Aluminum soft drink can

Soft drink can is a metallic container which is designed to contain a specific amount of a certain liquid like alcoholic beverages, energy drink, fruit juices and much more. In day to day world, soft drinks continue to widely consume as they have become cheaper and easy to carry as they are contained in beverage cans. There had been a problem with soft drink industry is improper seals in bootless which were had been tried to be improved to accommodate the pressure in carbonated drinks.

Functions

Producers of soft-drink and beverage containers in the world produce millions of aluminum beverage cans per day.  If we may consider whether soft drink cans requires a kind of special care when manufacturing as compared  to those of other objects used in the home, the conclusion is that they don’t require any special manufacturing treatment the aluminum cans (Schaefer, 1999).  The process of making a vehicle and aircraft wings apply to the manufacturing of aluminum cans. The aluminum can standard is of high standards as it is not heavy as other glass containers.

Strong of economic incentives is used to motivate it toward more and more improvements. Engineers are doing their research on how to maintain the performance of the cans as they continue to minimize the capacity of material needed. By reducing the mass of the can by 1 percent we are going save like $20 million in one year in aluminum making it easier. Other than savings the yields, the advanced today's manufacturing process will result in the highly reflective surface on the exterior of the can, which can also act a nice base on decorative printing. This makes aluminum can more competitive as compared to others in the same industry. Beverage can come up as one the biggest aluminum market.  Most cans are used to hold bears and others to hold other beverages (Diekhoff, 2000).

The material used and why they are used.

Aluminum cans have a lot advantage as compared to other soft drink containers, they have a high rate of recycling because aluminum waste containers can be recycled again and manufactured again which reduces cost. Aluminum cans are valuable than those of glass and plastic as it helps in recycling through a municipal recycling which saves finances and subsidizes effectively and the less valuable material is taken into waste. Aluminum is recycled more time through closed loop process where glass and plastic are done through the down cycled process (Allwood, 2012), the closed loop is most preferable. Even in the domestic cycling aluminum rate of cycling is higher than that of plastic and glass as they can last three times the others. This shows that it is good environment conservation. In the value of the material used aluminum cans help the municipality in possible recycling programs hence effectively subsidizes where very little materials are sent to the bin.

 They are light in weight, strong and stackable as compared with another brand this helps in packaging and transporting arrangements. A very strong indication shows material management is done and industrial efficiency there is a reduction of aluminum material where aluminum makers still continue to come up with more cans which have less metal while the strength is still maintained and live span increased. The cans which are lighter have better shipping efficiency and aluminum can are more lightly than glass containers hence reduce packaging and transportation cost (Carle, 1999).

How is aluminum can being manufactured?

When manufacturing aluminum can one must have materials like aluminum which is gotten from a metal ore called bauxite which is refined and melted but most of the aluminum used in the industry is recycled. The process starts by cutting the blank or an ingot into two and the curved to a thin sheet. Then the cap is being redrawn and transferred to another machine and the punch force cup to the ironing rings which stretch the walls of the cup another press is made towards the base to force the container to bulge inward (Allwood, 2012). There are small metal ripples called ears which have an effect on aluminum sheet structure crystalline. The cleaning and some decorations were done depending on the beverage to be contained in the containers. The lid or the cover is made of different kind of an alloy which can withstand the pressure then it is kept and inserted beneath and it is secured then it will be easily detached. After neck is made it can be filled easily then the container is held tight to the seat and the beverage is put inside then it is covered by the lid and sealed and it is now ready to be sold (Carle, 1999).

Another feasible process

Another process of same properties may be used when making aluminum can where the body appears from the operation formation with walls where top there is wavy edges, make sure the top is flat and trim the top like a quarter inch. Then the cup passes through a number of operations which are high speed and washing is done together with printing and labeling a crack is checked and a pinhole, the ironing were done with final finishing and the can is ready for use (Allwood, 2012).

Other feasible material

Apart from recycled materials, we can use bauxite which is an alloy made of aluminum and iron elements where the aluminum can be extracted and the same process can be repeated as one of the recycled aluminum (Allwood, 2012).

Oppression of nurses

In the article ‘Patriarchy, the system: An It, not a He, a Them or an Us’, the author, Allan G. Johnson defines ‘the system’ as “any collection of interrelated parts or elements that we can think of as a whole” (Johnson, n.d). He compares it to a car engine where various parts are fit together and allows it to function as a whole so as to serve its intended purpose. In order to understand the system, Johnson points out that one needs to stop viewing various elements in society or the world as single entities but rather the sum of a whole that functions alongside each other. Although some elements in society may be different, they contribute to what happens in society in the long run thus contributing to the overall condition of society and the world. The ideologies that Johnson expresses in his paper go a long way in explaining the plight that nurses are forced to endure as is described in Susan Gordon’s work titled ‘Profits and prejudice: The Undervalued work of Nursing”.

            According to Gordon (2000), nurses in the medical profession are greatly undermined and their duties are only classified as giving information and instruction of what steps patients should take in their journeys to recovery. Despite it being one of the health care professions, nursing is greatly undermined and those practicing it are greatly underestimated and discriminated against. In his work, Gordon discusses a section published in the New York Times addressing the issues that nurses go through in the healthcare department on a daily basis. The paper points out that, despite clear indications that the population will be more dependent on the services that nurses offer, the nurses still continue to struggle to be accepted and respected in the health care system (Gordon, 2000).

            When nurses provide services that end up saving a patient’s life; help them to cope with the nature of their ailments; educate them on the types of medication to take; or help them to prevent serious medical complications, most patients are amazed by how much medical knowledge the nurse possesses (Gordon, 2000). The way that patients react after realizing how helpful, learned and qualified nurses are is an indication that nurses are greatly underestimated and undervalued in the health care industry. Such traits are explained by Johnson (n.d) where he points out that individualistic models exist in society where people treat various issues as single entities rather than part of a whole. In the case of the health care system, society views doctors, nurses and other care givers as individual entities who are at different levels of importance.

            Since medical doctors are the ones who treat patients and help them in their journey of recovery, they are viewed as being more superior to other medical practitioners such as nurses. As a result, society develops the notion that doctors are superior to nurses and therefore more important. As a result, nurses are greatly underestimated and treated as being inferior because the individuality complex that exist in society alienates the important role they play in assisting the patient. Since society has been taught that it is the medical doctors who treat, they fail to see the important role that the nurse plays and this result to them being undervalued (Gordon, 2000).

            Gordon also points out that society also has a role to play in how people relate and treat one another. The way people interact and behave in society acts as the root that determine how individuals behave because they grow up thinking that it is a social norm (Gordon, 2000). When an individual reveals that they have spent five years learning to become a nurse, most people ask them why they did not spend those years studying to become a medical doctor. Society has taught people that medical doctors are better than nurses and as a result, nurses are considered to have made a wrong choice for taking up nursing over medical practice (Johnson, n.d). Society has cemented the belief that medical doctors are better and as a result, nurses are greatly undermined and underestimated in the health care industry.

            Such impacts are better explained by the four components of oppression as is evident in the articles. The ideological component has it that people oppress others on the idea that a specific group is better than the other (Kulis & Marsiglia, 2015). The undermining of nurses is as a result of the belief that they serve as separate entities from medical doctors and that doctors are more qualified and give better care. The notion is supported by Buresh and Gordon (2013) who point out that the idea that one group is superior leads to the inferior one being underestimated. The second component, which is institutional points out the role that institutions play in cementing ideologies that lead to oppression of others. If the media and health care system treat doctors as being better than nurses, the idea becomes part of society and the result is discrimination of nurses (Gordon, 2006).

            Another component is interpersonal oppression where doctors feel that they have the right to oppress nurses since society has deemed them superior to nurses (Kulis & Marsiglia, 2015). As a result, nurses are forced to endure harsh working conditions because they are treated as less important than their doctor counterparts. Lastly is the component of internalized oppression where nurses result to undermining themselves and feeling as if they are actually inferior. The mistreatment from doctors and discrimination from patients and society in general leads nurses into believing that they are inferior. As a result, they end up losing interest in their profession and fail to reach their maximum potential (Paludi, 2012).

References

Buresh B. and Gordon S. From silence to voice: What nurses know and must communicate to the             public. Cornell University Press

Gordon S. (2000) “Profits and prejudice: The undervalued work of nursing”

Gordon, S. (2006). Nursing against the odds: How health care cost cutting, media stereotypes,    and medical hubris undermine nurses and patient care. Ithaca, N.Y: ILR.

Johnson G. (n.d) “Patriarchy, the system: An It, not a He, a Them, or and Us”

Marsiglia, F. and Kulis, S. (2015). Diversity, oppression, and change: Culturally grounded social             work 2nd ed. Chicago, IL: Lyceum

Paludi, M. A. (2012). Managing diversity in today's workplace: Strategies for employees and       employers. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.

The Pastoral Clinic

The journey to the El rio river had negative effects to John’s life since he found himself doing drugs. While at the river, John and the author, saw some syringes which had been earlier on used for heroine intoxication. This led to the arrest of John after he discharged himself without the advice of the staff members from the intoxication clinic (Garcia, 2010). The next morning, John was arrested at the Espanola Dairy Queen where he had been sleeping in his car, which had been parked besides garbage bins. After three months, John was sentenced for a three year jail term at New Mexico State Penitentiary in Santa Fe.

What if John had not visited the river, would he have escaped from the clinic?

Garcia, Angela. 2010. The pastoral clinic: addiction and dispossession along the Rio Grande. Berkeley: University of California Press.

The heroin detoxification is surrounded by a series of stories which makes it to stand out compared to other buildings. The building is surrounded by different buildings which makes the clinic it to be in a surrounded area (Garcia, 2010). The clinic was formerly known as Juniper Hills, and it was a home of the mentally ill, the clinic was faced by many problems, which included lack of finance, less staff and the number of patients was too high for the clinic to cater for. Juniper hills was later burnt down, after a young girl set it ablaze after being depressed. She locked herself in one of the rooms and started fire while playing with match sticks.

What could have led the girl to start the fire, and who gave her the matchbox?

Garcia, A. (2010). The pastoral clinic: Addiction and dispossession along the Rio Grande. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Alma Gallegos was a heroin addict, and this made her to experience different health problems. On the day of her birthday, she was spotted lying unconscious at the parking lot of Espanola hospital, she was then admitted to the hospital where she was found to have overdosed from heroine (Garcia, 2010). The drug court then ruled that she be transferred to Nuevo Dia, a drug clinic after four days later. She had been previously admitted to the clinic before and was therefore going back for proper treatment. Alma did not see the importance of the clinic since she had been admitted before and she did not change at all.

Who is to blame for Alma’s escape from the intoxication clinic?

Reference

Garcia, A. (2010). The pastoral clinic: Addiction and dispossession along the Rio Grande. Berkeley: University of California Press.

Fast Food: a Threat to Healthy Living

It is perceptible that in the contemporary society, healthy living has been a major concern to many people which can be cited from the fact that considerable number of diseases that has resulted to increase in mortality rates which arrive from the diet adopted by people. It is paradoxical that regardless of the concern and consciousness of the healthy living, most people tend to prefer fast food as their alternative to preparing meals at their homes. Some people are forced by their work time schedules which leave them with no other option but taking fast food. However, the largest number of fast food consumers is composed of “joy riders” who cannot give a logical fact as to why they take fast foods. The adoption of fast food in our diets can be proved from the tremendous development exhibited by firms in the fast food industry. Some of the companies include McDonalds, Burger King and Subway which is the largest company in United States. This brings a question of why these organizations are that successful which can be answered by fact that most people has embraced fast food consumption. Generally, it can be asserted that it is hard to persuade people to avoid restaurants that offer fast foods. Nevertheless, as American Heart Association (2015) provides, the only way to adhere to healthy eating in these restaurants is to change the consumer behavior by shifting to healthier choices. Thus, after the restaurants notice that consumer behavior is changing, they will also change their menus in order to satisfy the demand in the market. As a result, this paper will focus on assessing the effects of fast food on healthy living while offering an alternative for their consumption.

To start with, one of the reasons why fast food is regarded as health jeopardy can be derived from the title itself which means that they are prepared within a short time. This means that the food is not prepared properly from production to preparation. Many people tend to be overwhelmed by their availability and cheap cost together with their taste. However, they tend to forget the fact that the healthier risks posed by the foods outweighs the few minutes satisfaction brought by fast food. On the other hand, fast food poses health risks such as developing obesity and heart diseases among other life threatening dysfunctions. It is factual that fast food hosts highly saturated fats and calories that are regarded as the major causative factors of obesity and heart diseases. It is noteworthy that even small quantities of these foods contain high levels of fats and calories. This is the reason why most people develop associated diseases without knowing since they tend to think that they consume small quantities which cannot threaten their health. Thus, if an individual consumes fast food incessantly without working out, he/she becomes obese automatically.

It is hard to believe that fast food host more bacteria than any other foods if not well prepared. According to the example given by Gutierrez (2011), a minor mistake such as the way one treats the animal before slaughtering it can determine the amount of bacteria that will be in the meat. The living conditions that the animals are subjected to just prior to being slaughtered are the other factors that determine the number of bacteria that can enter in our foods. For instance, according to Merchant (2011), a recent research indicated that 48% of soda offered in fast food restaurants hosts coliform bacteria that is typically found in feces. Additionally, the research performed at Hollins University indicated that 11% of these sodas contained E. Coli bacteria too. This derived a question of how fecal bacteria would be found in drinks leave alone foods. It is no wonder to see that drinks nowadays are associated with food-borne diseases such as cardiovascular and respiratory disorders.

However, it is undeniable that fast food is the cheapest and the simplest way of eating in the contemporary world. Additionally, fast food is economical to time not mentioning money especially to the working class with compressed time schedules. Citing from the success of the fast food restaurants, it is factual that the convenience of the food has persuaded people to consume it. Fast food is the only quicker and better way of satisfying the rumbling stomach. However, it is a paradox that the more one satisfies the rumbling stomach with these cheap foods, the more the incurring expenses of dealing with the diseases to be developed. According to recent research, it is hypothesized that food-borne diseases in United States record approximately 6 to 81 million cases of illness and more than 9,000 deaths annually (Mead, 2011). Thus, citing from the number of illness cases, it can be contended that most families are victims for at least each member in the family. The illness can develop from the bacteria found in the food or basically calories and fats that lead to life threatening diseases. It is recommendable to be aware of the fact that for every piece of fast food consumed, there is a corresponding amount of dollars compiling for hospital bills. Generally, it is preferable to sacrifice the 5 minute satisfaction brought by fast food in order to be guaranteed of a healthy future.

Alternatively, if a person cannot refrain from consuming fast food, it is possible to avoid possible repercussions by working out. Daily exercising helps in burning fats and calories which help in preventing a bigger percentage of diseases caused by fast food. Additionally, since it is hard to avoid fast food restaurants, it is recommendable to shift to healthier foods offered by the restaurants. Most of these restaurants offer alternative foods such as grilled chicken, oatmeal, low-fat milk and salads which are healthy meals. Therefore, after the restaurants notice that the consumer behavior of their target market is changing, they will shift to foods that support healthier living in order to satisfy market demands.

Conclusion            

Generally, it is recommendable for everyone to think twice prior to consuming fast food regardless of being starve. There are number of alternatives that one can take instead of consuming fast food in order to satisfy a rumbling stomach. Citing from the fact that fast food has been considered as the causative factor for more than 9,000 in U.S annually, it means that everyone is susceptible to be a victim. However, this can be prevented by making choices before consuming fast food. If one decides to take the foods, he or she must be ready to work out to burn the fats and calories in the foods. On the other hand, because of bacteria it is preferable to refrain from taking fast food by shifting to other healthier options offered by fast food restaurants.

References

American Heart Association. (2015). Eating fast food. Retrieved from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/DiningOut/Eating-Fast-Food_UCM_301473_Article.jsp#.V-TKnn-ZHIV

Gutierrez, D. (2011). "Think Eating "organic" Meat Is Okay? Think Again." Independent News on Natural Health, Nutrition and More. Retrieved from http://www.naturalnews.com/028804_organic_meat_investigation.html>.

Mead, P.S. (2011). "Food-Related Illness and Death in the United States." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/Vol5no5/mead.htm>.

Merchant, B. (2011). "48% of Fast Food Soda Fountains Contain Bacteria That Grew in Feces." TreeHugger. Retrieved from http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/01/48-percent-fast-food-soda-fountains-contain-bacteria-grew-feces.php>.

            How Meditation Correlates With Health and Wellness and Psychology

1. Introduction: An Evaluation of Societal Wellness Role and Its Influences on Cultural and Individual’s Aspects.

            In the present living, wellness has turned to be the second option to most individuals and this is being affected by several issues the major one being the manner in which American societies operates. In a comparison between different global cultures, American culture can be termed as the unhealthiest in comparison with a country that holds fewer resources (Nash, 2011).

            In most nations employees are provided with a mid-day break of about an hour or two which thus permits them to eat healthier meals at home while in America employees are only allowed to spend thirty minutes.  This, therefore, increases the reliability of individual on fast foods which contribute to unhealthy eating. In addition, this trend denies them adequate time with their families and friends and most of them suffer from depression due to increased stress and pressure (Nash, 2011). Exercising regimes are no longer favorable due to the working and living environment in America and this has contributed to the rise of obesity.

            American social practices have shaped the idea of wellness through requiring individuals to work for extended hours and this hinders individuals from participating in mindfulness meditation, eating healthy and spending quality moments with the loved ones.  It is clear currently that American society is characterized by rapid lifestyle changes and it is all about achieving higher and not in the context of wellness but wealth (Nash, 2011).  This though of how the American social practice has pressed Americans to get into a living where wellness is a complete miss in all aspects.

1. Issue: Introduction of the Issue And Its Relation to Wellness

            This course is essential in shaping individual’s thoughts of wellness.  Communication capability, physical, religion, as well as mental stability, are the major factors of life wellness as the complete a healthy balance for every individual. Over the last period, several studies have been conducted on the associated benefits of mindfulness meditation correlation to health, wellness as well as psychological stability (Butera, 2012).  This can help in solving the growing issue in America as well as globally which are obesity stress as well as depression (Butera, 2012).

            Mindful meditation is essential as it may help in decreasing depression, stress disorders, treat eating disorders as well as contribute to the development of cell permanency (McMurray & Clendon, 2011). Mindful meditation is a kind of meditation that focuses on conscious existence which is summarized in mind-body awareness referred to as mindfulness.  This involves avoiding mechanical activities in the current moment and focusing on the inner feelings and the surrounding. Contrary to individual’s belief this does not consist of any system of belief as it requires little time (McMurray & Clendon, 2011).

            Mindful meditation helps in developing brain functions as it develops the ability of the brain to adapt to various changes over time.  Based on various studies meditation can be helpful in increasing left interior activity (McMurray & Clendon, 2011). This is the section of the brain which is high flexibility towards stressful experiences thus developing the suggestion that mediation may be able to reduce the cognitive outcomes of stress. In addition, it reduces stress symptoms through solving the occurrences of stressful events.  This is accomplished through reducing ruminant negative thoughts which involve the reflection on the shortcomings (McMurray & Clendon, 2011).

            Additionally to boosting cognitive function meditation helps in enhancing immune system thus enhancing health and developing wellness (McMurray & Clendon, 2011).  This is achieved through the production of increased antibodies production.  An increased production of antibodies helps in decreasing the negative outcomes of stress.

            Meditation is essential in treating binge eating as it creates greater control and awareness of self. Individuals are therefore able to control their eating disorders which contribute to obesity development. Mediation is associated with the ability to develop emotional eating desires thus reducing physical consumption frequencies (McMurray & Clendon, 2011).

• Plan: Recommendations and A Plan to Improve The Issue, As Well As Strategies for Implementing the Plan

            The issue of stress, depression, and obesity can be solved through encouraging individuals to engage in mindfulness meditation. Stress issues should additionally be solved using meditation in order to control the manner in which the brain develops thoughts (Butera, 2012).  Individuals can additionally access an ideal course on meditation as they are globally situated currently.  Individuals are required to engage in at least fifteen minutes of meditation each day or after a stressful experience to avoid the development of depression and unhealthy eating.  Employees should be given a wider day break to ensure that they eat healthy or engage in mediation to avoid negative outcomes (Butera, 2012).

            In summing up whether meditation is practiced on daily basis or on intervals it can be a successful path of enhancing individual’s wellbeing.  Mediation can be utilized as an effective way of solving the issues that surrounds weight as well as cognitive instabilities. Since meditation is the act of concentrating with the mind in order to control the thoughts development patterns and avoid negative thoughts it may develop psychological, wellness as well as health benefits.

            References

            Butera, R. (2012). Meditation for your life v creating a plan that suits your style. Woodbury, Minn: Llewellyn Worldwide.

            McMurray, A., & Clendon, J. (2011). Community health and wellness: Primary health care in practice. Chatswood, N.S.W: Elsevier Australia.

            Nash, D. B. (2011). Population health: Creating a culture of wellness. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Interview with a hospital administrator

The interview started on a high note and with energy where the hospital administrator explained the responsibility of a hospital administrator and what it takes to be one. A hospital is an active treatment center for patients and it is a multipart and an interdisciplinary workplace for the healthcare personnel. Being a hospital administrator requires on to be in charge of maintaining the symbiotic operations of a hospital to run smoothly. They are faced with the task of managing the professionals, the finances and the practice of the facility in accordance with the set of policies and the procedures set by the trustees. Their responsibility is also wide as they are supposed to represent the hospital as an institution in the governing boards, investors meeting and within the community.

Hospital administrators are considered to be the leaders of the institutions they control. They are faced with the task of making decisions that ring throughout the entire institution and the community at large. The administrators ply in different environments such as in urban, community hospitals, group medical practices, rehabilitation institution and the outpatient care. Most of the administration workers work on a full-time basis but they all rise up to the emergency occasion.

For the administrators to be entrusted in such their academic qualifications plays an important role. One should hold a four-year bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration that includes specific curriculum courses such as hospital strategy, healthcare law, economics and finance and the healthcare technology that must be accredited by Healthcare Management Board. They are also subjected to training, licensing, and possession of the required skills as well as opportunity advancement.

There are ethical dilemmas of health care and life sciences regarding who chooses and who controls. Dax’s is at one point critically injured where he was left blind and without the use of his hands. He suffered extremely painful treatment leading to the famous plea of "let me die". The ethical dilemma rise when a physician job is to implement the job as the patient would want and in this case the physician did not act according to the patient wish which was to stop the treatment and just let him die. According to the patient, he did not want to live in disability as the members of the society have a certain attitude to individuals with a disability.

The issue of life also rises this is because ethically killing is wrong due to the moral values that individuals and the society hold. The physicians consider it to even be riskier when a patient refuses treatment as their main and sole purpose is to ensure that the individual’s life is continued through right treatment procedure and better medical care for the patient. The patient will is to die but the act of knowingly killing or letting some to take away their life is a medical dilemma that has to be dealt with to ensure that there is no violation of ethical standards.

Low birth weight infants and preterm births

            It is well to have the awareness on the disparities that are connected to ethnic and the cultural groups with the low weight in the birth section and the preterm babies. This persists as the main substantial donors of the death of children and the illness in America.  The range of the preterm births is different aid the ethnic and the racial groups.  This mainly connects to the socioeconomic position of their parents, the manners they had during their pregnancies which are all different among every culture.  This difference may explain the ethnic disparity in the preterm births.  Thus it is more important to have the knowledge on the racial and the ethnic variations as they have an effect on the early childhood results including the poor health, development and the educational status.  One of the main feature that causes the disparities in preterm births links to the maternal health condition that the mother experience during her pregnancy.  Low birth weight is a community health predicament that is found in many countries that it is known that a large percentage of births are from low-birth weight babies.  The babies who survive out of low birth weight are exposed to diseases such as less muscle strength and largely exposed to diabetes and heart diseases (Nkansah-Amankra, 2007). 

            These children also have some intellectual infirmities which affect their life performances.  The families who care for the preterm children face many challenges which depend on the harshness of the child’s health status. The families also face the huge money impact which stays for a long term.  In America, there are several community resources that give different types of aids to the families so as to have care for the premature newborns.  An example of such resource is the Healthy Start that gives aid services, provide education and teach women in the community in the health care clinics. The community should follow this link so as to follow the program. The programs assess the families that need support and take them to the health and the social services.  The community should follow this link so as to follow the program: pinellas.floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/clinical-and...Health/index.html (Nkansah-Amankra, 2007).

Reference

Nkansah-Amankra, S. (2007). Disparities in preterm and low birth weight outcomes by neighborhood contexts: Multilevel analysis of South Carolina pregnancy risk assessment and monitoring system (PRAMS) survey, 2000-2003.      

Statement of Intent

            Labbat Food Services

            I am highly interested in Labatt food services internship program as the opportunity will give me an experience that is invaluable in handling life affairs as well as evaluation intelligence which is essential in influencing my career development.  In addition, I believe that the skills and the experience that I hold will of great benefit to Labbat during my period as an intern.

Currently am a student at St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX where an undertaking an engineering bachelor course.  This course has developed my knowledge on technical knowledge. In addition, I have also studied an associate degree of electrical power which formed the basis of my technical skills.  I worked as a technical operator for two years in Procter& Gamble, Dammam, Saudi Arabia and gained expertise experience from maintaining technical equipment’s and appliances, safety leadership as well as hair care.  Moreover, I have additionally worked on electrical technical and instrument technical where I have worked for more than twenty projects. My leadership and safety skills are well developed and this may be an asset for Labbat.

            Outside work and school, I am a community volunteer. This role, therefore, requires me to work with the community which helps me in the formulation of plans of handling technical and cognitive issues.  My work experience in technical, electrical and instrumental operation has provided me with great technological and interaction proficiency with individuals who are different. The technical and organizational skills that I have acquired from the experiences have enabled me to attain self-motivation as well as leadership skills.  In Labbat’s paced surrounding of daily operations, the skills will maintain my focus on developing the best possible performance.

Meals on Wheels

            My desire to get an internship opportunity at meals on wheels is high.   This is mainly because the opportunity will be essential in ensuring that I gather required experience to handle technical activities in life as well as develop my career.

            I am interested in working at meals on wheels because of the high working and success pace.  This will work to ensure that the knowledge I hold is developed rapidly.  Meals on wheels has all that I need in order to become a competent individual in the working world.  I being a community volunteer have helped in ensuring that my interaction and working skills are developed as I have to deal with distinct individuals.

            Presently, am a student at St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX where an undertaking an engineering bachelor course.  This course has developed my knowledge on technical knowledge. I have technical operation knowledge and experience which I believe will be an asset for meals and wheels.

            I trust that my leadership experience, as well as educational skills, would benefit meals on wheels, noticeably if is chosen for the internship program.  At the same time, my interning at Labbat would spur my career by preparing me for potential work in private or a public industry.  I have the hope to be involved in an exciting chance with you even more.

The processing resources that relate to attention and memory

Though the connection between the brain and thought is active and may change on how life is going, the alternations of these two aspects will still be connected and the changes between them will be noted.  The main intellectual functions that re mainly affected by age development are attention and memory. 

Attention

            This is the main but the most complicated intellectual process that has many processes that re needed for different features of processing information.  Lowering in attention has wide reaching effects on the capability of functioning.  The forms of attention in the article are those that have been reviewed to occur in the aging development.  Selective attention is a form of attention that has the capability to have some incentives while ignoring others that are important.  In the selective attention, the information interferes with the spotting of the color and causes increase reaction at times.  For the aged to have the best selective attention, they should select the effective incentive for processing.  The older are slower than the young adults in the response to their aims but are not mainly affected by the disturbance (Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2014).   

            Divided attention is connected with the important declines in the performance mainly when works are complex.  Divided attention needs the procession of a multiple of information sources or the doing of more works at the same time.  The older adults are more challenged by this attention than the younger adults mainly when there is more demand of attention in the two tasks.  The scarcity of age in the divided attention can be lessened by more practicing and training.  Continued attention is the capability to sustain attention over a given chore and over a certain time.  So as to have the continued attention, people must assess the environment where the older adults are not exposed to the observance chores.  The older adults show the main deficiencies on the attention tasks that need dividing attention on the many tasks.  The aged are unable to sustain attention for a period of time.  The tasks on which the aged show attention is only on those that need stretchy control of consideration (Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2014).     

Memory

            Working memory on the human brain makes it happen with the normal changes of aging that have been available in the concepts of memory and processing.  As people get old, there are more behaviors alternations helps people to become quick in memory. As the brain of the aged changes, the working manners also change.  The review of the aged memory involves the process of determining how every feature in the old adults’ changes in terms of processing and storing of information.  Working memory is poor in the aged. Based on the long term memory, the chores of occasional memory mainly are affected by age thus the older adults have a challenge in the daily memory.  On the semantic memory, it can be said not to be affected by the normal process of aging.  Prospective memory is stored when a person is encouraged by time rather by the event (Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2014)

            The effects of memory in the older adults are related to issues on smoking and usage of fatty acids. The significance of this article on the attention and the memory processes in adults are important.  The aged suffer more changes which are not common and not permanent.

Reference

Cavanaugh, J. C., & Blanchard-Fields, F. (2014). Adult Development and Aging. Cengage Learning.

Social work

Abstract

The adolescent years come with a lot of challenges for both the teenagers and their families. The phase is normally emotionally intense and thus requires special intervention. Just like the idea that it takes a village to raise a child, it takes the whole community to offer support for youth. It’s widely known that many teens encounter issues related to mental health, family affairs, friends, school work, drug abuse, sexuality and other hazardous behaviors. Such issues are usually worse for those youths who have no support from the community and they end up in juvenile corrective systems. Few of those get a chance to be treated considering the judgments based on state laws.

Introduction

There have been increasing rates of adolescent delinquency and thus involvement with juvenile justice system according to research done over the last 10 years. This increase in the art of adjudicated youth is a reflection of adult incarceration, but unlike adults this delicate and disadvantaged population has been neglect in the written law and the entire society. There is a need to allocate funds in the research on this issue in order to come up with ways of controlling the increased rates of juvenile crime and provide effective rehabilitation programs. Until such a time, it is very important that residential treatment improves services provided for the adjudicated youths. Due to the possibility that treatment provided is ineffective, the trend towards a more punitive approach in the juvenile justice can do more harm to the already disadvantaged population. It is dangerous to harbor the idea that nothing works, a notion that has no support of empirical evidence but is largely based on treatment literature reviews which do not document the changes associated with treatment. Within historical context a considerable gap exists in provision of appropriate services for youth. Past models of treating adolescents were focused on adult interventions and failed to deal with the distinctive developmental requirements of young people. However, today’s  focus is slowly shifting towards developing more suitable treatment strategy that comprise of standardized, all inclusive bio-psycho-social evaluation to assist in the plan for treatment and clinical assignment (White, White,& Dennis, 2004). There is little literature and research on treatment outcomes. Furthermore, we need to ask if residential treatment is effective for treating teens with recurring substance misuse and diagnosing psychological health issues since about  50 to 80% of adolescents joining treatment have resurging psychiatric diagnosis (Evans &Sullivan, 2002).

It is possible for one to easily assume that young people with recurring SUD and psychiatric health are the clients who are mainly underserved. According to Falcon (2003) ofthe2million adolescents in U.S. needing SUD treatment each year, only200, 000 obtain treatment and less than100, 000 are getting treatment interventions suitable for their health requirements. This portrays a rather discouraging view on the effectiveness of treatment programs, mainly for adjudicated youth diagnosed with co-occurring conditions. Without doubt major changes in residential treatment are needed to increase effectiveness but without empirical evidence on best practice many programs, including my field placement, place strong emphasis on standardized cognitive and adaptive measures, applying punishment as behavioral management dismissing the rewarding part.

The regular application of principals of behavioral management underlying reward and punishment can aid in individuals reduction of drug abuse and criminal conduct. There is more likelihood for sanctions and rewards to change ones behavior when they are sure of following the targeted behavior, more so when followed swiftly, and when they are viewed as being fair (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). It is more effective to realize long-term change that is positive while rewarding positive conduct than punishing negative behavior. In fact, punishment alone is not an effective intervention for public health and safety needs for those offenders with criminal behavior directly associated with drug abuse. Hence, both rewards and sanctions are needed to facilitate change but sanctions are mostly applied in treatment settings with the general assumption that the reward is the actual completion of program. And it might be good for the adults who voluntarily enroll in treatment but it fails to address developmental needs unique for young people with co-occurring conditions. Their developmental stage requires short term rewards, awarded more often as well as positive reinforcement. This study intervention will address the need of incorporating more objective rewards into the programs as a way of facilitating change. Based on existing literature related to rewarding positive behavior as being effective for treatment and personal experience in the field, it is believed that study intervention will prove to be effective in treatment programs.

My experience with treatment plan for adolescents with issues concerning mental health and substance abuse (Adjudicated Youth in briefly held in the custody of Oregon Youth Authority) is based on providing frontline (direct) services to a group of 14 clients, assisting as back-up support, facilitating and co-facilitate approximately 5 hours of group counseling each day, evaluating and documenting clients progress, etc. Treatment program through fundamentals of Positive Peer Culture incorporates (BSB) basic social behaviors in order to provide a safe environment for all members to develop strength that will lead to recovery. This is accomplished by clients following Basic Social Behaviors. The concept is to allow peers to help each other and only involve staff when the group is struggling to collectively follow the PPC model. This is how the program works: when a youth is having difficulty following the BSB, peers may give him friendly reminder. Upon receiving his 3^rd reminder in day, staff intervention is necessary and youth is offered a VTO (voluntary timeout).This process issued to provide youth a few minutes to settle down and regain composure. Engaging in disruptive behavior during the VTO may result in MRV (major rule violation) Safety. MRV safety protocol places the youth in safety room supervised byback-upstaff.MRV safeties may last no longer than one hour and no shorter than 30 minutes. Failure to comply with safety protocols may cause a client to go off-program. This was indeed my biggest concern. At risk youth needs treatment not incarceration. But treatment needed to be improved in order to be efficient.

Improving youth behavior, engagement in school and treatment services

A one hour a week, one on one counseling and incorporating contingency management strategies in the program will improve the youth behavior; increase their school engagement and the relevant treatment services.

Empirical evidence

Strategies for Contingency management, known to be efficient in community settings, utilize voucher-based incentive rewards, like bus tokens, for imparting  abstinence (measured by drug tests that are negative) or for directing improvement towards other treatment objectives, like attending program session or complying with medication treatment regimens. The application of Contingency management is mainly useful when the behavior being observed is followed by contingent reward. An intervention tested by CJ- DATS researchers, called “Step’n Out,” which is an intervention that has been put under test by CJ-DATS(researchers) utilized  a contingency management strategy  where the criminal justice personnel monitored particular behaviors such as  employment searches  and counseling attendance. They then offered rewards to individuals who met  socially acknowledgement goals that had been agreed upon such  as congratulatory letter  and small material incentives like partial payment  for job interviews’ clothes .This tactic improved  attendance of parolees at integrated community instituions and sessions for addiction treatment , as well as better usage of treatment and personal counsel in services (National Institute on Drug Abuse ,2014) .To implement contingency management strategies , there is need to adopt programs that are skills-oriented  so that to reduce any gateway for substance use  and other negative behavior. The programs would have major components that include social skills and self- management skills that encourage feedback and evaluation of the strategy. The strategy would also be implemented by use of programs for behavior management that target the enhancement of positive behavior through monitoring and enhancement.

Customize Treatment-One hour a week individual counseling

 NIH principles on treatment on drug addiction connotes that addiction is a complicated disease but which is treatable that affects functioning of brain and behavior. There is no common treatment that is good for everyone. The treatment varies according to the type of drug and the patient’s characteristics. A Match between interventions, settings of treatment and services to an ones ’s particular problems and needs is vital to their ultimate success. Effective treatment serves multiple needs of the person, together with their drug abuse needs. It is also essential that treatment be suitable to the one’s age, sex, ethnicity or culture (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2012).A large number of clinical trials have supported the efficacy of individual counseling as an intervention for substance use.

Rationale

Punishment alone is an ineffective approach to treatment. To better understand the need for intervention, I will briefly discuss why the current BSB model doesn’t works. Clients admitted into treatment have been through many other programs that failed them before. Many are well aquatinted with curriculum considering the model to be ineffective and boring. This lack of motivation and hopeless attitude is contagious further hindering the recovery progress.

Furthermore, falling asleep during group counseling, refusing to engage in discussions, incomplete assignments, and lack of interest in educational process is really considered unacceptable behaviors which are sanction accordingly. For not complying with BSB youth would easily get 3reminders in a day, followed by VTO’s with many ending up in MRV (major rule violation) Safety. Once in MRV Safety, their behavior would decline even more placing them at risk for going off the program. In this way sanctions implemented due to lack of interest in the program cannot be effective strategies for behavioral improvement and personal engagement in treatment program.

The goal of this study is to prevent youth from losing their treatment opportunity by going off the program back to juvenile detention. History of treatment failure contributed towards their resistant attitude therefore in order for any change to occur, effective communication had to be present as well as reinforcement of positive behavior through rewards.

Study hypothesis

One hour a week, a face to face counseling as well as incorporating contingency management strategies in the program will improve youth behavior, increase their school engagement and treatment services for negative behavior and increasing self-esteem.

Independent variable

These are the intervention strategies which include one on one counseling and contingency management that are aimed at positive outcomes.

Dependent variables

These include participant’s engagement, attitude towards treatment, behavior and self-esteem.

Significance

It is important to prevent youth from going off the program for 2 reasons. First if they do go back to jail, they will spend their time there until theyturns18.Then they will be released and without proper treatment they will end up living homeless on streets. Second reason is discouragement. If treatments continue to fail youth, they will never seek help or believe in their own recovery. Therefore time is of essence in this case.

Youth voice

They don’t want to goof program and spend their remaining time in juvenile because compare to incarceration environment treatment centers are better. Many are also talking about their own fears and anxiety related to living homeless on the streets since foster care is no longer an option after they turn18.

Study setting

This study will be conducted at the residential treatment program since the youth is restrained. The center will be used to hold the meetings as well as to facilitate the intervention. As part of the prevention intervention, each participant will meet their counselor once a week for 1 hour. The assigned therapist will remain the same throughout the study and the participants are expected to remain the same.

Study Design

14 male adolescents who were diagnosed with recurring substance abuse and psychiatric disorder, who were already admitted to residential treatment were incorporated in the study; age 16.5 to 18years,and the length of the treatment program is 9months.This is a A-B design-a baseline and one intervention. Client’s daily basic social behavior according to agency policy was recorded from first day of enrollment. Assessment and case foundation were available and having access to these records it was easy to obtain retrospective baseline of pretreatment trends. The retrospective baseline will serve as a basis for comparison with the subsequently acquired data.

The AB design would be implemented with an evaluation option. In this case the, the condition for treatment is introduced and then withdrawn after a given period. If there is systematic change in behavior, confidence for the treatment will be known to be the reason for the change in behavior.  Each participant will be taken through the above procedure and the counselors or therapist will take details.  The case will then be presented to assess the extent to which the participants responded to the intervention strategies. Two observers, who are independent from the counselors or other staff, will supervise each case to ensure reliability of data collected.

Prohibition of Alcohol

Q1

            Creative thinking in life is one of the important approaches that can be used to solve problems in any place.  Over the past decades, creative thing has been used by organizations and the states so as to have the best solutions in the solutions based on their businesses in a way that they will create the success of the organization.  Despite the flourish of the use of creative thinking, it has also had its challenges which are connected with the lack of adherence to the rules that are linked to the creative thinking. This good example on the challenge and the failure of creative thinking has been the trial of passing the prohibition law by the Congress which aimed to forbid the selling of alcohol in America. The trial was only a way of lessening the crimes and making sure that the youths lived comfortably.  This trial failed and ended up as there was no clear show of creative thinking.

Q2

            The prohibition of alcohol in America was meant to lessen the crimes, fight corruption, solve communal challenges, and lessens the tax burden that was formed in the prisons and mainly to advance the health of the Americans. This trial to make a change in America was not successful   due to the fact that law of the prohibition of alcohol was not solved in a creative manner and this made it a failure.  This can be explained that the law makers approached the benefits of the alcohol such as the economic benefits which showed that the prohibition of alcohol would doom the economy benefits of America. The importance on the prohibition still exist as America still have the debate on War on illegal drugs and has put endless efforts on the reduction of tobacco, alcohol, cases of abortion and some black market jobs.  Although the use of alcohol had failed at the start on the debate on the prohibition, it has currently increased.  It has become a challenge in that it has increased crimes and corruption (Arnold, 2011). 

                        The prohibition caused huge source of tax and has also led to the spending of the government’s money and it has also caused people to engage in dangerous behaviors that they would have not encountered if the prohibition was approved.  The First World War gave the important approach of support to the prohibition while the Great Depression also gave its highlights of support.  Those who supported the prohibition stated that banning of alcohol would make sure that America would prosper while law and the regulations of the country would be followed. Those who were against the prohibition said that there was no reason to prohibit it as they would provide jobs, make the economy to improve and increase the revenues as this was influenced by the factors of the unlawful liquor firm.  The depression also led to the diminishing of the support of the prohibition although the earlier supporters of the prohibition were the employers of many organizations as they believed that it would up surge the discipline of the workers and the productivity in the organizations (Arnold, 2011). 

            The failure of the prohibition caused the lessening of the economy of America and this made people to believe that prohibition of alcohol was disrespectful to the law.  This can be called lack of creative thinking in that the law based on the prohibition underlies what happened during the prohibition of alcohol.  The main aim of the prohibition was to lessen the use of alcohol and mainly reduce the total alcohol consumption.  The failure caused the increased use of alcohol mainly to the middle class people (Arnold, 2011).   

Q3

            As the prohibition of alcohol has failed, there are some solutions that have to be carried out.  This is the lessening of drinking age.  This can be a possible solution to the challenge. This is a matter that states that the minimum age of consumption of alcohol will determine the age in which the young people will become mature enough to take the adult accountabilities.  The lack of support on the issue reflects the different and less changes on the ages for other manners.  This is the age based on the sexual engagement of the youths, buying of contraceptives and having marriage without engaging their parents and other bad behaviors (Tracy, 2004). 

            Some of the young people have differences in their drinking ways in that some are lawfully while others are unlawfully to drink.  One of the major reasons to this would be the informal networks where the young youths experience no hardships in consuming alcohol.  Another major reason would be the availability of these young people where they have the ease to move around the country so as to consume alcohol. The act on lessening the age of consumption did not approach the alcohol behaviors and challenges.  The lessening of the age of alcohol consumption is a solution to the American way of prohibition.  The consumption of alcohol is dangerous as it results in changing the behaviors of many youths and causing crimes in the social society.  Thus all the young people should be protected from alcohol consumption according to this act (Tracy, 2004).

Reference

Arnold, S. (2011). The creative spirit: An introduction to theatre. New York: McGraw-Hill.     

Tracy, S. W. (2004). Altering American consciousness: The history of alcohol and drug use in the United States, 1800-2000. Amherst, Mass. [u.a.: Univ. of Massachusetts Press.

Family Health Assessment

Three open-ended questions

1. Values, health perception

What is the description of your family’s current health?

How do you work out to improve or maintain the health of your family?

Which health goal does your family strive to attain?

1. Nutrition

Do you think this family is well nourished?

Which kinds of foods are usually consumed in this family?

Has the family ever been affected by any mulnutritional disease?

2. Sleep/ Rest

Do all members of the family have enough sleep?

At what time do family members go to bed and when do they wake up?

Do you have some techniques to relax yourselves before sleeping?

3. Elimination

After how long do you urinate?

After how long do you have bowel movement?

Does the process excretion occur normally?

4. Activity/exercise

How often do you have your physical exercise?

Do you find your body physically fit?

Is there anything inhibiting any member of the family to have physical exercises?

5. Cognitive

What is the education level of the members in the family?

Does the family face any mental problems?

Does the family suffer from any kind of discomfort?

6. Sensory perception

Are all members of the family able to express themselves clearly?

Is there any sensory problem within the family?

Are all family members in position to attend school?

7. Self perception

Are all family members comfortable with what and how they are?

Which personal problems do the members face in life?

What do you do to ensure that every family member is comfortable with life?

8. Role relationship

Is the family well managed?

What are the roles played by each member in the family?

Are there some inadequacies within the family?

9. Sexuality

How many children are there in the family?

Do you think of having more children in future?

Is there any problem affecting the reproductive system?

10. Coping

Are there any challenges that family faces?

How does the family react to cope with such challenges?

Do you seek help from friends?

Summary of the findings for each functional health pattern

            The family is in a good current state as far as health is concerned. This is because the family works hard to ensure that all members practice all possible ways towards attaining good health. The family ensures good feeding habits by eating what is recommended for a healthy diet hence reducing the risks of mulnutritional diseases. There is a practice of proper hygiene and sanitation for example keeping one clean hence keeping bacteria, germs and viruses at bay (Bomar, 2004). The family always gets medical advice on how to live a healthy life free from illnesses and this is the reason it has a few cases of medication. The family is striving hard to maintain good health standards in order to get rid of all diseases caused by having poor health (Francis, 2000). By doing so the family is assured of increasing its saving since less is spent on medication.

            Basing on the feeding culture in the selected family, it is evident that the family practices a proper feeding habit following MyPlate guideline for proper diet. MyPlate guideline provides the quantity recommended for a health feeding hence obtaining the recommended calories needed in the body. This can give a conclusion that the family is well nourished. The family ensures healthy eating habits by eating a diet balanced in proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and by exercising that, the family is free from all diseases caused by improper balanced diet (Bomar, 2004).

            The family schedule does not give all members time to rest though it is important to every individual to have time to rest. However, they have a good time to sleep comfortably with a minimum of seven hours. Time to rest is limited by a fixed working schedule that may not let some members to rest while at work. Additionally, the school curriculum does not give ample time for some members to rest during day time but only have time at night.

            The family confirmed a normal removal of bowels just as it is stated by medical advisors for instance at least once in every three days and without any difficulty in doing so. Similarly, urinating is done normally by all members for instance a minimum of five times in twenty four hours time. This is an indication of perfect excretory system function.

            The selected family agreed that physical body exercise is being undertaken by every family member at respective levels for example those at school do it regularly according to the school curriculum and schedule. However those at work have limited time to do the exercise regularly due to the fixed schedule. Therefore, they tend to have exercises at their free time. Some of the exercises being done include jogging, stretching, walking, and swimming. However, exercise should not be limited by anything because it is something that can be done at any time. One should not have a reason for not having exercise in the course of the day. Exercise is to be practiced regularly and frequently for body general fitness and overall, therefore there is no specific time and place for one to have physical exercise.

            The family is generally characterized with a normal functionality of the basic sensory organs which has also enabled the members to attain education and other members are still going on with education. This implies that they are able to reason properly and have a proper mental capacity. Dysfunction of any of the sensory organs can limit one’s capacity to do particular things (Polifko, 2010).

            The family selected is comprised of father, mother and two children. Father is the overall head and manager of the family executing his duties as the controller of the family. Generally, the family is well managed with the father providing all the necessities for the family as the mother keeps and maintains the health conditions in the family. The family basic necessities are being provided appropriately enabling the family to operate smoothly. The family is in strong affection with the two children hoping to raise them with a lot of care and love. They two parents have a normal and a functioning reproductive system without any difficulty. The family is under contraceptives in order to prevent the risk of getting pregnant so as to raise their two children.

            Like any other family, the selected family faces challenges that are always solved at family level and sometimes get help and solutions from friends. There are no challenges that lack a solution thus the family strives as much as possible to find a solution for such challenges and in case of a difficulty; it seeks for advice from the responsible persons (Francis, 2000).

More wellness and family nursing diagnoses

            The selected family observes good health practice for example proper sanitation and hygiene, balanced diet feeding, physical exercises, enough sleep enabling it to have good health generally. Despite the fact that the use of contraceptives help in birth control, they have side effects (Weber, 2009).

References

Bomar, P. J. (2004). Promoting health in families: Applying family research and theory to nursing practice. Philadelphia, Penns: Saunders.

Francis, M. Q. (2000). The principles and practice of nurse education. Cheltenham: Stanley Thomes.

Polifko, K. A. (2010). The practice environment of nursing: Issues & trends. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning.

Weber, J. (2009). Nurses' handbook of health assessment. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkin.