A Nurse is a Nurse Free Essays

The public and professional images of nursing and the portrayal of nurses in the media have a great impact on several work-related issues – how health care as a collaborative enterprise is provided to patients, the extent that nurses’ work is valued, the participation of the nurse in healthcare team decision-making, the visibility of nurses in shaping national health care and the effect of these images on nurses’ job performance (Fletcher, 2007. Most researchers agree that although there have been improvements in the image of nursing, the portrayal today is still largely negative – an issue that has been raised by nurses for the past century. Gender issues seem to be at the core of this situation. We will write a custom essay sample on A Nurse is a Nurse or any similar topic only for you Order Now Other disciplines, specifically the medical profession, view nurses based on certain qualities. In a study by Weinberg, Miner and Rivlin (2009) on the perspectives of medical residents on working with nurses, nurses were trusted and regarded as colleagues depending on how competent, congenial and hardworking the residents perceived them to be (p.37). This implies that the collaborative approach does not always permeate the nurse-medical resident relationship despite nursing practice being elevated into a profession that is equal to other health disciplines. To be respected as a colleague requires a condition – nurses must first have to prove that they possess the qualities expected of them. Meanwhile, the media reinforces the image of nurses as a health worker that is lower in status than physicians or as other concepts other than being a professional. In a literature review conducted by Fletcher (2007) concerning the media portrayal of nurses, the author found that television shows, novels, films and advertisements then and now mainly portray nurses in four categories, namely â€Å"as ministering angel, battleaxe, physician handmaiden and naughty nurse† – negative images because these do not capture the reality of nursing (p.208). As an acute nursing shortage looms ahead, the campaign to improve the image of nursing, in order to attract more students into the profession, yielded a positive outcome. A recent Gallup survey on professional ethics and honesty found that 84% of Americans agreed that nurses are the most trusted professionals (Singleton, 2009). The Gallup survey image of nurses represents a positive development because nurses were viewed as professionals who are bound by a code of ethics and who adhered to such a code. Both the positive and negative images of nursing seem to reflect the unequal power relationship between men and women in society where women are viewed as either sex objects or as domestic partners. The end product is a stereotypical view of women’s roles as subservient to men. Along with this role are the associated feminine traits ranging from obedience, hard work, compassion and congeniality to promiscuity. The physician-nurse relationship reflects these stereotypes as physicians are disproportionately male and while nurses are disproportionately female. As a male-dominated profession, the physician’s work is highly recognized and valued while the nurse’s work is undervalued and unrecognized. Because of the stereotypes reinforced by media, the public largely identifies nurses only with bedside care and with carrying out physician’s orders. Most would think that since the work involved seems trivial, nurses do not need to obtain a 4-year BSN degree. They do not see the complex daily responsibilities of the nurse that requires education, training and autonomy or the current scope of nursing practice. As such, they fail to appreciate the significant impact of nurses’ work on patient health and outcomes. Although men have enrolled in nursing, it is still mainly a women’s profession and as Lavinia Dock (cited in Fletcher) aptly put it, â€Å"the status of nursing in all countries and at all times depends on the status of women† (2007, p.210). Because the nurse is a woman in a caring profession, expectations of her relate to female gender roles as well. Hence, further improvements in the status of women will similarly uplift the status of nursing. How to cite A Nurse is a Nurse, Papers

The Orion Shield Case Analysis free essay sample

The Orion Shield Project Case Study Executive Summary Project management is the science of planning, organizing, executing, and managing the resources needed to achieve a specific goal. Effective project managers (PM) strategically facilitate the entire project management process to ensure the project’s success. To do this the PM must adequately meet the specific requirements (i. e. , time, scope, quality, and cost) set forth by the project and its stakeholders. It is theorized that PM must possess a set of core competencies in order to successfully manage a project. Those competencies are development of project management knowledge areas, application of appropriate project management tools and techniques, understanding of the project environment, possession of leadership skills, and general managerial and human relations skills. This paper will critically analyze the performance of a newly appointed project manager, Gary Allison, through his response to various issues that arose during the management of The Orion Shield Project. In my analysis, I will thoroughly discuss the technical, ethical, legal, contractual, and change issues and Gary’s response to each. I will conclude my analysis with a reasoned deduction of what competencies Gary lacks that prohibit him from being an effective project manager. Technical Issues Gary identified the presence of technical issues during the initiating stage of the project. According to the request for proposal (RFP) released by Space Technologies Industries (STI), the technical specification required that the design should be able to operate at temperatures ranging from to F. Gary spent two months trying to get the design to meet the required specifications; however, he was unable to get the preliminary design to operate over F. Armed with this knowledge, Gary should have informed the sponsor at STI of the potential problem so it could be dealt with efficiently. Instead he allowed the Director of Engineering, Henry Larson, to coerce him into bluffing the proposal submission. Had he properly reported the discovery of not being able to meet the specification requirements, STI may have made an allowance in the contract by changing the contract type, scope, or cost to accommodate the additional research and development efforts. At the onset of the project Gary showed that he lacked a very vital competency – understanding of the project environment. The project’s environment is the cultural, social, and organizational elements of the project. A keen understanding of a project’s environment would allow a project manager to identify the project’s stakeholders, learn whose opinion matters, and who benefits and suffers from the work performed (Bach, 2006). If Gary had possessed this understanding he would have known that most projects experience resources, constraints, and other forces that both enable and prohibit a project from being successful. Ethical Issues After spending a very extensive and rigorous amount of time working on meeting the desired specifications of the RFP, Gary was confident the design SEC manufactured wouldn’t work unless the materials were changed. Although after a brief meeting with Larsen he decided to deceive STI. He deceptively submitted the proposal stating the model SEC had constructed will remain operable in temperatures reaching up to Based on this submission SEC was awarded the contract. Another ethical issue that arose was when Henry Larsen interfered in the spec requirement problem and created what he thought was a solution – JBX3. To fund the testing of the new product, JBX3, Larsen insisted Gary tell STI that SEC had used independent research and development funds. When instead they had used STI’s money. Gary felt uneasy about both accounts of deception and felt it would surely lead to conflict and customer dissatisfaction. However, he did nothing. Gary’s inability to effectively act when the abovementioned ethical acts occurred shows that he lacks the leadership skills to lead a project of this size. An effective leader inspires a shared vision, is a good communicator, is emotionally intelligent, possesses team building skills, delegates tasks well, and have excellent problem solving skills. They also know when to â€Å"stand up to top management†¦, support team members, and encourage new ideas† (Schwalbe, 2010). F. Legal Issues In addition to intentionally deceiving the stakeholders in various areas of the project, Gary also ran the risk of dealing with other behavior that is deemed contractually illegal. When SEC took on the obligation of the contract they agreed to fulfill the requirement set forth by the scope of work, in the time allotted, and within specific cost measures. This is the one area Gary managed to somewhat succeed. Being conscience of the project’s time and scope he performed a lot of the duties himself that should have been delegated. He also spent numerous off-peak hours ensuring duties were complete. It also appears that he possesses knowledge of quality and communications management because he was able to quickly understand and communicate the issues with the product specifications. Although there was a slight breakdown in the use of the proper program management tools and techniques. For example, he failed to deliver concise status and progress reports and did not excel in communicating managerial plans. All in all Gary’s effective display of project management knowledge areas saved SEC from having the client take legal measures to offset and recover the costs associated with a failed project. Contractual Issues Project success is not only measured by the ability to meet time, quality, scope, and cost measures. It is also measured by how satisfied the stakeholders are with the performance of the contract. While Gary managed to somehow succeed in meeting time, quality, and scope requirements. He failed in meeting satisfactory levels with the customer. At the initial interchange meeting STI’s rep, Sarah Wilson, communicated disappointment with Gary’s inability to properly balance the administrative and technical roles of the project. For example, he primarily focused on the technical aspects of the project and failed to deliver standard administrative forms (like the meeting agendas) in a timely fashion. Due to this discontent in several areas the customer began to micromanage the project. They required Gary to have his engineering staff report to STI’s engineering staff on a regular basis, they also set up a customer office to follow Gary’s work closely. Since the prime contractor, STI, had more at stake and started to distrust Gary’s management they had to dedicate more time and resources than expected to make sure the project was run properly. This could have easily been alleviated with the properly application of human relation techniques. Human relations is â€Å"the cornerstone of getting along with people and is one of the most important career skills† (Cook, n. d). Known as one’s soft skills, human relations allow one to understand human behavior, establish rapport, clarify misunderstandings, and create an environment of social interaction. All of which would have been helpful in Gary’s dealings with the STI rep, Sarah Wilson. Change issues Throughout the entire project Gary experienced one change after another. Initially it was the promise of Henry Larsen to be heavily involved in the project management of The Orion Shield Project. However, once the project was awarded Larsen involvement was very sporadic and not much help. Next, came the change in material to meet spec requirements. Then, came staffing changes along with the change in customer requirements. Not to mention the fact that Larsen had assured Gary that SEC would be able to get the customer to change the specification and accept a tradeoff analysis to keep the project from being overrun. Or the biggest change of all was Larsen’s complete outlook and endorsement of Gary. When he brought Gary onto the roject he congratulated him on being bendable with his ethics, values, and morals. However, after receiving a hefty bonus and word from the customer that the project had overrun and the dissatisfaction of the spec changes. Larsen quickly changed how he viewed Gary. He proceeded to criticize the very areas that he once encouraged – lack of communication and honesty. The fact that given all of the changes Gary incurred in the project he was still able to meet scope, quality, and time goals really says a lot about Gary’s managerial skills. In today’s society the ability to adapt and manage change is highly sought. Conclusion Gary Allison has the potential to become an effective project manager. However, he exemplifies a lack of many core competencies required for effective project management. The fact that he was easily persuaded to desert his personal ethical beliefs and lacked the ability to stand up for what’s right shows that he needs additional development in leadership skills. He also could use training in the project management environment and tools and techniques. This would help him secure the knowledge of the social, political, and physical environment of project management. It will also assist in the understanding of change within the project and build confidence on how to lead and handle change once it arise. Lastly, Gary needs additional instruction on adapting human relations skills. This will assist him in building a comfort level and trust into his involvement with the project management team, project sponsors, and project stakeholders. In conclusion, Gary has potential to be an effective project manager but he must continue his growth in certain areas before taking on another project the size of The Orion Shield Project.

ADHD (spanish!!!) essays

ADHD (spanish!!!) essays Las diferencias en ni ocurre alrededor de ellos. Entonces hay otros dà ­as cuando estos ni Esto puede plantear un problema para los jvenes afectados mientras que conduce otros a pensar que los nicilmente estos comportamientos. ADHD no discrimina. De hecho con la agitacin constante en sus vidas, estos nitnica y los fondos culturales de los nin de este desorden y sus comportamientos. Asà ­ como tambin afecta cualquier opcin del tratamiento que pudiera ser buscada, porqu todos los nin y del tratamiento disponible en sociedad de hoy. Los nin psiquitrica crnica llamada desorden de la hiperactividad del dficit de atencin, conocida como ADHD. Las estimaciones sugieren que este desorden est afectando el 3% a el 5% de los ni haciendo a casi 5 millones de nirmino de lujo para lo que llamarà ­an los padres a los nin, reconocida en aficit de la atencin, disfuncin mà ­nima del cerebro, dan mdica seria, que se piensa que es causada por niveles...

Mental Workload Nursing, Air Traffic Management and IT

Mental Workload Nursing, Air Traffic Management and IT Introduction It has been acknowledged that people are subjected to different levels of mental workload (MWL) at their work places. Different jobs are associated with different tasks, responsibilities and social interactions. This, in its turn, leads to different levels of MWL (Leka Houdmont, 2010). In the first place, it is important to define the concept of MWL. Wickens (2008) notes that the concept characterizes â€Å"the demand imposed by tasks on the human’s limited mental resources, whether considered as single or multiple† (p. 452).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Mental Workload: Nursing, Air Traffic Management and IT specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Researchers try to evaluate the levels of MWL associated with different jobs, to increase effectiveness of employees and reduce anxiety, job dissatisfaction and address various negative effects (Sassaroli et al., 2008). To take a closer look at dif ferent factors influencing levels of MWL, it is possible to focus on particular jobs. The present paper dwells upon such areas as nursing, air traffic management and IT. Thus, it is possible to analyse such jobs as the nurse practitioner at geriatric nursing home, the en route air traffic controller and the IT professional. Different factors influencing MWL are examined for each job. The present paper also contains some recommendations concerning decreasing the level of MWL for one of the jobs. Factors Contributing to MWL Researchers single out various factors contributing to MWL. For instance, Rafnsdottir et al. (2004, p. 51) mention such factors as time pressure, dissatisfactory communication with colleagues, supervisors or clients, â€Å"dissatisfaction with the hierarchy at work† as well as violence and harassment at workplace. Rubio et al. (2004) focus on such factors as objective difficulty of tasks fulfilled and employees’ attitude towards their tasks. Metzger a nd Parasuraman (2005) also take into account such factor as employees’ self-confidence. As far as the jobs mentioned above are concerned, it is possible to define particular factors contributing to MWL. IT professionals may be exposed to several factors contributing to MWL. In the first place, tasks completed by IT professionals may be monotonous at times. Notably, monotonous work is regarded as one of the factors contributing to MWL as people get mentally tired (Leka Houdmont, 2010). IT professionals may also experience lack of communication and social interactions. Admittedly, social interactions provide employees with the necessary relaxation at workplace, distracting employees from their tasks and giving the necessary rest to their brains. As for the tasks themselves, the complexity of the task can also contribute to MWL. Thus, when an employee cannot cope with a task, he/she feels anxiety, stress and job dissatisfaction. As for the en route air traffic controllers, ther e are specific factors to examine. Loft et al. (2007) note that this job is associated with quite high level of MWL. The major factors contributing to MWL are time pressure, the necessity to make a lot of quick and correct decisions, interactions with others (pilots, controllers, etc.).Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More En route air traffic controllers experience considerable level of MWL due to the objective complexity of their tasks. Nonetheless, people who have the necessary skills, knowledge and have the necessary experience do not feel job dissatisfaction or fatigue as they have the necessary tools to handle tasks. Finally, nurse practitioners at geriatric nurse homes have to cope with high levels of MWL. The major factors contributing to MWL are psychological, to great extent. Rafnsdottir et al. (2004) report that these employees often feel dissatisfaction as they feel they do not fully meet patients’ as well as managers’ expectations. Besides, nurse practitioners are exposed to anxiety patients feel, and to their sufferings. Nurse practitioners have to comfort people who have really serious, painful and often terminal diseases. It can be psychologically difficult to work in such conditions. Different Levels of MWL The jobs mentioned above have quite different levels of MWL due to peculiarities of the jobs. The three jobs presuppose different tasks, different levels of responsibility and different levels of communication. Thus, IT professionals work with machines and communicate with their colleagues (the majority of their time they spend communicating with other IT professionals). En route air traffic controllers have to handle much higher degree of responsibility. They are responsible for lives of many people. They also have to communicate with different professionals. En route air traffic controllers have to be very precise, orga nized and attentive. However, it is necessary to note that they still communicate with other people through machines, which creates certain alienation. Nurse practitioners have to communicate with many people (patients, other practitioners, managers, patients’ relatives) in person. These employees are exposed to really hard feelings. They have to see suffering of people. At that, nurse practitioners cannot always alleviate patients’ sufferings. These factors make this job really difficult. Among the three jobs, this job has the highest level of MWL. Recommendations One of the major factors that contribute to MWL is dissatisfaction because of inability to â€Å"harmonize the demands and expectations of patients/employees/supervisors† (Rafnsdottir et al., 2004, p. 51). It is possible to address this problem. Thus, it is possible to launch special training. This training will presuppose gaining professional knowledge and sharing experience. Apart from gaining new s kills and knowledge, nurse practitioners will be able to obtain self-confidence. They can obtain hope that all difficulties can be handled.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Mental Workload: Nursing, Air Traffic Management and IT specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apart from this, it can be also helpful to launch team building and recreation activities for nurse practitioners. Barbecues, sport competitions, concerts, etc. can help nurse practitioners relax. These activities can involve nurse practitioners only, or these could be combined teams (nurse practitioners, patients, supervisors, relatives, etc.). Positive emotions will help employees handle various negative factors they are exposed to at work place. It is also important to make sure nurse practitioners can obtain the necessary psychological assistance when necessary. Finally, it can be effective to monitor nurse practitioners’ job satisfaction several t imes a year. This will help researchers learn more about factors contributing to MWL. It will also help them come up with possible steps to decrease the level of MWL in this field. More so, it can also help work out general steps to decrease levels of MWL at different workplaces. Conclusion On balance, it is possible to note that different jobs have different levels of mental workload. These differences are due to different levels of responsibility and peculiarities of each job. Admittedly, there are various factors contributing to MWL, e.g. monotonous work, overcomplicated tasks, time pressure, etc. However, jobs involving a lot of communication and social interactions have high levels of MWL. For instance, the profession of the nurse practitioner presupposes high levels of MWL as these employees have to see other people’s suffering, which is associated with significant psychological pressure. However, it is possible to decrease the level of MWL by launching specific trainin g courses, team building and recreation activities. It can be effective to provide psychological assistance to nurse practitioners. Reference List Leka, S., Houdmont, J. (2010). Occupational health psychology. Chichester, UK: John Wiley Sons. Loft, S., Sanderson, P., Neal, A., Mooij. (2007). Modeling and predicting mental workload in en route air traffic control: Critical review and broader implications. Human Factors, 49(3), 376-399.Advertising Looking for report on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Metzger, U., Parasuraman, R. (2005). Automation in future air traffic management: Effects of decision aid reliability on controller performance and mental workload. Human Factors, 47(1), 1-15. Rafnsdottir, G.L., Gunnarsdottir, H.K., Tomasson, K. (2004). Work organization, well-being and health in geriatric care. Work, 22, 49-55. Rubio, S., Diaz, E., Martin, J., Puente J.M. (2004). Evaluation of subjective mental workload: A comparison of SWAT, NASA-TLX, and workload profile methods. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 53(1), 61-86. Sassaroli, A., Zheng, F., Hirshfield, L.M., Girouard, A., Solovey, E.T., Jacob, R.J.K., Fantini, S. (2008). Discrimination of mental workload levels in human subjects with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Journal of Innovative Optical Health Sciences, 1(2), 227-237. Wickens, C.D. (2008). Multiple resources and mental workload. Human Factors, 50(3), 449-455.

Organisational success is determined by effective leadership Essay

Organisational success is determined by effective leadership - Essay Example Rather, different criteria should be used each time that organisational success need to be evaluated. Of course, there are certain factors, such as leadership, that are always capable of affecting organisational success. The relationship between effective leadership and organisational success is explored in this paper. It is proved that the traditional thoughts on effective leadership its relationship with organisational success should be reviewed. Moreover, it has been made clear that the criteria for characterizing a leadership style as effective can be different across countries with different social ethics and culture. In any case, it is made clear that effective leadership can lead to organisational success, even in the long term. 2. Organisational success and leadership 2.1 Organisational success – characteristics The criteria used for evaluating the success of modern organisations can vary. Usually, organisational success is related to the performance of an organisation in terms of employee satisfaction (Sims 2002, p.144). More specifically, it is believed that a high level of employee satisfaction reflects the ability of the firm to communicate with its stakeholders, a condition that its critical for its success (Sims 2002, p.144). ... ccess using the above criteria can be inaccurate mostly because the potentials of each organisation to achieve high profits or to survive in the market are differentiated according to the years of the firm’s presence in the market (Kirby & Watson 2003, p.46). For example, the criteria of growth would be more valuable when referring to ‘the start-up of the organisation’ (Kirby & Watson 2003, p.46). Profitability also should not be used as a criterion for evaluating organisational success in the early years of the firm’s presence in the market (Kirby & Watson 2003, p.46). Rather, profitability would be a critical criterion for evaluating the success of an organisation that has been, already, well established in the local or the international market (Kirby & Watson 2003, p.46). The use of an integrate framework for evaluating organisational success helps to control the risks related to the particular task. The ‘Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awardâ₠¬â„¢ (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin 2010, p.130) can be considered as such framework. In fact, the above Award is awarded to organisations that meet a series of criteria in regard of quality (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin 2010, p.130). Leadership is the first of these criteria Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin 2010, p.130), a fact that verifies the relationship between leadership and organisational success. Other criteria used in the context of the above framework are: ‘strategic planning, customer focus and workforce’ Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin 2010, p.130). From another point of view, Cameron & Spreitzer (2011) note that organisational success should not be related only to the financial performance of each organisation. Rather, the success of organisations in the modern market should be based on their ability to promote

Digital revolution in the music industry Research Paper

Digital revolution in the music industry - Research Paper Example Nevertheless, the digital revolution has posed several challenges especially on management in the music industry. This has been mainly due to piracy and illegal downloading of music. Ways to mitigate these challenges have been found, for example introduction of legitimate downloading services and lawsuits for illegal downloading of music. The music industry has also restructured its strategies and focused on developments such as involvement in advertisements, computer games, the television, films, as well as sale of ringtones, which are alternative revenue streams. Industries are basically concerned with the production of goods for mass consumption. Apart from production, industries today are also involved in marketing and distribution of most of their products, which include intangible goods and services. The term music industry has had numerous definitions, which make the meaning of the term unclear. Some definitions suggest that song writers, producers, musicians, music publishers, and record companies form the core of the definition of the music industry. At this point, live music is regarded to be part of the performing arts industry. According to Wikstrom, â€Å"the music industry consists of those companies concerned with developing musical content and personalities which can be communicated across multiple media† (2009, p. 49). The music industry however constitutes recording, publishing, and live performance. The music industry began with the commencement of mass distribution and commercial use of music. The industrialization of music began in the late nineteenth century, and was marked by â€Å"mass production and organized marketing of musical instruments and sheet music copies, plus the organization of professional musical entertainment in the theatre, vaudeville show, music hall or dance hall† (Horn, Laing, Oliver, & Wicke, 2003, p. 251). The second half of the nineteenth century was marked by great expansion in the

The Tylenol Murders, Ch. 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Tylenol Murders, Ch. 2 - Essay Example All through the period of Tylenol murder case trial, company maintained constant communication across its different public, displaying innate honesty, ethical considerations and concern for the welfare of the people at large. It disseminated critical information regarding the Tylenol capsules and projected a credible image of ethical and responsible behavior. The company had addressed the critical issue of Tylenol murder that would have affected the performance of the company and significantly impacted its credibility amongst the various stakeholders. In the case, two types of public were involved. The internal public consisted of management and workforce and the external public comprised of various stakeholders and shareholders, users of company’s products, distributors, media and all those who were directly or indirectly impacted by the product. The timely communication to the public by the chairman was vital factor that helped to inculcate confidence and trust amongst them. His assurance to the public regarding fair investigation and withdrawal of the lot from the market was highly effective way to boost company’s falling credibility amongst its various public. ... It had the desired affect and company triumphed over the crisis without any adverse impact on its market. Tools used in PR The company had used different tools of public relation. Public relation briefing was constantly used to announce important information regarding company’s position with regard to the product, extra-strength Tylenol capsules that was used in the murder case. Indeed, publicly acknowledging that cyanide was used in its premises was an important step that helped establish its credibility in tough times and highlighted its transparent way of functioning in the eyes of its various stakeholders. The company also removed its advertisement of the product and announced reward for killers through widespread advertisements. It also issued warning to doctors, hospitals and distributors about the Tylenol capsules. Media, in different formats, has a powerful influence on the public at large. Using media is therefore essential part of effective public relation exercise ( Wilcox & Cameron, 2009). The company had also exploited media’s potential when the Chairman, Burke appeared on the investigative new program and effectively communicated company’s stance on the issue and the steps taken by it. The PR tools helped to forge closer bonds with its investors and various stakeholders, including customers. The periodic press releases were essential part of PR exercises that maintained constant communication with the public and kept them updated with the Tylenol murder case and the company’s role in facilitating investigation. The risk of bad publicity can have huge long term ramifications on company’s future and adversely impact its credibility and market (Sietel, 2007). But Johnson & Johnson was able to change public