A Researched Investigation on Best Practices for English Language Learners Essay

ELL students represent a large percentage of the population within schools in the United States. This group of students is actually increasing more than that of English speaking students. (Shore, 2001). This group also has a very high drop out rate, coupled with low ranking grades, academic achievement and scholarly expectations. Truly, ELL students are considered an â€Å"at-risk† population. (Thompson, 2000). In order to confront this challenge, teachers are faced with a unique situation that requires a unique solution in order to help these students not only learn the English language, but also to bring them up to speed with the academic material congruent with modern learning standards. The focus of this investigation asks the question, â€Å"How can teachers best instruct English Language Learners (ELL) students when these mostly monolingual teachers are often ill-equipped with the necessary tools and environments for optimum learning? † The investigation will then state a hypothesis as to the proposed best models under which teachers can best instruct ELL students. The paper will then support this hypothesis, cross-referencing literature reviews which outline non-traditional models of instruction that have proven to be the most effective in instructing limited English learners. It will then finally look at some of the conclusions to be derived from the investigation, reflecting on how teachers can best inspire students, and offering a few real-world application scenarios to the adjusted models. Hypothesis The current modal that schools use to deal with ELL students is that of the â€Å"sorting paradigm. † This model normally â€Å"sorts† ELL students into low-quality education programs which do not challenge or inspire students. For this reason, many students will drop out of school and will not obtain a high school diploma. It is hypothesized that if ELL reform involve high-quality programs integrating other modules that differ from the current monolingual teacher/ traditional teaching scenarios, more success can be achieved by ELL students. Despite vast changes in second language acquisition theory and pedagogy in the last fifty years, an English-only classroom fronted by a teacher who is monolingual or who is encouraged to behave as if he or she is monolingual, has remained the dominant practice in the teaching of ELL. (Ellis 2004) Furthermore, non-traditional teaching scenarios also instill more of a sense of purpose and placement into students who are confronting the challenges of a new culture and a new language. Finally, these nontraditional models incorporate a greater sense of individual self esteem and opportunities for success than traditional models. Non-traditional models help students assimilate the culture, traditions, values, attitudes that are associated with their new language and surroundings. This paper will outline some of the recent literature supporting the hypothesis in favor of non-traditional ELL models, and will take a critical analysis that expounds upon some of the downfalls of traditional methods. Review of Literature Studies show that most teachers are ill-equipped at dealing with the different levels of language acquisition. A recent study from the Johns Hopkins University has mentioned some important tools for recognizing these different levels of language acquisition in students. This experimental study of reading programs for English language learners has shown that existing evidence favors bilingual approaches to teaching students, especially paired bilingual strategies that enable teachers to teach students reading in their native languages, and English, at the same time. This study also showed that English language learners benefited from other models of instruction such as systematic phonics, one-to-one or small group tutoring programs, cooperative learning programs, and programs emphasizing extensive reading. In order to effectively develop these programs, it is necessary for school systems to increase ELL budgets. Statistics show that there has been a huge increase in the amount of ELL students. (Nunez-Wormack, 1993) Unfortunately, while the number of students is actually growing, there have been huge cuts in budget programs designed to serve ELL students. A nontraditional model of teaching ELL involves a monolingual (English-speaking) teacher who only a traditional oral-classroom. The theory behind this model is that the ELL student will learn more from a monolingual teacher who will not be tempted to revert back to the student’s mother tongue as a means of understanding. This is also a theory that is becoming widely challenged in regard to ELL best practice methodology. Freeman and Freeman (2001) CITE believe that a traditional oral-based classroom does not take into account the multitiered nature of the students experience. The Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk (CRESPAR) gives us an example of these non-traditional systems of learning involving utilizing explicit teacher talk, think-aloud, story-telling, dramatizing, poetry readings, pantomiming, singing, peer-discussing, read-aloud, shared reading, small group instruction and peer instruction. Qualitative data analysis from a comparative study looking at traditional oral classrooms compared to a computer-assisted classroom also showed that the use of technology in ELL programs also showed positive effects for the use of computers in ELL classrooms. (Sullivana, Prattb 1999) Another issue in the traditional versus nontraditional models for ELL learning is that of monolingual versus bilingual (1st language usage) in the classroom. Typically, there has been a widespread acceptance of English-only medium of communication within the confines of an ELL classroom. There is a growing body of evidence that support the view that L1 (native language) and/or bilingual teaching methods are actually more beneficial to ELL students. Many studies have shown that bilingual scenarios actually support the student both technically and culturally in their advancement (see, e. g. , Judd, 1987). It is widely accepted by ELL teachers today that the use of L1 impedes students from process in the acquisition of English. According to Phillipson, (1992) English is best taught monolingual, by an English is a native speaker, and without the use of other languages, as the standards of English will drop. Recent research suggests that this rationale is not helpful. Currently, the drop-out rate for ELL students is unbelievable high. A study of effective practices for linguistically and culturally diverse students (Garcia, 1991) found that classrooms that integrated L1 were more successful in the long run, both in regard to use language and the transition to the English language. An NCLE survey identifies two studies that point towards the beneficial effect of L1 language use in subsequent oral and written English acquisition. (Robson’s 1982 study of Hmong refugees in Thailand and Burtoff’s 1985 study of Haitian Creole speakers in New York City). Rivera (1990) discusses a variety of options for integrating L1 into instruction, stating that because L1 is available, many more students will actually be inclined to participate in the classroom. Often, students will drop-out due to an insecurity and embarrassment to speak English. D’Annunzio (1991) reports that students had significant success with this model. Strei (1992) reports that drop-out rates decreased from a shocking 85% (with traditional monolingual English instruction) prior to the program to 10% (with the non-traditional bilingual model). Studies also show that this methods reduces social anxiety, increases the effectiveness for learning, takes into account important cultural factors, and allows for learner-focused curriculum development. Piasecka (1986) argues that it allows students to use languages as a â€Å"meaning-making tool† for effective communication, instead of an end in itself. How can teachers best instruct English Language Learner (ELL) students when these mostly monolingual teachers are often ill-equipped with the necessary tools and environments for optimum learning? Haynes & O’Loughlin (2002) introduce the concept of â€Å"scaffolding. † This refers to the teacher offering meaningful support, using questioning techniques to elicit response that can be related to the student’s own cultural background. Normally, this is not a technique provided within the classroom, and usually on the contrary, the teacher attempts to avoid all associations to the students native language and culture. The study also suggests that â€Å"sheltering† is an effective mechanism whereby the teacher introduces new content through the use of music, story-telling, visual aids and play. Another effective technique is â€Å"reciprocal teaching. † Using this method, the teacher presents and interactive lesson whereby he/she can assess the students comprehension in relationship to the lesson, constantly restructuring lessons in regard to student success. This method is successful in enhancing learning processes, and increases the self-esteem of the student. Proven Best Practice Guidelines for ELL Teachers and Learners What would be the characteristics of the best ELL educator, as well as the optimum program for ELL learning? The following is a suggested list from Texas A&M report, State of the Art Research and Best Practices in Bilingual/ESL Education, competent teachers should 1. Use many visual aids 2. Model appropriate behavior and language for students. 3. Use gestures, body language, and facial expressions to develop understanding. 4. Perform demonstrations to ensure comprehension and in depth understanding. 5. Use graphic organizers, story maps, semantic webbing, and paraphrasing techniques. 6. Provide vocabulary previews of forthcoming lessons. 7. Ask students to make predictions when reading stories aloud. 8. Adapt and simplify material in textbooks to make it more comprehensible. 9. Provide cooperative learning groups. 10. Utilize peer tutoring. 11. Provide multicultural content in classroom. 12. Seek out primary language support for students needing assistance. 13. Create a non-threatening environment where students feel comfortable to take risks with language. 14. Make connections between content being taught and students’ prior knowledge and experiences. 15. Provide much time for student engagement and interaction with the teacher. 16. Allow time for students to practice and apply daily lessons. Related Studies in Best Practice for the ELL Classroom Franco (2002) argues that students who are beginning their studies of English respond to non-verbal stimulus, and display a very limited understanding of language when it is only spoken. Currently, oral-teaching is the standard practice within ELL. Franco argues that students rely heavily on peers for language learning, and therefore benefit from work in small groups, and are particularly successful when this group work involves pantomiming, role-playing, and visual support. The author also concurs that only in later stages of language fluency does a student do well with ordinary conversations and printed-page learning. Many ELL children are faced by what Olsen (2000) refers to as â€Å"language shock,† or a struggle to learn a language within a society that is not always open to the diversity of other cultures. ELL students face many obstacles including a dilemma faced by the need to embrace a new language and culture, while at the same time, feeling that are forced to abandon their own language and surrender key aspects of their identity. Olsen refers to this as the power struggle between the old and new. Another challenge to students is the fact that they are primarily taught academic English. Many can attest that the languages learned in a classroom is very different than the â€Å"slang† spoken by their peers in the hallways. ELL students are usually separated from native English speakers, and do not have the opportunity to learn slang through social interaction. Olsen believes that ELL students, due to the current method of instruction, end up torn between their native culture and the new culture. (Meyer, 2000) suggests that teachers can help ELL students overcome these barriers though changes in instruction. Meyer suggests the strategy of Vygotsky’s social interactionist theory. This theory suggests that children internalize language and learning through cultural and group mediation. Vygotsky observed that higher mental functions developed through social interaction. Through these interactions, a child learns speech patterns, oral and written language skills, cultural clues, slang and symbolic knowledge. These things are what allow an ELL student, similarly, to obtain knowledge. The most important contribution of Vygotskian psychology to the ELL best-practice investigation, is called cultural mediation, which refers to the fact the people obtain specific knowledge through a shared knowledge of a culture. This is the process of internalization. Truly, a student cannot be expected to succeed without the mediation and internalization process, and equally, students can only gain this knowledge through non-tradition teaching methods. This theory sets up a classroom that fosters learning by such methods (as mentioned before) as modeling, internalization, cultural mediation, scaffolding and constructive understanding of projects. The social interactionist model has the gaol of making the ELL students become independent thinkers and problem solvers themselves. In the article, Turning Frustration into Success for English Language Learners, authors Brice & Roseberry-McKibbin (1999) address the issue of language learning disabilities. More than any other student, these students face the most challenge. The authors argue that the current system is â€Å"an underlying language learning system that is inadequate for learning any language. † These studies show that ELL student progress is greater when a speech pathologist and classroom teacher work together with learning in groups. These same studies also showed that progress was greater when these methods of teaching were employed on a consistent daily basis. The following is a summary of best practice strategies from Turning Frustration into Success for English Language Learners: Teachers should check in with students as to whether they understand was it is expected of them before starting a new project or lesson Students from similar cultural or linguistics backgrounds should be encouraged to support one another, and even sit near each other Repeating is necessary Teachers should come up with good questioning techniques. Students should be given ample time to formulate answers Students should be given time to think of answers before they are called on Teachers should avoid giving content which is beyond expectations Teachers should speak slowly Teachers should use multi-sensory methods (hands-on) Scaffolding should be used Critical Analysis Each of the above mentioned resources state the following conclusion: Teachers must incorporate non-tradition methods of instruction into ELL classrooms in order to work with best-practice methodology. It is stated over and over that educators must work with education within the context of a social and cultural climate. Simply put, relationships between teachers and students have a major impact on how well an ELL student will grasp the host language. These articles also point to the issue of power structure and peer struggles among ELL students. Truly, students cannot achieve in a hostile learning environment. It is well-documented in these and other studies, that ELL children are often made fun of my teachers and students when they speak their native languages. This leads to social withdrawal and shyness. It is easy to see how this problem worsens the situation in regard to language learning, where the goal is free-expression through words. Olsen (2002) is correct in his opinion that ELL students remain torn between two worlds. This leads us to the understanding and backing of biculturalism and bilingualism. This is another best-practice that the above studies and articles support. Truly, a society that embraces diversity, biculturalism and bilingualism will help ELL students not only learn English, but will allow them to maintain their native tongues. Conclusion Upon an extensive review of recent literature, it can be stated that ELL students generally have different needs than native English-speaking students. They generally require more support and individualized attention to their needs. They are undertaking a huge task of attempting to learn their studies, while at the same time aquaria new linguistic and cultural skills, while at the same time merging new experiences and environments. It is clear from the presented research that the current traditional, oral-based ELL classroom environment is simply not conducive to learning. The staggering drop-out rates among ELL students are a testament to these findings. It has also been consistently shown that these drop-out rates improve significantly when a bilingual, nontraditional instructional environment is created. It is clear that the best practice for the area of ELL education can be best understood not merely as a task of teaching students English, but of embracing the cultural and linguistic diversity that ELL students bring to schools. Another important conclusion can be cross-referenced to the aforementioned social-interaction theories. Students must being to get â€Å"know-how† in ELL classrooms. The mastery of skills occurs through social interaction with the society in question. In this way, true internalization of phenomenon can occur, whereby ELL students make tools their own. Reflection In reflection on the issue, one must not forget that we are talking about human beings. Many do not stop and think about how challenging it must be to leave one country and be forced into social, cultural, linguistic and educational upheaval. Many of these students have reported that they drop out because no one cares about them, people make fun of them, or because they feel that they cannot succeed within the education system. Unfortunately, many teachers see diversity as a problem that they must overcome. However, diversity can actually be a powerful instrument that will allow students to feel at home within the context of the classroom. It is important to reflect upon the fact that many under-represented minorities within the education system actually begin to see their ethnicity as a barrier to success. Many times educators do not explain how learning English, or any other subject for that matter, can be connected to the student’s traditional culture. Truly, diversity is on the increase in every school in the country, and teachers should begin to accept a move towards bilingual and multi-cultural settings. The following section will outline easy applications that can incorporate some of these best practices into the everyday lesson plan. Applications Practically, teachers can begin the apply some of the non-traditional methods of instruction that have been outlined in this essay. The following section discusses some of the real-world practical application of best-practice ELL instructional methods. These suggestions are designed to be practical and easy to adhere to. They require no special training and are practices that any ELL teacher can begin to incorporate into the classroom, whether they are monolingual or bilingual. Best-practice methods can be as simple as seating ELL students in the middle of the classroom (if mixed with native English speakers) so that they may see/hear what other students are doing. Teachers can assign a peer-buddy to the ELL student. They can also provide pictures and illustrations to illustrate new words and terms. Using pictures, maps, globes, tables, movies, slide shows, etc. , will help the student to grasp concepts more readily than a standard oral-instruction. Educators should give clear examples of words and concepts. Another useful tool for teachers is a tape recorder and listening material, as well as supplementary pictures, newspaper clippings and periodicals. A wonderful way of making ELL students feel comfortable is to ask them to describe cultural events or famous people from their home country, in English. This shows them that the educator is interested in their lives and home-culture. Cooperative groupings are great way to allow the student to begin expressing in English. The small group is less intimidating than a larger one. Prepare students by giving them vocabulary lists, with bilingual aids, and consistently acknowledge each and every student. Teachers can make learning English fun by collecting high interest, low-level books such as comic books or children’s books that portray events and cultural characters in simple English. Teachers can use games in small groups, drawings, cartoon bubbles, and music to make the challenge more fun. Reference List Auerbach, Elsa. TESOL QUARTERLY Vol. 27, No. 1, Spring 1993. Reexamining English Only in the ESL Classroom. University of Massachusetts at Boston Brice, A. and Roseberry-Mckibbin, C. 1999. Turning frustration into success for English language learners. Educational Leadership, 56, 7, 53-55. Accessed through WilsonWeb on-line database on June 10, 2001. Ellis, Elizabeth Margaret. Bilingualism among Teachers of English as a Second Language: A Study of Second Language Learning Experience as a Contributor to the Professional Knowledge and Beliefs of Teachers of ESL to Adults. Institution. 2004 Franco, Lydia. A Multisensory Program for English Language Development. ESL MiniConference. July 2002 Haynes, Judie and O’Loughlin, Judith. â€Å"Meeting the Challenge. of Content Instruction. † HYPERLINK â€Å"http://www. everythingEsl. net† http://www. everythingEsl. net (21 Aug. 2002). Meyer, L. 2000. Barriers to meaningful instruction for English learners. Theory into Practice, 39, 4, 228-236. Accessed through WilsonWeb on-line database on June 10, 2001. Nunez-Wormack, Elsa. â€Å"Remarks. † Conference Proceedings ESL Students in the CUNY. Classroom: Faculty Strategies for Success. 5 Feb. 1993. Olsen, L. 2000. Learning English and learning America: Immigrants in the center of a storm. Theory into Practice, 39, 4, 196-202. Accessed through WilsonWeb on-line database on June 4, 2001. Phillips, J. State of the Art Research and Best. Practices in Bilingual/ESL Education:. A Cornucopia. Professional Development Model. Texas A&M University. Rudnick, B. 1995. Bridging the chasm between your English and ESL students. Teaching PreK 8, 26, 48-49. Accessed through WilsonWeb on-line database on June 4, 2001. Shore, K. 2001. Success for ESL students. Instructor, 110, 6, 30-32. Accessed through WilsonWeb on-line database on June 4, 2001. Slavin, Robert E. EFFECTIVE READING PROGRAMS FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: A Best-Evidence Synthesis. Johns Hopkins University, December 2003 Sullivana, Nancy and Prattb, Ellen. A comparative study of two ESL writing environments: A computer-assisted classroom and a traditional oral classroom. Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, College of Arts and Humanities, 6300 Ocean Drive, 24 February 1999. Thompson, G. 2000. The real deal on bilingual education: Former language-minority students discuss effective and ineffective instructional practices. Educational Horizons, 78, 2, 80-92. Accessed through WilsonWeb on-line database on June 10, 2001.

Battle of waterloo Essay

The Battle of Waterloo was fought thirteen kilometres south of Brussels between the French, under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Allied armies commanded by the Duke of Wellington from Britain and General Blucher from Prussia. The French defeat at Waterloo drew to a close 23 years of war beginning with the French Revolutionary wars in 1792 and continuing with the Napoleonic Wars from 1803. There was a brief eleven-month respite when Napoleon was forced to abdicate, exiled to the island of Elba. However, the unpopularity of Louis XVIII and the economic and social instability of France motivated him to return to Paris in March 1815. The Allies soon declared war once again. Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo marked the end of the Emperor’s final bid for power, the so-called ‘100 Days’, and the final chapter in his remarkable career. The Protagonists Napoleon Bonaparte had always been driven by his desire to make France a European empire and was an experienced warlord and leader. He had carried out a coup against the government of the First Republic of France (the ‘Directory’) in 1799 and established himself as ruler and First Consul, eventually to declare himself First Consul for life and Emperor in 1804. In 1802 the French Republic was officially ecognised and the Peace of Amiens signed. Napoleon had higher ambitions and pursued his desire to make France the most powerful country in Europe by conquering other countries including Britain. In 1803, Britain declared war on France and the ensuing ‘Napoleonic Wars’ were fought between France and various Allied coalitions over the next 1 1 years. The Allies successfully invaded in 1814 and forced Napoleon to abdicate at the Treaty of Fontainbleau. The European powers were meeting in Vienna to re-establish the territorial balance in Europe when news came of Napoleon’s escape from Elba on 1st March 181 5 and is re-entry into Paris on 20th March. The powers immediately renewed their declaration of war on Napoleon and the 7th Coalition between Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia was formed on 25th March. They began assembling their troops in readiness for war, intending to attack along the French borders and march on Paris from different directions with enough strength to crush the French. In the event, only the armies of Wellington and Blucher were in place in Belgium. The Austrians and Russians arrived after Napoleon had been defeated. The Allied army under the Duke of Wellington was a coalition of British, Dutch, Belgian and German oldiers. Napoleon described Britain as ‘the most powerful and most constant of my enemies’. Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, had never been beaten by the French and had a reputation as a talented coalition general. He came to prominence in India and then successfully directed the Peninsular Campaign of 1811 when the British went to support Portugal and Spain against Napoleon. He was made a duke at the end of that war and appointed ambassador to the restored Bourbon court in 1814. Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher was the commander of the Prussian army. He was 72 at the time ot the Battle ot Waterloo and he only man to nave beaten Napoleon more than once. Age and experience meant that Blucher was less afraid of Napoleon than any other commander. His self-confidence and career record had a positive effect on his army, helping to keep morale amongst the Prussians high. Strategies After his return to France, Napoleon developed his strategy to defeat the Allies. He re-established himself in Paris and began building up his army in preparation for an invasion of Belgium, his goal was to capture Brussels. His battle plan was to mount an offensive attack on the Allied troops gathering in Belgium and to destroy them. In order to do this he wanted to divide the armies before defeating them separately, forcing Wellington’s army to retreat back to the Belgian coast in the west and the Prussians to retreat to the east. With speed he deployed his army along the French border and centred his headquarters at Beaumont Just across the border from Belgium. He was ready to attack on 15th June 1815. In order to separate Wellington and Blucher’s troops, Napoleon ordered Marshal Ney to advance on Quatre-Bras, a crossroads on the roads between Brussels and Charleroi and Nivelles and Namur. Allied Dutch-Belgium troops under Prince William of Orange were already positioned around the area and succeeded in holding off the French attack until reinforcements arrived. They continued to hold their ground, resulting in stalemate on 16th June. The result may have been a coincidence of timing. Had Marshal Ney attacked Quatre-Bras earlier the outcome could have been very different as, until the reinforcements arrived, the French army greatly outnumbered the Allies and their chances of victory were good. If the Allies had been defeated, they may have retreated completely rather than regrouping at Mont St Jean, a few kilometres north of Quatre-Bras. Wellington admitted surprise at the direction of the French attack; ‘Napoleon has humbugged me’, he declared. At Ligny, the Prussian army occupied strongholds of walled gardens, stone houses and farmhouses and lined up on the forward slope of the Ligny Brook with the right guarding the villages of St Armand and St Armand Haye. Heavvy fghting ensued with casualties on both sides, but the Prussians were forced to commit more and more troops. Although the French were victorious, they failed to totally destroy the Prussian army. They were able to retreat, albeit with numerous injured and dead, north to Wavre (about 18 kilometres east of Waterloo) Napoleon had succeeded in his aim of keeping the two Allied armies apart but mistakenly believed the Prussians were defeated. He was confident that Wellington could also be defeated. Preparing for battle On the morning of 18th June 181 5, Wellington was occupying the ridge of Mont St Jean, Just south of Waterloo, and Napoleon that of La Belle Alliance across the valley. The corps were divided into three under the commands of Lord Hill, Prince William of Orange and Sir Thomas Picton. Wellington was short of well-trained infantry and the cavalry were inexperienced, but he believed in the use of carefully deployed firepower. They had some 156 cannon and the standard gun for the infantry, a smoothbore mus et k titted with a bayonet on a socket over the barrel ot a gun Observing that his troops were outnumbered by the French, Wellington decided that his best plan was to stand firm until the Prussians could come to his aid.

Reflection on Learning and Teaching Adults with depression Essay

Reflection on Learning and Teaching Adults with depression - Essay Example This means that they may not be in a position to take the appropriate diet and thus find themselves deficient of essential nutrients that their body requires. This means that their bodies may not recover from the mental problems and will also develop other nutrition related ailments that will cause them more problems to their health. This teaching session was based on wellbeing and nutrition and was being offered to five adults over the age of 65 suffering from depression and who are at risk of malnutrition. Aims and Outcomes All initiatives have aims that they wish to accomplish. In conducting the teaching session we aimed at several things. First the teaching session was aimed at giving the people information as concerns their health and well-being. It is important that sick people get to understand what they are suffering from so that they are better able to deal with their problems. Many authors say that psychological well-being of a person is very important to their recovery. Th us when people understand what they are suffering from, it is easier for them to positive about the things they are told to do and in so doing they are able to get well as soon as possible. This teaching therefore aimed at informing about the effects that depression brings on adults and how they could avoid being depressed and the available options in place that could help them. Second aim after information concerning the illness was teaching them on the various interventions that are available for them as patients suffering from depression. Our core concern was the people’s well-being and thus they needed to know what interventions are there to ensure that they can cope with the mental problem. A variety of options were given to them here including specialized hospitals, possible medications and primary interventions such as a stress free environment. The third aim was getting them to learn about their nutrition and how it was important to their development as patients. Depr essed patients tend to think a lot and lack appetite and thus the resultant effects may not be good. These people require close monitoring so that they can take food and in the right quantities so that they do not starve or take unbalanced diet. Our intended outcomes for the initiative was a detailed understanding by the patients on the ailment that they are suffering from, the various interventions that are available for them and the various nutritional requirements that they need it order to recover from their ailments. Due to the lack of concentration by the patients, it is important to teach them using tools that attract their attention and thus a lot of animations were used and a number of role playing tasks were also used to enable the patients concentrate while learning at the same time. It was also important that the patients be put in a room to avoid their minds wandering away in an open environment. Professional ethics were also to be observed such that the session was sup posed to be carried out with the consent of the patients and this was something that was difficult to get given the condition of the patients. Evaluation of sources of information used Nice (2010:17) describes depression as â€Å"

Healthcare Information Systems - Hardware and Software Essay

Healthcare Information Systems - Hardware and Software - Essay Example The device features an embedded touch screen so that physicians can update patient information regardless of a keyboard. Likewise, physicians can update patient information, process menu driven applications by just touching the screen and following instructions. Moreover, the device has an added unique sensitivity filter that can even work accurately, when physicians are equipped with hand gloves. In addition, the device also includes features such as (Tablet PC, ultra-mobile PC (UMPC) and mobile clinical assistant (MCA) systems, peripherals and accessories – TabletKiosk, n.d): Verifying patient’s information Scanning labels that are associated with medication and blood vial Image and data capturing suite Two dimensional bar code scanner Integrated 2.0 megapixel camera 13.56 MHz radio frequency identification reader that is integrated in the handheld device Another handheld input device named as Sahara Slate PC, provides two way input methods i.e. active digitizer and r esistive touch technology. As the size of the LCD screen is large, physicians can easily view patient related reports and documents without scrolling.

Cross-Cultural Management - Davinci Apps Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cross-Cultural Management - Davinci Apps - Essay Example Italy is a masculine society that is highly success oriented and competitive. The society believes in winner attitude and children are taught to compete in the world right from school. So, competition among employees of companies is also high, which facilitates organizational development to a great extent. On comparing masculinity factor of Italy and UK, it is observed that the society of UK is less masculine compared to that of Italy. This signifies that there are higher competition and stress upon success within the Italians, which help them to achieve greater success. The manager needs to become more goal-oriented and be confident of successfully providing cultural training in Italy. Her motivation will be able to direct her toward the success of the training program and DaVinci Apps, as a whole. This particular dimension relates to the way in which society deals with uncertain situations in future. This dimension measures whether or not one should control occurrences of the futur e. It is noticed that different cultures have the capability to deal with uncertain situations in own unique ways. Hence, this indicates the degree to which members of a particular society is threatened by unknown situations. Italy scores high in avoiding uncertainty, which implies that the Italians are not at all comfortable in encountering uncertain situations. It is noted that formality is quite necessary. The civil and penal code of Italy is very complicated with a number of clauses and codicil.

Late Adulthood interview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Late Adulthood interview - Essay Example There in the store I asked him to give me some time. I explained all the details and asked him if he is willing to give an interview to complete my project requirements. I assured him that all his answers would be kept confidential and only be used for study or research purpose. We mutually decided that we would conduct this interview session on Sunday (October 19, 2014) evening (7:00 pm) in a nearby Park. The access to the park is feasible to both of us. Therefore, we both are agreed that environment of the park will suit us to talk in a relaxed setting. On Sunday October 19, 2014, Mr. James gave answers to my scheduled questions and his answers are supportive to make a clear view about the physical, social and cognitive development in late adulthood. At the age of 62, physically the people are not that much capable of doing any physical or hard work. They can put their extra efforts only where they have to use their brains, minds and most preferably experiences (Berger, 3). However, they may lack behind in the areas where physical involvement is required. Mr. James support this point of view by adding his own statement that he is not at all willing to commit a fieldwork rather he enjoys office work where he has to sit on office chair and then work. According to research, it is also proved that people in the older ages may get some physical problems of joints, knees or bones etc (Berger, 2). Mr. James is also facing this problem. He gets severe body pain in the cold weather. There is no solution to solve rather just take pain killers and then rest. At this level of late adulthood, the people should search for the satisfaction and the happiness in the little things of life rather to get angry or feel bitter. These are the opinion of Mr. James when I asked him about the rapid changes in the society and the behaviors of the people. The research also show that at the late adulthood, the brain development is at the high

The world of business Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The world of business - Article Example It is important to look at how the people have changed over the years and how the business sectors in North America, Western Europe, Japan, and Australia have been affected. The people's lifestyle change can be seen through the change in culture. Culture can be defined as a way of life or the people's beliefs in commanding their everyday life. It is evident that the people's culture is tending to that of a global culture. This is because there has been so much interaction around the world that people are now appreciating other cultures. In addition, people are now copying different cultures as they find them to be very attractive. On the contrary, people are abandoning some of their cultural beliefs as they find them primitive and a hindrance towards economic and social growth. The changes in people's lifestyle have seen small business either closed down or make more profits. For rigid companies that are not yet ready to adhere to the changes of the people, have been ignored as people try to look for businesses that can provide what they really need currently. This has not only affected the small businesses but also the international companies that are found in the developing areas like North America, Western Europe, Japan, and Australia. ... Even though culture is becoming global, there are some countries where people have decided to hold their cultures and all business entities have to be put such things in to consideration. Countries like Japan hold their cultures strictly thus it is hard for an American company to ignore such issues while it is exporting its products or services to Japan. It has to put the Japanese culture in consideration so that the businesses can sell their products and services successfully. Moreover, the businesses have learnt to be a little bit flexible as they export their goods, they also consider that other people with different cultural backgrounds can be found in specific areas. For example, a company built in London will produce goods that will definitely put the Japanese culture in consideration but it will also consider the Europeans who are living in Japan. Thus the country will tend to export more of the Japanese oriented goods and at the same time some for those Europeans. Thus small entities are now growing because they have become very flexible in adapting their production of goods and services to the lifestyle changes of the people. This has also increased the competitiveness of the small businesses making them to expand and thus becoming big. Marketing strategies are now changing and the companies are now implementing new strategies. Due to the changes in people's lifestyles, companies need to implement new communication strategies to ensure that they reach their customers effectively. People have become very computer oriented thus communication today is mostly through the use of computers and mobile phones that have features of the computer. For this reason, businesses have their own websites that provide information on the

Discrimination against Women Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Discrimination against Women - Research Paper Example Women are faced with challenges from a very early age. It is not uncommon to instill the belief in girls that they are only suited for certain careers, while other careers are the domain of the men. Most women in developing countries are not even given equal opportunities than men in the most basic of all necessities. In a male chauvinist society, one that is common in the tribal areas of many developing countries, girls and women are treated as inferior, and men are given the preference in every aspect of life. Boys are made to go to school and acquire education. They are favored over girls in terms of the food that they eat, the opportunities that they get and the love that is showered over them. This also follows that families are major culprits in fostering such an attitude. History is rampant with examples of babies being buried alive on the account that they were girls. The birth of baby girls in conservative families in various parts of the world still buttresses the same atti tude. The UNICEF stated that in some countries, there is a clear preference of boys over girls embedded not only in the culture but also on the economic level. Furthermore, the UNICEF observed that the misuse of pregnancy diagnostic tools often culminates in the abortion of the fetus if it is a girl. This is relatively common in many parts of the world such as some parts of China and India. Parents will put up their children for adoption or will discard the fetus in early prenatal life on the grounds that it is a girl.

Article Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 26

Article Review - Essay Example The article explores the currents state of Treasury bond yields and prices in the US financial market. According to Zeng, the strengthening of the bonds is a sign that inflation has been tamed in the US market. As result, the Federal Reserves is not in a hurry to increase the interest rates, a factor that has highly boosted investor confidence (Zeng, 2014). The trading in the Treasury bonds has recorded little change in terms of yields. This is in addition to the fact that the prices of imported goods has also fallen. The article states that in the current US financial market, the prices of the treasury bonds face no threats, a reason why investors are confident when investing in the bonds. The goal of the author in this article is to explore the state of the treasury bonds in the US market. The author wants to show that the increased confidence of the investors, a depiction that it is the right time to invest in the treasury bonds as inflation appears to have been tamed in the US financial market. In order to do this and to achieve the objective of showing that the current state of the US Treasury bonds has strengthened, the author analyzes the trading and yields from the treasury bond over the last couple of weeks in order to prove to the reader that the bonds have indeed strengthened. Ming Zeng has been able to achieve his goal of showing that the prices of the treasury bonds have strengthened. His success in attaining this goal is clearly evident with the way he is able to clearly show the prices and the yields of the treasury bonds over the last couple of weeks to clearly depict the trend and prove that they had strengthened. His conclusion that it is a good time for the investors to put their money on the bonds is valid as he is able to use factual data from Tradeweb/WSJ Market Data Group to prove his point and the

Police Brutality Essay Example for Free

Police Brutality Essay Most of us have seen the videotape of police officers savagely beating Rodney King. But how typical was this behavior? The Rodney King incident is not representative of most police officers around the country. Television shows, newscasts, and written media exacerbate the problem when they do not focus on the criminal as the root of the problem. [C]urrent images of the police are drawn largely from television programs bearing little resemblance to reality (Delattre 29). Police brutality is a matter of serious concern, but it is not as prevalent as the media would have us believe. Police brutality is not a national crisis. Rodney King has become synonymous with police brutality. But what is police brutality? Bornstein states that [p]olice brutality is the use of excessive force by police officers (39). Most police are trained to use only the minimum amount of force necessary to control a given situation. The decision to use force is often made on a split second basis usually under difficult circumstances. The boundaries between justified and excessive force can sometimes be blurred under these circumstances. Under one set of circumstances, a particular action might be considered justified, but under differing circumstances, the same action might be considered brutality. Most cops do not like to hurt people; cops sometimes use unnecessary force. They also use extraordinary restraint (Sulc 80). Many police officers feel anguish after using fully justified force; few take pleasure in it. There are great strains on individual police officers: competing responsibilities, values, temptations, fears, and expectations. Police officers are called on to be patient mediators, skilled therapists, effective admonishers, daring crime fighters, obedient members of paramilitary agencies, etc. In the midst of these requirements is the violence inherent in police work. Police officers often witness women battered by husbands and boyfriends, children burned and broken by parents, pedestrians maimed by drunk drivers, teachers raped by students, and innocent strangers savaged by predators in  our streets. Even so, most police do not have a bunker mentality. They go on the force knowing what they will have to encounter. They like their jobs and are ready and able to stand the pressureusually. Some police adjust poorly to the pressures of police work. They become cynical from the danger, the perceived failure of the system, and the repetitiveness of their work. Some police officers despair over the violence, suffering, hopelessness, and ignorance they encounter every day. Even so, the majority of police officers continue the performance of their duties without resorting to brutality. In spite of the seriousness of the publicized incidents, far more serious than police brutalit y is the frequency of assault and murder perpetrated against the police. According to the U.S. Department of Justices Police Use of Force, 44.6 million people, or 21% of the population had face to face contact with police during 1996. Police contacts that resulted in the use of force or the threat of force totaled only five hundred thousand, or one percent of the total. Often times the use of force was preceded by some provocative action. Criminals often threaten the officer, assault the officer, argue or interfere with an arrest, posses a weapon, try to escape, elude, or resist arrest. After accounting for justified use of force, which is inherent in police work, less than one quarter of one percent of police contacts resulted in questionable use of force. This is hardly an epidemic. Given the small number of cases, a preliminary conclusion that could be drawn is that use of force is rare in police-citizen contacts and it is often accompaniedby some possibly provocative behavior (Police 14). On the flip side, if the media cares to report the flip side, 46,695 police officers were assaulted in 1996 (United States 65), resulting in 14,985 injuries and 55 deaths (United States 3). The statistics show that police officers are brutalized three thousand seven hundred and sixty times more frequently than criminals are. Americans are well served with professional dedication and with frequent instances of physical courage. The people who stand between violence and the public are the police. Sometimes criminals do not want to cooperate, but police are still expected to arrest them. Most police officers abhor  violence and despise fellow officers who use excessive force. Police brutality is not the epidemic we are led to believe it is. Let police do their job, if they violate the law, prosecute them as individuals without condemning every police officer in the country. Works Cited Borenstein, Jerry. Police Brutality. New Jersey: Enslow, 1993. Delattre, Edwin J. Character and Cops: Ethics in Policing. Washington, DC: American Enterprise Institute of Public Policy Research, 1989. Police Use of Force Bureau of Justice Statistics Website. 22 November 1998. Sulc, Lawrence. Police Brutality Is Not a Widespread Problem. Policing the Police. Ed. Paul A. Winters. San Diego: 1995. 79. United States. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Justice Information Services Division. Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted. Washington, DC: GPO, 1997

Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse in the US

Role of the Advanced Practice Nurse in the US Shawn Blankenship Introduction Today, the American healthcare system faces many challenges to provide adequate healthcare. As the country’s population grows, coupled with the passing of the Affordable Care Act, the country not only has a shortage of healthcare providers, but now has the increased responsibility to provide coverage to those previously without affordable healthcare. Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs), a group of highly qualified, educated clinicians are ready to play integral roles in the reform of healthcare. Unfortunately, because APN regulation is determined on the state level, the scope of practice for APNs varies state to state. Consequently, national unpredictability, both administratively and legislatively creates an unfavorable environment for APNs to provide consistent, proper care. The following paper will attempt to not only provide a brief history regarding the development of the APN, but additionally review the roles of the four recognized general areas of APN specialization. Furthe rmore, each APN role will not only be expanded upon such to differentiate, but compared and contrasted, as well as analyzed from a local, state, national, and international perspective such to conclude by providing assertions regarding the current state of the advanced nursing practice. History of APN All APN roles have a long history in healthcare; certified nurse anesthetists (CNAs) were introduced in the late 1870s, certified nurse practitioners (CNPs) in the 1960s, certified nurse midwives (CNMs) in the early 1920s, and the clinical nurse specialist (CNSs) role developed in the late 1940s. However, even though APNs have had well recognized roles in medicine for well over a century the officially recognized APN role originated in the 1960s. Ironically, as history often repeats itself, the APN role emerged due to a shortage of primary care physicians that coincided with the expansion of national healthcare coverage. With the initiation of Medicare and Medicaid, the first APN program was developed at the University of Colorado in 1965 by Professors Loretta Ford, PhD, RN and Henry Silver, MD to prepare pediatric APNs to focus on health and wellness. Working together with physicians, APNs were taught to not only identify symptoms, but to diagnose and manage the healthcare problems in children. In the 1970’s the program’s focus changed to primary care such to provide primary healthcare access for large and underserved populations. In 1971, the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare issued primary care intervention recommendations whereas nurses and physicians could now share responsibility, implying support for nurses. Subsequently, federal monies were made available to support APN programs nationally. By the mid-1970’s, at one point therewere in excess of over 500 certificate programs which then shifted to Master’s Degree programs in the 1980’s as accrediting bodies required enhanced education. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 included the Primary Care Health Practitioner Incentive Act, perhaps the most importa nt payment reform to affect advanced practice nurses allowing direct Medicare reimbursement to the APRN, but at 85% of the physician fee rate. Graduate education prepares APNs to be key players in the most complex of systems, and nursing theory provides APNs with a strong conceptual base for practice. Furthermore, as nursing research uncovers evidence to utilize skills enabling APNs to bring fresh ideas and proven interventions to health care consumers; now, complex, evolving reimbursement requires the APN to also be educated in financial management and health policy issues. Unfortunately, for continued growth related to reimbursement the APN faces the lack of third-party reimbursement, prescriptive ability, and hospital admission privileges whether acting as part of a team, or collaboratively. An APN is a not only a registered nurse, but a nurse that has completed at least a graduate level of education, is certified by a nationally recognized certifying body, and is also recognized as APN in one’s state. Today, the current APN educational curriculum not only focuses on the attainment of key competencies (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners) but also includes pathophysiology, health assessment, pharmacology, and clinical diagnosis and treatment. This education prepares the APN to diagnose, treat, and prescribe. Furthermore, APNs must demonstrate a dedication to learning and are required to obtain continuing education in order to maintain their national certification. As of 2000, APNs were legally recognized to practice, to some capacity, in every state throughout the United States, and are utilized internationally, too. Comparison and Contrast of APN Roles Certified Nurse Practitioners (CNPs) Although nationally recognized through several professional certification boards, a CNP’s scope of practice is regulated by one’s individual state board of nursing. Subsequently, employment can be found locally through a myriad of choices that is restricted only by one’s scope of practice, and/or the working relationships that are established in one’s healthcare community, and/or in one’s setting of choice for employment. CNPs perform comprehensive assessments and promote health and the prevention of illness and injury. Additionally, they diagnose, develop differentials, and interpret diagnostic and laboratory tests, order, conduct, and supervise. CNPs are also able to prescribe pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments in the direct management of acute and chronic illness and disease. From providing health and medical care in primary, acute, and long-term care settings, CNPs can serve in various settings as researchers, consultants, and patient advocates for individuals, families, groups and communities. Additionally, CNPs may specialize in areas such as family, geriatric, pediatric, primary, or acute care to name a few. Nevertheless, depending on the state, CNPs can practice autonomously and/or in collaboration with other healthcare professionals to treat and manage patients’ health programs. Currently, eighteen states and the District of Columbia allow CNPs to practice and prescribe independently (without any direct physician supervision or collaboration). The remaining states regulate NP practice with requirements such as direct physician supervision for diagnoses, treatment and/or prescriptive authority. Relative to CNMs and CNAs, CNPs have a relatively short history in the health care delivery system. Internationally, CNP’s roles have yet to reach the development that they have in the United States, with few countries affording the role, or confused with how to progress. Certified Nurse Anesthetists (CNAs) Certified nurse anesthetists (CNAs) are registered nurses who have received specialized education in the field of anesthesia. Similar to CNPs, even though CNAs are nationally recognized through professional certification boards, the scope of their practice is regulated by each individual CNA’s state board of nursing. Moreover, depending on the individual’s state requirements, CRNAs are occasionally regulated through the federal government’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Ironically, even though no state statute requires anesthesiologist supervision of CNAs, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) state in their rules for participation that CNAs must be supervised by a physician. In 2001, CMS amended this requirement by providing an opt-out or exemption ruling. To date, sixteen state governors have requested and received exemption from the CMS, the point being in many rural hospitals is that the only person on staff for anesthesia is the CNA. CNAs nationally, statewide, and locally provide anesthetics before and after surgical, obstetric, and therapeutic procedures; they practice in hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and dental offices and are often the sole anesthesia providers in many rural hospitals (AANA). Moreover, internationally, CNAs are very widely used. Where CNP and CNS roles are still developing, CNAs are presently utilized in greater than half of the world’s nearly two hundred countries. Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) Clinical nurse specialists, similar to CNPs, are nationally recognized through professional certification boards, and a CNS’s scope of practice is regulated by one’s individual state board of nursing. The CNS role affords tremendous diversity within the title. Nationally, statewide, or locally, a CNS can provide advanced nursing care in acute care facilities such as hospitals, provide acute and chronic care management, develop quality improvement programs, mentor and educate staff, or work as a researcher or consultant. The CNS role was based on the premise care is interrelated, that patient care would improve when advanced practitioners with specialized knowledge and skills are there to create environments that foster caring and problem solving on multiple spheres: patient, nurse, and system (National Council of State Boards of Nursing). Internationally, CNSs continue to develop as APNs, similar to the CNP. Currently, CNSs are seen as healthcare promoters and problem solvers. Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) CNMs, certified through rigorous national examinations, similarly to the three previously mentioned APN roles, have their scope of practice regulated by each state’s board of nursing (American College of Nurse and Midwives, 2010). CNMs provide primary care for women, adolescence through menopause, and beyond. CNMs focus on reproductive healthcare including health promotion, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, family planning and gynecological care (American College of Nurses and Midwives, 2008). In providing primary care, CNMs prescribe medications, order laboratory and other diagnostic testing, offer health education and counseling and collaborate with other healthcare providers. Nationally, statewide, and locally CNMs work in hospitals, birthing centers, community clinics, and in patient homes one on one. Internationally, CNMs similarly to CNAs have been utilized for decades, throughout 80 countries. Analysis of Advanced Practice Nursing Current State Certified Nurse Practitioners (CNPs) NPs are highly skilled at providing comprehensive assessments resulting in clinical decision making that is safe and cost effective. Nurse practitioners have favorable outcomes in acute care by reducing length of stay and hospital-associated costs (Carruth Carruth, 2011). Reductions in healthcare costs are associated with APRN directed care, as evidenced in a recent study showing annual cost reductions from $5,210 to $3,061 among chronically ill patients (Meyer, 2011). Settings such as hospitals Fully utilized APRNs offer primary and specialty care and can reduce costs to the system (Chen, et al., 2009). In the over 40 year history of the NP profession, a multitude of studies have demonstrated that NPs have performed as well as physicians caring for similar patients with respect to health outcomes, proper diagnosis, management, and treatment (Newhouse, et al., 2011). Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky the nurse midwife model of care emerged. Here, the Frontier Nursing Service provided community-based care to disadvantaged pregnant women, children, and families. (Ernst Stone, 2013).This historical perspective demonstrates that CNMs have always provided safe, quality care. Low-risk women are routinely subjected to medical interventions, many of which are unsupported in research as beneficial, such as continuous fetal monitoring, induction of labor, intravenous therapy, epidural anesthesia, and elective cesarean births. Pregnant women cared for by CNMs are less likely to undergo invasive interventions, which reduce health care costs without sacrificing quality (Johantgen et al., 2012). Finally, CNMs deliver care that is similar to that provided by physicians and CNMs have lower rates of cesarean sections, lower epidural use, and lower labor induction rates; while, maintaining infant and maternal outcomes (Newhouse, et al., 2011) Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNSs) Clinical nurse specialists are experts in their specialties. The costs of managing chronic illness decrease when a CNS is involved in management of the patient. Research supports the utilization of a CNS as part of the interdisciplinary team to lower hospital costs and improve the outcomes of patients with chronic illness (Moore McQuestion, 2012). Implementation of the CNS role is associated with improvement in patient outcomes (Newhouse, 2011). Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CNAs) certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) provide safe, high-quality anesthetic care. Currently, 70% of all anesthetics in rural hospitals are safely delivered by CRNAs (Gardner et al., 2011) Research has not shown that patient care, safety or quality compromised when a CRNA practices without physician oversight. In addition to education and training costs, CRNAs practicing independently can provide anesthesia services at 25% lower costs (Jordan, 2011). CRNAs are associated with equivocal complication and mortality rates when contrasted with physicians (Newhouse, et al., 2011). International APN Pulcini, Jelic, Gul, Loke (2010). Sangster-Gormley, Martin-Misener, Downe-Wamboldt, DiCenso (2011). Conclusion Advanced practice nurses find themselves caught within an incredibly complex situation. As the country faces new, expanded challenges for access to healthcare, APNs have continued to not only increase their qualifications and provide evidentiary support such to establish a federally regulated, nationally recognized platform regarding autonomy, but stand ready to act. Unfortunately, barriers that exist both administratively and legislatively due to a lack of consistency in state to state scope continue to delay long-awaited healthcare relief for our citizenry, as well as professional consistency amongst APNs, too. This paper presented a brief history regarding the APN, as well as a review of APN roles from a national, state, local, and international perspective. Additionally, this paper compared and contrasted the roles of the APN while drawing assertions to the current state of the advanced practice nurse. In conclusion, presented examples regarding the qualifications of the APN role s are obvious; however, the barriers identified reinforce the overwhelming need for immediate change. References American College of Nurse-Midwives (2010). About Midwives. American Nurses Association. (2010). ANA and CMA Activities reflected in the IOMRecommendations (pp. 1-6). Carruth, P. J. Carruth, A. K. (2011). The financial and cost accounting implications of theincreased role of advanced nurse practitioners in U.S. healthcare. American Journal of Health Sciences, 2. Chen, C., McNeese-Smith, D., Cowan, M., Upenieks, V., Afifi, A. (2009). Evaluation of a nurse practitioner-led care management model in reducing inpatient drug utilization and cost. Nursing Economic$, 27, 160-168. Currie, J., Chiarella, M., Buckley, T. (2013). An investigation of the international literature onnurse practitioner private practice models. International nursing review, 60, 435-447. Donelan, K., DesRoches, C. M., Dittus, R. S., Buerhaus, P. (2013). Perspectives of physicians and nurse practitioners on primary care practice. New England Journal of Medicine, 368, 1898- 1906. Ernst, E. K. Stone, S. E. (2013). The birth center: Innovation in evidence-based midwifery care. In B. A. Anderson S. Stone (Eds.), Best practices in midwifery: Using the evidence to implement change (pp. 79-82). New York, NY: Springer. Gardner, M. R., Posmontier, B. Conti, M. E. (2011). The evolution of advanced practicenursing roles. In H. M. Dreher M. E. Smith Glasgow (Eds.), Role development for doctoral advanced nursing practice (pp. 69-81). New York, NY: Springer. Institute of Medicine (2010). The future of nursing: Leading change, advancing health reportrecommendations. Johantgen, M., Fountain, L., Zangaro, G., Newhouse, R., Stanik-Hutt, J., White, K. (2012).Comparison of labor and delivery care provided by certified nurse-midwives and physicians: A systematic review, 1990 to 2008. Women’s Health Issues, 22, e73-e81. Jordan, L. (2011). Studies support removing CRNA supervision rule to maximize anesthesiaworkforce and ensure patient access to care. AANA Journal, 79, 101-104. Matsusaki, T., Sakai, T. (2011). The role of certified registered nurse anesthetists in the UnitedStates. Journal of anesthesia, 25, 734-740. Moore, J. McQuestion, M. (2012). The clinical nurse specialist in chronic disease. ClinicalNurse Specialist, 26, 149-163. Meyer, H. (2011). A new care paradigm slashes hospital use and nursing home stays for theelderly and the physically and mentally disabled. Health Affairs, 30, 412-415. National Council of State Boards of Nursing (2012). Campaign for APRN consensus. Newhouse, Stanik-Hutt, J., White, K. M., Johantgen, M., Bass, E. B., Zangaro, G., et al. (2011).Advanced practice nurse outcomes 1990-2008: A systematic review. Nursing Economic$, 29, 230-251. Norton, C., Sigsworth, J., Heywood, S., Oke, S. (2012). An investigation into the activities of the clinical nurse specialist. Nursing Standard, 26, 42-50. Pulcini, J., Jelic, M., Gul, R., Loke, A. Y. (2010). An international survey on advanced practice nursing education, practice, and regulation. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 42, 31-39. Sangster-Gormley, E., Martin-Misener, R., Downe-Wamboldt, B., DiCenso, A. (2011). Factors affecting nurse practitioner role implementation in Canadian practice settings: an integrative review. Journal of advanced nursing, 67, 1178-1190. The essentials of masters education in nursing. American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011.

Japanese-Americans and the Constitution :: Japanese-Americans concentration camps WWII

Japanese-Americans and the Constitution A Review of the Smithsonian's "A More Perfect Union" Website Brief Description and Museum's Purpose "A More Perfect Union: ..." is organized as a chronology of events centering around one basic theme: the confinement of Japanese-Americans to "concentration camps" during WWII. I believe the message being conveyed to the public is one of a major apology to these Japanese-Americans and their descendants for the great injustices forced upon them. In addition, the museum attempts to warn the overall public that since such a violation of the constitution has proven possible in the past, we cannot blindly rely on the fabric of our constitution to prevent such injustices from occurring again. We must proceed with caution in matters of civil liberties and work towards achieving a "more perfect union". Organization As indicated above, the exhibit is theme-based, centered around a historical period of time. Because of this, there is a large proportion of text, revealing background history, in relation to the actual artifacts. In my second, more thorough run-through, I certainly found myself reading more than looking at "things". In fact, it seems as though the exhibit only tells the true chronological history to those patient enough to read all of the text. A less thorough visit to the exhibit will undoubtedly result in a skewed view of the past. I will address this issue later in the Critical Assessment section. The exhibit has an obvious beginning (with a mural of the Constitution and an introduction video) and then leads the visitor through a somewhat delineated path towards the exit. There is some freedom to back-track, skip around, and even to go through the entire exhibit backwards if you wish. However, during my time in the exhibit, I observed nearly everyone following the predescribed path. Along this delineated path, the exhibit seems to be broken down into five main "subthemes": the Japanese migration to the U.S., the incarceration process, life inside the detention camps, U.S. military involvement by the Japanese-Americans, and repairing the Constitution. By traveling through the exhibit in this order, the visitor gets a feel for the basic chronology of the events and perhaps how one event led into the other. Critical Assessment Effectiveness and Biases: I believe the exhibition team did an excellent job of conveying their intended message although I am not in total agreement with it. Again, this message is to apologize for the Americans who acted out of hysteria in imprisoning a multitude of fellow citizens who were completely innocent.

progression of america :: essays research papers

Progress is a steady improvement, on advancement toward a better stage, America has made an enormous progression because of the charter issued by King James I of England; John Smith; and even though it was a small contribution, the Tobacco industry which was established by John Rolfe. May 24th was the first day for many settlers and they had no idea as to that day being the first day of the rest of their lives. A couple years passed and a charter came along from the king of England.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On May 24th, 1606, about 100 settlers set foot on â€Å"American† soil. They had founded Jamestown. This just didn’t come out of anywhere, King James I had proposed a charter for them to do so. The charter allowed the joint-stock company of England or also known as the Virginia Company to colonize (1.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later after about two years a guy named Captain John Smith emerged as basically the savior of the colonists. He set the colonists straight. HE did this by forceful leadership. He knew that if they didn’t learn to survive, they would die. It was up to him as the leader to persuade them to do so. The colonists, before John Smith came along, died of malnutrition, disease, and attacks from Native Americans. Although John Smith did not reign for a long period of time, he accomplished a lot (2.).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The tobacco industry, even though it was a small contribution to the progression of America, it was made possible by John Rolfe. He is credited with the introduction of tobacco into Virginia. Sir Walter Raleigh, even though did not introduce tobacco into Virginia he did indeed introduce it to England. John Rolfe found a tobacco that the colonists liked or enjoyed to smoke or chew, their was tobacco already that was planted by the native Americans but the colonists basically did not enjoy it so obviously it was good that someone like John Rolfe did (3.

Thomas Hart Bentons June Morning. :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I never go anywhere alone. After a depressive Saturday morning I finally crawled out of bed and went to the Cummer Museum. Art is one thing that I don’t understand. How people can find deeper meanings from paint on a canvas is Japanese to me. When I look at a painting I see exactly what is being shown and nothing more. There is no deeper meaning evident. Being at this museum cranky and solo trying to find a picture I felt connected to was almost impossible. It took me about ten minutes to go through the whole museum. But in one of the last sections I went in there was finally something that my eyes were drawn to. An image that made me want to find the deeper meaning. Thomas Hart Benton’s June Morning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From across the room I could see the bright yellow, pink and red flowers. Taking some steps forward there was even more to like. The overall appearance is a depiction of everyday life. The setting is outside in a grassy area. The sky looks grey but is turning brighter. There is a house in the country whose owner is in the front milking a cow. There is a dead tree that stands bear in the center. The objects that appear closest are a broken fence and the intensely bright colored flowers. All of the objects seem animated and do not seem realistic. The clouds are grey and sharp. Making the viewer feel that something is wrong. It looks like a storm was just taking place. The wind blew the clouds away and is still blowing the grass to the right.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Somehow I related to this painting at the moment. Looking back in the distance in the sky you see that there was a turbulent time. Saturday was such an awful morning. When backing up you see the bottom of the picture. The lush lively flowers show the bright side happy ending. This was my reminder that there is a calm after the storm just like in the picture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After coming home I thought it would be a good idea to do some research. What was going on at the time Benton painted, June Morning? This would help to solve the mystery of what some of the symbolism was trying to say. Thomas Hart Benton was a regionalist who used art to depict the experiences of an everyday American.

The New Deal

Before the 1932 election, Roosevelt had promised the people of America a ‘New Deal' that would help them to recover the effects of the Great Depression. It had lasted four long years, and had caused suffering for the American people. When Roosevelt had taken office as the President Of The United States in 1933 he put the New Deal into order. The New Deal took action to bring about immediate economic relief in areas such as industry, agriculture, finance, waterpower, labour and housing. The aims that Roosevelt wanted to achieve with his New Deal was firstly to spend billions of dollars on creating jobs to be of use for the thousands unemployed in America, due to the depression. Another aim of Roosevelt's was to rebuild trade and industry in as many companies and businesses as possible to get the American Economy up and running once again. His final aim was to improve the lives of the ordinary Americans. To help them to acquire a fair and well-paid job to look after their families and to have an overall, better quality of life. In his first one hundred days of presidency, Roosevelt introduced his first New Deal, and established a host of Alphabet Agencies. They were so named, for their abbreviations. The first of his New Deal programs was the Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA). This was approved on the 12th May 1933. Although the act extended federal participation in relief for more than two years, it then decided to change the nature of its funding. This was from loans to direct grants for the use of several States. FERA was also supportive of nearly five million households each month and funded thousands of work projects for the unemployed. It also provided vaccinations and literacy classes for the millions of poor and uneducated population. The aims that had been achieved by Roosevelt with the FERA was that money had been spent creating jobs, and that many lives had been improved as they had, on some cases learnt to read and write and most men had received a job due to the work projects. The Emergency Banking Act was close to one of first things that Roosevelt introduced. It was responsible for closing down weak banks and paying the strong ones to stay open and carry on with business. Trade and industry was the only aim achieved by Roosevelt with this alphabet agency. It had rebuilt that banking world which seemed to be the centre of all industries, as money is needed and stored by the bank itself. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), ran by Harry Hopkins, was introduced as an alphabet agency. This was because of previous years of extensive flooding in the many states surrounding the Tennessee River, which caused all the good and rich soil to be washed away with the river water. This was a major problem, as crops could never be grown for food in such dreadful conditions. Roosevelt solved this problem by means of hiring unemployed men to build dams and reservoirs, to prevent soil erosion and to encourage irrigation, which helped to moisten the dry and hard soil to be able to grow crops for food. The aims achieved by the TVA were that money was spent on the jobs created to build the dams and reservoirs for the unemployed, and that lives of ordinary Americans were made a lot better as floods would no longer occur, destroying their food. The Civil Works Administration (CWA) was an agency used to build structures that the public would benefit from such as a bridge, road, school, hospital or library. Roosevelt gave the unemployed the job of doing this. The aims that Roosevelt achieved with the CWA was that money was being spent on creating jobs, again because of the unemployment situation being reduced as men were building things of a public use. This is why the lives of ordinary Americans were improved due to the new buildings available for them to seek medical help or for an educational purpose. The National Recovery Administration (NRA) was completed by major industries that joined the program promising to be fair in their businesses, and not to take advantage of the staff and buyers. Things such as prices being at a reasonable amount, and wages being of a fair price as well. In exchange for this, Roosevelt allowed the industries the opportunity to display the symbol of the Blue Eagle on the manufactured goods that they produced. Also including posters and vehicles. Anything to do with the industry involved with the NRA. The Blue Eagle symbolized to the American people that they had joined forces with the president to help with the success of the New Deal and to help America achieve a better standard of life. The aims that Roosevelt had led to success were that trade and industry was rebuilt due to the public buying their products, allowing money to be made by themselves. The quality of the American life had increased as well. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was created in 1934 to serve as a federal ‘watchdog' administrative agency to protect the public and private investors from stock market fraud, deception and insider manipulation on Wall Street. The SEC is still in existence today, (its reputation was flawed a bit by the Enron collapse in 2001-02) The aims of this were to improve the lives of Americans by protecting them from things that could potentially damage their lifestyle or business. The CCC, PWA, AAA and the NYA and WPA of the second new deal grew as the agencies pumped increasing amounts of money into the economy. Roosevelt had many opponents to his New Deal programs but not even the angriest of them had much to say against the good work initiated by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It was not only one of the first organizations to begin operation, but was also one of the most successful. Its major role was to pay the town dwellers to move to the country and help the people there. It also provided financial support and helped implement conservation projects. In its nine years of existence, it put twenty five million young men to work planting two hundred million trees, digging drainage ditches, building firebreaks, clearing campgrounds and building reservoirs. This great effort of conservation and reforestation benefited not only the nation, but also the men themselves. The average enlistment for an employee in one of these camps was ten months. The CCC had many camps in the El Paso area, including those in Fabens, Ascarate, Ysleta and Elephant Butte in New Mexico. CCC workers completed major improvements at Elephant Butte. Including the planting of four thousand, five hundred trees and building a clubhouse. Campsites, cabins and a playground. They also widened and straightened roads around the dam and built several new stretches of roads. The aims achieved by the CCC were that money up to sums of millions of dollars were being spent to get young, healthy men to work with the CCC to be involved in reforestation and conservation of the country. Also the lives of ordinary Americans were being improved by the effort in improving the countryside to make it a better, healthier and more enjoyable area to live. People would be able to use or enjoy the things that had been made or built such as the forest. The Public Works Administration (PWA) was established by the NIRA in 1933. It was intended both for industrial recovery and unemployment relief. Eventually over four billion dollars was spent on thirty four, thousand construction projects including things such as public buildings, highways, bridges or dams for water and power. The aims that Roosevelt managed to make happen with the PWA were the first one of spending money to create jobs for building, and improving the lives of ordinary Americans as they could make use of the things built. The Agricultural Adjustment Acts (AAA) was an agent whose job it was to pay farmers to produce less by not using their land. This was because of the farmers already producing too much, which was part of the overproduction of the Great Depression. Roosevelt promised to pay the farmers, in exchange for them leaving some of their own fields alone. This was so that the prices of goods would remain steady. The AAA attempted to raise prices by controlling production of major crops through cash subsidies to farmers. In 1934, the AAA paid the El Paso County Cotton Committee three point five million dollars for their cotton crops, by the AAA. This included over two hundred, thousand dollars in rental payments for land that was taken out of their production. The aim Roosevelt managed to achieve here, was that trade began to rebuild itself. Because the prices remained steady, the businesses were able to get on with their work and make steady progress each day. By 1935 Roosevelt's New Deal had ran into serious difficulties. It was decided that some of the Alphabet Agencies were unconstitutional and Trade Unions were organizing strikes to complain about low wages. Instead of giving up, Roosevelt introduced new laws to replace the ones that the Supreme Court had ruled illegal. These became known as the Second New Deal. It was aimed at improving the social welfare, such as wages and employees. Compared to the first new deal that was aimed at the local, and ordinary Americans and improving their lives, and the businesses and industries in America. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) replaced the CWA. By 1935, local residents felt the ever-increasing art collection at Springville High School, needed a larger facility for its' preservation and display. Nebo School District donated a lot, the city if Springville donated approximately twenty-nine, thousand dollars in equipment and materials, the LD's Church donated twenty, thousand dollars or more, and the federal government, through the WPA spent fifty-four, thousand dollars on the project. Work began on 23rd November 1935, where the WPA was responsible for the manufacturing of the tile for the museum. The work was complete under the direction of Virgil Hafen, a local artist. Although most of the alphabet agencies were organised for temporary solutions to relieve problems, the agencies permanently broadened federal interest and involvement. The aims achieved by the WPA were all of them. The first being money spent on creating jobs, with the same reason as the CWA, jobs were being created in reorganising and moving the art work. The trade and industry was being rebuilt, as the artwork would be in a much better condition to view and maybe sell. And the lives of Americans were improving due to the wages given so they could afford food and drink to have a better quality of life. The National Youth Administration (NYA) was created under the emergency relief act of 1935. It provided more than four point five million jobs for young people. Therefore, the aim achieved here was the first; millions of jobs were available for young people of America, which meant their life was improving due to the help that their wages could give them. The Wagner Act replaced the NRA which the Supreme Court had ruled illegal. This new law gave workers the right to join Trade Unions so that they could work together to improve working conditions and pay. Employers were now banned from stopping workers joining Trade Unions and a National Labour Relations Board was set up to make sure the employers obeyed. Unlike it was before 1935, when it was illegal to join a union. The aim achieved here was that lives were improved of Americans. It gave them the opportunity to have a say in what they are entitled to in regards to the work place, and discuss what a fair wage would be for them to earn. The Social Security Act (SSA) was responsible for allowing workers to pay into a fund to receive benefits at a later date when they were out of work. It also provided the use of a public assistance program for dependant mothers, children and the physically disabled, and an unemployment benefit. The aim achieved by the SSA was the third of Roosevelt's original aims. Improving American lives due to the benefits they were getting, especially the unemployed, and the sick. The Rural Electrification Administration lent money to farmers so they could electrify their farming equipment and farm itself. The aims fulfilled by this, were that trade was rebuilt, because of the better quality farms. This would mean better products would be made. Ordinary American lives would also have been improved like the farmers. They would be working in better conditions, and probably making more money because of it. Finally, money was spent to make jobs in the farm. There was also the Farm Security Administration (FSA). This was used to set up temporary housing for ‘Okies' and ‘Arkies' who were refugees from Oklahoma and Arkansas, who migrated to California in hope of finding work. The aim was to provide a better quality of life for these American people in giving them houses to live in. They were given the opportunity to find a job themselves whilst living a temporary but stable condition. The Fair Labours Act provided the last major piece, of the New Deal legislation in 1938. This important labour law set minimum wage (twenty five cents an hour) and a maximum standard (establishing the forty hour work week). It also severely curbed the use if child labour. Finally, the aims that Roosevelt achieved with this alphabet agency of the Second New Deal were trade and industry being rebuilt, as a standard for wages was set, leaving all businesses with a fair and economical wage for all their employees. And, lives of the Americans were improved because no one working could be cheated in their job of what wage to get. Everyone would be treated as an equal in the work place. The New Deal Illegal Immigration Differing Perspectives Paper Brittany M. Coiana Critical Thinking and Reading Linda Sheffield March 20, 2013 Should the U. S military patrol the boarders? In my opinion I think the military should patrol the boarders. There are many reasons I could think why they should, but I’m going to give you my two most important ones. My first reason why the U. S military should patrol the boarders is to stop the illegal aliens’ from crossing over and causing taxpayers to pay money they shouldn’t.Our prison system is over flowing with illegal immigrants and costing us as tax payers to much money to keep them in there. Some are in for drug charges and some are in for murders that could have been permitted if we had a handle on our border patrol. According to The Federation for American Immigration Reform, in an article entitled â€Å"Criminal Aliens† stated: â€Å"Over the past five years, an average of more than 72,000 aliens have been arrested a nnually on drug charges alone. Among the alien federal prisoners, over half (55 percent) were illegally in the United States at the time of their conviction. (www. immigration. procon. org) Another reason I feel the U. S military should patrol is because it could save lives. We have many in our prison system for the murder of our people, but what about the illegal aliens that are getting killed in car wrecks, getting killed by our border officers and being killed because they can’t make it through due to weather, starvation or even dehydration. According to NBC news, in an article entitled â€Å"Deadly crossing: Death toll rises among those desperate for the American Dream† stated: â€Å"Crossing the U. S. Mexico border illegally has always been dangerous, but this year heat and drought have made the journey particularly deadly. † (www. openchannel. nbcnews. com) I think the U. S military would be a great step towards controlling our border. Not only will this s ave on taxes but also save lives. I think Illegal aliens shouldn’t have access to social services such as health care and Medicaid because they are not Americans and they don’t pay taxes. Many Americans can’t even get on social services or qualify for Medicaid. America has a high rate of low income families and some that are just so poor.Some of these Americans can’t even qualify. Having illegal immigrants on top of all that just isn’t fair for the true blood Americans. The following results for the nation were compiled from information collected in the 2012 Current Population Survey & Annual Social and Economic Supplement: â€Å"The U. S. Census Bureau announced today that in 2011, median household income declined, the poverty rate was not statistically different from the previous year and the percentage of people without health insurance coverage decreased. Real median household income in the United States in 2011 was $50,054, a 1. percent decli ne from the 2010 median and the second consecutive annual drop. † (www. census. gov) Most of the illegal immigrants don’t even pay taxes. So we as tax payers are paying for people that shouldn’t even be here. We Americans pay our taxes to live on the land we were born on. Now we are being over taken by a race that is illegal and doesn’t even help pay for the land they now live on. â€Å"The High Cost of Cheap Labor: Illegal Immigration and the Federal Budget,† wrote by Steven A. Camarota stated: â€Å"Illegal’s Create Large Net Costs†¦.When defense spending is not considered, illegal households are estimated to impose costs on the federal treasury of $6,949 a year or 58 percent of what other households received. † (www. immigration. procon. org) So I believe Turn born Americans should be the only ones to receive social services and Medicaid. This will help out our fellow Americans and give to the people that really need the help i n these areas. I really didn’t know much about sanctuary cities until I did my research. I will give both sides of the issue. Should U. S. government ban sanctuary cities?Yes they should so that many states can get money back in to their government and in to schools. Banning these cities would also slow down the crime rate in those states. According to Tina Griego, journalist for the Denver Rocky Mountain News wrote a column titled, â€Å"Mexican visitor's lament† stated: Colorado would save more than $20 million surrounded by prison costs, and the terror that those 7,300 alien criminals set upon local citizens. † (immigrationready. com) But on the other hand I also say no, if we were to take out these cities the state could lose out on a lot of income.Company’s would lose customers and end up losing or going bankrupt. So taking out these cities could put a big dent on a lot of income that state could make. According to The Washington Post, in an article e ntitled â€Å"Do immigrants help the economy? † by Spencer S. Hsu, said: â€Å"The U. S. has benefited greatly over the years from the ’brain gain’ of immigration,† said author Darrell M. West. † (www. voices. washingtonpost. com) So, as you can see they are many sides to this issue in the U. S. and for as me I’m still undecided on which side to go for.This nation could benefit from those cities and this nation could also not benefit from them. As Americans we vote for the president and hope he makes the right decisions for our country. As a result of this project I have learned that the U. S military should patrol the borders because after reading the article â€Å"Criminal Aliens† by The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), I found out how much American taxpayers pay in each year for illegal immigrants to stay in our prison system. If we could get the military over to our border it could save us taxpayers a lot of money in the long run.I also have learned that not allowing illegal immigrants the privilege to have access to our social services and Medicaid because we as Americans pay our taxes and we earn our privilege to get these offers. This will also save the American people from paying so much and getting so little. According to Steven A. Camarota, in his article â€Å"The High Cost of Cheap Labor: Illegal Immigration and the Federal Budget† I also learned about a new problem in our country, sanctuary cities. I’ve learned there are two sides of this issue and it’s hard for me to decide which side to choose.We as Americans can benefit from both sides of this issue. I think illegal immigration is a big concern for the U. S. because by stopping certain things could save this country a lot of money. Work Cited â€Å"Are Illegal Aliens Paying Their â€Å"fair Share† of Taxes? – Illegal Immigration – ProCon. org. † Are Illegal Aliens Paying Their â₠¬Å"fair Share† of Taxes? – Illegal Immigration – ProCon. org. N. p. , n. d. Web. 9 Mar. 2013. ;http://immigration. procon. org/view. answers. php? questionID=000789;. â€Å"Deadly Crossing: Death Toll Rises among Those Desperate for the American Dream. † NBC News. N. p. , n. d. Web. 9 Mar. 2013.

Intercultural marriage Essay

Intercultural marriages increases the effort needed to be able to maintain a lasting relationship due to factors such as differences in traditions, norms and even language. This can be viewed on the basis of the elements affecting the success and failures of marriages. It is a known fact that committing to a relationship and marrying entails adjustments in every of the individual, physically, socially and emotionally. This is due to the reality that two people that have different personalities and outlooks are bound to make unified decisions. Comparatively, being born from different culture and traditions increases the effort that is needed to be exerted to be able to establish a stable relationship and attain a successful married life. The dedication that is required from the individuals is higher because of the accepted facts that there are added factors that are in need of consideration (Romano, 1997). Scenario of an Intercultural Marriage In the determination of the factors that can affect the process referred to as intercultural marriage, there are two contributing element that are considered. First consideration is the issues that are related to the differences in the traditions and norms of the two individual and second is the factors that lead to and affect marriage. In this view the first area that is needed to be studied are the factors that affect the relationship of two individuals. Primarily, the factors that can affect are the means of communicating. In viewing the onset of intercultural marriages, the couple can meet and communicate through chance whose probability is heightened mainly from intercultural phenomenon such as immigration and relocation that serves as the primary causes of interaction. This can be attributed to the development that is presently occurring in the society. The advancement of the communication technology is also another contributing factor (Bacas, 2003; Constable, 2003). The second important consideration in this type of marriage is the factors that can affect the relationship established between the two individuals of the same culture. The issues that can be considered that has the most influential effects on the union of two persons from different backgrounds are the norms, tradition and the language that is mainly used for communication. It is an accepted notion that people from different culture, may it be geographically-related such of different nation, related to religion and spiritual belief and ethnic backgrounds, has different visions in life (Romano, 1997). The outlook and points of view of every person work on the basis of their background. Thus, every aspect of one’s personality is deeply rooted on their origins which can affect the decisions that will be made in the bounds of the married life.

Urbanisation has changed the face of Mumbai

After living in this busy metropolis, this island of islands for about 17 years I’ve realised one thing – your senses are automatically heightened. Whether it’s your eyes that are constantly alert in the fast paced traffic or your ears that are forced to hear a cacophony of trains, vendors and honking cars. Your mouth and taste buds that have grown accustomed to Mumbai’s spicy, flavoursome cuisine. And of course, we’ve all had the chance to travel in a packed local train, scared that we’d get pick-pocketed, it’s like we’re born with a heightened sense of touch too.But I perceive Mumbai to be a â€Å"city of smells†. By this, I don’t imply that ours is a city full of stench and smog, no it’s much more than that! Like each home has a distinct smell of its own, Mumbai has these particular aromas and scents that define the city and give it character. The moment you step into Mumbai, your impression about the cit y could vary, depending on whether you’re an optimist or a pessimist. A pessimist would complain about the foul odour that comes from the slums, (You should know that Mumbai is home to one of the largest slums in Asia – Dharavi, so that’s a lot of stink! , the amount of vehicular pollution and smoke from cigarettes, the malodour of overflowing sewage etc. An optimist, on the other hand would enjoy the sterile, sanitised smell of malls, hotels which are plenty in Mumbai. Or you could be a realist like me and believe the city has a dual identity with motley collection of fragrances and odours. But that’s a discussion for later. Urbanisation has changed the face of Mumbai entirely – quaint little bungalows with terracotta tiled roofs are replaced with high rises made of chrome and glass. Niwas-es† and ‘Sadans’ are pulled down to make way for ‘Towers’ and ‘Heights’. However there still are some remaining gar dens and patches of green like the Hanging Gardens, Jijamata Udyan, the Sanjay Gandhi National Park to name a few. Mumbaikars still visit these parks to get a whiff of nature. And how can I forget the numerous â€Å"Chaafa† or champa trees with their sweet smelling flowers! Ironically this fast pace of industrialisation and development hasn’t improved the condition of public toilets in the city. Most Mumbaikars still cringe at the stink that comes from our city’s ‘shauchalayas’.The part of Mumbai that I enjoy the most is the sea. As a child, I’d know that we were passing by some â€Å"Chowpatty† or beach by the crisp saltiness in the air. Mumbai’s fish markets smell of the salty sea too – it’s the smell of freshly caught fish. Most times these markets give off the odour of rotting fish – an odour I still find repulsive. And then there is the floating smell of sukka bombil or Bombay duck dried in the sun near the coast! Another way of knowing that you’re near a crowded beach is the inescapable smell of chaat.The aroma of herbs, garam masala, the tang of squeezed lemons in a plate of bhelpuri or sev puri are enough to set the juices going in your mouth! You’d also smell vadapavs being friend and pav bhaaji being prepared – taka-tak – two dishes that originated in Mumbai. And then there is the smell of piping hot ‘cutting chai’, (The term cutting chai is said to have originated in Mumbai too! ) sold at tea stalls at every nukkad of Mumbai. Every meal in India usually ends with â€Å"paan†. Another common feature on the streets and many walls of Mumbai are paan stains which have their own disagreeable stink.Sometimes I can tell which part of Mumbai I’m in only by the distinctive redolence of that part. I know my train is passing through Andheri when I get a whiff of baked biscuits because the Parle G factory is very close to Andheri st ation. I know that my taxi has taken a turn at King’s Circle because of the aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and the local cafes serving original south-Indian filter coffee. For that matter I still associate the aroma of freshly baked bread, cakes and cookies from the string of bakeries in my very own Orlem.Travelling in local trains has become a part of the daily routine of a large number of Mumbaikars. More than often these trains are overcrowded, filled with more passengers than can fit in. Now it’s not the sea of bodies that I have an issue with, it’s the smell of human sweat that’s the problem! At such times I dream of Mumbai during the monsoon. There is nothing more beautiful, more gratifying than rains in the city! It gives us Mumbaikars relief from the summer heat, the air smells fresh and clean. The smell of wet mud right after a shower is almost magical. Yes, such earthy fragrances are a part of Mumbai too!