American Music And Popular Culture

British American folk music tradition refers to the music origin is associated with the British and white Americans while the African American music refers to the music that originated with the black Americans. British American folk music was mostly about cases that needed to be pointed out and occupations respectively. Briton songs are about problems that needed to be pointed out for all to see and reason for the factual basis. American on the other sung about occupations and even criminals. African American music came in a wide variety.The histonces file show that the earliest folk songs originated with the blacks as they went about their work in the vast farms or related in their servant quarters. The African American folk music is so vast and varied that no single image is adequate to embrace it all. There is a picture of a slave at work in the field or steering about or even a rhythmic chanting of work songs which gives multi faced picture of different situations. Both cultures display use of daily happenings as the theme in their songs.In both cultures folk music was disseminated through word of mouth as there were no recorders then. The composer sang it out as a way of teaching the others and it would spread on to the others through hearing. This affected the music in there with closing memory and change in geography. The music and words were altered to fit the singers. There is no original tone of the folk song and most came in different tunes. In both societies the tone depended on who was singing the song. However the British American society acquired print earlier than the African American.In fact so intertwined for centimes is the printed and the over traditions that the notion of a ‘pole’ and tradition is a disputed issue in this society. Many of their folk songs are known to have in and out of print according to the history of these songs. It is evident that many of British American folk songs even though different in reception to geo graphical distribution multiple versions have been discovered to strikingly similar in details. However the African American societies print arrived after the civil war.The aftermath of this was brought whites from the north, many of then abolitionists, into direct contact with the black people for the first time. Even before the wars ended, events such as the formation of the black regiments fighting for the unions cause and the famous’ part of loyal experiment’ which teachers and missionaries were recruited from the north – began acquitting northern with the songs of the slaves. The first print accounts of the African American songs appeared in the periodicals of these northern shortly thereafter, the first spiritual appeared in a street music form.African American development of their folk songs was highly assisted by the early discoveries of the British American. African American folk song music was mostly affected by the music from the African continent. Th is is so because the black people were brought to this continent from Africa in more or less continuous wares of forced migration over a period of about two hundred years. However owing to the small ratio of blacks to whites. Africans was highly suppresses and only survived in certain forms especially customary celebration on specific occasions. British American had pure lands origin without borrowing else where.British American music was done solely with the intent of enhancing the understanding of the principle involved, without giving a touch of the culture involved. Singing style was an integral part of the British American folk song. The tone quality and inflections of the voice, the way a singer earned the rhythm and pitch were subtly varied. These were all parts of the song. On the other hand the African American folk ,music not only did the tone matter but also the kinetic rhythm which enclosed the people to dance which the British American society regarded as the ceseivious immoral and pagan.They dance in very organized ways and never danced to fiddles tone. Musical instruments: The arrangement of the words found in the British American folk music known as ‘play –party carries songs shows an association with dancing for over a long time. There is a considerable overlapping between the vocal and instrumental traditions in this type of a song. It may be treated as a song with instruments compliments or a dance tone to which verses of the song are simply sung intermittently.African American tradition folk music portrays a picture of the slaves rare moments of play – the slave’s quarters ringing with sound of singing and dancing to the compliment of home made fiddles and banjos, and of clapping and stamping. Music accompaniment was pleasant in these two societies in traditional folk music from the beginning. Percussion instruments were the most commonly used musical instrument during those periods and it played a role in enhanci ng a rhythm to the song. In African American music drum sticks or hitters have become one of the moist important instruments that are being used in the music.The drum sticks are not used in the British American music. The types of equipment they use differ greatly. The African American music has the same percussions as the Indian American music both which are similar as compared to the British American. The words and music. The words and music used in both cases differ greatly and they intend to show the origin of each community. The British American words and the African American words differ in the importance to the music. The African American music at times acts as chats while the British American words at times have conations which have a meaning.Generally the British American culture music use octave scale while the African American do not use. They consider tone values such as doh, re, mi, fa so, la ti doh which are musical tones and they show the highness or lowness of the mu sic. The African American music does not keep these standards. In his work Bierhorst argues that the African America music like the Indian music is the like the music of the birds which does not have fixed tones that can be played by the piano. They are like syllable of ordinary speech. The melodies used in the songs range from tones to tones Types of songs.A bailed was used to refer to the folksongs and thus the bailed came in different categories: Cries calls and hollers. It was a kind of musical expression among black’s people that was regarded as primitive and evocative. Those cries and calls of the field, the levees the track were highly individualized expressions for communication for revealing loneliness. For giving vent to feelings or simply expressing the feel of ones existence. Ironically the urban counterparts used these cries to advertise goods and services. These kinds of folk songs were never associated with the British American society.Folk blues: Similar to th e cries cells and hollers the blue were used as intense personal expressions by the African American people. Folk blue underwent an evolution after the emancipation which brought a great change and there was the confrontation most with an entirely new set of social and economic problems that came with freedom including the need for money. The blues were used to express depression and other difficulties they faced. The spiritual: The term spiritual was derived from shortening of the New Testament phrase â€Å"spiritual songs†.It was found in both societies and it associated with Christianity which the whites converted the black immigrant into. Lyrical songs: Songs that were primarily not narratives but once with an easy flow of words found in the way British American folk music. Play party songs/ fiddle songs: These are songs that became widely used as a form of organized dancing called the play party songs. They had their origin from their prohibition in some traditions again st dancing as such but especially with the use of the fiddle considered a sinful instrument of the devil.These songs were mostly found in the British American traditional society. In a nutshell British-America is a type of music categorized in secular type of music and which talks about so many things or issues in the society like male to female relationships, education, sex and even cultures. British-America music originated from the western countries. As it has always been said what is a vice may or not be in a society, culture, tribe or even individuals may be a virtue to others. The African-American side mostly has not recognized it as presentable.This has then created both a global culture to and it and it has been used to strengthen specific local identities to a larger extent especially in Africa. African-American has also created a global culture of dressing especially in Africa. A good example is the Rastafarian music lovers associated with Africa. This people have one same culture that is universal for instance they have a common hair style of dreadlocks and four common colors which are red, green, yellow and black. They also believe in jagging or drooping trousers.Local dressing identifies African-American music hence are seen to have been tampered with language identities. REFERENCES Bierhorst, J. (1979); A Cry from the Earth. New York: Four Winds Press. Bookbinder, D (1979), What Folk Music is All About. New York: Julian Messner, Bruno N. (1992); Excursions in World Music. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall. Bruno, N. (1973); Folk and Traditional Music of the Western Continents. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. Sandberg, Larry and Weissman, Dick,(1976); The Folk Music Source Book. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Narrative Voice in Pride and Prejudice Essay

Read the passage from Pride and Prejudice (volume 1, chapter XVII) carefully several times. Then, in an continuous essay of no more than 1,000 words, analyse the passage, discussing ways in which the narrative voice and dialogue are used. Throughout the passage, Jane Austen uses a variety of different narrative and dialogue techniques. The reader hears from three different people, an omniscient narrator, Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Bennet. Through these characters the technique of â€Å"showing† is used, which involved direct speech and â€Å"telling† where the narrator describes what is happening, what the characters are saying and how they are feeling. The â€Å"showing† technique allows the reader to see what the characters are saying to each other, so in this passage, the reader ‘sees’ the conversation between Elizabeth and Jane. â€Å"Telling† involves the use of free indirect speech and focalization, giving the reader a detailed view of the character and â€Å"telling† the reader what the character is thinking and feeling. The passage opens with the omniscient narrator introducing a discussion between Jane and Elizabeth regarding Mr. Wickham’s dealings with Mr. Darcy. Austen uses the â€Å"telling technique† to introduce this passage to give clarity to the reader as to what the discussion is about, Austen opens with â€Å"Elizabeth related to Jane the next day, what had passed between Mr. Wickham and herself†. Elizabeth has decided to share her conversation with her sister Jane the following day, which means that Elizabeth has firstly had time to digest what Wickham has told her and secondly the narrator is telling us that she is close to her sister, because she is sharing this important information with her. The narrator uses free indirect speech which allows the reader to trust Elizabeth’s account of Wickham to be true, even though the reader does not know what has been spoken between the sisters. The narrator uses Jane for focalization. Through the â€Å"telling† technique the reader is allowed to see Jane’s reaction to Elizabeth’s encounter with Wickham, Austen writes â€Å"Jane listened with astonishment and concern†. Jane is â€Å"astonished† because the reader knows she thinks so highly of Bingley and she does not believe he would be connected with Mr. Darcy if the statement was true, â€Å"she knew not how to believe that Mr. Darcy could be so unworthy of Mr. Bingley’s regard†. Jane is concerned as she is hoping for a marriage with Mr. Bingley and does not want anything to ruin her plans, the narrator informs, â€Å"it was not in her nature to question the veracity of a young man†. Jane’s character is not one which would look for bad qualities in a person and through this form of free indirect speech; Austen is able to create a tone and expression which Jane’s character would use. Jane concludes that s he wishes to keep an open mind and believes there is another explanation for what has passed stating â€Å"It is in short impossible for us to conjecture the causes or circumstances which may have alienated them†. The next part of the passage shows direct speech between Jane and Elizabeth, and the â€Å"showing† technique is used to state their difference of opinions. Jane feels there is no one to blame other than misunderstanding on both parties. Elizabeth however, uses a mocking tone in her response to Jane exclaiming â€Å"and now, my dear Jane, what have you got to say on behalf of the interested people who have probably been concerned in the business?† Elizabeth is trying to convince her sister that her point of view is the correct one, and also by referring to Jane as â€Å"my dear Jane† although she is mocking her, there is fondness and closeness for her sister and it highlights Jane’s character of seeing the good in all people and a little naivety on Jane’s character. Throughout the dialogue between Jane and Elizabeth the narrator is â€Å"showing† the reader how Elizabeth is trying to convince her sister that Wickham is being honest in his account of his dealings with Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth gets the reader to instinctively believe what Wickham has told her, without question or doubt. The reader trusts what Elizabeth is saying and the likability of the character also emphasises this. Elizabeth past accounts of events have been very shrewd if a little ironic, however the reader may guess that Elizabeth may be wrong in her prejudice towards Mr. Darcy. Although Elizabeth uses facts and names to convince Jane, Jane is still doesn’t believe the situation to be true, Jane proclaims â€Å"It’s difficult indeed†. Again the reader sees Jane’s personality as someone who does not look at anyone in a bad way through this direct speech. The narrator uses â€Å"showing† in Elizabeth’s reply of â€Å"I beg your par don – one knows exactly what to think†, meaning that Elizabeth is still convinced Wickham is being truthful and she feels very strongly about this and almost convincing herself Darcy has most defiantly done wrong. Jane’s character is used to focalize again, allowing the reader to see how she reacts to Elizabeth. The narrator then uses free indirect speech to show the reader how Jane is thinking and worrying about Mr. Bingley and how could be viewed publicly – â€Å"Jane could think with certainty on only one point, – that Mr. Bingley, if he had been imposed on, would have much to suffer†. The passage closes with the arrival of the Bingley’s, going from narrative voice to authorial comment, Austen writes â€Å"the arrival of the very persons of whom they had been speaking†. The Bingley’s give their invitation to Netherfield ball and the narrative voice changes to indirect speech reporting what the characters say. The reader learns of how the Bingley sisters treat Jane and her family through the narrative voice and showing the fondness they have for Jane, â€Å"The two ladies were delighted to see their dear friend again† however the reader sees the rest of the family are treated differently stating â€Å"To the rest of they paid little attention; avoiding Mrs. Bennet as much as possible, saying not much to Elizabeth, and nothing at all to the others†. The techniques of showing and telling which Austen uses this allows the reader to see how convinced Elizabeth is with Wickham’s story of Darcy and how she pre judges him on the basis of someone else’s story, linking to the major theme and title of the book. Wickham is now shown as a good character an Darcy as a bad character. Through the sympathy the reader has with Elizabeth the reader is able to believe Elizabeth’s judgment on both Wickham and Darcy’s character.

Is College Degree Essential

Alice Sewah 10/14/11 V1 A college degree is essential for my future Is college degree really worth all the money spent and the effort put in it? Right now in our socirty a college education is no longer a option or a privilege. Without a college degree, you might as well becomes a homeless because if you don’t have a college degree you really aren’t anybody in this society. With a college degree, you get a good job, people give you more respect and you broraden up your knowledge. To me a college degree is essential for my future in order to be successful. First reason, college degree is essential is that it will lead me to get a really good job in the future. Being a college student perhaps more respectable role than being a janitor, lunch lady or a cook in a restaurant. When people know you as a college graduate, they give you more respect than just any ordinary person. With a college degree you get nice well-paying careers where you don’t have to break your neck and working your body to death. Even my parents motivate me more to stay in college because I don’t want to grow up and do the job that they doing now. Second reason why college is important is you gain respectful from people. For example my older brother who is a college graduate from Northwestern university gets more respect from all my family members and outsiders too. They look at him as not any ordinary person, but as a person who has accomplished a major goal that not everybody who starts finish. I know I will hain the same respect from people once I get my college degree. A degree is not just any other paper. It’s a special dcosument that will lead me to the right places in the future. It’s not good to be labeled as a college dropout or high school dropout. I would rather be preferred to be labeled as a college graduate not drop out. Another reason why college is essential is not only leading you to a good job, but also it prepares you with academic knowledge about the around you. Most people are irerlate and don’t even know much about the world they live in due to the fact they didn’t finish high school or go to college. Most people excuse for not going to college is money. Yes that’s true but, there are so many resources out there to help you get into college if you’re willing to go. The way things are going now, the only way to make it through is by getting a college degree. Even with some simple jobs out there, you need some sort of degree in order to be hired. College degree is really essential for my future because I want to make a difference and help out my family in Ghana who didn’t have the same opportunity as me to go to college. Most teens out there take education for granted and don’t care much about it. In conclusion having a college degree is for your own benefit. It will lead you to many grate places in the career industry. Yes is a lot of money and work but it’s really worth it. I know that in four years from now I will be really happy that I went to college and didn’t play around with it. Nobody can ever take your education from you it’s your god given rights.

UK Employers and Human Resource Management Essay

UK Employers and Human Resource Management - Essay Example According to the discussion  manpower cannot be totally replaced by machines. Despite the technological advances, the globalization swamping businesses worldwide has necessitated an ever more strategic approach to human resource management. Therefore, it is important that managers are able to decipher trends that may impact their companies. Still, it is also equally important to note that in manpower management, the people are a very crucial consideration as this plays out strongly in the company’s image. Empowerment has been very crucial to enhancing the productivity of these workers. However, to empower workers means that there must be a certain degree of participation on the part of these employees.From this paper it is clear that  the respective unions of employees have been very crucial in helping the labourers of a company to voice out their concerns. However, through the last three decades, there has been a weakening of these social structures which has enabled UK e mployers to have a firmer grasp on their employees to the detriment of their Labour force. The gradual weakening of the system has significantly weakened the once formidable unions of the country paving the way for companies to further flex their influences over their employees. This weakening eventually resulted in a gradual shift of human resources strategies to favour a more unitarist approach to human resource management.... Howell (2005) laments about the weakening and eventual demise of the once mighty Labour movement which bannered a significant victory for politicians against the various unions in the state. It seems that there has been a potent combination of various judicial and legislative actions as well as various forms of administrative measures coupled with various crises to forge a new way of relating to the Labour force. The gradual weakening of the system has significantly weakened the once formidable unions of the country paving the way for companies to further flex their influences over their employees. This weakening eventually resulted in a gradual shift of human resources strategies to favour a more unitarist approach to human resource management. Indeed, according to Howell (2005) the state has played a very pivotal role in this development. As mentioned. The various legislations and even the crisis of 1979 have been instrumental in the decade’s long transformation of the emplo yment conditions of the UK. Slowly but surely, the balance of power gradually tilted sharply towards the employers. As the hold of the employers strengthened, they are able to impose additional regulations and procedures with little or even no dialogues with their employees. Bennet (1997) stresses that this can be detrimental to the firm as it is tantamount to forcing the will of the organization to the employees. In so doing, important suggestions and signals may be lost wherein the employees are just made to follow the orders of the company. Unfortunately, these tend to be detrimental since they are able to foster resentments rather than conflict resolutions when the employees are by passed by these procedures.

Employment Relations in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Employment Relations in UK - Essay Example Employment relations in U.K, were a victim of improper communication between the stake holders and the stake holders pursuing their own interests rather than the common industry interests. As a result the scene was chaotic and conflicts rose between the Union strongholds, managements of various organizations and the Government. It is almost impossible to single out any part to blame but collectively employment relations suffered greatly, as a result economic growth took the back seat and new employable areas almost vanished. When situation looked grim and almost impossible to repair dramatic changes took place. Europe, which has adapted well to the call for change in Human relations has acted like a catalyst in the change movement that took place in U.K. Surprisingly, stake holders in Employment relations in U.K, responded positively to the call for change and mended their ways. Situation bettered and employment relations are definitely looking clear and focused to let changes take place. What brought such a sudden change in their attitude is proper dialogue and a establishment of a transparent communication among the stake holders. It is not that there is no communication system previously, They have learnt what are the communication barriers which are hampering the process and they have successfully removed them. Change Management- the order of the day: The concept - employment relations bring out the participation of stake holders in building healthy and prospective relationships. This academic essay focuses on identifying the stake holders, their responsibilities, roles they have played and the type of transition that has taken place in U.K. In the present day industry to change is the norm of the day. Any organization which has remained static and resisted changes has been phased out. Human Relations Management over the last decade has learnt how to adapt to changing situations and guide the organization towards achievement of its objectives by innovating and changing. The changes are not without their due share of problems. U.K in the past was haunted by colonialism and a high degree of collective bargaining among the workers. Trade Unions and Labor Unions ruled the roost for most of the period and actually crippled the economy and productivity. However the situation took a turnaround and seems a much brighter scene than the past. What caused this turnaround is the never say die spirit of the Brits and the positive influence of the European market as a whole on U.K. Stakeholders in employment relations: Employment Relations is "Maintaining all possible contacts with the participatory involvement of public, the corporate, the Government and the Unions and generate value for the organization". (Public & Industrial Relations, P.34, 35, 2005, V.K.Gupta). I have observed the participation of the all the above said stake holders and the respective roles played by them in the problem phase and the solution phase. Some of the stakeholders are: i. The Management of various organizations. ii. Respective Employees and their individual actions. iii. The role played by Trade Unions & Employee Welfare Organizations. iv. Policies laid by the Government and

Critical appraisal of a nursing research study article Essay

Critical appraisal of a nursing research study article - Essay Example ties are being carried, it is important that there be an effective system by which these researches can be appraised to determine their validity and reliability. Wood (2010) explain that reliable research studies provide quality information that can be used in making changes that can cause better and effective systems and human environment. One of the ways of making such a process is conducting a critical appraisal process; critical appraisal can be defined as the process involving careful and systematic examination of research for judging its trustworthiness, relevance and value for their particular contexts. According to White (2008) critical appraisal is very important especially for health professionals, considering the fact that they handle critical matters of human life. Many of the research studies that are carried out on human and animal health are often treated with great esteem considering the changing health problems and challenges in the human environment (Pignone 2005, p. 67). According to Armstrong (2012) an effective healthcare process can only be managed by an application of effective and reliable strategies derived from research studies, which underpins the need for their critical appraisal. This paper examines a critical appraisal for a research that was conducted on the participation of patients in the NHS Bowel Cancer screening programs. The critical appraisal of this research process will undertake the qualitative approach, examining the methodology that was used and its effectiveness (Wake 2013, p. 31). In this case, it will be possible to assess the effectiveness of the research process. According to McCabe (2009) qualitative research processes are known to use approaches that deliver quality information from resource persons, most of whom are carefully selected for the research process. The process of critical appraisal aims at assisting people to develop necessary skills that can help to make sense of various scientific evidences. This

International monetary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

International monetary - Essay Example This occurs when it becomes impossible to maintain the deficit in the current account. This situation indicates, in general sense, that there will be shortage in the foreign exchange reserves and the particular country is no longer in a position to attract sufficient amount of capital inflows for financing the deficit. For handling this situation of crisis, the government takes measure with the motto of reducing the spending of consumers on imports (Economics Help, 2011). The paper will be presented in a compact manner with the brief explanations about the policies undertaken within the exchange rate regime and alternative approaches and then taking up the interrelationships between the two phenomena along with their critical evaluation. Exchange Rate Regime in Resolving BoP Crisis The approaches under the exchange rate regime are floating, fixed and pegged exchange rate regime. ... r the interest rates and monetary aggregates; whereas in the case of pegged exchange rate system, the central bank does so for achieving stability in price. In case of the floating exchange rate regime, the government does not intervene and the rate is determined by the foreign exchange market itself (Olson & He, 2011). Alternative Approaches in Resolving BoP Crisis The alternative approaches to resolve balance of payment crisis deals with the adjustment mechanisms which can be either automatic or discretionary. Automatic adjustment for resolving BoP crisis takes into account four variables under the fixed exchange rate regime. The variables are prices, interest rates, income and money. The alternative approaches, however, are three schools of thought on the adjustment mechanism. The viability of the three schools of thought that will be discussed in this paper are classical approach (1800s - early 1900s) which was centered around standard of gold and mainly emphasized on interest ra tes and prices, the Keynesian approach (1930s onwards) that emphasized on changes in income affecting adjustment and Monetary approach that emphasized on the role of money in adjustment and changes (Carbaugh, 2005). Viability of Classical and Keynesian Approach with Respect to Exchange Rate Regime The mechanism in the classical approach with respect to price adjustment was that money supply (in terms of gold) was directly related to BoP and BoP deficit would cause the money supply to shrink. This means nations in crisis would lose gold and cause the prices to fall. The lowered prices would result in competitive exports and reduce import demands, thus would restore equilibrium. The problem with this approach is that gold flows are not directly related to domestic supply of money and the

Growing Paderno Business in the U.S Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Growing Paderno Business in the U.S - Case Study Example It can help them to reduce issues to do with personnel movement into and out of the US and legal and tax issues in the US. In addition, the combination of financial and technical attributes of the two firms will improve their competitive edge, which is a fundamental advantage in a market, which is as aggressive as the US. With several types of partnerships available to Paderno, entering into a joint venture with a US company will be a good choice. They can structure the JV in two ways; either contribute resources to the creation of a new entity that will be operated in collaboration, or enter a partnership agreement allowing the entity to be run as a partnership (Yan & Luo 45). The latter will be the best choice since it will allow them to leverage their Paderno brand, as they will one of the partners. Entering such an agreement will enable Paderno to decrease their dependency on the Canadian market. This will help them in reducing risks so that if their Canadian market share suffers , they have the US market to compensate (Glover & Wasserman 28). It will also help them to extend their target market by engaging a partner to market their products in the US market under the other company’s name, while also advertising the product as being a joint venture with Paderno Canada. ... In addition, selling their cookware solutions to a US company will enable them to introduce their high quality cookware and increase profit margins. The joint venture will not have any effect on Paderno’s strategy; instead, it will affect their operational performance. This sort of partnership will be one of convenience where they will cut costs by using the facilities of their partner, while also allowing their partner to use their expertise and licenses (Wolf 61). These arrangements are also for a fixed duration, which will allow Paderno to become established in the US before maybe buying out the name of their joint venture and going into business alone. This would improve Paderno’s competitive advantage in a manner that would not have been possible if they had gone into business alone in the US. If this arrangement becomes a major contributor to the future direction of Paderno, then they could even make it a long-term initiative. By creating a new entity with the US Company and maintaining their autonomy, they will be able to use the other company’s facilities and distribution, while also maintaining their brand name, although not on the product (Wolf 62). The joint venture will also allow Paderno to achieve the minimum size they need for them to operate in the US market. The company will minimize the inherent risks of entering into a foreign market in which they have little experience (Harrigan 32). In this case, they will meet the costs of entering the US market on a joint basis, particularly in the competitive US market. Paderno must, however, ensure that they company they chose for a joint venture has complementary objectives and interests, such as improving the quality of their products. Joint ventures are cost effective ways to further development

Spencer Johnson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Spencer Johnson - Essay Example In this light, the need to find ways to deal with challenges presented by the flurry of change in our life becomes of the most urgent and demanding. In this regard, the book "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson that I had recently read is addressed exactly to those who seek ways to effectively manage changes in their lives. One of the main points of the author is that change as such can not only bring anxiety, but good opportunities as well. How we perceive changes depends on our attitudes towards life and valuable things in it, which the author calls 'cheese'. Thus, the principal message of Johnsons book is that if we begin to understand the true value of 'cheese' in our life, and develop a realistic and positive attitude to changes that seem to move our cheese away from us, we can become much more successful and effective in managing our well-being. It is not accidental that the book "Who Moved My Cheese" depicts a maze in which four characters live, because the maze represents our path towards happiness in life, and the four characters with their different attitudes represent different parts of human nature. Trying to sho w readers the inherent simplicity of insights offered in the book, the author manages to convince that everyone can courageously confront change in different spheres of our life, like career, family, health, spiritual growth, etc. Now, it is no wonder that, in light of what we had initially observed, the book "Who Moved My Cheese" has become so much popular throughout the world as it addresses one of the most universal problems of modernity. And while some could blame this work on being somewhat simplistic, I am sure that most people would find it nevertheless very helpful and encouraging. Personally, upon reading this book and taking some time to contemplate on its messages I began to become aware of how fear and psychological effects of change influence my life. I found especially inspiring the proposal from "Who Moved My Cheese" to imagine what I would do if I were not afraid, and I must confess that now I realize that there are a lot of things which I would like to change in my life, but which I have been afraid to abandon because of the uncertainty about what a change can bring. At the same time, the mentioned book made me think that some larger problems could also be fixed by application of the offered principles. For instance, many religion-based conflicts could disappear if those who perceive their religions as endangered in the modern world were to realize that changes are not inherently bad, but, being inevitable, changes offer benefits as well. This ability of principles and approaches advanced by the author to be applicable for both personal and global realms of our life testifies to their validity. In this regard, I can define three general conclusions that I made after reading this book and that have influenced my values and my understanding of peculiarities and demands of our modern life. Firstly, it is important to point out that one of the main traits of modernity is the complexity and interdependency of phenomena that surround us, be they social, economic, cultural or physical in nature. On the other hand, one of the main traits of human nature is the propensity for investigating the world we live in. Thus, as for example science has a developed methodology for studying its subjects, a person who aims to

A Challenged Personal Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Challenged Personal Decision - Essay Example l stages of work had been challenging yet fulfilling until one of my friends started taking unusual control of the group by seemingly imposing uneven delegation of assignments claiming that the majority of the pupils requested more of his service than those of others in our roster. This conflict eventually called me to respond to a personal challenge of deciding how to balance treatment between friendship and profession. I had thought all along that my own performance was capable of radiating motivation in such a way as to get everyone in the team to operate with interdependence. Then I figured that some people desired the same amount of recognition I was receiving so that the spirit of teamwork would be best acknowledged. Another cause that might have led to indifference and the urge to manipulate was my failure to interact properly, being accustomed to the individualistic approach toward personal growth at the expense of quality relations. Apparently, I occurred to have overlooked the equivalent significance of the contributions made by the rest of the members. By such failure to promote the welfare of others especially their worth in the collective effort, my friends and certain other members had narrowed to thinking that I was conceited. In effect, factions naturally emerged in our group and a friend of three years, as aforementioned, expressed straightforward disagreement on the current setup. T hough seeing that I had successfully proven remarkable skills at carrying out lectures on the subject I knew with mastery, the inability and unconscious reluctance of communicating good intentions with mentoring, however, rendered the other person to suppose that I was merely trying to get an edge over the rest rather than acting on my improved version of using knowledge and skills to meet the needs and satisfaction of the learners.  Ã‚  

Quinte Magnetic resonance imaging Essay Example for Free

Quinte Magnetic resonance imaging Essay Brenton-Cooper Medical Centre (BCMC) has outsourced its MRI operations to Quinte MRI, a seasoned and highly recognized MRI service provider. Unfortunately, after six weeks of operations Quinte MRI’s leased MRI machine is not meeting its expected outputs as projected and is causing concern to both Quinte MRI and BCMC which has begun to lose revenue via referrals away from its clinic. Further, BCMC’s reputation is now at risk which could result in additional loses to the centre. The root cause of the problem appears to lie with the scheduling of the scanning operations. Dr. Syed Haider, the owner of Quinte MRI, has tasked his business development coordinators with finding a solution to this problem and to report back within 2-days. Acting as David Wright and Kevin Saskiw, the business development coordinators, my solution to these issues are to regain control of the scheduling process as this is an integral part of the operations. Streamline the scheduling process to reduce variability and improve reliability. Introduce the use of technology to remove manual processes, improve process efficiencies, minimise errors and improve communication across the business lines of operation. I would also hire a new employee to support the scanning operations as there is no backup or adequately trained support for the only Technologist running the operations. Issues Identification Brenton-Cooper Medical Centre (BCMC) has outsourced its MRI operations to Quinte MRI, a seasoned and highly recognized MRI service provider. Unfortunately, after six weeks of operations Quinte MRI has not lived up to expectations and is not fulfilling its contractual obligations. Quinte MRI’s leased MRI machine is not meeting its expected outputs as projected and is causing concern to both Quinte MRI and BCMC which has begun to lose revenue via referrals away from its clinic. Further, BCMC’s reputation is now at risk which could result in additional loses to the centre. Quinte MRI is well aware of this as it stands to lose in both areas as well. If the firm cannot meets its contractual obligations and have its leased machine produce its expected output the loss of revenue would surely spell business failure and a subsequent loss of reputation. As well, the firm would probably be sued for breach of contract. On another level Quinte MRI has also identified potential issues with a stressed out, overworked employee whom is critical to the success of their business. Potentially, this employee could actually be one of the reasons of the problem that the firm is experiencing. He has identified issues surrounding the scheduling of patients for scanning and has indicated that the process needs to be fixed as it is not working. He further went on to indicate that the expectations from the radiologist for speedy delivery cannot be met due to the time it takes for him to process the patients’ MRI films. Environmental and Root Cause Analysis In my opinion there are several operational issues causing problems in the MRI scanning process. First, I believe that there is a problem with the scheduling of patients in that it lacks accuracy, consistency and clarity. Since this operation is being handled by BCMC, Quinte MRI is finding itself at a disadvantage in terms of being able to control this part of the operation. The operation appears to be purely manual, handled by several persons and is prone to input and interpretive errors. Since patients can be sent for scanning via two means (scheduled and same day(unscheduled)) some amount of variability will result. It is therefore imperative that the scheduling function be properly controlled and managed to reduce variability to minimum possible levels. Variability and uncertainty in the scheduling operation is negatively impacting capacity utilization resulting in an overall reduction of efficiency in the scanning process. Quinte MRI must balance the flow and increase capacity for greater efficiencies and to remain competitive. The bottleneck of the scanning process is the MRI machine and the time it takes to do each scan. Each scan may have different times associated with it depending on the type to be performed, limiting the capacity of the overall process. Each step in the scanning process is dependent upon the previous one therefore improvements need to start at the beginning. The objective here is to improve the process flow up to the point that the actual scan will take place. I also believe that patients are not being properly screened prior to arrival which is causing Quinte MRI losses in revenue and time. If a patient turns up and has to be turned away, or rescheduled for misdiagnosis there is a resulting disruption in the flow of patients which will impact the schedule and process and ultimately the pocket and reputation of the company. Further, it appears that the technologist is engaged in performing pre-screening services and this is a highly paid employee who should not be pre-screening patients. This tasked could best be left to a lower paid trained staff. From an operational perspective it appears that the initial implementation process of the new machine had a learning curve. This resulted in longer lead times for processing patients during the first few weeks until Jeff had found a rhythm. It appears that Jeff was either not properly trained or did not have sufficient experience in the use of that model machine. Communication, and barriers to, seems to be a fundamental problem in the whole scanning process. People and processes are not talking to each other in an efficient and effective manner. The patients are unsure of the process and what is expected of them resulting in missed dates, tardiness, improper attire, rescheduling, lost revenue, lack of confidence, etc. Responsibilities appear not to be clearly defined, or assigned, leading to inefficiencies in the process. As well, expectations of persons are not clearly defined and communicated ahead of time leading to missed schedules, frustrations and delays. Alternative and Options In my opinion Quinte MRI could request the transfer of the responsibilities of the scheduling process over to their firm. This could benefit the firm in that they would now have ultimate control of the scheduling process from start to finish. As it is the firm has to rely on BCMC to manage this function and this is causing many issues. I believe that an MR Technician could be hired to perform the scheduling tasks and also provide support to Jeff Sinclair. Quinte MRI is already paying for these services but not receiving value. Revenue loss from turn-aways alone (1.2 p/day) could adequately cover the costs of hiring someone to provide these services. Additional benefit would be backup support for Jeff during vacation or other away days. Training would be provided on the job to support Jeff and add additional new skills to the technician. Screening could be done well ahead of time before the patient arrives because someone with the knowledge and expertise is handling this. Quinte MRI could invest some capital in technology to support the scheduling and communication functions. The technology would be able to support scheduling combinations for more efficient processing of patients in the scanning process. Many persons (from BCMC and Quinte MRI) could have visibility into the system with relevant authority to administer or make changes. This technology would be able to eliminate some amount of confusion and errors based on interpretation as is currently happening. Savings from a smooth flowing process with no disruptions would easily cover upfront costs as well as any operating costs.

Postpartum Stress Disorder Essay Example for Free

Postpartum Stress Disorder Essay The postpartum period has been defined as a bringing forth of the period following childbirth (Webster, 1988, p. 1055) or occurring after childbirth or after delivery, with reference to the mother (Doriand, 1988, p. 1343). In nursing or medical textbooks, the postpartum period is defined as the 6-week interval between the birth of the newborn and the return of the reproductive organs to their normal non-pregnant state (Wong Perry, 1998, p. 480). However, Tulman and Fawcetts (1991) found that the recovery of postpartum womens functional status from childbirth takes at least 3 to 6 months. Websters Dictionary defines stress concretely as a physical, mental, or emotional strain that disturbs ones normal bodily functions (Webster, 1997, p. 735). Stress is produced by stressors. Wheaton (1996) defines stressors as conditions of threat, demands, or structural constraints that, by the very fact of their occurrence or existence, call into question the operating integrity of the organism (p. 2). In addition, four characteristics of stressors are described: (1) threats, demands, or structural constraints; (2) a force challenging the integrity of the organism; (3) a problem that requires resolution; and, (4) identity relevant in threats in which the pressure exerted by the stressor, in part, derives its power from its potential to threaten or alter identities. Further, awareness of the damage potential of a stressor is not a necessary condition for that stressor having negative consequences; and a stressor can be defined bidirectional ly with respect to demand characteristics. That is, it is possible for both over-demand and under-demand to be stress problems (Wheaton, 1996). Accordingly, based on the above definitions of the postpartum period, stress, and stressors, postpartum stress is defined as a constraining force produced by postpartum stressors. Postpartum stressors are defined as conditions of change, demand, or structural constraint that, by the very fact of their occurrence or existence within six weeks after delivery, call into question the operating integrity of body changes, maternal role attainment, and social support. Due to its many adjustments, the postpartum period has been conceptualized as a time of vulnerability to stress for childbearing women (Too, 1997). Postpartum Period The postpartum period has been conceptualized by a variety of cultures as a time of vulnerability to stress for women (Hung and Chung, 2001). It is characterized by dramatic changes and requires mandatory adjustments that involve many difficulties and concerns, possibly leading to new demands, or structural constraints and, therefore, stress. All mothers face the multiple demands of adjusting to changes in the body, learning about the new infant, and getting support from significant others. For women going through this transition, it may be a uniquely stressful life experience. Several stressors specific to the puerperium as it exists in the literature have been identified. Those pertaining to body changes include: pain/discomfort, rest/sleep disturbances, diet, nutrition, physical restrictions, weight gain, return to prepregnancy physical shape, care of wounds, contraception, resuming sexual intercourse, discomfort of stitches, breast care, breast soreness, hemorrhoids, flabby subcutaneous tissue, and striae. Stressors pertaining to maternal role attainment include: concerns about infant crying, health, development, bathing, clothing, handling, diapering, night-time feeding, breastfeeding, conflicting expert advice, keeping the baby in an environment with a comfortable temperature, bottle feeding, appearance, safety, elimination, body weight, skin, babys sex, breathing, spitting up, sleeping, and cord care (Moran et al. , 1997; Too, 1997). Finally, those stressors pertaining to social support include: running the household, finances, perception of received emotional support, giving up work, finding time for personal interests and hobbies, fathers role with the baby, relationship with the husband, restriction of social life, relationship with children, and coordinating the demands of husband, housework, and children (Moran et al. , 1997). In addition, Hung and Chung (2001) shows that after childbirth women will encounter another type of stress during the postpartum period, which is characterized by dramatic changes and requires adjustment. Conditions of change, demand, or structural constraint may occur during these dramatic changes, creating many difficulties or concerns. Therefore, in addition to general stress, postpartum stress is induced after delivery during the postpartum period. Postpartum Stress Disorder Postpartum Stress Disorder (PSD) is the most serious, least common, and most highly publicized of the postpartum mood disorders: mothers with PSD have killed their infants and themselves. It is on the extreme end of the postpartum continuum of mood disorders (Nonacs, 2005) and attention to symptoms is vital for any postpartum support program. The treatment issues will not be fully discussed here because of their specialty and complexity. However, it remains a primary function of the service delivery to recognize symptoms and refer appropriately for specialized psychiatric care and management. A sensitive, direct question such as, Some women who have a new baby have thoughts such as wishing the baby were dead or about harming the baby; has this happened to you? (Wisner, et al. , 2003, p. 44), is an essential element of postpartum evaluation and Wisner and colleagues (2003) have suggested that this question be asked of all postpartum women. PSD is a rare, severe disorder with a prevalence of one to two cases per one thousand births (Seyfried Marcus, 2003). Symptoms are abrupt and often occur within 48 hours of delivery but can be delayed as long as two years (Rosenberg, et al, 2003). Typically, however, symptoms occur within the first three weeks, and two thirds appear within the first two weeks postpartum (Chaudron Pies, 2003). Symptoms include mood lability, distractibility, insomnia, abnormal or obsessive thoughts, impairment in functioning, delusions, hallucinations, feelings of guilt, bizarre behavior, feelings of persecution, jealousy, grandiosity, suicidal and homicidal ideation, self-neglect, and cognitive disorganization (Wisner et al. , 2003). Women with PSD who harbor thoughts of harming their infant are more likely to act on those thoughts (Wisner et al. , 2003). Because of the severity of the illness and significant concern for the safety of both the infant and the mother, PSD is considered a psychiatric emergency and hospitalization is necessary. Etiology of PSD There has been some debate about the etiology of PSD. As noted previously, the incidence is approximately one or two women per one thousand births. This rate has remained unchanged for that last 150 years (Wisner et al. , 2003). In cross-cultural studies the rates for PSD are similar to those reported in the United States and the United Kingdom. These findings suggest a primary etiologic relationship between PSD and childbirth, rather than psychosocial factors (Wisner et al. , 2003). OHara (1997) has noted that women are 20 to 30 times more likely to be hospitalized for PSD within thirty days after childbirth than at any other time during the life span, leading him to speculate, with little doubt, that for women there is a specific association between childbirth and PSD. There are subgroups of women who may be more likely to develop stressful symptoms after delivery. Primaparas appear to have a higher risk for c than multiparous women (Wisner et al. , 2003). This may be the result of an undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Women with a history of bipolar disorder or PSD have a 1 in 5 risk of hospitalization following childbirth (Seyfried Marcus, 2003). The overall pattern of symptoms described as PSD suggests the illness is on a continuum of bipolar mood disorders (Wisner et al. , 2003). The clinical presentation of PSD is often very similar to a manic episode (Seyfried Marcus, 2003). Affective disturbances may be depressive, manic, or mixed (Chaudron Pies, 2003). While there is no typical presentation, women often display delusions, hallucinations, and/or disorganized behavior. Delusional behavior often revolves around infants and children, and these women must be carefully assessed because thoughts of harming their children are sometimes acted upon (Chaudron Pies, 2003). The predominant affective symptom in those postpartum women who commit infanticide, filicide, or suicide is depression rather than mania (Chaudron Pies, 2003). In reviewing the connection between bipolarity and PSD several studies have shown evidence for a link in four areas: symptom presentation, diagnostic outcomes, family history, and recurrences in women with bipolar disorder (Chaudron Pies, 2003). The relationship to bipolar disorder is considered quite persuasive and it has been suggested that acute onset PPP be considered bipolar disorder until proven otherwise (Wisner et al. , 2003). However bipolarity does not account for all cases of PSD and a meticulous differential diagnosis is mandatory for those women with presenting stress symptoms. A careful checking of the patients history for previous manic or hypomanic episodes as well as any family history of bipolar disorder is important in order to rule out bipolar disorder. Organic causes contributing to first onset PSD need to be examined and ruled out. These include: tumors, sequelae to head injury, central nervous system infections, cerebral embolism, psychomotor seizures, hepatic disturbance, electrolyte imbalances, diabetic conditions, anoxia, and toxic exposures (Seyfried Marcus, 2003). Of special consideration in postpartum women is thyroiditis. This is relatively common in postpartum women and usually begins with a hyperthyroid phase progressing to hypothyroidism. In either phase PSD can occur (Wisner et al. , 2003). Obtaining serum calcium levels is important to rule out hypercalcemia for patients displaying PSD symptoms (Wisner et al. , 2003). Sleep loss resulting from the interaction of various causes may be a pathway to the development of PSD in susceptible women (Wisner et al. , 2003). The later stages of pregnancy and the early postpartum period are associated with high levels of sleep disturbance. This seems to be more prevalent in primiparous women than in multiparae. Historical and contemporary studies have noted that insomnia and sleep loss are significant and early symptoms of PSD. The rapid and abrupt changes of gonadal steroids after delivery and the evidence that estrogen has an effect on mood and the sleep-wake cycle (Wisner et al. , 2003) suggest an interaction between hormonal fluctuations, sleep loss, and the onset of PSD. Treatment of PSD PSD is a severe illness and should be considered a psychiatric emergency requiring hospitalization (Rosenberg et al. , 2003). The stigma attached to mental illness and especially to mothers who may harm their infants and themselves, often prevents women and their families from seeking help. PSD is often marked with periods of lucidity that can fool those close to the mother and health care professionals. Because of the complexity of the diagnosis and treatment, referral to a psychiatric specialist is required and formal treatment is beyond the scope of this program. However, it will be necessary to recognize symptoms and be cognizant of risk factors, such as history of bipolar disorder or previous PSD. Such awareness is essential, as is the readiness to offer support until adequate services can be implemented (Wisner et al. , 2003). Prevention of PSD is unclear, but early identification of a history of bipolar disorder and/or previous PSD would be an element of a comprehensive postpartum program. Prenatal education describing symptoms is an important aspect of a proactive approach to postpartum care. Part of the prenatal and postpartum educational effort will include urging women to share any bizarre thoughts and fears with their health care professionals and families. New mothers experiencing insomnia will be encouraged to seek assistance from their physicians and to engage other family members to care for the infant during nighttime feedings (Wisner et al. , 2003). As noted earlier, specific treatment is beyond the scope of this program, but a proactive approach to early identification and recognition of unusual thoughts, feelings, and experiences may help to initiate treatment and avoidance of tragic results. Conclusion During the postpartum period, women are immersed in the realities of parenting and coping with balancing their multiple roles (e. g. , wife, mother, and career woman). However, women frequently report difficulty in adjusting to the needs of the baby and other children, difficulty with housework and routines, concerns over support to cope with family needs, and concerns over weight gain and body changes. Accordingly, postpartum stress has an important role in a womans life and influences her health status, both physical and mental.

Treatment and Quality of Life of Heart Failure Patients

Treatment and Quality of Life of Heart Failure Patients Compliance to treatment and quality of life of Sudanese patients with heart failure Mugahed AL-khadhera,*,Imad Fadl-Elmulab ,Waled Amen Mohammed Ahmedc Abstract Background: Heart failure is known to decrease the quality of life, especially in non-compliance patients with regards to medications and life style changes. Objective: The present study aimed to determine the level of compliance to treatment and quality of life of Sudanese patients with heart failure. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 76 patients with heart failure admitted to the Sudan Heart Institute. Demographic and clinical data including the compliance (medication, sodium restriction, fluid restriction, daily weights, exercises, and appointment-keeping) were collected. The quality of life was measured using the Minnesota living with heart failure Questionnaire. The data were collected from all patients and the analyzed using SPSS version 22 software. Results: Heart failure patients showed low compliance ranged between 11.84% and 75% of which the highest compliance was to medication (75%) followed by the follow-up appointments (71.05%), and the lowest compliances were to the fluids restrictions (11.84%), the weight monitoring (17.10%), regular exercise (21.05%), and the sodium restriction (27.6%). Quality of life score ranged between 62-97 score and the Mean (SD) 83.6 (7.82) which reveled of poor quality of life in most of Sudanese patients with heart failure involved in the present study. Conclusion: The study showed that patients with heart failure in Sudan have low compliance to treatment and poor quality of life. Key words Heart Failure, Treatment Compliance, Quality of life, Sudan Introduction: Heart failure incidence increases with age, increase from approximately 20 per 1000 individuals with age 65 to 69-year-old to more than 80 per 1000 individuals aging 85-year-old (1). In fact few epidemiological data on heart failure in Sudan exists and the recognition of the disease as a major health issue remains questionable, the prevalent of heart failure accounts for 2.5% of the population, and hence it is one of the major causes of hospital mortality (2). The WHO defined adherence as extent a person’s behavior –taking drugs, following a diet, and/or executing lifestyle modifications, follow the agreed recommendations from a health care providers (3). Poor compliance â€Å"noncompliance† usually refers to patients’ failure to follow health interventions as recommended by the health care provider, but it can also refer to the providers’ failure to act according to practice guidelines or standards of care(4). The factors affecting the compliance could be divided into patient-related factors, regimen-related factors, and health care providers-related factors (5). Non-compliance to medications and diet contributes in many cases to worsening heart failure symptoms. The compliance to prescribe medications or other caregivers recommendations such as lifestyle changes is a widely acknowledged problem leading to hospitalization ((6-8). The non-compliance of HF patients is a major problem and remains to be a continuous source of concern for patients. It is mainly for diet and fluid, daily weight and exercises (9). Quality of life (QOL) is defined as the individual’s unique cognition and a way to express feelings about his/her health status(10).Moreover, QOL is a good predictor of mortality and the need for hospitalization (11-13). Patients in class II and III heart failure of New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification cannot normally do their daily activities (9). Although, several studies on compliance of HF patients and their quality of life have been performed worldwide, to our knowledge this is the first ever study conducted in Sudanese HF patients, aimed to assess the compliance to treatment and quality of life in Sudanese patients with heart failure. Materials and Methods This descriptive study was conducted on 76 patients with heart failure admitted to the Sudan Heart Institute. A total of 76 Sudanese HF patients were randomly selected from Sudan Heart Institute in Khartoum, January-March 2014. The patients participated were above 20 years, confirmed diagnosed as heart failure by the cardiologist at least a month, already start HF treatment, in class II or III heart failure of NYHA, and with ability to communicate. The questionnaire consists of 36 questions of which 10 for demographic and clinical data, 5 questions for compliance, and 21 questions for quality of life. Demographic and clinical data were collected from medical records and/or by interviews. The demographic data included age, gender, educational level, and marital status, whereas clinical variables include left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), previous hospitalization in the past three months, and duration of HF. Revised HF Compliance Questionnaire was used (14), on a five-point scale (1=‘never’; 2= seldom; 3= half of the time; 4 =mostly; 5=‘always’) (15). the participant’s compliance to medications, diet, fluid restriction, exercise, weight, and appointment keeping was evaluated by asking patients to rate their compliance of the last week (drugs, diet modifications, fluid restriction, and exercises), the last month (daily weighing), and the last 3 months (appointment keeping) before hospitalization. The patients were divided into two groups; either compliant or noncompliant (16-19). Patients were considered ‘overall compliant’ the compliance with four or more of the six recommendations.(20) (Table 2). The quality of life data were collected and measured using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire after translated to Arabic language (9). This instrument used most widely to evaluate quality of life in research studies (21-24) .Which Contains 21 questions and overall score of 105 (521) with possible answers ranging from 0 (no) to 5 (very much), (0= no; 1= Very Little ; 2= little: 3= moderate; 4= much; 5= very much). The final score is the sum points obtained for the 21 questions; it can therefore vary between 0 and 105. It evaluates how heart failure affects patients ‘physical (8 questions), emotional (5 questions), and socioeconomic (8 questions) dimensions (25). The sum of responses reflects the overall effects of heart failure and treatments on individual’s quality of life (9). Data was presented using descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean with standard deviation (SD) and P-value of ≠¤0.05 was considered statistically significant for relationship investigations. Ethical approval was obtained from Al Neelain Ethical committee at Al Neelain University. All patients signed an informed consent before participate in the study. Results The study showed that out the 76 patients, 63.2% were male and 36.8% were female; the mean age was 61.4  ±13.5 years. The education levels were 34.2% of patients were illiterate, 32.9% had completed primary school, 19.7% secondary school, and 13.2% had university graduation (Table 1). Although the vast majority of the patients were chronic patients with diagnosis for more than 5 years, the participant ask to define what is the heart failure? Only 24% had basic conscious about their disease, the remaining 76% of patients had no idea what the heart failure is. Overall compliance among the patients was 28.95%, whereas 71.5% of the patients were classified as non-compliant. Of those compliance with medication was 75% and 70% compliance with appointment-keeping. In general most patients showed low compliance with diet restriction (27%), exercise (21%), weighing (17%), and fluid restriction (11%) (Table2). The quality of life data showed that poor quality of life, the score ranged from 62-97 score /105, and the Mean (SD) quality of life was 3.2 (1.3) which reveled of poor quality of life in most of Sudanese patients with heart failure involved in the present study .There is statistically significant in compliance and quality of life (p value= 0.002) in compression with patients who is noncompliant. Also statistically significant with improved NYHA classification, LVEF and quality of life (pTable 3). (Table.1): Demographic and clinical variables of the study population (n=76) in Sudan. (Table.2) Compliance (Medications, diet, Fluid restriction, Exercise, weight, and appointments keeping) in Sudan. (Table.3) Quality of life of heart failure patients in Sudan (N=76) Discussion The patients’ compliance in this study ranged between 11.84% and 75% of the patients. Although the differences in measurement instruments and differences in interventions, the result of the this study showed low compliance compared with other previous studies including knowledge of the patients about their illness, the hazard of high salt consumption, and the daily weighing. Study done by Baghianimoghadam MH, et al, reported that the disease knowledge in Iranian patients reached 38% (26), whereas our result showed that 76% of HF Sudanese Patients lack essential knowledge of their disease or what the heart failure is. According to definition of ‘overall compliance (16).The overall patients’ compliance of the present study was 28% compared with the study conducted by van der wal in which the overall compliance reached 72% of patients with HF(16). In the same study compliance with medication (98.6%), appointment keeping, salt restriction (79%), fluid restriction (73%), exercise (39%), and weighing (35%) where all higher compared with the results of the present study(16). Also the compliance level of present study is lower than Evangelista study which found higher levels of compliance more than 90% for (follow-up appointments, medications, smoking, and alcohol cessation), low compliance dietary 71% and exercise recommendations 53% (17). Medicati on compliance in the present study result is similar to the study done by kamlovi yayhd which found 74.7% that compliance to medication (27). This may be a reflection of lack of knowledge and training programs offered to HF patients in Sudan. The Minnesota living with heart failure questionnaire (MLWHFQ) showed that poor quality of life, the score ranged between 62-97 score /105, and the Mean (SD) quality of life was 83.6 (7.82) which reveled of poor quality of life in most of Sudanese patients with heart failure involved in the present study . It was also found that no correlation between age and quality of life (p value =0.925) ,this similar to study done by Kato N,et al (28), some studies found association between age and quality of life (29). We did not observe sex differences in quality of life ( p value =0.99 ), which similar to study done by Heo S, et al 2007 (29). But other studies have reported quality of life worse in female (30;31). Also we found marital status had no influence on QOL in our subjects (p value =0.34) , it is lower to study done by Luttik ML, which found differences in QoL between married patients and those living alone were most pronounced with regard to future expectations of QoL (6.5 vs 5.0, P=.00 (32). Our study shows there is statistically significant in duration of disease with QOL (p value =0.004), Also statistically significant with improved NYHA classification, LVEF and Quality of life (p In this study, the researcher found that total compliance was poor for HF Sudanese patients, compliance for drugs and appointments keeping were high but still in an unacceptable level. Compliance with diet, fluid restriction, activity and daily weighing was low. Also the study revealed that non-compliance negatively affects the quality of life of Sudanese HF patients. Based on result of present study, education and counseling are extremely needed to increased patients-knowledge about their disease, leading to more compliance and improvement of their quality of life.

Educational Goals and Philosophy :: Education Teaching Teachers Essays

Educational Goals and Philosophy When I finally decided what I wanted to do with my life, the ultimate answer was that I wanted to become a teacher. Of course, after telling my family and friends what I had determined, they all wanted to know why. At first, my answer was simple, and the words â€Å"just because I do† were uttered from my lips all too frequently as I realized that I had not given any serious thought as to the reason why I had chosen the teaching profession. It has been about five years since I first decided that my fate lay in the field of education, and now after thinking long and hard, I have an answer to the question posed so often: why? The reason why I want to be a teacher is because I want to help educate others, and also to aid them in discovering their own purposes in life. I want to help students to understand that it is okay to be yourself, to be creative, and to be outspoken. I want to share with my students all of the knowledge that I have gained throughout my life and education, and teach them how to relate that knowledge to their own personal experiences. It is my belief that teachers are the ‘miracles workers’ of the world, and that without them, we would have no doctors, lawyers, or even plumbers. I have strong faith in the belief that teachers are the people who are wholly responsible for opening the doors of realization when students are looking for their own occupational niches. After I have graduated from Concord College, and am able to instruct in my own classroom, I plan to incorporate a number of educational philosophies and teaching methods into that classroom. The educational philosophies that I plan to base my teaching methods on are Progressivism, Existentialism, and Behaviorism. From the philosophy of Progressivism, I will bring the idea of respect for one’s individuality, and make my classroom more receptive to the individual wants and interests of my students.

The Dialectic of Desire in the Films of Nicholas Ray Essay -- Films Mo

The Dialectic of Desire in the Films of Nicholas Ray Nicholas Ray's films frequently address a competition between a 'father' and 'son' (whether literal or figurative filial relationship). More importantly, Ray has an ideological approach to these struggles. In his films, homosocial struggles are always supplanted by Ray's desired outcome of an idealized heterosexual coupling. That is, the threat of prolonged homosocial desire between his characters is usually eradicated by the death of one of the dueling men. The deus ex machina nature of the deaths implies that the resulting heterosexual coupling is somehow the way things "ought to be". In Bitter Victory and The Lusty Men, the women are clearly the people over whom the men fight in their struggle to establish a 'home' or security (with that woman). In Rebel Without a Cause, however, the male-male-female love triangle is complicated by the on-screen presence of a nuclear family that effectively literalizes Freud's Oedipal conflict. Before examining homosocial desire in specific films, I must first outline the Freudian principles that gave birth to the term "homosocial". According to Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Freud's Oedipal triangle is established at an early stage of life when a child attempts to situate itself with respect to a powerful father and a beloved, subservient mother (Sedgwick 22). As such, "homo- and heterosexual outcomes in adults [are] the result of a complicated play of desire for and identification with the parent of each gender: the child routes its desire/identification through the mother to arrive at a role like the father's, or vice versa" (Sedgwick 22). Richard Klein summarizes this argument as follows: In the normal development of the little boy's p... ...ti-war film; it was a private psychological duel. I liked the idea that the outcome of the mission was really nothing to do with how they performed it, but with what they felt about each other" (qtd. in Eisenschitz 293). 3. The title itself is indicative of the ensuing battle over the men's homosocial desires. 4. Tellingly, Horace McCoy, the second screenwriter of the film, was found by producers Jerry Wald and Norman Krasna in the RKO Studio's screenwriters' file under "masculine relationships" (Eisenschitz 176). 5. It is safe to assume that Plato has already fallen off the proverbial cliff. He, too, is alienated from his father-a wealthy man who has spent much of Plato's life off gallivanting with his wife, leaving Plato to be reared by a nurse and guardian. http://www.film.queensu.ca/Critical/PhelanCox.html The Dialectic of Desire in the Films of Nicholas Ray Essay -- Films Mo The Dialectic of Desire in the Films of Nicholas Ray Nicholas Ray's films frequently address a competition between a 'father' and 'son' (whether literal or figurative filial relationship). More importantly, Ray has an ideological approach to these struggles. In his films, homosocial struggles are always supplanted by Ray's desired outcome of an idealized heterosexual coupling. That is, the threat of prolonged homosocial desire between his characters is usually eradicated by the death of one of the dueling men. The deus ex machina nature of the deaths implies that the resulting heterosexual coupling is somehow the way things "ought to be". In Bitter Victory and The Lusty Men, the women are clearly the people over whom the men fight in their struggle to establish a 'home' or security (with that woman). In Rebel Without a Cause, however, the male-male-female love triangle is complicated by the on-screen presence of a nuclear family that effectively literalizes Freud's Oedipal conflict. Before examining homosocial desire in specific films, I must first outline the Freudian principles that gave birth to the term "homosocial". According to Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, Freud's Oedipal triangle is established at an early stage of life when a child attempts to situate itself with respect to a powerful father and a beloved, subservient mother (Sedgwick 22). As such, "homo- and heterosexual outcomes in adults [are] the result of a complicated play of desire for and identification with the parent of each gender: the child routes its desire/identification through the mother to arrive at a role like the father's, or vice versa" (Sedgwick 22). Richard Klein summarizes this argument as follows: In the normal development of the little boy's p... ...ti-war film; it was a private psychological duel. I liked the idea that the outcome of the mission was really nothing to do with how they performed it, but with what they felt about each other" (qtd. in Eisenschitz 293). 3. The title itself is indicative of the ensuing battle over the men's homosocial desires. 4. Tellingly, Horace McCoy, the second screenwriter of the film, was found by producers Jerry Wald and Norman Krasna in the RKO Studio's screenwriters' file under "masculine relationships" (Eisenschitz 176). 5. It is safe to assume that Plato has already fallen off the proverbial cliff. He, too, is alienated from his father-a wealthy man who has spent much of Plato's life off gallivanting with his wife, leaving Plato to be reared by a nurse and guardian. http://www.film.queensu.ca/Critical/PhelanCox.html

The Importance of the Sea in The Awakening Essay -- Chopin Awakening

The Importance of the Sea in The Awakening      Ã‚   Throughout her novel, The Awakening, Kate Chopin uses symbolism and imagery to portray the main character's emergence into a state of spiritual awareness. The image that appears the most throughout the novel is that of the sea. â€Å"Chopin uses the sea to symbolize freedom, freedom from others and freedom to be one's self† (Martin 58). The protagonist, Edna Pontellier, wants that freedom, and with images of the sea, Chopin shows Edna's awakening desire to be free and her ultimate achievement of that freedom.    Edna's awakening begins with her vacation to the beach. There, she meets Robert Lebrun and develops an intense infatuation for him, an infatuation similar to those which she had in her youth and gave up when she married. The passionate feelings beginning to overwhelm her are both confusing and exciting. They lead to Edna beginning to ponder what her life is like and what she is like as a person. The spell of the sea influences these feelings which invite "the soul . . . to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation" (Chopin 57). Edna begins to fall under the sea's spell and begins to evaluate her feelings about the life that she has.    During the summer of Edna's awakening, the sea's influence increases as she learns how to swim, an event which holds much more significance that her fellow vacationers realize. â€Å"To her friends, she has accomplished a simple feat; to Edna, she has accomplished a miracle† (Showalter 114). She has found a peace and tranquility in swimming which gives her the feeling of freedom. The narrator tells us that as she swims, "she seem[s] to be reaching out for the unlimited in which to lose herself" (Chopin 74). She sees the freedom t... ...ms out into the ocean for the final time, she finds her ultimate freedom.    In the end, the sea symbolizes freedom for Edna. It will never treat her as a possession like her husband has for so many years. It will not demand all of her time and attention as her children do. It will never abandon her as Robert does. It will enfold her "in its soft, close embrace" (Chopin 176) and allow her to experience the vast array of feelings that her life has forbidden her to do. The sea will allow her to be free.    Works Cited and Consulted Chopin, Kate. "The Awakening." 1899. The Complete Works of Kate Chopin. Ed. Per Seyersted. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1969. 881-1000. Martin, Wendy, ed. New Essays on the Awakening. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1988. Showalter, Elaine. "Tradition and the Female Talent: The Awakening as a Solitary Book." 1993

HIV/AIDS in Human Services Essay

HIV/AIDS is a worldwide pandemic that has ravished the lives of countless millions of people, since its discovery, more than 30 years ago. HIV/AIDS can be addressed through all three models of service delivery. Each of the models (Medical Model, Public Health Model and Human Services Model) may approach this issue differently, but they all have the same central focus; which is to combat this, ever evolving, global phenomenon. The Medical Model is going to address the issue of HIV/AIDS through four elements. First, the Medical Model will indentify symptom that lead to a diagnosis, then treatment of the disease and finally, research for a possible cure (Woodside & McClam, 2011, p. 99). The first element, of symptoms, is a bit tricky in regards to HIV/AIDS. Symptoms of HIV, which is short for human immunodeficiency virus, may not show up in a positive patient for over a decade (â€Å"AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Learn About HIV and AIDS†, n.d.). AIDS, which stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome, develops in the final stages of HIV. Once the patient has reached that point, the immune system is too weak to fight viruses and the body is more susceptible to acquire various cancers (â€Å"AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Learn About HIV and AIDS†, n.d.). Therefore, with HIV/AIDS, diagnosis of the disease will most likely come before the symptoms. Following symptoms and diagnosis, is the element of treatment. Treatment of HIV/AIDS comes in the form of Antiretrovirals (ARVs). â€Å"Today, there are 31 antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat HIV infection† (â€Å"Treatment of HIV Infection, NIAID, NIH†, 2012). These drug combinations work to give the HIV positive patients a longer, healthier life. ARVs are only a treatment to subdue the virus; they are not a cure (â€Å"Treatment of HIV Infection, NIAID, NIH†, 2012). The final element, in the Medical Health Model, is cure. This year, at the International AIDS Conference in Washington D.C, which I personal attended, talk of a cure emerged. As of today, there is no proven cure to the virus, but we are at least on the way to an AIDS Free generation, as promised by Hillary Clinton at this year’s AIDS Conference (Norman, 2012). The Medical Health Model’s strengths lie in treating the disease from the inside. But disease affects the whole person, not just their body. The Medical Health Model does not address the social or interpersonal issues associated with the virus. The mission of the Public Health Model is focused on promoting physical as well as mental health, prevention and encouraging healthy behaviors (Woodside & McClam, 2011, p.109). In relation to HIV/AIDS, this means prevention in the form of pre/post-exposure prophylaxis treatment and education, as well as social action which includes advocacy. In July of this year, Truvada was approved as a PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis, which is an antiretroviral drug used in the prevention of HIV. â€Å"Truvada can be prescribed for high-risk groups, such as the partners of HIV-positive people and gay men† (â€Å"Pre-exposure Prophylaxis†, n.d.). Other prevention methods are post-exposure prophylaxis treatment, used after exposure of the HIV virus; and antiretroviral treatment as prevention. The most important method of prevention is education. Education of the basics of what exactly HIV is and how it is contracted as well as abstinence and sex education is essential. Finally, the Public Health Model concentrates on social action. The Public Health Model combats stigma and discrimination, through social action, as it relates to HIV/AIDS. Individuals that are stigmatized are encouraged to â€Å"take action to resist the forces that discriminate against them† (Parker & Aggleton, n.d.). The Public Health Model addresses the issue of HIV/AIDS in the most comprehensive way. It combines medical knowledge with community action skills (Woodside & McClam, 2011, p.109). The one thing that it is missing is the attribute of problem-solving skills. Finally, the Human Service Model which â€Å"considers the problem of the individual within the context of the environment† (Woodside & McClam, 2011, p.116). The three main focal points of the Human Service Model are to enhance the client’s well-being and quality of life, teach the client problem-solving skills and prevention (Woodside & McClam, 2011, p.118). Problem-solving is implemented through intervention within three areas: emotions, thought or beliefs and behavior (Woodside & McClam, 2011, p.117). It is important for the Human Service Model to break through the stigma of the disease. Because the negative stigma attached to the disease is so huge, it prevents some from getting tested or treated or protecting themselves, not only against the disease but protection from transmission if they themselves are infected. The Human Service Model looks at the issue of HIV/AIDS from a â€Å"whole person† perspective. They must identify barriers of testing, treatment and prevention based on such things as the individual’s culture or religious beliefs. Then find ways to connect with them despite those barriers. Strengths of the Human Service Model are found in their dealing with the whole person. Their weakness lays in the lack of a medical stand point on the issue of HIV/AIDS. Two of the leading organization available to address the issue of HIV/AIDS are the International AIDS Society and UNAIDS. The International AIDS Society is made up of HIV professional from all over the world. It is today’s leader in the world’s independent associations of such professionals (â€Å"International AIDS Society – About the IAS†, n.d). Their mission states that they are â€Å"a global movement of people working together to end the HIV epidemic, applying scientific evidence and best practice at every level of the HIV response† (â€Å"International AIDS Society – IAS Mission†, n.d). The main goals of the IAS are; to encourage solutions to AIDS response issues â€Å"through dialogue and debate† (â€Å"International AIDS Society – About the IAS†, n.d), purse to apply â€Å"evidence based policies and programmes† (â€Å"International AIDS Society – About the IAS†, n.d) to strengthen the response to AIDS worldwide and to advocate significant research. Some of the ways that IAS is making a difference in the realm of HIV is through; research for a cure, conferences, such as the International AIDS Conference in Washington D.C. and policy advocacy. IAS is very effective in making changes and addressing issues in HIV. Another leading organization that is actively address the issue of HIV/AIDS is UNAIDS. UNAIDS is â€Å"the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS† (â€Å"Special Session fact sheets: What is UNAIDS?†, n.d.). They are the â€Å"leading advocate for global action against HIV/AIDS. Its mission is to guide, strengthen and support worldwide efforts to turn the tide against the epidemic† (â€Å"Special Session fact sheets: What is UNAIDS?†, n.d.). Among their goals are: â€Å"reducing sexual transmission; preventing HIV among drug users; eliminating new HIV infections among children, gender inequalities, stigma and discrimination, and travel restrictions† (â€Å"UNAIDS†, n.d.). UNAIDS is making changes to the key issues related to HIV/AIDS in implementing care programs, as well as support for individuals not only infected with the disease, but affected by it in other ways (â€Å"UNAIDS†, n.d.). â€Å"UNAIDS brings together the resources of the UNAIDS Secretariat and 10 UN system organizations for coordinated and accountable efforts to unite the world against AIDS† (â€Å"Our work†, n.d.), in order to effectively make changes and address the issue of HIV/AIDS. Through the hard work and dedication of all three service models, we have the opportunity to possibly eradicate this globally devastating disease. This generation could just be lucky enough to see the end of HIV/AIDS. References AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Learn About HIV and AIDS. (n.d.). AIDS Healthcare Foundation | HIV/AIDS Testing, Treatment, & Advocacy. Retrieved November 2012, from http://www.aidshealth.org/learn-about-it?gclid=CI-hppW917MCFUOK4AodA0YARA IAS Home Page. (n.d.). International AIDS Society. Retrieved from http://www.iasociety.org/ International AIDS Society – About the IAS. (n.d.). International AIDS Society – IAS Home Page. Retrieved from http://www.iasociety.org/AboutIAS.aspx International AIDS Society – IAS Mission. (n.d.). International AIDS Society – IAS Home Page. Retrieved from http://www.iasociety.org/Default.aspx?pageId=68 Norman, B. (2012, July 23). Hillary Clinton vows ‘AIDS-free generation’ at conference – Brett Norman – POLITICO.com. Politics, Political News – POLITICO.com. Retrieved from http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0712/78867.html Our work. (n.d.). UNAIDS. Retrieved from http://www.unaids.org/en/ourwork/ Parker, R., & Aggleton, P. (n.d.). HIV/AIDS-related Stigma and Discrimination: A Conceptual Framework and an Agenda for Action. Population Council | Home. Retrieved from http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/horizons/sdcncptlfrmwrk.pdf Pre-exposure Prophylaxis. (n.d.). HIV & AIDS Information from AVERT.org. Retrieved November 2012, from http://www.avert.org/pre-exposure-prophylaxis.htm Special Session fact sheets: What is UNAIDS? (n.d.). Welcome to the United Nations: It’s Your World. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/ga/aids/ungassfactsheets/html/fsunaids_en.htm Treatment of HIV Infection, NIAID, NIH. (2012, November 14). National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Retrieved November 15, 2012, from http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/hivaids/understanding/treatment/pages/default.aspx UNAIDS. (n.d.). UNAIDS. Retrieved from http://www.unaids.org/en/ What is ENUF? (n.d.). ENUF: social action to resist HIV stigma and promote resilience. Retrieved November 2012, from http://www.enuf.org.au/home Woodside, M., & McClam, T. (2011). An introduction to human services. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.

Code of Ethics. Audit – 1

INTRODUCTION: Code of ethics is a very important matter in each and every profession and in accountancy profession it is more vital. The accountancy profession has a contradictory image. On the one hand accountants are seen as pillars of a society, providing reliable information in there working lives and acting as a treasurer for different public authority institutions, NGOs, banks, educational institution or local organizations in their spare of time. Chartered Accountants are also seen as an independent justifier regarding the financial performance and activities of private and public organizations audited by them that enhance the confidence level of different decision makers. The other side of the coin is the image of aggressive tax schemes, financial scandals and money laundering. Code of ethics establishes the fundamental principles of professional ethics for professional accountants and provides a demonstrative guideline for applying those principles. Professional accountants are required to keep remember and apply this Code of ethics to identify threats to compliance with the fundamental principles, to evaluate their significance and, if such threats are other than clearly insignificant to apply safeguards to eliminate them or reduce them to an acceptable level such that compliance with the fundamental principles is not compromised. WHAT ETHICS IS: Normally ethics is set of beliefs and thoughts of a person about what is right and wrong. In other words ethics can be defined as a set of morale principles or values. Ethics, also known as moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice, etc. WHY CODE OF ETHICS NEED: The services provided by professional accountants have greater involvement with the public interest. Because it is necessary for governments, shareholders, trading partners, management and any other stakeholders, that the financial and other reports and information provided by accountants are reliable and can be used by others as they go about their daily lives. Accountants work creates major impacts in the national economy through capital market as well as revenue collection for public expenditures (taxes). There is a third party involvement in most of accountants work; therefore professional accountants should maintain independence, integrity, objectivity and compliance with other ethical issues. CODE OF ETHICS FOR PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANTS: The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) issued code of ethics under its own authority, high quality ethical standards and other pronouncements for professional accountants for use around the world. This Code of Ethics establishes ethical requirements for professional accountants. This code consists of: †¢ Fundamental Principles; and †¢ Threats and Safeguards. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES: A professional accountant is required to comply with the following fundamental principles: †¢ Integrity †¢ Objectivity †¢ Professional competence and due care †¢ Confidentiality †¢ Professional behavior INTEGRITY: A professional accountant should not allow bias, conflict of interest or undue influence of others to override professional or business judgments. The principle of integrity imposes an obligation on all professional accountants to be straightforward and honest in professional and business relationships. Integrity also implies fair dealing and truthfulness. A professional accountant should not be associated with reports, returns, Communications or other information where they believe that the information: a) Contains a materially false or misleading statement; b) Contains statements or information furnished recklessly; or (c) Omits or obscures information required to be included where such omission or obscurity would be misleading. OBJECTIVITY: A professional accountant should not allow bias, conflict of interest or undue influence of others to override professional or business judgments. The principle of objectivity imposes an obligation on all professional accountants not to compromise their professional or business judgment because of bias, conflict of interest or the undue influence of others. A professional accountant may be exposed to situations that may impair objectivity. It is impracticable to define and prescribe all such situations. Relationships that bias or unduly influence the professional judgment of the professional accountant should be avoided. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND DUE CARE: A professional accountant has a continuing duty to maintain professional knowledge and skill at the level required to ensure that a client or employer receives competent professional service based on current developments in practice, legislation and techniques. A professional accountant should act diligently and in accordance with applicable technical and professional standards when providing professional services. The principle of professional competence and due care imposes the following obligations on professional accountants: (a) To maintain professional knowledge and skill at the level required to ensure that clients or employers receive competent professional service; (b) To act diligently in accordance with applicable technical and professional standards when providing professional services. Competent professional service requires the exercise of sound judgment in applying professional knowledge and skill in the performance of such service. Professional competence may be divided into two separate phases: (a) Attainment of professional competence; and (b) Maintenance of professional competence. The maintenance of professional competence requires a continuing awareness and an understanding of relevant technical professional and business developments. Continuing professional development develops and maintains the capabilities that enable a professional accountant to perform competently within the professional environments. Diligence encompasses the responsibility to act in accordance with the requirements of an assignment, carefully, thoroughly and on a timely basis. A professional accountant should take steps to ensure that those working under the professional accountant’s authority in a professional capacity have appropriate training and supervision. Where appropriate, a professional accountant should make clients, employers or other users of the professional services aware of limitations inherent in the services to avoid the misinterpretation of an expression of opinion as an assertion of facts. CONFIDENTIALITY: A professional accountant should respect the confidentiality of information acquired as a result of professional and business relationships and should not disclose any such information to third parties without proper and specific authority unless there is a legal or professional right or duty to disclose. Confidential information acquired as a result of professional and business relationships should not be used for the personal advantage of the professional accountant or third parties. The principle of confidentiality imposes an obligation on professional accountants to refrain from: (a) Disclosing outside the firm or employing organization confidential information acquired as a result of professional and business relationships without proper and specific authority or unless there is a legal or professional right or duty to disclose; and (b) Using confidential information acquired as a result of professional and business relationships to their personal advantage or the advantage of third parties. A professional accountant should maintain confidentiality even in a social environment. The professional accountant should be alert to the possibility of inadvertent disclosure, particularly in circumstances involving long association with a business associate or a close or immediate family member. A professional accountant should also maintain confidentiality of information disclosed by a prospective client or employer. A professional accountant should also consider the need to maintain confidentiality of information within the firm or employing organization. A professional accountant should take all reasonable steps to ensure that staff under the professional accountant’s control and persons from whom advice and assistance is obtained respect the professional accountant’s duty of confidentiality. The need to comply with the principle of confidentiality continues even after the end of relationships between a professional accountant and a client or employer. When a professional accountant changes employment or acquires a new client, the professional accountant is entitled to use prior experience. The professional accountant should not, however, use or disclose any confidential information either acquired or received as a result of a professional or business relationship. PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR: A professional accountant should comply with relevant laws and regulations and should avoid any action that discredits the profession. In marketing and promoting themselves and their work, professional accountants should not bring the profession into disrepute. Professional accountants should be honest and truthful and should not: a) Make exaggerated claims for the services they are able to offer, the qualifications they possess, or experience they have gained; or (b) Make disparaging references or unsubstantiated comparisons to the work of others. THREATS AND SAFEGUARDS: THREATS: Compliance with the fundamental principles may potentially be threatened by a broad range of circumstances. Many threats fall into the following categories: (a) Self-interest threats, which may occur as a resu lt of the financial or other interests of a professional accountant or of an immediate or close family member; b) Self-review threats, which may occur when a previous judgment needs to be re-evaluated by the professional accountant responsible for that judgment; (c) Advocacy threat which may occur when a professional accountant promotes a position or opinion to the point that subsequent objectivity may be compromised; (d) Familiarity threats, which may occur when, because of a close relationship, a professional accountant becomes too sympathetic to the interests of others; and e) Intimidation threats, which may occur when a professional accountant may be deterred from acting objectively by threats, actual or perceived. SAFEGUARDS: According to the code of ethics there are two general categories of safeguards : 1. Safeguards created by the profession, legislation or regulation 2. Safeguards within the work environment. Examples of safeguards created by the profession, legislation or regulation: ? Educational training and experience requirements for entry into the profession. ? Continuing professional development requirements. Corporate governance regulations. ? Professional standards. ? Professional or regulatory monitoring and disciplinary procedures. ? External review by a legally empowered third party of the reports, returns, communication or information produced by a professional accountant. Examples of safeguards in the work environment: ? Involving an additional professional accountant to review the work done or otherwise advise as necessary. ? Consulting an independent third party, such as a committee of independent directors, a professional regulatory body or another professional accountant. Rotating senior personnel. ? Discussing ethical issues with those in charge of client governance. ? Disclosing to those charged with governance the nature of services provided and extent of fees charged. ? Involving another firm to perform or repertory part of the e ngagement. CONCLUSION: The importance of professional ethics is that in order for accountancy services to be meaningful, the public must trust accountants and the trust are built by the knowledge that accountants are bound by a professional code of ethics. If the professions to survive and thrive and if its members are to maintain their position, there has to be a code of conduct so that the public are able to fell that they can trust accountant. A distinguishing mark of the accountancy profession is its acceptance of the responsibility to act in the public interest. Therefore, a professional accountant’s responsibility is not exclusively to satisfy the needs of an individual client or employer. In acting in the public interest a professional accountant should observe and comply with the ethical requirements of this Code.