Monday, January 27, 2020

Legal And Ethical Practice For Learning Disability

Legal And Ethical Practice For Learning Disability The drive towards the provision of person-centred services for people with learning disabilities, has acquired a vast amount of policy makers attention in the United Kingdom (Cambridge, 2008). Valuing People (UK Department of Health, 2001) has been the most fundamental government paper that has prompted a change in the way current health and social care services operate. Collaboration can be seen as an important facilitator in delivering quality healthcare and achieving an holistic care service (Xyrichis et al., 2008). However, previous research focusing on teamwork in healthcare has been criticised for lacking a basic understanding of what this concept represents. This assignment aims to address the importance of inter-professional and multi- professional collaboration within the health and social care domain, when working with adults with learning disabilities. The concept of working together originated under the umbrella term mutli-agency team working; this term dominated the discourse of policy and practice in the first years of the 21st Century. Mutli-agency teams were drawn together from distinct agencies for a set period of time and for a particular task whilst other groups of professionals came together as interagency teams simply for a particular project or case (Anning 2006). An example is a group of health practitioners, social workers and carers, reviewing and monitoring service provision and access to person-centred services for adults with learning disabilities. The government have advocated for Learning Disability Partnership Boards to be set up so as to make it a priority that service users dont fall between the gaps and that they receive sufficient support and access to person-centred services. Clark (1993) states that inter-professional and inter-disciplinary practice can be used interchangeably. Inter-Professional working occurs when two or more professionals collaborate together in order to provide patient-centred care and a better quality of care; for instance the interaction between a general practitioner and a nurse. Multi-professional working occurs when professionals from health related occupations and varying backgrounds come together for a particular case. For example a diabetes team, whose primary function could be to assess, monitor and inform all people with diabetes within a particular catchment population. The team would mostly comprise of a consultant endocrinologist, two diabetes specialist nurses, a dietician and podiatrist. The UK Department of Education (2003) conducted research which shows that a person with a disability is likely to be in contact with more than ten different professionals in their lifetime. Throughout this time, issues can arise which may lead to a lack of continuity and co-ordination of care services. This is the main reason why the government advocates for an integrated approach for health and social care provision. This is not limited to healthcare but also outside of the domain, as different organisations have their own role to play. For instance, disparate services such as education, training, housing and employment need to work together and have a certain level of access to information about a client, whist maintaining patient confidentiality. For example the transition from secondary care to tertiary care such as from hospital to a residential home would require varying levels of expertise. An occupational therapist to examine the environment that the patient will be moving to, a medical practitioner to identify the need for the patient to be moved, a nurse to ensure continuity of care and a social worker to ascertain the level of support required on a day to day basis. The National Health Service (NHS) is the largest organisation in Europe, and is recognised by the World Health Organisation as one of the best healthcare services in the world (Department of Health, 2000). The Healthcare Act (1999) requires NHS organisations to work together in partnership (Glendinning et al, 2001) yet evidence such as the Lord Lamming report suggests that barriers to inter-professional and multi-professional practice still exist. Lord Lammings findings of the Victoria Climbià © inquiry highlighted that poor co-ordination and a lack of communication between agencies, was central to her untimely death. Since the publication of Every Child Matters (Department for Education and Skills 2003) local authorities are now developing innovative solutions for information sharing known as an Information Hub. Clear and effective communication between all parities is required for this to be successful, with specific reference to learning disability, care providers work and plan in different ways such as PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows With Hope) therefore it is even more important to clearly document and share information freely in order to foster the implementation of care plans and create value in the best interest of service users, service providers and other professionals. Traditionally, the NHS relied on paper records such as patient files, letters and referral forms. This was subject to unauthorised access, loss, a breach in patient confidentiality and a lack of accurate and up-to-date information. However due to the National Programme for Information Technology (UK Department of Health, 2005) and advances in technology, information sharing is more accessible due to the use of electronic databases which has security mechanisms to prevent malpractice and unauthorised access as well as upholding clinical governance. As outlined in the Nursing and Midwifery Code of Conduct (2008) quality record-keeping and evidence based policies are necessary for effective communication. However, this can in turn result in inactive collaboration (Daly 2004) with each professional group having a singular input into patient care. Purtilo and Haddad (1996) state that verbal communication is important in sustaining the relationship between patients and healthcare professio nals. Regular meetings of a multi-professional team with a common care pathway can aid the teams collaboration. Professional identity and patient power, is another factor which must be considered. Leathard (1994) points out that the rivalry between professional groups can inhibit collaborative working. Power struggles within society for example between, experienced colleagues and inexperienced colleagues are barriers towards successful inter-professional working. However, new approaches in care provision such as skill-mixing and a drive towards person-centred services utilises the authority of the patient to govern the priorities of an inter-professional team as well as valuing each member of a team and their contribution. A difference in philosophies of care is also a key factor, as different professional groups have different moral and ethical philosophies in care provision. Such as, the paternalistic approach of a medical practitioner versus the approach of a public health advocate (Daly 2004).Recent research suggests that inter-professional working can lead to verbal abuse; professional au tonomy is challenged when professionals work together in groups. A study conducted by (Joubert, Du Rand, VanWyk.., 2005) reported that nurses experienced high levels of verbal abuse by physicians. A tense environment can lead to poor working conditions and a higher risk of errors (Celik et al 2007). Professionals have different pay brackets, which is defined according to their professional group and then their role within the group. Issues that may arise include resource allocation and funding for staff. At present the UK is involved in global crisis and the economy is central to restoration as jobs are at risk and services are being cut which is a hindrance to mutli-professional working. There staff shortages within the NHS, which can damage interaction between groups and see a decline in collaboration. However, Leathard (1994) states that that advantage of inter-professional lies in the more efficient use of staff. Integrated care lies at the heart of health and social care provision and is at the future management of people with learning disabilities. The Care Programme Approach (CPA) was introduced in 1991 as a framework for people who require support from a range of different care service providers. The aim of the approach was to promote personalisation by consolidating services into a single service known as a care co-ordination model (Goodwin, 2010). The concepts of inter-professional and mutli-professional teamwork can promote effective and efficient patient care. A patient is able to receive expertise specific to the individuals problem, and a team can provide co-ordination which can prevent any aspect of the patients care being overlooked. Professionals are able to share knowledge and skills however it is important to understand how professions can work together amicably as ethical dilemmas can arise. Core values such as altruism, advocacy and integrity are important in health and socia l practice and all staff should adhere to professional codes of conduct. Total Word Count: 1,365 Including Headings and References

Sunday, January 19, 2020

The Baoule Tribe of West Africa

Queen Awura (Aura) Pokou governed one branch of the Akan’s mighty Ashanti kingdom, which traveled towards the southeast region of the Ivory Coast during the earlier part of the 18 century (qtd. in Laufer 42). Brought about by a conflict of leadership, wherein she turned down efforts to unite with the Ashanti confederacy in the present day Ghana, Pokou directed her tribe south towards the Komoe River banks. Once she asked the priest regarding the dangerous river crossing the tribe were about to embark on, the priest told her that if she offered a sacrifice, her group can successful cross the river.Pokou then offered her son to be sacrificed, crying out the words â€Å"Baouli—the child is dead† (qtd. in Laufer 42). From then on, Pokou’s descendants came to be known as the Baoules (Baule or Baol). The group successfully crossed the river and ended the savanna that rests on the opposite side. It was the start of a tribe which inhabited the central region situa ted between the Bandama and Komoe rivers. Ultimately, the Baoules absorbed many of the preexisting tribes of the region. As a result, they grew to be the most powerful and largest tribe of the Ivory Coast.Even if the Baoules lost a great deal of their political influence in the 19th century, they are still the largest tribe of the Ivory Coast to date (Steiner 90; Uwechue 66). The tribe moved westward from Ghana at the time the Asante assumed power some three hundred years ago. The story of how they escaped from such rule lives on in oral traditions. Pokou’s male descendant did not left the place she founded. He is regarded as the nominal king of the Baoule tribe (University of Iowa). The tribe is one of the ethnic groups of West Africa. The Baoules speak Twa (Yakan 227).Their language is a branch of the Kwa. The Kwa is a branch of the Niger-Congo family of African languages. Being an Akan group, the Baoules have tribal affiliations with several groups past the Ivory Coast, pa rticularly the Akan group of Ghana. The Senufo, Guro, Gan, Dida, Ari, Anyi, and Abbe (Abe) tribes are among the Baoules’ neighbors (Yakan 227). Fishing, animal husbandry, and agriculture serve as their principal economic activities (Yakan 227). A chief as well as a council of elders govern every village. Such rulers represent different lineages.Matrilineal lineages are observed in the Baoule culture (Lovejoy 175). A chief or king heads the Baoule tribe’s highly centralized system of government. The position of the chief of king is inherited (Colin 105). Several sub-chiefs manage the local inhabitants under the jurisdiction of the king. All of the chiefs greatly depend on their political advisors assisting them in the decision making process. As a principal mask association, the Goli group is responsible for the social order among the tribe (University of Iowa). Baoule art is presented in different mediums.Among them is figure and mask carving which is heavily influence d by the tribe’s Guro and Senufo neighbors. Other forms of media are wooden sculpture as well as brass and gold casting, resembling the tribes Asante heritage (Steiner 90). Similar to their fellow Africans, the Baoule tribe is famous for their wooden sculptures celebrating their conventional beliefs (Yakan 228). By tradition, the Baoules believe in a world of spirits. Likewise, they believe in the ancestor cult (Yakan 228). The hierarchy of nature gods and worship of their ancestors are incorporated in the religion they practice.Images of spirit spouses as well as nature spirits are normally sculpted. They regard Alouroua as their creator. However, their creator god is in no way physically represented ever since (University of Iowa). Works Cited â€Å"Baule Information. † 3 November 1998. University of Iowa. 7 March 2009 . Colin Legum. â€Å"Tribal Survival in the Modern African Political System. † The Passing of Tribal Man in Africa. Ed. Peter C. W. Gutkind. Le iden, The Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1970, 102-112.Laufer, Guida. Women Rulers Throughout the Ages: An Illustrated Guide. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 1999. Lovejoy, Paul E. Transformation in slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Steiner, Christopher B. African Art in Transit. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1994. Uwechue, Raph. Reflections on the Nigerian Civil War: Facing the Future. British Columbia: Trafford Publishing, 2004. Yakan, Muhammad Z. Almanac of African Peoples & Nations. Edison, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers, 1999.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Climate Change Paper Essay

Global climate change is one of the most urgent environmental problems we have to acknowledge today. The world, as we have observed and recorded data over the last several decades, is in the midst of an unexpected alteration. Temperature in the winter season is changing more than other seasons and mid to high latitude positions are showing comparatively bigger changes than those of low latitudes. The water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone and many other chemical compounds in the atmosphere which absorb thermal radiation emitted by Earth’s surface and atmosphere, are increasing, contributing to the significant changes in our global climate. Over the past one hundred years, Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by approximately 0.74 degrees Celsius and for the past 16 years from 1995-2010, 15 of those years were among the warmest years in the instrumental record of global surface temperatures since 1850. (IPCC, 2007) It has been shown that since the start of the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have risen exponentially and steadily as a result of the combustion of fossil fuels as an energy source for industrialized nations and developing nations alike. Apart from that, deforestation also play a major role in global warming as forested lands are typically cleared and burned for farming. The sea levels have as a result of the associated thermal expansion of ocean waters and melting of glaciers, shown to rise at a rate of 1.8 millimeters per year in the past century. A rise in sea levels will have serious implications on coastal environments or small islands from the perspectives of both natural ecosystems and human populations as a large portion of the human population live in coastal areas. There would be direct inundation of low-lying wetlands and dryland areas, increased salinity of estuaries and aquifers, heightened storm surges and floods. Apart from that, changes in the global climate patterns will exacerbate an already increasing problem of feeding the world population, which is predicted to increase to approximately 9 billion from the current 7 billion by 2050. Dominant food crops like corn, rice, wheat, are likely subjected to  abnormal changes in  temperature and moisture that control growth, survival, and reproduction. Shifts in the geographic range of some crop species may result in significant changes in regional land use patterns that come with social and potentially hefty economic costs. According to a major study conducted by the Environmental Change Unit at Oxford University which carried out a collaborative study with agricultural scientists from 18 countries to examine the regional and global implications of climate change, there would be an up to five percent reduction of global production of cereal crops and the current disparity in cereal crop production between developed and developing countries w ill be extended further. Results of the study, in general, showed that agricultural production in developed countries, which are mostly located in the temperate regions, would increase while agricultural production in developing countries as a whole, would decrease by approximately ten percent, exacerbating the widespread hunger issue common in those countries. As cultivation shifts polewards, plant growth and production would be largely affected by changes in the distribution of rainfall and the increase of ultraviolet radiation, and aggravated problems of salinity, erosion, and desertification. Extreme climatic events would also occur more frequently. Warmer temperatures may cause some crops to grow faster than usual and reduce yields during the summer time when the temperature goes above the optimum growing temperature. Aside from that, more extreme weather events like floods and droughts with extreme temperature and precipitation changes can prevent cereal crops from harvest at all. Take for instance, in 2008, the Mississippi River flooded just prior the harvest period for several crops, resulting in a massive loss of revenue for farmers. Also, pests, weeds and fungi favored by a warmer climate would continue to proliferate and build up resistance through sexual recombination, to pose an even greater threat to current domesticated crop varieties. Many pest, weeds and fungi thrive under warmer, wetter climates with increased carbon dioxide levels. Currently, farmers spend billions of dollars every year to combat these threats and with the changes in climate, it is predicted that the ranges of  weeds and pests are likely to expand northward, potentially creating new problems for farmers’ crops previously unexposed to these species. In order to combat climate change from an agricultural standpoint, farmers can adapt by adjusting planting patterns, practice soil management techniques in response to the changing weather patterns. There are various methods like contour and strip cropping and no-till† reduced tillage that can help prevent soil loss due to wind and water erosion. Similarly, farmers could consider planting trees and shrubs for the purpose of providing wind barriers to reduce soil erosion. Apart from that, crop rotations like the planting of corn for a growing season and soybean the next growing season, limits the likelihood that pests can proliferate and potentially reduce use of nitrogen fertilizers. Farmers could also apply manure or leguminous cover crops in place of chemical fertilizers. While such methods are useful to combat climate change, some of the methods may not be feasible in certain areas and even if they are feasible, the yields will not necessarily match the amount of conventional farming. As the climate changes, the demand for Federal risk management programs may increase and farmers could potentially invest in the development of droughttolerant varieties and even consider biotechnology. Genetically modified crops, made for the purpose of higher yields and little to no use of chemicals, may potentially negate the effects of climate change to a large extent if it is easily made and widely implemented. Unfortunately, there are limitations in each technology and it takes a variety of ecosystems to make changes that will cause a significance, in reducing the impact of climate change. References Jones, R., Ougham H., Thomas H., Waaland S. (2013) Flooding deprives plants of oxygen, affecting respiratory processes, gene expression and acclimatory changes in structure. The Molecular Life of Plants, First edn. New Jersey, Wiley-Blackwell. 15: 564-565 IPPC (2007) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sheaffer, C and Moncada, K. (2013) Introduction to Agronomy: Food, Crops, and Environment. Second edn. New Jersey, Wiley-Blackwell. 8: 51-89 Agrios, G.N. (1997) Plant Pathology, Academic Press Rosenzweig, C. et al. (2000) Climate Change and U.S. Agriculture: The Impacts of Warming and Extreme Weather Events on Productivity, Plant Diseases, and Pests, Center for Health and the Global Environment, Harvard Medical School (http://www.med.harvard. edu/chge/reports/climate_change_us_ag.pdf) Oerke, E.C. et al. (1994) Crop Production and Crop Protection: Estimated Losses in Major Food and Cash Crops, Elsevier Epstein, P.R. (1999) Climate and health. Science 285, 347–348 Harvell, C.D. et al. (2002) Climate warming and disease risks for terrestrial and marine biota. Science 296, 2158–2162

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Personal Branding - 1056 Words

Personal Branding Plan Paper MKT/421 7/20/15 Personal Brand Plan I am an IT Professional with over 8 years of experience working with hardware, software and network engineering. Throughout my career I have held various positions including several leadership roles. The IT industry is a very technical field where individual contributors are critical to the success of the organization. With the extensive leadership training and experience I have gained, has allowed me to stand apart from my peers and take a more active role in the organization and its strategy. I continuously strive for my own personal development, including going back to school as an adult to achieve my bachelor’s degree. I understand the importance of†¦show more content†¦I would focus on making my resume concise and highlight accomplishments in my current and previous roles that relate to the skills listed on the job posting. Ensuring that my resume would sell what I have to offer to the company. I would then look to apply via the appropriate channel. If I could a pply in person I would but with most companies these three now require candidates to apply via their online method. Often these companies follow similar hiring practices and all three utilize the social media platform LinkedIn to search for potential candidates. I would look to ensure that my social media accounts are up to date and highlight the skills I have acquired. I would also look to use this platform to identify the recruiter or hiring manager for this position. The hardest part about finding a new position is getting the initial interview and being aggressive in making personal contact with the hiring team is one way to gain an advantage in this area. Once my resume is completed and I have been able to set up an interview I would look to research the company to ensure that I am well educated about general facts and information on the company. 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