Analyze the associated activities in the evaluation phase of a patient Essay

Analyze the associated activities in the evaluation phase of a patient - Essay Example In any case all practitioners are required to know how to evaluate a patient. Traditionally nurse’s role in evaluating a patient has to record the observations made but not to interpret them. The main observation includespulse, temperature, rate of respiratory, blood pressure and consciousness level (Alice, 1985). The ability of nurse to record such observations accurately will determine the priority of the patient care. Assessment based on priority setting is one of the major skills that nurses that are newly fit may lack. There are elementary evaluation that can be executed on any patient while there are some that are specific to particular cases, for instancediseases that are chronic, trauma and other emergencies (Jacques, 1988). Unfortunately, the essential assessments are not always carried out. After taking patients details such as names and insurance, it is also important to understand if the patient has any historical background of an illness, such information include when the patient was last in the hospital? What disease was the patient last diagnosed? And other historical details of the patient (Allan, 2012). Such information gives a clue as to either the illness is recurrent of it involves new prescription. Patient evaluation is done through history of medical information (Alice, 1985). Physical examination is carried out so as to be able to notice any physical behavior that may likely to be caused by illness; some patients will have a pale skin and other physically observed conditions. Routine laboratory tests are necessary to try and establish the specifics of the disease (Jacques, 1988). Other diagnostic procedures can also be carried out. Physical examination must involve the suitable measurement of blood pressure, with contralateral arm confirmation. Optic fundi examination is also done. Further examination requires calculating the mass index of the body, the BMI calculation, measuring the circumference of the waist is equally

Why does the United States have an inconsistent policy in the middle Essay

Why does the United States have an inconsistent policy in the middle east - Essay Example (1). Since independence in 1776, the United States of America has followed a policy in the Middle East that is marked by its independence from its colonial master in the form of the British, and the other European allied powers, like France. However, it is the American policy in the Middle East that is crucial to the region, because of the strong influence it has in the region, though it has been a late entrant to the happenings in the Middle East. There is strong criticism that the inconsistent policies followed by the Americans, marked by self-interest have had a strong influence on the poor state of affairs in the Middle East. (2) United States Policy in the Middle East since 1776 and its Reasons American policy in the Middle East has been more at loggerheads with the earlier influential colonial powers till around the formation of Israel. The growing economic might of America meant that it would have a strong influence on the course and consequences of the First and Second World Wars. Yet, even though the Americans went to war in Europe in favor of its allies, the then President of USA Woodrow Wilson refused to declare war against their enemy Turkey, despite the genocide that was occurring in Armenia, due to Turkish actions. (3). The Suez Crisis of 1956 is another marked example of the US differing with its European NATO allies on the Middle East. Britain and France believed that Nasser was inimical to the interests of the Western world. While America agreed with this evaluation, it was against any use of force against Nasser to prevent opening the door to the Soviets. America worked against British and French action. (4). America has thus demonstrated its desire for influence in the Middle East, even to the extent of upsetting its European NATO allies. This desire is a reflection of the self-interest that America has in the region. (2). The allurement for the Middle East for America is based on its national interests including control of a region with abun dance of oil. Yet, America has used diplomatic, economic or military power towards this end. In other words, economic appeasements and use of the military might have been the main weapons used by America to appease its national interests in the Middle East. This has led to the charge of inconsistencies in American policy in the Middle East. America has used economic and diplomatic means to draw to it national leaders with whom it believes it can deal with from strength and acted to use economic and military might to overthrow or marginalize national leaders that it does not like. Such inconsistent policy stems from its belief in its moral superiority that came with the â€Å"Pilgrims at Plymouth† and its attraction to an exotic Middle East that it sees as â€Å"the mysterious, menacing Orient†. (1). Israel in the Middle-east has been a fixture in American policy in the Middle East and the reason for its inconsistent policies in the Middle East that runs against its gra in of liberty and justice. The strong pro-Israeli has both political and religious basis. The political basis is reflected in the words of President during the formation of Israel and the strong American backing â€Å"I have to answer to hundreds of thousands who are anxious for the success of Zionism.† (1). This can be construed to mean that at there are many more Jews in America than Muslims from the Middle East. The religious entanglement in American policy in the Middle East comes from missionary zeal in attempting to change the Middle East to mirror its liberal and Christian values, such that the land that it is attracted to changes in its eyes for the better. (1). The political and religious basis of American policy i

Look to the Future or to the Past Essay Example for Free

Look to the Future or to the Past Essay Today there are many obstacles to success, and the decisions you make, along with a little bit of luck will greatly influence whether you succeed or not and the magnitude of this success. Now the things we have done on the past will influence what people think about us, influence the actions that people have on us, and is significant in the situations you will be put in. However, when we are faced with making a decision nowadays, we must look at the big picture: What will happen to me because of this decision tomorrow? Next month? Next year? How about in 5 or 10 years? How will my friends and family be affected? And are the consequences going to be good or bad? This big picture is why I believe that people must look to the future when making decisions because it holds more weight in making a decision. Looking to the future is more likely to help you make a good decision because it makes you look at what will happen as a result of a decision with a clear head. If you look to the past, your judgment might be clouded with what did happen without understanding that it simply is what DID happen, and it probably won’t happen again, but the decision you make will effect what will happen. The big picture is always important here because every small decision that a person makes can have a huge effect on what the future will be like. For example, lottery winners have a tough time deciphering this and looking at the big picture. Most lottery winners just take the cold hard cash instead of getting equal payments every year for the rest of their lives, these winners not looking to the future, just go and squander away all of their money as if they have an unlimited amount when they essentially just have a minor boost, like a shot of nitrous or steroids. Just like the lottery winners if they can’t spend the money well, which most of them don’t, they lose it all and fast, backed up by the fact that 70% of lottery winners spend up all of their money in years. This is simply because they didn’t look at the big picture and that is a problem today, people are always looking for a quick fix, instead of looking at the big picture. Clearly, having the ability to make big decisions is just as rare in some cases as winning the lottery, you usually only get one chance and by looking at the big picture, to the future, it can help you make the best decision. In conclusion, I think it is best if we look towards the future. This is because as people we must look at the big picture when making a decision so e can make the best decision possible to help shape our lives the right way, and looking to the future will help us on this task. As they say if we don’t learn from history it will repeat itself, so we must learn from history and learn to apply it to our future by always looking ahead. That is a quality that us humans have is to look ahead, and in this world, looking ahead is our best shot at success because making a decision won’t influence your past, which cannot be changed, however, it will affect your future.

Competitive advantage of Firms in Global Industry

Competitive advantage of Firms in Global Industry THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF FIRMS IN GLOBAL INDUSTRY Introduction First and foremost, the important aspect to note and to discuss is the creation and sustainability of competitive advantage of multinational enterprise in the Global world and how strategies formed by each firm contributes to competitive advantage. Strategic competition An industry regardless is a combination of group of competing companies providing services or products that compete directly with each other. Products are encircled by strategically oriented industries especially if they have similarities in competitive advantage. The industries who share the same consumers, technologies, production channels, and etc. have their distinct way of competitive advantage requirements. Multinational enterprise competition is either won or lost depending on how successful their strategic competitive advantage favors them. The industry is an open avenue where multinational enterprise can compete with each other. Firms use competitive advantages to sustain and maximize profit for themselves although, there is no best competitive advantage but only the strategic means that is in favor of the firm succeeds. There are two major aspects to be considered while choosing a firms competitive advantage. The structure of the industry where the firm competes. The industrial competitiveness differs to each other, so for sustainable profits, not all industries offer same opportunities. Positioning within an industry: competitive positioning is very important but some multinational enterprise in a highly attractive industry may still be in difficult situation and might not have earned satisfactory profits if it has not chosen the right competitive positioning. Changes in the structure or entry barrier of industry can influence the attractiveness of the industry. Analytical structure of industry There are five competitive forces that explain what multinational enterprises undergo in order to compete with each other in the industry. They are as follows: The threat of new entrants into the industry The threat of substitute products or services of another firm Suppliers bargaining power Buyers bargaining power Rivalry among the existing competitors The performance and the profitability of each multinational enterprise are determined by the strength of the above mentioned five forces. Many industries where by the five forces favors them performs profitably well with great invested capital returns such as soft drinks, database publishing, pharmaceuticals etc. Whereas, industries which experiences pressure from one or more of those five forces tends to struggle and few among the firms in the industry realize profitability for a long term. The five forces are the basic tools used in determining the profitability of the industry because the prices firms charge are controlled by these forces and likewise the cost they have to bear and above all the investment required to competing in the industry. for instance, when a new entrants surfaces, there would be limits to the overall profit potential in the industry due to the fact that new entrants would bring fresh capacity and would look for market share pulling down margins. Higher cost of competitiveness brings about more profits for example, advertising, sales expense or passing on profits to customers in form of lower prices. Competitors tend to lower the price they charge on of products due to the presence of close substitute products. The structure of the industrys function is determined by the strength of each competitive factor for instance, the extent at which an enterprises sales is at risk to any one buyer and the issue of price sensitivity. This is regarded as buying power. Multinational enterprise can use their strategy influence the five forces to raise barriers of entry for instance the introduction of computer information to airline industry has raised the entry barrier as any new enterprise would require investment in hundreds of millions of pounds. Industrial structure varies and are different to each other depending on the type of industry it is such as the pharmaceuticals where barriers of entry is very high and difficult to penetrate due to the need of huge fixed research and development costs and economies of scale in selling to physicians. Getting and developing a substitutes and effective to drugs is not an easy task. The structure of the industry creates differing requirement for success such as differing skills and resources in different industries. Furthermore, multinational enterprise must be structurally attractive in the industry with sustainable entry barriers such as technology, skills, channels access and reputation of brand/product. Factor that might affect competitive advantage of multinational enterprise is the standard of living which would depend of the capacity of the firm to penetrate structurally attractive industries. Structural change helps competitiveness and creates opportunities for competitors to penetrate new industries. Structural change creates avenue for competitors to penetrate industries. A good example is the American dominance of IBM and Xerox, the firm was challenged successfully by a Japanese copier company due to underserved product segment such as small copier, using a new approach to the consumers by using dealers instead of direct sales, mass production of goods and pricing approach was modified. This strategic approach reduced the entry barriers and had a negative implication on the previous leaders (American firm) advantages. Positioning within industries According to Porter, at the heart of positioning is competitive advantage therefore for multinational enterprise to achieve success, they must possess a sustainable competitive advantage the two types of competitive advantages by Porter are as follows: Lower cost: this means being able to design, produce and market similar product more efficiently than other competitors. For example the Korean steel and semiconductor firm was able to produce at a very low cost, using low-wage but highly productive labor force and a modernized process. Differentiation: the ability to maintain quality and unique and superior value to consumers. From: http://tutor2u.net/business/images/competitive_strategies.gif Competitive Advantage Creation Competitive advantage would be shifted by innovation if multinational enterprise fails to perceive a new way of competing or are not able to respond to competition. For e.g. the Swiss watch producers were unable to identify the competitive advantage of Timex an American company due to the fear of low quality production whereas the American Timex mass produced inexpensive disposable watch. Causes of competitive advantages are: New technologies: some multinational enterprises steeped in an old technological paradigm cannot cope with this New and shifting consumer needs: in order to meet the needs of consumers firms might need to adopt a new value chain which might be difficult for some firms. For example the American fast food firms were able to gain competitive advantage over local restaurants due to this. Shifting cost: firms may find it difficult to compete as cost of production changes. New entrant /new industry segment: Government regulation changes: government may change her regulation such as the standard required for each products. This might be a barrier for some firms to compete. Highlights of factors affecting multinational enterprises There are two major types of factors affecting multinational enterprise. Internal factors External factors Internal factors include: Political parties Suppliers Buyers Competitors Consumer of respective country External factors include: Political environment, Legal environment, Socio-cultural environment Demographic conditions of respective country FURTHER EXPLANATION ON THE PROBLEMS FACING MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISE The supply chain of multinational companies can be made richer and promising, the cost of work force which is high could be changed or transformed and potential markets can be expanded. Furthermore, the advantage of multinational enterprise competition can be made stronger in a global market. Otherwise, some problems are met in the changed environments in foreign countries at the same time. The changed environments can be divided into four main parts, such as the following: Difference in culture Factors occurring in the environment Legal issues in environment Economic environment Political system issues All the changed environments make problems to multinational companies. In particular, problems which are caused by changed culture environment are the most serious aspect of running a multinational business. Cultural Competitive Advantage The norms and values of a country contribute to the cost and influence the cost of doing business in that country and likewise, the cost of doing business in a country enhances the strength of firms competitive advantage in an international market. For instance, the Hindu does not support capitalism as the ethics embedded in the Protestantism and the Confucianism furthermore, the Islamic laws disallowing interest payments mat raise the cost of doing business by constraining a countrys banking system. The example of Japans cultural influence of competitive advantage on international business cannot be over emphasized due to its ability to lower the cost of doing business such as group affiliation, loyalty, reciprocal obligations, honesty, and education which has contributed to the success of the countrys competitive advantage. In comparison of Japan and American firms, it has been argued that Japan is not in support of entrepreneur whereas the Americans are which has made it possible for the American firms to dominate companies that are in support of entrepreneurial activities such as biotechnology and computer software. Maintaining Economic Competitiveness Factor bestowal/benefaction As argued by Michael Porter, according to Heckscher-Ohlin theory, governments investment in education would go a long way to help the country by giving a good and proper education and skills to a larger population in the country. A good example is Japan, the secrete behind her success is the provision of quality education to a larger number of her population, which has tremendously maintained, contributed and helped her competitive advantage. Status of demand The status of home demand has a major role to play in the production of domestic products which enables firms to be innovative and aspire for quality. Japaneses quality camera production is due to the need for consumers demand. Complementing industries The existence of complementing industries would help the strength of its competitive advantage such as the Swedish steel industrys strong competitive advantage due to the production of fabricated steel like ball bearing and cutting tools. Adopted strategy, structure and firms rivals According to Michael Porter argument, the idea developed or employed by each country varies which might or might not help them maintain national economic competition. According to him, the Japanese and the German firms are being dominated by top engineers whereas in the USA, that with good financial background dominates the firms. He further argues that the USAs loss of power in the engineering dominated firms was due their adopted idea. Furthermore, rivals into the industry always bring about ways of improving production quality, cost reduction and innovative ideas which helps firms to compete internationally. Conclusion Michael Porter has very good competitive ideas which could help a firm to compete internationally. References: Richard M.S Wilson and Collingilligan A. (2007) Strategic marketing management, planning, implementation and control 3rd edition. Elsevier limited. Helen Deresky (2006) International Management, Managing Across Borders and Cultures. 5th Edition, USA: Pearson prentice hall. Jan Aart scholte (2000) Globalization, A Critical Introduction, 2nd Edition. Palgrave Macmillan. McGraw-Hill/, (2005) international business: competing in the Global marketplace 5th Edition. The McGraw-Hill/Irwin companies Inc. http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/global-business-global-strategy.html 4th Jan 2010 http://i.investopedia.com/inv/articles/site/IndustryHandbook1x.gif 5th Jan 2010 http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/56/36/1922428.pdf 9th Feb 2010 http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Discuss-Management-Problems-Facing-Multinational-Companies/120224 10th Feb 2010 http://tutor2u.net/business/images/competitive_strategies.gif 11th Feb 2010 http://www.articlealley.com/article_183485_22.html 13th Feb 2010

The Effect of Age on Taste Essay -- Senses Aging Essays

The Effect of Age on Taste The sense of taste has to be one of the most important human senses. It gives an individual the ability to recognize consumables that are encountered on a regular basis such as a favorite steak platter or a favorite wine. However, when that individual reaches a particular age the sense of taste deteriorates, which can result in potentially dangerous conditions such as malnourishment or susceptibility to diseases. This problem of taste loss due to aging needs to be studied more because it can effect both the physical and mental health of many elderly people. When elderly individuals try to live life with a weakened ability to recognize certain food flavors or any other consumable item, their dietary needs can be greatly affected. A certain number of foods are not going to taste good enough to satisfy the appetites of the elderly, so they might resort to using unhealthy eating habits. For example, they could lose the motivation to eat certain foods such as vegetables or meats and increase the consumption of foods that are low in nutritional value such as candies or pastries. This shift can result in health problems such as a loss in bone mass, a weakened immune system, weak muscles, and high blood pressure. Elderly citizens need to acquire a specific amount of nutrients in order to maintain a healthy life style. Spence (1989) mentioned that diets which maintain adequate levels of vitamins and minerals and also consist of 50 to 55% carbohydrates, 12 to 15% proteins, and 25 to 35% fats are recommended for persons over the age of 50. In order for the elderly to live up to a healthy diet, they need to consume nutritious foods that will taste good to them. The problem with this situation is how to h... ...ews, 50 (12), 72-75. Miller, J. (1988). Human taste bud density across adult age groups. Journal of Gerontology, 43 (1), 26-30. Schieber, F. (1992). Aging and the senses. In J. E. Birren, R. B. Sloane, & G. D. Cohen (Eds.), Handbook of mental health and aging. San Diego: Academic Press Inc. Schiffman, S. (1977). Food recognition by the elderly. Journal of Gerontology, 32 (5), 586-592. Schiffman, S. (1994). Changes in taste and smell: Drug interactions and food preferences. Nutrition Reviews, 52 (8), 11-14. Schiffman, S. (1997). Taste and smell loss in normal aging and disease. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278 (16), 1357-1362. Spence, A. P. (1989). Biology of human aging. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Spitzer, M. E. (1986). Taste acuity in institutionalized and non institutionalized elderly men. Psychological Sciences, 43 (3), 71-74.

Comparing the Use of Language in Titus Andronicus and Hamlet Essay

Comparing the Use of Language in Titus Andronicus and Hamlet As characters of high birth and important political positions, Titus and Hamlet are necessarily observed closely by those around them for their reaction to the tragic events that have taken in place in their lives; and it is primarily the unique language with which they express their grief and anger that disconcerts both their enemies and their friends, and keeps them under an exacting scrutiny for the duration of their eponymous plays. The other characters in Titus Andronicus and Hamlet interpret the language of these tragic heroes, the devices it employs, the lack of decorum it exhibits, as the symptom of madness. It is a language born out of suffering and crafted by intelligence and insight, and, above all, a desire to push language to its expressive limit, and as such, a language that characters like Marcus, Tamora, Polonius, Horatio, and Gertrude cannot appreciate, and are quick to label madness. And yet there is also a sense in which this term in not wholly inapplicable, for, a s these plays demonstrate, there is a fine line between poetry and madness. The language of the principal characters in Titus Andronicus is fraught with poetic devices, such as allusion to classical mythology and extended similes, many of which are in the heroic style of Virgil and Homer and appropriate classical themes. Titus compares his return to Rome with "the bark that hath discharged his fraught/ [and] returns with precious lading to the bay/ from whence at first she weighed her anchorage" and voices a desire that the virtues of Rome's new leader, Saturninus, will "reflect on Rome as Titan's rays on earth" (I.i.71-73, I.i.225-226). Lucius describes the bodies of his dead broth... ...ft, Horatio. The funeral baked meats/Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables," thus realizing, through language, all of the implications of such a union of opposites (I.ii.180-1). Titus is also the only character in his play to make full sense of its themes-through the devices of metaphor, which yokes together seemingly disparate aspects of life, and the device of metonymy, which pares people and concepts down to their very essence, he comes to an understanding of the true nature of violence, grief, and revenge. Works Cited: Kurmode, Frank. Shakespeare's Language. The Penguin Group. London, 2000 Shakespeare, William. Titus Andronicus. Ed. Eugene M. Waith. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 5th ed. Ed. Robert DiYanni. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2002.

African American Discrimination Essay

African Americans and Discrimination Originally from Sub-Sahara Africa, thousands of African Americans were kidnapped and brought over to and sold in the United States during the Atlantic Slavery Trade. By 1860, before the Civil War, 3.5 million African Americans lived as slaves, mostly in the Southern United States. More than 500,000 lived as free persons in 33 states across the United States (2008). Today, many African Americans believed to have come from European American or Native American heritage. They believe to be direct descendants of captive Africans who were enslaved. The original Africans were not given the chance to colonize or immigrate to the United States; they were hunted down and chained together like animals, stacked on top of each other on the bottom of the ship, and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to a life they were not accustomed to- slavery. January 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation declaring freedom for African American slaves in sla very states. Following the signing of the bill, African Americans started facing even more problems with racial discrimination, segregation, racism, and prejudice. African Americans were beaten, put in jail, put to death, and denied basic human rights. To say African Americans were racially discriminated against only because of the color of their skin is an understatement. They were also racially discriminated against because of their sex, their religion, and their social class. During the last decade of the 19th century, racial violence and racial discrimination dramatically increased against African Americans. African Americans were not allowed to anything white people considered to be for â€Å"whites only†. They could not join any â€Å"white† organizations, attend any â€Å"white† schools, eat at â€Å"white† restaurants, or work at â€Å"white† establishments. Voting rights were stripped away, economic opportunities were denied, and suitable housing was not an option for them. In some areas in the South, African Americans couldn’t even worship at their own church or attend their own schools. African Americans were kept in a state of illiteracy and treated as if they were inferior to w hites. Life conditions were hard in the South for whites, new immigrants, and former slaves; that brought about the Great Migration to the Northern  states. African Americans went to the North searching for a promising life full of freedom, equality, and prosperity (2008). Between 1954 and 1968, the Civil Rights movement fought to abolish racial discrimination in the South. African American political leaders sought out ways to gain equality for blacks. Civil Rights programs were designed to enable people to become full citizens (Sykes, 1995). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 covered discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, and sex (Schaefer 2006). The United States Constitution was written to give Americans, not just African Americans, legal rights. The first amendment gave people the freedom of speech, assembly, and religion, and press, the fourth amendment guaranteed equal protection under the law, the thirteenth amendment made slavery illegal, and the fifteenth amendment forbids racial discrimination in access to voting. It took quite a few years for everyone to get used to having their newfound freedom. In the early 2 0th century, African Americans were still struggling for equality among whites in the workplace, education, income status, and social class. Many people are still being passed over for promotions because they are not what corporate America wants. Women have been pushed to the back of the line and given the lowest paying position resulting in double jeopardy (the subordinate status twice defined, as experienced by women of color) (Schaefer 2006). The glass ceiling, glass walls, and glass escalator (barriers that prevent the promotion of a qualified worker because of gender or race) effect has made an impact in the workplace with African American men and women as well. Whites have been given the best of everything over African Americans- positions, salary, housing, education, and political power. To help fight for change, affirmative action was created. Affirmative action (positive efforts to recruit subordinate group members, including women, for jobs, promotions, and educational opportunities) (Schaefer 2006), gave power back to the African American people. Today, African Americans have broken down barriers and achieved great success in several areas of life such as buying houses, getting college educations, obtaining high paying jobs, and joining distinguished groups. Not all discriminatory acts have been abolished completely; African Americans are still facing subtle racist acts against them that they tend to go unreported or unnoticed. As long as people continue to fight for positive change it can be achieved. References African American contributors. (2008). African Americans. New World Encyclopedia Sykes, M. (1995). Origins of affirmative action. National Organization for Women. National NOW Times. Schaefer, R, T. (2006). Racial and ethnic groups (10th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.