Learn About Sudan - Geography, History, and More

Learn About Sudan - Geography, History, and More Population: 43,939,598 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: KhartoumBordering Countries: Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Libya, South Sudan, and UgandaLand Area: 967,500 square miles (2,505,813 sq km)Coastline: 530 miles (853 km)Sudan is located in northeastern Africa and it is the largest country in Africa. It is also the tenth largest country in the world based on area. Sudan is bordered by nine different countries and it is located along the Red Sea. It has a long history of civil wars as well as political and social instability. Most recently Sudan has been in the news because South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9, 2011. The elections for secession began on January 9, 2011 and the referendum to secede passed strongly. South Sudan seceded from Sudan because it is mostly Christian and it has been engaged in a civil war with the Muslim north for several decades.History of SudanSudan has a long history that begins with its being a collection of small kingdoms until Egypt conquered the area in the early 1800s. At this time however, Egypt only controlled the northern portions, while the south was made up of independent tribes. In 1881, Muhammad ibn Abdalla, also known as Mahdi, began a crusade to unify western and central Sudan which created the Umma Party.In 1885, Mahdi led a revolt but he died soon after and in 1898, Egypt and Great Britain regained joint control of the area.In 1953, however, Great Britain and Egypt gave Sudan the powers of self-government and put it on a path to independence. On January 1, 1956, Sudan gained full independence. According to the United States Department of State, once it gained independence Sudans leaders began to renege on promises to create a federal system which began a long period of civil war in the country between the northern and southern areas as the north has long tried to implement Muslim policies and customs.As a result of the long civil wars, Sudans economic and political progress has been slow and a large part of its population has been displ aced to neighboring countries over the years. Throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, Sudan underwent several changes in government and suffered from high levels of political instability along with the continuing civil war. Beginning in the early 2000s though, the government of Sudan and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A) came up with several agreements that would give South Sudan more autonomy from the rest of the country and put it on a path to becoming independent.In July 2002 steps to end the civil war began with the Machakos Protocol and on November 19, 2004, the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A worked with the United Nations Security Council and signed a declaration for a peace agreement that would be enacted by the end of 2004. On January 9, 2005 the Government of Sudan and the SPLM/A signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).Government of SudanBased on the CPA, Sudans government today is called a Government of National Unity. This is a power sharing type of government that exists between the Nation al Congress Party (NCP) and the SPLM/A. The NCP however, carries most of the power. Sudan also has an executive branch of government with a president and a legislative branch that is made up of the bicameral National Legislature. This body consists of the Council of States and the National Assembly. Sudans judicial branch is made up of several different high courts. The country is also divided into 25 different states.Economics and Land Use in SudanRecently, Sudans economy has begun to grow after many years of instability due to its civil war. There are a number of different industries in Sudan today and agriculture also plays a large role in its economy. The main industries of Sudan are oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments and automobile assembly. Its main agricultural products include cotton, peanuts, sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, tapioca, mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame and livestock.Geography a nd Climate of SudanSudan is a very large country with a total land area of 967,500 square miles (2,505,813 sq km). Despite the countrys size, most of Sudans topography is relatively flat with a featureless plain according to the CIA World Factbook. There are some high mountains in the far south and along the countrys northeast and western areas however. Sudans highest point, Kinyeti at 10,456 feet (3,187 m), is located on its far southern border with Uganda. In the north, most of Sudans landscape is desert and desertification is a serious issue in nearby areas.The climate of Sudan varies with location. It is tropical in the south and arid in the north. Parts of Sudan also have a rainy season which varies. Sudans capital Khartoum, which is located in the central part of the country where the White Nile and the Blue Nile rivers (both of which are tributaries of the Nile River) meet, has a hot, arid climate. The January average low for that city is 60ËšF (16ËšC) while the June average high is 106ËšF (41ËšC).To learn more about Sudan, visit the Geography and Maps section on Sudan on this web site.References Central Intelligence Agency. (27 December 2010). CIA - The World Factbook - Sudan. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/su.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.). Sudan: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107996.htmlUnited States Department of State. (9 November 2010). Sudan. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5424.htmWikipedia.com. (10 January 2011). Sudan - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudan

Whaling May Result in Weals

Whaling May Result in Weals Whaling May Result in Weals Whaling May Result in Weals By Maeve Maddox Commenting on the Whelps are Puppies post, Anthony Patterson, MD had this to add to our vocabulary for talking about raised places on the skin: Regarding whelps your article is of course quite correct. Â  However, in medical school, I was taught it was an inappropriate substitution for wheal which is a more or less round and evanescent elevation of the skinwith the emphasis on evanscent as it is a sign of urticaria [hives] (Tabors Medical Dictionary). In writing the post I failed to mention the familiar word weal; the medical term wheal is new to me. Apparently both weal and wheal are related to wale and whale (in the sense of whipping or beating). Wale comes from an Old English word meaning ridge, as in The knight rode over the ridge. Later it came to mean ridge made on flesh by a lash. In the 13th century the wooden platform made to hold mounted guns was called the gonne walle (gunwale). In the 16th century the word wale came to be used in the manufacture of textiles to describe the ridges in a fabric like corduroy. Weal, in the sense of a raised mark on skin is documented from 1821 as an alteration of wale. (NOTE: The word weal has other meanings which are worthy of a post to themselves.) wheal, a mark made on the skin by a whip is documented from 1808. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, wheal is probably an alteration of wale, possibly by confusion with weal welt, and obsolete wheal pimple, pustule (1440), from O.E. verb hwelian to form pus, bring to a head. As pointed out by our reader, in modern medical use a wheal is a flat, usually circular, hard elevation of the skin, especially that which is characteristic of urticaria. According to the OED, the wheal is so called because it resembles the wheal raised on the skin by a blow. The earliest example in the OED of the verb to whale in the sense of beating severely is documented from 1790: 1790 Grose, Provincial Glossary: whale, to beat with a horsewhip or pliant stick. 1801 G. Hanger, Life: Whaleing [sic] a gentleman is but a vulgar revenge. 1884 Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn: He used to always whale me when he was sober and could get his hands on me. The OED also has an entry for wale as a verb meaning to mark (the flesh) with wales or weals and gives this example from 1634: O my blessed Saviour, was it not enough that thy sacred body was stripped of thy garments, and waled with bloudy stripes? A dark side to this etymological foray is that the evolution of these words took place in times when whipping was such a regular event that most people had seen what it does to a persons back. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Religious Terms You Should Know50 Diminutive Suffixes (and a Cute Little Prefix)Educational vs. Educative

Clean Development Mechanism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Clean Development Mechanism - Essay Example While this protocol enforced many restrictions upon the developing countries, it failed to enforce same tight measures upon the developed world. In fact developed world are the major culprits as far as the environmental problems are concerned. CDM was the flexibility mechanisms aimed to reduce the commitments of developing countries as far as emission reduction is concerned. This paper briefly analyses the CDM mechanism. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), defined in Article 12 of the Protocol, allows a country with an emission-reduction or emission-limitation commitment under the Kyoto Protocol to implement an emission-reduction project in developing countries†. Such projects can earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one tone of CO2, which can be counted towards meeting Kyoto targets (Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), n. d). Flexibility mechanisms were introduced in the Kyoto Protocol by United States in order to safeguard their interests. Even though, the developing countries are still not happy with the Kyoto Protocol, they agreed to implement it. Perhaps United States is the greatest contributor to the environmental problems because of the heavy industrialization and automobile usages in America. At the same time they are trying to restrict the green house gas emission from the developing world without taking serious steps in reducing their own greenhouse gas emissions. America is trying to educate the world that emission cut costs in developing world are less compared to that in the developed world and hence they are trying to enforce more restrictions upon the developing world. At the same time, if the developing world enforces too many restrictions upon greenhouse gas emission, their economic growth would be seriously affected. In other words, the developing world is suspecting the sincerity of Am erica is pressing the developing world to reduce greenhouse gas emission. Many people believe that

Britain's privatized railway system Literature review

Britain's privatized railway system - Literature review Example This freed up the Secretary of State to give the relevant board directions concerning the disposal of its holdings. This Act was necessary because the government at all times had to act by the rules that were established by various Acts covering transport and railways, which would have stopped the board from disposing of the assets. Following the Secretary of state’s actions, he directed for the formation of Rail-track PLC, which, in turn, paved the way for 1993’s Railways Act. The British Railways Board’s operations were subsequently sold off. At the time, the process was riddled with controversy and some of the results have lent credence to the criticism that came its way. The manner of the privatization also led to widespread criticism from over twenty companies involved, especially for its complexity. Following the Swedish example that seemed apparently successful, the BEU issued directive 91/440, wishing to enable new rail operators to access the market (Jupe & Crompton, 2006: p1038). EU member states were required to separate infrastructure and railway management operations from transport services with account separation termed, as compulsory to all industries that were formally owned by the state with while separation with institutions being optional. The EU hoped that track operators would levy a transparent fee that would allow operators to run networked trains under open access. British Rail was privatized between 1994 and 1997 with Rail-track given ownership of infrastructure and track in April of 1994. Following this, there was franchising of passenger operations to operators in the private sector with outright sale of freight services. BRB Ltd. got the remaining British rail obligations. When John Major replaced Margaret Thatcher as the Conservative party leader in late 1 990 the privatization of the British Rail begun to pick up steam. The government under Thatcher had sold off almost all industries that were formally owned by the state with the exception of British Rail. Even though, Cecil Parkinson, the previous Secretary for Transport had led advocacy for a form of semi-private or private ownership of the British rail network, Thatcher had deemed it too much (Jupe & Crompton, 2006; p1039). In the 1992 elections, the Conservative manifesto included a privatization commitment for the British rail network, although the specifics were not set out clearly. Triumphing over opinion polls, the Conservatives won the 1992 elections and had to, consequently, come up with a plan to privatize British Rail prior to the publishing of the Railways Bill the following year (Haywood, 2007: p200). British Rail’s management led a strong advocacy campaign for the privatization of British Rail under a single entity with John Redwood, a Cabinet Minister, arguing for the regional companies that were in charge of trains and track, although the Prime Minister did not back this at the time. Consequently, following pressure from a think tank fronted by the Adam Smith Institute, the treasury advocated for seven franchises for passenger railways, which later expanded to 25, as a means of revenue maximization. The treasury prevailed in this instance. In addition, privatization of British Rail became a reality. In 1997, the Labor government took over after almost all privatization had been carried out and failed to act, on its earlier promise, to return to the public sector the railway system (Haywood, 2007: p200). It, instead, elected to leave the structure as it was and even oversaw the completion of

The novel Of Mice and Men and the characters Crook, Candy and Curlys wife Essay Example for Free

The novel Of Mice and Men and the characters Crook, Candy and Curlys wife Essay Discuss the theme of loneliness in the novel Of Mice and Men by looking at the characters Crook, Candy and Curlys wife Loneliness plays an integral role in the novel and it is this theme, which effectively leads to the inevitable ending. Each of the characters mentioned in the essay title re-enacts different aspects of the definition loneliness. Hence I will explore the way in which Steinbeck epitomises loneliness, using each of these characters. Crooks is depicted as a loner due to his supposed unfortunate predicament of being born a nigger. Despite this term being derogatory, it highlights the immediately low social stratum that black people occupied in a period where racism and segregation was prominent. The boss gives him hell when hes mad Just because is black, he is at the receiving end of the boss; wrath, a white man. Crooks is described by Candy as a nice fella. The reader is left to assume that the only Black character mentioned in the story is lonely, as the reader is almost oblivious of his presence. It is but for the initial reference to him and the re-emergence of his character in the middle section of the book that the reader is forced to remember. The idea of loneliness with reference to Crooks character has two explanations. The primary reason for his loneliness is Cause [Hes] black. Crooks is annihilated due to his race which in the period when the book was written, segregation was rampant. The reader learns exactly what Crooks feels about his treatment: I aint wanted in the bunkhouse Cause Im black I cant play [cards] because Im black. They say I stink. This outburst signifies the loneliness he feels. He is ostracised due to his race and is not allowed to participate in any activities. Unlike the other characters that experience loneliness, the reader feels that his isolation is the most extreme, as he is black, which automatically relegates him to a low class. The second explanatory for his loneliness is his disability, which evokes a form of loneliness. Crooks has a crooked back. And so presumably, he does have not much use due to his inability to provide a service. Slim suggest that inability to provide a service notes your uselessness: I wish somebodyd shoot me if I get old and cripple. Crooks falls into both these categories. As well as being old, he is cripple, therefore shooting him is of no great loss. Crooks annihilation due to his race and forced into a low social stratum he has an equal status as an animal. This is well represented in c chapter four, where the reader learns that Crooks has his bunk in the harness, and what worsens the situation is the fact that his actual bunk is made from straw, which is what forms many animals beds. The reader also learns that he has a manure pile in his room. Several references are made to his medication, where he owned a range of medicine bottles, both for himself and for the horses. The fact that he uses medication indicates that he often feels pain: Now and then he poured a few drops of the liniment into his pink-palmed hand He flexed his muscles against his back and shivered. Crooks is constantly applying liniment to his back, which may be to ease the pain he feels. He is often in pain and so may not be able to cope with strenuous activities, thus his uselessness and inevitable isolation. The descriptions used with reference to Crooks appearance, may symbolise the suppression he feels from the world. The fact that his body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine forces the reader to relate this to his bad treatment in life. It may suggest that he has had a rough life and the reader assumes that his injury epitomises the hardship and rejection felt, thus his sub-human status. Steinbeck describes Crooks as having deep black wrinkles. The fact that they are deep is also indicative of the depth of strain that he has endured in life, yet we are given no impetus that he has been badly treated at the ranch. Lennie in some ways breaks Crooks loneliness, when he intrudes in his room. Although he scowled in response to Lennies intrusion the reader feels that his presence is welcomed thus Crooks says, It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger. Crooks becomes more comfortable with the company and the reader delves into his past as he confides with Lennie. The reader pities Crooks attributed to the fact that he views himself as just a nigger talking a busted-black nigger. Crooks indeed pities himself and his predicament. He is lonely as his only true company is himself. Hence, when Lenny tells how he has George, Crooks is in some ways envious of their relationship thus forcing Lennie to consider a pessimistic situation: You got GeorgeSpose you couldnt go into the bunk-house and play rummy cause you was black Spose you had to sit out here an read booksBooks aint no good. A guy needs somebody to be near him A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody Dont make no difference who the guy is long as hes with you a guy gets lonely, an he gets sick The fact that Crooks aint got nobody generalises his reasons for his loneliness. This saddens the reader, as up till now he has been forced to keep this too himself, but his treatment makes him sick. He pours out his inner feelings and the reader appreciates that reading, his most frequent form of communication, is an escapism, but he concludes books aint no good. Lennie relishes in the fact that he and George will own some land of their own, however Crooks is rather pessimistic. Having seen many aim for a better life and fail, he concludes Nobody gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land. The reader considers Crooks extreme pessimism and concludes that due to his constant disappointment and failure, such improvements are but dreams and only exists in their head. However, a glimpse of faith is evident in Crooks character and maybe a realised dream himself, when almost convinced by Lennies revelation to live on the fatta the lan he responds: If you guys would want a hand to work for nothingwhy Id come an lend a hand This outburst indicates his eagerness and yet hope for some sort of recognition in life. The fact that this dream seems achievable gives him a glimmer of hope. For a short while at least his cocoon of isolation seems to be disintegrating: It was difficult for Crooks to conceal his pleasure with anger This narrative indicates that he is content, as he finally has human company, which he can interact with. The fact that Guys dont come into a coloured mans room very much indicates that despite the solemnity he has become accustomed to, company is always welcome, after all A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody The partial hope of escaping from his sombreness is probably what gives him enough courage to say to Curleys wife on her intrusion into his room, Maybe you better go to your own house. Despite it being his own space, Crooks essentially relinquishes his non challenging role as a negro and dares to question a white persons authority. Yes, he can dream, but Curleys wife throws reality back in his face when she relegates him back to the terrible protective dignity of a negro. Crooks accepts that he will never be a white persons counterpart and concludes: You guys comin in an settin made me forget. What she says is true. Crooks forgot his place as a Nigger and so had reduced himself to nothingnothing to arouse either like or dislike. Crooks is lonely and no one in the story truly understands his predicament. However the reader is forced to conclude, that his annihilation is what retains the fact that he is proud [and] aloof. When he was on the verge of putting an end to his loneliness, thus confronting Curley wife, he realised that [for] a coloured man to have some rights, even if he dont like em., he has to settle for an inferior position in society or face humiliation. Through Crooks loneliness, he retains his pride. In considering Candys loneliness, the reader automatically compares him to that of Crooks. Candys character in the play symbolises the fate of those who are old and disabled. He has the most menial job on the ranch as the swamper and it is primarily because of his disability why he has turned into a self-pitying worker. Although he is lonely, his dog provides him with some sort of comfort. Despite his dog being weak, because [hes] so used to him and had him from a pup he feels some sort of attachment to the dog. The reader is forced to deduce that maybe the dog reflects Candys temperament. Both are old, walk with a limp and could receive the same fate of being killed due to their uselessness. Steinbeck describes the dog as: drag footed sheep dog[with] blind old eyes. The dog struggled lamely to the side This description shows the reader, the bad condition of the dog. The reader understands that as well as not walking properly, the dog is blind and its whole existence is a struggle. Carlson describes the dogs condition as: Got no teeth Hes all stiff with rheumatism. He aint no good to you Candy. Candy and his dog, and Crooks suffer a similar fate, as all of them are retired and so are of no use, as they can not carry out service jobs. Candy is attached to the dog. The fact that the dog is a reflection of himself, initially a hard worker, but now cripple to due his hard work killing it would mean he deserves to be killed also, as both have passed their usefulness. When Candy is forced to put the dog down, through Steinbecks descriptions, the reader realises how much the dog actually means to him: he subdued the hand with the other and held it down he rolled over and faced the wall and lay silent This is rather a sombre description. It underlines the fact that by killing the dog, his only long-term companion, means a part of him would be missing. Hence when he shares in Lennies and Georges dream he somehow feels rejuvenated. Candy shows interest in their dream as by being a part of it, it entitles him to have a future outside of the ranch and some human company. He would no longer have to be subservient to anybody, thus he would not receive the same fate as those who are in the same predicament as himself. It is interesting to note that he finds out about their dream while he would normally be alone, but for Lennies and Georges presence. Many people who are lonely thrive on gossip, as this is a means of escaping their own dismal life and delving into the life of someone elses, often more interesting than their own. This is so for Candy who is described as [warming] to his gossip. He speaks about Curley and even refers to his wife as a tart, yet the reader observes how inferior he actually is, when Curleys wife calls him a lousy ol sheep. Candy does tell Curleys wife what he thinks of her, but he realises that -Nobody d listen to us. In society, he is insignificant and thus his loneliness. Curleys wife experiences a unique form of loneliness. From an early stage in the book, the reader regards Curleys wife as that of a sex symbol. Throughout the story she is never named, but the reader only considers her as a tart, purty and a looloo. Glove fulla vaseline This refers to Curley who actually degrades his wife openly, by the display of this sexual connotation. Due to this derogatory act, it is no surprise to the reader that she is lonely. She is thought of as an object, not a person. She is not appreciated for her talent although according to her [she] could of went with shows because of it. While Curley is out enjoying himself she is left talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs. The reader knows she is lonely, through her constant search for attention. Through exploiting her sexuality does she try to conceal her loneliness hence, she flirts with Slim and constantly wanders around the men the ranch. It is interesting to note, that her only defence to Crooks when he asks her to come out of his room, is to threaten him with rape charges. The fact that she is lonely, she knows nothing else but to exploit her sexuality again. She is very shallow Curleys wife actually admits I get lonely I cant talk to nobody but Curley. This is why she is constantly seeking attention. When Lennie says he is not supposed to talk to her she questions angrily Whats the matter with me?. Again she uses this opportunity to tell Lennie about the dreams that she had. She becomes so comfortable speaking with Lennie that it is this which leads to her death. She is so willing to poor out her heart, her disappointment and the fact that she is lonely, that Lennie gets attached. It is her sexuality which causes her death. She confides in Lennie admitting that [she] don like Curley. So when Lennie starts to stroke her hair she does not mind initially, but this flirtatious act is what leads to her death. Lennie kills her involuntarily; yet this fate was inevitable. Each of these characters experienced their own forms of loneliness. It is quite interesting to note that each of the characters all end up in the same room, having been left out of the other activities which the men are indulging in: Crooks because he is black, old and cripple, Candy because he is old and disabled and Curleys wife as she is thought of as a sex object, not a person. Although she asks herself, An what am I doin? Staindin here a nigger an a lousy ol sheep. Yet she answers her own question when she says, They left all the weak ones here. She actually does belong there as all characters are lonely in some way or another and have been excluded from the activities of the ranch. Is it not fair that they comfort each other? The reader understands that this is not possible, as they are not compatible with each other due to their different predicaments.

Factors of Soil Aggregation Essay -- Agriculture Agricultural essays

Factors of Soil Aggregation There are many features that characterize a soil. One such feature is aggregates. There are many different types of aggregates, such as platy, prismatic, granule, blocky, angular, and more. There are several different factors which influence the formation of these aggregates. Hans Jenny, in his book Factors of Soil Formation (1941), recognizes five factors which influence soil formation: climate, biota, topography, parent material, and time. This paper will explore each of these factors in order to gain a better understanding as to what influences aggregate formation and strength. Before exploring aggregate formation and strength, the word "aggregate" must be clearly defined. Singer and Munns (1996) define aggregate as a word synonymous to "ped" which refers to "a group of primary particles held together by various soil-stabilizing agents" (pg. 28) and "are described according to their shape, size, stability, and east with which we can see them in the soil" (pg. 28). There are six main types of aggregate shape: granular, subangular blocky, angular blocky, prismatic, columnar, and platy (Singer and Munns, 1996). Aggregates of different shapes form under different conditions, however, the basic elements that cause aggregate formation remain the same. Now that "aggregate" has been defined, the discussion of formational factors may begin. The formation of aggregates begins at the smallest level, with tiny particles of less than five micrometers called colloids (Singer and Munns, 1996). At this size, electrostatic bonding and hydrogen bonding hold particles together (Black, 1968). This causes several effects. First, the amount of clay present becomes important, since most electrostatic and inter... ...arides that are effective binding compounds. Fungal hyphae on cast surfaces can physically enmesh and stabilize casts, but stabilization is most strongly promoted by drying, which brings the organic and mineral compounds into close association, promoting clay-polyvalent cation-organic matter linkages" (pg. 1743). The factors which influence soil formation, and consequently aggregates, are complexly linked. Each factor interacts, influences, and in turn is dependent upon each other factor. Through this amazingly intricate relationship, several factors are recognized as more influential in aggregate formation. To fully list all possible elements which work to form a single aggregate would take many years, and many volumes of books to complete. This paper has hopefully provided insight into several of the most important factors that influence aggregate formation.

Comparing Schools Essay

This report provides advice on the collection and reporting of information about the performances of Australian schools. The focus is on the collection of nationally comparable data. Two purposes are envisaged: use by education authorities and governments to monitor school performances and, in particular, to identify schools that are performing unusually well or unusually poorly given their circumstances; and use by parents/caregivers and the public to make informed judgements about, and meaningful comparisons of, schools and their offerings. Our advice is based on a review of recent Australian and international research and experience in reporting on the performances of schools. This is an area of educational practice in which there have been many recent developments, much debate and a growing body of relevant research. Our work is framed by recent agreements of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), in particular, at its meeting on 29 November 2008: C OAG agreed that the new Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority will be supplied with the information necessary to enable it to publish relevant, nationally-comparable information on all schools to support accountability, school evaluation, collaborative policy development and resource allocation. The Authority will provide the public with information on each school in Australia that includes data on each school’s performance, including national testing results and school attainment rates, the indicators relevant to the needs of the student population and the school’s capacity including the numbers and qualifications of its teaching staff and its resources. The publication of this information will allow comparison of like schools (that is, schools with similar student populations across the nation) and comparison of a school with other schools in their local community. (COAG Meeting Outcomes) Our work also has been framed by the recently endorsed MCEETYA Principles for Reporting Information on Schooling (see Section 1. 4). Before summarising our specific recommendations, there are some general conclusions that we have reached from our review of international research and experience. The specific recommendations that follow are best understood in the context of these general conclusions: †¢ Vigilance is required to ensure that nationally comparable data on individual schools does not have the unintended consequence of focusing attention on some aspects of the purposes of schooling at the expense of other outcomes that are as important but not as easily measurable. Parents/caregivers and the public are interested in a broad range of information about schools, and nationally comparable data should be reported in the context of this broader information. †¢ Although it has become popular in education systems in some other parts of the world to use statistical models to develop ‘measures’ of school performance and to report these measures publicly in league tables, we believe that there are very v Reporting and Comparing School Performances  sound technical and educational reasons why school measures of this kind should not be used for public reporting and school comparisons. †¢ Related to this point, we are not convinced of the value of reporting ‘adjusted’ measures of student outcomes publicly. Measures of student outcomes should be reported without adjustment. †¢ To enable the comparison of unadjusted student outcomes across schools, we believe that a ‘like-schools’ methodology should be used. This methodology would allow parents/caregivers, the public, and education systems to compare outcomes for schools in similar circumstances. †¢ While point-in-time measures of student outcomes often are useful, it is difficult to establish the contributions that teachers and schools make to point-in-time outcomes. In general, measures of student gain/growth across the years of school provide a more useful basis for making judgements about the value that schools are adding. †¢ Measures of gain/growth are most appropriately based on measurement scales that can be used to monitor student progress across the years of school. The NAPLAN measurement scales are an example and provide educational data superior to that available in most other countries. Consideration should be given to developing national measurement scales for early literacy learning and in some subjects of the national curriculum. †¢ Initially reporting should build on the understandings that parents and the public have already developed. For example a school’s NAPLAN results should be reported in forms that are consistent with current NAPLAN reports for students. Although much work needs to be done in defining the most appropriate measures, the principle should be to build on the representations of data that are already familiar to people. Recommendations Our report makes the following specific recommendations: student outcome measures †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the literacy and numeracy skills of students in each school, using NAPLAN (Years 3, 5, 7 and 9). †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the tertiary entrance results of students in each senior secondary school. These data could be reported as the percentage of students achieving tertiary entrance ranks of 60 or above, 70 or above, 80 or above, and 90 or above (calculated as a percentage of the students achieving tertiary entrance ranks). †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the percentage of students in each senior secondary school completing Year 12 or equivalent; the percentage of students applying to all forms of post-school education; and the percentage of students completing VET studies. vi Reporting and Comparing School Performances †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the achievements of students in core national curriculum subjects (English, mathematics, science and history), beginning in 2010. National assessments could be developed initially at Year 10. †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the early literacy learning of children in each primary school. These assessments will need to be developed and should be administered upon entry to school and used as a baseline for monitoring progress across the first few years of school. physical and human resources †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected about sources and amounts of funding received by each school, including all income to the school from State and Commonwealth governments, as well as details of fees payable by parents, including those that are mandatory and any voluntary levies that parents are expected to pay. †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the numbers and qualifications of teaching staff in each school. Basic data would include academic qualifications, details of pre-service teacher education, and details of any advanced certification (eg, Advanced Skills Teacher; Level 3 Teacher). student intake characteristics †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the socio-economic backgrounds of students in each school. Data should be based on information collected at the individual student level, using at least parental occupation and, possibly, parental education levels, under the agreed MCEETYA definitions. †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the percentage of students in each school of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background under the agreed MCEETYA definition. †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the percentage of students in each school identified as having a language background other than English (LBOTE) under the agreed MCEETYA definition. †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the geo-location of each school using a 3-category scale: metropolitan, provincial, and remote. †¢ Nationally comparable data should be collected on the percentage of students in each school with special educational needs. A nationally agreed definition of this category will need to be developed. like-school comparisons †¢ In reporting student outcome data for a school, data for like-schools should be provided as a point of comparison. Like-schools will be schools in similar circumstances and facing similar challenges. †¢ In determining ‘like-schools’, account should be taken of the percentage of students with Indigenous backgrounds, the socio-economic backgrounds of the students in the school, and the percentage of students from language backgrounds other than English. vii Reporting and Comparing School Performances †¢ For each school separately, like-schools should be identified as the schools most similar to that school on the above characteristics (rather than pre-defining a limited number of like-school categories). †¢ Work should commence as soon as possible on the development of an appropriate like-schools methodology. public reporting †¢ For the purpose of providing public information about schools, a common national website should be used to provide parents/caregivers and the public with access to rich information about individual schools. †¢ The national website should provide information about each school’s programs, philosophies, values and purposes, provided by the school itself, as well as nationally comparable data, provided centrally. †¢ Nationally comparable student outcome data should, wherever possible, provide information about current levels of attainment (ie, status), gain/growth across the years of school, and improvement in a school over time. †¢ The complete database for each state/territory should be made available to the relevant state/territory departments of education and other employing authorities, enabling them to interrogate data for their schools and to make judgments about school performances using aggregated data and national summary statistics. We believe that almost all nationally comparable data collected centrally could be reported publicly. The exceptions would arise when the public reporting of data may have negative and unintended consequences for schools. For example, we can envisage negative consequences arising from the reporting of the socio-economic backgrounds of students in a school, or of the financial circumstances of struggling, small schools (both government and non-government). We also believe that data reported publicly should be factual data about a school, and not the results of secondary analyses and interpretations that are open to debate (eg, value-added measures). viii Reporting and Comparing School Performances 1. INTRODUCTION In education, good decision making is facilitated by access to relevant, reliable and timely information. Dependable information is required at all levels of educational decision making to identify areas of deficiency and special need, to monitor progress towards goals, to evaluate the effectiveness of special interventions and initiatives, and to make decisions in the best interests of individual learners. The focus of this  paper is on the provision and use of information about individual schools. The starting point is the observation that relevant and reliable information about schools is required by a range of decision makers – including parents and caregivers, school principals and school leadership teams, system managers and governments, and the general public – all of whom require dependable information that they can use to maximise opportunities and outcomes for students. 1. 1 Audiences and Purposes  Parents and caregivers require valid and reliable information to evaluate the quality of the education their children are receiving, to make informed decisions in the best interests of individual students, and to become active partners in their children’s learning. They require dependable information about the progress individuals have made (the knowledge, skills and understandings developed through instruction), about teachers’ plans for future learning, and about what they can do to assist. There is also considerable evidence that parents and caregivers want information about how their children are performing in comparison with other children of the same age. And, if they are to make judgements about the quality of the education their children are receiving, they require information that enables meaningful comparisons across schools. School leaders require reliable information on student and school performances for effective school management. Research into factors underpinning school  effectiveness highlights the importance of the school leader’s role in establishing an environment in which student learning is accorded a central focus, and goals for improved performance are developed collaboratively by staff with a commitment to achieving them. School managers require dependable pictures of how well students in a school are performing, both with respect to school goals for improvement and with respect to past achievements and achievements in other, comparable schools. Governments and system managers require dependable information on the performance and progress of individual schools if they are to exercise their responsibilities for the delivery of quality education to all students. Effective management depends on an ability to monitor system-wide and school performances over time, to gauge the effectiveness of special programs and targeted resource allocations, to monitor the impact of policies, and to evaluate the success of initiatives aimed at traditionally disadvantaged and underachieving sections of the student population. Accurate, reliable information allows system managers to measure progress against past performances, to identify schools and issues requiring special attention, to target resources appropriately, and to set goals for future improvement. 1 Reporting and Comparing School Performances 1. 2 Forms of Information Because there are multiple audiences and purposes for information about schools, the forms of information required for effective decision making are different for different stakeholders. Parents and caregivers require a wide range of information, including information relating to their immediate needs (eg, Is the school easily accessible by public transport? Does it have an after-school program? What fees and/or levies does it charge? ); the ethos of the school (eg, What evidence is there of bullying/harassment? What are the espoused values of the school? Do students wear uniforms? What level of discipline is imposed? Who is the principal? ); their child’s likely educational experience (eg, Who will be my child’s teacher next year? Will they be in a composite class? How large will the class be? Does the school have a literacy intervention program? What extra-curricular activities are provided? ); and the school’s educational results (eg, Does the school achieve outstanding Year 12 results? ). School leaders require other forms of information, including information relating to staffing and resources (eg, What resources are available for music next year? How many beginning children have special learning needs? ); the effectiveness of initiatives (eg, Is there any evidence that the extra class time allocated to literacy this year made a difference?); and academic results (eg, How many Year 5 students did not meet the minimum performance standard in Reading? Have our results improved since last year? Are we still below the state average? How did last year’s Year 12 results compare with those of the neighbouring school? ). System managers and governments require still other forms of information, including information to monitor system-wide trends over time, to evaluate the effectiveness of attempts to raise standards and close gaps, and to identify schools that are performing unusually well or unusually poorly given their circumstances. In general, the schoollevel information required by system managers and governments is less fine-grained than the information required by parents, teachers and school leaders. Figure 1 displays schematically various forms of information that could be made available about a school, either publicly or to specific audiences (eg, system managers). The forms of evidence represented in Figure 1 are: A: student outcome measures that a school could choose to report Most schools report a wide range of information about the achievements of their students to their school communities. This information is reported in school newsletters, local and community newspapers, school websites, and at school events. The information includes details of Year 12 results, analyses of postschool destinations, results in national mathematics and science competitions, language certificates, awards, prizes, extra-curricular achievements, community recognition, and so on. Most schools take every opportunity to celebrate the achievements of their students and to announce these achievements publicly. 2 Reporting and Comparing School Performances Figure 1. Forms of information that could be made available about a school B:a sub-set of student outcome measures on which it is agreed to collect nationally comparable data Within the set of student outcome information that might be reported for a school, there could be a sub-set of outcomes on which it was agreed to collect nationally comparable data. A reason for identifying such a sub-set would be to ensure some common measures to facilitate school comparisons – within a local geographical area, across an entire education system, nationally, or within a group of ‘like’ schools. Inevitably, nationally comparable data would be collected for only some of the outcomes that schools, parents and communities value. Performances on common literacy and numeracy tests in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are an example of nationally comparable data currently in this category. C. physical and human resources measures that a school could choose to report Schools provide information in various forms and to various audiences about their physical and human resources. Information of this kind includes details of staff qualifications and teaching experience, staff turnover rates, school global budgets, computers and other technology, newly constructed facilities, bequests, results of fundraising drives, and so on. Some of this information may be reported to the school community; some may be kept confidential to the school, education system or government departments. D: a sub-set of physical and human resources measures on which it is agreed to collect nationally comparable data Within the set of physical and human resources measures reported for a school, there could be a sub-set of measures on which it was agreed to collect nationally comparable data. For example, there have been recent calls for greater consistency and transparency in the reporting of school funding arrangements (Dowling, 2007; 2008) and for more consistent national approaches to assessing and recognising teacher quality (Dinham, et al, 2008). 3 Reporting and Comparing School Performances E. student intake measures that a school could choose to report Most schools have considerable information about their students. For example, they may have information about students’ language backgrounds, Indigenous status, socio-economic backgrounds, learning difficulties and disabilities. This information usually is reported only within education systems or to governments and is not reported publicly, although schools sometimes provide information to their communities about the range of languages spoken by students in the school, the countries from which they come, the percentage of Indigenous students in the school and the school’s special Indigenous programs, or the number of severely disabled students and the facilities and support provided for these students. F: a sub-set of student intake measures on which it is agreed to collect nationally comparable data. Within the set of student intake characteristics reported for a school, there could be a sub-set of measures on which it was agreed to collect nationally comparable data. Some progress has been made toward nationally consistent definitions and nationally consistent data collections on student background characteristics. G. all other information that a school could choose to make available Beyond information about student outcomes, student backgrounds and their physical and human resources, schools provide a range of other information to the communities they serve. 1. 3 Nationally Comparable Data Acknowledging the many purposes and audiences for information about schools, and the various forms that this information can take, the specific focus of this paper is on the collection and reporting of nationally comparable data for the purposes of evaluating and comparing school performances. In other words, the focus is on categories B, D and F in Figure 1. We envisage three broad uses of such data: †¢ use by parents and caregivers in judging the quality of educational provision and in making informed decisions in the best interests of individual students; †¢ use by school leaders in monitoring a school’s improvement and benchmarking the school’s performance against other, comparable schools; and †¢ use by education systems and governments in identifying schools that are performing unusually well or unusually poorly given their circumstances. As noted above, these three stakeholder groups are likely to have different needs. The ways in which nationally comparable data are analysed, combined and reported may be different for different purposes. We see the process of reaching agreement on the core data that should be available about a school as a national collaborative process, and see little value in arriving at different conclusions about these data for different parts of the country. 4 Reporting and Comparing School Performances 1. 4 Principles for Reporting The Principles for Reporting Information on Schooling (see pages 6-7) adopted by the Ministerial Council for Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs (MCCETYA) provide an important point of reference for any proposed collection and use of nationally comparable data on schools. These principles recognise the multiple audiences and purposes for information about schools, the need to collect broad evidence about student and school performances, and the desirability of monitoring intended and unintended consequences of reporting information on schools. Australian governments have undertaken to ensure that data provided for the purposes of comparing schools are reliable and fair and take into account the contexts in which schools work. Governments also have undertaken not to develop simplistic league tables of school performances. 1. 5 Structure of Paper This paper first considers the kinds of nationally comparable data that might be collected about schools for the purposes outlined above. We draw on national and international research and experience, attempt to anticipate the likely requirements of different audiences, and take into account what measures currently exist and what additional measures might be desirable in the future. Each of the three data categories in Figure 1 is considered in turn: †¢ †¢ †¢ student outcome measures physical and human resources measures student intake measures (sections 2-3) (section 4) (section 5) We then consider alternative ways of evaluating and comparing school performances. Two broad methodologies are discussed: †¢ †¢ the direct comparison of student outcomes the construction of measures of school performance (section 6) (section 7) Finally, we consider issues in reporting publicly on the performances of schools: †¢ †¢ audiences and purposes for reporting options for public reporting on schools (section 8) (section 9) 5 Reporting and Comparing School Performances MCEETYA PRINCIPLES FOR REPORTING INFORMATION ON SCHOOLING There is a vast amount of information on Australian schooling and individual schools. This includes information about the educational approach of schools, their enrolment profile, staffing, facilities and programs, and the education environment they offer, as well as information on the performance of students, schools and systems. Different groups, including schools and their students, parents and families, the community and governments, have different information needs. The following principles provide guidance on requirements for information on schooling, including the types of information that should be made readily available to each of the groups noted above. These principles will be supported by an agreed set of national protocols on the access to and use of information on schooling. Good quality information on schooling is important: FOR SCHOOLS AND THEIR STUDENTS. Principle 1: Schools need reliable, rich data on the performance of their students because they have the primary accountability for improving student outcomes. Good quality data supports each school to improve outcomes for all of their students. It supports effective diagnosis of student progress and the design of quality learning programs. It also informs schools’ approaches to provision of programs, school policies, pursuit and allocation of resources, relationships with parents and partnerships with community and business. Schools should have access to: †¢ Comprehensive data on the performance of their own students that uses a broad set of indicators †¢ Data that enables each school to compare its own performance against all schools and with schools of similar characteristics †¢ Data demonstrating improvements of the school over time †¢ Data enabling the school to benchmark its own performance against that of the bestperforming schools in their jurisdiction and nationally FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES. Principle 2: Information about schooling, including data on the performance of individuals, schools and systems, helps parents and families to make informed choices and to engage with their children’s education and the school community. Parents and families should have access to: †¢ Information about the philosophy and educational approach of schools, and their staffing, facilities, programs and extra-curricular activities that enables parents and families to compare the education environment offered by schools †¢ Information about a school’s enrolment profile, taking care not to use data on student 1  characteristics in a way that may stigmatise schools or undermine social inclusion. †¢ Data on student outcomes that enables them to monitor the individual performance of their child, including what their child knows and is able to do and how this relates to what is expected for their age group, and how they can contribute to their child’s progress †¢ Information that allows them to assess a school’s performance overall and in improving student outcomes, including in relation to other schools with similar characteristics in their jurisdiction and nationally. 1 Any use or publication of information relating to a school’s enrolment profile should ensure that the privacy of individual students is protected. For example, where the small size of a school population or of a specific student cohort may enable identification of individual students, publication of this information should be avoided. 6 Reporting and Comparing School Performances FOR THE COMMUNITY. Principle 3: The community should have access to information that enables an understanding of the decisions taken by governments and the status and performance of schooling in Australia, to ensure schools are accountable for the results they achieve with the public funding they receive, and governments are accountable for the decisions they take. Students are an important part of our society and take up a variety of roles within it after leaving school. The community is therefore a direct and indirect consumer of the product of our schools, as well as providing the means of public funding. Information about schools in the public domain fulfils the requirement that schools be accountable for the results they achieve with the public funding they receive, including relative to other ‘like’ schools; it should also give the community a broad picture of school performance and a sense of confidence in our school systems. The community should have access to: †¢ Information about the philosophy and educational approach of schools, and their staffing, facilities, programs and extra-curricular activities that enables the community to compare the education environment offered by schools. †¢ Information about individual schools’ enrolment profile, taking care not to use data on student characteristics in a way that may stigmatise schools or undermine social inclusion †¢ National reporting on the performance of all schools with data that allows them to view a school’s performance overall and in improving student outcomes, including in relation to other schools with similar characteristics RESPONSIBLE PROVISION OF SCHOOLING INFORMATION Australian Governments will ensure that school-based information is published responsibly so that: †¢ any public comparisons of schools will be fair, contain accurate and verified data, contextual information and a range of indicators to provide a more reliable and complete view of performance (for example, information on income, student body characteristics, the spread of student outcomes and information on the value added by schools) †¢ governments will not devise simplistic league tables or rankings and will put in place strategies to manage the risk that third parties may seek to produce such tables or rankings, and will ensure that privacy will be protected. †¢ reports providing information on schooling for parents and families and the community will be developed based on research on what these groups want to know and the most effective ways the information can be presented and communicated. FOR GOVERNMENTS Principle 4: Governments need sound information on school performance to support ongoing improvement for students, schools and systems. Government also need to monitor and evaluate the impacts (intended and unintended) of the use and release of this information to improve its application over time. Good quality information on schooling enables governments to: †¢ analyse how well schools are performing †¢ identify schools with particular needs †¢ determine where resources are most needed to lift attainment †¢ identify best practice and innovation in high-performing schools that can be mainstreamed and used to support improvements in schools with poorer performance †¢ conduct national and international comparisons of approaches and performance †¢ develop a substantive evidence base on what works. This will enable future improvements in school performance that support the achievement of the agreed education outcomes of both the Ministerial Council for Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs and the Council of Australian Governments. 7 Reporting and Comparing School Performances 2. STUDENT OUTCOMES Information about the outcomes of a school’s efforts is key information for parents and caregivers if they are to judge the quality of educational provision; for school leaders to monitor a school’s performance and improvement; and for education systems and governments to identify schools in need of additional support. However, schools work to promote many different kinds of outcomes for their students. For some schools, an important objective is to improve school attendance rates. For others, assisting students to make successful transitions into the workforce is a high priority. Some schools are more focused than others on supporting the social, spiritual and emotional development of students. Still others measure their success in terms of entry rates into highly sought-after university courses. Decisions about the outcomes to be reported publicly for schools are important because they influence judgements about how well individual schools are performing. This is particularly true when education systems and governments attempt to construct ‘measures’ of school performance: Perverse incentives can arise when the [school] performance measure has both a large impact upon actors and focuses on an aspect of schooling that does not reflect the true or overall purpose and objectives of schools. Unfortunately, this can be common in school performance measures if the performance measure is too narrowly defined. (OECD, 2008, 26).

Health and Health Promotion Essay

A traditional approach to health care in general is one in which the goal of intervention is disease management in an attempt to minimize the harmful effects of a health crisis. Once a health crisis occurs, the quality of life for an individual is already negatively impacted. Therefore, health promotion is an equally, if not more important, component of health care that aims to improve the quality of life. Through the primary prevention efforts of health promotion, emphasis on avoiding disease and adopting a healthy lifestyle offers the greatest opportunity for a healthy and fulfilling life. As primary care givers, nurses play an important role in health promotion by demonstrating proper attitudes and behavior modeling, by providing valuable patient education and by advocating for and empowering patients and their families. There are numerous nursing theories which provide a framework for nurses to employ health promoting strategies in their practice. Defining Health and Health Promo tion One of the most widely used definitions of health is that of the World Health Organization (WHO): â€Å"Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.† Since the publishing of the WHO definition, changes in population demographics, the aging of society, and the changing nature of disease have caused researchers to question the relevance of this definition in today’s world. One criticism is that the concept of complete health disregards those with chronic illnesses who can learn to live fulfilling lives (Huber et. al, 2011). According to O’Donnell (2009) health is not a constant  state, but a state that continually evolves with life circumstances. Regardless, health isclearly a complex state that exists both to, and apart from, its relationship to illness. Health promotion is a process that benefits both the individual and society. The essence of health promotion is the preservation of health. Caring for the sick is a reactive intervention to health care issues whereas health promotion is a proactive strategy for prevention. An important step necessary to shift the momentum of healthcare to a proactive role is making the public aware of how they can actively participate in managing and improving their own health. As noted by Jadelhack (2012), â€Å"Health promotion is carried out by and with people, not on or to people† (p. 85). Education is a key factor in this step, as well as providing people with the resources needed to live out strategies for a healthy lifestyle. Improved health reduces healthcare costs and improves the overall quality of life. The Role of Nursing Theory Nursing theory and nursing practice are interrelated processes, and neither one holds value without the other. Theories unapplied are speculative, and practice without purpose is ineffective. To adequately participate in health promotion strategies, nurses must understand the basis for, and the goal of, their practice. Two theories that demonstrate health promotion are Neuman’s Systems Model and Roy’s Adaptation Model of Nursing. Both models provide a solid framework for nurses to develop and employ health promotion strategies when caring for their patients. In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), application of these theories can contribute to the health status of both infants and their families. These theories complement each other in the process of the developmental care practices that are found to be an essential component of health promotion in this unique patient population. Two Theories Betty Neuman’s System model focuses on how patients respond to environmental stressors, and on how nurses can help maintain wellness through the use of prevention strategies aimed at attaining, maintaining, or retaining what Neuman’s model refers to as patient system wellness. According to this theory, patients are multidimensional beings, having a physiological, psychological, socio-cultural, spiritual and developmental element.  Maintaining stability in all these elements is necessary for preserving the state of wellness. The internal environment, the external environment, and the created environment can both positively or negatively affect wellness. Neuman proposes that illness and death are the results of environmental stressors that deplete the patient’s energy resources needed to maintain a state of health. It would stand to reason then, if stressors are reduced or eliminated, less energy would be consumed and could be available for the process of health maintenance. Similarly, Sister CallistaRoy’s Adaptation Model addresses the interaction between an individual and their environment. This model considers an individual’s ability to adapt to a changing environment. According to Roy, adaptation involves how a person views themselves, their role in a situation, interdependence, and meeting physiological needs. Two important processes in the adaptation theory include an automatic physiological response and a coping mechanism which facilitate the adaptive process. Practical Application Both Neuman’s and Roy’s theories are applicable in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), a highly specialized area of nursing that cares for one of the most vulnerable patient populations; the preterm and critically ill infant. Both theories focus on the patient and their environment. The very nature of the NICU environment can negatively affect the infant who is already struggling with an imbalance in their internal environments. Immature physiological, structural, and neurological systems are not prepared to handle the external world outside the womb. Using Newman’s model, nursing practices aimed at reducing stress from the external environment and those facilitating stability within the internal environment of the infant are key to optimizing outcomes for the at-risk premature infant. The practice of developmentally supportive care evolved from the realization that preterm infants are not only affected by the external environment of the NICU, but are also a ctive members responding to their environment and caregivers (Gibbins et. al, 2008). Core measures for developmentally supportive care include protected sleep, pain and stress assessment and management, developmental activities of daily living, family-centered care and a healing environment are identified as health promotion interventions for the NICU patient (Coughlin, Gibbins, & Hoath,  2009). Practices such as cycled lighting, low noise levels, facilitated handling, and kangaroo care are measures which help reduce the negative effects of the NICU environment, stabilize the internal environment of the infant, and promote positive human relationships. The principles of Roy’s Adaptation Model can be applied to the process of family-centered care as it relates to a parent’s ability to adapt to the unexpected delivery of a premature infant. This unexpected event interferes with the psychosocial adaptation of the family, complicating transition to parenthood and the incorporation of a new child into the family system (Zimmerman & Bauersachs, 2012). Allowing parents to be active participants in their infant’s care is a key factor toward promoting emotional, psychological, and physical health of the members in the family unit. Barriers to Health Promotion Because of the unique environment of the NICU, barriers to health promotion activities through developmental and family-centered care efforts lie in family, health care provider and institutional challenges rather than in the NICU patient themselves. Problems with inadequate resources, insufficient staffing, and a lack of education and support for both nursing and parents often impede these efforts (Bamm & Rosenbaum, 2008). Interventions used in the stabilization of infants and competition for resources often draw nurses toward task oriented care, pushing parents to the â€Å"periphery of the NICU environment† (Galarza-Winton et. al., 2013). Fear, insecurity, and powerlessness are barriers for parents that can be abated by developing strong nurse-parent relationships based on mutual respect and trust, and through the promotion of family-centered care. Successful health promotion through developmental care practices are evidenced by parental bonding and confidence in caregiving as well as improved weight gain, earlier discharge, and improved developmental outcomes for infants. Conclusion Despite advances in health care, health care costs continue to rise. In 2006, costs in the U.S. exceeded two trillion dollars, with three-fourths of that money used to treat chronic diseases (Goetzel, 2009). Smoking, alcohol and drug use, obesity, inactivity, poor quality nutrition, and limited access to health care are all examples of modifiable risk factors that contribute to illness and chronic disease. Poor health reduces the general  quality of life and places a burden on individuals, families, and societies. Strategies for health promotion must be developed at many levels including the community, healthcare providers and the government. The aim of health promotion is empowering people to take responsibility for their health, as well as providing them with adequate preventative care. As Benjamin Franklin once noted â€Å"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.† References Bamm, E., & Rosenbaum, P. (2008). Family-centered theory: Origins, development, barriers, and supports to implementation in rehabilitation medicine. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 89(8), 1618-1624. http://dx.doi.org/doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2007.12.034 Betty Neuman’s System Model. (2012). Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/Neuman.html Coughlin, M., Gibbins, S., & Hoath, S. (2009). Core measures for developmentally supportive care in neonatal intensive care units: theory, precedence and practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(10), 2239-2246. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2009.0502.x Galarza-Winton, M., Dicky, T., O’Leary, L., Lee, S. K., & O’Brien, K. (2013). Implementing family-integrated care in the NICU: Educating nurses. Advances in Neonatal Care, 13(5), 335-340. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/ANC.0b013e3182a14cde Gibbins, S., Hoath, S., Coughin, M., Gibbins, A., & Franck, L. (2008). The universe of de velopmental care: a new conceptual model for application in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Advances in Neonatal Care, 8(3), 141-147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.ANC.0000324337.01970.76 Goetzel, R. A. (2009). Do prevention or treatment services save money? The wrong debate. Health Affairs, 28 (1), 37-41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.28.1.37 Huber, M., Knottnerus, J. A., Green, L., Van der Horst, H., Jadad, A. R., Kromhaut, D., †¦ Smid, H. (2011, ). How should we define health? British Journal of Medicine, 343 (6). http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.d4163 Jadelhack, R. (2012). Health promotion in nursing and cost-effectiveness. Journal of Cultural Diversity, 19(2), 65-68. Retrieved from http://searchebscohost.com/login.aspx.?direct=true&db=c8h&AN=2011602897&site=nrc=perc Roy’s Adaptation Model. (2013). Retrieved April 30, 2014, from Modelhttp://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/Roy_adaptation_model.html The electric Ben Franklin: A quick biography of Benjamin Franklin. (n. d.). Retrieved May 1, 2014, from http://www.ushistory.org/FRANKLIN/info/ World Health Organization. (1948). Official Records of the World Health Organization. Retrieved April 30, 2014, from http://who.int/about/definition/en/print.html Zimmerman, K., & Bauersachs, C. (2012). Empowering NICU parents. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 27(1), 51-53. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/resultsadvanced?sid=6bc9fd5c-0677-4c08-9ea1-16196308d26b%40sessionmgr4001&vid=4&hid=4214&bquery=TI+(empowering+nicu+parents)&bdata=JmRiPWM4aCZ0eXBlPTEmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl

Free Essays on Position On War In Iraq

Position on War in Iraq The war in Iraq has drawn firm lines between supporters and those who oppose military action. While no war could be declared â€Å"good† by nature, the war against a sadistic dictator is justified. To prove this justification it is important to clarify the real issues behind the war. It is not a war for oil, or a war against religion. It is a war against a regime that has no regard for human life, dignity, or freedom. Additionally, it is a war aimed at removing a dictator who poses a real and ongoing threat to Middle East and world peace. In a speech given to an audience at Berkley, Thomas Barnes stated that he would be taking the unpopular position, that of supporting President Bush’s decision to go to war. Before clarifying his position Barnes makes it clear that while he believes the war is necessary, it would not be as short as many Americans hoped (Barnes). Barnes justified the decision to support the war based on the historical actions and inaction of Saddam Hussein. For example, he noted that twelve years of sanctions and inspections did not persuade Saddam to disarm, or to refrain from making new illegal weapons (Barnes). Barnes also noted another diplomatic failure, that of U.N. Resolution 1441. Although the terminology of this Resolution made it clear in no uncertain terms that Saddam was to disarm, Barnes states that the intentions of one country in particular made the Resolution virtually ineffective. With all diplomatic efforts blocked, the U.S. had no other choice but to take a military route in order to ensure the safety of Americans and other peoples of the world (Barnes). Barnes touched on several other topics in his speech, including the difficulties and complexities of war, the inevitable causalities, and the likelihood that there would be other wars in the future. However, one statement in particular stood out in his speech. According to Barnes, the world would not know the extent... Free Essays on Position On War In Iraq Free Essays on Position On War In Iraq Position on War in Iraq The war in Iraq has drawn firm lines between supporters and those who oppose military action. While no war could be declared â€Å"good† by nature, the war against a sadistic dictator is justified. To prove this justification it is important to clarify the real issues behind the war. It is not a war for oil, or a war against religion. It is a war against a regime that has no regard for human life, dignity, or freedom. Additionally, it is a war aimed at removing a dictator who poses a real and ongoing threat to Middle East and world peace. In a speech given to an audience at Berkley, Thomas Barnes stated that he would be taking the unpopular position, that of supporting President Bush’s decision to go to war. Before clarifying his position Barnes makes it clear that while he believes the war is necessary, it would not be as short as many Americans hoped (Barnes). Barnes justified the decision to support the war based on the historical actions and inaction of Saddam Hussein. For example, he noted that twelve years of sanctions and inspections did not persuade Saddam to disarm, or to refrain from making new illegal weapons (Barnes). Barnes also noted another diplomatic failure, that of U.N. Resolution 1441. Although the terminology of this Resolution made it clear in no uncertain terms that Saddam was to disarm, Barnes states that the intentions of one country in particular made the Resolution virtually ineffective. With all diplomatic efforts blocked, the U.S. had no other choice but to take a military route in order to ensure the safety of Americans and other peoples of the world (Barnes). Barnes touched on several other topics in his speech, including the difficulties and complexities of war, the inevitable causalities, and the likelihood that there would be other wars in the future. However, one statement in particular stood out in his speech. According to Barnes, the world would not know the extent...

Guide to Map Reading for Beginners

Guide to Map Reading for Beginners In an age when mapping apps are commonplace, you may think that learning how to read a paper map is an obsolete skill. But if you enjoy hiking, camping, exploring the wilderness, or other outdoor activities, a good road or  topographic map is your still best friend. Unlike cell phones and GPS devices, there are no signals to lose or batteries to change with a paper map, making them far more reliable. This guide will introduce you to the basic elements of a map. Legend Cartographers, who design maps, use symbols to represent the different elements used. The legend, sometimes called a key, tells you how to interpret a maps symbols.  For instance, a square with a flag on top usually represents a school, and a dashed line represents a border. Note, however, that map symbols used in the United States are often used for different things in other countries. The symbol for a secondary highway used on a United States Geological Survey topographic map represents a railroad on Swiss maps. Title A maps title will tell you at a glance what the map is depicting. If youre looking at a road map of Utah, for example, you would expect to see interstate and state highways, plus major local roadways across the state. A USGS geological map, on the other hand, will depict specific scientific data for a region, such as groundwater supplies for a city. Regardless of the type of map youre using, it will have a title. Orientation A map isnt very useful if you dont know where you are relative to your position on it. Most cartographers align their maps so that the top of the page represents north and use a small arrow-shaped icon with an N beneath it to point you in the right direction. Some maps, such as topographic maps, will point to true north (the North Pole) and to magnetic north (where your compass points, to northern Canada). More elaborate maps may include a compass rose, depicting all four cardinal directions (north, south, east, west). Scale A life-sized map would be impossibly large. Instead, cartographers use ratios to reduce a mapped region to a manageable size. The maps scale will tell you what ratio is being used or, more commonly, depict a given distance as the equivalent of a measurement, such as 1 inch representing 100 miles.  Ã‚   Other Elements Just as there are many types of color maps, there are also many different color schemes used by cartographers. The map user should look to the legend for an explanation of colors on a map.   Elevation, for example, is often represented as a sequence of dark greens (low elevation or even below sea level) to browns (hills) to white or gray (highest elevation). A neatline is the border of a map. It helps to define the edge of the map area and obviously keeps things looking organized. Cartographers may also use neatlines to define offsets, which are mini-maps of an expanded area of the map. Many road maps, for instance, contain offsets of major cities that show additional cartographic  detail like local roads and landmarks. If youre using a topographic map, which depicts changes of elevation in addition to roads and other landmarks, youll see wavy brown lines that meander around. These are called contour lines and represent a given elevation as it falls upon the contour of the landscape.

Societies under Shogun RuleThe Ming & Qing Essay

Societies under Shogun RuleThe Ming & Qing - Essay Example This period, which started in 1368 until 1644, is marked by the decline of the decadent feudal system and the emergence of the embryonic capitalism in China. However, Japan’s shogun period was part of the early feudal system that would dominate Japan for more than 700 years. (Morgan 2003, 42) As both Ming/Qing and the Shogun societies were established as feudal societies above all, therefore, they share many characteristics. For instance, both had governments and rulers who enforced control over a highly fragmented society. The shogunate in Japan imposed guidelines for the creation and preservation of a stable national structure. This was achieved by implementing a highly hierarchical society, wherein the primary morality is based upon public rapport between master and subordinate. (Ratti & Westbrook 1991, 62) Such perspective determined the shape and functionality of the major social organizations of the shogunate societies. To illustrate: one of the rules/norms in the Japanese society then was that there was no more despicable crime than that of rebellion against a master. Because of this hierarchical social structure, the shogun was able to elevate the social structure which sealed the subjects of the nation into classes according to a vertical order of pragmatic impo rtance drawing heavily upon the military character and strength of the warriors to whom all other subjects were subordinated. The social pyramid follows this structure with the shogun and his class at the top. From 1615 onward, laws specifically determining the legal positions of and functions of the imperial court and its aristocratic families (Kuge sho-hatto), of the military class (Buke Sho-hatto), of religious orders (Jin-hatto), of the farmers (Goson-hatto), of commoners in Edo and, by analogy, in every town (Edo-machiju-sadame) were issued by the military government of the Tokugawa shoguns.

Gilgamesh Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gilgamesh - Essay Example He wants to be immortal so badly that he is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that state. Then he is met by a human figure whom is not aware of his own potentials as a human. They create a unique friendship and bond. This human figure aids him in realizing his existence as a human and not only as a god. Finally, when losing his new friend, humility begins to set in and the truth of his immorality is faced. Gilgamesh goes on a quest for everlasting life to get his dear friend back. The quest is similar to this thing we call life here on earth! Gilgamesh is happy with his kingly status. He realizes that he is more god than human and possesses supernatural powers. The story begins with Gilgamesh of Uruk. He is known as the greatest king on the earth. He is also known to be the strongest King-god who ever existed. The people who belong to Gilgamesh are everything but happy. They express their concerns in regards to his abusiveness. He abuses his powers and sleeps with women before their husbands do. In order to help solve this situation, the goddess of creation Aruru creates the wild-man Enkidu who is made human by Shamhat, a temple prostitute. Enkidu is known as Gilgamesh’s counter part. â€Å"When he sees her he will draw near to her and his animals, who grew up in his wilderness, will be alien to him.† (Carnahan) Enkidu and Gilgamesh become friends and go off on a journey of the inner soul. The quest that he goes on at first is for his own honor. He wants to go and create a monument for himself. He wants to be elevated to the highest point that he can be. It is not about others at this point. It is only about him. His journey is for his own selfish gain. â€Å"I have not established my name stamped on bricks as my destiny decreed; therefore I will go to the country where the cedars are cut. I will set up my name in the place where the names of famous men are written, and where no man’s name is written yet, I