Factors Which Lead to Stress in the Workplace

Factors Which Lead to Stress in the Workplace Phones 4 you Case Study Chapter One: Introduction Phones 4u is a large independent mobile phone retailer in the UK. Since opening in 1996, it expanded to 400 stores throughout the United Kingdom. Head office is based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire and was until recently part of the The Caudwell Group formed by John Caudwell. In September 2006 the group was sold and Phones 4u is now owned by Providence Equity Partners (Minter, 2003, 18) Stress is the condition that results when person-environment transactions lead the individual to perceive a discrepancy, whether real or not, between the demands of a situation and the resources of the persons biological, psychological or social systems. In medical terms, stress is the disruption of homeostasis through physical or psychological stimuli. Stressful stimuli can be mental, physiological, anatomical or physical reactions. Lost car keys, tardiness, family death, and loss of job, pressure, frustration, and social changes-these are different types of stress, the process by which one appraises and copes with environmental threats and challenges. The events of daily life flow through a psychological filter that helps a person the react in certain ways. Some stress early in life is conducive to later emotional and physical growth. But stresses, or conflicts, can also threaten a persons life as well and health (Amatea, 1991, 48). Behavioral psychologists have determined there is a correlation between stress and the declination on ones behavior. One may increase his usage of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs to escape his stressful state. Other problems include arguing with friends, neglecting appearance, crying easily, difficulty concentrating, and withdrawing from family and friends. In extreme cases, stress can cause insanity. Emotional changes are also a common effect of stress. Symptoms include anger, anxiety, depression, nervousness, loneliness, and rejection. Changes in emotional state may lead to psychological disorders or even death, if not treated. Suicide is among the leading outcomes of stress-related depression (aspinwall, 1992, 48). Not only does stress effect ones emotional and behavioral states, buy it also plays a large role in ones physical state. Symptoms of stress include, but are not limited to, allergies, back pain, respiratory infections, fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, sleeping problems, and dizziness. British scientist Hans Selye made a basic point of stress. It states that although the human body comes designed to cope with temporary stress, prolonged stress can produce physical deterioration. MRI brain scans of people who have experienced a prolonged amount of stress often show the results of a shrunken hippocampus, the inner brain structure vital to laying down explicit memories. Stress can put people at risk for one of todays four leading causes of serious illness and death: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lung disease. Such findings were proven true by studies done by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman in 1956. Psychophysiological illnesses are stress-related. They are i llnesses, such as high blood pressure, that are caused by high levels of stress. Immune responses may also be effected by stress. They can either speed up or slow down causing a variety of illnesses such as lupus or multiple sclerosis. Stress does not make one sick, but it does restrain ones immune functioning, making him more vulnerable to foreign invaders (Bandura, 1986, 58). Stress in unavoidable. If one can not eliminate stress by changing or ignoring a situation, one must learn to manage it by confronting or escaping the problem. Stress management may include aerobic exercise, relaxation, and social support. Without knowledge of stress and ways to manage it, people are more susceptible of disease and psychological disorders. There are various sources of stress. The very definition of stress is: A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression. A stimulus or circumstance causing such a condition. In todays world of competition and success, the limits of our threshold are being pushed to succeed. Success is the driving force behind many people pushing their bodies to the limits. A human body needs a delicate balance between work, and relaxation. When this equilibrium is not maintained, problems occur, which might have repercussions later. These repercussions take the forms of Burnouts, break-downs, and sometimes extreme cases of heart attacks. In most cases of the systems breaking down, there are methods of control and mechanisms of improvement of the situation. Stress can be handled very effectively in todays world. Healthy and wholesome living is the new day mantra for better work efficiencies. What causes stress? There are various triggers to stress. Work, personal life and external factors (Banyard, 1993, 45). Work: the pressures of work are one of the greatest factors contributing to the high stress levels today. Long working hours, constant pressures of deadlines, and the inevitable fear of job security pushes people to work very hard. Personal Life: outside the work place, people are always subject to constant pressures from family, friends, and well wishers. Handling these pressures in the most effective way is the tact of the new manager. Family life can cause stress, especially if there is some friction between partners, the ill heath or sudden death of a partner can cause great levels of stress. External factors: personal finances, world events and other non classifiable events also add to stress. Time management or lack of thereof is another cause of external factors of stress. How does one handle stress? There are several ways of fighting stress in ones life. This essay will briefly attempt to touch base with some important methods which can be imbibed in handling stress. 1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time Management: Time management is one of the greatest methods of combating stress especially in the workplace. Effective time management helps us prioritizing, planning, allocating and executing effective schedules in order to maximize our most valuable resource, time. Once a person has been able to handle time effectively, he or she would be able to handle many tasks which have been allocated (Baruch, 1987, 59). 2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Health: stress has a great impact on the personal health of the individual. Ageing is speeded up and white hair apparently comes aplenty. Living a healthy life helps in handling stress better. A regular routine, the offshoot of effective time management, allows us time to regularly exercise. Exercise, as many say release endorphins, these help combat stress and depression, a stress induced side effect. Healthy foods, such as greens, and maintaining a balanced diet are some other ways, which when coupled with exercise help us maintain a healthy body. 3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Non Conventional Methods: going back to the basics is a term that is used very regularly today. When one says going back to the basics, it includes going back to the past. Yoga, pranayama and other methods of controlling the mind, body and soul, have existed in our country for a very long time. This is fast gaining popularity as methods of combating stress. Yoga has immense powers to help us maintain our minds and body in shape. From the above, we can see one of the greatest factors of handling stress is to maintain a healthy mind, body and soul. Prevention is better than cure, preventing stress by having a healthy life style and a healthy mind, is a plus point which has no substitute in todays world. However there is no effective way of handling self induced stress. Calming the mind and regulated breathing can ease the stress, but it will be rendered ineffective if the person is not willing to practice it in the positive way (Bem, 1981, 49). Stress is one of the greatest hindrances to efficient productivity in todays workplace. Production efficiency is the key word today and this does face a serious threat with stress. Combating stress on a war footing is the need of the hour, and some of the above points will assist in effective stress management through a healthy mind , body and soul. Stress is a combination of responses in the body. Stress can be short-term (acute) or chronic. Acute stress is the fight or flight response. If a car is careening toward you at a high rate of speed, you will (or should!) experience acute stress. It is when you experience so many common stressors, such as heavy traffic, noise, money worries, illnesses, relationship problems, rising crime rates, or work frustrations, that stress takes a chronic form. In the short term, stress can be vital. Over time, it turns destructive . How destructive can stress be on your body? Research has shown that prolonged stress can produce actual tissue changes and organ dysfunction. With the new MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) techniques, scientists are able to prove visibly that chronic stress can shrink an area in the brain called the hypothalamus. Read More On This They have found that the brains of war veterans, as well as women who have been victims of childhood sexual abuse, have a marked reduction in the size of their hypothalamus (Betz, 1987, 29). Stress also affects your brain by releasing powerful chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (also called adrenaline). The hypothalamic/pituitary-adrenal portion of your brain releases steroid hormones, including the primary stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol affects systems throughout your body, including an increased heart rate. Your heart, lungs, and circulatory system are influenced by the increased heart rate. Blood flow may increase 300 to 400 percent. Blood pressure increases and breathing becomes rapid. Your mouth and throat may become dry. Skin may become cool and clammy because blood flow is diverted away so it can support the heart and muscle tissues. Even digestive activity shuts down. Once again, occasional stress is normal. Once youve handled the situation, the stress goes away and you heal from the episode. But, if stressors accumulate over time, eventually the body becomes inefficient at handling even the least amount of stress. The brain, heart, lungs, vessels, and muscles become so chronically over or under activated that they become damaged. It is this sort of stress which may trigger or worsen heart disease, strokes, susceptibility to infection, sleep disturbances, sexual and reproductive dysfunction, memory and learning dysfunction, digestive problems, weight problems, diabetes, pain, and skin disorders. Extensive multidisciplinary studies have presented unequivocal evidence that our psychological responses to stress and our perceptions of stress to a considerable extent affect our susceptibility to disease. In active relationship, the immune, neuroendocrine, and nervous systems respond to the brain and psyche. Virtually all illnesses, from the flu to cancer, are influenced for good or bad by our thoughts and feelings. R. Lloyd, 1990 Healing Brain: A Scientific Reader (Betz, 1987, 48) Statement of the Research Problem How do the employees cope with stress in the workplace to achieve a more balanced lifestyle at Phones 4 you ? Stress is a part of everybodys life. Depending on the level of stress, it can control our lives, especially in the workplace. We begin to spend several long hours at work, and thus have less time for other things. Stressed employees may be unhappy and thus produce nominally. Stress can deteriorate social and family relationships and eventually burn you out; ultimately it can take toll on your health. Organizations need to recognize stress as a problem and decide whether or not to act upon it. Background Information This question needs to be answered because stress is a problem that Phones 4 you must deal with; stress can cause poor work performance and lower employee morale. These factors can increase employee turnover rate and lessen quality of life. We all must deal with stress; question is how we handle and control it. With downsizing the buzz word in the modern corporate world, companies have become mean and lean. Employees are compelled to be more efficient Phones 4 you; they find themselves taking on the work of what used to be two. The result is longer hours, less time for outside activities, and consequently increased stress. According to Business Week, the typical British works 47 hours a week, and if current trends continue, in 20 years the average person would be on the job 60 hours a week. Another factor that increases stress is technological advancements. With all the new technology one is always connected to work and accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. According to Business Week, it is now possible, and thus increasingly expected, for employees to be accessible and productive any hour, any day (Bollen, 1993, 18). At a workplace, one observes several sales people working long hours, claiming it is due to under staffing. Employees reach a point of diminishing returns. The more hours they work, the less productive they are. This stressful condition causes the quality of work to dwindle. Consequently, clients recognize this, and eventually they terminate the business relationship. Soon the company loses, as it is built on these clients (Moos, 1989, 58). Statement of the Objectives This research expects to discuss factors which lead to stress in the workplace at Phones 4 you. Are individuals stressed in the workplace at Phones 4 you? What causes stress in the workplace Phones 4 you? Who is mostly stressed: men or women? Are individuals being exposed to stress management techniques? Should employers implement stress management techniques? as a future manager, I would like to be able to determine if stress is a problem for employees; if so, implement a strategy to curtail stress in the workplace. By recognizing stress in the workplace, employers can act appropriately to reduce stress. The outcome can benefit social and family relationships, as well as preserve ones health and make us more productive in our organizations (Moos, 1982, 25). Scope The research project will comprise of a sample size of 30 individuals, randomly selected from general business areas. The study will analyze stress factors in the U.K workforce and its impact on the British organization. Effective stress management techniques will then be presented, which will allow individuals or organizations to implement. Secondary information from various sources will be utilized to explore effective methods of coping with stress. The conclusions and recommendations I will draw will be applicable to any British organization with stress as a problem. Although this study will generalize from the small population, it can be used as a starting point to recognizing the problem, as each organization can require a different approach (Parkes, 1986, 36). Limitations The sources utilized in the research will be extracted from current articles (2006-present) from online services, the Internet, and public libraries. A survey will be given to individuals of randomly chosen organizations and will not target any specific company or industry. Due to time constraints, the population will be limited to 30 individuals. The research will explore factors causing stress in the workplace and its impact on organizations. Effective methods of coping with stress will be given, but limited to ones examined in the secondary resources (Portello, 1996, 548). Research Procedures The project will focus on stress factors in the workplace and effective methods to balance a healthy lifestyle. The sample group will consist of 30 individuals randomly selected from general business areas. The survey will be conducted during lunch periods when several employees leave and return to the workplace. The questionnaire will attempt to see if the sample individuals believe stress is a problem and what can be done to resolve it. The questionnaire will be delivered in person and each individual will fill out the survey at that point. Since the survey will be conducted in a general public area, no authorization is needed to administer. Once I receive all the surveys, I will quantify the data into an Excel spreadsheet. I will report the data mostly in percentages (e.g. 70percent of the individuals acknowledge that stress is a problem in the workplace). The data will be utilized to see if stress is a factor impacting the British workforce. Stress management techniques will be presented where appropriate (Browne, 1993, 578). Chapter Two: Literature Review Stress is an adaptive response. It is the bodys reaction to an event that is seen as emotionally disturbing, disquieting, or threatening. When we perceive such an event, we experience what stress researchers call the fight or flight response. To prepare for fighting or fleeing, the body increases its heart rate and blood pressure; more blood is then sent to your heart and muscles, and your respiration rate increases (Carmines, 1981, 48). Stress is both positive and negative. Good stress is a balance of arousal and relaxation that helps you concentrate, focus, and achieve what you want. Bad stress is constant stress and constant arousal that may lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and worse. The body does not distinguish between negative and positive stress. The same physiological responses can take place whether you are happy or sad about a given situation. When extending to the workplace, stress may lead to poor work performance and end up costing an organizations several thousands of dollars. The organization loses on salary because they are not receiving satisfactory production and if the employee becomes ill, health and workers compensation rates can soar . The organization must decide whether or no to implement a stress management program, since there are several external stressors that can overtake an individual. Internal stressors, within organizations include technology and corporate downsizing which leads to longer hours and job uncertainty. If one does not know how to manage stress, it can get out of control ) (Rock, 1997, 4). Analyzing Stress on Individuals In a 1995 survey of 1,705 respondents it is analyzed that stress rises with level of education and job level and is higher than average for women (Robinson, 1996, 88). Fifty-eight percent of the women respondents possess moderate to a lot of stress in the workplace compared to 53 percent of men. From the divorced individuals, 62 percent are stressed in the workplace compared to married and never married at 57 percent, and 58 percent respectively. The widowed respondents maintain the least stress at 38 percent (Robinson, 1996, 48). College graduate respondents possess more stress at 64 percent than high school graduates at 55 percent. Only 43 percent of the less than high school respondents felt stress in the workplace. Those with more education feel more stress, possibly because their jobs involve greater managerial and financial responsibility (Robinson, 1996, 87). Stress is an epidemic in British life. In nationwide polls, 89 percent of Britishers reported that they often experience high levels of stress, and 59 percent claimed that they feel great stress at least once a week (Hellmich, 1994, 57). A five year study of the British workforce conducted by the Families and Work Institute showed that 30 percent of employees often or very often feel burned out or stressed by their jobs, 27 percent feel emotionally drained from their work, and 42 percent feel used up at the end of the work day (Hellmich, 1994, 4). Balancing work pressures and family responsibilities leaves many workers feeling burned out. Examining the Effects of Downsizing on Stress The downsizing of organizations have caused a stressful environment. Downsizing has created concerns over job security, and has forced employees to take on a larger workload. According to a local union representing U.K. West stated that work still needs to be done, but with fewer people (Scott, 1996, 41). Downsizing creates quantitative and qualitative stress. Quantitative stress pertains to doing the same amount of work with fewer people. Reengineering the organization entails shaping the company to be more efficient with less individuals. These individuals are asked to do a wider variety of work functions they are not trained to do, causing qualitative overload (Scott, 1996, 35). Occupational Stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions, including psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder) and other types of emotional strain (e.g., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive behaviours (e.g., aggression, substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g., concentration and memory problems). In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work performance or even injury. Job stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may lead ultimately to compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease (Rosenfield, 1989, 5). Prevalence Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in todays workplace. About one-third of workers report high levels of stress. One-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. Three-fourths of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Evidence also suggests that stress is the major cause of turnover in organizations (Scheier, 1985, 65). Health and Healthcare Utilization Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems. Many studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees little control over the work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. On the basis of research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and many other organizations, it is widely believed that job stress increases the risk for development of back and upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders. High levels of stress are associated with substantial increases in health service utilization. Workers who report experiencing stress at work also show excessive health care utilization. In a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health care costs were nearly 50% greater for workers reporting high levels of stress in comparison to low risk workers. The increment rose to nearly 150%, an increase of more than $1,700 per person annually, for workers reporting high levels of both stress and depression. Additionally, periods of disability due to job stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational injuries and illnesses (Schwartz, 1993, 58). Causes of Occupational Stress Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as the primary cause of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggest different ways to prevent stress at work. According to one school of thought, differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping style are most important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress-in other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions. Although the importance of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Such evidence argues for a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention str ategy. Personal interview surveys of working conditions, including conditions recognized as risk factors for job stress, were conducted in Member States of the European Union in 1990, 1995, and 2000. Results showed a trend across these periods suggestive of increasing work intensity. In 1990, the percentage of workers reporting that they worked at high speeds at least one-fourth of their working time was 48%, increasing to 54% in 1995 and to 56% in 2000. Similarly, 50% of workers reported they work against tight deadlines at least one-fourth of their working time in 1990, increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However, no change was noted in the period 1995–2000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage of workers reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of Britishers work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and more than 11% of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These figures represent a considerable incr ease over the previous three decades, especially for women. According to the Department of Labour, there has been an upward trend in hours worked among employed women, an increase in extended work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a considerable increase in combined working hours among working couples, particularly couples with young children (Shaw, 1993, 4). Signs of Occupational Stress Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed relationships with family, friend and girl/boy friends are examples of stress-related problems. The effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to see because chronic diseases take a long time to develop and can be influenced by many factors other than stress. Nonetheless, evidence is rapidly accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in several types of chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and psychological disorders (Sherer, 1982, 36). Prevention A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the most useful approach for preventing stress at work. How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress Ensure that the workload is in line with workers capabilities and resources. Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use their skills. Clearly define workers roles and responsibilities. Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs. Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development and future employment prospects. Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers. Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities outside the job. St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the effects of stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included (1) employee and management education on job stress, (2) changes in hospital policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress, and (3) establishment of employee assistance programs. In one study, the frequency of medication errors declined by 50% after prevention activities were implemented in a 700-bed hospital. In a second study, there was a 70% reduction in malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented stress prevention activities. In contrast, there was no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals that did not implement stress prevention activities (Smith, 1981, 24). Chapter Three: Research Methodology Design The data reported here are from two separate data sets. In order to cross-validate the model, data from the original study of managerial women were used, and these included data from the first three assessments of a 2-year longitudinal study. In the original article (B. C. Long et al., 1992, 165), a conceptual model of stress and coping was tested and developed that was based on data from the first three assessments (Time 1 to Time 3) of 11 assessments completed over 2 years. Status, Sex Role Attitudes, and Agentic Traits were assessed at Time 1; Appraisals, Disengagement and Engagement Coping, Work Environment, and Daily Hassles were assessed at Time 2; and Distress and Satisfaction were assessed at Time 3. These data were used as a base to test the validity of the model on a new set of data obtained from clerical workers, data that have not been reported elsewhere (Snapp, 1992, 32). Sampling The managerial women (n = 249) were employed in nontraditional occupations (i.e., fewer than 35% of British employees are women). Their mean age was 38.84 years (SD = 7.68, range = 22–66). More detailed descriptions of the managers characteristics can be found in B. C. Long et al. (1992). The clerical workers who participated were employed in both large and small organizations in the same large western British city in which the managers were employed. The clerical workers volunteered in response to written requests for participants that I circulated in the media and by networking. The notices were directed to full-time female clerical workers and indicated that the purpose of the study was to investigate how clerical workers experienced Occupational Stress. No incentives were offered other than a final summary report. à Ã… ¾f the 284 respondents who made contact by telephone, 273 met the criteria for inclusion (i.e., they were employed in a clerical position, worked more than 20 hours per week, and did not supervise others). à Ã… ¾f the 273 clerical workers who met the criteria and were distributed questionnaires at Time 1, 39 withdrew from the study because of lack of time to participate, 7 no longer met our criteria because of promotion, unemployment, or leave o f absence from work (e.g., due to accident or illness), and 4 moved. The overall dropout rate was 18%. Dropout analyses were conducted on the demographic variables measured at Time 1. No differences were found between the retained (n = 223) and dropout (n = 50) respondents. Chi-square analyses of the demographic variables (marital status, education, number of children, job level, and size of the company) were not significant. Because 9 participants identified a personal rather than a work stressor, their data were omitted from the model testing. All respondents were self-identified clerical workers. Job classifications included clerks (25%), secretaries–stenographers (23%), administrative assistants (34%), and others (18%). The mean age was 39.77 years (SD = 9.46, range = 22–63 years). Fifty-three percent of the clerical workers were married, 22% were single, and 25% were divorced, separated, or widowed. Fifty-three percent were parents. Twenty-four percent had a high school education or less, 42% had special training (e.g., secretarial, clerical), 17% had a college education (2 years postsecondary), and 13% had a university degree. Household incomes ranged from less than $25,000 (British) per year (23.4%) to over $61,000 (British) per year (27.5%). The major industries represented were education (31%), service (35%), utilities and public administration (12%), manufacturing and transportation (10%), and other (8%). On average the women had been in the workforce for 17.02 years (SD = 8.74, Factors Which Lead to Stress in the Workplace Factors Which Lead to Stress in the Workplace Phones 4 you Case Study Chapter One: Introduction Phones 4u is a large independent mobile phone retailer in the UK. Since opening in 1996, it expanded to 400 stores throughout the United Kingdom. Head office is based in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire and was until recently part of the The Caudwell Group formed by John Caudwell. In September 2006 the group was sold and Phones 4u is now owned by Providence Equity Partners (Minter, 2003, 18) Stress is the condition that results when person-environment transactions lead the individual to perceive a discrepancy, whether real or not, between the demands of a situation and the resources of the persons biological, psychological or social systems. In medical terms, stress is the disruption of homeostasis through physical or psychological stimuli. Stressful stimuli can be mental, physiological, anatomical or physical reactions. Lost car keys, tardiness, family death, and loss of job, pressure, frustration, and social changes-these are different types of stress, the process by which one appraises and copes with environmental threats and challenges. The events of daily life flow through a psychological filter that helps a person the react in certain ways. Some stress early in life is conducive to later emotional and physical growth. But stresses, or conflicts, can also threaten a persons life as well and health (Amatea, 1991, 48). Behavioral psychologists have determined there is a correlation between stress and the declination on ones behavior. One may increase his usage of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs to escape his stressful state. Other problems include arguing with friends, neglecting appearance, crying easily, difficulty concentrating, and withdrawing from family and friends. In extreme cases, stress can cause insanity. Emotional changes are also a common effect of stress. Symptoms include anger, anxiety, depression, nervousness, loneliness, and rejection. Changes in emotional state may lead to psychological disorders or even death, if not treated. Suicide is among the leading outcomes of stress-related depression (aspinwall, 1992, 48). Not only does stress effect ones emotional and behavioral states, buy it also plays a large role in ones physical state. Symptoms of stress include, but are not limited to, allergies, back pain, respiratory infections, fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, sleeping problems, and dizziness. British scientist Hans Selye made a basic point of stress. It states that although the human body comes designed to cope with temporary stress, prolonged stress can produce physical deterioration. MRI brain scans of people who have experienced a prolonged amount of stress often show the results of a shrunken hippocampus, the inner brain structure vital to laying down explicit memories. Stress can put people at risk for one of todays four leading causes of serious illness and death: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lung disease. Such findings were proven true by studies done by cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman in 1956. Psychophysiological illnesses are stress-related. They are i llnesses, such as high blood pressure, that are caused by high levels of stress. Immune responses may also be effected by stress. They can either speed up or slow down causing a variety of illnesses such as lupus or multiple sclerosis. Stress does not make one sick, but it does restrain ones immune functioning, making him more vulnerable to foreign invaders (Bandura, 1986, 58). Stress in unavoidable. If one can not eliminate stress by changing or ignoring a situation, one must learn to manage it by confronting or escaping the problem. Stress management may include aerobic exercise, relaxation, and social support. Without knowledge of stress and ways to manage it, people are more susceptible of disease and psychological disorders. There are various sources of stress. The very definition of stress is: A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression. A stimulus or circumstance causing such a condition. In todays world of competition and success, the limits of our threshold are being pushed to succeed. Success is the driving force behind many people pushing their bodies to the limits. A human body needs a delicate balance between work, and relaxation. When this equilibrium is not maintained, problems occur, which might have repercussions later. These repercussions take the forms of Burnouts, break-downs, and sometimes extreme cases of heart attacks. In most cases of the systems breaking down, there are methods of control and mechanisms of improvement of the situation. Stress can be handled very effectively in todays world. Healthy and wholesome living is the new day mantra for better work efficiencies. What causes stress? There are various triggers to stress. Work, personal life and external factors (Banyard, 1993, 45). Work: the pressures of work are one of the greatest factors contributing to the high stress levels today. Long working hours, constant pressures of deadlines, and the inevitable fear of job security pushes people to work very hard. Personal Life: outside the work place, people are always subject to constant pressures from family, friends, and well wishers. Handling these pressures in the most effective way is the tact of the new manager. Family life can cause stress, especially if there is some friction between partners, the ill heath or sudden death of a partner can cause great levels of stress. External factors: personal finances, world events and other non classifiable events also add to stress. Time management or lack of thereof is another cause of external factors of stress. How does one handle stress? There are several ways of fighting stress in ones life. This essay will briefly attempt to touch base with some important methods which can be imbibed in handling stress. 1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Time Management: Time management is one of the greatest methods of combating stress especially in the workplace. Effective time management helps us prioritizing, planning, allocating and executing effective schedules in order to maximize our most valuable resource, time. Once a person has been able to handle time effectively, he or she would be able to handle many tasks which have been allocated (Baruch, 1987, 59). 2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Health: stress has a great impact on the personal health of the individual. Ageing is speeded up and white hair apparently comes aplenty. Living a healthy life helps in handling stress better. A regular routine, the offshoot of effective time management, allows us time to regularly exercise. Exercise, as many say release endorphins, these help combat stress and depression, a stress induced side effect. Healthy foods, such as greens, and maintaining a balanced diet are some other ways, which when coupled with exercise help us maintain a healthy body. 3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Non Conventional Methods: going back to the basics is a term that is used very regularly today. When one says going back to the basics, it includes going back to the past. Yoga, pranayama and other methods of controlling the mind, body and soul, have existed in our country for a very long time. This is fast gaining popularity as methods of combating stress. Yoga has immense powers to help us maintain our minds and body in shape. From the above, we can see one of the greatest factors of handling stress is to maintain a healthy mind, body and soul. Prevention is better than cure, preventing stress by having a healthy life style and a healthy mind, is a plus point which has no substitute in todays world. However there is no effective way of handling self induced stress. Calming the mind and regulated breathing can ease the stress, but it will be rendered ineffective if the person is not willing to practice it in the positive way (Bem, 1981, 49). Stress is one of the greatest hindrances to efficient productivity in todays workplace. Production efficiency is the key word today and this does face a serious threat with stress. Combating stress on a war footing is the need of the hour, and some of the above points will assist in effective stress management through a healthy mind , body and soul. Stress is a combination of responses in the body. Stress can be short-term (acute) or chronic. Acute stress is the fight or flight response. If a car is careening toward you at a high rate of speed, you will (or should!) experience acute stress. It is when you experience so many common stressors, such as heavy traffic, noise, money worries, illnesses, relationship problems, rising crime rates, or work frustrations, that stress takes a chronic form. In the short term, stress can be vital. Over time, it turns destructive . How destructive can stress be on your body? Research has shown that prolonged stress can produce actual tissue changes and organ dysfunction. With the new MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) techniques, scientists are able to prove visibly that chronic stress can shrink an area in the brain called the hypothalamus. Read More On This They have found that the brains of war veterans, as well as women who have been victims of childhood sexual abuse, have a marked reduction in the size of their hypothalamus (Betz, 1987, 29). Stress also affects your brain by releasing powerful chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (also called adrenaline). The hypothalamic/pituitary-adrenal portion of your brain releases steroid hormones, including the primary stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol affects systems throughout your body, including an increased heart rate. Your heart, lungs, and circulatory system are influenced by the increased heart rate. Blood flow may increase 300 to 400 percent. Blood pressure increases and breathing becomes rapid. Your mouth and throat may become dry. Skin may become cool and clammy because blood flow is diverted away so it can support the heart and muscle tissues. Even digestive activity shuts down. Once again, occasional stress is normal. Once youve handled the situation, the stress goes away and you heal from the episode. But, if stressors accumulate over time, eventually the body becomes inefficient at handling even the least amount of stress. The brain, heart, lungs, vessels, and muscles become so chronically over or under activated that they become damaged. It is this sort of stress which may trigger or worsen heart disease, strokes, susceptibility to infection, sleep disturbances, sexual and reproductive dysfunction, memory and learning dysfunction, digestive problems, weight problems, diabetes, pain, and skin disorders. Extensive multidisciplinary studies have presented unequivocal evidence that our psychological responses to stress and our perceptions of stress to a considerable extent affect our susceptibility to disease. In active relationship, the immune, neuroendocrine, and nervous systems respond to the brain and psyche. Virtually all illnesses, from the flu to cancer, are influenced for good or bad by our thoughts and feelings. R. Lloyd, 1990 Healing Brain: A Scientific Reader (Betz, 1987, 48) Statement of the Research Problem How do the employees cope with stress in the workplace to achieve a more balanced lifestyle at Phones 4 you ? Stress is a part of everybodys life. Depending on the level of stress, it can control our lives, especially in the workplace. We begin to spend several long hours at work, and thus have less time for other things. Stressed employees may be unhappy and thus produce nominally. Stress can deteriorate social and family relationships and eventually burn you out; ultimately it can take toll on your health. Organizations need to recognize stress as a problem and decide whether or not to act upon it. Background Information This question needs to be answered because stress is a problem that Phones 4 you must deal with; stress can cause poor work performance and lower employee morale. These factors can increase employee turnover rate and lessen quality of life. We all must deal with stress; question is how we handle and control it. With downsizing the buzz word in the modern corporate world, companies have become mean and lean. Employees are compelled to be more efficient Phones 4 you; they find themselves taking on the work of what used to be two. The result is longer hours, less time for outside activities, and consequently increased stress. According to Business Week, the typical British works 47 hours a week, and if current trends continue, in 20 years the average person would be on the job 60 hours a week. Another factor that increases stress is technological advancements. With all the new technology one is always connected to work and accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. According to Business Week, it is now possible, and thus increasingly expected, for employees to be accessible and productive any hour, any day (Bollen, 1993, 18). At a workplace, one observes several sales people working long hours, claiming it is due to under staffing. Employees reach a point of diminishing returns. The more hours they work, the less productive they are. This stressful condition causes the quality of work to dwindle. Consequently, clients recognize this, and eventually they terminate the business relationship. Soon the company loses, as it is built on these clients (Moos, 1989, 58). Statement of the Objectives This research expects to discuss factors which lead to stress in the workplace at Phones 4 you. Are individuals stressed in the workplace at Phones 4 you? What causes stress in the workplace Phones 4 you? Who is mostly stressed: men or women? Are individuals being exposed to stress management techniques? Should employers implement stress management techniques? as a future manager, I would like to be able to determine if stress is a problem for employees; if so, implement a strategy to curtail stress in the workplace. By recognizing stress in the workplace, employers can act appropriately to reduce stress. The outcome can benefit social and family relationships, as well as preserve ones health and make us more productive in our organizations (Moos, 1982, 25). Scope The research project will comprise of a sample size of 30 individuals, randomly selected from general business areas. The study will analyze stress factors in the U.K workforce and its impact on the British organization. Effective stress management techniques will then be presented, which will allow individuals or organizations to implement. Secondary information from various sources will be utilized to explore effective methods of coping with stress. The conclusions and recommendations I will draw will be applicable to any British organization with stress as a problem. Although this study will generalize from the small population, it can be used as a starting point to recognizing the problem, as each organization can require a different approach (Parkes, 1986, 36). Limitations The sources utilized in the research will be extracted from current articles (2006-present) from online services, the Internet, and public libraries. A survey will be given to individuals of randomly chosen organizations and will not target any specific company or industry. Due to time constraints, the population will be limited to 30 individuals. The research will explore factors causing stress in the workplace and its impact on organizations. Effective methods of coping with stress will be given, but limited to ones examined in the secondary resources (Portello, 1996, 548). Research Procedures The project will focus on stress factors in the workplace and effective methods to balance a healthy lifestyle. The sample group will consist of 30 individuals randomly selected from general business areas. The survey will be conducted during lunch periods when several employees leave and return to the workplace. The questionnaire will attempt to see if the sample individuals believe stress is a problem and what can be done to resolve it. The questionnaire will be delivered in person and each individual will fill out the survey at that point. Since the survey will be conducted in a general public area, no authorization is needed to administer. Once I receive all the surveys, I will quantify the data into an Excel spreadsheet. I will report the data mostly in percentages (e.g. 70percent of the individuals acknowledge that stress is a problem in the workplace). The data will be utilized to see if stress is a factor impacting the British workforce. Stress management techniques will be presented where appropriate (Browne, 1993, 578). Chapter Two: Literature Review Stress is an adaptive response. It is the bodys reaction to an event that is seen as emotionally disturbing, disquieting, or threatening. When we perceive such an event, we experience what stress researchers call the fight or flight response. To prepare for fighting or fleeing, the body increases its heart rate and blood pressure; more blood is then sent to your heart and muscles, and your respiration rate increases (Carmines, 1981, 48). Stress is both positive and negative. Good stress is a balance of arousal and relaxation that helps you concentrate, focus, and achieve what you want. Bad stress is constant stress and constant arousal that may lead to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and worse. The body does not distinguish between negative and positive stress. The same physiological responses can take place whether you are happy or sad about a given situation. When extending to the workplace, stress may lead to poor work performance and end up costing an organizations several thousands of dollars. The organization loses on salary because they are not receiving satisfactory production and if the employee becomes ill, health and workers compensation rates can soar . The organization must decide whether or no to implement a stress management program, since there are several external stressors that can overtake an individual. Internal stressors, within organizations include technology and corporate downsizing which leads to longer hours and job uncertainty. If one does not know how to manage stress, it can get out of control ) (Rock, 1997, 4). Analyzing Stress on Individuals In a 1995 survey of 1,705 respondents it is analyzed that stress rises with level of education and job level and is higher than average for women (Robinson, 1996, 88). Fifty-eight percent of the women respondents possess moderate to a lot of stress in the workplace compared to 53 percent of men. From the divorced individuals, 62 percent are stressed in the workplace compared to married and never married at 57 percent, and 58 percent respectively. The widowed respondents maintain the least stress at 38 percent (Robinson, 1996, 48). College graduate respondents possess more stress at 64 percent than high school graduates at 55 percent. Only 43 percent of the less than high school respondents felt stress in the workplace. Those with more education feel more stress, possibly because their jobs involve greater managerial and financial responsibility (Robinson, 1996, 87). Stress is an epidemic in British life. In nationwide polls, 89 percent of Britishers reported that they often experience high levels of stress, and 59 percent claimed that they feel great stress at least once a week (Hellmich, 1994, 57). A five year study of the British workforce conducted by the Families and Work Institute showed that 30 percent of employees often or very often feel burned out or stressed by their jobs, 27 percent feel emotionally drained from their work, and 42 percent feel used up at the end of the work day (Hellmich, 1994, 4). Balancing work pressures and family responsibilities leaves many workers feeling burned out. Examining the Effects of Downsizing on Stress The downsizing of organizations have caused a stressful environment. Downsizing has created concerns over job security, and has forced employees to take on a larger workload. According to a local union representing U.K. West stated that work still needs to be done, but with fewer people (Scott, 1996, 41). Downsizing creates quantitative and qualitative stress. Quantitative stress pertains to doing the same amount of work with fewer people. Reengineering the organization entails shaping the company to be more efficient with less individuals. These individuals are asked to do a wider variety of work functions they are not trained to do, causing qualitative overload (Scott, 1996, 35). Occupational Stress is the harmful physical and emotional response that occurs when there is a poor match between job demands and the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker. Stress-related disorders encompass a broad array of conditions, including psychological disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder) and other types of emotional strain (e.g., dissatisfaction, fatigue, tension, etc.), maladaptive behaviours (e.g., aggression, substance abuse), and cognitive impairment (e.g., concentration and memory problems). In turn, these conditions may lead to poor work performance or even injury. Job stress is also associated with various biological reactions that may lead ultimately to compromised health, such as cardiovascular disease (Rosenfield, 1989, 5). Prevalence Stress is a prevalent and costly problem in todays workplace. About one-third of workers report high levels of stress. One-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives. Three-fourths of employees believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago. Evidence also suggests that stress is the major cause of turnover in organizations (Scheier, 1985, 65). Health and Healthcare Utilization Problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor-more so than even financial problems or family problems. Many studies suggest that psychologically demanding jobs that allow employees little control over the work process increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. On the basis of research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and many other organizations, it is widely believed that job stress increases the risk for development of back and upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders. High levels of stress are associated with substantial increases in health service utilization. Workers who report experiencing stress at work also show excessive health care utilization. In a 1998 study of 46,000 workers, health care costs were nearly 50% greater for workers reporting high levels of stress in comparison to low risk workers. The increment rose to nearly 150%, an increase of more than $1,700 per person annually, for workers reporting high levels of both stress and depression. Additionally, periods of disability due to job stress tend to be much longer than disability periods for other occupational injuries and illnesses (Schwartz, 1993, 58). Causes of Occupational Stress Job stress results from the interaction of the worker and the conditions of work. Views differ on the importance of worker characteristics versus working conditions as the primary cause of job stress. The differing viewpoints suggest different ways to prevent stress at work. According to one school of thought, differences in individual characteristics such as personality and coping style are most important in predicting whether certain job conditions will result in stress-in other words, what is stressful for one person may not be a problem for someone else. This viewpoint leads to prevention strategies that focus on workers and ways to help them cope with demanding job conditions. Although the importance of individual differences cannot be ignored, scientific evidence suggests that certain working conditions are stressful to most people. Such evidence argues for a greater emphasis on working conditions as the key source of job stress, and for job redesign as a primary prevention str ategy. Personal interview surveys of working conditions, including conditions recognized as risk factors for job stress, were conducted in Member States of the European Union in 1990, 1995, and 2000. Results showed a trend across these periods suggestive of increasing work intensity. In 1990, the percentage of workers reporting that they worked at high speeds at least one-fourth of their working time was 48%, increasing to 54% in 1995 and to 56% in 2000. Similarly, 50% of workers reported they work against tight deadlines at least one-fourth of their working time in 1990, increasing to 56% in 1995 and 60 % in 2000. However, no change was noted in the period 1995–2000 (data not collected in 1990) in the percentage of workers reporting sufficient time to complete tasks. A substantial percentage of Britishers work very long hours. By one estimate, more than 26% of men and more than 11% of women worked 50 hours per week or more in 2000. These figures represent a considerable incr ease over the previous three decades, especially for women. According to the Department of Labour, there has been an upward trend in hours worked among employed women, an increase in extended work weeks (>40 hours) by men, and a considerable increase in combined working hours among working couples, particularly couples with young children (Shaw, 1993, 4). Signs of Occupational Stress Mood and sleep disturbances, upset stomach and headache, and disturbed relationships with family, friend and girl/boy friends are examples of stress-related problems. The effects of job stress on chronic diseases are more difficult to see because chronic diseases take a long time to develop and can be influenced by many factors other than stress. Nonetheless, evidence is rapidly accumulating to suggest that stress plays an important role in several types of chronic health problems-especially cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, and psychological disorders (Sherer, 1982, 36). Prevention A combination of organizational change and stress management is often the most useful approach for preventing stress at work. How to Change the Organization to Prevent Job Stress Ensure that the workload is in line with workers capabilities and resources. Design jobs to provide meaning, stimulation, and opportunities for workers to use their skills. Clearly define workers roles and responsibilities. Give workers opportunities to participate in decisions and actions affecting their jobs. Improve communications-reduce uncertainty about career development and future employment prospects. Provide opportunities for social interaction among workers. Establish work schedules that are compatible with demands and responsibilities outside the job. St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company conducted several studies on the effects of stress prevention programs in hospital settings. Program activities included (1) employee and management education on job stress, (2) changes in hospital policies and procedures to reduce organizational sources of stress, and (3) establishment of employee assistance programs. In one study, the frequency of medication errors declined by 50% after prevention activities were implemented in a 700-bed hospital. In a second study, there was a 70% reduction in malpractice claims in 22 hospitals that implemented stress prevention activities. In contrast, there was no reduction in claims in a matched group of 22 hospitals that did not implement stress prevention activities (Smith, 1981, 24). Chapter Three: Research Methodology Design The data reported here are from two separate data sets. In order to cross-validate the model, data from the original study of managerial women were used, and these included data from the first three assessments of a 2-year longitudinal study. In the original article (B. C. Long et al., 1992, 165), a conceptual model of stress and coping was tested and developed that was based on data from the first three assessments (Time 1 to Time 3) of 11 assessments completed over 2 years. Status, Sex Role Attitudes, and Agentic Traits were assessed at Time 1; Appraisals, Disengagement and Engagement Coping, Work Environment, and Daily Hassles were assessed at Time 2; and Distress and Satisfaction were assessed at Time 3. These data were used as a base to test the validity of the model on a new set of data obtained from clerical workers, data that have not been reported elsewhere (Snapp, 1992, 32). Sampling The managerial women (n = 249) were employed in nontraditional occupations (i.e., fewer than 35% of British employees are women). Their mean age was 38.84 years (SD = 7.68, range = 22–66). More detailed descriptions of the managers characteristics can be found in B. C. Long et al. (1992). The clerical workers who participated were employed in both large and small organizations in the same large western British city in which the managers were employed. The clerical workers volunteered in response to written requests for participants that I circulated in the media and by networking. The notices were directed to full-time female clerical workers and indicated that the purpose of the study was to investigate how clerical workers experienced Occupational Stress. No incentives were offered other than a final summary report. à Ã… ¾f the 284 respondents who made contact by telephone, 273 met the criteria for inclusion (i.e., they were employed in a clerical position, worked more than 20 hours per week, and did not supervise others). à Ã… ¾f the 273 clerical workers who met the criteria and were distributed questionnaires at Time 1, 39 withdrew from the study because of lack of time to participate, 7 no longer met our criteria because of promotion, unemployment, or leave o f absence from work (e.g., due to accident or illness), and 4 moved. The overall dropout rate was 18%. Dropout analyses were conducted on the demographic variables measured at Time 1. No differences were found between the retained (n = 223) and dropout (n = 50) respondents. Chi-square analyses of the demographic variables (marital status, education, number of children, job level, and size of the company) were not significant. Because 9 participants identified a personal rather than a work stressor, their data were omitted from the model testing. All respondents were self-identified clerical workers. Job classifications included clerks (25%), secretaries–stenographers (23%), administrative assistants (34%), and others (18%). The mean age was 39.77 years (SD = 9.46, range = 22–63 years). Fifty-three percent of the clerical workers were married, 22% were single, and 25% were divorced, separated, or widowed. Fifty-three percent were parents. Twenty-four percent had a high school education or less, 42% had special training (e.g., secretarial, clerical), 17% had a college education (2 years postsecondary), and 13% had a university degree. Household incomes ranged from less than $25,000 (British) per year (23.4%) to over $61,000 (British) per year (27.5%). The major industries represented were education (31%), service (35%), utilities and public administration (12%), manufacturing and transportation (10%), and other (8%). On average the women had been in the workforce for 17.02 years (SD = 8.74,

Components of Kangaroo Mother Care

Components of Kangaroo Mother Care The literature search has been divided in different categories to present the effects of kangaroo mother care (KMC). After stating the organization of the paper the first section will provide the definition, history, and components of KMC. The second section will describe the Universe of Developmental Care Model and its components. The next section will reflect on the effects of KMC in maintaining the temperature of premature and LBW infants. The fourth section will present the relationship of KMC with the frequency of feeds and how this intervention assists in resolving the issues related to breast feeding; while the fifth section will present the results of KMC with respect to achieving the weight gain. The sixth section will describe the effects of KMC in reducing suspected infections and length of stay in hospital. The last section will summarize the literature review stating the purpose of the literature review. The Search Strategy The literature search was done on two search engines: Pubmed and Science Direct will be use of key terms Kangaroo mother care (KMC) and skin-to -skin (STS) the Pubmed searched resulted in 100 hits. It was further filtered by adding the terms low birth weight (LBW). Finally twenty articles were reviewed. Similarly, the database of Science Direct showed 30 relevant articles .The second step was to search database in Google Scholar. The result showed very pertinent articles, including a website of the KMC foundation. This website facilitated the researcher in searching the systemic review and origin of KMC, original articles were then searched from the reference lists of these articles. Definition, History, and Components of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is an alternative intervention for hypothermia among preterm infants by, keeping the baby close to the mothers skin (Lawn, Mwansa-Kambafwile, Horta, Barros, Cousens,2010). Dr Edgar Rey Sanabria, a pediatrician initiated the model of KMC at the Department of Health in Mobato, Colombia in 1978 Since then, KMC has been well known for provide a quality care to newborn infants especially to LBW babies in Colombia (Lawn et al.2010). A wide range of literature is available that evaluates the physiological, psychological, emotional, and developmental outcomes of KMC. However, this literature review will primarily focus on the physiological and breastfeeding outcomes of KMC in hospital. However, the secondary outcome variables like weight gain, infection and length of stay will also be presented in the this literature review.Gradually this model was adopted by many developed countries like US, UK, and Brazil, and in 2003, WHO provided international guidelines to implement KMC. Based on the effectiveness of KMC in hospital settings, it was recommended to incorporate KMC into a package of neonatal care and not as an individual intervention (Pattinson, Woods, Greenfield, Velaphi, 2005). According to Charpak It is not alternative medicine but a scientifically sound, multilevel intervention (Charpak Ruiz-Pelaez, 2001). Though it is initiated in the hospital, it can be continued at home until rejected by the infant usu ally towards the completion of gestation at 37 weeks (Charpak Ruiz-Pelaez, 2001). Universe of Developmental Care (UDC) The model is the renewal of Als Synactive theory of neonatal development. The theoretical concept of the model is shared surface; the manifestation of the shared surface is the skin. Through the skin the linkages are created among the body organism , and the environment. The key concept of the model is that an infants skin is considered as boundary of infant where as the shared surface includes environmental influences. The impact of these influences is inter- linked with care practices and the family (Gibbins, Hoath, Coughlin, Gibbins Franck, 2008). Components of Model This model is based on infant, environment, and staff. Infant: Infant is the core component of the model, who occupies central position, as shown in model (refer fig 1.). The first circle immediate to the central position of the infant in the model represents specific physiological systems, such as: respiratory, cardiac, and nervous, hematologic, metabolic, immunological, musculoskeletal, integumentry, and gastrology system. These physiological systems are interrelated with each other and they are highly influenced by the surrounding environment. Care Practices Specific care practices behaviors are symbolized as care planets of the UDC model. There are nine care planets surrounding the physiological system which depict care giving behaviors like monitoring/assessment, feeding, positioning, infection control, safety, comfort, thermoregulation, skin care, and respiratory care (Gibbins, et al., 2008, p. 145). Family: In the UDC model family is the central focus;however, staff and institution support is required to provide effective care to the infant, for instance, for any care practice approach like provision of comfort to an extremely low birth infant. If the parental touch is been replaced in an intensive care unit with staff support and institutions policy, the care planet of comfort will not only be affected, but it may alter the other planets like sleep, positioning, safety, and like. Therefore, within the hospital environment the family is shown as very close to the infant in the UDC model, which demonstrates the natural family-infant dyads bonding. Environment: The macro-environment of the model, based on the infrastructure and physical environment such as lay -out, lighting, noise levels, units physical design, affects the shared surfaces. Moreover, interpersonal behavior and hospital culture are also considered as part of enviroment in the UDC model (Gibbins, et al., 2008, p. 145). These environmental influences can affect any of the care planets of the universal model. Due to interdependence of care planets of the UDC model, the care practice that alters any one of the care planet will automatically affect the other care planets. (Ludington, 2009). Just like the laws of solar system movement, an infant is expected to respond to the environmental influences by showing some developmental behaviors (Gibbins, et al., 2008, p. 143). Staff: The position of staff in the model is just as a protective orbit that supports family of very high risk and critical infants. The authors have emphasized the role of education and staff training in the context of UDC model in order to apply the theoretical concepts of developmental care model in clinical practices (Gibbins, et al., 2008, p. 144). Application of the Model The UDC model is applicable for infants care providing clinical approach for nurses to follow. The model captured an extensive list of nursing care, which involves holistic developmental care. Therefore, it can be easily applied as bedside practice; in addition this model provides opportunities to the nursing researchers to explore any one of the care planets and then identify its interdependence with other care planets. Since the model is based on Nightingale, environmental theory can be widely applied in nursing care practices.However, a lot of research work is needed to validate the concept of shared surfaces of the model. The literature review,so far,has not depicted any scholarly work for the application of the model to kangaroo mother care, though it is one of the essential components of the models comfort care planet ( Ludington, 2009).The intention of the current study is to apply this model to explore the physiological and developmental effects of kangaroo mother care among low birth weight and preterm infants. The application and modification of the model would be discussed in detail in chapter 3. However, the model also guided us to present the effectiveness of KMC through literature review. Thermoregulation Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) has been recognized as an effective model for thermal stability (Charpak et al., 2005; Ludington-Hoe, Nguygen, Swinth Satyshur, 2000; Cong, 2006). Due to large body surface, little fat size LBW infants are at high risk of heat loss. When this loss exceeds the ability of infant to produce heat, hypothermia develops (WHO, 1997). Infants are more susceptible to hypothermia immediately after birth, during bath or during weighing. It has been found that countries with high neonatal morbidities deaths showed higher rates of hypothermia (Kumar, Shearer, Kumar Darmstadt, 2009). Therefore, to minimize the risk of hypothermia a set of procedure has been recommended for thermal regulation of newborn infants. These procedures include warm delivery room, drying of infants body and skin-to-skin contact, breast feeding and postponing bathing and weighing of infants and keeping mother-infant together etc. In case of breaking in this warm- chain infant can be at risk of c old stress (WHO, 1997). In such cases thermal protections can be fulfilled by either keeping infant in warmer incubator or under radiant heat. The positive outcome of randomized trials among preterm has suggested the KMC as an alternative of incubators (Bergman et al., 2004; Cattaneo et al., 1998; Chwo et al., 2002; Kadam et al., 2005; Ludington-Hoe et al., 2000; Ludington-Hoe et al., 2004). The abdomen of mother due to the appropriate temperature for newborn is considered as the best means for immediate postnatal interventions (AAP AAH, 2000). It is also suggested in the guidelines of World Health Organization that skin-to-skin contacts should be continue during transfer as well as after shifting of infant in ward (WHO, 2003). The consistence findings of KMC among various trials and metaanalysis (conde, et, al, 2010), systemic review of kangaroo care (Brett, Staniszewska, Newburn, Jones, Taylor, 2011) and literature review by (Bulfone, Nazzi, Tenore, 2011) made it possible to include kangaroo care as one of the integral component of newborn care (Carlo, et al., 2010; Darmstadt et al., 2006; Kumar et al., 2008; Moore McDermott, 2004; Senarath, Fernando, Rodrigo, 2007; Tinker, Paul, Ruben, 2006), including preterm infants. Bergman et al. (2004) investigated effects of one hour dose of KMC after birth to assess the rate of hypothermia. Out of 20 LBW infants 18 maintained their temperature with KMC, whereas in control group six out of 14 infants maintained their temperature. Similarly, Cattaneoet al. (1998) assessed the KMC interventions by continuous skin-to-skin contact, day night with an average of 20 hrs /day by mothers. Researcher found 13.5 episodes of hypothermia in a sample of 100 infants in intervention group as compared to 31.5 episodes in control group. It is highly recommended from literature that staff need to be sensitize about this serious issue Kumar, et al, 2009). It has been observed that in the study settings that there are modern equipment to provide warmth to infants are available. However, space and equipment remain the limitation of any organization due to high influx of premature and LBW infants delivery. Though an infant gets thermal control in nursery setting but there is need to implement some strategies which protect high risk infants in the ward environment and mother need to educate about monitoring of infant. She should be acknowledging about its management as well. In order to compare the effects of environmental temperature and kangaroo care interventions, three groups of newborns were selected. One group was given skin-to-skin contact in prone, while another group was prone to mother chest with clothes, while third group of neonates were kept in nursery. After 90 minutes of repeated measures of temperature post birth (30-120 minutes after birth) the infants who were in skin-to-skin contact showed more variation in temperature than their counterparts. This variation was found to be related with sensory stimulation caused by mother infant skin to skin contact. Moreover, researchers have concluded that early suckling promotion also facilitated in oxytocin release which further enhanced metabolism and heat production(Bystrova et al., 2007). The literature review supports the concept of shared surface of UDC model also. The relationship between infants brain and environment is apparent through skin-to-skin contact. As parasympathetic nervous system gets stimulated which enhances peripheral circulation (Bystrova et al., 2007) and manifestation of this process is apparent through infants skin temperature. According to the recent meta-analysis of KMC, there is a significant reduction of hypothermia (Conde, 2010). Developing counties like India and Bangladesh have shown progress in implementing KMC in low and high technical settings. It can be applied for all healthy newborn >28 weeks of gestation and weight >600 grams safely (Browne, 2007). Initially preterm and LBW infants were given KMC for 24 hrs. Gradually his model was modified to intermittent kangaroo care for minimum 30 to 60 minutes (Nyqvist, 2009). The researchers found KMC effective in thermal protection even if was given for short duration (Boo Jamli, 2007). In addition to it KMC can be applied to all newborn care setting. There is no need to have a separate setting to implement this model other than privacy to practice in clinical settings. Some of the challenges identified in implementation of KMC model initially in India (Ramanathan, Paul, Deorari, Taneja, George, 2001) participated mothers showed reluctance at the initial stage to change the traditional behavior of neonatal care. Similarly, in Uganda values and beliefs of mother were challenging. As mother considered vernix as napaki and it should be removed, and infant cannot be placed on mothers abdomen before bathing (Byaruhanga, BergstrÃÆ' ¶m, Tibemanya, Nakitto, Okong, 2008). Another challenge is reluctance in modifying the newborn care policies and protocols. Despite multiple benefits of KMC, there is still a gap in application of this model (Byaruhanga et al., 2008). One Pakistani study also found cultural beliefs as barrier to provide thermal protection; mothers felt blood on newly born infant as napaki and they were not in favour of breastfeeding infant soon after birth (Aziz, Akhtar, Kaleem). This way all live healthy born infants were given bath before feeding. This behavior is considered as one of the major hazard for newborn health; this gap can be fulfilled by research evidences in our cultural context and by following the international guidelines of newborn care. Effects of KMC in Promoting Lactation Another major challenge of preterm births is ineffective breastfeeding. These infants need a great deal of struggle while attachment to mothers breasts. The epidemiological studies have provided sufficient evidences that breast feeding contributes in reducing morbidities and mortalities of infants (Heinig, 2001). It was further evident that preterm and LBW infants who received donors breast milk were at lower risk of necrotizing enterocollitis than those who fed formula feed (McGuire Anthony, 2003). A breadth of literature supports kangroo care as one of the best way to promote early attachment of infants to mother breast. A number of barriers to breast feeding among preterm infants are, immature systems, poor coordination while sucking, and difficult to keep them awake (Ludington, 2010). As a result mother does not receive sufficient stimulation from infants sucking. Therefore, infants are fed supplement milk either with spoon, gavage or bottle feeding. Since exclusive breast feeding is strongly associated with child survival (Bhutta, 2008) it is recommended that breast feeding should be initiated within an hour of birth to produce sufficient calories and to keep the infant warm (WHO, 1996). KMC has shown substantial improvement in promoting exclusive breastfeeding. The literature review has shown suckling outcome of preterm infants with KMC (WHO, 1996). Even one hour session of KMC for two weeks was found to be helpful in attachment of infants with mothers breasts. (Nyqvist et al., 2006). The researchers found increase in breast feeding rate and duration among 32 -35 weeks of gestation (Nyqvist et al ., 2006). This early attachment behavior of infants with the help of Skin-to-skin contact, stimulates sucking behavior and more oxytocin releases to produce more milk (Matthiesen, Ransjà ¶ Arvidson, Nissen, Uvnà ¤s Moberg, 2001). The experimental study on infants exposed to skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth shows that they continue to nurse more efficiently. There was a significant production of milk and weight gain (Andreson, 2004; Charpak 2001; Dewey, 2003). The literature supports KMC to achieve successful breastfeeding among 90% of infants compared to 61% in hospital (Bier et al., 1996). Moreover, infant on KMC found to be relaxed; therefore, gut is prepared by hormones to digest milk adequately. This helps again in reducing the chances of necrotizing of gut and infants gain weight, resulting in a shorter stay at the hospital(Bergman, Linley, Fawcus, 2004). In addition improve frequency and duration of breastfeeding; it is also evident from literature that mothers receive extra support for lactation from nurses while giving intervention of KMC. This support also motivates mothers to continue breastfeeding (Carfoot Moore, 2005). Due to sustained breastfeeding cholecystokinin releases more and it further stimulates parasympathetic nervous system which aids in growth and development of infants. A comparative study of three group of infants discussed in the section of thermal regulation (Bystrova et al., 2007) also support early sucking reflexes with skin-to-skin contact. A systemic review by Ahmed and Sands (2010) found eight studies to support breastfeeding outcome among preterm infants. Effects of KMC on Weight Gain As discussed earlier the preterm and LBW infants are prone to hypothermia, poor lactation, and infections during hospitalization which contribute to infants weight gain or prolonged stay in hospital just to gain weight. KMC has been found to be effective in growth of infants (Ali, 2009; Anderson, 1991; Boo, 2007; Conde, 2010; Rao, 2007). However, Charpaks study did not suggest significant difference in weight gain of infants (Charpak, 2005). On the other hand, KMC also did not show adverse effects and none of the studies found that infants with KMC intervention were failing to thrive. Thus the literature shows positive effect of KMC in terms of improving the feeding of LBW infants and weight gain. Studies among LBW infants depicts significant improvement in growth of infants, with mean weight gain of 29gms among infants Effects of KMC in prevention of Infection and length of stay reduction Recently it is evident from the literature that KMC reduces the morbidities and mortalities among infants (Lawn, 2010). Total 15 trials were reviewed and researchers found significant decrease in mortalities i.e. (RR =0.49) and morbidities which was (RR= 0.34).The scientist are predicting that by placing infants in skin-to-skin contact may improve barrier function of the skin (Abufatteh, Ludington, Burant -Visscher, 2011). The researchers found only one case of infection at the time of completion of KMC. The progress of KMC in reducing infection is also depicted in developing countries. A substantial reduction in infections among LBW Infants is demonstrated from the literature. For instance Ali in (2009) found 6.9% of sepsis in KMC group as compared to 23.2% in control group during hospitalization. In addition the research findings were consistent at follow-up; incidences of severe infections were high in control group (17.9%) as compared to (5.2%) in KMC (Ali, 2009). This impact is also associated with improvement in breastfeeding through skin-to-skin contacts. The Immunoglobulin and lactoferrin properties of human milk help in prevention of infection. (FurmanKennell, 2000). Reducing the length of stay is another goal of KMC which is highlighted by many studies from developing countries (Ali, 2009; Boo, 2007; Charpak, 2001; Ramanthan, 2001). Infants discharged 7.4 days earlier than control group (Ramanthan, 2001). Similarly, Boo found difference of nine days (Boo, 2007). This major impact is further contributing to cost-effective management. Parents of LBW and preterm infants face dual burden of complication of prematurity as well as economic constraints. Thus, KMC could be an appropriate cost-effective intervention for this population. However, it has not been explored in Pakistan to our knowledge. Therefore, keeping in mind the efficacy of KMC there is a need to implement such trial in Pakistan to fill the gap. Conclusion The literature review suggests KMC as an effective intervention to achieve thermal stability and breast feeding among LBW and preterm infants. Complications such as infections can be minimized by the help of protective environment of mothers skin contact and breastfeeding component. Thus countries with scarce resources like Pakistan can benefit from this intervention to promote the health of high risk newborns. Aziz, N., Akhtar, S., Kaleem, R. Newborn Care Practices Regarding Thermal Protection Among Slum Dwellers in Rachna Town, Lahore, Punjab. Annals of King Edward Medical University, 16(1 SI). Bergman, N. J., Linley, L. L., Fawcus, S. R. (2004). Randomized controlled trial of skin-to-skin contact from birth versus conventional incubator for physiological stabilization in 1200- to 2199-gram newborns. Acta Paediatr, 93(6), 779-785. Byaruhanga, R. N., BergstrÃÆ' ¶m, A., Tibemanya, J., Nakitto, C., Okong, P. (2008). Perceptions among post-delivery mothers of skin-to-skin contact and newborn baby care in a periurban hospital in Uganda. Midwifery, 24(2), 183-189. Bystrova, K., Matthiesen, A. S., Vorontsov, I., WidstrÃÆ' ¶m, A. M., RansjÃÆ' ¶Ãƒ ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ Arvidson, A. B., UvnÃÆ' ¤sà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ Moberg, K. (2007). Maternal axillar and breast temperature after giving birth: effects of delivery ward practices and relation to infant temperature. Birth, 34(4), 291-300. Charpak, N., Ruiz-Pelaez, J. G. (2001). A randomized, controlled trial of kangaroo mother care: results of follow-up at 1 year of corrected age. Pediatrics, 108(5), 1072. Heinig, M. J. (2001). Host defense benefits of breastfeeding for the infant: effect of breastfeeding duration and exclusivity. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 48(1), 105-123. Lawn, J. E., Mwansa-Kambafwile, J., Horta, B. L., Barros, F. C., Cousens, S. Kangaroo mother careto prevent neonatal deaths due to preterm birth complications. International journal of epidemiology, 39(suppl 1), i144. Matthiesen, A. S., Ransjà ¶ Arvidson, A. B., Nissen, E., Uvnà ¤s Moberg, K. (2001). Postpartum maternal oxytocin release by newborns: effects of infant hand massage and sucking. Birth, 28(1), 13-19. McGuire, W., Anthony, M. Y. (2003). Donor human milk versus formula for preventing necrotising enterocolitis in preterm infants: systematic review. Archives of Disease in Childhood-Fetal and Neonatal Edition, 88(1), F11-F14. Pattinson, R., Woods, D., Greenfield, D., Velaphi, S. (2005). Improving survival rates of newborn infants in South Africa. Reproductive Health, 2(1), 1-8. Ramanathan, K., Paul, V., Deorari, A., Taneja, U., George, G. (2001). Kangaroo mother care in very low birth weight infants. Indian Journal of Pediatrics, 68(11), 1019-1023.

Global Warming Essay -- Environmental Global Climate Change

Global Warming Global Warming, aside from pollution is one of scientists biggest concerns. Global Warming is caused by the Greenhouse effect. There are 4 steps in the Greenhouse effect process. The first is, sunlight radiates from the sun, through space, to the Earth’s atmosphere. The second is, sunlight enters the atmosphere and hits the Earth. Some of that sunlight turns into heat energy in the form of infrared light. Surrounding air and land, which in turn makes the heat warm, absorbs the heat. Third, the greenhouse gases trap infrared rays that is remitted into the atmosphere. Finally, the gas then absorbs the light and is remitted back to the Earth’s surface and warms it even more. Another cause of Global Warming is the emissions of greenhouse gases due to the increase in technology that humans have developed. One recent study by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) said that unless governments do something to restrict the emissions of greenhouse gases to a lower level, global temperatures could rise 1.6 to 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2100. This would represent the fastest rate of global warming since the end of the last ice age more than 10,000 years ago. With the increased warming of the Earth it could lead to catastrophic events that could endanger living species on our planet. One event is major drought all around the world. With the warming of the planet, the water on the ground would quickly evaporate causing the rivers and lakes to qui...

An Assortment of Memories, a Myriad of Histories Essay -- U.S. History

American society has traditionally been referred to as a â€Å"melting pot,† welcoming people of all races, religions, and heritages to enjoy the â€Å"freedom† that only America could provide. That was not always the case, as incidents such as the internment of Japanese Americans at Manzanar and the Lewis and Clark journey along the Columbia River exhibited American racial intolerance and demonstrated the inherent racism of the Manifest Destiny—an ideal upon which this nation was founded. Today, government agencies such as the National Park Service (NPS) aim to repair the United States’ negative reputation by creating national historic sites, which serve as either a celebration of American history or an apologetic reminder of events that can never happen again. In regards to these sites, the NPS sees its role as â€Å"a powerful shaper of historical images and messages,† capable of â€Å"determining, creating, and memorializing history for all Ame ricans† (Hayashi 53). I argue that the single shared history for all Americans that this statement suggests cannot exist. These American historical sites—manifestations of the history the National Park Service aims to express—present false equations of indigenous and immigrant experience in this country, representing versions of history and heritage that are not equivalent in past temporal scale and present cultural consequence. The erection of two historical sites—California’s Manzanar and the Confluence Project along the Columbia River—exemplify the false equation of immigrant, indigenous, and settler experience in the United States. Upon analysis of these sites, we will see that the history portrayed there cannot be called a shared history because of the truly imbalanced way in which history is actually ... ...that makes up the American melting pot. â€Æ' Bibliography Confluence Project â€Å"The Confluence Project.† Last Modified 2012. Confluence Project Journey Book â€Å"The Confluence Project Journey Book.† Last Modified 2009. Daehnke, John 2012 The Confluence Project (lecture notes). Stanford IHUM 40B Class, May 1. Hayashi, Robert T. 2003 Transfigured Patterns: Contesting Memories at the Manzanar National Historic Site. In The Public Historian 25(4). Pp. 51-71. Berkeley: Regents of the University of California and the National Council on Public History. National Park Service â€Å"Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.† Last Modified April 23, 2012. . National Park Service â€Å"Manzanar.† Last Modified April 4, 2012. .

Lockheed Martin Corporation Essay

Lockheed Martin is an American aerospace multinational that also specializes in defense, security and advanced technology industries. The corporation was instituted in 1995 following the merger between Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta (Yenne, 2000). The corporation is based in Bethesda in Maryland with global centers that specialize in different aspects of the corporation’s many operations. Currently, the corporation employs over 120,000 employees scattered across the world. Presently, Lockheed is one of the largest defense contractors in the world and enjoys almost unlimited orders across the world. The operations of the corporation are divided into different segments comprising electronic systems (27%), aeronautics (27%), information systems and global solutions (27%) and space systems (19%). Today, US government contracts account for much of the corporation’s revenue while foreign government contracts also make up a substantial share of the revenue. On the other hand, orders from commercial clients only make up a mere 2 % of the total revenue the corporation nets in a year. In 1996, the corporation finalized the plans to acquire Lorad Corporation which subsequently became part of the corporation at a cost of $9. 1 billion. Like any other global corporation engaging thousands of employees across the world, Lockheed is certainly faced with a myriad of challenges that normally define business operations in the present world. One of the greatest challenges facing the corporation is the need to address employee concerns and effectively tackle the aspects of employee and industrial relations without many problems like is always the case. On certain instances the corporation has had to face the challenge of striking workers and go slow as employees complained about various aspects relating to their operations in the organization (Terris, 2010). In that regard, the aspect of dealing with these employee concerns has been one of the greatest employee challenges affecting the organization. Like most workers in the industry, most of Lockheed’s workers are unionized under the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers and are always part and parcel of the activities steered by the association. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is a worker organization, which draws its origin in 1888 when a group of nineteen machinists came together and formed the Order of the United Machinists and Mechanical Engineers. With time, the small organization grew in membership and adopted the present name. The organization has had a turbulent history characterized by the growth of labor movements in the twentieth century. The growth of the union went in tandem with the development of the transport industry throughout the years as more and more workers became employed in the industry. During its formation, the organization was generally a secret affair given that employers of the time were very critical and hostile toward organized labor movements. However, the Order rapidly spread beyond its formation zone of Georgia and was soon a recognized affair in the United States. Much of the growth in the membership of the union was mostly evidenced during the World Wars when workers in the transport industry increased owing to the increased demand of vehicles and airplanes (Cimini, 1994). In the course of the 1970s, the union was segmented into several divisions dealing with specific issues affecting the members. These included civil rights, organizing, older workers and retired workers and women. At a convection held in 1984 in Seattle, Washington, the delegates voted and decided to use the Placid Harbor Education Center in order to train and educate the members of the union. In 1998, the center was renamed to the Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in order to recognize and honor the late president of the union. Throughout history, the union has always addressed the issues affecting the workers and negotiated with the relevant employers on specific aspects relating to the welfare of the employees Contract Management, 2010). Over 3000 workers of Lockheed Corporation are unionized under the IAM and are always in track with the labor union. The union has always negotiated in several instances regarding the welfare of the workers of Lockheed. In 2009, IAM came under much negotiation with the management of Lockheed at Fort Worth where the corporation manufactures jets. The issues at play in that case were healthcare costs and pensions where the workers were over 3,900 people in total opposition with the management of the corporation. At an address to the workers on 19th April, 2009, IAM President promised the workers that the union would keenly negotiate for a fair and just contract between the members and the management of Lockheed (Julian & Denver, 2011). The core of the matter in this regard emerged out of the decision by Lockheed’s management to announce that it would eliminate pension programs for new hires and would also increase healthcare costs for all the workers at the corporation’s Fort Worth plant. The IAM Negotiating Committee promised that it would effectively address the issue with the parties and warned Lockheed against its wrong moves. There were also allegations that the company was planning to introduce very expensive healthcare plans if the workers rejected the idea of elimination of the then present healthcare plan (Sears, 2006). In the course of the negotiation, the union thwarted the efforts by the company to keep the proceedings away from the workers. They periodically informed the workers on whatever was transpiring between them and the management. Much of this effort was complemented when the union created a website from where information relating to the preceding talks was posted and the workers could easily follow. The union organized a series of committees to handle the various logistics of the strike and to keep the employees as well as the public well informed of the proceedings. Several committees came into formation, including the strike committee, communication, community service, film crew and kitchen (2010). These committees were basically assisting the union officials in addressing the challenge of the talks given that the public and the government had very special interest in the whole situation. In the course of the negotiations, the union officials presented the management of the corporation with an economic counter proposal. The management was supposed to go over the proposal and respond to the various questions that were thereby addressed. After going through the contents of the proposal, the officials of the organization invited the union officials to the bargaining table. In their arguments, the management enunciated that their plan to cut off the pension for the new hires was just appropriate and was basically a process of addressing the challenges the organization was facing at that time. In the process, it appeared that the management of the corporation was very adamant and did not want to cede ground on the bargaining table. While the management claimed that they actually paid their workers well and they could therefore afford the new proposal it was putting forward, the union members totally rejected the notion as giving through one hand and taking by the other which was basically unethical in business practice. As part of the initial negotiations, the management of Lockheed confirmed that it had given the union the option of accepting a 3 percent wage rise increase for the contract workers who were facing the challenge of the healthcare plan (Boyne, 2010). Moreover, additional signing bonus of $3,000 was also offered per worker as part of the deal. This was to be supplemented by $ 800 to cover the annual increase in the cost of living in the United States. According to the management, this was basically to be a contingency plan in order to address the fundamental issue at hand and enable the workers to return to their work. In the same process, Lockheed was facing similar pressure from Pentagon and was seriously in a fix to accept the proposals of the union. It was, however, a blow for the company when the union officials totally rejected the contingency plans on the account that they had never been successful in the past and that the company had always not honored such obligations (Anderson, 2009). In retaliation, Lockheed created the view that it could effectively continue its operations without much regard to the unionized workers who were seeking a change of the healthcare plans. The corporation announced that the mployed workers would effectively replace the unionized workers in the course of the operations ((IAMAW, 2012). For a while, amid the negotiation talks, it appeared that the strike was actually an unending affair given that most operations in the corporation had began resuming despite the striking unionized members. It was certainly a blow and a great challenge to the negotiation process and it created the need for further talks and measures to address the situation. The emerging situation presented the union officials with a lot of challenges and they opted to seek for alternative measures of operations while continuing with the negotiation process. Collective bargaining was effectively used in the negotiation between the union officials and the management of the corporation. For a while, it appeared that much of the efforts of the union and the workers would not bore any fruit given the obduracy of the management in seeking to rescind the initial plans. However, light was seen at the end of the tunnel when finally the management of Lockheed agreed to give their presentation regarding a new pension plan that they had opted to adopt instead of their earlier proposal. However, the union was very keen on accepting the proposal and several more negotiations were further made before an amicable solution was reached. In any case, collective bargaining had been the most applicable strategy in the negotiation process and it certainly appeared that most of the challenges of the workers at that time had been resolved at least for a while. The unit that was involved in the collective bargaining process was drawn from the members of the union and also had representation from the unionized members. The committees that were established had actually been drawn from the corporation’s workers. The negotiation process basically consisted of the union officials and the management of Lockheed who were mostly represented by the top officials at the corporation. The corporation being the largest defense contractor in the United States and beyond meant that the government has a lot of interest in its operations. Pentagon, therefore, played a great role in the negotiation process by its advice on the management to seriously regard the specific aspects that were under consideration in order to avoid any disruption of the production process. At the end, it was realized that the basic issues of health care and pension plans that had actually affected the workers were resolved quite amicably and the whole episode ended effectively. The management of Lockheed is certainly faced with a myriad of challenges, which normally affect the operational process. In any case, the corporation has always continued to address the issues affecting the employees in the most effective manner that mutually benefits all the parties in the negotiating table. (Rubenstein, 2007) In conclusion, it has to be stressed that the aspects of employee relations is a fundamental issue that affect large and small corporations alike. The most important concern is, however, the need to provide effective working environment and address the challenges facing the employees in the most effective way possible. The role of the labor unions in this regard cannot be overemphasized given their imperative role in representing the needs of the workers. In the collective bargaining process as a way of seeking to arrive at amicable solution with regard to the issues affecting the organization, it is realized that mutual understanding on each part of the bargain team is certainly an important consideration in the process. Whichever the case, negotiations can always help address the issues so long as the parties approach such negotiations with the seriousness they certainly deserve.

Effective Communication Essay

Make a list (in note form) of some of the techniques you have developed to enable you to communicate effectively with the CYP you work with. OR Write a brief account of some work you have done in the past two years with a YP who had communication problems,which were not due to a disability. Ensure the YP could not be identified from your account, by changing some personal deatails. Good communication is central to working with children, and young people, It is a fundamental part of the Common Core. It involves listening, questioning, understanding and responding to what is being communicated by the CYP‘. It is important to be able to communicate both on a one-on-one basis and in a group context. Communication is not just about the words I use, but also my manner of speaking, body language and, above all, the effectiveness with which I can listen. To communicate effectively it is important to take account of culture and context, for example where English is an additional languag e. Effective engagement requires me to involve the CYP’s in the design and delivery of services and decisions that affect them. It is important for me to consult with them and consider their opinions and perspectives from the outset. A key part of my effective communication and engagement is trust, both between the workforce, children and young people. To build a rapport with the CYP’s , I understand that it is important for me to demonstrate understanding, respect and honesty. Continuity in relationships promotes engagement and the improvement of their lives.. * I am always aware that the CYP may not have understood what I have communicated * I Know that communication is a two-way process * I Know how to listen to people, make them feel valued and involved, and know when it is important to focus on the individual rather than the group. * I am aware of different ways of communicating, including electronic channels, and understand barriers to communication. . * I Know how to report and record information formally and informally in the appropriate way. I listen and build empathy by * Developing and using effective communication systems that are appropriate to them * I Establish a good rapport and respectful, trusting relationship with the children. I Build a rapport and develop relationships using the appropriate form of communication (for example, spoken language, play, body language). * Communicate effectively with all children. * I Hold conversations at the appropriate time and place, understanding the value of day to day contact. * I ensure I’m always aware that some children and young people do not communicate verbally and that I would need to adapt my style of communication to meet their needs and abilities. * I Understand the effects of non-verbal communication such as body language, and appreciate that different cultures use and interpret body language in different ways. * I Build open and honest relationships by respecting CYP and make them feel valued * I Actively listen in a calm, open, non-threatening manner and use questions to check understanding and acknowledge that I have heard what is being said. * I Summarise situations in the appropriate way for the individual (taking into account factors such as background, age and personality). * I Explain clearly to the CYP what kind of information I may have to share with others. * I Explain what has happened or will happen next and check their understanding and where appropriate, their consent to the process. * I Let the child know that I am interested and involved and that I will help them if and when needed. * I Turn off the television or stop what I am doing when a child wants to talk or avoid taking a telephone call when a child has something important to tell me. * Unless other people are specifically meant to be included, I hold conversations in privacy. The best communication between myself and a child will occur when others are not around. * I never Embarrass a child or putt them on the spot in front of others as this will lead to resentment and hostility, not good communication. * I’m aware of my height and I Don’t tower over a child. I Physically get down to the child’s level then talk. * If I am very angry about a behaviour or an incident, I don’t attempt communication until I regain my cool, because I cannot be objective until then. I have learnt that It is better to stop, settle down, and talk to the child later * If I’m very tired, I try to make an extra effort to be an active listener. Genuine active listening is hard work and is very difficult when your mind and body are already tired. * I Listen carefully and politely. I Don’t interrupt the child when they are trying to tell their story * I Don’t ask why, I ask what happened. * If I have knowledge of a situation, I will confront the child with the information that I know or have been told. * I never use put-down words or statements: dumb, stupid, lazy: * I will Assist a child in planning some specific steps to the solution. * I Show that i accept the child for themselves, regardless of what they have or have not done * I try to Reinforce the child for keeping communication open. I Do this by accepting them and praising their efforts to communicate * I use encouraging phases especially with children diagnosed with ADHD as these children may need more praise than the average child. And Unfortunately, because of their behaviour they often receive less. It is important to communicate clearly with children, honestly stating feelings and expectations. Not only do children pay attention to our words, they also react to our tone of voice and body language as well. Because communication is a complex process, it’s important to think of the implications of wh at we say Task 2 Using personal experience or some information either from the seminar or a trustworthy source on the internet, describe how you have used or could use aids to communicate with YP’s who have some form of disability, and indicate the kinds of conditions you have encountered, or may encounter in your work. Very briefly list some other aids to communicate which you could explore and utilise , should the need arise. I have recently had experience working with a child who had a form Of a disability,( Autism)To communicate with them I used A communication passport with pictures, photographs, words and symbols to share important information about the child’s needs, interests and their ways of communicating. The child took this passport into different settings so that everyone is well informed, I.e. meetings school, club, outside activities etc. It was important for this child to be aware of who was working with them in advance so we made a photo wall, all staff members pictures were taken and placed on the wall and during the day and especially at bedtimes staff would go over the wall with the child explaining who would be working with them the following day. I also used a pictorial book in much the same way, The child needed structure and stability and gained this from knowing exactly what would happen who with and when, In the morning I would sit down with the child before school explain who would be taking them to school; in what vehicle, what teachers they would be seeing today, what lessons they had today. What time staff would be collecting them in what vehicle and then go over in detail what they would be doing after school. Conditions I have encountered or may encounter in my work is not knowing fully if a child has understood everything I’ve communicated with them I have learnt that People with a learning disability may appear to understand, but may actually be responding to my tone of voice, or familiar cues in the situation. They may misunderstand, forget or not catch some of what I have said. They may often say â€Å"yes† in answering questions, even if they do not fully understand sometimes because they do not want to make difficulties. They may not be able to contradict me if I have misunderstood what they mean or want. They may be bilingual, and have greater skills in one language than another. Some children may take longer to process what I am saying. Others may find physical movement or speech a big effort, so it will take them longer to respond. It is important to never over estimate the skills. †¢ Make sure the child can hear, see and is comfortable †¢ Make sure hearing aids or glasses are used if necessary, and that they work properly! †¢ Make sure talk clear and allow the child to read lips if necessary †¢ Use sign /gesture and pictures to back up speech †¢ Make sure information is presented clearly for people to see †¢ Make sure people are positioned for good communication – seating is key †¢ Make sure the environment is quiet and there are not too many distractions †¢ Check out general health and comfort– are they in pain, physical difficulties, or experiencing the effects of medication (tired or sleepy). †¢ Make sure the child can see hands and faces if signing and talking. †¢ Give enough time for the child to listen and respond. †¢ Check that i have understood – by talking to others, helping the person to tell me when I have got it wrong. I don’t pretend I can understand if I really can’t! †¢ Make sure you language is kept simple and clear. †¢ Gain the child’s attention before starting to talk.   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Show that I respect a person’s way of communicating by using it to them. †¢ Make sure communication books/aids are used and not stuck in a cupboard! †¢ display good observational skills, respond to all communicative signal †¢ Be patient and don’t give up trying †¢ Leave if the person is becoming agitated Other aids to communicate * Pictures and symbols can help *Information can be written and presented in symbol or pictorial form. * Pictures and photographs can be used to illustrate written material. Communication aids: * Children can join in by pressing a switch operated aid with voice output to say, yes I agree/no, I don’t or some communication aids have more complex language *Objects of reference† can be used to cue people about what is going to happen.: play football-show them a football, show them a cup – for asking if they want a drink *Calendar boxes can be used to make object timetables of activities happening in the week *â€Å"Memory Boxes† are collections of meaningful artefacts and photos associated with events and can be used as the basis for conversation, and to help recall. Anything can be used for this and everyday objects of natural materials are good to use with people who have sensory difficulties. * â€Å"Multimedia Profiling† is a process which creates a personal catalogue of video clips on the computer which build up a profile of an individual. The person can be in control of their own information through switch or touch screen, and can choose when and how to share it with others. Task 3 Which government websites can you use to access up to date information and evidence based examples of good practice? Give one e.g. of something you have learned from one of these websites. How will you disseminate your learning to colleagues?