzle solving can only be carried out if a community shares concrete puzzle solutions, or exemplars.It i s t he exemplar that i s i mportant, not merely the disciplinary matrix, and certainly not merely the general presuppositions of t he community [i. e. , the metaparadigm]. The latter may be important, but they do n ot direct ongoing, dayto-day research. (p. 927) There i s some evidence of exemplars in nursing. This includes but is not limited to Fitzpatrick’s (1980) programmatic research on time perception; studies o effects of information f about a threatening procedure on a patient’s responses to the procedure (e. g. , Hartfied, Cason, & Cason, 1982; Johnson, Fuller, Endress, & Rice, 1978; Ziemer, 19831, and investigations of actors contributing to the outcomes of social support (Barnard, Brandt, Raff, & Carroll, 1984 in press). These researchers are beginning to solve some of the major puzzles of nursing. However, more work i s needed to identify other puzzles and to develop methods for their solutions. Summer, 1984, Volume XVI, No. 3 Metaparadigm of Nursing Conclusion It is time to formally accept the central concepts and themes of nursing as the metaparadigm of the discipline. It i s also time to direct efforts toward furf ther refinement o this metaparadigm by developing specific rules for the empirical work needed to generate nd test nursing theories within the context of conceptual ‘models. The m etaparadigm must be refined still further through the developing of new puzzle-solving activities that will provide answers to the most pressing problems encountered by nurse clinicians, educators, and ddministrators. Any one of these activities would in itself make a significant contribution to the discipline; a ll three could quite possibly be the major accomplishments of the decade. ‘As used here, theory development reft. r to generation a nd testing of theory. and encornpasiei †ivory tower† theorizing as well as empirical rewarch.References American Nurses’ As5ocialion. Nursing: A social policy statement. Kansas City, Missouri: ANA, 1980. Barnard, K. E. Knowledge for practice: Direction5 for the future. Nursing Research, 1980. 29, 208-21 2. Barnard, K . E. , Brandt, P. , Raff. 8.. & Carroll, P. (Ed,. ). Social support and families of vulnerable infants. New York: March of Dimes, 1984. Brink, P. 1. Editorial. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 1980, 2, 665-666. Buih, H . A. Models for nursing. Advances i n Nursing Science, 1979, l ( 2 ) . 13-21. Chinn, P. L. Nursing theory development: Where we have been and where we are going.In N. L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A time to speak. New York: McCraw-Hill, 1983. Donaldson, S. K. , & Crowley, D. M . The discipline of nursing. Nursing Outlook, 1978, 26, 113-120. Eckberg, D. L .. & Hill, L. , Jr. The paradigm concept and sociology: A critical review. American Sociological Review, 1979, 44,925-937. Fawcett, 1. The â€Å"what† of theory development. In Theory developmenk What, why, how? (pp. 17-33). New York: National League for Nursing, 1978. Fawcett, 1. (1983). Hallmarks of success in nursing theory development. In P. L. Chinn, (Ed. ), Advances i n nursing theory development (pp. -17). Rockville, Maryland: Aspen. Feldrnan, H. R. Nursing research in the 1980s: Issues and implications. Advances in N ursing Science, 1980, 3(1);85-92. Fitzpatrick, 1. J . Patients perception s of time: Current research. International Nursing Review, 1980, 27, 148-153, 160. Flaskerud. 1. H. , & Halloran, E. J. Areas of agreement in nursing theory development. Advances in Nursing Science, 1980, 3(1), 1-7. Hardy. M. Metaparadigrnsand theory development. In N. L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A t ime t o speak. New York: McCraw-Hill, 1983. Hartfield. M. k Cason, C. L. , & Cason, C. J . Effects of , information about a threatening procedure on patients‘ expectations and emotional distress. Nursing Research, 1 982,31,202-206. lohnson, D. E . The behavioral system model for nursing. In J . P. Riehl & C. Roy, (Eds. ), Conceptual models for nursing practice (2nd ed. ). New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1980. Johnson. 1 . E. , Fuller, S . 5.. Endress, M. P . , & Rice, V S. . Altering patients’ responses to surgery: An extension and replication. Research in Nursing and Health, 1978, 1 , 111-121. King. I. M. A theory for nursing: Systems, concepts, process. N ew York: Wiley, 1981. Neurnan, B .The Neuman systems model: Application t o nursing education and practice. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1982. Newrnan, M. A. Theory development in nursing. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, 1979. Newrnan, M . A. The continuing revolution: A history of nursing science. I n N. L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A time t o speak. New York: McGrawHill, 1983. Nightingale, F. Notes on nursing: What it is, a nd what it i s not. London: Harrison, 1859. (Reprinted by L i p pincott, 1946) Orem, D. E. Nursing: Concepts of practice (2nd ed. ). New York: McCraw-Hill, 1980. Rogers, M. E . A n introduction to t he theoretical basisk f nursing. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis, 1970. Roy, C. I ntroduction to nursing: An adaptation model. (2nd Ed. ). Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: PrenticeHall, 1984. Roy, C. Theory development in nursing: Proposal for direction. In N. L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A time t o speak. New York: McCraw-Hill, 1983. Roy, C. , & R oberts, S . L . Theory construction i n nursing: An adaptation model. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1981. Schlotfeldt, R. M. The needs for a conceptual framework, In P . J. Verhonick (Ed. ), Nursing research I. Boston: Little, Brown. 1975. Stevens, 8. J. N ursing theory.Analysis, application, evaluation. Boston: Little, Brown, 1979. Walker, L. 0. Toward a clearer understanding of the concept of nursing theory. Nursing Research, 1971, 20, 428-435. Walker, L. 0. Theory and research in the development of nursing as a discipline: Retrospect and prospect. In N . L. Chaska (Ed. ), The nursing profession: A time to speak. New York: McCraw-Hill, 1983. Williams, C. A. The nature and development of conceptual frameworks. In F. S . Downs & I . W . Fleming, (Eds. ) Issues in nursing research. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1979. Ziemer, M. M. Providing patients with information rior t o surgery and the reported frequency of coping behaviors and development of symptoms foll ow ing surgery. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, 1982. A Response to D r. J . Fawcett’s Paper: â€Å"The Metaparadigm of Nursing: Present Status and Fut ure Refinement s† June N. Brodie, R. N. , Ph. D. D r. Fawcett’s formulation of a metaparadigm for nursing represents a commendable effort to consolidate competing nursing theories and encompasses enormous potential for the advancement of nursing knowledge, research, and practice meriting serious consideration by nursing une N . Brodie, R. N. , Ph. D . i s Associate Professor of Nursing Education, Teachers College, Columbia University. Summer, 1984, Volume XVI, No. 3 scholars. This response focuses on how she accomplished this task (what she did and how she did it as well as what she didn’t do and what needs to be done). Essentially Dr. Fawcett’s metaparadigm can be viewed as an evolution of a nursing metaparadigm and an organization of the growth of nursing knowledge rath er than as a completed and finalized product. To be more explicit, the basis of the paper exhibits the spirit of Darwinian Evolution and ould be treated as a manifestation of Image: The Journal of Nursing Scholarship a transitional phase i n the competition for the survival of the fittest (theory). The metaparadigm represents a serious and scholarly attempt to negotiate entry into a different level of the theoretical arena of nursing knowledge. This task was accomplished by examining the concepts derived from the phenomena of the discipline and converging these concepts into a context pertinent to the domain of nursing by providing a structure (a metaparadigm) that has the potential of consolidating disparate nursing theories into Page 87

Dance in my life Essay

Ever since I was a little girl dance has always been an important part of my life. When I was five, my mom enrolled me in dancing classes after my sister, never realizing that dancing would ever lead to anything serious. For the first year, dancing was a side hobby to help keep me busy after school. Even though dancing was really fun to me, it did not become serious until my dance teacher looked me in my eyes and said â€Å"Lexus you have a big and lovable heart and I want you to dance with that heart of yours because I know that you have what it takes to become a great dancer.† That moment I knew that dance was going to always be a passion of mine. Over the years dance has helped me to grow in other ways. From it I have learned that hard work really does pay off. I learned that discipline and self-control are not only a vital part of dancing, but a necessary part of life. Also, I have recognized that motivation and perseverance are keys to success. What matters is not who wins in the beginning, but who is still on her feet in the end. Perhaps the most important lesson dance has taught is responsibility. Kaleidoscope has helped me in a lot of areas; even though I am small and tiny, I am very athletic, strong and I have a high self-esteem that anything is possible as long as you put your heart to it. I am encouraged now more than ever to try my best in class even if I look stupid because practice makes perfect. Becoming a Kaleidoscope officer hasn’t been a dream of mine till this year. Last year I thought I didn’t have what it took to become one, but this year, seeing how much you encouraged me to become a better dancer, it encouraged me to become a better person. When I tried out for Kaleidoscope, I wasn’t expecting to make it because I wasn’t in a dance class and I didn’t know Mrs. Karl personally at all. One day after school my friend told me to try out with her because she was scared to try out by herself. When I walked into the dance room I would have never thought I would be staying in that dance room. When I tried out, I took it as if god was giving me a chance to dance again and to fulfill a dream of mine. The term leader is someone who is in an advanced position to take the initiative in order to go forth and show the way but also to be able to make intelligent and creative decisions quickly and efficiently. Dance teams are all about unity. An exceptional dance group glides across the floor with all of its dancers moving as one. There are no individual standouts. No weak links. But there is one person whose job is to make the team as strong as  possible, on the floor and off. It’s one thing to be a good team player, but it’s another to be a good leader. Few will have the opportunity to feel the weight of the responsibilities and the happiness of knowing you are making a difference. Becoming a leader of any type of organization in my eyes is a huge job. It’s teaching respect by showing respect. It’s helping the other dancers, including myself, to strive and push themselves to be the best dancers I know we all can be. Having the title of being a Kaleidoscope Officer doesn’t mean being the boss of everyone, being in front of every dance, or just thinking that the Officer should come before everyone else. Officers are the inspiration of the team. They’re the person that everyone looks up to. Being a natural born leader is also a big role of a dance team. That means having self-confidence, good communication skills, courage, clear desire to make progress towards a goal, and a fair degree of understanding your fellow teammates. Being a leader requires focus on the big picture, doing what’s best for your team even on your worst days. If you’re negative, the team will take on the same attitude, even if everyone else has had a great day. As Officer of your dance team, I’ll definitely encounte r some sticky situations, like have to confront one of my teammates when they aren’t practicing full-out or not trying they’re hardest.

Building Trust through E-Commerce

Suppose I am selling merchandises online – for instance, gift items for everyone – I know exactly how to convince my prospective buyers to trust my web site. Through the concept of â€Å"Free Information for All,† I would educate my web visitors, in the simplest way possible (without giving essential information to competitors), about the process of storing their credit card information and securing it from hackers and viruses.The rationale behind â€Å"Free Information for All,† is aiming at the minds of the potential customers, to make them think, feel and believe that they know all they need to know about where their credit card information is going. Images, such as secured vaults and huge powerful computers, will be used to instill in the minds of the viewers that my web site could not be any safer. In fact it is 100% safe and error-free. As for the action steps that I would take, I will begin by advertising banners and links that features a reverse ps ychology-inspired message, â€Å"Do not trust every online shop you see.Click to find the tricks of scammers. † Then, when they’re in my web site already, they will read another message, â€Å"Trust only those who can tell you everything you need to know about your shop and your account. Experience worry-free online shopping. † The second step is for me to make good on my word. Eventually, I will post â€Å"Testimonials† from the marketing department and from real people with pages in My Space. This will create a crisp, friendly feel in the website, and it will convince more people that my business and services are no hoax.The final step is just to ensure that my customers will enjoy a 24/7 customer support online and via toll-free number. Customers love to be pampered. I will pamper my customers, make them trust me, and make them go back to my store, with their friends in tow. Survey source: Safety in Numbers. June 25, 2002. The Resource for Security Exe cutives. November 10, 2006. .

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Assignment report - Essay Example It is an inter-disciplinary field that requires expertise from business management, resource management, statistics etc. Access to organized and structured form of information yields a lot of opportunities for businesses- it not only saves time from researching and organizing information collected from eclectic sources, but it also facilitates in making the decision process easier and less time consuming. The aim of this paper is to explore the role of effective management skills in libraries, information systems and virtual teams, specifically those operating in the construction industry. The paper discusses how each one is managed, and gives an overview of funding and marketing in library and information systems. Information systems, abbreviated as IS, is the department that is in charge of the management of computers, data and networking. It can be of different types depending on the needs of the business and the level of organizational hierarchy. They can be either structural databases or software to manage information. An information system is responsible for the compilation of date so that it becomes meaningful information. Information and data differ in the respect that data is raw facts whereas information is the end product of the process of transformation of data into a more organized and meaningful form. Information helps a firm evaluate and make decisions. The assessment of a firm’s management apropos to the efficient and profitable use of firm’s resources is usually made on the basis of economic performance obtained from information on periodic earnings (Epstein et al., 2009).The value and worth of information affects the decisions of the organization and profoundly influences the achievement of the aims of the company. Good information is relevant, usable, reliable and exhaustive. Since information helps companies make decisions and put it into action,

Protecting the homeland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Protecting the homeland - Essay Example There is no specific way to determine that being prepared will eliminate signs of trouble, disaster, or negative effects. The process simply adjusts the mindset of the individuals involved to meet the adversity head on and with as much resistance that can be managed. In the nations past a preparedness program was successfully demonstrated by President Woodrow Wilson. President Wilson was against the United States being involved in World War I. However, he was denied any advances for an agreement of peace amongst the U.S. and Germany. When terms were not agreed upon the President decided to focus attentions on preparing the Army, marines, and navy for being forced into the war. At the time some individuals felt as though Wilson was planning to push the U.S. into war because of his strategy. In 1917, the President was drawn into the war on Germany despite his â€Å"He Kept Us Out of War†, campaign. The major event here was the amount of readiness the President possessed on behal f of the U.S. With the determination of his armies, Wilson retrieved an Armistice from Germany in efforts to further a peace agreement. With these efforts the President was able to deliver his Fourteen Points speech that would be a big factor to ending the war completely (Woodrow Wilson, p. 1). Based on earlier arguments, it is conceived at this point that although President Wilson took necessary steps to avoid the United States interaction in World War I, he also prepared us for war. Not only did he get his troops in line, the President was well enabled to produce a solution to the issues that spawned a full war in the first place. Wilson was not able to stay out of battle. It actually took him well over a year to get Congress to sign off on his Fourteen Points. This tactic is a good example of what preparedness is about. Fighting and disagreement may not always be completely avoidable, but a solution and plan should readily be prepared to produce a means for an end. It should also be acknowledged that even with preparedness concept efforts there have been several terrorist attacks focused on United States soil. More importantly, there have been attacks directed at symbols of the nations success and power such as the World Trade Center. These types of attack demonstrate a will of terrorists to damage the United States image as a major authority. Being able to defy that authority at whatever level is a specific aim by any attack. The message that terrorists deliver will not be one that seeks to minimize damage to the U.S. or its citizens. In February of 1993 a bombing attack was demonstrated on the World Trade Center. There was a truck positioned beneath the North Tower intended to collapse the North and South Towers of the Trade Center. The bomb did not successfully kill thousands but it did manage to kill nearly ten individuals and injure over one thousand. Then again on September 11 of 2001 there was another significant attack on the World Trade Center. In this case planes hijacked by terrorists were aimed at taking out the Towers. Of the four planes taken two hit the mark and leveled the Twin Towers. This time the terrorists attempts managed to bring about the demise of over three thousand individuals. Attacks like these have attempted to crumble the United States position for decades. In light of all the attempts at the expense of

Using the DIKW Continuum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Using the DIKW Continuum - Essay Example By properly changing the collected data into useable information, nurses are able to meet the unique needs of the patients in different care settings. The purpose of this treatise is to explore the progression of the four phases of data, informing, knowledge and wisdom scale by using research information to be able to answer a pertinent clinical question in the acute care setting. With the design and application of electronic health record in the acute care setting, physicians are now able to make decision without relying too much on manually recorded data. Such changes, coupled with the available decision support systems have reduced the transcription errors in the processes while at the same time enhancing the overall quality of care offered (Carrington & Effken, 2011). In order to explore how the DIKW continuum is used in the acute care setting, this paper will rely on the research question shown below: According to Moreland,  Gallagher, Bena,  Morrison & Albert (2012), some hospitals are yet to incorporate eMAR in their processes. Errors during the medicine administration process are very common in hospitals and are considered to be among the main inhibitors to quality care. To reduce the errors that occur in the drug administration process, some hospitals rely on technology to improve the quality of the decisions made by the physicians. Stevenson & Nilsson (2012) state that the importance of electronic drug administration and drug issuance has not been well understood. Some care givers are not are not well versed with the benefits of eMAR. The commonly identified benefits of the process include reduced workload, ease of documentation, promotion of evidence based decisions and enhanced team work. Working with the DIKW continuum to answer the question on the application of electronic medication process in the acute care setting begins with the collection of relevant data on the issue.

Legal Systems and Contract Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Legal Systems and Contract Law - Essay Example Vindication becomes critical mechanism to compensate victims for dereliction of duty and examine contract for awarding appropriate damages2. The established clauses for breach of contract in sale of goods are: Non-performance of contractual duties, in terms of delivery of goods at the designated place. In the contract, the importance of implied terms becomes critical constituents of contract per se. They are not explicitly agreed upon by the parties but are implied by knowledge and therefore, legally binding3. The implied term proposes that the agreement or contract enables the other party to benefit from the contract as intended4. In the case, the judge had ruled out that the general rule of the contract interpretation is not as important as the intention of the parties that is manifested within the contract. Indeed, parties’ duty to cooperate is fundamental obligation which entitles the other party to benefit from the contract. Thus, the seller must make efforts to comply with reasonable requests which is not written but implied explicitly orally and by expression. The contract was made between two parties which were based in two different countries. As such, the physical delivery of goods at the correct destination become important factor for the buyer for achieving desired business objectives that are intended to be served by the contract. Delivery details of the goods as proposed within the contract by Metalique are distinct in their date of delivery but not in the destination. The seller was aware of the plans of buyer and therefore, supply of the same should conform to the plans of buyer. As such, it can be correctly inferred that Metalique had prior knowledge of the manufacturing site of Amethyst at Aberdeen, where the goods were required to complete the production of sports cycles. Thus as per the contractual terms and destination of

NEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

NEGOTIATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION - Essay Example This strategy will look useful when it is evident to one party that there are specific laws regarding the matter. In addition, it is clear that the other party is not willing to accommodate the interests of the party. Thus, if it is seen that the cost and time involved in litigation are worth putting in considering the issue, the party may resort to litigation. For example, a serious breach of contract often calls for litigation in the form of a lawsuit. On the other hand, mediation is rather voluntary in nature and hence, it has no binding impact on the parties involved. Mediation requires the help of an impartial third party acceptable to all the parties involved. The benefit is that the decision is quick, and satisfactory to all the parties involved. This helps save cost and time. As is seen, the benefit of mediation is that the parties control the outcome unlike arbitration and litigation. So, it is highly useful in areas like renegotiating the various aspects of an existing agre ement. The fact is that there is no point in dragging such an issue to a court or litigator causing unnecessary delay and complexity. Both the parties fully understand the fact that the interests of the other party should also be accommodated in order to continue the agreement. In such situations, it is seen that the parties will use negotiation as the best strategy. Similarly, it is sometimes necessary to negotiate an agreement when two parties come together to form a new business venture. In such a situation, there is no point in depending on litigation and arbitration. In order to reach a solution which satisfies the interests of all the parties involved, the best strategy adopted is mediation. Arbitration involves solving a dispute with the help of a knowledgeable third party. This is binding on the parties, and most of the time, the decisions will not be reviewed by a court. That means the parties are surrendering their right for resolution through courts when they resort to ar bitration. The bright side of arbitration is that there are no formal pleading rules, and it is easier to communicate industry practices and complex damage models to a knowledgeable arbitrator than to a jury. In addition, it helps save time and cost involved in litigation and consequent appeal. It is seen that arbitration is the most effective strategy when the issues are consumer-related or industry-internal subjects. The mere fact is that when there is a dispute between a business and a consumer, there is no point in resorting to mediation if the parties feel that the interests of the other parties in the dispute do not need to be entertained. In such cases, the issue is better handled by an arbitrator who is knowledgeable in the area. Admittedly, this is useful when the issue can only be solved by a person or a board with knowledge in the industry. 2. I would like to have two-step dispute resolution clauses included in the agreement. It seems necessary to have mediation or negoti ation as the step before arbitration because they are less time consuming and more effective. Also, this gives both the parties a chance to listen to the position of the other party, and may give valuable insight about the weakness in ones own position. Anyway, as Friedland (2007, Ch 7) points out, it is necessary to have negotiation regarding the acceptability of mediators, negotiator, the binding nature

Art of Negotiation - effective negotiation skills Assignment

Art of Negotiation - effective negotiation skills - Assignment Example require managers that can negotiate with businesses located in overseas regions as managers will have to bargain an effective and profitable deal for their own business if they want to operate overseas (Katz, 2011). Another issue that is taking place due to globalization is that the level of competition between organizations has increased. Organizations do not only complete in their host nations, they even have to compete in global regions. Due to this it has become essential for organizations to obtain resources while paying the lowest cost. In order to obtain resources and services at low cost managers need to have good negotiation skills (Benoliel, 2011). Good negotiation skills have even become very important for managers in order to deal with people from different backgrounds. A manager cannot use the same negotiation skills while dealing with people and business from different parts of the world. Therefore, a manager needs to have diverse negotiation skills in order to understa nd the likes and dislikes of people around the world and negotiate with

Differentiates Developmental Theory and Rudimentary Theory Essay

Differentiates Developmental Theory and Rudimentary Theory - Essay Example When action research findings are shared; they increase the interrelation between theoretic research and practice. The rapport between the two differentiates developmental theory and rudimentary theory thus publishing action research transforms information into application knowledge. More so, publishing an action research encourages other people to undertake similar researchers in the same or other areas, thus widening the knowledge application base. Publishing also widens the understanding of local readers of facts that they may consider palpable yet they affect their lives in a colossal way. Findings from an action research can be shared through data enclaves. This involves putting related findings in small groups called enclaves and allowing access for the people who consume such data. Data enclaves help in sharing findings and keeping them confidential before publishing. In case the findings of a research are confidential, they may be shared through remote execution systems. The findings are put in highly protected areas so that any request for secondary research in the area are submitted on the system. Findings of an action research may also be shared conventionally while limiting the level of access to such data. Top-coding is a technique of limiting the maximum number of people allowed access to certain findings, for example, 1-35000. Conversely, while sharing this information, discretion should be prioritized. Confidentiality can be maintained through de-identification and ensuring the people providing information remain anonymous. In the field of medicine, findings from field and laboratory researchers are shared through peer-reviewed journals. A peer-reviewed journal is basically a report with details of the features that the scientists observe in the experiments and their conclusions basing on such observations and medical/ scientific theory.

Nature versus nurture Essay Example for Free

Nature versus nurture Essay The debate between nature vs. nurture has been a controversial and debated topic for centuries. It is a debate on whether or not human development is molded by their genetics or their environment. Many scientist and philosophers have debated and made their own theories for the matter, including Charles Darwin, who in the 18th century developed the theory that human development was shaped by their parents’ genetics. In contrary to Darwin, the French naturalist Jean Lamarck had a completely different view on human development, claiming that genetics did not matter in human development and that the biggest factor in human development was the environment in which this human was developed. Both men had great points and theories but through the years Darwin’s theory has been favored; but as of lately scientists are currently starting to lean more and more to Lamarck’s theory. Agreeing with the scientist, I too am also leaning towards Lamarck’s theory. Although I do believe that human development is definitely shaped by their parent’s genetics, I believe that no matter how good your genetics are that if you are put in a bad environment, your development will be negatively effected, regardless of how good your genes were. Ironically, this debate of nature vs. nurture carried through to a book I was assigned to read this summer called East of Eden. East of Eden was a very interesting and complex book and is one of those books that every time you read it you will discover something interesting and new that you never discovered before. One of the main interesting things that you will discover when reading this book is the idea of timshel, which is introduced by one of the characters in the novel named Lee. Lee was the servant to the main family in the novel and throughout the novel is trying to teach and spread his idea of timshel to one of the main characters in the book Cal. Cal is mischievous and pernicious, and is also a risk taker, and he is also haunted with the idea that he is evil and that he is forced to be evil because his mom was also evil and that he had acquired her genetics. Lee’s purpose in sharing timshel to Cal was to coax him that every human had the ability to be good and that no human is stuck being evil and that with persistence every one can become good. Cal at first is hesitant to believe Lee’s theory but by the end of the book begins to appreciate and believe, that I the main connection between East of Eden and the debate between nature vs. nurture.

Phoenix Rising Essay Example for Free

Phoenix Rising Essay The Young adult novel Phoenix Rising: or how to survive your life by Cynthia D. Grant is a candid sensitive story about the serious effects of seventeen-year-old Helen Castle’s death from cancer on her family. The story is told through the eyes of Jessie who has been traumatized by her older sister’s death. Jessie and the other members of her family begin a healing process, while Helen, whose world we see through Jessie comes to terms with a life that seems capricious and unjust to Jessie. She feels pain, anger, loneliness, confusion and withdrawal throughout the novel. The family is shattered. Its new dynamics are realistically revealed with the already strained relationship between Lucas, and the father that become explosive. Jessie reads on in the journal to learn Helen’s feelings as her cancer progresses, which ranges from morbid despair to soaring hope that is made more poignant to the readers reading along with her. The setting of the story is white, comfortably middle-class, California suburbia. The characters in Phoenix Rising are of average intelligence and are raised above being stereotypical characters by the pain, reflection, and eventual growth of Helen’s death forces upon them. They remain true to their backgrounds and natures throughout their trials and adjustments. It is the mark of Cynthia D. Grant’s talent that the reader never doubts they are reading this novel through believable teenage eyes. The central character of the novel is Jessie, and the one who is most dangerously affected by the older sister’s death. Jessie’s tendency is not only to idealize her sister making her feel worthless, and unattractive but she also feels that she has failed to reach Helen and talk to her about her illness making Jessie shut herself off from her father, mother, her friend Bambi, Helen’s boyfriend Bloomfield, and their next-door neighbor; little Sara Rose. Jessie not only stops eating toward the end of the novel, she also shuts herself off more ultimately refusing to leave her room. Jessie’s brother Lucas is the kind family philosopher. On the surface, however he plays a role of a rebellious youth whose love for loud rock music. He is an exceptionally good electric and acoustic guitarist and this puts him at odds with his father, whom he engages in arguments at the slightest opportunity. Jessie’s hard-working architect father seems fixated on his role as a family provider and Lucas as the antagonist. Jessie tells the reader â€Å"My father thinks he won’t cry as long as he keeps screaming. It is as if the father and the other members have been so traumatized by the Helen’s death that a kind of static role-playing is easier for them than facing their world and moving on with their lives. Jessie’s mother seems simply to have been bludgeoned into being a relatively passive person who can do little more than to keep up with the necessary household chores, to weep for her oldest daughter, Helen as well as the self destructive, Jessie and to drink several glasses of wine to dull her pain. Two more important characters round out the characters in this novel. One is Bloomfield, who is always called by his last name. He is Helen’s boyfriend and the other is Bambi. Bambi is both sister’s plump, loud mouthed, and mildly sex-crazed friend. Jessie reads further into the Helen’s journal and discovers Bloomfield is not the fair-weather friend she has criticized him as being. Similarly, she finds there is more to the tattooed, fake nailed Bambi than meets the eye. She is surprisingly admirable for her down-to-earth, her common sense ability to cut through the silliness that ordinarily surrounds her.

The Role of Genomics in Cancer Medicine

The Role of Genomics in Cancer Medicine Genomics is a new science which concerns the study of genomes, the entire complement of genetic material of an individual. In fact, genomics also includes the study of gene expression, from transcription of DNA to translation, its expression as a protein. Genomics aims at understanding the structure, function and evolution of all genomes. This field is based on determining the essential nature of genome structure and will have a great impact on the development of basic biology. A genome is the total number of all genes found in an organism. Again, genomics can hence be defined as the study of all the genes in a cell at the DNA, mRNA and protein levels. The era of genomics started with Frederic Sanger who first sequenced the complete genomes of a virus and a mitochondrion. Techniques of genomics which include DNA sequencing and gene mapping were hence established. Development in the field of genomics continued at a rapid pace, and with the new technology from informatics, scientists were inspired to carry out the Human Genome Project. This scientific research had, as a primary aim, to determine the base pair sequence in human DNA and to identify about 25 000 genes in the genome. The project started in 1990 and a first draft was released in 2000. A further, complete report was published in 2003 with more details. The knowledge of the human genome sequence has created the possibility to investigate functional genomics which tries to describe gene functions and interactions during various conditions such as cancer. Cancer is a class of diseases in which cells divide uncontrollably, invade adjacent cells or spread throughout the whole body via the blood or lymph. Cancers can be either benign or malignant. Cancers can affect everyone and the risk increases with age, a certain type of lifestyle and environment and if several cases of cancer had previously been diagnosed within the family. Some environmental factors leading to cancer include tobacco smoking, prolonged exposition to radiations, obesity and pollutants. These factors lead to a mutation in the DNA base sequence resulting in the cells having new properties. Genes are affected in such a way that these new properties now include an excessive growth and cell division, protection against the bodys natural immune system, the ability to divide over other cells and into different places. Normal properties, such as the highly specific DNA replication, accurate cell cycle and interactions with the defence system, are lost to the mutated cell. Cancer can be treated in several ways including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and biologic therapy. Depending on the stage the cancer has reached, surgery is performed to remove the cancerous cells or tumour. Usually, after surgery, the cancer patient has to undergo chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to treat cancer by destroying the cancer cells. These drugs target cells which multiply rapidly. Radiation therapy uses energy to target the damaged DNA. Since cancer cells are sensitive to radiation, they are easily eliminated. However not all types of cancer can be treated though survival rate has increased. Cancer is still the commonest fatal diseases in many parts of the world. Genomics may play an important role in cancer medicine in the recent future. The Cancer Genome Project is using the human genome sequence and mutation detection techniques to identify the mutated base sequence in cancer cells thus mapping the genes responsible for the deve lopment of cancer. Genomic tests or assays are done to identify the specific genes in a cancer cell, which is like identifying a particular fingerprint of the cancer. Although the genomic approach is still being developed, the application of genomic technologies to cancer medicine has already generated promising results both in target identification and in disease classification. Genomics works by evaluating the genes in a sample of cancerous tissue. Genes that have mutated are hence identified along with those which have been inherited. Inherited genes which may lead to cancer are identified by genetic testing. Genomics play an important role in helping doctors to determine a patients prognosis, which type of cancer it is, to choose the most effective treatment for each individual cancer, to monitor patients who are undergoing treatment to determine if the treatment is working and those who are in remission to catch a potential disease progression early when it is more treatable. Genomic testing may play an important role in cancer medicine by giving each patient an individualized treatment.ÂÂ   Patients with more serious conditions can be identified and offered aggressive and innovative therapies that may prolong their lives, while patients who are diagnosed with a less serious condition may be spared unnecessary treatments. For example, some women with node-negative breast cancer will relapse after being treated with surgery alone. Genomic testing has been shown to differentiate between which node-negative breast cancer patients are more likely to relapse and therefore benefit from additional chemotherapy and which patients may not need chemotherapy. Genomic technology has been applied to several areas of cancer research. By profiling and comparing gene expression of tumours of different grades or primary and metastatic tumours, several genes involved in cancer progression or metastases have been found, new classification paradigms have been establishe d, genes have been placed into pathways, and gene deletions and amplifications have been identified. The application of genomics in cancer medicine will no doubt prove to be beneficial in the long run. The evolution of genomics and its integration in this field is a complex and challenging process. However, progress is being made and instead of treating cancer, cancer could be eliminated before its appearance by modifying the gene responsible. Genomics would also help in improving treatment and diagnosis of cancer. The shift from an organ-focused to a gene-focused approach to cancer is already having a profound effect on the way cancer is treated. The impact can be seen particularly clearly in breast cancer. Not too many years ago, breast tumors were categorized and treated primarily by their size, the degree to which they had invaded surrounding tissue or sloughed off cells into the lymph system, and their appearance under a pathologists microscope. The field of cancer genomics is relatively new compared to other fields, however it promises many things. As progress is being made in the mapping of the cancer genes, the results promise to be enormous.

Essay --

Even though I am aware that there have been great strides forward, especially within the past decade, in the implementation of safer and more constructive methods, in regards to child interviewing practices, I am appalled at the gross negligence of our justice system, in their failure to protect children from the brutal onslaught of such damaging interrogation. Not only does it fail to safeguard a child’s health and well-fare, but it also proves counterproductive in the gathering of reliable testimony, and so therefore does not ultimately serve the constructs of justice, either. The criminal justice system, in the United States, has been very slow in recognizing and competently employing the substantial volume of relevant research data that has been available, for the past century, on the subject of the significant differences in the psychological and neurological differences between children and adults. In Europe, there was substantial and illuminating research being carried out, at the turn of the 20th century. In the work of Alfred Binet (1900), on external forces of suggestibility, free recall, and the inherent pressures resulting from a child’s eagerness to please adults, and William Stern’s (1910) research, on the detrimental effects of repeated questioning and leading questions, which were found to literally alter future recall of the same event, there was an emergence of much valuable insight into the subject of child witness testimony (Bruck, 1993, p. 406). An explanation of why the U.S. was so slow to embrace these valuable findings l ies in the differences in the judicial systems, of these countries. In much of Europe there is an inquisitorial form of trail, whereby a judge is responsible for interviewing witnesses. Th... ...g disorder, and an on-going battle with depression. In reading about this case, I am struck first and foremost, by the damaging effects of improperly executed child witness interrogation practices, and the enormous value of the immense body of research and the resultantly improved understanding of the effects of the proper handling of such a delicate undertaking. I can’t help but feel that the interrogation process itself, can in effect be a traumatic event, and the manner in which it is carried out acting as either a benefit or an added stressor, to a child already in obvious distress. These considerations are directly responsible for so many cases of child abuse not being reported, out of a fear of worsening an already painful experience, and underline the great need for, and value of, such protective and progressive institutions, such as child advocacy centers.

International Monetary Fund :: essays research papers

-International Monetary Fund-Addressing Fundamental Economic Goals On an International Level   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The International Monetary Fund is an important function that makes world trade less strenuous. The International Monetary Fund, or IMF as it is called, provides support and supervision to nations in all stages of economic progress. International trade is a key element to enable nations, large and small, to strengthen their economic positions. Larger nations need the international market to export their goods and services, and smaller nations also need this world scale market to import products so they are able to produce more efficiently. In order to achieve these goals, one major component must be in place. The ability to value other nation's currency. Throughout the years, many different ways have been used to do this, mostly ending in failure. There is no perfect way to accurately measure the true value of another country's currency. The International Monetary Fund is an effort to see each country's economic position, offer suggestions, and provide the fundame ntal economic security that is essential to a thriving (world) economy. Many of the domestic economic goals are reiterated by the INF on an international level.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To understand the current INF we will investigate the events leading up to its existence. Between 1879 and 1934 major nations used a method of international exchange known as the Gold Standard. The Gold Standard was simply a fixed-rate system. The rate was fixed to gold. In order for this system to function properly three things had to happen. First, each nation had to define its currency to gold (this definition then could not change). Second, each nation must than maintain a fixed relationship to its supply of money and its amount of actual gold. Third, the on-hand gold must be allowed to be exchanged freely between any nations throughout the world. With all of those policies successfully in place, the exchange rates of the participating countries would then be fixed to gold, therefore to each other. To successfully maintain this relationship some adjustments had to be made from time to time. For example, two countries A and B are doing international business to gether and A buys more of B's products than B buys of A's. Now B doesn't have enough of A's currency to pay for the excess products purchased. B now has what's called a balance of payment deficit. In order to correct for this deficit the following must occur; Actual gold must now be transferred to A from B.

Al Capone Biography :: Biography

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Al Capone was possibly the largest and most feared mofia boss America has ever seen. This 1920’s gangster made his mark on the world through organized crime during the Prohibition era. He is solely attributed with Chicago’s reputation as a lawless city.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alphonsus Capone was born on January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn, New York. As a child he was a member of the Brooklyn Rippers and the Forty Thieves Juniors â€Å"kid gangs.† Capone quit school at age fourteen in the sixth grade. He worked a few odd jobs in Manhattan in a bowling alley and a candy store. Then Capone took a position as a bouncer in Frankie Yale’s Brooklyn dive and the Harvard Inn. While working at the Inn he was attacked by a man and received the facial scars that would give him the byname â€Å"Scarface.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capone met Anne â€Å"Mae† Coughlin at a dance in 1918. Later that year on December 4, 1918 she gave birth to their son, Albert â€Å"Sonny† Francis. Less than a month later they were married.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capone became a member of the Five Points gang in Manhattan. During this time he hospitalized a rival gang member in a fight. Feeling the heat from the conflicting group, he moved his family to Chicago. He began to work for John Torrio, an old partner and mentor of Yale. Capone was soon helping to manage Torrio’s bootlegging business. He quickly gained the respect of Torrio and became his number two man. After being shot by an opposing gang member, Torrio left Chicago. Capone became boss of the â€Å"outfit.† Torrio’s men respected Capone and trusted his business decisions. They referred to Capone as â€Å"the big man.† In the next five years he expanded his industry of crime. Capone controlled speakeasies, nightclubs, brothels, gambling houses, and much more. His bootlegging provided the city of Chicago with alcohol during prohibition. Capone had a reported income of $100,000,000 a year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capone had an intricate spy network throughout Chicago. Crooked police men let him prepare for liquor raids and some of his other men made him aware of assassination plots. He would use hotels as his headquarters and front businesses for a hideout. Capone was always good at successfully knocking off his enemies when they became too powerful. Although he killed men himself, it was much safer for his henchmen to do his dirty work. Capone’s men would rent an apartment across the street from their target and gun him down when he stepped outside. These operations were quick and precise, and Capone always had an alibi.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On St. Valentines Day, 1929, four of Capone’s cohorts entered the

Female Circumcision Reader Response

Conn 1 Jennifer Conn Professor Michael Hickman GWRTC 103 –Sect. 61 15 April 2013 Reader Response #3 Though Meyerhardt states that the opening account on female circumcision seemed â€Å"Amusing†, I personally found it far more disturbing. I was very shocked and disgusted while reading this piece, as I am sure my classmates were as well. The â€Å"small opening left for urination and menstruation . . . held open by a single piece of straw which is left there during the healing process† (1) forced me to feel that is an unbelievably unnatural, dehumanizing practice. I was extremely curious about what cultural beliefs supported this practice.When coming to the supposed health reasons and seeing how flawed and inaccurate they all were, I was unable to keep an open mind or continue trying to understand this practice. The idea of â€Å"looking at each other’s genitals to see who had the smallest opening† (2) struck me in a large way. This procedure that is done for society, for a future husband, and for acceptance, seems to take away from the woman. It is as if her body does not truly belong to her. I thought it was interesting and important for the author to include the effect of cultural relativism on the reader.I know that my lack of experience and understanding of the topic, as well as the way of life influences my opinion towards the procedure. Throughout the piece, I was unable change my perception of female circumcision as horrid. Though she seemed to go back and forth in the second half of the essay, the author seemed to have bias as well. I could see the vague connection to culture dominating a woman’s view and treatment of her body. In this way, the procedure seems similar to eating disorders in America. In fact, eating disorders come across as far more deadly.However, I feel that the connection was weak and overdramatized especially when the author stated, â€Å"in America, being fat and ugly, for some, is a fate w orse than death†(3). If this was true, and our culture was as consistent with our beliefs, then we would not have obesity rates as high as they are today. The statement that plastic surgery in America by trained professionals causes â€Å"as much pain† as â€Å"midwives [using] whatever is lying around: a razor, a knife, a broken bottle† (3) is absurd. Safe, comfortable, controlled cosmetic surgery is not widespread, made by someone’s own will, and often looked down upon.The fact that eating disorders are not accepted in our society destroys this analogy to female circumcision. Another poor analogy attempted by Meyerhardt can be found in the beginning of the piece. The author connects children no longer making funny faces due to slight unjustified fear to the cutting off of female genitalia. Though the â€Å"thought of looking odd and malformed scared us enough to stop† in both circumstances, the examples are extremely different. Funny faces are not natural, and little is required to stop making them. Possessing female genitalia is natural however, and the removal of it is dangerous.This analogy downplays the extremity of female circumcision, and does not work. This piece was interesting, and informative on a topic I had known nothing about. For many reasons, it was my impulse to reject the idea of female circumcision and find it horrifying. There seemed to be no truly justified reasoning for why it is still happening, aside from traditional. Though the author attempted to describe opposing views, I found them very weak and confusing. I was unable to connect this procedure with concepts in American life, or accept the vague, unrealistic, positive ending that the author provided.

Hardware and Software Selection Essay

Accounting Cycle Description Paper An organization’s accounting information system includes collecting information then dividing the information into cycles. This paper will identify the five accounting cycles and specifically how Riordan Manufacturing uses the expenditure cycle. The strengths and weaknesses of the internal controls related to the expenditure cycle will be examined. This paper will explain how to integrate the expenditure cycle into an enterprise-wide accounting information system. The various types of information systems necessary to achieve this integration will be illustrated. Lastly, this paper will demonstrate the flow of accounting information through Riordan Manufacturing. Accounting Cycles The five accounting cycles are the revenue, expenditure, financing, fixed-asset, and conversion cycles. Each has its specific function within the accounting system. Almost every company uses the first four accounting cycles, not all will use the conversion cycle. As a company grows, it is important for management and employees to understand the reasons for each accounting cycle and ways the information needs to flow. The accounting cycles build upon each other. Without the revenue cycle, none of the other cycles would come into play. Once a company has revenue producing activities, the expenditure cycle is necessary to pay the bills incurred in producng the goods required for the revenue cycle. The financing cycle is necessary to give the company availability to purchase the necessary buildings and machinery for production along with making sure there are funds for the shareholders. The fixed-asset cycle records depreciation on the buildings and machinery along with the disposal of said items. The conversion cycle is important to manufacturing companies who use cost accounting to determine production costs. Table 1 (UOP, 2009),  explains each phase of the accounting cycle and what documents and ledger accounts are affected by that cycle. Source: University of Phoenix Week 1 â€Å"Read Me First† Riordan Manufacturing uses the expenditure cycle by generating purchase orders and receiving reports to track their purchases. Riordan then uses these documents to request payment for the purchases. Riordan uses HRIS to keep track of employee hours, pay rates, vacation and holiday time then uses this information to generate payroll checks. The company also has sales personnel who submit expense reports for reimbursement of expenses incurred during sales calls. Riordan Manufacturing uses purchasing and payroll records to determine the amount of taxes necessary to pay for sales tax, FICA, FUTA, SUTA and any other taxes due. Internal Controls In order to meet goals and objectives, organizations such as Riordan Manufacturing, establish internal controls. Internal control is the plan of organization and methods a business uses to safeguard assets, provide accurate and reliable information, promote and improve operational efficiency, and encourage adherence to prescribed managerial policies, laws, and regulations (UOP, 2009). In looking specifically at the expenditure cycle, Riordan Manufacturing has both strong and weak internal controls. Strengths include internal controls in operations and quality control. To ensure consistency of operations and quality control, Riordan Manufacturing manages receipts of raw materials, tracks product, and accounts for finished goods inventories. Internal controls include the sales department  completing the sales orders and entering them into customer shipping and billing system. Shipping then loads the sales orders and inventory clerk updates the inventory system based on those shipping documents. Another example is the production reports. They include a project name, document history including the revision date, approvals, and distribution. Project history data is archived in an approved location. However, weaknesses in Riordan Manufacturing’s human resource department are abundant. Employee files are kept by individual managers instead of by human resources in a central employee file area under lock and key. Changes to personal information such as name, marital status, and exemptions are submitted by employee managers which should be requested by employees not their managers. A third-party provider keeps its own records of employees on workers’ compensation but Riordan does not. Excel spreadsheets which include training and development records, applicant information, and individual compensation decisions are kept in unsecure areas and accessible to anyone . Enterprise-wide In order to integrate the expenditure cycle into an enterprise-wide accounting information system, Riordan management should examine the human resource department method of handling employee records. For instance, in an enterprise-wide system, the accounting information system should focus on four objectives including strategic, operations, reporting, and compliance. In order for a business process management system to be implemented, the managers of the company need to evaluate certain criteria of the human resource department which can affect the expenditure cycle. First, management needs to identify the objectives of the human resource department in regards to employee records. This has a direct impact on the strategic objective of the enterprise-wide system. Secondly, the input function needs to be reevaluated. For instance, since the company has four different branches, all input data should be on one method of input. This analysis and pending action would increase the operations function. Thirdly, output time would radically increase for all four branches. The types of output Riordan should consider are the compliance and reporting objectives of the enterprise-wide system. Furthermore, to have the expenditure cycle  implemented, this would decrease the amount of time that Riordan is taking to report expenses. Necessary Information Systems for Integration The various types of information systems necessary to achieve this integration would include analyzing the following: hardware, software, data, people, and procedures (Bagranoff, Simkin, and Strand, 2008.) Three types of controls necessary to keep in mind include preventive, detective, and corrective. The company has already established computer hardware for each of the four branches. In order to determine a software accounting program, the company needs to establish policies and procedures in regards to source documents. This has a direct impact on the data that is accumulated for the company. In order for payroll processing to take effect, personal action forms and employee payroll deduction authorization forms should be established. Riordan should consider a SOX Assurance and Compliance Application. Additionally, only managers should have access to company records. All records, electronic or hard copy should be kept in one central location, thus the use of privacy management information software. Furthermore, policies and procedures for all departments should be retained with a records management system. Flow of Accounting Information The flow of accounting information regarding inventory begins with a log of raw materials and shipping documents which are supervisor approved and taken to an inventory clerk who enters the information into the inventory system. Once entered into the inventory system, accounting personnel can pay supplier invoices. An inventory usage form is provided by the manufacturing staff to the inventory clerk to be entered into the inventory system which tracks raw materials and subassemblies. Manufacturing also provides the inventory clerk with an inventory form accounting for subassemblies and final products when added into the inventory system. In the final product shipping process, sales orders are created and entered into the customer shipping and billing system. Shipping prepares the loads according the sales order information generated and ships accordingly. Then accounting can prepare the invoice after matching the sales order with the inventory system which illustrates the goods shipp ed. Each of the three operating entities of Riordan Manufacturing has their own accounting system. Therefore the systems are not compatible which makes the consolidation of information at the corporate office difficult and labor intensive. Much information is conveyed via email and spreadsheets. Employee personal information changes are requested through a written form and are entered into the system by the payroll clerk. Conclusion The five accounting cycles in an organization’s accounting information system and specifically how Riordan Manufacturing incorporates the expenditure cycle into its system was explained. Strengths and weaknesses of Riordan’s internal controls related to the expenditure cycle were commented on. This paper explained how the expenditure cycle could be integrated into an enterprise-wide accounting information system. The various types of information systems necessary to achieve this integration were illustrated. Finally, the flow of accounting information through Riordan Manufacturing was demonstrated. References Apollo Group, Inc. (2006). Riordan Manufacturing. Accounting Information System 1 – overview. Retrieved March 11, 2009. ACC340-Accounting Information Systems Processing. https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Riordan/RioMfgHome002.htm Bagranoff, N., & Simkin, M., & Strand, C., (2008). Core Concepts of Accounting Information Systems (10th ed.) [University of Phoenix Custom Edition E-text]. New York, NY: Wiley. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, ACC/340 Accounting Information System 1 Web site. University of Phoenix (2009). Week five overview. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week Five, rEsource. ACC340-Accounting Information Systems 1 Course Web site. University of Phoenix (2009). Week one overview. Retrieved March 12, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week One, rEsource. ACC340-Accounting Information Systems 1 Course Web site.

Carl Rogers Core Conditions

This is statement summarizes the basic hypothesis and therapeutic conditions that distinguish the person-centered approach from other approaches. Rogers (1960, p33) believed that if the therapist can provide a certain kind of relationship, the client would discover within himself/herself the capacity to use the relationship for growth and change for the development of personal growth. So what are the characteristics of the therapeutic relationship that Rogers believed to be essential?These are congruency, unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding. Rogers’ (1957) said that a therapeutic relationship can occur if there are two people in psychological contact, the client is experiencing in congruency or is anxious, the therapist is congruent or integrated in the relationship, the therapist experience unconditional positive regard and acceptance for the client as well as an empathic understanding of the client’s internal frame of reference and strives to comm unicate this experience to the client.He further believed that no other conditions are necessary, if all this conditions are present overtime, constructive personality change will occur. Rogers’ provide a brief summary of the core conditions he believed to be essential in a therapeutic relationship in his book A Way of Being (Houghton Mifflin, pp 115-117). â€Å"The first element could be called genuineness, realness or congruence. The more the therapist is himself or herself in the relationship, putting up no professional front or personal facade, the greater is the likelihood that the client will change and grow in a constructive manner.This means that therapist is openly being the feelings and attitudes that are flowing within at the Counseling and Psychotherapy Page # 2 moment. The term transparent catches the flavor of this condition: the therapist makes himself or herself transparent to the client; the client can see right through what the therapist is in the relations hip; the client experiences no holding back on the part of the therapist. As for the therapist, what he or she is experiencing is available to awareness, can be lived in the relationship, and can be communicated if appropriate.Thus, there is a close matching or congruence between what is experienced at the gut level, what is present in awareness, and what is expressed to the client†. â€Å"The second attitude of importance in creating a climate for change is acceptance, or caring, or prizing – what I have called ‘unconditional positive regard’. When the therapist is experiencing a positive acceptant attitude toward whatever the client is at that moment, therapeutic movement or change is more likely to occur.The therapist is willing for the client to be whatever immediate feeling is going on – confusion, resentment, fear, anger, courage, love, or pride. Such caring on the part of the therapist is nonpossesive. The therapist prizes the client in a tot al rather than a conditional way†. â€Å"The third facilitative aspect of the relationship is empathic understanding. This means that the therapist sense accurately the feelings and personal meanings that the client is experiencing and communicates this understanding to the client.When functioning bets, the therapist is so much inside the private world of the other that he or she can clarify not only the meanings of which the client is aware but even those just below the level of awareness. This kind of sensitive, active listening is exceedingly rare in our lives. We think we listen but very rarely do we listen with real understanding, true empathy. Yet listening, of this very special kind, is one of the most potent forces for change that I know†. Congruence implies that the therapists are true, that is they are genuine, integrated and authentic during the therapy session.They are without pretensions, what their inner feelings and the external expression of it are one a nd the same and they can honestly articulate their feelings, thoughts, reactions and attitudes that are present in the relationship with the client. The therapist who is congruent conveys the message that it is not only permissible but desirable to be oneself, he. /she presents themselves as transparent to the client and thus refuses to encourage an image of herself as superior, expert and omniscient (Mearns and Thorne, 1992 p15.). Person-centered therapy emphasizes that therapy will not progress if the therapist feels one way about the client but behaves in a different way. So that if the therapist either dislikes or disapprove of the client but pretends that he/she accepts the client. Therapy will not work. Counseling and Psychotherapy Page # 3 The unconditional positive regard of the therapist to the client tells us that it is of the utmost importance that the therapist’s caring be nonpossesive.If the act of caring is rooted in the therapist’s need to be liked and a ppreciated, constructive change in the client is inhibited. Therapists should give importance and genuinely accept their clients without placing conditions on their acceptance. It should not be an attitude of â€Å"I’ll accept you when†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , rather it should be â€Å"I’ll accept you as you are†. Therapists should let their clients know that they value their clients as they are and that clients have the freedom to feel and experience an array of emotions without fear of losing their therapists acceptance of them.When the therapist is able to embrace this attitude of acceptance and nonjudgmentalism, the client is more able to feel safe, to explore negative feelings and to move into the core of his anxiety or depression, he is more likely to face himself honestly without the ever present fear of rejection or condemnation (Mearns and Thorn, 1992 p15. ). However, acceptance is the affirmation of the client’s rights to have their own beliefs and feeli ngs, it is not the approval of all behavior.One of the fundamental tasks of the therapist is to understand client’s feelings and experiences perceptively and precisely as they are presented during the therapy sessions. The therapist tries to feel the client’s subjective experience in the here and now. The aim is to persuade clients to go deeper within them and experience their inner selves to recognize and resolve the unease that is present within them. Empathic understanding suggests that the therapist should be able to feel what the client is feeling without becoming lost in these feelings.It is also necessary to recognize that empathic understanding goes beyond the act of identifying the presenting feelings of the client but rather should include those feelings deep and less Counseling and Psychotherapy Page # 4 experienced feelings. Therapists’ empathy brings about a more profound understanding of the self in the part of the client and an elucidation of thei r beliefs and worldviews. Rogers (1980) asserts that when the therapist can grasp the clients’ private world as the client sees and feels it – without losing the separateness of their own identity – constructive change is more likely to occur.In Rogers’ perspective, the client/therapist relationship should be one of equality; therapists do not keep their knowledge a secret or attempt to mystify the therapeutic process. The progression of a client’s transformation is largely dependent on the quality of this equal relationship. As clients’ experience the therapists’ accepting way of listening to them, they eventually come to listen acceptingly themselves. As they find the therapist caring and prizing them, clients begin to believe in their worth and value.As they experience the genuineness of the therapist, clients also discard their pretensions and become real with themselves and the therapist. References Mearns, D. & Thorne, B. (1992) Person-centered counseling in action. London: SAGE Publications Limited Rogers, C. (1961) On becoming a person. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Rogers, C. (1980) A way of being. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Rogers, C. (1986) Carl Rogers on the development of the person-centered approach. Person- Centered Review, 1(3), 257-259. Thorne, B. (1992) Carl Rogers. Newsbury Park, CA: Sage

Diversity: Individual Rights and Social Care Settings Essay

Diversity recognises, respect and people’s differences to have a say and to realise the full potential by promoting different cultures to all members of staff and students within a school. Within schools diversity is promoted from an early age because of mixed classes of boys and girls and children from different cultures. Children will learn from being in school that every body’s different but we treat them equally. An example of this is another religion could be in the criteria so the children learn about another religion other than theirs. While they learn about another religion they begin to respect it. Diversity is very important when relating to the health and social care settings depending on the care setting because people are taking care of other peoples needs and this shows the cares will show respect towards others difference which they might encounter in every day working life. Equality Equality is ensuring individuals or groups of individuals are treated fairly and equally. An example of this could be within a work place where an employer doesn’t employ a certain person because they are a different race, nationality, age or sex. Within a hospital the members of staff have different ranking orders depending on their job title, even though a surgeon has a higher ranking to a nurse it doesn’t mean they can treat them differently because their job titles. For example a surgeon might look down on the nurse because he/she is lower in the ranking table than them but everyone is equal and should be treated equally. In everyday life within a health and social care setting it is important for all members of staff working within them to ensure they treat everyone is treated fairly even if they are not the same as the other person next to them because everyone is different but should be treated with equal rights. Individual rights An individual right is a legal term referring to what one person’s principles do and what can be done to/for an individual. Within a residential care home there might be some people who cannot look after themselves and some that may not be able to talk. Just because they cannot communicate they still have their individual right to their basic needs and what they want to do. Even if the client has a medical problem they are still entitled to their ndividual rights unless they are not mentally capable to look after themselves. Individual rights are equally important to the health and social care settings when refereeing to the individual’s needs because the carers need to take into account the patients and clients individual needs and if they cannot do it for themselves the carers will and will also have to take into account the individual rights of that person when working with them on a daily basis in some cases.

Wellbeing in college Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wellbeing in college - Essay Example A great sense of well being does not just come but it is earned, it is not something natural but rather something earned. Students who want the best out of themselves have to develop te great sense of well-being through learning and developing it. If a student feels that life is no on their side, it is a high time to realize that lack of sense of well being must have contributed to the miseries that befallen them. And the failures to fix things rights by the students should be their wake up call to quickly sprung into action by looking for ways to improve their sense of well-being. It’s not just about students feeling well about themselves but also their friends, families, study places and the communities they live in all benefit from them having a healthy, proactive approach to managing their wellbeing. Any wellbeing should be seen from a broader perspective. Good emotional and physical health can turn into the unprecedented serious mental health conditions if wellbeing is no t given due considerations.

Student-Oriented Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Student-Oriented - Assignment Example This focus on the student achieving the objective through the teaching methods is also applicable to nurses in their professional practices. The patients need to become the center of focus in providing the services. Patient-oriented practices in nursing are vital in providing quality healthcare services to the patient. Having the required attitude, expertise and dedications that focus on the best outcome in nursing will ensure that the patients get quality services. Patient-oriented services ensure that the patient is safe and get quality services through providing what is best for the patient. Providing quality services may need the cooperation of other nurses that is similar to the collaboration of the student in student-centered learning. The cooperation among nurses might include the exchange of options and ideas on how best to take care of the patient. There is also need to understand the patients’ requirements in providing these quality services and making a decision on the best option to use while being friendly to patients (Small & Small, 2011). Small, D. C., & Small, R. M. (2011). Patients First! Engaging the Hearts and Minds of Nurses with a Patient-Centered Practice Model. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 16(2), 1.

Government shut down Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Government shut down - Essay Example Analysis Looking back to the controversy background, the United States constitution states and requires the United States Congress to pass the bills of government spending approval, and has the power granted by law to fund the entire United States budget. This means that if the congress fails to pass an approved budget by the end of a financial year, a funding gap that leads to government shutdown. Media revelations claim that the 2013 United States federal government’s shutdown is a result of Obama’s refusal to accept the republican demands that requested him to change or delay the Affordable Care Act, which began enrolling patients on October 1st (Weisman and Peters, 2013). However, Obama defended himself against the allegations and claimed that the house speaker John Boehner is the main person who triggered the shutdown. The blame game continues, and a Wednesday meeting held by Obama and the members of his house shifted the blame back to Obama by claiming that he ref used to negotiate leading to no breakthrough. According to Times, swampland dated October 6, another congress meeting took place and the house speaker John Boehner insisted that the chamber was lacking enough votes to pass a â€Å"clean† bill that would raise the debt ceiling (Weisman and Peters, 2013). He further argued that the bill would undergo a breakthrough if the two parties agreed hence; democrats have no choice but to make concession to the republicans, who hold out with an aim of using the government shutdown as a means of defunding or delaying the controversial Obama’s signature health-care-reform law. According to Boehner, the solution lays on the combined efforts of both rye democrats and the republicans because they can pass a measure to reopen and fund the government when the vote gets permission to come to the floor. This meant that the next steps needed to resolve the stalemate remains unclear. A deeper look into the government shutdown reveals that th is is not the usual spending battles. This is evident in the fact that the crisis emerged due to house republicans blocking the budget with an aim of killing or stripping all funding from Obama care (NA, 2013). In this case, they want the democrats to join the wagon of halting the president’s biggest achievement, yet the democrats are not willing to participate. As the stalemate continues, the deadline for a budget bill approached and at the same time, republicans were still holding back to their demands. This makes the government shutdown more critical because the problem does not lay on how to acquire funds but the dilemma is on how to unlock the locked heads between the republicans and the democrats (NA, 2013). As the stalemate continues, the situation of the citizens worsen everyday because at the moment, eight thousand non essential staff working for federal agencies are jobless, while 1.3 million others are required to work without pay. More so, non-urgent tasks are und er shelves until when a deal comes along (Watkins, 2013). The situation will definitely damage the economy, yet the law making process is under paralysis meaning that