Progress of Agriculture Before and After Independence of India Essay

Agriculture has been the backbone of the Indian economy and it will continue to remain so for a long time. It has to support almost 17 per cent of world population from 2. 3 per cent of world geographical area and 4. 2 per cent of world’s water resources. The economic reforms, initiated in the country during the early 1990s, have put the economy on a higher growth trajectory. Annual growth rate in GDP has accelerated from below 6 percent during the initial years of reforms to more than 8 percent in recent years. This happened mainly due to rapid growth in non-agriculture sector. The workforce engaged in agriculture between 1980-81 and 2006-07 witnessed a very small decline; from 60. 5 percent to 52 percent. The present cropping intensity of 137 per cent has registered an increase of only 26 per cent since 1950-51. The net sown area is 142 Mha. The net irrigated area was 58. 87 Mha in 2004-05. Presently, the total net irrigated area covers 45. 5 per cent of the net sown area, the remaining 54. 5 per cent is rainfed. The degradation of land and surface as well as ground water resources results in fast deterioration of soil health. Losses due to biotic (insect-pests, diseases, weeds) and abiotic (drought, salinity, heat, cold, etc. ) stresses account for about one-fourth of the value of agricultural produce. The storage, transportation, processing, value addition and marketing of farm produce need to be improved to enhance household food, nutrition and livelihood security. Indian agriculture is characterized by agro-ecological diversities in soil, rainfall, temperature, and cropping system. Besides favorable solar energy, the country receives about 3 trillion m3 of rainwater, 14 major, 44 medium and 55 minor rivers hare about 83 per cent of the drainage basin. About 210 billion m3 water is estimated to be available as ground water. Irrigation water is becoming a scarce commodity. Thus proper harvesting and efficient utilization of water is of great importance. Intensive cultivation as a result of introduction of high yielding varieties in the mid 1960’s required higher energy inputs and better management practices. Land preparation, harvesting, threshing and irrigation are the operations, which utilize most of the energy used in agriculture. The share of animate power in agriculture decreased from 92 er cent in 1950-51 to 20 per cent in 2000-01. For desired cropping intensity with timeliness in field operations, animate energy sources alone were no longer adequate. Farmers opted for mechanical power sources to supplement animate power. Average size of farm holdings gradually reduced from 2. 58 ha to 1. 57 ha (Table 1). Small and marginal farmers have limited resources especially in rain-fed regions where only animate power is used resulting in low productivity. Though agricultural production is high, the per hectare productivity is much lower than world average. There is an urgent need to increase productivity.

Candy in Of Mice and Men Essay

Candy’s name has many connotations and many of which gives us an insight to the inequalities against old people in American society. Candy on the very simple and literal level means â€Å"sweet and pleasing† and shows that Candy is a very sweet, nice old man. Another connotation that springs to mind is that Candy, the old swamper, is a very friendly, honest and open man with whom you can talk about everything. This is underlined by his name: â€Å"candid† means â€Å"not hiding one†²s thoughts, frank and honest†. But Candy’s name has also an even deeper meaning or connotation which highlights an inequality in society in that his name- Candy- is a metaphor as much like his name, candy or sweets have a sell-by date. This portrays that in American society all workers are expendable or indispensable and after a given time they are rendered as useless. The killing of Candy’s dog is a key metaphor in the book as Candy the old handyman, aging and left with only one hand as the result of an accident, worries that the boss will soon declare him useless and demand that he leave the ranch. Even though we learn that Candy’s dog was once an impressive sheep herder, past accomplishments and current emotional ties matter little, as Carlson makes clear when he insists that Candy let him put the dog out of its misery, we see this in the line: â€Å"He ain’t no good to you†¦why’n’t you shoot him Candy?† Candy’s dog serves as a harsh reminder in American society of the fate that awaits anyone who outlives their usefulness. This situation also portrays an inequality in society in that society views on their age and incapabilities rather than their values and past achievements. Steinbeck throughout the novel uses Candy to portray to the reader the inequality of ageism in American in society in 1920. Through his descriptions of Candy’s working and living conditions, Steinbeck highlights the frequent use of discrimination and ageism. Candy is an â€Å"old swamper†, who lives in a â€Å"bunkhouse†. His possessions are a â€Å"bunk† and â€Å"an apple box†. Theoretically, one should treat aged people respectfully. In our society, pensioners have a better life than employees. However, Candy is a â€Å"swamper† and he is not treated fairly. The repetition of â€Å"old† in Candy’s description also emphasises that his appearance and inability to work because of his age was what many people judged Candy by. Candy because of his age and disability is an outcast on this ranch we see this when he does not go into town with the rest of the ranchworkers which highlights how excluded Candy is. The exclusion of Candy is another indication of the inequalities in American society in that it was very ageist and discriminative. In our society pensioners are treated with a lot more respect that the average middle-aged working class citizen but we learn from this novel that society in 1920 was juxtaposed to this. Candy did not get pension or benefits for the government; the only sum of money he received was the inadequate sum of $250 for the loss of his hand, which contributed massively to his uslessness. This is an indication in of an inequality in society as old people were not even valued by the government as there were no pensions. Old people were poor in the 1920’s because they were seen as useless by the average people and the government alike. This indicates that American society greatly believed in the term ‘survival of the fittest’ and believed people should ‘work until they dropped.’ After Lennie leaves the ranch Candy replaces his role and becomes dependent on George: â€Å"What we gonna do now George? What we gonna do now?† Also throughout the novel we notice Candy’s vulnerability in the ranch especially when it comes to the boss. For example we see in the line: â€Å"You won’t tell Curley nothing I said?† that Candy is in fact frightened of the boss and his son and knows that they have the power to get rid of Candy from the ranch and therefore would leave him with nothing. Candy is a passive man, unable to take any independent action. Indeed, his one major act in the book – when he offers Lennie and George money in order to buy a piece of land with them – is a means by which he can become dependent on them: â€Å"An’ I’ll make a will an’ leave my share to you guys in case I kick off† This indicates an inequality in that it shows how vulnerable old people were in American society especially once they got past the stage of being able to work as no one seen them as any use. View as multi-pages

Drama Performance

Elements belonging to personal stories enable audiences to gain wider insights and respective into stories. Ann Frank is a character who is quite lovable; Frank is a typical teenage girl the responder perceives Frank as a positive persona for the situation she is in. Although Frank is growing up in a corrupting society she is still talking about stereotypical teenage conversation such as boys and fighting with siblings. Despite her situation Frank gets on with her life â€Å"l live in a crazy time†, Ann Frank shows naivety and needs to be protected this manipulates the audience to empathic her suffering.Her Diary entries are typical of a thirteen year old such as gossip about school friends and Jokes. Frank is in a terrible situation during WI and the holocaust, Franks positive view intrigues the audience into loving her character. The responder gets an insight into the frightening atmosphere the Frank family endured through Anne Franks use of first person and detail. Ann Fran ks story is a voice for those who were harmed because of their ethnicity, race or color. The Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank reveals the racial segregation Jewish people faced during the Holocaust in the sass's and sass's.HOC Online Recommendations tort Critical Important questions to ask yourself: Do I enjoy research? Analysis: Ђ Do I have access to enough resources? Do I have areas I wish to explore that are within the perimeters or the research criteria? Do I have a clear area of focus within my set topic? Will I be able to make solid conclusions from the materials I research and the topic I have chosen? Do I have the time to do this task adequately? Do I have a solid knowledge of language and clarity in my ideas and expression? Ђ Do I have access to a computer where I can edit, type and amass my ideas and eventually present them in the correct format? Unique: The Applied Research Project gives you the opportunity to frame your own specific rear of study within a topic of interest to you. It gives you the further opportunity to approach it using any sources or resources at your disposal and to conduct research t your pace. Furthermore, because it is a constant work in progress you do not nave the pressure of performing and being assessed on the ‘day but being able to present your months of work in submitted form and thus all your process can be evidenced.Skills: The ability to synthesis information The ability to communicate ideas The ability to make assumptions and assertions from well-rounded sources and evidence An ability to use language concisely and appropriately Good analytical skills HOC Online Recommendations for Performance Individual Project Christmas holidays plus Year 12 term one: Begin performance practice, before an audience, with a short dramatic work. This may be the piece you are presenting for the HOC or something else. Year 12 term two: decide on your piece and perform it within the set time, remembering you will be stop ped if you go overtime.Year 12 Term 3: Polish your piece and make it performance ready. Checkpoints: Do I understand the requirements of the project? Ђ Do I know the type of performance I want to present? Have I looked through a large number of scripts? Is the text I'm studying being studied by me in any other part of the HOC? (You cannot perform a play you are studying anywhere else in the HOC) Have I performed for an audience? Have I checked the timing of my performance? Have I organized my costume and props? Does my performance display strong characterization? Coherent? Do I know my lines?Tips (10): see plenty of performances get some performance practice read past exam reports don't forget it is a performance and not Just a speech Ђ use minimal props don't rush your performance Is my performance know how to use your ensure you have an appropriate relationship with the audience heavily on recorded sound know your lines don't rely know your performance space and use it wel l A list of pitfalls: Students fall into these traps: thinking they have plenty of time and failing to complete the performance project not knowing the lines not working with an audience during the development of the performance. Leaving all your performance until the last moment relying too heavily on props, costume or sound during the performance. Ђ going overtime going undermine Generating ideas Brainstorm Possible themes, situations, characters, settings, performance styles and other material that interests the student. Select Students should select material which interests them and has possibilities. Research Collect newspaper and magazine articles, samples of scripts, extracts from plays, poems, monologues, short stories, pictures, song lyrics, letters, scenarios or advertisements.Trial Trial some of the material by reading, dramatist's and improvising dialogue, movement and theatrical styles. (This could be done with partners). Shape and analyses your material Select, wri te, redraft, adapt and edit while focusing on the idea of a one-person performance. At this point a concept should begin to emerge from the material. The performance at this stage may be a work in progress which will eventually evolve into a full performance. Staging the material Consider the material in terms tot a whole integrated theatrical performance. T n ere needs to be a sense of a beginning, middle and end within the performance. It is not simply an audition piece.The following questions need to be considered: What is engaging about the performance? How can the engaging elements be emphasized? Is it clear what the performance is about? What are the key moments? How do the staging anticlerical techniques heighten these moments? How are setting, mood, situation and character established? Is there enough variety, I. E light and shade ? Does the blocking keep the audience interested? Are there any transitional moments? How do these add to the performance rather than detract from it? How does the character develop within the piece? Is the stage space used effectively, maintaining a clear actor audience relationship?Creating the character Students should have developed reasonable skills and resources for creating and developing a character in the preliminary course. These skills should be used as the basis for character development. The following strategies will help students create a character; Develop a character profile. Analyses the character's motivation and subtext. Exercises in physicality's the character: stance, movement, gestures and facial Develop the character's voice, focusing on key words, expression, expression. Create a sense of the character's development from start to finish. Timing, etc. Incorporate business (attributes and actions) that reflects the character and his or her emotional state. Include essential props and costumes. Ђ Hottest and use other belief building exercises that involve the rest of the class. Adding production elem ents Students need to approach this area with caution. An over reliance on production effects can detract from an effective performance. The rule of thumb is that the focus should always remain on the performer and production effects should be minimal and limited to those essential to the work's meaning (Creative Arts KOLA Handbook. Page 69). Production guidelines Ђ Setting: use only what is required on stage to suggest the setting, or what is actually used by the performer. Costumes: costumes should complement and enhance the character. Remember that performers in dark colors can be lost against a dark background. Ђ Sound: often provides an effective introduction to the mood and location. It may also give a performance a sense of completion or provide a heightened effect to a dramatic moment. Ensure you obtain a good quality recording. Lighting: should be kept simple and not used to solve staging problems. It is usually best to use the lights up at the start and leg lockout during an individual performance. Rehearsing the performance ants down at the end approach . Avoid a The following steps can be used by students to bring the performance to its final stage: Book the performance space early and organize for the technician, partner or teacher to sit in with a stopwatch.

Robotics

Introduction Robotics has revolutionized the way industries operate, the way items are built, and the way society lives. Robotics is a fairly new technological advance that has made lives easier, and has provided a breakthrough for many operations and businesses. In a way, robotics is the future for businesses as well as the future of mankind. Like any other type of technology, robotics can be used in various industries, has advantages and disadvantages, and has a long history of how it came about.There are many aspects of robotics to be considered which include educational fields that one can choose, and the types of applications and industries robotics is found in. Safety is an important concept and part of robotics, especially because of its complexity. Being well educated in the field of robotics can play an important role on safety as well. This field can greatly reduce the workload and can increase the productivity in many companies, no matter how big or small. Robotics is the future, and embracing it will help in the future success of businesses.History of Robotics The actual word robot was made popular by an author in his 1921 play. This author claims that his brother was the inventor of the word, which comes from the Czech word â€Å"robota† meaning servitude. Robots were first used in factories such as industrial companies, where these would fix machines in order to handle manufacturing tasks that facilitated the production and assisted humans in their everyday tasks. Robots such as industrial robots that used artificial intelligence have actually been around since the 60’s.After the 1950’s computers along with robotics started to increase in popularity as well as complexity and numbers as technology also began to advance. In 1961, the first industrial robot was built to work on the General Motors assembly line, and this machine was conceived in 1954 by George Devol and was called Unimate. The name was given because the robot was manufactured by a company called Unimation. Unimate is to this day remembered as the first industrial robot ever built. After the first robot was built, many others started to come around, and in 1971 the first icroprocessor called 4004 was created by Ted Hoff at Intel. Many other creations began to follow such as programming language called Prolog, which became the basic language in the field of artificial intelligence, then came the first industrial robot with six electromechanic axes, then the silver arm, capable of replicating human hands. Currently, robots are used to monitor outer space. In April of 2001, the Canadarm2, which was attached to the space station, was launched into orbit. This robot was a much larger and more capable version of a previously used arm.Another break though in the robotics field made it to stores in 2002. The Roomba, a robotic vacuum cleaner manufactured by the company iRobot became quite popular during this time. The most recent robotic creation was the Robonaut 2, which is the latest generation of astronaut helpers that was launched into the space station on the STS-133 mission. This is the first humanoid robot in space. Some of its features included showing engineers how robots actually behave in space so they could work on upgrades and possible advances that would assist spacewalkers perform their scientific work.Google also came out with robotic vehicles, called Google driveless cars, which became famous in 2010. These robotic vehicles had drivers behind the wheels in case of an emergency, and drove to various places while taking pictures of their surroundings. Unimate Google Images4004 Google Images Canadarm2 Google ImagesThe Roomba Google Images Robonaut 2 – Google ImagesGoogle’s Driveless Car Google Images Advantages Robotics as any other industry and profession has advantages and disadvantages. Business decisions usually come with pros and cons especially when it coms to automating the rocess of production by using industrial robots. Companies need to first take time and consider all the facts before deciding to add robots to their departments, especially when these can bring advantages and disadvantages in the process. Some of the advantages that robots can bring to companies is the fact that the quality of work is excellent. Industrial robots have the capabilities to improve the quality of production. Some of the applications performed by robots are more precise than those performed by humans and are more consistent in their quality as well. This igh level of quality and consistency is harder to obtain in any other way besides using robots. In production of products by using robots the speed of their outputs has a dramatic impact in the overall production of products. Robots are built to work at constant speeds without needing sleep, vacations, breaks, and they even produce more than any human worker. Safety is one of the other advantages found in the use of robots. Robots increase the safety in the workplace as these can perform in dangerous environments and hazardous settings, giving the opportunity to umans to move the supervisory roles and away from hazardous environments. Robots also have the advantage of proving savings for companies. Being able to provide a safe workplace, robots can bring financial savings to companies as these will incur less worker compensation fees, no healthcare or insurance payments, and robots also perform at higher levels with a fraction of the effort. Disadvantages Robots also have disadvantages that need to be considered. Investing in a robot can be costly, especially if the business owner has a budget to work with. The cost of automating the roduction by using robots needs to be calculated into the business’ financial budget. The maintenance of the robot should also be calculated to avoid future surprises or bills. When it comes to robots, programming and interaction are required, as with new employees hiring and trai ning is also a requirement. This programming and interaction can become costly depending on the time invested. Robots can also provide a safe work setting for employees, as they take the place of them in hazardous settings, but they can also bring safety problems. Their only presence can be the cause of hazard for workers as well. Advantages |Disadvantages | |You can send them to very dangerous places |You need to get people trained to fix them if anything wrong | | |happens | |You can make them do you're job for you |Need a very intelligent crew | |They are more accurate than humans Eg no shaking when in a |They can ruin peoples lives Eg Take their job away from them | |very important surgery, puts every screw in fabricating a car| | |etc. | |Can do jobs 24/7 |They are very expensive to make | |Can guard without being tired just keep doing the same thing |You need the right materials to make them, that could be very| |24/7 |rare | |No need of nutrients |If you make a very amazi ng robot with amazing quality and it | | |brakes, it might be very hard to fix | |You can program them to make them do exactly what you want |They can be very hard to program | |them to do | | |They can not harm you unless they are programmed to |They can reproduce but it could cost money for the materials | |Can work with out doubts Eg when you think â€Å"what do i do |They can reproduce but it could cost money for the materials | |now†? | |They can lift very heavy things |You need highly trained people to make them | | |They can not recharge themselves | (â€Å"Advantages and disadvantages,† ). Industries Robotics falls into three major industries including manufacturing, service and defense. These industries will also generate jobs such as technical engineering, software, testing and many others. Because robotics is such a complex field, and no one person can manage knowing every aspect of it, this is known to be a collaborative field. Basically, robotics requi res a lot of team work and discipline to achieve all the required tasks in providing a successful product. This is a great advantage as segments of robotics seem to be growing fast. One industry in particular as been the service industry, which has seen tremendous growth over the last decade. Robots are being used more frequently in manufacturing, where these help create jobs. Robots also help control quality of products and maintain that quality high. Currently, the highest percentage of robotics is seen in the United States, where about 60 percent of the service industry and 80 percent of the military industry are located. The largest manufacturers of robotics, however, are still in Germany and Japan. Service Industry Google ImagesMilitary Industry Google Images Robotics and Education Currently the robotics industry is growing rapidly, and if people do not already own a robot, they will very soon.This industry is growing in various ways such as size and sales, as well as creating growth around itself. It has been found in recent research that the robotics industry is expected to generate over one million new jobs over the next five years. One great way to get involved in the field of robotics is to sign up for the First Robotics Competition. This is a good first step, especially for those under 18 years of age. By getting involved in the competition, you can learn every aspect of robotics, the different product life cycles, and also gain experience in the field. College is another great way to learn about robotics, as many institutions offer classes and degrees in robotics.Robotics is a very complex field, and it as multiple industries that it’s a part of. The robotics industry can offer employment to a wide range of people, even if their specialties do not include a degree in this field. Many people who have science degrees, physics, or even electronics degrees are employed in the field of robotics. Software is a part of robots that is not usually vi sible, yet engineers that design these software are very important and there are many jobs available for them. The future will be driven by software designers, and those who specialize in computer science. If one is passionate about robotics, it is recommended to take a course in a robotics elated field to learn more, and to find the different paths you can take in this field. By doing so, one can meet other people interested in robotics and share ideas and interests. Some universities do not offer specific robotics courses, but you can learn about robotics by taking engineering classes as well. Some of the subjects that will allow you to learn more about robotics include computer science, mechanical engineering, and electronics engineering. It is always a good idea to spend time taking small courses to see if this field is the right career path, instead of diving into a three to four year degree without being sure it’s the right choice. Careers in Robotics | |Robot Service Engineer | |As a service engineer you would be responsible for installing, maintaining and fixing any faults with the robots. | |Qualifications: Often offered as a modern apprenticeship (Requiring GCSEs), a BTEC in electronics or an A-level in an engineering related | |subject. | |Product Consultant / Demonstrator | |If you are confident in presenting in front of a group then this job may be perfect for you. You would be required to learn everything | |about a companies and demonstrate it to a group of potential customers. | |Qualifications: This would depend on the specific company. If presenting is the primary role, an A-level in English would be beneficial. | | |Research Assistant | |If you are passionate about developing new robot technology and can demonstrate good analytical and practical skills you may be ideal for | |research. | |Qualifications: A-level, Higher education certificate, Degree or Masters in an engineering related subject. | Safety Working with robots will bec ome more and more common, whether at home or in the workplace. With new developments in the robotics field, one of the problems that engineers are facing is safety. Safety is a concern that every industry has with their employees, and is now becoming a concern with robotics as well. One of the solutions that have arise regarding safety has been to prevent the user from coming into contact with the robot by using physical barriers to do so.While studying robot-human interaction, which is known as HRI, it has been found that removing these barriers will allow people to and robots to work together and cooperate in order to perform the required tasks. Robot systems that are able to perform HRI tasks will be considered as being safety-critical complex systems because of their size, behavior, functionality, and can even cause damage to their surroundings and to their operators. One of the objective when it comes to designing robots is to have the engineers work to achieve safety. Even if engineers design a safe robot, it an be hard to prove its safety by merely testing it. The Future of RoboticsOne aspect in which robotics has revolutionized the way we live has been the invention of the mobil phone. This invention changed the communication industry when it was introduced in the early 90’s. This simple device has sparked demand for wireless communication as well as portability in other devices. Knowing how robotics has changed the way we communicate, it can be predicted that robotics will have a great impact on the future as way especially in the areas of battery life and weight, artificial intelligence, and swarm robotics. Battery life is essential for mobil devices, and it can be seen as it is the largest part of the device, and the heaviest. In the uture, power sources will be reduced to allow a smaller device with longer battery life. The second area in which robotics will impact is artificial intelligence, or AI. So far many advances have been made in thi s field, but there is still much to be done. Currently, AI systems have been created to generate logic routines at basic levels. In the future, AI software may be able to think or even act like humans. Swarm robotics is the last important area, and it refers to controlling multiple cooperating robots. This basically means that multiple robots will be able to do various tasks and at the same time be cooperating directly or indirectly to complete that task.This will help in employee a large amount of robots to complete one major task. Mobil Devices Google Images Artificial Intelligence Google Images Swarm Robotics Google Images Robots vs. Humans Robots are known to have skills that cannot be matched by humans. In some cases, robots perform one function, but in others robots can take on various tasks that will take the place of several employees. One good example is how electric shavers used to be assembled in the old days, by using hundreds of factory workers who perform this task by using only their hands. Now, these same tasks are performed by robot hands. These robots can perform the work at igher speeds than humans can, three sifts a day, 365 days a year, and without vacation, breaks, or sick days. The future of business is in robotics. Companies are now wanting to work with the robotics systems that electronics giants such as Apple are currently using. Because robots are coming down in price, and at the same time growing in sophistication, it is believed that jobs will be lost. The success of robotics has jeopardized many jobs as so many tasks can be performed at a fraction of the time, higher quality, and at a fraction of the price. Even robot manufacturers have stated that in several applications robots are already more cost-effective than people. One ay to show this was seen in a company where a $250,000 robot replaced two machine operators, making $50,000 per year, and over the 15-year life of the system, the machines yielded $3. 5 million in labor and productivity savings. Robots are known for being a faster assembly line, and this is one of the main reasons they have been replacing so many factory workers, and giving companies more of a competitive advantage and savings. Conclusion Robotics has become a great part of society’s lives, and has even become essential in developing specialized tasks that need the constancy and preciseness of robots. Handling certain tasks could take excess amount of money and time that if performed by humans alone could ruin ompanies as they would not be competitive in the market. Robots provide us with the assistance needed to get the job done faster, and in a more productive way. This is the future and being a part of it makes it definitely better. References Wikipedia. (n. d. ). History of robots. Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/History_of_robots Robotics careers and education. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. razorrobotics. com/careers-and-education/ Future of robotics. ( n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. razorrobotics. com/future-of-robotics/ Robot safety. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. razorrobotics. com/safety/ PLATT , J. R. (n. d. ).The real steel: Robotics careers ready to boom. Retrieved from http://www. todaysengineer. org/2012/Feb/career-focus. asp Advantages and disadvantages of robotics. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http:// 14wo. qataracademy. wikispaces. net/Advantages and disadvantages of robotics Advantages and disadvantages of automating with industrial robots. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. robots. com/blog/viewing/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-automating-with- industrial-robots MARKOFF, J. (n. d. ). Skilled work, without the worker. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/ 2012/08/19/business/new-wave-of-adept-robots-is-changing-global-industry. html? pagewanted=all=0

The Face in the Mirror Was Not Mine

The face in the mirror was not mine! What was going on? † Andrea thought. Now let me explain to you how this all happened†¦ Andresen's morning started off like every other day. School went well, and the evenings with her mom, dad and 2 older sisters followed the same routine as every other Thursday night. â€Å"Tonight everything is going to change for me. At 11:11 pm my biggest dream will finally come true,† Andrea thought as her wise father rambled on about what a colleague had said at lunch time.Her mother had noticed that she was being oddly quiet, and said to her: â€Å"Darling, you've barely touched you're food. † Andrea replied to her that she was going through the lessons she had learned at school today. Later on that very same night Andrea looked on her wall-clock with the French-styled twirls and saw that it was only 10:11 pm. So she decided to revise her wish: â€Å"I wish that my inner beauty would shine out onto my body and face. † The rea son for this specifically detailed wish was the fact that Andrea had never been particularly pretty, and they always say â€Å"Inner tatty shows on the inside and outside†.So Andrea always believed that her inner beauty, when brought out, would outshine her looks on the outside because she was always friendly and helpful and never complained about anything. As Andrea went on mumbling and thinking about this over and over, she had not noticed that it was already 1 1 :05 pm. Luckily she had set an alarm on her phone earlier on for seven minutes past eleven. So as the time drew nearer Andrea embraced herself for what might or might not happen. As soon as her clock showed 11:11 pm, Andrea made her sis.She suddenly felt a tingle on her spine, and after that her whole, entire body started to ache and her entire felt like she was burning. Her terrible screams woke the entire household and they rushed into her room, only to find that there was a strange, odd-looking creature on their daughters' bedroom floor. Andrea then started speaking and said: â€Å"Mom, dad; what are you doing in my room? † And all they did was point to the mirror standing in Andresen's room so that she may see what red-skinned, hunch backed creature she had become†¦

Daffodil by Ted Hughes and I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud in contrast Essay

Daffodil by Ted Hughes and I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud in contrast - Essay Example Poetry connects beyond any particular framework of time period. Certain critics comment upon this connects as influence and others quote it as inspiring. William Wordsworth, the great pantheist and romantic poet wrote the poem, ‘I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ in the year 1804. The poem popularly came to be known as ‘The Daffodils’. In the year 1986, the very modern poet Ted Hughes inspired by the poem of Wordsworth had drawn allusion from the poem of Wordsworth and included the poem bearing the title, ‘Daffodils’ in his collection of poems entitled, ‘Flowers and Insects’. In the sleek edition by Ted Hughes when other poems could not become quite popular, very intriguingly the poem which eluded its title from the Romantic era of English literature drew considerable attention. Both the poems, written age apart, very interestingly pondered upon the impact of memories captivated by both the romantic and the modern poet, which essentially builds the matrix upon which the similarities between the poems can be evaluated and the difference in the perspective upon the same subject could be analysed. Thesis Statement The essay intends to discuss critically the essential similarities and differences inherent within the poem which evolves out on the context of the same subject. Contrast: I wandered Lonely as a Cloud and Daffodils At the outset, a thorough introspection through the poem by Wordsworth, ‘I wandered Lonely as a Cloud’ enables the readers to come to terms with the exclusive order well organised within the poetic scheme by Wordsworth. The narrator of Wordsworth’s poem is reminiscing upon the private moment encountered by him and evocation of his feelings on seeing the beautiful sight of daffodils on a field. The influence of the memory is so powerful for the narrator of Wordsworth’s poem that it is capable of making the ‘pensive’ mood of the narrator elevated. Taking the q ueue of a sombre simile, the poem begins ‘I wander’d lonely as a cloud’. The metaphor of the poem is so strong that the field of dancing daffodils is assumed as the dancers on a dancing floor. The poet plays with the words to the extent within the poem that it seems the rhyming and the choice of words together are so much intended to make the lines of the poem dance together with the daffodils thereby evoking a strong imagery before the eyes of the readers (Woof, 2011). The main intention of the poem by Wordsworth is to make the readers feel the joy the narrator received on seeing the field of dancing daffodils. The surprise of the narrator is also being communicated by him when he comments upon his surprise at the ‘wealth the show to me had brought’. The poem closes with the trip of the narrator down his memory lane and aptly with a rejuvenating metaphor, ‘and then my hear with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils’ (The Wordswo rth Trust, 2012). The poem by Wordsworth focuses on the beauty and bounty the nature captivates and its ability to balm the bruises of a tired heart and elevate the pensive mood of a man. The poem by Ted Hughes is a seminal work. It is inspired by the poem of Wordsworth which captivates the daffodil flowers central to both the text. Hughes’ ‘Daffodil’ also narrates the memory of the narrator and his encounters with the flower daffodil. However, very contrastingly the berating of the narrator’s dead wife amid the reminiscence of daffodils builds a morbid tone of the poem quite contrasting to the poem of Wordsworth. The allusion of the title thus appears evidently ironic and a reader coming across the poem by Hughes for the first time will be misled because they won’t find the familiarity of context and intonation with the

(It doesn't matter) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

(It doesn't matter) - Assignment Example The theme of the current year’ Economic Report of the President  can be described by the headline of the first chapter of the report; â€Å"To Recover, Rebalance, and Rebuild†. The Nation has made significant efforts for the recovery from the Great Recession that took shape towards the end of 2007 and prevailed until the middle of 2009. The economy has grown for 10 straight quarters, as a result of which the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country in real terms has exceeded its peal level that was achieved before the 2007-09 recession had started. The real GDP has increased 6.2 percent since 2009 (Economic Report of The President 2012, p. 42). However, the extended effects of the severity of the crisis have slowed down the pace of recovery. Job growth has been sluggish; from February 2010 till January 2012 a net total of 3.7 million jobs were added by the private sector employers (Economic Report of The President 2012, p. 27). This can be contrasted with the perio d of recovery from the 1991 recession (between November 1991 till October 1993) 3 million jobs had been added (Economic Report of The President 2012, p.27). In the mid 2009, President Obama and his Administrative body took steps to rebalance the sources economic growth. The inclination of business investment has shifted real estate to sectors like software industry, expansion of which leads to expansion of capacity and productivity. A vital down payment for the future is made by investments in education, infrastructure, clean energy and research and development. The President has emphasized upon the identification of common grounds, such that government policies can act along with the private players without impeding economic growth. The gains of economic growth are intended to provide opportunity to the middle class and the ones struggling to get into the middle class. Credit conditions have improved over the years and real consumer spending has averaged to 1.9 percent in the last two quarters of 2011 compared to 1.4 percent in the first half (Economic Report of The President 2012, p. 46). Nominal tax receipt by the State and the local governments has increased by approximately 4 percent (Economic Report of The President 2012, p. 59). While sales and property taxes rose, corporate taxes were down. Real exports rose by 5.2 percent during 2011 while real imports grew 3.8 percent (Economic Report of The President 2012, p. 60). The efficiency of the safety net programs has been emphasized upon in the report. Policy developments on the key components of the safety net are mentioned. 9.6 percent households received Unemployment Insurance in 2010 (Economic Report of The President 2012, p. 202). State would experiment with a program named ‘Bridge to Work’ in which people facing frictional unemployment while changing jobs would be taken by private employers and compensated for up to 38 hours of work per week for a period of eight weeks. The President†™s Budget includes the goal of securing a job to every American who wants a job. It has been recognized that smart regulation like the benefit-cost analysis, public investment, and promotion of clean domestic energy would lay the groundwork for technological advancement and raising productivity. Comments The US economy was stuck deep in financial crisis when President Barrack took oath of office on January 20, 2009. The economy contracted at an alarming rate of 8.9

Michael Porter on Value Based Health Care Delivery Essay

Michael Porter on Value Based Health Care Delivery - Essay Example By value-based, reference is being made to an era where service providers offer best value to patients. It is in the light of this that Plotkin and Orenstein (2004) explained best value to be one that caters for specific medical needs of patients. In the words of Porter however, such best value entails delivery that focuses on specific medical conditions. This opinion held by Porter is certainly supported due to the inputs that he gives as to what constitutes value based health care delivery. From the video, it would be noted that Porter sees value based health care delivery as one that takes into consideration the need for service providers to focus on what they can do best based on their experience so that there can be better outcomes at lower cost. Very often, the problem that service users who are the patients have faced is a healthcare system where every service provider or facility professes to be a master of all trades. With their need to solving every other type of healthcare need, these service providers end up becoming masters of none and therefore giving patients very poor service. As a suggestion to what Porter offers, there should now be a mechanism where service providers will be made to earn anything from their service based on the outcomes

Celebrities can Never be True Heroes in Our Lives, But Our Parents Can Essay

Celebrities can Never be True Heroes in Our Lives, But Our Parents Can Be - Essay Example Celebrities can Never be True Heroes in Our Lives, But Our Parents Can Be However, all of that changes once adolescence sets in for most kids. We then start to see parents more as controlling freaks who just dont understand the needs of a teenager. They just dont get it and therefore, can never be the hero in the world of a teenager. But, celebrities get it and that is why we turn our attention to the celebrities and their world of make believe adoration for the hero worship that we seek. to bestow upon people. Celebrities represent everything that a child wishes to be in life. They leap off the movie screens as heroes and rebels who always win in the end. The publicity that surrounds them tend to give them almost superhuman quality. Thus making them the envy of every insecure teenager in the world, or a heroic inspiration to some of their almost blind followers who begin to pattern their lives and way of thought after these person or people who have caught their admiration and attention. While parents try to control their teenagers at this point in their lives, the teenager continues to struggle for a sense of self and an identity to call all his own. By admiring celebrities, the child can practically try on different personalities with the â€Å"guidance† of a person who is actually living the life that the child had in mind. What teenagers do not realize at this point in their lives, is that the celebrities actually live shallow, lonely lives that are devoid of any real meaning or purpose.

Ordeal by Fire The Civil War and Reconstruction by James McPherson and Essay

Ordeal by Fire The Civil War and Reconstruction by James McPherson and James Hogue - Essay Example The Free Soil Party argued that unlike in slavery, a free society provided greater moral and economic gains. In light of the clear cut agenda, the party worked to press for a repeal of existing slavery laws in Ohio, and New York among other states (Byrne, 2006). The Wilmot Proviso is one of the key historical developments that led to the American Civil War. The proviso would have outlawed slavery in all the new areas annexed from Mexico or from any other place later on. However, conservatism elements were eventually pitted against the advocates for a free society during the American Civil War. The Compromise of 1850 comprised a set of legislation endorsed by Congress in an effort to resolve slavery, which threatened to divide the country (Byrne, 2006). Despite the incorporation of controversial clauses in it, it was successfully passed by Congress and immediately united the country on slavery (Mitchell, 2001). The law kept the Union stronger by stemming cases of an imminent split, thus delaying the eruption of the Civil War by a decade. The Kansas–Nebraska Act, enacted in 1854 established Kansas and Nebraska states. This expanded the American territory for civilian occupation and effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise, which had been adopted three decades earlier. The new law granted people the authority to decide slavery issues. As a result, pro-slavery settlers came from Missouri to Kansas to exercise this right. Their political clout in territorial polls was usually boosted by Missourians who made their way into Kansas mainly to take part in the polls. They created strong movements such as the Blue Lodges. Eventually, abolitionist settlers arrived in Kansas from the East with the sole aim of freeing the state of slavery.

(you decide for me) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

(you decide for me) - Essay Example This type of racism is rampant in white dominated societies. The other form of racism is economic racism; this mainly has historical orientation with regard to economic or social disparity affecting the current generation. Some of these practices include a biased technique of hiring of employees based on race, a biased salary payment procedure, use of inflated requirements with regard to educational qualification or rendering foreign credentials invalid with regard to applying for a position in an organization. It has been argued that, hypothetically, a capitalist economy or profit driven employer reduces racial segregations, in the sense that, capitalists would avoid extra cost by accommodating everyone and minimizing discrimination or any racist hiring policies. However, normally cultural norm or affiliations tend to overwhelm the capitalists ideology in the sense that, hiring an individual of a different race to a managerial position may hamper communication among the other employers, jeopardizing the company’s operations. This tend ency may continue to the outside of the company, as other companies tend to isolate it too. The other form of racism is the institutional racism. This is a form of racism incorporated within the policies of a given institution, its practices and institutional procedures. These policies of which may be lead to deliberately or unconsciously, direct or indirectly promote, support or ingrain differential advantage for individuals belonging to certain races. Generally, institutional racism involves overt racist acts by individuals of which is not adequately responded to by the organization. Institutional racism is not just limited to institutions alone, it extensively covers even governments, co-operations and even religions. For instance, there are governments or branches of government arms that perpetuate racism against individuals with foreign origin by denying them access to basic

Identify IDEA disability categories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Identify IDEA disability categories - Essay Example Lack of morale to focus on a task is evidence of an inactive person. It would be that he is frustrated because of his culture shock and he finds it hard to interact with the other students who would probably help him to boost his academic performance (Federal Special Education, 2004). It is more than a process of absorption of facts but continuously developing as thinking, feeling and changing intercultural beings. Tomas however has not broken away from his culture in order to interact with the other students freely and learn from them. Harper has emotional disturbance. One of the characteristics of emotional disturbance is that the affected child exhibits inappropriate types of behavior in normal circumstances. This is perfectly true for Harper who gets quickly bored by his fellow peers who are not as smart as him. He also he also hates loud noises in school and yet all children of his age tend to love loud noises. Harper also struggles with a substitute teacher. This should not be the case as teachers are bound to be substituted in a school. It can be argued that Tomas suffers from an intellectual disability and emotional disturbance. This is due to the fact that he is often frustrated as he cannot match up with his peers’ intellectual capacity. This has led him to take impulsive actions which are a characteristic of emotional disturbance. It can be said that Austin is suffering from traumatic brain injury. This can be clearly evidenced from the fact that he had serious head injuries after the accident. This has led to him taking a longer time to do things and he has trouble remembering. He also has difficulty in doing Math which he highly performed in before the accident. This is definitely a characteristic of traumatic brain injury whereby the affected child has difficulties in problem-solving that eventually affects his educational performance (Danaher & Shackelford, 2001). The

Annotated Soap Note Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Annotated Soap Note - Assignment Example The pain does not extend to other areas and the mass is located close to the nipple and feels hard when touched. The lump emerged about three weeks ago. The patients report no change in the size of the breast and there is no discharge. Pertinent medical: immunizations up to date (last TD Jan 2015). She has undergone post mastectomy radiation therapy six months, 20mg/day tamoxifen, and 600mg ibuferon. The patient denies ever using hormonal drugs. Family history: Her mother passed away due to breast cancer at the age of 65 years. The father living (70-year-old) has history of hypertension and DM. has two siblings (brother 35 years old and sister 37 year old) both in good health. Social history: She admits smoking three to five cigarettes a day but denies using hard drugs and alcohol. The patient is single and has no children. She is an active dancer and participates in swimming. Her current diet is low calorie with a lot of fruits and vegetables. General: Presents in a normal state of â€Å"good† weight and health. No recent weight loss or gain. No presence of rash around the nipple of the left breast. There is pain on the lump when pressed. No lumps on the armpit. HEENT: no problem with hearing or vision. No headaches or dizziness. Normal nasal diameters, and no running nose or congestion. There is no evidence of removable or permanent dental. Last dental assessment conducted on January 2015. The lump is smooth, rubbery and moves with ease within the breast tissue. A fine needle aspiration was conducted to obtain a tissue for testing. There is no bleeding or discharge from the nipple and neither is there any change in color. The diagnosis is based on three assessments imaging, cytopathological and clinical. The three assessments aim to reduce the effect of any technique of diagnosis being less than 100% specific and sensitive to diagnose or eliminate breast cancer. The clinical assessment aim to

CI Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

CI - Essay Example Another impact of this study of effects of merger events is the impact it has on the competitiveness of the post merger firm in terms of profitability and efficiency. The competitiveness is a critical aspect to be considered by investors and managers before deciding on whether a merger is an appropriate financial decision to make. The way stock markets react to events around a merger and specifically the announcement of a merger can be used to reasonably predict the future financial and operational performance of firm in a financial market so long as it is efficient. This research looked at the stock performance of some of the listed stocks before a merger announcement and after the announcement. The daily stock prices were noted and analyzed statistically to highlight the changes in return and correlated with the stated event and other similar competing firms’ stock prices. It was generally noted that the announcement of a merger generally resulted in certain changes in the p rices of stock. Review of literature points out that there is a negative correlation between the stock returns and hence the value of the firm after an announcement of a merger. This could be explained using hypothesis put forward by behavioral finance scholars. This particular empirical study further reinforces the studies in which the post merger firm values as indicated by the stock prices using the cumulative average abnormal returns CAARs reduce with the announcement of a merger, just a few days of the announcement and well after the announcement has reached the public. Introduction Economists and financial analysts are sometimes faced with the challenge of figuring out the magnitude of the effect an economic event has on the underlying value of firms. This implies that they have to measure the impact based on a particular cause or event. To achieve this the event study methods have developed that assist in the construction of effective models that easily predict the value of a firm based on an event. This is basically an event study that employs residual analysis to evaluate and analyze how a market behaves to an announcement of a merger. A company merger would mean that a company would inherently have more capital size, increased in operations and more diversification. This however does not always result in improved profitability as it could be hindered by excessive costs of acquisition and regulation obstacles. In previous studies it has been noted that an event such as the announcement of a merger had a positive market reaction. This can be investigated using abnormal stock returns noted during such events. As earlier stated the announcement of a merger and or acquisition shall be regarded as the event for the purposes of this study. This research paper has the following objectives: (a) to investigate whether news or any other publicly available information can influence the price patterns of the acquirer and (b) to examine the impact a merger announc ement has on the stock prices of the acquired. The research shall be carried out by comparing the stock prices and daily returns before the merger announcement and immediately after the merger announcement using the daily closing stock prices. This particular paper is organized into four sections. The first section shall review the literature on previous research on event studies related to mergers

Critical assessment of the contention that todays globalised business Essay

Critical assessment of the contention that todays globalised business environment is mainly about the production of flows, and needs to take little account of territories - Essay Example Flows are a significant part of the current globalization process because they allow for cultures and economies of different countries to be integrated to one another. This leads to the creation of a common style of doing things and a step towards the development of a common global culture (Wolf 2004). A territory refers to a defined area of water and land mass, and air owned by a country, state, organization or a person. People have often hold the view that globalization has caused the dissolving of all boundaries and borders and that cultural influences, people and money can flow freely all round the globe. According to such a view, the globalised business environment is basically about the creation of needs and flows that take little consideration of territories. However, there are instances in which we find that the flows of goods, technologies or services are subject to territory border restrictions (Bhagwati 2004). ICT has played a significant role in globalization because it has changed the environment in which services and goods are created and distributed. Currently, people move across international boundaries for purposes of business, studies, searching for better economic opportunities and tourism. This in turn has led to transfer of technologies, trade patterns and factor endowments across the world. (Freeman 2006). Even with the potential advantages of globalisation, there are still policies that control or restrict the free movement of workers into advanced labour markets. Some territories continue to be a significant part of today’s globalization to a great extends for example the San Diego-Tijuana. Tijuana-San Diego lies on the border between, San Diego and Tijuana, two large coastal cities in North America. The international metropolitan area is located at the junction of major state routes, interstates and federal highways. It is positioned at the terminus of 10 major federal highways and interstates. Stiglitz(2006) explains that such a strategic position is important for globalization because it serves as a point which people or states meet and integrate. It facilitates easy flow and exchange of ideas, goods, capital, technology and people. San Diego is a significant area of culture finance, and economies in California while Tijuana is a significant regional business center in northwestern Mexico. Globalization has enabled the region to remain as a dominant commercial center in the US. According to Noah Timothy (2010), San Diego experiences the most active land-crossing in the world as people cross for business and tourist purposes. Globalisation has allowed san Diego-Tijuana to grow to a powerful economic region in the California. As much as globalization has increased the flow of goods or people across borders, there are still some policies and trade regulations in some countries that restrict the importation of certain goods (Bhagwati 2004). For exa mple the importation of certain merchandise are restricted or totally prohibited in Portugal to protect its economy and security while some are subject to restrain under import quota (US. Department of Commerce 2010).This means that globalization does not have the power to disregard territories. The current flow of goods people, finance and cultural ideas around has bound up territories through the creation of a global competitive environment that

Corporate Governance and Revised Combined Code Essay

Corporate Governance and Revised Combined Code - Essay Example This was damaging both to the British economy and to the City of London as a market for investors. This series of situations prompted the Stock Exchange to launch the Cadbury Inquiry into the financial aspects of corporate governance in 1990. Corporate governance had become important. The Cadbury Committee Report of December 1992 defines corporate governance (CG) as 'a system by which companies are directed and controlled. Boards of directors are responsible for the governance of their companies. The shareholders' role in governance is to appoint the directors and the auditors and to satisfy themselves that the appropriate governance structure is in place.' The Higgs Report, 10 years later, however, defined CG as, 'a system that provides an architecture of accountability - the structures and processes to ensure companies are managed in the interests of their owners.' The OECD Report of April 1998 provides an international view of corporate governance. It says that 'Corporate governance comprehends that structure of relationships and corresponding responsibilities among a core group consisting of shareholders, board members and managers are best designed to foster the competitive performance required to achieve the corporation's primary objective.' A number of best practices code in CG has emerged as a result ... andard good practices for all company related matters such as board composition and development, remuneration, accountability and audit and relations with shareholders. The Cadbury Committee (1992) recognised that the board of directors in a company should be free to drive their companies ahead but at the same time function within a framework of accountability. The Code was updated by the Hampel Committee in 1998, embracing the recommendations of the Cadbury and Greenbury committee, as well as the Hampel committee. The Combined Code was updated in 2003 with the recommendations of the Higgs Report about the role of non-executive directors and the role of the audit committee (the Smith Report). During this time the UK Government also confirmed that the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) was to have the responsibility for publishing and maintaining the Code. In 2006, further changes were made by the FRC to the code. The latest consultations on a proposal to revise the Combined Code will end in March 2010, after which the UK Corporate Governance Code, as it will be known, will apply to financial years beginning on or after 29 June 2010. First introduced in 1998, The Combined Code has been updated at intervals. The current version of the Code isthe June 2008 edition, which applies to accounting periods beginning on or after 29 June 2008. CG is important as it contributes both to business prosperity and to accountability. A Few Best Practices of CG in the UK United Utilities - Company of the Year 2009 The largest listed water company in the UK, United Utilities, owns, operates and maintains utility assets such as water, wastewater, electricity and gas. The company's commitment towards corporate social and environmental responsibilities has been demonstrated through its

Peer review for a resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Peer review for a resume - Essay Example The appearance of the resume can be improved by increasing the using a line spacing of 1.5 and increasing the font to 12 so that the white space can be reduced and make it easier to read and find the important information. The action verbs used effectively show and demonstrate what the writer did in regards to employment descriptions but he fails to state the results of his actions. Additionally, the writer uses the same verbs repeatedly; there are numerous synonyms to the verbs used by the writer that could have been used so that the wordings do not recur in the resume. The writer should also have considered using verbs like attained, balanced, compiled and communicated among others. According to Markel’s criteria, the writer should have stated his education before stating the employment history and this should have been done in a manner that is clear and honest. However, the education section was done in a comprehensive manner that included clearly stating the grades that the writer acquired. In the employment history section, the writer should have stated the equipment that he had to operate, the funds that he controlled if any as well as the documents, clients and personnel he might have been responsible for. From this resume, it is highly likely that the references section will catch the eye of the employer since the writer provides referees who work at the same place but does not provide a referee from his first place of employment. It is likely that the employer will want to know why there are no references from his or her previous employment. The cover letter is clearly addressed and the introduction is short and precise as it states plainly the manner in which the writer became aware of the position being applied for. In the introduction, the writer also states that position that was advertised but it would have been relatively clearer if he had provided a subject with the position

Rabies Virus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rabies Virus - Research Paper Example The RNP complex along with the the viral RNA is comprised â€Å"of the proteins L (transcriptase), N (nucleoprotein), and NS (transcriptase-associated)† (Rupprecht). â€Å"These aggregate in the cytoplasm of virus-infected neurons and compose Negri bodies, the characteristic histopathologic finding of rabies virus infection. The M (matrix) and G (glycoprotein) proteins are associated with the lipid envelope. The G protein forms the protrusions that cover the outer surface of the virion envelope and is the only rabies virus protein known to induce virus-neutralizing antibody† (Rupprecht). Rabies virus can be either the fixed type or street (wild type) (Rupprecht). Incubation period In dogs, the incubation period is usually 3-6 weeks but it may range from 10 days to a year. In man, the incubation period is usually from 1-3 months though it may be as short as 10 days or as long as 3 years. Incubation period is usually short in persons bitten on the face or head and long in those bitten on the legs. Incubation period is shorter in children. (Ananthnarayanan) Reservoirs of infection and host range The rabies virus infects a wide range of hosts, including dogs and cats, raccoons, coyotes, skunks, foxes, bats, and human beings. Any warm-blooded animal can be infected with rabies; however, some animals like wolves, foxes, and coyotes are more susceptible (Ananthnarayanan) Transmission About 99.8% of reported cases of rabies are due to bites of animals. The â€Å"other forms of transmission that have been reported includes contamination of mucous membranes, faulty vaccines, corneal transplants, and aerosol transmission† (Rupprecht) Signs and symptoms Rabies virus affects primarily the central nervous system, and causes an acute infection. In humans, there are five clinical stages: â€Å"the incubation period, prodrome, acute neurologic period, coma, and death† (Rupprecht) The prodromal period usually lasts from 2 to 10 days and clinical sympt oms are first noticed during this stage. The symptoms may include fever, general malaise, fatigue, cough, sore throat, dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, dysphagia, abdominal pain, diarrhea, irritability, vertigo, headache, anxiety, nervousness and apprehension (Rupprecht). Some significant features like â€Å"insomnia, nightmares, depression, increased agitation, photophobia, priapism, and increased libido, may also occur† (Rupprecht). In that case, it suggests the presence of psychiatric disturbances encephalitis, or other brain abnormalities (Rupprecht). A pathognomonic feature in the acute neurologic period is difficulty in drinking together with intense thirst. Attempts to drink brings painful spasms of pharynx and larynx, producing choking that patients later develop a dread for even the sight or sound of water (hydrophobia) (Scheld & Whitley) In the acute neurologic period, the disease is categorized as dumb rabies if paralysis is the main clinical feature and as fur ious rabies if the symptom of hydrophobia is the main clinical feature. Both types of rabies may show signs like â€Å"focal and generalized convulsions, muscle fasciculations, hyperventilation, paresthesia, hypersalivation and nuchal rigidity† (Rupprecht) After the acute neurologic period ends, the patient may develop a rapid, irregular type of breathing. Very soon, paralysis and coma develops. Unless ventilator support is instituted, the patient may

Principles infection control Essay Example for Free

Principles infection control Essay Explain employees’ roles and responsibilities in relation to the prevention and control of infection ANSWER As an employee the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 state that I have a duty and responsibility to ensure that I as an employee have a duty to be responsible in showing reasonable care for my own safety. I have the responsibility of my own safety in terms of cleanliness and hygiene observation and practice; I am responsible for cooperating and following the health and safety guidelines and expectations of my employer; I am responsible for maintaining and taking care of all hygiene equipment and materials and to report when there is a faulty; I am responsible for using PPE appropriately and attending the necessary training in health and safety, keeping my skills up to date; I have a responsibility of to monitor the hygiene practices of my staff as a senior care support worker making sure that they observe practices such as wearing appropriate PPE and washing hands appropriately as well as updating their training. I must be of the attitude that when it comes to infection prevention and control that all individuals (including myself) are high risk and practice my control of hygiene accordingly. This means wearing PPE such as gloves and aprons when assisting a service user to toilet or wash; disposing of the PPE appropriately afterwards and washing my hands thoroughly. It includes using new clean PPE between attending to different service users; making sure pads and soiled linen are bagged and disposed correctly; disinfecting and wiping down areas when necessary; storing foods to correct temperatures; preparing foods to correct temperatures before serving; using clean food implements and equipment and following the instructions of the use and storage of substances hazardous to health. I must also keep my personal hygiene up to standards at work by wearing appropriate clean clothing and  keeping my hair tidy and tied away for my face, no jewellery or dangling parts and sensible foot wear. Wearing inappropriate clothing such as clothes with tassels can drop into food and cause cross contamination; shoes that will cause imbalance and cause me to topple over would be dangerous especially if carrying food, waste or assisting a person to manoeuvre. Not wearing appropriate PPE would increase the chance of cross contamination as substances such as bodily fluids, chemicals and other foreign particles such as hair etc can be easily transferred to ingest or inhale in some way. Reporting faulty equipment is essential as if a dish washer or washing machine breaks down then this increases the risk of the items they would process to not be processed properly or sit around harbouring bacteria for longer thus increasing the risk to cross contamination. Updating my knowledge in subjects such as health and safety and food safety is vital as it reinforces knowledge and practice and informs me of any legislation and practices that have changed. If a service user develops an infection then I must record and report this straight away making sure that the home nurse or manager is aware and that it is handed over to the staff team with instructions of how to provide care. The service user must receive medical attention from the home nurse or a GP. These types of infections must also include reporting to necessary bodies such as RIDDOR at the local authority by the GP, especially in circumstances of food poisoning or contagious infections such as Healthcare Associated Infections (e.g. MRSA, MSSA, C. Difficile and E. Coli which are all very contagious bacteria). If a member of staff has an infection and they pose a risk to others of cross contamination then they should seek medical attention and not come into work advising me by phone call of what the issue is so that I can alert the manager or home nurse and we can check for any risk of cross contamination. This staff member (including myself it affected) should not return to work unless the risk had gone and it is medically safe to do so. A certificate from my (or staffs) GP must be provided in these cases. Continue on a separate page if necessary QUESTION- ( 1.2 ) Explain employers’ responsibilities in relation to the prevention and control of infection ANSWER Employers have a great duty to ensure that health and safety regulations (HASAWA 1974) are met in the prevention and control of infections because they also have a duty of care to ensure it is prevented and/ or kept under control and terminated. Health and safety legislation states that employers must protect employees from danger and harm as far as reasonably possible so the work premises that they provide for service users to dwell and staff to work in must be safe and free from danger. In terms of infection control, all substances that are hazardous to health including bodily fluids, chemicals and wastes must have provisions so that they can be stored, handled, cleaned, processed and disposed of safely with minimal risk to individuals. Risk assessments must be carried out in the work place to ensure that any risks are identified, minimised and monitored as a way of limiting and controlling the risk of infection. Risk assessment of stored and used substances including COSHH and biohazard substances and risk assessments of working procedures including risk assessments in serviced users care plans must be carried out and updated. Employers must provide the means for staff to access training so that their employees knowledge and skills are up to date; they must provide the means to PPE so that employees can protect themselves and others whilst they work with hazardous substances and they must ensure that regular health and safety checks are carried out so that any issues can be identified and corrected in the building and in the resources. Employers must also provide the necessary infection prevention and control in policies and procedures so that I and my staff team can access the necessary information on how we carry out our work. The main source of Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs) are transferred via hand contact therefore it is vital that my employer provides that  adequate resources for myself and staff to wash our hands and dry our hands regularly, appropriately and to procedure. The facilities to wash with warm water and use a WC should be clean and safe (not damaged and kept clean) provided with necessary hand wash, disposable hand towels and pedal bins. Such resources are vital to the control and prevention of infections. Continue on a separate page if necessary QUESTION- ( 2.1 ) Outline current legislation and regulatory body standards which are relevant to the prevention and control of infection ANSWER As well as the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 that stipulates that each employee and employers have a responsibility of showing reasonable care for ourselves and others and to provide a safe place to work respectively; other acts that state more specifically how the prevention and control of infections must be met in my work place and these include Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (2002) or COSHH and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurences Regulations 1995 or RIDDOR. A hazardous substance is any substance or material with the potential to cause illness or injury to the people whom come into contact with it and are likely to come in the forms of liquids, dust, fumes, gases and living organisms. The control of these substances involve the prevention of accidents and ill health and therefore COSHH stipulates that such hazards must be identified; risk assessed; prevent exposure to or control exposure to and staff should be regularly check if they are continuously working with some high risk substances. COSHH also requires that people at work handling substances should follow the instructions or be trained to handle the substances; know what control measures to take and how to take appropriate action in an emergency In a care home environment the employer must make sure that the storage of any substances is safe and legally adequate i.e. in  correct containers, in suitable room, in suitable temperatures, dry area, off of the floor, locked securely etc; all chemical substances should have their data sheets listing the ingredients; storage rooms sign posted appropriately and have only authorised persons using them etc. The regulation should also explain of how to deal with spillages safely and this would include the spillage of blood and/or urine; how to dispose of sharps and dispose of soiled materials such as pads. RIDDOR (1995) covers the recording and reporting of dangerous occurrences and accidents in the workplace. I must ensure that these reports be kept for 3 years and they must be available for inspection by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as and when required. Work places should have a system of reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences as a result of accidents and incidents. An accident is something that happens that results in an injury or death and an incident is something that almost could have happened that might not have caused harm now but could cause an injury, ill health or a fatality in the future. I must report some incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (via RIDDOR) directly and these include: Death or a major injury Injury resulting in employees being 3 or more Poisoning days off of work Occupational cancers Occupational asthma or lung disease Skin condition such as (from asbestos) skin cancers or dermatitis Musculo-skeletal disorders including fractures Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 a code of practice was established for the prevention and control of Health Care Associated Infections (HCAIs) setting out how the NHS will go about attempting to prevent HCAIs. 1 Systems to manage and monitor the prevention and control of infection. These systems use risk assessments and consider how susceptible service users are and any risks that their environment and other users may pose to them. 2 Provide and maintain a clean and appropriate environment in managed premises that facilitates the prevention and control of infections. 3 Provide suitable accurate information on infections to service users and their visitors. 4 Provide suitable accurate information on infections to any person concerned with providing further support or nursing/ medical care in a timely fashion. 5 Ensure that people who have or develop an infection are identified promptly and receive the appropriate treatment and care to reduce the risk of passing on the infection to other people. 6 Ensure that all staff and those employed to provide care in all settings are fully involved in the process of preventing and controlling infection. 7 Provide or secure adequate isolation facilities. 8 Secure adequate access to laboratory support as appropriate. 9 Have and adhere to policies, designed for the individual’s care and provider organisations that will help to prevent and control infections. 10 Ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that care workers are free of and are protected from exposure to infections that can be caught at work and that all staff are suitably educated in the prevention and control of infection associated with the provision of health and social care. The Department of Health 2010 ‘The Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance’. My employer has to show how it is implementing these codes as best suited to the organisation and assessed and inspected by the Care Quality Commission. The Public Health Control Of Diseases Act 1984 and the Public Health (infectious Diseases) Regulations provides information about disease which are risks such as Dysentery, cholera, diphtheria and food poisoning etc . It explains how an outbreak should be handled, recorded and reported and the responsibility of informing the environmental health officer of the outbreak so that an investigation can be carried out. Continue on a separate page if necessary QUESTION- ( 2.2 ) Describe local and organisational policies relevant to the prevention and control of infection ANSWER Policies that cover the prevention and control of infection at my work place include those of: Hand washing technique procedure: To wash hands thoroughly after assisting service users (for example after assisting them to use the toilet, change their pad or even after dressing them or feeding them) it is of paramount importance that I (and my staff team) follow the established method of hand washing. Transference of bacteria via hand to hand contact is the most common way of the spread of infections and pathogens that cause them so it is vital that I carry this out throughout my working practice. My work place has this method displayed in appropriate places (i.e. above hand wash basins) so that it is there to guide me and my staff team. It is a process that should take no more than 15 to 30 seconds and it is a process that is carried out frequently, even if disposable or non disposable gloves are used – hand washing technique is still necessary. The facilities must be available and this includes the basin with hot water, soap and disposable towels. My work place has policies and procedures outlining what to do in the event of the outbreak of infection. It will outline a procedure of recording and reporting on the necessary forms not only for our records but also for RIDDOR. It will direct me to report and outbreak or the suspicion of an outbreak to the home manager or nurse so that they can report to the Environmental Health authorities. If needed a GP will be called in to tend to the service user and will also advise to or report to the local  environmental health inspector for RIDDOR of a notifiable disease such as dysentery, cholera, MRSA, MSSA, C, Difficile or E, Coli (to name a few). The policy will outline the various circumstances of which to notify the Environmental Health Authorities because even though sickness like diarrhoea and influenza are quite common and most people can overcome them with over the counter medications, for elderly people these can pose more of a threat an cause pneumonia or even death if they are not supported straight away because of their weakened immune system or if they already have a chest condition. The procedures outline what to do if there is an outbreak in the home depending on what the suspected infection is i.e. best practice in cases of influenza should instruct along the lines of making the conditions present indicate the threat i.e. The signs and symptoms of influenza e.g. Onset of fever, headache, myalgia, cold or runny nose, sore throat etc; symptoms like these in 2 or more individuals in the home within a 3 day period and the preventative treatment that needs to be put into place as a result. Policies of storage and use of substances that are hazardous to health also cover chemical products that are used throughout the work place (i.e. detergents, cleaners, disinfectants, aerosols etc) and the routine and schedule of cleaning areas particularly areas such as bathrooms, wet rooms, toilets and kitchens. Policy and procedure are also provided on how to dispose of items such as sharps and soiled pads; Soiled pads should disposed of in yellow sanitation bags which can be disposed of in the clinical waste bin; needles and other forms of sharps during drug administration or phlebotomy must be disposed of in special sharps containers that are collected and incinerated. Some service user may have to use certain aids to help them in their day to day lives and these can also require care and attention so as to reduce infection and spread of infection. Such items as catheters need to be cleaned and the service user would need to clean or assistance to clean their most intimate areas so as to prevent infections. Procedure advice on how to clean and care for the aids and how to protect ourselves with appropriate PPE before tending to them. All new catheter bags will be  inside of sterile packaging and we must ensure that these are kept sealed and renew according to care plan. Policy and procedure instructing on care of service users stoma bags would also be another example of such aids where infection prevention and control is of great importance. Continue on a separate page if necessary QUESTION- ( 3.1 ) Describe procedures and systems relevant to the prevention and control of infection ANSWER My work place also has guidance in the form of policies of when to use Personal Protective Equipment such as gloves, aprons or gowns, masks and eye protection. These are vital as a protective barrier against transference of pathogens from service user to me (or staff) and from me to service user. These must be worn when assisting the service user to toilet, change pads, wash, dress and a fresh set when preparing food. They should also be worn when changing bins or clearing up spillages, especially of hazardous substances. The gloves and aprons must be disposable as this reduces the harbouring of pathogens and cuts down the spread of infections. The procedures cover how to don and remove such items as carrying out such methods in sequence cuts down the risk of the spread of infections and transference of pathogens e.g. it may outline a process such as: Carry out hand hygiene immediately before and after donning and removing PPE. Don a gown Don a mask (if used) Don eye wear (if used) Don gloves. Such donning of protection must be carried out in this order as to put gloves  on firstly would make it difficult to tie and adjust other garments; also if hands are gloved it may encourage the user to touch things that may carry infection and then they would transfer when donning other PPE. Donning a mask or eye wear firstly would also be impractical as they would get in the way when donning other items. It is best to don the gown firstly as this has to be done up at the back and then the others (where applicable) and gloves lastly. The procedure will also outline how to don each item of PPE e.g. for donning gloves it may say to don them lastly by inserting hands into gloves and then making sure that the gloves also cover the wrists; and also how to (and in what order to) remove each item of PPE in order to cuts down the risk of the spread of infections and transference of pathogens. Cleaning of certain rooms and facilities in the care home require regular cleaning and decontaminating, disinfecting and sterilisation. Toilets, bathrooms, commodes, equipment such as hoists, bath chairs and handle rails all need to be cleansed in line with the procedure of the home. For example procedure in my care home stipulates that the commodes must be generally cleaned and decontaminated and disinfected after each use, as well as the resident’s toilets. Soiling may not be visible to the eye however the bacteria still persists so this must be cleaned and disinfected immediately. Similarly bathrooms and wet rooms must be cleaned and disinfected after each use as residue from the service users body would be left behind causing bacteria to build up, especially in a damp place. According to procedure I ensure that staffs or myself frequently check the resident’s toilets (hourly). A checking schedule is placed in the toilet where we tick off that it has been checked. In addition to this when we assist the service user to use the toilets after their use we used disinfecting wipes to clean down the seat area and a spate wipe to clean the flushing handle whilst applying disinfectant to the toilet bowl. If debris is in the toilet bowl, this must be scrubbed away using the toilet brush. Many service users need our assistance to use the toilet however some are able to use the toilet themselves and may not remember or be able to disinfect the toilet appropriately after use so we check the toilet hourly  for this purpose. After we finish assisting the service user, making sure that they wash their hands and they are made comfortable outside of toilet we change gloves to clean gloves (as to not cross contaminate from assisting them to other surfaces) and use cleaning materials that are stored in a secure cupboard in the toilet firstly applying toilet bowl disinfectant to the bowl and scrub bowl with toilet brush (if required); use a disinfecting wipe to clean top of bowl, a fresh one for the seat and another last wipe during the flush. We clean the flushing handle lastly using the wipe so as to not risk contamination after touching anywhere else. Where wipes are not used or have run out we use colour coded disposable cleaning cloths and liquid detergents (to remove physical debris) then liquid disinfectant to disinfect the surfaces. These are readily made up to the correct solutions (according to manufactures specifications) and are bottled in colour coded plastic bottles and labelled. For cleaning supplies used in toilets the spray bottles containing the detergent and disinfectants, cleaning cloths, mops and mop-buckets are all red. This gives a clear indication that these are the materials and equipment to be used in the toilet areas only and ensures that these are not used elsewhere in the home providing a procedural barrier against cross contamination. When using the liquid cleaners/disinfectants and cloths we clean and disinfect the flush handle firstly and then work our way down to the bowl to spread of infection from toilet bowl to flush handle. If there is a spillage of urine on the floor then we use water and detergent with a designated mop and mop-bucket (colour coded red) to clean away the spillage. After the physical debris has been removed then we use disinfectant to disinfect the area, ensuring that hazard warning signs are put in place whilst cleaning is taking place so as to warn others of slippery floor surfaces. We open the window so as to encourage quicker drying of the floor and monitor it for safety and remove signage when drying is complete. After cleaning these areas and supplies are securely pit away, we discard of our PPE in a specific manner which also acts as a procedural preventative  barrier against the spread of infection: gloves (turned inside out), apron and then hand hygiene. At the end of a residency and once the room has been voided and all belongings have been removed it is the procedure of our workplace that it should be cleaned and decontaminated, disinfected and sterilised. To do this we have a void team who remove any leftover items to throw away at a local authority refuse centre and get ready to refurbish the room. Wearing PPE we clean, disinfect and use a steam steriliser to sterilise the bed frame and commode (a new mattress is always ordered at the beginning of new residencies) and move these temporarily into a storage room. We also strip the windows of curtains and drapes to launder. The void team then remove the lino and sterilise the room walls and ceiling, skirting door and door frame and handles; repaint and lay new lino to flooring. We then replace the window dressings, bed frame and commode. Many other procedures are particular to our home some of which include: Daily, weekly and monthly cleaning of the kitchen and its contents. The storage and maintenance of products and equipment e.g. cleaning chemicals and the required documentation, food stores and the stock rotation, health aids particular to each service user (such as catheters, stoma bags, dressings and pads), hoists, commodes, stand and twists, transfer boards, PPE etc. Disposal of clinical wastes. Safe handling and disposal of sharps. Managing spillages of blood and bodily fluids products. How to report and record and manage occurrences or suspicions of an outbreak. How to report and record accidents and incidents. Best practice of hand hygiene. Handling and laundering of soiled clothes and linen. Continue on a separate page if necessary QUESTION- ( 3.2 ) Explain the potential impact of an outbreak of infection on the individual and the organisation ANSWER The potential impact of an outbreak of infection on the individual can be devastating because it not only means that they have to be cared for in isolation to limit the risk of infection to other service users but it also means that the infection poses great risk to the individual’s life as their immune system is usually compromised and an infection poses a greater threat to their life. The symptoms of having an infection can be very uncomfortable for them in the mean time as their body is trying to fight the infection they can suffer symptoms such as fever and weakened muscle pain. If their skin is fragile and they are bed bound extra care must be taken to make sure that they are cleaned well and turned often to limit the onset of bedsores that can lead to even more complications. In cases of their treatment using some antibiotics (particularly stronger antibiotics that can give risk to the onset of other bacterial infections such as C. Diff because these antibiotics can have the effect of killing the initial infection in the digestive tract but can also kill beneficial, naturally occurring bacteria essential to the health of the digestive system. The resultant imbalance can give rise to C. Diff (which also naturally occurs in the system) to multiply causing an imbalance by over population that is toxic to their system. The resulting symptoms include can give the side effect of diarrhoea and vomiting which in turn create aerosols and risk of airborne transmission. The isolation that follows when the individual needs to be cared for and treated separately from others so as to reduce the risk of spread of infections to others can also affect the individual’s emotional/ mental wellbeing as they may feel more lonely and depressed during this time and this can affect their self esteem. It is therefore essential that myself and members of staff visit the individual often to maintain social contact  with them and ensure support of their mental health. Visits to the individual from friends and relatives must be stopped until the outbreak has cleared so as limit the risk of cross contamination to the visitors and also protect the resident from bacteria the visitors may unwittingly bring with them. The potential difficulties that follow an infection outbreak for the individual are complex and life threatening. The impact of an infection out break on the organisation can also be devastating as it can be costly for the treatment that has to be implemented and the organisations reputation can suffer as if poor practice or negligence was discovered after an investigation of the outbreak then it is within the rights of the HSE to prosecute individuals and this can lead to a fine or imprisonment. QUESTION- ( 4.1 ) Define the term risk ANSWER A risk within a care setting applies to a number of possibilities that can involve the risk posed from use of equipments, the use of substances or the danger of a service user to themselves and others. In terms of infection prevention and control the term risk applies to the level of risk posed from biological hazards or biohazards to people (including service users, staff and visitors). Some biological hazards are those substances that come from living organisms such as people and they can be found in bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, waste matter, saliva etc. Organisms that exist in bodily fluids include HIV, MRSA, influenza, MSSA, C. Difficile, E. Coli and many others. Once a biohazard in my workplace has been identified then I must be able to identify the level of risk that it poses to all people which means at what rate and by what means can the organism spread? Is it likely to spread  without precautions put in place? What level of harm is posed to others if precautions are not implemented? I would need to rate the level of risk to these factors as low, medium or high. QUESTION- ( 4.2 ) Outline potential risks of infection within the workplace ANSWER In a care home setting the potential for the risk of infection greatly increases because the service users are more vulnerable to getting infection then most people. Their susceptibility to infection is increased by a great many factors that affect their immune system, such as their age. Very old people’s immune systems are weaker due to their age and therefore are more susceptible to getting infection. Service user’s may also be suffering from certain terminal illnesses and this may compromise their immune system or they may be receiving medication or treatment for a terminal illness and this may compromise their immune system e.g. chemotherapy for cancer weakens the immune system. When people are ill or are elderly and suffer from degenerative diseases such as dementia their diets can change and they can begin to eat less or not feel like eating at all. For instances if they undergo a major operation like a hip replacement or have part of their digestive tract removed and acquire a stoma then they may have lost their appetite or find it difficult to change their diet risking them of becoming malnourished. Their nutritional status becomes poor as a result hence compromising their immune system. If they have had surgery and have wounds, stitches or some kind of skin trauma as a result, this greatly increases the risk to infection as the skin has been breached and this is the body’s greatest defence barrier against infection. These areas of the skin are undergoing healing and must be kept cleansed regularly to reduce bacteria. Stomas for the exit of excrement via the bowl or urine, catheters for the drainage of urine from the bladder via the urethra and cannulas inserted into the service user’s arm for the administration of intravenously all give a way to entry directly into the body. This increases the risk to the  service user of infection not only as a direct passage but also if the bags, needles or tubing are not sterile when used or if they become blocked and bacteria can then quickly build up. As mentioned before the use of some drugs can increase a service user’s risk to infection e.g. strong antibiotics changing the levels of natural bacteria in the body and causing an imbalance creating C. Diff infection or chemotherapy drugs weakening the immune system exposing the service user to risk of infection. The service user in a weakened state also becomes at greater risk of carrying infections and can spread pathogens themselves. There are highly contagious blood borne diseases such as Hepatitis B, HIV or MRSA that can be transferred to others who have to interact with them such as myself and staff who are providing care. Friends and relatives and other visitors can also be exposed to these infections. Aerosols from air borne pathogens such as the norovirus or influenza can transfer to others from the carriers vomit. The same is true of outside visitors bringing in such pathogens and risking infection to the service users who have weakened immune systems and who would find it more difficult to fight off such pathogens and sometimes fatal. People coming into the care home environment from outside also include myself and the staff team. We must be aware of our own personal hygiene and health as we can also be carriers of air borne viruses such as colds, flu, diarrhoea and vomiting. As care workers staff and myself need to be even more vigilant about our personal hygiene, state of health and our infection control practice. We must be extra vigilant when working within the care home as we are tending to different service users so it is vital that we practice a high standard of infection control procedure and adhere the requirements as set out in our organisations procedures so as to prevent cross contamination and the spread of infections between potentially contagious and vulnerable service users. We must ensure that we are clean and tidy for work and that our personal hygiene and attire does not pose a risk of infection to the service users and we must be responsible for our health and monitor this as if we do have a cold or flu it is best that we do not enter the work place as these illnesses can be detrimental to our  service users. It is therefore vital that we follow our organisations procedure on our fitness for work and take the appropriate action and inform our manager of our state of health as this could save a person’s life. It is therefore essential that I and my staff treat all individuals as high risk in the light of potential risk factors of infection in a care home environment. The equipment that we use with the service users often come into contact with the service users. Equipment such as hoists, stand and turns, banana boards, commodes, walking frames, profiling beds all come into contact with service users who may be carrying infections or pathogens that will cause infections. In addition areas such as toilets, bathrooms, doors and door handles and stand rails are also areas where bacteria and pathogens can sit and survive. Some pathogens are very resistant and can survive in a dormant state until the conditions in their surroundings becomes right then they can multiply e.g. the spores of C. Diff. It is therefore essential that regular cleaning to the schedule is carried out thoroughly as to limit the opportunity for pathogens to harbour.