Reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections in inpatient Essay

Reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections in inpatient acute care hospitals in the US - Essay Example hin his or her unit and clearly come up with a procedure through which his or her subordinates can follow to improve, and more so, maintain the health safety within their units of work (Kohn, Corrigan, & Donaldson, 2000). The health hospital leaders are held responsible for health assessment within the organization by the Joint Commission. A unit survey on the health safety can measure the level of health safety in a work setting, and more so, conditions that can lead to unfavorable occurrences and patient damage (Frankel, 2006). Through these assessments there can result to increased awareness in patient safety matters, bring out the current status on matters related to safety culture, make interventions put into practice without delays, and more so, monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the alteration over a given period of time. To achieve the best result on the survey at the nursing unit, use of Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture and the Safety Attitude Questionnaire is appropriate. Health safety culture is therefore developed by having a regular assessment on issues related to safety, then coming up with actions and also giving an opportunity for the benchmarking with other related organizations so as to develop safety approach attitudes, come up with a way forward and assess the intervention selected effectiveness in meeting the unit goals and hence organizational goals (Frankel, 2006). A powerful patient safety culture has been depicted as a victorious anticipator of medication mistake, fall of injuries, cure errors, accidents and injuries in the workplace. It is worth noting that the culture alteration does not take place by chance, but it takes a unit leader, for example, taking actions to bring the changes. Often, culture is seen like a vague issue in nature, and therefore, it takes a leader to formulate patient safety culture tools such as a structure (Hill & Howlett, 2013). As a unit leader in the nursing unit, one can develop the unit

Violence against Women Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Violence against Women - Dissertation Example The violence experienced by women can take a variety of forms, and the main ones include domestic violence, sexual assault and rape, women trafficking and prostitution and sexual harassment. In some cases, the violence experienced by women can be verbal, sexual or physical in nature, but in all its forms, it violates a woman’s sense of being or the body, irrespective of ethnicity, race; country of origin or age. It is important to emphasize the fact that violence against women is a gender-based issue because it is a direct effect and consequence of the discrimination of women; it is an issue that needs to be addressed within a gender-equality framework. Globally, the problem of violence against women is a major issue of discussion, mainly because it has been found to be a major cause of physical disability, depression, and alcohol and drug abuse. The violence experienced by women has also been directly attributed to increases in social costs, including those incurred in visiti ng medical facilities for about double the normal times. Ellsberg and colleagues reported the findings of a multinational study done by the World Health Organization (WHO), which showed that domestic violence is a confirmed cause of ill health and a reduction in life expectancy among women globally (1165). It is very difficult to give an accurate estimate of the number of people affected by domestic violence among other forms of violence experienced by women, and this is because many cases are not reported (Wilcox 723).

Lenins Russia Essay Example for Free

Lenins Russia Essay 1. The painting shows that Lenin is pleased to be back in Russia. He has his hand up waving at the crowd. Lenin looks happy and he looks pleased to be back. He also looks to be pleased by the way that the crowd are reacting to his return. The crowd are happy to have Lenin back. The peoples faces are all looking at him and they are all waving back at him. There are people playing musical instruments at what looks like a celebration to welcome him back. They are celebrating the return of Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov, who later changed his name to Lenin, from exile in Finland. The people are pleased to see Lenin and they would therefore be the people that agree with Lenin and his ideas and decisions. The crowd is not just townspeople that have gone to meet Lenin. There are men there with bullets over their shoulders. These people are soldiers that agreed with Lenins ideas. They had some force with their guns and this means that Lenin had some force. All of these townspeople see Lenin as a leader for Russia that is why they are there. This is not a true reflection over all of Russia. This source is very inaccurate as it is painting and could have been a forgery to make Lenin look popular and make it look like there are a lot of people there. 2. The painting does show that Lenin was popular in Finland station, which is in Russia like Waterloo station is in London, but this is not a true reflection over the whole of Russia. The people that were at Finland station are clearly pleased to have him back but in other parts of Russia this was not the case. Lenin was only popular with the people that supported communism and supported Bolshevik rule. These were known as the reds and the opposition was known as the whites due to the color of their uniforms that their armies wore. It is clear that this painting does not show the feeling over the rest of Russia because the civil war came. This tells us that Lenin was not popular all over Russia and he had opposition in the whites that he fought in the civil war. This was not only the case in Russia but also all over the world. When the civil war started Lenin and the reds didnt have any outside allies while the Americans, the French and the British supported the whites. These countries wanted to help the whites against Lenin because Lenin had pulled Russia out of the First World War before it had ended. They were bitter about it and so they helped fight against him. In conclusion Lenin was popular and respected in certain areas of Russia like Finland station but across the rest of Russia and the World he was not admired or acclaimed. Source B 3. Each photograph has Lenin on the left standing on a podium talking to the crowd that are surrounding him. On the first photograph Lenin has two men standing to his right on the stairs. These men are Trotsky and Kamenev who were the right hand men to Lenin. In the second photo Lenin is again standing on the podium but in this photo there is no Trotsky or Kamenev, photographic experts have removed Trotsky and Kamenev. 4. These pictures are so different because in the first one Lenin is accompanied by two men, Trotsky and Kamenev but in the second picture they have disappeared from the image. These pictures were used as propaganda pictures by Stalin after the death of Lenin to inform the people that Trotsky and Kamenev were not anymore involved with Stalin. It is as if they have disappeared. Trotsky was the man behind the red army. He was the man that gained a great victory in the civil war and saved the Revolution. Trotsky would have been the man to take over from Lenin after his death but due to the fact he was clever he was hated by the other Communist leaders and was never supported, so a man that was lower down in rank was given the job, Joseph Stalin. Stalin and the other communist leaders hated Trotsky. He was removed from any position of power in the country so that he couldnt cause any problem for Stalin. Stalin took power with Zinovliev and Kamenev after Lenins death. They accused Trotsky of trying to split the communist party and take power for himself. No one defended Trotsky. After Trotsky had all of his positions of power removed he was exiled internally and then in 1929 Leon Trotsky was forced out of Russia and was exiled to Mexico. Once Stalin had taken power away from Trotsky before he was exiled, Stalin turned on Kamenev and Zinoviev. They were becoming worried and in 1926 they joined Trotsky in a United Opposition to Stalins policies. Stalin got his supporters to help him and both were sacked from their party and government positions. They were both allowed back into the party in 1928 but into positions with no power. So Stalin had ended up the solitary leader of Soviet Union. This trouble had left him very apprehensive of his colleagues. Stalin used the two photographs to show that Trotsky and Kamenev had fallen from their days of power when Lenin was alive and in charge. Source C 5. (i) Lenin is sweeping the entire world of Royalty, Aristocratic and Religious people. Lenin was against rich and powerful people and so that is why he is sweeping them off the globe. The people he is targeting are all the rich people. The man standing on top of the globe is Lenin. The first two men to his right of Lenin, with crowns on, look to be some kind of royalty. The person in the bottom left of the picture looks like an Orthodox Russian Church member. The man in the bottom right of the cartoon looks like a rich aristocrat. Lenin is using a broom and sweeping because that is traditionally associated with workers and not the rich. It is signifying the fight back of the workers to show that Lenin is on the workers side and that they will fight against the rich. 5. (ii) The Revolution of March 1917 that overthrew the tsarist regime caught Lenin by surprise, but he managed to secure passage through Germany in a sealed train. His dramatic arrival in Petrograd occurred one month after rebellious workers and soldiers had toppled the tsar. The Bolsheviks, including Joseph Stalin, had agreed with the deference the Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies showed to the provisional government. Lenin immediately refused this line of policy. In his April Theses he argued that only the Soviet could respond to the hopes and needs of Russias workers and peasants. Under the slogan All Power to the Soviets, the Bolshevik party conference accepted Lenins programme. After an unsuccessful workers uprising in July, Lenin spent August and September 1917 in Finland, hiding from the provisional government. There, he formulated his concepts of a socialist government. He also bombarded the partys Central Committee with demands for an armed uprising in the capital. His plan was finally accepted; it was put into effect on November 7th. A few days after the November Revolution, Lenin was elected head of government. He acted sensibly to consolidate the power of the new Soviet state. His main concern was the protection of the Revolution and Soviet power against enemies both abroad and at home. In line with these practical considerations Lenin accepted the heavy German terms for the Brest-Litovsk Peace Treaty. Lenin took power of Russia from the provisional government that didnt put up that much of a fight at all to stop him from taking over. Lenin took power after the Tsar had fallen and the country was in disarray after the First World War. Lenin took power after being in exile from Russia so he hadnt seen all of the effects that the war had on Russia. Source D 6. (i) Robert Lansing had a bad attitude towards the Russian revolution. He didnt think that Russia could survive after the takeover by the Bolsheviks in the civil war. Lansing believed that the revolution would end in brutality and destruction of life. Lansing compares the Russian revolution with the French revolution. He says that before the French revolution France had a legal system and a government, Russia possesses neither. This means that he didnt think that they would be capable of running the country. Lansing says that the country wouldnt end up further developed. Which indicates that there is no point in fighting. To stop the problem they should get a government and a legal system. To advance his speech he hammers home his point that there is no authority or control. He continues to say that the country is full of anarchy and violence. He gives a comparison to a cauldron as though it is waiting to overflow, it is boiling up nicely. Finally he thinks of the people of Russia and how they will be affected by the war. He gives the sense that he feels sorry for the things that will happen to them. Robert Lansings attitude was that Russia would be worse off if the Bolsheviks took control of all Russia. His view is not necessarily correct, as Robert Lansing has biased opinion due to the fact that he was the US Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He has a bad attitude towards Russia because they pulled out of the First World War. The Americans would be bitter and wouldnt support anything that the Russians do. 6. (ii) When Robert Lansing said the words Russian Terror he was referring to the pain that Russian people would feel. By terror he means that blood will be shed and life will be lost. He thinks that the death rate and property destruction will be higher than the French Revolution. He is saying that people have a hard time ahead of them if they live in Russia. Source E 7. This source comes from Winston Churchill at the time when he was the British Secretary of War and Air. Churchill has a very definite opinion of the Bolsheviks and there ideas, he doesnt support them at all. You can tell from the first sentence he said the Bolshevik Tyranny is the worst. This is a very hard statement to take in. This means that a Tyrant ran the Bolshevik party so Churchill is calling Lenin a Tyrant and Churchill was calling Lenin cruel. He was calling the Bolshevik party cruel. This is a statement that sets out from the start that he doesnt support the Bolsheviks. In the next sentence Churchill states that the things that had been done in Russia by Lenin and Trotsky are far worst than anything that the Kaiser of Germany did. To compare Trotsky and Lenin to the Kaiser is a very strong statement, as he was not at all liked by anyone in Germany. He was hurting everyone. Churchill doesnt say that they are equal to the Kaiser but that they are worst than him. Churchill view on Russia would be biased because he is British and he still wouldnt be too happy because Russia pulled out of the First World War. Churchill has more reason to be infuriated than most British people as he was in charge of Britains war effort. Source F 8. This source doesnt show that the Bolshevik government was successful. They didnt do the job that they set out to do which was to help the working class people. This source is bound to be accurate as it out of a history textbook it will be accurate because it is looking back on the incident and not looking forward like source D and E the book will also not have biased opinion. The first line says that Russian people suffered terribly in the civil war. This proves that Robert Lansing and Winston Churchill were correct with their prediction. Both said that the Russian people would suffer terribly and both were right. The Bolshevik government did not handle the civil war at all well. This source gives us some facts to back the suggestion that the government was not successful. The source tells us the economy collapsed. This meant that money was worthless. So the Bolsheviks didnt mange to keep the money useable. The fact that industrial production had gone down means that they are going backwards and not improving the country, so Lansing was right when he said that this wasnt the way to go. The civil war wasnt killing as much as the diseases were which meant that innocent people were dying not just soldiers. The Bolsheviks were not fighting for their idea of workers, they were killing them instead. The communist was now becoming a dictatorship. This means that Churchill was right in his analysis comparing the Bolsheviks to the Kaiser who was a dictator. The source says that the Bolsheviks were losing support as well. This means that they were not successful at all. They didnt have success at all from the civil war. Summary 9. Source A This source gives us a false sense of the popularity of Lenin in Russia. This painting is only of Finland station and does not give a good representation of the rest Russia. Lenin is proven not to liked all over Russia because there is the civil war and this means that one opposition party doesnt like Lenin so this source is only a good indication as to where Lenin is liked. You can tell that he is liked at Finland station and the surrounding area. We do not know about the rest of the country but he is certainly liked in is one area. This source does not give us an accurate sense of Lenins popularity. This source could also be a forgery if it were a photograph it would be true but a painting can easily be made up. You cannot be certain if this is the true event that happened. Source B This source was used as propaganda for Stalin after Lenins death. These sources real point is the fact that Trotsky and Kamenev have fallen from the limelight, but the source can also be used to look at the popularity of Lenin and the message he was giving out to the people of Russia. In both pictures you can see the crowd covering the whole of the area. There are no gaps anywhere. This shows that Lenin was popular at this time and that people did listen to him. As I have already said this sources main point that Trotsky and Kamenev have gone but the photo can give other information. You can only see behind Lenin at the number of people but I would imagine that in front of him there would be more people as his voice would be projected that way. So this means there would be about triple the amount of people in photograph listening to Lenin. That may seem like a lot but over the whole of Russia it is small amount considering the vast size that is Russia. We are not told where this is and so might in an area where Lenin is popular like Finland station. You can tell that this event actually happened as it a photograph not a painting like the source before. Source C Source C is a political cartoon that is aiming to put across the message that Lenin is working with the working class. Lenin has the broom and is sweeping because that is associated with the working class people. He is sweeping the upper class and privileged people off of the world and taking over. If this cartoon were a true reflection on the job that Lenin was doing, you would assume that he would be popular with working class but not so the upper class people whom he wants to get rid of. This is not the case. The upper classes, rich people, were not impressed with Lenin trying to get rid of them. So he didnt really become very popular with them. They didnt like him and because they owned massive pasts of Russia this was a problem. This cartoon would have won some votes with the lower and working class the fact that he was trying to make it an even playing field for all. Source D This cannot really tell us much about the situation in Russia but it does give us a global sense of the feelings towards Lenin and his government. The first couple of lines give us a feel for what the Russian people would be in for. If the things Robert Lansing predicted happen then Lenin and his government would not be popular in Russia. The mass deaths would not go down well with the people in Russia. This did come true and so Lenin government didnt look good. This source tells that the government didnt have a lot of friends outside of the country. Lansing was an American and they were a major power but Lenin didnt have their support as you can see from this statement. The statement written by Robert Lansing is a biased account though as the Americans were fighting the First World War with Russia until they pulled out and so there would be some bitterness between the two countries. Source E This source came from Winston Churchill. This again tells that Lenin was not popular outside of Russia. It gives a comparison to the Kaiser. If Lenin were thought of like the Kaiser then he would be hated like the Kaiser. Churchill gives a good comparison but his opinion is biased and should be not be used as fact it is only an opinion. Source F The final source gives reasons why Lenin was unpopular. This source is taken from a textbook and therefore will be correct. It gives facts why Lenin was not popular; economic collapse, Industrial production had dropped by 20 per cent of the level it was in 1913, harvest produced only 60 per cent of the normal amount and during the civil war famine and disease caused 8 million deaths. These facts give hard evidence why the Russian people have cause to not like Lenin. All of these sources tell us that Lenin and the Bolsheviks popularity changed over the time they were in power. If we can trust the early sources you would believe that he was popular. In 1917 Lenin would have been popular as the country was in disarray and would have supported any leader. However as his time went on the true view of Lenin came out. Towards 1924 he started to go down hill and wasnt as respected by the people. When source F gives the final facts of what was happening it is easy to say that Lenin was not as successful as first thought. Lenin early high popularity dropped towards the end of his time to be hated by the people of Russia.

Allusions In Invisible Man Essay -- essays research papers

Allusions in Invisible Man Invisible Man, written with ingenuity by Ralph Waldo Ellison, is a masterpiece by itself, but it also intertwines into every page one or more allusions to previously written masterpieces. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, and whether it was Ellison who incorporated the works into his own or others who incorporated his work into their own, it makes for a brilliant piece of literature. Ellison defines the character of the Invisible Man through literary, Biblical, and historical allusions. In the "Prologue," the narrator writes, â€Å"Call me Jack-the-Bear, for I am in hibernation† (6). . Although vague, this reference to Jack indicates all the Jacks in the fairy tales (Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack and Jill, etc.) Jack, the common protagonist, allows the reader to know that Invisible Man is the protagonist right away. The comment that he is in hibernation refers to his constant battle between being the protagonist or the antagonist; whether to act according to his feelings and instincts, or to try to follow the mysterious words of his deceased grandfather. Also, Brother Jack can be seen as a protagonist throughout the book as well. Even earlier in the chapter, a reference to Edgar Allan Poe is made; â€Å"I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe...† This allusion, clear and concise, refers to the "spooks" who haunted Edgar Allan Poe and right away defines the narrator's invisibility. He is not a ghost or spirit, but is invisible through his character, actions, and feelings about himself. In addition to these allusions, Dante's Inferno is referred to in the Prologue as well. Invisible Man relates the action of going to his home in the basement of the apartment building to descending into Hell. He comments that his â€Å"hole is warm and full of light... I doubt that there is a brighter spot in all of New York than this hole of mine..† (6.) This â€Å"hole† that the narrator refers to is the basement home that he discovers later in the novel. This is when he also realizes and accepts his invisibility. At this time the Invisible Man is both happy to accept his identity (or lack thereof) and bitter at the realization that he has no identity. This is why he refers to this as a place similar to hell,... ...he will always be black. No matter how much he, or any of his Brothers attempt to liberate themselves, they will never be able to rid themselves of the burden of their brown skin. Another historical allusion occurs on page 389 when Brother Tarp gives a special gift to the Invisible Man. He gives him a link of the chain the locked him down during his years of slavery. This is a shock to the narrator because it forces him to realize how recent slavery occurred. At first, he does not want the object, but after being scolded for having it on his desk by another Brother, he has grown attached to it. both the bank and the link are objects that stayed with the narrator throughout the story. On page 548 he drops his brief case containing his treasured, yet burdensome items, and insists on going back against a sheet of fire to retrieve the brief case. This is another example of how these items have become part of his identity. Allusions are an extremely effective device in literature. They help to reinforce ideas previously thought of by others. In Invisible Man the narrator’s character is successfully defined through the use of allusions throughout the novel Allusions In Invisible Man Essay -- essays research papers Allusions in Invisible Man Invisible Man, written with ingenuity by Ralph Waldo Ellison, is a masterpiece by itself, but it also intertwines into every page one or more allusions to previously written masterpieces. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, and whether it was Ellison who incorporated the works into his own or others who incorporated his work into their own, it makes for a brilliant piece of literature. Ellison defines the character of the Invisible Man through literary, Biblical, and historical allusions. In the "Prologue," the narrator writes, â€Å"Call me Jack-the-Bear, for I am in hibernation† (6). . Although vague, this reference to Jack indicates all the Jacks in the fairy tales (Jack and the Beanstalk, Jack and Jill, etc.) Jack, the common protagonist, allows the reader to know that Invisible Man is the protagonist right away. The comment that he is in hibernation refers to his constant battle between being the protagonist or the antagonist; whether to act according to his feelings and instincts, or to try to follow the mysterious words of his deceased grandfather. Also, Brother Jack can be seen as a protagonist throughout the book as well. Even earlier in the chapter, a reference to Edgar Allan Poe is made; â€Å"I am an invisible man. No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe...† This allusion, clear and concise, refers to the "spooks" who haunted Edgar Allan Poe and right away defines the narrator's invisibility. He is not a ghost or spirit, but is invisible through his character, actions, and feelings about himself. In addition to these allusions, Dante's Inferno is referred to in the Prologue as well. Invisible Man relates the action of going to his home in the basement of the apartment building to descending into Hell. He comments that his â€Å"hole is warm and full of light... I doubt that there is a brighter spot in all of New York than this hole of mine..† (6.) This â€Å"hole† that the narrator refers to is the basement home that he discovers later in the novel. This is when he also realizes and accepts his invisibility. At this time the Invisible Man is both happy to accept his identity (or lack thereof) and bitter at the realization that he has no identity. This is why he refers to this as a place similar to hell,... ...he will always be black. No matter how much he, or any of his Brothers attempt to liberate themselves, they will never be able to rid themselves of the burden of their brown skin. Another historical allusion occurs on page 389 when Brother Tarp gives a special gift to the Invisible Man. He gives him a link of the chain the locked him down during his years of slavery. This is a shock to the narrator because it forces him to realize how recent slavery occurred. At first, he does not want the object, but after being scolded for having it on his desk by another Brother, he has grown attached to it. both the bank and the link are objects that stayed with the narrator throughout the story. On page 548 he drops his brief case containing his treasured, yet burdensome items, and insists on going back against a sheet of fire to retrieve the brief case. This is another example of how these items have become part of his identity. Allusions are an extremely effective device in literature. They help to reinforce ideas previously thought of by others. In Invisible Man the narrator’s character is successfully defined through the use of allusions throughout the novel

Death Be Not Proud: Simon Birch to The Scarlet Ibis Comparison Essay

It is said that a person can accomplish anything if they put their mind to it. Humans have walked on the moon, swam the English Channel, and overcome disabilities to defy nature itself. In the film Simon Birch and the short story â€Å"The Scarlet Ibis†, two boys work to push past their disabilities that limit their lifestyles to the point of eventual death. Both Simon Birch and Doodle (â€Å"The Scarlet Ibis†) prove that strength does not necessarily have to come from the healthiest of humans, but that the ideas of tolerance for all should be a universal practice. Through their similarities and differences, these unlikely characters teach the reader about might and acceptance of those with disabilities. Doodle and Simon Birch are boys born with handicaps that could easily have limited their lifestyle. Doodle’s developmental delay and Simon’s small stature cause both characters to rely on those around them for support and assistance. Luckily, the kindness of Joe Wentworth towards Simon Birch and the consistent attentions of Doodle’s brother, allow both handicapped boys to live lives greater than most of the world could imagine. Swimming, learning to walk, and boxing were a few things that Doodle learned from his persistent brother. Likewise, Simon enjoyed swimming with his friend Joe, and also playing baseball, which was some thing others did not think he could do. Not only did both characters push themselves with the help of their support systems, they also viewed the world around them as a beautiful place, in which they could learn to defy the limitations of their human bodies. The doctors never believed that Simon would amount to anything and he became a handicapped hero by saving a bus full of kids. Doctors said Doodle would never walk and through pain, frustration, and never giving up, he was able to learn to walk by his 6th birthday. The similarities between these characters are uncanny, but one thing that is continuously evident is that their disabilities did not handicap them. While these two boys have many character traits in common, their differences are most evident in the way they were treated by those around them. Shame and embarrassment in having a handicapped brother is what motivates Doodle’s brother to teach Doodle to walk. In contrast, Simon Birch’s best friend, Joe, never treats Simon as handicapped and willingly brings him everywhere he goes. However, Simon’s family and many people around him do not see Simon as a miracle, but rather fear his â€Å"differences† as they do not understand him. He is ignored, rudely made fun of by others his age, and even told by a priest that God doesn’t have a plan for him. Doodle’s situation is completely different as his family is very supportive, caring, and nurturing, even if pride is the cause in the case of his brother. Pride also leads to another contrast between these characters in their inevitable deaths. While Simon Birch dies a triumphant hero’s death, a disappointed brother leaves Doodle behind when he can no longer keep up. Despite Doodle’s warnings, his brother continues on without him only to return to find Doodle bleeding from the mouth and finally overcome by his handicapped limitations. The early deaths of these two boys are yet different as one dies due to love and other out of embarrassment. The important message of tolerance for all differences can be seen in the likenesses and dissimilarities of Doodle and Simon Birch. Both demonstrate an inner strength, greatly due to their support systems, uninhibited by size or development that makes them mighty. Both also show a love for others that causes them to sacrifice their own lives. Each of their sacrifices paints a picture of how the world treated them differently and how one rose to a hero’s challenge and the other died in miserably being pushed beyond his limits. The greatest lessons are sometimes found in the most unlikely places. Anyone can be a hero, but maybe being a hero is more about looking beyond the surface and most importantly, leaving pride behind.

Healthcare Analysis Essay

1. Differentiate among the terms strategic management,strategic thinking, strategic planning, and managing strategic momentum. Which of these activities is most important in a healthcare organization and why? ANS: Strategic management consists of the analysis, decisions, and actions an organization undertakes in order to create and sustain competitive advantages. strategic management is concerned with the analysis of strategic goals (vision, mission, and strategic objectives) along with the analysis of the internal and external environment of the organization. Next, leaders must make strategic decisions. These decisions, broadly speaking, address two basic questions: What industries should we compete in?How should we compete in those industries? These questions also often involve an organization’s domestic as well as its international operations. And last are the actions that must be taken. Decisions are of little use, of course, unless they are acted on. Firms must take the necessary actions to implement their strategies. This requires leaders to allocate the necessary resources. Strategic thinking is considered a key thought process of strategic management framework; is defined as the generation and application of unique business insights and opportunities, to create competitive advantage for a firm or organisation. It can be done individually, as well as collaboratively among key people who can positively alter an organisation’s future. Group strategic thinking create more value by enabling a proactive and creative dialogue, where we gain other people’s perspectives on critical and complex issues which is an important benefit in today’s highly competitive and fast-changing business landscape. Strategic planning is an organization’s process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. In order to determine the direction of the organization, it is necessary to understand its current position and the possible avenues through which it can pursue a particular course of action. Generally, strategic planning deals with several key questions like 1 â€Å"What do we do?† 2 â€Å"For whom do we do it?† 3 â€Å"How do we excel?† Strategic momentum is the tendency to maintain or expand the emphasis and direction of prior strategic actions in current strategic behaviour. The most important role as leader of an organization is strategy. The best way to sustain the momentum is by following the guidelines of the Essentials for Successfully Implementing the Strategic Plan and to continue to deploy the small group of people who share the vision and are engaged in helping you implement it. According to me strategic management is the most important activity in a healthcare organization, because a well-formulated strategy can bring various benefits to the organization in present as well as in future. 1 Strategic management takes into account the future and anticipates for it. 2 A strategy is made on rational and logical manner, thus its efficiency and its success are ensured. 3 Strategic management reduces frustration because it has been planned in such a way that it follows a procedure. 4 It brings growth in the organization because it seeks opportunities. 5 With strategic management organizations can avoid helter & skelter and they can work directionally. 6 Strategic management also adds to the reputation of the organization because of consistency that results from organizations success. 7 Often organizations draw to a close because of lack of proper strategy to run it. With strategic management organizations can foresee the events in future and that’s why they can remain stable in the market. 8 Strategic management looks at the threats present in the external environment and thus organizations can either work to get rid of them or else neutralizes the threats in such a way that they become an opportunity for their success. 9 Strategic management focuses on proactive approach which enables organization to grasp every opportunity that is available in the market .2. List, describe, differentiate, and provide examples of the different levels of strategic management. ANS: 1 Corporate level 2 Divisional level 3 Organizational level 4 Unit level Corporate level strategies addresses questions like,†what business should we be in†¦.?† For example if we take Trinity, what business should we do..? Health care, including hospitals, long term care units, hospices etc. The other question would be what other options should Trinity consider like mental health centers. Divisional level strategies are more focused and provide direction for a single business type. For Example Trinity Health, strategies must be developed for separately for hospital division, out patient units, hospice care etc†¦.. how many hospitals are optional .. or what markets are available for new chain of hospitals†¦. Organizational level Strategies includes strategies made at an individual organizational level like each hospital in Trinity’s hospital division may develop their own strategies depending upon the present market conditions. Unit level Strategies support organizational strategies through accomplishing various objectives. Unit operational strategies may be developed within departments of an organizations like a hospital with different units, example Medicine department, Surgery unit or paediatric unit etc

How to Answer ACT Reading Questions 5-Step Guide

How to Answer ACT Reading Questions 5-Step Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The ACT Reading section is challenging for many students because of the intense focus required to answer questions accurately in such a short time frame.Quickly getting to the root of each question is tough, but it's definitely a skill that you can learn with practice. This guide will present an example-driven step-by-step process for interpreting ACT Reading questions and give you the inside scoop on some of the sneakiest tricks the Reading section has up its sleeve. What’s in This Guide, and Who Is It For? This guide provides a step-by-step outline of how to approach ACT Reading questions and determine exactly what they’re asking.The steps can also function as tips in isolation.You won’t need to complete all of them for every question (especially because the ACT is so fast-paced and the questions are typically pretty straightforward), but I think understanding this process before the test will help you to get through questions that confuse you at first glance. The second part of the article lists a few tricks the ACT Reading section has up its sleeve. You should learn to spot them so you can avoid making careless mistakes.If you tend to have difficulty with the ACT Reading section (or reading isn't your strong suit in general), I’d recommend taking a look at the steps and tips in this article.They'll give you a nice confidence boost on the test! Step-By-Step: How to Break Down ACT Reading Questions This is a comprehensive step-by-step process that you can use to understand and answer ACT Reading questions.Here’s the question I’ll be using as an example: Which of the following most clearly distinguishes between the â€Å"two ways† suggested by the author’s assertion that â€Å"we can’t have it both ways† (line 54)? A. Women haven’t until recently been allowed to see the depths in Shakespeare, but nobody bothers to read Shakespeare anyway.B. Women haven’t written as well as men because they’ve been too busy being spouses, but nobody takes time to read women writers anyway.C.Women haven’t written as well as men because they have not had the same educational opportunities, yet there are many great women writers no one reads.D. Women have always had an abundance of Shakespeares, yet have not experienced the kind of education it takes to appreciate Shakespeare. Step 1: Do a Quick Read of the Question (and the Relevant Line Numbers If Applicable) First, read the question to get a more general sense of what it’s asking. On the ACT, many questions are clearly worded, so it’s not necessary to go through all the additional steps to interpret them.This should serve as a checkpoint to gauge the difficulty level of the question and how much time you need to spend dissecting its meaning. If you’re given a line reference number, revisit the line and the paragraph where it occurs to jog your memory about the context.Here’s the paragraph we need to revisit for this question (line 54 is bolded): For the fact is that we can’t have it both ways. Wecan’t simultaneously espouse the line that womenhaven’t until recently been allowed the depth of education and experience to become Shakespeare, while alsoclaiming that we really have an abundance ofShakespeares, if anybody would just take the time toread us. Now that you've grounded yourself with a basic idea of what you’re looking for, you can dig into the meat of the question (ew). This is what I pictured while writing thatlast sentence (and it's also what the expression on my face looked like). Step 2: Underline Important Terms and Phrases Let's start looking at the nitty-gritty of what exactly the question is asking. In this step, we'll underline the most important terms and phrases.These might include: Words and phrases that indicate main idea or detail questions: Summarizes Lists States Paraphrases Main point Primary purpose Point of view [Number] paragraph EXCEPT or LEAST Compare or contrast Words and phrases that indicate inference questions: Can be inferred Suggests Implies Is meant to Represents [Most nearly] means Words and phrases that indicate questions about author/character intention or feelings: Establishes Indicates Illustrates Distinguishes between ([Character] or [author]) feels Could be characterized Agree or disagree Mood and tone For the sample question, these are the parts I would underline: Which of the following most clearly distinguishes between the â€Å"two ways† suggested by the author’s assertion that â€Å"we can’t have it both ways† (line 54)? We know for this question we’re looking for a description of the contrast between the â€Å"two ways† cited in the passage.The function of the correct answer choice (distinguishing between), the actual subject of the question (â€Å"two ways†), and the reference spot in the passage (line 54) are the key aspects of this question that could be underlined for clarity. Important tip: Don't underline a million things in the question. This step is useless if you're not emphasizing specific parts. In a parallel case, whoever overzealously highlighted this book is going to be extremely frustrated when they try to study later. Step 2.5: Rephrase the Question (If Necessary) This is an optional step that I would suggest taking if you still aren’t completely confident that you understand what the question is asking.Since you’ve underlined the most important parts, you should be able to rephrase it in a way that’s more easily digestible. For the sample question, this might look something like: Which answer choice describes the contrast between the â€Å"two ways† outlined by the author in the 5th paragraph? At this point, you have enough information to start thinking about potential answers. Step 3: Consider Relevant Evidence in the Passage and Make an Answer Prediction Now that we know what the question is asking, it’s time to look back at the passage and see if we can make any predictions about the answer.Look at the surrounding context, not just the specific line or lines mentioned in the question.Once again, here’s the paragraph we need to look at to find the answer to this question: For the fact is that we can’t have it both ways. Wecan’t simultaneously espouse the line that womenhaven’t until recently been allowed the depth of education and experience to become Shakespeare, while alsoclaiming that we really have an abundance ofShakespeares, if anybody would just take the time toread us. The incompatible â€Å"two ways† described in the paragraph are: 1. Women haven’t been given the same educational opportunities as men, and this accounts for the existence of fewer famous female writers. 2. There are just as many female literary greats out there as male, but their works are ignored by society because of gender bias. The answer choice that we’re looking for will present the incompatibility of these two conceptions of the situation. It would be something like: Women don’t produce as many great works of literature as men due to lack of educational opportunity. Vs. Women’s contributions to literature would be considered as great as men if their work was given more exposure. *Writes great work of literature only to realize it's been smudged beyond recognition by absurdly puffy dress sleeves* Step 4: Eliminate Incorrect Answer Choices We know what we’re looking for, so we can move on to ruling out three of the four answer choices: Which of the following most clearly distinguishes between the â€Å"two ways† suggested by the author’s assertion that â€Å"we can’t have it both ways† (line 54)? A. Women haven’t until recently been allowed to see the depths in Shakespeare, but nobody bothers to read Shakespeare anyway.B. Women haven’t written as well as men because they’ve been too busy being spouses, but nobody takes time to read women writers anyway.C. Women haven’t written as well as men because they have not had the same educational opportunities, yet there are many great women writers no one reads.D. Women have always had an abundance of Shakespeares, yet have not experienced the kind of education it takes to appreciate Shakespeare. Let's go through each of these choices based on the information we've learned so far: Choice A can be eliminated because the â€Å"two ways† have nothing to do with Shakespeare’s works specifically.Shakespeare is only mentioned as a stand-in for famous writers in general.Although the first part of the answer is almost in line with one of the issues mentioned (women not having access to education), the second part doesn’t work. Choice B can be eliminated because of the first part of the sentence.The author doesn’t say anything about women being too busy being spouses to craft great works of literature. Choice C looks correct based on our predictions.It checks out both for the first claim (women haven’t written as well because they haven’t had the same educational opportunities as men) and the second claim (there are lots of great women writers out there, but no one gives them a chance). Choice D can be eliminated because it’s too focused on the Shakespeare aspect of the author's statement.As I said earlier, Shakespeare is used simply as a representative for all well-known and well-respected literary talents. How do we know Shakespeare wasn't just a bearded lady? I imagine hair removal was more difficult back then, and this is one pretty dude. Step 5: Commit to a Final Answer Based on our findings in the previous step, it looks like Choice C is the one we want. Before bubbling it in, read over the question and chosen answer one last time to ensure that everything makes sense, and there are no careless mistakes. It's always a good idea to double check the question and answer before you commit so that you don't miss anything! Not So Fast...Look Out for These Tricks If you follow the steps in this article, you shouldn’t fall for the ACT’s tricks, but considering the fast-paced nature of the test, you’re bound to rush through a few questions. If you don’t pay attention to exactly what the question is asking and what the evidence tells you, you could run into trouble.Be wary of: Half-Correct Answers Often when the answer to a question has two or more parts, some of the choices will be partially correct.This can be tricky because you might start reading an answer choice, notice that it lines up with what you predicted for the answer, and bubble it in without noticing that part of it doesn’t make sense. This could have happened on the question we just answered.In Choice A, the first part of the answer made some sense, but we found that the second part was wrong, and Choice C was actually the correct answer.To avoid falling for this trick, read through all parts of every possible answer carefully before committing to your choice. This looks like a nice solid roaaaaaaaahhhhhh (metaphorical representation of what will happen if you don't read carefully) Superfluous Details (or Overly Specific Ones) Sometimes the ACT likes to insert little sneaky incorrect details into answers that look correct at first glance. Take this question, forexample: Choice F is the correct answer even though Choice J may appear more specific and accurate if you don’t look at the details too closely.Choice J mentions numbing the spinal cord, which is a more detailed description of the process than Choice F’s generic â€Å"release of chemicals.†However, its inclusion of the pituitary gland in the second part of the answer makes it incorrect. The chemicals do â€Å"block pain signals in the spinal cord,† but the pituitary gland is only referenced when the passage states that acupoint stimulation sends impulses there.The chemicals don’t prevent signals from being sent to the pituitary gland, so Choice J is wrong-o.To avoid falling for this, use process of elimination to rule out all answers that give even the tiniest extra details that don’t make sense in the context of the passage. I wonder how acupuncture was even discovered in the first place. If I'm trying to get some pain relief, the last thing I think about is stabbing myself with tiny needles. LEAST or EXCEPT Questions Some questions on the ACT will ask you what the answer is NOT. This is perhaps the most classic variety of tricky question. Here's an example: Even though the words "least" and "except" are in all caps, many students miss these key words by not reading carefully enough. If you notice a LEAST or EXCEPT in a question, make that the first thing you underline.As you go through the answer choices, clearly cross out any options that accurately reflect the information in the passage. These questions are generally on the easier side if you don't get confused by the trick! Objective Truths (but Inaccurate Answers) The ACT likes to include answers on the Reading section that might look good to you if you skipped straight to the questions.These answers include real facts or very reasonable assumptions that would look like logical choices if you didn’t consult the passage directly.Here's an example: If you were rushing through this passage and only looked at the question, you might be tempted by almost all of these choices. Choice A includes a specific name, which makes it seem like it's directly related to the passage.Choice B also sounds logical at first glance. People in the 18th century were probably impressed by unusual weather because there wasn’t that much else around for entertainment value.Choice C is kind of weird, so it’s a less likely temptation, but it’s still something that you could think was plausibly true. Here’s the actual section of the passage the question references: Choice D is the correct answer because it accurately explains the purpose of the quote in the context of the author’s larger point.But you can see how the â€Å"truthiness† of the first few choices might confuse you if you didn’t read thoroughly. ALWAYS be vigilant in your search for direct evidence. Just because something is true or logical out of context doesn’t mean it’s the answer you want! Prepare for the best BRAINstorm in memory on the ACT. Conclusion Reading questions on the ACT can be misleading at times, so it's smart to have an effective way of breaking them down before you take the test. Once again, here are the steps you might take to dissect and conquer challenging questions: Step 1: Do a Quick Read of Question (and Relevant Line Numbers if Applicable) Step 2: Underline Important Terms and Phrases Step 2.5: Rephrase the Question Step 3: Consider Relevant Evidence in the Passage and Make an Answer Prediction Step 4: Eliminate Incorrect Answer Choices Step 5: Commit to a Final Answer As you follow these steps, be on the lookout for ACT tricks that might throw you for a loop. Examples include: Half-Correct Answers Superfluous Details (or Overly Specific Ones) LEAST or EXCEPT Questions Objective Truth (but Inaccurate Answer) What's Next? Want more tips? Check out our ultimate prep guide to ACT Reading, which includes every article we've written about this topic. If you're in a time crunch, read this article on how to cram for the ACT and (potentially) raise your score 4 points in 10 days! Practice tests are the most critical study weapons you have in your arsenal. 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