Aristotle and Virtue Essay Example for Free

Aristotle and Virtue Essay Aristotle believes that we need virtue, both of thought and of character, to achieve that completeness leading to happiness. This is the function: activity in the soul in accord with virtue, where soul is defined as what is in us that carries out our characteristic activity. Aristotle is right in believing we need virtue. The end of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics Book I introduces the idea that since happiness is â€Å"a certain sort of activity of the soul in accord with complete virtue, we must examine virtue,† because doing so will allow us to closer analyze and understand how to study happiness. He goes on to identify two areas: virtues of thought and virtues of character. I believe the philosopher is right when he thinks that a good life requires harnessing both kinds of virtues. Virtues of thought are simpler to identify, as they include excellence in problem solving skills, abstract and rational thought, mathematics and the like. Virtues of character, which are also called ‘moral virtues’, seem to be more complex and are also an integral part of the completeness that Aristotle said was necessary for a good life. Some examples of these virtues are generosity and patience. Virtues of character are definitely good for the possessor as Aristotle states in chapter 6, â€Å"having these feelings at the right times, about the right things, toward the right people, for the right end, and in the right way, is the intermediate and best condition, and this is the proper virtue. † Finding that mean or middle ground, that balance or yin and yang, is essential to establishing a completeness which ultimately lead to happiness. One problem may be actually the path to virtue. The idea of pleasure without pain is not realistic in the mortal world. Everything on this plane is relative. Take, for example, two dogs: Dog A lives on the street and has all of his life. He has to find himself food everyday in alleys and has to deal with the weather. This life is good to him because it is his world and he does not know any better. As far as Dog A is concerned, he is in ‘heaven’. Dog B lives in a mansion with air conditioning and gourmet steaks that are given to him on a regular basis. This is all Dog B knows and he is not aware of anything else out there better than this (even though it surely exists), so this dog is in heaven also. Imagine their own individual and relative differences if they were to switch places. Dog A would go to a mansion atmosphere and the comfort of his life would dramatically improve, while Dog B’s life would be hell all of a sudden. This relation of pleasure to pain and how it is all relative makes one take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Nelson, W. Philosophy 1305 Proteus Classics Readings. Thomson Custom Publishing, Mason. pgs 81-122.

My Strategies To Develop My Pdp Education Essay

My Strategies To Develop My Pdp Education Essay SCENARIO I have been appointed as a manager of Finance 4 U and the first assignment that I need to undertake along with other managerial activities is to prepare a detailed Personal Development Plan. The plan will include strategy of developing a plan, goals and objectives, milestones, timescales and resources needed. Hopefully the PDP that I will prepare shall provide guidelines for the rest of the employees on how to form the PDP for themselves leading to the betterment of the whole organisation. OBJECTIVES Explain about PDP. Describe the importance of PDP. Explain my current situation and need for improvement. My goals both short and long term. My Strategies to develop my PDP. My short term PDP including goals, resource needed, timescales, milestones and checkpoints and success criteria. Importance of reviewing. Conclusion in slides. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN DEFINITION Personal Development Planning is basically a structured process developed by an individual to relook and reflect upon his/her own current situation, performances, achievements, goals and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. It is a process or tool which can be adopted by individuals at all levels and all areas of life. If the PDP is well planned and used effectively, it tremendously improves the ability of individuals to review, plan and take responsibility for their own personality and learning improvement and to understand what and how they learn and develop. Putting it bluntly, Personal Development Planning is a process by which an individual can manage their own development through a process of reflection and structured planning on how they can meet their own goals. Many organisations and universities require their employees and students to prepare their PDP and follow accordingly as the importance of a PDP is widely understood in this modern era. PDP PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE The purpose and importance of a Personal Development Plan is providing the individual with an aid to learn and develop more effectively and to be able to: Improve the way of learning different scenarios via different methods. Make him/her responsible enough to understand and manage his/her learning process as a whole. Make him/her more independent. Set up both long and short term goals and objectives. Understand the resources needed to achieve those objectives. Set up a list and analyse his/her own strengths and weaknesses. Take corrective actions if necessary on the progress. Improve on his/her effectiveness and efficiency. CURRENT SITUATION In order to explain my current situation I have identified and classified the following facts into my educational, professional and personal status. Educational: I have completed my Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA). I have completed all papers from Association of Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) but havent completed the 3years of practical experience requirement. Professional: I have worked as a junior accountant for 6 months in a UK based company. I have worked as an assistant to the Finance Controller for 1 year in a UK based company. Personal: My presentation skills are not satisfactory as I have always been quite shy on that respect (although good at interviews). My leadership skills are not quite as much as Id have liked as I have never really tested my leadership skills due lack of experience. My time management skills are not adequate as I believe there is a room for improvement. My decision making skills are definitely under par as I believe it is vital in this todays modern world. I dont seem to remain motivated and positive over a long period of time. GOALS My short-term goals are as follows: Understanding how the company is operating. Understanding the reasons for low motivation amongst staffs. Addressing the lack of awareness of skills development amongst staffs. My long-term goals are as follows: I need to improve my presentation skills significantly. I need to develop my leadership skills. I need to better my time management skills. I need to enhance my decision making skills. I need to learn to be more motivated and positive. 6. STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PDP My basic strategy for the development of PDP was not to develop a completely new system but alter the currently available practices and processes and produce a system that works for me and which will reflect my goals, skills and performances. Hence my strategies for development of PDP are as follows: Materials from online and other sources about how PDP can be developed efficiently are to be gathered. As the goals are already identified, timescale and milestones for the attainment of those goals are then determined. Resources needed and the feasibilities of those resources for those goals to be achieved are then amassed. Any obstacles or hindrances are ascertained and contingency plans be made in advance. Review and Monitoring of the performance will also be an essential part of my PDP. PDP Name: Sudhir Gurung Company: Finance 4 U Position: Manager Period from: Jan 1, 2010 To: Jan 31, 2010 Short term Current Situation Desired Situation Resources and support needed Success Criteria Target Dates New to the company. -Very less idea why staffs have low morale. -Understanding how the company is operating. -Understanding the reasons for low staff morale. -Increasing awareness about the need and importance of skills development amongst staff. -Good briefing by Managing Director. -Support and co-ordination from employees. -Authority to do interviews and issue questionnaires if necessary with staffs. -Authority to conduct meetings and seminars. -Get a general idea about the operation of the company. -Identify the reasons for low staff morale issues. -Every staff is clear about the necessity of skills development for themselves. -Perform a preliminary meeting with Managing Director and receive clear briefing and guidelines before joining the office on 1/1/2010. -Conduct interviews and questionnaires by 15/1/2010. -Conduct final meeting and elaborate your findings by 31/1/2010. Long Term Skills Current Situation Desired Situation Resources and support needed Success Criteria Target Dates -Presentation Skills -Leadership Skills -Time Management Skills -Decision Making Skills -Motivational Skills -Good speaker at interviews but lack flair and command while speaking in public. -Not much leadership experience. -Respect time but problems in prioritizing issues. -Ability to make logical decisions but cannot make it quickly. -De-motivated during tough times. -Excellent public speaker. -Good leader with ability to designate authority and responsibility properly. -Be able to prioritize the important things with other. -Be able to make quick decisions with a logical approach. -Be able to motivate both others and myself towards obtaining goals and self improvement. -Practice in plenty of seminars and meetings. -Take public speaking class. -Support and advice from superiors. -Learning relevant books and practicing. -Good relevant books and articles. -Logical reasoning -Study materials. -Motivational seminars. -Professional help. -Motivational autobiographies and other books. -Confidence in passing through the idea. -People looking up to me. -First and important things getting done first. -Efficient and effective decision making. -Source of inspiration. -Within two years -Within three years -Within one year -Within three years -Within two years REFERENCE Online http://www.leeds.ac.uk/sddu/gts/pdp_student.html http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/progressfiles/guidelines/pdp/pdpguide.pdf http://www.engsc.ac.uk/downloads/resources/pdp.pdf Paperback R. Grit, N. van der Sijde, Career Development, Managing Your Competencies- The Personal Development Plan, 2008, page 200. Sonnentag Sabine, Psychological Management Of Individual Performance, Revised Development Plan, 2002, Page 516. TASK 2 INTRODUCTION It is very important that from time to time we need to review our performances in order stay in-line with targets we need to achieve. It is very helpful as we will be able to take corrective actions. Hence, in this task I shall be referring back to the PDP that I produced in the previous task and I shall carry out a detailed self-review for each goal. OBJECTIVES Identification of obstacles that hinders achievement of my targets. Explaining the importance and need to reviewing, self-reviewing and monitoring. Providing reflective record of management experience in achieving my objectives. Elaborating the importance of obtaining support from other to achieve goals and objectives. REPORT From: Sudhir Gurung (Management consultant) To: Managing Director Subject: reviewing, self-review and peer support for target attainment I have realised the fact that a good plan is the base for anything however we cannot go through with it without reviewing it while in process and checking if we are on-course or not. It is so because there may be several obstacles on the road. Obstacles: The short term obstacles might be that as I am new to the organisation it will be difficult to obtain confidence and support from the staffs and get the real understanding of the situation. As my task will start from 1st of January many staffs may not return to work after holidays and may be difficult to conduct interviews and questionnaires within the deadlines. The long term obstacles might be in achieving leadership skills and motivational skills. These are very vague areas and one will require constant researching and improvement. It is extremely hard to be able to perfect these skills if any of the resources mentioned are not adequate. Dedication however is the key to succeed in these areas. Need of reviewing and monitoring plan: There is always the need of reviewing and monitoring of plans as in the absence of these things planning will have no meaning. Reviewing basically means watching at things with a critical viewpoint whereas monitoring means not letting things go out of track. The operations or activities will need to be in line with the plans and then only the goals that need to be achieved will be achieved. Importance of self-review: As it is said that self-review is the best review. One can only be able to understand others if he/she understands himself/herself. Self-review is a great tool available which will help to self analyse the strengths and weaknesses of oneself so that he/she can understand the opportunities and threats that may be there. It enables people to obtain a proper understanding of what they are doing well, what areas they need to improve and how to focus on those. It also helps to get a broader view on the issues and be clear of what your objectives are. My management experience I joined as a customer service agent in Gulf Air, Kathmandu, Nepal. After one and half years of service there I was made the baggage handling supervisor. My main objectives and their achievement were as follows: To get proper lost baggage handling training. I requested to the airport manager for providing me with the necessary training to do the job properly asap. I was sent to Bahrain for a week long training for baggage handling within a month of my appointment. Making sure proper records of lost baggage were kept in the system. I gave on the job training to one staff from the morning shift and the other from the late shift so both the morning and evening flights were covered. Increasing the efficiency of system update. I wanted to update the info for the baggage which reached Kathmandu mistakenly instead of the intended destination into the system immediately so other airports would be able to locate it and Gulf Air does not have pay extra compensation. Need for support from others: A positive integration of peoples efforts towards same direction causes synergy which will result in better performance and increment in the chance of better result. It is one of the most fundamental of management principals. I, in order to achieve my target, have rated support from my superiors and colleagues as one of the most important resources in my task 1. Conclusion To conclude I would like to say that I have determined the obstacles that may halt my progress towards attaining the goals. I have understood and explained the importance of reviewing, self-review and monitoring. I have provided a reflective record of my management experience in achieving objectives and also elaborated the need for support from others. REFERENCE Online: http://www.allbusiness.com/human-resources/workforce-management-employee-records/3779163-1.html http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=srf http://www.accel-team.com/techniques/employee_evaluation.html Paperback: New Zealand Institute of Public Administration, Self-review: doing it for yourself, May 1992. TASK 3 INTRODUCTION As per the requirement of task 3 of my assignment I have undertaken a research in various personal and professional skills needed by the companys staff member in three different organisations. I will, on the basis of my research will produce a presentation to the managing director of our company about the outcomes of my research. I will also produce a report regarding the recommendations. OBJECTIVES Choose three organisations and analyse how their staff personal and professional skills are developed Presentation to Managing Director and staff with outcomes Report to Managing Director with recommendation The three organisations: For the above mentioned purpose I have selected and researched the following three companies: Gulf Air ASDA InterContinental Hotels Group Gulf Air: In order to ensure their staffs develop personal and professional skills Gulf Air initially uses induction. It is given initially to the foundation skills required to operate successfully in the new role, training is provided in theory and practical work, in other words classroom and on the job. Learning and development is then the process used by Gulf Air where it is delivered through a variety of departments to ensure there is a focus on the specialist nature of roles in our business and to maximise access for our people. Training Departments form part of a Corporate Training Board ensuring that learning and development for all Gulf Air staff has a recognised place at an executive level of the business. All training and development is built on a firm commitment to release and maximise the full potential of every Gulf Air employee. More information is available under the sections for individual job areas. The next step will be to provide career paths to motivate and satisfy individu als within the organisation and to meet the on-going skill requirements of the business. Gulf Air recognises the need to identify and develop high quality replacements for positions designated as key to current and future organisational success. Gulf Air has a number of lateral career programmes in place providing existing employees with the opportunity to move across organisational boundaries in a co-ordinated and formal way. When vacancies arise, they are advertised internally and where possible we promote from within. ASDA: ASDA is very much into supporting its staffs to reach their potential. They have a wide variety of training and development options available. ASDA also starts with induction to increase the personal and professional skills of the new staffs. All new staffs are initially given an intensive induction session. It focuses on the best way to get staffs up to speed with business and find their feet as quickly as possible. It will ensure that the staffs are well versed to their business and culture and are also equipped with the tools to deliver in their roles. It then provides tailored training. After induction, first three months will involve tailored training programmes suitable the new staffs position in order to give him/her the support he/she need to be really efficient in their relevant roles. To help new managers learn how to best operate their department and perfect their leadership style, theyre given eight weeks of dedicated training in one of their specially selected training s tores which are called Stores of Learning (SOLs). These are typical ASDA stores with a training centre attached; set up to deliver tailored training to all our new managers in purpose built facilities. SDA has a Distribution Academy for new managers for its Distribution business so that staffs are given the best start possible, are trained in best practice and given all the necessary tools they may require. Every new manager spends time in the Academy learning the technical aspects of their role and working on their personal development. Part of the training also includes spending time in stores who are the Distribution networks internal customers. This gives new managers a thorough understanding of the issues that stores can face so that good support can be provided. It has programmes like a training plan to help strengthen technical skills, courses to develop behavioural skills or to prepare staffs for a bigger role. ASDA encourages staffs to create a Personal Development Plan w ith the help of their managers. This process will enable to set the goals for the staffs and the managers will also be aware of the desires of the staffs. Motivation level will be highly influenced by this method. InterContinental Hotels Group (IGH) As per the statement of IGH, it recognises human resource as one of the most influential resource needed to be successful in the business world. Hence it has a strong belief to invest in improving the skills of its staffs, quenching their thirst for career development will eventually make a huge difference in their area of business which is hospitality. As the first hotel group to develop and conduct an online version of the renowned Cornell Hotel Administration Simulation Exercise. The programme offers psychometric assessment and course content delivered by leading university academics thats focused on connecting with individual corporate, personal and career goals. This group has assessment centres across the world to help high performing individuals in corporate, executive and supervisory roles move on and up to the next level. IHG offers Fast Track Graduate Programmes Operations and Revenue Management. Over 24 months, candidates can gain experience in two hotels based in the UK. Each hotel will set their own individual projects linked to an individual training plan that will be supported and mentored by professionals. Candidates will also attend centralised training courses run by experts in their field. Programmes like this will provide ideal opportunities for fresh graduates to kick start their careers. PRESENTATION IN MICROSOFT POWERPOINT ( THE ATTACHMENT) REPORT To: Managing Director From: Sudhir Gurung (Manager) Subject: Clear and concise recommendations on the approach that need to be taken by Finance 4 U Dear Sir/Madam As it was my responsibility as a manager to look into various organisations as how they were doing in regards to personal and professional development of their staffs, I researched three companies on their strategies which were Gulf Air, ASDA and IHG. I found out several methods and techniques used by these organisations as my research shows earlier. In my personal point of view following methods and techniques could be used in our organisation to enhance the staff morale and overall efficiency at workplace: Induction: In my research I found out that induction is a must for any new staff as it acts as a bridge towards new company. It is an essential process of familiarising and hence has to be carefully designed by Finance 4 U management. Tailored training: It is a useful method I found out when researching the methods used by ASDA. Every individual is different with different knowledge level, language barrier, age group, education etc. As we are not a very large company tailored training can be provided to individual staff as and when needed. Appreciation day: It is also another unique idea that can be applied to increase the motivational level of the staffs in Finance 4 U. Different staffs at different levels and departments do not seem to understand the efforts of each others in here. If supervisors of one department are made familiar to another department and vice versa, I believe levels of appreciation of each others will improve leading the way for increment in morale. Providing career paths Maslows motivations theory is one of the most famous theories in management. It says that there is always a hierarchy in needs in a professionals vision. Initially he/she will look more into physical and security needs and later move towards more challenging and self-actualisation needs. Hence Finance 4 U should also understand this theory and be able to stimulate the interest of its important staffs so that they stay motivated by laying out clear paths and performance related incentives. Lateral career programmes I have been confirmed; through this research that monotony is one of the prime reasons for low morale. Hence in order to help avoid it, a good move would be lateral career programmes as well. It is actually a process of shifting employees to different departments so that they will be more experienced and also more motivated. Personal Development Plan (PDP) PDP needs to be prepared for each staff and passed on to their immediate manager and hence a general plan can be made on the basis of that guideline. Graduates Programme People with huge amount of potential needs to be provided with the opportunity to increase their educational background as well, as it will only benefit the organisation. He/she will have various management and other theories to back up their ideas and experience towards a progressive future of the company. Conclusion Id like to conclude this report by saying that there is a severe need in Finance 4 U to address this issue of personal and professional development amongst staffs so that the morale may climb high. I believe the recommendations I provided will be very helpful if it is implemented properly by the management. TASK 4 INTRODUCTION This task is about looking into the various methods used by management in skills development. For this purpose I have looked back at the three companies that I have researched and analysed what methods have they used. Along with that Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is also to be looked in detail. OBJECTIVES Analysis of various methods of skills development. Analysis of methods used by the three organisations. Examples of Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Importance of CPD. Various methods of skills development: Just because you have two ears and a mouth doesnt mean you know how to communicate. A Mothers Advice To Her Son Like the quote said just because you can speak well amongst your friends, it doesnt mean that you can communicate well professionally. These are all part of skills that one person must acquire to develop him/herself personally and professionally. The initial part of skills development begins and develops during our education. We develop lot of personal skills at that time period like some communication skills, listening skills, time-management skills, problem solving skills etc. However generally professional skills are developed as it is a case of practice and experience mostly after a person is employed. Having said that skills development is a life-long process and hence it needs to be honed with practice as the famous quote says, Practice makes perfect. The three organisations: I would like to look back at the three organisations that I had researched and analyse their methods of skills development again. Gulf Air: Gulf Air is committed to setting people up for success from the moment they join the organisation. Induction is given initially to the foundation skills required to operate successfully in the new role, training is provided in theory and practical work, in other words classroom and on the job. Gulf Air is very much committed to the growth and development of its people. Learning and development at Gulf Air is delivered through a variety of departments to ensure there is a focus on the specialist nature of roles in our business and to maximise access for our people. Training Departments form part of a Corporate Training Board ensuring that learning and development for all Gulf Air staff has a recognised place at an executive level of the business. Gulf Air realises the need to provide career paths to motivate and satisfy individuals within the organisation and to meet the on-going skill requirements of the business. It also recognises the need to identify and develop high quality replacements for positions designated as key to current and future organisational success. Gulf Air has a number of lateral career programmes in place providing existing employees with the opportunity to move across organisational boundaries in a co-ordinated and formal way. When vacancies arise, they are advertised internally and where possible we promote from within. ASDA: ASDA is very much into supporting its staffs to reach their potential. They have a wide variety of training and development options available. The few of the methods used by ASDA are given below: Induction All new staffs are initially given an intensive induction session. It focuses on the best way to get staffs up to speed with business and find their feet as quickly as possible. It will ensure that the staffs are well versed to their business and culture and are also equipped with the tools to deliver in their roles. Tailored training After induction, first three months will involve tailored training programmes suitable the new staffs position in order to give him/her the support he/she need to be really efficient in their relevant roles. Colleague to manager training New retail managers New distribution managers ASDA House colleagues Career progression through practical development programmes: Seven step practical development programme At ASDA there is a seven step practical development programme that helps staffs to take their development to the next level. The programme builds on current leadership and shop keeping skills through off the job learning, on the job activities and coaching sessions. Stepping Stones is targeted at staffs who want to grow to become Department Managers and some have even continued their development to General Store Manager and further more. New managers stores To help new managers learn how to best operate their department and perfect their leadership style, theyre given eight weeks of dedicated training in one of their specially selected training stores which are called Stores of Learning (SOLs). These are typical ASDA stores with a training centre attached, set up to deliver tailored training to all our new managers in purpose built facilities. Store Appreciation Day At ASDA, it gives priority to its customers and for all the staffs of ASDA who do not work at stores are given induction about how the stores are run. This will lead to those staffs being more aware of the circumstances in the store where all the business is actually performed. Career Progression for staffs ASDA has understood the fact that if there is no progression in ones career even though the job is rewarding becomes monotonous and the efficiency will drop. Hence it has a variety of programmes of sessions available at different stages of the staffs development in any role. It has programmes like a training plan to help strengthen technical skills, courses to develop behavioural skills or to prepare staffs for a bigger role. Personal Development Plan ASDA encourages staffs to create a Personal Development Plan with the help of their managers. This process will enable to set the goals for the staffs and the managers will also be aware of the desires of the staffs. Motivation level will be highly influenced by this method. Professional qualifications At ASDA there are many opportunities with funding or study leave for Professional qualifications such as CIMA for Finance, CIPS (for Retail Development team) etc. This does depend on the role of the staffs in the different departments. There is a structured programme in place whilst others may be able to consider ad hoc requests for study funding or time off, if this is related to their role. InterContinental Hotels Group (IGH) Belief in investing in people: As per the statement of IGH, it recognises human resource as one of the most influential resource needed to be successful in the business world. Hence it has a strong belief to invest in improving the skills of its staffs, quenching their thirst for career development will eventually make a huge difference in their area of business which is hospitality. CHASE: As the first hotel group to develop and conduct an online version of the renowned Cornell Hotel Administration Simulation Exercise (CHASE), you can also take part in a sophisticated virtual reality game for running a hotel. Assessment centres across the world This group has assessment centres across the world to help high performing individuals in corporate, executive and supervisory roles move on and up to the next level. The basic points of these assessment centres are that their staffs know what success means their roles; they will be involved in regular, quality feedback instructions; they will have the opportunity to develop both in their current and future roles; they will know what career opportunities are available with IHG around the world.

Review of literature on Postoperative Pulmonary Complications

Review of literature on Postoperative Pulmonary Complications According to Polit and Hungler (1999) the task of reviewing research literature involves the task of reviewing research literature involves the identification, selection, critical analysis and written description of existing information on the topic. Related literature which was reviewed is discussed under the following headings. Studies related to overview of the postoperative pulmonary complications. Studies related to chest physiotherapy and incentive spirometry. Studies related to overview of postoperative pulmonary complications Soledad Chumillas (1998) posited that pulmonary function is commonly altered after surgery, particularly in patients who have had chest or upper abdominal surgery. The physiological changes observed are directly related to anaesthesia (general or regional) and to the type of incision and surgical technique employed, and are reflected by decreases in total pulmonary capacity and pulmonary volumes and by a parallel decrease in Pa02. Yoder (2009) said that thoracic and upper abdominal surgery is associated with a reduction in vital capacity by 50% and in functional residual capacity by 30%. Diaphragmatic dysfunction, postoperative pain, and splinting make these changes. After upper abdominal surgery, patients shift to a breathing pattern with which ribcage excursions and abdominal expiratory muscle activities increase. Postoperative patients maintain adequate minute volume, but the tidal volume is very low and the respiratory rate increases. These abnormal breathing patterns, along with the residual effects of anesthesia and postoperative analgesics, inhibit cough, impair mucociliary clearance, and contribute to the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. David Warner (2005) described that many factors responsible for PPCs are related to disruption of the normal activity of the respiratory muscles, disruption that begins with the induction of anaesthesia and that may continue into the postoperative period. The effects of anaesthesia can persist into the postoperative period, though via different mechanisms, as the effects of surgical trauma come into play. These are most pronounced following thoracic and abdominal surgery, and arise from at least three mechanisms. First, functional disruption of respiratory muscles by incisions, even after surgical repair, may impair their effectiveness. Postoperative pain may cause voluntary limitation of respiratory function. Finally, stimulation of the viscera, such as provided by mechanical traction on the gallbladder or esophageal dilation, markedly decreases phrenic motor neurone output and changes the activation of other respiratory muscles, in general acting to minimize diaphragmatic descent. Other factors that may contribute to PPCs include: 1) Reflex stimulation during surgery, and release of inflammatory mediators by drug administration, increasing airway resistance and limiting expiratory gas flow from the lung; if severe this can produce hyperinflation with risk of barotrauma and gas exchange abnormalities. 2) Impairment of normal mucociliary transport by anaesthetic gasses and endotracheal intubation which may delay clearance of pathogens and promote retained secretions 3)Impairment of lung inflammatory cells function by prolonged anaesthesia and surgery, which could increase susceptibility to postoperative infections 4) Impaired upper airway reflexes postoperatively, with may increase the risk of aspiration, and 5) Incomplete reversal of neuromuscular blockade. Rochelle Wynne and Mari Botti (2004) postulated that the pathogenesis of postoperative pulmonary dysfunction is associated with anomalies in gas exchange, alterations in lung mechanics, or both. Abnormalities in gas exchange are evidenced by a widening of the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient, increased micro vascular permeability in the lung, increased pulmonary vascular resistance, increased pulmonary shunt fraction, and intrapulmonary aggregation of leukocytes and platelets. Variations in the mechanical properties of the lung lead to reductions in vital capacity, functional residual capacity, and static and dynamic lung compliance. Woerlee (2009) listed certain performance criteria for the respiratory system of a surgical patient. They are: The lungs must have sufficient oxygen to oxygenate the blood. The pulmonary circulation must eliminate carbon dioxide from the body to prevent carbon dioxide accumulation. The client must be able to generate a productive cough, otherwise mucus accumulation will occur resulting in atelectasis and/or lung infection or pneumonia. The client must be able to significantly increase their respiratory minute volume to compensate for factors such as increased postoperative metabolic rate, elevated body temperature, possible infections, pneumonia, etc. Poor performance in significantly raising and sustaining an elevated respiratory minute volume results in exhaustion and respiratory failure. Postoperative pulmonary complications account for a substantial portion of the risks related to surgery and anaesthesia and are a source of postoperative morbidity, mortality and longer hospital stays. The current basis for our understanding of the nature of Postoperative pulmonary complications is weak; only a small number of high quality studies are available, a uniform definition has not emerged, and studies have focused on specific patients and kinds of surgeries. Current evidence suggests that risk factors for Postoperative pulmonary complications are related to the patients health status and the particular anaesthetic and surgical procedures chosen. Age, pre-existing respiratory and cardiac diseases, the use of general anaesthesia and overall surgical insult are the most significant factors associated with complications. Election of anaesthetic technique, postoperative analgesia and chest physiotherapy seem to be the preventive measures that are best supported by evidence. (J.C anet, V.Mazo, 2010) J.C.Hall ., et.al (1991)evaluated the relationship between postoperative pulmonary complications and various putative risk factors in a prospective longitudinal study of 1000 patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Transient subclinical events were studied by defining postoperative pulmonary complications as positive clinical findings in combination with either positive sputum microbiology, unexplained pyrexia, or positive chest roentgenographic findings. The overall incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications was 23.2%(232/1000). These findings supplies clinicians and clinical nurse with a simple means of identifying patients who are at high risk of postoperative pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery. Postoperative pulmonary complications contribute significantly to the overall perioperative morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary complications occur significantly more often in patients undergoing elective surgery of the thorax and abdomen. These include atelectasis, infections including bronchitis and pneumonia, respiratory failure and bronchospasm. Sharma (2000). The study findings of Brooks-Brunn (1995) revealed that atelectasis and infectious complications account for the majority of reported pulmonary complications. Risk factors were thought to exaggerate pulmonary function deterioration, which occurred both during and after surgical procedures. 18 risk factors were reviewed regarding their Pathophysiology, impact on preoperative, intra operative and postoperative pulmonary function in this study. Identification of risk factor and prediction of postoperative pulmonary complications are important. Preoperative assessment and identification of patients at risk for postoperative pulmonary complications can guide our respiratory care to prevent or minimize these complications. Postoperative pulmonary complications were investigated in a total of 41 paediatric recipients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. Atelectasis was seen in 40 cases (98%) of the 41 recipients, and occurred in the left lower lobe in 28 cases (68%), and in the right upper lobe in 25 cases (61%). Radiographic pulmonary edema occurred on 23 occasions in 18 recipients (45%). Five recipients experienced two episodes of pulmonary edema during their ICU stay. Pleural effusions were observed in 21 cases (52%), of which 18 had right sided effusion and 3 had bilateral effusions. Pneumothorax occurred in 3 cases. Pyothorax, hemothorax, bronchial asthma and subglottic granulation occurred in one case each. The present study demonstrated that postoperative pulmonary complications are frequently observed in paediatric recipients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation. (Toshihide et.al.,1994). Kanat et al., (2007) studied the risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications in upper abdominal surgery. They concluded that pulmonary complications are the most frequent causes of postoperative morbidity and mortality in upper abdominal surgery. A prospective study on 60 consecutive patients was conducted who underwent elective upper abdominal surgery in general surgical unit. Each patients preoperative pulmonary status was assessed by an experienced chest physician using clinical examination, chest radiographs, spirometry, blood analysis, anaesthetical risks, surgical indications, operation time, incision type, duration of nasogastric catheter and mobilization time. Complications were observed in 35 patients (58.3%). The most complications were pneumonia followed by pneumonitis, atelectasis, bronchitis, pulmonary emboli and acute respiratory failure. They recommend a detailed pulmonary examinations and spirometry in patients who will undergo upper abdominal surgery by ch est physicians to identify the patients at high risk for postoperative pulmonary complications, to manage respiratory problems of the patients before surgery and also to help surgeons to take early measures in such patients before a most likely postoperative pulmonary complications occurrence. Serojo et al., (2007) in a prospective cohort study, studied risk factors for pulmonary complications after emergency abdominal surgery. Pertinent data were collected through interview and chart review and their association with the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications were analyzed. 286 consecutive children were included and 75 (28.2%) developed postoperative pulmonary complications. Pulmonary complications are frequent among children undergoing abdominal surgery and lead to increased length of hospital stay and death rate. Kilpadi ,et al., (1999) in a prospective study of respiratory complications, conducted a study for a period of six months with total samples of 584 patients, who underwent elective or emergency surgery. He found that 81 of them had 13.9% of respiratory complications, 68% had pneumonia and others included pleural effusion, empyema and exacerbation of asthma. Felardo et al., (2002) investigated the postoperative pulmonary complications after upper abdominal surgery. Two hundred and eighty three patients were followed from pre to postoperative period. A protocol including a questionnaire, physical examination, thoracic radiogram and spirometry was used during preoperative period. Sixty nine (24.4%) patients had pulmonary complications in 87 events registered. Pneumonia was the most frequent event 34% (30/87) followed by atelectasis 24% (21/87), broncho constriction 17% (15/87), acute respiratory failure 13% (11/87), prolonged mechanical ventilation 9% (8/87) and bronchial infection 2% (2/87). Pulmonary complications occurs more frequently than cardiac complications. The complication rates for upper abdominal and thoracic surgery are the highest. A better understanding of the risk factors associated with postoperative pulmonary complications is essential to develop strategies for reducing these complications. In any individual patient the benefit from a surgical procedure should be weighed against the risks it imposes. When possible, stabilization of respiratory status is advisable before surgery. (Muhammed Aslam, Syed Hussain, 2005). Decline in pulmonary function after major abdominal surgery is thought to be identified in daily assessment by observation of breathing and pain intensity. Measurement of pulmonary function is usually not included in the assessment of the patient in postoperative period. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between clinical observation of breathing and decline in pulmonary function and pain. Eighty nine patients admitted for elective major, mild and upper abdominal surgery, participated in the study. Clinical observation of breathing covered the following parameters like abdominal expansion, side expansion, high thoracic expansion, paradoxical breathing, symmetry of thorax expansion, ability to huff and signs of mucus retention. Pain intensity was assessed at rest and during breathing exercises and during coughing using a visual analogue scale. Peak expiratory flow rate were performed on the preoperative day and for seven postoperative day. A poor correlation is found between clinical observation of breathing and pulmonary function after abdominal surgery. (Johannes vandeleor et al ., 2003). Fung et al., (2010) compared postoperative respiratory complications in obese and nonobese children following surgery for sleep-disordered breathing. All obese children who had undergone adenotonsillectomy for sleep-disordered breathing from 2002 to 2007 were compared with age- and gender-matched controls. Length of hospital stay and the incidence, severity, and location of respiratory complications were compared.  Forty-nine obese children were identified (20:29, female: male). Overall, 37 obese children (75.5%) and 13 controls (26.5%) incurred complications (P = 0.000). Ten obese patients and two controls incurred major events (P = 0.012); 36 obese children had minor complications versus 12 controls (P = 0.000). Obese children had significantly more upper airway obstruction (19 vs. 4, P = 0.0003), particularly during the immediate postoperative period. The mean hospital stay was significantly longer for the obese group (18 vs. 8 hours, P = 0.000, mean difference of 10 hours). He concluded that Obesity in children significantly increases the risk of respiratory complications following surgery for sleep-disordered breathing. Sixty patients were studied to determine the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications and the value of preoperative spirometry in producing pulmonary complications after upper abdominal surgery. On the day before the operation and for 15 days after the operation, each patients respiratory status was assessed by clinical examinations, chest x-ray, spirometry and blood gas analysis. A chest physician and surgeon monitored patients for pulmonary complications independently. In this study postoperative pulmonary complications developed in 21(35%) patients (pneumonia in 10 patient, bronchitis in 9 patients, atelectasis in 1 patient, pulmonary embolism in 1 patient) of 31 patients with abnormal preoperative spirometry, 14 patients showed normal preoperative spirometry, 7 patients showed complications. It was concluded that postoperative pulmonary complications was still a serious cause of postoperative morbidity. (Kocabas et al.,1996). Study conducted by Ephgrave et al., (1993) revealed that postoperative pneumonia was a major complication that had been linked to micro aspiration of pathogens originating in the gastrointestinal tract. 140 patients who had undergone major surgeries were selected. Postoperative pneumonia is present in 26 (18.6%) of 140 patients. Postoperative pneumonia is a morbid postoperative complications associated with presence of gastric bacteria during operation and transmission of gastric bacteria to the pulmonary tree after surgery. Studies related to chest physiotherapy and incentive spirometry Chest physiotherapy is an important therapy in the treatment of respiratory illness. It is very important to carry out this procedure in children for the purpose of loosening secretions from the lungs. Morran, et al., (1993) has done a randomized controlled trial on physiotherapy for postoperative pulmonary complications. A sample size of 102 patients undergoing cholecystectomy were assigned to control group and study group. The patients in the control group did not receive chest physiotherapy, while patients in the study group received chest physiotherapy. The study proved that without chest physiotherapy 21 patients developed atelectasis and 19 patients developed chest infections whereas with chest physiotherapy 15 patients developed atelectasis and 7 developed chest infection and 40 patients developed no complication. The author concluded that routine prophylactic chest physiotherapy significantly decreased frequency of chest infection (p

QA Fred Smith CEO of the FDX holding company that includes FedEx :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

QA Fred Smith CEO of the FDX holding company that includes FedEx Federal Express Corp. started tracking packages electronically well before the commercial Internet emerged. Now, that infrastructure has been firmly plugged into the Internet, letting customers track shipments in real time and even pull reams of shipping data into their internal systems. Meantime, the shipping giant is taking those lessons into new territory. It has launched a consulting practice that helps manufacturers tighten their own supply chains and reduce inventory requirements by more closely tracking the movement of supplies and finished products. Related Story: FedEx Delivers On CEO's IT Vision Additional Transforming Business Strategy Stories Transformation Of The Enterprise Home Page Colleagues and outsiders say it was all part of founder Fred Smith's vision, well before the commercial Internet, that "the information about the package would become as important as the package itself." Smith, now CEO of the FDX holding company that includes FedEx, spoke with editor in chief Robert Preston and managing editor David Joachim at FDX headquarters in Memphis. Excerpts follow: InternetWeek: How hands on are you when it comes to FDX's Internet strategy? Smith: I'm very intimately involved with our strategies as they apply to information and telecommunications. I'm not an expert in them, but I think I have a very good understanding of what they can do and the respective trends under way in those fields. InternetWeek: How vital is CEO involvement in the Internet strategy of a company? Smith: I think it's vital in almost every industry I know of. I mean, I don't know many industries as well as I do my own, but I am constantly amazed at the profundity of IT and the Internet in almost every field and human endeavor, whether it's medicine, farming, the military, or any other thing that I brush up against. It's just all pervasive, it's changing the face of everything. And those that are not involved in it do so at their peril, in my opinion. InternetWeek: What advice do you have to IT executives who recognize their own company as an Internet laggard but have trouble convincing upper management that there will be serious consequences to that? Smith: I guess my advice to them would be to either convince them or get out. They're going to be toast if they don't. Big businesses, particularly big businesses that are involved in lots of different activities, have a very difficult time dealing with qualitative issues and, I guess as Wayne Gretzky would say, skating to where the puck is going to be rather than where it is now.

King Lear :: essays papers

King Lear In the play King Lear written by William Shakespeare a collection of images are used to express different points Shakespeare is trying to relay to his audience. One reoccurring image that kept popping up was animal images. Shakespeare displays these animal images when King Lear and many of the other characters in the play talk about Goneril and Regan. The animals that Lear and the other characters compare the two sisters to are not very pretty. They are compared to the likes of tigers, serpents, and even monsters. These reoccurring images have an important idea behind them that Shakespeare hopes to communicate his readers. Shakespeare waste no time in comparing Goneril and Regan to animals. When Lear parts from Goneril at the end of Act I, after she has sneered at him and diminished the number of his retainers, he calls her a â€Å"Detested kite† (I. iv. 269.). He also compares her to â€Å"the sea-monster† (I. iv. 268.), by which he possibly means a mythological monster that would betray its own father. King Lear also comments on his daughters ingratitude using animal imagery when he said,† How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child† (I. iv. 295-296.). Lear comments once more on his daughter’s â€Å"monster ingratitude† (I. v. 40.). Lear is showing how he feels about how his daughters are treating him by comparing them to unpleasant animals. Lear in scene IV has a quarrel with his other daughter, Regan, where again he uses animal images to show how his daughters are sinking below manhood to animals. Lear seeks out his daughter, Regan, at Gloucester’s castle, and finds out that her husband has put his faithful friend Kent in the stocks and that both husband and wife have retired to bed and do not wish to see him. When Regan finally comes down, she tells him â€Å"You should be ruled, and led by some discretion that discerns your state better than yourself† (II. iv. 147-149). Lear responds by saying â€Å"struck me with her tongue, most serpentlike, upon the very heart. (II. iv. 159-160). Lear here again is describing Regan to a serpent, which is a large poisonous snake. Both daughters seem to him now like unusually cruel animals. They show this when they shut him out into the stormy night. In the storm scene, Lear’s hurt from his daughters affect his attitude to the mad Tom of Bedlam (Edgar).

Children of Heaven Review

Children of Heaven This movie made me very thankful for everything I have in my life, including my shoes. I found it sad that All could not Just speak up for himself. If All would have asked the man working the grocery store about the shoes, then he might not go to all the trouble in the first place. I found it sad that the children had to work, and never got to play. The quality of life for this family bothered me deeply, and it made me blessed for the childhood that I had. The kids in this movie worked almost as servants to the adults, maintained pristine manors, and showed great perseverance.I noticed most of the adults in the movie were very strict, stern, and seemed like they were not afraid to beat a child. All made some of the highest grades in his class despite his hardships, he was a responsible kid. I Just don't understand why he did not speak up about the shoes to his teacher, principle, or coach. It was sad to see kids having to stick together, and share a pair of shoes t o prevent one of them from getting a beating. All's sister should have asked the other girl wearing her shoes, where she got them.The girl may have Just given them to her in exchange for the en, or when she received her new shoes. This movie was one hardship after another, heartbreaking for me to watch. It makes me want to donate shoes for children who may not have any at all. It was sad to see people In the movie live In lavish mansion, and then compare It to All's home. All's dad was paid very good for his gardening work, this money would be a precious asset to his family. When the man at the mosque gave All's dad the tools, this showed how the Islamic community supported the others In need. Overall It seemed Like a rough situation to me.

The Future Of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health

We are in a decade of change, as nurses we are set to be challenge on many levels in order to face these challenges we must all prepared. Recently the Institute of Medicine, 2010 (IOM, 2010) released a report on the future of nursing; its content outlines in great detail what changes will take place. A collaboration of many offered their expertise in and out of the field of nursing and how the following three areas may be enhanced or completely changed. This writer will attempt to give a single perspective on the issues of Education, leadership and practice and how they may be transformed over the next decade. The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health There have been many discussions by the IOM over the years about the impact of nurses on the care of patients and the obvious need for change. The pending arrival of the affordable care act (ACA) has propelled many of those changes to the forefront; we must remain steadfast in our goal to provide quality care to that patient who depends on us. When the implementation of transformation becomes not only a report but reality can and will it free us as patient care providers to offer a more advanced method of care? Transforming Education This initial goal will remain intact according to the opinion of the IOM report, that all nurses must be prepared to meet a diverse patient population. With that goal in mind the report indicates that educational requirements for the registered nurse (RN) will ultimately be geared towards higher degree attainment by the practicing nurse. Currently the pathways that are in place to obtain a nursing degree will not change but the nurse will be placed on a course to continue their education goals beyond that of and associate degree (ADN). The goal will be to enhance the programs in place and prepare the student nurse for a place in an undergraduate program; a plan to make that goal possible for all is also a need that the IOM report mentions as the current barrier. Affordability of nursing programs beyond that of the ADN now seems to be the greatest challenge; can these entities create such a pathway? Another proposal that this reader found interesting on education transformation, was the pathway for an increase in masters and doctoral degrees to increase the volume of prepared faculty. The current issues that are being faced now is that of faculty shortages in many of the nursing programs both at community and undergraduate campus’s. The ACA has what is noted as an incentive to offset lower faculty salaries which would provide up to $35,000 in loan repayments for eligible nurses who seek to complete advanced degrees. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act HR 3590, 2010). With such incentives in place this pathway may be considered as a means to an end in the advancement of education by the career oriented nurse, creating leaders is the way to create change. Transforming Leadership The IOM also reflects on the importance of nurses taking a stronger position in leadership. It is time for nurses to take a place at the table of change, that misconception that we are in pla ce to perform and not create will soon be eradicated. The report indicated there is a lack of nurse participation on many directorial boards this is a reason to transform. The placement of these programs is fundamental (Institute of Medicine [IOM, 2010],) to increasing nurse participation. It is true some leaders are born into their roles but not all and with the implementation of these leadership programs this writer believes future leaders can be created. The creation of mentorship programs is also a way to create leaders, as nurses we must make room for those coming up behind us and nurture the leader that lies in us all. This writer found the idea of creating training programs for nurses to represent us on the political front was the finest of all the recommendations, as nurses we must incite change at the very top and creating voices of change on this level would be an incomparable transformation. The ability to have our contributions heard and implemented will create a movement that will carry nursing forward and upward, can we be the voice of the idea and transformation of nursing practice? Transforming Practice. Our scope of practice dictates the boundaries for which we practice, the idea of the IOM report indicate as nurses we must be able to practice to the fullest potential of our educational backgrounds. This is especially important for the advanced practice nurse (NP), their roles must be universally defined for the future. The increase in patient population will see an upsurge in patient load with a shortage of primary care givers and this can only be disastrous for those seeking care. Creating a universal scope of practice for NP will eliminate this issue and it must happen now. The report indicated the barrier to this was the apprehension of acceptance by physicians; can we change a lifelong idea? As this writer has assessed all the pending changes it was asked how these changes will affect the ability to offer care, it is believed that higher education will create a more diverse approach to care and as a patient educator this is key to this nurse’s specialty. As for the other notations regarding care and leadership, this writer believes leadership roles will enhance the confidence of the role of the patient educator, finally increasing the quality of care provided. Conclusion In closing a transformation of change can only happen with the active participation of all nurses, we must become active in every facet of our future and not leave it up to others to speak on our behalf.