Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - Research Paper Example Experts reveal that the urge to repeat certain things result from the need to alleviate the stressful thoughts. The prevalence of the disorder is on the rise according to recent reports. The recent report conducted by the National Institute for Mental Health revealed that approximately 3% of Americans have OCD disorder (Rachman and de Silva, 2009). The report also indicated that the disorder affect people from all races, ethnic groups, and sexes in almost equal measure. The researchers also discovered that the disorder affects male at an early age than female. According to the National Institute for Mental Health report, the OCD disorder affects boys between the age of 6 and 15 years, while girls, the disorder tends to manifest mostly between the age of 20 and 30 years. Individuals with OCD tend to show certain behaviors that a rational person considers abnormal. The most common symptom of the disorder, according to National Alliance of Mental Illness (2012), is that, individuals suffering from OCD tend to double-check things excessively and repeatedly. For instance, an individual with OCD may end up double checking switches, locks and other electrical appliances 20 times before feeling satisfied that everything is in order. They do this due in an attempt to alleviate the compulsive stressful thoughts. Secondly, individuals with OCD tend to feel over obsessed with certain things. Because of over obsession, people suffering from OCD normally appear fearful and concerned about everything that happens around them. For example, such people may demonstrate fear and concern of thieves breaking into their houses as noted by Rachman and de Silva (2009). This makes them appear restless and pre-occupied by unreasonable thoughts. Individuals with OCD tend to be extra cautious in whatever they do for fear of harming themselves or others around them. Hyman and Pedrick (2011) also noted that such people focus much on morals and

Traditional Jews Essay Example for Free

Traditional Jews Essay Religion is a vast and distinct area of study. Many different cultures and groups have different practices, and within those cultures there are many sub-groups that are different than the majority. The Haredim are a Jewish sect that is basically a sub-group of traditional Jews that demonstrate many differences from the majority. Haredim have a different approach to death and the actual funeral procession of loved ones. Many other cultures will honor their dead by having a eulogy or some other type of ceremony. The Haredim like to invoke a different sense of devotion to passing ancestors. For instance, it is acceptable, among Haredim, for the Sephardi to sing the songs of his father and grandfather, to utilize the prayer rhythm of his youth. 1 This is essentially singing prayer songs to the father, if passed, and the grandfather, if passed during a funeral procession. These songs are supposed to honor the dead and at the same time elevate the dead to a type of saint-like status. After the deceased have had songs sung, it is time for a type of ceremony called the â€Å"Communion of Saints. † Here the Haredim invoke the â€Å"Communion of Saints† upon hearing of the death of an elder and attempt to have the Saints bless the body spiritually. The blessing is done to elevate his familiar saints and holy men, entering [his relative] in the pantheon of the believer, even to add a modest twist or two of traditional clothing to the standard garb. 1 The Haredim are known for their revering of elders upon death and their attempt at ascending those elders into a higher spiritual space. This is firmly established, according to their faith, by invoking the elder and finally invoking the â€Å"Communion of Saints† to assist in the transfer to the spirit world. Another aspect of death in Haredim society is the actual burial. The Haredim employ the hevra kaddisha, the Communal Fraternal Burial Society in Israel, is responsible for the reverential disposal of the dead in accordance with Jewish law for all Jewish citizens. 2 Once the arrangements are established by the hevra kaddisha, the burial must take place. A problem arises in the burial because it must occur as soon as possible. As the Jewish text suggests, The dead must be buried as soon as possible, as much out of respect for their corporeal integrity as out of concern that they should not pollute their environment. Texts devoted to establishing and commenting on the impurity of human remains are abundant, and the laws relating to this subject are very strict: people and utensils that have been in contact with a cadaver might become impure, as does the place where they have lain, thus being in the presence of a dead body can cause ritual uncleanness. 3 It is clear that the Haredim employed different rituals from other groups, but also maintained a bastion of traditional beliefs that secular Jews also follow. Haredim are a very distinct culture as compared to other sects of Judaism. One of the more shocking revelations about their culture is they actually do not support the established state of Israel. One of the first evidences of this non-support is how the Haredim view the chief rabbis in Israel. They do not recognize the Chief Rabbinate and have their own Rabbinic authorities. 4 This presents a problem in the Israeli Jewish community in particular. The Israelis are attempting to create a united front against other groups that oppose them in the region. Because of the lack of support, and since there is no doctrinal significance to the office of Chief Rabbi, voices are raised from time to time to abolish the whole institution of two Chief Rabbis, irreverently called by Israelis the Heavenly Twins. 5 Another way they reject the Israeli state is they look upon Israel as too secular. All the Haredim have in common a â€Å"total dedication to the Torah in its traditional form and believe that the secular world is best kept at arms length. 6 They have a stark rejection of Israel and do not actually need a Jewish state. They are fine the way they are and reject the secularism of the Jewish faith in general. The politicians in Israel have no impressed the Haredim throughout the years. They believe they are without structure and without promise for any group of people. One example is from the 1981 campaign [where] the two parties [created] satirical television commercials, which featured well-known Israeli comedians. Such commercials, according to the Haredim, were an expression of spiritual emptiness. 7 The Haredim stand firm behind their beliefs even against their own government. A final examination of the Haredim reveals some peculiar traits as compared to other cultures. One of the ways they are different from other Jewish sects is their devotion to a culture long gone. For instance, they continued to be known by the Yiddish names of their rebes towns — Satmar, Belz, Ger — places that existed no more. 8 Another distinct difference is in the attire that the Haredim men usually wear. One eyewitness recounted, the men wore the clothing of eighteenth-century Hasidim. 7 One of the remarkable characteristics of the religion is the offspring that are produced within the families. Some of the families have many children as compared to other groups. It actually makes sense why this occurs because, they produced large families — six, eight, even ten children — to begin to try to make up for the millions of murdered Jews. 9 The Haredim do portray some peculiar traits that may seem strange to other religions, but actually they are effectively helping their way of life live on in the future. The Haredim are a fascinating group of people with a very different religious perspective. They live their life true to their moral codes and should be respected as any other religion. Works Cited Cromer, Gerald. The Voice of Jacob and the Hands of Esau: Verbal and Physical Violence in Israeli Politics, 1977–1984. Jews and Violence: Images, Ideologies, Realities. Ed. Peter Y. Medding. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. 149-164. Jacobs, Louis. The Jewish Religion: A Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995. Sobel, Zvi. A Small Place in Galilee: Religion and Social Conflict in an Israeli Village. New York: Holmes Meier, 1993.

We Must be More Cynical of Human Evolution Theories Essay -- Argumenta

We Must be More Cynical of Human Evolution Theories The history of human existence is a highly speculated and heated subject of debate. Many seek for origins of mankind through religious and cultural contexts. Although no definitive answer has been established, society often tends to look towards science for explanation of this mystery. Surprisingly, much of what is presented in regards to human evolution is taken as fact. There is an underlying de-emphasis on particulars such as hypothesis and theory. Rather than disillusionment resulting from constant discoveries which discredit previous beliefs, a reinterpretation is created and subsequently taken as truth. Although a great deal of testing and physical evidence accompanies these theories, none provide complete concrete validation. A prime example of such reinterpretation stemming from new discovery is the recent finding of fossilized skulls in Ethiopia. On November 16, 1997 the skulls of two adults and one child were found in the Afar region bordering the Middle Awash River in a village called Herto. After roughly three years of reconstructing the fragments of skull together (the child’s skull alone is composed of over 800 pieces), further profane discoveries were brought to the public’s attention. Testing and analysis reveals that the skulls are 16,000 years old and thus makes them the oldest modern human fossils to date1[1]. The skulls significance however is of even greater importance. The Herto skulls prove that the current and widely accepted theory of evolution is flawed. The age of the skulls pre-dates Neanderthal fossils. Therefore, we could not have evolved from them2[2]. Neanderthals split of the human tree (a popular metaphor in reference t... ...rightsurf.com/news/june_03/EDU_news_061603.html   3[3] http://www.brightsurf.com/news/june_03/EDU_news_061603.html   4[4] http://www.brightsurf.com/news/june_03/EDU_news_061603.html 5[5] http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v423/n6941/full/nature01669_fs.html 6[6] http://www.brightsurf.com/news/june_03/EDU_news_061603.html   7[7] http://www.brightsurf.com/news/june_03/EDU_news_061603.html   8[8] http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v423/n6941/full/nature01670_fs.html 9[9] http://www.brightsurf.com/news/june_03/EDU_news_061603.html   10[10] http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v423/n6941/full/nature01670_fs.html 11[11] http://www.brightsurf.com/news/june_03/EDU_news_061603.html 12[12] http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v423/n6941/full/nature01669_fs.html

Sante Fe, Jamestown, and Quebec Settlements

Brianna Mosby Mr. Weigand DE U. S History 25 September, 2012 Settlements of Quebec, Santa Fe, and Jamestown Santa Fe Santa Fe was originally founded in1598 by Juan de Onate. He led a mining expedition of about 500 people. He hoped to find rich mines and rich lands. Onate expected the people, Pueblos, to help with the labor to find resources in the region. The mining trip was a bust and Onate and most of his people decided to head home, yet the Franciscan missionaries stayed behind in an attempt to convert the Pueblos to Christianity. 609-1610 is the date that archeologists say that Santa Fe was truly established by Don Pedro de Peralta. Before 1609, Santa Fe was inhabited on a very small scale. Spanish settlers lived amongst the indigenous population. The Pueblo’s population was reacing 100,000 people. They spoke nine basic languages and lived in about 70 multi-storied adobe towns. Santa Fe was thought to be almost abandoned by 1610 along with St. Augustine. The expeditions co st the mainland to much money to only come up with no results. Also there were notmany settlers attracted to this region.Overall the trips returned to little economic and strategic benefit to the Spanish. The only people to stay once everyone left were the Franciscan missionaries. After a few years the New Mexico region started producing a variety of goods to New Spain (Mexico). By 1680, the Pueblos drove the Spanish out of New Mexico for twelve years.. This was called the Pueblo revolt of 1680. Unfortunately for the natives the Spanish ended up coming back. Quebec Quebec was founded in 1608 by French settlers looking for a beneficial fur trade. As soon as the French landed they struck up an alliance with theAlgonkin, Montagnais, Huron tribes. These natives were the leading traders in the region. The French greatly benefited with this alliance, but it also brought a major problem. It brought a century of conflict with Huron’s enemies, the Iroquois confederacy from south of th e Great Lakes. Quebec was also called New France by the French. The leaders in New France pictured a simple, religious orthodox settlement with a handful of fur trading companies and a ruling class who owned agricultural estates. Once seeing the small number of French that came over the plans changed.The new idea was to converting the natives to Catholicism, French culture, and a simple lifestyle of farm labor on the estates, yet few chose this option. Instead most of the young Frenchman decided to live like the Native people as fur trappers and traders living in the backwoods. The French population struggled the first year on the new land. They started out with a small population. The first winter did not help by killing off most of the immigrants. For years after the only people alive were the missionaries and fur traders. By 1627 the population of the French in New France was only 85.New France was able to keep its roots down is due to the developed economy and social systems tha t were organized around a single product. The single was product was fur trading. It was essential to the French, it kept them stabilized and on good grounds with the natives. The New France settlement was an overall peaceful thing. There was never an actual war for land between the natives and the French. The only thing that saved them from having this problem was the small numbers in population. They had a very small demand for the Native’s land, also the policy of the alliance put even less pressure on the indigenous peoples.Jamestown Jamestown was established in 1607 by Captain John Smith. He sailed over on a charter from King James I with Virginia Company explorers. The Chesapeake region was chosen partly because the English knew who controlled it, the Powhatan people. English settlers expected to receive food and help with tributes in valuable goods. The explorers were mostly military men who were prepared to explore, deal with the Indians, and seek out riches in the ar ea. They were not prepared to grow food crops or fish. When times started getting rough they decided to raid the surrounding Powhatan villages for food.The first few years were the worst any of the settlers could have imagined. They dealt with famine, disease, frigid winters, failing harvests, and Indian wars. By 1610 the settlers decided to abandon Jamestown and head back to the homeland with a population of sixty. Nearing the end of the James River the settlers ran into their new governor who came with supplies from England. He ordered them to turn around and go back to Jamestown. English and the North Americans traded, negotiated, cooperated, and intermarried with each other. The settlers came into conflicts over land and their demand for the Native’s land.They also excluded the Powhatan people from their society. Eventually the New World started to flourish once the English accepted the Powhatan people. They became a key factor to the new tobacco economy in colony, changi ng it to a cash crop in 1613. English leaders on the expedition planned to have a ruling class of wealthy families who owned estates in the New World that were worked by bound laborers. At first the landowners had a hard time keeping the English servants bound to labor until the use of enslaving Africans. All Together Overall these three settlements have much in common yet differ just as well.Starting out all three were new expeditions to unknown territories. They all promoted strategic expansion plans to match and exceed their rival’s alliances and territorial gains. Also each out â€Å"established† a church and prosecuted dissenters in one way or another. Another thing is that they all had a bound labor system, it just varied in each settlement. They were all familiar with types of servitude and slavery in some way. All though they are alike, they are different. It starts off on where they settled Spain: New Mexico and Santa Fe, England: Jamestown, France: Quebec.The Spanish and French lived with the natives and allied with them, while the English excluded the Powhatan and raided them. Also the French was the only settlement to not go to war with the natives. They depended on the on the natives and did have such a threat to them because of the small population. Works Cited * www. library. thinkquest. org * www. pequotmuseum. org * www. historyworld. net * www. canadiana. ca * www. ehow. com * www. emexplorers. pbworks. com * www. itsatrip. org * Santafe. org * Apva. org * www. eslarp. uiuc. edu * Sfol. com

Eternal Light Essay

Another â€Å"wayfarer† is Victor Frankenstein, who is striving for â€Å"eternal light,† but in another aspect. He is the â€Å"Modern Prometheus,† longing to â€Å"pour a torrent of light into our dark world,† while creating a human being – a deed, which is intrinsic to God (26). His creation is the third participant in the â€Å"journey† to â€Å"eternal light. † He is unnamed, or more often called the creature, the monster, the wretch, or the one with â€Å"unearthly ugliness† (55). Victor’s creation also dreams for â€Å"eternal light† in the meaning of pure love or happiness, but he is compelled to follow the contrary direction – to â€Å"darkness and distance† (134). The three meet each other at the â€Å"land of mist and snow,† where their â€Å"journey† ends, where the border between possible and common lies, between dream and reality, between genius and mankind, between God and mankind, between â€Å"a country of eternal light† and â€Å"darkness and distance. † The character, accountable for the novel’s drama, is Victor Frankenstein, a student in humanities. â€Å"A possible interpretation of the name Victor derives from the poem Paradise Lost by John Milton, a great influence on Shelley (a quotation from Paradise Lost is on the opening page of Frankenstein and Shelley even allows the monster himself to read it). Milton frequently refers to God as ‘the Victor’ in Paradise Lost, and Shelley sees Victor as playing God by creating life† (Wikipedia). As a god Victor is determined to endow mankind: â€Å"Yet my heart overflowed with kindness, and the love of virtue. I had begun life with benevolent intentions, and thirsted for the moment when I should put them in practice, and make myself useful to my fellow-beings† (50). Moreover, as Prometheus, he gives the world â€Å"a spark of being† (28). Furnishing the world with such extreme power Frankenstein should take the responsibility of creator and help his gift be useful not destructive. However he mishandles it. When he is fifteen, he witnesses â€Å"a most violent and terrible thunderstorm,† which â€Å"utterly destroys† an â€Å"old and beautiful oak† (18). This event could be interpreted as an allusion to how pestilential this â€Å"spark of being† could be. As Miglena Nikolchina contends, the â€Å"serious ailment† is â€Å"in the man alone, undertaking the ‘godlike’ function to be a creator, but in many respects immature for it† (57). The concrete reason for the creature being â€Å"spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on† is his physical ugliness (133). Why Frankenstein’s creation is ugly? According to Cvetan Stoyanov, â€Å"Ugliness is in fact alienation, drifting away from the vital principle – organic could not be ugly, transgressing and killing it is ugly† (206). Something, often cited in connection to Shelley’s work is a sentence in which the perfect artist is described as a morally perfect man, as a â€Å"second creator, faultless Prometheus under the sky of Jupiter† (Shaftsbury 207). In this respect Miglena Nikolchina considers Frankenstein as an untalented artist, because he is not â€Å"morally perfect† and shows this as a reason for the monster’s ugliness. She claims that the Frankenstein’s morality is not one of a creator, but one of an ordinary man. â€Å"Frankenstein has not even fancied that love – namely love and only love his creation wants – is the first characteristic of creator. † â€Å"Ugliness turns out the sign, left behind by the creator who infuses life, but does not manage to come to love it and thus calls forth death, for it is not possible the fated for living to be made without love, and has no vitality what is deprived of the mercy to be loved† (Nikolchina 79-82). Victor’s blindness about the monster’s innocent nature is more harmful than the physical blindness. The blind De Lacey is the only man who perceives the monsters good resolutions. About the structure of the novel Nikolchina offers an interesting definition. It is â€Å"constructed as if of concentric circles of ice. The sailing to the North Pole is the outer circle, which serve as a frame of Frankenstein’s story. The conversation between the monster and Frankenstein among the sea of ice near Chamounix is the frame of the monster’s story, which is the core of the novel† (Nikolchina 86). The central part of his story is when after burning down the cottage of De Lacey he wonders: â€Å"And now, with the world before me, whither should I bend my steps? (80). Hereafter he starts hunting for his creator and begins alienating from his natural innocence. The creature wends his way toward â€Å"darkness and distance. † The changing nature corroborates his moral collapse: â€Å"I travelled only at night, fearful of encountering the visage of a human being. Nature decayed around me, and the sun became heatless; rain and snow poured around me; mighty rivers were frozen; the surface of the earth was hard, and chill, and bare, and I found no shelter† (81). â€Å"Advancing into experience,† Miglena Nikolchina explains, â€Å"is entering into a core of cold as well† (87). She suggests two aspects in analysing the role of ice. First it could be seen as â€Å"a supreme, unapproachable, unsusceptible to changes reality. It elevates Frankenstein ‘from all littleness of feeling,’ it fills him with ‘a sublime ecstasy that gives wings to the soul, and allows it to soar from the obscure world to light and joy’† (Nikolchina 87). Such an eternal and infinite is the picture before Robert Walton too: â€Å"†¦the region of beauty and delight. †¦the sun is for ever visible; its broad disk just skirting the horizon, and diffusing a perpetual splendour. The explorer’s hopes are so great that they turn out fantasies – he imagines an absolutely unreal North Pole: â€Å"†¦there snow and frost are banished; and, sailing over a calm sea, we may be wafted to a land surpassing in wonders and in beauty every region hitherto discovered on the habitable globe† (2). The Modern Prometheus chooses the â€Å"wi ld and mysterious regions† to â€Å"the tamer scenes of nature† (11). He goes beyond the potentialities of ordinary people, however, aiming not at admiring of the Great Nature, but at gaining the divine secrets. While Elizabeth contemplates â€Å"with a serious and satisfied spirit the magnificent appearances of things,† Victor delights â€Å"in investigating their causes. † Elizabeth follows â€Å"the aerial creations of the poets† and â€Å"in the majestic and wondrous scenes† she finds â€Å"ample scope for admiration and delight,† while Victor is â€Å"capable of a more intense application,† and is â€Å"more deeply smitten with the thirst for knowledge† (15). He elevates his intellect, but not his soul. He does not realize that new born (for his creation emerges in a completely unfamiliar world) needs love and attendance. Striving to eternal light,† he encounters â€Å"impenetrable darkness. † Night is closing around,† †dark are the mountains,† â€Å"heavens are clouded† (40-41). The â€Å"spark of being† turns out a hideous abortion. â€Å"Thick mists hide the summits of the mountains† (54). Frankenstein falls into â€Å"deep, dark, deathlike solitude† (50). Suffering â€Å"the eternal twinkling of the stars weighed upon him,† instead of delighting â€Å"eternal light,† he exclaims: â€Å"Oh! stars, and clouds, and winds, ye are all about to mock me: if ye really pity me, crush sensation and memory; let me become as nought; but if not, depart, depart, and leave me in darkness† (87). The magnificent scenes give way to appalling â€Å"dusky plain† (124). The other aspect of the ice, according Nikolchina, is â€Å"something barren and lifeless; like a power, which is hostile to life; like muteness† (88). Longing revenge, Victor departs from land and â€Å"pursues his journey across the sea in a direction that leads to no land,† â€Å"†¦the snows thicken and the cold increases in a degree almost too severe to support†¦ The rivers were covered with ice and no fish could be procured† (123). The nature seems to be inspirited and acts against Frankenstein: â€Å"Immense and rugged mountains of ice often barred up my passage, and I often heard the thunder of the ground sea which threatened my destruction† (124). It seems he has stepped on some unseen border that can not be crossed. â€Å"When he appears almost within grasp of his foe, his hopes are suddenly extinguished, [†¦ ]. The wind arises; the sea roars; and, as with the mighty shock of an earthquake, it splits and cracks with a tremendous and overwhelming sound. The work is soon finished: in a few minutes a tumultuous sea rolls between him and his enemy, and he is left drifting on a scattered piece of ice, that is continually lessening, and thus preparing for him a hideous death† (124). â€Å"Walton is also surrounded by mountains of ice which admit of no escape and threaten every moment to crush his vessel† (127). The situation with the â€Å"unearthly† creature is however different. The stream of his spiritual development is contrary to the ones of Frankenstein and Walton. Through the epithet â€Å"unearthly† Shelley differentiates him from mankind. While Walton and Victor aim â€Å"wild and mysterious regions,† the creature seeks an intimacy with common world. The monster is â€Å"immaculate in a quite literal meaning – he is empty, tabula rasa† (Nikolchina 72). Every scene and every feeling he touches to are admirable for him. Everything is for the first time. He is a child. The monster meets the civilization, for the first, through the agency of fire, which is an allusion to a new Promethean deed. However he encounters some strangers’ fire. The â€Å"new born† learns everything from the outside world, from accidental circumstances. There is no one to guide him, no one to show him what is worth learning. According to A. A. Belskee, Shelley displays â€Å"the destructiveness of individualism, the tragedy of compulsory desolation, the intangibility of happiness without associating with others† (Belskee 303). Every approach to human society brings a lot of suffering to the creature, notwithstanding he sees â€Å"the future gilded by bright rays of hope and anticipations of joy† (65). Despondently speaking to Walton he describes himself as â€Å"the miserable and the abandoned, [†¦] an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on† (133). The only possible interrelation with the surrounding world is violence. His crimes are a natural reaction, a rebel against the complete solitude. Otherwise the monster â€Å"could not conceive how one man could go forth to murder his fellow, [†¦] when I heard details of vice and bloodshed, my wonder ceased, and I turned away with disgust and loathing† (68). He clearly declares: â€Å"I was the slave, not the master, of an impulse which I detested, yet could not disobey† (132). The wretched interprets his lot as worse than Satan’s from Milton’s Paradise Lost, for â€Å"Satan had his companions, fellow-devils, to admire and encourage him; but I am solitary and abhorred† (74). He is the only one of the tree, the only one in the world, who completely rejects society with its gall, the only one who crosses the â€Å"border,† laid by society, and fades in â€Å"no land. † He fades for there will be no one to see him. The â€Å"eternal frosts† have frozen all the hatred into his â€Å"ice-raft† and he is â€Å"soon borne away by the waves and lost in darkness and distance† (143). The hopes of â€Å"poor† Frankenstein also fade with his death. He remains at the icy border, between â€Å"eternal light† and â€Å"darkness and distance. † The only thing he succeeds in is revealing these two possibilities for the future human nature: â€Å"Seek happiness in tranquillity and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries. Yet why do I say this? I have myself been blasted in these hopes, yet another may succeed.

Why Patient Satisfaction is Now Crucial For Hospitals

Why Patient Satisfaction is Now Crucial For Hospitals One of the unexpected effects of the Affordable Care Act has been increased pressure on doctors and medical staff to improve patient engagement. As payment options shift and care networks broaden, patients find themselves empowered to demand not  Ã¢â‚¬Å"just† the best medical care, but also a compassionate bedside manner, as well. Shefali Luthra over at MedPageToday notes that medical centers nationwide are prioritizing doctor-patient interactions and emphasizing compassion as well as a search for diagnosis. â€Å"Under a 2010 health law, Medicare payments to hospitals can be affected by patient satisfaction surveys,† according to Luthra. In addition, the care cost burden on patients leads them to depend more on preference than on limited options.The research of Tim Vogus, associate professor of management at Vanderbilt University, found that medical institutions encouraging physician responsiveness now  require  doctors  to take empathy training courses, capture personal details about patients in their charts, and practice small follow-up gestures like a handwritten note or phone call- all which improve patient experience.A key piece of this innovative practice is of course being open to receiving feedback- if patients never have a chance to evaluate a physician or her practice, how will they know what to improve? The University of Rochester Medical Center sends out a monthly feedback newsletter and provides doctor-to-doctor peer coaching, which gives doctors a chance to turn appointment discussions into a conversation instead of a by-the-book exchange.Patients who feel that their doctors are sincerely invested are more likely to take medication, adhere to recommendations, and schedule follow-up appointments and procedures. And the more active listening an attentive physician practices can lead, the  more accurate diagnoses and responsive treatments occur. The entire staff and its patients improve when doctors take the time to listen and respond appropriately- the future of medicine might depend on it.Hospitals Push Docs to Improve Their Bedside MannersRead More at Medical Page Today

Policy Program for Mt. Rossmoor Community College

Policy Program for Mt. Rossmoor Community College Successful development should not only encompass the growth of productivity, but should also ensure that the adopted pattern of growth is broad-based. This way, the management ends up with a variety of policy options that can be evaluated to select the best development strategy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Policy Program for Mt. Rossmoor Community College specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The selected strategy must tailor those policies to the objectives of growth and development (Kind, 2013). However, since the world is rapidly changing, the long-term development needs of institutions are often overlooked. Instead, prompt and drastic measures are taken so that the institution remains competitive and relevant to stakeholders (Borman Hewes, 2002). In the long run, organizations find themselves in complex situations that sometimes call for an entire system overhaul. However, it is important to point out that at tim es, the complex situations in which organizations find themselves result from external factors. Mt. Rossmoor Community College’s case is a typical example an externally instigated complexity. Unfortunately, the college’s management has to bear the burden of navigating it out of the delicate circumstance. This paper examines MRCC’s condition and outlines policy options that can be explored to move it forward. For Mt. Rossmoor Community College (MRCC) to be the fifth among the fastest growing community colleges in the nation, the management must have implemented some prudent policies. Therefore, the 24% growth is not only due to the housing boom as claimed, but also as a result of proper strategy formulation and implementation. Unfortunately, MRCC did not escape the tide of the national economic crisis that prompted the government to reduce its budgetary allocation to public institutions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consequently, MRCC’s faces a 15% reduction in the financial support it gets from the government reduced by 15%. This adjustment is likely to affect the well being of all the stakeholders of the college. As such, the management must act swiftly to formulate new strategies and come up with a lean mode of operation. MRCC needs a new budget that will guide its new mode of operation. The new budget should outline how much the program will cost, give a forecast of its sustainability, and align the program’s implementation costs with MRCC’s fiscal strength. The stakeholders that are likely to be affected directly by such drastic measures would include the local community, the management, students, employees, the government, and suppliers. Students expect value in the form of proper service delivery since they pay fees. They gauge the level of service delivered based on the quality of accommodat ion facilities, catering services, and most importantly, academic services. The management for its part expects the college to run smoothly while the community expects transformed individuals who can successfully take up societal roles after training. For employees, the most important concern is that their jobs should be satisfying and rewarding. The jobs should avail opportunities for career growth and advancement. Suppliers, like all other stakeholders, also have their expectations. They expect their merchandise to be ordered and paid for in time. Finally, the government, despite reducing its financial support, expects the college to produce responsible and productive workers. To meet all these expectations in the face of financial scarcity, MRCC has to take some drastic measures to reduce its expenditure.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Policy Program for Mt. Rossmoor Community College specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Konzelmann (2012), austerity measures become handy when there is little money to spend. In other words, they are measures associated with cutting costs. MRCC will employ some austerity measures to help it go through the tough financial situation that it is in. Therefore, it will reduce spending on stationery, staff development activities, property maintenance, and student welfare. These measures are drastic and will undermine the interests of students, suppliers, and the staff, but for the sustainability of the college, they are necessary. The saved funds will facilitate the construction of new tuition blocks for new students besides cushioning the college from the adverse effects of the 15% reduction in the government’s financial support. Arguably, money in its own respect cannot improve the situation of an institution. This assertion is inspired by the idea that in the presence of abundant financial resources, poor planning and misappropriation of funds c an still result in poor school quality. Nonetheless, evidence suggests that sufficient financial resources are a necessary prerequisite for providing quality education (Baker, 2012). In view of this assertion, a small fee increment will be plausible. This increment will be factored in after lengthy deliberations with the concerned stakeholders because many students stand the risk of being locked out of the system if rush decisions are made concerning this issue. As a policy option, fee increment is considered plausible because it will bring in significant amounts of additional income for MRCC.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Cascio (2010), an organization that decides to eliminate redundant workers can do so using four strategies viz. attrition, voluntary termination, early retirement incentives, and compulsory termination. These four options are also at the disposal of MRCC if the above options prove inadequate. Attrition, in which firms do not replace the people who leave, is the most alluring since it does not directly interfere with the interests of the remaining workers. However, the management usually has limited control over the process. Therefore, it is not a viable option for MRCC because there is need for prompt budget reduction. Voluntary termination is another option that has the advantage of allowing the staff to opt out or stay. However, this approach may also be inappropriate for MRCC since no one may be willing to leave voluntarily. Early retirement in which an organization offers a generous retirement package to an employee who chooses to leave, is the third policy option f or downsizing the MRCC workforce. Its attractiveness is, however, reduced by the considerable amounts of money will be lost in the form of send-off packages. Compulsory termination, therefore, becomes the most appropriate policy option for MRCC because it gives the management direct control over the downsizing process. The management will objectively audit the needs of MRCC to ensure that only redundant workers are laid off. Weinstein (2008) notes that such audits are necessary to ensure that managers stay focused on the objectives of downsizing instead of personal preferences. This policy option will have an effect on the economic circumstances of the affected employees and the economic strength of the local community, but it is justifiable since it will protect the interests of MRCC. The challenge of navigating MRCC through this financial tide seems insurmountable. However, running the institution on a lean budget under the auspices of the proposed policy options can see it throug h the difficult time. Human dignity will be taken into consideration during downsizing because there will be proper communication with the affected individuals before the exercise is executed. Criticism and resistance are factors to consider during the implementation of the policies. Nonetheless, proper communication between the management and the stakeholders will ensure that a consensus is reached. The support of all stakeholders is crucial to the success of the whole process. As such, it is important that all the stakeholders reach a consensus before the proposed policies are implemented. References Baker, B. (2012). Revisiting the age-old question: Does money matter in education? Washington, DC: The Albert Shanker Institute. Borman, G., Hewes, G. (2002). The long term effects and cost-effectiveness of success for all. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 24 (4), 243-266. Cascio, F. (2010). Employment downsizing and its alternatives. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Pr ess. Kind, P. (2013). Disruptive challenges: Financial implications and strategic responses. Washington, DC: Edison Electric Institute. Konzelmann, S. (2012). The economics of austerity (Centre for Business Research, University of Cambridge Working Paper No. 434). Web. Weinstein, B. (2008). Downsizing 101. Web.