Developing Thesis Statement

Work from the General to the Specific in the Introductory Paragraph of a Five-Paragraph Essay In the standard introduction to a five-paragraph essay, the writer works from general to specific. There should be a broad, non-controversial introductory sentence that puts the reader in the ballpark of the essay. This can easily be accomplished by mentioning the name of the book, the author, the time period, or some other piece of relevant, factual information. The next two or three sentences develop on the first sentence adding increasingly more specific information leading up to the thesis.The Thesis Statement Must State a Controversial Point The formulaic thesis statement unequivocally states the main controversial point of the essay and provides â€Å"a roadmap† or outline for the rest of the essay. A disproportionate amount of time should be spent crafting the thesis statement. When the thesis statement is complete, the essay is essentially written. Every thesis statement must have a controversial point, and it needs to be stated succinctly. For example: †¢ â€Å"More than anything else, The Scarlet Letter provides a criticism of nineteenth century America. †The Thesis Statement Should Include a Roadmap for the Three Body Paragraphs in a Five-Paragraph Essay Once the controversial point is written, the writer must determine how he or she will prove it. This is â€Å"the roadmap† and, when combined with the controversial point, completes the thesis statement. Because this is a five paragraph essay, there will be three main points supporting the controversial point. These three points will each be dealt with in turn in the three body paragraphs of the essay. For the controversial point above, three points that will prove it may be: Nathanial Hawthorne’s biography clearly showing his disillusionment with the United States †¢ The hypocrisy of America as demonstrated through slavery and genocide of Native Americans †¢ The al legorical nature of the novel itself—using a seventeenth century setting to illuminate nineteenth century America Constructing â€Å"the Roadmap† Part of the Thesis Statement Using Common Phrases Now that the writer has a controversial point and three pieces of evidence to support it, it is simply a matter of putting the thesis statement together. Having a list of â€Å"go-to† phrases at one’s disposal will help in constructing the actual statement.These phrases will introduce each piece of evidence in the thesis statement. They might include phrases like: By looking at†¦ , In analyzing†¦ , Through understanding†¦ ; In appreciating†¦ ; By examining†¦, Through evaluating†¦ These phrases can be used almost interchangeably to craft the first part of the final thesis statement. For example: †¢ â€Å"Through understanding Hawthorne’s personal disillusionment with the United States, by examining the hypocrisy of ninete enth century America as evidenced by the institutions of slavery and genocide, and, finally, in analyzing the allegorical nature of the novel itself†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Add the Controversial Point to the Roadmap to Complete the Thesis Statement All that is left is to add a phrase such as â€Å"one will come to appreciate† before the controversial point. As such, a formulaic thesis statement might read something like this: †¢ â€Å"Through understanding Hawthorne’s personal disillusionment with the United States, by examining the hypocrisy of nineteenth century America as evidenced by the institutions of slavery and genocide, and finally, in analyzing the allegorical nature of the novel itself, one will come to appreciate that The Scarlet Letter is really a criticism of the country in which the author lived. Forming a Thesis Statement Adapted from: Research Papers for Dummies You've got a subject (â€Å"human-bear interactions†) and a topic (â€Å"the relationshi p between Goldilocks and the three bears†). Now it's time to come up with a thesis statement — the point that you want to make about Goldie and the furry guys. A couple of possibilities occur to you — â€Å"bears that hang around people end up eating porridge and sleeping in beds,† â€Å"both blonds and baby bears like medium-firm mattresses,† and â€Å"humans and bears share forest resources. As you tease out a few more ideas, you search for the middle ground, avoiding a thesis statement that is too broad or too narrow. You want one that, like Goldilocks's porridge, is â€Å"just right. † As soon as you've got a chunk of research, a deck of index cards, or a few files on the computer, take a few moments to reread your material. Think about what you might prove with all those facts and quotations. A couple of techniques will help you decide. Ask questions As you review your notes, do any questions occur to you? Is your curiosity piqued by an ything you've written?If not, check out the next sections, â€Å"If only,† â€Å"I recommend,† and â€Å"Relationships,† or go back to note taking and try again later. Any questions that pop into your mind arise from issues that are relevant to your topic, and issues are the breeding ground for theses. For example, suppose you're doing a psych paper on parental influence — specifically, how parental discipline affects children's behavior. You've read a ton of studies that attempt to describe the relationship between parents' actions and children's reactions.As you review your notes, you may find yourself wondering: †¢ Do children of very strict parents behave better? †¢ Does a child's reaction to strict parental rules change as the child grows older? †¢ Does spanking affect children's self-esteem? †¢ Does inconsistent discipline have a negative effect on children's behavior? Not one of these questions is a thesis, but each is a possibl e starting point. Possible because you can't cover them all in one paper. You have to choose. Right now, suppose that you select the second sample question.If the question of age interests you the most, read your notes again with question two in mind. Look closely at every note concerned with discipline, age, and rules. Put little check marks next to information about children's behavior — the behavior of those children identified as having trouble in school or with the law, perhaps. If necessary, go back to the library or the Internet for more research on the relationship between discipline techniques, age, and children's behavior.If you can, do some statistical analysis to see which factors matter and which are simply coincidence. After you've finished those tasks, you're probably ready to take a stand. Express that stand in a single sentence, perhaps this one: Children of very strict parents follow the rules diligently until adolescence, but not during the teen years. Now you've got the basis for your paper: the thesis statement. (By the way, the preceding paragraphs are just an example, not necessarily a psychological truth! ) If onlyAnother way to hunt for a thesis is to consider the â€Å"if only† spots in your paper. This method is particularly helpful for history projects. Again, start by rereading your notes. Look for moments when the entire course of historical events might have changed, if only one decision or one detail had been different. For example, suppose you're writing about a famous incident involving Humpty Dumpty. You've read eyewitness accounts, historians' analysis of the events, and doctors' descriptions of the injuries Mr. Dumpty suffered. Now you're ready to make a thesis statement.For those of you who aren't familiar with the story, here are the â€Å"facts† of the case: Victim: Humpty Dumpty, male egg Physical description: Round but delicate build, oval face, pale complexion Age: Fresh Date of incident: Nineteen th century Place: King's walled courtyard Description of incident: Victim had a great fall from a wall approximately ten feet high. Bystanders called 911 immediately. King's horses and king's men arrived within ten minutes. Entire battalion of horses and men worked on the victim for 45 minutes, but could not put him back together again.After reviewing all your material, you think †¢ If only the top of the wall had been shaped like an egg crate, giving Humpty Dumpty more stability †¢ If only Humpty Dumpty had eaten a calcium-rich, shell-strengthening diet †¢ If only the king's men had had more training in re-gluing than in military maneuvers The last â€Å"if only† in the preceding list gives you an idea for a thesis, which you turn into a sentence: The emphasis on militarism in the training of the king's men led to the tragic demise of Humpty Dumpty. I recommendDepending upon your topic, another road to a thesis statement comes from the phrase â€Å"I recommen d. † This road is especially helpful if you're writing about science, social science, technology, or any area that looks toward the future. Review your notes and ask yourself what improvements you'd like to see in the situation or conditions. Then ask yourself what should be changed to bring about those improvements. Here's this method in action. Suppose you're writing about fatal accidents. One of your sources is the Humpty Dumpty incident, described in the preceding section, â€Å"If only. As you scan your notes, think about the improvements that you would like to see — perhaps the prevention of shattering injuries caused by falls. What should be changed to bring about that improvement? The addition of calcium supplements to the water supply, a change in the design of palace architecture, additional training in egg gluing for emergency medical personnel, or something else? One of those ideas becomes your thesis statement: To prevent serious injury, architects should design safer walls. RelationshipsAnother thesis catcher is the relationship question, especially helpful when you're writing about literature. As you're poring over your notes, look for events or ideas that belong together in one of these ways: cause and effect, contrast, or similarity. For example, suppose you're writing about the murder of the king in a modern drama, Macbeth Revisited (not a real play). You delve into English politics during the Thatcher era and decide that the factions portrayed in the play reflect the conflict between contemporary English political parties.Now you've got a â€Å"relationship† thesis. The strife between the Googrubs and the McAgues in Macbeth Revisited mirrors the conflict between the Labor and Tory parties in the late twentieth century. Or, suppose you're writing about energy and pollution. You contrast fossil fuels with solar power, deciding on this thesis statement: Solar energy is less harmful to the environment than fossil fuels. â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Here is a very structured approach to starting a paper. Adapted from Suite101. com A bit more on finding a thesis statement within your topic†¦ Developing Thesis Statement Work from the General to the Specific in the Introductory Paragraph of a Five-Paragraph Essay In the standard introduction to a five-paragraph essay, the writer works from general to specific. There should be a broad, non-controversial introductory sentence that puts the reader in the ballpark of the essay. This can easily be accomplished by mentioning the name of the book, the author, the time period, or some other piece of relevant, factual information. The next two or three sentences develop on the first sentence adding increasingly more specific information leading up to the thesis.The Thesis Statement Must State a Controversial Point The formulaic thesis statement unequivocally states the main controversial point of the essay and provides â€Å"a roadmap† or outline for the rest of the essay. A disproportionate amount of time should be spent crafting the thesis statement. When the thesis statement is complete, the essay is essentially written. Every thesis statement must have a controversial point, and it needs to be stated succinctly. For example: †¢ â€Å"More than anything else, The Scarlet Letter provides a criticism of nineteenth century America. †The Thesis Statement Should Include a Roadmap for the Three Body Paragraphs in a Five-Paragraph Essay Once the controversial point is written, the writer must determine how he or she will prove it. This is â€Å"the roadmap† and, when combined with the controversial point, completes the thesis statement. Because this is a five paragraph essay, there will be three main points supporting the controversial point. These three points will each be dealt with in turn in the three body paragraphs of the essay. For the controversial point above, three points that will prove it may be: Nathanial Hawthorne’s biography clearly showing his disillusionment with the United States †¢ The hypocrisy of America as demonstrated through slavery and genocide of Native Americans †¢ The al legorical nature of the novel itself—using a seventeenth century setting to illuminate nineteenth century America Constructing â€Å"the Roadmap† Part of the Thesis Statement Using Common Phrases Now that the writer has a controversial point and three pieces of evidence to support it, it is simply a matter of putting the thesis statement together. Having a list of â€Å"go-to† phrases at one’s disposal will help in constructing the actual statement.These phrases will introduce each piece of evidence in the thesis statement. They might include phrases like: By looking at†¦ , In analyzing†¦ , Through understanding†¦ ; In appreciating†¦ ; By examining†¦, Through evaluating†¦ These phrases can be used almost interchangeably to craft the first part of the final thesis statement. For example: †¢ â€Å"Through understanding Hawthorne’s personal disillusionment with the United States, by examining the hypocrisy of ninete enth century America as evidenced by the institutions of slavery and genocide, and, finally, in analyzing the allegorical nature of the novel itself†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Add the Controversial Point to the Roadmap to Complete the Thesis Statement All that is left is to add a phrase such as â€Å"one will come to appreciate† before the controversial point. As such, a formulaic thesis statement might read something like this: †¢ â€Å"Through understanding Hawthorne’s personal disillusionment with the United States, by examining the hypocrisy of nineteenth century America as evidenced by the institutions of slavery and genocide, and finally, in analyzing the allegorical nature of the novel itself, one will come to appreciate that The Scarlet Letter is really a criticism of the country in which the author lived. Forming a Thesis Statement Adapted from: Research Papers for Dummies You've got a subject (â€Å"human-bear interactions†) and a topic (â€Å"the relationshi p between Goldilocks and the three bears†). Now it's time to come up with a thesis statement — the point that you want to make about Goldie and the furry guys. A couple of possibilities occur to you — â€Å"bears that hang around people end up eating porridge and sleeping in beds,† â€Å"both blonds and baby bears like medium-firm mattresses,† and â€Å"humans and bears share forest resources. As you tease out a few more ideas, you search for the middle ground, avoiding a thesis statement that is too broad or too narrow. You want one that, like Goldilocks's porridge, is â€Å"just right. † As soon as you've got a chunk of research, a deck of index cards, or a few files on the computer, take a few moments to reread your material. Think about what you might prove with all those facts and quotations. A couple of techniques will help you decide. Ask questions As you review your notes, do any questions occur to you? Is your curiosity piqued by an ything you've written?If not, check out the next sections, â€Å"If only,† â€Å"I recommend,† and â€Å"Relationships,† or go back to note taking and try again later. Any questions that pop into your mind arise from issues that are relevant to your topic, and issues are the breeding ground for theses. For example, suppose you're doing a psych paper on parental influence — specifically, how parental discipline affects children's behavior. You've read a ton of studies that attempt to describe the relationship between parents' actions and children's reactions.As you review your notes, you may find yourself wondering: †¢ Do children of very strict parents behave better? †¢ Does a child's reaction to strict parental rules change as the child grows older? †¢ Does spanking affect children's self-esteem? †¢ Does inconsistent discipline have a negative effect on children's behavior? Not one of these questions is a thesis, but each is a possibl e starting point. Possible because you can't cover them all in one paper. You have to choose. Right now, suppose that you select the second sample question.If the question of age interests you the most, read your notes again with question two in mind. Look closely at every note concerned with discipline, age, and rules. Put little check marks next to information about children's behavior — the behavior of those children identified as having trouble in school or with the law, perhaps. If necessary, go back to the library or the Internet for more research on the relationship between discipline techniques, age, and children's behavior.If you can, do some statistical analysis to see which factors matter and which are simply coincidence. After you've finished those tasks, you're probably ready to take a stand. Express that stand in a single sentence, perhaps this one: Children of very strict parents follow the rules diligently until adolescence, but not during the teen years. Now you've got the basis for your paper: the thesis statement. (By the way, the preceding paragraphs are just an example, not necessarily a psychological truth! ) If onlyAnother way to hunt for a thesis is to consider the â€Å"if only† spots in your paper. This method is particularly helpful for history projects. Again, start by rereading your notes. Look for moments when the entire course of historical events might have changed, if only one decision or one detail had been different. For example, suppose you're writing about a famous incident involving Humpty Dumpty. You've read eyewitness accounts, historians' analysis of the events, and doctors' descriptions of the injuries Mr. Dumpty suffered. Now you're ready to make a thesis statement.For those of you who aren't familiar with the story, here are the â€Å"facts† of the case: Victim: Humpty Dumpty, male egg Physical description: Round but delicate build, oval face, pale complexion Age: Fresh Date of incident: Nineteen th century Place: King's walled courtyard Description of incident: Victim had a great fall from a wall approximately ten feet high. Bystanders called 911 immediately. King's horses and king's men arrived within ten minutes. Entire battalion of horses and men worked on the victim for 45 minutes, but could not put him back together again.After reviewing all your material, you think †¢ If only the top of the wall had been shaped like an egg crate, giving Humpty Dumpty more stability †¢ If only Humpty Dumpty had eaten a calcium-rich, shell-strengthening diet †¢ If only the king's men had had more training in re-gluing than in military maneuvers The last â€Å"if only† in the preceding list gives you an idea for a thesis, which you turn into a sentence: The emphasis on militarism in the training of the king's men led to the tragic demise of Humpty Dumpty. I recommendDepending upon your topic, another road to a thesis statement comes from the phrase â€Å"I recommen d. † This road is especially helpful if you're writing about science, social science, technology, or any area that looks toward the future. Review your notes and ask yourself what improvements you'd like to see in the situation or conditions. Then ask yourself what should be changed to bring about those improvements. Here's this method in action. Suppose you're writing about fatal accidents. One of your sources is the Humpty Dumpty incident, described in the preceding section, â€Å"If only. As you scan your notes, think about the improvements that you would like to see — perhaps the prevention of shattering injuries caused by falls. What should be changed to bring about that improvement? The addition of calcium supplements to the water supply, a change in the design of palace architecture, additional training in egg gluing for emergency medical personnel, or something else? One of those ideas becomes your thesis statement: To prevent serious injury, architects should design safer walls. RelationshipsAnother thesis catcher is the relationship question, especially helpful when you're writing about literature. As you're poring over your notes, look for events or ideas that belong together in one of these ways: cause and effect, contrast, or similarity. For example, suppose you're writing about the murder of the king in a modern drama, Macbeth Revisited (not a real play). You delve into English politics during the Thatcher era and decide that the factions portrayed in the play reflect the conflict between contemporary English political parties.Now you've got a â€Å"relationship† thesis. The strife between the Googrubs and the McAgues in Macbeth Revisited mirrors the conflict between the Labor and Tory parties in the late twentieth century. Or, suppose you're writing about energy and pollution. You contrast fossil fuels with solar power, deciding on this thesis statement: Solar energy is less harmful to the environment than fossil fuels. â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Here is a very structured approach to starting a paper. Adapted from Suite101. com A bit more on finding a thesis statement within your topic†¦

Intramuscular Injection Techniques Essay

The synthesis of art and science is lived by the nurse in the nursing act JQSEPHINE e PATERSON If you would like to contribiito to the art and science section contact: Gwcn Clarke, art and science editor, Nursing Standard, The Heights, 59-65 Lowlands Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex H A l 3AW. email: gwen.clarkeva rcnpublishing.co.uk Intramuscular injection techniques Hunter J (2008) Intramuscular injection techniques. Nursing Standard. 22, 24,35-40. Date of acceptance: October 29 2007 Summary The administration of intrairiLiscLitar (IM) injections is an important part of medication management and a common nursing intervention in clinical practice, A skilled injection technique can make the patient’s experience less painful and avoid unnecessary complications. Intramuscular injections AnIM injection is chosen when a reasonably rapid systemic uptake of the drug (usually within 15-20 minutes} is needed by the body and when a relatively prolonged action is required. The amounts of solution that can he given will depend on the muscle bed and range from 1 -5ml for adults. Much smaller volumes are acceptable in children (Rodger and King 2000, Corben 2005). The medication is injected into the denser part ofthe muscle fascia below the subcutaneous tissues. This is ideal because skeletal muscles have fewer pain-sensing nerves than subcutaneous tissue and can absorb larger volumes of solution because ofthe rapid uptake ofthe drug into the bloodstream via the muscle fibres. This means that IM injections are less painful when administered correctly and can be used to inject concentrated and irritant drugs that could damage subcutaneous tissue (Rodger and King 2000, Greenway 2004). Examples of drugs administered via this route are analgesics, anti-emetics, sedatives, immunisations and hormonal treatments. It is important to recognise and understand potential complications associated with IM injections and that rapid absorption of the drugs may increase these risks (Foster and Hilton 2004). The administration of any medication can present a risk and, therefore, the nurse must be able to recognise the signs of an anaphylactic (allergic) reaction, with signs of, for example, urticaria, pruritus, respiratory distress, shock or even cardiac arrest. Inappropriate selection of site and poor technique can increase the risk of patient injury and lead to pain, nerve injury, bleeding, accidental intravenous administration and sterile abscesses caused through repeated injections at one site with poor blood flow (Rodger and King2000). Author Janet Hunter is lecturer in adult nursing, City Community and Health Sciences, incorporating St Bartholomew School of Nursing and Midwifery, City University, London. Email: j.a.hunter@city.ac.uk Keywords Clinical procedures; Drug administration; Injection technique Tliese keywords are based on the subject headings from the British Nursing Index. Tliis article has been subject to double-blind review. For author and research article guidelines visit the Nursing Standard home page at www.nursing-standard.cD.uk. For related articles visit our online archive and search using the keywords. THE NURSING and Midwifery Council’s (NMC’s) (2007) Standards for Medicines Management state that administration of medicines ‘is not solely a mechanistic task to be performed in strict compliance with the written prescription of a medical practitioner (now independent/supplementary prescriber). It requires thought and the exercise of professional judgement.’ Therefore, the administration of intramuscular (IM) injections requires the healthcare practitioner to possess the knowledge and rationale of the guiding principles that underpin these clinical skills. It is essential that all aspects of these techniques -anatomy, physiology, patient assessment, preparation and nursing interventions – are evidence based so that the nurse can perform safe and accountable practice (Shepherd 2002, NMC 2007). The aim of this article is to update the nurse’s knowledge and skills on injection techniques. This article describes the practical, step-by-step approach for administering IM injections, which will assist nurses to perform this skill safely and competently. NURSING STANDARD Intramuscular injection sites There are five sites that can be considered for IM february 20 :: vol 22 no 24 :: 2008 35 art & science clinical skills: 37 injections (Figure 1). The two recommended sites for IM injections are the vastus lateralis and the ventrogluteal sites (Donaldson and Green 2005, Nisbet 2006). However, when the patient is obese, rhe vastus laterahs is a better option (Nisbet 2006). When choosing an appropriate site for administration, the nurse needs to ensure that the medication will be absorbed. The nurse needs to consider whether the patient is receiving regular ]M injections because the site will need to be rotated to avoid irritation, pain and sterile abscesses. Choice will also be influenced by the patient’s physical condition and age. Active patients are more likely to have a greater muscle FIGURE 1 Sites for intramuscular injections (IM) Mid-deltoid site The mid-deltoid site is easily accessible but due to the size of the muscle the area should not be used repetitively and only small volumes shouid be injected. Tlie maximum volume should be 1ml (Rodger and King 2000). Tlie denser part of the deitoid must be used. It is Lisef j l to visualise a triangle whereby the horizontal line is located 2.5-5cm below the acromial process and the midpoint of the lateral aspect of the arm in line with the axilla forms the apex. The injection is given about 2.5cm down from the acromiai process, avoiding the radial and brachial nerves (Workman 1999, Rodger and King 2000). Dorsogluteal site Tliis a’&3. is used for deep IM and Z-track injections. Up to 4mi can be injected into this muscle (Workman 1999, Rodger and King 2000). Commonly referred to as the outer upper quadrant, it is located by using imaginary lines to divide the buttocks into four quarters. To identify the gluteus maximtis, picture a line that extends from the iiiac spine to the greater trochanter of the femur. Draw a vertical line from the midpoint of the first line to identify the upper aspect of the upper outer quadrant This location avoids the superior gluteal artery and sciatic nerve (Workman 1999, Small 2004). Rectus femoris site This site is used for deep I M and Z-track injections. Between mass than older or emaciated patients, so individuals will need to be assessed to see if they have sufficient muscle mass. If not, the muscles may need to be ‘pinched’ up before the injection (Workman 1999, Rodger and King 2000). Any area or presence of inflammation, swelling or infection should be avoided (Workman 1999). Patient preparation It is important to explain the procedure so that the patient fully understands and is able to give his or her informed consent and co-operation. The discussion should include the choice of site for the injection and information about the medication, action and side effects. The patient can then express any concerns or anxieties relating to the procedure and the patient’s knowledge can be l-5ml can be injected, although for infants this would be 1-3 mi. The rectus femoris is a large and well-defined muscle and is the anterior muscle of the quadriceps. I t is located halfway between the superior iliac crest and the patella (Workman 1999), Vastus lateralis site The vastus lateralis site; used for deep IM and Z-track injections. Up to 5ml can be administered (Rodger and King 2000). The muscle forms part of the quadriceps femoris group of muscles and is located on the outer side of the femur. If is foLind by measuring a hand’s breafh from the greater trochanter and the knee joint, which identifies the middle third ofthe quadriceps muscle (Workman 1999). There are no major blood vessels or structures which could cause an injury in this area (Rodger and King 2000). Ventrogluteal site This site is used for deep IM and Z-track injections. This site is located by placing the palm ofthe nurse’s hand on the patient’s opposite greater trochanter (for example, the nurse’s right palm on the patient’s left hip), then extending the index finger to the anterior superior iliac spine to make a ‘V. The injection is then given into the gluteus medius muscle, which is the centre of fhe V (Workman 1999, Rodger and King 2000). Evaluated. It is important to check whether the patient has any known allergies to identify potential reactions to the medication. FVeparation ofthe equipment All the necessary equipment shouid be prepared before commencing the procedure to avoid any delays or interruptions during rhe procedure. The equipment required for administering IM injections is listed in Box I and preparation of rhe equipment is described in Box 2. The techniques used for administering IM injections are outlined in Box 3. Skin cleansing There are inconsistencies regarding skin preparation for IM injections. It is known rhar cleansing the injection site with an impregnated alcohol swab before an IM injection reduces rhe number of bacteria on the skin (Workman 1999, Lister and Sarpal 2004). However, if rhe injection is given before rhe skin is dry this procedure is ineffective and rhe patienr may experience pain and a sdnging sensation from rhe antiseptic. This may allow entry of bacteria inro rhe injection site and cause local irritation (Workman 1999, Lister and Sarpal 2004). Therefore, when using an alcohol swab ro prepare the skin it should be used for 30 seconds and then allowed to dry (Lister and Sarpal 2004). Some local policies no longer recommend skin cleansing ifthe patient’s skin is physically clean (Little 2000, Wynaden et al2005) and the nurse maintains rhe required standard of hand washing and asepsis during rhe procedure (Workman 1999). Equipment for intramuscular injections I 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Prescription chart. Prescribed drug to be administered. If required, diluent for reconstitution. Clean tray or receiver for equipment, Syringe of appropriate size (2-5ml), Sterile 21G (green) needle for adult patients. Alcohol-impregnated swab with isopropyi alcohol 70%. Gloves. Tissue or clinical wipe. 10. Clinical sharps container. Preparation for intramuscular (IM) Injection administration The following steps describe the procedure when preparing the equipment for an I M injection. †¢ Wash and dry hands thoroughly with bactericidal soap and wafer or use bactericidal handrub to prevent any contamination of the equipment or medication. Put on gloves. Gloves are required for all invasive procedures including IM injection (Pratt etal2Q07). Check the patient’s prescription chart and determine the: – Drug that is to be administered. – Required dose. – Route for administration. – Date and time of administration. – Prescription is legible and signed by an authorised prescriber. These actions ensure that any risk to the patient is minimised and that the patient is given the right dose of medication at the correct time by the prescribed route (Jamieson et al 2002, Lister and Sarpal 2004). If any errors are noticed withhold the medication and inform the medical team. Check the drug against the prescription chart. As all medications deteriorate over time, check the expiry date – this shows when a drug will no longer be guaranteed to be effective. To prepare the syringe for medication: (a) Check all packaging is intact to retain sterility. Check the expiry date. If any packaging is damaged or has expired, discard. (b) Open the packaging of the syringe at the plunger end and remove the syringe. Make sure that the plunger moves freely inside the barrel. Take care not to touch the nozzle end to prevent contamination. (c) Open the needle packaging at the hilt (coloured) end. Hold the syringe in one hand and then attach the needle firmly onto the nozzle of the syringe. Loosen the sheath but do not remove it. Place the syringe on the tray. This prevents contamination or any potential injuries. †¢ Examine the solution in the ampoule for cloudiness or sedimentation. This may show that the medication is contaminated or unstable. Make sure that all the contents are in the bottom o f t h e ampoule by tapping the neck gently. To prevent injury, splashing or contact with the medication use a clinical wipe or tissue to cover the neck of the ampoule and break it open. Observe the solution for any glass fragments because these pose a risk to the patient if injected. Discard the ampoule and contents if any foreign matter is visible. !f you are using a plastic ampoule, break the top off, making sure not to touch the top. †¢ Pick up the syringe and allow the sheath to fall off the needle onto the tray and insert the needle into the solution of the ampoule. Avoid scraping the needle on the bottom of the ampoule, because this wilt blunt the needle. †¢ Pull back the top of the plunger with one finger on the flange and draw up the required dose. I t may be necessary to tilt or hold the ampoule upside down to make sure the needle remains in the solution to prevent drawing in air (Figure 2). Take care not to contaminate the needle. †¢ Re-sheathe the needle carefully using the aseptic non-touch technique to to maintain sterility (Figure 3). †¢ Expel the air. Hold the syringe upright, at eye level and let any air rise to the top of the syringe To encourage air bubbles fo rise, lightly tap the barrel ofthe syringe. Slowiy, push the piunger to expel the air until the solution is seen at the top of the needle. Needles Re-sheathing a needle betore the medication is administered to a patient is safe. This method is achieved hy using the aseptic non-touch technique (Figure 3) and prevents droplets of the medication from heing sprayed onto the skin or inhaled when air is heing expelled from the syringe (Nicol etal 2004). When giving an !M injection a ‘green’ or size 21 gauge needle is used for all adult patients to ensure that rhe medication is injected into the muscle. This also applies to patients who are cachectic or thin, except that the needle is not inserted as deeply. If a smaller gauge needle is used the nurse needs to apply more pressure to inject the solution, which will increase the patient’s discomfort (King 2003). Single and multi-dose powder vials Some medications come in single or multi-dose vials and need to he reconstituted before heing drawn up and mjected. The following steps should be undertaken when administering I M injections to patients: †¢ Take the tray with the syringe, ampoule, impregnated alcohol swab, tissue, prescription and sharps container to the patient’s bedside. Re-check the prescription and medication with the patient’s name band according to local policy. Draw the curtains for privacy and assist the patient into a comfortable position to allow access to the injection siteandto make sure that the identified muscle group is flexed and relaxed. †¢ Clean the skin with an impregnated alcohol swab for 30 seconds and then allow to dry to minimise the risk of infection (Lister and Sarpal 2004), or alternatively it should be cleansed in accordance with local policy, †¢ With the non-dominant hand stretch the skin slightly over the chosen injection site to displace the underlying subcutaneous tissues and to aid the insertion of the needle. †¢ With the dominant hand hold the syringe like a dart Having informed the patient, quickly and firmly in a ‘dart-like’ motion insert the needle into the patient’s skin at a 90 ° angle until approximately 1cm of the needle is left showing (Nicol et al 2004, Corben 2005) (Figure 4). †¢ Hold the skin with the ulnar edge of the hand and with the thumb and index finger hold the coloured part of the needle to maintain stability and prevent movement. †¢ Withdraw the plunger slightly to confirm that the needle is in the correct position and has not entered a blood vessel. If blood is not present, depress the plunger and carefully inject the solution at a rate of 1ml per 10 seconds until the syringe is empty to allow the tissues to expand and absorb the solution (Workman 1999, Lister and Sarpal 2004). This rate also reduces patient discomfort. If blood is present stop the procedure and withdraw the needle and syringe. Start again with new equipment and drug and explain to the patient what has happened to reduce patient anxiety. †¢ Wait ten seconds to allow the drug to diffuse into the tissues then quickly and smoothly withdraw the needle. Use a tissue to apply pressure to the injection site or until any bleeding ceases. It is not necessary to massage the area because this may cause the drug to leak from the injection site and cause local irritation (Rodger and King 2000). †¢ Discard the needle and syringe immediately into the sharps container to prevent any injury. Do not re-sheathe the needle. Remove gloves and wash hands, †¢ Record the administration of the medication on the prescription chart to show that the drug has been given. Report any abnormalities or complications. †¢ Replace any clothing and make sure that the patient is comfortable. Return to the patient after 15-20 minutes to observe and check the effectiveness ofthe medication, especially anti-emetics and analgesics. Observe the injection site within two to four hours for signs of local irritation {Rodger and King 2000), involves some key principles to ensure safe practice. †¢ Before reconstiruting any medication, the nurse should first read rhe manufacturer’s information sheet. †¢ It is important that the powder is at the bottom of the vial so thnt all the medication is dissolved. †¢ The cap must be cleaned with an alcoholimpregnated swah and allowed to dry to prevent bacterial contamination. * It is vital that the correct volume of diluent is used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations to provide the most therapeutic concentration. †¢ The diluent should be injected slowly into the vial so that the powder Is wet before mixing. †¢ When mixing, ensure the needle remains inside the vial to maintain sterility. If there is pressure In the vial hold the plunger down while doing this to avoid the separation ofthe needle and syringe from the vial {Nicol etal 1004}. To mix the medication, agitate or roll the vial until the powder has dissolved. For some powder multi-dose vials, a needle is inserted into the cap before adding the diluent because this allows air to escape and releases the vacuum in the vial. Then with a second needle and syringe, inject the diluent into the vial. Remove the needle and syringe and place a sterile swab over the venti ng need le to prevent contamination ofthe drug and the atmosphere. Agitate or roll the ampoule until the powder has dissolved (Jamieson etal2002., Lister and Sarpal 2004). All solutions need to be inspected for precipitation and cloudiness. Continue to agitate until the powder and diluent have fully mixed to form a solution. †¢ Todrawuprhedrug, hold the ampoule upside down to avoid drawing in air, insert the needle so that it is below the level ofthe solution and pull back the plunger to withdraw the correct amount of solution. For multi-dose vials, clean the cap with an impregnated alcohol swab and allow to dry before inserting the needle and syringe to prevent bacterial contamination.

American Progress Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

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Human Resourses in a Legal Context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Resourses in a Legal Context - Essay Example The only signed document between him and the employer was a document that detailed the nature of his duties as a temporary worker. There was, however, a written contract between the employer and the job agency; this contract, as established by the submission of documentary evidence to the employment tribunal, was explicit in its reference to all supplied workers as being temporary and deriving from the efforts of the job agency rather than the employer. There was, in short, no express contract between the worker and the employer, the worker was in all cases referred to as a temporary employee, and both the employer and the employee satisfied their respective duties and obligations. The immediate dispute arose after the worker called in sick, and he spent approximately three weeks away from his physical place of employment. When he returned to work, he was informed that the agency had supplied a new worker and that his services were no longer required for this particular job. Consequently, he initiated an action alleging unfair dismissal; there being no express contract between himself and the employer, he argued that he ought to have been treated as an employee under the theory of implied contract. This is the main issue entertained and decided by the employment tribunal. The tribunal was rather efficient and impatient with evidence and information which it deemed irrelevant or extraneous. A few questions were asked of live witnesses, but most of the evidence was presented in documentary form, supported by the arguments of legal counsel. A great deal of attention was paid to definitions, particularly to what constitutes an employee-employer relation under the Employment Rights Act. The worker had an opportunity to prevail because the tribunal and the legal representatives all agreed that a formal employment relationship could be established through either an express contract or an implied contract;

Four SARA model components Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Four SARA model components - Assignment Example 1.A. The least important of the four components would be the assessment, at least when looking at the complete picture within a timeframe aspect. Assessment is a more leisurely review of the whole aspect and seeing what the problems were and how the development for a solution was made, based on specific criteria, and then how the response was conducted. The assessment is a research study of the whole process of SARA conducted on a problem, or set of problems and is done after the fact. While each section of SARA is important, in terms of level of importance, assessment is the last level of action and importance, in comparison to the other three levels (SARA 2013). 2. Two community problems in New York are hate crimes, particularly in regards to Lesbian-Gay issues, and Juvenile crime which includes vandalism and also drug-related issues. Issues of LGBT have arisen in light of some of the recent new rulings in the judicial system regarding the rights being given to gay couples in marri age and in adopting children as well. A man was recently stalked on the streets of Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan and then shot by a man who was shouting anti-gay slurs. The victim was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead while the shooter was arrested and charged with second-degree murder (Margolin 2013). The pivotal changes in a social context have created a number of emotional responses between different groups, with the murder being one of the more visibly violent ones. These problems in hate crimes have not been reported or tracked as often right now, mainly because they are not reported very often. Yet, hate crimes are also reflective of a growing issue which is also nationwide. This includes hate crimes against Muslims as well. For juvenile crimes, which also lead into early adulthood ranges, issues of robbery and drug crimes have plagued some neighborhoods, causing the police to begin aggressive measures of monitoring known juveniles on a regular basis in order to keep juveniles from committing crimes in the first place. This also gives those who could potentially commit crimes, more visible, and as a consequence, make them less attractive to their peers who do not want to be part of the monitoring system (Ruderman 2013). 3. Both crimes of hate and also juvenile crimes, while definite problems in New York City and its boroughs, is also indicative of many other cities across the nation. They are of issue in New York City however, because of the close proximity of the population to each other. New York City has a large population in relationship to its geographical size and also has one of the largest police departments in the United States (Ruderman 2013; Margolin 2013; Cordner & Scarborough 2010). 3.A. Those who perpetuate the hate crimes have no particular face other than that they hate those who conduct same sex partnerships and see those people as unmoral or deviants. In cases where there is a hate crime against Muslims, the issu e is about the threats of terrorism which people see as a problem with all Muslims. They also see Islam as a violent religion (AP News 2013). Juveniles are the cause of most petty theft crimes, home robberies and also drug-related crimes, mainly because they may have less opportunities socially and do not have jobs to keep them off the streets, particularly in times where getting a job is pretty difficult (Shelden

Read Plato's Allegory of the Cave Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Read Plato's Allegory of the Cave - Essay Example Because it's all they've ever known, they think these shapes are the reality, but Plato says it's important to try to get these people to come out of the cave to see the true reality by the light of the sun. They will struggle and not want to admit the truth, but if they stay in the sun long enough, they will finally begin to understand. It was difficult for me to think of a time when I was fooled into believing something was true instead of what was real. There are many times when this happens in life, but we rarely want to admit it. One thing really stands out in my mind, though. This is my belief in the United States President George W. Bush. I really didn't pay much attention to politics growing up and thought it was natural to support the President when he called for us to go to war in Iraq to save us from the weapons of mass destruction he knew were there. I didn't think there was any reason for me to question him since he had access to so much inside information. Even after th e fall of Bagdad and the searches we did in that country without finding any WMDs, I still believed the Iraqi's must have hidden them somewhere we just couldn't think to look. After having friends and relatives deployed to that region and seeing so many soldiers being killed, I started to pay more attention.

Compare and Contrast Research Methods (case study with other five Essay

Compare and Contrast Research Methods (case study with other five methods ) - Essay Example A case study further aims at understanding characteristics of the studied subject for generalization to a larger population and has been used to develop theories such as developmental theories among children. Its ‘generalizability’ is based on the assumption that an explored case is similar to other cases and gathered information is the same as what would be observed in the other cases (Zucker, 2009; Crowe et al, 2011). Some of the features of case study that distinguishes it from other research methods are its specialization in a unit for study and a comprehensive study of such a unit. The method is also strictly qualitative and focuses on causal effect relationships. It is also largely dependent on a researcher’s rationale as opposed to observed features of the studied elements. Case studies also exist in different types such as snapshot case studies, and longitudinal case studies, a feature that allows for freedom in the research method It offers a number of advantages such as flexibility, ability to infer observations to other cases, and ‘relatability’ in cases where results cannot be inferred. It is similarly able to study small units such as an individual effectively. The case study has however been associated with external validity challenges due to its usual small sample size. Its implementation follows the traditional approach of preliminary considerations, data collect ion, analysis, interpretation, and communication of the interpreted results. Case study can be applied in studying management styles, and their prospects, as used by an institution (Crowe et al, 2011; Roberts, n.d.). Case study was for example used in the research to investigate ICT-enabled government models in European cities (Jrc, 2010). The focus group is another qualitative approach to research in which participants are organized in defined groups to

Setting up a Communications Technology Based Company Essay - 1

Setting up a Communications Technology Based Company - Essay Example The main clients of the company are home appliances selling companies and computer retailers. These companies usually need call centres to deal with customer complaints. Call centres also guide users when they face any problem with the products. Tele Solutions also offer online customer care services. Customers can contact the company through internet and Tele Solutions will help them solve their problems. The name of the company is Tele Solutions and it will be based in Central London. Tele Solutions helps businesses outsource their customer care call centres. The name is chosen keeping in mind the service that is being offered by the company. There will be 100 employees in the company as it is a small company. When starting operations low number of employees will help the company lower its costs and risk. The services offered by the company are very useful for businesses because people face problems with technology items like home appliance and computers. Usually they do not have enough time to go through the instruction manual therefore they contact the customer care services. This is where our company will come in and provide facility to businesses and will charge a fee for it. The structure of the company will be horizontal and team based. Groups will be formed and each group will be working on a separate company. The teams will choose their own leader and the leader will only act as a guide and will provide support to the group members. It has been identified that call centre employees show distress and anxiety due to strict work methods and non supportive leaders (Holman, D. 2006) therefore Tele Soft will have a supportive environment and employees will be free to design their own activities. This structure will also be a success strategy for the company. Motivated employees will bring business to the company. Also company will be

Methods of Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Methods of - Research Paper Example Approximately 76% of firms in different geographical areas use social networking to achieve their marketing strategy. Retailers have achieved 133% increases in profit through the mobile market and thus they promote social media. An approximated 40% of United States shoppers usually use their Smartphone to buy products online and thus becoming a need than a want. There is a gap that exists while investing in social media marketing. Messages are shared in the social network concerning the brands and services offered by a certain firm and thus they are passed from user to user. This means that the company only posted once in the site for example, in the Facebook which has millions users. The messages and images of the brands are available to the third person without his or her request that he or she wants the brands but they are going to be posted. This means that the firm that posted the brands once does not need to keep on monitoring who has been interacting with their site. Through t he use of social media they can use the strategy of winning a prize or the first individual who can share and like the brands in the firm can win a prize or get the brand of his or her choice at a discounted rate. This is a gap that many companies have never thought about it but play a significant role in social media marketing. Based on the research done by Mangold and Faulds (2009), though investing in social media is costly, it plays a significant role in marketing for example, brand awareness is attained. Social media is a tool that creates competition in the market since different companies use the technology to advertise their products through such media. For example the use of Facebook, YouTube, twitter, Google and LinkedIn among others. One of the notable aspects to note while educating an individual who want to use social media marketing is that it is generally expensive. However, in reality it plays a significant role in making sure that awareness of the

The Indian Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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Sarfaesi act Essay Example for Free

Sarfaesi act Essay The Securitization Reconstruction of Financial Assets Enforcement of Security Interest Act,2002 (SARFAESI) empowers banks [financial institutions to recover their non-performing assets without intervention of court. The Act provides 3 alternate methods for recovering of NPA namely- Securitization Asset Reconstruction Enforcement of security without intervention of court Provisions of this Act are applicable only for NPA loans with outstanding balance bove 1 lakh rupees. NPA loan accounts where the amount is less than 20% of the principal and Interest are not eligible to be dealt with under this Act. NPAs should be backed by securities charged to the bank by way of hypothecation or mortgage or assignment-security Interest by way of purchase and lease not liable for attachment under Sec 60 of CPC ,are not covered under this Act. Strengths of the Act- The Act empowers the Bank: 1 . To Issue demand notices to the defaulting borrower and guarantor,calllng upon hem to discharge their dues in full within 60 days from the date of notice.

Capacity Management Case Study

Capacity Management Case Study Introduction and background: Capacity management lies at the core of every successful operational strategy whether service or manufacturing. It is part of a larger corporate strategy which is a long term plan to achieve a certain target (Jones and Kutsch, 2007). It is imperative for every organization to know how well its capacity is being utilized as its long term success is based on it (Krajewski and Ritzman, 2002). Capacity measurement helps determine the overall operational costs and forms the basis of important decisions like expansion (Yu Lee, 2002). This paper will endeavour to resolve the capacity management issues of a health facility called Fitness Plus in Greensboro, North Carolina. Fitness Plus began its operations in a large suburban park in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1991. Under health and sports it provides fitness, relaxation and recreational facilities operating 7 days a week (For details see Appendix 1). Customers use the facilities having subscribed to yearly memberships. Lately the area of Greensboro has expanded in population and businesses. Growth in population increased health awareness in residents and has increased demand for fitness facilities. Other health centres have also opened namely YMCA, Oasis and Golds Gym. YMCA offers full range of facilities, Golds Gym has only cardiovascular and weight training and Oasis is restricted to only adults over 16 years of age. Available data indicates that by May 2002 members visiting Fitness Plus every hour during peak time (4 7pm) had doubled to 80 from 1997. The average visits per hour increased from 15 to 25 in a typical day resultantly the facility got overcrowded and complaints arose about non-availability of equipment. Most number of complaints arise in the specific areas of aerobics, nautilus and cardiovascular. The capacity of Fitness Plus needs to be measured and planned properly in order to form an effective operational strategy both in the long and short terms. There are two options available i.e. first is to effectively manage the existing facility which will take few months and second is to build a new facility in the downtown area which might take upto a year to become operational. Due to financial and time constraints a short term solution is needed for now and a long term later. In the following report the capacity issues of Fitness Plus will be discussed in three sections A, B and C. In section A the capacity of Fitness Plus will be measured and analysed to see whether there is sufficient capacity to deal with the immediate issues of overcrowding and non-availability of equipment. Section B will ascertain which capacity strategy would be appropriate for Fitness Plus with the necessary justifications. In section C the adopted strategy would be described in detail and linked with other types of operating decisions i.e. finance, HR, marketing and supply chain. Lastly in the conclusion the crux of main issues and solutions would be summed up. Section A / Question 1: Capacity measurement with details There is no fit for all formula for capacity measurement as businesses vary in their nature and details. A theatre measures capacity in terms of seats and a job shop can measure capacity in number of machine hours (Krajewski, Ritzman and Malhotra, 2010). Jones and Kutsch (2007) are of the opinion that space and equipment hold primary position in capacity measurement thus the measurement would be centered around them. Main complaints are from two issues i.e. unavailability of equipment (Cardiovascular, Nautilus and aerobics) and workout activities being overcrowded. Thus the focus of capacity management in aerobics should be on space and equipment for the workout activities in peak hours. According to the study it is noted that peak times are between 4-7pm and total number of members visiting between that time is 240 (80 per hour). For analysis purpose the figures from the conducted survey (Appendix 1) have been used as following: Nautilus: It consists of 24 pieces of equipment and it is assumed that on an average each member takes 45 minutes to complete the whole course. In one hour the total number of members able to use the equipment would be (60 minutes / 45 minutes x 24 equipments = 31 members). The current usage during peak time is 25% of capacity equalling 20 members per hour. Cardiovascular: It has 29 pieces of equipment and it is assumed that each member takes 45 minutes to complete the exercise. Thus in one hour the total number of members able to use the equipment would be (60 minutes / 45 minutes x 29 equipments = 38 members). The current usage during peak hour is 40% of capacity equalling 32 members per hour. Aerobics: The facility can accomodate 35 members in one session and normally each session lasts for one hour. Thus the current usage during peak hour is 30% of capacity equalling 24 members per hour. Free weights: The case study doesnt hold any details about the space or type of available equipment. There are no complaints arising and 20% of the members use the facility during peak hours which equals 16 members so we assume that it is being utilized appropriately. Recreational activities: There is sufficient room available to accomodate the members during peak hours. Six tennis courts can accomodate between 12 to 24 members to play either 6 single or double games where as currently only 8 members play tennis during peak hours. Same is the case for 8 racquet ball courts which can accomodate between 16 to 32 members for 8 singles or doubles matches. During peak time only 12 members play racquet ball. The assumptions are based on the average calcuaton of each game to last for 1 hour. In case of longer game sessions still there are plenty of courts available to accomodate the demand. Detail of equipment and space are as following: Further analysis: Yu Lee (2002) is of the opinion that correct measurement of capacity is a pre-requisite for the effective management because correct decisions are always based on correct observations. It is a dilemma that one can not precisely measure the utilization capacity for service organizations as it needs constant surveys and observations (Jones and Kutsch, 2007). It has been observed that all the capacity measurements which can be taken are based on the primary data i.e. equipment condition, physical space, type of members, frequency of use, the type of equipment and support system (Yu Lee, 2002). For Fitness Plus another useful capacity measurement technique would be Utilization which is used for equipment, workforce or space. Utilization is the ratio between actual average output of the equipment and the maximum capacity (Krajewski et al., 2010). Utilization = (Average output rate / Maximum capacity) x 100% From the data available in (Figure 1) we can measure the utilization of diffferent equipments as following: Nautilus utilization = 20/31 x 100% = 64.5% (35.5% below capacity) Cardiovascular utilization = 32/38 x 100% = 84.21% (15.79% below capacity) Free weights utilization = 16/16 x 100% = 100% (Full capacity). Tennis courts utilization = 8/12 x 100% = 66.66% (33.33% below capacity) Racquet ball courts utilization = 12/16 x 100% = 75% (25% below capacity) Aerobics Utilization = 24/35 x 100% = 68.5% (31.5% below capacity) For aerobics the full capacity of the room is 35 members at one time which is way above the peak time average of 24 members. Scheduling of aerobics room can be the cause of the problem as the same room is twice a week dedicated for classes of yoga. Based on the above results it can fairly be said that Fitness Plus has enough capacity to effectively manage its existing facility and reduce complaints. There is also a need to determine the type of memebers using the facilities in peak hours i.e. family groups, under 16 students and working adults etc. It will be essential for both short and long term capacity strategies to cater for these groups separately in order to gain the competitive edge. A study should also be conducted to check the codition of the equipment as complaints might have arose partially due breakdown. It should also determine popular machines among the members specially for the cardiovascular and nautilus so the least popular be replaced with the more popular ones to increase the existing capacity. All capacity management plans not only determine the current usage of capacity but also take into account the future fluctuatins in demand. Existing or planned capacity should always leave sufficient cushion for adjustments (Krajewski et al., 2010). Capacity cushion is calculated as 100% minus the percentage of utilization. Upto 10% is considered sufficient to adjust demand fluctuations over time. Capacity cushion = 100% Utilization rate (%) In case of busy health facilities any number of customers can come at any time to use the equipment or space varying the demand significantly thus 20% capacity cushion would be more appropriate to maintain good customer service levels and to suatain any membership increases. Calculations are as following: Nautilus cushion = 100% 64.5% (utilization rate %) = 35.5% Cardiovascular cushion = 100% 84.21% (utilization rate %) = 15.79% Free weights cushion = 100% 100% (assumed utilization rate %) = 0% Tennis courts cushion = 100% 66.66% (utilization rate %) = 33.33% Racquet ball courts cushion = 100% 75% (utilization rate %) = 25% Aerobics cushion = 100% 68.5% (utilization rate %) = 31.5% Fitness Plus equipment and facilities have sufficient existing cushion. The only exceptions are cardiovascular equipment with 15.79% which is not too low and free weights equipment. There is no data available for free weights thus an assumed utilization of 100% is considered which can not be true in reality. On the basis of above calculations and analysis it can be fairly said that Fitness Plus has sufficient capacity to deal with current and future demand fluctuations. An efficient capacity management can result in a significant decrease in complaints and increase service levels and customer satisfaction. Section B / Question 2: Capacity strategy and justification One of the most difficult challenges service managers face is to cope well with uneven demand. The frequent flucuations in demand can lower service levels or result in under utilisation of resources. To avoid these consequences service firms can either adjust their capacity according to the changing demands, influence a change in demand patterns to suit their capacity or a combination of both (Krajewski et al., 2010) (see below figure 2): There are three main capacity strategies i.e. level capacity, chase demand and demand management. Each of these strategies should be adopted when its advantages out weight the disadvantages. Most often operation managers are required to keep low costs, decrease investments and at the same time provide excellent customer service levels making it all the more important for organizations to adopt a mixture of these approaches (Jones and Kutsch, 2007). Fitness Plus should adopt a mixed capacity plan for both its short and long term strategy as explained and justified in the following paragraphs: Level capacity: The capacity is maintined at a constant level all along the planning period and any fluctuations in demand are ignored. High under utilization of resources can make this capacity option very expensive but also very useful where the opportunity cost of single lost sale is very high like in jewellery retailing or real estate (Jones and Kutsch, 2007). At Fitness Plus there is always a possibility of a large number of members coming in any time and very low number of members in off-peak season resulting in either a waiting line or under utilization thus a pure level capacity plan would not be suitable. Chase demand: Chase demand is opposite to level capacity as it tries to match the capacity levels according to the changing demand patterns. It is very difficult plan to act upon as it needs flexible working hours, different number of staff and often different number of euipment in each period. It is suitable for companies which produce either perishable goods or cannot store their outputs such as customer processing. It has a clear advantage of having the appropriate level of staff all the time according to the demand of a particular season (Krajewski et al., 2010). This method requires adjustment of capacity through different means i.e. offering over time in peak and lesser hours in off-peak periods, varying number of employees according to the seasonal requirements, part time contracts and subcontracting (Jones and Kutsch, 2007). Fitness Plus would need to chase demand in the below aspects: As per available data members complain about waiting for the availabiliity of equipment. Application of a waiting line model will increase the service levels by effectively managing the existing capacity and chasing the current demand. A survey is proposed to check which machines are in demand, increasing their numbers and decreasing the least used ones to be in line with the existing demand. A waiting line model will not be suitable for aerobics because the class is preplanned and majority of the members arrive just before the start thus mixing schedules between aerobics and yoga can solve the problem. The number of employees would need to be rescheduled to increase the current service levels. It will reduce excess staff during slower times shifting them to peak times resulting in more personal attention, interaction and customer satisfaction. Developing a new facility will also chase the increase in demand which is expected due to new businesses down town. Demand management: The objective of this strategy is to shift the burden of peak period to off-peak period. Either the demand is changed through various methods or alternate products or services are offered to fill off-peak capacity. The most widely applied method in service industry is pricing to shift the peak demand to off-peak when people are not very interested in buying. Advertising also helps to smooth demand but is expensive and if is un-planned can result in financial loss. Organizations with different demand patterns develop new products and services covering the whole year i.e. univerities filling the lecture rooms during vacations (Jones and Kutsch, 2007). Fitness Plus will be managing demand in certain aspects of its startegy: It is proposed that Fitness Plus should either slightly rise prices during the peak times or provide services which cost lesser to manage demand. They should offer different types of memberships with different prices called price optimization. A non-pricing strategy of advertising off-peak services to waiting customers during peak times would also balance the peak and off-peak demands. Distributing off-peak service coupons during peak times, discounted tickets for relaxation services like massage, health supplements or energy drinks can be offered to balance the demand year round. Through a system of reservations Fitness Plus can fill its capacity and move the excess memberships to the off-peak period by booking a slot when capacity is available to manage it more effectively. Another option can be to partially restrict access of members during peak periods. During peak times mostly members would be working executives thus a restriction can be applied on under 16 members. To compensate them student membership rates can be offered in the off-peak period to encourage members to come more often in off-peak. Employee scheduling should reduce the excess staff during slower times by shifting more employee to peak times. It will result in more customer satisfaction and effective demand management. Often service companies have to opt a mixed capacity strategy as it is very hard to forecast demand and balance existing capacity (Jones and Kutsch, 2007). Operational capabilities do not always match one of the three strategies thus a mixture of chasing and managing demand would be most suitable for Fitness Plus. Section C / Question 3: Capacity strategy and other operational decisions Any capacity decision an organization makes should always be in line with the supply chains and processes within the organization. Taking into account the bigger operational picture is essential for a successful capacity strategy (Krajewski et al., 2010). Both short and long term strategies are discussed in this context below (See Figure 4): Short term strategy: Waiting line model: Peak demand most frequently results in waiting time increases for customers. Waiting line model is considered very useful for service organizations in resolving the problem (Krajewski et al., 2002). This model can be applied to the workout equipment as the waiting line is resulting in bottlenecks. Currently the system is catering for members individual service needs in multiple lines with a mixed arrangement of facilities on first come, first served basis. The arrival and service time distributions need to be calculated including line lengths, number of customers in the system, waiting time, total time in system and utilization of service facilities. After analyzing this data a new layout of the facility might be needed increasing the peak capacity and space for some equipment and reducing or eliminating some. Total 32 members visit the workout room during peak hours taking 45 minutes in completing their routines. On an average each member uses 2 machines during their stay with 20 minutes on each machine plus 5 minutes for the next one. Three customers get served with 20 minutes and an average the arrival rate comes to 2.5 times during an hour. If we take into account repeated visits we get a 80 per hour arrival rate (30 x 2.5) thus members wait approximately 8.6 minutes for a machine. To resolve it the most appropriate model would be a multiple channel, single phase as it will have a single line and more staff to deal with customers ( See Figure 3 below): Operationally this model will facilitate the marketing, HR, finance and supply chain aspects as during peak hours the waiting customers would be in a single line making it easier to display the marketing material on surrounding walls or screens. Financially it will save the expensive investment in media advertising and will make off-peak brochure distribution easier and to more interested existing customers. To serve on multiple service counter HR will need to schedule employees i.e. reducing the excess staff during slower times by shifting more employee to peak times resulting in better customer service. This model will also stream line the supply chain processes and increase service levels. During waiting line news telecasts and entertainment like BBC, Sky Sports etc with seated customer will create a calmer waiting environment and defuse any possible difficult situation. Price related strategy: Fitness Plus can reduce demand during peak hours by diverting surplus users either slightly rising prices or providing services which cost lesser. It can offer different types of memberships with different prices. The best price should be determined keeping in mind that no capacity constraint occurs which is called price optimization. Financially, increasing prices would generate extra revenues as per Shugan (2004) price optimization moves demand from peak to off peak times and increases revenues. But service firms are often hesitant due to its long term negative effects on the business. The presence of strong competitors often makes price increase decisions difficult as a customer can try competitor services and it might result in customer loss. Price increase startegy can also increase pressure on the over all supply chain as customers will start expecting higher service levels and seamless operations. By offering different type of memberships HR might need to recruit more staff to attend customer in both seasons. It can indirectly increase marketing costs as less expensive methods of selling to regular customers in peak season will become less effective due to lesser number of customers. Non-pricing strategies: Peak time is best to contact customers who might be interested in the off-peak offers and services (Kotler, 2001). It is highly likely to come across potential cusomers during Peak periods rather than less direct methods of advertising. In the earlier case customers have already shown their interest in the services and facilities. Thus it is far easier to sell them the off peak services or packages. While waiting for their turn customers can be shown different adverstisements to promote off-peak services which will save money for more expensive marketing campaigns. For regular members off-peak coupons can give further discounts or additional services with minimal incurring costs like massage, health supplements or energy drinks. Another strategy would be to develop a reservation system. It helps to shift the members to off-peak period who would otherwise be waiting during the peak period. When a customer calls to reserve a service or facility he should be given the slots with available capacity. The system works best if it is automated thus optimizing and balancing demand and capacity at the same time. These systems do improve the over all supply chain but also affect financial and HR related operational decisions as they are expensive and need trained staff to operate them. Fitness Plus can also partially restrict access of members during peak periods. A detailed study of the type of members visiting the facility would be needed. Once the data has been gathered on the usage pattern the decision of categorical restrictions can be applied. For example during peak times of 4-7 mostly members would be working executives thus in order to reduce access and optimise the capacity a restriction should be applied on under 16 members using the facility in the same period. To compensate them student membership rates can be offered during the off-peak period. This will encourage the excluded members to come more often during off peak periods. Fitness Plus should also have a survey to determine the popular equipment. The number of popular equipment should be increased and the least popular ones be decreased which will help fill the gap in member requirements. Operationally it can create a supply chain problem of disposing off the least popular equipment and can increase financial pressure of buying new machines. In case of aerobics section complaints there is a possibility of a mixed schedule between aerobics and yoga. A rescheduling of classes on the basis of members demand can ensure that the classes do not clash. It will affect the HR decisions as employee scheduling would be needed and over time might need to be paid. The employees of Fitness Plus also need to be scheduled in order to increase the service levels and reduce the excess staff during slower times. Shifting more employee to peak times will result in more customer satisfaction by having more personal attention and interaction. It will benefit the supply chain by improving process times and facilitating seamless operations. Long term strategies: There are three alternates in the long run which should be based on both qualitative and quantitative bench marking of competitors, capacity and cost estimates: Opening of a new facility downtown Minimal expansion within the current facility on available land Waiting and watching the demand conditions before making any expansion Because customers are already complaining and equipment is being used lesser than its maximum capacity there is some room for minor expansion of the existing facility but is limited due to lack of available land. As the population is increasing steadily and the only full range competitor is YMCA option 1 would be the best choice. It will create sufficient capacity ahead of customer demands. Once the new facility is announced it will be difficult for competitors to expand as it might over burden the market. Financially it is a big decision and would very much depend on the success of the short term strategies. Profits gained through short term measures will ease the financial pressure. Secondly going ahead with new facility downtown will need thorough supply chain planing as the distance between the facilities will make logistical decisions difficult and expensive. Lot of new job will be created and HR department will need to recruit and send and recieve staff between facilities for training and development purposes. It will be a big opportunity for marketing deparatment as lots of new campaigns, hoardings, billboards and advertisements would need to be developed. Conclusion: In this report the capacity issues of Fitness Plus were discussed in details in three sections. A measurement of existing capacity, justification of adopted strategy and links of proposed strategies with other operating decisions were sought. Both short and long term strategies are considered important but the immediate concern of Fitness plus should be to resolve the existing complaints of over crowding and non-availability of equipment. Firstly, in the short term price optimizing strategy of increasing peak prices and offering off-peak packages can work. If it is considered detrimental for the business non-pricing strategies can produce the desired results. Secondly, all the employees should be taken on board in the strategic decisions so that they can handle customer queries more professionally and maintain the desired service levels. Lastly, periodical reviews of the demand forecasting, complaints, equipment and service levels will ensure effective capacity utilzation. Accuracy of data should be maintained by comparing the existing demand with the forecasted demand so that a clear picture of the financial, operational and service needs is obtained. In the long run Fitness Plus needs to refer to its corporate objective and act accordingly either to effectively manage the current equipment and space or build a new branch over time. The earlier the long term strategy is initiated the better. Once the expansion plan is announced new memberships will prove to be a guage for its success and continuous monitoring of population growth, market trends and competitors will keep Fitness Plus ahead of its competitors.

Techniques for Motivating Students in Art

Techniques for Motivating Students in Art SYNOPSIS FOR DISSERTATION Exploration of selected water colour techniques to motivate students in painting. An action Research at Form IV level. INTRODUCTION Learning is an ongoing process that occurs every minute in the field of education. Learning means to gain knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught, or experiencing something. As teacher, our goal is to encourage learning in the classroom. The purpose of this study is to carry out an action research through selected watercolour techniques to improve pupil’s performance. A student comes in class with a certain degree of motivation. But, teacher’s behavior and the way of his teaching, the structure of the course, and interactions with the students all have a broad effect on the student motivation. There are three things to remember about education as per Maher and Meyer’s concept (1997, p 377), â€Å"the first is motivation, the second is motivation and the third is motivation.† Teaching effectively involves not only the use of tools, techniques, and strategies to optimize student learning but an understanding of context, in particular how your students learn, how they process information, what motivates them to learn more, and what impedes the learning process. Its not easy keeping children interested and motivated in classroom instruction. However, several tips and selected techniques can help teachers actively engage students and encourage them to learn and interact positively with others. THE RATIONALE In the course of my teaching of Art and Design at form four level in my college, I have noticed that there are some topics where students meet difficulties. The subject has been introduced since more than 35 years at Hamilton College Girls department, at Mahebourg, students have adopted the teacher centred approach and depend entirely on what the teacher gave them as instructions. Since, the majority of the students come from different socioeconomic backgrounds and they are mostly low achievers, they should be boost up in creating their own learning environment whereby they know what and how they are doing it. At form four levels, students will be having enough time to adapt to the new teaching and learning techniques which will be implemented. Enough time will be given to them for active learning during their practical classes.. Purpose and justification of the study I have been working as a practicing teacher for almost 15 years in a private secondary school, located in a coastal area. I have been teaching art and design both in lower and upper classes. When I started working with Form IV students this year I noticed that pupils at this level perform very poorly while using water colour technique in their painting. They had great difficulties in handling this media. They lack confidence and hence they fear to spoil their drawing and painting. When these pupils undergo the examinations, they come with poor results. These are some of the reason for me to use some selected watercolour techniques to boost up their level, thus ensuring better examination results. Students Profile Usually students who pass the CPE (Standard VI) with C, D, and E are admitted in the school. Very rarely a student is seen to have been admitted with B’s and least often with A’s. Apart from their low intellectual baggage, pupils from this school come from coastal regions like Grand Port, Bois des Amourettes, Grand Sable and other neighboring villages. Their social background is quite poor as there are many girls who have only one parent or who live with grandmothers or aunts- the result of broken homes due to alcoholic parents. The pupils do not have art materials most of the time. The absenteeism rate is quite high. Low ability pupils Low ability pupils are those pupils whose pace of learning is very slow and they exist in all schools. They should be provided more time than the average and high achievers so that it will be easy for them to grasp the basic of the learning activities. These students need special help over a lengthy period from the teachers. Some causes of low achievers are poverty, broken family, emotional or personal factors. Aims of the study To apply selected water colour techniques in the class in order to promote learning among students in practical classes. This research has objectives as: To create an interest in painting using watercolour among the pupils and encourage participation in class. To make students aware of different water colour techniques in painting. To promote self-learning. Implement the selected strategies in the class. Analyse and reflect critically whether the use of the strategies have been effective. Improve pupil’s performance Effectively use elements and principles of design while painting with water based paint. Problem statement Aproblem statementis a concise description of the issues that need to be addressed by a problem solving team and should be presented to them (or created by them) before they try to solve the problem. The primary purpose of aproblem statementis to focus the attention of the problem solving team. As I have mentioned above that pupils at Form IV level perform very poorly while using water colour technique in their painting. They had great difficulties in handling this media and they lack confidence and hence they fear to spoil their drawing and painting. So certain questions should be put forward to remedy the situation in art and design classes. Research Questions: What are pupils’ overall perception in painting with watercolour? Why do pupils perform poorly while using watercolour techniques? Can selected watercolour techniques boost up pupil’s performance while painting? LITERATURE REVIEW This chapter highlights the theoretical and empirical literature of this study on the exploration of selected water colour techniques and motivation of students. Many college teachers today want to move from passive learning to active learning, to find better ways of engaging students in the learning process. I have gone through the book â€Å"WATERCOLOUR† by the author Milind Mulick where it is mentioned that watercolour as an independent genre was brought in vogue by Joseph Turner and John Constable, two British painters of the 18th century. John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, William Russell Flint took the art of watercolours to new heights. In this book Milind has mentioned the important features of water colour, techniques and about the materials to be used, such as paper brushes and paints. He has also written about the practice, composition and sketching which is the beginning of drawing. The demonstration part of the book will greatly help students understand the application of water colour throughout the painting of landscape. Exploring Watercoloris to discover new ways to get expressive with colourideas for using natures patterns to inspire enticing designshow to expand your repertoire and unleash your creativity by experimenting with freeform collages, found imagery, and other innovative techniques. Wherever you are as an artist, this hands-on guide (Exploring watercolour Techniques by Elizabeth Grove)will help you master the watercolor medium and develop your individual style, and move beyond a literal rendering of your subject matter. MOTIVATION Motivationis a  psychological  feature that arouses an organism to act towards a desired  goal  and elicits, controls, and sustains certain goal-directed behaviors. Motivation involves a constellation of beliefs, perceptions, values, interests, and actions that are all closely related. Motivation is an important factor in learning. Type of motivations Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation means that the individuals motivational stimuli are coming from within. Intrinsic motivation is motivation that is animated by personal enjoyment, interest, or pleasure. Extrinsic motivation means that the individuals motivational stimuli are coming from outside. In other words, our desires to perform a task are controlled by an outside source. Motivation refers to â€Å"the reasons underlying behaviour† (Guay et al., 2010, p. 712). â€Å"Motivation in school learning involves arousing, sustaining and desirable conduct† (Woolfolk, 1988). It depends upon how well a teacher can arouse the interests and motives of student. â€Å"The ultimate goal of schools is to transform its students by providing knowledge and skills and by building character and instilling virtue† (Sergiovanni, 1991). Motivation has been defined as the level of effort an individual is willing to expend toward the achievement of a certain goal. Biehler and Snowman (1993) state that â€Å"motivation is typically defined as the forces that account for the arousal, selection, direction, and continuation of behavior†. responsibility is to create the conditions that will enhance students’ motivation to pursue academic goals actively over a long period of time. MASLOW THEORY OF MOTIVATION â€Å"If you have a hammer, you tend to see any problem as a nail,† meaning, the more tools you have in your toolbox, the better prepared you are to face any challenge that awaits you.† â€Å"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.† â€Å"In you lies something, a passion that makes you truly happy. Find it and don’t let go.† (www.youmotivation.com/-By Abhaham Maslow) Water COLOUR PAINTS Paint is an ideal medium for developing the child’s sensitivity to colour, because it is fluid and its effects are immediate. It is important to explore the expressive and descriptive effects of a variety of colour media and to encourage adventurous use. Colour awareness promotes sensitivity to and enjoyment of colour in the child’s surroundings and is further enhanced when the child has opportunities to look at the work of artists. Watercolor paint is made by mixing pigments with a binder, usually gum Arabic, and then applying it with water to a support such as vellum (fine animal skin) or paper. It also contain glycerin, ox gall and preservative for the durability of the pigment. The water evaporates and the binder fixes the pigment to the support. Watercolor was used long before Prehistoric humans in the Paleolithic ages painted the walls of their caves with mixtures of ochre, charcoal, and other natural pigments. Watercolors were also painted on papyrus and used in Egyptian art forms. In Asia, traditional Chinese painting with watercolors developed around 4,000 B.C., primarily as a decorative medium, and by the 1st century A.D., the art of painting religious murals had taken hold. By the 4th century landscape watercolor painting in Asia had established itself as an independent art form. While early European artists prepared their own watercolor mixtures for fresco wall painting, this was soon applied to paper. Some of the 20th-century artists who produced important works in watercolor are Wassily Kandinsky,  Emil Nolde,  Paul Klee,  Egon Schiele and  Raoul Dufy. Watercolor painting emerged in Europe during the Renaissance period with advancements in papermaking. Modern watercolor paints are now as durable and colorful as oil or acrylic paints, and the interest in drawing and multimedia art has also encouraged demand for fine works in watercolor. Watercolor has been around since painting began, but didn’t really take off until the Renaissance. The German printmaker Albrecht Durer was an early practitioner, and found the medium ideal for small, detailed studies. Many beautiful landscapes, portraits, and other scenes have derived from watercolor paintings. Some of the famous authors of these paintings are Marina Abramoviac, Yaacov Agam, Constantin Alajalov, Henri Matisse, Rene Magritte, and Alfred Maurer. These painters are known for having created some of the most remarkable works of watercolor art.. Clapp’s opinion about water colour,†I would suggest a student just work with one colour, monochromatically, for a while. This will allow seeing more clearly the effects of different brushes and amount of water you are using.† â€Å"If I were to teach a water colour class, there are really only a couple of things I would do that are different from how I would teach any painting in any media. Both of these ideas address the heart of the problem people face when trying to paint in water colour.’ â€Å"Since the amount of water in the brush controls your values, edges, and the kind of marks you can make, you cannot paint well in the medium, until you understand how to control the amount of water in your brush.† THE SELECTED STRATEGIES It is proposed that strategies promoting active learning be defined as instructional activities involving students in doing things and thinking about what they are doing. The selected ones are: Demonstration Pair and share Guided lecture Class Discussion Peer teaching SELECTED TECHNIQUES I will choose three technique from the following: Wet on wet Wet on dry Sponge wash Splatter Resist Salt texture METHODOLOGY The study necessitate an action research. Action research in classrooms involves the teacher directly. Peer teachers, the Rector, teachers, students and classroom researchers are part of the process. An action research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully used techniques of research and it is based on the following assumptions: It involves: a specific problem within a particular classroom Planned action elements of the formal research improvement of classroom practice. Contributes to the self evaluation process I am going to do an action research for the actual problem(difficulty in using watercolour techniques) of the Form IV students. I will look for some new methods to motivate students and to enhance their performance. Sample The study will be targeted at students of form four studying Art and design at Hamilton College Girls Department. A class sample of 10 students will be taken from two different classes. For group work the students will be selected randomly as the class is considered to be a mixed ability one but the number of low achievers is quite high. Interview and observation Interviews will be carried out with the students during the class or after and the feedback of students will be noted. Students will be observed by the teacher during their practical classes and their approaches towards the lesson on a particular topic will be noted. Use of assessment both summative, formative and diagnosis and the use of mark sheets. (ii) Method to be used during class Observation Checklists Formulated questions Cycle 1 Direct teaching – teacher centered – chalk and talk Cycle 2 2 Lesson plans use of selected watercolour techniques Expectation of results above 60% Comparison between cycle 1 and cycle 2 Cycle 3 More lessons on watercolour techniques. (iii)Analysis and Interpretation of data Data will be represented as: Bar chart Pie chart Conclusion I will investigate through the research and come to a conclusion and I hope that this study will be useful to teachers in better creating the conditions that will foster students participation. BIBLIOGRAPHY Barry K King L, (1998), Beginning Teaching and Beyond, 3rd Edition. http://barrycoombs.wordpress.com/tag/watercolor-demonstration/ http://voices.yahoo.com/21-ways-motivate-students-art-class-guide-5440335.html?cat=4 http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/categ.html http://www.crlt.umich.edu/gsis/p2_5 http://www.bing.com/search?q=exploring+watercolour+techniquesgo=qs=nform=QBREpq=exploring+watercolour+techniquessc=0-0sp=-1sk=