Saturday, December 28, 2019

Information technology for managers - 1289 Words

INFORMATION TE C H N O L O G Y FO R MANAGERS This page intentionally left blank INFORMATION TE C H N O L O G Y FO R MANAGERS George W. Reynolds University of Cincinnati Australia †¢ Brazil †¢ Japan †¢ Korea †¢ Mexico †¢ Singapore †¢ Spain †¢ United Kingdom †¢ United States Information Technology for Managers  © 2010 Course Technology, Cengage Learning George W. Reynolds ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be reproduced, transmitted, stored, or used in any form or by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, scanning, digitizing, taping, Web distribution, information networks, or information storage and retrieval†¦show more content†¦Project Variables What Is Project Management? Project Management Knowledge Areas Scope Management Time Management Cost Management Quality Management Human Resource Management Communications Management Risk Management Procurement Management Project Integration Management Chapter Summary Discussion Questions Action Memos Web-Based Case Case Study Endnotes Chapter 4 Business Process and IT Outsourcing Eli Lilly: Why Managers Get Involved in Outsourcing What Are Outsourcing and Offshore Outsourcing? Why Do Organizations Outsource? Issues Associated with Outsourcing Planning an Effective Outsourcing Process Chapter Summary Discussion Questions Action Memos Web-Based Case Case Study Endnotes ChapterShow MoreRelatedInformation Technology Manager Acting As A Purchasing Agent1648 Words   |  7 PagesThe purpose of the study was to identify the means whereby a given organization’s Information Technology manager acting as a purchasing agent, participates in fraudulent activities, including obtaining kickbacks from vendors. This study examined measures and actions that chief information officers or chief technology officers might mandate to reduce fraud or other unethical practices while protecting the reputation of the organization, and the infrastructure of the computer systems. The resultsRead MoreInformation Technology Managers At Todays World Of Business1402 Words   |  6 PagesThis paper will discuss the processes and pitfalls faced by Information Technology managers in today’s world of business. Today’s IT managers need not only be savvy about existing equipment and upcoming technology; but must also understand the budget issues they face and how to properly address them. The IT manager is asked to look into a crystal ball and predict what products will be beneficial and which requirements can be cut from the budget. They must be able to differentiate between the newRead MoreWhat Are The Major Strategic Considerations To Replace An Information Technology Project Manager?1168 Words   |  5 PagesHarris Corporation is in need of an Information Technology (IT) Project Manager (PM) after a seasoned, experienced employee announced her intention to retire in 30 days. The work of replacing this employee with a capable equivalent is time-consuming, costly to the firm, and requires attention to details with respect to strategy, a specification for announcing the vacancy, and discipline throughout the recruiting process. This paper leverages an actual Project Manager job posting and tailors it basedRead MoreInformation Literacy and Scholarship, Practice, and Leadership in It Management1337 Words   |  6 PagesInformation Lite racy and Scholarship, Practice, and Leadership in IT Management R. Dannels University of Phoenix IT (Information Technology) management entails all the routine issues faced by any type of business manager in addition to the issues of software development, technology purchasing (not necessarily physical items), systems integration, the limits of technology and the related budgetary issues. General information literacy is important for any level of IT manager, as he or sheRead MoreMy Perfect Niche1468 Words   |  6 Pagesaffinity has led me to pursue a career in the STEM field — a Computer and Information Systems Managers. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, â€Å"Computer and Information systems managers, often called information technology managers (IT managers or IT projects managers) plan, coordinate, and direct computer- related activities in an organization,† (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Being a computer and information manager is the perfect job for me because it allows me to use my passions as a greatRead MoreCurrent Status of Hybrid Managers 1241 Words   |  5 PagesThe hybrid manager 1. What is a â€Å"Hybrid manager† Around the late 80’s and early 90’s a change was occurring in businesses across the globe with the emergence of the desktop pc and the adoption of Information technology in the workplace as a standard. This created a void between business managers and those who were classed as technology managers. With the onset of recession businesses were forced to focus more on efficient use of resources and employee productivity. It was also identifiedRead MoreRole of Technology in Retail Essay711 Words   |  3 Pageso How has technology changed the role of retail managers? o How has the technology improved retail management, not just how technology has improved? Provide specific examples. o What, if any, are the downsides to the technology that may present challenges to the retail manager? Effectiveness of Technology Consumers have many choices when deciding where to purchase their goods. While retailer managers are deciding how to win the consumer’s business and increase revenue, they are also constantlyRead MoreInformation Technology vs. Information Systems Essay examples610 Words   |  3 PagesRunning head: Information Technology vs. Information Systems Information Technology for Managers John Alexander Keys to Information Technology Abstract 1. In your own words, define the terms information technology (IT) and â€Å"information systems† (IS) and explain their components and infrastructure. Why is it important for a manager to be involved in IT and what are the critical responsibilities for the manager? 2. Case Study (discuss the case and answer questions at end of case):Read MoreInformation Technology vs Information Systems; Case Study: Progressive Group of Insurance Companies1637 Words   |  7 PagesInformation Technology vs Information Systems Case Study: Progressive Group of Insurance Companies Abstract The purpose of this paper to answer the questions purposed in writing assignment 1. The first question was: In your own words, define the terms information technology (IT) and â€Å"information systems† (IS) and explain their components and infrastructure. Why is it important for a manager to be involved in IT and what are the critical responsibilities for the manager? The second questionRead MoreEvaluating Unethical Decision Consequences Of An Organization1732 Words   |  7 PagesEvaluating Unethical Decision Consequences This paper provides an identification of potential means whereby Information Technology (IT) managers, acting on the organization’s behalf as purchase agents with IT vendors, participate in fraudulent activities. Further included are a series of recommendations for measures and actions that chief information officers or chief technology officers should consider as mandates to reduce fraud and other unethical practices while protecting the reputation of

Friday, December 20, 2019

Racism And Police Brutality And Racism - 1820 Words

In the world we live in today, racism and police brutality are raising concerns that society needs to be aware of. Beginning from the mid 1900s and on, racism was an ongoing problem that many individuals acted on from day to day. Whether it was mainly whites who hated blacks or vice versa, there never seemed as if a solution would ever come about. Based on this article about racism and police brutality, it talks a lot about how brutality following the Rodney King incident has change and is more exposed due to updated technology. Racism is not a thing of the past, it exist in this day and happens everyday in front of our eyes. Another point from this article is how the media portrays black as intimidating and scary which often times is the reason why police officers act the way they do when they are encountering a black male. Today’s society is taught to be afraid of black men because they are dangerous and unpredictable. The media account is a short video of how police brutali ty is caught on camera and how the police are portrayed because of these videos. Because of the new technology officers are no longer able to get away with brutality and not having to answer for there actions. This media account is more of an awareness video of how if someone sees the police physically abusing someone, they should take there phones out and record everything that is going on. Today’s camera phone as said to be the police’s kryptonite because they capture everything that is done by theShow MoreRelatedRacism : Racism And Police Brutality916 Words   |  4 Pages8:00-9:50 10 June 2015 Essay 1 Racism in the Legal System Racial profiling isn’t something new to today’s society. Most recently there were incidents in which the officers were accused of mistreating blacks such as Michael Brown and Freddie Gray. â€Å"Racism versus professionalism: claims and counter-claims about racial profiling† written by Vic Satzewich and William Shaffir discusses racism versus professionalism with officers. Their argument is more biased towards the police force and they argue thatRead MorePolice Brutality Racism1340 Words   |  6 PagesPolice brutality in America has been known to put fear in the lives of many Americans. Although police brutality is played out across all avenues of the media and many people see this happening, it yet does not change the fact that racism still exists in the justice system of America. People in positions of power yet have not done anything to rectify the situation and this has lead to the rise of â€Å"Black Lives Matter† movement. Numerous opportuniti es have been presented to officials to speak up aboutRead MoreRacism And The South And Police Brutality1378 Words   |  6 PagesRacism is prejudice plus power (influence, status and authority). It exists in many different forms and in almost every facade of society; from subtle discrimination in everyday life and scandals in politics, to occurrences like lynching’s in the South and Police Brutality. Racism is complicated, systemic and institutional as described by researchers; (Jones, 1997): personal, which may be considered the same as prejudice (Allport, 1958); institutional, involving a set of environmental conditionsRead MorePolice Brutality And The Racism It Fosters Essay1710 Words   |  7 PagesPolice Brutality and the Racism It Fosters A controversial topic for decades, one issue that has made a noticeable impact in modern day society, especially in the year of 2015, is that of police brutality. Stemming from deep-rooted and institutionalized racism within law enforcement and other surrounding fields, it has sparked a firestorm of opposition, with many American citizens up in arms over the target that’s been seemingly casted on the backs of the black community. Despite the various protocolsRead MoreRacism : The Main Causes Of Police Brutality709 Words   |  3 PagesPolice brutality has been an issue for many decades and still is a concern that people have. Officers shouldn’t even think about using that type of violence around people unless it is absolutely necessary. Police brutality has even come to a point of death. According to Encyclopedia.com, police brutality is â€Å"the use of any force exceeding that reasonably necessary to accomplish a lawful police purpose†. In other words, poli ce brutality is when an officer takes advantage of their power. Racism isRead MoreRacism And Police Brutality Today By Cassandra Chaney And Ray V. Robertson1481 Words   |  6 PagesMy first scholarly article that I read was Racism and Police Brutality in America by Cassandra Chaney and Ray V. Robertson. The article begins by highlighting the beating of Rodney King in 1992. Police brutality has gone on for a long time, and with the help of technology it has finally been brought to the light. In 1992, four white police officers beat an African American man named Rodney King. The events were caught on camera and were aired that night by a local TV station in Los Angeles. In theRead MoreDr. Wolfe s Sociological Training910 Words   |  4 Pages1. In Dr. Wolfe’s statement on the recent events that have taken place in Baltimore he talks about police brutality, crime, racism, and inequality. Dr. Wolfe’s sociological training affects the way he looks at these events. In his statement he talks about how police brutality is not just happen ing among â€Å"a few bad apples† but instead how it is a systemic issue. He may be right but he also may be wrong. Dr. Wolfe is trained to study race, the criminal justice system and the relationship between bothRead MoreThe Invisible Man By Ellison862 Words   |  4 PagesIn response to police brutality, The Invisible Man was written by Ellison demonstrated that through his life racism was entirely present. Ellison, in fact, was faced with police brutality throughout the novel. Ellison wrote a scene in which his narrator dealt with police brutality after giving a speech at an eviction. The police threatened to shoot him and beat all of them. Ellison wrote that his character had known it was due to the racism during the time period. Even so, the rest of the novel involvedRead MoreEssay On Police Brutality1478 Words   |  6 Pagesongoing, which leads to police brutality. In â€Å"Why Are So Many Black Americans Killed By Police?†, Carl Bialik, reveals racism (consci ously or not) leads to police brutality of African Americans. Kia Makarechi in â€Å"What The Data Really Says About Police and Racial Bias†, shows evidence of African Americans receiving more police brutality because of racism. Clint Smith in â€Å"Racism, Stress, and Black Death†, conveys how studies show that African Americans are receiving police brutality due to day-to-day discriminationRead MoreThe Conflict Of Police Brutality And Racial Profiling858 Words   |  4 Pagesprominent conflict of African American males and police officials in Western nations, focusing directly on the American South. In the late 1920’s African Americans in the U.S.A, were hopeful that their struggle against racism was nearing a successful conclusion with the start of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People). For many years, especially for people not of colour, racism, racial discrimination and police brutality were â€Å"hidden† from the m ainstream media. Though

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Human Trafficking free essay sample

As a society, it is our job to educated on the causes and effects of sex trafficking. With this information we then need to produce a productive solution to sex trafficking. There are many different causes for sex trafficking around the world depending on the country and economic status of each country. Often times, women are lured from countries with promises of a job or higher pay. Most of these women are from low economic backgrounds, improvised areas, war torn countries, or places with corrupt police forces (Bales 57). These women look for economic advantages when being promised a better life in another country. Woman may answer false job advertisements in magazines or newspapers for positions like nannies or housekeepers and many women also fall into the trap of fake modeling agencies. (Malia Perry) Human trafficking is a worldwide issue, effecting millions of people every day. Trafficking controls a person through force, fraud and sexual exploitation. PLEASE NOTE: Your paper should not be limited to a summary of the movie. In fact the summary of the plot should be very brief. It should not be a cognitive assessment or evaluation of the film’s production, or accuracy either. Grading Criteria for Movie review Organization and coherence 20% Evidence and support 30% Analysis and use of course concepts 30% Style and mechanics 20% TOTAL 100% PSY 311 The Whistleblower is based on a true story. It is about an American police officer Kathryn Bolkovac who is offered a job at Bosnia for the United Nations peacekeeping mission after the war. As she gets more involved in her work, she discovers that there exists a sex trafficking band that leads to prostitution of teenage girls. The movie develops primarily around the story of two girls who are tricked and then lead to prostitution. They are offered an opportunity to work at a well known hotel but that’s a complete lie. They are sent to a border crossing country with illegal passports. They end up at her office and that’s how she starts to investigate. The investigation was not easy at all, the girls didn’t reveal any names because they were threatened and scared of the constant sexual abuse and severe punishments received when not obeying, also the torture and seeing the death of other girls when breaking the rules. She starts looking for clues that lead her to the leaders of the band, certainly risking her job. After being turned down by various authorities to support her investigation and receiving certain anonymous threads to quit it, Kathryn gets more involved in this, discovering that not only the Bosnian police are involved but, also American officers who are there as peacemakers, her own co workers, high range authorities of the government as well as people who belong to the nongovernmental organization that she works for, the United Nations. She is fired from her job and has to abandon Bosnia. Furious because nobody wants to stop the band and surprised it’s the authorities who permit it, she goes to the British press and reveals all her investigations mentioning all the names involved in the case. The news becomes worldwide and of course, denied in certain occasions. In this film, The Whistleblower , we can observe several social issues. One of them is human trafficking, which is considered the second largest high paid crime after drug dealing. The International Organization for Migration (2002) defines this concept the following way: Human trafficking involves controlling and exploiting people after transporting them to a new location, often beyond the borders of their homeland. In this modern form of slavery, traffickers use threats, intimidation, and violence to break their victims will and resistance. Human trafficking has become and international business. Unfortunately it exists in all the countries in the world and it’s a high profit industry. In this case, the girls are victims of sexual exploitation but, not necessarily have to be a sexual type. It can also be used for slavery, working long hours in factories, for selling their organs among other things. The victims usually include women and kids because they are tricked easier. Traffickers usually promise a better life style or more job opportunities. Poverty, bad relationship with family members, abusive history, low self –esteem, discrimination and the lack of education are some of the factors that make people vulnerable for human trafficking. Tricking is not the only way; in several occasions specially kids are just stolen and sold (Pan American Health Organization, 2012). The conditions in which they treat these persons are mostly harsh, usually treated as slaves. To begin with, if they disobey any order they are threatened, abused and even beaten up. Girls are often sexually abused if they don’t obey the trafficker, even forced to prostitute themselves. What we observed in this movie is human trafficking of minors used for sexual exploitation. The National Working Group for Sexually Exploited Children and Young People (2008) defines sexual exploitation the following way: â€Å"The sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive ‘something’ (e. g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of performing, and/or others performing on them, sexual activities. Child sexual exploitation can occur through use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition, for example the persuasion to post sexual images on the internet/mobile phones with no immediate payment or gain. In all cases those exploiting the child/young person have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources† Sexual exploitation not only harms the victim but, also the family and people that surround them. This involves not only physical damage but also a psychological one, making it difficult to continue with their lives (National Working Group, 2012). Regardless of the country where the trafficking occurs, sadly most women suffer from sexual transmitted diseases as well as forced abortions. The lack of access to health care fearing that they will be deported or threatened by their trafficker deteriorates their quality of life, in occasions exposing them to near death experiences (Pan American Health Organization, 2012). The persons who are trafficked suffer an extreme violation of their human rights (Pan American Health Organization, 2012) such as the right to liberty, the right to dignity and security of person, the right not to be held in slavery or involuntary servitude, the right to be free from cruel and inhumane treatment, the right to be free from, and last but not least the right to health. If we take a closer look to sexual exploitation, we can see that more social aspects are involved. As mentioned before, women and kids are vulnerable to be trafficked because of their innocence. Most of the people trafficked lead to sexual exploitation, so we can observe a gender issue here. Many of the victims are searching a better life opportunity which involves an economical factor. We can see in the movie that the two girls in which the plot centers were seeking a better life. Both of them came from a low socio-economical level as well as a dysfunctional family. One of the girls was even sexually abused by a family member, and her mom literally told her to stay away because they lived with the aunt, pushing her out of the family. Unfortunately, all of these problems mentioned are seen more frequently each day. We can see more kids dropping out of school because they need to work to pay their studies, and here is where traffickers come by and trick them to later explode them. The lack of opportunity to study is an influential factor. All of these lead to a low self- esteem and a poor concept of themselves that if not treated on time it can turn into a depression. This can last several years but if they don’t change this concept it can end up in a suicide. Suicides are becoming a big social issue now a day. We can see more teenagers committing all around the world. Even though it’s not shown in the movie, it is a consequence too. A big phenomenon involved in this crime is migration. It can be defined as the movement of people across a specified boundary for the purpose of establishing a new or semi-permanent residence (INDEPTH, 2008). Most of the people that end up in this mafia are because they want to get out of their countries and like many don’t have the resources, they get involved with the wrong people. Instead of being helped, this innocent people become victims of human trafficking. The region in which the movie develops is known for being a conflict zone for several years. The border with the other cities is usually a war zone; influencing in the Bosnian’s way of life. Why can’t they just leave? Several trafficking victims are physically imprisoned and controlled by guards. And if they have the freedom to leave the place in which they leave for several hours, they are being supervised in other ways. Violence is usually involved in this cases including physical, sexual and psychological. Former victims have accepted that in occasions they are beaten with different tools for refusing clients or trying to escape. Others have said that are forced to use drugs or consume alcohol and that many become addicted. From a social point of view, addictions are also a problem. The abuse of substances such as drugs, alcohol and narcotics can be seen more frequently and have turned into a huge problem in society. They affect the life of millions of people a year causing even hundreds of deaths (Pan American Health Organization, 2012). They can go when they finish paying their debt. They supposedly owe them because they give them food, shelter, a job and moved them out of their country. It is a never ending debt because it continues growing each day. Victims are usually threatened by the traffickers saying that their family will be harmed. The threats and intimidation has made this profitable business work and continue working through several years (Pan American Health Organization, 2012). HIV/AIDS and other STD’s are very common in the victims. They are exposed to serve sexually too many men a day without protection that getting infected is very common. It is unfair but the number keeps growing of minor girls who suffer from this diseases. Teenage pregnancies occur because of the unprotected sex as well as many unwanted abortions (Pan American Health Organization, 2012). I find this to be a very awful and enormous business. It is a huge crime organization because victims are trafficked throughout the whole world. It is a complete mafia and the question is who controls it? In my opinion and because of the true facts of the movie, several working government people need to be involved in all the countries. It is said that probably in several years it is going to be the highest paid crime passing the drug dealing business (Querol, 2009). The Merriam Webster Dictionary (2012) came with this concept of corruption: impairment of integrity, virtue or moral principle. Clearly the people who don’t have any ethics, moral principles, values and integrity. They are not empathic with others feelings and are compulsive liars. The psychological profile of this people is dangerous as well as the one of the sex offenders. The ones who abuse of the children trafficked were probably abused too as a child and have and emotional congruence (Neddermeyer, 2006). This crime involves many social problems because one may lead to another taking away hundreds of lives. Indirectly it involves a whole family, one person can be the victim but the suffering is for all family members. Definitely thousands of persons get profits from this organization regardless of whether they are harming someone or not. I still can’t believe how they can live of this knowing that it is through people’s suffering. My beliefs about nongovernmental organizations changes completely as well as working government people and police officers. Who can we trust completely anymore? The NGO they mention in this movie is the United Nations but, probably it is not the only one involved in cases like this. I’m not criticizing the UN because I know they have many positive things too and help a lot of people but, now I’m aware that they are also corrupted and have their negative parts. I’m glad that people like officer Bolkovac still exist and that are willing to risk everything including their job to break this system. She could’ve cooperated indirectly with this crime by just ignoring it and being blind as many others do but, she fought for what she thought was fair exposing herself to even being killed. I’m also very happy that she didn’t stay silent. She went with the press and told the names that were involved. Even though some denied it she did and effort and contributed with what was in her hands to stop this mafia, because this is what it is. As a psychology student I think I can support a little to stop this crime. Maybe I can’t go a check places and have court orders to enter places but, I can the victims with their emotions and self-esteem issues to feel confident about themselves making them less vulnerable to be victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The social issues mentioned before such as addictions, depression, dysfunctional families, lack of education and low self- esteem can be treated. That’s were psychologist participate and have a big role changing the lives of these people preventing this horrible crime. I’m sad that all this social problems exist and the number keeps growing but I’m happy that I can help, whether it is preventing it or helping directly the persons affected.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Social and Emotional Learning Competence

Question: Discuss aboutr the Social and Emotional Learning Competence. Answer: Introduction The resume contains the career details of Jenny Peterson, who is an experienced counsellor and a practitioner of family dispute resolution. The family practitioners need a series of competencies to deal with the clients with adequate empathy. There are several therapists and counsellors around the world, who provide psychological counselling to the families and the achieve a positive outcome which can only be done if the counsellor achieve a careful assessment and is competent enough of understanding the complex situations of the client, and capable of working with them and has a definite aim of reaching the final outcome which is attainable and ends in a positive note (Pybis et al. 2015). This essay will provide a critical analysis of the resume of Jenny Peterson where it will analyse the competencies of the counsellor. The measurement of the skills at the implementation of the treatment to the clients requires a detailed assessment. Apparently it might be a complicated assessment, but there can be three different methods that could be used for this assessment. The first one is the successful assessment of the outcome of the patients. This might feel as a compelling index, because the aim of the treatment would be to benefit the patients. However, while in practice the assessment could be problematic. Basically the basic shortcoming of the procedure is that there can be an indirect measure as the outcomes of the patient can be affected by different variables, a major one would be the characteristics of the patients. The patients may vary in their responses throughout the treatment due to any kind of co-morbidity or the present complicated life of their own (Stevens et al. 2015). A successful counsellor would be the one who has evaluated all the data that the client has provided him or her in the cou nselling sessions and finally lead to a decision that will benefit the client in life. A successful counsellor should also assess the quality of their counselling sessions by using different methods. For this reason they may use the therapy quality method which will require them to evaluate all the counselling sessions using a certain standard procedure. For instance, in the sphere of cognitive behaviour theory, the most common practice for the treatment would be using the cognitive therapy scale. Usually the counsellors record all the sessions and evaluate them by a certain rater with the respect to the quality and presence of the pre determined theories (McGillivray et al. 2015). This is also an attractive way of evaluating the competence of the therapist as it is possible to assess their performance for their implementation of the treatment. According to the resume the counsellor has the competency of counselling the couples and families and the individuals as well. He has also worked with several issues such as family violence, anxiety, depression and the issues related with alcohol and drug abuse. The vast range of treating these issues portrays a clear understanding of the problems of the clients. The counsellor seems to deal with the complicated family issues which clearly indicates a profound understanding of inter relationship issues. The counsellor also competent in writing detailed report relating to the case notes, reports of the client and the arguments regarding the parenting issue. He is also capable of developing the action plan. This also indicates his skill of critically analyse the situation and apply the psychological knowledge while assessing the situation. This particular competency of him shows he has the skill of defining the problem and applies the empirical, theoretical and his professional knowled ge to analyse the data from the counselling sessions. After identifying the supportive and positive aspects of the situation, he has been able to recognize the subjective nature of the data interpretation. The resume also indicates that he is capable of conducting training and group felicitation for the women who are living with family violence. This quality has specifically indicated the presence of good communication skills in him which helps him to provide relevant psychological services to the women. Through engaging his clients in counselling and developing the training package for women support group, he has been successful in making major changes in their life and their children. He has also developed the Aboriginal Awareness workshops in order to address the increasing numbers of issues that have continued affecting the Aboriginal people. This has indicated the counsellor has sufficient cultural competence in him. He is aware of cultural safety thus can be effective in apply ing his psychological education to people regardless of culture, gender, occupation and gender orientation. He has also been registered as a family Dispute Practioner with the Attorney Generals Department. This shows he has been successful enough in his psychological counselling career so that he can achieve such a prestigious position. Now he has been mentoring the freshers according to the FDRP guidelines in order to make sure that they follow the procedural formats and correct information. This shows his ability of performing in multiple roles and keeps a balance in their supervisory context. He has also been managing a large volunteer program which shows he is capable of maintaining a supervisory relationship and establishes the boundaries. Conclusion In conclusion it can be said that the counsellor Jenny Peterson has achieved several prestigious accomplishments in his life and he had shown the abilities of being competent enough as a successful practioner of psychological counselling. Not only the psychological reflections, he had been succeeded as a coordinator as well. Reference List and bibliography Di Mattia, M.A. and Grant, J., 2016. Counselling Psychology in Australia: History, status and challenges.Counselling Psychology Quarterly,29(2), pp.139-149. Goodyear, R., Lichtenberg, J., Hutman, H., Overland, E., Bedi, R., Christiani, K., Di Mattia, M., du Preez, E., Farrell, B., Feather, J. and Grant, J., 2016. A global portrait of counselling psychologists characteristics, perspectives, and professional behaviors.Counselling Psychology Quarterly,29(2), pp.115-138. McGillivray, J., Gurtman, C., Boganin, C. and Sheen, J., 2015. Self?Practice and Self?Reflection in Training of Psychological Interventions and Therapist Skills Development: A Qualitative Meta?Synthesis Review.Australian Psychologist,50(6), pp.434-444. Pybis, J., Cooper, M., Hill, A., Cromarty, K., Levesley, R., Murdoch, J. and Turner, N., 2015. Pilot randomised controlled trial of school?based humanistic counselling for psychological distress in young people: Outcomes and methodological reflections.Counselling and Psychotherapy Research,15(4), pp.241-250. Stevens, B., Hyde, J., Knight, R., Shires, A. and Alexander, R., 2015. Competency-based training and assessment in Australian postgraduate clinical psychology education.Clinical Psychologist. Tarbetsky, A.L., Martin, A.J. and Collie, R.J., 2017. Social and emotional learning, social and emotional competence, and students academic outcomes: The roles of psychological need satisfaction, adaptability, and buoyancy. InSocial and Emotional Learning in Australia and the Asia-Pacific(pp. 17-37). Springer Singapore.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

An Unavoidable War essays

An Unavoidable War essays America, with excellent economical bases and a strong government, is a place where golden opportunities are flowing everywhere in the air, and a country where everyone dreams to live. But the most important of all, America has offered a different life style, the life style where other countries do not provide. Not only that America has the freedom given to all persons, but also it is the only land that marks all men are created equal, an eminent phrase from the famous Declaration of Independence that our third US President Thomas Jefferson had written two-hundred-twenty-three years ago, which guarantees the equality and unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for all humans. Since the freedom and the equality, that avail in America, are what most humans have been searched for, therefore these advantages are also the reasons why so many people have desired to live on this land called America. Nowadays, love of liberty is the predominant feeling of many people. It is of paramount importance that humans should fight for their liberty because all men are created equal, therefore all humans deserve freedom, liberty, and equality. That was what our forefathers did, they fought for their liberty and freedom against the Red Coat British soldiers. This was one of the most glorious and important wars in American history, the Revolutionary War. The American colonies declared their independence from Britain; and the very first time of working together, trying to achieve the same goal, the thirteen colonies, with France on their side aiding during the war, defeated British and received their freedom and liberty. The American Revolution is the central event in American history, it marks also the beginning of the distinctively modern period in world history. Many historians declared that the Revolutionary War was an unavoidable war because there we...

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Free Essays on Eucharist

History On the night of Holy Thursday the meal was different from the other times because it was the Jewish Passover. This act was also known as renewing God’s covenant. When Jesus shared the meal with his friends, it showed them how much he loved them. One of the greatest symbols of the Passover Meal is bread because it sustains life. Jesus believes that when you think of him you take part in the Paschal Mystery. In the Infant Church the people would worship in the temple and then go to private homes to celebrate the Messiah. During the First Century the meal was recognized as an agape. This means a love feats or common supper. It was told that at these common suppers people abused the bread and wine. Since some people drank too much of the wine, the celebration was set aside from the common meal. In the Third and Fourth Centuries priests started to say their own prayers during the mass. According to some people the prayers were so meaningful that they were recorded in books. Today, most of ours prayers date back to the very early church. During the Fourth through Seventh Centuries many things changed throughout the mass. For instance, in 384 the mass was to be said in Latin. The theory of an Eucharistic Meal began to fade out. The actual presence of Christ in the bread and wine was being debated during the Middle Ages. By this point in time mass was being celebrated in a huge church because of the extensive number of Christians. The 20th century was known as the reform century. The Council of Trent gathered in order to correct some abuses in the church. Today the mass is said in several languages, and people are allowed to take communion by hand. The church is very concerned about how well the people participate and understand the mass.... Free Essays on Eucharist Free Essays on Eucharist History On the night of Holy Thursday the meal was different from the other times because it was the Jewish Passover. This act was also known as renewing God’s covenant. When Jesus shared the meal with his friends, it showed them how much he loved them. One of the greatest symbols of the Passover Meal is bread because it sustains life. Jesus believes that when you think of him you take part in the Paschal Mystery. In the Infant Church the people would worship in the temple and then go to private homes to celebrate the Messiah. During the First Century the meal was recognized as an agape. This means a love feats or common supper. It was told that at these common suppers people abused the bread and wine. Since some people drank too much of the wine, the celebration was set aside from the common meal. In the Third and Fourth Centuries priests started to say their own prayers during the mass. According to some people the prayers were so meaningful that they were recorded in books. Today, most of ours prayers date back to the very early church. During the Fourth through Seventh Centuries many things changed throughout the mass. For instance, in 384 the mass was to be said in Latin. The theory of an Eucharistic Meal began to fade out. The actual presence of Christ in the bread and wine was being debated during the Middle Ages. By this point in time mass was being celebrated in a huge church because of the extensive number of Christians. The 20th century was known as the reform century. The Council of Trent gathered in order to correct some abuses in the church. Today the mass is said in several languages, and people are allowed to take communion by hand. The church is very concerned about how well the people participate and understand the mass....

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Human resources Case study analyze Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human resources analyze - Case Study Example Now it has often being seen that within this class to be involved with a conflict in normal life is quite a usual and regular job. So when people are coming from this level to any work place a little bit of behavioral effect will be reflected in the work environment also. As all these can affect the output of the company so the Human Resource department has to be very consciously and with lots of patience have to handle the situation. Each and every company has its own policy of how they want to set the rules and regulations regarding the performance assessment of any employee. But still it can happen that in some critical situation employees are to be judge on the basic of situational evidence and witnesses. Like in the situation of Jesse Stansky given in the case study. The complaint against him was he has been found as hitting one of his colleagues. Now this is a serious offence and this situation implies that he was trying to influence any other worked by force and fear. This kind of behavior is a serious offence for any organization. Though Jesse Stansky was working in that organization for many years and has contributed although not very remarkable but as an average employee. While judging this particular situation of Jesse Stansky along with the company policy, the employee handbook, and the labor agreement, the Human Resource department has to give emphasis about what other witness are saying about the situation. This is so because it is important to identify the reality of the situation and this can only be known if the description of the situation is been heard from other employee who was also present in that particular situation. In this particular case Jesse Stansky has been found in a situation with another technician named Gary Lindekin where Jesse was hitting Gary. And this has been observed by another technician who was present there. So for the Human Resource department it

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

2-1-3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

2-1-3 - Essay Example heightened awareness of environmental problems such as climate change and the extreme dependence on economically unreliable supply of fossil fuels and their dwindling reserves. The European Union (EU) has been at the forefront of attempting to gradually adapt the concept of environmental sustainability. EU’s current target is to be able to supply 20% of its energy requirements through renewable energy by 2020 (European Commission 2010). EU’s gradual adoption of renewable energy as a significant resource as part of its total energy supply is an attempt to secure a long term supply of energy for its residents while at the same time reducing the negative effects of energy use on the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are the primary cause of greenhouse emissions. Not only that, there is a finite supply of fossil fuels reserves which are being consumed at an accelerating rate. The fact that fossil fuels are the primary energy resource and provide the feedstock for almost all of the manufacturing industry at some stage of production calls for a need for the conservation of these resources and the search for alternates. The environmentally sustainable nature of renewable energy is inherently more economically stable and therefore will remain more affordable in the future compared to the unreliable and volatile fossil fuel market. One of the renewable energy initiatives the EU is promoting is the use of biofuels. A biofuel is any fuel that is obtained from a renewable biological resource, such as wood or as in the case of EU’s new and largest biofuel refinery situated in Britain, wheat. The biofuel energy model works on the principal that plants not only provide a renewable source of fuel compared to finite fossil fuel reserves, they also fit into the current carbon cycle and provide us with fuel by using carbon dioxide already present in the atmosphere instead of introducing more carbon by releasing it from fossil fuels. Other

Monday, November 18, 2019

Long-Term Investment Decision Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Long-Term Investment Decision - Essay Example The following sections provide an outline of ways to meets the price problem and other issues such as, government intervention in the industry. Price elasticity of demand assesses sensitivity of quantity demanded with respect to change in price. Price elasticity is being considered in decision-making process of the company because with rise in price of food ingredients (raw material), it is naturally assumed that price of the final product will also increase. In this situation, managers need to analyze the impact of price change on product demand. The demand can be either elastic or inelastic. Elastic demand will alter with the price change, while inelastic demand tends to be static with price change. The demand of necessity product is usually inelastic in nature (Fibich, Gavious & Lowengart, 2005). For example, if the company is operating in a location where individuals are extremely busy, have no time to cook at home and are highly healthy conscious, then demand of the products of Fitness Food will be inelastic, unless the price change is unreasonably high. On the contrary, areas where fresh food is easily available and i ndividuals have access to home-made food and fresh fruits, the demand will be negatively elastic in case of price change (Senauer, 2001). Keeping in view the problem that management is facing, application of a customized pricing strategy is essential to resolve problems related to price elasticity. Optimal pricing policy is otherwise known as perfect price discrimination; implementation of this policy would mean that Fitness Food will have to segment its consumer market in different groups and have to research the amount that consumers are willing to pay for packaged food. The company has to determine optimal price and volume, which is also referred as the price and volume of the product that will maximize its profit. Fitness Food has to determine preference of its consumers and their price sensitiveness with the help of distributors and

Friday, November 15, 2019

Effects of Trailers in Film Campaigns

Effects of Trailers in Film Campaigns As the main function of a film trailer is to market the film and promote to a range of audiences film trailers are also a form of persuasive art and promotional narrative, they are designed to make you want to go and see the film being shown at the cinema. As film trailers do give you the free sample of the film being advertised they also function as a tool to allow us to be aware of what films have been released on cinema and as Lisa Kernan states, ‘Trailers are a cinema of (coming) attractions.’ And this essentially means film trailers are individual events allowing us to also see upcoming events in the future. Film trailers permit the viewers to generate opinions of their own so they can decide which films to go and watch. Trailers are my chosen topic for this dissertation, it will focus on the principle features of the film trailers, where I will analyse case studies to highlight the use of classic American film techniques and in return the analysis will answer the questions, what is a film trailer? How does a film trailer create meaning? Film trailers brought to my attention the ability they have to reconfigure a feature length film narrative into a short cinematic film. It is this factor which brings me to analyse film trailers closely. I will be closely paying attention to a chosen element of the extensive range the marketing campaign. In particular I have chosen to look into film trailers. From Marketing I will move on to film trailers, where I am going to call attention to the design of film trailer, which will consist of analysing and identifying the principle features. These are its bare essentials, the Narrative, the Genre, the Sound; they are combined to create a film trailer. Each of these elements will be analysed along with several case studies to provide examples for the use of these elements. I will be looking for the use of editing techniques to determine how they create meaning and desired effects, such techniques include transitions, types of shot and bridging devices along with the use of captions. Other such techniques that will be brought up are the emphasis on the unique selling point of a film and using the star system to sell the film. These techniques in return will show how the narrative, the genre are some of the principle features constituting to the overall design of a film trailer. Further more into the analysis I will look at sound techniques such as voice over narration, the sound track and sound effects created for the film trailers. These techniques will determine the meaning Sound brings to the film trailer. Overall by looking at these techniques in different film trailers I will show how these principle features create effects and show how they function and what meanings they generate. Once I have established the meanings of the design of a film I will look at the functions of a trailer in its intended market. I will talk about the functions of the marketing campaign as a total strategy. I will broadly look into the marketing campaign to explain its importance in the film industry. Within in marketing I will be looking at the functions and effects of Distribution, promotion and advertising as the broader context in which film trailers fit into. I will consider factors such as market research into social cultures and why it is necessary, in addition with internet advertising and distribution as a tool for the mass audience. Moving on from the marketing of film trailers to the actual creation and techniques used in trailers known as the design. First I am going to look at the film trailer in general and state briefly what elements are used to construct the film trailer this will give us the groundwork’s and background information for film trailers so I can start to distinguish the finer elements in detail. In general film trailers tend to show us the most interesting images from a film; the scenes that will appeal to the viewers or make them laugh or create a sense of fear, any thing to excite the audience. To define a trailer to its bare essentials, I ask the question what makes a film trailer distinct and special. I believe that when certain key features are put together they create a powerful persuasive form of mini film. It is the use of techniques in which the trailers are created in there style that makes them distinct, as later I will prove in my analysis that each trailers approaches the design and style in showing the film in a unique and individual way while still employing classic Hollywood film techniques. The use of different shots and combining these shots to emphasize the films best features as well as the use of transitions and graphics are some classic Hollywood techniques used in promoting a film trailer. My research in film trailers has lead me to believe that the use of montage sequences and shot selection are the elements that bring together the narrative, genre and sound to create the film trailers. ‘It is the capacity of film trailers to convey information non-verbally through mise-en-scene, editing, camera movements and facial expressions that provides the power to promote in such a big way’ Narrative The first principle feature of film trailers is the narrative. The film trailer creates a separate narrative to present the narrative of the feature length film. Narration is the telling of a story, and the plot of a film trailer implies story information. It is the narrational component of trailers which is significant to their production of meaning. Some trailers focus more on this feature as the film most likely covers important issues or contain a meaning of some importance these types of narratives are known as non-fictional. Fictional films tend to focus on explaining the background information to establish the story, I am going to look at a specific genre of film trailers, I have chosen action films spanning over the 1970’s 80’s and 90’s. The Terminator film is a perfect example of a trailer that employs a specific technique of plot development. The narrative function is to introduce the character, in this case study it is ‘The Terminator’ where the story implies a search and destroy plot. The voice over states what the plot is going to be about by saying a few facts, the last few words that are said explain the type of plot development you can expect in the film, It will have only one purpose, to return to the present and prevent the future. This weapon will be called The Terminator. With out this information the audience would be confused and the trailer would become arbitrary; it is the narrative that gives the film context first along with the images which reveal more of the plot. The use of narrative to explain the films meaning and purpose is essential, the function of narrative in this trailer shows the technique of a goal orientated plot. †¦there are goal orientated plots, in which a character takes steps to achieve a desired object or state of affairs Plot development is a technique employed in many other action film trailers as I have noticed. The Die Hard film trailer reveals a plot where the central character John McLain is trying to save his wife who has been taken hostage among many others in a building. This plot reveals patterns of repeated action. Trailers use plot patterns to allow the audience to expect a certain type of plot, the audience create their own more specific intentions, as the trailer goes on revealing the audiences expectations become more precise. Aliens is a perfect example of a search and destroy plot pattern that is identified in the first scene of the movie where the female heroine known as Sigourney weaver asks a question and gets a simple reply. This small amount of dialogue explains the development of plot you can expect to see in the film itself. Just tell me one thing Berk, we’re going out to destroy them†¦rite, not to study, not to bring back, but to wipe them out? †¦That’s the plan! Although this dialogue alone is unjustified until you see the action that follows it. This statement implies that there is something out there and not of a friendly nature, Sigourney’s intentions are to go out there and destroy something. It is clear that narrative in trailers plays an integral role in the creation of meaning in delivering the narrative plot of the feature length film correctly, without revealing too much but making it interesting enough. The two trailers mentioned above use voice over to narrate the story information where as my next example employs the use of inter titles. The inter titles are words on a blank screen or superimposed over images, which contribute to the meaning of the plot or story information. In addition they are used as a transition between time and space, the connotative meanings of the words are interpreted by social cultures who relate the words to the nature of the society in which they live in. The trailer lets the images reveal more about the style and dialogue of the film, while the inter titles connote different meanings and informs the audiences of what to expect in the film. This is a different technique to inform the audience of the type of plot development they can expect. In addition to the narrative development of plots, the middle portion of the trailer displays the events that define action and adventure are the causes of the delays of expected outcomes. These events may cause suspense, fear, excitement and surprise. For example in the Die hard film trailer the number of obstacles John McLain has to fight through to save his wife are just the delayed expectations, creating suspense and progressing through to the final climaxes of the film. Although this true film trailers differ slightly in the fact that scenes are shown leading up to the climax but you have to remember it is only a trailer and its purpose is to interest you, so the climax is never shown. This brings me to talk about the narrative in its effect of making audiences want to experience the action and fear created buy viewing through the safe environment of the cinema. By only seeing certain key scenes in a film trailers they allow you to create affective expectations and generate your own intentions of what the full feature will contain. These expectations from the audiences are what Wolfgang Iser calls ‘Textual Gaps’. The film industry assume the audience will generate there own desired intentions, emotions and expectations after viewing the trailers. For example a trailers principle features or rhetoric might highlight a films quality of music or sound and spectacle or narrative. This is vital in terms of audiences having there own intentions and wanting to go and see a film they desire rather then seeing the real film. The point being, plot developments in trailers only reveal a certain amount and their purpose is to inform but then entice audiences to fill in the remaining information with intentions then effectively the trailer has fulfilled its job in attracting the viewer. Genre The narrative explanation of story plot and information is closely related to the genre in terms of the style in which this narrative is represented and in a form that audiences can recognize. Some trailers focus more specifically on the dialogue, sometimes the trailer will focus more on the spectacles or just show who stars in the film and name the most famous actors. This usually identifies quickly the genre and type of film trailer you are viewing. For instance the Die Hard film sets the narrative and then the remainder of the trailer focuses more on display of the established conventions recognised by the American society such as the use of guns and explosions that are emphasized on. Another film that I will analyse approaches the genre in a similar manor. Alien V Predator Requiem starts of by presenting a very calm environment then suddenly turns to show action and gun fire. To show the audience the genre of the film both these trailers employ similar techniques. Both these trailers point to the use of Tzvetan Todorov’s narrative theory, in which the narrative situations take transformational steps in the process of cause an effect principle. This is evident in Alien Vs Predator Requiem trailer where equilibrium is stated with an establishing scene of the town location, a disruption is outlined in the trailer by the entrance of an unknown object through the sky and the following scenes displays the killing of a father hunting in the forest with his child. As a search party make there way through the forest to find a body, becomes the recognition of the disruption. The footage that follows, display the attempt to repair the disruption caused in the earlier stages of transformation of the narrative. Anomaly with film trailers is that the last stage on transformation known as the reinstatement of the initial equilibrium is not shown as this lures the audiences into going to see the full story. Although I have analysed a film trailer with the use of a narrative theory while talking about genre, it is relevant for the following reason. The nature in which the story follows the stages of transformation also shows that action has to be taken against the disruption of the equilibrium. This allows the images to focus on the action and genre of this film trailer. It is the formation of selected shots which appear to present itself in the form of this ‘causal transformation’ All film trailers will have establishing scenes with a message clearly showing the films genre, either by showing particular scenes or putting emphasis on the story and actors. I will be closely analysing the Die Hard trailer as a case study to distinguish the meaning of genre and how it is created in trailers. An important technique to describe here is the unique selling point of film trailers in which the films most attractive features are shown and emphasized on. I believe this technique is directly linked in identifying the genre of action films. This is evident in the Die Hard trailer as the big spectacles are emphasized on to present the action in a loud and interesting manner, therefore the unique selling point of the trailer being the action. This leads to the use of conventional genre ideas that are recognised by many audiences in the broader perspective. These conventional genre ideas being such features as guns, big car chases as well as car crashes and explosions of some nature. These events inform the audience of particular attributes that allow viewers to distinguish action films from horror films. These traits are quickly recognisable features within a cultural society of film viewers. Further more one technique of defining a film trailer through genre is the selection of shot types used in creating the trailer. The editing technique is very important in the creation of the trailer, because the selection of shot determines the effect achieved on screen and also the use of shot can explain clearly what the scene is showing. As the die hard trailer starts, Christmas music is playing, the setting and environment looks natural as the equilibrium has been set, until the trailer changes its mood. A close up shot of the villain shows him shooting a number of bullets into the air. This scene of a gun being fired defines the trailer as an action film, as the scenes to follow show more action. The audience only know this through past cinematic experience which implies action films have a number of set agreed cinematic conventions to which the audience identify film trailers through. Another action genre film trailer also employs the same techniques of unique selling points and the use of shot selection to present the action such as Alien Vs Predator Requiem. The trailer begins with a slow tempo and an establishing shot to show the peaceful environment, at this point the genre is fairly unclear. Around the middle of the trailer the mood changes and a medium shot shows a ball of fire entering the scene, this implies an object has shot past from outer space. This is the definitive scene in the trailer because it shows a change in the narrative. The following scene show more action and the trailer then goes on to show the films unique selling point, the Alien. In addition actors are also used to sell films because of their star status. This is evident in my next case study Pulp Fiction. The scenes in this trailer are used to show the large cast starring in the film, while still showing the film in a clever design. The unique selling point of this film trailer is the use of the actor’s star status as well as the action in the film. While this film lacks big spectacles it is still an action movie but focuses more on the dialogue and narrative. The trailer introduces the idea of different stories taking place while putting the emphasis on the cast. The trailer uses intertitles to bridge the first story from the second, in between these scenes the trailer uses inter titles to display the words ‘loyalty’, ‘betrayal’ and ‘crime’ to separate the stories, at the same time very little is revealed. By introducing the cast through each of the stories, the use of the inter titles using words associated with the stories the film trailer sets the genre as well as the unique selling point of the film. Because the focus is directed more on the cast and the narrative the action comes across as equal as the other features. The trailer ends with a voice over reading out the names of the actors that star in the film, the scenes also follow each other rapidly and are timed with the names being read out. This type of sequence is known as the montage sequience. A montage sequence is where a series of shots are arranged in a particular order for a particular purpose. The sequence is more about presenting the footage in a different way rather that providing the illusion of natural continuity. In the Pulp Fiction trailer this sequence was used to show the actors when their names where being read out. At the same time this sequence was used to show more scenes from the film. Overall the trailer doesn’t reveal much about the story but highlights the Genre and actors very well. I think the trailer is cleverly created in the sense that very little is revealed yet enough is seen along with the three descriptive words giving a definition of the story for the audience to associate what is seen with the tittles describing what will occur in the film. These words leave the narrative open for the audience’s imaginations to build up a film they would like to see. In effect the use editing techniques such as montage sequences and selection of specific shots and transitions trailers form ways of presenting the narrative of a film with aesthetic. Sound As genre and narrative work hand in hand to show the plot and genre another principle feature of a film trailer is the use of Sound. Sound in film trailers is very important, it forces the viewers to use more then just the visual sense, and instead the sound engages the aural senses of the viewers. As sound is as important as the visual footage it can achieve very strong effects and yet remain unnoticed, it is very unlikely a spectator comes out the cinema and acknowledges the film for its aural efforts. As Sergei Eisenstien called ‘synchronization of senses’ known as combining the image and the sound to create a single rhythm or expressive quality. I have picked a trailer for my case study where I think the synchronization of sound with image is important in the creation of meaning and overall mood of the film. The sound used in films is known as the film sound track for example the Rocky film trailer. This trailer uses music to create emotion and mood in away that emphasizes the emotion created in the scenes, this emotion is used to reach out to the audience for them to engage with the characters feelings. The Rocky trailer uses a specific sound track to create emotion around the story for example the tempo and rhythm changes according to the images. The music changes dramatically in the scene with rocky and the women kissing, this scene implies romance but the music sets a specific mood that an audience can relate to, it creates an atmosphere to go with the scene. The next scene shows a man having a talk with Rocky, the music changes instantly to imply chance, possibility and the intention of something happening (Cause and Effect) the music here changes from the piano to a kind of tower clock bell ringing. This trailer uses music to create emotion but it is in excess of change, the mood in the trailer changes to often and switches from romance to opportunity then back to sad music then to energetic music, the positive side to this music is it displays an emotional plot and the Rocky’s struggle to make something of his life. This kind of sound is known as nondiegetic sound. Nondiegetic sound is represented by sources existing outside the story world. As I carrying out analysis on action film trailers nondiegetic sound is important as music is the most commonly used type of sound in action films to create effective emphasis on the action: ‘Viewers understand that the â€Å"movie music† is a convention and does not issue from the world of the story’ A trailer is defined as a brief film text that uses images from a specific feature film while asserting its excellence, its purpose being to project in theatres to promote a films theatrical release. A film trailer is an essential marketing tool and the nuclei of the promotional effort being an advert for a film the trailers design features are as important as its other functions. The most important principle of a film trailer is what it functions as best, its distribution, promotion and marketing of an upcoming film. This process occurs before the product reaches the viewers. ‘There are many forms through which we can communicate.’ I consider this statement as a starting point linked to film trailers because trailers are presented in many mediums to a wide range of audiences to different cultures. This is also where the idea of promoting trailers and marketing them begins correctly. There are many different processes to consider in knowing the target audience and what type of category the film fits into. As I am going to be looking at the action genre in film trailers, the target audience will be a ‘core audience’ who is attracted by the varying story lines but the essential action is what appeals to them. Films are put into certain categories known as genres, these films having different attributes which in turn address different audiences. Attracting a huge audience starts with knowing the genre and type of film, this leads to the right distributor who is required to get the film to the exhibitors. The marketing campaign also lets the audience know the film is in the process of being produced and when the release date has been set for. The idea of releasing the trailer early is to create a fan base or create enough interest for a potential audience and to generate enough hype up until the film is finished and ready to premiere. The importance of marketing a film can affect the overall outcome of the film in theatres. The marketing of a film includes the total strategy required to sell a film. This strategy includes the different types of advertising, promotion and distribution of a feature length film. Marketing is the strategy employed to find the most effective way to get to your audience or buyer Once a film is complete, marketing supplements the various forms of conventional advertising (Trailers, Television, Radio, Press, Poster Campaigns and the Internet). The idea of marketing lies around creating a positive image around the film which has been produced. As quoted above the conventional advertising practices, one has not been mentioned, name tie-ins. Tie-ins are contracts between companies selling consumer products with distribution companies. The consumer products can be of everyday use such as food labels carrying images and titles of the films, toys and cloths, all of which promote the film. Although advertising is a specific strategy to expose a feature length film, the marketing is more about the total exposure to the general public on the whole. An important part of the marketing process is known as Market research. This element is vital to the success of a blockbuster movie of contemporary cinema. Its function is to monitor the response of the public’s reception towards an advertised film and to change the marketing strategy accordingly. The three most significant events in selling a film are the pitching of a film idea, finding the distributor and finding an exhibitor. First the distributors or financiers have to finance a movie where a script has been written by someone who wants it to be made into a film. The financiers or the distributors are known as the first buyers. From this the distributor must market the film further and pitch the finished film to an exhibitor. Just as the distributor brought the script and idea of the film so does the exhibitor wish to view the completed film before deciding to show the film in all of its chain of theaters. The Exhibitors are known as the Second Buyers. Finally the advertising and promoting a film to an audience is known as the third buyers.The promotion and the advertising is the job of the distributor and the publicist. All these processes fit together as the marketing (selling) of the film to a potential audience. Trailers are basically another form of advertising a product, where the film is the product and the trailer being the advert. ‘Attempts were made to advertise films with trailers as early as 1912.’ Promotion is a form of advertising; the devices involved in promoting haven’t changed drastically since the exhibitors first started promoting in the film industry. I believe that the function of promotion is to inform society and different cultures that a product is out and available. It was the arrival of Nickelodeon around 1905, which fundamentally changed the advertisement strategies. Promotion of feature length films began when the amount of exhibitors grew and the competition for the amount of films released also grew. The exhibitors felt the need to advertise their films so as to attract the public to their theatres. The exhibitors put up posters, made flyers and distributed them to the homes of the general public as well as even hiring barkers to shout out information about their films. From 1908 onwards promoting products seemed the only way to reach out to the public to seek there attention and compete against other exhibitors. At this point only the exhibitors were concerned about promoting there products and fighting of other competition the studios and producers of the films were more concerned about the machines that made films. As promotion became increasingly important so did there efforts in seeking the publics attention. Weekly or monthly bulletins were produced listing up coming features; they focused on the plots, sets and stories of the films. Exhibitors set the trend with promotion of films, studios quickly caught on and opened up advertising departments in their companies. These departments controlled the production of posters and other advertising tactics; they supplied these in the form of press books to theatres during the silent and classical eras. These advertising departments established there promotional practices which also continued on into the classical era. Companies such as MGM also began using promotional campaigns; it became the standard procedure to promote films. Trailer on the other hand started appearing around 1912 but didn’t become coherent until a few years later. It is clear that within a decade of Hollywood cinema the promotional campaign was the most important element in the film industry. Moving towards the classical era, trailers are the one practice where they have changed according to the lengths and qualities of the feature length films. As in the silent era films were not long enough to have trailers but in the classical era trailers generally consisted of voice over narrating on top of film footage, including text over the image using hard-sell tag-lines to sell the picture. I came across an example of a classic film containing these hard-sell tag-lines. The King Kong (1933) trailer is a perfect example of these inter titles emphasizing the film as a must see feature, one of the inter titles reads: ‘Still†¦the most amazing show on any screen! Although this function was more important in the silent area the voice over was more relied on in the classical era. The basic premise, of reminding viewers that trailers are only a quick guide to the full length feature, are still proving that these inter titles are promotional messages. I believe this promotional practice is the most effective out of the whole marketing campaign. Most of the promotional tactics that exist today-trailers, print advertisements, press books, posters, promotional tie-ins, and star premieres- were in place by 1915, although their forms have changed since then. Before internet advertising, the conventional Hollywood marketing campaign consisted of successfully advertising through well known mediums such as the Posters, the Radio, through newspapers and the T.V. These practices had remained consistent and familiar with the American cultures until 1995 media and advertising took a major leap and began a new type of advertising tactic. This tactic was known as internet promotion. In the summer 1995, media and advertising executives announced that the internet had become the â€Å"new frontier† in film productions. The internet plays an important role in the marketing of films, it is such a big platform for a film to be advertised. As genre is concerned it would be difficult to direct a film trailer towards a specific audience, the internet is such a level playing field that the trailer would be open at any and everyone. As Vinzenz Hediger notes, in the contemporary market, trailers are very cost effective since they utilize approximately 4.5% of the advertising budget of a given film, while generating at least 20% of the films box office revenue. This is fact adds to the reason why film trailers are my chosen topic of interest, I consider them the most effective feature in a marketing campaign. It is the visual elements and the free sample of the actual event that attracts social cultures. The internet has a big role in this. Although the internet had been around since the 1960’s the main use for it was text based. Towards the late 1990’s faster connections were produced opening up the opportunities to promotions and advertisement to a mass audience over a new platform. The reason for this being the internet allowed for communication through to the social cultures as well as society being able to communicate with each other. Trailers come in many formats over the internet; they can be downloaded, watched online and even downloaded to mobiles. In a professional context companies are competing on the same level, as a website nowadays can be put up fairly quickly, the only implication here is that some websites get more attention and visits then others. Marketing Batman Forever (1995) was the first major Hollywood feature to get advertised using a website as the centre piece for the campaign. As the arrival of the T.V. disrupted the flow of the film industry it seemed like the internet could possibly do the same for advertising on the T.V. This website contained more information about the films sets, plots and textual narrative all on the same website. This type of promotional campaign became more of an interactive activity which encouraged society to engage with the film experience. Through my research I have learnt that the promotional campaign has always had to adapt to the arrival of new mediums, but I have also learnt that society has adapted to. Th

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

For Whom The Bell Tolls(term-paper) -- essays research papers fc

When reading an Ernest Hemingway novel, one must try very hard to focus on the joy and encouragement found in the work. For Whom the Bell Tolls is full of love and beauty, but is so greatly overshadowed by this lingering feeling of doom--a feeling that does not let you enjoy reading, for you are always waiting for the let down, a chance for human nature to go horribly awry. This feeling is broken up into three specific areas. In Ernest Hemingway's novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls, humanity is exploited through brutal violence, unnecessary courage, and hopeless futility. Hemingway has the uncanny gift of imagery, and he possesses a brilliant mastery of the English language. He is adept at manipulating words and weaving complex sentences; furthermore, "Meticulous description takes its place†¦For Hemingway†¦description is definition." (Tanner 228) All of this genius can show the ultimate beauty and grace of existence, but the flipside to that is the same devices used to show all of the wonder and greatness in life can also be used to show to many hardships and painful truths we must endure, such as violence and gory injustices: â€Å"Then some one hit the drunkard a great blow alongside the head with a flail and he fell back, and lying on the ground, he looked up at the man who had hit him and then shut his eyes and crossed his hands on his chest, and lay there beside Don Anastasio as though he were asleep. The man did not hit him again and he lay there and he was still there when they picked up Don Anastasio and put him with the others in the cart that hauled them all over to the cliff where they were thrown over that evening with the others after there had been a cleaning up in the Ayuntamiento.† (Hemingway 126). The mob-violence that is portrayed in that passage is one inspired by ignorance, weak wills, and alcohol. All through Pilar and Robert Jordan’s flashbacks, one cannot help but be overwhelmed with feelings of disgust towards humankind. These stories are not uncommon, either. Most of the people fighting against the fascists in this novel have similar stories. It is absolutely horrid to hear these anecdotes in which people tell in great detail how they saw their parents, siblings, cousins, and so on, die is extremely heart wrenching ways. One little girls family was murdered in a particular... ...rible situation comes along to undermine the reader’s faith in human nature. From his meticulously descriptive anecdotes, to his realist narratives, in his novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway exploits humanity through brutal violence, unnecessary courage, and hopeless futility. Works Cited Frohok, W.M. â€Å"Ernest Hemingway—The River and the Hawk.† The Novel of Violence in America. Mississippi: Beacon, 1957. 166-98. Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom the Bell Tolls. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1940. 1-471. Howe, Irving. A World More Attractive: A View of Modern Literature and Politics. New York: Horizon Press, 1963. 65-70. Tanner, Stephen L. â€Å"Hemingway’s Islands.† Southwest Review. Winster: Southern Methodist University Press, 1976. 74-84. Tanner, Tony. â€Å"Ernest Hemingway’s Unhurried Sensations.† The Wave of Wonder: Naivety and Reality in American Literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965. 228-57. Villapiano, Gavino. Interview. Off-Camera Conversation with my Father. By Nicholas Gavino Villapiano. New Jersey: 1999. 1-2 Wain, John. â€Å"The Conflict of Forms in Contemporary English Literature.† Essays on Literature and Ideas. St. Martins: Macmillan, 1963. 230-35

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Analysis: Hospital Nurse Staffing and Quality of Case Essay

Hospitals with low nurse staffing levels tend to have higher rates of poor patient outcomes such as pneumonia, shock, cardiac arrest, and urinary tract infections, according to research funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and others. Yet increasing staffing levels is not an easy task. Major factors contributing to lower staffing levels include the needs of today’s higher acuity patients for more care and a nationwide gap between the number of available positions and the number of registered nurses (RNs) qualified and willing to fill them. This is evident from an average vacancy rate of 13 percent. This report summarizes the findings of AHRQ-funded and other research on the relationship of nurse staffing levels to adverse patient outcomes. This valuable information can be used by decisionmakers to make more informed choices in terms of adjusting nurse staffing levels and increasing nurse recruitment while optimizing quality of care and improving nurse satisfaction. continue over the next two decades. A Federal Government study predicts that hospital nursing vacancies will reach 800,000, or 29 percent, by 2020.2 The number of nurses is expected to grow by only 6 percent by 2020, while demand for nursing care is expected to grow by 40 percent. The most recent research shows a jump of 100,000 RNs, or 9 percent, in the hospital RN workforce between 2001 and 2002 because of increased demand, higher pay, and a weakening economy. However, since almost all of the Making a Difference Lower levels of hospital nurse staffing are associated with more adverse outcomes†¦Page 3 Patients have higher acuity, yet the skill levels of the nursing staff have declined†¦Page 5 Higher acuity patients and added responsibilities increase nurse workload†¦Page 5 Avoidable adverse outcomes such as pneumonia can raise treatment costs by up to $28,000†¦Page 6 Hiring more RNs does not decrease profits†¦ Page 6 Higher levels of nurse staffing could have positive impact on both quality of care and nurse satisfaction†¦ Background Periods of high vacancy rates for RNs in hospitals have come and gone, but the current shortage is different. According to a 2002 report by the workforce commission of the American Hospital Association, the nursing shortage â€Å"reflects fundamental changes in population demographics, career expectations, work attitudes and worker dissatisfaction.†1 In fact, the present situation may well Author: Mark W. Stanton, M.A. Managing Editor: Margaret Rutherford Design and Production: Frances Eisel Suggested citation: Stanton MW, Rutherford MK. Hospital nurse staffing and quality of care. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; 2004. Research in Action Issue 14. AHRQ Pub. No. 04-0029. increase came from RNs over age 50 who returned to the workforce and a greater influx of foreign-born RNs, this does not alter the structural features in the long term: the aging of the nurse population and the increasing unwillingness of young women to consider nursing as a profession.3 Today’s difficulties are further complicated by other changes in hospital care, such as new medical technologies and a declining average length of stay, that have led to increases in the amount of care required by patients while they are in the hospital. New medical technologies allow many less seriously ill patients who previously would have received inpatient surgical care to receive care in outpatient settings. Also, patients who in the past would have continued the early stages of their recovery in the hospital, today are discharged to skilled nursing facilities or to home. During the period 1980-2000, the average length of an inpatient hospital stay fell from 7.5 days to 4.9 days.4 An important consequence of these changes is that hospitals have a higher overall concentration of sick people who need more care. Various groups, including the American Hospital Association, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), have expressed their concerns about the evolving nursing crisis. The IOM issued a report in 1996 that recognized the importance of determining the appropriate nurse-patient ratios and distribution of skills for ensuring that patients receive quality health care.5 Its report highlighted the fact that research on the relationship between The nurse workforce and nurse staffing levels the level of staffing by nurses in hospitals and patients’ outcomes has been inconclusive. The IOM’s analysis of staffing and quality of care in hospitals concluded by calling for â€Å"a systematic effort †¦ at the national level to collect and analyze current and relevant data and develop a research and evaluation agenda so that informed policy development, implementation and evaluation are undertaken in a timely manner.† To begin to meet that need, AHRQ-funded research and other research have pursued a number of different paths. Hospital nurse staffing and nursing-sensitive outcomes Hospital nurse staffing is a matter of major concern because of the effects it can have on patient safety and quality of care. Nursing-sensitive outcomes are one indicator of quality of care and may be defined as â€Å"variable patient or family caregiver state, condition, or perception responsive to nursing intervention.†6 Some adverse patient outcomes potentially sensitive to nursing care are urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, shock, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, longer hospital stays, failure to rescue, and 30-day mortality.a Most research has focused on adverse rather than positive patient outcomes for the simple reason that adverse outcomes are much more likely to be documented in the medical record. a â€Å"Failure to rescue† is defined as the death of a patient with a lifethreatening complication for which early identification by nurses and medical and nursing interventions can influence the risk of death. The nurse workforce consists of licensed nurses—registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs)—and nurses’ aides (NAs). Both RNs and LPNs are licensed by the State in which they are employed. RNs assess patient needs, develop patient care plans, and administer medications and treatments; LPNs carry out specified nursing duties under the direction of RNs. Nurses’ aides typically carry out nonspecialized duties and personal care activities. RNs, LPNs, and nurses’ aides all provide direct patient care. RNs have obtained their education through three different routes: 3-year diploma programs, 2-year associate degree programs, and 4year baccalaureate degree programs. Almost a third of all RNs have a baccalaureate degree, and 7.6 percent of hospital nurses have advanced practice credentials (either a master’s or doctoral degree). LPNs receive 12-18-month training programs that emphasize technical nursing tasks. Nurses’ aides are not licensed but many acquire certified nurse aide or nursing assistant (CNA) status after proving they have certain skills related to the requirements of particular positions. Nurse staffing is measured in one of two basic ways: †¢ Nursing hours per patient per day. †¢ The nurse to patient ratio. â€Å"Nursing hours† may refer to RNs only; to RNs and LPNs; or to RNs, LPNs, and nurses’ aides. 2 www.ahrq.gov A broad array of research on this topic has found an association between lower nurse staffing levels and higher rates of some adverse patient outcomes. A new evidence report entitled The Effect of Health Care Working Conditions on Patient Safety, produced by an AHRQfunded Evidence-based Practice Center (EPC), reviewed 26 studies on the relationship between nurse staffing levels and measures of patient safety.b Most of the studies examined nurse staffing levels and adverse occurrences in the hospital setting, including in-hospital deaths and nonfatal adverse outcomes such as nosocomial infections, pressure ulcers, or falls. The EPC’s researchers found that lower nurse-topatient ratios were associated with higher rates of nonfatal adverse outcomes.7 This was true at both the hospital level and the nursing unit level. With regard to in-hospital deaths, however, the evidence does not consistently show that lower nurse staffing levels are associated with higher mortality. The largest of these studies on nurse staffing (jointly funded by AHRQ, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the National Institute of Nursing Research) examined the records of 5 million medical patients and 1.1 million surgical patients who had been treated at 799 hospitals during 1993.6,8 Among the study’s principal findings: †¢ In hospitals with high RN staffing, medical patients had lower rates of five adverse patient outcomes (UTIs, pneumonia, shock, upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and longer hospital stay) than patients in hospitals with low RN staffing. c †¢ Major surgery patients in hospitals with high RN staffing had lower rates of two patient outcomes (UTIs and failure to rescue). †¢ Higher rates of RN staffing were associated with a 3- to 12-percent reduction in adverse outcomes, depending on the outcome. †¢ Higher staffing at all levels of nursing was associated with a 2- to 25-percent reduction in adverse outcomes, depending on the outcome. Table 1 illustrates some of the major findings. For example, the researchers found that medical patients in hospitals with high RN staffing were 4-12 percent less likely to develop UTIs than medical patients in the comparison group. Lower staffing levels are linked to higher adverse outcome rates The EPC report included five studies funded by AHRQ that examined the relationship between adverse patient outcomes and hospital nurse staffing. All five studies found at least some association between lower nurse staffing levels and one or more types of adverse patient outcomes. How often do such adverse â€Å"nursing-sensitive† patient outcomes occur in hospital care? Different studies report varying adverse event rates, which vary by the type of patient (medical or surgical) as well as other factors. For example, UTIs occur in from 1.9 percent to 6.3 percent of surgical patients and pneumonia in 1.2 percent to 2.6 percent of surgical patients.8-10 b Table 1. Percent reduction in rates of outcomes among medical patients in hospitals with high nurse staffing (75th percentile) compared to the rates in hospitals with low nurse staffing (25th percentile) Amount by which rates are lower for: In order to improve the quality and delivery of health care services, AHRQ has sponsored a series of evidence reports that are based on rigorous, comprehensive reviews of relevant scientific literature. These reports are developed and written by outside research and academic organizations designated as Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs). The reports’ emphasis is on explicit and detailed documentation of methods, rationale, and assumptions. The goal of these reports is to provide the scientific foundation that public and private organizations can use to develop their own clinical practice guidelines, quality measures, review criteria, and other tools to improve the quality and delivery of health care services study measured RN staffing as hours per day and as the RN proportion of nursing hours. Hospitals with higher hours of RN staffing (75th percentile) had an average of 9.1 hours of inpatient RN nursing per patient day, while those with lower RN staffing (25th percentile) had an average 6.4 hours of inpatient RN nursing per patient day. Hospitals with a higher proportion of RN staffing (75th percentile) had an average of 75 percent of inpatient nursing hours provided by RNs, while those with lower RN staffing (25th percentile) had an average of 62 percent of nursing hours provided by RNs. Outcome in medical patients Urinary tract infection Upper gastrointestinal bleeding Hospital-acquired pneumonia Shock or cardiac arrest High RN staffing 4-12% 5-7% 6-8% 6-10% High staffing, all levels (RNs, LPNs, aides) 4-25% 3-17% 6-17% 7-13% c This Note: Difference is expressed as a range of values (e.g., 4-12 percent) because several statistical models were used in evaluating the relationship between nurse staffing levels and each adverse event. Source: Needleman J, Buerhaus P, Mattke S, et al. Nurse-staffing levels and patient outcomes in hospitals. Final report for Health Resources and Services Administration. Contract No. 230-99-0021. 2001. Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA. www.ahrq.gov 3 Medical patients in hospitals with high levels of total nurse staffing (RNs, LPNs, and aides) were 4-25 percent less likely to develop UTIs than patients in the comparison group. A similar analysis was performed for the smaller group of surgical patients (Table 2). Surgical patients in hospitals with high RN staffing had a 5-6 percent lower rate of UTIs and a 4-6 percent lower rate of failure to rescue than surgical patients in the comparison group.d Pneumonia rates are especially sensitive to staffing levels Three AHRQ-funded studies found a significant correlation between lower nurse staffing levels and higher rates of pneumonia. †¢ The first study found that adding half an hour of RN staffing per patient day could reduce pneumonia in surgical patients by over 4 percent.12 This study covered 589 hospitals in 10 States during 1993. †¢ A second study by the same researchers also found that fewer RN hours per patient day were significantly correlated with a higher incidence of pneumonia.13 The study examined administrative data on post-surgical patients in 11 States during 1990-96. †¢ A study of nurse staffing levels and adverse outcomes in California found that an increase of 1 hour worked by RNs per patient day was associated with an 8.9-percent decrease in the odds of a surgical patient’s contracting pneumonia. 8 †¢ This study also found that a 10-percent increase in RN proportion was associated with a 9.5-percent decrease in the odds of pneumonia. The researchers in the California study believe that the strong relationship between RN staffing and pneumonia can be attributed to the heavy responsibility RNs have for respiratory care in surgical patients. This study examined the effects of nurse staffing on adverse outcomes in 232 acute care hospitals from 1996 to 1999.f Unlike many earlier studies, the California study included only adverse outcomes that were not present at admission.7 Table 2. Percent reduction in rates of outcomes among surgical patients in hospitals with high nurse staffing (75th percentile) compared to the rates in hospitals with low nurse staffing (25th percentile) Amount by which rates re lower for: High staffing, all levels (RNs, LPNs, aides) 3-14% 2-12% 19% Outcome in surgical patients Urinary tract infection Failure to rescue Hospital-acquired pneumonia High RN staffing 5-6% 4-6% 11% Note: Difference is expressed as a range of values (e.g., 2-12 percent) because several statistical models were used in evaluating the relationship between nurse staffing levels and each adverse event. Source: Needleman J, Buerhaus P, Mattke S, et al. Nurse-staffing levels and patient outcomes in hospitals. Final report for Health Resources and Services Administration. Contract No. 230-99-0021. 2001. Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA. A second study, funded jointly by AHRQ and the National Science Foundation, examined licensed nurse staffing (RNs and LPNs) and adverse outcomes among both medical and surgical patients in Pennsylvania acute-care hospitals.11 It found a lower incidence of nearly all adverse outcomes it studied in hospitals with more licensed nurses. For example, a 10-percent increase in the number of licensed nurses is estimated to decrease lung collapse by 1.5 percent, pressure ulcers by 2 percent, falls by 3 percent, and UTIs by less than 1 percent. Also, with a 10-percent higher proportion of licensed nurses, there was a 2-percent lower incidence of pressure ulcers.e,11 d Surgical patients overall had lower rates of adverse outcomes than medical patients, perhaps because they are healthier. Also, the smaller number of surgical patients in the study may have made it more difficult to detect associations. Nurse staffing was measured in two ways: (1) the ratio of licensed nurses (RNs + LPNs) to the patient load (with and without adjustments for patient acuity) and (2) the proportion of licensed nurses to the total nursing staff (RNs, LPNs, NAs). The adverse outcomes selected for study were â€Å"either caused by or not prevented by medical management† based on criteria used by the Harvard Medical Practice Study. Nurse staffing was measured in three ways: all hours (the total number of productive hours worked by all nursing personnel per patient day), RN hours (the total number of productive hours worked by registered nurses per patient day), and RN proportion (RN hours divided by all hours).