Ipad’s Integrated Marketing Communications Report

Table of Contents Introduction1 Apple’s Integrated Marketing Communications Programme for iPad. 2 Brand Positioning2 Target Audience3 Target market and segments4 Evaluation of the products’ Integrated Marketing Communications plan:4 Conclusion7 Recommendations7 Bibliography8 Introduction This report will discuss Apple’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Programme for their iPad product and how this is coordinated to communicate the iPad’s product positioning strategy.Apple’s iPad is a tablet computer adding a new genre to their mobile devices. The report will discuss the brand positioning and any recommendations for future IMC planning. Apple’s corporate headquarters are based in California in the US in the heart of the Hi-tech industry. They are global in terms of computer electronic consumable sales. Apple position themselves as a top of the range brand with pioneering innovations and consumer needs and wants in mind.Steve Jobs, for mer co-founder, chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. , made a compelling positioning statement during his introduction of the iPad at a conference in January 2010, he stated that the iPad is â€Å"so much more intimate than a laptop, and it’s so much more capable than a smartphone with its gorgeous screen† (STONE, 2010). Apple is committed to remaining in the forefront of innovation and quality, and therefore will sustain their competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving market.This report will also highlight the importance of media for Apple’s brand and how Apple have used this to reach its’ target audience and increase brand awareness. It will also question if Apple is focusing on the Marketing Communications Mix or are they relying more on the desire of the ‘brand’? The theory behind IMC is to use all aspects of marketing communication such as Advertising, Public Relations, Direct marketing and Personal selling to attain and sustain long-term cu stomer relationships while strengthening brand awareness and increasing profits.Apple’s use and effectiveness of the IMC campaign and their success from it will be discussed further in this report along with what message Apple are trying to deliver in their advertising of the iPad. Apple’s Integrated Marketing Communications Programme for iPad. The Apple brand is instantly recognisable throughout the world due to the company’s positioning strategy of their product line by way of product features, quality and ease of use to name a few. Their leadership in innovation gives the brand competitive advantage and this has fed the want and desire for the brand by consumers.Therefore the iPad having the Apple brand already created a certain am The Apple brand is instantly recognisable throughout the world due to the company’s positioning strategy of their product line by way of product features, quality and ease of use to name a few. Their leadership in innovation gives the brand competitive advantage and this has fed the want and desire for the brand by consumers. Therefore the iPad having the Apple brand already created a certain am Apple is no different to most organisations for using promotional and advertising tools to gain customers’ interest and the desire for their products.However, their marketing on innovation and design of the iPad also catches the attention of new potential consumers. To many the technology was not totally new, but the concept was and Apple focussed on that. Previous products from Apple put their brand in the limelight and made any new product launch a much anticipated one. amount of reputation, awareness and prominence in the marketplace before it was even launched. So how is Apple’s Integrated Marketing Communications organised to communicate the iPad’s positioning strategy? Firstly, we should look at the brand positioning and how the iPad fits in.Brand Positioning Brands and the management of brands have become very important elements of culture and the economy. A brand can increase the product's perceived value and therefore brand management and the marketing techniques used are seen as vital to increase brand equity and the positioning of their products. Marketers see a brand as an implied promise of the level of quality consumers have come to expect from the brands’ products and that future products will meet those expectations. Apple is seen as an ‘iconic brand that delivers revolutionary, beautifully designed and incredibly profitable products. (Daye, 2012). The ‘Apple’ brand is in fact Number 1 in brand value according to Forbes, saying it is worth $87. 1 billion, up 52% from two years ago (Forbes, 2012). The master of the Apple brand was Steve Jobs who was an excellent brand marketer and core to what Apple is today. He saw the future for Apple which was going beyond computers, therefore his first step was to remove the word ‘Com puter’ from their logo. Doing this allowed the company to diversify and expand into the world of mobile devices and more. Doing this allowed the company to diversify and expand into the world of mobile devices and more.Just as the products are very important for competitiveness, the brand is too, and the Apple brand certainly has succeeded in building up a very valuable good: an instantly recognizable and universally respected brand. This makes it easier to promote and sell the iPad. In fact, some brands over time become cult brands: consumers become passionate about the brand and levels of loyalty go beyond reason (Roberts, 2004) and Apple has become a cult brand in some respects. As mentioned in Steve Jobs’ compelling positioning statement in the introduction, he made two important statements about the product.They were that the iPad was between two already highly successful mobile devices, the laptop and the smartphone, and very importantly that the iPad had competi tive advantages over each. Apple brand followers were instantly excited and could not wait for the release of the iPad so they could be the first to have it, whether they needed such a device or not! The iPad was a game-changer in the tech world when released in April of 2010 and some believe it may end the personal computer era such is the strength of the brand. Target AudienceThe iPad’s target audience is not as clear as one would think, it turns out that it is very broad. The initial thought on the iPad by the media was that it was just a big iPhone that could not be used for regular phone calls, so who would want something like that? Apple believed, like for the iPod, that the iPad was for everyone. They got this perception when a year after the iPod was released many consumers still believed the device was for ‘techies and celebrities’. The task, therefore, was to use communications to inform world audiences that the iPod (and now the iPad) was for everyone, not just a select few (Fill, 2009).The fact that many features and programs on the iPad were inherited from the iPod and iPhone it meant that users would be familiar with the devices’ capabilities and have the advantage of mobile computing too. The iPad had the potential to target music lovers of all ages and denominations, it was a learning tool for both students and professionals with the addition of thousands of applications (apps) available. The variety of apps could attract consumers who love to read, share photographs, stay in touch through forms of email, forums, virtual meetings, social media and Apples’ ‘Facetime’ to name a few.This made the iPads’ audience vast and diverse. Target market and segments Segmentation is necessary because a single product is unlikely to meet the needs of all customers in a mass market (Fill, 2009). This should be the case for most products, however the iPad is satisfying many needs and desires. For example, du e to the variety of applications available, the iPad becomes an educational tool, a recreational tool, a business tool and a communication tool, all of which the iPad was designed for. It is clear the device is equally good for home use as well as business for both genders.But the competitiveness of the product is strengthened by Apple’s award winning dedicated music store, iTunes, which delivers seamless downloading of not just music, but books and movies too, which widens the target market and covers several market segments. The need to communicate through channels such as social media, example is Facebook, and websites specifically designed for mobile devices such as iVillage for women, make the iPad a very attractive device as it is stylish, light weight and now trendy to own one.Consumers of all ages and backgrounds can potentially own one as the price of the base model is relatively acceptable in terms of technical devices is concerned. Because of the potential to incre ase productivity businesses are scrambling to purchase the iPad, students and colleges want them, and they are seen being used by news broadcasters and presenters not to mention government representatives. Apple do not appear to target markets like other companies do, they tend to target people.They use elements of IMC and AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action) to achieve and maintain customer loyalty and increase brand awareness. They managed to present complex technology in an easy, user friendly and fun way, a key to their success in many markets. Evaluation of the products’ Integrated Marketing Communications plan: Apple continued on the successes of previous products when launching their iPad product, using images and reminders of what those previous products have done for the world. Their marketing communications for the iPad very much focused on what the company has done and what they are best at.In the keynote presentation of the iPad, the company reminded us that in October 2001, Apple revolutionised the way people listen to music with the iPod, in April 2003 Apple revolutionised the way people buy music, videos and games with iTunes. In October 2007, they revolutionised the world of mobile communications with the iPhone, and now with the iPad, Apple will ‘revolutionise’ the world again. Steve Jobs’ enthusiastic description of the device during his Keynote in January 2010 makes the individual user feel that it was made for them, that they will â€Å"hold the internet in their hands and it is an incredible experience. Steve Jobs on many occasions has stated that he loves Apple products and their customers. This shows in the customer support Apple has invested in. The company internally is well briefed on how Apple wants to be perceived, again this shows in how secrecy shrouds products prior to their launch. Their communication mix is very much audience focused and always consistent. The message for iPad is clear, it is a device for the individual who could personalise it and bring it anywhere. Apples’ marketing objectives were quite simple for the iPad.Their approach has always been the same, but different to other organisations, their introduction was somewhat spectacular due to the fact that products prior to launch were always successfully kept a secret. This made Apple brand fans excited and other consumers intrigued. Apples’ marketing strategy is â€Å"It’s better to be simple† and it shows in their marketing communications as they keep their advertising minimalistic and product information in simple language. The main forms they use are social media, online advertising, presentation keynotes and sometimes viral marketing!Either way, the message is clear and simple; the product is exciting, fun and easy to use. This is unusual, as traditionally, technical products were always described by their systems’ statistics and technical terminology which the avera ge consumer does not understand. Brand awareness is increased because of the hype. The communication mix or marketing mix involves the implementation of a marketing plan consisting of: i) Promotion, ii) Product, iii) Price and iv) Place. The Apple brand is an incredibly strong brand hence ‘Promotion’ is mentioned first.Apple, surprisingly, do not spend as much on advertising as one would think. Media such as television and magazines are their main choice but what Apple did and did best were product launch press releases. As mentioned before, keynote presentations were what Apples’ former CEO was extraordinary at. And people who mattered most to promote and place the new product in the media through public relations press releases, were present at these presentations. Secrecy of a product generated interest and added to that the Apple brand which created hype, resulted in enthusiastic anticipation of the iPad launch.Commercials were simplistic but visually pleasin g and this enhanced the beauty and simplicity of the design and features of the iPad, exactly what Steve Jobs himself loved about Apple products. This is also mirrored in their shop designs featuring simple but sophisticated look just displaying the Apple products promoting their features. More recently, the iPad has been placed in most good computer electronic stores around the world and of course Apples’ own e-commerce website. It is now as easy to purchase the iPad as it is to buy shoes.The iPad, like other Apple products, is designed and manufactured to the highest standards as always maintained by the former CEO Steve Jobs. The Product is probably Apples’ most important ‘P’ in the communication mix as they believe they have the most a product can offer. â€Å"Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings. † (Apple, 2004). The products and the brand will push the other ‘Ps’ of the mix for Apple.Price was not as important for Apple as their products. With their iPad they have competitive advantage with innovation, they also have control with materials, such as touch screens and flash memory to keep costs down over their competitors. Most electronic goods’ prices generally fall as the product nears the end of its PLC, (Product Life Cycle). Not so much with Apple products. Apple manages to get people hooked on their products from an early age. The iPad, like other Apple mobile devices, are very easy and fun to use and have the capability of adapting to the user by means of applications and personalisation.Therefore, as the user grows older the device can contain more ‘mature’ applications. For example, games and early learning apps can entertain children while music and movies are a must for adolescences, and productivity and new s may be important for adults. Today we cannot live without social networking and weather information! This is a very clever way of reaching a varied target audience that is not confined to gender, demographics, interests, or even age and Apple use ‘apps’ to promote the iPad.The effectiveness of the IMC campaign is hard to measure for the iPad as an individual Apple product, as much of the interest is down to the loyalty of the brand also. Critics will always point to the negatives, but there is without doubt, evidence to show the iPad is a huge success. Promoting the iPad to young users, for example, in schools and colleges and images of celebrities and peers using them means it generates the desire to own one. Apple can also lock the consumer into the brand by linking their products and services so that they continue to use the brand through life.Conclusion Their advertising and in-store presentation of the iPad gives the product a prestigious image, but the ability t o allow the consumer to try it or ‘play’ with it in their stores shows the confidence the company has for their products’ capabilities and quality, and that is what consumers inevitably pick up on. For effective marketing there needs to be effective communication of the information of the product. Apple does it well, but they do it simply and that seems to work. The desire they have generated for the consumer to want a fun and productive device is unquenchable.Apple may not follow all the rules of Integrated Marketing Communications, but they are careful in the planning of a product entry into the market. Secrecy, hype, presentations and image are key to their success it seems and the Apple brand remains powerful and resilient. Recommendations Apple as a company must be transparent to remain credible and sustainable in today’s business climate. This will also aid in the expansion into emerging markets. The success of the iPad has been a cornerstone for the company roven by sales of nearly 40 million iPads at the end of 2011, according to Forbes, and they expect 73 million in sales by the end of 2012. This can be over confident and risky as they lack new innovation since the iPad 2 launch. To continue growth into 2013 Apple’s marketing strategy will need to focus on brand positioning, promotion, customer service and estimate a competitive price of iPad with additional features linking to research and analysis of the environmental forces to compete in the global market. A continual S. W. O. T. analysis would benefit to understand the company’s position.Promotion development and strategies can be extremely effective if Apple continues to focus on its strategic human resource management and by making consistent attempts to remodel its marketing plan to continue successfully. Bibliography Apple, 2004. Apple Press Info. [Online] Available at: http://www. apple. com/pr/library/2004/01/08HP-and-Apple-Partner-to-Deliver-Digital- Music-Player-and-iTunes-to-HP-Customers. html [Accessed 27th March 2013]. Daye, D. , 2012. Weakness In The Apple Brand?. [Online] Available at: http://www. brandingstrategyinsider. com/2012/12/crunch-time-for-the-apple-brand. html#. US860jAqyCl [Accessed 28th Feb 2013].Fill, C. , 2009. Marketing Communications. Fifth Edition ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Forbes, 2012. Apple Tops List Of The World's Most Powerful Brands. [Online] Available at: http://www. forbes. com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/10/02/apple-tops-list-of-the-worlds-most-powerful-brands/ [Accessed 24th March 2013]. Roberts, K. , 2004. The Future Beyond Brands: Lovemarks. New York: Powerhouse Books. STONE, B. , 2010. New York Times. Inside Technology. [Online] Available at: http://www. nytimes. com/2010/01/28/technology/companies/28apple. html? _r=0 [Accessed 12 Feb 2013]. ——————————————–

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If a man takes his wife and she does not present him with children, and he sets his face to take a concubine, that man may take a concubine and bring her into his house (book). Even though these do not directly deal with a certain social standing they do however show the standing of women during this period, and also these laws would apply to anyone in any social class. The Egyptians had their own form of the caste system. Egypt was structured so that there was an upper and lower caste. They had a strongly controlled government ruled by one single ruler, the pharaoh. The pharaoh was regarded as a living god, the equal of any other deity (book). Right below the pharaoh was the priest, whose responsibility was to preserve the tradition of religious beliefs. Pharaohs are at the top of the chain, government officials fall directly below the pharaoh and consist of nobles and priests. Next on the chain below the government officials would be the soldiers, merchants and artisans fell directly under the soldiers, farmers were second to last on the chain and then at the very bottom you find the slaves. During ancient Greece time in the city of Athens, I see a form of the caste system fall into place. Social classes during the ancient Greece period applied strictly to men and women took their social standing from their husbands. Any person born into an Athenian family is considered to be a citizen and part of the upper class during this period. The middle class was comprised with merchants, merchants were any men who were non-citizens and are ineligible to become a citizen. The lower class was any freed slave. A slave could become free only if his/her ransom was paid off by a family member. Again you see the slaves fall at the very bottom of all caste systems. Athenians viewed their slaves as barbarians because most, if not all were from a foreign region. I have also learned that the Romans had a set caste system. In my book it states that the Romans had an extremely hard working middle class that were devoted to their central government. When I was reading this, all I could think about is how my family would be considered middle class and how hard working both my parents are. They are devoted to making sure I am provided with what I need, which is what Augustine wanted for the Romans. Augustine’s social reforms were intended directly at the upper classes and were anticipated to return his people to traditional family values. During the Roman republic citizens were split into two classes the patricians and the plebeians. Patricians also known as aristocrats filled the upper class; they had elite rights to the Roman Senate and magistrates. The lower class was known as the plebeians. The plebeians would elect leaders to represent them and their interests while also protecting the lower class people against states officials who treated them discriminatorily. The Aryans are the true developers of the caste system. They made a separation between nobility and the common people. The caste system of the Aryans divided their society into castes of priesthood, the warriors, the laborers and the serfs. India went through many changes and so did their caste system. The caste system was one the shaping social forces in India, reinforced by many laws concerning marriage, table exclusion, laws of rituals purity and so on (book). I have found the caste system of India the most fascinating so far, I believe it most accurately represents the way we caste individuals now.

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Resistor - Lab Report Example Current is constant in a series circuit while voltage is constant in a parallel circuit (ANWAR, HALL, PRASAD and ROFFEY,1998). Voltage is defines as the measure of the potential difference between two terminals in an electric circuit or electric apparatus. Current is defined as the flowing charge in an electric circuit or electric apparatus. Resistance is the measure of the tendency of an electric apparatus to hinder electric charge from flowing through a given circuit (NAHVI and EDMINISTER 2004). A series circuit is one in which the positive terminal is connected to the negative terminal of the circuit. Any gap that is induced in a series circuit, by say the break-down of a given apparatus in the circuit hampers electric charge from flowing in the entire series circuit. A parallel circuit is one in which at some terminals of the circuit, positive terminals are connected to other positive terminals and negative terminals are connected to other negative terminals. In this regard, a gap introduced at a given point of the circuit does not get the electric flow of charge in the entire circuit to stop. In a series circuit, the current at any point of the circuit is the same for the whole circuit. This is unlike the case in a parallel circuit where the current at one point of the circuit is not necessarily the same as the current in the other points of the circuit (SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR CHILDREN, NATIONAL SCIENCE RESOURCES CENTER, NATIONAL ACADEMIES and SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 2004). The voltage in a parallel connection is limited to that of the smallest voltage source connected in the circuit. On the contrary, in a series connection, the voltage of the circuit is determined by the number of the individual voltage sources connected. The more they are connected, the higher the circuit voltage gets. Kirchhoff’s 1st law implies that the sum of all the current that is entering a given point or

PsychologyTransacial Adoption Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

PsychologyTransacial Adoption - Essay Example These figures have grown substantially since those days and are likely to increase in the future. Evidently, such major sociological phenomenon could not but attract the attention of scholarly community. Research has covered the issues of ethnocentric bias, adjustment of adopted children, appearance discomfort, but largely focused on the problem of racial and cultural identity formation. The debate revolving around the question of whether White American parents should adopt children of different racial background was fueled by a position paper issued by the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW). Simon and Alstein (1977) clearly expressed the negative attitude of the Association toward the problem of transracial adoption labeling the placement of African American children - the most widespread group of children waiting for adoption in the U.S. - with the Caucasian families as 'cultural genocide' (p. 202). The NABSW's attitude toward transracial adoption was brilliantly illustrated by the following statement: " Black children should be placed only with Black familie s for adoption. Black children belong, physically, psychologically and culturally in Black families in order they receive the total sense of themselves and develop a sound protection of their future The socialization process for every child begins at birth. Included in the socialization process is the child's cultural heritage which is an important segment of the total process. This must begin at the earliest moment; otherwise [Black] children will not have the background and knowledge which is necessary to survive in a racist society. This is impossible if the child is placed with White parents in a White environment" (Simon & Alstein, 1977: 50) Although the NABSW position expressed three decades ago was made in a seriously different environment characterized by higher degree of interracial tensions some of the key arguments on which it relied did not become outdated. Thus, several relatively recent studies have demonstrated that African American families are likely to have difficulties preparing their children to succeed in the U.S. society characterized by the residuals of racist attitudes toward representatives of the minorities. Racial messages from the authorities, lower expectations at school, and prejudiced attitude from the low-enforcement officers are often listed among the most essential factors of influence in this regard (Bradley, 1998; Robinson & Ginter, 1999; Tatum, 1997). Presently, the views expressed by the scholars and child support organizations regarding the issue of transracial adoption gradually shift toward a more positive stance. Thus, the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) that includes more than 400 Canadian and American child advocacy organizations believes that racial background and ethnicity do play an essential role in socialization of a child: a family of the same racial or ethnic background is preferable for a child in terms of developing a set of effective strategies to cope with the racist attitudes still adopted by many American citizens. However, the NACAC also believes that

The New Deal & The Great Society Essay Example for Free

The New Deal The Great Society Essay As we look back in modern American history, there are three sizable reform periods from 1890 through the 1960s. These three periods were The Progressive Period, 1890 to 1914, The New Deal, 1933 to 1938, and The Great Society, 1964 to 1968. The ultimate goal of these reform periods was to improve the United States Economically, Socially, and Politically. The Progressive Period helped the nation economically by dislodging the monopolies that provided utilities to the urban areas. This formulated more affordable utilities to the everyday citizen. The New Deals prospective of helping with economics was by closing down all of the banks. Then FDR pushed the Emergency Banking Act through Congress, which gave the government to inspect the financial health of the banks. They also founded the FDIC, which insured all deposits $5,000 and under. The Great Society brought about a tax-cut to help stimulate business. Many people thought that this tax-cut would increase the deficit, surprisingly the deficit shrunk, and the GNP increased steadily year after year. This was due to the tax-cut in the 60s. The Progressive Period coined the welfare programs to help reform the nation socially. Welfare programs helped ensure a basic standard of living for Americans. Socially, The New Deal provided relief programs such as the CWA, which gave jobs to the unemployed to help with roads, parks, airports, and other facilities to benefit the future. Lyndon B. Johnson and his Great Society fabricated Medicare, which would provide health care to the elderly for the 1st time in history. Politically, The Progressive Period had the most significant reform of the three durations. During this period women finally gained suffrage, this is still making a large effect on America today. The New Deal helped safeguard the Constitution after the Great Crash by not going with a left or right wing dictatorship. Along with the Great Society came civil rights movements which banned discrimination in the public and gave blacks the right to vote. All three of these reform programs were flourishing until their begetter relinquished their control. The Progressive Period was thriving until 1914 when the Great War was approaching. The New Deal was ceased in 1938 when  many critics considered the deal to be too socialistic. Thirty years later The Great Society came to an abrupt end when Lyndon B. Johnson failed in his attempt of re-election as the president.

Determinants Of Infant Mortality Health And Social Care Essay

Determinants Of Infant Mortality Health And Social Care Essay The infant mortality rate of African American newborns within the first year of life is more than twice that of white newborns and higher per 1,000 deaths than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States. Using social ecological model as the theoretical framework, the goal is to understand the causes of racially disparate infant mortality rates. This paper will present health disparities and related social inequities that may underlie these troubling outcomes for childbearing women and infants in the United States. Introduction Infant mortality rates are often used as a measure of a populations general health status, socioeconomic conditions, and availability and access to quality health care. The decrease in the rate of infant death in the United States has been observed for births to both white and black mothers. Although there has been general improvement in infant survival, there has been widened gap in the racial disparity in infant mortality rates. The ten leading causes of infant mortality in the United States are: 1) birth defects: 2) causes related to short gestation or low birth weight (LBW); 3) sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS); 4) maternal complications of pregnancy; 5) complications of placenta, cord, and membranes; 6) accidents; 7) respiratory distress of newborn; 8) bacterial sepsis of newborn; 9) diseases of the circulatory system; and 10) intrauterine hypoxia and birth asphyxia. Infants born to black mothers had the highest IFM due to prematurity and LBW. Additionally, low birth weight and premature infants who survive the first year of life continue to face serious health problems and developmental problems. The social-ecological model has been chosen because it takes in account factors that influence disparate rate among black American infants. Disparities in infant mortality by race and class continue to be a national disgrace. The purpose of this study using the social ecological model will be: (1) discuss individual factors that influence infant mortality and (2) discuss multiple levels of factors that influence infant mortality rate. Methods The literature was searched using the databases of CINAHL, Pub Med (Medline), Eric, PsychInfo, Science Reference Center, and SocioIndex for the years 199-2010. The search terms included social ecological, black women, African American women, parenting, infant mortality, health, social inequalities. Inclusion criteria included a) original research; b) studies published in English; c) peer-reviewed journal; d) articles on black woman and infant mortality; and e) social ecological model. Of the 140 articles identified, only those studies with health, social determinants, black women, social ecological model, African American in the abstracts and full text articles were include (n=39). Social Ecological Model Vulnerable populations are at substantially greater risk of poor physical, mental and social health and have much higher rates of morbidity and mortality. Despite these greater health needs, they also typically face greater barriers to accessing timely and needed care and, even when receiving care, have worse health outcomes than others . The social ecological approach considers the nested arrangement of behavioral and environmental determinants of health. posits that concepts of health promotion require analysis of the health habits and lifestyles of participants, as well as constraints and resources present within participants environments. Secondly, the social ecological approach recognizes the importance of changing interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy.Finally, the social ecological model has been chosen to analyze personal, community and societal institutions impact on infant mortality. Results Intrapersonal Resources The intrapersonal resources include individual characteristics such as perceived lack of knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, health practices, age, race/ethnicity, income and education and employment status variables effect infant mortality . In order to understand the individual interpersonal characteristics one needs to critically examine the mothers knowledge regarding maternal education and health practices. Social inequities related to educational opportunities and social resources may influence health behaviors or practices that are associated with infant health. Compared with women who receive adequate prenatal care, those who do not seek a reasonable amount of care tend to be young, less educated, single, and/or to have other children . have documented the powerful association between a persons socioeconomic status and mortality. The gap in infant mortality based on mothers years of formal education has also widened significantly over time. Maternal education appears to be an increasingly important predictor of infant survival. Researchers observe that key risk factors for infant mortality, including smoking during pregnancy, delayed or no prenatal care, and lack of health care coverage, vary substantially with socio-economic status and maternal education . Behavioral factors account for about half of premature mortality, and almost all vary by socioeconomic status. The greatest behavioral risk for premature mortality is tobacco use. In 2005, the IFM rate for infants of mothers who smoked was 74 percent higher than the rate for nonsmokers . Those with less education and less income are more likely to smoke. Smoking prevalence reflects likelihood of initiating smoking as well as of quitting, and different policies are relevant for those stages of smoking. However, the more educated were more likely to try and quit, and among those who tried to quit with higher incomes were more likely to succeed. This suggest that efforts to encourage quitting need to be geared more strongly to those with less education and that the means of quitting need to be made more accessible to the poor. Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce rates of infant mortality in the United States and worldwide . However, the rates of initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding are less frequent among black women than white and Hispanic women,. Maternal education again is associated with substantial disparities: women with 9th-to 11th grade education are least likely to breastfeed to 6 months, whereas women with college degrees are most likely to do so as well as to report ever breastfeeding with the most recent birth . Infant mortality rates vary with maternal age, with the highest 2005 death rates documented for infants of the youngest mothers those under age 15 (16.4 per 1,000 live birth), and oldest mothers- aged 40 and older (7.9 per 1,000 live births) . Among older mothers, especially those of low social economic status, infant mortality rates may be affected by pregnancy complications related to advanced maternal age, such as gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders. Other contributing factors are black womens higher rates of intra-uterine growth restriction, preterm premature rupture of membranes, placenta previa, preterm birth, very preterm birth, cesarean delivery, light vaginal bleeding, and heavy vaginal bleeding compared to the white population . Chronic stress can affect health both directly and indirectly through its effects on health behavior. While people in all walks of life experience stress, lower-SES persons live and work in more stressful environments. Higher IFM among well- educated black women has been attributed to their cumulative experience of chronic stress over the life course, which causes wear and tear on their reproductive health over time. identified a number of factors that contribute to greater stress at lower SES levels, including economic strain, insecure employment, low control at work, and stressful life events. determined that lifelong accumulated experiences of racial discrimination by black American women constitute an independent risk factor of preterm delivery. noted association between black American womens exposure to chronic stress from interpersonal racism and infant, very low birth weight (VLBW). Black American women who were exposed to what they perceived as racial bias and internalized their responses to unfair treatment had a fourfold greater risk of hypertension as well. proposed the classic host (i.e., pregnant women), environment (i.e., chronic social stressors), and agent (i.e., immediate emotional stress or physical stressors) are ongoing stressors as well as social and cultural modifiers of stress may have influence on how particular stressors is experienced or what the physical response to it may be. Researcher have also suggested that being a woman is a characteristic that cannot be neglected in the context of maternal stressors. Being a black woman produces a double effect of racial and gender discrimination and related stress which in turn impacts their health and the outcomes of subsequent pregnancies. Interpersonal Resources Interpersonal resources include culturally relevant social support as well as social norms that may facilitate behavioral capacity and health behavior change . Research has confirmed that loneliness is detrimental to health. Good health is positively correlated with involvement and satisfying relationships with other people. Studies show that married people live longer than unmarried people and that there are lower death rates among those who have lots of social support. A social network not only assists with instrumental assistance such as childcare, finances and housing, but it is a persons major source of emotional support. A personals level of social support is one of the most potent indicators her degree of vulnerability . Broken relationships create lifelong conditions of high stress and low support, which in turn pattern physiological, psychological, and behavioral responses that put the mother at risk for poor nutrition during pregnancy, and her baby at risk for fetal and infant deaths. Black American families are disproportionately affected by broken relationships, which contributes to disparities infant mortality . Infants born to unmarried mothers had higher IMR compared to those born to married mothers in 2002. However, the IMRs are significantly higher for married black American mothers than for unmarried black American mothers. In a report, maternal grandmothers were more frequently nominated than other source of parenting help including spouses, current or former partners, relatives, friends and professionals. Grandmothers have a tremendous influence on a womans lived experiences. Maternal grandmothers tend to improve child survival rates, as do potential sibling helpers at the nest. In this study, researcher suggests that while help from family may be a universal feature of human child-rearing, who helps is dependent on ecological conditions of the family. Fathers can also have a tremendous influence on the health of mothers and their infants. Some fathers focused efforts are under way in the United State, including the USDAs Fathers Supporting Breastfeeding Program, which uses a video, posters, and brochures designed to target Black men. Poor family and social support, negative attitudes of family and friends can pose a barrier to good health practices. , observed that there was an association of single motherhood and negative birth outcomes with single parent household, which occurred more often and longer than married or coupled households. Community and Environmental Resources The community resources and environmental resources may have a significant impact on individual characteristics of the mother, for instance, substandard housing, lack of transportation, and child -care problems can prohibit a mother from attending prenatal classes or obstetrical appointments. A key to reducing infant mortality is to address the barriers that stand between low-income women and adequate prenatal care. Racial and ethnic minorities tend to live in medically underserved areas, and many black American and Hispanic families lack a regular source of care, making do with outpatient clinics and hospital emergency rooms in times of crisis . According to a study by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, low-income pregnant women are more likely to seek and be satisfied with prenatal care if they can avoid long waiting time, see providers who explain procedures, and have access to ancillary services, especially substance abuse services and childbirth education. Health pr oviders have also begun to understand the need for culturally competent providers and the availability of medical personnel who speak the patients primary language. Exposure to damaging agents in the environment, including lead, asbestos, carbon dioxide, and industrial waste, varies with socioeconomic status. Those lower on the SES hierarchy are more likely to live and work in worse physical environments. Poorer neighborhoods are disproportionately located near highways, industrial areas, and toxic waste sites, since land there is cheaper and resistance to polluting industries, less visible. Housing quality is also poorer for low-SES families. As a result, compared with high-income families, both children and adults from poor families show a six fold increase in rates of high blood lead levels, while middle-income adults and children show a twofold increase Economic differences do not fully explain the persistent high infant mortality rates of black American women and other minority groups. Several studies in the early 90s examined the effect of racial residential segregation on the health outcomes of Black Americans and a positive association between black-white dissimilarity and black infant mortality rates was shown after controlling for metropolitan area poverty rates. After an initial focus on infant mortality, several authors examined the association between racial segregation and mortality in other age groups. Their general finding indicated that black mortality is positively associated with residential segregation and with residence in predominantly black areas. Current research still indicates racial residential segregation as one of the fundamental cause of racial disparities in health. The physical separation of the races by enforced residence in certain areas is an institutional mechanism of racism that was designed to protect whites from social interaction with blacks. The degree of residential segregation remains extremely high for most Black Americans in the United States. The authors review evidence that suggests that segregation is a primary cause of racial differences in socioeconomic status (SES) by determining access to education and employment opportunities. SES was determined to remain a fundamental cause of racial differences in health. The US sociological literature suggests that residential segregation along racial/ethnic lines is not primarily a result of the residential preferences of minority groups. National and metropolitan area surveys have shown that, on average, Black Americans and Hispanics would be more willing than Whites to live in relatively integrated neighborhoods. On the other hand, several studies, including audit studies involving experimental designs, have indicated that Black American and Hispanics continue to face discrimination in housing and mortgage markets even after income has been controlled. Discrimination prevents upwardly mobile members of minority groups from becoming more spatially integrated with Whites. Organizational Resources Organizational resources have a strong effect on the individual characteristics of mother. Lack of access, provider availability and geographic distance, quality of care, timeliness, and types of services creates health disparities for minority women. If a client lives 3 hours away from the regional medical center, the client will have an increased burden placed on her because of the lack of resources available in her own community. used the ecological model as a framework for applying social justice concepts to the care of childbearing women and families. They discovered by addressing health disparities exclusively on an individual level ignores the effect of social practices and institutions on the health of childbearing women and infants and serves as a barrier to achieving the goal of social justice. Although there are a number of mechanisms through which socio-economic status influences health, there is a distinctive link between utilization of health care services and health st atus. Prenatal care most often is associated with medical care, in which case it is an important factor in the prevention of poor birth outcomes, particularly prematurity and/or low birth weight and their associated neonatal mortality . Typically, efforts to improve infant health in the United States have focused on timely, appropriate care during pregnancy and delivery. While these services remain the keys to giving babies a good start in life, they do not sufficiently address the maternal health problems that often underlie infant mortality. There is a growing consensus that prevention efforts need to begin well before conception, especially for those mothers at greatest risk for poor pregnancy outcomes. Several months of medical attention cannot overcome many years of disadvantage and poor health. Women, particularly minority women need good care between pregnancies. Good maternal health requires diagnosis and management of chronic disease well before conception. But lack of health insurance keeps women from getting the care needed to maintain their own health and improve their chances for healthy pregnancies. Before pregnancy, women qualify for Medicaid only if they have extremely low incomes- well below the poverty line (68 percent of the Federal poverty line for working women, and under 41 percent for those who do not work). Once they become pregnant, women are held to a less stringent requirement (185 percent). As a result, many low-income women who qualify for Medicaid only after a confirmed pregnancy test often experience delays in enrollment and referral to a provider suggests that disparities in neonatal mortality are primarily determined by not only the birthrate of extremely premature infants but access to specialized obstetrical and pediatric care. This analysis suggests that the epidemiology and social meaning of disparities in infant mortality are intensely dynamic and increasingly reflect the interaction between social forces and technical innovation. interviewed a total of 6, 2999 white, black American, Hispanic and Asian adults, to view their differences in perceptions of health care system. It was determined that bias and cultural competence are not fully explained by such factors as demographics, source of care, and patient-physician communication, but it may partially explain disparities in patient ratings of individual health care provider cultural competence. As such, interventions aimed at improving access to a regular source of care and enhancing patient-physician communication may improve patient ratings of interpersonal bias and cultural competence of physicians; however, such interventions alone are not likely to substantially improve ethnic minority patients perceptions of bias and cultural competence in the health care system as a whole. Moreover, disparities in preterm births have proven very difficult to overcome. In 2005, the preterm-related infant mortality rate was more than three times higher for black mothers than for white mothers . Infants chances of survival often depend on technology and expertise available at local hospitals. Hospitals serving a high proportion of minority patients have higher than expected mortality rates for infants born at very low birth-weights . In 1999, Congress requested in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, entitled Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities, in Healthcare, assess is the extent of racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, the study concluded that although myriad sources contribute to these disparities, some evidence suggests that bias, prejudice, and stereotyping on the part of healthcare providers may contribute to differences in care. From the IOM report, assuming that access-related factors- such as insurance status and the ability to pay for care are the same, the possibility that overt or subtle biases or prejudice on the part of healthcare providers might affect the quality of care for minorities; suggests the need for intervention strategies to improve access to quality health care . Discussion The impact of social and environmental factors on the behavior and health of individuals and populations has been understudy for years. Addressing health disparities from an individual, community and organizational level is important to the social health of United States. Nationally, black infants have the worse birth outcomes than any other racial and ethnic group. By exploring the social ecological model a more comprehensive approach to acknowledging how individual challenges, environmental resources, and organizational structures influences the health behaviors of black women. Social inequities may contribute to differences in access to or quality of health care, which leads to less knowledge and skill in promoting personal and family health, thus results in poor health and birth outcomes. To rekindle concern about infant mortality to the level of effective action, public health professionals must refocus the publics attention on assuring that all women are provided adequate education and services to help them avoid unintended pregnancies, that all pregnant women receive services in appropriate facilities, and that the causes of preterm deliveries are discovered. Effective action in these areas would not only improve infant mortality overall; it would also reduce racial and ethnic disparities in infant health . Implications for Research and Practice In summary, prevention of an infant early death is not a health outcome, but rather a surrogate endpoint for optimum fetal, infant, and lifelong health. Racial and socio- economic disparities in rates of preterm birth and infant mortality area among the most widely recognized but, least understood aspects of infant and maternal health in this country. In particular, the persistent black/white differential requires intensive study. At any age, and at any income, education or socioeconomic level, an black American mother is more than twice as likely to lose her infant as a white woman. Given the complexity of the layered intrapersonal, interpersonal, local, and national contexts in which social justice operates, and realizing social justice is a work in progress; we can certainly help move nursing and medicine toward integrating concepts of social justice for the betterment of society, as a whole . Adoption of universal health-care coverage for women and children and providing optimum work policies for women is worthy goals. Additionally, new interventions designed with the social context of friends, family, and neighborhood associates, can be used to improve birth outcomes.

Features of Karakoram Glacier Surges

Features of Karakoram Glacier Surges What are the typical features of Karakoram glacier surges? The Karakoram is part of a complex of mountain ranges at the centre of Asia, where the borders of five countries all converge (Editors of Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, 2016). Glacial surges are glacial advances at velocities up to one hundred times faster than usual (Sinha and Ravindra, 2012, p. 38). When examining Karakoram glacier surges it appears they are different to other surge clusters in the world. The surges tend to be brief events, with exceptionally high velocities, initiation and termination phases are rapid and the surges do not seem to be seasonally controlled (Quincey et al., 2015, p. 1299). One typical feature of Karakoram glacier surges is that they are short-lived events, usually lasting 3-5 years. When Drenmang Glacier surged in 1930 and 1977 both events only lasted a year (Hewitt, 2007, p. 185) and a Shakesiga Glacier surge in the 2000s only lasted 1-2 years (Quincey et al., 2015, p. 1298). Their brief nature means there have been a huge number of surges over the last 150 years. There have been 34 surges since the 1860s involving 23 glaciers. Four tributaries of Panmah Glacier have surged in less than a decade, three in quick succession between 2001 and 2005. Since 1985, 13 surges have occurred in Karakoram, more than in any comparable period since the 1850s. (Hewitt, 2007, p. 181). Although Karakoram glacier surges are generally short-lived, they are actually longer surge events when compared to surges in Alaska. Another typical feature of Karakoram glacier surges is their extremely high velocities, usually reaching 2km a-1. The Bualtar glacier experienced a mean surface velocity of 2.77 km a-1 during a 1986 surge, compared with a 146m a-1 surge during the previous summer (Copland et al., 2009, pp. 1-2). Between 2006 and 2007, the North Gasherbrum glacier surge had a velocity wave of 3km a-1 and, the peak velocity advanced from 15.5 to 18.5 km (Mayer et al., 2011, p. 908). In the case of the Braldu surge between 2013 and 2014, there was a clear velocity wave of approximately 2 km a-1 (Quincey et al., 2015, p. 1293). These velocities are the most likely cause of what makes the surge such a quick event. The Karakoram surge velocities are faster than other surge velocities across the world, where the velocities tend to reach only a few thousand m a-1. A third feature of Karakoram glacier surges is their rapid initiation and termination phases, lasting months to years. Surge initiation and termination phases refer to the start and end of the surge. Termination occurs after the surge, when the glacier has become virtually stagnant (Singh, Singh, and Haritashya, 2011, pp. 416-417). During the late summer of 2009 the Shakesiga Glacier flowed at 400 m a-1, but reached its maximum velocity of 2000 m a-1 by midsummer of 2010, indicating the initiation phase took place during winter. Shakesiga surge decelerated to 1100 m a-1 and terminated during the early winter of 2010 (Quincey et al., 2015, pp. 1292-1293). However, Alaskan glacial surges have a much more abrupt termination phase than initiation phase, tending to last several days as opposed to months (Quincey et al., 2015, p. 1297). A final typical feature of Karakoram glacier surges is that they do not seem to be seasonally controlled. Surges usually initiate during winter months when drainage efficiency is low and terminate during summer months, when drainage efficiency is high (Quincey et al., 2015, p. 1288). However, this is not the case in the Karakoram region as surges have initiated and terminated in irregular months. The Skamri Glacier initiation phase took place more toward the summer season than the winter and the Shakesiga surge initiated and terminated during winter months (Quincey et al., 2015, pp. 1292-1293). This suggest that Karakoram surges are thermally rather than hydrologically controlled, coinciding with high-altitude warming from long-term precipitation and accumulation patterns (Quincey et al., 2015, p. 1290). If Karakoram glacier surges are thermally controlled it may explain why their features are different to other surge areas in the world. The features of Karakoram glacier surges are an anomaly when compared to other surge areas in the world, such as Alaska, although they do share many similarities with Svalbard glacier surges. Their characteristics have led many geographers to the conclusion that they are thermally controlled and this could be a possible cause of their differences compared with other glacier surges. Yet the dominant surge mechanism still remains unclear. Reference List Copland, L., Pope, S., Bishop, M.P., Shroder, J.F., Clendon, P., Bush, A., Kamp, U., Seong, Y.B. and Owen, L.A. (2009) Glacier velocities across the central Karakoram, Annals of Glaciology, 50(52), pp. 41-49. doi: 10.3189/172756409789624229. Editors of Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica (2016) Karakoram range | mountains, Asia, in Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/place/Karakoram-Range (Accessed: 10 October 2016). Hewitt, K. (2007) Tributary glacier surges: An exceptional concentration at Panmah glacier, Karakoram Himalaya, Journal of Glaciology, 53(181), pp. 181-188. doi: 10.3189/172756507782202829. Mayer, C., Fowler, A.C., Lambrecht, A. and Scharrer, K. (2011) A surge of north Gasherbrum glacier, Karakoram, china, Journal of Glaciology, 57(205), pp. 904-916. doi: 10.3189/002214311798043834. Quincey, D.J., Glasser, N.F., Cook, S.J. and Luckman, A. (2015) Heterogeneity in Karakoram glacier surges, Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 120(7), pp. 1288-1300. doi: 10.1002/2015jf003515. Singh, V.P., Singh, P. and Haritashya, U.K. (eds.) (2011) Encyclopedia of snow, ice and glaciers. Dordrecht: Springer Verlag. Sinha, R. and Ravindra, R. (eds.) (2012) Earth system processes and disaster management. Germany: Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH Co. K.

The Effectiveness Of Sport Drinks Essay example -- essays research pap

The major reason anyone drinks fluid before, during and after physical activity is to replace the water that is lost through sweat. If the water isn't replaced dehydration will occur and performance will be hampered. The purpose of sports drinks is to help rehydrate your body quickly and help improve performance and productivity. This is accomplished through a well-balanced mix of water, sugar (carbohydrates) and salts (electrolytes), the major ingredients in most sports drinks. These ingredients, combined with a variety of fruit flavours, create pleasant tasting drinks that, according to the companies, are suppose to help your athletic performance. Results prove that commercial sport drinks generally accomplish what they set out to do. That is, they make fluids available for the body, and increase endurance, but at the same time they can create unwanted gastroesophageal reflux. Sport drinks make fluids available to the body and are consequently very effective in preventing dehydration. One tactic sport drinks use in order to accomplish this is by adding sodium and glucose to the drink. These ingredients stimulate fluid consumption by the body, causing the athlete to drink even more, and become rehydrated (Rehrer 45). Another way that sport drinks maintain hydration in the body is by having less than or equal to 10% Carbohydrates (CHO) and small amounts of electrolytes in the beverage. This composition makes fluids available for dilution of body fluids at similar rates, thu...

Hormone Research :: essays research papers fc

Hormone Research   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hormone research has been greatly influenced by cultural assumptions about the dimorphism of gender. Much of the scientific data produced and taken as ‘knowledge’ reaffirms social ideologies already thought to be true and uses this data to essentially prove these ideas. In the case of hormone research, ideas about the innate differences between males and females were imposed upon the scientific methodologies and the conclusions made. The misconception of estrogen and testosterone projected cultural ideas about femininity and masculinity, and implied difference. The fact that these hormones are secreted from ‘sexual organs’ gave scientific license to claim them as sexual hormones: the explanatory factor of the male female difference. This essay will discuss how the study of hormones reaffirmed culturally constructed notions of the innate difference between male and female and the idea that this fact is biologically determined.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The early 1900s was a time of social and political upheaval regarding developing thought on feminism and equal rights, the hormone studies and ideas of â€Å"sex antagonism† by the physiologist Eugen Steinach greatly show how this science was influenced by cultural notions (Fausto-Sterling, 159). As asserted by Anne Fausto-Sterling, Steinach’s â€Å"entire life’s work was premised on the unexamined idea that there must be a sharp ‘natural’ distinction between maleness and femaleness† (Fausto-Sterling, 158). Instead of observing these hormones without bias and looking to understand how they function, Steinach sets out to prove a difference. The language which he uses to define the characteristics of these hormones reflects the thought process of the times. Describing the interaction of hormones in â€Å"militaristic terms† he relates on the â€Å"battles of the antagonistic actions of sex hormones† and marks th eir â€Å"sharp antagonism† (Fausto-Sterling, 159). The language used to describe this study outlines his agenda as he uses loaded terms like antagonism instead of the more appropriate term, inhibition. This study dealing with the transplantation of ovaries and testes in guinea pigs uses the study of the abnormal or the object of study out of its natural context to understand it. The evidence and the conclusions made by Steinach illuminate his ideas as his data as his data can have many interpretations. This study, though valid in some ways to the understanding and effects of ovaries and testes essentially projects the â€Å"political story of human sex antagonism that paralleled contemporary social struggles† (Fausto-Sterling, 162). These studies and the terms used to define them create a degree of ‘fact’ which leads to further study along with living on in popular thought.

Juvenile Court System Essay -- essays research papers

Waiving juvenile cases to a criminal court is a complicated process, and may take some time in order to make the proper decision. There are a few different ways in which this decision is made. In some jurisdictions, the cases may be decided upon an intake unit within the court which then decides to process it formally or informally. Other jurisdictions may use another agency such as the prosecutor’s office, or a social service agency to decide whether the case should go to juvenile or criminal court. When a decision is made to transfer a juvenile case to criminal court, a judicial waiver is petitioned for, and the juvenile judge then has to make the decision whether the case should be criminally prosecuted. In some places though, the prosecutor has the legal right to make that judgment without involving the juvenile court, and send the case directly to criminal court.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When a juvenile commits the crime of homicide, I personally think that any offender 13 years or older should be tried in adult criminal court. I do understand that the juvenile may lack some mental reasoning or may even have some mental disorder, just as I think that anyone who commits violent crimes have this also regardless of age, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be still be tried in criminal court for the horrible crimes they committed. The only part of the sentencing I don’t agree with in convicting a juvenile is to where he is sent to prison. I do not believe th...

Individual Analysis Essay

Individual Analysis Paper There are many factors that influence and guide the registered nurse (RN) in her daily nursing practice. These factors include state laws, professional requirements and responsibilities, and personal belief systems and values. All factors work together to provide competent, safe, and quality care for society as a whole. It is vital that the RN possess both awareness and understanding of the important role these factors play in his or her daily practice. The Scope of Nursing Practice The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines the Scope of Nursing Practice as, â€Å"the description of the who, what, where, when, why, and how of nursing practice that addresses the range of nursing practice activities common to all registered nurses (2010, p. 67).† The individual RN’s degree level, knowledge base, employment position, and patient population all determine the range to which he or she is able to work within the scope of practice (ANA, 2010). Effectively working within the full scope of practice requires the RN to be able to address all physical, social, spiritual, and emotional needs from admission to discharge; by means of patient advocacy, individualized teaching, treatment planning, and utilization of family and social support systems (Oelke, Besner, Doran, McGillis-Hall, & Giovanetti, 2008). Working on a behavioral services unit allows me to completely address the full range of patient needs on a daily basis. I collaborate with mental health professionals to address psychological needs, medical doctors to manage and treat physical conditions, social workers to deal with housing and family issues, and pastoral care to address the patient’s spiritual matters. I believe that issues of mind, body, and spirit must be equally addressed for complete patient care. Legal Regulations The Ohio Revised Code sets the legal standards through which a nurse is permitted to practice. Nursing laws are mandatory rules of behavior, and when broken can result in punishment, or even the loss of the RN’s nursing license. The Ohio Board of Nursing is responsible for the licensing all nurses, as well as for ensuring that all nursing standards are maintained. As an RN it is vital that I understand the legal limits to my nursing practice. For example, I cannot legally prescribe medications, but I have the authority to administer medications under the supervision of a licensed physician. Always practicing within these defined limits assures safe patient care, nursing competence, and protection of the RN’s license. The Development of Practice The Code of Ethics for Nurses was developed as a guide for carrying out all nursing responsibilities in a manner consistent with quality nursing care and the ethical obligations of the profession (Fowler, 2010). I will be discussing provisions seven, eight, and nine of the nursing code of ethics. Provision seven requires nurses to contribute to the promotion of the profession through involvement in the workplace, the maintaining of professional standards, and the participation in academic activities (Fowler, 2010). As an RN I have not contributed to the promotion of the profession through workplace involvement. I have had numerous opportunities to join work related committees, mentoring programs, or participate in the orientation of new RN’s. Until now have refused based on the fact I am enrolled in school. I was recently approached by my nurse manager and asked to help orient a new class of RN’s. I accepted the challenge and will start the orientation process in late September. Provision eight necessitates that all nurses work inter-professionally with other health care professionals, as well as with the community, to meet all health care needs on a municipal, federal, and global level (Fowler, 2010). Nurses must possess an understanding of both global health issues, as well as community health concerns. Working on a behavioral services unit, means that I frequently deal with the homeless or shelter living populations of my city. As nurse I know that this patient population is more susceptible to preventable communicable diseases. I work hard to encourage any patients who either homeless or live in local shelters to take advantage of the hospitals flu and pneumonia vaccines. My effort in this area helps maintain public and personal health, as well as prevent the spread of communicable diseases. Provision nine dictates that the entire nursing profession and all of its associations are accountable for upholding the integrity of the profession, the promotion of nursing values, and influencing social course of action (Fowler, 2010). It is vital that all nurses hold themselves, their peers, and other healthcare professionals to the utmost level of integrity and professionalism. I must admit that this I find this provision to be the most challenging for me professionally. I have no problem holding myself to the highest professional standards, but have a hard time holding my peers to the same standard of care. Recently, a peer chose not to medically address a patient’s incredibly high blood pressure. She reported to me that it was merely a side effect of the patient’s agitation, and assured me the high blood pressure was being controlled with an a ntipsychotic. I could not believe what I was hearing, and immediately called a medical doctor for help. In retrospect I should have had the courage to both confront my peer’s lack of concern, as well as report her disregard for the patient’s well-being. Philosophical Beliefs Philosophy is defined as, â€Å"the intense and critical examination of beliefs and assumptions (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008, p. 27). Philosophy can be further divided into the philosophy of knowledge and the philosophy of practice (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). The philosophy of knowledge concerns suppositions regarding truth and disagreement, and the philosophy of practice concerns suppositions regarding behaviors and morals (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). Philosophical beliefs can affect they type of care that the patient ultimately receives. If the nurse is not able to see the patient as an autonomous individual, care will ultimately be substandard. Part of my work as a psychiatric RN is helping patients deal with drug and alcohol addiction issues. Over the course of my nursing career I have helped hundreds of patients go through drug detoxification. Because my department deals with a lot of recidivism, it is very easy for a nurse in my role assume that all drug addicted patients are unmotivated in maintaining sobriety. I must always be on guard against developing a jaded attitude about my patient’s chances for maintaining his or her sobriety. If I assume the patient is not committed to his or her sobriety I may give end up giving substandard care. Before the start of each shift I remind myself that each patient is an individual, and must not be judged based on my own assumptions or personal experiences. How Ethics Influence Nursing Practice Ethics is a moral philosophy, a deliberate opinion of right and wrong (Naman, Nystrom, & Eriksson, 2012). Two ethical theories related to nursing are utilitarianism and deontology. The theory of utilitarianism believes that all ethical decisions should be based on the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people, and theory of deontology believes that all ethical decisions should be based on what is best for the individual person (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). Nursing values include: kindness, truthfulness, fairness, discretion, independence, loyalty, and nonmaleficence (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). The RN’s understanding of her own personal values is required for the delivery of quality care, because the art of caring manifests itself as a personal value (Nasman, Nystrom, & Eriksson, 2012). As a psychiatric RN on an acute behavioral unit I frequently care for the underserved population of my community. Most of my patients have a history of violence against peers, are uninsured, homeless, or abused. Caring for this cross section of society can be challenging to say the least. It is necessary that I as the RN approach each patient as an individual; deserving of kindness, patience, and honesty. This approach treats each patient with the respect and dignity he or she deserves. On several occasions my patients have told me that I cared for them better than their own parents. I believe that all patients are entitled to the highest quality of care regardless of their current psychosocial standing. Many factors play a role in the individual nurse’s daily practice and quality of care. It is vital that the RN professionally act within the legal standards and limitations set by forth by state laws. The RN must always strive to work fully within his or her scope of practice. Individual understanding of the code of ethics is fundamental in maintaining the integrity of the profession for all nurses. Awareness and self-assessment of the RN’s personal philosophical beliefs and value system are fundamental in providing quality care to all patients. When the RN has an understanding of all of these factors, quality patient care is assured.

Kudler Accounting System Paper

Kudler Accounting System Paper Jon Lazar BSA/310 January 23, 2012 Jaclyn Krause Kudler Accounting System Paper These days it is especially important to pay attention to details when it comes to deciding if your accounting system is providing the kind of information that may be required of you to produce. I think legal requirements and government regulations are becoming more demanding as to what they expect to see if someone such as the I. R. S. were to show up and ask for an audit. I would like to talk a little about a few of the key features, core technology, benefits, and costs of installing and maintaining an efficient accounting system and some of the benefits it would be to your company, especially in areas where details are crucial. Like the existing accounting system that you have all probably gotten used to here at Kudler, a new accounting system would be set up the same way; by modules. Each module would be more comprehensive and attentive to details that have been apparently overlooked by the present system. In the way of features, I could say that it is the most important overall feature a new system could offer this company. New technology has provided for faster, more detailed and organized data auditing and reporting. This is essential in today’s business world to keep accurate, itemized data entries in order to satisfy government business regulations such as standards set by the I. R. S. Detailed information is especially critical for a company like Kudler, whose business transactions and data entry are performed by a single person. From an internal control standpoint, this isn't desirable. Having only one person, or even a few people doing all the accounting that has to be done in a lot of different areas, opens the door for fraud and embezzlement. Companies that employ more people assigned functions can structure tasks in such a way that those done by the same person don't pose a control threat. Realizing that for smaller companies, a lot of people in the accounting department may not be practical, and/or cost effective, systems have been developed for use with fewer people staffing them and still maintaining security. The internal control structure that can be installed in a new accounting system will help eliminate security risks through mechanics and procedures rather than expensive people (â€Å"Accounting – Basic Accounting Components of the Accounting System†,  2003). There are several top rated Core Accounting programs that would fulfill the needs of your accounting department. Weak areas and areas of concern with the existing system include inventory and ordering control, and the way employees punch in and out for work. Presently, there is no systematic way of ordering supplies other than when a store runs low, an order is placed to share between the three stores. If one of the stores should experience a slow period, overstocking could very well become a problem, especially when freshness of their products is one of Kudler’s trademarks. An inventory control feature within the core program can automatically analyze, predict supply needs for a set delivery date, and actually place the order for each individual store saving lots of time and expense. The process in which employees punch in and out of work and the process it goes through just to get to the payment agency seems very time consuming for Kudler. A payroll processing feature of a new accounting system would record data such as name, date, time, employee number, etc. from a card that an employee would swipe upon signing in or out, process the employee’s personal financial information and then send that information to a printing station to print out the physical checks or send that information to the employee’s bank for direct deposit. Kudler needs a system that is up to date with speed, and technology to be able to produce reliable up to date, detailed account of all transactions made in the form of itemized and organized reports. If it is the intention for Kudler Fine Foods to grow, it must have a system that can grow with it. I do not believe Exel spreadsheets with its time consuming manual entries will be able to keep up with the growth of the company. Replacing the XLX with a SQL database will give the company connect-ability to send and receive data updating reports and balancing finances all in real time. The total cost would include hardware and software upgrades to the main servers as well as each POS at each store. The cost will include the time it takes to install, program, and test the new system. The cost will also include a basic training program and online support along with materials warrantees and our guarantee of customer satisfaction in both product and service. In closing I can only say that the benefits of a new accounting system would surely in the long run outweigh the modest cost of installing a new system. In business, time is money so saving time is saving money, and in this day and age where attention is given to detail, and details can either cost you money or save you money, there is only one logical choice. References: Accounting – Basic Accounting Components of the Accounting System. (2003). Retrieved from http://www. businesstown. com/accounting/basic-components. asp

Writing Academic Papers

How do you feel about writing academic papers? If you have enjoyed writing in the past, what did you like about the process of writing? If you have not enjoyed it, why not? Did you have any of the misconceptions about writing discussed in Chapter 1 of the text? What did you learn in the chapter that you think might be helpful to you in writing papers here at Ashford University? I do not like writing academic papers. It is very time consuming and some require doing a lot of research on the topic.I don’t like write papers because the subject is not of interest to me sometimes. I also find it a little difficult to do a thesis statement. In reading Chapter 1, â€Å"many writing experts suggest keeping a personal journal or a diary to help you understand what you have read and to sharpen your writing skills† (Sole, 2010). I’m going to start journaling at least twice a week to help improve my writing skills. Sole, K. (2010). Essentials for College Writing. San Diego, B ridgepoint Education, Inc. ttps://content. ashford. edu After studying the active reading strategies in Chapter 2 of the text, read Chapters 1 and 2 and your Instructor’s Guidance for Week One again, applying the SQ3R strategy as you reread the materials. Discuss how this reading strategy is similar or different from the way you read the material previously. Do you think this strategy improved your comprehension of the course materials? Discuss whether the strategy will or will not be helpful to you in your college courses?SQ3R stands for Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review. â€Å"Survey means to skim headings, subheadings, chapter summary, charts, and tables in text; Question the headings and subheadings into questions; Read to find the answers to your questions and record the answers by highlighting, underlining, or taking notes; Recite and summarize what you learned by telling someone else or writing it down; and Review by going back and reading your notes or infor mation that you highlighted or underlined to einforce learning and to commit the information to memory† (Sole, 2010). After reading Chapters 1, 2, and the Instructor’s Guidance for the second time and applying the SQ3R process, I can say that I follow this guideline as I’m doing school work. I think it is a good and helpful strategy to follow and will improve how you comprehend whatever you’ve read. Sole, K. (2010). Essentials for College Writing. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education, Inc. https://content. ashford. edu

Island of the Sequined Love Nun Chapter 54~55

54 Selling Tucker The Sky Priestess threw the straw hat across the room, then tore at the high-buttoned collar of the white dress. She was losing him. She hated that more than anything: losing control. She ripped the dress down the front and wrestled out of it. She stormed across the room, the dress still trailing from one foot, and pulled a bottle of vodka from the freezer. She poured herself a tumbler and drank half of it off while still holding the bottle, then refilled the glass while her temples throbbed with the cold. She carried the bottle and glass to a chair in front of the television, sat down, and turned it on. Nothing but static and snow. Sebastian was using the satellite dish. She threw the vodka bottle at the screen, but missed and it bounced off the case, taking a small chip out of the plastic. â€Å"Fuck!† She keyed the intercom next to her chair. â€Å"‘Bastian! Dammit!† â€Å"Yes, my sweet.† His voice was calm and oily. â€Å"What the fuck are you doing? I want to watch TV.† â€Å"I'm just finishing up, sweetheart.† â€Å"We need to talk.† She tossed back another slug of vodka. â€Å"Yes, we do. I'll be up in a moment.† â€Å"Bring some vodka from your house.† â€Å"As you wish.† Ten minutes later the Sorcerer walked into her bungalow, the picture of the patrician physician. He handed her the vodka and sat down across from her. â€Å"Pour me one, would you, darling?† Before she could catch herself, she'd gotten up and fetched him a glass from the kitchen. She handed it to him along with the bottle. â€Å"Your dress is torn, dear.† â€Å"No shit.† â€Å"I like the look,† the Sorcerer said, â€Å"although I'd have preferred to tear it off you myself.† â€Å"Not now. I think we have trouble.† The Sorcerer smiled. â€Å"We did, but as of tonight at midnight, our troubles are over. How was your walk this morning, by the way?† â€Å"I took Case to see the shark hunt. I thought it would keep him from getting island fever, something different to break the boredom.† â€Å"As opposed to fucking him.† She wasn't going to show any surprise, not after he'd laid a trap like that. â€Å"No, in addition to fucking him. It was a mistake.† â€Å"The shark hunt or the fucking?† She bristled, â€Å"The shark hunt. The fucking was fine. He saw the boy whose corneas we harvested.† â€Å"So.† â€Å"He freaked. I shouldn't have let him connect the people with the procedure.† â€Å"But I thought you could handle him.† He was enjoying this entirely too much for her taste. â€Å"Don't be smug, ‘Bastian. What are you going to do, lock him in the back room of the clinic? We need him.† â€Å"No, we don't. I've hired a new pilot. A Japanese.† â€Å"I thought we'd agreed that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It hasn't worked using Americans, has it? He starts tonight.† â€Å"How?† â€Å"You're going to go pick him up. The corporation assures me that he's the best, and he won't ask questions.† â€Å"I'm going to pick him up?† â€Å"We have a heart-lung order. You and Mr. Case need to deliver it.† â€Å"I can't do it, ‘Bastian. I can't do a performance and a heart-lung tonight. I'm too jangled.† â€Å"You don't have to do either, dear. We don't have to do the surgery. We'll make less money on it, but we only have to deliver the donor.† â€Å"But what about doing the choosing?† â€Å"You've done that already. You chose when you went to bed with our intrepid Mr. Case. The heart-lung donor is Tucker Case.† Tuck needed a drink. He looked around the bungalow, hoping that someone had left a stray bottle of vanilla extract or aftershave that might go well with a slice of mango. Mangoes he had, but anything containing ethyl alco-hol was not to be found. It would be hours before darkness could cover his escape to the drinking circle, where he intended to get gloriously hammered if he could look any of the Shark People in the eye and keep his stomach. Sorry, you guys. Just had to take the edge off of the guilt of blinding a child to get my own airplane. He tried to distract himself by reading, but the moral certainties of the literary spy guys only served to make him feel worse. Television was no help either. Some sort of Balinese shadow puppet show and Filipino news special on how swell it was to make American semiconductors for three bucks a day. He punched the remote to off and tossed it across the room. Frustration leaped out in a string of curses, followed by â€Å"All right, Mr. Ghost Pilot, where in the hell are you now?† And there was a knock on the door. â€Å"Kidding,† Tuck said. â€Å"I was kidding.† â€Å"Tucker, can I come in?† Beth Curtis said. â€Å"It's open.† It was always open. There was no lock on it. He looked away as she entered, afraid that, like the face of the Medusa, she might turn him to stone – or at least that part of him unaffected by conscience. She came up behind him and began kneading the muscles in his shoulders. He did not look back at her and still had no idea if she might be naked or wearing a clown suit. â€Å"You're upset. I understand. But it's not what you think.† â€Å"There's not a lot of room for misinterpretation.† â€Å"Isn't there? What if I told you that that boy was blind from birth. His corneas were healthy, but he was born with atrophied optic nerves.† â€Å"I feel much better, thanks. Kid wasn't using his eyes, so we ripped them out.† He felt her nails dig into his trapezius muscles. â€Å"Ripped out is hardly appropriate. It's a very delicate operation. And because we did it, another child is able to see. You seem to be missing that aspect of what we're doing here. Every time we deliver a kidney, we're saving a life.† She was right. He hadn't thought about that. â€Å"I just fly the plane,† he said. â€Å"And take the money. You could have this same job back in the States. You could be flying the organs of accident victims on Life Flight jets and accomplishing the same thing, except you wouldn't be making enough to pay the taxes on what you make here, right?† No, not exactly, he thought. Back in the States, he couldn't fly anything but a hang glider without his license. â€Å"I guess so,† he said. â€Å"But you could have told me what you were doing.† â€Å"And have you thinking about the little blind kid at five hundred miles per hour. I don't think so.† She bent over and kissed his earlobe lightly. â€Å"I'm not a monster, Tuck. I was a little girl once, with a mother and a father and a cat named Cupcake. I don't blind little kids.† Finally he turned in the chair to face her and was grateful to see that she was wearing one of her conservative Donna Reed dresses. â€Å"What happened to you, Beth? How in the hell do you get from ‘Here, Cupcake' to the Murdering Bitch Goddess of the Shark People?† He immediately regretted saying it. Not because it wasn't true, but because he'd given away the fact that he knew it was. He braced himself for the rage. She moved to the couch and sat down across from him. Then she curled into a ball, her face against the cushions, and covered her eyes. He said nothing. He just watched as her body quaked with silent sobs. He hoped this wasn't an act. He hoped that she was so offended that she would take his murder accusation for hyperbole. Five full minutes passed before she looked up. Her eyes were red and she'd managed to smear mascara across one cheek. â€Å"It's your fault,† she said. Tuck nodded and tried not to let a smile cross his lips. She was playing another part, and she didn't do the victim nearly as well as she did the seduction queen. He said, â€Å"I'm sorry, Beth. I was out of line.† She seemed surprised and broke character. Evidently, he'd stepped on her line, the one she'd been thinking of while pretending to cry. A second for composure and she was back at it. â€Å"It's your fault. I only wanted to have a friend, not a lover. All men are that way.† â€Å"Then you must not have gotten the newsletter: ‘Men Are Pigs.' Next issue is ‘Water Is Wet.' Don't miss it.† She fell out of character again. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"You might have been a victim once, but now that's just a distant memory you use to rationalize what you do now. You use men because you can. I can't figure out what happened in San Francisco, though. A woman who looks like you should have been able to find an easier way to fuck her way to a fortune. The doc must have been a cakewalk for you.† â€Å"And you weren't?† Tuck felt as if someone had injected him with a truth serum that was lighting up his mind, and not with revelations about Beth Curtis. The light was shining on him. â€Å"Yeah, I guess I was a cakewalk. So what? Did you think for a minute that you might try not to go to bed with me? â€Å"Other than when I found out that you'd almost torn your balls off, not for a minute.† She was gritting her teeth. â€Å"And how big a task do you think you took on? It's not like you were corrupting me or anything. I've been on the other end of the game for years. I know you, Beth. I am you.† â€Å"You don't know anything.† She was visibly trying not to scream, but Tuck could see the blood rising in her face. He pushed on. â€Å"Freud says I'm this way because I was never hugged as a child. What's your excuse?† â€Å"Don't be smug. I could have you right now if I wanted.† As if to prove her point, she placed her feet at either end of the coffee table and began to pull up her dress. She wore white stockings and nothing else underneath. â€Å"Not interested,† Tuck said. â€Å"Been there, done that.† â€Å"You're so transparent,† she said. She crawled over the table and did a languid cat stretch as she ran her hands up the inside of his thighs. By the time her hands got to his belt buckle, she was face-to-face with him, almost touching noses. Tuck could smell the alcohol on her breath. She flicked her tongue on his lips. He just looked in her eyes, as cold and blue as crystal, like his own. She wasn't fooling anyone, and in realizing that, Tuck realized that he also had never fooled anybody. Every Mary Jean lady, every bar bimbo, every secretary, flight attendant, or girl at the grocery store had seen him coming and let him come. Beth unzipped his pants and took him in her hand, her face still only a millimeter from his, their eyes locked. â€Å"Your armor seems to have a weak spot, tough guy.† â€Å"Nope,† Tuck said. She slid down to the floor and took him into her mouth. Tuck suppressed a gasp. He watched her head moving on him. To keep himself from touching her he grabbed the arms of the chair and the wicker creaked as if it was being punished. â€Å"That's a pretty convincing argument,† said the male voice. Tuck looked up to see Vincent sitting on the couch where Beth had been a minute ago. â€Å"Jesus!† Tuck said. Beth let out a muffled moan and dug her nails into his ass. â€Å"Wrong!† Vincent said. â€Å"But never play cards with that guy.† The flyer was smoking a cigarette, but Tuck couldn't smell it. â€Å"Oh, don't worry. She can't hear me. Can't see me either, not that she's looking or anything.† Tuck just shook his head and pushed up on the arms of the chair. Beth took his movement for enthusiasm and paused to look up at him. Tuck met her gaze with eyes the size of golf balls. She smiled, her lipstick a bit worse for the wear, a string of saliva trailed from her lips. â€Å"Just enjoy. You lost. Losers flourish here.† She licked her lips and returned to her task. â€Å"Dame makes a point,† Vincent said. â€Å"I give you three to one she brings you around to her way of thinking. Whatta ya say?† â€Å"No.† Tuck waved the flyer off and shut his eyes. â€Å"Oh, yes,† Beth said, as if speaking into the microphone. Vincent flicked his cigarette butt out the window. â€Å"I'm not distracting you, am I? I just dropped in to take up on the dame's side, as she is unable to speak for herself at present.† Tuck was experiencing the worst case of bed spins he'd ever had – in a chair. Sexual vertigo. â€Å"Of course,† Vincent continued, â€Å"this is kinda turning into a religious experience for you, ain't it? Go with what you know, right? You let her run the show, you got no decisions to make and no worries ever after. Not a worry in the world. You got my word on that. Although, if it was me, I'd check out her story just to be safe. Look in the doc's computer maybe.† Beth was working her mouth and hands like she was pumping water on an inner fire that was consuming her with each second that passed. Tuck heard his own breath rise to a pant and the wicker chair crackle and creak and skid on the wooden floor. He was helping her now, wanting her to quench that flame and that was all there was. â€Å"You think about it,† Vincent said. â€Å"You'll do the right thing. You owe me, remember.† He faded and disappeared. â€Å"What does that mean?† Tuck said, then he moaned, arched his back, and came so hard he thought he would pass out, but she kept on and on until he couldn't stand the intensity and had to push her away. She landed on the floor at his feet and looked up like an angry she-cat. â€Å"You're mine,† she said. She was still breathing hard and her dress was still up around her waist. â€Å"We're friends.† It came out like a command, but Tuck heard a note of desperation below the panting and the ire, and he felt a wrenching pain in his chest like nothing he'd ever felt before. â€Å"I know you, Beth. I am you,† he said. But not anymore, he thought. He said, â€Å"Yes, we're friends.† She smiled like a little girl who'd been given a pony for her birthday. â€Å"I knew it,† she said. She climbed to her feet and smoothed down her skirt, then bent and kissed him on the eyebrow. He tried to smile. She said, â€Å"I'll see you in a few hours. We're flying out at nine. I have to go see to Sebastian.† Tuck zipped up his pants. â€Å"And get ready for your performance?† he said. â€Å"No, this isn't a medical flight. Just supplies.† Tuck nodded. â€Å"Beth, was that little boy blind from birth?† â€Å"Of course,† she said, looking offended. She was more convincing as the Sky Priestess. â€Å"You go see to Sebastian,† Tuck said. After she had left, Tuck looked at the ceiling and said, â€Å"Vincent, just in case you're listening, I'm not buying your bullshit. If you want to help me, fine. But if not, stay out of my way.† 55 Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Computer Tuck went into the bathroom and washed his face, then combed his hair. He studied his face in the mirror, looking for that scary glint that he'd seen in Beth Curtis's eyes. He wasn't her. He wasn't as smart as she was, but he wasn't as crazy either. He cringed with the realization that he had spent most of his adult life being a jerk or a patsy and sometimes both simultan-eously. And it was no small irony to have had an epiphany during a blow job. Vincent, whatever he was, had been playing some kind of game from the beginning, mixing lies and truth, helping him only to get him into trouble. There was no grand bailout coming, and if he was going to find out what was really being planned for him, he had to get into the computer. The best time to sneak into the clinic was right now, in broad daylight. He hadn't seen any of the guards all day and Beth was â€Å"seeing to Sebastian.† If he got caught, he'd simply say he was trying to get the weather for to-night's flight. If the doc could e-mail and fax all over the world, then surely he would have access to weather services. It didn't matter; he didn't think he'd have a hard time convincing the doc that he was just being stupid. His entire life had set up the cover. He grabbed some paper and a pencil from the nightstand and stuffed them into his back pocket. While he was in there, he might as well see if he could pick up the coordinates for Okinawa. If he could sneak them into the nav computer on the Lear, he might just be able to get the military to force the jet down there. He didn't have a chance in hell of getting there on his own navigational skills. He stepped out on the lanai and gave a sidelong glance to the guards' quarters to make sure no one was just inside the door watching his bungalow. Satisfied, he walked to the clinic and tried the door. It was unlocked. He checked the compound again, saw nothing, and slipped into the clinic. He was immediately met by the sound of voices coming from the back room. Male voices, speaking Japanese. He tiptoed through the door that led into the operating room and opened it a crack. The door to the far side was open. He could see all the ninjas gathered around one of the hos-pital beds playing cards. It was visiting day for Stripe. He palmed the door shut and went to the computer. There had been a time when Tuck was so ignorant of computers that he thought a mouse pad was Disney's brand of sanitary napkin, but that was before he met Jake Skye. Jake had taught him how to access the weather maps, charts, and how to file his flight plans through the computer. In the process Tuck had also learned what Jake considered the most important computer skill, how to hack into someone else's stuff. The three CRTs were all on, two green over black and one color. Tuck focused on the color screen. It was friendlier and it was displaying a screen saver he recognized, a slide show of dolphins. He moved the mouse and the familiar Windows screen appeared. There was a cheer from the back room and Tuck nearly drove the mouse off the top of the desk. Must have been a good hand. He expected to see obscure medical programs, something he'd never figure out, but it looked like the doc used the same stuff everyone in the States did. Tuck clicked on the database icon and the program jumped to fill the screen. He opened a file menu; there were only two. One was named SUPPLIES, the other TT. Tissue types? He clicked it. The ENTER PASSWORD field opened. â€Å"Shit.† Jake had always told him that people used obvious passwords if you knew the people. Something they wouldn't forget. Put yourself in their place, you'll figure out their passwords, and don't eliminate the possibility that it may be written on a Post-it note stuck to the computer. Tuck looked for Post-it notes, then open the desk drawers and riffled through the papers for anything that looked like a password. He pushed out the chair and looked under the desk. Bingo! There were two long numbers written on tape on the bottom of the desk drawer. He pulled the paper and pencil from his pocket and copied them down, then entered the first one in the password field. was the response Tuck typed in the second number. Look for the obvious. Tuck typed SKY PRIESTESS. The guards were laughing in the other room. Tuck typed in VINCENT. DOCTOR. It would be something that the doc would be sitting here thinking about. It would be on his mind. Tuck typed BETH. BETHS TITS. Wait a minute. This was the doc thinking. He typed BETHS BREASTS. The file scrolled open, filling the screen with a list of names down the left side followed by rows and columns of letters and numbers. All of the names Tuck could see were native. Across the top were five columns that must be the tissue types and blood types, next to those, kidney, liver, heart, lung, cornea, and pancreas. Christ, it was an inventory sheet. And the heart, lung, liver, and pancreas categories convinced him once and for all that there was no benevolent intention behind the Curtises' plan. They were going to the meat market with the Shark People until the village was empty. Tuck typed in SEPIE in the FIND field. An X had been placed in all the organ categories except kidney. There he found an H and a date. H? Har-vested. The date was the day they harvested it. He typed in PARDEE, JEFFERSON. No â€Å"x's† in any of the columns, but two H's under heart and lungs. Of course the other organs weren't marked. They'd been donated to the sharks and were no longer available. There was nothing under SOMMERS, JAMES. That too made sense. How would they get the organs to Japan without a pilot. Tuck wished he'd gotten the little blind boy's name. He couldn't take the time to scroll though all three hundred or so names looking for missing corneas. He typed in CASE, TUCKER. There were H's marked under the heart and lung category. The harvest date was today. â€Å"You fuckers,† he said. There was a shuffling in the back room and he stood so quickly the chair rolled back and banged into a cabinet on the other side of the office. The database was still up on the screen. Tuck reached out and punched the button on the monitor. It clicked off as Mato came through the door. â€Å"What are you guys doing here?† Tuck said. Mato pulled up. He seemed confused. He was supposed to be doing the yelling. â€Å"We're flying tonight,† Tuck said. â€Å"Do you guys have the plane fueled up?† Mato shook his head. â€Å"Then get on it. I wondered where you were.† Mato just looked at him. â€Å"Go!† Tuck said. â€Å"Now!† Mato started to slink toward the door, obviously not comfortable with leaving Tuck in the clinic. Another guard came into the office and when Mato looked up, Tuck snatched his paper and pencil from the desk. He dropped the pencil and when he bent to pick it up, he hit the main power switch on the computer. The computer would reboot when turned on and the doctor would only know that it had been turned off. He'd never suspect that someone had been into the donor files. â€Å"Let's go, you guys.† Tuck pushed past Mato out the office door, shoving the paper in his pocket as he went. Tuck made quite a show of the preflight on the Lear, demanding three times that the guard with access to the key to the main power cutoff turn it on so he could check out the plane. The guard wasn't buying it. He walked away from Tuck snickering. Tuck checked under the instrument panel. Maybe there would be some obvious way to hot-wire the switch. He'd been lucky with the computer. The switch and all the wires leading into it were covered by a steel case. He couldn't get into it with a blowtorch, and frankly, he had no idea which wires did what. It probably wasn't even a simple switch, but a relay that lead to another switch. There'd be no way to wire around it. He left the hangar and went back to his bungalow. Unless he found some way to get off the island, he was going to be short a couple of lungs and a heart come midnight. Beth would have at least one guard on the plane with her, probably two, given the circumstances. And he had no doubt that she'd shoot him in the crotch and make him fly to Japan anyway. There had to be another way. Like a boat. Kimi's boat. Didn't these guys travel thousands of miles over the Pacific in canoes like that? What could the doc do? He'd been so careful about safeguarding the island that the guards didn't even have a boat to chase him with. Tuck put on his shorts and took his fins and mask to the bathroom. He knotted the ends of his trouser legs and started filling them with supplies. A shirt, a light jacket, some disinfectant, sunscreen, a short kitchen knife. He found a small jar of sugar in the kitchen, dumped the sugar into the sink, and filled the jar with matches and Band-Aids. When he was ready to seal it, he saw the slip of paper he'd written on in the office sticking from the pocket of the trousers and shoved it into the jar as an afterthought. He topped off the pants bag with a pair of sneakers, then pulled the webbed belt tight to cinch it all up. He could swim with the pants legs like water wings. The wet clothing would get heavy, but not until he hit the beach on the far side of the minefield. To Tuck's way of thinking, once he was past the minefield he was halfway there. Then all he had to do was convince the old cannibal to give him the canoe, enough food and water to get somewhere, and Kimi to navigate. Where in the hell would they go? Yap? Guam? One step at a time. First he had to get out of the compound. He checked the guards' positions. Leaning out the window, he could see three – no, four – at the hangar. He waited. He'd never tried to make the swim while it was still light. They'd be able to see him in the water from as far away as the runway. He just had to hope that they didn't look in that direction. The guards were rolling barrels into the hangar to hand-pump the jet fuel into the Lear. Two on each barrel, four out in the compound, bingo. One guy had to be in the hangar cranking the pump. And Stripe was in the clinic. Showtime! Tuck went into the bathroom, lifted the hatch, threw down the pants bag and his swimming stuff, and followed it through. He weighed sneaking against running, stealth against speed, and decided to go like a newborn turtle for the water. The only people who might see him were the Doc and Beth, and they were probably in the process of pushing the twin beds together and doing the Ozzie and Harriet double-skin sweat slap – or whatever sort of weird shit they did. He hoped it was painful. He broke into a dead run across the gravel, feeling the coral dig at his feet and the ferns whip at his ankles but keeping his focus on the beach. As he passed the clinic, he thought he saw some movement out of the corner of his eye, but he didn't turn. He was Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, and Edwin Moses (except he was white and slow), a single head turn could cause him to lose his stride and the race – and boy, does that beach seem farther when you're running than when you're sneaking. He almost tumbled when he hit the sand, but managed a controlled forward stumble that put him face-first in four inches of water. The baby turtle had made it to the water, but now he faced a whole new set of dangers at sea, not the least of which was trying to swim with a pair of stuffed khakis around his neck. He kicked a few feet out into the water, put on his fins and mask, and began the swim. He'd been furious from the moment he heard the pilot's voice in the clinic and he had fought the cloud of painkillers and the pressure in his head to get to him. Yamata watched the pilot stumble into the water before he tried shouting for the others. The shout came out little more than a grunt through his wired jaw, and his crushed sinuses allowed little sound to pass through his nose. His gun was in the guards' quarters, the others were at the hangar, and his hated enemy was escaping. He decided to go for his gun. The others might want to take the pilot alive.