Principles of Infection Prevention and Control Essay Example for Free

Principles of Infection Prevention and Control Essay Employees rights and responsibilities in the relation to the prevention and control of infection are to follow company’s policies and procedures, keep themselves safe and others, report any hazards which could lead to infection, attend relevant courses, use the PPE provided, keeping the work environment clean and tidy and to maintain good personal hygiene 1. 2: Employers responsibilities in the relation to the prevention and control of infection are to keep everybody safe and to provide a safe work place, they do this by following current legislation. This is why it is extremely important to wear the correct PPE and use the correct hand washing procedure and use the correct cleaning products. 4. 3: To carry out a risk assessment first of all you need to identify the hazards, then decide who might be harmed and how. Then evaluate the risks and decide on precaution and then record your findings and implement on them. After this is done review your assessment and update if necessary. 4. 4: It is important to carry out risk assessments to raise awareness of potential risks and to try and eliminate or reduce them and to ensure enough precautions have been taken to prevent injury. Outcome 5 PPE must be used in the correct way in order for it to be effective in the prevention of infection control. Some different types of PPE and there uses are explained below: †¢Disposable gloves- Wearing disposable gloves will offer a protective barrier against infection when worn when dealing with body products, e. g. blood, urine, mucus, vomit etc, changing soiled bed linen, clearing up spillages and dressing wounds. When wearing gloves they should be put on last after all other PPE is on and should fit the hands comfortably and not rip or tear easily. Hands should be cleaned thoroughly before wearing gloves to prevent germs spreading. While wearing gloves they should be change if they become heavily soiled or ripped and after each resident. Gloves should be carefully removed before any other PPE is removed and disposed of in the correct way in line with company’s procedures and hands should be cleaned again. †¢Aprons- these are used to provide a barrier which enables clothing to stay clean from bodily fluids, spillages etc. Aprons should be put on first before any other PPE. To put an apron on, one should be taken from the roll and opened out, after the head has gone through the hole the two ties should be tied together around your back. To dispose of carefully tare the ties and roll or fold into a bundle and dispose of correctly. †¢Masks- These are worn to stop airborne infections being inhaled. To put a mask on place over nose, mouth and chin and fit flexible nose piece over bridge of nose. A mask should be removed after all other PPE has been removed and disposed of correctly. Employers must provide appropriate PPE free of charge and ensure it is disposed of correctly. Employees must use this correctly and follow the training and instructions given. The regulations and legislation relating to PPE that we must follow are: †¢The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 †¢The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 Outcome 6 The key principles of good personal hygiene are vital in controlling the spread of infection. The most important action that will reduce the development of infection is regular hand washing. By using a good hand washing technique this will ensure bacteria and viruses have as little chance to spread as possible. You should always wash your hands: †¢Before starting and when finishing work †¢Before and after eating After using the toilet

Solar energy

Solar energy INTRODUCTION Solar energy is an inexhaustible resource. The sun produces vast amounts of renewable solar energy that can be collected and converted into heat and electricity. Texas, due to its large size and abundant sunshine, has the largest solar energy resources among the states. Several other states, however, lead the nation in terms of using solar energy, mostly due to state policies and incentives that encourage the installation of solar energy systems. California is the nations largest solar energy market by far, and has effective state initiatives promoting the industry. Other states with notable markets for solar energy include New Jersey, Arizona,Colorado and New York. Solar energy Solar energy means using the energy of sunlight to provide electricity, to heat water, and to heat or cool homes, business or industry. Sunlight is a clean, renewable source of energy. It is a sustainable resource, meaning it doesnt run out, the supplied can be maintained. Coal or gases are not sustainable. Once they are gone, there is none left. Solar, wind, geometrical steam, hydro-electricity and others. It is sometimes called ‘Green Power. How does solar work? Photovoltaic solar cells dirtectly convert sun light in to electricity. The simplest cells are used to operate wristwatches and calculater, an d more complicated systems are used to light houses. PV cells are combined into molecules called arrays, and the number of arrays used determines the amount of electricity produced. For example, a large number of arrays would be needed to generated electricity for a power plant. A power plant can also use a concentrating solar power system where sunlight is focused with mirror to create a intensity heat source to produce steam or mechanical power to run a generator to creates electricity. Solar water heating systemshave two main parts: a solar collector and a storage tank. Generally, the collector is a thin, flat, rectangular box with a transparent cover mounted on the roof, facing the sun. The sun heats anabsorber platein the collector, and this heats the water running through tubes inside the collector. The heated water is pumped or moved by gravity into the storage tank. Solar water heaters can use about two thirds less energy than those of other methods. The Process Sun shining on solar panels produces direct current electricity, or DC, the only kind of power stored in batteries. Often this is 12 volt DC, the standard used in cars and RVs. Larger systems may be designed for 24 volt DC, or sometimes 48 volt DC. This just means combining the same solar panels in pairs for 24 volt, or groups of four to get 48 volt. Windmills and micro-hydro generators in this catalog also produce DC for charging batteries. This DC power is stored in deep cycle lead-acid batteries, which give back the electricity as needed, even when no power is being produced. Like a bank account, power put into batteries over a period of time can be taken out more quickly if a lot is needed. Like a bank account you cannot take out more than you put in, or the account will be depleted. Moreover, lead-acid batteries need to be frequently 100% fully charged to remain in good condition. They should never be drawn completely down to empty. Because of these needs, to get the most years from your batteries requires some supervision by the owner. The inverter is a major component that converts the 12, 24, or 48 volt DC current from the battery into 120 volt AC current, the same as utility power for standard household lights, outlets, and appliances. Most solar homes use primarily 120 volt AC produced by the inverter. A few DC circuits are usually added where using DC can save a lot of energy. If there are a number of consecutive days without sunshine, the owner, being aware of the weather, checks his batteries. If the charge level is low, an engine driven generator may be started to recharge the batteries in order to keep the whole system working. A battery charger plugs into 120 volt AC from the generator producing low voltage DC to charge the battery. The generator is shut down after the batteries have been recharged. This process is automated in some power systems. Battery chargers in Recreational Vehicles are called converters). History Humans have harnessed the power of the sun for millennia. In the fifth century B.C., the Greeks took advantage of passive solar energy by designing their homes to capture the suns heat during the winter. Later, the Romans improved on solar architecture by covering south-facing windows with clear materials such as mica or glass, preventing the escape of solar heat captured during the day. In the late 19th century, inventors and entrepreneurs in Europe and the U.S. developed solar energy technology that would form the basis of modern designs. Among the best known of these inventors are August Mouchet and William Adams. Mouchet constructed the fi rst solar-powered steam engine.7 William Adams used mirrors and the sun to power a steam engine, a technology now used in solar power towers. He also discovered that the element selenium produces electricity when exposed to light. In the last 20 years, solar energy has made further inroads and now is used extensively in off -grid and remote power applications such as data monitoring   and communications, well pumping and rural power supply, and in small-scale applications such as calculators and wristwatches. But solar energy has not yet achieved its potential to become a major contributor to world electrical grids.   Passive solar heating Some buildings are designed forpassive solar heating, and do not need a solar collector. Basically, passive solar heating is when opportunities are made for the sun to shine into the building to warm it up. The walls and floors are made with materials that absorb and store the suns heat, and they heat up during the day and release the heat at night. This is called direct gain. In cold places in the northern hemisphere big windows are put in the south side of the building, letting in much sunlight. The inside of the buildings are therefore well lit, further reducing use of electricity. Heating bills can be half the size of those for a building requiring electrical or other heating. Building designs make sure that the longest walls run east to west, to allow more sunlight to enter in winter than in summer, with shades and overhangs to reduce summer heat. Solar Cookers Solar cookers can cook just about any food that a conventional oven can. A basic cooker is an insulated box with a glass top. Heat from concentrated sunlight gets trapped in the box and can be used to heat food placed in the box. What is solar energy? Solar is a radiant that is produced by the sun. Every day the sun radiates or sends out, an enormous amount of energy. The sun radiates more energy in one second then people have used since the beginning of time! During nucleus fusion the sun is extremely high pressure and temperature cause hydrogen atoms to come apart and their nuclei (the central cores of the atoms) to fuse or combine. For hydrogen nucleus fuse to become one helium atom contains less mass than four hydrogen atoms that fused. Some matter is loosed during nuclear fusion. The lost matter is emitted into space as radiant energy.   It takes million of years of the energy in the suns core to make its way to the solar surface and then just a little over eight minutes to travel the 93 million miles to earth. The solar energy travels to the earth at a speed of 186,000 miles per second, the speed of light. Solar Electricity Solar energy technology is used on both small and large scales to produce electricity. A unique advantage of small-scale solar energy systems is that, if they include storage devices, They may eliminate the need to connect to the electric grid. PV systems power road maintenance And railroad warning signs, flashing school zone lights, area lighting and other devices without expensive power lines or batteries. Off shore oil rigs, navigational aids, water pumps, telecommunication equipment, remote weather stations and data logging equipment also benefit from PV power.16 In 2005, small-scale, off -grid PV-powered devices accounted for about 15 percent of PV capacity installed worldwide.17 In the same year, most installed PV systems — 59 percent — provided electricity to homes and buildings connected to the electrical grid.18 The remaining PV systems were installed for use in remote off -grid homes and buildings in industrialized countries and the developing world. Solar Heating Solar systems that heat water for homes and businesses, and passive solar design for buildings of all sizes, both have the same effect on the electric grid as conservation. They do not generate electricity per sec, but reduce the demand for electricity and natural gas. Uses Solar energy has many uses. It can be used to provide heat, light or to generate electricity. Passive solar energy refers to the collection of heat and light; passive solar design, for instance, uses the suns energy to make homes and buildings more energy-effi cient by eliminating the need for daytime lighting and reducing the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. Active solar energy refers to storing and converting this energy for other uses, either as photovoltaic (PV) electricity or thermal energy. Economic Impact In 2006, global solar industry revenues were $10.6 billion.21 Texas specific data for solar industry revenues are not available. The IC2 Institute expects the solar industry to create more jobs and contribute billions of dollars in investment and income to the U.S. economy over the next decade, if long term incentives are offered to encourage the solar industry.22 An IC2 study noted that: †¦since high-tech manufacturing employment in Texas has yet to return to pre-recession levels, the PV manufacturing industry creates an opportunity to generate employment for semiconductor and electric component workers statewide whose jobs have been outsourced offshore. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimates that â€Å"every megawatt of solar power currently supports 32 jobs, with 8 of these jobs in system design, distribution, installation and service created where the systems are installed. As utilities begin to charge higher rates for peak load periods, PV systems that generate the most electricity during the hottest time of the day can produce substantial savings on energy costs. Production Sunlight can be converted into heat and electricity in a number of ways. A variety of solar technologies are in production, and many companies and researchers are pursuing efforts to develop devices that convert the suns energy more efficiently. Photovoltaic Energy Photovoltaic cells (PV) are used worldwide to convert sunlight into electricity. The PV cell contains two layers of semiconducting material, one with a positive charge and the other with a negative charge. When sunlight strikes the cell, some photons are absorbed by semiconductor atoms, freeing electrons that travel from the negative layer of the cell back to the positive layer, in the process creating a voltage. The flow of electrons through an external circuit produces electricity. Since individual photovoltaic cells produce little power and voltage — they generate only about one to two watts per cell—they are connected together electrically in series in a weatherproof module. To generate even more power and voltage, modules can be connected to one another to form a solar panel; solar panels are grouped to form an array. The ability to add additional modules as needed is a significant advantage of PV systems. Solar Thermal Energy Solar thermal energy refers to technologies that use the suns energy to heat water and other heat transfer fluids for a variety of residential, industrial and utility applications. Simple and widely used applications of solar thermal energy include solar water heating, swimming pool heating and agricultural drying. In the U.S., solar pool, water and space heating are currently the major applications of thermal energy. Flat-plate collectors — large, insulated metal boxes with glass or plastic covers and dark heat absorbing plates — are the most common collectors used for home solar water and space heating. Other common varieties are evacuated-tube collectors and integral collector storage systems. All three types gather the suns energy, transform it to heat and then transfer that heat to water, a heat-transfer fluid or air. Flat plate collectors typically are mounted on the roof. Evacuated-tube collectors are sometimes used to heat water, but also have useful commercial and Industrial applications where higher temperatures are required. The most powerful large-scale solar thermal technology, however, is concentrating solar power (CSP). While CSP can be PV-based, it generally refers to three solar thermal systems—parabolic troughs, solar dish/engines and power towers— each of which is in use or under development today. These systems use mirrors or reflectors to focus sunlight to heat a fluid and make steam, which then is used to generate electricity. At present, only parabolic troughCSP systems are in commercial use in the U.S., with three installations in three states capable of generating 419 MW of electricity in all.45 Trough systems consist of a linear, parabolic-shaped reflector that focuses the suns energy on a receiver pipe, heating a transfer fluid flowing through the pipe; the transfer fluid then generates superheated steam which is fed to a turbine and electric generator to produce electricity. The troughs track the sun from East to West during the day so that the sun is continuously focused on the receiver pipes.[3] Transmission Solar energy diff ers from most energy technologies in that it can be generated on site, reducing or eliminating fuel transportation and electricity transmission and distribution costs. Solar water heating and space heating devices are â€Å"stand-alone† systems that are not connected tothe electric grid. A PV system provides electric power directly to a user and can be used either as a â€Å"stand-alone† power source or connected to the electricity grid. Systems offering this flexibility sometimes are called distributed power generators. By contrast, utility-scale concentrating solar power plants use centralized power plants and transmission lines to distribute electricity to customers. In 2005, off -grid PV systems accounted for about 18 percent of all PV installed worldwide.50 Homes in remote areas can use PV systems for lighting, home appliances and other electrical needs, saving the cost of extending power lines to a remote location. These systems require a storage device to store power generated during the day for nighttime use; typically, this is a lead-acid battery bank. Unlike gasoline-powered generators, PV systems do not require fuel deliveries and are clean and quiet to operate. Net Metering Net metering standards allow owners of qualifying solar energy systems to be compensated for the value of electric energy they produce; they have been proven to promote solar energy systems. The IC2 Institute report that examined opportunities for the development of the Texas PV industry recommended the adoption of retail net metering in the state. Retail net metering credits customers at the utilitys full retail rate for each kWh generated rather than at the utilitys avoided-cost rate, which is lower. COSTS AND BENEFITS Both thermal and PV solar systems can produce electricity at significantly lower costs today than In the U.S., 2006 retail electricity prices for all sectors averaged more than eight cents per kWh, and for residential electricity, the price averaged about 10 cents per kWh.76 By contrast, parabolic troughstyle CSP systems generated electricity at a cost of 12 cents per kWh in 2006, while PV systems generated electricity for about 18 to 23 cents per kWh.77 The retail price of electricity during peak hours, however, can rise to between 25 and 40 cents per kWh in some parts of the U.S., making PV systems more competitive during peak periods.78 PV systems usually generate more electricity during the hottest time of the day, and thus can help to offset the need to add expensive electric generating capacity to satisfy peak demand in warm areas of the country. PV costs per kWh declined significantly over the last 16 years (from more than 45 cents per kWh in 1990 to about 23 cents per kWh in 2006), due primarily to manufacturing economies of scale as well as improved solar cell efficiency .79 The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) notes that â€Å"each doubling in cumulative manufacturing has brought prices down by about 18 percent.†80 In the past five years alone, the world PV industry has grown by an average of 30 percent or more each year. In 2006, the U.S. PV industry expanded by 33 percent, compared to 19 percent for the world.81 The expansion of federal income tax credits for commercial and residential solar energy projects, and state and utility incentives, particularly in California, fueled the U.S. industrys impressive growth in 2006. These federal tax credits, however, are set to expire at the end of 2008, and were not extended by Congress in 2007. A shortage of silicon and growing global demand for solar PV modules led to some cost increases in 2006 and 2007.82 About 90 percent of PV modules today still are made of crystalline silicon (polysilicon), which has been in short supply globally, constraining production and temporarily increasing t he cost of solar cells.83 Polysilicon supplies are expected to remain tight and prices high until new plants under construction are completed.84 Solarbuzz, an international solar energy consulting fi rm, predicts rapid growth in polysilicon capacity through 2011, and a resumption of faster rates of growth for the PV market.85 Unprecedented investment in manufacturing capacity is expected to result in lower PV costs over the long term. The cost of solar modules accounts for 50 to 60 percent of the total installed cost of a PV system, with other system parts, materials, assembly and installation accounting for the remainder.86 PV module costs have declined by about 80 percent over the last decade, but the installation costs have not dropped appreciably in recent years.87 Installation costs vary depending on available sunlight, the typical energy usage of the home and the availability of experienced installers in the area. Unlike other energy sources, however, 90 percent of the cost of a PV system is incurred up front.88 once the system is installed, there are no fuel costs and the system requires little maintenance.

Father and Son by Bernard MacLaverty Essay example -- English Literatu

Father and Son By Bernard MacLaverty Father and Son is a story about the relationship between a widower father and his teenage son. â€Å"Father and Son† â€Å"Father and Son† is a story about the relationship between a widower father and his teenage son. They live in Belfast, in a neighbourhood with a lot of violence. At night they can hear the sound of ambulances criss-crosses the dark. Both the son and the father are scared to sleep at night, but the son will not admit his fears to his father. The father is concerned for his son’s life. They used to have a good relationship. They went fishing, talked and laughed, and the father could put his arms around his son. But two years before this story takes place the son went to London and got mixed up with drug addicts. His father had t...

The Aspects of Interview and Interrogation Essay -- Interviewing Inter

The Aspects of Interview and Interrogation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many aspects that make up a successful interview or interrogation. An investigator does not become a skilled interviewer or interrogator over night. Training and experience are vital to becoming skilled at interviewing and interrogation. Experience is the best teacher, conducting interviews and interrogations is the only way to become more skilled. In this paper I will explain all the aspects that make up a successful interview. I will also explain the difference between an interview and an interrogation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The goal of almost any interview is to collect testimonial evidence. Successful interviews just don’t happen. There are many aspects and steps that lead the way to a successful interview. Planning before conducting an interview is the first step, but before planning all interviewers must understand the basic needs of all interviewees. All humans share the same needs. An investigator must understand these basic human needs if they wish to become a successful interviewer. The basic human needs that all humans share are, control, belonging, and intimacy. Control is considered the need for security; everyone wants to be able to control their environment and what is happening around them. Belonging is the need for social recognition and approval. Intimacy is the need for love and affection, everyone wants to be loved or feel important to other people. These human needs must be incorporated in every interview and interrogation. Incorporating these needs is an imp ortant first step or first aspect to be considered by an investigator. Building up these human needs builds up the self-image and esteem on the interviewee. It is essential to build and maintain self worth of the interviewee, no one likes to feel humiliated or excluded. If these needs are understood and met the chances of having a successful interview are much greater. Having a positive attitude about everything you do is important. The same thing can be said for interviewing. Having a positive attitude going into an interview will have a positive effect on the outcome of the interview. A positive attitude is reflected to the interviewee and makes them more comfortable. No one wants to talk to someone who is negative. A positive attitude can impact the interview more that any other factor. Understanding human needs and the importance... ...th those programs. During the interview question selecting is important. Open ended questions are good at establishing rapport and give the subject a chance to explain things in general. Closed ended questions are great at getting specific answers and details. When concluding an interview the investigator should have the subject restate everything that happened and make sure that nothing has been left out. At anytime in an interview or interrogation recognizing signs that a subject is getting closer to admitting something should be capitalized on, if not that information may never be obtained from the subject. Interrogations are slightly different from interviews but should be handled in a similar way. Showing the subject respect and treating them like a human bean is just as important in interrogations as it is in interview. Interview and interrogating is an art. It takes practice and work, but with the right techniques and experience and a positive attitude anyone can become su ccessful at it. Bibliography Homes Warren D. Criminal Interrogation. Springfield: Charles C Tomas, 2002 Yeschke Cahrles L. The Art of Investigative Interviewing. Burlington: Elsever Science, 2003

Comparing two poems - Binsey Poplar by Hopkins and I wandered lonely Es

Comparing two poems - Binsey Poplar by Hopkins and I wandered lonely as a cloud' by Wordsworth. Compare the two poems and comment on: - The overall feelings of the poem - How they use language effectively - What the poems suggest about the characters of the authors. The two poems 'Binsey Poplars' by Hopkins and 'I wandered lonely as a cloud' by Wordsworth both contain very strong, emotive feelings. However, the feelings that they contain are very different. The 'Binsey Poplars' poem has an overall feeling of anger. Hopkins is openly enraged by the removal of the trees which is clearly seen in the poem as it stresses the sudden shock that Hopkins experiences as he sees his trees have gone. There is also a great feeling of sadness as Hopkinshas clearly lost something he cared for. 'My aspens dear' The opening word of 'my' tells us that Hopkins thinks of the trees as his own which show his care for them and the attention he must have given them. They were clearly very important to him which explains his protectiveness over them and also why he used the 'my' and 'dear. On the other hand, the Wordsworth poem is more joyful. It has an overall feeling of happiness which is seen from the word 'dance'. This word is repeated in every stanza of the poem to continually remind the reader of the joyous feeling throughout the poem. The poem also comes across as carefree which can be seen by the description of the jubilant mood the author is in: 'on my couch I lie in a vacant or in pensive mood' Wordsworth writes that he 'lies' on his couch it immediately shows the calm and peaceful state he is in. There is then confirmation on his carefree state of mind when he describes himself in a 'vacant or ... ...rates the number of plants as well as the fact that the daffodils are 'stretched in never-ending line' The 'Binsey Poplars' poem contains a lot of anger and rage, this reflects on the author, Hopkins. So, from this poem we can see that the character of Hopkins can be very hot-tempered and vengeful. However, the fact that he acted in this outraged fashion means that he cared for the trees very much and therefore we see a loving and caring side to Hopkins. On the other hand, Wordsworth does not show any anger in his poem but only positive feelings such as happiness and elation. In conclusion, we can see that the two poems differ greatly in the feelings they project through mood and literacy devices. However, the poems do have one thing in common in that they both portray the same sentient of concern over plants that the authors clearly care a lot about.

Curious Images Essay

Images are significant parts of our lives as they confine and define all that is familiar to us. Human mind has a tendency to associate feelings with images. Each feeling has a face; our fears, contemplations, pleasure, hope, failure etc. , all have a face. So vivid are these faces that as soon as an emotion or thought sprouts in the mind, an image flashes to gratify our senses; so strong is the grip of these images that we keep relating and projecting our thoughts, feelings and memories with them. We see an example of this in R. L. Stevenson’s â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.  Hyde†, where the personality of Mr. Hyde becomes active as soon as his Dr. Jekyll’s thoughts change. For this reason, something that is unknown always causes a feeling of discomfort as it has no visual representation. Our entire lives revolve around familiar and unfamiliar images. The conscious part of our mind always relies on these images to identify our world. Thus, images influence us strongly, sometimes manipulating us, while at other times, playing tricks upon us, like ceiling fan and motion pictures, as demonstrated by Oliver Sack in â€Å"In the Rivers of Consciousness†. Our perceptions sometimes makes us prisoner of our thoughts, binding us into bouts of endless torment. Society often slots our actions into bold categories of good and bad, which forces people to lead dual lives, becoming unwittingly, victim of these images. Dr. Jekyll from the â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† is one such person who is suffering from this inner conflict of maintaining a good image in the society (R. L. Stevenson). Due to this obsession he undertakes the task of transforming his personality chemically. â€Å"A change had come over me. It was no longer the fear of gallows, it was the horror of being Hyde that racked me. † (430). In an attempt to get rid of the evil side of his personality, Dr. Jekyll drinks a potion he creates, which brings out the personality of Mr. Hyde. However to his horror, he discovers that Mr. Hyde becomes more and more monstrous as days go by. This really bothers him because ironically Mr. Hyde had turned out to be totally opposite to what he had imagined. It becomes very difficult for him to keep this side of his personality hidden any longer and this fear of being discovered ultimately with a negative image causes him to kill himself. Tormented by his thoughts of wanting a good image for himself, Dr. Jekyll carried out a dangerous experiment which turned out to be a disaster. Here we see how images created in the mind can manipulate a person to create a harmony between the bigger image created by the society, making him a prisoner of his thoughts. In case of Dr. Jekyll, we also observe that thoughts, for example, of good and evil which translates into an image of moral stance, become more powerful when suppressed. â€Å"By then, Freud emphasized, the wish maybe disguised to the point of being unrecognizable. Things might even appear their opposites: pleasure as pain, desire as fear. † (Gelman, Dreams on the Couch). Here we take a look at Freud’s explanation of seemingly weird dreams. He goes on to explain that something which is like a social taboo, gets suppressed in the mind to an extent where it seems to be exact opposite. Such an image, due to getting suppressed becomes more powerful. â€Å"Thus there are two forces operating: the wish, and a defense against it, a censor. † (133). The wish or desire being a social taboo, causes the dreamer to dream exact opposite of what he desires. But this is not always the case, as argued by many other analysts. â€Å"There is no need to assume dreams have a latent content†, says Harry Fiss†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (134). The images or memories which have been very significant to the dreamer must be taken into consideration as they remain in subconscious and influence our thought process. Thus, we see how the image created by the society influences the images created in the minds of people. Human mind works in a complex way to decipher the images which it keeps viewing, creating and transforming. Sometimes the captured image puts the mind into a trancelike state and at other times tricking the mind to cause an illusion. â€Å"Freed from inhibitions of verbal communication, it seems, we respond to visual imagery that may have been our earliest mode of thinking- one reason, perhaps, why the language of poetry can stir us as it does. That may explain, too, why some dreams can haunt us with a power more persuasive even than that of poetry, shimmering in the mind like lost cities or leaving us, for hours afterward, with an unaccountable feeling of terror. † (Gelman, Dreams on the Couch). A moment which might have been very significant in a person’s life lays hidden in the subconscious layers of the mind. Constant storage of images in our minds, sometimes cause them to jumble up. That’s why our dreams are made of up of images that sometimes make sense and very often do not, explaining why we sometimes have pleasant dreams and at other times suffer from nightmares. â€Å"When the analyst asked the patient if he associated anything with the â€Å"Malarial Area†, he decided, after some thought, that the phrase could be an anagram. † (137). Here we see how the patient’s long forgotten childhood memories distorted his dreams. â€Å"In this patient, whom they call Mrs. M. , there were â€Å"freeze frames† lasting several seconds, during which Mrs. M. would see a prolonged, motionless image and be visually unaware of any movement around her, though her flow of thought and perception was otherwise normal. † (Sacks, In the Rivers of Consciousness). Here we see Mrs. M. getting caught in a frozen moment. The similarity between these situations is how images manipulate these two patients to be caught in the moment. The interesting difference here is how perception creates an image, which one remembers in his dream with his eyes closed, and the other doesn’t with her eyes open. Images sometimes play a trick of optical illusion, causing the brain to believe and perceive motions differently. When we see a series of still images in quick succession, there is an illusion which leads us to believe that we are in fact looking at one continuous motion picture. This optical illusion tricks the mind into believing that which is not the case. â€Å"Another striking example of perceptual standstill could be demonstrated with a common visual illusion, that of the Necker cube. Normally, when we look at this ambiguous perspective drawing of a cube, it switches perspective every few seconds, first seeming to project, then to recede, and no effort of will suffices to prevent this switching back and forth. † (Sacks, In the Rivers of Consciousness). This perspective switching portrays an image which keeps changing and is not still. This is in huge contrast with the case of Mrs. M. , who experiences a standstill trance like state, where she perceives the image in front of her to be motionless. Her perspective doesn’t change for elongated periods of time, until perhaps someone interrupts her. Similarly, ceiling fan sometimes seems to be going in the forward direction, while at other times in the opposite direction. Further, as Sacks goes on to explain how people who suffer from migraine perceive what they see. The migraine patients in their delirium see flickering images, which accelerate to restore normal motion. In all these case, we see how moving images are perceived by the brain, sometimes rushing and causing fluid like motion. At other times, freezing and causing a trance like state. This concept has today advanced into the making of motion pictures, advanced imaging devices etc. From prehistoric times, man has given immense importance to images. This is confirmed by the ancient cave paintings. We see that drawing or creating images fulfills a deeper aspect of human personality, as it offers a very strong medium of self expression. Sometimes images form a pattern in the mind, locking us in that moment, as we see in the case of Mrs. M. â€Å"In the River of Consciousness† by Oliver Sacks. Sometimes they offer a familiar territory to which we are used to, while at other times, they act as agents in visual communication. Images take on a variety of forms and functions. They create patterns in our minds which make us happy, sad and fearful, as we keep relying upon them subconsciously. Often, we don’t realize how much our lives are influenced by them. The way we dress, work, live, are all influenced by the perceived images which we have created in our minds ever since we were born. This is a never ending process which continues as long as we live. Images rule our conscious and sub conscious, also influencing our dreams, as we observe in â€Å"Dreams on the Couch† by David Gelman. Living in a society, where images and appearances are very important, we often perform actions which do not always leave us happy. R. L. Stevenson’s â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† is a classic example of this. In such situations, our suppressed desires sometimes try to overcome our sensibility, till there comes a point where we are forced to look at the bigger picture. Are we truly what we portray ourselves to be or we pretend to be someone who we want to be? Whatever be the case, one cannot deny the impact that images have on our lives, positive or negative. Man, being a social animal adapts himself to put on various images sometimes for himself, sometimes for the society he lives in; sometimes knowingly, sometimes unknowingly. Works Cited Stevenson, R. L. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 1886. (Gelman, Dreams on the Couch) (Sacks, In the Rivers of Consciousness)

Older people in the society Essay

According to Roberts (1970) older people are the whole of a generation who have survived to a certain age. They are not a deviant group or one small special section of the population. They are ordinary people who happen to have reached a particular age. There are several assumptions made about older people and their health. The first is that increasing age is always accompanied by increasing frailty and disability. As a result, the increasing numbers of older people in society are usually seen as a social and economic burden (Le Grand 1993). The second assumption is that age is that age is always accompanied by ill health. The negative images of aging and older people can be all pervasive and influence decisions about the health and social care of older people which may not necessarily be in their best interest. As per the survey of United States census burro, in the year 2010, 30.8% of total population in Europe was older people aged over 65 years old. Among these, 8.4 percent over 75 years old and 4.9 percent were aged 80 or more than 80 years old. In the year 1990 it was 6.1% and 3.2% respectively, when the total old age population was 23% of total population. These figures prove that the old age population is increasing, and the problems related to old age as well. The first part of this assignment discusses some common issues related to old age. This part mainly focuses on the physical, mental and social problems of senior citizens. Then it goes through some reflective aspects of author. For that I pass through the theories and models of reflection also make an attempt to compare different models of reflection. Finally I examine one of my own experiences with an older person, by using one of the reflective models. Statistics shows that there will be an enormous increase in the ageing population over the next 20 year, particularly in those aged over 75, who will suffer most from illness, or some sort of disability. The population of Great Britain and most other countries is growing older and although this trend has largely been ignored for 2 centauries, it is now regarded as a major political and economic challenge for the future. This is because the last 30years seen a significant increase in the population of both number and proportion of people aged 65 and over. The greatest growth has been in those people aged 85 and over. The world population of older people over 65 will increase more than twice as fast as the total population of the world during  the period 19 96-2000. In every region, the population over 75 will increase at an even faster rate and those over 80 will increase faster of all. There are many health problems related to old age. As per the opinion of Hodkinson (1975) older people differ in three major ways from the young: in the type and number of diseases and accidents, in their reaction to disease and in special features to do with their background (Hodkinson, 1975). They often have a multiplicity of diseases, partly accounted for by the accumulation of non-lethal diseases such as osteoarthritis and deafness. They are more likely to fall than any other age groups, except the under-fives, often with serious consequences. (Department of trade and industry, 1995). Heart disease and stroke are particularly prevalent in old age and the majority of all deaths from heart disease and stroke occur in those aged 65 years and above.Whereas, as a recent study has shown, prevalence rates of most of the major health related behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, sexual behavior and diet were commonly lower among older people (DoH central health monitoring unit, 2006). Psychological or emotional disorders in old people are too common, Older people themselves may be unwilling to seek help or reveal their feelings to others due to a fear of stigma or a lack of knowledge about the help available to them. Chronic diseases, psychological changes, malnutriti on and medication can exacerbate psychological problems in the elderly. Poor eye sight, poor hearing and slower reactions all contributes to a lack of confidence and increased social isolation for some older people. Dementia and depression are the two general psychological disorders in elderly among this dementia is a higher prevalence. According to Victor (1989) it is difficult to accurately estimate the incidence of dementia within the population because of the problem of diagnosis, although unreliable evidence may lead us to believe that most of the population over the age of 65 years is ‘demented’. Aside from the physical and emotional influences accompanying aging, growing old can be a time of social and economic change. For some people in their 50s can be a rich and rewarding time where they can enjoy the fruits of their labors, hand over responsibility for their children and look forward to enjoying new tasks or activities (Gavilan, 1992). For others it may not be such a positive experience, affected by redundancy, financial insecurity,  bereavement and the physical manifestations of aging. Retirement does not only affect an older person’s income but can also have a detrimental effect upon their social contact and status. Most of them consider retirement as a process of loss: loss of inc ome, loss of status, and loss of purpose and routine. In this situation, Jerrome’s (1991) opinion sounds very relevant, he said that there seems to be a paradoxical situation where the state provides money and support for those who are considered too old for employment while those who are receiving the benefits would be happier carrying out a job of any kind. Caring older people is a challenging process, as it is different from caring a younger. When caring an older person it is necessary to observe them well to understand their feelings and emotions. Reflective thinking will help a health practitioner to achieve this. When reflection is considered as an effective tool in clinical practice, one should have a basic knowledge about the meaning of reflection. In fact, defining the terms proves challenging for anyone seeking to make clear the nature of reflection. There have been number of attempts, to define the term reflection by authors, poets and philosophers alike. Among those interpretations, a definition presented by Johns (johns 1995:24) is literally very near to the ‘word’ reflection; he explained reflection as the practitioner’s capability to evaluate, make sense of and learn through personal experience in order to secure more attractive, useful and satisfying work. Moreover, reflective practice has been developed in health care, especially in nursing, as a way of gaining and building up on that experienced knowledge. Before using Reflection as a tool in clinical practice one should (B .J. Taylor 2000:3) â€Å"throw back of thoughts and memories, in cognitive acts such as thinking , contemplation, meditation and any other form of helpful considerations in order to make sense of them and to make appropriate changes if they are required†. As per this suggestion nurses should analyze their day to day practice and secure the valuable knowledge to lighten their future practice. In other words, as an American philosopher Dewey (1963) suggested that one has to learn by doing and realizing what came of what they did. In searching  different studies and opinions about the process reflection, we can find out different opinions about the aspects, styles and ways of using reflection as a tool in professional practice. Schon (1983) offered two main aspects of reflective practice those are; being reflection on action and reflection in action. Reflection on action is a recollection process of thinking and meditating on an action with the aim of making sense of the incident and using the results to improve future doings. It would be helpful, if nurses and health care workers make this theory real in their clinical practice. But the next one, ‘reflection in action’ is quite strange and had some arguments around it. As per the opinion of greenwood (1998) reflection cannot be recognized before action. In contradiction, Reed and Procter (1993) said that, reflective thinking about a situation, which is likely to happen, in advance is an important precursor to introduce clinical leadership and s upervision. In other words thinking through a particular situation may help to make a prediction and give a chance to take some precautions for a future occurring issue. When considering the role of reflection in nursing profession, Taylor (2004) suggested that reflection can be used as a system of thinking which helps the nurses to maintain vigilance in caring especially when caring an older person. Freshwater (2002) raised almost similar opinion he said that, reflection helps to encourage a holistic, individualized approach to care. When go through these opinions, we can understand that reflection helps a lot to give good care to the patient by productively making rapid changes in the clinical approach, in other words, it provides an opportunity for a rapid and progressive refocusing of work activity (Smyth, 1992). Before I make an attempt to assess my reflective account, which has given me a different outlook about old age, I should choose one model of reflection to analyze my experience. There are few theories, help one to explore his/or her clinical experiences or some incidents in which they have taken part a role of a leader, such as Gibbsâ₠¬â„¢(1988) model of reflection, Johns’ model of reflection and Driscoll’s model of structured reflection. Comparing these models, Gibbs’ and Drisoll’s(2000) models raises some questions that are focused on describing, analyzing, evaluating one personal experience and reach a conclusion, from  which finally makes an action plan for the future. Though Johns’ (2002) model appears more complicated and passing through lot of self examine questions, this model fails to draw an action plan which is considered as the vital process of reflective thinking. Even though Gibbs’ and Drissoll’s models are almost same in frame work I like to choose Gibb’s model as it gives me a chance to recollect my feelings and thoughts about my experience, as well as evaluate the good and bad about it. Since we are human beings it is important that our thoughts and feelings are to be memorized and evaluated, according to Taylor (2006) humans have the ability to think and to think about passed emotions, as we are offered with the gifts of memory and reflection. I believe tha t Gibbs’ model has a good frame work and moreover, for me, it is easily applicable in my experience as it is straightforward in nature and it allows me to answer the questions that arise from the practicalities of my clinical experiences. Here I make an attempt to assess one of the main issues of old age on the basis of my own personal experience. I do like to choose Gibbs’ model as a criterion to analyze it. In the first step, as per Gibbs’s model of reflection, ‘description’ of the event includes, what was the event? Where it happened? Who were with you then? What you did? And what were the results and draw backs; the description of my reflective experience is that while I was working in a psychiatric hospital in India, where I have got many different experiences with older people. I considerer all of them as my reflective accounts and it all help me to understand the old age and its complications. The incident is that, there was one patient in our ward he was about 78 years and had some psychological problems. He was very calm and quite almost every time, but occasionally he became very aggressive and violent. In that hospital, a custom was prevailing that inform relatives when a patient become very aggressive. So we used to inform his relatives when he got out of control. After meeting with his son or daughter, his condition would have become significantly normal. And he seemed very happy and comfortable with them. But when they left him there, he was again going back to a depressed mood. When I noticed this events many times I was really interested in that patient and I tried to make a good relationship with him. Finally I succeed; he used to speak with me a lot  even about his thoughts and feelings. And one day he told me that he really did not have any serious psychological disorders. He was acted as a psychotic person so that he could see his family. And he told me that he really did missing them. He never liked to be there. It was one of my mind blowing experiences I encountered during my clinical practice. The reflective account I explained above point out to one of the main problems of old age which is nothing but ‘loneliness’, Social seclusion and loneliness have long been recognized as problems linked with old age (Sheldon 1948 ; Halmos 1952). Loneliness has been defined as an unpleasant emotion state in which the older person feels apart from others. As I completed the description of the event, I go in to the next process; ‘feelings’. In this stage one should recall the situation and try to find out that what he/she thought and felt when they went through the experience? Considering my reflective experience, there were many thoughts passed through my mind. Old age is certain for every human being. Everyone has to pass through that period. At that time I thought about his feelings. He might have been working hard to raise his children, but when he became unproductive he was thrown to the miseries of loneliness. I felt empathy to the patient because after I came to know him more I could thoroughly understand his feelings. And I thought about the reasons of the seclusion of old age. The third stage is ‘evaluation’. As per this stage I should evaluate my experience and find out the good and bad about it. When driving back my memory through my reflective experience, I can say that the main good aspect of that situation was that I could be a good listener of that man. I think he might have experienced some relief when he shared his burden of feelings with me. That awareness gave me a great amount of satisfaction. Moreover I could realize some skills which must have possessed a care worker such as patience and being a good listener, which I had never realized until then. One the other hand, there are some bad aspects too I could find out. Even though I had been working in the same department for about six months I was a little late to realise his problems, I had to find out his feeling of loneliness earlier. It shows, at that time, I have lack of ability to identify the problems of the patients. Analysis of the event is the next stage. In this stage I have to think about what sense can be made of the situation which I faced. The first sense which I could make about this incident is that the main reason of the psychological problems present in older people is because of their social seclusion and loneliness. And the important thing I learned from this incident is the severity of loneliness in older people. They would even act as insane to get rid of their loneliness. They need rather love and care than treatment. As per the Gibbs’ frame work ‘conclusion’ is the next stage. In this step I conceder my faults which I had got when I deal with that incident. In that sense I could have realised the patient’s problem of loneliness earlier. If I came to know about this earlier I could invite the attention of his relatives to this issue. Now I understand that it is necessary to mingle with them and caring them in order to make them comfortable in the surroun dings of an old age home. The final and important stage is ‘action plan’. Here I should think about what I would do if I go through the same situation. Undoubtedly I would act differently because, now I know the draw backs of old age and what they are expecting from others. So if i would be in the same situation I would understand the problem of the patient earlier and help him reduce his feeling of loneliness. Next time I would find out more ways to escape the older patients from being lonely. In order to achieve this, encourage them to busy with some hobbies or learning some new skills, such as the use of the computers. I think they would enjoy learning computers and having great fun sharing their new skill. The next and important thing is that, I have to improve my communication skills. I would make sure that all the elderly inmates in my ward get communicated and listen to their problems. I will consider this as one of my important responsibilities in the clinical area, Because Duffy. K. and Hardicre (2007) suggested that Caring for the elderly patients is a necessary element of the nurse’s role as well as a professional commitment. In conclusion, loneliness is the major issue of old age. It is different from solitude because older people can be lonely while living with other people such as residential care. Loneliness can be a symptom of depression but can be prevented by the encouragement of physical  and mental activity and being socially active; the saying ‘use it or lose it’ cannot be overemphasised. After all, when considering this essay as my reflective writing, it helps me to secure more awareness about my caring older people. Besides that I have got a clear out look about using models and theories to analyses my experiences. Finally, this reflective thinking makes me more confident to face and deal with difficult situations. Reference List: Department of trade and industry; consumer safety unit (1995) home accident surveillance system: report on 1993 accident data and safety research, DTI, London. Dewey, J. (1963) Experience and education, New York: Collier books.87-89. DOH central health monitoring unit (1996) health related behavior: an epidemiological over view, HMSO, London. Driscoll, J. (2000) practicing clinical supervision, London: Bailliere Tindall. Duffy, K. Hardicre, J. (2007) ‘Supporting failing students in practice 1: assessment’, Nursing Times, 10(4): 28-29. Freshwater, D. (2002) Therapeutic nursing: improving patient care through reflection, London: Sage. Gavilan, H. (1992) ‘care in the community for older housebound people: institutional living in our own home?’ Critical public health, 3(4): 18-23. Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: A guide to teaching and learning method: Further Education Unit, Oxford: Oxford Brookes University. Greenwood, J. (1998) ‘The role of reflecti on in single and double loop learning’, Journal of advanced nursing practice, 27(5): 1048-53. Halmos, Paul (1952) Solitude and Privacy: A Study of Social Isolation, Its Causes and Therapy. London. Hodkinsin, H. (1975) an outline of geriatrics, academic press, London. Jerrome, D. (1991) social bonds in later life. Social and psychological gerontology, clinical gerontology, 1: 297-306. Johns, C. (1995) ‘Framing learning through reflection within carper’s fundamental ways of knowing in nursing’. Journal of advanced nursing, 22: 226-34. Johns, C. (2002) Guided reflection: Advancing practice, Oxford: Blackwell science. Le Grand, J, (1993) ‘can we afford the welfare state’? British medical journal; 307(6911): 1018-1019. Reed, J. and Procter, S. (1993) Nurse education: a reflective approach, London: Edward Arnold. Roberts, N. (1970) our future selves: care of the elderly, Allen and Unwin, London. Schon, D. (1983) The reflective practitioner: how practitioners think in action, New York: Basic books. Sheldon, J. H. (1948) The Social Medicine of Old Age: Report of an Inquiry in Wolverhampton, Oxford University Press, London. Smyth, J. (1992) ‘Teachers’ work and the politics of reflection’, American education research journal, 29(2): 267-300. Taylor, B. (2004) ‘Technical, practical and emancipator reflection for practicing holistically’, Journal of holistic nursing, 22(1): 73-84. Taylor, B. J. (2003) ‘Emancipator reflective practice for overcoming complexities and constraints in holistic health care’, Sacred space, 4(2): 40-5. Taylor, B. J. (2006) Reflective Practice: A guide for nurses and mid wives, 2nd edn. UK: Open University press, Milton Keyness. Victor, C. (1989) ‘the myth of the woopie: poverty and affluence in later life’, geriatric medicine, (19)12: 22, 25-2