Past Paper Essay

Knowledge module Financial Accounting (International) Time allowed: 2 hours ALL FIFTY questions are compulsory and MUST be attempted. Do NOT open this paper until instructed by the supervisor. This question paper must not be removed from the examination hall. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Paper F3 (INT) ALL 50 questions are compulsory and MUST be attempted Please use the Candidate Registration Sheet provided to indicate your chosen answer to each multiple choice question. Should details of material adjusting or material non-adjusting events after the balance sheet date be disclosed in the notes to financial statements according to IAS 10 Events After the Balance Sheet Date? A B Adjusting events Non-Adjusting events (1 mark) 2 At 30 June 2005 a company’s allowance for receivables was $39,000. At 30 June 2006 trade receivables totalled $517,000. It was decided to write off debts totalling $37,000 and to adjust the allowance for receivables to the equivalent of 5 per cent of the trade receivables based on past events. What figure should appear in the income statement for the year ended 30 June 2006 for these items? A B C D $61,000 $22,000 $24,000 $23,850 (2 marks) 3 In times of rising prices, what effect does the use of the historical cost concept have on a company’s asset values and profit? A B C D Asset values and profit both understated Asset values and profit both overstated Asset values understated and profit overstated Asset values overstated and profit understated. (2 marks) 4 The IASB’s Framework for the preparation and presentation of financial statements gives qualitative characteristics that make financial information reliable. Which of the following are examples of those qualitative characteristics? A B C D Faithful Representation, neutrality and prudence Neutrality, comparability and true and fair view Prudence, comparability and accruals Neutrality, accruals and going concern (2 marks)5 The following bank reconciliation statement has been prepared by a trainee accountant: Overdraft per bank statement less: Outstanding cheques add: Deposits credited after date Cash at bank as calculated above $ 3,860 9,160 5,300 16,690 21,990 What should be the correct balance per the cash book? A B C D $21,990 balance at bank as stated $3,670 balance at bank $11,390 balance at bank $3,670 overdrawn. (2 marks) 6 Which of the following calculates a trader’s net profit for a period? A B C D Closing net assets + drawings – capital introduced – opening net assets Closing net assets – drawings + capital introduced – opening net assets Closing net assets – drawings – capital introduced – opening net assets Closing net assets + drawings + capital introduced – opening net assets. (2 marks) 7 A sole trader took some goods costing $800 from inventory for his own use. The normal selling price of the goods is $1,600. Which of the following journal entries would correctly record this? Dr Cr $ $ A Drawings account 800 Inventory account 800 B C Drawings account Purchases account Sales account Drawings account 800 800 1,600 1,600 (1 mark) 8 The debit side of a company’s trial balance totals $800 more than the credit side. Which one of the following errors would fully account for the difference? A B C D $400 paid for plant maintenance has been correctly entered in the cash book and credited to the plant asset account. Discount received $400 has been debited to discount allowed account A receipt of $800 for commission receivable has been omitted from the records The petty cash balance of $800 has been omitted from the trial balance. (2 marks) 3 9 A company’s income statement for the year ended 31 December 2005 showed a net profit of $83,600. It was later found that $18,000 paid for the purchase of a motor van had been debited to the motor expenses account. It is the company’s policy to depreciate motor vans at 25 per cent per year on the straight line basis, with a full year’s charge in the year of acquisition. What would the net profit be after adjusting for this error? A B C D $106,100 $70,100 $97,100 $101,600 (2 marks) 10 Should dividends paid appear on the face of a company’s income statement? A B Yes No (1 mark) 1 The following control account has been prepared by a trainee accountant: Receivables ledger control account $ Opening balance 308,600 Credit sales 154,200 Cash sales 88,100 Contras against credit balances in payables ledger 4,600 Cash received from credit customers Discounts allowed to credit customers Interest charged on overdue accounts Bad debts written off Allowance for receivables Closing balance $ 147,200 1,400 2,400 4,900 2,800 396,800 555,500 555,500 What should the closing bal ance be when all the errors made in preparing the receivables ledger control account have been corrected?

Charlotte

From the ginning of the story, it was already manifested how friendship and love became the foundation fifths novel, due to Fern's love for Wilbur he was saved from the hands of Mr.. Arable who intends to take the life of Wilbur. Despite Fern being only a little girl, she thought of Wilbur as her own child, whom he cared for and love so much. Aside from this, one of the greatest proofs of how important friendship is was depicted between Charlotte and Wilbur. Without Charlotte help, Wilbur would be butchered in the slaughterhouse.In addition, it is exhibited in the story, that even though Charlotte life was nearing its end, she still thought of helping Wilbur, together with Templeton, in the fair to provide moral support for her friend. Although Charlotte passed away in the end, her life became more meaningful and happier by helping Wilbur. Wilbur was not only saved from being killed, but what Charlotte woven words did was more than that, she proved to Wilbur that he is important and that he is loved which I believe is the best feeling anyone could experience.Lastly, before Charlotte die she entrusted her egg sac to Wilbur since she cannot make it back to the barn anymore, and s a loyal and grateful friend, Wilbur not only took the egg sac back to the barn but even cared for the three spiders who were left behind and their succeeding eggs. Setting This story took place in rural America at the Seersucker's barn. The story involved many seasons, although Wilbur was called a spring pig meaning he was born during springtime, most of the story happened during summer and fall. The barn was old yet very large as described in the story.This barn feels very welcoming and comforting as it smelled mostly of hay. Wilbur new home was at the lower part Of the barn, beneath the cows. Since according to Mr.. Seersucker's viewpoint, manure pile is great for pigs as they need mud to keep them warm and comfortable. Characters Wilbur – He is the main character in the book Ch arlotte Web. He is born as a runt of his litter, which caused Mr.. Arable to kill him. Fortunately, he was saved by Fern's love for him. He is very sensitive and vulnerable, yet, with the love from his friends, he was able to live life again better than before.Most of the times he feels insecure and emotional but with his friend Charlotte, he was able to move on to this and gain a little faith in himself. He undergo life's as and downs but with his friends, especially Charlotte, he was able to surpass it all and be happy in the process. He is forever thankful for Charlotte?s love and as a form of showing gratitude for this he looks after her kids. Charlotte A. Cavity – She is a barn spider who lives above Wilbur pigpen, and often portrayed as a heroine of the story. She is cool, collected, practical, talented, clever and loyal to her friends.She played an important part in Wilbur life, often perceived as a mother of Wilbur. She gave all her best effort even in her last day ju st to save Wilbur life and show people who Wilbur really is. Mr.. John Arable – He is Fern's father, who wants to kill Wilbur at first but due to Fern's objections, he spared Wilbur life. He let Fern take care of Wilbur but greatly stand with his decision to sell Wilbur at five weeks old. He is a practical man but at the same time loving especially when it comes to his daughter.Fern Arable – She is an affectionate little girl who saved Wilbur life from an untimely death and the only human being who can understand what animals say. She became a mother to Wilbur until it was time to sell him to his uncle. Despite this, she still visits Wilbur a lot and even kittens to the stories of barn animals. As, the story progresses, she grew up and moved away from the barn where she became more interested with Henry Fussy than Wilbur. Avery Arable – He is Fern's elder brother who is boisterous, aggressive, adventurous and carefree. Unlike Fern, he often wants to kill animals and rule nature.He is also a performer, somewhat like a clown at some point, and works hard in the story. Mrs.. Arable – She is the mother of Fern who at most times is overreacting especially when it comes to her daughter. She is very worried on how Fern thinks that animals can talk and hat most of her time is spent with the animals in the barn. She always try to push Fern to mingle with persons of his own age rather than visiting the barn. Mr.. Homer Ackerman – He is Avery and Fern's uncle and the proprietor of the farm near Rabble's residence. He raises animals for a living. Moreover, he bought Wilbur for six dollars from Fern.He is the saw and believed the words woven by Charlotte about Wilbur and decided not to take him to the slaughterhouse. He benefited from this, since Wilbur became famous and in return he cared more than ever for his animals. He entered Wilbur at a intention in the fair and won twenty-five dollars when Wilbur was granted with a special award. Mrs.. Edith Ackerman – He is the wife of Homer Ackerman who spends her time mostly in the kitchen. She is also the only person who thought that the spider, Charlotte, is the one who is truly amazing than the pig, Wilbur, described by the woven words.Luray – He works at Ackerman who also depicted what a very industrious person truly is. He was the first to see the web of Charlotte and when Wilbur became famous, he then took care of him extra carefully. He is very sensitive with Wilbur especially he does not eat his food. Dry. Dorian -? He is the family doctor of the Rabble's family. He told Mrs.. Arable that Fern might really hear animals talk because there are a lot of things that could not be explained by Science. He even attributed Charlotte web as one of the proofs of how wondrous the nature is. Minister – He is the first person to whom Mr..Ackerman shared the story regarding the writings in the web. He did not really believe him and even thought of Mr.. Acke rman as unusual. Henry Fussy – He is not really a very active character in the story' but was described s one to whom Fern is very fondled of. Templeton -? He is a rat that lives in Wilbur trough. He is portrayed as rather selfish who is also a glutton. Moreover, he would only help Charlotte and Wilbur when they would offer food in return. Nevertheless, he played an important role in finding words to describe Wilbur and in retrieving Charlotte egg sac.Lamb – He is an insensitive Lamb who refused to play with Wilbur and continued to humiliate him by belittling Wilbur saying that pigs mean less than nothing to him. Goose – He likes to tell Wilbur what he should do which most often sends Wilbur into ruble. She is a great mother to her kids and suspicious of the intents of Templeton, so she never lets him near her young ones. Gander – He is the partner of Goose, who like her is also protective of his children. He is brave and strong but quite into violence wh en it comes to Templeton and his goslings. Uncle – He is the large spring pig who competed with Wilbur in the County Fair. He also received a medal for his big size. Joy, Arena and Nellie – They are some of the children Of Charlotte from its egg sac. These spiders are the ones that stay with Wilbur on the barn and became friends with him. Lot Exposition: A new litter of piglets is born on Mr.. Rabble's farm, however one of them is a runt which is deemed to small and weak to be kept on a farm. Fern, the daughter of Mr.. Arable, pleads his father to let the pig live and let her keep it as a pet. Mr..Arable, who loves her daughter so much, gave in to the wish of his daughter and spared the pig. Fern was able to keep his pet, which she named Wilbur, for a few weeks until it was sold to his uncle, Mr.. Homer Ackerman, for six dollars. Rising Action: Although Wilbur felt lonely upon leaving Fern, he soon adjusted in the farm ND made some friends, especially Charlotte whom he mostly depends on. Fern, despite selling Wilbur to his uncle, still cares for the pig and visits him often. Fern, like Wilbur, also made some friends and even listens to their stories.Wilbur became very happy and carefree. He was constantly taken care of and fed slops that he wanted. Until, one day, he received a news. Climax: The lamb then tells Wilbur that Mr.. Ackerman is fattening him up for Christmas dinner. Much to Wilbur dismay, he will soon be brought to the slaughterhouse. This news cause distraught to Wilbur who is already so pappy in the barn and does not want to end up killed for Christmas. Falling Action: Charlotte then assured that she, together with some of their friends, will do anything to save Wilbur.She then weave words into her web, describing Wilbur greatest qualities and praises to him such as â€Å"SOME PIG! ,† ‘TERRIFIC,† â€Å"RADIANT' and so on. This gained attention from people all over the county, which made Mr.. Ackerman rethink of w hether Wilbur should still be brought to the slaughterhouse. Mr.. Ackerman then promised that if Wilbur wins the blue ribbon in the County Fair, he would never be turned into a ham for Christmas. Charlotte became worn out due to this work but still decided to go to the County Fair and help Wilbur win the contest.She then weaves the last word for Wilbur and then goes to work on her egg sac which will hold over five hundred eggs. Resolution: Wilbur anxiously waited to see who won the prize. Unfortunately, his rival, uncle, won the blue ribbon for being the biggest pig. But to everyone's surprise, Wilbur received a special prize for being a terrific and radiant pig! Unfortunately, Charlotte reached the end of her life span and was not able to be with Wilbur after his triumph nor see her children grow. As a sign of irritated for everything that Charlotte did for Wilbur, he vowed to take care of her children.To honor Charlotte, Wilbur hangs his medal on the nail in the doorway where Char lotte web used to be. When the egg sac hatched, most of the new born spiders flew away to find their own homes, but three of them, Joy, Arena and Nellie, stayed on the barn with Wilbur. Wilbur became good friends with them, much to his delight. Year after year new spiders are born to replace the old one but no one was able to match and replace Charlotte in Wilbur heart. Us Mary One morning at the breakfast table, eight year Old Fern sees her father leave he house With an axe and asks her mother where he's going.Her mother delivers the shocking news that Mr.. Arable is going out to kill a runt that was born the night before. Fern chases her father down and persuades him to spare the runt, telling him that it is unjust to kill a piglet just because it is small. Moved by his daughter's plea, Mr.. Arable decides to give the runt to her to look after. Fern names the piglet Wilbur and looks after him like a baby, pushing him in her pram alongside her doll and feeding him with a bottle. At five weeks old Mr.. Arable insists that Wilbur is sold and he goes to live in theAckerman barn down the road. Wilbur initially struggles at the barn because he misses Fern so much but soon he becomes acquainted with new friends, the best of whom is a lady grey spider called Charlotte. Wilbur is fascinated by Charlotte, although to begin with he is slightly suspicious of the way she catches her food – he doesn't like the idea that she spins bugs in her web and sucks their blood. He soon realizes that Charlotte is everything but cruel and bloodthirsty and that her method of eating is entirely necessary for a spider.Wilbur is complete happy during the summer days – Fern comes to visit and is new friend tells him exciting stories and has the patience to try and coach him about how to spin a web (although she knows fine well he will never be able to) but one day he gets some terrible news that puts an end to his carefree attitude. The sheep tells Wilbur that Mr.. Ackerman is fattening him up for Christmas dinner and Wilbur is distraught – he is so happy on the farm and doesn't want to die. Charlotte calms him down and promises him that she won't let him be killed. She hasn't worked out how to save him yet, but she is determined that she will.One morning as Curvy pours Wilbur slops, e notices Charlotte twinkling spider web in the morning fog. The words ‘SOME PIG' have been weaved into the web. Luray is gob smacked and utters a prayer. He quickly tells Mr.. Ackerman who is equally amazed and soon the news spreads near and far. Worried that people may be getting bored of ‘SOME PIG', Charlotte asks Templeton the rat to aid her in finding more words to write in her web. Knowing that if Wilbur is killed he won't have access to his slops, Templeton reluctantly scavenges for newspaper clippings to help Charlotte.The next word she writes is ‘TERRIFIC' and after that, ‘RADIANT. ‘ Meanwhile, Mrs.. Arable is concerned that Fe rn is spending too much time down at the barn and becomes even more alarmed when her daughter tells her about Charlotte and the stories Charlotte tells. Mrs.. Arable decides to go and see Dry. Dorian to ask him what he makes Of Fern thinking the animals can talk and what he makes of the mysterious writing in the web. Dry Dorian is very calm and rational and says that the real miracle is not the writing in the web but the fact that a spider instinctively knows how to build a web without any tuition.He says that it is quite possible that animals can talk and that the season that adults cannot hear them might be because they talk too much to hear what is going on in nature. With the news of Seersucker's famous pig spreading, the Ackermann and Arable decide to take Wilbur to the County Fair. Charlotte agrees to go too although she is feeling tired and soon has to build a sac to hold her eggs. At the fair, Charlotte is disappointed to see that beside Wilbur pen is a much larger spring pi g called Uncle. Knowing he is fierce competition, Charlotte decides to spin another web and once again Templeton is sent off to find a word.The adults and children enjoy homeless at the fair and Avery and Fern are particularly excited that they are allowed to go off without their parents all afternoon. Fern spends all afternoon with Henry Fussy and they go on the Ferris wheel together. For months after, Fern will look back nostalgically at her time on the Ferris wheel with Henry. Before nightfall Charlotte weaves her web with the new word ‘HUMBLE' written into it and throughout the night she makes her egg sac. In the morning the Ackermann and Arable See the web but they also notice that uncle has a blue tag on his pen – he has already won first prize.Mr. Ackerman ignores the tag and tells everyone to buck up and give Wilbur a buttermilk bath. Everyone who comes to Wilbur pen has something good to say about him. Suddenly, over the loudspeaker a voice is heard asking Acke rman to bring his famous pig to the judges' booth for a special award. Wilbur is awarded a medal for being phenomenal and completely out of the ordinary and Mr.. Ackerman is given $25. Since the writing first appeared in the web, the miracle has been on everyone's mind. After the press photos and the commotion, Wilbur is returned to his pen. Wilbur notices thatCharlotte is quiet and looks unwell. She tells him that she is content now that she knows he is safe – she knows Mr.. Ackerman will never harm him now, but she tells Wilbur that she is failing and will be dead in a day or two. Panicked and distraught Wilbur races around the pen, begging Charlotte to come home with him, but she hasn't enough energy to move. Wilbur decides to take Charlotte egg sac and promises Templeton first choice of his slops if he retrieves the sac. As Wilbur carries the sac in his mouth and is led into the crate, he winks at Charlotte and she musters all the energy she can to wave dobby.

Responsibilities of a paediatric first aider Essay

Maintain your own safety Contact the emergency services Give accurate and useful information to the emergency services Support the casualty physically and emotionally Appreciate your own limitations Know when to intervene and when to wait for more specialist help to arrive. PEFAP 001 1.2: Describe how to minimise the risk of infection to self and others Wash your hands with soap and water before and immediately after giving first aid. If gloves are available for use in first aid situations, you should also wash your hands thoroughly before putting the gloves on and after disposing of them.(Plastic bags can be used when gloves are unavailable.) Avoid contact with body fluids when possible. Do not touch objects that may be soiled with blood or other body fluids. Be careful not to prick yourself with broken glass or any sharp objects found on or near the injured person. Prevent injuries when using, handling, cleaning or disposing of sharp instruments or devices. Cover cuts or other skin-breaks with dry and clean dressings. Chronic skin conditions may cause open sores on hands. People with these conditions should avoid direct contact with any injured person who is bleeding or has open wounds. PEFAP 001 1.3: Describe suitable first aid equipment, including personal protection and how it is used appropriately. (Print off your PPE report) All first aid boxes should have a white cross on a green background. Guidelines published by the National Association of Child Minders, NCMA, as well as Ofsted and experienced paediatric first aid trainers, recommend that the first aid box in a child care setting should contain the items listed include: 1 first aid guidance leaflet 1 large sterile wound dressing 1 pair disposable gloves 10 individually wrapped wipes 2 sterile eye pads 1 pair of scissors 1 packet hypoallergenic plasters – in assorted sizes 3 medium sterile wound dressings 2 triangular bandages 5 finger bob bandages (no applicator needed) 4 safety pins It is recommended that you do not keep tablets and medicines in the first aid box. PEFAP 001 1.4: Describe what information needs to be included in an accident report/incident record and how to record it. Details of all reportable incidents, injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences must be recorded, including: The date when the report is made The method of reporting The date, time and place of the event Personal details of those involved A brief description of the nature of the event or disease. Records can be kept in any form but must conform to data protection requirements . PEFAP 001 1.5: Define an infant and or a child for the purpose of first aid treatment. Paediatric first aid focuses on infants and children. An infant is defined as being from birth to the age of one year and a child is defined as one year of age to the onset of puberty. Children are however different sizes and a small child over the age of one may be treated as an infant. Similarly puberty can be difficult to recognise, so treat the child according to the age that you think they are, larger children should be treated with adult techniques. PEFAP 001 3.2: Describe how to continually assess and monitor an infant and a child whilst in your care. Remember your ABC and continue to monitor the infant or child in your care until you can hand over to a doctor or paramedic. A is for AIRWAY : check that the airway remains open. Always monitor a child while in recovery position. B is for BREATHING: Check that breathing is normal and regular. C is for CIRCULATION: check the pulse (if you are trained and experienced) but ensure you take no more than ten seconds to do this: (a) In a child over one  year : feel for the carotid pulse in the neck by placing your fingers in the groove between the Adam’s apple and the large muscle running from the side of the neck . (b) In an infant: feel for the brachial pulse on the inner aspect of the upper arm by lightly pressing your fingers towards the bone on the inside of the upper arm and hole them there for five seconds. PEFAP 001 4.1: Identify when to administer CPR to an unresponsive infant and a child who is not breathing normally. CPR should only be carried out when an infant or child is unresponsive and not breathing normally. If the infant or child has any signs of normal breathing, or coughing, or movement, do not begin to do chest compressions. Doing so may cause the heart to stop beating. PEFAP 001 4.3: Describe how to deal with an infant and a child who is experiencing a seizure. Witnessing a child having an epileptic seizure is a very unpleasant experience, particularly the first one. However, some young children experience what is termed a Febrile Seizure which is brought on when the child has a high temperature or infection. Recognition Stiffening of child’s body Twitching of arms and legs Loss of consciousness May wet or soil themselves May vomit or foam at the mouth Usually lasts for less than five minutes May be sleepy for up to an hour afterwards Treatment Protect them with cushioning or padding- do not hold them down. Cool them down by removing some clothing. When the seizures stop, place the child in the recovery position and monitor signs of life. If they become unresponsive or the seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes then you must call 999/112 for an ambulance. PEFAP 001 5.1: Differentiate between a mild and a severe airway obstruction. A mild airway is usually a partial obstruction, it means the entire airway is not closed off, so air is able to pass by the obstruction,  and the victim can respond and cough forcefully , or may wheeze between coughs. In a serer airway obstruction, the airway is completely blocked off and the victim cannot breathe because air cannot pass by the object. PEFAP 001 5.3: Describe the procedure to be followed after administering the treatment for choking. The child may experience difficulties after having treatment for choking-for example, a persistent cough or difficulties with swallowing or breathing. It is important to monitor and assess the child’s condition and to seek medical help if the problem persists. PEFAP 001 6.1: Describe common types of wounds. A cut (incision): This can be caused from a sharp edge, such as a tin can ,that can lead to a lot of bleeding. A torn wound (laceration): is a jagged wound that can be caused by a broken toy, a fall or collision. Graze or abrasion: cause by friction or scraping, generally happens when children fall. Bruises or contusion: is bleeding underneath the skin. The blood collects and results in a black/blue mark. Children often have bruises on their skin, chin and head from knocking themselves or falling. Soft tissue bruises should be investigated if you have a concern about them. Puncture wound: cause by the body being pierced by an object, for example , a child falling whilst carrying a pair of scissors. Velocity wound: cause by an item travelling at high speed such as a bullet from a gun. PEFAP 001 6.4: Describe how to administer first aid for minor injuries. With minor bleeding from cuts and abrasions the emphasis is on keeping the wound clean and to control any blood loss. Wear disposable gloves. Examine the injury for any embedded foreign objects. Clean the wound under fresh running water. Sit the casualty down. If they feel weak and unsteady, position them on the floor. Clean the skin around the wound with wet sterile gauze or sterile non-alcoholic wipes and carefully remove any grit or dirt. Do not remove any embedded object. Elevate the injury to control any blood loss. Dry the wound with sterile gauze and apply a plaster or sterile dressing. Advise the parent or guardian of the child or infant to seek medical attention if necessary. PEFAP 001 7.1: Describe how to recognise and manage an infant and a child who is suffering from shock. After an initial adrenaline rush, the body withdraws blood from the skin in order to maintain the vital organs – and the oxygen supply to the brain drops. The infant or child will have: Pale, cold, clammy skin that is oftern grey-blue in colour, especially around the lips A rapid pulse, becoming weaker Shallow, fast breathing. In an infant The anterior fontanelle is drawn in (depressed). In an infant or a child may show: Unusual restlessness, yawning and gasping for air Thirst Loss of consciousness The treatment is the same for an infant and a child. If possible, ask someone to call an ambulance while you stay with the child . Lay the child down, keeping her head low to improve the blood supply to the brain. Treat any obvious cause, such as severe bleeding. Raise the child’s leg and support them with pillows or on a cushion on a pile of books. Loosen any tight clothing at the neck, chest and waist to help with the child/s breathing. For an infant: hold the infant on your lap while you loosen her clothing and offer comfort and reassurance. Cover the child with a blanket or coat to keep her warm. Never use a hot-water bottle or any other direct source of heat. Reassure the child: keep talking to her and monitoring her condition while you wait for the ambulance. If the infant or child loses consciousness, open her airway, check her breathing and be prepared to give rescue breaths. Do not give the child anything to eat or drink: if she complains of thirst, just moisten her lips with water. PEFAP 001 7.2: Describe how to recognise and manage an infant and a child who is suffering from anaphylactic shock. During an anaphylactic reaction, chemicals are released into the blood that widen (dilate) blood vessels and  cause blood pressure to fall. Air passages then narrow (constrict), resulting in breathing difficulties. In addition, the tongue and throat can swell, obstructing the airway. An infant or child with anaphylactic shock will need urgent medical help as this can be fatal. The following signs and symptoms may come all at once and the child may rapidly lose consciousness: High-pitched wheezing sound Blotchy, itchy, raised rash Swollen eyelids, lips and tongue Difficulty speaking, then breathing Abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea If you suspect an infant or child is suffering from anaphylactic shock, follow the steps below: Call an ambulance. If the child has had a reaction previously, she will have medication to take in case of more attacks. This should be given as soon as the attack starts, following the instructions closely. Help the child into a comfortable sitting position to relieve any breathing problems and loosen any tight clothing at her neck and waist. Comfort and reassure her while you wait for the ambulance. If the child loses consciousness, open her airway, check her breathing and be prepared to stat rescue breaths. PEFAP 001 6.2: Describe the types and severity of bleeding and the affect it has on an infant and a child. Even tiny a mounts of blood can seem like a lot to a child. Any bleeding may frighten children because they are too young to realise that the blood loss will stop when clotting occurs. When a child loses a large amount of blood, he or she may suffer shock or even become unconscious. Platelets and proteins come into contact with the injured site and plug the wound. This process begins within ten minutes if the loss of blood is brought under control. There are different types of bleeding: Bleeding from arteries : This will pump blood from the wound in time with the heartbeat and is bright re in colour. If the bleeding from a major artery will lead to shock, unresponsiveness and death within minutes. Bleeding from veins: The bold will gush from the wound or pool at the site of the wound. This will depend on the size of the vein that has been damaged. The blood will be dark red in colour due to the oxygen being depleted. Bleeding from  capillaries: Oozing at the site as with an abrasion or maybe internally from a bruising to muscle tissue and internal organs. PEFAP 001 6.3: Demonstrate the safe and effective management for the control of minor and major external bleeding. With minor bleeding from cuts and abrasions the emphasis is on keeping the wound clean and to control any blood loss. Wear disposable gloves Examine the injury for any embedded foreign objects Clean the injured area with cold water, using cotton wool or gauze Do not attempt to pick out pieces of gravel or grit from a graze. Just clean gently and cover with a light dressing if necessary Sit the child down if they feel weak and unsteady, position them on the floor. Elevate the injury to control any bold loss Record the injury and treatment in the Accident Report Book and make sure that the parents/carers of the child are in formed. When a child is bleeding severely, your main aim is to stem the flow of blood. With severe wounds and bleeding the emphasis is on controlling blood loss and treating for shock. Wear disposable gloves Sit or lay the child down on the floor to help prevent shock Examine the injury to establish the extent of the wound and to check for any foreign embedded objects Try to stop the bleeding: Apply direct pressure to the wound: use a dressing or a non-fluffy material, such as a clean tea towel Elevate the affected part if possible: if the wound is on an arm or leg, raise the injured limb above the level of the heart Apply a dressing: if the blood soaks through, do not remove the dressing, apply another on top and so on Support the injured part and treat the child for shock. Keep them warm and do not let them have anything to eat or drink Call 999/112 for an ambulance and monitor the child’s condition Contact the child’s parents or carers If the child loses consciousness, follow the ABC procedure for resuscitation Always record the incident and the treatment given in the Accident Report  Book. Always wear disposable gloves if in an early years setting, to prevent cross-infection.

Accepted change management framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Accepted change management framework - Essay Example Subsequently, this paper describes the degree to which the organization followed the change management framework. Ascension Health is an example of a health care organization or institution that has undergone transformational change. Ascension Health can be described as a nonprofit health institution with outlets in twenty states in the United States. According to the Commonwealth Fund (2006), "Ascension Health is the largest catholic and largest nonprofit health care system in the United States, includes sixty seven acute care facilities staffed by one hundred and six thousand associates in twenty states and the District of Columbia" (p. A1). At one time, this health organization recognized the main sources of unnecessary and avoidable injuries as well as fatalities within their health. Therefore, the organization instigated or initiated a process of transformational change that was geared towards reducing and subsequently eradicating these quandaries within a span of five years. The transformational change that was planned by Ascension Health involved the recognition and classification of pra ctically each and every part of the health care delivery system within the institution that was the source or otherwise led to any fatalities or injuries to individuals seeking care. This was followed by methodical operations and activities geared towards identifying and as well widening or extending superlative plans of action in order to radically develop and advance patients safety within affected departments and units. There are various theories that have been developed over the past to elucidate the process of change in organizations. One of the examples of the theories applicable in this case is Koters model. The initial steep of transformational change according to Kotter is the institution or creation of a sense of exigency or importance (Kotter, 1995). For any change

Comparing bluetooth technology with infrared Essay

Comparing bluetooth technology with infrared - Essay Example Bluetooth exchanges information between devices through a globally unlicensed Industrial, Scientific, Medical (ISM) radio bands. It uses 2.4 GHz short range frequency of ISM. Bluetooth Special Interest Group(SIG) develop and license Bluetooth specifications. The SIG comprises of telecommunication, networking, computing and electronic companies (Newton, Harold). Bluetooth can transmit data between devices such as laptops, telephones, printers, digital cameras, mobile phones and video game consoles. It is a wireless protocol made for low power consumption and has short range which is based on low cost transceiver microchips in each device (Bluetooth SIG). The short ranges of Bluetooth are 1 meter, 10 meters and 100 meters and these ranges are power and class dependent. Class 1 of Bluetooth has a maximum permitted power of 100mW and approximate range of 100m; class 2 has a maximum permitted power of 2.5mW and approximate range of 10m; class 3 has a maximum permitted power of 1mW and approximate range of 1m (Newton, Harold). Bluetooth allows communication to be done among devices when they are in range. Because this system of communication uses radio waves, devices do not need to be in line of sight of each other for communication to take place. (Newton, Harold). In order for a device to be used by Bluetooth, it must be compatible with Bluetooth profiles. The most common use of Bluetooth includes wireless communication between handsets and mobile phones, wireless communication between computer input and output devices, file transfer between devices and OBEX, internet access of personal computers and communications in medical equipment. The technology of Bluetooth exists in many devices like Wi-Fi, telephones, and play stations and also in some high definition headsets and watches. This technology simplifies set up of services between devices. Devices with this technology can advertise all their services. It allows much of the security and permission configuration to be automated making its services easier for use as compared to other network types. A personal computer is required to have Bluetooth adapter in order to develop communication with other Bluetooth devices like mobile phones, keyboards and mice. Some laptops and personal computers have in built adapters while in others an external adapter is required. Through Bluetooth, multiple devices can communicate with a computer over one adapter. A Bluetooth enabled mobile phone allows it be communicated with many devices. The Open Mobile Terminal Platform has recently published a recommendation paper which recommends Bluetooth requirements in mobile phones which covers in car usage, printing and imaging. Bluetooth devices can transmit information like device names, list of services, device class and list of technical information on demand. Any Bluetooth device can undertake an inquiry to find other Bluetooth devices to connect to, and any Bluetooth device can usually respond to such inquires. However if a Bluetooth device that is trying to connect to another device knows the address of that other device than other devices always respond to the direct connection requests and transmit informat

Pros and cons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Pros and cons - Essay Example The pros of the chosen plan would be important: a) there are no competitors nearby; the specific coffee bar would be the only serving gourmet coffee in-house; b) since no competitor exists in the area, new customers would be easily attracted while existing customers would be interested in enjoying their coffee while tasting their favorite gourmet food, which would be also offered in the coffee bar along with baked goods and pastries. The cons of opening a coffee bar instead of carrying cookbooks and food magazines in the adjacent space would be the following: the costs for setting up a coffee shop can be high. The second plan could be realized with a quite low investment, just for adding 1-2 bookcases and shelves for putting the books/ magazines involved. The opening of a coffee bar would be the most appropriate use for the particular adjacent space. The average profit of such shop is at least $50,000 (SBDC 2012) which means that the startup costs could be easily covered approximately in 5 years since the business establishment, a fact that would eliminate the cons of the specific plan compared to the second plan

Individual Report on Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Individual Report on Management - Essay Example It includes development of abilities and skills, building up of education and management, improving of self awareness and standard of life, and realization of aspirations. The concept of personal development is not limited to individual level but it also refers to the organizational level in terms of improvement in system, equipment, technology, method, practices and appraisal considerations in organization to support the personal development plan at individual level. A middle level manager needs to recognize his / her current and future role in Tesco Inc. Primarily the purpose of personal development plan is to assist the individuals to achieve their targets more effectively. A personal development plan offers several options to manager to improve his career and management style. Tesco is an international firm and mid-level managers effectively contribute at functional level. Therefore, PDP enables the Tesco’s mid level managers to list a variety of goals and steps for their development with respect to the analysis of their strengths and weaknesses and identifies the areas they need to emphasize with additional knowledge and better understanding. Tesco management can get short and long term aspirations to catch their strategic goals and have evidence regarding the progression towards the set target. Through PDP, Tesco management not only can improve their existing operations but it also facilitates them to review their existing and future plans. 1.2 Management Style In fact a management style is an overall application of leadership which the managers have to perform in terms of their role and tasks in Tesco. The handling of routine work and particular contingencies depends on the managerial styles. Lewin et al (1939) suggested a continuum theory of leadership that identified three basic styles which are used as management styles by managers at their level. Management styles vary from manager to manager in all organizations. Same is the case in Tesco. Th ere are some autocrat managers in Tesco who have little trust in group members and believe that money is the only reward that will motivate workers. At the other end of the continuum is the laissez-faire managers who have little or no self-confidence in their managerial role, they set no goals for the employees, and minimize the communication and interaction. Autocrat Democrat Laissez-faire Benevolent Autocrat (Fig. 1) The democratic management style can be the most effective and productive style for Tesco. The style encourages the subordinates by providing an opportunity to share their views in decision making process. Democratic style explains the reasons to the group for decisions when necessary and objectively communicates criticism and praise to subordinates. This in turn motivates the employees and feel them importance in organizational structure.

Quality of Life Innovations Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Quality of Life Innovations - Research Paper Example In essence, the initiative means using various methods every day to help save the community and its environment. It is more of a lifestyle problem; such that whatever a person does, it works upon saving the community and the world at large by implementing a healthy lifestyle. History and effects to quality of life Global warming is the increase in the average temperatures of the world’s atmosphere and oceans. Its primary cause increases concentration of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation (Newell 17-18). The effects of global warming include a rise in the sea levels and a change in precipitation patterns. Extreme weather conditions arise as outcomes of global warming. The threat to food security is the greatest impending danger attributed to global warming. In general, there are many effects of global warming. These effects are already causing significant and harmful effects on the health of people, and other worl d inhabitants, the environment, and the community at large. Global warming comes about due to human activities such as carbon pollution, where the daily human activities cause emission of carbon to the ozone layer (Pugliese 13). Such activities include burning of fuels like coal, oil and natural gas for energy, cutting and burning forests to create pastures and plantations, and poor waste management in the community, therefore, releasing carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Need for address These issues call for an immediate action. The consequences will continue to persist intensively, people in the community need education on ways to curb or reduce the causes of the subject. Global warming is challenging many economies in the world. It is raising food insecurity levels to very high pitches (Crampton 24). Weather patterns are changing, and every aspect of weather comes in its extreme condition in many parts of the world. Such aspects of the problem necessitate action from community me mbers to help curb the phenomenon. This study will assist in raising attention and ways to make the environment friendly (Pugliese 14). Global warming is a persistent issue that is affecting every community. Every person in the community has a responsibility towards curbing environmental issues. Climate change is real. The emissions of green gases to the ozone layer are because of human depleting activities. Such gases include carbon dioxide, and methane (Bevan 181-182). Even though many governments are focusing their resources on methods to curb global warming, most members of the community do not have wide knowledge or any knowledge at all on how to help in reducing global warming. Information on climate change has been posted in nearly all sources of information, and yet there appears no change in the common man’s habit or spending ability. The rate at which human activities are destroying the world has increasingly risen up calling for swifter methods to curb effects of t he issue hence, necessitating the need for re-addressing (Crampton 24-25). Policies set forth Several policies have been generated, in the world, to curb the effects of global warming. The policies also seek ways to reduce the causes of global warming and increase a healthy lifestyle on all individuals of various communities in the world. The first policy is mitigation where governments aim at

Key Transformation for Deckers Outdoor Corporation Research Paper

Key Transformation for Deckers Outdoor Corporation - Research Paper Example According to the model, structure refers to an arrangement of functions, responsibilities of those working in an organization, those authorities represented in the organization, as well as communication that assist the organization to attain it goals and strategy. Identification of DOC structure will aid in comprehending the variables highlighted above. Deckers utilize a decentralized structure for its management. In this method of management, the top management delegates the key responsibilities of the organization to the middle managers, who in turn direct the workforce on what they ought to do. It is, therefore, evident that the top management spends much of their time in developing useful ideas that would propel the company to attain success (Burke & Litwin, 1992).At Deckers, the application of the decentralization principle has significantly assisted it in various ways. As this structure allows the employees involvement in decision making for the organization, it makes them feel empowered unlike in a centralized management system. These employees attain satisfaction after seeing their ideas being implemented for the growth of the organization. Moreover, decentralization relieves the owner of DOC from pressures that emanate from managing the operations of an organization solely. After the delegation of such duties to other individuals in the organization, the owner of DOC spends adequate time in devising strategies to utilize in the expansion of the business (Burke & Litwin, 1992).

Enhancing Motivation, Ethics and Values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Enhancing Motivation, Ethics and Values - Essay Example The number and severity of business scandals have resulted in the need to enhance the ethics and values of today’s managers and leaders. The organization’s Code of Conduct, mission statement or values policy statements should reflect the expectations of ethical behavior from the company’s leaders. An ethical code serves not only the interests of the company, but has the broader purpose of fairness and justice towards all stakeholders associated with the company, state Kaptein & Schwartz (2007). It is important that business leaders need to follow the requirements of the stated ethical code, and accordingly manifest their professional behavior towards all stakeholders of the company. Federal regulations concerning the disclosure of written ethical codes of the corporation need to be complied with. Many large firms such as Enron, WorldCom, and HealthSouth have been found to have been unethically managed by their coporate executive officers, corporate finance officers and other top managers, which has been the main reason for regulators to investigate the root cause of ethical failures in companies. The lack of an ethical standard, benchmark or technique to measure the level of ethics in a company’s operations appear to have played a major role in these companies’ failures (McGraw et al, 2008). Integrity is an important element of leadership. The authors develop a theory-based model for judging a corporate leader’s integrity, by addressing questions based on what the criteria for judging are, when integrity judgments are particularly important, who the judges are. The relevant set of moral values and norms of stakeholders which affect such judgments are enabled by three components of integrity criteria: laws, codes of conduct, and informal moral values and norms. Relevant stakeholders expect a corporate leader to abide by these ethical norms. Such an integrity judgment

The Effects of Hair Relaxers Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Hair Relaxers Essay For a long time, hair relaxers have been used to straighten hair thus making it easier to style. These hair relaxers straighten hair by destroying the protein composition of hair and the most effective active ingredients in these relaxers are Sodium Hydroxide and Guanidine hydroxide (Baran Maibach, 2005). Hair is primarily composed of keratin which is a form of fibrous protein that is made up of long amino acid chains (polypeptides). In these chains, the amino acids are linked to one another through chemical bonds which are known as peptide bonds. These polypeptide chains are linked to each other through salt, disulphide, and hydrogen bonds (Dale, 1997). These hydrogen bonds contribute greatly to hair strength and in fact their contribution forms a third of the total hair strength (Dale, 1997). These hydrogen bonds are so weak that they are easily broken by heat and water. Salt bonds just like hydrogen bonds are weak physical bonds and are broken easily by agents such as weak acid or alkaline solutions as well as pH changes. Unlike the other two, disulphide bonds are chemical in nature and are stronger and less. However, they are susceptible to alkaline solutions. These disulphide bonds links the sulphur atoms found in cysteine to each other and they are the ones primarily responsible for hair’s strength. More hair strength is contributed by betaine. In an investigation done by Pulliainen et al. (2009) using high performance liquid chromatography, natural betaine was established to be a part of hair and it is believed to provide hair strength by helping to maintain the function of protein. There are two types of keratin-soft and hard-and the one found in hair is the hard type. This type of keratin is insoluble in water and it is generally resistant to degradation by various agents for instance proteolytic enzymes (Sustaita, 2007). The keratin proteins in a hair fiber forms 65-95% of the fibers total weight (Keratin. Com, 2009). Hair is composed of various chemical elements which include carbon, hydrogen, sulphur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Hair relaxers act on hair in two major ways-physical and chemical. The chemical action is due to breakage of disulphide bonds following the action of the alkalis found in hair relaxers. Since the disulphide bonds are the ones primarily responsible for providing hair strength as well as determining hair curls, breakage of these bonds leaves the hair soft (relaxed) and thus it can be manipulated (Dale, 1997). These alkalis also break the salt and hydrogen bonds further softening the hair. The physical action comes about due to the breakage of the bonds leaving the hair free of natural curls thus it can be straightened by combing. In other words it changes hair physically from curly to straight thus giving it a new shape. Following application of hair relaxers, the structure of hair changes due to breakage of bonds but these bonds are reformed. Use of water and heat during relaxing breaks hydrogen bonds but these are reformed when the hair is dried and cooled. The broken salt bonds are reformed by use of neutralizers (acids) which normalizes the hair pH. Disulphide bonds are also reformed following application of neutralizers but their position changes so that they hold hair in the new straight shape. The neutralizer also re-hardens hair. From the discussion above, it is clear that the hair relaxers targets the protein components of hair and it does this by destroying the bonds that link polypeptide chains together. After this breakage, neutralizers are applied and hair dried to reform these bonds.

Neglecting the Complexities Essay Example for Free

Neglecting the Complexities Essay Global warming is the heating up of the earth’s surface which causes such an increase in the average temperature that sums up to the change in the earth’s climate. This can be attributed to the man-made greenhouse gas concentrations as in the greenhouse effect. The Earths climate changes in response to external forcing, including variations in its orbit around the Sun (orbital forcing), changes in solar luminosity, volcanic eruptions, and atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. The detailed causes of the recent warming remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus is that the increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases due to human activity caused most of the warming observed since the start of the industrial era. This attribution is clearest for the most recent 50 years, for which the most detailed data are available. Some other hypotheses departing from the consensus view have been suggested to explain most of the temperature increase. One such hypothesis proposes that warming may be the result of variations in solar activity. We can just imagine how much of this heat would come from the environmental pollution as the toxic wastes emitted by factory chimneys, production of plastics, chemicals from hairsprays and the like. These innovations that are both detrimental to human health and environment, especially in times where we have denuded green fields and lack of the maintaining and sustaining of the forestry. The current times would show much indifference from the human population who as learned to embrace the short term aesthetic beauty and comfort that this modernism offers to the industry. This apathy should then be addressed immediately especially at these times when the grave effects and destructions of the global warming are so imminent not only in the human health but most especially with the dwindling of natural resources. Despite the notable efforts of some groups and organizations, one cannot help the passive undertaking of such a serious matter by the higher percentage of the human population. One should realize the horrendous effects that could follow with further negligence to such an alarming state of nature. The anticipated shift of climate because of global warming has the biggest possibility of having irreversible effects at both the continental and global scales which prove to be truly devastating. Though the actual materialization of such projected effects remain controversial, the foreseen outcomes include the impeded ocean circulation which is responsible for the transportation of the warm water to the North Atlantic, The wiping out of Greenland and West Antarctic Ice Sheets, intensification of droughts, the wildfires out of heatwaves, severing storms, the speeding up of global warming brought about by the carbon cycle feedbacks in the terrestrial biosphere, and the exhaust of the terrestrial carbon from permafrost regions and methane from hydrates in coastal sediments. The United States National Academy of Sciences has warned, Greenhouse warming and other human alterations of the earth system may increase the possibility of large, abrupt, and unwelcome regional or global climatic events. . . . Future abrupt changes cannot be predicted with confidence, and climate surprises are to be expected. It was stated that most of the consequences of global warming would result from one of three physical changes: sea level rise, higher local temperatures, and changes in rainfall patterns. Sea level is generally expected to rise 18 to 59 cm (7. 1 to 23. 2 inches) by the end of the century. The extreme weather caused by global warming could lead to effects as that of Extratropical storms which is partly dependent on the temperature gradient that is predicted to weaken in the northern hemisphere as the polar region warms more than the rest of the hemisphere. Because of the warm climate there would be an increase in the evaporation which will then cause heavier rainfall as our world is a closed system, which further leads to erosion. This is very detrimental to tropical areas which may lead to desertification due to deforestation. It was then predicted to have an average of 2. 8% catastrophic storms in every 1% increase in annual precipitation. RESOLUTION Because of this awareness on the projected negative effects of global warming it has brought much concern to the human population which brought certain political advocacies into the proposition of ways to eradicate and alleviate the status of our ecosystem as greatly affected by the global warming. They are now promoting extensive means and way into advocating the social awareness of such horrendous effects to our world. The effects and consequences of present acts my not be super visible or flatly exposed to the human eye, but the projected image of how bad things can turn out to be is now shown through studies such as that of one as reported to UN by Stephen Mwakifwamba, national coordinator of the Centre for Energy, Environment, Science and Technology with regard to the Tanzanian government’s climate change. In the past, we had a drought about every 10 years, he says. Now we just dont know when they will come. They are more frequent, but then so are floods. The climate is far less predictable. We might have floods in May or droughts every three years. Upland areas, which were never affected by mosquitoes, now are. Water levels are decreasing every day. The rains come at the wrong time for farmers and it is leading to many problems. Greg Holland, director of the Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, said on April 24, 2006, The hurricanes we are seeing are indeed a direct result of climate change, and that the wind and warmer water conditions that fuel storms when they form in the Caribbean are, increasingly due to greenhouse gases. There seems to be no other conclusion you can logically draw. Holland said, The large bulk of the scientific community say what we are seeing now is linked directly to greenhouse gases. The Association of British Insurers has stated that limiting carbon emissions would avoid 80% of the projected additional annual cost of tropical cyclones by the 2080s. The cost is also increasing partly because of building in exposed areas such as coasts and floodplains. The ABI claims that reduction of the vulnerability to some inevitable effects of climate change, for example through more resilient buildings and improved flood defenses, could also result in considerable cost-savings in the long term. Most national governments have signed and ratified the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but there is ongoing political and public debate worldwide regarding what, if any, action should be taken to reduce or reverse future warming or to adapt to its expected consequences. All of these warnings and plans can only be fully realized once each and every individual take a serious look at this alarming earth condition; then personally taking the initiative to involve them selves and act in ways to the promotion of lessening all these harmful sources of global heat. We can take a start from the use of earth-friendly materials such as the recycling method or even the use of healthy vehicular fuels. There are numerous ways to make use of the available alternatives or probably to explore new and better ways of catering materials for human services left to be seen. References Association of British Insurers. (2005). Financial risks of climate change. Brian S. and Gabriel V. (2007). IPCC Projections and Hurricanes. Geophysical Fluids Dynamic Global Warming blog. Global warming behind record 2005 storms: experts. Retrieved on Decmeber 12, 2006, from Reuters. Hoyos, Carlos D. ; Paula A. Agudelo, Peter J.Webster, Judith A. Curry (2006). Deconvolution of the Factors Contributing to the Increase in Global Hurricane Intensity. Science Express. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2007, February 05). Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved February 02, 2007, from http://www. ipcc. ch/ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved December 12, 2007. Houghton, J. T. ,Y. Ding, D. J.

Sustainability In Julius Berger Nig Plc Construction Essay

Sustainability In Julius Berger Nig Plc Construction Essay Civil engineering has played a vital role in human development. It has also enhanced the quality of live of people today, through the provision of basic water supply, pollution control, transportation, industrial/commercial, urban infrastructure. Each of these engineering work has made life more comfortable, convenient, accessible, healthy and longer not only for the local population (Nigerians), but for all. The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering ( 2007a). A Nigerian civil engineering company, which was a subsidiary of Bilfinger Berger AG, called Julius Berger Nigeria Limited was incorporated in 1970. The company became listed in the Nigerian stock exchange as Julius Berger Nigeria PLc, to carry out complex and diverse engineering projects in Nigeria. One of which is the Eko bridge constructed in 1965. Others include Buildings, offices, residential facilities, functional buildings, sports/recreational facilities, construction of roads, bridges, railways, airports, dams and water supply, plants and factories. Julius- Berger( 2010). The company has modernised much of the transportation infrastructure in Nigeria since 1970 and is responsible for the design and construction of the new Nigerian capital at Abuja. ide-Jetro ( 2010). It must be emphasised that the same infrastructure developed in the country, and the economies and standard of living these enormous facilities support, is contributing to environmental degradation due to the size and scale of its effects on the environment. There are clear and unambiguous signs that show that the human population is now impacting negatively to the global environment, thus threatening our life support systems .The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (2007b). SUSTAINABILITY AND THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT (JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC) In defining sustainability from the perspective of Julius Berger Nigeria PLc. it is pertinent to understand that it is not as easy as the text book definition of sustainability which lays emphasis on the future. A sustainable society is defined to be aware of the needs of future generations and is farseeing enough. New Civil Engineering (2010a). However, according to them, in the real world most societies are not run that way. This is because politicians are more interested in how a project performs during their tenure in office than the whole life cycle of the project. This is the reason why projects fail to be sustainable. The only reason why a newly constructed bridge collapsed in India just before the commencement of the 2010 commonwealth games, or why the water system stopped working and needs urgent maintenance. According to New Civil Engineering (2010b) that cited a report from the American Society of Civil Engineers 2 (ASCE), twenty seven percent of six hundred thousand bridg es in the US are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. This is the case also in Nigeria. Where there are so many unsustainable projects. Nigerian cities are witnessing high rates of environmental deterioration and are rated among urban areas with the lowest livibility index in the world Adedeji and Eziyi ( 2010a).The fact is that these old systems are subjected to the end of their life time and there are some responsibilities about the maintenance of these infrastructures. New Civil Engineering (2010c). The obvious problem is that government still insists on taking the old fashioned path, of assigning absolutely unsustainable projects for the mere fact that they are less pricey options. Sustainable development should be one that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs. The Bruntland Report (WCED) (1987). This is the general definition of the concept. The harsh reality is that Nigerian cities are hug ely under developed and unsustainable. This is inspire of the fact that Julius Berger Nigeria Plc is the biggest construction company in the country. Majority of the problem can be traced to a number of factors. These include the colonial antecedent of most Nigerian cities (Ogbazi, 1992 ; Ikya, 1993) the high rate of urbanization, bad psychological orientation of urban residents on the environment as well as poor environmental management practices (Meale, 1991; Agukoronye, 2004). Sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems IUCN; WWF and UNEP (1991). These generally accepted definitions are recognised also at Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, where management and in fact all the stakeholders are aware of the new concepts on sustainability which according to The Canadian Society for civil engineering ( 2007c)includes the newly emergent issues of climate change, peak oil, sustainable transportation, environmental restoration, ecosystem disruption, ethics and equity and infrastructural operations and maintenance, as it concerns the construction industry. However in practice, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has not done so much to implement sustainability. For sustainability to be implemented in the Nigerian built environment, there has to be four distinguished management levels of which the environmental sustainability of the built environment can be influenced. These are the environmental cooperatio n routines, environmental technology policies, environmental regulations and incentives. Bossink, (ed) (2010). Sustainability at Julius Berger should simply consider the whole life cycle assessment (LSA) of the alternatives when building a project. New Civil Engineering (2010d). In other words the company should first consider the whole life cycle of the product before construction starts. This will have the least effect on the environment and biodiversity as well as the capitals that have been eluded earlier. Practically according to New Civil Engineering (2010e), this entails a detailed study of the stages of making, using and disposing of the product before choosing on an option. The stages of the product which starts from extraction of the raw materials needed for the project to the design of the project, the formulation, specification, processing, manufacturing, assembly, construction, packaging, use, maintenance, refurbishment, reusing, recycling and finally disposal. What obtains at Julius Berger today is that after the project has been critically analysed and studied to ascertain the cost, in terms of its profitability and affordability. The company would then decide on the source of capital for the project. Then after wards the project is assigned to workers for construction. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc concept of sustainability is improving the quality of projects for future generations of Nigerians. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS IN NIGERIA AND THE ROLE JULIUS BERGER SHOULD PLAY IN NIGERIA (On Sustainability) The Nigerian environmental problem has been identified to have serious adverse socio economic and ecological implications .These are traceable to factors like high rate of urbanization, poor environmental management etc (Rashid, 1982; NEST, 1991; World Bank, 1992; Anih, 2004). This means that Julius Berger Nigeria Plc is faced with an enormous problem caused by a rapidly growing population. According to Adedeji and Eziyi (2010b), rural urban migration remains one of the major contributors to the ever increasing urban population growth in Nigeria. Also in Nigeria, Mba et al (eds) (2004) identified several other types of environmental problems which were classified as ecological, poaching, loss of habitat, increasing desertification and soil erosion. These were further subdivided into pollution, deforestation, global warming and slum development. The coastal regions currently experiencing widespread contamination from petroleum exploration, gas flaring and oil spillage. In this regar d, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc should realise that infrastructural development can no longer be done in a microcosm on a project level a more holistic inclusion of the complex interactions of human society and the environment upon which it depends, is needed. The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (2007d). JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC AND SUSTAINABILITY Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, should instil the concept of sustainability which is a concept that includes the triple bottom line and a life cycle assessment into the planning, design and operation of civil infrastructure, and in this way promote the development of new technologies and management practices for the use of energy, non renewable resources, and the production of waste materials The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (2007e). There are several sustainable development issues that affect Civil Engineering practices that should be understood and implemented by Julius Berger, Nigeria Plc to mitigate their ecological impact. These include climate change. The potential impact of climate change upon the built environment (civil infrastructure) changes in extreme hydrological and meteorological events, and there should be a growing effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as adaptation requirements. Already the effect of climate change can be felt in Nigeria Where environmental problems due to oil exploration has inflicted tremendous damage on the ecosystem, health and livelihood of the people of the region Adedeji and Eziyi, (2010c). According to the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (2007f) Julius Berger Nigeria Plc should adopt best practices for eco-efficiency, such as increased energy/water efficiency, the minimization of waste and resource consumption and the employment of clean technologies. Also stated by them, there should be the use of performance based standards and guidelines identifying the outcome required as opposed to a prescriptive path that must be followed to enable designers to achieve improved results. There is also depleting oil and natural gas reserves which have severe consequences (Peak oil). The society and indeed Julius Berger Nigeria Plc must meet certain societal priorities and implement policies: these include energy conservation and efficiency, developing alternative renewable sources and strategies to reduce waste. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc should also endorse Green Construction construction that achieves the beneficial objectives of engineering work with the lowest possible consumption of raw materials and energy, both during and after construction. The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (2007g). In this regard every decision taken should aim to minimise environmental burdens of climate change, resource depletion, energy depletion, the loss of biodiversity, and human health, genetically modified products and modified environmental vectors. On the issue of sustainable transportation, Julius Berger should introduce the use of pedestrian amenities, mass transit, and energy conservation in transportation systems. The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (2007h). Effort should also be made by the company to sensitise government about the need for environmental restoration. This entails reconstruction of natural features, and fish habitat in rivers and streams, the control of sediment runoff and the removal of dams and tidal barriers. There should also be cleanup and/or redevelopment of contaminated sites. According to (Adedeji and Eziyi, (2010d). A typical example of this can be seen in the issue of end of gas flaring and oil spillages in the Niger Delta region. An area of equal importance to the populace which can eventually bring to an end the restiveness of the youth especially at the Niger delta area is transparency and equity in the provision of basic human services to disadvantaged people, contributing to poverty alleviation, human health and public welfare. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc can contribute to this by implementing its corporate responsibility to communities. However, so far corporate social responsibility does not play an important role in Nigeria, and has not been the subject of a wider public discussion. Bertelsmann. (2009). Application of sustainable energy sources to develop linearly distributed social infrastructure is a key enabling factor that will stimulate grass root economic development, stem the prevailing state of crime, access sufficient quantities of clean water, maintain acceptable standards of food and goods production, sanitation and health of the citizens of Nigeria Udoma and Arciszewski (2010).Infrastructure operations and maintenance is also vital to guarantee an optimal use of the infrastructure. RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES Sustainable risks /opportunities identification: sustainable risks identified at Julius Berger Nigeria Plc include: Cost related risks: Tight project schedule, design variations, variations by the client, unsuitable construction programme planning, occurrence of dispute, price inflation of construction materials, excessive approval procedures in administrative government departments, incomplete approval and other documents, incomplete or inaccurate cost estimate and inadequate programme schedule. Time related risks: Tight project schedule, design variations, excessive approval procedures in administrative government departments, variations by the client, incomplete approval and other documents, unsuitable construction programme planning, inadequate programme scheduling, bureaucracy of government, high performance or quality expectation, variations of construction programmes Quality related risks: Tight project schedule, inadequate programme scheduling, unsuitable construction programme planning, incomplete or inaccurate cost estimate, low management competency of subcontractors, high performance or quality expectations, variations of construction programmes, unavailability of sufficient amount of skilled labour, design variations and the lack of coordination between project participants. Environment related risks: Tight project schedule, variations of construction programmes, unavailability of sufficient professionals and managers, excessive approval procedures in administrative government departments, variations by the client, inadequate or insufficient site information(soil test and survey report), low management competency of subcontractors, high performance or quality expectations, inadequate programme scheduling and serious noise pollution caused by construction Safety related risks: Tight project schedule, low management competency of subcontractors, unsuitable construction programme planning, variations of construction programmes, general safety accident occurrence ,high performance or quality expectations, design variations, lack of coordination between projects participants, excessive approval procedures in administrative government departments, unavailability of sufficient amount of skilled labour and unavailability of sufficient professionals and managers. Sustainable Risks and Opportunities , Adopted from: Zou, P. et al (2010): identifying key risks in construction projects: Life cycle and stake holder perspective. SUSTAINABILITY RISKS OF JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC The identifiable risks of Julius Berge Nigeria Plc are socioeconomic factors which include environmental protection, public safety regulations, economic instability, and exchange rate fluctuations. Other risks are organisational relationships which deal with contractual relations, attitudes of participants, and communication. There are also technological problems experienced by the company. These include design assumptions, site condition, construction procedures, and construction occupational safety. Civil Engineering Blog (2010a) Environmental Protection contributes to our companys uncertainty. This stems from the companys inability to know what will be required and the time it will take to get approval from the environmental agency of Nigeria. Requirements associated with continued re evaluation of problems and the lack of definitive criteria which are practical have also resulted in added cost. Civil Engineering Blog (2010b). According to them, economic conditions have added to the uncertainty that our company experiences. High inflation and high interest rates, the deregulation of financial institutions have created problems associated with the financing of construction. The stakeholders of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc (share holders and management) are interested in achieving some financial break through that will help lower the cost of projects and eliminate lengthy delays. The risks related to organisational relationships also affect the company. Strained relationship sometimes occurs between the various organisations involved in the design/construction process. According to Civil Engineering Blog (2010c), when problems occur discussions often centre on responsibilities rather than project needs at a time when the focus should be on solving the problem. The risks associated with technological advancement also affect Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. Some new technologies pose problems to designers and constructors. Many design assumptions which have served the professions well in the past may become obsolete in dealing in dealing with new types of facilities which may have greater complexity or scale or both. Civil Engineering Blog ( 2010d). SUSTAINABILITY OPPORTUNITIES OF JULIUS BERGER NIGERIA PLC Sustainability opportunities of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc include the follows: Investment in human capital, investment in new technologies, corporate social responsibility and carbon footprint. AUDIT TO IDENTIFY AN ACTIVITY (CONSTRUCTION OF A STORM WATER PROJECT) THAT ADHERES PARTIALLY TO THE PRINCIPLE OF SUSTAINABILITY. In conducting the audit, the following steps were taken: Identify every activity on construction Identify the actual activities that are not sustainable Identify the number of activities that are Partially sustainable Identify the number of completely sustainable activities; check if construction was based on best practices for eco efficiency. Identify the environmental impact of activities during construction Calculate the current cost of the sustainable construction Julius Berger Nigeria Plc construction activities cannot be considered as Green Construction which was defined as construction that achieves the beneficial objectives of engineering work with the lowest possible consumption of raw materials and energy, both during and after construction. The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering ( 2007h). An audit conducted to identify whether the companys storm water project adheres only partially or completely to the principles of sustainability revealed that the companys decisions on construction work were partially aimed at minimizing environmental burdens under five global consequences: resource depletion, energy depletion, climate change, biodiversity, and human health. The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (2007i). Best practices for eco-efficiency, such as increased energy/water efficiency, the minimization of waste and resource consumption, the employment of clean technologies were not employed. The Canadian Society for Civil Engineeri ng (2007j). SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT TOOL Sustainability management tools that can be used to develop a sustainable solution to the storm water project include an EIA, ISO 14001 and GRI. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): There are two assessment processes introduced under 2006 EIA regulations. These include; Basic Assessment: This involves a simpler and faster process of which the public participation process and development of the basic assessment report take place before the submission of an application. Jones (2010). ISO 14001: The international organization for standardization 14001 was published in 1996. It is the most well known and widely used specification standard on environmental management systems. Starkey and Welford (eds) (2005). ISO 14001 are also a series of voluntary, auditable standards that are designed to provide a reasonable assurance of the accuracy of the performance claims of companies. Weybrecht (2010a). GRI: The Global Reporting Initiative (GTI) is for disclosure on economic, environmental, and social performance. This is as commonplace and comparable as financial reporting, and as important as a companys success. Weybrecht (2010b). AN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTION HIGHLIGHTED IN THE AUDIT Promote the wise use of non renewable resources, waste minimization and recycling in engineering activities and the development of alternatives to the use of non renewable resources; Select materials and systems with low embodied energy and easy reuse; Promote the principles of conservation and energy efficiency; Rigorously examine the basic functions and purposes behind a project to recognise options and alternatives that will increase sustainability; Identify appropriate technology for sustainable development, recognizing that may mean low-tech solutions; Choose a built form and orientation that contribute to environmental economies and future adaptability, flexibility of use and reuse; Select construction methods that minimize the effects of construction and demolition in terms of land take, waste and pollution; Aim to reduce natural, accidental and wilful hazards; Consider individual and cumulative social, economic and environmental impacts (the Triple Bottom line) including long-term and indirect impacts; and Adopt practices, policies and design goals that focus on efficiency, conservation of materials and energy, and waste minimization. Adopted from: The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (2007k). For construction activities at Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to be sustainable, the company should simply consider the whole life cycle assessment (LSA) of the alternatives when building a project. New Civil Engineering (2010f). In other words the company should first consider the whole life cycle of the project before construction starts. This will have the least effect on the environment and biodiversity. According to New Civil Engineering (2010g), this includes a detailed study of the stages of making, using and disposing of the product before choosing on an option. The stages of the project which starts from extraction of the raw materials needed for the project to the design of the project, the formulation, specification, processing, manufacturing, assembly, construction, packaging, use, maintenance, refurbishment, reusing, recycling and finally disposal. What obtains at Julius Berger is an analysis of the project to ascertain the cost, (profitability and affordability) and the best possible approach to undertake the project. However, even where every care is taken to reduce natural, accidental and wilful hazards, with emphasis on social, economic and environmental impacts, the project is undertaken using the normal unsustainable approach the company has adopted successfully over the years. CONCLUSION: It is obvious that human societies have in the past decade or so taken a path which is clearly unsustainable. In Nigeria for instance there have been a whole lot of unsustainable activities by oil exploration and producing companies. This coupled with years of unsustainable construction and urban planning, poor environmental practices by the citizens, poor regulatory practices and a lack of compliance by multinational companies, has led to environmental problems like, oil spillages, gas flaring, erosion, soil and water contamination, acid rain etc in the oil rich country. Sustainability therefore has become an inevitable way forward in the face of a looming environmental catastrophe. As the years go by, fewer resources than we are now relying on in Nigeria will have to support the nearly over 150 million Nigerians that require food, water, clothing, shelter, electricity and other modern amenities of life. A growth in the population of Nigeria will put a further strain on available resources. This is where sustainability in the built environment becomes very necessary. A construction company like Julius Berger Nigeria plc can use this opportunity and offer sustainable civil engineering solutions to the environmental problems that Nigeria faces today. The opportunities or benefit of sustainable construction will have on the society is, cleaner environment, resource efficiency, compliance and effective risk management etc.

The Play Years Essay -- essays research papers

The Play Years   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early childhood is often characterized by endless make-believe and sociodramatic play which indicates the development of mental representation. Sociodramtic play differs from simple make-believe play in that it involves play with peers. This stage of play is often referred to as the Preoperational Stage. This is the stage immediately after Piaget's Sensorimotor Stage. The Preoperational Stage spans from two to about five or six years of age. At this stage, according to Piaget, children acquire skills in the area of mental imagery, and especially language. They are very self-oriented, and have an egocentric view; that is, preoperational children can use these representational skills only to view the world from their own perspective (http://web.psych.ualberta.ca/~mike/Pearl_Street/Dictionary/contents/P/piaget's_stages.html).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout early childhood, children's preoperational cognitive development is observed. Egocentrism -- being unaware of any perspectives other then their own -- is often seen is children ranging from two to six or seven years. Piaget's three mountain problem illustrates this phenomenon clearly; that is, children who looked at three mountain peaks, designated by different colors, could not pick a picture representing the three peaks from a doll's point of view. Instead, the pictures represented their own point of view.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Conservation problems also are c...

Educational Goals and Philosophy Essay example -- Education Teaching E

Statement of Educational Goals and Philosophy My desire to become a teacher began while I was in junior high school however; my family, friends, and coaches basically turned me against it. They said it was a jobless market with no future. At that age, those people were very impressionable on my decisions, and because of this I became disillusioned about my career, and at that point I just knew I wanted to attend college. Once in college, I found my niche in the social sciences. I love reading and learning about history, psychology, religion, politics, government, social issues, and diverse cultures. I was able to double major in the fields of history and geography while gaining a minor in political science. My intention was to attend law school. Then I meet the woman that would become my wife. She has changed my life. My wife will be an elementary school teacher and she opened my eyes to the joy and appreciation of teaching. If there has been an inspiration in my decision to become teacher, my wife has been it. A lawyer makes the money, but where is the integrity. I wanted to do something in life that I could be proud of doing. Teaching makes a difference in society, and is definitely a noble profession. The purpose of public education is preparing the student for life. Rousseau says, â€Å"We are born with a blank slate and life is a constant learning experience.† Throughout a life time the human mind is constantly filled with information. As educators we must believe that we are making an impact on a life; that we are making a difference. We must pass on knowledge to a younger generation so they can improve society. Education is the key to success, and all teachers are a contributing factor to an individual’s succ... ...lthough middle school age requires special attention because that is a time of so many changes in the child’s life, I still am prepared for the challenge. If I can help children gain knowledge I have succeeded regardless of age. Eventually, I would like to gain a doctorate in history or theology. I think partly because of a thirst for knowledge, and partly because I come from a family of ministers. Religion has been an interest and a large part of my life. Perhaps, I could even become a part-time college professor. For now, I think secondary social studies needs me more. Teachers play a large role in a child’s life. They must fulfill many roles. The role of a teacher is not just to educate. A teacher has the opportunity to be a positive role model. I want to have a positive effect on as many students as possible, but even just a few can be reward enough for me.

Healthcare, Medicare, and Medicaid Essay -- Health Medicine Government

Healthcare, Medicare, and Medicaid The U.S. health care system is a scrutinized issue that affects everyone: young, old, rich, and poor. The health care system is comprised of three major components. Since 1973, most Americans have turned to managed-care programs, known as HMOs. The second type of health care offered to Americans is Medicare, health care for the elderly. The third type of health care is Medicaid, a health care program for the poor. Why is our health care system made up of three components, and how did the U.S. health care system develop? A Historical View The idea of prepaid health care dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The first HMOs were started in the 1920s in Elk City, Oklahoma as a farmers’ cooperative. In Los Angeles, California the Ross-Loos Medical Group offered prepaid medical services to employees and families of the Los Angeles County Department of Water and Power. Other large prepaid group practices originated in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1942 employee health premiums were made tax deductible to employers, not individuals. By this time, many individuals were discouraged from buying health insurance. In 1965 Congress created Medicare. Subsidized, unrestricted health care for the elderly led to enormous spending by patients and doctors. As a result, health care costs went up, making it impossible for individual health insurance. Many liberals in Congress believed that having the government pay for everyone’s health care could control costs. They promoted the idea of health maintenance organizations. President Nixon proposed the HMO Act. In 1973 Congress passed it. Legal impediments were removed to increase the growth of HMOs. HMOs were developed as pa... ... which the federal government should contribute. The block grant program has gained popularity because the federal government, simply, transfers Medicaid money to the state to distribute it accordingly. Between 1987 and 1992, thirty mandates were issued to states that related to program eligibility, reimbursements, and services. Works Cited: â€Å"Medicaid Reform-Introduction.† The Century Foundation: Policy in Perspective. 06 Oct. 2003 . â€Å"Medicaid Reform-What’s Right with Medicaid?† The Century Foundation: Policy in Perspective. 06 Oct. 2003 . Medicaid Reform-What’s Wrong with Medicaid? The Century Foundation: Policy in Perspective. 06 Oct. 2003 . Healthcare, Medicare, and Medicaid Essay -- Health Medicine Government Healthcare, Medicare, and Medicaid The U.S. health care system is a scrutinized issue that affects everyone: young, old, rich, and poor. The health care system is comprised of three major components. Since 1973, most Americans have turned to managed-care programs, known as HMOs. The second type of health care offered to Americans is Medicare, health care for the elderly. The third type of health care is Medicaid, a health care program for the poor. Why is our health care system made up of three components, and how did the U.S. health care system develop? A Historical View The idea of prepaid health care dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The first HMOs were started in the 1920s in Elk City, Oklahoma as a farmers’ cooperative. In Los Angeles, California the Ross-Loos Medical Group offered prepaid medical services to employees and families of the Los Angeles County Department of Water and Power. Other large prepaid group practices originated in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1942 employee health premiums were made tax deductible to employers, not individuals. By this time, many individuals were discouraged from buying health insurance. In 1965 Congress created Medicare. Subsidized, unrestricted health care for the elderly led to enormous spending by patients and doctors. As a result, health care costs went up, making it impossible for individual health insurance. Many liberals in Congress believed that having the government pay for everyone’s health care could control costs. They promoted the idea of health maintenance organizations. President Nixon proposed the HMO Act. In 1973 Congress passed it. Legal impediments were removed to increase the growth of HMOs. HMOs were developed as pa... ... which the federal government should contribute. The block grant program has gained popularity because the federal government, simply, transfers Medicaid money to the state to distribute it accordingly. Between 1987 and 1992, thirty mandates were issued to states that related to program eligibility, reimbursements, and services. Works Cited: â€Å"Medicaid Reform-Introduction.† The Century Foundation: Policy in Perspective. 06 Oct. 2003 . â€Å"Medicaid Reform-What’s Right with Medicaid?† The Century Foundation: Policy in Perspective. 06 Oct. 2003 . Medicaid Reform-What’s Wrong with Medicaid? The Century Foundation: Policy in Perspective. 06 Oct. 2003 .

Information System Briefing Essay

Health care organizations are constantly striving to keep up with technological advances in order to provide the best quality patient care imaginable. Success depends on implementing an information system that is designed to meet the quality standards set for the health care industry. Implementing an information system can be a big challenge, which is why choosing an information system that will assist the organization in meeting their goals is important. Including stakeholder input is also vital to ensuring the correct system is chosen. This briefing will discuss the process of selecting and acquiring an information system, how the goals of the organization, and how the stakeholders affect the selection process. Selecting and Acquiring an Information System The process for selecting and acquiring an information system has many important steps. One of the first steps the health care organization needs to start is to find out what type of system they need. It is important that the organization chooses the system that best fits the organization. The organization needs to decide first if the system will be built in house, leased from an application service provider or an outside consultant. This will take lots of work and planning to get the system up, so that it will run smoothly for the operations. The organization needs to put together a team. This team will be in charge of the budgeting, planning, coordinating, and managing the process of the new system. The organization will need to have a project leader, information technology professional, system champion, and those who are in charge of clinical and administrative sections. Those that are chosen for the team should have knowledge and the understanding of the new system. The team needs to decide what goal is for the information system such as, what do they want to achieve, what are the goals, and that  everyone is committed to the project. Organization’s Goals Drive the Selection of the Information System According to Wager, Wickham Lee, & Glaser (2009) â€Å"Health care professionals need access to reliable, complete, and accurate information in order to provide effective and efficient health care services and to achieve the strategic goals of the organization.† The organization’s goals should be upheld in all aspects and at each step of the selection, acquisition, and implementation processes. The information system should not be selected until all options are evaluated by cost, benefit, and ample input from key stakeholders. The concept of formulating a strategy suggests that an organization needs to identify what activities and initiatives they will commit to in order to achieve their mission and goals. For example, an IT project committee may have the goal to combine clinical application systems. In order to succeed choices may need to be made between different options such as a single sign-on option, use of a clinical application suite, or use of a common database (Wager, Wickham Lee, & Glaser, 2009). Health information technology (HIT), if not implemented correctly can be disastrous to the organization. According to Doebbeling and Pekny, PhD (2008) â€Å"the probability of a successful HIT implementation is greatly increased by a well-characterized, deliberately designed host set of health care processes. Furthermore, expectations of HIT within a health care process must be realistic with respect to benefits and costs.† (p. 501). Organizations’ Stakeholders Play in the Selection and Acquisition Process Each of the stakeholders in an organization’s project has roles and expectations. Stakeholders should always participate in project steering committees and lend their skills and knowledge to new ventures. Commonly stakeholders wish to determine the actual and future value of the information system implementation project by way of project status reports and monitoring. Stakeholders can be identified as doctors, nurses, administrators, business managers, and CEO’s. Anyone who holds an interest in the success or failure of the organization could be considered to be a stakeholder. Patients are included as stakeholders as well. Especially since the patient is the source of the data to be entered into the information  system. Stakeholders are vital to the selection and acquisition processes. In closing of this briefing there has been shown a need to implement a new system. We also see a plan designed to not only implement a new system but also a designed plan to make sure that the system will be adequate for the expected development of this organization. Shown also in this briefing is how the growth of this organization is demanding a growth in the information technology that this organization will need to move forward into the future. The stakeholders’ influence is also covered in this briefing. Showing the benefit of our stakeholders and examples of these benefits gives proof that the move to a new system is beneficially for us all. That being said the belief is that a new system is necessary and needs to be implemented soon. Employees have the important part of implementing the changes that will take place. They are to try and show how using the new information system will benefit the organization, and possibly save money. Investors relay information between the other organizations. The community within which an organization operates shows support to the organization and allows the community to make their decisions, what they want to take place, and what they know about the new technology. References Wager, K. A., Wickham Lee, F., & Glaser, J. P. (2009). Health Care Information Systems: A Practical Approach for Health Care Management (2nd ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Doebbeling, B.N., & Pekny, PhD, J. (2008, April). The Role of Systems Factors in Implementing Health Information Technology. Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM), 23(4), 500.