The Fairytale of Alice Walkers Color Purple Essay -- Color Purple Ess

The Fairytale of The Color Purple It is important for one to distinguish between the "real" outcome of economic achievement as described in The Color Purple by the lynching of Celie's father, and its "alternative" economic view presented at the end of the novel depicting Celie's happiness and entrepreneurial success. To distinguish between these outcomes it is necessary to relate the novel to two Models (Historical and Empirical Data, Manners and Customs) of representation in the "real" and "alternative" worlds of The Color Purple. By focusing on the letters describing the lynching of Celie's father, and the letter describing Celie's economic stability and happiness (found in last letter), we will have established a clear distinction between the real and alternative worlds in relation to the economic situations presented throughout the novel. Manners and customs in the "real" generally work to maintain order, decorum, and stability. Within the novel the reality was that blacks had to work for whites on whatever terms were available. When using manners and customs to depict the real world of the novel, it is evident we are examining an external world based in a society where the white oppressor governs the oppressed black populace. The economic realities of white land ownership, near-monopoly of technical and business skills and control of financial institutions was in fact the accepted norm (Sowell 48). When presenting the term fact - we must account for the introduction of a second model, "historical and empirical data" in representing the real world of The Color Purple. As illustrated in the pages of American history books, it is evide... ...ntity with which the novel leaves us uses fairytale explanations of social relations to represent an alternative world. This fairy tale embraces America for providing the black nation with the right and the opportunity to own land, to participate in the free market, and to profit from it. Indeed The Color Purple is a fairytale; a world in which sexual exploitation can easily be overcome; and a world of unlimited access to material well-being (Hooks 223). By emphasizing on the letter dealing with the lynching of Celie's father and the last letter of the novel establishing Celie's economic independence we have illustrated the real and alternative worlds in relation to the economic prosperity of the black individual. Thus creating an illusionary fantasy world by combining or mediating between the novel's social realism and its alternative.

Cuban Cigars : Rolling Process and Crop Gathering :: Cuban Cigar

Cuban Cigars: The Rolling Process and Gathering the Crop In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered the island now known as Cuba. Along with the discovery of Cuba, Columbus also discovered tobacco. Since that time, Cuba has developed the reputation as having the finest tobacco and finest cigars in the world. The following article will discuss how the crop is raised and harvested. Furthermore, the art of cigar rolling will be discussed in detail. What makes Cuban tobacco the world's finest tobacco? The answer lies in Cuba's climate and in the uniquely composed fertile fields in which the tobacco is raised. Cuba has a topical climate; this, combined with a temperature that is tempered by trade winds makes the island quite tobacco friendly. Cuba's fields, in which the tobacco is grown, have a unique composition that gives Cuban tobacco its own distinct and unmatched color and flavor. The tobacco crop goes through a long and tedious process before it is ultimately ready to become a Cuban Cigar. The first step in the process is to prepare the beds for the tobacco seedlings. After the beds are made, the tobacco seeds are planted. The next step involves topping the plants and removing the suckers. This is done to increase the vitality of the plants. After about 2 Â ½ to 3 months, the plant reaches maturity and is then harvested. The tobacco crop is harvested leaf by leaf. After the tobacco crop is harvested, the next step is to cure the crop. Curing is done in a very methodical manner. First, the tobacco leaves are strung together with a cotton thread. They are then hung out to dry for a few months. They are then considered cured. After "curing" the leaves, the plant goes through a series of natural fermentation steps. The tobacco at this stage is graded according to size and quality. The leaves at this point are ready to be wrapped and rolled into cigars. Before this is to occur however, the tobacco leaves are arranged according to thickness and length to match the type of cigar that is to be produced. The process of rolling a cigar is a very detailed and meticulous one. Cigar rolling requires expertise and care. Interestingly, the tools used to roll cigars have also remained virtually unchanged for generations. A small wooden board is needed, along with a semi-circular blade, and a small container of clear purified rubber resin, which is used to shape and seal off the ends of the cigar.

Healthcare Technology Essay

In such a short period of time we have seen the healthcare industry go from paper tracking to technological tracking. We continue to see healthcare care drastically each year. The article I am reviewing is an article put out by Forbes in the beginning of 2013. Even though we have seen the many transformations when it comes to technology and healthcare, this article touches on five, which I will talk about more here shortly. It is an amazing idea that potentially five years from now that we could be totally paperless in the healthcare world. Four years ago the IT departments of healthcare had a mere $343 million invested considering the potential of what was to come (Forbes, Lee 2013). Since then venture capitalists have tripled their investments into the health care IT and sunk $955 million (Forbes, Lee 2013). The article expresses that the federal government is even going to be sinking some major money into hospitals and medical offices to digitize health care. It all comes to a ver y good point mentioned in the article. â€Å"All of these VCs are now starting to put money into the space. And as we start getting some big wins, we’re going to see this accelerate,† said Aza Raskin, cofounder of Massive Health — a startup developing a mobile app to encourage healthier eating and other health-related tools — in an interview with Fast Company. â€Å"The smartest minds of our generation shouldn’t be working on getting us more addicted to Facebook or Twitter; they should be working on helping us get — and stay — healthy† (Forbes, Lee 2013). What would people think when they are told that a machine helped their doctor figure out their diagnosis and the best possible treatment for them? Most will think it is absolute craziness, right? Funny that is brought up because researchers with the IBM corporation are currently developing a state of the art computer system that will take a doctors data and come up with the best possible outcome of a diagnosis would be for the patient. They are calling this major technological advancement Watson, and known to the medical field as Dr. Watson (Forbes, Lee 2013). This machine will be able to not only help assess the projected diagnosis of a patient, but also to keep tabs on a patients history, and allow the doctors to keep up with the latest and greatest abilities to treat patients. How often have we all been at work and have had to deal with someone that spoke a language we were unable to understand or speak for that matter? In the medical field it is  hard to track down one person i n a hospital that can speak Cantonese, Russian, German, Japanese, or many other languages that are less frequented in our day to day lives. Well, welcome Omnifluent Health! This product was developed by the Science Applications International Corporation, or the SAIC, to help with translation process in the healthcare field (Forbes, Lee 2013). This is a huge step considering doctors could just whip out there cell phones and ask a question into the microphone and get a quick translation. We would be able to break the language barrier between patients and healthcare workers. We have so many social media sites on the web now a days. Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, G Plus, and many others. That is how we stay connected to friends and family. Now physicians have a â€Å"physicians only† media site that will allow them to contact one another in regards to taking better care of their patients. It is called Doximity (Forbes, Lee 2013). The funding for the project is at $27 million currently (Forbes, Lee 2013). I hate to have to sit in an ER for hours on end in the middle of the night to be seen for a rapid asthma onset, or with a child running a high fever and vomiting just to be told that there are over the counter remedies available at the 24 hour big box retail giant less than 10 miles away. It would be nice to be able to pop into a chat, or call where I can talk to a healthcare professional about what is going on and have a response without having to get out of a comforting place, like home, and sit for hours in a cold ER waiting room. There is now a system that gives patients the opportunity to have a medical consultation via phone or online. It is a startup company out of New York City called Sherpaa (Forbes, Le e 2013). If you were to type in â€Å"diet apps† in your Google Play Store tons of apps would pop up that are there to help you count calories, track weight loss, track exercise time and calories burned, and so on and so forth. One that the article talks about it Fitbit. It is a pedometer that tracks the sleeping patterns and activities of a person (Forbes, Lee 2013). Another one it talks about is Lark. Lark is a silent alarm clock and sleep monitor that tracks and analyzes the quality of sleep a person gets over time (Forbes, Lee 2013). In this day of technological advances there is no surprise at the countless ones that are in place in regards to the health care industry. With the amount of change from paper charting to digitized charting methods, egg timers on when med  pass is compared to computer pop ups, from easy access to patients meds to secured sign in procedures to acquire the meds, and from sitting in a waiting room for countless hours on end to picking up your phone and making a quick call is all proof that it has been time for a change in medical technology for a long time now. We are entering a new time for health care and to some, it is the era of Health 2.0 (Forbes, Lee 2013) References Lee, Ellen (2013). 5 Ways Technology Is Transforming Health Care. http://www.forbes.com/sites/bmoharrisbank/2013/01/24/5-ways-technology-is-transforming-health-care/

Communication and Assessment in Nursing Essay

The structure of this essay is designed to show the importance of relationship centered communication. However it will begin with a brief definition of the essential concepts intrinsic to the topic of therapeutic communication, distinct therapeutic nurse-patient relationship. Thereafter, it will focus on verbal and nonverbal communication, listening, understanding, empathy and important aspects of confidentiality and privacy. IntroJust as chemistry sciences were adopted as the 20th century medical model, patient’s perspective into a relationship-centered communication has been suggested as appropriate for the 21st century. It is the medical dialogue that provides the fundamental vehicle through which the battle of perspectives is waged and the therapeutic relationship is defined (Roter D. 2000). In many regards, the primary challenge to the field is the development of therapeutic communication that will provide a valid representation of the therapeutic relationship (Craven & Hirnle 2000). The purpose of this essay is to explore the implications of therapeutic communications in the nature of the patient-nurse relationship and its expression in routine of medical practice. Therapeutic communication is defined as the face-to-face process of interacting that focuses on advancing the physical and emotional well-being of a patient (http://tpub.com/content/medical ). Communication is an essential process when providing culturally competent nursing care and it must be therapeutic in nature to be effective. It involves the use of techniques such as using silence, offering self, restating, reflecting, and seeking clarification to name a few. Therapeutic communication involves displaying a genuine interest in the person communicating that is demonstrated trough the use of a relaxed and comfortable body posture. Therapeutic communication requires the components of empathy, positive regard, and a positive sense of self (Craven & Hirnle 2000). But no single definition could possibly capture the rich and complex nature  of the relationships between patients and nurses. Each relationship is distinct, because both patient and nurse are distinctive and the way they interact and relate is unique (Parbury 2006). The therapeutic nurse/client relationship stands at the core of health nursing. Through the establishment of this relationship, nurses are ideally suited as therapists to lead clients toward accomplishing their health goals (Parbury 2006). Therapeutic relationships between patients and nurses are formed in the majority of situations. In this type of relationships nurse’s perspective is primarily that the patient is a patient, but there is also recognition and understanding of the patient as the person (Parbury 2006). There are few similarities between the therapeutic relationship and friendship. It’s important to both to have worth, friendliness, trust, care, honesty and respect. Some differences in values and attitudes can hinder both as well as poor communication strategies. A feeling of satisfaction is important to both and also transference (involves clients feelings and acting toward the therapist as they did to other individuals in the past, mother/father for example) can occur in both ( Craven & Hirnle 2000). Let’s look into differences between the therapeutic relationship and friendship. Contract. A contract implicit on exploit is usually negotiated between client and workers and may include payment together they agree on. Limits are set whereas in friendship there is usually no monetary reward or contracts exchanged (Craven & Hirnle 2000). Aims. In helping relationship there are specific goals. Friendship on the other hand, does not usually have agreed upon goals, it’s usually spontaneous. Focus. Helpee’s needs are the focus of attention in the helping relationship- the helper temporally sets aside personal needs. In contrast, friendship usually means that mutual needs are met in sharing way (Beck & Polite 2004). Time. Therapeutic relationship require time that is planned, limited and sometimes scheduled. In addition time is finite and perhaps negotiated by a contract. Time in friendships is mostly spontaneous and tends to have fewer limits (Parbury 2006). Objectivity. Therapeutic relationships require that the helper strives to be objective, and to act in client’s best interests. Objectivity is mostly impossible in friendships due to the fact that self interest is largely paramount (Gladys, Husted and Husted 2001)Acceptance. The helper tries to accept the client in therapeutic relationship thereby is able to understand the behavior of imposing value and judgments. On the other hand friendships usually terminate when differences in values or interests become too great. After actively listening to a patient it is natural for a nurse to respond verbally. The nurse’s initial verbal responses set the direction for further interaction. Because there is a variety of possible ways to respond, nurses must ensure that their verbal responses move the relationship in a desired and intended direction (Parbury 2006). Choice of the response is based on insight into how it may affect the patient, the interaction and the relationship. A nurse who has this insight and awareness is in the best position to respond in the manner that both matches the current situation and realizes the response’s desired intent (Parbury 2006). Nonverbal responses are very important and the ability to recognize and interpret this kind of responses depends upon consistent development of observation skills. As we continue to mature in our role and responsibilities in the healthcare team, both clinical knowledge and understanding of human behavior will also grow (Beck & Polit 2000). Our growth in both knowledge and understanding will contribute to our ability to recognize and interpret many kinds of nonverbal communication. Our sensitivity in listening with our eyes will become as refined as-if not better than-listening with our ears (Roter 2000). Most frequently, the relationship and communication between patient and nurse  begins with an interview, during which the nurse collects pertinent data about the patient (Parbury 2006). The effectiveness of an interview is influenced by both the amount of information and the degree of motivation possessed by the patient (Parbury 2006). Factors that enhance the quality of an interview consist of the participant’s knowledge of the subject under consideration; his patience, temperament, and listening skills; and our attention to both verbal and nonverbal cues. Courtesy, understanding, and nonjudgmental attitudes must be mutual goals of both the interviewee and the interviewer (Roter 2000). Understanding a patient’s experience, that is, viewing the world from patient’s perspective is one of the most essential aspects of interacting and building relationships in nursing (Parbury 2006). In patient-nurse relationship it is the nurse’s responsibility to make mutual understanding easier, which would be the basis of meaningful interaction. Mutual understanding requires time, effort, commitment and skill. It can be challenging for one person to understand and appreciate another person’s reality. Listening and effective attending would give ability to the nurse to develop an understanding of the patient’s experience (Parbury 2006). Effective listening demonstrates open acceptance of the patient, and encourages the patient to interact. Listening to the patient and watching how he listens. Observing how he gives and receives both verbal and nonverbal responses. When nurses listen, just listen, they pay careful attention to what they hear and observe, they focus on what is expressed by the patient and they try to determine what the patient is meaning. Effective listening requires receptivity, sustained concentration and astute observation. The skill of listening is fundamental and crucial to patient-nurse relationship (Ooijen 2000). Listening permeates the entire relationship; if meaningful interpersonal connections are to occur, listening must be engaged in throughout every interaction in therapeutic relationship (Parbury 2006). The skills of clarification are used whenever nurses are uncertain or unsure about what patients are saying. Clarification is often achieved trough the use of probing skills. At times a restatement of what a patient has said is an effective means of clarifying (Parbury 2006). Other times, nurses clarify what a patient has said by sharing how they might feel, think and perceive the situation if they were the patient. Reflecting feelings is useful too, because it conveys the nurse’s recognition of feelings and confirms the existence of emotions. When used to collect information, therapeutic communication requires a great deal of sensitivity as well as expertise in using interviewing skills (Roter 2000). To ensure the identification and clarification of the patient’s thoughts and feelings, we, as the interviewers, must observe his behavior. By using the skills of understanding nurses can arrive at knowing what patient is experiencing and thus are in a better position to be empathetic. Empathy is the ability to perceive the world from another person’s view, and take on the perspective of another, while not losing one’s own perspective (Parbury 2006). The ability to enter to another person’s experience to perceive it accurately and to understand how the situation is viewed from the client’s perspective is very important in therapeutic communication. By using therapeutic communication, we attempt to learn as much as we can about the patient in relation to his illness. To accomplish this learning, both the sender and the receiver must be consciously aware of the confidentiality of the information disclosed and received during the communication process (Roter 2000). Confidentiality is not merely keeping patient information inside the confines of a particular setting, but also considering what should be shared, trough reporting and recording, with other nurses and other health care professionals (Parbury 2006).There has to be a therapeutic reason for invading a patient’s privacy. Information that has no direct bearing on the nursing or other healthcare of the patient should be considered confidential and treated as such (Parbury 2006). Finally, interpret and record the data we have observed. As I mentioned earlier, listening is one of the most difficult skills to master. It  requires maintaining an open mind, eliminating both internal and external noise and distractions, and channeling attention to all verbal and nonverbal messages (Roter 2000). Listening involves the ability to recognize pitch and tone of voice, evaluate vocabulary and choice of words, and recognize hesitancy or intensity of speech as part of the total communication attempt. The patient crying aloud for help after a fall is communicating a need for assistance. This cry for help sounds very different from the call for assistance we might make when requesting help in transcribing a physician’s order (Roter 2000). Also advances in both video recording technology and participant observations have led us to consider ways in which these observational methods may be blended to answer research questions. Such innovations in data collection have t he potential to extend our understanding of social interactions in important ways (Paterson, Bottorf & Hewat 2003). ConclusionFinally, essential nature between patients and nurses is that of mutual understanding. It is clear that to function effectively in the therapeutic communication, we need to be informed and skilled practitioners, but not only that, active listening, empathy, understanding is necessary when we there to help our patients. They become calmer and more appreciated after having someone listen to them and express their feelings. Nurse needs to have the ability to express verbally and nonverbally, clarifying and reflecting with the patient, spending time and accepting and understanding behavior of imposing value and judgments. Also let the patient know that we care and that they are able to trust because of information that they share with us stays confidential and their privacy will not be damaged. Clearly therapeutic communication is central to health nursing and through this process nurse-client relationships can be enhanced. References: Andersen, C., & Adamsen, L. (2001). Continuous video recording: a new clinical research tool for studying the nursing care of cancer patients. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 35, 257-267. Beck C.T., Polit D.F. (2000) Nursing Research: Principles and Methods Patient Education Counseling. Journal article 39(1):5-15. Lippincott W&W. Carol, D. Tamparo, Wilburta, Q. Lindh (2000) Therapeutic relationships for Health Professionals. Craven, R.F. & Hirnle, C. J. (2000) Fundamentals of Nursing: Human Health and Function, (4th edition). Husted, G. L., & Husted, J. H. (2001).Ethical decision making in nursing (3rd ed.). New York: Springer. Ooijen, E.V. (2000) Clinical Supervision a Practical Guide. Policies and Procedures. Health Visitors. Harcourt Pub. Lim. Parbury, S. J. 2006 Patient and Person. Interpersonal skills in Nursing. (3rd ed.)Sydney: Harcourt. Paterson, B., Bottorff, J., & Hewatt, R. (2003). Blending observational methods: Possibilities, strategies, and challenges. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 2 (1). Article 3. Retrieved [12.04.07] from http://www.ualberta.ca/~iiqm/backissues/2_1/ html/patersonetal.htmlRoter D. (2000) The Role of Information Technology and Informatics Research in the Nurse-Patient Relationship. Retrieved [7.04.07] from http://adr.iadrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/17/1/77Volbert R.M (2002) Nursing Ethics, Communities in Dialogue. New Jersey. Prentice Hall. Wicks D. (1999) Nurses and doctors at work. Rethinking professional boundaries. Deidre Wicks. Lindeman, C., & McAthie, M. (1999). Fundamentals of Contemporary Nursing Practice. Philadelphia: Saunders. Zilm, G., & Entwistle, C. (2002).The smart way. Canada: Harcourt.

Communication Failure

â€Å"Communication is not an easy process. It involves verbal and non-verbal attempts to assist the other person to understand what we are trying to communicate. Yet it often fails. † The communication occurring between two people as discussed in the statement above is known by academics as ‘interpersonal communication’. Interpersonal communication can be defined as a two-way, transactional process in which two people, occupying a shared space, continue to send information to each other and receive information from each simultaneously. DeVito, 2008; Firth, Berry & Irvine, 2010; Hartley, 1999). The above statement refers to the process of interpersonal communication. Three clear assertions regarding the process of interpersonal communication are put forth in the statement above. Firstly, it is declared that the process of interpersonal communication is not simple. Secondly, it is declared that both verbal and non-verbal means are employed to foster the process of interpersonal communication. Lastly, it is declared that the process of interpersonal communication often is unsuccessful.This essay will discuss and analyse the above statement and the three assertions it puts forth in regards to the process of interpersonal communication. The interpersonal communication process is said to be comprised of five basic elements, which are: the sender of the information; the receiver of the information; the encoding of the information by the sender; the decoding of the information by the receiver; and the shared means or channel through which the information is sent (Shannon & Weaver, 1949, as cited Firth et al. , 2010).DeVito (2008) states there are additional elements which also have some part to play in the interpersonal communication process, these being: feedback from the receiver; feedforward by the sender; noise or interference impacting the interpersonal communication process; and the context or setting in which the communication process takes place. The statement above states that the process of interpersonal communication is often unsuccessful. DeVito (2008) suggests that such unsuccessful communication would be attributed to some of the elements of interpersonal communication either being present, absent or employed ineffectively by ender or receiver. Due to the process of interpersonal communication comprising of a number different elements, it can be concluded that the interpersonal communication process does have a certain degree of complexity as declared in the statement above. The statement being discussed also declares that for the process of interpersonal communication to be successful, verbal and non-verbal forms of information are broadcast by both the sender to facilitate understanding.DeVito (2008) states that verbal forms of information are essentially the actual words used by the sender and are chosen to: convey facts and inferences; express the connotation a word is being used in; and express sincerity or criticism. Hartley (1999) adds that the words a sender chooses to employ can communicate assertiveness and social standing. Though verbal communication is important in the interpersonal communication process, non-verbal communication conveys a far greater amount of information to the receiver (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999).DeVito (2008) states non-verbal means of information transfer between sender and receiver include: body movements and gestures such as pointing with a finger; facial expressions and gestures such as smiles and frowns; the amount of and nature of eye contact present such as pupil dilatation and breaking or initiating gaze; the actual physical space between sender and receiver where closer space often indicates a greater level of intimacy between sender and receiver; the presence or absence of touch such as shaking hands or embracing; the use of paralanguage which involves the rate, tone and volume at which the sender speaks or the use of uttera nces; the sender’s view of the importance of time; artifactual communication which involves how one’s physical appearance, clothing, makeup, and material possessions are made known to the sender; and smell such as the presence of perfumes, deodorants, body odour, mouthwashes. Therefore a great amount of information is sent though verbal and non-verbal communication, which is also made up of many elements. As indicated before, a greater number of elements often results to a greater level of complexity, which is declared in the statement discussed. Though many forms of verbal and non-verbal information sent intentionally to the receiver, sometimes additional verbal nd non-verbal information sent to a receiver is sent unknowingly and unintentionally (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Most intentional information sent to a receiver is sent verbally and most unintentional information broadcast by a sender is unwittingly sent through non-verbal means (Firth et al. , 2010). Information that is unintentionally expressed by the sender impacts the message decoded and comprehended by the receiver, often leading to ineffective, unwanted or failed communication (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Therefore, if the amount of unintentional information sent during the process of communication is reduced, the high chance of communication failure, suggested in the statement above, will be lessened to a degree.While encoding and conveying information in the interpersonal communication process, the sender employs a language they deem to be recognisable easily decoded by the receiver in an attempt to foster successful communication (Firth et al. , 2010). A language can be defined as any verbal or non-verbal manner or means employed to transmit information and understanding between groups of people (Firth et al. , 2010). Verbal and non-verbal messages expressed by should ideally have congruency, meaning they complement each other (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Incongruent verbal and non-verbal messages often lead to confusion in the receiver, hindering successful reception and comprehension of the information being communicated and therefore resulting in a failure in the communication process (Devito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010).Hence, congruent verbal and non-verbal messages encoded and communicated by sender will also aid in reducing the likeliness of communication failure. It has been suggested that a failure or breakdown in the interpersonal communication process can be further reduced if both the sender and receiver possess satisfactory levels of what is termed ‘emotional intelligence’ (Goleman, 1998; Lynn, 2002). Emotional intelligence may be defined as a person’s ability to recognise, control and evaluate their own feelings and emotions as well as the feelings and emotions of others (Goleman, 1998). Goleman (1998) states that emotional Intelligence is made up of five lements, these being: self-aw areness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy, and the possession of social skills. Self-awareness comprises of: the ability to recognise one’s emotions; awareness of one’s strengths, weaknesses and potential; and one’s ability to maintain a satisfactory sense of self-worth and confidence (Goleman, 1998). Self-regulation involves: one’s desire to maintain honestly; one’s ability to keep distracting emotions at bay; one’s ability to ensure a high level of performance in tasks; and the ability to manage and adapt suit to change (Goleman, 1998). Self-motivation requires one to have: a desire to excel; initiative to grasp given opportunities; and the desire to continue pursing goals whilst barriers are met (Goleman, 1998).Empathy involves one’s ability to: perceive other’s feelings; understand others points of view; and nurture others in developing their abilities (Goleman, 1998). A person with a high level of social skills wi ll be able to: listen openly and effectively send messages; negotiate well with others in times of conflict; inspire, guide others or successfully persuade others; collaborate well with others; bring about change; and effectively deal with change (Goleman, 1998). Therefore, possessing a high level of emotional intelligence involves possessing numerous skills. Lynn (2002) states that possessing emotional intelligence enables one to be aware of their own emotions and abilities, and allows one to hold confidence themselves, enabling the person to communicate confidently and effectively.It can be concluded that someone who possesses emotional intelligence is able to manage how they send, receive, encode and decode information. Elements which are of great importance in the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008). Emotional intelligence in the sender and receiver will also impact the remaining elements of the interpersonal communication process. Feedforward is an element of the interpersonal communication process which enables the sender to attract the attention of the receiver before conveying their full message (DeVito, 2008). Feedforward can indicate to the receiver the nature or the importance of the information which is about to be provided to them by the sender (DeVito 2008).DeVito (2008) states that in the interpersonal communication process, feedforward can: open communication channels; provide a sample of what is about to be conveyed; disclaim the message; and altercast which lets the sender and receiver to assume specific roles during the interpersonal communication process. Feedforward therefore, is a good tactic the sender can employ to gain the attention of the receiver before important messages conveyed, heightening the chance of successful information reception. After conveying their message, the sender can make note of feedback given to them by the receiver (DeVito, 2008). Feedback is an element of interpersonal communication that relates to the information which is continually broadcast either immediately or after short delay by the receiver during the course of the interpersonal communication process (Devito, 2008).Feedback can come in the form of: body language such as hand gestures; eye contact such as breaking or initiating gaze; facial expressions such as smiles; silence which may indicate the receiver is disinterested in the interpersonal communication process; and the variation of distance the which may indicate how involved the receiver wants to be with the sender (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). Feedback may be intentional or unintentional just like other forms of information broadcast during the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). By making note of of feedback, the sender can gain and understanding of how the receiver perceives the message (DeVito, 2008). The context associated with communication also affects how messages are encoded and decoded by the sender and re ceiver in the interpersonal communication process (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010).DeVito (2008) makes note of four dimensions communication takes place in: the physical dimension, which is the environment the sender and receiver communicate within and whether or not the environment promotes successful communication; the social-psychological dimension, which deals with the status, class or relationship between sender and receiver and how formal the communication should be; the temporal or time dimension, which deals with whether it is the appropriate time for a sender to convey a message; and the cultural dimension, which refers to beliefs, values, traditions and expectations that exist in the cultures of the sender and receiver whether certain forms of communication are appropriate. The channel or medium through which the information between sender and receiver is relayed has much influence upon successful encoding, decoding and comprehension (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). DeVito (2008) states some channels used in the interpersonal communication process are: verbal; non-verbal; auditory, which relates to sound; olfactory, which relates to smell; and tactile, which relates to touch.Different mediums include: letters; emails; phone calls; mobile phone text messaging; radio; television; the Internet; and print media such as newspapers and magazines (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Proper use of the communication channels ensures that information travels between sender and receiver in a manner that facilitates accurate encoding and decoding (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010; Hartley, 1999). Therefore, it can be concluded that successful use and management of communication channels would further lessen the significant chance of communication failure that is alleged to exist in the interpersonal communication process by the statement being analysed.Failure in the interpersonal communication process can also be attributed to differing types of noise or interference that work against or and act as a barrier to successful communication (DeVito, 2008; Firth et al. , 2010). DeVito (2008) mentions four categories of noise: physical noise, which includes the noise occurring in the environment around the sender and receiver, along with apparel such as sunglasses which would interfere with eye contact; physiological noise, which includes physical disabilities the sender or receiver may have such as poor eyesight, hearing and tiredness; psychological noise, such as preconceived notions and other mental distractions; and semantic noise, which is where the receiver does not understand the language employed by the sender.It has been shown that the interpersonal communication process comprises of various complex elements which either facilitate or hinder successful communication. Successful communication requires information to be properly encoded by a sender, transferred with all attached meaning through a chan nel to a receiver who must successfully decode and comprehend the information sent to them as intended by the sender. Though there are barriers that obstruct successful communication, the possession of emotional intelligence, communicating effectively and maintaining congruency between non-verbal and verbal messages have been argued to reduce the great likelihood of communication failure, as declared in the statement being discussed.The success of interpersonal communication is decided heavily by the skills possessed by other the sender and receiver. References DeVito, J. A. (2008). The interpersonal communication book (12th ed. ). Boston, MA: Pearson Education. Firth, G. , Berry, R. , & Irvine, C. (2010). Understanding intensive interaction: Context and concepts for professionals and families. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. London, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. Hartley, P. (1999). Interpersonal communication (2nd ed. ) . New York, NY: Routledge. Lynn, A. B. (2002). The emotional intelligence activity book: 50 activities for developing eq at work. New York, NY: American Management Assosication.

Nursing Relection Essay

This essay will reflect on my personal and professional development during my first year on the nursing diploma programme. I will do this by discussing my experience with the five essential skills clusters which include care, compassion and communication, medicine management and nutrition and fluid management. I will relate the five skills by showing an understanding of a recognised model of reflection. Reflection, is a way of analysing past incidents to promote learning and improve safety, in the delivery of health care in practice. For the purposes of this essay I have chosen the Gibbs reflective cycle model (Gibbs, 1988, cited in O’Caroll & Park, 2007, p86), will be followed, as it gives an opportunity to produce a structured account of the discussion. Gibbs (1988) consists of six stages to complete one cycle which is able to improve my nursing practice continuously and learning from the experience for better practice in the future. The cycle starts with a description of the situation, next is to analysis of the feelings, third is an evaluation of the experience, fourth stage is an analysis to make sense of the experience, fifth stage is a conclusion of what else could I have done and final stage is an action plan to prepare if the situation arose again. In order to respect the patient’s and staff member’s confidentiality (Nursing Midwifery Council, (NMC), the code of standards of conduct, performance, and ethics for nurses and midwives, 2008), the precise location of this placement will not be named. Consent (NMC, 2008) has been obtained from patients mentioned within this essay, although in the interest of maintaining confidentiality (NMC, 2008) of the patients, therefore pseudonyms will be used. Both of the placement areas I was allocated were general children’s wards which both included a day unit and inpatient beds for surgical and paediatric patients. A children’s ward provides health care for children aged from birth to seventeen. The role of any nurse including children’s nurses is to play a major role in promoting healthy behaviours (Moules and Ramsey, 1998). Nursing a child is not just a question of caring for a miniature adult. You have to understand how a healthy child develops towards adulthood and know how to minimise the impact of illness or hospital admission on the child. This involves working in partnership with the parents, or whoever looks after the child at home. Another factor that complicates treatment of the younger child is that of communication. While adults can express what they feel and need or identify the severity and nature of pain a child may not be able to communicate in such detail and the nurse needs to interpret behaviour and reactions intelligently. Children’s nurses need to be able to spot when a child’s health takes a turn for the worse, which can happen rapidly. (NHS, 2011) Health problems can have an effect on a child’s development and it’s vital to work with the child’s family or carers to ensure that he or she does not suffer additionally due to the stress of being ill or in hospital. I was both excited and apprehensive about starting my placement on this ward. I was excited because this was going to be a new experience and the opportunity to gain an insight into different illnesses and conditions, but I felt apprehensive because I was unsure of what to expect in terms of how illnesses affect an individual and their parents and what challenges they may face and how I would respond. I was conscious of my lack of experience and knowledge of illnesses and viewed this as a potential weakness, which I thought it was imperative to be self – aware of my personal strengths and weaknesses before I commenced my placement. Self – awareness is also essential to be able to interact effectively with patients. Personal beliefs and opinions can influence either negatively or positively, in the way of viewing other individuals. Understanding strengths, weaknesses, and the ability to reflect on personal characteristics, are necessary for remaining non – judgemental. The NMC (2008, code of conduct), states as nurses we must make the care of people our first concern by treating them as individuals and respecting their dignity. I know it is imperative to focus on treating the patient and not the behaviour. My mentor gave me an overview of the different types of patients we would see, which included their different health diagnosis, and also their individual rehabilitation and recovery plan, which helped me to have an insight into the needs of each patient and how illness can impact on an individual’s life. I felt more confident after my mentor had given me this information to be able to approach each individual patient and to be able to start to build a nurse patient  relationship. Brown & Eby (2005, p63) suggests that a nurse – patient relationship has three phases: – these are th e orientation phase, the working phase, and the termination phase. Many people including myself believe first impressions usually form a lasting impression so I am very conscious on how I introduce myself to others. On introducing myself to the patients on the unit I wanted to establish a rapport, which is the foundation of the nurse patient relationship (Timmins, 2007, p438). I wanted to show a warm, caring and compassionate person to enable trust and respect to develop with each patient which is an essential requirement of caring. Caring and compassion is a natural warm, informal communication skill, which is an important part of social exchange (Baughan, Smith, 2008, p3). Roach (Roach, 1987, cited in Eby & Brown, 2009, p50) suggests there are 5 attributes of caring which are â€Å"the 5 C†s. These are commitment, which is to provide the care necessary for each patient, Compassion that involves sharing in the emotional feelings of another and showing empathy which means trying to understand how another person feels. Competence of understanding and applying the nursing process by problem solving and the decision making process. Confidence (believe in oneself), and self – confidence to enable to gain trust of the clients, and confidence of the clients to trust the nurse. Finally, having a conscience and having an ethical conviction or belief about what is right or wrong, and acting in accordance of the nursing profession. I wanted to spend quality time getting to know each patient on an individual basis to enable each patient to be able to develop a relationship based upon trust, honesty and mutual respect. I wanted each patient to be able to trust me and have the confidence in my ability to offer the appropriate care and support to meet their individual needs. The ability to empathise and relate to each patient’s emotions is fundamental in showing care and compassion. The ability to understand and perceive feelings and their meanings are at the core of empathy. (Reynolds & Scott, 2000, 31, (1), p226). Having an understanding of what it would be like to be in a patient’s position enables interaction and engagement to be more supportive and motivated which I wanted to convey to the patients on the unit and show positive regard. I was looking forward to spending time speaking to each patient and getting to  know them over the duration of my placement within an inpatient setting, as this would help me to further develop the communication skills that I learned in my first placement , which would also enable me to develop my nursing skills further. Communication is an essential component needed for the nurse patient relationship and is at the heart of good nursing care (Stein – Parbury, 2009, p274), and therefore effective communication skills are crucial. May (2004, p488) suggests communication is a complex two way process that involves passing a message between people using verbal or non-verbal communication skills. Showing genuine interest and concern is necessary to allow the patient to speak openly and feel comfortable within the conversation. The tone and mannerisms ‘paralinguistic’ used during the conversation and the patient’s perception of this will either enhance the relationship or inhibit the development. A comment made can be damaging to self – esteem and identity (Miller, 2002, 17, 9, p46). I felt comfortable communicating with the patient’s and I feel I have good communication skills which is one of my interpersonal strengths, although I did feel a little cautious at times , for example if I was asked a question of which I was unsure of the answer. I observed my mentor and other health professionals engage in conversation with the patients in these situations first before engaging in a meaning conversation, to ensure I was using effective and appropriate communication skills and remained objective. The level of interaction and communication I received from each patient did vary initially which reflected on the age of the individual and their parents understanding, and also on their ability to trust me as a student nurse. Listening is one of the most important skills needed for communication. This non – verbal communication will establish a lot of valuable information to the patient’s wishes and concerns. The information given will also give an insight into the care needed and allow time to offer an appropriate reply. It is equally important to offer gestures of intense listening such as good eye contact, facial expressions, and appropriate nodding to acknowledge a  general interest. Listening to the patient’s will also give the opportunity to observe their body language and to observe any conflicting areas of speech and movement that may suggest they are uncomfortable with certain topics or are experiencing symptoms of cognitive impairment. I wanted to show I was listening to each individual and I was genuinely interested in what they were saying to me and to develop the patient’s trust so they could be open and honest with me and be able to disclose their thoughts and feelings based upon mutual trust and respect. The care, compassion, and communication skills I demonstrated to the patients on the ward were paramount for a therapeutic relationship to develop. A therapeutic relationship will be of mutual benefit to meet the holistic needs of the patient and for nurse to gather the relevant information to offer the appropriate interventions (McQueen, 2000, 9, p724). I was particularly looking forward to being able to develop my knowledge and skills in medication management during this placement. Medicine management relates to the safe use of medicines to ensure patient’s get the maximum benefit from the medicines they need, while at the same time minimising potential harm. (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, (MHRA), 2004 p3). I did have some opportunity in my first placement to administer medication to patients, so I did have some knowledge into how to administer medication correctly and also in accordance with the NMC medication guidelines (NMC, 2010). I gained some confidence in my ability to be able to administer medication to patients safely from my first placement and was able to demonstrate safe practices from the onset of my second placement. I knew it was imperative that I adhered to the eight rights of medication which are the right patient, right medicine, right time, right date, right dose, right route, right preparation and the right documentation, which needed to be applied to each patient before I administered any medication. I was extremely conscious of the accountability nurses face in relation to medication management and therefore I wanted to learn as much as possible during this placement to ensure I was competent and also familiarise myself with the legislation that underpins medication management such as the Medicines Act, (1968), misuse of drugs act (1971). All administration of medication needed to be accurately recorded in  accordance to the NMC guidelines and Trust () policy. Nutrition and hydration is an important aspect of maintaining good health and childhood diseases can often be complicated by poor nutrition. Patient B has type 1 diabetes and is treated by insulin injections twice daily. Diabetes develops when the body is unable to produce the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (Diabetes UK, p4, 2008). Patient B is also overweight with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 and is considered to be clinically obese. Patient B also suffers from regular urinary tract infections (UTI). When Patient B was admitted to the ward in October, he received an initial baseline nutritional assessment following the clinical guidelines of the National Institute For Health And Clinical Excellence (NICE, 2006), Essence Of Care (DH, 2003, P89), and also implemented by . An intervention plan identified for Patient B’s nutritional needs to be closely monitored and nutritional tools such as a daily food and fluid intake charts and a weekly food menu chart were to be used to record an accurate account of his diet and fluid intake. Patient B’s weight also needed to be monitored and recorded on a weekly basis. The intervention plan also highlighted that a poor diet and fluid intake was a trigger factor into why Patient B’s health was deteriorating. Supporting Patient B to maintain a healthy diet and accurately recording the nutritional information became part of my daily routine while on shift, which gave me an invaluable insight into the importance of monitoring a patients daily diet and fluid intake, and also the importance of accurate documentation and continuity of care. Good record keeping is essential to the provision of safe and effective care (NMC, 2009). Due to monitoring Patient B’s fluid and diet intake, it became apparent to that Patient B was becoming reluctant to maintain a regular diet independently and also his fluid intake was slowly decreasing which was having an impact on both his diabetes and his physical health. My mentor approached me and asked if I would like to carry out an assessment and formulate a care plan for patient B, I was excited and did feel I had gained enough knowledge and understanding of this process during my two long placements. To formulate a care plan, I first needed to identify the current risks that were present or were likely to occur. A risk relates to a negative event or an adverse affect, which is likely to cause harm (, 2009 p5). I needed to use an evidence-based approach by ensuring all the relevant data relating to Patient B’s current health care needs were accurate and apply an evidence-based approach to minimize the risk. Once I obtained all the relevant information from Patient B’s care documents and nutritional assessment tools I was then able to plan an appropriate plan of care and intervention plan based upon the identified risks. The main areas of risk I identified were Patient B’s parents also needed guidance in helping him maintain a healthy diet and fluid intake. During my placement I also administered an intra muscular (IM) cytotoxic injection to a patient A. During the administration process it was imperative that I applied infection, prevention and control procedures. The risk of infection is always present to both staff and patients and therefore Infection Prevention and Control procedures are aimed at breaking the infection chain (, 2011, P5). I initially felt overwhelmed by the process as there appeared to be a lot of precautions needed but after I had observed my mentor several times and understood the process, I felt more at ease with the procedure. The process I followed was hand hygiene ensuring I washed my hands before starting the procedure and applying my personal protective equipment (PPE) such as my gloves and apron, the safe use and disposal of sharps ensuring the Needle was not bent or broken before use or disposal and the needle was safely discarded into a cytotoxic sharps container. All PPE along with items used which contained bodily fluid from the patient was discarded into clinical waste before washing my hands after completing the procedure. On reflection of my experience on my placements, I think I would do exactly the same. I feel proud of what I have achieved so far and continued to develop my skills and enhanced my knowledge from my first placement. I feel I have become more aware and confident within the 5 key clusters of care I have discussed within this essay and I have demonstrated my willingness to learn and demonstrated a professional attitude throughout both of my  placement settings. I feel my experience gained has been very positive and I have learnt new skills and have gained confidence in my ability needed to be a nurse. Although looking back on my experiences, there are areas I would change for future placements. I would prepare better for each placement by ensuring I research further around the specific client group and setting. I feel that this would have been very beneficial to me in my second placement as I felt I was not fully prepared when I administered my first injection, and how each individual patient may be affected in different ways. My first week on placement I was still a little unsure how to communicate with some patients and although my communication skills will develop further with experience, I feel if I was better prepared I would have been more confident and relaxed with the patients and the environment and able to communicate effectively from the onset. Overall I feel this has been a positive experience and I have gained a good insight into the importance of developing and maintaining my nursing skills in relation to care, compassion and communication, medicine management, infection prevention and control, nutrition and hydration, and organisation of care.

Supervisory roles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Supervisory roles - Essay Example Because the interviewee held a supervisory role at a local bookstore, there were around 15 employees that he has been supervising. The management responsibilities of a store supervisor initially revolve around the selection, hiring, and training of new employees. When these staff members have undergone the proper training and preparations for work, the store supervisor handles the responsibility for developing the schedule for staff members on a weekly or monthly basis. Because the store employs a number of sales clerks, to manage the schedule has always involved the consideration of the availability and work patterns of every personnel. Moreover, when staff members report for work, it is the job of the supervisor to establish clear communications regarding the tasks assigned for every employee as well as monitor and observe the members’ work habits. This can help ensure that their performance is satisfactory and can contribute to the store’s long-term success (Chan and Soong 22). If a store employee is incapable of accomplishing the tasks assigned by the store supervisor, the latter should then articulate the problem to the concerned employee and its possible outcomes. Probation and termination are common repercussions brought about by incompetent work; however, it is also essential that the store supervisor assists employees in identifying and practicing the measures for improving performance. On the whole, the nature of a store supervisor’s job is focused on the supervisory of service flow within the store and provision of assistance for store employees to ensure that all tasks are accomplished and a satisfactory performance is obtained. According to the interviewee, their store’s education and training requirements for store supervisors include a 2 to 3-year experience of working in similar stores and should demonstrate knowledge and ability in supervising a store, training individuals, communication, and store operations. Moral conduct and positive attitudes should also be exemplified. Nonetheless, despite the requirements necessary to become a store supervisor, further training had been provided to the store’s members, from floor employees to store supervisors and managers, to ensure high levels of performance. My interviewee had undergone training to improve worker competency with which they were provided with information and tools as a means of enhancing skills and knowledge. Certain strategies were used, including structured conferences, worker self-rating, and provision of personal feedback. An action plan had also been provided to ensure that all short-term and long-term goals and objectives were clearly outlined. For my interviewee, he believes that the three most important characteristics of a good supervisor are to be an effective administrator, an active educator, and a sincere supporter. He should be able to have clear expectations of the work in adherence to performance standards that ha ve been clearly defined and should accept the authority and power in a non-authoritarian manner. Procedures should also be clearly structured and constructive feedback must be effectively provided to workers, such as confrontation during the appropriate time as well as an honest and critical advice in such a way that the employees can be assisted in developing strength and independence. There was a time when he hired two new cashiers who had been employed part-time while attending school to finish