The Reflective Report Audit Trail Nursing Essay

The Reflective Report Audit Trail Nursing Essay I wish to reflect on the whole learning activities that I have been done for this module in this reflective report. I have learned a few strengths and potential weaknesses of myself which would help me in my future journey. I derive five important skills while go through this process which are communication skills, presentation skills, teamwork, time management and critical thinking. All these skills are useful for me to uncover my strengths and weaknesses which I can refer back on my working life. Communication skills This is not my first time doing a presentation, but it is the first time I have a group with the international students. Normally, my group members are my Chinese friends. At first, I found it was difficult to talk with my group members and to express my ideas. I did a lot of simple grammar mistakes and I am always the one who talks too little during our discussions. I think my group members are having problem to understand what I am saying. Therefore, I felt distressed and anxious for coming to discussions. However, they have given me ample opportunities to learn to communicate my points and thoughts. According to Collins and Miller (1994), self-disclosure is the act of disclosing personal information to another people. To develop a good communication in a relationship, self-disclosure is one of the important mechanisms. I believed that a good relationship is based on trust so I decided to let my group members to know things about myself. I remember feeling uncomfortable when I did some of the mistakes, but my group members were not judgemental and helped me to solve the problem. After this, I felt that by sharing opinion and thought with each other can really strengthen my confidence. I am glad that the wall which blocking me from communicate with others had been removed and I am able to speak out my opinion now. As pointed out by one of my lecturer, Mr Mahathir, good communication in the workplace will maximise work efficiency. From his past experiences, I learn that we must not being shy to meet the boss because the boss is the one who evaluate our performance in the workplace. Having good communication might also benefit me in my later on working life as I can ask for help from colleagues when having problems. Presentation skills Although I managed to finish my speech during first presentation, I think my performance was not very well. Overall presentation as a group was good because my group members presented confidently and able to provide convincing answers when questions were asked by the tutor. I definitely found that a presenter must have great knowledge of the topic so that he can elaborate it by himself without looking at notes. I had a problem with this in my presentation. I involved all the information in such a limited presentation. I think I should make the information more relevant to the audience in my future presentations. Besides that, nervousness is a major problem for me. It wasnt my first time to speak in the public but I still felt nervous and resulted in me left out some parts that I was going to say. I think that it can be solved with experience and confidence. Therefore, I should overcome this weakness. After a couple weeks of practicing, this was reflected during my presentation as I was successful in explaining the proposed solutions to my peers. I made eye contact with the audience, and was able to acquire their attention towards my presentation. Hence, I would say that I think I did above average for my presentation and I am happy with my performance. However, I do believe that there is still much room for improvement such as research more tools (eg Youtube) to use and make it simplistic yet complex. Since I have had rehearsals for a couple of times, I believed that I was well prepared for my presentation. This resulted in one of the main strengths of my presentation was that my verbal messages were presented quite fluently. Also, I felt that I projected my voice effectively throughout my presentation and this is really the main cause of my satisfaction with my presentation. This is because I have received feedback from my classmates that the volume of my voice was not loud enough when I was speaking. I am glad that I have managed to speak at an appropriate volume. I liked my slides as well, as I felt that its simple layout was easy on the eyes and yet, it still managed to be visually attractive. I realise that the delivery of the presentation is important for its success and the key to delivering a good presentation is practice, confidence, have an interest and knowledge of the topic, not memorized the whole things. I have reflected on my strengths and weaknesses, and I am ready to perform better in the near future. Teamwork Working in group can be more trouble as conflicts may occur during discussion; however, I think it provided an opportunity for us to understand other peoples point of view. This exactly happened in my group as we always discuss the questions together at first. Each of us had different opinions so that the end result will be a combination of best ideas. I am glad that we were able to finish our presentations quickly yet maintain good quality. I learned that communication, trust and leadership are the three main components of a strong teamwork skill. Good communication enables the group to perform well and each member must trust one another so that progress can be made efficiently. A team without a leader will result in fail. This module has contributed the improvement of my teamwork skills. I have learned to be an effective team member which requires active participation in group discussions. Through the group presentations, I believe that my experience can be readily applied into future working environment because high level of teamwork is important in todays workplace. Overall it has been very learning experience for me because teamwork allows me to be involved and participate in equal ways. This helps to broaden my thinking to achieve the best outcomes and able to collaborate with others in the future. Time management One of the major challenges that I faced is time management. Time management is one of the skills that no one will teach you in school but you have to learn it. I was the worst procrastinator because I would put things off until the very last minute. That turned into me having a lot of late work, or not very good quality work. One of my lecturers had mentioned that, When it comes to time management it is important to find a system that works for you. I think that I could improve my time management skills making a schedule. It was very beneficial to keep a schedule. Instead of cramming everything all at once, set a schedule helped me to get better grades. I believe that as mentioned earlier, having a calendar that states those deadlines will help motivate me because all the deadlines are visibly in sight. I can also track the progress of my assignments by categorizing the tasks and see which stages I am in at the current progress. I have to always remember that we may delay, but time will not. I believe that proper planning is the key to managing my time well. With proper planning, I can prepare to take on the task mentally. Thus, time management is a very valuable skill in todays society.   Critical Thinking As for critical thinking, Taylor (1992) stated that it is a result of reflecting on ones learning and developing a meta-awareness by reflecting on ones thoughts, feelings and actions. Critical thinking is considered to be one of the most important indicators of student learning quality. For me, I learned to think critically when I was doing the report. I analysed the issues and gave evidence to support my opinions. I have learned a lot of critical thinking through doing this report. Although it is not an easy experience but it helped me to understand the pros and cons of every possible outcome and to value them according to the goals that I wanted to achieve. When I apply critical thinking concepts in the workplace, I will develop more ideas, make fewer mistakes and reach better decision. We know that not only the managers have the responsibility of taking decisions, but people at all levels into an organisation may also call to face and resolve problems. I think it also has a good impact on the relationship between colleagues. By using critical thinking, I can enjoy the benefits throughout my life in the future. (1500 words)

Recent Hazing Facts

Gabrielle Henwood Professor Briggs GWRTC 103 October 28, 2011 Should hazing in school groups be banned or not? Why hazing is hazardous and needs to be fully banned. As a college student there are many things you experience that are different from you previous years of schooling. You are finally living on your own, making your own decisions. So far in my college experience I have heard many stories about groups around campus participating in hazing, many of which that are extremely disturbing. My topic of my paper is why hazing should be banned in all schools, college or high school.There are many hazards that come along with hazing, including health problems or psychological problems. Students should not have to be put through humiliating activities just to become a stronger member of a team. Team bonding is built through spending quality time together, not pressuring a new member drinking until they pass out. Hazing is cruel and unnecessary and needs to be put to an end. College sho uld be the time of your life; there is no need for students to have to worry about hazing when accepted into a group, team, or fraternity.Britton W. Brewer, et al. â€Å"The relationship Between Hazing and Team Cohesion. † Journal of Sport Behavior 30. 4 (2007): 491-507. SPORTDiscus with Full text. EBSCO. Web. 23 Oct. 2011 This journal entry explains the connection that hazing has with the bonding of a group, or sports team. There are multiple reasons why hazing is considered to be a decent way to become close, one of which is you see that victim of hazing closer then you would with any normal bonding activities.Also there are reasons given why hazing is a bad way for groups to welcome someone in, such as the victim of hazing grows a fear or barrier to the group members. They are pretty much scarred for the time being. This source is a compare and contrast for the positive and negative aspects of hazing which is very helpful for my topic. No bias was found when I read this pi ece. I do wish there was more written about the negative aspects since that is more on my side of the spectrum. Hosick, Michelle Brutlag. â€Å"TheHidden Hazards of Hazing. † NCAA News 42. 20 (2005): A1-A4. SPORTDiscus with Full Test. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. Multiple studies have been done to show the impact of college hazing and how often it occurs. Susan Limpkins, a New York psychologist stated, â€Å"many believe that proving oneself through hazing rituals increases the bond between group members and solidifies an â€Å"us† versus them mentality already prevalent in athletics, â€Å"implicating the topic that hazing happens on almost every school team to create stronger bonds.These studies brought the attention to school officials the danger that was taking place and many stories were told that caused people to be punished. This source is reliable, as it was a newspaper article in 2005 and was published. The intended audience is clearly to students, really any one who may be experiencing or know of any hazing taking place. There is no bias to this source. All the information used was taken directly from student’s statements. For my topic this source laid out many negatives to hazing which can help me more clearly analyze my argument for or against hazing. JMU – Hazing Policies. † James Madison University-Home. Web. 23 Oct. 2011. http://www. jmu. edu/multicultural/icgs/resources/hazing_policies. shtml>. This website tells the rules and regulations for hazing at James Madison University. This website is based for multicultural groups around campus. It explains in full detail the consequences one will face in such groups if broken or misused. This source is credible, since coming from a college website and contains no bias.I did not find it helpful though since it was only related towards multicultural groups and not all groups at James Madison University. If it has included all the groups, this source would have been perfect sin ce I attend JMU. Nuwer, Hank. Broken Pledges: The deadly Rite of Hazing. 1990. ERIC. Web. 31 Oct. 2011. This book is written to solve the question as to why men and women haze and the different things people can do to prevent hazing from happening. Many stories of victims of hazing are told, one of which is the main topic of the book.Chuck Stenzel, a student at Alfred University in New York was killed because of hazing in his fraternity and after such an event his mother became â€Å"Americas leading anti-hazing advocate. † With my topic being the hazing should be banned, this book will be one of the top sources with such a personal event-taking place. I don’t see any bias in this source and found it to be very reliable. â€Å"Hazing: Arguments for and against. † hazing. cornell. edu. Cornell University, nd. Web. 1 Nov 2011. . This informative web page gives straightforward reasons why hazing is a good thing and straightforward reasons why hazing is a problemati c thing. Unlike the other sources, this article is not very detailed but still gives you the knowledge I needed to know. The reasons for and against hazing are from the college student point of view and reveals the rules and regulations if such things are misused. Since this article was from such a prestigious school, Cornell University, it is quite reliable, although I wish it had more detailed reasons.This source is not one of my most helpful. I will most likely use this source still but not as much as some others. Nuwer, Hank. â€Å"Hazing Prevention. † Hank Nuwer. WordPress, n. d. Web. 1 Nov. 2011. . Hank Nuwer consistently blogs about many things related to hazing. He blogs about preventions, stories, people being charged with such crimes and so on. He allows people to post their opinion on what he is saying and he also posts resources he has used to say what he posts which gives this blog credibility.There are numerous blog entries that I found extremely helpful for my research. The fact that Nuwer updates his blog on a daily basis was very helpful and gave me more recent hazing facts. I will be using this source. It was one of the most helpful ones I found. Skorton, David. â€Å"A Pledge to End Fraternity Hazing. † nytimes. com. The New York Times,01,Sep,2011. Web. 31 Oct 2011. http://www. nytimes. com/2011/08/24/opinion/a-pledge-to-end-fraternity-hazing. html. Hazing that took place in a fraternity at Cornell University, caused the life of a sophomore to be taken.This tragic event led to another student to finally step up realizing how wrong hazing is and the fact that it should be banned. This source was an article written about the pledge this boy proposed in memory of the sophomore. Once again I found this article extremely helpful for having such a personal aspect to it. This article was extremely reliable and contained no bias what so ever. Its audience is students, to show them that it is ok to step up to make what the believe it tr ue right. I would mark this source more reliable than some of the others

Shangri-La Hotels

What are the key elements of Shangri-La Hotel’s strategy? Which of the five generic competitive strategies described in Chapter 5 is the company employing? What is Shangri-La’s strategy for competing internationally? 2. What policies, practices, support systems, and management approaches underlie Shangri-La’s efforts to execute its strategy? 3. How important are the company’s training and Shangri-La Care program to its success? What is your assessment of Shangri-La’s compensation policies and career growth effort? What pluses and minuses do you see? . What are the key features of the culture at Shangri-La Hotels? How important is the culture in the company’s success? Explain. What impact do the company’s mission statement and the Shangri-La Care program have on the company’s culture? 5. What core/distinctive competencies has management at Shangri-La tried to build and nurture? What challenges does the company face as it attempts to transfer its core and distinctive competencies to other cultures? How has the company attempted to resolve these challenges? Has it been successful in doing so? 6.What does the company’s financial and operational performance reveal about how successful its strategy and strategy implementation efforts have been? Should shareholders be pleased with the company’s financial performance? Why or why not? What financial and operating performance pluses and minuses do you see? 7. What challenges does Shangri-La face in expanding into Eastern China? Do you believe the company’s current policies and operating procedures will be sufficient in addressing these challenges? If so, why? If not, what else may need to be done? 8. How do the challenges associated with Shangri-La’s expansion into Europe,Australia, and North America compare with the company’s expansion in China? Do you believe the company’s current policies and operating procedures will be sufficient in addressing these challenges? If so, why? If not, what else may need to be done? 9. How big a threat does the expansion of other hotel chains into China pose for Shangri-La Hotels? What specific challenges are likely to arise as a result of this expansion? How should Shangri-La address these challenges? 10. What recommendations would you make to Symon Bridle to improve Shangri-La’s prospects for continued success? Shangri-La Hotels Shangri-La Hotels Contents Background Executive Summary Problem Statement Current Strategy External Environment VRINE Model Internal Analysis TOWS Analysis Value Chain Analysis Key Success Factors Alternatives Recommendations Implementation Plan Prologue Appendices Background Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is Asia Pacific's leading luxury hotel group and regarded as one of the world’s finest hotel ownership and management companies. The Shangri-La story began in 1971 with its first deluxe hotel in Singapore. Today, there are  71 hotels and resorts throughout Asia Pacific, North America, the Middle East, and Europe,  representing a room inventory of over 30,000. In addition, new hotels are under development in  Austria, Canada, mainland China, India, Macau, Philippines, Qatar, Turkey and United Kingdom. Executive Summary The purpose of this report is to provide a strategic analysis of Shangri-La Hotels and its rapidly expanding business of luxury hotels into Eastern China, Europe, North America, and Australia; while still holding on to Shangri-La’s signature standards of â€Å"Shangri-La Hospitality. My analysis supports the recommendation that Shangri-La hotels have the required resources, expertise and efficiencies to successfully expand into these markets even with the tight labor markets and vast cultural differences Problem Statement Shangri-La Hotels is attempting to expand its business into other countries; however, expanding into high-wage economies’ such as E urope and North America could tarnish their brand and lead to a reduced overall profit. Current Strategy External Analysis PESTEL Analysis Political – little impact in Canada, however foreign companies may restrict trade or impose tariffs, thus increasing costs. Free trade may help or hinder companies. Favorable taxation or subsidies in other countries may assist competitors. Economic – Collectivity stage and needing to delegate (marketing). Interest rates, currency fluctuations and unemployment are factors. Social and Cultural – Foreign interest in products could be a fad. Advantage is quality. Technological – improved production/packaging technology needed Environmental- could focus on recyclable, reusable packaging. Legal- Foreign sales may require changes or inter-provincial sales may result in abiding by various provincial regulations. | Test| Competitive Implication| Performance Implication| Valuable| Does the resource or capability allow the firm to meet a market demand or protect the firm from market uncertainties| The product itself doesn’t protect the firm from uncertainties. The marketing concept of a healthy product, charming PEI and authentic ‘goodness’ is the competitive edge. Protecting the branded image and promotion is important in sustaining the market position and increasing this position. | Rare| Assuming the resource or capability is valuable, is it scarce relative to demand? Or is it widely possessed by most competitors| The preserve product can be copied. Strawberry jam has the most demand and supply meets demand in N America. Unique product combining high fruit content and liquors. | Product is easily copied; therefore it is important to differentiate fro m the competition with use of specific formulas of ingredients to have a unique taste. Inimitable and non substitutable| Assuming a valuable and rare resource how difficult is it for competitors to either imitate the resource or capability or substitute for it with other resources and capabilities that accomplish similar benefits| Preserve resource is not rare. The culture of home made natural image in the PEI setting is the rarity and could be substituted but countered with its original/ authentic brand. | Product is easily copied, so value must be in packaging/image/marketing appeal. Exploitable| For each set of the preceding steps of the VRINE test, can the firm actually exploit the resources and capabilities that it owns or controls? | One resource that the company has access to is the fresh fruit within the region, therefore there is the potential that the Company could monopolize the fruit market in the area. | Product is easily produced with access to fruit in the area. | Int ernal Analysis Functional Analysis Production Marketing Human Resources Finance Value Chain Analysis TOWS Analysis | From External Analysis| Opportunities1. New national and international markets/customers2. Custom production to utilize spare capacity3. Japanese tourism and marketplace4. Potential to tailor products to consumers in each geographical region| Threats:1. Potential entrants/substitutions claiming PEI origin2. Tariffs on exports make the product a less competitive price3. Labor intensive and seasonal labor 4. Significant currency fluctuations can impede exporting| From InternalAnalysis| Strengths:1. Quality product attracting premium pricing2. PEI ethnicity and charm3. Favorable tax status in Cda4. Increased sales and international interest5. Fresh local produce not requiring freight and storage costs6. Quality staff with low turnover. | SO strategies (use strengths to take advantage of opportunities)Increasing sales across Canada will promote PEI, incur favourable tax status vs imported products and therefore increase/improve competivenessJapanese market can be tapped with Japanese tourism in Canada (Vancouver/Toronto) without incurring the prohibitive multi levels of taxes and levies. Expansion would not only include different geographical locations but includes the potential to utilize quality staff throughout the year, rather than only seasonallyPromote company culture| ST Strategies (use advantages of strengths to overcome threats)PEI authenticity and premium gourmet product with specific marketing highlights to overshadow competitors substitutions. Selling to tourists within Canada, with no GST/PST or tariffs makes the product more attractive Selling nationally reduces freight/shipping damages and more inventory control | | Weaknesses1. Marketing plan2. Restaurant business dilutes core business3. Seasonal business4. Underutilized capacity5. Management’s lack of experience in growth management| WO strategies (use opportunities to overcome weaknesses)Custom production, expansion of selling to new markets/customers and effective marketing plan can utilize the unused capacity and even out the seasonal nature of the business Outsource canning, packing – research alternatives with environmental/recycle benefits| WT strategies (use defensive strategies to minimize weaknesses and avoid threats) Targeted marketing plan and sales agent to identify the place and promotion of the 4P’s to expand sales and sales mix. Increased sales and production would require full time staff and reduce seasonality which would increase ability to retain quality staff. | Key Success Factors Alternatives 1. Pro Con 2. Pro Con 3. Pro Con Recommendation Implementation Plan Short-Term Long-Term Prologue According to the SHANGRI-LA ASIA financial reports for 2006 through 2009 the Asian division has had an increasing net income with the exception of 2008. Proving that Shangri-La has been a success in Asia, even with the expansion into the Chinese market. Appendices Bargaining Power of Suppliers Substitute Products Bargaining Power of Buyers Threats of new entrants Competitors-Airbus/Boeing CCCComCompetitAIRBUS/Boeing Airlines Leasing companies Governmental institutions FAA, IATA, EPA Other regulating bodies Advance in short haul turboprop technology Advances in automotives industry and infrastructures High speed train Advances in telecommunications: video conferences etc†¦ Engine manufacturer Electronic, Semiconductor etc†¦ Others manufacturers such as metal, composite materials Government institutions Capital sources investors and banks FAA, IATA, EPA Other regulating bodies Mitsubishi Others emerging power Others small aircraft manufacturers Military companies: Dassault, Lockheed, ATR Mission Statement We envision a community of responsible and educated citizens who are environmentally conscious, practice social responsibility in their daily lives and inspire others to do the same. We commit to operating in an economically, socially and environmentally responsible manner whilst balancing the interests of diverse stakeholders. We strive to be a leader in corporate citizenship and sustainable development, caring for our employees and customers, seeking to enrich the quality of life for the communities in which we do business, and serving as good stewards of society and the environment. Partnering for the Future With a solid foundation and reputation for excellence in Asia Pacific, the Middle East and North America, the company's strategic plan now incorporates the goal of expanding the Shangri-La brand globally by operating deluxe hotels in gateway cities and key resorts around the world under management agreements, equity participation or ownership. Given the commitment to becoming a top-end global hotel company, the development functions of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts are directly led by the President and Chief Executive Officer. Shangri-La has always believed in the unique characteristics encapsulated by Asian Hospitality. Our commitment to providing guests with distinctive Asian standards of hospitality and service from caring people remains our major point of differentiation from our peers and the very cornerstone of our reputation as a world-class hotel group. â€Å"Pride without arrogance† is of particular importance as we want our people to be internally proud of our achievements but outwardly humble. After all, the hallmark of true success is that it does not need to be stated. In striving to delight customers each and every time they stay with us we aim to exceed expectations through consistently providing quality and value in our products and services. That’s why we look for trendsetters, professionals who are enthused by innovation and driven by achievement. Environment Our  daily operations ensure that we mitigate the impact of climate change, uphold biodiversity in conservation/habitat restoration, adopt the best practices in preventing ozone depletion, and continually strive to improve ater-use management, waste-disposal management and indoor air quality. Health & Safety We  are committed to protecting our customers, employees, stakeholders and the greater public by providing a safe and healthy environment based on international standards. Employees Our colleagues are our number-one asset, and our source of inspiration for the greater communities with which we work. We value our stakeholders and always engage them with clarity, honesty, and respect. We require that our business partners ensure the highest standards in environmental, hygiene and labour practices. We believe that caring for others today allows them to care for themselves and others tomorrow. ‘Embrace’ aims to build, strengthen and sustain local communities through various and specific education and health projects. Each of our resorts provides a natural habitat for flourishing biodiversity. The ‘sanctuary' is Shangri-La’s project for ensuring the highest standards in marine and terrestrial habitat restoration and environmental conservation.

Eine Kleine Nachtmusik painting Free Essay Example, 1500 words

The doll that leans on the door is very tired and it is evident that she is half naked. She holds one petal of the sunflower in her hand and one can only guess that she had a fight with the aggressive sunflower or a confrontation of a certain kind. In front of the girl are some sepals that she has to confront if she wants to go and move towards the room with light. She has to work extra hard in order to move towards it. Peter Porter in his poem named Eine Kleine Nachtmusik argues that when one has lost whatever is to lose one goes to the House of Tatterdemalion proofs. It in this house that reality is adjacent to itself and Blake’s sunflower is stranded. The poem is based on the Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Dorothea Tanning’s painting. However, it is imperative to understand that Porter presents a completely new aspect of the painting. He brings the perspective of partygoers and argues that the door 210 is ajar waiting to receive someone. Instead of the mysterious light being an intrigue, Porter argues that the door is just another open door and that there is nothing special about it. We will write a custom essay sample on Eine Kleine Nachtmusik painting or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now However, just like the painting, the poem emphasizes the concept of determination and in fact it shows that one cannot dream without determination as there is a need for one to have rage in order to run the dreams. This is the rage that the girl needs to use in order to cross to the other side of the aisle. It can be argued that the tattered state of the clothes that are worn by the dolls show indeed that there has been some sort of a struggle encounter with powerful forces. In fact, the girl’s long hair is propped up high into the air as if a powerful gust of wind has just pushed it up. The painting therefore, seems to be about confrontation, the girl and the doll seems to have been in confrontation with several forces. However, it is imperative to understand that the sex of the doll cannot be established, this is because the clothes that it is wearing are unisex and do not in any way depict the male or female species. Sunflowers can be described as the most aggressive of flowers and this might be the reason as to why the flower is used in the painting. It contributes to the overall aggressiveness in the painting and energy which exists in the painting. The painting represents life, while people do not always have giant aggressive flowers to contend with, they often have stair ways, hallways, and private theatres that have suffocations as well as finalities are being played out.