African Art Essays - African Art, Masks, Free Essays, Term Papers

African Art Essays - African Art, Masks, Free Essays, Term Papers African Art The traditional art of Africa plays a major part in the African society. Most ceremonies and activities (such as singing, dancing, storytelling, etc.) can not function without visual art. It can also be used as an implement and insignia of rank or prestige, or have a religious significance. African art consists mainly of sculptures, paintings, fetishes, masks, figures, and decorative objects. Sculptures are considered to be the greatest achievement for African art. A majority of the sculptures are done in wood but are also made of metal, stone, terra-cotta, mud, beadwork, ivory, and other materials. It is found in many parts of Africa but mainly in western and central Africa. Many ancient rock paintings have been found in Southern and Eastern Africa. These paintings are believed to be attributed to the SAN (Bushman) people. Masks and fetishes are often used to scare off bad things such as evil spirits, witches or ghosts. They are also used to bring about a desired end-break a bad habit, improve ones love life, or kill a natural or supernatural enemy. There are three basic themes of African art. The first is the dualism between bush and village. African tribes wear masks and headdresses: the male is represented by the elephant, the most powerful of bush creatures and the female is delicately coifed to express refinement and civilization. The second theme of African art is the problematic relationships between the sexes. African tribes use art as a therapeutic device to deal with the problems and issues dealing with the relations between the sexes. The third theme is the struggle to control natural or supernatural forces to achieve a desired end. African tribes often use masks in ceremonies (called Gelede) to please and honor the forces. For each region in Africa, there is a different style of Art. The western Sudanic Region have masks and figures representing legendary ancestors and religious sacrifices. The central Sudanic Region art includes mud architecture, embroidered textiles, elaborate Coiffure, metal and beadwork jewelry, and leather work. This style usually doesnt represent anything special. The west Guinea Coast Region use masks and figures to police ceremonies, punish people for doing something wrong, settle land-owning problems and start or end wars. The Central Guinea Coast Region art employs aristocratic materials. Specialized artists creature works of art for the leaders that include: stools, drums, cloth, pottery, terra-cotta, figures, miniature masks, combs, mirrors, pipes, and carved musical instruments. African art is traditionally essential and optimistic. Without art, there would be no African culture.

How The Nursery Rhyme Eins, Zwei, Polizei Can Help You Learn German

How The Nursery Rhyme Eins, Zwei, Polizei Can Help You Learn German Learning German can a lot of fun if you use a simple rhyme. While Eins, Zwei, Polizei is a nursery rhyme for children, people of any age can use it as a game to expand their German vocabulary. This short rhyme is a traditional childrens song that can be sung or chanted to a beat. It includes very basic German words, teaches you how to count to ten or fifteen (or higher, if you like), and each phrase ends with a different word.   There are many versions of this popular and simple song and two of those are included below. However, dont stop with those. As you will see, you can make up your own verses and use this as a game to practice whatever vocabulary words you are learning at the moment. Eins, zwei, Polizei (One, Two, Police) This is the most traditional version of the popular German childrens song and  nursery rhyme. It is very easy to memorize and will help you remember numbers one through ten along with a few basic words. Both children and adults will find it to be a fun way to finish off your night with a little German practice.   This version of Eins, zwei, Polzei has been recorded by at least two German groups: Mo-Do (1994) and S.W.A.T. (2004). While the lyrics for the song by both groups are appropriate for children, the rest of the albums may not be. Parents should review the translations for themselves before playing the other songs for kids. Melodie: Mo-DoText: Traditional   Deutsch English Translation Eins, zwei, Polizeidrei, vier, Offizierfnf, sechs, alte Hexsieben, acht, gute Nacht!neun, zehn, auf Wiedersehen! One, two, policethree, four, officerfive, six, old witchseven, eight, good night!nine, ten, good-bye! Alt. verse:neun, zehn, schlafen gehn. Alt. verse:nine, ten, off to bed. Eins, zwei, Papagei (One, Two, Parrot) Another variation that follows the same tune and rhythm, Eins, zwei, Papagei demonstrates how you can change the last word of each line to fit the German words and phrases you are learning at the moment. As you can see, it doesnt have to make sense, either. In fact, the less sense it makes, the funnier it is. Deutsch English Translation Eins, zwei, Papageidrei, vier, Grenadierfnf, sechs, alte Hexsieben, acht, Kaffee gemachtneun, zehn, weiter gehnelf, zwlf, junge Wlfdreizehn, vierzehn, Haselnussfnfzehn, sechzehn, du bist duss. One, two, Parrotthree, four, Grenadier*five, six, old witchseven, eight, made coffeenine, ten, go furthereleven, twelve, young wolfthirteen, fourteen, Hazelnutfifteen, sixteen, youre dumb. * A  Grenadier  is similar to a private or infantryman in the military. It is understandable if you do not want to teach your children this last version (or at least the last line), which includes the words du bist duss because it translates to youre dumb. Its not very nice and many parents choose to avoid such words, particularly in nursery rhymes with younger children. Instead of avoiding this otherwise fun rhyme, consider replacing the last part of that line with one of these more positive phrases: Youre great - du bist tollYoure funny - du bist lustigYoure pretty - du bist hà ¼bschYoure handsome - du bist attraktivYoure smart - du bist shlauYoure special - du bist etwas  Besonderes How Eins, zwei... Can Expand Your Vocabulary Hopefully, these two examples of the rhyme will inspire you to use it throughout your studies of German. Repetition and rhythm are two useful techniques that will help you remember basic words and this is one of the easiest songs to do that with. Make a game out of this song, either on your own, with your study partner, or with your children. It is a fun and interactive way to learn. Alternate saying each line between two or more people.Complete each phrase with a new (and random) word from your most recent vocabulary list. It can be anything from food and plants to people and objects, whatever you think of. See if the other players know what that word means in English.Practice two- or three-word phrases on the last line.Count as high as you can and keep finishing off each line with a new word. See who can count the highest in German or who can say more  new words than everyone else.Try to create a theme throughout the song. Maybe your family is learning the German words for various fruits (Frà ¼chte). One line might finish with apple (Apfel), the next might end with pineapple (Ananas), then you might say strawberry (Erdbeere), and so on. This is one rhyme that has endless possibilities and it can really help you  learn the German language. Its hours (or minutes) of fun and can be played anywhere.

Renewable Energy Systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Renewable Energy Systems - Research Paper Example astest power manufacturing segments of the world now and there is urgent necessity to minimise the maintenance and operation costs of electricity production. This research essay will make an earnest attempt to elucidate the wind and hydropower generation of manoeuvres of both Australian and Bangladesh government, in particular, to minimise the global warming and of that USA, China, Brazil, Russia and Canadian governments in general by giving unique attention to various empirical studies and eminent authors’ views on the subject. 1-Introduction Both wind energy and hydropower comprises of the renewable energy mix, these bring a lot of economic, technical and environmental advantages both to the developed and developing nations. Energy policy makers all around the world are now paying great attention to harness the renewable energy as they have a duty to safeguard the environment thereby by restricting greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Both wind energy and hydropower are resources which are abundantly available all around the globe, the technology has been well advanced and proven technology, are having longest plant life and lowest operating cost and the plant life can be extended at minimal costs .This research essay will analyse the hydropower and wind energy capabilities of Australia and Bangladesh in an exhaustive manner and that of USA, China, Russia, Brazil and Venezuela in a crisp. 2-â€Å"What is Hydropower?† As of date, hydropower is the largest renewable-energy source and about 16% of the globe’s electricity needs is catered by the hydropower and hydropower occupies about 80% of the globe’s renewable-energy resource. For 90% of their electricity needs, about 25 countries in the globe are now relying on the hydropower. For example, about 99.3%... This essay stresses that Australian government has set a target of 20% of Australian electricity needs to be catered from the renewable- energy sources by the year 2020. As this is an ambitious target, this can be achieved by developing and harnessing more percentage of energies from hydropower and wind farms. Hydropower is environmental friendly as it creates no pollution and maintains the stream flow of the rivers and the ecological balance. With the help of micro hydropower projects, tiny villages and remote hilly areas can be given electricity through off-grid, which would definitely help to enhance the socioeconomic growth of these remote regions. This paper makes a conclusion that Hydropower as one of the renewable energy helps to avoid about 225 million tons of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere in the USA, and this is equivalent to taking about 42 million cars out of the American roads. According to satellite imagery , the pacific Northwest which is the home of the majority of the hydropower projects in USA is an island of low carbon emission, and this is conclusive proof that hydropower can reduce the CO2 emission into the atmosphere. Thus, renewable energy like wind energy and hydropower are the energies of the future and both Australian and Bangladesh government energy policy makers should give more priority in the near future to these sectors so as to afford a clean, economical and environmental friendly energy to its citizens.

Barter and Monetized Systems of Exchange Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Barter and Monetized Systems of Exchange - Essay Example Barter and Monetized Systems of Exchange Different items have worked as money at different times. For instance, tobacco in America, chisels in China, gold until the gold standard was abandoned in the 1930s and paper currencies thereafter. Exchange of goods and services people produce and want is critical to satisfying the diverse wants of everyone. Such exchange is possible by using either the barter system or money as a medium of exchange. Barter was prevalent medium of exchange before the advent of money. It remains the principal form of exchange even today in tribal and traditional societies where political institutions are primitive, economies are not yet monetized and social systems are based on traditional practices and communal support. Even in advanced societies and economies like the United States, barter is still carried out to a limited extent in rural areas and public and charitable activities. On the other hand, modern societies and economies like that of the United States rely on money as the main medium of ex change. They have the highly developed political institutions to regulate money and prevent exploitation, manipulation and profiteering that money makes possible; they have monetized economies that help create and accumulate wealth; and they have social awareness that is necessary for people to trust an intrinsically worthless currency note, a mere piece of paper with the central bank’s assurance in small prints, as a medium of exchange. Barter and monetized systems of exchange have their own advantages and disadvantages (benefits and costs). ... Third, since commodities and services are exchanged directly, there are no foreign exchange fluctuation or balance of trade and payment crises. Fourthly, the division of labor is clear, as one produces what one has the means to do. Barter’s Disadvantages: The barter system has several serious disadvantages too. First, coincidence of wants might be difficult unless the net is cast widely, which makes trade cumbersome. Secondly, in barter, there is no common measure of value making it difficult to ascertain, say for instance, how many loaves of bread would be equivalent to a cow if one wants to sell bread and the other cows. Third, in many cases the commodity one wants to sell, as the cow here, might be indivisible to sell in parts to buy a few loaves of bread. Fourth, commodities and animals often deteriorate in value fast and cannot be stored for long, which makes accumulation and storing of wealth difficult. Fifth, barter makes deferred payment and contractual deal problemati c. Sixth, transporting bulky commodities from place to place becomes cumbersome in a barter system of exchange. Money’s Advantages: To avoid repletion of what has been already said, money takes care of all of the disadvantages of the barter system of exchange. Sexton describes the functions of money as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, as a store of value, and as a means of deferred payment (792-794). Briefly speaking, when money is used as a medium of exchange, there is no need for coincidence of wants. Money represents the common measure of value; it is divisible into small and large amounts; it can be stored almost forever if it is put away safely; it makes deferred payment easy; and

Global Warming Essay Example for Free

Global Warming Essay One of the biggest problems facing the world today is global warming. Many scientists believe that our production of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is having a heating effect on the atmosphere, and this could be very dangerous for human life. This essay will examine the problem of global warming and suggest some ways of solving the problem. Many problems could result from global warming. One of the biggest problems is rising sea level. This could result in the flooding of low lying coastal areas and cities, such as Egypt, the Netherlands, and Bangladesh. Some countries might even disappear completely! Another problem caused by global warming is changes in weather patterns. Many areas of the world are experiencing increased hurricanes, floods, and other unusual weather. A third problem associated with global warming is the effect on animals. Fish populations could be affected, while some insects which spread disease might become more common. There are several things we can do to solve the problem of global warming. One solution is to stop producing C02. We can do this by switching from oil, coal and gas to renewable energy. Another solution is to plant more trees. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, which is not a greenhouse gas. A third solution is to use less energy and to recycle more products. Generating electricity is one of the main sources of carbon dioxide. If we use less electricity, we will produce less C02. In conclusion, if we make small changes now in the way we live, we can avoid huge changes in the future. Scientists, governments and individuals must work together to overcome this threat.

Tragic Hero in The Crucible Essay examples -- The Crucible Arthur Mill

Tragic Hero in The Crucible What is a tragic hero? The most well known definition of a tragic hero comes from the great philosopher, Aristotle. When depicting a tragic hero, Aristotle states "The change in the hero's fortunes be not from misery to happiness, but on the contrary, from happiness to misery, and the cause of it must not lie in any wickedness but in some great error on his part.† In addition, he explains the four essential qualities that a tragic hero should possess, which are goodness, appropriateness, lifelike, and consistency. All of these necessities help to classify the character of John Proctor as the tragic hero of the play. Not only does he unfortunately fall to desolation, but also his character captures the sympathy and pity from the audience or readers. A tragic hero is also known to be someone who brings about their own death, through a flaw within their character or through their actions. Proctor's downfall in the play is initiated by a human error, which to a great extent qualifies him to be the tragic hero. Is John Proctor a tragic hero? In this essay I will be exploring his character, personality, and relationship towards others. The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller, depicts the story of the Salem witch-hunt and the chaos it caused. One of the main characters is John Proctor. Proctor is put through many life-changing decisions. In many cases, a decision he made in one situation led to another problem. Miller sets ‘The Crucible’ in a Puritan community in Salem, Massachusetts, in the spring of 1692. The Puritans were a group of religious separatists who sought to worship God in uncomplicated and basic ways. They built their own houses, made their own furniture, and did... ...himself harshly. Before Abigail came and ruined his peace, he was always sure of himself. After Abigail, he was sure that nothing he would ever do would be pure and honest again. Proctor’s â€Å"tragic hero† status was illustrated by his efforts to save his wife from being put to death, his attempt to prove the children are making fraudulent claims, and his unwillingness to confess to practicing witchcraft when accused. Personally I believe all humans are created with flaws, which control our emotions and often twist our lives. We are put into predications because we are having a hard time of controlling them; therefore we just let them flow. John Proctor’s flaws were his faith, the belief of his own dignity, and his pride, that eventually put in to death. He is a tragic hero that dies of his own flaw, which brought up our sympathy and our fear of death.

Remedial education Essay

According to my knowledge, education helps empower people. I think education helps shape people; it affects how we act, think and respond. Sometimes education can help a person find their path in life. The process of getting a good education, however, may have its flaws. Most of the time, kids who are raised in a poor neighborhood doesn’t get the same opportunities as kids who are raised in a wealthier community. Like Mike Rose, I believed that everyone deserves a second chance in education. Remedial education was created mainly for that reason. It was created to help students who are underprepared and students who are immigrants. Remedial education also helps many immigrants by developing their basic education. Mike Rose pointed out the importance of remedial education in chapters 9 and 10 of his book â€Å"Why School? Reclaiming Education for All of Us†. Remedial education is the foundation of the education system in the United States because it helps ensure the success of many students. Remedial education helps prepare students who has received a bad education and also offers students a second chance to acquire the fundamental skills needed to get back on track. A student’s backgrounds always have a big impact in their education. Most of the time, students who are in remedial education are students who came from a poor background. Living in a poor neighborhood can affects a student’s education greatly because of all the distractions. In chapter 10, Mike Rose talked about a student of his name Kevin. Mike Rose stated â€Å"He was a good student in poor schools, schools with dated textbooks, scarce resources for enrichment, high teacher turnover. † A person future should not be decided because he or she was born in a lower class. If Universities doesn’t offered remedial education, Kevin would most likely dropout of school. After Kevin’s dropout, the chance of him earning a high salary is slim. The result of that creates a cycle that many Americans are struggling to get out of. I think remedial education helps give these students a chance to break that cycle. Like Mike Rose said, remedial education helps these students greatly by giving the students a second chance at education. In chapter 10, Mike Rose stated â€Å"†¦that is the remediation in nation that prides itself as being a ‘second-chance’ society. † Where this nation is the land where everyone is supposedly given the equal opportunities, students should get equal opportunity. The United States was built on the quote â€Å"the land of opportunities†. It is one of the main reasons why the United States is number one on immigrant’s population. Immigrants who immigrate to this country are mostly non-English speakers, they should be able to receive the same opportunity to success like others students. Remedial education helps many immigrants who may need a little extra help for prepare for college. Some colleges view remedial students as a hassle and a waste of college resources. In chapter 9, Mike Rose stated â€Å"Kick remediation off campus, and the primary thing you will achieve is the greater exclusion of American youth from higher education† (Rose 124). Dismissing remedial education is like denying education from the students. Rose’s statement helps reinforce the fact that remedial education helps Universities and Colleges to reach it highest potential. I think that Universities and Colleges should invest more resources in remedial education because it makes them look good. Show others institutions that they are capable of training underprepared students to be highly qualified graduate, now that is an impressive accomplishment. .Remedial education has always been very important in my family. My uncle has always been a person that I admired the most, simply because he worked hard to achieve his American dream. My uncle was a professor teaching at a University in Vietnam. He came to the United State in the year 2000. He spoke no English, yet the desire to learn and succeed had driven him to the land of opportunities. It was very tough at first, but slowly after settling down, he decided to attend a community college. As he recalled, remediation classes helps build his skills. It helped him learn the about the culture, the language, and the importance of communication. He learned that real education come from engaging courses. Courses that help students develop their thinking, as well as, challenge the instructors. He admitted that without remedial education, he would never be able to fully be prepared for higher education. Now my uncle has developed his own business by using the communication skills and networking he learned in his remedial classes. He is the living prove that remedial education are the core of the education system. Although remedial education shows how unprepared American students may be for college, it also revealed the false in our educational system. As much as the government tries to reform education, there will always be a loophole. For many students who are affected by this, they rely on remedial education as there last hope to get a good education. Remedial education also acts as a review for many students who feel that they are in need to revisit the basics. No matter what nationality or history a student has, he or she deserves a second chance at education and a remedial education ensures this.

Understanding Mixed Research Methods

Understanding Mixed Research Methods our site Dissertation TopicsWhat Are Mixed Research Methods? Simply put, mixed research is the combination of qualitative and quantitative research methodology, and is used in studies where there is a need for a better understanding of the problem. The main benefits of mixed methods research are as follows: Better understanding of the research problem More insight than simple quantitative methods Allows the validation of qualitative and quantitative methods Provides more information than single method research There are, however, some limitations and disadvantages of mixed method research design, as well, such as: The complexity of the research data makes it hard to interpret and analyse Takes a lot of time to plan and execute There is a greater chance that discrepancies will arise than in single method research The main differences between mono and multiple methods are presented in the below graph. The Purpose of Mixed Methods Research The main reason why most students and researchers use mixed methods is because one type of data would not be enough to provide answers to the research questions or test the hypothesis. In other cases, the secondary method is added to improve the quality of the data, or, the study might have multiple phases. Mixed methods are popular today, as many researchers are looking to investigate issues from different perspectives. If the findings of one research method are unexpected, a second method might be needed to interpret the discrepancies. The application of mixed methods is the most common in the following fields: Nursing and social care Educational research Sociology Psychology Political sciences How to Design a Mixed Resesarch Study? It is important to determine the sequence of data collection and clarify the analysis methods. First, the author will need to choose the mixed research design they would like to use in their study. There are four main mixed research design approaches used in health and social studies, education, marketing: Sequential explanatory design This method first collects and analyses quantitative data, and later validate and explain the results using qualitative research. The focus of this approach is on the quantitative research, and the qualitative study helps put the results into context. Sequential exploratory design In this approach, the first research conducted is qualitative, followed by a quantitative study that is integrated in the interpretation of the results. The focus of this study design is on quantitative data. You can use this research design to explore a phenomenon in detail or test a new theory. Concurrent triangulation In this method, qualitative and quantitative research have equal priority, and they are conducted separately. The results of the two individual data collections are discussed in the interpretation of the findings. This mixed method is most suitable for validating the results of one method with the other. Concurrent nested In this method, the author will need to choose a dominant data collection method, and nest the results of the other type of research in the interpretation phase of the study. The information is interpreted together, to provide a deeper understanding of a phenomenon. Before deciding which method to choose, it is important to plan where the point of interface between the two research methods will be: at the point of Data collection Data analysis Interpretation The Mixed Methods Research Design Mixed methods research is more complicated than either quantitative or qualitative. Therefore, you must plan your data collection, analysis, and interpretation phases carefully. Use the below flow chart to create your own design that is fit for the purpose of your study. First, develop your research questions for the qualitative and quantitative studies. Next, you will need to identify your samples and determine the sample size of both qualitative and quantitative data collection. Decide whether the sample sizes will be equal or unequal. Finally, make a plan for merging qualitative and quantitative data and interpreting them in a logical way. How to Make the Most Out of Your Mixed Research Design? You must ensure that you have a clear research strategy that describes your methodological approach and the interpretation of the results. You need to describe the different phases of research, such as exploration, triangulation, complimentarity, transformation of data, and the dissemination of the results. It is important that when you structure your mixed method research, you clarify this in the methodology section and cover the data collection and analysis methods separately for qualitative and quantitative research. Likewise, you will have to first present the findings of both research together, followed by the synthesis of findings and the results section. Develop your research questions and add sub-questions that further focus on the specific aspects of the issue you investigate using mixed methods. You need to focus on the Rationale section of your paper and effectively communicate why using the mixed research method prov ides a better understanding of the issue than single methodologies. Always justify your choice of data collection. Do not neglect theories and theses. Using a mixed methodology can help you test your hypotheses better, develop new theses, or confirm research statements or answer important questions related to the field. Just like other research designs, your study will need to include the limitations of the research, as well as the insights you gained through the study. Good mixed research studies are well developed, clear, integrate the quality standards of both qualitative and quantitative research, provide more information than standard studies, and include the discussion of ethical issues related to the mixed methodology. Get Help with Your Mixed Methods Research Design Planning your mixed research design can be overwhelming, and you might feel like you are unable to develop clear research questions that are related to both data collection and analysis methods. Merging information to gain a greater insight into problems is the main benefit of using mixed research, however, the approach is not without challenges. Talk to our site and let our professional academic writers and editors help you design your mixed methods research.

Chose an aspect of your clinical practice and reflect and critically analyse your professional development by drawing on supportive evidence from your portfolio. The WritePass Journal

Chose an aspect of your clinical practice and reflect and critically analyse your professional development by drawing on supportive evidence from your portfolio. Introduction Chose an aspect of your clinical practice and reflect and critically analyse your professional development by drawing on supportive evidence from your portfolio. IntroductionReflection Related Introduction The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse an aspect of professional development and by using relevant reflection techniques to evaluate the development of this skill. The area of clinical practice which will be examined is wound management and the role in which reflection can be used to emphasize the progression of the skills required, improving knowledge base and fundamentally the techniques used to promote safe and evidence based practice. Wound management is an essential part of nursing practice (Gray Cooper 2001).   Additionally, Cutting (2010) states that nurse should have a sound knowledge base when assessing and carrying out the management techniques required. Reflection is a crucial skill and a development technique nurses should utilize to enable them to learn from their past experiences and put what’s been learned into practice to strengthen their clinical approach in future (Jasper 2006). Moreover, by using reflection this essay will deliver further evid ence for the need to reflect and enhance skills in this area of practice. By using the chosen reflection tool the essay will provide a logical breakdown of how the skill has been developed and the personal progress within wound management. I will discuss how over my time in university and by combining theories and practical skills has allowed me to build on an essential skill.   In conclusion it will be evident the way in which by reflecting on events can enable improved and increase of evidence based knowledge base. Reflection is a human quality we actively integrate into everyday living and as Johns (2009) explains it allows us to appreciate experiences and how we apply any desired changes. With consideration to implementing this into education and learning, a significant figure was an American philosopher John Dewey (Bulman Schutz 2004, Brown Libberton 2007). He provided regulations to enable the understanding of the significance of reflection within study and personal development. Many healthcare policies and frameworks have promoted the development of this work with the focus on delivering safe practice for service users and reflection therefore, plays a fundamental part of nursing education (Timmins 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Department of Health (DOH 1999) developed integrated frameworks for the enhancement of knowledge and development for their staff with a section dedicated to nurses. The framework expects nurses to build on previous understanding, skills and experience within their nursing performance. This framework is further developed within the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Professional Conduct (NMC 2008) who provide guidelines for nursing practice. They state that nurses have a responsibility to take part in suitable learning events which enable them to advance and sustain safe practice.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rycroft-Malone et al (2002) and Priest (2007) support the effectiveness for a nurse in actively applying techniques such a reflection to identify gaps in their knowledge to ensure evidence based practice is put into practice. In contrast Pearsons (2004) earlier work argues that the approaches being used to progress and implement evidence based practice were not successful. In agreement Tagney Haines (2009) state that nurses are not fully prepared to successfully integrate theory into their clinical practice. Developed therefore over a period of time, were reflective models which Jasper (2003) states allowed nurses to easily clarify their experiences and subsequently understand and explore their actions. For the objective of this essay the model that will be used is the Gibbs Model of Reflection (1988) (Appendix 1). This model was chosen due to its ability to simply identify a chosen skill and methodically distinguish the learning opportunities and offers a link between the transferring of theory into practice (Hull et al 2005).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   McCabe Timmins (2006) argue that the Gibbs cycle of reflection induces the user to concentrate on negative aspects of their practice rather than understanding the positive support of all development. In contrast Bulman Schutz (2004) and Wilding (2008) describe that the model has the capability to adapt simply to any circumstances and allows the user to clearly translate the knowledge in which they are reflecting. Other models of reflection were studied to ensure the strength of the selected one for the area of development. John’s model (1998) was structure d within a clinical environment and promotes the user to supply valid account for the development of clinical skills. Jasper (2003) explains the model comprised of a series of questions similar to Gibbs cycle, but seizes to offer a clear link between theory and practice. A second model which was also taken into account was Bortons (1970). This model is predominantly proposed for students as it allows novice reflectors to suitably recognise their thoughts and feelings within their chosen area (Hull et al 2005). This model was ruled out due to the required level of depth of writing essential for this essay. Gibbs cycle (Appendix 1) consists of six stages that guide the user through the stages of the reflective cycle by asking a chain of questions, this allows the user to structure and easy interpreter guidelines. The model uses a basic approach to reflection and assists the user to provide initially a clear report of the situation or skills being considered and an analysis of feelings connected with the area of development are given. The skills or situation is then evaluated to highlight their existing level of skills, to the skills the user needs or wants to develop. After the main part is finalised the user concludes what they could have done to better the situation and therefore an analysis is then offered on how the situation has enabled development of skills (Bulman Schutz 2008). Gibbs (1988) then encourages the user to develop an action plan to enable additional development of the area of interest or skill, this further promotes the NMC Code of Conduct (2008) for life long learning. For the following main body of this essay, Gibbs model (1988) will be used to analyse how I have advanced my skills and knowledge base in wound management. My basic introduction to wound management was within the clinical stimulation laboratories which took place within our first semester in first year at university. Before this point I had no knowledge base or previous experience of wound dressings, management or assessment. Within these classes we were given the chance to practice bandaging, cleansing and assessment skills that would be used within our clinical placements. In conjunction with these practical skills, we received academic lectures from tissue viability nurses which concentrated on standards of care management required and the importance of accurate assessment. One assessment tool explained was abbreviated as TIME. TIME presents a logical and systematic method to the assessment (Young 1997). It was at this stage I appreciated how my poor knowledge base would begin to improve as my first placement was given to me, care of the elderly. In first year of university my lack of knowledge was a main issue for me. With this in mind I developed an action plan (Appendix 2) which enabled me to examine my areas for development and allow me to recognise the exact learning outcomes I wished to attain and the resources I required to utilise. With the support and aid of my mentor within placement I was given tasks to deliver basic wound care to patients within the clinical area. These learning opportunities interconnected with my action plan enabling the development of my understanding and skills within wound management.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout various other clinical placements I have had many chances to advance on my skill s, however in my second year community placement I was participating in the care of a patient with a complex wound. The key issue which I felt arose from this opportunity was the ability for me to start connecting theory to practice when selecting suitable dressings and assessment tools. Due to the care being provided on a daily basis until required it allowed my skills to develop and I was able monitor the progression of the wound and the success of the interventions specific to this patient. Following this placement I worked on a personal reflection (Appendix 3) to enable me to identify my strengths and weaknesses so I could transfer my evolving skills into all aspects of my future practice.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   My management placement in third year has been the revolving point in my three years of developing my wound management abilities. It took place in a surgical orthopaedic ward with high levels of wound management skills being vastly important to the patient’s recovery process. The main subject which arose within this placement was my capability to provide rationale for my care with regards to assessment and treatment of wounds. This clinical environment also offered me a new method to wound care. This approach was providing a holistic approach to my care delivery which included ensuring that accurate hydration of patients skin care was carried out for patients. After this placement I commenced a personal reflection (Appendix 4) to allow me to acknowledge the skills I had developed and highlight areas for development. Over the last three years my response and feelings related to wound management has changed significantly. When originally being taught wound management within university I felt hesitant in my ability, astonished at the degree of some wounds and concerned my lack of knowledge within this area of nursing care would interfere with me within placement. Having the chance to construct an action plan and work closely with my mentor in first year consequently allowed me to increase my confidence in this area and gave me the basis to identify evidence based practice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In second year my feelings had changed to becoming more assertive in my ability and understanding of wound management. I still remained hesitant in caring for some wounds however; I had the ability to accurately recognise the resources needed to correctly provide wound management gave me assurance.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My feelings connected with my practice in third year were entirely different. From using the reflection from second year I developed and became more aware of the role I played in effective wound management. I also was enhancing my ability to holistically care for patients with wounds. One significant lecture in first year by the tissue viability nurse specified we had to care for the patient as a whole and not just the wound a person has; this statement strengthened my practice in third year. This new method gave me confidence in providing rationale for care I was providing; I felt that I was finally achieving the skills required by a registered nurse. Through the use of reflection over my three years of study it has allowed me to identify strengthens and weaknesses within my clinical practice. My action plan from first year highlighted my poor knowledge base. This allowed me to develop ways in which my I could expand my knowledge being taught in university, by integrating policies and guidelines such as Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network 50 (SIGN 2008) into my studies. This guideline delivers promotion of national guidelines and local protocols which can assist practitioners to ensure their practice is evidence-based and their poor knowledge can be upgraded (Finnie 2000).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within second year it was clear my lack of confidence primarily in caring for complex wound could have made caring for the patient in the precise way impracticable. Through using a holistic and patient cantered method when carrying out care and building a professional relationship with them made this possible. Sources in this subject states that a mixture of evidence based and patient centred approach discussed by Cutting (2008) who describes that the nurse must determine if the technique they are using is of the best importance to the patient and cover all aspects of patient needs. This topic is further studied by Toy (2005) and Solowiej et al (2010) who supported that nurses should fully implement all areas of a holistic approach when planning and caring for wounds. In third year my area for development which became noticeable was taking control and being self confident in my practice. In the beginning this was complex due to the specialised area of wound care and necessary requirements of nurses within the area to be highly experienced. I was fortunate to have a very experienced and skilled mentor to pass on her understanding and perception into practice in this region. Closely working with my mentor allowe d me to subdue the areas of limitation and weakness within my nursing practice. Literature within this area reveals a qualitative study carried out by Roberts (2008) explored how students learned from one another, a large portion was devoted to the early skills developed by students came from working directly with their clinical mentors. This study strengthened the need for me to work closely with my mentor to develop vital skills. As the above reflection highlights, a main issue to evolve in my experience of wound management in first year was my poor knowledge. I had never encountered complex or even basic wound care so having the competence to develop the teachings from university into my clinical practice was of great benefit. University teachings had offered us with a basis of knowledge; it was then the student’s responsibility to further develop all features of this skill. Through the use of applicable learning materials such as developing action plans was of great advantage to me as it helped highlight areas that required strengthened and development. This is reiterated in work by Hackney (2008). He explains that by use of reflection and developing action plans will improve care and initiate professional and self development. Nursing education emphasises heavily on using this area of development which is further discussed by Bulman Schutz (2004) who state that reflective education allows the stude nt to rationalise their actions and identify areas for development.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Further into my practice it became clear that that linking theory to practice was an important skill which guarantees practice is evidence based. Literature within evidence based practice allowed me to make this fundamental skill clearer to me with Tagney Haines (2009) clarifying that if nurses recognise with the recourses which are accessible the care of patients will be of the greatest level and nurses can be assured in the care they provide. Assessment formed a crucial area within second year tha t helped to further develop my ability to make use of evidence based practice. In order to make sense of the experience in second year a older yet significant piece of work by Young (1997) provided outstanding basis for me on assessment and documentation highlighting that this skill is vital for nurses to accurately plan and implement the care required. In relation to assessment, second year gave me an insight into how nurses are deskilling themselves by relying on tissue viability nurses. In some clinical environments I came across nurses relying too heavily on the information and suggestions from specialised nurses rather than utilising recourses which were available and using their own skill and knowledge. A recent study by Huynh Forget-Falcicchio (2005) suggested that nurses are not using their full ability, skills and knowledge when it comes to wound care and that their approach should be part of the holistic care they provide. Finnie (2000) emphasises the requirement for nurs es to incorporate clinical guidelines into their practice. By examining this area of literature whilst on placement and applying it within my practice has allowed me to recognise the importance of guidelines and policies. With help from my theoretical teachings and clinical placements I know the care I provide will always be up to the standard necessary.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With my final placement and the main issue discussed being the ability to provide rationale for my practice, relevant literature has all owed me to simply translate and understand this area of development. Timmins (2006) and Wilding (2008) further made it possible for me to identify that the development of this skill was a vital part of my educational training. Towards the end of my placement my mentor gave me the opportunity to discuss the need for me to work autonomously in my practice. My mentor was invaluable in allowing me and explaining to me the importance of holistic care. Since this was explained to me I have been enthusiastic in applying this in my clinical practice and also relating it to my part-time job within a care home. In conclusion it has become apparent that by the use of Gibbs model of reflection (1988) has allowed me to accurately investigate and explore how over my last three years of study my skills in wound management have developed. I discovered that by researching the evidence based practice guidelines and recommendations within my early experiences of wound management, my skills enhanced. By following the Gibbs model recommendations in developing action plans enabled me to highlight my weaknesses and allowed me to develop in these areas. My concerns of my lack of confidence soon began to settle by using techniques promoted within the model. Concluding what I have learned in my second year and the development of the skill it became evident that linking the teachings from university and from clinical practice made an impact in the way I carried out these procedures as my confidence increased. From the process of recognising a knowledge shortage, action planning and reflecting on practice be gan a process of self learning that will only further my professional development. The first reflection specified the role in which I was starting to play in wound management. Within third year practice is aimed at working autonomously and having the ability to provide rationale for my approaches and care, using reflection was of great benefit to me. Furthermore, by completing this assignment it has given me further understanding into the importance of reflection. Johns (2002) recognises reflection as a valuable and life long tool in developing healthcare practice, in agreement Jasper (2003) further explains that by using reflection nurses can provide high quality of care and be confident in their actions. Reflection Barton, T. 1970, â€Å"Reach, Touch and Teach. London: Hutchinson†, Cited in Jasper, M. (2003), â€Å"Beginning Reflective Practice Foundations in Nursing and Health Care†, London: Nelson Thornes. Brown, J. Libberton, P. 2007, Principles of Professional Studies in Nursing. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Bulman, C. Schutz, S. 2004, Reflective Practice in Nursing: The Growth of the Professional Practitioner. (3rd Ed.) Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Bulman, C. Schutz, S. 2008, Reflective Practice in Nursing. (4th Ed.) Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Cutting, K.F. 2008, â€Å"Should evidence dictate clinical practice or support it?†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 17, no. 5, pp. 216. Cutting, K.F. 2010, â€Å"Addressing the challenge of wound cleansing in the modern era†, British Journal of Nursing, Vol. 19, no. 11, pp. 24-29. Department of Health. 1999, Continuing Professional Development Quality in the new NHS. London: DOH. Finch, M. 2003, â€Å"Assessment of skin in older people†, Nursing Older People, Vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 29-30. Finnie, A. 2000, â€Å"The SIGN guideline on the care of chronic leg ulcers: an aid to improve practice†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 19, no. 8, pp. 365-367. Gibbs, G. 1988, Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education. Cited in Jasper, M. (2003), Beginning Reflective Practice Foundations in Nursing and Health Care. London: Nelson Thornes. Gray, D. Cooper, P. 2001, â€Å"Modern wound management: theory and product selection†, Nursing and Residential Care, Vol. 3, no. 7, pp. 335-344. Hackney, S. 2008, â€Å"Advancing practice through reflection†, British Journal of School Nursing, Vol. 3, no. 6, pp. 297-300. Hull, C., Redfern, L., Shuttleworth, A. 2005, Profiles Portfolios. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Huynh, T. Forget-Falcicchio. 2005, â€Å"Assessing the primary nurse role in the wound healing process†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 14, no. 9, pp. 407-409. Jasper, M. 2003, Beginning Reflective Practice Foundations in Nursing and Health Care. London: Nelson Thornes. Jasper, M. 2006, Professional Development, Reflection and Decision-making. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Johns, C. 1998, Transforming Nursing Through Reflective Practice. Oxford: Blackwell Science. Cited in: Jasper, M. 2003, Beginning Reflective Practice Foundations in Nursing and Health Care. London: Nelson Thornes. Johns, C. 2002, Guided Reflection Advancing Practice. Oxford: Blackwell. Johns, C. 2009, Becoming a reflective practitioner. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell. McCabe, C. Timmins, F. 2006, Communication skills for nursing practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan. Nursing and Midwifery Council. 2008, The Code: Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives. NMC: London. Pearson, A. 2009, â€Å"Building research capacity in nursing†, International Journal of Nursing Practice, Vol. 10, pp. 247. Priest, H. 2007, â€Å"Novice researchers†, Nurse Researcher, Vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 4-6. Roberts, D. 2008, â€Å"Learning in clinical practice: the importance of peers†, Nursing Standard, Vo.l 23, no. 12, pp. 35-41. Rycroft-Malone, J., Harvey, G., Kitson, A., McCormack, B., Seers, K., Titchen, A. 2002, â€Å"Getting evidence into practice: ingredients for change†, Nursing Standard. Vol. 16, no. 37, pp 38–43. Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network. 2008, An Introduction to SIGN Methodology for the Development of Evidence-based Clinical Guidelines. Edinburgh: SIGN Solowiej, K., Mason, V,. Upton D. 2010, â€Å"Psychological stress and pain in wound care, part 2: a review of pain and stress assessment tools†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 110-115. Tagney, J., Haines, C. 2009, â€Å"Using evidence-based practice to address gaps in nursing knowledge†, British Journal of Nursing, Vol. 18, no. 8, pp. 484-389. Timmins, F. 2006, â€Å"Critical practice in nursing care: analysis, action and reflexivity†, Nursing Standard. Vol. 20, no. 39, pp. 49-54. Toy, L.W. 2005, â€Å"How much do we understand about the effect of ageing on healing?†, Journal of Wound Care, Vol. 14, no. 10, pp. 472-476. Voegeli, D. 2007, â€Å"The role of emollients in the care of patients with dry skin†, Nursing Standard, Vol. 22, no. 7, pp. 62-68. Wilding, P.M. 2008, â€Å"Reflective practice: a learning tool for student nurses†, British Journal of Nursing, Vol. 17, no. 11, pp. 720-724. Young, T. 1997, â€Å"Wound assessment and documentation†, Practice Nursing, Vol. 8, no. 13, pp. 27-30.

Monopolistic Competition

Monopolistic Competition When discussing different types of market structures, monopolies are at one end of the spectrum, with only one seller in monopolistic markets, and perfectly competitive markets are at the other end, with many buyers and sellers offering identical products. That said, there is a lot of middle ground for what economists call imperfect competition. Imperfect competition can take a number of different forms, and the particular features of an imperfectly competitive market have implications for the market outcomes for consumers and producers. Features Monopolistic competition is one form of imperfect competition. Monopolistically competitive markets have a number of specific features: Many firms - There are many firms in monopolistically competitive markets, and this is part of what sets them apart from monopolies.Product differentiation - Although the products sold by different firms in monopolistically competitive markets are similar enough to one another to be considered substitutes, they are not identical. This feature is what sets monopolistically competitive markets apart from perfectly competitive markets.Free entry and exit - Firms can freely enter a monopolistically competitive market when they find it profitable to do so, and they can exit when a monopolistically competitive market is no longer profitable. In essence, monopolistically competitive markets are named as such because, while firms are competing with one another for the same group of customers to some degree, each firms product is a little bit different from that of all the other firms, and therefore each firm has something akin to a mini-monopoly in the market for its output. The Effects Because of product differentiation (and, as a result, market power), firms in monopolistically competitive markets are able to sell their products at prices above their marginal costs of production, but free entry and exit drive the economic profits for firms in monopolistically competitive markets to zero. In addition, firms in monopolistically competitive markets suffer from excess capacity, which means that they are not operating at the efficient quantity of production. This observation, together with the markup over marginal cost present in monopolistically competitive markets, implies that monopolistically competitive markets do not maximize social welfare.

Consumer behavior Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Consumer behavior - Research Proposal Example life easier and improve the accessibility of communication and social interaction, while ensuring that our lives are enjoyable and full of fun (IGI Global, 2015:121). In this respect, the state-of-the-art mobile phones to enable people keep in touch with friends and loved ones, portable game consoles to enable people have fun playing games whenever they want to, as well as portable internet access gadgets that ensure people are connected to the internet all the time, represent the 21st century technological inventions (Khosrow-Pour, 2014:77). Nevertheless, while this technological advancement seeks to make our lives easier and full of fun, our lives have inevitably become more complicated than ever (Arena & Quà ©rà ©, 2003:36). This is because, while it would have taken an individual just a few minutes to walk in an electronic shop and purchase a phone, a game console or any other technological device in the 1900s, it is increasingly difficult for consumers to make purchase decisions in the 21st century. Every new technological device that comes into the market promises the buyer increased and improved features, ease of use, enhanced internet accessibility and wider GPRS navigation reach (Khosrow-Pour, 2014:72). In the process, the basic cellular phone features such as the battery life and call-reception features have suffered, and thus the promises of efficiency, simplified and ease of use of technological products still remains elusive. The decision to purchase a product by any consumer is influenced by various factors. Therefore, the consumer purchase behavior comprises of a process of decision-making, which allows the consumer to reach the final decision in choice and selection of the product to purchase (Nielsen, 1993:102). The purpose of this research is to establish what informs the consumer choice of technological devices, in a world where there are numerous, duplicated and feature-enhancing technological devises and gadgets. What exactly do consumers look

Economics of Energy and Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Economics of Energy and Environment - Essay Example The remaining amount of fuel had been utilised for energy motives. It has been observed that the consumption of energy in the UK fell to its lowest level in the years2010 and 2011 compared to the year 1984. This decrease in energy has been conceived due to the reduction of 18% in the utilisation of gas. From the year 1970, there has been a change in the consumption of fuel from solid fuels to fuel mix from 46,120 million tonnes to 2,437 million tonnes of oil in the year 2011. The consumption of fuel has been substituted by gas which increased from 14,408 million tonnes to 42,378 million tonnes of oil equivalent from the year 1970 to 2011. The consumption of electricity is also observed to have increased by a considerable extent i.e. by 65% which is equivalent to 27,334 million tonnes of oil (Crown, â€Å"Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom: 2012†). The industrial sector is responsible for consuming around 40% of energy which amounted to around 62,333 thousand tonnes of oi l equivalent. On the other hand, the domestic sector and transport are perceived to be utilising nearly 24% and 18% respectively. Other users including public administration, agriculture and commerce are observed to be using 12% of energy. Furthermore, 7% of the energy was consumed for non-energy motives (Crown, â€Å"Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom: 2012†). Domestic Energy Consumption From The Year 1970 To 2011 Source: [1] (Crown, â€Å"Energy Consumption in the United Kingdom: 2012†) In the year 1990, it has been perceived that the industrial sector consumed around 24% of energy which signifies that there was fall in energy consumption in the industrial sector as compared to the period of 1970.... This essay stresses that the households are also required to adopt innovative and certified household electrical appliances and products with the intention of better utilisation of energy. Moreover, households are required to adopt latest products which are energy efficient with the motive of ascertaining that energy is consumed at a minimum level. The households are required to acquire technologies which emit carbon in a minimised manner. Furthermore, these innovative and low carbon emitting technologies will facilitate households with better power as well as money saving opportunities. The increased price of energy will initiate households to acquire more innovative technologies for producing renewable sources of energy. This paper makes a conclusion that it can be comprehended that the prices of energy is likely to increase for households, as the current market prices only pay for returns to existing energy production. By raising the regulation and costs of existing energy production, and providing grants and subsidies to encourage the adoption of new technology, the government is rebalancing the costs of energy consumption more in favour of low carbon technologies. In the long run, combined with technological developments making such technologies more affordable, and regulations requiring that they are used, there will be a shift toother non-renewable sources of energy in order to improve energy efficiency, preserve energy for future consumption, as well as reducing carbon emission.