Deception Point Page 80

â€Å"Do you have dogs, Dr. Harper?† He glanced up. â€Å"I'm sorry?† â€Å"I just thought it was odd. You told me that shortly after this Canadian geologist radioed in the meteorite coordinates, his sled dogs ran blindly into a crevasse?† â€Å"There was a storm. They were off course.† Gabrielle shrugged, letting her skepticism show. â€Å"Yeah†¦ okay.† Harper clearly sensed her hesitation. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"I don't know. There's just a lot of coincidence surrounding this discovery. A Canadian geologist transmits meteorite coordinates on a frequency that only NASA can hear? And then his sled dogs run blindly off a cliff?† She paused. â€Å"You obviously understand that this geologist's death paved the way for this entire NASA triumph.† The color drained from Harper's face. â€Å"You think the administrator would kill over this meteorite.† Big politics. Big money, Gabrielle thought. â€Å"Let me talk to the senator and we'll be in touch. Is there a back way out of here?† Gabrielle Ashe left a pale Chris Harper and descended a fire stairwell into a deserted alley behind NASA. She flagged down a taxi that had just dropped off more NASA celebrators. â€Å"Westbrooke Place Luxury Apartments,† she told the driver. She was about to make Senator Sexton a much happier man. 94 Wondering what she had agreed to, Rachel stood near the entrance of the G4 cockpit, stretching a radio transceiver cable into the cabin so she could place her call out of earshot of the pilot. Corky and Tolland looked on. Although Rachel and NRO director William Pickering had planned to maintain radio silence until her arrival at Bollings Air Force Base outside of D.C., Rachel now had information she was certain Pickering would want to hear immediately. She had phoned his secure cellular, which he carried at all times. When William Pickering came on the line, he was all business. â€Å"Speak with care, please. I cannot guarantee this connection.† Rachel understood. Pickering's cellular, like most NRO field phones, had an indicator that detected unsecured incoming calls. Because Rachel was on a radiophone, one of the least secure communication modes available, Pickering's phone had warned him. This conversation would need to be vague. No names. No locations. â€Å"My voice is my identity,† Rachel said, using the standard field greeting in this situation. She had expected the director's response would be displeasure that she had risked contacting him, but Pickering's reaction sounded positive. â€Å"Yes, I was about to make contact with you myself. We need to redirect. I'm concerned you may have a welcoming party.† Rachel felt a sudden trepidation. Someone is watching us. She could hear the danger in Pickering's tone. Redirect. He would be pleased to know she had called to make that exact request, albeit for entirely different reasons. â€Å"The issue of authenticity,† Rachel said. â€Å"We've been discussing it. We may have a way to confirm or deny categorically.† â€Å"Excellent. There have been developments, and at least then I would have solid ground on which to proceed.† â€Å"The proof involves our making a quick stop. One of us has access to a laboratory facility-â€Å" â€Å"No exact locations, please. For your own safety.† Rachel had no intention of broadcasting her plans over this line. â€Å"Can you get us clearance to land at GAS-AC?† Pickering was silent a moment. Rachel sensed he was trying to process the word. GAS-AC was an obscure NRO gisting shorthand for the Coast Guard's Group Air Station Atlantic City. Rachel hoped the director would know it. â€Å"Yes,† he finally said. â€Å"I can arrange that. Is that your final destination?† â€Å"No. We will require further helicopter transport.† â€Å"An aircraft will be waiting.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"I recommend you exercise extreme caution until we know more. Speak to no one. Your suspicions have drawn deep concern among powerful parties.† Tench, Rachel thought, wishing she had managed to make contact with the President directly. â€Å"I am currently in my car, en route to meet the woman in question. She has requested a private meeting in a neutral location. It should reveal much.† Pickering is driving somewhere to meet Tench? Whatever Tench was going to tell him must be important if she refused to tell him on the phone. Pickering said, â€Å"Do not discuss your final coordinates with anyone. And no more radio contact. Is that clear?† â€Å"Yes, sir. We'll be at GAS-AC in an hour.† â€Å"Transport will be arranged. When you reach your ultimate destination, you can call me via more secure channels.† He paused. â€Å"I cannot overstate the importance of secrecy to your safety. You have made powerful enemies tonight. Take appropriate caution.† Pickering was gone. Rachel felt tense as she closed the connection and turned to Tolland and Corky. â€Å"Change of destination?† Tolland said, looking eager for answers. Rachel nodded, feeling reluctant. â€Å"The Goya.† Corky sighed, glancing down at the meteorite sample in his hand. â€Å"I still can't imagine NASA could possibly have†¦ † He faded off, looking more worried with every passing minute. We'll know soon enough, Rachel thought. She went into the cockpit and returned the radio transceiver. Glancing out the windscreen at the rolling plateau of moonlit clouds racing beneath them, she had the unsettling feeling they were not going to like what they found onboard Tolland's ship. 95 William Pickering felt an unusual solitude as he drove his sedan down the Leesburg Highway. It was almost 2:00 A.M., and the road was empty. It had been years since he'd been driving this late. Marjorie Tench's raspy voice still grated on his mind. Meet me at the FDR Memorial. Pickering tried to recall the last time he had seen Marjorie Tench face-to-face-never a pleasant experience. It had been two months ago. At the White House. Tench was seated opposite Pickering at a long oak table surrounded by members of the National Security Council, Joint Chiefs, CIA, President Herney, and the administrator of NASA. â€Å"Gentlemen,† the head of the CIA had said, looking directly at Marjorie Tench. â€Å"Yet again, I am before you to urge this administration to confront the ongoing security crisis of NASA.† The declaration took no one in the room by surprise. NASA's security woes had become a tired issue in the intelligence community. Two days previously, more than three hundred high-resolution satellite photos from one of NASA's earth-observing satellites had been stolen by hackers out of a NASA database. The photos-inadvertently revealing a classified U.S. military training facility in North Africa-had turned up on the black market, where they had been purchased by hostile intelligence agencies in the Middle East. â€Å"Despite the best of intentions,† the CIA director said with a weary voice, â€Å"NASA continues to be a threat to national security. Simply put, our space agency is not equipped to protect the data and technologies they develop.† â€Å"I realize,† the President replied, â€Å"that there have been indiscretions. Damaging leaks. And it troubles me deeply.† He motioned across the table to the stern face of NASA administrator Lawrence Ekstrom. â€Å"We are yet again looking into ways to tighten NASA's security.† â€Å"With due respect,† the CIA director said, â€Å"whatever security changes NASA implements will be ineffective as long as NASA operations remain outside the umbrella of the United States intelligence community.† The statement brought an uneasy rustle from those assembled. Everyone knew where this was headed.

Examples of how changes in the environment affect organisations Essay

According to Rob Watkins (2008) organisations are entities made up of interrelated parts which are intertwined with the outside world (the external environment). Business organizations and firms have to be wary of external influences that can affect their organization this can be a positive affect or negative effect. There are many factors that have an impact on the way organizations operate. Thus where an organization suffers from an external influence they need to adapt their products or services. Pestle stand for ‘Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental. In this report I am going to use 4 articles which are about a specific firm and discuss how each one suffers from one of the factors of the PESTLE analysis 1.Tube gets first Wi-Fi connection at Charing Cross 1.1Technology is one external factor from the PESTLE analysis, The article is about project Wi-Fi which is about the introduction of the first Wi-Fi access in London undergrounds by the company BT. The company I’m going to talk about is BT, they aim to put on a six-month trial which will allow commuters to connect to the internet while on the train, and enable them to check emails and browse the net. Investment in technology and innovation is seen as a key success for an enterprise (Rob Watkins, 2008, p10). BT trialling Wi-Fi on the tube is going to have a positive effect on its sale for broadband as more customers are going to be enticed by its additional benefit of using the broadband service on the tube while travelling for example to work. 1.2The article states how the service will be free for BT broadband customers as a result this may gain them a competitive advantage against the likes of other competitors such as Talk Talk and Virgin. The reason for this would be because customers might be more inclined to switch to BT internet service for this extra feature they provide that no other internet services offer. As the maturity of technology is developing and the use of technology is increasing, this means that BT are able promote their service and attract a wide range of internet users and become even more popular within the nation. 1.3Though this new implementation of technology can be very advantageous it does have its disadvantages, for example one disadvantage in this case is the implementation of Wi-Fi in the underground could put the city at risk of terrorist attacks and with the Olympics coming up it raises huge security concern. 1.4One Advantage of Wi-Fi in the tube would be more efficient as it would allow customers to check their email, complete some work they could be doing in the office, in the tube thus saving them time that could be better used by allowing them to do more work in the office that could improve the overall performance and making the company more money. 2.Nintendo hit as high Yen takes its toll on business 2.1Economic factor is another external influence from the PESTLE analysis, an organization has to be wary of these factors as it can have consequences on the businesses aggregate performance. For example the article states how due to the price of the Yen increasing this has caused Nintendo sales revenue to diminish as they are hit by the high ‘value’ of the Yen. The rising value of the Yen reduces the value of profits made abroad when converted back to the Japanese Yen. 2.2In all cases of changes in demand and supply the resulting changes in price act as both signals and incentives, a fall in demand is signalled by a fall in price, therefore this acts as incentive for firms to produce less of goods as they are now less profitable to produce. (Rob Watkins, 2008 pg 291). The article also states Nintendo sales also fell first half of the year partly due to lower demand for its Wii console. This will act as an incentive for Nintendo to stop producing more Wii consoles. 2.3Japan has little they can do with their currency, they are able to intervene in the currency market and do a lot of rounds of quantitative easing. However, this will not have lasting effects as competitive devaluation means it will be a race to the bottom as much larger countries, such as the US and China to also devalue which will only lead to temporary increases thus causing all parties to lose in the end. It’s also an expensive move that will ultimately return very little. Currency fluctuations are unavoidable as developing nations grow and weakening the Yen will only be a temporary solution for Japan. 3.Water to be tested from BP Oil Spill’ 3.1Environmental influence is another external factor from the PESTLE analysis, Environmental considerations are an important influence on business behaviour, particularly for the large companies. It is argued that businesses have a duty that goes beyond the organization and to a corporate social responsibility, particularly with regard to the environment. â€Å"Corporate social responsibility means that a corporation should be held accountable for any of its actions that affect people, their communities and their environment† (Rob Watkins, 2008, p652). 3.2The news article is about the ecological impact the BP oil spill caused to the waters, this article concerns that of south of New Orleans, US coast guard reported seeing an area of discoloured water which could be from the oil spill.. Overall this disaster has had negative impacts on the environment and also the company shares and profits had fallen dramatically. The discharge of oil spill on the Gulf of Mexico has also had major health concerns. 3.3Environmental disasters can cause the government to get involved; the government tend to impose heavy penalties which often have unfortunate consequence for the company. All countries have environmental laws and policies based on a regulatory regime imposed by governments at different spatial levels (Economics for business, Ian Worthington, Chris Britton, Andy Rees P435). 3.4Environmental factors can have consequences on small firms that operate within the affected areas. For example the article states s that â€Å"local fishermen have reported seeing miles-long strings of weathered oil on the sea†. This disaster can affect animals and their habitats in the sea and thus can have negative impact on local fishermen’s supply and livelihood. 4.EU to launch Google search investigation 4.1The legal factor is another influence from the PESTLE analysis; Businesses operate within a framework of law which has a significant impact on various aspects of their existence (Rob Watkins, 2008 Pg 11). This article states â€Å"The EU launched a formal investigation into Google following allegations that the internet giant has abused its dominant position in the search and advertising market†. Clearly the external factor here concerns monopoly, monopoly is defined as â€Å"†. The monopolist has considerable market power and can determine price or quantity (The Business Environment, Rob Watkins, 2008). 4.2The problem with monopoly is it disrupts the free market because it creates a dead weight loss. Dead weight loss is defined as â€Å"the loss of consumer plus producer surplus in imperfect markets† In this case for example if Google manage to monopolize the advertising industry this will have serious consequence on businesses trying to establish themselves as Google will be able to price how much they went to advertise a company The problem with monopoly is it disrupts the freemarket because it creates a dead weight loss Once u has market domination in that field the business can do whatever they want and don’t innovate because they don’t need to Can act as an incentive Reference Worthington, I., Britton, C. And Rees, A. (2001) Economics for Business, Blending Theory and Practice (Essex): Pearsons Education Limited http://www.cityam.com/news-and-analysis/nintendo-hit-high-yen-takes-its-toll-business http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/oct/29/tube-wifi-charing-cross http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/nov/30/google-search-eu-investigation http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/09/oil-spill-inquiry-culture-complacency-bp http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/water-to-be-tested–for-oil-from-bp-spill-2115657.html

Armellini Italian Ice Cream and Coffee Chain Business Issues Essay - 9

Armellini Italian Ice Cream and Coffee Chain Business Issues - Essay Example There are several important strategic tools such as Porter’s five forces model, SWOT analysis etc. that are heavily used in the industry. Furthermore, there are various ways, developed in the past few decades, which could be used in developing business. Franchise rout of growing business is one the most widely used method of developing business. This paper is all about an ice cream and coffee chain company named Armellini Ice Cream and Coffee Chain and its strategic decision. The paper includes an in-depth analysis of the competitive forces that would have a significant influence on the process of strategic decision making. The paper also includes the implications for the management of quality for the company in adopting the franchise route of growth. Armellini Ice Cream and Coffee Chain was founded by an Italian lady named Maria Armellini during the period when the Second World War just ended. Initially, it was located in a coastal town that was near to Venice in Italy. In the first cafà © products like traditional Italian ice cream as well as espresso coffee along with cooked pies, light snacks, sandwiches, and beverages were sold. After the death of Maria, the company was taken over by Alessio, Maria’s eldest son. Under his leadership, the business grew as the chain of restaurant and cafà © outlets in all over Western Europe. In the entire process, Alessio was assisted by his siblings. Alessio used to give significant importance to various things like maintenance of the quality and cleanliness and proper record keeping. Alessio or any of the family members used to visit each of the cafà ©s at least once a month in order to see how things were going on. It was a business audit most of the time which was carried by Ales sio himself. He used to visit the outlets without any prior notice with the objective of seeing the real picture of the outlets. Furthermore, there was a monthly financial report regarding used food items, wages, labor hours etc.   

Palliative Care Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Palliative Care - Term Paper Example In order for an individual to have a better experience, a holistic approach should be taken by the medical staff. The therapeutic intervention by nurses should address the following parameters; psychosocial, physical, cultural and spiritual. Several studies have been carried out that showed that nurses at times are unaware of the above mentioned parameters and are unable to entirely meet the needs of the patients (Aziz et al., 2012). Nurse Patient Relationship Evidence has been found that at times the patient’s quality of life may continue to deteriorate despite the fact that they have been admitted to palliative services early on in their illness. It was however discovered that the relationship between the nurse and the patient was the determining factor in the improvement of patient’s quality of life. This factor was found to create trust ad better communication between the two individuals (Aziz et al., 2012). The first aspect of palliative care that nurses should add ress is establishing trust with palliative care patients and their families in order to alleviate and reduce their worries towards the inevitable outcome of their terminal illness. Patients who are suffering from terminal illnesses often present certain symptoms of distress. However, these symptoms need specified management between each patient and this can be largely dependent on the cultural and religious views. These have been found to adversely affect the severity and nature of the symptoms if they are not addressed properly (Aziz et al., 2012). A nurse can familiarize herself with these aspects by better communication with the patient (Mok & Chiu, 2004). Despite the necessity to maintain professionalism, at times a nurse has to place the needs of a patient before her professional opinion .(Boog & Tester, 2008).Autonomy enables a patient to decide his or her medical care, and hence gives him the ability to refuse treatment. The intimate detail of this procedure may be altered de pending on the dynamics of the patient’s family (Boog & Tester, 2008). The nurses also have to address the emotional and physical burden that is placed on the patient’s family (Mok & Chiu, 2004). They need to create a supportive system which is addressed towards both the patient and his or her family. This has been found to be more effective by adopting good listening and communication skills. A study that was carried out showed that palliative care patients have a better quality of life when they are viewed as people separate from their terminal illness (Boog & Tester, 2008). The evident from this survey also states that the dying process can be made more bearable for the patient, family members and caregivers by nurses implementing the above mentioned attributes of palliative care (Aziz et al., 2012). In depth analysis of holistic palliative care Costello estimated that approximately one million people die every week. These figures further emphasize on the importance of palliative care in the community. The initial principles of palliative care emphasize on the care for any individuals facing the end of life. Therefore, these principles have been based on holism and looking at each individual as a whole unique entity. The model for this type of palliative care is known as the whole person care model and is popular among nurses worldwide. As mentioned above, this model creates a healing and nurturing environment which enables each individual to be

Organizational Justice and Human Resource Management Case Study

Organizational Justice and Human Resource Management - Case Study Example David gets attached to a larger group of 10 people and has difficulty in making his presence felt. Kate does a brief ethics blunder by wearing revealing and improper clothes to the workplace. This gives her instant attention from everyone. She is also reprimanded by the human resource representative on the advice of a senior male partner. On the other hand, David is trying to pull attention to him by putting in extra hours but feels that only the team leader is getting the credit for the entire job done. Both Kate and John share the same counselor, Tom, who is a senior manager in the company. While Tom discusses job problems and other work-related details with Kate, he only discusses sports and other unrelated topics with David. David finds it confusing but shows off his knowledge of sports in the hopes of impressing Tom and getting more interesting projects. Five years later both Kate and David have progressed in their jobs. After completing their CA they are engaged in other activities. Kate is interested in a charitable institution run by the company and devotes most of her free time in making contacts. She is reproved by her seniors for this who think that she could utilize her time in a more fruitful manner. But, Kate finds that her growing network of contacts due to the charity work is actually helping her with her job. She is getting insights and suggestions into areas in which she had no previous expertise. Hence, she is able to serve her clients in a better manner. On the other hand, one of David’s tasks includes training the new recruits. This is a job of responsibility. David fulfills his new role with pleasure. The only drawback is that the job cuts him off from everyone leaving his clients bewildered about his whereabouts. For his only selfish needs, David does not assign his client-oriented jobs to his colleagues thinking that they will receive the credit for something on which he had worked. Thus, he remai ns highly unreachable to everyone while on these training periods.

American War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American War - Essay Example The people of South Korea were under extreme scrutiny by North Korea with numerous cases of violations of human rights. The United States used the Just War Theory to explain their reason for entering the conflict. The United States intervened in order to prevent the flow of Communism (that was commonly associated with human oppression) along with the defense of South Korea and their people. Due to the United States’ intervention, the people of South Korea experienced a decrease in human rights violations and their quality of life increased. The United States also exemplified their theory of humane treatment with their actions towards prisoners of war by treating them fairly. However, some critics believe that the United States used the Just War Theory to mask the main reason why they became involved: to grow as an imperialist power. This may be true but fortunately, the efforts of the United States did positively affect the people of South

Human Resource Development Plan for Glaxo SmithKline Company Case Study

Human Resource Development Plan for Glaxo SmithKline Company - Case Study Example â€Å"Along with the changes in manufacturing processes and priorities came the realization that the necessary flexibility could be best achieved through skilled workers with knowledge of the technical aspects of production, as well as the abilities to attain maximum effectiveness within the company† (Byrne, 1999, pg1) According to Rouda and Kusy, the definition of HRD is "organized learning activities arranged within an organization in order to improve performance and/or personal growth for the purpose of improving the job, the individual, and/or the organization" (1995, 1). As the trend in the industry is again slowly shifting from the ‘industrial age’ to the ‘information age’ it has become ever more important to capture all the benefits that a sound Human resource Development plan brings. Amongst other things, it helps you create a satisfied, loyal and committed workforce that is intrinsically motivated to give their best performance. It also helps you in countering the complexities of human nature and helps your employees navigate life situations with would otherwise impact your organization's goal-seeking endeavors. HRD is also an organization's best chance to acquire, evaluate and retain its best performers. Through careful monitoring of the organization culture and the employees who have the ability to enhance it or improve from it can separate and focus on the ‘best’ employees. By nurturing their skills, an organization will benefit from their combined knowledge, experience and ideas as well as maintain a core workforce which can help in training and recruiting similarly talented people. This concept has become even more crucial with the latest trends in the worker lifecycle; no longer are there ‘jobs for life’- people require more than just job safety and monetary benefits from their employers, they need a sense of involvement, accomplishment, job flexibility, additional perks and to feel  committed to an organization's goals.  

Proposal Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Proposal - Dissertation Example It will also be necessary to present a description of the nature of Saudi Arabia, centring on whether it is a secular state or a fundamentalist state, and whether or not the people enjoy the freedom of speech and press, as this reveals whether a country is broad-minded in offering basic rights to its people. It is important to recognise the issues arising from the shaping of news content in the print media, particularly newspapers, of the Saudi Kingdom. Thus, the research will end by suggesting a profound solution to the identified problems. Justification News provides us with information on every aspect of life, and can relate to individuals or entire nations of people. Thus, the freedom of press and speech has always been a controversial and debatable issue, particularly in a country like Saudi Arabia, which is an important and influential Islamic state governed by a dictatorship regime. News coverage in an Islamic state goes through various filters, especially if related to terror ism, extremism or other controversial topics. This compels the states to take extra measures in relation to how they want to portray their image in the media, both locally and, in particular, internationally. Thus, the media in Saudi Arabia does not enjoy the freedom of press, like any other country in the Middle East, mainly due to government pressure. The news presented to the audience in these countries goes through a substantial amount of processing, screening and editing before being delivered. Eventually, the common people sometimes only acquire a limited amount of information based on the actual reality. Despite the obstacles, journalists and reporters in Saudi Arabia strive to provide the bitter truth to the people. Their job is tough due to various factors and issues, notably the strict regulations and the scrutiny of print media that influences the publishing and shaping of news in Saudi Arabia. In response to these regulations, most newspapers in Saudi Arabia are looking to increase their transparency and credibility with the help of international groups including CASTOR (Circulation Audit Steering Organisation). This is a joint venture of the GCC Advertisers’ Business Group, the IAA (International Advertising Association) and the Media Agencies’ Council, formed in the UAE in 2005 with the goal of promoting the adoption of circulation auditing so to increase transparency and credibility in the print media industry. Given all this information, it is clear that the research question offers a great deal of scope. Literature Review The Saudi Arabian media system is underpinned by its particular history, just like that of any other country. The modern state of Saudi Arabia was established in 1932 after the capture of Mecca and four Arabian states by Ibn Saud, who went on to unite the entire region under the rule of the Saud family with the support of the Saudi tribes, merchants and the religious leaders while declaring himself King. However , the longevity and stability of the Kingdom is a result of its oil income, which has enabled the monarchy to deliver benefits to all sectors. Constitution Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy with no written secular constitution. The Kingdom has rejected the imposition of such a

Cuban Missile Crisis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cuban Missile Crisis - Assignment Example This essay will investigate this important aspect of the Cold War in terms of the causes, effects, and resolution to understand it better. In 1956, the Cuban Revolution began as an offensive rebellion against the US’s influence and control of the island nation. Under President Batista, whom the majority of Cuban nationals considered an American puppet; Cuba’s per capita income was greater than other comparative countries. However, the United States controlled most of the nation’s primary infrastructure. American companies controlled more than 90% of the island’s power and telecommunications infrastructure. Additionally, they owned half of Cuba’s railway assets and facilities, as well as control of over 40% of Cuba’s sugar production and export industry. Additionally, the country’s agricultural policy dictated the cultivation of sugar by the populace mandatory. By the time Batista was ousted from power, Cuba had the highest American investments in the Latin American region. Unfortunately, the distribution of these resources and any attached wealth was not equal. The pover ty gap was at an all-time high, which was ironical for a country with such high per capita scores. These were the beginnings of a dissent from the American influence over Cuba. In the years that followed 1956, Fidel Castro, Ernesto Che Guevara, and Castro younger brother Raul, orchestrated a series of guerilla attacks on the government’s forces in Mount Sierra Maestra. Immediately after defeating the government’s forces with the assistance of local farmers, Fidel Castro set up a shadow government that consisted of the former government’s ministerial figures. However, this shadow government did not last long as he dismissed them due to disagreements over his reform policies. Shortly after, he declared himself Prime Minister and assumed full control of Cuba. After taking over the Cuban leadership, Fidel Castro traveled to the United States to

Integrated Conservation Development Projects Essay Example for Free

Integrated Conservation Development Projects Essay Integrated Conservation Development Projects (ICDP) look into how the socio-economic goals of a people may be achieved without compromising the ecological balance of the environment. At the same time, ICDP, more importantly, is directed at using socio-economic investments to keep the biodiversity intact despite the influx of human activities. ICDPs require an assessment of the dynamics of the project area so as to be able to determine the appropriate approach and the needed intervention, and monitoring and evaluation in the target community. The following are experiences of the implementation of some ICDPs: English Title: Conservation and development projects in the Brazilian Amazon: lessons from the community initiative program in Rondonia. Personal Authors: Browder, J. O. Author Affiliation: Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA. Document Title: Environmental Management, 2002 (Vol. 29) (No. 6) 750-762 Publisher: Springer-Verlag NewYork Inc. Abstract: This ICDP takes on community-based conservation and development as a foundation of sustainable economic development. Although there is a growing debate on the effectiveness and replicability of ICDPs, the central elements of the concept of integrated conservation and development are examined through a description of the Community Initiative Program (CIP), a pilot program of the Rondonia Natural Resources Management project in the western Brazilian Amazon state of Rondonia. The CIP apply the principles of ICDP to the regional scale in different communities at the same time. Conservation impacts of the program and lessons learned are presented here. Author: Asian Development Bank Year: 1998 Paper Title: Central Sulawesi Integrated Area Development and Conservation Project Abstract: This ICDP focuses on Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi Integrated Development Conservation Project. The goals of the Project are poverty reduction and sustainable development achieved through acceleration and sustained growth of the agricultural sector. It also has a policy component that aims to develop a policy framework and institutional reform measures to increase agricultural productivity. The expected outputs and outcomes of the Project are hoped to bring about socio-economic as well as environmental benefits. The benefits shall have a positive impact on both the poor and the indigenous cultural communities in the area. Author: The World Bank Documents Reports Year: 2007 Paper Title: Request for the secretary of states approval to designate Bolong Fenyo as Gunjar community wildlife reserve Journal Title: Gambia Integrated Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Management Project Volume: 2 of 2 Abstract: Gambia’s critical ecological areas may be protected with The Integrated Coastal and Marine Biodiversity (ICAM) project. A number of expected project impacts and mitigation measures may regulate activities through the establishment of resource utilization zones within the core park area and buffer zones but these are aimed to obtain positive effects and impact both in the short-term and in the long run. A new set of rules will also have to be drafted by the DPWM and the communities so that permitted activities especially in the reserve area such as fishing and oystering may be agreed upon. Other alternative options are being explored in view of the limitations presented. References Cab Abstracts. (2007). Conservation and development projects in the Brazilian Amazon: lessons from the community initiative program in Rondonia. Retrieved October 8, 2007, from Cab Abstracts Web site: https://www.adb.org/

Discussing Communications role in Palliative Care

Discussing Communications role in Palliative Care Palliative care is patient centred, death accepting, a relationship between the patient and the carers, concerned with healing rather than curing. Healing is about the right relationship with self, others, environment and god. Palliative care is concerned with patients quality of life, helping them reach their potential physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually, however ill they may be. Palliative care is best managed by a group of people working as a team interested with the total well being of patient and family. Co-ordination and communication is an important part of teamwork. Effective communication is the key to a therapeutic relationship (Edwards, 2001). Skills such as active listening, reflecting and using open and closed questions to obtain information sensitively, will ensure not only effective assessment and evaluation, but also palliative care as a whole (McEvoy, 2000). Problems with communication can make palliative care hard for patients, family, carers and professional care teams. Furthermore, interpreters do not always solve communication problems. Many care teams depend on family members to assist them interpret. Good communication requires a common understanding of religion and culture and the capability of a interpreter to understand a way of life (Randhawa et al,2003) The World Health Organization (WHO) believes that palliative care is compassionate care of patients when curing or prolonging life isnt attainable. Palliative care involves effective pain relief; psychological and spiritual care of the patient with the intention of improving self-esteem regardless of poor physical ability; working with the family, friends and carers to create a support network to help patients cope and remain autonomous and to live as happy and actively as possible until death; support for the family during the patients illness and in bereavement. PAIN MANAGEMENT AND COMFORT PROMOTION Alleviation of pain and symptoms Pain relief is an extremely important element of palliative care. (Simon , 2009). Accurate and comprehensive pain assessment is essential to providing effective pain management. Assessment that focuses on pain alone misses the other interrelated symptoms (Hemming and Maher, The nurse needs to set goals which are realistic. The nurse must monitor pain repeatedly and must not wait for the patient to complain of pain. Reassessment is also necessary as a patients condition and pain change with time. Brant(2003)states that inadequate assessment is a major problem in effective pain management. The World Health Organization (WHO)(1990) guidelines on cancer pain management stress the main principle is to choose the right drug treatment in accordance with pain severity, not the disease stage. Pain relief needs to be administered regularly to keep a constant therapeutic dose in the blood, or else peaks and troughs take place which cause suffering to the patient and unpleasant effects on their quality of life (Hemming and Maher, ) Pain and other symptoms are frequently not managed well enough, and continue to be a cause of anxiety for patients and their families(Fallon et al, 2006). suitable and sufficient pain relief should be provided. Clarke (2006) stress the importance of giving the patient effective pain relief as well as pain information, and involving patients in their pain management which help to reducing suffering. Some Hindus may request to avoid opiate pain relief, as they may believe it will decrease their ability to meditate or see unwanted visions (Wilkins and Mailoo. Existential distress is the term given to difficulties patients have in making sense of their life, particularly when facing pending death. ( Mok et al, 2010). numerous palliative physicians and pain specialists are aware that there is a link between existential suffering and pain (Strang et al.2004). If they are not addressed, they will both delay recovery and add to the overall suffering of the patient (Mako et al. 2006). Nurses, who have frequent contact with patients, are in a position to deal with the matter as part of holistic care. To solve the problem nurses need to involve the patient, carers and family. It also requires healthcare professionals sensitivity and genuine involvement in the care of the patient. Mr Chauhan has undergone stoma surgery in 2008 and faced several adjustments as a result of alteration in body image. The nurse caring for Mr Chauhan needs to be aware that as he is from an ethnic minority, the psychological and psychosocial effects of a stoma can have a huge impact on the cultural and religious aspects of their lives (Black, 2000) The caring of patients who speak no English has ethical, legal and professional implications for patients, relatives and health care staff. Appropriate communication between patient and the health care team demonstrates respect, and empowers the patient to make health care decisions (Black, 2008). CULTURALLY AND SPIRITUALLY APPROPRIATE CARE Hindus believe that, life is not as much about worshipping God and more about living a good life that will bring the individual closer to God. Hindus prefer to die at home. Home has a religious meaning and death outside the home can cause distress. A Hindu priest reads from the holy books and carries out holy rites which include tying a thread around the wrist or neck, sprinkling the patient with water from the Ganges or placing a sacred tulsi leaf in the patients mouth. Hindus believe that the body should be returned to nature therefore the dead body is cremated . A dying hindu patient may request to be laid on the floor during the final moments of death. Last offices Normally, it is only those of the hindu religion who touch the body and the family wash and prepare the body in the home. (Nazarko, 2006). There may be strict religious beliefs, strong cultural heritage, or the patient may have fled from torture and terror. Some patients with a stoma view it as a punishment or of confirmation as a wrongdoing in a previous life (Black and Stuchfield, 2005) For those with a stoma, arrangements for ritual cleansing before prayer should be discussed and appropriate stoma products should be used. If the nurse is unsure about the care and ritual of a patient they should ask the patient what their needs and expectations are. If unsure, talk to with the appropriate religious leader and seek advice (Black, 2008). Intercultural communication Retired Hindu parents hand over their responsibilities to their children. It is usually the duty the eldest son and his family to care for their parents (Wilkins and Mailoo, 2010). Devoted Hindu people pray numerous times daily; as early as 4:30am to as late as 9:30pm (ISKCon, 2009). The nurse should provide a place of prayer for Mr Chauhan which should be away from unclean facilities such as toilets, and if possible in the north-east side of the room. (Sahasrabudhe and Mahatm, 2000). Modesty issues are extremely important for Hindu people and they usually prefer same-sex staff for care of personal and hygiene needs. All those providing care for Mr Chauhan should respect Hindu beliefs as regards to touch when helping with with mobility, dressing and self-care (Wilkins and Mailoo, 2010) Hindus are very clean and prefer to be washed in running water. Many Hindus flush their nostrils with warm saline solution and some clean their tongues before meals. Nasal flushing is best given up if residents are no longer able to do it with assistance, because it may be unpleasant to receive passively. The right hand is customarily used for eating, and the left for toileting therefore the nurses involved in Mr Chauhans care should be aware of this when giving food, as the use of the left hand may cause offense. Many hindus wash themselves with water after using the toilet therefore Mr Chauhan may need a bowl of water or a shower after toileting (Wilkins and Mailoo, 2010). Thoughts at the time of death are believed to establish a patients reincarnation, therefore it is essential to let Hindus, and their families, know when they are dying. Hindus may request to hear mantras, see particular images or be in a specific place at the time of death (Holland and Hogg, 2001). The Hindu person may ask for the presence of a priest or family members. Alternatively, it could be a dying wish to be left in peace to centre their mind on spiritual thoughts A dying Hindu person may wish to lie on the floor to be closer to the Earth, and have their head facing east. They may also make a sacrifice by giving money to charity. Although facilitating these traditions could be interpreted as malpractice in the west. A natural, dignified death may be preferred to unnaturally prolonged life. Death carries over into the next life. Health and social care staff must discuss spiritual needs with Hindu patients on an individual basis to ensure quality of care. (Wilkins and Mailoo, 20 10). Caring for a dying patient in the community during the last few weeks or months of life requires an extraordinary commitment from the nursing team, not only in terms of human resource, but also in terms of capability, empathy and clarity of focus in caring for the needs of the patient, family and carers. Gold Standard Framework; communication, co-ordination, control of symptoms, continuity, continued learning, carer support and care of the dying( Melvin, 2003). Health care professionals are starting to be aware of the values, beliefs and practices of other cultures and faiths in order to provide culturally appropriate care (Black, 2008) In cancer and palliative care, it is evident that practitioners do not feel their training is sufficient in preparing them to care for the needs of those from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds ( Gunaratnam, 2007). FAMILY EDUCATION NECESSARY FOR THE RECOGNITION OF IMPENDING DEATH AND DEATH The role of the nurse is to understand how the individual with a cancer is affecting his or her family and, in turn, how family reactions and behaviours influence the patients experience. Furthermore, the goal of family care is to assess what can be done to strengthen the support available to them throughout stressful periods. Its important as the patient approaches death to find out what support is needed to meet the patientss spiritual and cultural needs. The patients preferences should be well-known before death, if possible. If the person is too ill to state their final wishes, family and friends may be able to provide the appropriate information. Spiritual needs are often part of the persons culture and its important to understand how culture affects expectations and behaviour in the persons last days of life. (Nazarko, 2006). emotional, physical and social stress; many of the carers felt that they needed respite from the physical and emotional burdens of caring, as well as time to relax and socialize with friends(Scot, 2001). For carers of people with complex and changing palliative care needs, coping with change, doubt and uncertainty can be a daily struggle. Palliative care nurses, the research team noted that professionals commonly choose to relate to one key carer, preferably the next of kin, who are first and foremost given information about the patient, regarding their health. Nurses can feel anxious and uncomfortable in the presence of a large family,as some may have different information needs and may not respond well to the information given (Scot, 2001) Patients and carers constantly criticise the lack of information given to them. Good, clear information helps in reducing anxiety, giving a sense of knowing, and regaining a sense of control. Patients do not always hear things the first time, so doctors need to be patient, being prepared to give information in bits, repeating messages, and checking in later to confirm that it was understood. Printed fact sheets and diagrams can be useful, as can referral to disease-specific community groups or websites. CONCLUSION Ensuring that the persons needs are met during and beyond death is an important aspect of caring and the contribution of nursing staff is invaluable.