Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Life Span Development and Personality Essay Questions
Life Span Development and Personality Essay Questions Cathy Perry Psy 300 September 27, 2010 Tara Terry Ph. D. Select a famous individual from the 20th or 21st centuries: Maya Angelou (born as Marguerite Ann Johnson). Conduct research concerning the background of your selected individual to determine what forces have impacted his or her life from the viewpoint of developmental psychology. 1. Discuss the influences of heredity and environment (including family and social support) on your individualââ¬â¢s psychological development. Be sure to describe specific areas of psychological development (moral, emotional, etc. . (300-500 words). Maya Angelou was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1928. At the age of three, she and her brother, Bailey, moved to Stamps, Arkansas to live with their paternal grandmother when their parents divorced. Throughout her childhood she struggled with feelings of displacement due to her early separation from her parents (Mongeau-Marshall, 1994). She developed self-esteem problems because of her large frame and nappy hair and was not considered pretty; also, racismââ¬â¢s messages of southern black females being inferior and that they lacked control of their future. The grandmother raised them in a strict sheltered environment around church, school, and her store. The fear of being terrorized by the Ku Klux Klan was always upon Maya. After five years of minimal contact with either parent, the father returned and took them to their mother in St. Louis. This household consisted of their mother, maternal grandmother, and two uncles, but they rarely saw their mother. Maya disliked the cityââ¬â¢s loud noises and constant commotions, so she escaped through reading. Moving back to St. Louis was unsettling to both children. Maya began having nightmares and Bailey began to stutter (Pettit, 1996). Later that year, their mother moved them in with her and her boyfriend, Mr. Freeman. One night, while their mother was working, Mr. Freeman made Bailey leave the house and he raped Maya; she was only eight years old. He threatened Maya that if she told anyone he would kill Bailey. Mayaââ¬â¢s mother thought she was ill but discovered the blood stained underwear when changing sheets. At the hospital Bailey convinced her to tell who had done this. Mr. Freeman was arrested and Maya testified at the trial. He was released early before finishing out his sentence and was later found beaten to death. Maya stopped speaking to everyone except Bailey, and kept silent for five years. She felt guilty that Mr. Freemanââ¬â¢s death was her fault and she feared if she spoke about anyone else, that they would die too. The children were sent back to Stamps which Maya felt was her fault since the family could not tolerate her silence and slow recovery. One male relative even physically punished her for not speaking. The grandmother in Stamps had a friend of hers, Bertha Flowers, speak to Maya. Ms. Flowers was instrumental in bringing Maya back from the darkness. She slowly helped Maya transform from the mute with no self-worth to a speaking young woman with self-esteem and academic success (Gillespie, Johnson-Butler, & Long,à 2008). After graduating the eighth grade, Maya and Bailey were sent to live with their mother in California. That summer Maya went to visit her father, but left early when his girlfriend began to fight her. Maya had been stabbed and stayed with her fatherââ¬â¢s friends. When she returned to her mother, she got a job instead of going back to school. After six months of working, she went back to school, but found that other girls her age were more developed physically and she felt unfeminine. To prove she was normal she decided to have sex, but didnââ¬â¢t prove anything; except she became pregnant. She graduated high school and a month later gave birth to her son Clyde. 2. Select two different theories of personality and apply them to your selected figure, and answer the following question: How does each theory explain the individual's unique patterns or traits? (500-700 words). The Psychodynamic theory can be applied to Maya Angelou in several areas. One of these areas was the continuous moves from parents to grandparents throughout her childhood. The consistency she had as a child was her grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas. Maya and her brother had love, stability and the meaning of family while they lived with her. According to Kowalski and Westen, (2009), Disrupted attachments are associated with severe personality disturbances, depression, antisocial behavior and adjustment problemsâ⬠¦, and childhood experiences such as parental neglect or even parental divorce cause more vulnerability to adult nsecurities. Psychodynamic theorists state that depressive behaviors have various causes, one of which would be a parental attachment history influencing problems and fears of rejection and or abandonment. Both Maya and her brother had problems dealing with the thoughts of abandonment. Maya thought it was better to think of them being dead than to imagine having parents that did not want their children (Mongeau-Marshall, 1994). Maya w as a rape victim at a very early age that traumatized her into speechlessness for five years. The fact that she was only eight years old is enough reason for her to have trust issues. According to Mongeau-Marshall, (1994) Maya trusted Mr. Freeman and felt him to be a father figure. After his death, she stopped talking to everyone but her brother, which in a psychodynamic theory viewpoint the psychological thought processes caused her to think that she caused his death. If she spoke about anyone ever again, the same tragic thing would happen. She could not endure the thought of being responsible for that. According to Kowalski ; Westen, (2009), ââ¬Å"Compromise formations is a single behavior or a complex pattern of thought and action, typically reflects compromises among multiple and often conflicting forcesâ⬠(p. 421). Maya did not talk for five years, but she did talk to her brother and would talk to herself when reading. When Bailey convinced her to tell him who raped her, he had also convinced her that no one could harm him so it would be okay to tell him. Maya compromised her thoughts by the love of her brother. She needed his companionship and acceptance at this crucial time in her life. She did not want to speak, but found it was necessary to speak to Bailey. In another time of her life, during high school, she believed she was not woman enough because her body was not as sexually developed as her peers. She decided to have sex to prove that she was ââ¬Å"woman enoughâ⬠so she rationalized. Rationalization, according to Kowalski ; Westen, is a defense when a person tries to explain away actions in a seemingly logical way to avoid uncomfortable feelings, especially guilt or shame (p. 26). Maya was ashamed of the fact that she was not as developed as her female classmates and wanted the acceptance that she desired, not just from others, but from herself. The Cognitive-Social theory accentuates the tasks of a personââ¬â¢s thought processes and their social learning in behavior and personality. Mayaââ¬â¢s grandmother in Stamps, Arkansas had the most positive role in her life; givin g her love, stability, encouragement, and education. She was able to learn from this grandmother that things do exist in life. She was able to draw personal strength, even at a young age, from the things she learned and observed from this grandmother. Her behavior-outcome expectancies were her beliefs that this way of life would continue if she thought her parents were dead. As long as they were dead, living in Stamps would continue and family turmoil would be no more. Mayaââ¬â¢s competences were lacking in self-esteem and admiration of who she was and what she was. She dreamed of being a white blue-eyed girl with long blonde hair having all the beautiful clothes and expensive things that white people had. She believed that one day she would wake up from her ââ¬Å"blacknessâ⬠and be this person (Mongeau-Marshall, 1994). Self-regulation was apparently nonexistent when she was a young girl, but as she became a young woman, she wasnââ¬â¢t just the first Black woman to be a cable car conductor, she was the first Black person to be cable car conductor in San Francisco. She accomplished this by harrying the Negro support organizations to help her get the job, and waiting for hours to be interviewed at the cable car offices (Pettit, 1996). 3. Explain which theoretical approach best explains the individual's behaviors and achievements. Make sure to explain why this is true. (100-200 words). The Psychodynamic theory is probably the best approach that relates to Maya Angelou. Her entire childhood is riddled with abandonment, child abuse, ridicule, and depression. Ms. Angelou had troubled relationships throughout her life, including three failed marriages. She only bore one child, whom she felt she abandoned when she went to Europe on the tour with Porgy and Bess (Gillespie, Johnson-Butler, & Long, 2008). This theoretical approach deals with Ms. Angelouââ¬â¢s horrendous childhood, adolescent, and young adult life. She dabbled in drugs, prostitution, and rich men. Through her life journeys, however, she has become one of the most prominent Black female poet, author, actress, humanist, and speaker that has walked upon this earth. She was friends with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Malcolm X, W. E. B. Dubois, among many other famous people. Maya Angelou developed a tough outer character from all the hardships she endured, but she shares with the public in order for them to learn from her past and to think about their future. References Gillespie, M. A. , Johnson-Butler, R. , & Long, R. A. (2008). Maya Angelou: A glorious celebration. New York, New York: Doubleday. Kowalski, R. , & Westen, D. (2009). Psychology (5th ed. ). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. Mongeau-Marshall, C. (1994). The masks of Maya Angelou: Discovered, discarded, and designed. Retrieved from ProQuest: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses database. Pettit, J. (1996). Maya Angelou: Journey of the heart. New York, New York: Lodestar Books.
Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Intuitive Surgical
This paper will explore the strengths and weaknesses of Intuitive Surgical. This paper will analyze which leadership model(s) and practices would encourage innovation considering the global context of the organization. This paper will also assess how the information in the Intuitive Surgical case study does or does not exemplify the five discovery skills. Lastly, in this paper I will assess the actions that the leaders of this organization took to shape culture and processes to be more innovative.The leadership model(s) and practices that would encourage innovation considering the global context of Intuitive Surgical Intuitive Surgical is a company that has led the country as the global technology leader in robotic assisted minimally-invasive surgery (Hoffman 2012). Their main product is the da Vinci Surgical System which is a robotic surgical system designed to perform urologic, gynecologic, cardiothoracic, and general surgeries that are much less invasive than traditional surgeries (Hoffman 2012). This company was definitely a leader within their market.Each of the different leadership models support innovation within organizations in some form or fashion. In order to grasp how, one must first develop an understanding of innovation and leadership. Innovation has many meanings, but on a broad scale one can say that innovation is thinking outside the box. Leadership is a bit harder to describe because it is best understood when seen. To put leadership in words according to Doyle and Smith, leaders often become visible when an innovative response is needed (2001).Now that we have an idea of what these words mean, one of the leadership models that would be of great benefit to Intuitive Surgical is the transformational leadership. This leadership model serves as a role model by gaining the trust and confidence of peers and employees. By stating future goals, developing plans to achieve these goals and displaying an innovative edge, transformational leaders are gen erally successful (Bass, 1985). The transformation leader gets its followers to transcend there own self-interest for the sake of the organization (Doyle & Smith 2001).As for any organization, for innovation to take place they need caring people who are will to commit to the greater good of the organization, as well as creative people who have the capacity to turn ideas into practical products and services. Therefore, with Intuitive Surgical patents expiring in the near future they should channel the transformational leadership model so they can have a great chance of building innovators within its organizations. The second leadership model that could benefit Intuitive Surgical and help with innovation in organizations is behavioral leadership.This type of leadership moved away from who leaders where to what leaders did. If they continue doing what they are doing and coming up with ideas that make patients happy with very minimal errors, this companies acquirement of innovative empl oyees will rise along with its products. How the information in the Intuitive Surgical case study does or does not exemplify the five discovery skills In The DNA of Innovators, The discovery skills are the new ideas introduced by the innovator who did the five skills of: associating, questioning, observing, networking, and experimenting.Intuitive Surgical did use some of these skills very well. The first one I noticed them using was the networking skill. According to Dyer, Gregerson & Christensen, the idea networker, ââ¬Å"networks to actively tap into new ideas and insights by talking with people who have diverse ideas and perspectives. â⬠They used this skill when they decided to merge with Computer Motion Inc in 2003. This merge helped them to cancel out their biggest competition and lead country with their technological advancements. Associating, as Dyer, Gregerson, & Christensen (2011) stated, ââ¬Å"happens as the brain tries to make sense of novel inputs.Associating hel ps innovators discover new directions by making connections across seemingly unrelated questions, problems or ideas (pg 23). â⬠I did not notice Intuitive Surgical use of this discovery skill from the case study. In The DNA of Innovators, ââ¬Å"Innovators ask questions to understand how things really are today, why they are those ways, how they might be changed or disrupted (Dyer, Gregerson & Christensen 2011). Intuitive surgical definitely answered a lot of questions by creating the da Vinci robot.With this robot they had to ask and answer a host of questions in order to acquire the precision of their device as they did. Innovators use the observing skill by carefully watching the world around them so that what they see can help them build ideas for new ways to do things. Intuitive Surgical used this skill also when they came up with their robot. Computer Motion Inc, who they merged with, was the first company to jump into the robotic surgical field which in turn means that I ntuitive Surgical watch this method and basically grew their device from a Computer Motions initial idea.Experimenting is used by innovators when they traveling to new places, seeking new information and trying new things ideas. Given that Intuitive Surgical is a leader on a global scale, this company definitely did a lot of experimenting. Also, the fact that their invention started off being used for laparoscopic surgery and went on to be used in six other surgical procedures shows that this company had done a ton of experimenting.The actions that the leaders of Intuitive Surgical took to shape culture and processes to be more innovative Intuitive Surgical took a lot of steps to make their organization more innovative. As I stated previously, merging with their biggest competitor was genius. This move alone helped them to gain a comfortable seat at the top of the ladder as global technology leader. Also, taking the step to put patents on their work secured their spot at the top for years to come. This company has helped a monopoly in the robotic-assisted MIS market.Now that the patents are due to expire the company has had time to come up with bigger, better ideas that they can put into play after the expiration has hit which could possibly acquire new patents. That way they can continue leading their competitors and protecting their development for another x amount of years. In 2008 Annual Report Letter to the Shareholders, Intuitive Surgical emphasized that their goal is to ââ¬Å"take surgery beyond the limits of the human handâ⬠(Hoffman 2012).
A critical evaluation of the use of ââ¬Åstop and searchââ¬Â by the police Essay
A critical evaluation of the use of ââ¬Å"stop and searchâ⬠by the police Introduction à à à à Police officers have a fundamental function to maintain law and order in the society (Smith, G. 2001: 372). They deal with crimes and arrest offenders. They are supposed to be vigilant all the time and monitoring any potential criminal activity and prevent its occurrence where possible. According toHess, K. M., &Wrobleski, H. M. (2006: 57), they do this by taking part in community patrols and responding to emergency calls. As the complexity of civilization is increasing, so is the level of crimes (Nick, et al., 2000: 7). This makes the role of the police officers even more challenging. In order to realize their objectives, police officers should make sure that they create and maintain a good relationship with the general public. This is because the potential criminals are in the community and information regarding them is also within the community. Again, any successful policing operation must be done within the stipulated regulations by the state. Otherwise, any o peration done outside the guidelines is deemed unlawful (Hagan, F. E. 2008: 89). It is also of greatest importance for the police officers to uphold the principle of transparency, consensus, legitimacy and accountability when carrying out their operations (Nick, et al., 2000: 8). The use of the ââ¬Å"stop and searchâ⬠by the police is under section one of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) (Ozin, P. & Spivey, P. 2006: 28). This section gives police officers powers to stop any individual or vehicle in the public place and conduct a search on the basis of suspicion. This operation has its successes and its shortcomings. The aim of this paper is to critically put into perspective the place of this policing operation in the society. à à à à The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) has given police officers power to detain offenders, to stop and search people and vehicles in connection with offences whether actual or suspected, to arrest without warrant for minor offences and to control the behavior of persons in public places (Hagan, F. E. 2008.: 28). With regard to the power to stop and search a person or a vehicle, the aim is to search for evidence to support the suspicion leveled against the person. According to Hagan, F. E. (2008: 30), stop and search is done where there is suspicion of possessing stolen goods, firearms, illegal fireworks, articles suspected to be for use in committing a criminal act such as theft, fraud or burglary among others. In carrying out such an operation on an individual, clear and reasonable suspicion should exist to avoid subjecting innocent people to embarrassments and anxiety. This is categorically contained in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) section on e (Bevan, V., &Lidstone, K. W.1985: 29). Police officers are supposed to be guided by the provisions in the Act (Great Britain. Home Office, 2012: 17). However, this is far from the truth. Critical look at the stop and search operations reveal that though somehow helpful in controlling criminal activities, it has pitfalls that need proper considerations. à à à à Discretion has been recognized as one of the key elements in a good policing operation (Norris,à C., et al., 1992: 113; Nick et al., 2000: 21). However, discretion as far as police stop and search practices are concerned has been questioned. First and foremost, let us look at the issue of the legitimacy in the stop and search policing. There are three fundamental questions that we need to ask ourselves with regard to legitimacy of this policing. First, we need to ask ourselves how do police officers decide who to stop and search? Secondly, which factors prompt the police officers to carry out stops and searches of the public? Finally, which factors form the basis for the reasonable suspicion that underpin the stop and search on a particular individual? Police officers have been accused of conducting stop and search operations discriminatorily (Browling, B. & Philips, C., 2007: 965). In Whales and England, it has been reported that whenever there is an alarm and n eed to carry out a public stop and search operation, a black person is seven times more likely to be searched than a white person. If this is the case then, the police officers make the operation illegitimate in terms of its effectiveness (Miller, J. 2000: 21). The blacks, regardless of whether they are law-abiding and innocent or otherwise, feel vulnerable and alienated. Miller, J. (2000: 21-23) argues that awhite person who is a potential criminal may survive detection simply because the level of reasonable suspicion on him or her is low compared to that attached to the black counterpart. It is imperative to mention that according to the labeling theory of criminology, constant application of stigmatizing label on the blacks may stimulate the deviant behavior in otherwise law-abiding people (Hagan, E., 2008: 116-118). à à à à The power in the Act stipulates that before a stop and search is done, a police officer should have reasonable suspicion on the suspect (Nick et al., 2000: 4-6). Based on the ambiguity of the reasonable suspicion, it is expected that the interpretation of this requirements will vary from one police officer to another. It has been established through research that this is actually true. Suspicion is rooted in the culture of the police and resistant to change from external influences (Norris,à C., et al., 1992: 189). Therefore, following the requirements of the Act as to how to develop suspicion is not easy. Often, police officers develop suspicion against people based on the generalizations. They use a personââ¬â¢s age, appearance, behavior and location as the landmarks (Delsol, R. 2006: 48). This generalization forms the roots for alienating some members of the public. They assume that young men are the prime suspects for any criminal activity. As already ment ioned, it becomes even worse if you are a black and living in poor parts of the region in Whales and England (Nick, et al. 2000: 6). Here, we again ask; does being young increase your chances of committing a crime? No. Being young is not a motivating factor! Do black people become potential criminals simply because they are black? No. This notion has been perpetuated by the racist attitude that generally plagues the world. In the same manner, being poor or living in a poor estate does not make one qualify to be a potential criminal. It is not a motivating factor on its own. Therefore, police officersââ¬â¢ ways of developing the theme of reasonable suspicion require proper understanding. Clarification has to be made in the Act as to whether, and to what extent is stop and search policing is acceptable (Nick, et al., 2000 26). In view of this, reasonable suspicion for stop and search encounters can be obtained from the following: if the person fits the description given of the susp ect, if the person behaves suspiciously, if the person is out at unusual time like at night or if the person is found in a place associated with the crime(Stone, V., & Pettigrew, N. 2000: 142). à à à à Though stipulated in a legal frame, public stops and searches have been carried out in an unlawful manner. Persons have been subjected to embarrassing searches in public (Evans,à J.à M. 1990: 54). Sometimes, false information has been planted on the suspect in order to have him or her charged and prosecuted illegally (Nick et a., 2000: 29). Often, when police officers are on patrol at the scene of crime, efforts are made to incriminate someone. In such circumstances, an innocent person suffers unlawfully in the hands of the police officers who are supposed to safeguard the rights of such a person. As already mentioned, stops and searches operations are carried out disproportionately. This is evidenced by the statics obtained in Whales and England (Browling, B., & Philips, C. 2007: 154). Racism and ethnicity is rife in these operations. According to Browling, B & Philips, C (2007: 154), shocking statistics show that a black is seven times likely to be stopped an d searched than a white. An Asian is twice likely to be stopped and searched that a white counterpart. The bitter truth is that the same trend as persisted despite numerous debates to change it.It has been established through studies by FitzGerald (1999: 42) that calls from the public had contribution in the disproportionality observed in the stop and searches. Bias in the suspect description can also be responsible for disproportionate stops and searches according to Browling, B., & Philips, C. (2007: 157). He argues that most descriptions made in incidences of robbery suit members of the minority communities. However, this is a much disputed view because it borders on ethnicity. This view notwithstanding though, police officers do not use description information given but use race to suspect an offender. This is typical ethnicity in policing. It often damages the relations within and between communities. It is important to note that if the policing is perceived unfair, then its le gitimacy will be greatly undermined and co-operation of the public with the police and willingness to obey the law will be decreased (Terris, B. J. 1997: 93). à à à à Public confidence is indispensable in determining the success and legitimacy of stops and searches. It is built upon the trust that stops and searches are used fairly and effectively. This is the center of the principle of policing by consent. It encourages the public to co-operate with and give assistance to the police. According to Janet, B & Chan, L (1999: 13), if police treated people including offenders with respect in order to reduce fear, then the level of co-operation between them and the community would improve. As already stated, one of the things that make the operation legitimate in the eyes of the public is the police decision on who to stop. Stone and Pettigrew (2000) suggest that police officers should only stop people for genuine and good reasons. In addition, they should not target those that they feel like but target the ââ¬Å"real criminalsâ⬠. Public stops and searches that are deemed inappropriate because they are based on negative stereot yping constitute harassment. à à à à The manner in which public stops and searches are carried is also of great concern. It is required that a police officer should introduce himself or herself to the suspect and clearly state the reason for stopping the individual (Nick et al., 2000: 29). According to Nick et al (2000 29) when a search is necessary, the person should be frisked in a dignified manner. If necessary, the person can only be asked to remove the outer clothes only such as a coat. If an in-depth search is necessary where the person may be asked to remove all his or her clothes, then the person has to be taken to police custody and search be conducted in privacy. For such kind of a search, a police officer of the same gender as the suspect will be involved.This constitutes respect to the person upon whom the search is done. The results of the search should also be communicated to the person accurately and as soon as possible to alleviate excessive anxiety (Zander, M. 1985: 27). In all this p rocess, a police officer must remain polite even when the situation appears difficult to handle. If this simple requirement is not followed, the public lose confidence in the stop and search policing operation. Distrust usually follows and finally, co-operation is lost between the police officers and the members of the public (Nick et al 2000: 32). à à à à It is important to look at some of the possible sources of suspicion. One of the factors that give indirect information about a suspect is age. As already mentioned above, police officers are greatly prompted to stop young people because they are associated with ââ¬Å"causing troubleâ⬠generally (Nick, et al., 2000: 19). Furthermore, it is more likely that youths found on the road very early in the morning, whether walking or driving, will be stopped and searched. In addition, youths found driving out of the city at night got stopped on the suspicion that the driver might be drunk (Nick, et al., 2000: 20). It becomes even worse if the youths are found in groups. This focus on young people with regard to stop and searches has been recognized by Stone and Pettigrew (2000: 187). This generalization is not appropriate because there is nothing that links a young person directly to being a criminal. Unless police officers apply the provisions in the Act that stipul ate that age should not be used as a basis to develop suspicion, the problem is inclined to prevail. à à à à Moreover, how a person is dressed has been a prompting factor to conduct a stop and search by the police officers. Nick, et al (2000: 20) mention that people found in dark clothes at night were deemed to be potential candidates to commit a criminal act. They were thus liable to stop and search operations by the police officers. Does this then mean that people should not wear dark clothes at night? According to the police officers, those who wear dark clothes at night do so in an attempt to conceal their identity. They also argue that such people do so to make it hard to notice them at night. Accordingly, they assume that such people could be out to commit a crime or have already committed one and therefore trying to escape. Others styles of adornment have also been labeled as suspicious. According to Stone and Pettigrew, (2000: 187), white people on skinhead hairstyle and blacks on dreadlocks got stopped and searched frequently. This is because such styles are asso ciated with criminals. However, this is again based on generalization and should not form basis for developing reasonable suspicion on a suspect according to the PACE Act. à à à à The type of the car driven also sometimes gave grounds for suspicion. Police officers report being prompted to stop old cars because they suspected a possibility of it having defects or lacking insurance or road tax (Nick, et al., 2000: 21-22). In addition, high-powered cars were targeted because they were likely to be stolen. In their opinion, police officers classify cars that are less likely to be stolen and those that are most susceptible to theft. Furthermore, high-class cars are suspected to be ferrying illegal items. This is based on the assumption that criminal are tempted to use flashy cars to lower their probability of being nabbed by police. In addition, car thieves steal high-class cars more often than their low-class counterparts. But based on these assumptions, the police officers run a risk of stopping and searching the innocent. This becomes a big problem if one will be subjected to constant stops and searches because of the model of their car. Acco rding to Nick et al. (2000: 22), blacks or Asian people who possessed expensive cars would be stopped a lot more compared to the whites. By extension, some people had been forced to change the model of their cars in an attempt to avoid constant harassments from the police officers. The result of this generalized operationpropagated negative stereotyping on the minority ethnic groups. It meant that these people from minority groups did not hold good jobs and therefore could not afford expensive cars. This generates resentment and bad relationship between the public and the police officers. à à à à Police officers often did congruency assessment on the individual in an attempt to establish and develop reasonable suspicion on the suspect (Webber, L. 2013: 47). They compared the driver of the vehicle and the class of that vehicle. If no congruency existed in their own opinion, the driver would be suspected to be a thief. If this driver is actually the owner of this vehicle, it goes without saying that he or she will feel offended to the extreme. This also could happen if a person was found in a place that does not suit him or her. For instance, police officers report developing suspicion on a person found in a school compound and not dressed like a student (Nick, et al., 2000: 24). This usually happens because police officers have learnt to associate certain places with certain people. They have assumed that there are places that are exclusively for the whites and others for the blacks. This means that if a person of the white ethnic group is found in some area s where blacks are predominant, the first instinct to the police officers is that such a person is doing illegal drug business. Similarly, if a black person is found around premises that are known to belong exclusively to whites, the instinct of the police officers would take such a person as a suspect intending to steal. This assumption is wrong because it promotes ethnicity and alienating to a large degree according to Nick et al (2000: 34). à à à à Police officers also rely on suspicious activities to develop suspicion on an individual (Weitzer,à R., &Tuch,à S.à A. 2004: 59). The argument is that such behavior like checking locks or looking inside cars are suspicious activities. People hanging or loitering around got stopped and questioned frequently on their intentions (Nick, et al., 2000: 25). At a hotspot of crime, these observations can be relied upon as sources of reasonable suspicion. But one may ask; what constitutes a suspicious activity in driving? Perhaps a police officer may observe the manner in which the vehicle is driven aimlessly. Also, speeding the car at the sight of police officers may suggest a criminal intent. This can be a reliable source of suspicion too. Also, taking unusual routes may suggest something sinister such as avoiding a police stop and search operation. In addition, cars that are parked in secluded places generate suspicion. A police officer may be prompted to carry out a search on such a situation. à à à à Moreover, police officers are often prompted to stop a person on the grounds of furtive behavior (Nick, et al., 2000: 39). Furtive behavior is described as avoiding being seen, attempting to hide an object, trying to run away or feeling nervous in the presence of police officers. These elusive forms of behavior can arguably be grounds to develop reasonable suspicion. To some degree, a police officer will be right in interpreting them to suit his or her opinions. For instance, a suspect would try as much as possible to avoid being seen. In the same way, if someone is in possession of an object that is illegal, stolen or intended for committing a crime, then he or she will try to hide it. In addition, a person will try to run away from police officers if he or she knows that they have done something that can lead to their arrest. Again, police officers tend to assume that one would be nervous in their presence if he or she is guilty. This is how police officers may w ant to justify using furtive behavior to develop suspicion on a person. à à à à However, there is a limitation to using furtive behavior as a ground to develop suspicion (Williams, B. N., &Stah, M.2008: 73). This is because furtive behavior may be culturally or socially motivated sometimes. For instance, culture may dictate when and to what extent is making an eye contact appropriate. Feeling uneasy in the presence of police officers can happen even when the person feels that there is nothing to hide. This is associated with the fear of being stopped or searched (Stone and Pettigrew, 2000: 192). A person may opt to run away instead of being subjected to police search even when there is no reasonable ground to fear. By extension, some fear being incriminated falsely by police. à à à à In the study done by Nick, et al., (2000: 24), it was established that police officers usually targeted the person that they already knew. On receiving the suspect description, most police officers attach it to a prolific offender who is the current target of the police surveillance. Furthermore, according to the Stone and Pettigrew (2000: 188), police officers targeted persons who had a criminal record in the past. This is actually against the provisions in the PACE Act that clearly states that a person cannot be suspected because of their past history. Some people have also reported having been stopped and questioned simply because they were found walking with a person known to the police. This is offending to say the least. If a person is suspected to be a criminal just because he or she has been involved in criminal activity in the past without reasonable suspicion is tantamount to police harassment. It also makes a reformed criminal to constantly feel guilty a nd develop tactics to survive in such an environment. Some may become hostile while others may revert to committing crimes (Smith, G., 2009: 253). They will take it that the society does not trust in them anymore and that they are unwanted. As a result, a bigger problem result thanks to the unreasonable police officers. à à à à Time and place also often formed the basis for the police officers to develop suspicion on an individual. Findinga person at a particular place and at a particular time of the day may give police officers a basis to suspect that person (Evans, J. M., 1990: 439). For instance, if a person is found at the site of crime at night, the first impression that the police officer on patrol gets is that the person might have been involved in the committing of the crime. Again, if a person is found in a car in an isolated place at night, then that becomes the basis of developing a reasonable suspicion to stop and search such a person. However, it is not obvious that if someone is found ina certain place and at a particular time he or she is up to some criminal activity. Stone and Pettigrew (2000: 162) give an accountof the sufferings of the blacks and Asians in England who worked in fast food outlets, minicab drivers, shift workers at factories or as postmen. Their work requi red them to walk or drive at night occasionally. On such occasions, they often got stopped and searched to the disappointments of the officers because they never found anything suspicious with them. This is to overrule the notion that being found on the road at unusual time does not necessarily mean you are a suspect. à à à à Police officers also rely on the descriptive information given by a victim or witness about the suspect. This information should be as accurate as possible (Webber, L., 2013: 78). It helps the police officers have a general idea on who to stop and search and who not to. However, this does not always happen because the information given may not be reliable. The caller may not be able to give a correct description of the suspect. In addition, the person receiving the information may record incomplete information that does not help much. In such instances, police officers are left to use their method of generalizing (Nick et al., 2000: 32). à à à à In addition, intelligence information is usually given to the police officers on the ground by the intelligence agency (Gelman, A., et al., 2007: 815). The information is meant to assist them to make rational decisions and know where and when to do intensive stop and search operations. The information given to the police officers should be accurate and clear to assist in the operations. The intelligence information may be on the types of crimes that are predominant in a particular place, the crime hotspots, both seasonal and long-term as well as the information regarding the well-known criminals (Miller, J., 2000: 49). Intelligence information can greatly influence how the police officers carry out their patrols because they tend to direct most of their effort towards hotspots (Nick et al., 2000: 34). But it is not surprising that most police officers tend to use generalization and stereotypes to make stops and searches instead of relying on the given intelligence information. à à à à In conclusion, stop and search policing is an effective policing technique used by police if done in accordance with the provided regulations. Some of the issues that arise in the practice of stop and searching in the policing service need evaluation. The most important of all is the issue of discrimination and disproportionality in these stops and searches. As we have seen, this often leads to poor relationship within the community. People lack trust and confidence in the police services. Some people feel vulnerable when they are subjected to unlawful stops and searches. According to Weitzer, R. and Tuch, S. (2004: 321), police unit should find the most suitable way to conduct stops and searches in a manner that yield many positive results and minimize negative result. References Behan,à T.à R. (1988). Stop and Frisk: A Clarification. American Bar Association Journal, 54(10), 968-969. Bevan, V., &Lidstone, K. W. (1985).A Guide to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. London: Butterworths. Browling, B., & Philips, C. (2007). Disproportionate and discriminatory: reviewing the evidence on police stop and search. The Modern Law Review, 70(6), 936-961. Delsol, R. (2006). Institutional Racism, the Police Stop and Search: A Comparative Study of stop and Search in the UK and USA. New York: University of Warwick. Evans,à J.à M. (1990). Police Power to Stop without Arrest.The Modern Law Review, 33(4), 438-441. Gelman,à A., Fagan,à J., & Kiss,à A. (2007).An Analysis of the New York City Police Departmentââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Stop-and-Friskâ⬠Policy in the Context of Claims of Racial Bias.Journal of the American Statistical Association, 102(479), 813-823. Hagan, F. E. (2008). Introduction to criminology: theories, methods, and criminal behavior (6th Ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications. Hess, K. M., &Wrobleski, H. M. (2006) Police Operations: Theory and Practice. (4th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Janet,à B., & Chan,à L. (1999).Governing Police Practice: Limits of the New Accountability.The British Journal of Sociology, 50(2), 251-270. Miller, J. (2000). Profiling populations available for stops and searches. London: Home office, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. Nick, B., Paul, Q. & Joel, M. (2000). Police Stops, Decision-making and Practice. Police ResearchSeries.Paper 130. Norris,à C., Fielding,à N., Kemp,à C., & Fielding,à J. (1992). Black and Blue: An Analysis of the Influence of Race on Being Stopped by the Police. The British Journal of Sociology, 43(2), 207-224. Ozin, P., Norton, H., & Spivey, P. (2006). PACE: A Practical Guide to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Smith, G (2001) ââ¬ËWhy Donââ¬â¢t More People Complain Against the Police?ââ¬â¢European Journal of Criminology.6 (3) 249-266 Stone, V., & Pettigrew, N. (2000).The views of the public on stops and searches. London: Home Office, Policing and Reducing Crime Unit, Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. Terris,à B.à J. (1997). The Role of the Police.Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 374(24), 58-69. Tomaskovic,à D., Wright,à C.à P., Czaja,à R., & Miller,à K. (2006).Self-reports of Police Speeding Stops by Race: Results from the North Carolina Reverse Record Check Survey.Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 22(4), 279-297. Webber, L. (2013). Stop and Search: Police Power in Global Context. Abingdon, U.K.: Routledge. Weitzer,à R., &Tuch,à S.à A. (2004).Race and Perceptions of Police Misconduct.Social Problems, 51(3), 305-325. Williams, B. N., &Stah, M. (2008). An Analysis Of police Traffic Stops And Searches in Kentucky: A Mixed Methods Approach Offering Heuristic And Practical Implications. Policy Sciences, 41(3), 221-243. Willis, C. F. (1997). The Use, Effectiveness, and the Impact of Police Search powers. London: Home Office. Zander, M. (1985). The Police And Criminal Evidence Act 1984. London: Sweet & Maxwell Police Review Publishing Corporation. Source document
Monday, July 29, 2019
Managing Finance assignment 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Managing Finance assignment 3 - Essay Example 2. Penetration pricing- Penetration Pricing: The strategy of setting a products price relatively low in order to generate a high sales volume. The strategy is commonly associated with pricing new products that do not have identifiable price-market segments. It is used to secure rapid penetration of a market. . This is the strategy use by many Chinese companies. It priced its products very much than its Western counterparts and it is making a head way for a quite number of computer products. 3. Profit Maximization - In economics, profit maximization is the process by which a firm determines the price and output level that returns the greatest profit.. Hence, based on the above concept. The strategy requires the price combinations that would yield the highest profit. Hence, a company can use this to have higher profits. Directly or indirectly this is used my many food business like Jollibee food chains. If one enters an outlet one would observe packaging their meals into different combinations of food items. Such strategy is profit maximization. 4. Competitor indexing. It is a price setting technique used by marketers. Generally, it involves using the price of competitors products in determining the price of your own products. Its main advantage is ease of use. Extensive marketing research and statistical analysis are not required 5. Target rate of return pricing- It is a pricing method used almost exclusively by market leaders or monopolists. You start with a rate of return objective, like 5% of invested capital, or 10% of sales revenue. Then you arrange your price structure so as to achieve these target rates of return.
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Radical Feminism most effective for the third wave of feminism Essay
Radical Feminism most effective for the third wave of feminism - Essay Example Passive methods of action will only do so much as structural and societal constraints will prevail. Unless there is a more radical outreach, women will remain the ââ¬Å"underdogâ⬠in society, especially because the focus is more on conceptual ideologies such as the abolishment of gender role expectations. These issues, much like in the second wave of feminism, will only become marginalized by other social outcries such as welfare that are apparent and seem to need greater attention. Radical Feminism has proven to be the more effective choice of action since it promotes a greater, positive dialogue and initiates a course of action in support of feminist ideals. Therefore, radical feminism may arguably be considered more appropriate for the third wave of feminism. The following paper will define the term radical in relation to feminism and identify boundaries due to its significant spectrum. Furthermore, to support the above-mentioned claims, cases in which radical feminist movem ents in the past have been more effective from relatively passive movements in the incidence of the Womenââ¬â¢s Suffrage, will be identified. Like much of feminism, radical feminism too is highly misunderstood. The textbook definition of the term is as follows, ââ¬Å"Radical feminism is a "current" within feminism that focuses on the theory of patriarchy as a system of power that organizes society into a complex of relationships based on an assumption of "male supremacy" used to oppress womenâ⬠. Additionally, ââ¬Å"Radical feminists tend to be more militant in their approach (radical as "getting to the root") than other feminists areâ⬠(Lewis, 2014). The first part defines the term in a broad ideological sense whereas the second shares the thought response. In the technical sense this is fair considering being a militant refers to a broad group of people such as activists, revolutionaries, terrorists or even insurgents, and feminists can be both revolutionaries and activists.
Saturday, July 27, 2019
Risk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Risk - Essay Example In this context, the greater the risk, the more that alternative is unfavourable while if the risk is lower the alternative is the best for an individual to take a course of action into it (ALEXANDER, 2008). In my work I will examine the risks in relation to financial assets. Probability can be defined as the possibility that a given event will occur or take place; therefore, it is the possibility of an event coming to pass. For example, probability of a woman given birth to a boy child or a girl is 0.5. This means that there is a possibility of a girl or boy child being delivered. In this manner, is the method that is used to define and measure likelihood distribution of possible outcomes, and taking into consideration variables of its distributions at different occurrences (CONNOR, GOLDBERG & KORAJCZYK, 2010)? Due to different understanding of term risk many scholars are of other takes that measure risks especially those that emphasizes on negative results or that are below some known referent points. Different scholars have also defined risks in terms of how risky it is to take certain alternatives. In this scholars view risk as a perceptual variable. For example taking participants with a pair of gambles and asking them which gamble appear riskier to them. In addition one can assess individualââ¬â¢s sensitivity on riskiness by putting up a scale of 1(not at all risky) to 50 (extremely risky). This will give results on how individual view risks in a given situation. The major concern of such ratings or models is to have a grasp of individual perception on risks (ALEXANDER, 2008). In their perception on a given risk people judge risks and feel that their judgment is significant. Risks judgment is a routine carried out in the day to day activities. Managers approximate the riskiness of various courses of action and implement these actions with a lot of
Friday, July 26, 2019
What do Advertisements Tell Young People They Should Value Essay
What do Advertisements Tell Young People They Should Value - Essay Example Advertising has been part of American life for centuries, and has certainly always had some kind of effect on the behaviour of Americans in a wide variety of ways. Throughout the past ten to twenty years, however, the amount of advertising exposure and kind of advertising has changed significantly, and may have an increased effect on American youths. It is incredibly difficult to construct a causal relationship between advertising and behaviour, something that advertisers have used to their advantage to fight regulation throughout history, from the cigarette era to today. The problems of determining causal relationships are myriad, but most simply rest on the well known idea that correlation is not causation: wearing your favorite teamââ¬â¢s jersey and them winning does not indicate any causal relationship between your jersey choice and your teamââ¬â¢s success. Furthering the complexity of this problem is the fact that advertising in fact mirrors many of the issues inherent to many forms of media, such as film and television, in, for instance, constructing unrealistic ideas of beauty. Advertisers, for instance, are often blamed on helping to cause eating disorders, while there may be many different societal and media factors at work in those issues. To construct a causal relationship, one must therefore go much further than simply analyzing correlation (though correlation certainly plays some part in the analysis). Through analyzing the behaviour advertisers, the explosion of new media, the psychological makeup of young adults, and the correlation between youth behaviour and advertising, it is possible to construct a causal relationship between advertiserââ¬â¢s construction of the ideals of beauty and negative behaviour among young adults, such as the development of eating disorders. The first thing that must be unequivocally establishes is the fact that advertising does, in fact, affect behaviour. This is its whole point of the entire industry, to lea d people to buy products. There are various interpretations of the role of advertising. The most generous would say that advertising merely influences behaviour through demonstrations of a productââ¬â¢s usefulness to its client; advertising affects behaviour merely through informing (). The least generous would say that advertising twists peopleââ¬â¢s emotions, world view, and so on, in order to manipulate them into buying a given product (). The truth is probably somewhere in between, that advertising does rely on a productââ¬â¢s abilities, but that advertising also manipulates viewers to a significant extent. That advertising affects peopleââ¬â¢s behaviour can be seen merely by the size of the industry: it is a multi-hundred billion dollar industry worldwide (Shaman, 2012), and a single thirty second spot in the Super Bowl can sell for ââ¬Å"upwards of $5 millionâ⬠(Shaman, 2012). There is no way corporations would spend this kind of money on advertising if they were not confident in its
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Does 'free trade' advance or retard development in poor countries Essay
Does 'free trade' advance or retard development in poor countries - Essay Example The following paper evaluates the effectiveness of the free trade policies as far as the betterment of the poor nations is concerned. It analyses the arguments in favor and against of free trade with references of the development of the developing nations or the poor trading partner in the equation. Free trade has become one of the debated topics around the economic world. The terminologies of globalization, free trade, liberalization, socialization are also discussed in this paradigm. Before the actual argument can be established, it is imperative to understand the different terms and concepts that can have an impact on the argument itself. As the name suggests, globalisation refers to strengthening relationship between organisations, governments and individuals across geographical horizons. The term is generally used to regard economic globalisation. Economic globalisation can be explained as: increasing economic activities across the globe, through distribution of products or services by reducing international trade barriers. International trade barriers are placed by countries for various reasons. Some strong reasons could be to stipulate the use of local products, not compromising taxes, fear of rise in un-employments, pressure in maintaining budgets and dilution of long held customs and culture. Trade barriers can be tariff, import quotas, exchange rates, conflicting cultures and export fees etc. A dramatic increase in the process has been witnessed in the last decade. Technology has reduced the communication gaps between geographies. Travelling across national borders has been made easier and as a result doing business internationally has lesser complications in the modern age. The introduction and implementation of International Accounting Standards (IASââ¬â¢s) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSââ¬â¢s) has made comparisons between organisations appropriate. Comparable and understandable flow of
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Waste en P3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Waste en P3 - Essay Example To get the percentage amount of time used to produce the waste, it is calculated by dividing the amount of time not spent on anything by the total amount of time available all day: (Robbins 2005). To get the amount of time spent in value addition, we get the total time the student used actively doing something from the time he wakes up to the time he prepares for bed. The total time used actively is 210 minutes, while the total available time is 960 minutes. The percentage is therefore calculated by dividing the amount of time spent actively by the total available time: (Robbins 2005). It is quite evident from the calculations that the amount of waste produced is higher than the amount of value added. It is therefore important for the student to reduce the amount of waste produced; he should engage himself in some active activities such as football, cycling, reading or some exercise that will keep him fit physically and mentally active. This will increase his value addition (Robbins
To what extent do differing human resource management and training Essay
To what extent do differing human resource management and training practices contribute to varying levels of success between major national economies - Essay Example It also enhances positive relationships within organisations in order to enhance greater success at the workplace. Thirdly, the theory enhances the development and motivation of employees in order to perform better at the workplace. In terms of negative criticisms, the theory does not clearly explain how the various relations within an organization enhance success in international business across countries. The theory also fails to explain how HRM is linked to the strategic management of an organisation. Wright and Snell (1991) argue that abilities and skills are environmental inputs; behaviours of employees are throughputs; and satisfaction and performance of employees are outcomes. Therefore, the function of the HRM is to recruit, retain, utilize, and displace competencies in organizations (Jackson and Schuler, 1995). The primary positive aspect of the theory is that it provides key functions of HRM which help HR managers to perform their duties of managing personnel effectively. Therefore, the theory provides key understanding of how HR managers can manage employees effectively to achieve higher results and success in international business (Wright and Snell (1991, p. 216). The main criticism of the theory is that it focuses more on systems than processes; it identifies the various items that are included in an open system rather than explaining how these items work in a human resource department. It also neglects most aspects of human resource management including policies on labour relations and human resource policies at the workplace. The transfer of human resource policy and practice occurs due to international competition pressure, organisational politics and international integration (Yu and Wu, p. 122). In terms of positive aspects, the theory enables the understanding of the success of HRM practices in different countries. It is also important for the understanding of international
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
DB #4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
DB #4 - Essay Example By talking about how he conducted his study by taking care of the sick and terminally ill patients, Christakis uses the rhetoric proof of Pathos to persuade and inform his audience (TED). His storytelling of how he begun to conduct his study evokes emotion among his audience. Christakis employs the rhetoric proof of logos in showing how people become embedded in dense social networks. He uses slides to present a logical appeal of how clusters develop to form dense social networks. He also employs mathematical reasoning to present data to his audience and thus making a further logical appeal to them. Christakis makes a valid argument on the hidden influence of social networks. He argues that social networks help to define individualsââ¬â¢ health, happiness, and overall life goals. He presents his argument on the basis of a scientific research, which he conducted and this makes his argument to tick. He shows how social networks develop and how they get to influence different individuals dependent on their location in the network. His exploration of large-scale and face-face social networks, is able to show the impacts of social networks on a wide variety of traits such as obesity and happiness on peopleââ¬â¢s lives (TED). Simply put, he affirms the thought ââ¬Ëshow me you friends, and I will tell you your
Monday, July 22, 2019
Strategic Marketing Strategy Essay Example for Free
Strategic Marketing Strategy Essay This analysis provides both an offensive and defensive strategic context through which to identify opportunities and threats. Competitor analysis is normally with the focus on the competitors as ââ¬Å¾rivals? and the objective is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the rivals in order to develop strategies to ââ¬Å¾fight the battle?. The focus of competitor analysis is thus not only to gain an advantage over direct competitors but also to search for starting points for collaboration. (Jooste, Strydom, Berndt du Plessis, 2008, p. 96). The focus will be to answer the following: Who Woolworths? present and potential competitors are What positions they have established in the market What their strategic objectives and thrusts are What their present and future strategies are What their strengths and weaknesses are What their response patterns are In order to answer these questions effectively, a framework for competitor analysis will be used. This framework is comprised of four main components (divided into sub-components), each of which will be discussed in detail. These four main steps in performing a competitor analysis include: identifying the competitor; analysing strategic groups; analysing key competitors and forecasting likely response strategies. 1. 1 Identifying the competitor The first step or component of this framework is to identify the competitors, bearing in mind that competitors can be classified into different categories. Identifying one? s competitors might seem like a straightforward task, but in actuality the range of actual and potential competitors faced by an organisation is much broader than appears to be, even though it is much more difficult to ascertain who ââ¬Å¾potential? ustomers are. 3 1. 2 Direct competitors versus potential competitors According to Unisa (2010), competition is an activity that occurs between rival companies that produce similar offerings and between industries that compete to satisfy similar needs of the same customers. For example, rival companies would include BMW, Mercedes Benz and Audi and rival industries would include motor car and motorcycle industries. These rival companies are called competitors and two common methods used to identify direct competitors include customer perceptions and strategic groups. Identifying competitors using customer perceptions means asking customers whom and what they consider when making their purchase choices. The second method involves identifying competitors whose competitive strategies conflict with organisation? s strategies. These competitors can be labelled as ââ¬Å¾direct?. Direct competition include: competitors competing to satisfy the same customer need; industry competition; product line competition; organisational competition and brand competition. 1. Identifying Woolworthsââ¬â¢ competitors As noted above, it is possible to classify competitors according to different levels. Woolworths is a company that competes against different competitors in different product categories. According to Cant and Machado (2010), Woolworths? competitors in the retail super market field include Spar, Checkers, Pick ââ¬Å¾n Pay, Shoprite and Massmart. In the retail clothing market, Woolworths? direct competition includes Truworths, Foschini, Edgars, Mr Pric e, Jet and Ackermans/Pep. 2.
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Reality Is The Life Of The Media Media Essay
Reality Is The Life Of The Media Media Essay After watching the movie Truman Show, I think a lot about the reality about the media recently. In fact, I know exactly this movie was to express an ironic effect by black humor. However, the film hit let me on media authenticity has many thoughts. Now the media, false information too much, especially newspapers and television, make people interested in reducing, even trust also reduced. Network of false information is the same. In order to better attract the audience or reader, the authenticity of media is very important, just like The Truman Show. Key words: Truman Show; Reality; Media I.Truman Show Truman always feels he has been under surveillance.He didnt think it was true. Since he were born during the first thirty years, Truman Bobbin most for a long time, there is the history of the most popular documentary soap opera actor, he is an ideal living town sea town is actually a huge studio, and his relatives and friends and before him every day people are all actors in the hidden throughout the occupation photographic lens. This is the The Truman Show , the global hundreds of millions of viewers was watching his every act and every move, and he himself does not know. Then after thirty years of drift life, Truman finally felt that his life was something wrong, when he discovers he is like living in a glass jar butterfly, he decided to escape from the sea town, regardless of the cost. But he must face the The Truman Show founder, producer and director Christophe, and overcome his deepest fear, can break through the barriers to get freedom. Of course, after watching the film, I had a pity for Truman, his all life was false by director, and he knew nothing about this. However, it was popular in the film. The film comes from the real life; this success in audience ratings gives me an important enlightenment at the media. II the reasons for the Truman Show popular In the movie, the soap opera Trumans world is loved all over the world is because Truman to film it know nothing at all, natural deduction. The true man show, as another self. In the Truman body, the audience can see the shadow of themselves including their birth, their love, and the first kiss. Truman sadness and happiness seemed so real, real as occurring in the audience themselves, can cause the audience response and love. Trumans world in the film popular reason is true.Of course, the real is cruel, for it hurts the pure man. However, it caused my attention to the authenticity of media is very important. III.The reality is the life of the media First, we must understand, this is a lack of attractive age because too much information. TV programs from the peoples life, let people feel the resonance. Naturally, it is unable to attract the attention of the people. No matter how to perform, there has to be a real existence in order to better attract the audience. The newspaper is even more the case, these years, our newspaper, false news, advertising increases; make people getting away with it. In recent years, the network became popular, but the network is too much false information also hinders the further development of network. From the film, we can see, people for the authenticity of the call. Then, the media should do to improve their authenticity? In order to enhance the authenticity, made the audience, the film Truman Show gives us the following enlightenment: one is the reality of characters. In the movie Truman is a born alive in the boy, he really exist, this character not fiction, his life and our life is not much different, and thus more likely to attract the attention of the audience. Therefore, in the media of authenticity, either in TV or film to create a character, or the real figures, media workers must pay attention to ordinary people, ordinary people get inspiration from. The lives of ordinary people can move the audience or reader, because, like we see another me. In addition, emotional authenticity. Truman every emotion so real, his family, his love, his grief and joy are so natural. Now a lot of TV programs like sensational, like with exaggerated reality to let the audience tears. In fact, the true feelings can cause the hearts of the audience resonance. Not everyones life is very strange, more and more peoples life is very ordinary. However, they are eager to be of concern, as their true feelings in the media embodiment, wanted they dont care about the difficulty. Watching the real life by the director, we had to mention news. Now the news authenticity was questioned, much news can even be director. As everyone knows, authenticity is the most important news soul. In the news, in order to Truman true, but not like the Trumans life was director. There is advertising, the ads are everywhere, but also a very exaggerated. Of course, exaggeration is advertising a means of performance, but if you really want to impress the audience must also be true. Only to meet the demands of consumers, the consumers can be remembered and the purchase of. The film tells us, authenticity is the important way to attract. In recent years, the media authenticity call more and more, people for the authenticity of media attention began to strengthen. Now a lot of domestic television stations have started to do some civilian program, started to pay attention to ordinary peoples real life, and has made very good progress. However, these civilians programs in many fictional events or the audience. The film Truman Show told us, does not need the imaginary of ordinary people, real life and emotion is enough to attract people. IV.Conclusion Life is not a drama, Truman story can only appear in the movie, and we have great sympathy for him. However, in this film, the protagonist to Truman hit television series gave us deep enlightenment. In this view, we present the media to be learned from this movie important element of success real. Whenever we are, authenticity is the life of the media, especially the lack of attention; we have to know, the more real, the more popular. Without the reality, the media will lose the charm for us; Truman Show also tells us this simple truth. Notes: The film Truman Show 2 Daniel. Dai Yang, Elisha Kats, media event [M] Beijing: Beijing Broadcasting Institute press, 2003:3 3 McGuire, audience analysis [M] Beijing: Renmin University of China press, 2006:90 4 Chen Lidan. What is communication [M]. Beijing: Peking University Press, 2007:178 Bibliographyà ¼Ã
¡ [1]The film Truman Show [2] Liu Xuefeng. On news authenticity principle of multiple levels of understanding of [J]. Reading and writing, 2009, (02) [3]Bian Jian. From the The Truman Show to see media Pseudo Environment groups imbalance ( J ) Movie Review, 2008 ( 02). [4]Guo Yonghong true absurdity and refuses to escape on the film The Truman Show philosophical anatomy ( J ). Appreciation, 2009 ( 18) [5] Xing Runmei movie The Truman Show and mass media literary interpretation ( J ). Journal of Shanxi Normal University ( SOCIAL SCIENCE EDITION ), 2008 ( S1 ).
Mentor Impact on Student Nurse Experience
Mentor Impact on Student Nurse Experience Explore the impact of the mentor on the learning experience of the student nurse The current study reports the findings of a systematic literature review of research regarding the mentorship of student nurses. Mentorship was evaluated in terms of its development, implementation, outcomes and wider effects and the identified research was presented and critically analysed with reference to each of these areas. It was found that although mentorship was based on policy and standards, the mentor role and mentorship relationship still remain unclear and requires further clarification. A need was also identified for the supervision and monitoring of both mentors and student nurses to be expanded with mentors being more available and the whole process being more regularly audited. Mentorship was found to indirectly enhance skill development through support, socialisation and the provision of opportunities to gain clinical experience. By creating appositive learning environment and mentorship relationship the mentor can maximise the probability that their student nurses will acquire the skills necessary to be an effective nurse. The effect of mentorship on patient care was identified as a complex issue with it being difficult to make confident conclusions regarding the size of any effect. It does appear that mentors can indirectly improve patient care by enhancing nursing skills in their students. Finally, the mentor can play a role in creating the learning environment and mentorship relationship which can help to ensure that the student nurses have a positive learning experience. The limitations which are associated with the methodology which was employed within this research are discussed along with the implications of the findings of this research for practice and future research projects in this field. It is concluded that mentorship has the potential to have a number of benefits for student nurses but that further research and improvements are required in each of the evaluation areas such that the effectiveness and feasibility of student nurse education can be maximised along with the quality of the care which is subsequently provided to patients. 2.0 Introduction The world of nursing has gone through a period of significant change over the last ten years. In the acute nursing environment, nurses arousing increasingly more complex health care interventions and have to incorporate the use of advances in both medical technology and disease management. Within primary care, nurses are required to face the burden of chronic disease and to facilitate patients beginning to self-manage their own health. S uch changes have been made as a result of Governmental policy and strategic approaches. For example, a Governmental economic review conducted by Winless (2002 and 2004)advocated changes to how services are organised and delivered. Such changes have resulted in there being a range of extra demands being placed upon the nurse, both during and after their training. The Royal College of Nursing (2004a and 2004b) acknowledged the change which is occurring and stated that nurse education needs to be assessed and adapted to meet the changing role of the nurse. Nurses are now required to undertake tasks which were traditionally performed by doctors. These developments have ensured that the issue of the effectiveness of a nurseââ¬â¢s training is of up most importance. Through these changes the need for effective mentorship within nursing has become ever more salient. As a result of the potential effects which mentor/student nurse relationship can have on the studentââ¬â¢s learning, their experience of training, their subsequent performance on the training course, their future effectiveness as a nurse and ultimately on the quality of the care which is provided by the nurses, it is an important topic to consider within the field of adult nursing. Thus the mentor/student nurse relationship needs to be evaluated. People have been interested in relationships throughout history. As far back as the ancient times, Aristotle and Cicero were commenting and theorising about relationships (Poulakis 1997). In more recent years, novelists, play-writes, biographers and clinicians have all been interested in the study of relationships in terms of why they matter, how they work and how one can improve their effectiveness and efficacy(Wood and Duck 1995). However, it has only been in the last 50 years that researchers have started to empirically investigate inter-relationships between people. Such work has been undertaken from wide variety of perspectives including anthropology, child development, cognitive science, communication, social psychology, sociology, psychiatry and psychotherapy to mention just a few (Hinde1997). The focus of such researchers has started to address the issues regarding relationships between staff within the health care industry. This systematic review will focus on addressing the relationship between a mentor and a student nurse. Whenever one is considering these of a given intervention within a health care setting, any conclusions must be based upon the scientific research which has investigated its effectiveness and efficacy via methodologically sound techniques. Any such analysis will need to consider four key aspects, each of these will be the focus of this systematic review. The first key element of evaluation concerns the development of the intervention. Therefore this review will consider research which has assessed the theoretical and conceptual foundation of mentorship within nursing. This section will include a discussion of whether the mentoring of student nurses is based on policy or a set of standards. The second area of focus for this review relates to the implementation of the intervention. Clearly whenever one is analysing the effectiveness and efficacy of an intervention, one must consider the way in which the intervention is operationalized and implemented as this will be likely to significantly affect the ultimate success of the intervention. This section will address the way in which mentorship is employed for student nurses and whether or not sufficient measures have been put into place to ensure that the benefits of mentorship are maximised and that any potential drawbacks are minimised. The extent to which this mentoring is adequately supervised, monitored and audited will be assessed and critically analysed. The third key aspect of any evaluation process concerns the outcome of an intervention. Clearly an intervention can be assessed with regards to a wide range of outcomes such as economic factors, staff perceptions and customer perceptions. With regards to mentorship, it is important that it is evaluated in terms of the perceptions of the mentors, the student nurses and the patients such that a comprehensive evaluation of its outcomes can be achieved. As well as the perceptions of those involved, this section will address whether or not mentorship improves nursing skills and hence whether it helps to improve the care which is received by patients. The fourth and final area of evaluation which will be addressed by this systematic review concerns the wider impact of the intervention. As well as focussing on the direct effects of a strategy, it is also important to consider the effect which the intervention has on other relevant issues. In terms of mentorship in nursing, this will relate tissues such as whether or not a rewarding learning experience is related to the quality of the relationship that a student nurse has with their mentor. Although the focus of mentorship may be on improving the student nursesââ¬â¢ skills, it is important to critically evaluate the effect which mentorship has on the student nursesââ¬â¢ experiences of their training programme as this could influence their subsequent career choices. The following review will first provide some background information regarding the topic of mentorship and student nurses. The methodology which was employed within this systematic review will then be outlined. The findings of the systematic review will then be critically analysed in terms of the key evaluation aspects of development, implementation, outcomes and wider impacts The main findings of this research will then be summarised before the limitations which are associated with this research project are outlined and discussed. Finally the implications of the findings of this research will be considered along with the areas which should be the focus of future research projects within the field of mentorship and student nurses. 3.0 Background A significant amount of research has Been conducted regarding adult learning and mentorship within nursing (Bernard 1990). The teaching of student nurses has undergone significant changes in the past 20 years. These changes have particularly taken place as a result of Project 2000which changed the education of pre-registration nurses (United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting 1986). The previous diploma level system was replaced by the Common Foundation Programme which is comprised of the four branches of Adult, Child, Learning Disability and Mental Health. Through this process, registered nurses took responsibility for the learning of student nurses. The role of the nurse is adapting to incorporate these responsibilities with the Royal College of Nursing (2004a and 2004b) calling for a particular focus upon Quality, Flexibility and Diversity. Much has been written about the practitioner as facilitator, supervisor, assessor and role model, and the overlay of role functions (Bailey 1992, Clarke et al1986, Heron 1977, Mason 1987, Myrick and Wane 1988, Windsor 1987.Despite this, there is still a lack of consensus within the literature in terms of a clear definition of what is meant by the term ââ¬Ëmentorââ¬â¢(Hearty 1986, Morel 1990 and Phillips et al 1996). It has been argued that the task of defining the term mentor is made more complicated byte fact that other terms are used, such as assessor, facilitator and supervisor, to describe the same role (Phillips et al 1996). As result of the wide range of aspects of the role which is played by mentor, it can be stated that a definition of mentor can only be general description as anything more specific would run the risk of excluding important elements of the position (Davies et al 1994). Forth purposes of the following review, the definition of mentor which was provided by Woolskin (1982) will be adopted: ââ¬ËMentorship is a relationship which is aimed at guiding the novice towards an established place within the professionââ¬â¢ (Woolskin 1982) In the nursing profession the aims of the mentor will be to form relationship with their student nurses which helps the student to be successful in their training programme and to go on to be effective nurses in the future. Jarvis (1995) emphasised that it is important to focus on the mentorââ¬â¢s role as a function and as a relationship with the student nurse rather than being about them as a teacher or practitioner. Through this role the mentor can help to narrow the gap between theory and practice (Arbitrage and Bernard 1991). Indeed some have argued that mentor is in fact the wrong term to use within the health care industry as it is not equivalent to other industries in which the term mentor is used (Donovan 1990). However one conceptualises mentorship, the benefit of having a good mentor has been reported by student nurses within previous research. Ina longitudinal study, Gary and Smith (2000) interviewed 10 student nurses at five different points throughout their three year training programme. The participants also kept a diary as part of the research. It was reported that the students noted the importance of having mentor which represented a good role model. They also thought that it was important to recognise the likes and dislikes of the mentor as this had the potential to significantly impact on their assessment outcomes. The role of the mentor was found to be particularly beneficial at the beginning of the training process. As the training progresses the students felt that they grew in confidence as they became more competent. This ensured that they were more independent and that they placed a reduced demand on their mentor. Although their continued support was said to help the students finish the course and to choose longer term career in nursing. Therefore it does appear that through effective mentorship, the chances that a student nurse completes their training programme can be increased. Research has investigated the reasons why student nurses fail their training programmes. Two key areas of reasons have been identified. The first relates to the student nurseââ¬â¢s inability to cope with the demands and standards required by the course (Ehrenfeld et al1997 and Fulbrook et al 2000). It could be that a mentor can help to provide support and guidance for the student nurse to improve the chances that they can meet the requirements which are placed upon them and hence complete the training course successfully. The second key area of reasons for failure are those relating to personal factors(MORI 2003 and Royal College of Nursing 2001). This includes a range of possible factors such as financial, health or a change in circumstances. The mentor could also play a role here to help the student nurse manage their problems and to cope with them more effectively. The methodology which was employed within this research will now be outlined. 4.0 Method A systematic review aims to integrate existing information from comprehensive range of sources, utilising a scientific replicable approach, which gives a balanced view, hence minimising bias (Clarke Oman 2001, Hart 1998, Muldrow 1994, Oman and Goat 1993). Another words, a scientific approach will help to ensure that research evidence is either included or excluded based upon well-defined and standardised criteria. This should ensure that the possible effects of researcher bias should be kept to a minimum. Berkley and Glenn (1999)also states that systematic reviews provide a means of integrating valid information from the research literature to provide a basis for rational decision making concerning the provision of healthcare. 4.1 Reviewing Process Whenever one reviews or compares research reports, it is important that clear set of criteria are established upon which the evaluations can be made. Table 1 below outlines the global process which was used to conduct the literature review. This process was based upon that employed by Berkley and Glenn (1999). Each selected article was reviewed with reference to a number of different issues using a Table which was also based on Berkley and Glenn (1999). This review table is displayed in Appendix 1. Once obtained each article will be filed and stored appropriately. A computer-based list will be maintained of the articles which had been reviewed. Table 2: Core Principles Used in Reviewing Selected Research Articles (adapted from McInnis 2004) Systematic reviews Adequate search strategy Inclusion criteria appropriate Quality assessment of included studies undertaken Characteristics and results of included studies appropriately summarized Methods for pooling data Sources of heterogeneity explored Randomised controlled trials Study blinded, if possible Method used to generate randomisation schedule adequate Allocation to treatment groups concealed All randomised participants included in the analysis (intention to treat) Withdrawal/dropout reasons given for each group Cohort All eligible subjects (free of disease/outcome of interested) selected or random sample 80% agreed to participate Subjects free of outcomes on interest at study inception If groups used: comparable at baseline Potential confounders controlled for Measurement of outcomes unbiased (blinded to group) Follow-up sufficient duration Follow-up complete and exclusions accounted for ( 80% included in final analysis) Case control Eligible subjects diagnosed as cases over a defined period of time or defined catchment area or a random sample of such cases Case and control definitions adequate and validated Controls selected from same population as cases Controls representative (individually matched) 80% agreed to participate Exposure status ascertained objectively Potential confounders controlled for Measurement of exposure unbiased (blinded to group) Groups comparable with respect to potential confounders Outcome status ascertained objectively 80% selected subjects included in analysis Cross-sectional/survey Selected subjects are representative (all eligible or a random sample) 80% Subjects agreed to participate Exposure/outcome status ascertained standardized way Qualitative Authors position clearly stated Criteria for selecting sample clearly described Methods of data collection adequately described Analysis method used rigorous (i.e., conceptualised in terms of themes/typologies rather than loose collection of descriptive material) Respondent validation (feedback of data/researchers interpretation to participants) Claims made for generalizability of data Interpretations supported by data 4.2 Sources of Data The methodology employed within the research will involve obtaining data from three key sources: Computerised searches, Manual searches, and the Internet. Each of these data sources will now be considered in more detail. 4.2.1 Computerised Searches The methods used in this research will include a detailed computerised literature search. Multiple databases, both online and CDââ¬âRom will be accessed to retrieve literature because they cite the majority of relevant texts. (Loy 2000 Ford 1999) The computerised bibliographic databases are:- â⬠¢ MEDLINE â⬠¢ EMBASE â⬠¢ CINAHL â⬠¢ PSYCHINFO â⬠¢ British Nursing Info BNI â⬠¢ Cochrane â⬠¢ Science Direct (All Sciences Electronic Journals) â⬠¢ Asia â⬠¢ DETOC â⬠¢ HMIC However because articles may not be correctly indexed within the computerised databases, other strategies will be applied in order to achieve a comprehensive search (Sindh Dickson 1997). 4.2.2 Manual Searches A manual search will be performed to ensure that all relevant literature is accessed. The manual searches will include:- â⬠¢ Books relevant to the topics from university libraries and web sitesâ⬠¢ Inverse searching- by locating index terms of relevant journal articles and texts â⬠¢ Systematically searching reference lists and bibliographies of relevant journal articles and texts 4.2.3 The Internet The internet will provide a global perspective of the research topic and a searchable database of Internet files collected by a computer. Sites accessed will include:- â⬠¢ Department of Health â⬠¢ National Institute of Clinical Excellence â⬠¢ English National Board of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting â⬠¢ Google 4.3 Identification of Key Words The selection of key words is an important task as it will have significant impact on the articles which are identified in the search. One must choose appropriate words which maximise the chance that the most appropriate research evidence can be found. Databases use controlled vocabulary of key words, in each citation. To assist direct retrieval of citations techniques Boolean logic will be applied using subject indexing, field searching and truncation to narrow the topic focus (Loy 2000, Hicks 1996, Goodman 1993). As part of this approach, key words will be based on the components of the review question. An imaginative and resourceful technique of searching electronic databases will be used including recognising the inherent faults in the indexing of articles. Misclassification and misspelling will be included in the searches with searches utilising keywords and the subheadings, (Hicks 1996). Based on these principles, the following search terms will be used in different combinations: â⬠¢ Mentorship â⬠¢ Mentor â⬠¢ Student â⬠¢ Nurses â⬠¢ Training â⬠¢ Evaluation Further search terms may be used within the methodology if they are identified within some of the initial search items. Whenever one is searching literature ââ¬Ësensitivityââ¬â¢ and ââ¬Ëââ¬â¢specificityââ¬â¢ are important issues when conducting searches of research on a database. The searches need to be as ââ¬Ësensitiveââ¬â¢ as is possible to ensure that as many of the relevant articles are located. This may be a particularly salient issue with regards to the evaluation of mentorship in student nursing as the number of appropriate entries may be limited. Thus an attempt to locates many of these articles as possible becomes a more relevant and important objective. Furthermore, the search needs to be ââ¬Ëspecificââ¬â¢ Another words, it needs to be efficient where appropriate so that higher number of the articles identified through a database search can be included and hence the time allocated to reviewing articles which are ultimately of no relevance, can be kept at an acceptable level. 4.4 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria In order that a manageable quantity of pertinent literature is included in this study, it is essential that inclusion and exclusion criteria are applied. In order that a diverse perspective of the topic is examined broad criteria will be used. (Benignant 1997). However, it is important to note that a balance needs to be achieved through which the scope of the inclusion criteria is sufficiently wide to include relevant articles whilst also being sufficiently specific such that the retrieval of an unmanageable set of articles is avoided. 4.4.1 Inclusion Criteria The articles which are highlighted within the proposed searches will be assessed in terms of whether or not they meet the following criteria. Each article will need to be viewed as appropriate with regards to all of these constraints if they are to be included in the final analysis.>From the pool of data which is obtained, the most appropriate articles which meet these inclusion criteria will be selected for use within the review. â⬠¢ A literature review encompassing all methodologies will be applied ( Pettigrew 2003) â⬠¢ International studies will be included â⬠¢ Available in English â⬠¢ Relate to the evaluation of mentorship within health care â⬠¢ Relate to the training of student nurses â⬠¢ Centre on the elderly population 4.4.2 Exclusion Criteria The articles highlighted by the searches will also be assessed in terms of whether or not they fulfil the following exclusion criteria. If a potential relevant article meets one or more of these criteria then they will be immediately excluded from the data set and will not be included within the analysis stage of the methodology. â⬠¢ Articles relating to mentorship in industries other than health care will not be included â⬠¢ Literature in a foreign language will be excluded because of the cost and difficulties in obtaining translation. â⬠¢ Research reported prior to 1985 will not be included within this review. 4.5 Consideration of Ethical Issues Any research involving NHS patients/service users, carers, NHS data, organs or tissues, NHS staff, or premises requires the approval of ankhs research ethics committee (Department of Health 2001) A literature review involves commenting on the work of others, work that is primarily published or in the public domain. This research methodology does not require access to confidential case records, staff, patients or clients so permission from an ethics committee is not required to carry out the review. However, it is essential to ensure that all direct quotes are correctly referenced. Permission must be sought from the correspondent before any personal communication may be used. All copyrights need to be acknowledged and referenced. The researcher will also act professionally when completing this report and ensure that research is identified, reviewed and reported accurately and on scientific basis. The following set of chapters will now outline the research which has addressed the different aspects of the debate regarding mentorship and student nurse education. The following analysis will be conducted regarding the four different aspects of evaluation. As outlined by Kirkpatrick (1979) it is important to address each stage of any training intervention when conducting an analysis. Therefore, the development, implementation, outcomes and wider impacts of mentorship in student nurse education will all be considered. The most appropriate research regarding each of these four aspects will be critically analysed and compared to other relevant research findings. 5.0 Evaluation of The Development of Mentorship Programmes Whenever one is evaluating a health related intervention, it is important to first consider the policies, standards and theoretical perspectives which underpin the approach. In terms of mentorship, one must address the questions regarding the framework and structure which they are developed in conjunction with and to determine whether or not the approach was developed in an appropriate way. The policies and structures which underpin pre-registration nursesââ¬â¢ education has undergone significant changes in the last twenty years. This was particularly as a result of the introduction of Project 2000 (United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting1986). The transformation was centred around the introduction of a Common Foundation Programme which was comprised of four different branches: Adult nursing, Child nursing, Mental Health nursing and the nursing of people with learning disabilities. This replaced the previously used diploma level education system. Through these policies, a set of standards were established for the preparation of people who are going to teach nursing, midwives and specialist public health workers. A booklet which outlines these standards was produced by the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (2004). This also sets out the guidelines for the qualifications which are recommended and required for these teachers. The English National Board has suggested that mentorship should be key part of the Project 2000 courses (An forth 1992). It is also suggested that there should be a policy to emphasise five key aspects of the role of a mentor in their relationship with their student nurse. These are Assisting, Befriending, Guiding, Advising and Counselling(An forth 1992). They also argue that the role should not include supervising, assessing or facilitating. The following discussion within this section will now move on to consider the mentorship role which has been derived based on these relevant policies and standards. The extent to which this derivation was appropriate and how the mentorship role is subsequently perceived will be outlined and critically analysed. This evaluation will now be conducted from the perspectives of theorists/researchers in this field, the student nurses and the mentors involved. In broad terms, these policies and standards appear to be appropriate in terms of providing a framework to govern mentorship within student nursing. However, one needs to look past the theoretical perspective and address the practical aspect of the development of mentorship. The extent to which these policies and standards are adequate when viewed during their application merits consideration. Researchers and theorists in this field have argued that despite these policies and standards, the role of mentor remains unclear as there are a number of models and frameworks which exist and which can be applied (Andrews and Wallis 1999). Furthermore, Andrews and Wallis (1999) also go on to suggest that many mentors attend short, local training courses which are not standardised. Although they may adhere to the appropriate standards, there still remains sufficient scope for mentors to receive different types and levels of training when becoming mentors of student nurses. Also, as a result of the continued use of the terms mentor, supervisor and assessor to describe similar roles, it is argued that this continues to contribute to the confusion within this field(Wilson-Barnett et al 1995). The policies and standards require a more specific focus such that more standardised definitions, roles and training programmes can be established and agreed by all of the key stakeholders in this debate. One of the more obvious stakeholders to consider are the student nurses themselves. The extent to which the mentorship of student nurses is appropriately grounded in policy and standards needs to also be assessed from the student nursesââ¬â¢ perspective. It needs to be seen to have logical foundations such that the students can have confidence in the system and that they can understand the purpose and objectives of the relevant policies and standards. One study which has addressed this topic was conducted by Watson (1999). A sample of 35 student nurses were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. The student nurses reported to key findings. Firstly they reported that the mentorship process was not sufficiently defined by the English National Board. They stated that although there were standards in place, they did not result in there being a clear understanding of what the role and purpose of a mentor actually was designed to be. The second key finding was that the student nurses perceived that the mentorship process was not clarified within their internal organisation. Irrespective of the over-riding standards outlined by the English National Board, the internal organisation could have put into place a clear structure and understanding of mentorship to ensure that its role was understood byte student nurses. Therefore, from the student nursesââ¬â¢ perspective, the presence of the appropriate policies and standards was not accompanied by an appropriate application and implementation of such guidelines. Having said this, the sample used in this study was relatively small and so the extent to which the findings can be generalised to the UK as a whole is questionable. Other similar explorative research has been conducted which has focused on the perspectives of the mentors The introduction of Project 2000 has placed a responsibility on many registered nurses to mentor student nurses. Although the relevant standards provided by the English National Board do address this area, again they do not appear to be standardised across the country. For example, Cahill (1996) found that there were a range of mentor selection procedures as well as a range of preparation and function definitions. Further research was conducted by Near (1997 and 2000).It involved collecting data from 155 mentors. They reported that these of the terms mentor, assessor and supervisor did result in them being confused over their role as a mentor. They were also unclear regarding their relationship with their student in terms of the nature which it should take and the extent to which they were supposed to help them. This in turn was said to lead to difficulties with regards to competency assessment as they were not sure what was expected of them and their students. Therefore, this section has demonstrated that policies and standards regarding mentorship have been provided by the English National Boards part of Project 2000. However, questions still remain regarding the extent to which these policies and standards have
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