Reflection on Leadership, Communication and Teamwork

Reflection on Leadership, Communication and Teamwork 1.0 Introduction Complexities in assignments and projects have facilitated the adoption of team approaches to problem solving. In many learning institutions and places of work, team approach has led to different people being brought together in order to benefit from their varying but combined experience and manpower. Studies by Pokras (2002) have revealed that team members perform to their best standards if a common target or goal had been readily identified before the formation of the team. Identification of the common goal in initial stages is the key to team success since every team has its own defined roadmap for achieving the identified goal. Achievement of the target also involves each team member identifying his role in the team and doing his best to achieve it. Team members are likely to encounter challenges when working on achieving their common goals. To ensure success in their teams, they need to understand overall issues that affect the performance of their members. In line with the above, this written report seeks to reflect on the overall team experience as was displayed by Team 4 members when they undertook tutorial preparation and tutorial discussion assignments. The report identified the observations on team experience; dynamics and development. The varying characteristics of Team 4 members were also noted and are also described in this report. The report goes ahead to link the observations of Team 4 members to the various academic theories on team experience. Secondary literatures addressing team experience themes are consulted for the proposed academic theories. The report then concludes with reasons on why Team 4 experiences were as observed and noted. Recommendations are the provided on how best Team 4 members can improve their future team spirits and experiences. It is our desire that any team reading this report will find it interesting and valuable for their future use. 2.0 Observations of Team Experience As the name suggests, Team 4 was constituted by 4 members; 1 female and 3 males. To hold each member accountable on his/her role in the group, Team 4 members decided to nickname each member. As such, the following members made up Team 4; Member 1, Member 2, Member and Member 4. The observations below have adopted this naming. During their first meeting, Team 4 members unanimously agreed on the use of face to face, Skype, and mobile phone services of voice and short messaging services (sms) as avenues of carrying out the discussion. Amongst the 3, face to face communication was the most frequently used method of carrying out the team work since members consented to the idea that immediate feedbacks were easily passed between them when using this method. Most observations were therefore noted during the face to face sessions. The overall rating for the observations made can be summarised as 70% positive and 30% negative. The following is a presentation of some of the major observations as displayed by Team 4 members. The presentation involved identification of key variables and the observations made on members. 2.1 Leadership Roles Though it was earlier on agreed that leadership role at Team 4 was to rotational, it was observed that some members feared the responsibility of assuming leadership roles when it came to their turns. The creation of the tutorials for presentation in class called for each team member to assume a leadership role on a rotational basis. This was considered key to success of any team since each team was to be later on required to successfully present their tutorials before the class. The presentations required every member of the group to take a leadership role at the time of presentation and therefore the reluctance by Member 2 and Member 4 to assume leadership roles caused a lot of worries to Member 1 and Member 3 since it was projected that it would impact negatively on the overall performance of Team 4. During the initial meetings, Members 2 and 4 would faithfully request any of their colleagues to volunteer by taking up the leadership roles on their behalf. Reasons put forward in the ir defence were that they deemed themselves less skilled when it came to creating slides and providing the logical structure upon which discussion topics were to be handled. One member, Member 2, was even bold enough to state before the other members that he lacked the courage to articulate issues before a group of people. To correct on this, Members 1 and 3 had to assume guidance and encouragement roles. In encouraging the two to improve on their courage, Members 1 and 3 borrowed Topchik (2007) motivational quote that called on fearful people to focus on by speaking up and listening openly for them to built trust (p.10). As time wore on and more meetings were held, Members 2 and 4 were able to develop their courage and lead the discussions to the best of their understanding. They could usher in members to give out their suggestions as well as interrupt them to allow their colleagues to seek clarifications in areas where they felt dissatisfied. 2.2 Knowledge on Topics Discussed It was observed that the four members experienced variations when it came to understanding the topics under discussion. For instance, in one session Member 1 emerged as the most knowledgeable in identifying and linking the relationships between various sub-topics. In the succeeding session, Member 3 assumed this role. These variations helped the sharing of knowledge amongst Team 4 members. 2.3 Contributing Towards Discussion Topics Though Members 2 and 4 had initially shown fearful factors, it was observed that all Team 4 members took an active role in contributing towards topics at hand. Everybody would seek an opportunity to express his ideas, and his colleagues would either agree or disagree on the particular members points. 2.4 Conflicts and Disagreements As every member became active in the discussions, it was observed that Team 4 members could not hold to each others opinions and wishes. A practical case emerged one Saturday when Member 1 proposed and insisted that every member was to present to the class the section which he or she oversaw as the leader of the team. In sticking to his view, Member 1 claimed that it was common sense that as a leader of the session, each leader stood a better chance of presenting the section to the class. However, his colleagues completely objected to his opinion on the view that teamwork and team spirit called on all members to have an even understanding of all the issues discussed by the team, and as such, each had an equal understanding of the sections. To them, anyone could comfortably present any section. The disagreement arising from this varied opinions boiled to the extent that all members had to unanimously agree to call off the session to avoid on the impending physical fights. However, on a positive note, Member 1 had to drop his hard line stance and adopt other members suggested random selection. 2.5 On the Issue of Time It was observed that members attended to sessions on time. Only one chance of late arrival was observed when Member 3 arrived 30 minutes late into the discussion. However, she had written a phone message to every member of the team to inform them of her late arrival since she was held up on traffic at the time of the meeting. 3.0 Theoretical Evaluation Institutions of learning and business organizations have continued with their adopted norm of using team approach as the tool for achieving specific tasks. Teams continue to gain increasing attention as potentially important organization assets (Zayed and Kamel, 2005, p.1). The increased adoption of team approach or team experience across these institutions has called for the need to provide information on the themes and dynamics involved in teamwork to help them achieve or attain their set targets. These may include amongst others; 3.1 Definition of Teams Teams are groups of individuals who accomplish designated objectives by working independently, communicating effectively, and making decisions that affect their work (Topchik 2007, p.7). On their part, Zayed and Kamel (2005) defined teams as two or more independent individuals who interact with and influence one another in order to accomplish a common purpose (p.1). From his research, Pokras (2002) summarised team chemistry as consisting of the following three parts; communication, consensus and contracting (11). From the definitions above it can be deduced that Team 4 comprised of the four individuals who worked to achieve a common goal of preparing tutorials on selected topics for presentation. They interacted through face to face, Skype or messaging and talking on phone. Zayed and kamel (2005) noted that many people across business fields had come to replace the term group with team. To such people, the two words mean the same and can therefore be used interchangeably. 3.2 Succeeding as a Team: Levels Involved The joining together of members to form a team does not guarantee the success of the particular team. The formation stage may bring together quiet, cautious or tentative members who may take a while before starting to go through the storming stage (Zayed Kamel, 2005, p.10). The storming process may involve team members studying each others tensions, differences as well as conflicts. After learning of members characteristics, team members advance into the second stage where they actively concentrate on solving their problems. Teams achieve their goals when members start interacting smoothly. At this level, each member is energetic, dynamic and productive leading to the team attaining success by achieving their set common goal. 3.3 Characteristics of a Good Team According to RIC Publishers (2003), good team members listen to each other, cooperate, have clear team goals and allow each member to freely express his or her opinions (p.24). On his part, Topchik (2007) went on to postulate that best team experiences had roles of each member clearly defined, had members who were open and honest in communication, had a supportive and knowledgeable manager, allowed members to freely make decisions and rewarded or recognized its members when they successfully achieved its goals (p.6). 4.0 Conclusion Though little disagreements were observed in Team 4s meeting sessions, the team successfully achieved its goal of creating presentation tutorials. This was reflected in the comprehensive and detailed tutorials that were successfully presented to the class on the presentation day. The ability of the all Team 4 members to respond confidently and accurately presentation questions also contributed in highlighting the teams success. In assessing the hard line stands taken by some team members, it was concluded that the decision by the teacher not to give due attention to members characteristics at the time of forming the teams may have played a facilitation role. As Topchick (2007) notes, when forming a team, the individuals skills, knowledge and experience should constitute the number one criteria for team membership (p10). 5.0 Recommendation Best on Team 4s achieved results; the following recommendations stand to be made. Team 4 members should learn the importance of recognizing each others contributions. This makes every team member to feel that his/her work is very meaningful and important. As such more contributions are likely to be forwarded by the motivated team members. The rotational team leaders should know that their leadership roles involve coordinating member activities. They should therefore not get discouraged or shy away from assuming these leadership roles based on their inferiority complex. Drawing from Dan and Lane (2008) works, team members who initially declined to take up their leadership roles are informed that effective team leaders are tasked with enabling everyone to contribute their unique skills (p.307). Members should be in a position to accommodate the views of other members by dropping their hard line stands. Team works are intended to avail avenues for their colleagues to share their opinions and arrive at common stands. Lastly and as Exley and Dennick (2004) opine, in cases where members are handling complex topics, several discussion sessions should be created to help members to research more on the topic at hand. This will help them to develop and accumulate knowledge on these topics.

Learning Outcomes Assessment for Student Nurse

Learning Outcomes Assessment for Student Nurse Learning Outcome 1 – Pre-assessment The ultimate goal of the pre-assessment is to assure that those patients identified as suitable for day surgery are properly identified while those considered unsuitable for a selected procedure are identified early enough in the process to allow for other treatment options (National Health Services, n.d.a, p. 13). Although ultimately it is a joint decision between the surgeon and anaesthetist who make the final determination (National Health Services, n.d.b), the nurse plays a vital role in the process and should be involved in the selection criteria (Royal College of Nursing 2004, p. 1). Pre-assessments of patients scheduled for day surgery are usually performed by an outreach nurse from a day surgery centre, by telephone screening, or by questionnaire (National Health Services, n.d.a, p. 9) or via appointments with day surgery staff or in specialized pre-admission clinics (Joanna Briggs Institute 2004, p.2). Many institutions are combining pre-assessment interviews with the opportunity to work with the patient in a preoperative education status in order to decrease patient anxiety, assess the needs of the patient and/or family members and to personalise information (Joanna Briggs Institute 2004, p.2). The National Health Services (n.d.a, p. 11) states this is an effective opportunity to also discuss the surgical procedure in greater detail with the patient, note special requirements for admission, surgery and/or discharge and allow the patient to choose their own date for surgery, finalizing and/or setting the appointment. According to the Royal College of Nurses (2004, p. 3), nurses performing the pre-assessments must have the option of being able to contact the anaesthesiologist of surgeon if a problem is identified that could potentially increase the risk during anaesthetic or surgical intervention.† This is critical; otherwise, there is no apparent reason for the assessment if the nurse cannot raise her concerns. The National Health Services (n.d.a, p. 9) day surgery guidelines state pre-assessments performed as soon as possible following the surgical consultation can allow for treatment of underlying physical issues that might preclude them from the day surgery procedure, such as high blood pressure and/or arrange for home care. If this is not possible, the National Health Services (n.d.a., p. 13) recommends that patients should then complete a â€Å"health-screening questionnaire before leaving the outpatient department.† According to the National Health Services (n.d.a., p. 11), incorporating the pre-assessment step in the day surgery process has been shown to reduce surgical cancellations and increase communication across the multidisciplinary team. Based on research, it is important to note that the day surgery pre-assessment is a valuable tool that can help the patient, the perioperative and surgical nursing teams as well as surgeons and anaesthesiologists. The pre-assessment is a way of initiating a comprehensive set of documentation for the entire team. Learning Outcome 2 – Effective communication According to the Joanna Briggs Institute (2004, p. 4), caseload can determine the staffing mix required. The staffing mix for a day surgery centre, however, can vary from a group of individuals who work together on a regular basis such as the case in a specialized clinic setting to a group of individuals who rely on departmental shift staffing for perioperative nurses and surgical residents in a busy teaching hospital. No matter what the group mix is, however, the need for communication is critical to patient care in all settings, especially surgical, where according to Cowen et al. (2005) communication is especially challenging for workers in environments that are high stress and time sensitive. Vazirani et al. (2003, p. 72) states that improving the level of collaboration, not just communication, can enhance job satisfaction among medical professionals while increasing the quality of care and patient satisfaction. While traditional communication techniques such as â€Å"active listening, positive voice tone, [and] reiteration to confirm understanding† are desirable goals, in the surgical setting other barriers often compound communication problems, including status and posturing between doctors versus the communication found between doctors and nurses or nurses and nurse practitioners. Vazirani et al. (2003, p. 72) discuss the care nurse practitioners took â€Å"not to violate the autonomy of residents or interns [and] did not admit patients on their own or write orders without the consent of a resident or an intern.† Essential to a multidisciplinary team is the need for collaboration, where decision-making is a shared event for doctors and nurses and that open communication between the two professionals exists (Vazirani et al. 2003, p. 73). It is important to note that research demonstrates physicians view collaboration differently than nurses, such that physicians believe collaboration implies â€Å"cooperation with follow-through† pertaining to following orders rather than sharing in the decision making process (Vazirani et al. 2003, p. 75). Vazirani et al. (2003, p. 76) also cited nurses as not being provided timely or accurate information regarding patient information when physicians autonomously make a change in their normal protocol, stating nurses need the information most as they are the ones at the patient’s bedside. Communication is a commonly sited problem and is one that, despite all the best suggestions and recommendations, from outlining roles and responsibilities, collaborating as a team or mutual team members each afforded appropriate professional respect (Vazirani et al. 2003) to developing Integrated Care Pathways (ICPs) as outlined by Fisher and McMillan (2004) is difficult to remedy. Ultimately, human emotions and professional pride create unnecessary friction that discourages open communication for fear of reprisal. Cowen et al. (2005) emphasize the need for an accurate flow of information between various disciplines as the most critical aspect in order to assure patient safety. Learning Outcome 3 – Patient selection criteria Patient selection criteria primarily focus on three primary factors: surgical, medical and social (National Health Services, n.d.a, p.11; National Health Services, n.d.b.). Surgical criteria assess whether the procedure will leave the patient dependent on others and/or if it has a statistically significant postoperative morbidity level. The National Health Service (n.d.b.) states that the surgical procedure should take less than 1 hour, involve minimal blood loss, be unlikely to produce severe post surgical pain or nausea and be unlikely to result in a loss of physical independence. When assessing social appropriateness, according to the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (cited by Joanna Briggs Institute 2004, p. 2), the pre-screening interview is an opportunity to assess the patient’s willingness to have surgery, the certainty of adult care in the home following surgery, telephone access and taking into consideration the patient’s home situation. For example, are there several young children and toddlers or infants at home requiring constant care; is the only adult available to help the patient an elderly or frail individual, or has the patient stated they feel they are being pressured into having the surgery. These are all reasons that should be presented to the surgeon, anaesthesiologist and the rest of the multidisciplinary team as reasons the patient should be precluded from day surgery. Additionally, patients with a social history of significant levels of alcohol consumption and/or who smoke are indications of potentia l preclusion or the need for additional counselling prior to surgery (National Health Service n.d.b.). The Royal of College of Nurses (2004) also states that the patient must have the availability of an escort home following surgery and that the travel time home must be within one and a half hours; and if small children are present in the home that a caregiver is available specifically to tend to the children. Medically, it is important to assess cardiac fitness, assurance of height/weight appropriateness and if they are â€Å"physiologically under 70 years of age[1].† Exclusions are usually automatic if there is uncontrolled hypertension, recent history of cardiac failure, pregnancy, angina, asthma, diabetes or epilepsy. Additional issues that require notification of the appropriate medical personnel include prior difficulties with anaesthesia or current medications that would either preclude day surgery or require either a modification and/or temporary cessation of the pharmaceutical agent, particularly warfarin. The American Society of Anaesthesiologists’ (ASA) (cited by The Royal College of Nursing 2004) uses three classifications to assess physical status: Class 1: patient is mentally and physically fit and the surgical procedure is localized without systemic disruption, for example, removal of a uterine fibroid in an otherwise healthy female or the repair of an inguinal hernia in a healthy individual. Class 2: patient suffers from mild to moderate systemic pathology that is either caused by the pathology to be treated by the day surgery or by other pathology, for example anaemia or mild diabetes or slightly limiting organic heart disease. Class 3: patient suffers from a severe mental or physical disorder from whatever cause, such as angina pectoris, moderate to severe levels of pulmonary insufficiency, vascular complications from severe diabetes or significantly limiting heart disease. Criteria used for patient evaluation and assurance of fitness for day surgery as outlined above are focused primarily on the suitability for general anaesthesia without complication. It is essential however, to couple both the individual patient status as provided by the pre-assessment with the type of surgical intervention proposed. The medical professional cannot use the same set of pre-assessment criteria for all patients for all procedures; they must simply be a guide. For example, physiological trauma, anaesthetic requirements and post-operative pain are different for those having arthroscopy as opposed to a laparoscopic cholecystectomy or partial thyroidectomy. All three are considered day surgical procedures by the Royal College of Nurses (2004, p. 2). Patient selection criteria are important for nurses to understand from many aspects. The nurse has to understand the physician’s reason for suggesting day surgery for their patient, she needs to understand the surgeon’s belief in appropriateness and she has to understand the potential risks that are often overlooked by physicians and surgeons that now become her responsibility to ascertain. Although it is often a delicate position for the nurse to be in, it is essential that she bring to the surgeon or anaesthesiologist’s attention any patient not appropriate for day surgery. This is an issue of legal liability for all professions on the multidisciplinary team and for the clinic or hospital as well as one of ethical concerns for the patient’s overall care and wellbeing. Learning Outcome 4 – Pain management According to Lipp and Yap (2005, p. 64) prior to 2003, the responsibility for post-surgical pain was the sole responsibility of the anaesthesiologist and no routine or regular pain assessments were conducted. In 2003, pain management assessments and the nursing role in pain management in the day surgery setting became the standard. The Royal College of Anaesthetists (as cited by Lipp Yap 2005, p. 64) tell us that following a day surgical procedure, less than five percent of all patients should experience severe pain while up to 85 percent will have mild or no pain following surgery. Beauregard et al. (1998, p. 309) believes that it is not unusual for pain to persist during the entire week following surgery, but that the best predictor of significant post-surgical pain following hospital discharge was inadequate pain control during the first few hours of following surgery. Research has acknowledged that the longer an individual is experiencing pain that is not attended to or interrup ted in some way, the more sensitive to painful stimuli the patient becomes (Mukherji Rudra 2006, p. 355). Ultimately, the goal of effective post-surgical pain management is to be â€Å"safe and effective, produce minimal side effects such as nausea. It was stated that the criteria for patient selection should be individualized based on patient status and type of surgery. Similarly, Mukherji and Rudra (2006, p. 355) state that patients should be identified as potentially at risk based on â€Å"age, physical status, presence of pre-existing pain, site and extent of surgery.† Additionally, researchers believe that the amount of postoperative pain a patient experiences is also a factor of the surgeon and surgical techniques used ( Mukherji Rudra 2006, p. 356; Chung et al. cited by Beauregard et al. 1998, p. 305). Mukherji and Rudra (2006, p. 355) discuss several pain assessment tools: the visual analogue scale (VAS) where pain is rated along a continuum from â€Å"no pain at all to the worst pain imaginable† and the Oucher’s scale for children. Many patients themselves downplay post-surgical pain for reasons ranging from believing that pain is part of the natural recovery process and what they are experiencing is normal (Beauregard et al. 1998, p. 209). Post-operative pain management can take different forms, including pre-emptive analgesia and prophylactic analgesia (Mukherji Rudra 2006, p. 356). There are also pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic pain management interventions. Pharmacological interventions can be opioid or non-opioids. Opioids are centrally acting and systemic in nature whereas non-opioids are also centrally acting but have a peripheral mode of action, and include codeine, metamizol, paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS) (Mukherji Rudra 2006, p. 356). Another problem cited by the Joanna Briggs Institute (2004) is that of inadequate pain management techniques and/or follow-through by the patient place additional burdens on family caretakers and the community at large. For example, Girgis and Sanders (2004, p. 66) tell us that parents generally underestimate and under treat pain; this can be extrapolated to caregivers in the adult community as well. Home caregivers failing to recognize and/or intervene in pain management is often problematic and it is the responsibility of the nurse to assure that proper discharge information is adequately communicated to the patient and/or caregiver/escort, including proper pain management techniques and interventions. To assure there is no confusion, these should be clearly documented and reviewed with the patient and caregiver verbally. References Beauregard, L., Pomp, A. Choiniere, M., 1998. Severity and impact of pain after day surgery. Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, 45 (4), pp. 304-311. Fisher, A. McMillan, R., 2004. Integrated care pathways for day surgery patients. British Association of Day Surgery [Online]. Available from: http://www.bads.co.uk/pdf%20files/IntegratedCarePathways.pdf [cited March 17, 2007]. Girgis, M. Sanders, D. 2004. Are we giving our children the right dose? The Journal of One-Day Surgery, 14 (3), pp. 65-68. Joanna Briggs Institute, 2004. Management of the day surgery patient [Online]. Joanna Briggs Institute Best Practices. Available from: http://www.adsna.info/attachments/BPISSup.2004.pdf [cited March 17, 2007]. Lipp, A. Yap, H, 2005. Is our pain relief protocol effective? The Journal of One-Day Surgery, 15 (3), pp. 64-66. Mukherji, S. Rudra, A., 2006. Postoperative pain relief for ambulatory surgery. Indian Journal of Anaesthesia, 50 (5), pp. 355-362. National Health Services, n.d.a. Day surgery pre-assessment: A brief guide [Online]. Available from www.wise.nhs.uk/surgery/NationalGoodPractice/downloads/14/14d4.doc [cited March 17, 2007]. National Health Services, n.d.b. Day surgery: A good practice guide [Online]. Available from: http://www.wise.nhs.uk/sites/crosscutting/access/Access%20Document%20Library/1/Day%20Surgery/Day%20Surgery%20Guide.pdf [cited March 17, 2007] Royal College of Nursing, 2004. Day surgery information: Selection criteria and suitable procedures [Online]. Available from: http://rcn.org.uk/publications/pdf/daysurgery_selection.pdf [cited March 17, 2007]. Society of Critical Care Medicine, 2005. Tools for effective communication [Online]. Society of Critical Care Medicine. Available from: http://www.sccm.org/SCCM/Publications/Critical+Communications/Archive/February+2005/communicationsfeb05.htm [cited March 17, 2007]. Vazirani, S., Hays, R. D., Shapiro, M. F. Cowan, M., 2005. Effect of a multidisciplinary intervention on communication and collaboration among physicians and nurses. American Journal of Critical Care, 14 (1), pp. 71 – 77. 1 Footnotes [1] According to the National Health Service (n.d.b), the phrase refers to a patient who is â€Å"independent, active and compos mentis.†

The Complexities of Human Relationships Explored in Nella Larsens Pass

A huge amount of literature was created exclusively for African Americans during Larsen’s time. For the first time, African Americans were being told that it was okay to be proud of who they were. This knowledge and self-awareness was important in many works of literature, but a number of writers began exploring the darker side of this group with literature that concentrated on the pessimistic aspects of race relations in America. Nella Larsen's novel, Passing, focuses on this idea with the story of Clare Kendry, a tragic mulatto who "passes" as a white person. Not only is Passing representative of the dilemma of the tragic mulatto, it is also a novel that explores the difficulties of human relationships.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Clare Kendry's life is a great example of the difficulty of the tragic mulatto. In Passing, Clare seems to have and urge to go back to the African American world she left. Clare tells her friend Irene Redfield that "she can't know how in this pale life of mine I am all the time seeing the bright pictures of that other that I once thought I was glad to be free of†¦It's like an ache, a pain that never ceases" (Larsen 145). She also realizes a great deal how she wants to see African Americans, "to be with them again, to talk with them, to hear them laugh" (Larsen 200). Even though Irene feels that there is "nothing sacrificial in Clare's idea of life, no allegiance beyond her own immediate desire," (Larsen 144) it is obvious that Clare's wish to return to her African American race is sincere, even if the reasons seem unfair.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Irene believes Clare to be "selfish, cold and hard" (Larsen 144). Irene also feels that Clare does not have "even the slightest artistic or sociological interest in the race that some members of other races displayed. [She] cared nothing of the race, she only belonged to it" (Larsen 182). While there may be a little truth to this report, it does not lessen Clare's own pain at having to deny her African American legacy, and her longing to return to it. Irene isn’t being fair to Clare. She is not being the true friend that Clare needs. Irene represents a piece of society who feel that people who pass must have a ethically satisfactory reason to return to their African American roots such as a want to rebel against a white humanity that has forced them into the role of a white person. In my opinion, Clare’s desire to return to her ... ...ar just how Clare falls from the window after Jon discovers her dishonesty, just before the fall Irene reveals "that she couldn’t have Clare Kendry cast aside by Bellew...she couldn’t have her free" (Larsen 239). This tells that Irene is very likely accountable for Clare's death. Although the vagueness adjoining the incident prevents determining Irene's guilt beyond a practical disbelief, she seems to be the one character who benefits the most from Clare's death. In the end, the variations between Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield are overshadowed by their similarities revealing that their relationships are just as noteworthy as the subject of passing. Nella Larsen's Passing effectively deals with the troubles of the "tragic mulatto," and the complexities of human relationships. Her literary donation is important because of her capability to boldly handle a sensitive racial issue while also exploring the consequences of this issue on human relationships. It is obvious that Larsen included both the social and psychological characteristics of passing in her novel, and I believe that is what truly made the novel great. Works Cited Larsen, Nella. Passing. New York: Penguin, 1997.

Richard Iiis Presence In Black Adder; The Foretelling :: essays research papers

The good guys always win. We know this because Hollywood has taught us that. We also know this because history has taught us this. But when people take into account and acknowledge history’s teachings, most fail to also consider history’s hypocrisy. Every day, all through our lives we become softened and comforted with drugs, fed gradually and continuously by our trusted media. We are overwhelmed by the goodness of our rulers. Wherever there is evil, it is always won over by the forces of good. America – saviour of democracy, has defeated the evil communist empires. Australia is a more civilised and developed country now that it is in the capable hands of the Europeans. Israel with the help of America (our favourite knight in shining armour) is winning the battle against Islamic terrorists so that they can secure their â€Å"democratic interests†. Again and again we are reminded that history, after all, is written by the winners. The Black Adder episode; The Foretelling, attempts to remind us of history’s hypocrisy by studying the events of the War of the Roses an texts from literature depicting this, and illuminating them in humorous light. Special treatment is given to Shakespearian accounts of the war. It provides a ridiculously different version of event, mocking us for respecting Shakespeare as a historian. The writer does this by making continuous appropriations to Richard III through similar but humorously modified phrases, the inconsistent use of Elizabethan language, familiar names but with different characters and by depicting similar events. The story starts off with good king Richard III addressing his group of merry men by saying, â€Å"Now is the summer of our sweet content made overcast winter by these Tudor clouds.† Words from that famous opening soliloquy, recited by theatre’s most well known Machiavellian villain, modified to have a ridiculously contrary meaning that we find humorous. Hah, we say in disbelief, Richard a nice guy? We find that hard to take in because we listen and accept what Shakespeare tells us. The essence of The Foretelling’s humour is derived from many such allusions to Richard-III. Richard is not the only victim of such characterisations. Innocent sweet little Edmund is potrayed as the evil traitor; the Black Adder ad is given a particularly daft hairstyle! The knight Richmond – champion of goodness, servant of god – is now the vile enemy, accused of rewriting history for his own sake.

Doc Edgerton :: essays research papers

Able to photograph a bullet in flight, Harold Eugene â€Å"Doc† Edgerton was born in April 6,1903 in Fremont, Nebraska. Harold Edgerton studied at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where from 1926 to 1931 he (and his associates) developed the modern stroboscope. Edgerton applied his discovery of the modern stroboscope to a wide range of fields. His discovery aided under-water photography and sonar research, photography in nature, and motion pictures. He taught thousands of students at MIT, and he enjoyed every minute of teaching.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edgerton enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a graduate student, but he remained there for approximately 60 years. At MIT, Doc Edgerton was a professor of electrical engineering. As a graduate student at MIT, Edgerton developed an electric strobe light with which he produced flashes of 1/500,000 second. When the flash is used in a series, the progressive stages of an object in motion can be recorded on the same piece of film. An example of this would be Tennis by Edgerton. Now, flashes are at the speed of a few billionths of a second, this would not have been possible without the work of Doc Edgerton.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The simplest kind of stroboscope is a revolving disk with usually one slit or hole, but sometimes more, in its periphery. These holes enable the observer to view the object. The revolutions of the disc can be synchronized, with the motion of the object. With the precise synchronization, even photographs of bullets in flight can be taken. The photographs are like contemporary motion picture frames.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Not only was the discovery of the modern high-speed stroboscope useful in photography, but also in the field of engineering. The stroboscope could be used to study wear, vibration, and distortion of moving parts while the parts of the machine are being used (the machine is running).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edgerton was also involved in ocean research. He took a few photographic journeys with his good friend Jacques Cousteau. Cousteau gave Edgerton the nickname â€Å"Papa Flash.† Jacques Cousteau, at celebration for the life of Edgerton, said; â€Å"He (Edgerton) was the only human being I ever met that met life with as much enthusiasm†¦He was a perpetual dreamer.

Critical Issues in Policing Essay

Critical Issues in Policing Introduction There are a number of critical issues when concerning policing and this task quite frankly is not an easy one. Police officers have to be mindful of many things that affect how their job must be done. This paper will discuss the dangers of policing and how it affects police officers; less-than-lethal-weapons and the benefits that it has for officers and our community; past, present, and future technology of policing and some of the benefits that they entail; Homeland Security and law enforcements relationship; and Police Deviance. DANGER POLICING There are many dangers concerning the work of a police officer. Officers face various types of dangers and risk. When a person signs up to become an officer of the law, they already know the nature of the job means that they will be putting themselves at risk of different dangers. Possessing the job of protecting others and keeping peace within the community is a risk in itself. Some of these dangers that officers face every day of their lives are health problems like getting the following high blood pressure, insomnia, increased levels of destructive hormones, heart problems, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a big one is suicide and this is from the stress of the job (Zink, 2012). It does not only affect an officer’s physical health but also their mental health and with that is where suicide can come into the picture. Driving is also another danger that an officer faces because they can crash or get hit while on a traffic stop due to other drivers either not paying at tention to what they are doing, not knowing how to drive, or they are under the influence of something; not the officer but the other driver. A big danger is getting hurt on the job in some way or another and even death. Officers face different people every day that can be in bad situations like fighting, on some type of drug, or just plain hate life and the person may not care and want to harm the officer in any way possible. This occurs when a police  officers’ training and weapons can help with the situation. LESS THEN LETHAL WEAPONS It is the police officer’s job to enter volatile and unpredictable situations to apprehend suspects, and keep everyone safe in the process of doing so. Each officer is trained to assess situations and to apply no more force than necessary (CJi Interactive, 2012). There are many different types of force which include: use of authority: voice tone, choice of words, body language, and physical positioning; use of body: pushing, restraining, grabbing or holding, hitting, and choking; use of restraints: cuffing; and deadly force: gun and intentional vehicle collision. One use of force that is used often is less than lethal weapons. Some examples of less than lethal weapons would be a baton, pepper spray, a stun gun or Taser, and nets (CJi Interactive, 2012).Another option is less than lethal ammunition such as rubber bullets, bean bags, and pepper balls. Less than lethal weapons were developed to assist law enforcement with the apprehension of suspects without having to use deadly force. Many of these examples aid the officers in doing their jobs more efficiently and providing a safe environment not only for the suspect, but for any bystanders, and the officer as well. POLICE TECHNOLOGY Technology is changing the way police operate. â€Å"In the past 10 years the rate of technological change is so fast that one could reasonably suggest that the top 10 jobs 10 years from now might not even exist today.† (â€Å"The Future Is Here: Technology In Police Departments†, 2003-2012). Technology is changing how grants requests are formatted and funding is a big issue in policing. The things that police do with technology were not common knowledge 10 years ago. For the officers that have been with the police force for years they may have a hard time adjusting to the new technology but for the younger police officers it makes the job easier. Crime lights, in car camera system, photo enforcement systems, graffiti cameras, thermal imaging, criminal investigations records system, electrical white board, and much more are some of the new things technology is bringing to help police our communities. Crime lights let crime scenes be handled faster than in the years befo re technology became a big thing. Things that  was not able to see before and now available. In car camera system record video footage of procedures containing the public such matters as traffic stops, criminal investigations, and arrests. Photo enforcement systems generate traffic violations like when people speed or run red lights. Graffiti cameras allow pictures to be taken of suspects who vandalize property. Thermal imaging makes it easier to find suspects because it tracks their movements because it is body censored. Criminal investigations records system gathers relevant information to help identify suspects. Electrical white board makes things run faster in meeting instead of using a regular white or chalk board. HOMELAND SECURITY The federal government has declared a war on terrorism that has changed our lives and had a profound effect in ways that affect local police agencies. New aggressive actions by the law enforcement and intelligence communities have been taken because of the threat of terrorism (â€Å"Homeland Security and Law Enforcement†, n.d.). Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are concerned with terrorist activities. After 9/11 attack, the federal government started to advocate that terrorism activity is best responded through a multi-agency approach, which means with the help of local, state and federal agencies which includes efforts as investigating suspected terrorists and preparing and responding to terrorism acts. The federal government also states that police are the first ones to come in contact with criminal aliens who may be threat to national security and believes that local and state agencies should enforce immigration laws. Adding these activities to local and st ate agencies can be dangerous as it can take officers from their current duties and is costly. A lot of police departments do not want enforce immigration laws and many local authorities are ordering local police officers not to assist federal agents in arresting illegal aliens as they do not want the aliens to see the police as a threat to their legal status (Walker & Katz, p. 517, 2011). Local police officials are worried that by enforcing immigration laws in identifying and deporting illegal immigrants would alienate them from local communities where they are trying to develop positive relations. They are also concerned that illegal immigrants are afraid to report crimes to police due to their legal status. There is also a concern that it jeopardizes trust and  cooperation between illegal immigrants and the police. POLICE DEVIANCE Another additional critical issue in policing is police deviance also known as police corruption. Police deviance occurs when law enforcement officers behave in a manner that is â€Å"inconsistent with the officer’s legal authority, organizational authority, and standards of ethical conduct† (Barker and Carter, 1986, pp. 2–3). This is an intentional violation of rules and regulations, standards, or procedures by police officials of the organization. Police corruption involves criminal activity of a police officer which includes committing crimes like robbery, selling drugs, or doing some type of criminal act that violates or doesn’t enforce the law. As part of the policing issues that take place in the organizations police deviance is relevant because these types of misconducts take place with police officials and are part of the community. It relates to danger in policing because a lot of the time the deviance and corruption is done outside of the organiz ation while on duty in the streets. This causes issues amongst the community and the police when its sexual harassment, excessive use of force, use of restricted weapons, and discrimination. Police officials usually stick with each other when it comes to these types of misconducts taking place especially since officers adopted the code of silence, where any officer refused to testify against another officer in their ranks. CONCLUSION In policing it is fair to say that there are issues that are easier addressed then others and that it will take time and effort. It is critical that the police stay focused and continue to do everything in their power possible to be effective on a day-to-day basis Reference CJi Interactive. (2012). The Police: Issues and Challenges. Retrieved from http://media.pearsoncmg.com/pcp/pcp_94869_mutchnick_cj_uop/learning_modules/chapter7/7.2typesofforce/index.html Homeland Security and Law Enforcement. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://what-when-how.com/police-science/​homeland-security-and Police dangers.html. (n.d.). Retrieved from police officers pages:

Literature Review on Assertiveness Essay

Literature   Review on Assertiveness Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Assertiveness is the ability to express one’s point of view, feelings, thoughts and needs while keeping the rights of others peoples in mind. An assertive individual learns which response to select, whether it can be acting non-assertively, aggressive or assertive on a case by case basis. Nevertheless, acting assertively is not usually the best selection in accomplishing the best possible results. An assertive individual has the capacity to stop and think what is in his or her best interest as well as the interest of others (Peneva, 2013).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study of assertiveness began in the middle of the 20thcentury whereby it was associated with clinical practice. The clinical psychologists accepted non-assertiveness as a reason for some of the mental illnesses and thus to treat them, they implemented several programs with the main aim of developing assertiveness. In the 70s, when the civil rights movement in America was growing, some psychologists concentrated on assertiveness as a way of protecting the rights of individuals. They claimed that the capability to protect individual human rights in a humane and democratic manner, without prejudice to the fundamentals of others was among the significant features of assertive conduct. Therefore, the political and social associations during the 80s and 90s of the 20th century promoted the interest in assertiveness as a way of strengthening the human potential and attaining maximum individual fulfillment (Peneva, 2013). Various periodicals w ere published targeting professionals and incorporating theoretical description of training programs and studies as well as theoretical positions. The first study on assertiveness was performed by an American psychologist Andrew Salter in 1949 with the main aim of discovering the causes of uncertainty and find a mean to treat or reduce its neurotic influence (Peneva, 2013). According to him, uncertainty occurred due to the prevalence of retention processes over stimulation process in the nervous system. He also claimed that most people in the contemporary society suffered from a disorder of the balance nerve. This formed the theory of assertion, which is based in the premise that every person have certain basic human rights such as the right to make errors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   People who are assertive has characteristics such; emotionality of speech, expressiveness of speech, potential to oppose and counter others suggestions, accepting praises, and impulsive in own actions and refusal. On the other hand, individuals who are non-assertive lack the ability to maintain adequate boundaries between his or her rights and those of others. Non-assertiveness happen when one permits his or her boundaries to be restricted. A non-assertive person tends to internalize tensions and feelings and to experience such emotions as anxiety, fear, fatigue, nervousness and depression (Ames, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The review on assertiveness brought about other associated concepts such as professional light, assertive communication, self-confidence and conflict management. Assertiveness has been claimed as the background for understanding these concepts and their independence in assertiveness.Lizarraga.M et al, examined the impacts of teaching self-regulation, assertiveness, and empathy to forty middle school students in a compulsory education setting (Lizarraga et al, 2003). The study involved a quasi-experimental design, which utilized pre and post-test measurement. According to them, assertiveness refer’s to an individual capability to express and advocate interests, ideas and feelings easily without anxiety, but maintaining respect for other people.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Assertiveness is also connectedto self-esteem and self confidence because peoples who feel self-assured and competence interact more naturally and sincerely in establishing relationships. Anna Deltsidou in â€Å"Undergraduate nursing students’ level of assertiveness in Greece,† examined the assertive behavior in students’ interaction with each other as well as their studies in the first and second semester. According to Anna, the concept of assertiveness acquired meaning when defined in terms of chosen indicators such as autonomy, relationship and authenticity (Deltsidou, 2008). The study involved an assertiveness scale that measured assertiveness in relationships, which proved to be valid and reliable to a significant extent.It was concluded that nurses interact with colleagues, patients and other health care professionals whereby the interaction is improved when nurses have a good assertive communication skills.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Having the same idea with Anna, Amir Abbassi and Raghu claimed that assertiveness acquire meaning through autonomy, courage, and authenticity (Abbassi& Raghu, 2006). Furthermore, they claimed that assertiveness is a significant notion in counseling, sociology and psychology for dealing with matters in individual characteristics required for functioning various roles in the society. They concluded by claiming that autonomy, courage, and authenticity are interconnected to each other, which are the primary indicators of assertiveness and latter give meaning to assertiveness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There is a comprehensive body of literature on assertiveness and assertiveness training. All the same, assertiveness is defined as the practice of traits that enables individuals to act in their best interest, express themselves and stand for themselves without denying the rights of others. ArvindSinghal and MotokoNagoya presented the definition of assertiveness in the similar manner through their study on â€Å"Assertive as Communication Competence,† which claimed that there is significant variation between individuals’ attitudes toward performing assertive behaviors (Singhal& Nagao, 1993). Nevertheless, it is clear that some people are more assertive than others. They also argued that assertive communication competence is situational and contextual whereby it vary from situation to situation depending on the gender, and concluded by claiming that there is a need for further investigation on assertiveness as a tool for measu ring communication competence in intercultural settings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Daniel R. Ames explored the varying levels of assertiveness in negotiations and interpersonal conflicts in his article, â€Å"Assertive Expectancies†. According to him, assertiveness is a healthy and desirable behavior for all individuals who interact in a group situation insofar as it militates against personal powerlessness and can lead to personal empowerment, and ultimately benefit the workplace as a whole (Ames, 2008). According to Ames, individuals make idiosyncratic prediction of the social and instrumental implications of a given acquiescent behavior, which is in line with theories of personality that claims that outcomes expectancies shape behavior (Ames, 2008). Thus, it is possible that assertiveness is predominantly the product of expectancies and values, meaning that individuals who expect high assertiveness to be harmful could simply be more concerned with preserving relationships. He concluded by arguing that assertive ness there are many definitions of assertiveness that differ in accordance to the particular perspective or the purpose of the definer as well as the context. However, the meaning of assertiveness must concerns confidence, and behavioral pattern, which are the fundamental components of assertiveness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In describing the behavior of consumer, ClaesFornel and Robertperformed an exploratory study of assertiveness, aggressiveness, and consumer complaining behavior. They defined assertiveness as a complex of behaviors that are produced by an individual in an interpersonal context, which shows an individual feelings, opinions, attitude, wishes, firmly and honestly while preserving the attitude, wishes, rights and opinions of others (Fornell& Robert, 1979). Moreover, they suggested that assertiveness does not concern an undue or excessive amount of fear and anxiety, but represents the standing up of an individual rights without violating the rights of others. This is in line with arguments of mental health scholars who argue that assertiveness is learned and depend on the situation to situation. Likewise, the impacts of assertive training involve increased positive response from others, increased self-esteem and decline in social situations for individuals having gone through a training program.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the above literature review reveals, it is clear that the definition and source of assertiveness depend on an individual perception and the situation to situation. The key indicators of assertiveness are courage, autonomy and authenticity. References Abbassi.A, & Singh N, Raghu (2006) Aseertiveness in Marital Relationship Among Asians Indians in the United States. The Family Jounal.14.392-398 Retrived from http://www.sagepub.comAmes, R, D (2008) Assertiveness Expectancies: How Hard People Push Depends on the Consequences They Predict. The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.6. 1541-1557 Retrieved from http://www.columbia.eduDeltsidou, A (2008). Undergraduate nursing students’ level of assertiveness in Greece: a Queaionnaire survey. Journal of Nurs Education in Practice 9. 322-330Retrived from http://www.researchgate.netFornell, C & Robert.(1979) An Exploratory Study of Assertiveness, Agressiveness, and Consumer Complaining Behavior.Th Journal for Association for Consumer.6: 105-110 Lizarraga. M, Ugarte. M, Cardelle-Elawar, Iriarte.M &Baquedano.M (2003).Enhancement of Self-regulation, assertiveness, and empathy.Jounral of Learning and Instruction 13. 423-439. Retrived from http// www.elsevier.com/Peneva, I &Mavrodiev (2013).A Historical Approach to Assertiveness.The Journal of Psychology Thought. 6(1) 3-26 Singhal.A, & Nagao, M (1993). Assertiveness as Communication Competence: A Comparison of the Communication Styles of American and Japanese Students. Asian Journal of Communication. 3. 1-17 Retrieved from http://utminers.utep.edu Source document