Coaching Leadership Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coaching Leadership Development - Essay Example It may be an informal or a formal process, an informal being one in which a person with greater experience guides the one with lesser experience. Statistics in UK show that 90% companies use coaching and 51% of them consider it to be necessary and crucial for the leadership development process. These skills are often developed and adopted by managers who would influence the organization. (Wooden & Jamison, 2005) A new era brings about rapid changes in the market place and thus organizations and therefore leadership skills have acquired greater importance in the dynamic workplace. Those who employ coaching as a leadership have a greater understanding of themselves usually, since it not only allows them to grow in terms of leading the organization but also to understand their own personality and areas of strengths and weaknesses and work on themselves. (Smith, 1999) Executive coaching is one of the components of coaching that seems to be effective and a good investment of time and mone y. Competencies that are developed prove to be long term and effective and further inferences can easily be deduced as to what needs to be done to further enhance the competencies. (Dessler, 2012) Also organizations are engaging in downsizing and they have a flatter structure than before since the world is moving to a place where hierarchical structures are considered less effective and lesser manpower is required in organizations. Therefore even though it has its benefits, however, senior managers would be removed more easily and growth opportunities are better but if new managers cannot fill in the shoes of the previous managers and lack the leadership qualities then the entire organization will show a downward trend. Coaching can help build these abilities. (Warrenfeltz,... This paper approves that there are certain alternative approaches such as leadership action teams. This requires being put in situations with teams to perform in situations which are above their current capability and one person is the leader who will guide the team to success or failure and basically guide the team through the entire situation. This is a new method that has achieved a lot of success because the workplace is dynamic and situations keep changing and leaders always have to be ready. There may not necessarily be time to coach them to reaching their goals, and so learning by doing or action learning is useful in situations where the organization is pressed for time and money and the managers have a great deal of workload already. This essay makes a conclusion that a last leadership development tool that is important is the multi-rater feedback method or a 360 degree feedback method. Feedback is always an effective tool for improvement, since you are always guided and critiqued as to where you are going wrong and where you are going right, and you can go in that direction accordingly. However, feedback from different sources is even more effective as you get an overall perspective of your standing, not just from your mentor, or your coach, or your employees, but from all of the aforementioned. This helps to improve performance. However, this feedback needs to be continuous if it is to be effective. Also, one can never be sure if they encompass the entire organization’s perspective in their 360 degree appraisal and one which is free from bias because everyone has a different way of looking at things and not necessarily the correct one.

Asian American Women in Sports Essay Example for Free

Asian American Women in Sports Essay Asian American women in professional sports has always been a struggle in the media. Asian American males has somewhat made a slight appearance of success in sports media but not so much for women. There are some famous Asian athletes out there such as Yao Ming, Jeremy Lin, and Michael Chang who have made a name for themselves. It seems that it is hard already for Asian Americans to strive in professional sports, but it is even harder for Asian American women to strive because they are simply women. The media has portrayed mens sports to be more interesting to watch and has created most of the attention towards them. Few people are interest in watching women sports which makes it harder for Asian American women to be noticed in sports. Asian American women are also brought up with the mindset that they have a slim chance in making it in professional sports because of how the media portrays them which is why there are so little of them that wants to strive in sports. Before writing this essay, I searched online for articles, statistics, and facts about this topic. I realized that there were very limited information out there regarding this issue. I also got the idea that not only are Asian American woman not being in professional sports is a problem, but the bigger problem is that people just dont care about this issue. I noticed that Wikipedia has only 82 pages of 82 different API women who has competed in professional sports. This is not a staggering number for 82 women in all of US history is only a drop in the ocean. I figured out that the majority of these sports are not contact sports such as golf, tennis, skating, and gymnastics. I believe that if anyone puts their mind to something, they can achieve whatever they want. I feel like Asian American women just limit their minds to what sports they will play and are capable of playing. Its not that they arent physically capable to play the game, but they are mentally incapable. In the 2008 Olympics, China womens basketball team placed 4th overall. which is one shy from a medal as well as beating 7 other non Asian countries. So physically, Asian woman can compete in sports. Americans have just created the stereotype that Asian women have smaller builds that make them disadvantages in the more physical sports. This is why Asian American women automatically choose to focus on non physical but finesse sports. Needless to say, there are actually some very successful API women athletes that has made an appearance in the media. The was actually one Asian women from China who made it into the WNBA. She was the first and Before Yao Ming, or before any Asian that have appeared in professional basketball, there was Zheng Haixia. She was the first Chinese player to ever play pro basketball stateside. The only reason she was as popular as Yao Ming, or Jeremy Lin was simply because Haixia is a woman. The 6-8, 250lb center from China is arguably the undisputed best woman player to come out of China. Due to her tremendous size, Haixia was always slow of foot, but the great equalizer was her all around efficiency around the basket. Zheng always got her points with slow and steady efficiency as she was named the MVP of the 1994 Womens World Championships. She averaged 26.4 points, 13.1 rebounds on an astounding 83.5% from the field. In 1997, during the inaugural WNBA season, Zheng led the league in field goal% with 61.8% as Isabelle Fijalkowski was a distant second with 50.8%. During that same season, she scored a season-high, spark-high of 28 points on June 27 against Sacramento and also had 10 rebounds and 3 blocks. She set a Sparks individual scoring record later tied by Lisa Leslie in the same season and since surpassed several times over. She is probably one of the most successful and talented API women who ever played in a contact sport. Another very well known athlete is Kristi Yamaguchi who skated her way to a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Albertville. She also went on to be one of the most beloved ice skaters in America despite being an Asian American women. Yamaguchi was born with a foot condition and started skating to strengthen her feet and ankles. She followed with individual victories at the 1991 and 1992 World Figure Skating Championships and the 1992 U.S. Nationals. Winning the 1992 Olympic gold-medal performance made her the first Asian American woman to win a gold medal in any sport. The thing about the skating world is that someone can win in a competition but still may not have as many endorsement because they are Asian. This just shows that no matter how talented you are, people are still going to judge their favorites based on what they are used to seeing and what kind of people they like. This puts API women in a bad spot because Most people in America are accustomed to only seeing Caucasians or African Americans as their surrounding athletes. This is a big reason why Asian American women are portrayed as a disadvantage in professional sports.

The Merits And Demerits Of Each Philosophy Education Essay

The Merits And Demerits Of Each Philosophy Education Essay Introduction: This essay will discuss two research philosophies. It starts by giving a brief account of each. Followed by a discussion on the preferred philosophy which will be adopted for the research project, i.e. social constructivism alongside post positivism In this discussion the merits and demerits of each philosophy, are given along side the research strategies associated with each as well as the rationale for adapting social constructivism. Here, a brief history of each outlines philosophy: Post positivism arose out of dissatisfaction with some aspects of the positivist stance. Whereas positivists accept an objective, apprehendable reality, post positivists acknowledge an objective reality that is only imperfectly apprehendable (Lincoln Guba, 2000). This position holds that human intellectual mechanisms are flawed and that lifes phenomena are basically intractable, and therefore, one can never fully capture a true reality. A key distinction between the positivist and post positivist views is that the former stresses theory verification and the latter theory falsification (Lincoln Guba, 2000, p. 107). Despite some important differences between the positivist and post positivist paradigms, the two perspectives share much in common (Lincoln Guba, 2000; Ponterotto, 2002). A goal for both is an explanation that leads to prediction and control of phenomena. Both perspectives emphasize cause- effect linkages of phenomena that can be studied, identified, and generalized, and both paradigms proffer an objective, detached researcher role. Furthermore, both paradigms operate from both a nomothetic and etic perspective. Positivism and post positivism serve as the primary foundation and anchor for quantitative research. Whereas, constructivists hold that reality is constructed in the mind of the individual, rather than it being an externally singular entity (Hansen, 2004). The constructivist position espouses a hermeneutical approach, which maintains that meaning is hidden and must be brought to the surface through deep reflection (see Schwandt, 2000; Sciarra, 1999). This reflection can be stimulated by the interactive researcher-participant dialogue. Thus a distinguishing characteristic of constructivism is the centrality of the interaction between the investigator and the object of investigation. Only through this interaction can deeper meaning be uncovered. Qualitative research and the seeds of constructivism-interpretivism can be traced back to Kants (1881/ 1966) Critique of Pure Reason. According to Hamilton (1994, p. 63), Kants position was that human perception derives not only from evidence of the senses but also from the mental apparatus that serves to organize the incoming sense impressions and that human claims about nature cannot be independent of inside-the-head processes of the knowing subject. Another significant figure in the development of constructivism was Dilthey (1894/1977). Proponents of constructivism-interpretivism emphasize the goal of understanding the lived experiences (Erlebnis) from the point of view of those who live it day to day (Schwandt, 1994, 2000). Dilthey believed that every lived experience occurs within a historical social reality. He further believed that these lived experiences may be outside the immediate awareness of the individual but could be brought to consciousness. Understandably, the constructivist-interpretivist paradigm provides the primary foundation and anchor for qualitative research methods. Linking it to the philosophy of constructivism-interpretive and the research on leadership styles prevailing in Risxcel. My research project will adopt constructivism-interpretivism instead of post positivism. The ensuing discussion explains why: The methodology to be used for the research will be influenced by social constructivism which is often in combination with interpretivism (Mertens 1998, Bryman 2008) because its underpinnings are appropriate to act in response to the leadership in Risxcel. Social Constructivist-interpretist holds the hypothesis that folks seek an understanding of the world in which they work and inhibit, Creswell (2009). In this area, folks build up subjective meanings of their experiences meanings focussed toward some objects or things on leadershipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The aim of research is to extract participants views of the leadership styles prevailing in Risxcel. Such views will be extracted from CEO, managers and staff as the researcher visits the context and seek an understanding of leadership styles prevailing at Risxcel, however such an understanding can only be made possible by seeking the views and perceived experiences of those working on leadership positions at the college. From this point of view, this research will require an understanding community, i.e. Risxcel staffs subjective meanings of leadership. Adopting Constructivism enables participants to give their subjective experiences which are socially and culturally constructed. It is anticipated that by applying social constructivism to this research, if the context will form the explanation of data. By applying Social Constructivism, the project therefore positions the acknowledgement of how the interpretation of data flows from historical experiences, personal and cultural (Creswell 2009). As Crotty (1998) notes, meanings are generated by human beings as they engage with the world they are interpreting. In this case, it is anticipated that being informed and directed of the post positivist paradigm would have make the study somewhat people -less (Kitchin 2006: 6) as it ignores their views and beliefs within a study population otherwise highly charged with these, given the subject of leadership. Against this bac kground, the research project adheres to the supposition by social constructivists that the generation of meaning is always social, arising in and out of interaction with a human community (Crotty 1998 in Creswell 2009: 9). Qualitative research strategies, i.e. individual in depth views and focus groups, will therefore utilized in this research as they allow the researcher to extract participants views, experiences, beliefs on the subject of leadership This being the case, quantitative research strategies, which are informed of post positivism would inappropriate as will be further discussed below. Given that the research project will be using qualitative research strategies, a definition may be crucial at this point. Qualitative research is a positioned activity that locates the observer in the world. It consists of a set of material practices, interpretive that makes the world noticeable. These practices à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ turn the world into a series of representations including photographs, field notes, and interviews, to the self. At this level, qualitative research involves a naturalistic, interpretive approach to the world. This explains that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, interpret phenomena and attempting to make sense in terms of the meanings people bring to them (Denzin and Lincoln, 2005: 3). In addition to the issues noted above post positivism and its research strategies would not be appropriate for the research project because post-positivist assumptions hold true more for quantitative research than qualitative research which is called sometimes the scientific method (Creswell 2009). As well, post-positivists hold deterministic philosophy in which causes determine effects or outcomes, which are the reflection to the need of identification and the assessment of the causes that influence outcomes such as found in experiments (Creswell 2009). Also, has the intent to reduce the ideas into small, which discrete a set of ideas to test, such as the variables that comprise hypotheses and research questions. The knowledge is based on careful observation and measurement of the objective reality that exist in the world. It becomes paramount for post-positivists the development of numeric measures of observations and the study of the behaviour for individuals (Creswell 2009). Challenges to Qualitative Research, while the project will utilise qualitative research as informed by social constructivism, its notable that it is by nature demanding and time consuming. There is need for dedication to field work, collecting the data, gaining rapport and when it comes to data analysis, one must sort out through large of data before reducing them to a few themes (Creswell 1998). After analysis, one must contend with writing a lengthy piece of work as evidence must substantiate claims and quotes from population study inherently increase the length of the study (Creswell 1998:17). It is also note worthy that social constructivism has been criticised fro being too dependent of participants views and experiences and also being too subjective to researcher interpretation (Lincoln and Denzin 1994). However to counter, this in the research project, reflexivity will be applied. This will involve seeking constant guidance from the supervision term when in doubt on how to int erpret findings. This will also be the strategy used for countering possible bias. In spite of the above acknowledged problems related with its utilization, the research project on leadership at Risxcel will utilise qualitative research due to the nature of the topic as well as my philosophical worldview position. In this instance, qualitative research will enable me to explore the Risxcels leadership styles within a given context in detail. And gleaned explanations on peoples views, behaviour, actions and beliefs as culturally, socially and historically informed. Indeed, the topic of the research project need to be explored in detail and as (Creswell, 1998) notes; qualitative research is the method suitable for research topics with no easily identified variables or explanations for behaviour and requiring explorations to be carried out. As Creswell (1998: 17) comments, one must select qualitative research over quantitative research when the topic needs to provide a detailed view because the wide -angel lens or the distant panoramic shot will not suffice to present answers to the problem , or the close up view does not exist. In conclusion, this essay has discussed two philosophies, i.e. social constructivism and post-positivism. It has also presented the philosophy which will be applied to the research project on leadership at Risxcel and given a rationale for its selection. In this selection process, the merits and demerits of each philosophy have been discussed, alongside the research strategies associated with each. While social constructivism clearly has its challenges, it was deemed more appropriate for the research project.

Cocaine and the Nervous System Essay examples -- Drug Drugs Coke Cocai

Cocaine and the Nervous System All drugs have a negative effect on the nervous system, but few can match the dramatic impact of cocaine. Cocaine is one of the most potent, addictive, and unpredictable recreational drugs, and thus can cause the most profound and irreversible damage to the nervous system. The high risk associated with cocaine remains the same regardless of whether the drug is snorted, smoked, or injected into the user ¡Ã‚ ¯s bloodstream. In addition to the intense damage cocaine can cause to the liver, intestines, heart, and lungs, even casual use of the drug will impair the brain and cause serious damage to the central nervous system. Although cocaine use affects many components of the body, including vision and appetite, the most significant damage cause by cocaine takes place in the brain and central nervous system. Spanish explorers first observe South American natives chewing the cocoa leaf, from which cocaine is derived, when they arrived on the continent in 16th century. The South Americans chewed these cocoa leaves in order to stay awake for longer periods of time. Centuries after this initial discovery, Albert Neiman isolated cocaine from the cocoa leaf in 1860. Neiman used this extraction as an anesthetic. Over the ensuing years, cocaine use became increasingly common and was even sanctioned by doctors, who prescribed the drug to aid recovering alcoholics. Cocaine was even a key ingredient in such popular beverages as Coca- Cola. It was not until the long-term health problems associated with cocaine use emerged that the public realized that the drug was harmful and highly addictive (2). Cocaine is a versatile drug which can be ingested in a variety of ways. In its purest form, coc... ...te an artificial high. Cocaine can cause serious damage to the nervous system, as it eats away chunks of the brain and increases blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature, often for the rest of the addict ¡Ã‚ ¯s life. Sources Cited: 1)Drug information: Cocaine http://www.theantidrug.com/drug_info/drug_info_cocaine.asp 2)Cocaine http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/coca.html 3)The Effects of Cocaine on the Developing Nervous System https://cognet.mit.edu/login/?return_url=%2Flibrary%2Ferefs%2Fnelson%2Fn33%2Fabstract.html 4)The Physical Effects of Cocaine http://www.shesinrecovery.com/addiction/cocaineeffects.html 5)As a Matter of Fact http://www.well.com/user/woa/fscoke.htm 6)Crack and Cocaine http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/cocaine.html 7)Cocaine Brain Damage may be Permanent http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/news.asp?Id=6376

Community Health Project

Community Health Project- Part One – Identifying the Project's Focus Kathleen Rogers King Walden University November 26, 2012 Community Health Project-Part One -Identifying the Project's Focus This paper will identify a significant health issue and a particular population for a health management plan. Support for the significance of this health issue, and rationale for the selection of this population will be presented. Evidence about the population will be examined and discussed in regards to one asset and one challenge of this particular population.An approach to address the issue and the rationale for this choice will be provided with a minimum of five appropriate references. Health Issue and Population Defined as birth prior to 37 weeks gestation (ACOG, 2008), preterm birth affects about 12% of births in the United States. Preterm birth is an important public health priority costing over $26. 2 billion in 2005 according to the March of Dimes (2011) report on preterm birth. Prematurity is the second leading cause of death in children under 5 years, and the single most important cause of death in the first month of life (March of Dimes, 2011).More than 15 million babies are born too soon, with 1 in 8 babies born premature every year worldwide; of these, over 1. 1 million preterm babies die due to complications of prematurity (CDC, 2012). The cost of the first year of birth for a preterm infant is 10 times greater than for term infants (Howson, Kinney & Lawn, 2012). Support and Rationale Women and infants are a vulnerable population. Maternal mortality and morbidity disproportionally affect vulnerable populations of women, such as those living in poverty, facing racial and ethnic discrimination, and having limited language skills (Anderson & Stone, 2013).From a public health perspective infant mortality is considered the measuring stick for determining the health of the population, whereas maternal mortality is the divider between wealth and poverty (An derson, 2013). Eliminating racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities is critical for quality health care outcomes (Shi & Stevens, 2010). Preterm births occur more often among certain racial and ethnic groups with non-Hispanic black mothers being 1. 5 times more likely to have a preterm baby, and that baby 3. times more likely to die than a non-Hispanic white baby (CDC, 2012). Sadly, although 90% of preterm babies in high-income countries will survive, 90% of preterm babies born in low-income countries will die (Presem & McDougall, 2012). The implications of being born too soon extend beyond the neonatal period and throughout the life cycle, resulting in serious consequences such as cerebral palsy, and chronic lung disease, as well as, intellectual impairment, learning difficulties, poor health, vision and hearing loss (Institute of Medicine, 2007).In general, the more immature the preterm infant, more life-support is needed, the risks of re-hospitalization are greater, and the b urden of lifetime problems more significant (IOM, 2007). Assets and Challenges Preventing preterm birth remains a challenge (CDC, 2012). There is no test that can accurately predict a preterm birth, very little is known about the causes and mechanisms of preterm birth, or about how to prevent a preterm birth, and few effective preventative strategies are available (March of Dimes, 2012; WHO, 2009; IOM, 2007).Once a woman is pregnant, most of the interventions to prevent preterm birth only delay onset long enough to administer steroids to the mother to help prevent respiratory distress in the infant after birth and transfer the mother and fetus to a hospital for the appropriate level of care (IOM, 2007). Studies indicate that many of the factors associated the preterm birth frequently occur together, particularly in minority women, or those who have low socioeconomic status (IOM, 2007).Medical conditions such as chronic hypertension, diabetes, infections, and stress are associated wi th preterm birth, as are any history of a preterm birth in a previous pregnancy, a family history of preterm birth, infertility, and a pregnancy of twins or triplets (IOM, 2007). Any significant gains to be made in the study of preterm birth will be in the area of prevention and eliminating disparities (IOM, 2007). Feasible, sustainable, cost-effective care solutions can be made available by collaboration, cooperation and alignment of services (WHO, 2012).Clinical research continues to identify ways to prevent preterm deliveries. For example, a progesterone medication (17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate or 17P) may prevent preterm birth among women who have had a prior preterm birth (CDC, 2012). Approaches and Interventions Addressing preterm birth is now an urgent priority for reaching the WHO, Millennium Development Goal 4 (WHO, 2012). Reducing child deaths by two-thirds by 2015 requires a rapid expansion of our global commitments to implement change (WHO, 2012).Collaborative a nd partnership management models have evolved for addressing action and prevention programs such as, the World Health Organization’s Every Woman, Every Child, Global Strategy for Women and Children’s Health, March of Dimes, Save the Children, Born too Soon, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), and the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s 4 & 5) which aim to save the lives of 16 million women and children by 2015 (Howson et al, 2012; WHO, 2009).Nationally, the framework is complete; since 1980, the CDC’s Healthy People series has been based on core public concepts: population surveillance, population health, prevention and early intervention, identification of root causes, outcome assessment, and continuous feedback so that interventions can be adjusted appropriately (Manderscheid, 2009). To achieve the Healthy People objectives, it is essential to monitor improvement regularly to ensure the resources are directed app ropriately and effectively (Shi & Stevens, 2010).A set of ten measurable leading health indicators (LHIs) was developed, which also reflect the risks of preterm birth; these are physical activity, obesity, tobacco use, substance abuse, sexual behavior, mental health, injury and violence, environmental quality, immunization, and access to health care (Shi, 2010). Implementation and Rationale Implementing priority, evidence-based interventions for prevention include reducing unplanned adolescence pregnancies, short time gaps between births, unhealthy pre-pregnancy weight (underweight or obesity), substance abuse (e. g. tobacco use) and chronic disease (e. . diabetes, hypertension). Screening for infectious sexually transmitted disease (e. g. HIV, syphilis), and implementing early treatment can also help reduce the incidence of preterm labor (WHO, 2012). Internationally, all countries need to ensure universal access to comprehensive antenatal care, quality childbirth services and emerg ency obstetric care (WHO, 2012). In addition, workplace policies need to promote healthy pregnancies and reduce the risk of preterm birth including regulations to protect pregnant women from physically demanding work, and exposure to harmful pollutants (WHO, 2012).Greater provision for life-saving medications, supplies and services, as well as the resources and policies are needed to enable women and children adequate access to health care, especially skilled care at the time of birth (WHO, 2009). Empowering, and educating girls, providing health promotion, access to care for cost-effective interventions in contraception, and encouraging preconception family planning can increase the likelihood of healthy planned pregnancies, and improve preterm birth prevention according to the WHO, Born Too Soon: Global Action Report on Preterm Birth (Presem & McDougall, 2012).In addition, Kangaroo Mother Care (skin to skin incubation with mother) can cut preterm deaths in half saving an estimated 450,000 babies a year (Presem & McDougall, 2012). The provision of inexpensive antenatal corticosteroids and antibiotics is estimated to reduce the risk of breathing difficulties in premature babies, saving around 370,000 lives a year (WHO, 2012). Fontenot and Collins Fantasia (2012) concluded that 100mg of progesterone vaginally every night between 24 and 34 weeks gestation resulted in lower incidence of preterm labor, birth, and delivery.Approach and Action A recent article in The Lancet (2012), claims from a panel of experts, that five proven interventions could begin lowering preterm birth rates of 5 percent across 39 high-resource countries, including the United States, by 2015, and would prevent prematurity for 58,000 babies a year and $3 billion in health and economic costs (March of Dimes, 2012): * Eliminating early cesarean section deliveries and inductions of labor unless medically indicated; * Decreasing embryo transfers during assisted reproductive technologies; * Helpi ng women quit smoking; Providing progesterone supplementation to women with high risk pregnancies; * Cervical cerclage for high-risk women with short cervix. The majority of preterm births occur spontaneously with no known cause, recent studies show that a short cervix is the single best predictor of preterm birth. Slager and Lynne (2012) propose screening for shortened cervical length, a universal risk factor, in conjunction with a proven clinical intervention by transvaginal ultrasound.Although not available in all areas, transvaginal ultrasound is the most reliable method to evaluate cervical length, it is found to be most effective for risk estimates under 30 weeks gestation, and predictive results were improved by combining with obstetric history (Slager, J. & Lynne, S. , 2012). The combination of positive fetal fibronectin (fFN) testing and cervical length less than 25 mm is a strong predictor of impending preterm birth (Tharpe, Farley, & Jordan, 2013).As a MSN educator, my go al will be to educate nursing, midwifery, and medical students in the principles and methods of assessment, prevention and early intervention of preterm birth indicators. On the Perinatal Special Care Unit of my employment, a new system of prenatal education will be proposed to administration detailing the benefits of group prenatal care in reducing low birth weight in premature babies (Massey, Schindler Rising, & Ickovics, 2006). Centering Pregnancy Prenatal Care ModelCentering Pregnancy group prenatal care is an innovative model of care for addressing the complex psychosocial needs of the mother and her family. Centering Pregnancy prenatal care promotes relationship-centered care, facilitates learning, develops mutual support, and strengthens the opportunities for communication and nurturing among women. Centering Pregnancy prenatal care encourages social networking, supportive relationships with their significant other are developed, women experience less stress, fewer pregnancy complications, and fewer adverse neonatal outcomes (Massey et al, 2006).Research indicates that prenatal social support has been associated with improved fetal growth and greater infant birth weight. Good social support can improve birth outcomes; measured in longer gestations and significantly larger babies, increase women’s confidence, satisfaction, and increase self-nurturing (Massey, 2006). Centering Pregnancy is a model for group prenatal care that results in perinatal outcomes that equal or exceed prenatal traditional care, especially for teens, and other cultures accustomed to group support (Anderson, 2013).Centering Pregnancy exemplifies an evidence-based best practice for nurse-midwives. This model places all three components of prenatal care- risk assessment, education, and support- into the group setting. It fosters a sense of empowerment as prenatal group members are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health care and group members are encouraged to se ek information about healthy behaviors and common concerns of pregnancy, which builds a partnership between patient and provider (Massey, 2006).Translating this model of providing prenatal care for our hospitalized high-risk antepartum patients is the approach I intend to take because the evidence for improved outcomes with group care for high-risk women seems compelling, and may even be a future model of care for other countries, and women of diverse cultures (Tandon, Colon, Vega, Murphy, & Alonso, 2012). References American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2008). Use of progesterone to prevent preterm birth. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 112, 963-965. American Psychological Association. (2010).Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. (6th. ed. ). Washington, DC. Anderson, B. , & Stone, S. (2013). Best practices in midwifery, using the evidence to implement change. Springer Publishing. New York, NY. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CD C). (2012). Preterm Birth. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/PretermBirth. htm Fontenot, H. B. , Collins Fantasia, H. (2012). Vaginal progesterone to prevent preterm birth in high-risk women. Nursing for Women’s Health. Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. 37-241. ISSN: 1751-4851 Howsen, C. , Kinney, M. , Lawn, J. (2012). The global action report on preterm birth. Preterm birth matters. March of Dimes. 9-14 Lynch, E. , Dezen, T. (2012). Preterm birth can be prevented with a few proven treatments, Lancet article says: Global partners challenge 39 high-income countries. March of Dimes. http://www. marchofdimes. com/news/10898. html March of Dimes. (2011). March of Dimes 2011 premature birth report card. Retrieved from http://www. marchofdimes. com/peristats/pdflib/998/US. pdf Massey, Z. Schindler Rising, S. , Ickovics, J. (2006).Centering pregnancy group prenatal care: Promoting relationship-centered care . Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing, 35, 286-294. doi:10. 1111/J. 1552-6909. 2006. 00040. x Manderscheid, R. (2009). Aiming for a healthier population by 2020: Moving our fields toward prevention, early intervention, and population health. Behavioral Healthcare; 29, 1; Proquest Central. pg. 51 Presem, C. , McDougall, L. (2012). Born too soon: The global action report on preterm birth. World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved from http://www. who. int/pmnch/media/news/2012/preterm_birth_report/en/index9. tml Shi, L. , & Stevens, G. (2010). Vulnerable populations in the United States (2nd. ed. ). Jossey-Bass. San Francisco, CA. Slager, J. , & Lynne, S. (2012). Assessment of cervical length and the relationship between short cervix and preterm birth. Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, 57(1): S4-S11. doi:10. 1111/j. 1542-2011. 2012. 00209. x Tandon, S. D. , Colon, L. , Vega, P. , Murphy, J. , Alonso, A. (2012). Birth outcomes associated with receipt of g roup prenatal care among low-income Hispanic women. Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. 57(5). 476-481. doi: 10. 111/j. 542-2011. 2012. 00184. x Tharpe, N. , Farley, C. , Jordan, R. (2013). Clinical practice guidelines for midwifery & women’s health. (4th ed. ). Jones & Bartlett Learning. Burlington, MA. 198-201. World Health Organization (WHO). (2009). The worldwide incidence of preterm birth: A systematic review of maternal morbidity and mortality. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 88, 31-38. doi: 10. 2471/BLT. 08. 06255 World Health Organization (WHO). (2012). Born too soon: The global action report on preterm birth. http://www. who. int/pmnch/media/news/2012/preterm_birth_report/en/index. html

How to Handle Dry Ice Safely

How to Handle Dry Ice Safely The solid form of carbon dioxide is called dry ice. Dry ice is the perfect ingredient for fog, smoking volcanoes, and other spooky effects! However, you need to know how to transport, store, and use dry ice safely before you get it. Here are tips to help keep you safe. How To Get and Transport Dry Ice You can obtain dry ice from some grocery stores or gas companies. Its important to be prepared to transport dry ice before you purchase it. This will help it last longer and prevent accidents. Plan to get enough dry ice. It will sublimate at the rate of  five to ten pounds each 24 hours (for pellets or chips), so if you wont be using the dry ice right away, plan for the loss of product. The rate of sublimation also depends on the exposed surface area. Dry ice pellets will convert to gas more quickly than a solid chunk of dry ice.  Bring a cooler or a cardboard box. Your goal is to insulate the dry ice from warmer temperatures. Its also helpful to have a blanket or sleeping bag to wrap around the container to protect it from temperature changes.Usually dry ice is sold in paper bags. Set the paper bag inside the box or cooler. Close the lid to insulate the dry ice, but make sure it does not seal. This is important, because dry ice sublimates from its solid form into carbon dioxide vapor. The gas builds up pressure and could cause an explosion if it doesnt have a way to escape.As sublimation occurs, the level of carbon dioxide in the vehicle will rise. Make sure new air c irculates into the vehicle to prevent carbon dioxide poisoning. Storing Dry Ice The best way to store dry ice is in a cooler. Again, make sure the cooler is not sealed. You can add insulation by double-bagging the dry ice in paper bags and wrapping the cooler in a blanket. Its best to avoid putting dry ice in a refrigerator or freezer because the cold temperature can cause your thermostat to switch the appliance off, carbon dioxide levels could build up inside the compartment, and gas pressure could force open the door of the appliance. Using Dry Ice Safely The 2 rules here are (1) dont store dry ice in a sealed container and (2) avoid direct skin contact. Dry ice is extremely cold (-109.3 °F or -78.5 °C), so touching it can cause immediate frostbite. Use gloves or tongs to handle dry ice.Be aware cold carbon dioxide sinks, so risks from too much carbon dioxide are highest close to the ground or in any enclosed space. Make sure there is good air circulation.If youre using dry ice in drinks to produce fog, be careful you dont ingest the dry ice fragment. Ingesting dry ice is a medical emergency because of the tissue damage from frost bite and the pressure buildup from the release of gas. Dry ice sinks in a glass or bowl, so the risk of ingestion normally is very low. However, do not allow intoxicated people to drink dry ice cocktails or work with dry ice. How To Treat a Dry Ice Burn Treat a dry ice burn the same way as you would treat frostbite or a burn from heat. A red area will heal quickly (day or two). You can apply burn ointment and a bandage, but only if the area needs to be covered (e.g., open blisters). In cases of severe frostbite, seek medical attention (this is extremely uncommon). More Dry Ice Safety Tips Never leave children or pets unattended around dry ice.Be aware of symptoms of carbon dioxide poisoning and make sure there is good air circulation where dry ice is used and stored. Ordinarily, slightly elevated levels of carbon dioxide dont pose a significant health risk. The levels of carbon dioxide are most likely to become too high near the ground.If youre using dry ice to chill food, youll get the best results if you put the dry ice on top of the food. This is because cold sinks.Avoid setting dry ice directly onto counter tops or placing it in empty glass containers. The temperature shock could crack the material.Some airlines will allow you to carry dry ice, but not more than 2 kilograms. Expect the dry ice to sublimate at a slightly faster rate than usual because cabin pressure may be lower than normal pressure. Pack the dry ice with crumpled paper or a blanket to reduce loss.