Separation of Complex Cations of Chromium(III) by Ion Exchange Essay

Separation of Complex Cations of Chromium(III) by Ion Exchange Chromatography - Essay Example Water soluble compounds of Chromium III do not occur naturally and are unstable in the environment (Nriagu & Nieboer, 1988 p68). Different oxides of chromium oxide are also used as pigments. Cation exchange chromatography can be used to separate different chromium III complexes into their pure forms. The most common complexes are chromium III and IV which exist at different ionisation states. Chromium III is a cation and IV is an anion. Chromium VI is toxic to humans (Vincent, 2011 p101). The separation of these complexes is based on their different ionisation states which are the principles behind ion exchange chromatography. The use of UV-Vis as analytical tools is essential in determining the value of 10q of elements. The coupled use of these diagrams and spectroscopic information enables someone to correctly calculate the electromagnetic absorption of metal compounds and how the crystal fields split energy or 10Dq (Kettle, 2008 p69). 3. Chromium solutions are then prepared that will be used throughout the experiment. At this stage, progress should immediately be made towards separation of trans-‑[CrCl2(H2O)4]+, [CrCl(H2O)5]2+ and [Cr(H2O)6]3+ after which their spectrums are measured between wavelengths 350 nm and 750 nm immediately after their collection (Beran, 2010 p200). 4. The final step involves the estimation of relative crystal field strength for Cl- and H2O. Two bands are observed in the region of 350nm and 750nm with the longest wavelength band having energy equal to 10Dq or the octahedral Crystal field splitting energy for the complex ion. Chromium III compounds have bands that are easy to interpret and they exist either in an excited state which has higher energy than the ground state which has less energy but more stable. The values of 10Dq are shown to decrease with the increasing charge of a neighbouring anion and the decreasing number of coordinating anions (Crabtree, 2011

Event Organiser Essay Example for Free

Event Organiser Essay His duties as a project planning and operations manager include development, implementation and maintenance of a detailed plan and posting schedules based on input from team members. He is also responsible for ensuring that assigned projects reach the market on time and driving the completion of project related assignments in accordance with a detailed implementation plan. Event Organiser(Team Leader)  Event organisers are involved in the organisation of events. Event organisers must be able to complete a wide range of activities requiring clear communication and excellent organisational skills and must respond quickly to change, ensuring the smooth and efficient running of an event. Assistant Event Organiser An assistant event organiser does almost everything an event organisers team leader does but he is only there to help him with all the heavy tasks that have been given to him. He supports the Manager and team leader when organising all of the events held at the venue. This role includes reception duties, event organising, research and assisting customers on a daily basis.  Promotions Team Leader  His job is to lead a face to face sales team that generates financial support. He plays a direct role with the event organiser. His main job is to make people aware of the events that are to take place and get them interested to take part in it. He forms teams that will go on the street and send out flyers, pamphlets etc. Makes the media aware of the events. Promotions Helper  He does the job that involves meeting the people face to face and handing them out information such as surveys, events which are to come, asking for donations and charity funds to help their organisation which is made for the people itself. He follows the team leader and reaches his goal.  Clerical Helper(for Project Planning Operations)  This individual will provide administrative support to the manager and the promotions team leader. He does this by creating collateral materials for advertising, sales, press releases, and promotions, managing the purchasing and distribution of office supplies, apparel, and other products, providing general clerical and administrative support and performing other duties as assigned. Organisational chart for the Green team that incorporates the various roles that have been specified in the previous task.  Job Advertisement for an EVENT ORGANISER in a Green Team.  Job Title: Position for an Event Organiser/Planner  Location: Oxford House College Oxford Street  Job Type: Full Time/Part Time/Voluntary  Salary Range: 25000 30000 plus Bonus Incentives  Organization Description  Oxford House College is a Green team that specialises in helping spread awareness about the depletion of our natural resources and help people reduce their carbon emissions, helping people to reduce their wastage and show them different methods where they can be more environmentally friendly. To reach our goals we need exceptional people who are ready to help us and will be rewarded for their efforts while having fun at the same time.Selling sponsorship, stand, exhibition space to potential exhibitors/partners Arranging accommodation for exhibitors and/or delegates  Preparing delegate packs and papers  Creating, implementing and monitoring marketing and PR plans  Liaising with clients and designers to create a brand/look for the event  Co-ordinating with newspapers, tv, radio and other media  Writing press releases or briefs in order to gain maximum exposure for the event  Organising the design and production of tickets, posters, catalogues and sales brochures  Co-ordinating everything on the day of the event to ensure that all runs smoothly  Handling client queries on the day and troubleshooting exhibitor and visitor problems on the day  Overseeing the dismantling and removal of the event, and clearing the venue efficiently.

Congo Rainforest Ecosystem

Congo Rainforest Ecosystem Kaili Zhang There is a plethora of research on rainforests ecosystem, but the Congo forest has received little apprehension. By comparing to other tropical forests, this ecosystem remains astoundingly healthy. However, its size has significantly reduced due to the impending degradation. It extends over 13 countries that lie within the equator (CARPE, 2013). This region is a home of developing countries where people rely directly on the forest resources for their survival. For this reason, the habitat receives immense threat with its hardwood and biodiversity slowly degraded. Suffice to say that the healthy state of the forests is due to the conservation measures that focus on managing the resources from the imminent danger of the growing population. It has sophisticated hydrological network with Congo River portraying a huge source of water across West Africa. This ecosystem presents enormous benefits to the balance of ecology and existence of diversity. Location The absolute location of Congo rainforest is 99Â ° North and 79Â ° west. It lies within the equatorial region of central Africa. This ecosystem stretches along the Democratic republic of Congo, Guinea, Equatorial, and Rwanda. This is a stretch along the equator, thus cutting across most of the central African countries. Climate This rainforest does well with ostensibly high precipitation, humidity, and temperature. For that reason, it shows a relatively high rainfall with two seasons of March-June and August-November. It has about 117 raining days annually. In this case, an average of 1800mm of rainfall is received within this ecosystem. The dry season begins in November stretches through to March. Temperatures in this place hits high pitch to support the robust vegetation. Here temperatures show stability throughout the seasons with an average of 15Â °C difference of day and night temperatures. In essence, the region has a range of 20Â °-27Â °C annually. However, regions along the rivers and stream often become cool up to 12Â °C (Abernethy, Coad, Taylor, Lee, Maisels, 2013). On the other hand, the humidity maintains at high levels due to the evergreen vegetation. It is usually ranging at 80-90% degrees. The rivers and the rich vegetation support the hydrological system that maintains the conventional rainfall within the region. With high evapotranspiration, it is obvious that the corresponding precipitation will be high. Apparently, the factual evidence of high temperature is because of its location, which is the equator. Therefore, the sun is always shining in the region for about 12 hours daily. With the healthy vegetation, this energy is retained, thus keeping the ecosystem warm. Weather and its patterns In essence, this region is under the tropical climate classification portrayed by high temperatures and high precipitation. It experiences extreme weather pattern due to the underlying emissions, with significant changes in temperatures. In most cases, Congo Forest has extensive cold day and nights with also more hot days and nights. The emissions seem substantial for these changes. Landforms The areas depict a gorge surrounding a valley. Mount Foungouti running in the far south rises above 930 meters with its northern raise being 650 meters. The areas show a sedimentary rock with sand and gravel evident across the forest. However, the top soils are usually replenished due to frequent runoffs that remove organic matter. In the lowlands, the soils are rich of humus from the decaying plants and animals. In this area the soils presents aluminum oxides and iron. Evidently, the region is a low-lying basin that shows little tectonic activities. Most of the geologic activities have ceased for years showing that the area is stable. The heavy rainfall mainly orchestrates erosion and weathering. This is the major agent of erosion; however, the closely compacted vegetation detains its effect. Therefore, the soils in this region are still young showing less vegetation, but high organic processes. Drainage pattern The Congo basin demonstrates a Mosaic drainage pattern in that its tributaries arise within a circular form within the ecosystem. River Congo is a central component of hydrology for this ecosystem. It is the second largest river globally for its volume. It has a mosaic structure of rivers with its tributaries converging at the far west to form the Congo River. It has a discharge of 40,000 m3/s causing great erosion through abrasion, scouring, and lifting earth along its course. In this case, the river shall have enormous deposits in form of alluvial compounds downstream and into the Atlantic Ocean. During the raining season, flooding occurs in the region since the R. Congo bursts its bank at this time spreading to the neighboring villages. In the quest to avoid excessive drainage, the region has invested in structural techniques. Along the rivers, there are dykes that help in reducing the velocity of water. Consequently, gibbons and erection of rock walls along the riverbanks come out as the popular structural ways of mitigating flooding. Biome The ecosystem is a tropical forest with relatively high temperatures, rainfall, and humidity. With high rainfall and huge pile of litter, decomposition is slow making the soils devoid of nutrients. The ecology inhabits vast biodiversity with over 10000 species of plants with 30% endemic to this region. Consecutively, it houses endangered wildlife like elephants, bonobo, mountain gorillas, and the chimpanzees (Turvey, 2012). In addition, the ecosystem has decomposers like earthworms, bacteria, mushroom, banana slug, and fungus. The dominant autotrophs come out as the Caesalpiniacae trees, papyrus, Cyperaceae, Okoume trees, and Echnochloa (Chamber Roberts, 2014). Ecosystem characteristics and services Congo rainforest is one of the tropical ecosystems that have high primary production. Therefore, it has a profound ability to support diverse organisms from secondary producers to decomposers or scavengers. It has many canopies with tall trees supported by stretching taproots. This prevents underground growth, thus less detritus activities. The different canopies support adverse communities of birds, animals, and butterflies. This ecosystem has diverse services like supporting of the entire ecology. They offer energy due to the vast tree and plant communities that in turn allows for nutrients cycling up the chain among consumers and detritus. It is therefore, a critical place for the storage of food and energy. Moreover, the region offers provision services in form of raw materials like wood, water, minerals, food, medicines, or ornaments. The communities have used certain trees like the bromeliads and Epiphytic orchids as medicines for decades. The other service is their cultural significance as they offer sanctuary for native and traditional religious practices. Finally, this ecosystem demonstrates a crucial place in regulating services. Apparently, it has a huge carbon sink and enhances the purification of air and water. For this reason, the Congo forest is one of the areas of carbon sequestration, thus the regulation of climate. Habitat It is a habitat of diverse populations of endangered and threatened species. The forest is one of the wildest tropical habitats for animals like mountain gorillas and the forest elephants. The canopies houses birds with over 100 species endemic to this habitat. Most of the snake here are only present in this habitat. Certain plants and animal communities tend to be robust over the rest. The okapi, apes, mouse deer, chimpanzee, elephants, and monkeys are the main primary consumers with the leopards, crocodiles, and lions as the secondary consumers. On the other hand, African oak, mahogany, and red cedar, which are broad leaves trees dominate this ecosystem at the higher canopy. Food web This ecosystem portrays an exemplary food web with crocodiles, leopards, and lions on the higher trophic level. The primary production ranges from vegetation to tree fruits. The okapi, apes, and mouse deer supports the secondary consumers. At the lower level of the trophic level are the insects, fungi, and bacteria. The food chain often takes a simple route from the producer right to decomposition. For instance; Tree fruitselephant banana slugs The forest elephant is a relatively smaller than the other African elephant making it fit for the ecological niche. They forage on trees leaves and shrubs. Their skin is difficult for predation and large enough to scare away predators. In essence, they can circumvent under trees due to their small size. This animal is best situated for the tropical rainforest ecosystem, more so its influence in facilitating the germination of African eggplant that has to pass through their duct. In this ecosystem, there is different symbiotic interaction. The bonobo-dialium interaction is one of the positive mutualism within the forest. Dialium tree species are dominant in the region and produce sweet juicy fruits that the Bonobo feeds on. The Bonobo in turn digests the fruits passing the seeds along their guts, thus degrading the hard cuticle and after releasing the seeds in their feces, they are able to germinate. The Bonobo through endozoochory helps Dialium in seed germination and dispersal, thus maintaining their population. On the other hand, a strangler fig is one of the parasites that grow in tree and by reaching up they cover the tree denying them light for photosynthesis later killing them. This is common in the high canopies of Congo forest. Evidently, the human-land interaction comes out as the major threat to the sustainability of this forest. People engage in illegal poaching and encroachment of forest for wood and timber. This has led to the extensive degradation of the forests causing a magnanimous loss of different habitats. Activities such as mining of gold have led to destruction of large tracts of forests within the area. This ecosystem is stable, though it has had numerous anthropogenic threats. However, organizations like WWF and local conservation agencies have ensured that encroachment is minimized and forge to protect endangered species like the bush elephants. The banning of elephant products is a critical step in the preservation of this ecosystem. Works Cited Abernethy, K. A., Coad, L., Taylor, G., Lee, M. E., Maisels, F. (2013). Extent and ecological consequences of hunting in Central African rainforests in the twenty-first century . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, Vol. 368, Iss. 1625, 1. CARPE. (2013). The Forests of the Congo Basin. A Preliminary Assessment, 1=39. Chamber, J. Q., Roberts, D. A. (2014). Ecology: Drought in the Congo Basin . Nature, 509 , 36-37. Turvey, M. (2012, November 7 ). The Congo Basin. Retrieved November 22, 2014, from Prezi: https://prezi.com/utopv9ph0a7k/the-congo-basin/

President Reagans Strategic Defense Initiative: In Relation With the Soviet :: Nuclear War

"For the first time humankind has the power to destroy itself." 1 The nuclear age has changed the world, for the good and the bad. Though the bad, is far greater than the good. We sometimes ponder to our selves, "what would happen if we were forced in to a nuclear war ware their are now winners." The way life would be after such an incident would change life as we know it drastically. In the event of a nuclear war with the Soviets we would have lost approximately one hundred and fifty million American lives. 2 The planet would be destroyed to the extent that even thoughts who survived would have no place to live. No Government, or persons, can win a nuclear war and as long as their are nuclear missiles of mass destruction there will always be the risk of someone using them. Once the first missile is unleashed their is no telling were it would stop. Our dealings with the former Soviet Union was based on the French word, detente, that the Russians had defined as a freedom to purchase subversion, aggression and expansionism any were in the world. 3 The soviets have been, up until 1990, the U.S's defacto enemies. There goal was too destroy democracy and imposing communism. 4 This is way it was though to be inevitable for a nuclear war with the soviets. "The dream of a non nuclear world is a great and notable one, how ever for the foreseeable future it is unattainable in actuality and unwise in theory." 5 Because of this harsh the United States is left with a problem; How can we beet this so called inevitability? The answer is: space based defense weapons. The program, brought forth by the Reagan administration, was called the strategic defense Initiative, and some called "Star Wars." 6 Reagan's strategic defense initiative, created in the 80's, was an acceptable for the U.S; it worked to convince the Soviets not only to reduce there nuclear arsenal but to halt any chance for a nuclear attack by the Soviets. " What is the worth of our society as we know it? Right now we hold an entire population hostage." 7 Ever since the 1960's our main defense against the soviets has been the MAD policy, Mutual Assured Destruction. Both the United States and the Soviet Union had enough nuclear weapons at their disposal so that if one fired at the other the one that was being fired at would fire it's missiles at the other too. In other words, they would share the same fate.

Nursing Shortage Essay

Abstract Compelling evidence suggests that regions of the United States face a nursing and physician shortage that our legislators, health officials, and medical professionals must address. To ensure that quality medical care is not harshly impacted, the hospitals and public health leadership, in general, will need to tackle the nursing shortage with solid long-term solutions. It is no secret that the United States faces a critical nursing shortage, a trend that potentially threatens to undermine quality medical care. One single area of concern does not affect the shortage. In fact, the hospitals, and nursing in particular, are witnessing a combination of problems that range in salary structure, medical economics/cost containment, post-graduate education, and an aging workforce (pending retirements of baby-boomers). The public health industry is not sitting idly by to address the shortage. It is critically reviewing the needs for both existing professions. Definition of Nursing Shortage Nursing shortage is defined as the inadequate number of qualified nurses to meet the projected demand for nursing care within a healthcare setting, where the demand for nurses is greater than the supply. History of Nursing Shortage Historical knowledge is important to analyze the present and prepare for the future. As we can see from the current shortage in America today, we learn that it is not a new problem. However what makes this current nursing shortage situation unique is that the causes are related to a multifaceted range of issues. The current nursing shortage is connected to supply and demand factors, demographic changes, population growth, and fewer students enrolling in nursing schools, RNs who are retiring or leaving the workforce and a growth in the baby boom population who will demand more healthcare services in the near future. These factors are occurring while many nurses are retiring and more jobs are being created. In addition, the nursing shortage is actually a worldwide phenomenon with areas like Western Europe, Australia, Canada and the Philippines facing shortages as well. Economic factors have also contributed to the nursing shortage in the United States. Mark Genovese, spokesperson for the New York State Nurses Association explains, â€Å"For many decades the shortage was cyclical but as the economy tightened and as the insurance industry moved to a managed care model, there was less money in the system and hospitals had less money to work with and tighter budgets.† Budgetary limitations affected the nursing workforce as many nurses began leaving the profession altogether. â€Å"They were forcing RNs to do more with less, handle more patients and work more hours. RNs started to leave the workforce because of the working conditions and fewer RNs entered the system,† explains Mark. Americans are also demanding more quality healthcare services while many RNs are retiring, further exacerbating the problem. The HRSA has stated: â€Å"to meet the projected growth in demand for RN services, the U.S. must graduate approximately 90% more nurses from U.S. nursing programs.† Decreased staffing means that there are fewer nurses to work with patients. This impacts job satisfaction and causes work related stress. In some cases it has led to many nurses leaving the profession altogether. A 2010 study published in Health Services Research found that over 75% of RNs feel that the nursing shortage is a huge problem that affects their quality of work as well as patient care and the amount of time that nurses can spend with individual patients. Another important factor contributing to a lack of nurses is that there is a shortage of nursing school faculty to train a new generation of nurses in colleges and universities. The AACN’s 2008-2009 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing report found that nursing programs in the U.S. did not enroll 49,948 qualified students into their bachelor and graduate degree programs because they did not have an adequate number of faculty, clinical practice sites, teaching space, and were constrained by budgetary limitations. Two thirds of the nursing program respondents reported that a big reason for not accepting students was due to not having enough nurse faculty on hand. The Southern Regional Board of Education conducted a study which found that the nursing faculty shortage in 16 states was caused by vacant faculty positions, retirements, resignations and a shortage of new candidates applying for faculty positions. Shortages like this pose a threat to the availability of nurse education. Defining the Problem For those students interested in careers in healthcare, becoming a nurse right now could be the best decision for you. Currently, the United States is facing a severe nursing shortage. For several reasons, the number of nurses graduating and entering the workforce, and those already in the profession, is not enough to fill the growing demand. Currently, RNs are the largest group of healthcare workers in the US at roughly 2.6 million and that still isn’t enough to meet the need. According to experts, by 2012, there could be around 1.1 million unfilled nursing positions in the United States. In the most basic sense, the current global nursing shortage is simply a widespread and dangerous lack of skilled nurses who are needed to care for individual patients and the population as a whole. The work of the world’s estimated 12 million nurses is not well understood, even by educated members of society. But nursing is a distinct scientific field and autonomous profession whose skilled practitioners save lives and improve patient outcomes every day in a wide variety of settings. In the Truth’s view, the vast gap between what skilled nurses really do and what the public thinks they do is a fundamental factor underlying most of the more immediate apparent causes of the shortage. These causes include nurse short-staffing (due to inadequate pay and long work hours), poor work conditions, the aging nursing workforce, expanded career options for women, nursing’s predominantly female nature, the increasing complexity of health care and care technology, and the rapidly aging populations in developed nations, to name a few. Other causes of the nursing shortage episode include: the aging baby boomer population and lack of employee incentives. There were seventy-six million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 and are now classified the Baby Boomer Generation. As this population reaches retirement age and beyond, they are requiring more medical treatments and nursing home and long term care facilities. This country is also seeing an increase in population in general, projected to grow 18% over the next two decades. With more patients flooding the healthcare system, there simply aren’t enough nurses to meet this growing need. However, those currently employed in the nursing field should be rewarded for being encouraged and motivated to stay in such a questionable field of employment. In light of this nursing shortage, it should be relatively easy to find gainful employment after graduation should you choose to study nursing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), more than 581,000 new Registered Nurse (RN) positions will be created through 2018, which will increase that workforce by an astounding 22%. The BLS also estimates that even as other sectors of our economy continue to suffer, the healthcare sector will only continue to grow. Since the recession began, more than 600,000 positions have been created in the healthcare industry. With so many Americans out of work in other fields, a career in healthcare, specifically in nursing, might be a viable career choice. Literature Review Today, the average age of nursing faculty in baccalaureate and graduate degree programs is 51.5 years and the rate of projected retirements will exceed the rate of re placements. Nurses enter the faculty role later in their careers and typically retire at an earlier age, around 62.5 years. More efforts need to be put into place to encourage those already teaching to remain in their positions even if it is in a limited capacity while future faculty are educated. What factors are present that facilitate the desire for nursing faculty to retire? Kowalski, Dalley, and Weigand (2006) conducted a cross-sectional, randomized study of 129 nurse educators teaching in 61 schools of nursing to find out what personal decisions influenced their retirement plans. With a 37.6% response rate, results reflected that the mean age of planned retirement was 64.4 years. However, the mean age respondents would like to retire was 62.4. Factors influencing retirement included workplace issues, personal and family health, attitudes about retirement, and financial security. One of the most important factors influencing retirement plans was financial security. Faculty members who were financially secure retired earlier. Job satisfaction was another important influencing factor resulting in early retirement. In lieu of the faculty shortage, the authors contend that studies such as this will offer insight into future retirement trends which may help bridge the gap between supply and the demand of nurse educators (Kowalski et al., 2006). From the results of this one study it may be important to consider the needs of the aging faculty by providing healthy, satisfying, and stimulating work environments, appropriate benefits packages, and relaxing mandatory retirement ages. One serious factor contributing to the faculty shortage is financial. Not only are academic salaries much lower than they are for clinical practice and administrative positions of advanced practice nurses, but the cost of securing advanced academic degrees is costly. In 2004, the average salary of a master’s-prepared nurse practitioner in a clinical setting was $80,697 compared to $60,831 for that of a master’s-prepared nursing faculty member (Nevada Nurses Association, 2004). By increasing academic salaries and providing tuition allowances in return for teaching will indeed make teaching a more attractive career choice (Yordy, 2006). Another important factor affecting the faculty shortage is that of job satisfaction, stress, and burnout. To maintain current faculty on the job, more research should be conducted on factors affecting job satisfaction and what works to provide a better environment. Gormley (2003) performed a meta-analysis study on nursing faculty job satisfaction and which factors had the greatest influence using a sample of six studies from 1976 and 1996. Nursing faculty are pressured not only to educate future nurses to provide safe and competent care, but also have many other professional responsibilities, such as publishing, conducting research, writing grants, performing community service, and maintaining their own competencies (Gormley, 2003). These responsibilities combined can become overwhelming and lead to job dissatisfaction especially as the faculty is aging. In Gormley’s study (2003), factors that affected job satisfaction were perception/expectation of the leader’s role in curriculum and instruction, suggesting that the dean’s role has significant effects on faculty’s job satisfaction and role conflict/ambiguity. Shirey (2006) argues that prolonged stress can lead to burn-out in many faculty who then become â€Å"deadwood,† jeopardizing the quality and spirit of the institution. These faculty members can ward off potential new faculty who are even more vulnerable to the stresses of the teaching role. It is imperative that academic institutions pay close attention to the needs of their faculty. Mentoring programs, self-renewal, and organizational engagement are key strategies to prevent burnout (Shirey, 2006). â€Å"A carefully structured and deliberate mentoring program can be an invaluable orientation as schools of nursing seek to provide an academic environment that is conducive to the professional and scholarly development of adjunct faculty members† (Peters & Boylston, 2006, p. 64). One serious factor contributing to the faculty shortage is financial. Not only are academic salaries much lower than they are for clinical practice and administrative positions of advanced practice nurses, but the cost of securing advanced academic degrees is costly. In 2004, the average salary of a master’s-prepared nurse practitioner in a clinical setting was $80,697 compared to $60,831 for that of a master’s-prepared nursing faculty member (Nevada Nurses Association, 2004). By increasing academic salaries and providing tuition allowances in return for teaching will indeed make teaching a more attractive career choice (Yordy, 2006). Program Analysis Possible Solutions For sustained change and assurance of evading the forthcoming shortage, solutions must be developed in several areas: education, health care systems, policy and regulations, and image. This shortage is not exclusively a nursing issue, but will require a collaborative effort among nursing leaders, practitioners, health care executives, government, and the media. Creating Cultures of Retention The American Nurses Association Magnet hospital program has had a proven success in raising the standards of nursing practice and improving patient outcomes. Currently there are 85 organizations that are designated Magnet hospitals. Magnet facilities are characterized by strong administrative support, adequate nurse staffing, strong communication, nurse autonomy, better control, and a vital focus on the patient and their family. A growing body of research indicates that this program is making a positive difference for nurses, patients, and the hospitals as a whole. Research is proving that through this program, nurses are having increased satisfaction as well as increased perceptions of productivity and the quality of care given. Studies also indicate that these facilities have lower incidence of needle stick injuries, lower burn out rates, and double the retention of non-Magnet facilities. By adopting the characteristics of Magnet hospitals, facilities will be able to create a culture of retention that empowers and is respectful of nursing staff. Strengthening the Infrastructure In 2002 the Nursing Reinvestment Act was signed by President Bush to address the problem of our nation’s nursing shortage. This initiative was intended to promote people to enter and remain in nursing careers, thus reducing the growing shortage. The law establishes scholarships, loan repayments, public service announcements, retention grants, career ladders, and grants for nursing faculty. Many statewide initiatives are underway to address this issue as well. In Pennsylvania, six new nursing education initiatives have been announced to address faculty shortage by encouraging current nurses to return to school, earn graduate degrees, and teach the next generation of nurses. Illinois is unveiling a plan to provide faculty scholarships and grants to nursing schools in order to expand student enrollment. California, whose nursing programs currently have wait lists over three years, is trying to expand nursing education through a $90 million initiative.

English Commentary †James Thurber Essay

James Thurber’s â€Å"Footnote on the future† is a first person limited narrative written as an account of the author on the topic of science and the future. The piece is written with the aim of entertaining the reader; many elements in it – comedy, colloquial and conversatonal language, irony, personification and unusual imagery – reflect this unified effect. It is important to remember that although the author criticises scientists, himself and the human race in general, he does so weakly and in an amicable and comical way. The theme of the piece is humour and this is achieved in several ways. One method used by Thurber is to include deliberately implicitly sadistic ideas into the piece. Thurber writes as if he were disappointed when he finds out that â€Å"neither the sun nor the mind of man is, after all, going out. † This achieves humour because it seems as though Thurber is in opposition to mankind and its future even though he is a human himself. In addition, amusing and ridiculous personification is included in the text: the universe is said to have â€Å"quit shrinking†; Thurber wishes that Halley’s Comet â€Å"deals California a glancing backhand blow before it goes careening off†; the sun-spots spread as said to have been â€Å"spreading as rapidly as ulcerative gingivitis†. Humour is also accomplished by Thurber when he ridicules himself in the opening paragraph of the piece. Whilst attempting to make himself seem important and chiefly intelligent, he implies that information is delievered to him rather than searched by him as shown in the quote: â€Å"word is brought to me†. However, following on from this forementioned quote, Thurber reveals that it is his â€Å"pageboys† that deliver information to him. The fact that page boys do not normally deliver â€Å"information†, but instead deliver wedding rings to a priest, implies that Thurber may have mistaken the function of page boys and has therefore ridiculed himself in an attempt to seem intelligent. In terms of content, eccentric imagery is also used to simply achieve the reader’s attention. Thurber makes the reader to imagine Earth as a â€Å"flimsy globe† and then later to imagine it being knocked â€Å"far into the oblivious Darkness, the incomprehensible Cold†. This produces shock to the reader and in fact could be considered as ironic as it implies that Thurber does not believe in a religion; instead believes that the existence of the universe can be explained through science – something that he criticises throughout the piece. Thurber directs some attention to scientists and takes care to use the image of â€Å"bearded watchers of the skies† as a stereotype to describe them. Throughout the passage manages to portray scientists negatively through successfully (in his opinion) disproving Dr. Tilney’s theory, describing his frustration in the lack of certaintiy scientists have when predicting where and when a comet may hit Earth and commenting seemingly ironically that Time magazine is â€Å"always infallible† and. The use of irony is common throughout the piece. He comments that scientists are â€Å"quite naturally cheerful† even though â€Å"billions of unused brain cells have been detected in the cortex of man†. Thurber however gives no explanation for why the scientists are joyful. Thurber further incorporates irony into the text when he states â€Å"we were given only a few paltry aeons to prepare our species for the end†. As an aeon is considered a period of a billion years, it would be reasonable to think that there would in fact be enough time to be prepared for such a catastrophe; Thurber does this purposefully to criticise scientists’ perception of time. The reader’s attention is retained through a consistently colloquial and conversational use of language. Thurber refers and converses to the reader in second person when he says â€Å"the rest of you may go†, â€Å"you may all file out now† and â€Å"don’t ask me why, it just has†. The author also informally refers to the theory that man has many unused brain cells as a â€Å"little menace† and chooses to describe his age in 1910 as when he was â€Å"a stripling of sixteen going on seventeen†.