Black cocaine%2c White cocaine Essays (358 words) - Drug Control Law

Marlon Josephs Professor Ehtesham-Zadeh Engl. 1101 26 October 2018 Black Cocaine, White Cocaine Few people of Generation X have forgotten the hoke yness of the anti-drug campaigns in the 1980's and 1990s. An egg cooking in a frying pan represents '' the brain on drugs.'' Nancy Regan warned young people everywhere. She encouraged them to '' just say no to drugs.'' The Reagan administration built a global operation to eradicate illegal drug use, dismantle drug trafficking networks, and criminalize people who use drugs. The war on drugs, consciously, has become a war on similar segments of society; minorities, the poor, and the deprived. In the US, black Americans make up only 12 percent of all drug users, but 38 percent of all those arrested for drug-related offenses are black. We are jailed ten times more often than white Americans. What began as a vision of a drug-free society where abstinence would usher in an era of virtue has become an unnecessary and brutal war against disenfranchised people. The phenomenon of mass incarceration and the war on drugs are deeply linked since drug-related crimes have been the leading cause of imprisonment in the United States: between 1993 and 2009, more Americans were arrested for drug crimes than violent ones. The successive anti-drug laws, increasingly punitive, have had a substantial impact on the increase in incarceration, which affects the population differently depending on the color of their skin. Without a clear approach based on rehabilitation, anti-drug policies only perpetuate ethnic inequalities, which contribute to locking up thousands of African-Americans in federal prisons, destroying families and maintaining the spiral of poverty to which entire communities are subjected. Today, with billions of dollars spent, millions jailed, and hundreds of thousands killed, the public has realized this war has failed terrifically. The war on drugs consequences is felt all throughout the country. Entire communities have been left devasted. US prisons are brimming with non-violent drug offenders. Profoundly unequal outcomes across racial groups and the disproportionate war on drug misery suffered by communities of color.

Compare the main issues with accounting for overheads within a manufacturing sector Essay Example

Compare the main issues with accounting for overheads within a manufacturing sector Essay Example Compare the main issues with accounting for overheads within a manufacturing sector Essay Compare the main issues with accounting for overheads within a manufacturing sector Essay Operating expenses, besides known as indirect costs, are costs that are incurred by an administration that can non be clearly attributed to a cost object i.e. something for which a cost is required. It is of import for administrations to cover all costs that it creates ; accounting for operating expense has become more of import in modern times as it takes up a larger per centum of the costs an administration implicates. The chief issue associated for accounting for operating expenses is that indirect costs are hard to categorize and they can non be easy traced to a specific cost. Operating expenses were traditionally, and still are accounted for utilizing Marginal and Absorption Costing. However, the traditional system has its defects and more late ; Activity Based Costing was introduced for more accurate merchandise and client costing. A cost can be classified via its behavior and property. Costss that are classified by their behavior are called variable and fixed costs. Variable costs are relative to the sum of resources used whereas fixed costs are acquired and paid for in progress. Hence, fixed costs are related to predicted degree of capacity while variable costs are related to existent degree of activity. It is of import that the direction accountant identifies whether the cost is fixed or variable as it can under-estimate or over-estimate the costs. Once the cost is classified, you will be able to gauge cost per unit. Variable and Fixed cost can be direct or indirect depending on the Cost Object. Direct cost is the cost of a resource that is merely used by one cost object. Variable costs are direct when you calculate the cost of stuff used doing one type of merchandise, nevertheless if the variable cost varies to the proportion to a activity that supports several merchandises, so the variable cost will be ind irect to the single merchandises. Similarly, fixed costs can be direct or indirect. The issue is that cost categorization of a cost can alter if the costs object alterations. This makes it more hard to apportion operating expenses. An illustration would be if Nokia, a nomadic industry, make up ones mind to use a mill supervisor. If the cost object is a merchandise, so the wage for the supervisor would be indirect to the cost of the merchandise. However, if the cost object is the mill, so the wage would be a direct cost. Operating expenses are traditionally accounted for by cost driver rates. Cost driver rates allocate the indirect costs accumulated by the administration to a specific product/job/process etc. It is a necessity to cover operating expenses as they can do up a big proportion of entire costs of the company. Each cost is linked with a specific cost driver and is referred to as a cost pool. Historically, cost driver rates were based upon Direct Labour Hours and Direct Machine Hours. However, administrations now recognise several factors could be driving support costs alternatively of one or two factors. ( Atkinson et al. 2007 Page89 ) Cost Driver Ratess are calculated as follows: Normal Cost of Support Activity / Practical Capacity of Cost Driver . ( Atkinson et al. 2007, Page89 ) Normal Cost of Supporting Activity is the cost of the resources committed to a peculiar activity and practical capacity is long term mean usage capacity made available by the sum of resources committed to a su pport activity . The job with Cost Driver Rate is that they remain changeless overtime and therefore make non take into consideration the fluctuations in demand over a short period of clip. This is a job because when demand is low, in the short tally cost driver rates are traveling to be calculated at a higher rate pricing yourself out of the market. Similarly, in periods of high demand, your monetary value would pull more concern than usual which would prove your capacity. ( Globusz, 2011 ) Marginal Costing is an accounting system in which variable costs are charged to be units and fixed costs of the period are written in full against aggregative part . Marginal cost is the excess cost incurred in the last unit of production. It is an attack that excludes operating expenses as they are seen irrelevant in the short tally because they are to stay fixed regardless of the degree of end product. Premise for fringy costing is that within the relevant scope, fixed costs will stay the same for any sum of sales/production. Therefore, in bing footings, when an excess unit of merchandise is made, the excess costs incurred in its industry is variable production i.e. fixed costs will non alter. When fringy cost is ascertained, part is the result which assists in the breakeven end product as it goes towards retrieving fixed costs. When fixed costs are equal to the part you reach breakeven end product. ( Tutor2u ) Absorption costing is a method that, in add-on to direct costs, assigns all or a proportion, of production operating expense costs to be units by agencies of one or an figure of overhead soaking up rates . Absorption bing takes into history fixed, variable, direct A ; indirect costs as normal fabrication costs are considered merchandise costs and all costs are included in the stock list. Direct costs are straight linked to the end product. Indirect costs are attributed to the service section of a concern. Costss are so reallocated from service support sections to production sections where each facet of operating expenses is absorbed individually, before an soaking up recovery rate is calculated. The soaking up recovery rates are based on pre-budgeted figures. ( Atkinson, 2007 ) Absorption recovery rate is calculated by: budgeted fixed production overhead/budgeted degree of activity. ( Weetman 2010 ) Absorption bing besides is normally required for stock list rating und er fiscal accounting. Activity Based Costing established a nexus between activities that create operating expenses to put more appropriate cost driver rates. ( Tollington and Wachter 2001 ) Activity based bing assigns overhead cost to activities based on their ingestion . Just like traditional systems, activity based costing uses a two phase allotment system. It is different to them in that it allocates cost to be Centres instead than sections in the first phase. In the 2nd phase, activity based costs assigns cost of activities on their use. It does by configuring what drives the cost before set uping volume of drivers to cipher the driver rate which is applied based on the use of these resources. ABC does non supply information that can be used for determination devising. ( Drury and Tayles 1995 ) However, ABC does supply information that would let the companies to apportion more elaborate particular surveies to determine their long term viability . Activity based bing includes a greater figure of ac tivities A ; cost driver rates than traditional attacks. ( Otley 2007 ) ABC can be distinguished into procedure position and cost position, cost position is based on being more accurate with the costs whereas process position evaluates your public presentation steps for uninterrupted measuring. Best bargain Europe operates Carphone warehouse. Carphone warehouse sells merchandises and services through retail mercantile establishments and the cyberspace. ( Carphone Warehouse,2010 ) A important proportion of gross is derived from the nomadic web operates in the house of committees for presenting new clients and reclamations. With the consumer market valued at ?9b In 2009, Carphone Warehouse have diversified into fixed line and broadband line whilst selling subsidized laptop with fixed line and broadband connexions. They are besides looking to farther diversify into the market by including gambling and sound. Sing the points, I believe that the likely operating environment a Service company such as Carphone Warehouse would run in is fringy costing. Fringy costing is non a method of bing like procedure or occupation costing ; instead it is a technique of cost information for the counsel of direction. Fringy costing would let Carphone Warehouse to determine the construct of part to its merchandises and use interrupt even analysis to work out how much of each merchandise they have to sell. The cardinal characteristic of fringy costing is that it classifies costs, creates stock stock list rating and configures fringy part. Cost categorization would let Carphone Warehouse to distinguish between its variable and fixed costs and utilize its variable costs to plan its gross revenues technique. Net income measuring for stock/inventory is besides valued at fringy cost ( cost of bring forthing one excess unit ) which is in crisp contrast to the entire unit cost under soaking up bing method. Fringy Contribution would let Carphone Warehouse you to judge the profitableness of different products/departments. Whereas a service company such as Nokia would utilize soaking up bing. Absorption costing is based on the premise that all fixed costs have to be recovered and included in merchandise costs. This would let company s such as Nokia to integrate all fixed and indirect costs to the merchandises they make. They do this via delegating all operating expenses by agencies of a budgeted overhead soaking up rate leting them to apportion costs consequently. Absorption bing calculates the unit cost of an point by taking into history all the company costs including fixed/variable and direct/indirect costs. If an operating expense can non be straight allocated to a unit so it has to be absorbed individually via cost Centres on an just base. The advantage of Carphone Warehouse utilizing Marginal Costing is that it is a simple method where all operating expenses ( indirect/fixed costs ) are taken of at the terminal of the balance sheet. Fringy Costing helps in short-run net income planning via breakeven A ; profitableness analysis is available because of part. Contribution can be used by Carphone Warehouse to do comparative profitableness and public presentation between two or more merchandises that they sell, so they can work out how much is needed to sell in order for them to interrupt even and which merchandises they may be doing a loss on. Besides, by avoiding allotment of fixed costs, it can concentrate on doing fringy bing more consistent and more accurate. However the drawbacks for Carphone Warehouse utilizing fringy costing, as all costs are technically variable in the long tally, it is hard to divide costs in to variable and fixed costs. Therefore, fringy costing is ever seen as a short term solution because in the long tally, gross revenues monetary value, fixed and variable costs per unit can change doing fringy costing unrealistic. It avoids taking into history semi-variable costs. Besides, it is comparatively easy to pull strings figures ( Kaplan 1984 pg.20 ) that do non heighten the long term competitory place of the house . The advantages of Nokia utilizing soaking up costing is that it incorporates entire costs guaranting fixed costs are recovered in to the merchandise, i.e. fixed and variable, direct and indirect costs per unit into a merchandise. It is good for the directors as it allows them the option to put a merchandising monetary value utilizing a cost grade up rate. It treats each cost separately and applies an soaking up rate to each operating expense. It besides would let Nokia to analyze the profitableness of different merchandises it sells so it would assist in the determination devising of which merchandises to bead and which merchandises to transport on bring forthing. The disadvantages of soaking up costing is that the soaking up rates are forecasted, therefore there is a danger of over or under soaking up which illustrates that the operating expenses that have been absorbed can be greater or less than the existent operating expense. Furthermore, the capacity degrees chosen by Nokia for an overhead soaking up rates is based on an historical event and therefore capable to alter. Absorption costing is rather a composite, expensive and times devouring method. My recommendation for both administrations is to follow activity based costing ( ABC ) . ABC uses a costing system similar to traditional cost systems but it traces it costs to activities alternatively of cost Centres. ABC involves puting up activity cost drivers and delegating costs based on their use. ABC is different from soaking up bing as it utilises unit cost instead than entire costs. ABC besides allows for accurate costing for all activities through out an administration alternatively of establishing it on historical figures. ABC asses the cost of single merchandises based on their use of resources. ABC can besides be used in service companies such as Carphone warehouse, as it will let them to concentrate on client costs and profitableness. Virtually all costs in a service company are indirect and look to be fixed. Customer behavior determines the basic operating costs of merchandises in service companies whereas in fabricating companies they are client independent. In servic e companies, there is a greater fluctuation in demand and the service company can merely find and command the efficiencies of its internal activities. Carphone warehouse has to take into history entire relationship profitableness with its clients as they may hold more than one service with the company. Activity based bing would let fabricating companies such as Nokia to more accurately allocate costs more than of all time before. In recent times fabricating operating expenses associating to increase use of machines has increased, this has led to operating expenses going a higher proportion of fabrication costs. Activity Based Management is better than the traditional methods of apportioning costs on the footing of machine hours. It allows directors to apportion costs to merchandises that demand the activity. Directors are able to utilize the information gained on activity costs to better the profitableness of their concern. They can look at what truly needs improving by placing high cost and inefficient procedures. In decision, the chief issues and jobs with accounting for operating expenses can be partly solved by ABC for both fabrication and service companies. However, surprisingly, ABC is still non implemented as much and harmonizing to a study, ( Abdel-Kader and Luther 2006 ) 76 % neer or seldom use ABC or soaking up costing. There is a batch of opposition around ABC from persons from administrations. This is partly due to directors and persons being against alteration and the deductions of ABC theoretical account uncovering instances of bad direction of products/customers which would coerce directors to deny the cogency of the new attack.

Executive Summary for Computer Business Assignment

Executive Summary for Computer Business - Assignment Example The target market of Computer Heaven will be computer enthusiasts of all ages. It will also compete in the business to business market segment. The computer enthusiasts of all age shall be composed of end users at home and gamers. The business will also focus on computer arcades where orders are in bulk not to mention that it needs maintenance which is also an aspect of Computer Heaven’s business. The business to business market segments are large companies that will order in scale due to the sheer size of company and its operation. This segment shall be the profit center of Computer Heaven due to the scalability of business in addition to the long-term prospect of the business. Also, business to business market segment is advantageous to Computer Heaven’s bottom line as it requires maintenance due to the heavy use of its computers allowing a perpetual generation of revenue for the company. The firm plans to use a customer intimacy model to increase the customer retention of the firm. The firm will also maintain good working relationships with other stakeholder groups such as employees, lenders, and suppliers. Computer Heaven will differentiate itself from competition by delivering exceptional and consistent customer service and after sales technical support that will cultivate long-term relationship from its clients. Customer relation shall be the main driver of the company’s business for various reasons. First, it will discourage existing clients from considering competitors and second, it is more cost efficient to cultivate relationship with existing clients than to attract new clients. Pricing shall be used also as leverage in maintaining relationship with customers by offering discounts at an already lowered price in addition to an unparalleled customer service and after sales technical support. Computer Heaven will be enabled to offer

International Business Management ( Final Project) Assignment

International Business Management ( Final Project) - Assignment Example The global expansion had increased their profit and market share in the global market; however, the company has also experienced numerous challenges in emerging markets like China. China was regarded as the second largest growing nation in the world during 2010, whose annual growth was above 10% (US-Pacific Rim International, Inc., 2010). This has attracted many companies especially, the retail companies, to expand their business in China so as to cater the needs of the world largest population. Despite the growing economy and lucrative business market, the foreign companies failed to continue a successful business in China because of various strategic issues (US-Pacific Rim International, Inc., 2010). The same situation was encountered by Tesco PLC who entered China through foreign direct investment in 2004. The reason for selecting China is that, many well known international brands such as Wal-Mart, Carrefour and Tesco had to face a number of challenges and even failure due to a number of reasons; few of which is discussed in the report with respect to Tesco Plc. Therefore, it is quite interesting to know the fact behind the failure of Tesco plc to capture the Chinese market. Tesco Plc entered China during 2004 with the help of 50:50 ventures with local retailer Hymall. Nevertheless, soon after few years in 2006, the company bought another 40% of the venture (Tesco, 2015; Telegraph Media Group Limited, 2015). Tesco PLC in China employs around 21,000 employees and had opened more than 62 stores and has the goal of opening hundreds of stores so as to reach every corner of China during 2009. Analysts have depicted the fact that the Chinese market has the ability to become the largest country for the business of Tesco. Nevertheless, Tesco Plc had experienced a number of issues in China, which have forced them to close many stores in the past three years (Song, 2013). The main issue was related to the failure

Critical Issues faced by the managers while they set a project where Assignment

Critical Issues faced by the managers while they set a project where the associated persons of the project are from different culture - Assignment Example The paper tells that when a company management wants to start a new project then they have to take many factors in account. History shows that the projects which have got success are very much lesser than the projects which have failure. There are many factors which are associated with the project. If a project gets success then it can generate some big amount of revenue but if it gets failed then the cost of the project would go in vain. The project only gets success if that manager of the firm has done a proper planning. At first the manager has to make sure that the project is financially viable that is by using the financial tools he has to make sure that the project would generate profit for the firm. Then the firm has to fix the location for the project and also the labour who will execute the planning into reality. Then there is the marketing and sales and distribution of the project about which also the managers should make a plan. The workers are a major part of the project. In the era of globalization persons of different cultures, different religions can be associated with the project. The project can also be a multinational project where the top management has to control the employees who are of different nationality. When a team of people based in different locations and they work in the same project then the team is known as the virtual team. The members of the virtual teams don’t meet but they work on the same project communicating by video conference, phone or e-mail on a regular basis. The virtual team concept has started since 1973 (Mihhailova and Piiriste, n.d., p.9). In a company where the project is done in the face to face team then there is fixed team membership, the team members are located in one place, they are 100% dedicated as they have to work in one project and the team has only one manager. But in the virtual team there is much difference from the face to face team. There are many advantages and disadvantages associated in the virtual team process. Modern communication process has open a new window of collaborative work where the knowledge can be shared by the members of the organization who are in different places and this would be ultimately effective for the organization as a whole (Kimball, 1997, p.1). Despite of its advantages virtual teams becomes more complex day by day as there are many challenges when the persons work in a virtual team. The virtual team has to face the language difficulties as the virtual team members are from different locations of the world; there is problem of time zone, absence of face to face contact, reporting to different part of the organization. Also there are problems of conflict management; problem of making decision above all there is the problem of cultural barriers. There are some issues regarding culture of the workers as it can be different. Some workers of the team may be aggressive and some other may be of not that type. So there can be a misunderstanding ar ising between the team and so mistrust. When the Americans like a fast response and they use a sparse and targeted prose when they used to communicate by an e-mail; the Japanese are not of that type. They are in the side of a careful and proper response, the idea of the sparse prose where is problem of grammar is measured as an incomplete message. So working in this cross cultural situations where people from different cultures are there the culturally based problems usually arise, so the company has to solve the problem consciously for effectively manage the situation. When there is mistrust

Stigma of Self-Harm in Healthcare Services

Stigma of Self-Harm in Healthcare Services Self-harm a deliberate attempt to self-poison or self-injure regardless of the incentive or suicidal intent is a growing problem in the United Kingdom with a heavy burden on health-care systems. Despite this escalating crisis, attitudes from health professionals who treat self-harmers remain negative and the quality of care is deteriorating. The myths of why people self-harm play a substantial role in health professionals perceptions of self-harmers, which impacts on the efficacy of intervention and recovery rates; however, these myths are far from the reality. This article will reveal the stigma that self-harmers encounter from those at the front-line of our healthcare services and will seek to explain the real reasons behind self-harmful behaviour. By increasing public awareness and educating health professionals on the motives behind self-harmful behaviour, misconceptions and negative attitudes can be diminished. Studies show that self-harm is a common pattern among adolescents and young adults 13-25% has reported a history of self-injury. Although many young people only engage in self-harm once or twice, others go on to become chronic self-harmers, with studies evidencing that 6% of the college population do chronically self-harm. Still, these figures may be underestimated as many self-harmers do not seek help. Due to the lack of knowledge and negative misconceptions, those who do seek help report unsatisfactory care from paramedics and emergency staff, who are often the first point of contact. Front-line professionals are in a rare position to interrupt the cycle of self-harm; however, with inadequate rapport between staff and patients, the cycle will continue to have devastating consequences on individuals in need of help. The following misconceptions are put forward. The first misconception of why people self-harm is the desire to end ones life. In a systematic review of attitudes towards people who self harm, it was found that suicide-risk was a common reason for self-injury as agreed among most clinical staff groups (Saunders, Hawton, Fortune Farrell, 2012). Whilst self-harm is the biggest predictor of suicidality, those who self-injure do so as a means to manage their distress and cope with negative feelings. The affect regulation model of self-injury proposes that it is a method to relieve acute negative feelings and emotions. It is suggested that early environment may play a role in affect regulation by teaching poor coping strategies to deal with emotional distress. It is also suggested that those with a biological disposition for emotional instability may be more prone to resort to this strategy to manage their emotions. In a systematic review of self-harm (Edmondson, Brennan House, 2015), affect-regulation was found to be the most commo n reason for the behaviour. Quantitative studies revealed that the majority of participants (93%) favoured affect-regulation items such as to get relief from a terrible state of mind or calming myself down. This was further supported by qualitative studies which reported that the majority of participants (92%) endorsed in reasons such as relieving emotional pain or to calm myself when Im incredibly emotional or upset. In further support of the affect-regulation model, research has reported that self-harmers have a poor ability to regulate emotions when experiencing negative affect, as indicated by MRI scans revealing greater amygdala activation (Davis et al., 2014). Consequently, this research shows that self-harm is often carried out for the purpose of reducing negative emotions and to avoid attempting suicide, as opposed to the misconception of health professionals. The second misconception of why people self-harm is attention-seeking and manipulation. A study which examined nurses perceptions of self-harmers revealed that labels were used to describe patients such as attention seekers or time wasters (Shaw Sandy, 2016). Although some self-harmers agree that self-injury is an attention-seeking act, most insist that it is a help-seeking strategy. The interpersonal-influence model argues that self-harm is undertaken as a means of influencing people in the self-harmers environment. It is argued that self-harm is a cry for help, an avoidance of abandonment or an effort to ensure that they are listened to. To support this, research has found that the second most commonly reported reason for deliberate self-harm is a cry for help motive, including reasons such as to show how desperate I was feeling or to hope that others notice something is wrong (Muehlenkamp, Brausch, Quigley Whitlock, 2012). In a systematic review (Edmondson et al., 2015), interpe rsonal influence was a common reason for self-harm. Quantitative studies revealed that a large majority of participants (87%) favoured interpersonal influence items such as to seek help from someone or letting others know the extent of my physical pain. This was further supported by qualitative studies which reported that over half of the participants (56%) supported interpersonal reasons such as I received the warmth, love and attention I had been looking for. Reasons such as to frighten someone or to shock or hurt someone are least commonly endorsed. This research supports the view that self-harm is a call for help, unlike the misconception which suggests that self-harm is an act of manipulation. A third misconception is that self-harmers can stop if they want to. Although this is true for some, studies have shown that self-harm can become an addiction. In substance addiction, there is a positive reinforcement which is associated with increasing dopamine levels in the brain and negative reinforcement which is associated with relieving negative mood states. Research has found that negative reinforcement plays a part in self-injury. Participants generally experience negative feelings before self-harming, including sadness and frustration but subsequently experience positive feelings after the act, including euphoria and satisfaction (Klonsky, 2009). In a qualitative study, participants compared their self-harm to having a drug addiction (Brown Kimball, 2012). They declared that self-injury was a reliable fix for overwhelming feelings and they had experienced highs from their self-harming behaviour. Participants also stated that their need to self-harm progressed over time, inc luding the frequency and intensity, and when trying to stop the behaviour they would feel a greater urge to continue. Furthermore, biological research has found that self-harmful behaviour releases endorphins in the brain which produces a euphoric state, reducing pain and alleviating emotional distress (Sher Stanley, 2009). Therefore, self-harmful behaviour can be overpowering and can be a challenge to cease, unlike the misconception that one can easily stop if they want to. Although the code of professional conduct states that health professionals should be kind, respectful, compassionate, non-judgemental and show an appreciation of diversity and equality, it appears that many hospital staff are not following this important regime. Whilst these misconceptions are circulating healthcare systems, perceptions and attitudes toward self-harmers remain unchanged. Discrimination towards those vulnerable can be direct and indirect. Research has revealed that some staff deliberately distant themselves from self-harming patients because they hold feelings of irritation, anger and frustration towards them, especially those who frequently return to hospital (Conlon Tuathail, 2012). Some health professionals may not be aware of their attitude; however, their demeanour and manner towards patients can appear obvious to the recipient. As a result, self-harming patients become less of a priority compared to those with a physical illness; consequently, influencing their entitlement to care. Correspondingly, many self-harming patients feel ignored by health professionals and believe that they are perceived as harder work or time consumers (Chapman Martin, 2014). Research has found that young people who self-harm have reported avoiding the access and emergency department due to their own and others previous unsatisfactory experiences. It has been reported that patients have experienced discrimination and have been denied care, such as pain relief, because they have caused their own injuries. Patients were also denied information and were talked about in an ignorant manner. They were also told by health professionals that they were selfish, inconsiderate and were wasting time that could be spent on real patients. Consequently, negative attitudes reinforced the feelings of shame and worthlessness leading to further self-harmful behaviour. This influenced their future decisions to avoid help from health professionals (Owens, Hansford, Sharkey Ford, 2016). Although some health professionals can be stigmatizing towards self-harming patients, other professionals such as nurses feel helpless, powerless and dissatisfied when caring for these patients due to lack of knowledge and training. Nurses feel frustrated as the emergency department is not helpful in treating patients who self-harm the busy nature of the environment, lack of time, privacy and resources all of which prevent the development of therapeutic relationships (Martin Chapman, 2014). Nurses feel that treatments and interventions are insufficient and self-harm patients require specialist treatment which the emergency department cannot provide (Gibb et al., 2010). Research has found a negative relationship between staff members negative attitudes and knowledge: health professionals who have an accurate knowledge of self-harmful behaviour show a more positive attitude overall and feel more effective at treating patients. Moreover, when nurses are keen to empathise with self-ha rming patients, the rapport between the nurse and patient is generally more positive (Tzeng, Yang, Tzeng Chen, 2010). Research has shown that when nurses are provided with mental health training, their attitude changes towards those who self-harm. For example, nurses become more empathetic and patient-orientated. Nurses also described having more confidence to communicate effectively with patients. This positively influenced feedback from patients and the team atmosphere (Karman, Kool, Gamel Meijel, 2015). Key findings: There are three main misconceptions surrounding the motives and intentions of self-harm self-harmers are suicidal, attention seeking and/or manipulative, and they have the ability to stop self-harming when they want to. Psychological theories (the affect-regulation model, the interpersonal-influence model) and research challenge these misconceptions and claim that people self-injure in order to manage their emotions or to seek help from those around them, and their ability to stop can be hindered by the addictive nature. Health professionals direct and indirect behaviour can influence the care that a self-harming patient receives, potentially increasing the risk of further self-harm. Health professionals report feeling powerless when caring for self-harming patients due to the nature of the environment, lack of resources, skills and knowledge. Self-harming patients are receiving unsatisfactory care which suggests that there is a lack of knowledge and procedure for managing these patients. The national guidelines are designed to influence local and departmental policies to lead front-line staff; however, this system appears to be failing, as the procedure to care for those who self-harm remains ineffective (Rees, Rapport, Thomas, John Snooks, 2014). Health professions working in the National Health Service are already under strenuous pressure, working long hours and coping with increasing workloads and organisational changes due to the lack of resources and funding. At present, this is an on-going struggle for staff, so with the accumulation of further education and training, this may be seem like an impossible challenge. Nevertheless, patients are priority in the code of professional conduct and it is an ethical issue if health professionals continue to ignore this code. In any case, there is a strong link between self-harm and suicide, despite many self-harmers agreeing that suicidality is not a motive. Therefore, these patients should be taken seriously and health professionals should be made aware of the risk of suicide, especially those who are inexperienced. Consequently, there are many suggestions that can be made in order to reduce stigma and improve healthcare for those who self-injure. First, health professionals should be educated on the motives behind self-harmful behaviour and the context in which it occurs. Education may not work alone; therefore, it may be beneficial if a trainer with personal experiences of self-harm shares their story in order to inform professionals through a traditional-transference approach (Karman, Kool, Gamel Meijel, 2015). This will provide professionals with a deeper understanding and will help to change perceptions of those who self-harm. They should also be educated on communication and interpersonal skills, which will help to enhance therapeutic relationships between staff members and patients. In addition to education, on-going training for health professionals should be provided to continuously update their knowledge and skills to care for those with self-injuries. Training should cover knowledge, understanding, attitudes, behaviours, risk assessment and management of self-harming patients. Staff should also be trained to identify risky behaviours and to understand the barriers that self-harmers encounter, as well as understanding their mental health needs and helping them to seek advice and guidance. In addition, refection in practice should be encouraged when caring for people who self-harm. In short, policy documents, care pathways, protocols and local guidelines should be reviewed and revised so that education and training needs of health professionals are met. This will potentially influence the care that self-harmers receive. Health professionals should treat self-harming patients as any other sick patients on the ward and communicate sensitively. They should aim to develop rapport with patient in order to improve patients engagement with the services. Nevertheless, health professionals who work on wards where self-harm is severe may also require extra support from colleagues and managers or may require psychological support such as debriefing. If the pressure is too intense for health professionals, a brief screening tool could be introduce to help identify those at risk of suicide. Alternatively, there could be a specialised clinician working on emergency departments supervising front-line staff. Thus, a multi-disciplinary framework may be the ultimate approach to success which will also relieve some pressure off front-line staff. The context which care is provided to patients and the lack of training and support from managers can challenge professionals ability to do their job which affects their confidence and increases feelings of frustration and negativity.

A New Vision of Science :: Science Scientific Papers

A New Vision of Science ABSTRACT: Traditional convictions regarding science (such as universalism, necessity and eternal validity) are currently in doubt. Relativism seems to destroy scientific claims to rationality. This paper shows a way to keep the traditional convictions of scientific knowledge while acknowledging relativism. With reference to the practicing scientist, we replace descriptivism with constructivism; we modify relative validity with the claim to understanding; and, we offer methodological strategies for acquiring understanding. These strategies we call strangification, which means taking a scientific proposition system out of its context and putting it in another context. We can thus see the implicit presuppositions of the given proposition system by means of the problems arising out of the application of this procedure. Such a change in the understanding of science holds important consequences. There is a personal background for the new understanding of science I am proposing in this article. These ideas that are now comprised within the notion Constructive Realism have been developed over the last twenty years during interactions and in cooperatio with other scientists. Now I am giving them my voice for a couple of short arguments why this new understanding isneeded today. It should be mentioned that the dialogue with my former friends from the Vienna Circle hs, to some extent, been important in this process. The Vienna Circle was so complex and encompassed so many different ideas that some traces of what I am argueing can be found there. Presently, however, my own understanding of sciencehas departed crucially from what is usually considered as the Vienna Circle's stance toward science. Without being aware of it, the Vienna Circle was the last great attempt for a rational metaphysics of science. It was trying to establish a correspondence of purified human mind with the w orld. Probably, this is why they argued so sharply against traditional, i.e. irrational metaphysics. Contrary to the declared position of most of the Vienna Circle's members, however, Constructive Realism does not struggle against metaphysics. I appreciated very much the example of Erwin Schrà ¶dinger because it has wonderfully shown in which degree a scientist is influenced by his metaphysical background. Checking the bckgound of scientific doing one is getting a lot of impressions about metaphysical world.comcepts, metaphysical concepts of knowledge etc. If we lay aside our apprehension to touch metaphysics, science can even bepushed forward by it. In fact we should have many metaphysics. They are offereing unusual perspectives and this is exactly what science needs to progress.