Quality Management in Healthcare

Introduction The need for quality management in healthcare facilities is an issue that many stakeholders have been fighting for over the years. According to Arias (2000, p. 87), quality healthcare is one of the major pillars of the economic development within a given country. People should have access to quality and affordable healthcare in order to remain strong and healthy.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Quality Management in Healthcare specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the current society, there are numerous diseases that may affect people of different social classes, and this may reduce their productivity. It is because of this that many stakeholders, including the government and nongovernmental agencies, have been able to come up with ways of improving service delivery at various healthcare institutions within the country. In the United States, the federal government, in close connection with private non-profit making organisations such as Mayo Clinics, has improved the healthcare standards within the country. Mayo has been using numerous quality management tools in order to improve its service delivery. Currently, the hospital is using ISO 9001 principles to improve the quality of its services. Background of Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic is one of the largest non-profit making private healthcare institutions in the world that offers a wide range of medical services to various people across the country. In defining Mayo Clinics, Charantimath (2006, p. 78) says, â€Å"The Mayo Clinic is the world’s oldest and largest integrated multispecialty group medical practice, combining clinical practice, education, and research at the regional, national, and international levels for the benefit of individuals with routine as well as complex health care needs.† From this definition, it is clear that The Mayo Clinic offers more than just medical services to the American population. It is an integrated team of multispecialty medical practitioners who are focused on offering medical services, educating young people interested in joining the medical practice, and maintaining a high level of research in various areas of health.Advertising Looking for case study on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Founded in 1889 by William Worrall Mayo and his sons, this foundation currently employs over 3,800 physicians, and about 60,000 allied health staffs in various hospitals within the United States and all over the world. It has experienced massive growth over the years to become the largest and one of the most reputable healthcare centres in the world. As stipulated in their mission statement, Mayo is not just focused on offering quality healthcare to the people, but it is also concerned with finding the best ways of managing some of the emerging health complications by engaging its staffs in research . With its headquarters in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic has become one of the most reliable healthcare institutions in North America. Its efforts in research and development has enabled it become one of the most successful non-profit making healthcare organisations in the entire region. Quality Management System at Mayo Clinic (Strengths) At Mayo, the management has always been focused on offering quality healthcare to all the patients who visit the facility with various health complications. When William and his sons started this facility, they were interested in offering quality healthcare services to the American people. However, this organisation experienced numerous challenges as the field of medicine started experiencing changes due to technological advancements (Donabedian 2003, p. 34). The organisation had to adapt to the emerging technologies in order to maintain the quality service provision to the patients. The dynamic leadership at this organisation has seen it tran sform in line with the technological advancement and various other changes in this field to become one of the most reputable organisations in the world. Always emphasising on quality delivery of healthcare services, this organisation has six attributes of an ideal healthcare delivery system as defined by the Commonwealth Fund which forms its main strength (Charantimath 2006, p. 44).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Quality Management in Healthcare specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Information Continuity Information continuity is one of the most important ingredients of quality healthcare provision within a healthcare facility (Wheeler Grice 2000, p. 81). At Mayo clinic, all departments are interconnected using personal computers and local area networks that make information transfer very efficient. Once a client’s information is fed into the system at the reception, all the relevant departments can ac cess the information on demand. Any adjustment made in the information at any of the departments will be reflected in other relevant departments. This means that the speed and reliability of data transfer has become highly efficient. It has helped improve the quality of services offered within the facility. The information is managed from a central database as shown in the diagram below. Care Coordination and Transitions At Mayo, there is a clear system that allows for patient care coordination among various practitioners. There are cases where a patient suffers from multiple health complications that may require practitioners in different fields. The management has developed a system where this cannot be done without any form of strain. A medical doctor in one department can easily communicate with another doctor in a different area of specialty of the medication that has been offered, and the steps that should be taken to address other complications. Such closely coordinated comm unication between the practitioners eliminates any possibility of misunderstanding among the doctors. System Accountability Mayo Clinics have adopted a total care policy on all the patients who visit their facility as a way of improving the quality of services they deliver. According to Lighter (2011, p. 33), many medical practitioners have worsened the health of their patients through careless acts due to relaxed management systems at the institutions. This is not the case at Mayo Clinic.Advertising Looking for case study on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More At this facility, every medical officer is held accountable for any service rendered, and if any mistake arises from any of the departments visited by the patient, then the officer who offered the service is always held responsible as per the organisation’s policies and principles. Peer Review and Teamwork for High-Value Care The peer review and teamwork system was introduced at this facility to help promote teamwork and responsibility within various departments. Under this system, practitioners in a specific field have the responsibility to review works of peers in that department with the aim of maintaining the best practice in their field. Any changes taking place in that specific field would be shared by the members in order to enhance its application within the facility. The focus of this strategy is to offer high value care by improving skills and competencies of the individual members of the staff. Continuous Innovation In the current dynamic world, innovation is one o f the most important tools that an organisation can use in order to ensure that it offers continuous quality care to its clients (Kelly 2003, p. 45). At Mayo Clinic, the management knows that the only way of achieving its vision is to maintain innovativeness in its service delivery. This has been made possible by the research unit of this firm. The researchers have been interested to identify the emerging trends in this field of healthcare and to develop mechanisms of dealing with it in order to ensure that this firm remains dynamic. It has come up with new ways of addressing various issues that at the facility in order to maintain superior quality delivery (Lighter Fair, 2000, p. 44). Easy Access to Appropriate Care According to Horch (2003, p. 78), healthcare is one of the basic needs in the modern society, and it should be easily accessible to members of the public. When offering healthcare services, it is necessary to ensure that clients have the capacity to access their informa tion and understand their health conditions as soon as it is determined by the practitioners. This is one of the factors that Mayo Clinic has been determined to improve its service quality in the market. The Clinic has developed a communication system in all its clinics for easy retrieval of information and reliable communication with the patients. The above attributes have been considered ideal for a standard healthcare facility such as Mayo Clinic. This has made this healthcare facility one of the most preferred institutions in North America. The above strengths have seen a rise to the Mayo brand in the healthcare sector within this region. They are considered an integrated team of medical experts who are focused on identifying any health complication, informing their patients about their complication, suggesting ways through which such complications can be addressed, and using the strategy that the patients chooses to address the problem. This creates a feeling among the patients that at this facility, they have a voice, and can make their own independent choices about how they should be treated based on their personal preferences. This strength has helped this firm expand its operations beyond the United States. It has also made it easy for it to raise funds from the well wishers who have now trusted it as one of the leading healthcare provider in North America. In most of its campaigns, this firm has received massive support from the public, not just because of the fact that it is a non-profit making healthcare facility, but also because of the quality of care it offers (Lighter Fair 2004, p. 67). The management of Mayo Clinic knows that its strengths in offering quality healthcare largely relies on its ability to retain highly qualified and motivated team of experts who are specialised in various fields. Although this is a non-profit making organisation, maintaining this kind of staff needs a strategy that would help in making them comfortable so that t hey do not consider quitting the facility. This can only be achieved through good remuneration. Mayo Clinic is one of the best paying private hospitals to various health experts. The working environment is positively designed to promote integration, socialisation and teamwork among all the employees, creating a community where everyone has an emotional attachment with other members of the organisation. This has helped minimise the rate of employees’ turnover, the fact that has helped it to retain its highly qualified staff. Using Principles in ISO 9001 to Improve Quality of Services at Mayo Clinic From the discussion above, it is clear that Mayo Clinic is one of the best non-profit making private healthcare firms in service delivery within North America. The firm has been determined to embrace the best practice principles in the industry in order to match or even exceed the quality of healthcare offered at some of the best hospitals in the world. The management of this facili ty has been benchmarking its services with that of the leading hospitals in the world such as John Hopkins Hospital and Cleveland Clinic (Lloyd 2004, p. 44). In 2010, CNN, one of the leading news agencies in the world, ranked it as the third best healthcare facility in the world in overall medical treatment and quality services to its clients. Despite this success, it is a fact that this facility needs to maintain continuous improvement in order to maintain its glorious position as one of the leading healthcare facility in the world. Although this firm is ISO certified, it needs to give more focus to the principles of ISO 9001:2008 as it seeks to improve on its quality of service in the market. There are nine principles that will help Mayo Clinic to advance its current systems, and find ways of expanding its capacity to offer improved services to all the patients that visit the facility. The principles of ISO 900:2008 that have been applied by Mayo Clinic include the following. Cust omer focus This is the first principle of ISO 9001:2008 that Mayo Clinic has been using to improve the quality of services offered to its customers. Mayo Clinic clearly understands that all other healthcare facilities in the regions where it operates are competitors. For this reason, it has always found ways of attracting customers to its facility. To achieve this, it has taken a customer-centric approach in its management. It focuses on ways through which its clients can be offered customised quality healthcare whenever they visit the facility (McLaughlin, Johnson Sollecito 2012, p. 77). This involves active engagement of the clients when offering them care in order to ensure that they get the service in the manner they consider appropriate. Every client is always treated as a unique entity with unique needs. This way, the firm has been able to develop a personal relationship with clients who visit the facility. Leadership Leadership is the second principle that Mayo Clinic has us ed in order to improve the quality of its service delivery to the clients. As stated previously, this facility has a responsibility of managing its top doctors in a manner that would convince them to remain loyal to the firm. This can only be achieved through effective leadership (Mohanty, 2008, p. 56). The management unit has embraced transformational leadership characteristics in order to maintain high moral and loyalty of every member of the organisation. The leaders have developed best approaches of positively challenging the current capacity of its workers with the view of making them reinvent themselves into better service providers in their respective field. The management realizes that it has a responsibility of making every employee feel valued within the firm. It is only through this that employees will feel committed to the firm and develop a responsibility of coming up with new approaches of undertaking their duties. The managers at Mayo appreciates that their position i s meant to offer service to the employees. They seek to offer guidance in case of challenging factors in the environment, and in all the cases, they ensure that they integrate easily with all the employees of different ranks within the organisation (Geisler, Krabbendam Schuring, 2003, p. 66). There is an open communication system at Mayo Clinic as shown in the model below. Involvement of people One of the basic principles of ISO 9001:2008 used at Mayo Clinic is the need for involvement of people in undertaking various tasks and in making decisions. According to Morfaw (2009, p. 97), every human being has his or her worth that makes him or her special over the rest. The problem is that in most of the cases, some people are always belittled to the extent that they feel useless. The management at Mayo Clinic appreciates the fact that the firm can only become innovative if people are involved actively in the development of plans and in their execution. Creativity and innovation is no t a preserve for the top managers, the intelligent staff or any other special groups within an organisation. It is a natural force that comes out of a person irrespective of the position held or academic excellences when faced with new challenges in the workplace (Okeyo Adelhardt 2003, p. 78). By involving every member of the organisation in decision making, the management of Mayo Clinic has given them the opportunity to be creative in their respective fields in order to come up with superior ways of addressing various issues in the workplace. This has helped in improving the quality of services that are offered in this organisation at various levels. Process approach The process approach is another principle of ISO 9001:2008 that Mayo Clinic has been using to improve the quality of its services. Success and failure are two possibilities that an organisation can experience when dealing with various issues in its normal operations. One of the factors that separate failure from succe ss is the approach that is taken in the process of undertaking a specific activity. Many organisations have failed to implement good plans because they used wrong approaches. Deciding on the best approach to use will involve embracing technology and innovativeness whenever it is necessary. Oleske (2009, p. 96) advises that it is important to ensure that the management devolves decision making to the departments. At Mayo Clinic, each departmental heads has a plan that is always followed when implementing various policies within their departments based on their local needs. This hospital has been focused on choosing the process approach when implementing new policies (Sollecito Johnson 2013, p. 89). System approach to management The principle of system approach to management has gained popularity in many successful organisations around the world, and Mayo Clinic is one of the firms that have actively used this principle in their operations. According to Spath (2009, p. 78), an organi sation is a system of people with different skills, experience, knowledge, and talents. All these factors define an organisation and the approach it takes when addressing various activities in the market. System approach to the management is a principle in ISO 9001:2008 that emphasises on the need to involve other members of the organisation in the management process. At Mayo Clinic, before coming up with a decision on how different tasks should be undertaken, the responsible managers always make efforts to understand the ideas of other people, especially those that are directly involved in the implementation of some of these policies are very important. They always form part of the management system, especially in decision making. Their views are regarded as important when making decisions that will affect them or their tasks. This not only motivates them, but also ensures that the approach taken is the most practical one. This approach has helped this giant organisation to devolve some of the operational and tactical plans to departmental levels in order to help find local solutions to local problems at these facilities. Continual improvement Continual improvement is probably one of the most important principles in the ISO 9001:2008 that Mayo Clinic has emphasised on at all its departments. According to Stamatis (1996, p. 63), success should not be considered a destination because it is a process that has no end. Continuous success is what should be regarded as a true success because any missteps that a successful firm makes would lead to a failure that may wipe away past successes. With this in mind, Mayo Clinic has maintained continuous improvement in its service delivery in order to retain its prestigious position as one of the best hospitals in the world. All the good strategies that this firm uses have been under continuous improvement to enable it offer even better services. If this firm was ranked third in 2010 among the best hospitals, it means that there are other areas that it should improve on in order to become the best. Continual quality improvement that has been embraced by Mayo Clinic may be a challenging task, especially when a firm believes that it has exploited some of the best imaginable strategies. However, Steiger (2001, p. 68) says that there is always a way of improving the best, and the only difficult task is to identify how this should be done. This should be a continual process as shown in the diagram below, and the management at Mayo Clinic has been determined to apply it in order to improve its customers’ experience whenever they visit the facility. Factual approach to decision making Factual approach to decision making has been another popular principle of ISO 9001:2008 that Mayo Clinic has been using to enhance its ability to offer quality products. Some policies can appear very attractive on a piece of paper, but when it comes to implementation, they may become impractical. This is one of the reas ons why some firms fail to achieve their objectives in the market. When the plan lacks the factual information, or practicality, then it will remain a plan that cannot be implemented (Wan Connell 2003, p. 56). This simply means that the plan will be useless to the organisation, and all the resources that were used in its development will be a waste. The management at Mayo Clinic acknowledges the importance of ensuring that its decision making process is based on factual information. Care has always been taken to ensure that only the practical plans based on the factual information from the field are developed. This means that decision making should not be a preserve of the top executives. The main role of the top executive when planning for operational and tactical plans would be to ensure that the operational and tactical plans are in line with the strategic plans of the firm. If they realise that a section of the plan does not work within the strategic objectives of the organisat ion, they should give advices on how to make adjustments in order to realise the desired goals. As Kelly (2003, p. 75) notes, this will help in coming up with practical and realistic plans that can easily be implemented by respective departments. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships This is the last principle of ISO 9001:2008 that Mayo Clinic has actively used to improve the quality of its products. The research by Charantimath (2006, p. 32) shows that one of the major challenges that firms face in the current market is the increasing strength of the suppliers. Dealing with a strong supplier may be a serious challenge to a firm, especially if the supplier controls a major share of the market for the supplies. Such a supplier may set terms which are unfriendly to the firm as a way of gaining quick success before the industry is invaded by other players. Mayo Clinic has found ways of developing a mutually beneficial relationship with all its suppliers in order to ensure that it is able to get all the needed products at friendly terms. To achieve this, the firm has always created a partnership with these suppliers. It strives to make these suppliers feel that they are in a form of relationship where they need each other’s support. This way, their suppliers always view them as partners that need their protection, other than customers that should be exploited. Through this strategy, this firm has been able to deliver its products to the clients at reduced prices. Previous Quality Management Tools at Mayo Clinic The above nine principles are very vital for Mayo Clinic when implementing ISO 9001:2008 in its management strategies. This does not mean that other strategies that this firm was using previously will be discarded when implementing the above recommendations. Some of the strategies that this firm was using before included Six Sigma. Although some scholars claim that Six Sigma is a complicated quality management strategy that is gradually being ou tdated, it still remains to be one of the important tools that should not be ignored by the management. At Mayo, this has been an important quality management tool for many years. This tool could probably provide the answer to the question on how to improve the current best practices within this firm. Mayo Clinic has also found the Commonwealth Fund Commission to be an important quality management tool that has helped it remain competitive in the market. The six principles that have enabled this firm become strong in the market, as discussed on the section above, were based on the best practices as defined by the Commonwealth Fund Commission. Other important principles that this firm has been using in the past include John Ovretveit’s Principles, which the firm has since reduced its application within its system preferring to emphasise on ISO 9001:2008. Conclusion Quality management in the field of healthcare has become one of the most important tasks that define the success of a firm. Mayo Clinic has realised that it has a responsibility to its clients to offer quality healthcare to all the patients. To achieve this, the organisation has been using the industry’s best practice in order to ensure that its services meet the industry standards. It has been determined to employ some of the important quality measures in its management system. The Commonwealth Fund Commission principles on quality management have been one of the major quality management tools used by the firm in the past. However, the firm must now fully implement the principles of ISO 9001:2008 in order to achieve even greater success in this competitive industry. List of References Arias, K 2000, Quick reference to outbreak investigation and control in health care facilities, Aspen Publishers, Gaithersburg. Charantimath, P 2006, Total quality management, Pearson Education, New Delhi. Donabedian, A 2003, An introduction to quality assurance in health care, Oxford University Press, Ne w York. Geisler, E, Krabbendam, K Schuring, R 2003, Technology, health care, and management in the hospital of the future, Praeger, Westport. Horch, J 2003, Practical Guide to Software Quality Management, Artech House, Norwood. Kelly, D 2003, Applying quality management in healthcare: A process for improvement, Health Administration Press, Chicago. Lighter, D Fair, D 2000, Principles and methods of quality management in health care, Aspen Publishers, Gaithersburg. Lighter, D Fair, D 2004, Quality management in health care: Principles and methods, Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury. Lighter, D 2011, Advanced performance improvement in health care: Principles and methods, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury. Lloyd, R 2004, Quality health care: A guide to developing and using indicators, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury. McLaughlin, C, Johnson, J Sollecito, W 2012, Implementing continuous quality improvement in health care: A global casebook Sudbury, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Sudbury. Mohanty, R 2008, Quality management practices, Excel Books, New Delhi. Morfaw, J 2009, Total quality management (TQM): A model for the sustainability of projects and programs in Africa, University Press of America, Lanham. Okeyo, T Adelhardt, M 2003, Health professionals handbook on quality management in healthcare in Kenya, Centre for Quality in Healthcare, Nairobi. Oleske, D 2009, Epidemiology and the delivery of health care services: Methods and applications, Springer, New York. Sollecito, W Johnson, J 2013, McLaughlin and Kaluzny’s continuous quality improvement in health care, Jones Bartlett Learning, Burlington. Spath, P 2009, Introduction to healthcare quality management, Health Administration Press, Chicago. Stamatis, D 1996, Total quality management in healthcare: Implementation strategies for optimum results, McGraw-Hill, New York. Steiger, H 2001, Risk control and quality management in neurosurgery, Springer, Wien. Wan, T Connell, A 2003, Monitoring t he quality of health care: Issues and scientific approaches, Kluwer Academic, Boston. Wheeler, N Grice, D 2000, Management in health care, Stanley Thornes, Cheltenham. This case study on Quality Management in Healthcare was written and submitted by user Malice to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Delaware Art Museum

Delaware Art Museum Visiting a museum is a fascinating but challenging endeavor. Rich in emotions and impressions, a visit to a museum requires the basic knowledge of art. Visitors must be able to place themselves within the museum’s emotional and physical context. Reasons why people visit museums are numerous.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Delaware Art Museum specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Falk and Dierking (1992) are confident that the prevailing majority of visitors come to museums for leisure. Therefore, before a visit to a museum takes place, individuals must ensure that the anticipated context matches their desires and preferences and meets their financial and time expectations (Falk Dierking, 1992). On August 23, 2011, I came to the Delaware Art Museum, located in Wilmington, Delaware. That was the first time I ever attended the Delaware Art Museum. The museum looked smaller than the one I had visited in Spain. It im pressed me with its compactness, creating an atmosphere of physical and emotional density. The day I visited the museum, all three levels and fifteen galleries were open for visitors. A few other visitors and a group of young children were wandering through the museum’s corridors. On the second level of the Delaware Art Museum I suddenly felt joy and anticipation. As I approached George Tooker’s White Wall (1964-65), the sense of anticipation gradually increased. Tooker’s picture became a true revelation to me. A graphic representation of anxiety and isolation, Tooker’s painting was like a piece of whiteness against the dark reality of life. White Wall looks confusing and leaves enough space for interpretation and analysis. It is a kind of rebellion against racism and the fear of everything non-white (Garver, 1992). A brief commentary under the painting claimed that the work had been created during the Civil Rights Movement. Tooker used his artistic talen t to depict one of his college friends, who was so afraid of blacks that hid behind the white wall (Garver, 1992). White Wall is a reflection of the young man’s fear of race – fear, which does not help but entraps and cuts the person from the rest of the world.Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More I made a step outside and suddenly saw the Labyrinth, made of seven tons of Delaware River Rock. The path from entrance to the center of the Labyrinth is 1,515 feet long. With the diameter of 80 feet and the circumference of 253 feet, the Labyrinth is probably the most unique and impressive creation in the Delaware Art Museum. Its design reflects the features and patterns of medieval manuscripts, with 12 concentric circles, 11 circuits, 28 U-turns representing the lunar cycle, and six right-angle turns. The Labyrinth comprises four quadrants symbolizing four seasons. Inside the Labyrinth, individuals must turn 13 times to reach the center, which is almost the same as living through 13 full moons during one year. As I look back into my museum experiences, I realize how impressive and fascinating a visit to a museum can be. Museums are perfect places for recreation and socialization, as well as personal development and intellectual growth. Artworks provide excellent food for thought which, nonetheless, is not readily available for everyone. Visiting a museum is not as simple as it seems. Museums do not reveal their secrets to the unprepared. Visitors must apply considerable efforts to understand the hidden meanings. Otherwise, most works of art will remain under the veil of secrecy and confusion. Like the Labyrinth, all pieces of work in the Delaware Art Museum welcome contemplation and thinking. The Labyrinth itself and the rest of the Delaware Art Museum exemplify a perfect place of peace and meditation (Anonymous, 2010). Regardless of the peri od in which different works of art were created, they serve a gateway into the hidden meanings of our culture. Conclusion/ Summary Visiting a museum is equally fascinating and challenging. The Delaware Art Museum is a unique place, with numerous works of art created at different points of human development. George Tooker’s White Wall is a reflection of individual moods during the civil rights era. By contrast, the Labyrinth is a complex representation of medieval symbols. Whatever the purpose, visiting a museum is always a pleasure. The Delaware Art Museum serves a gateway into the hidden meanings of our culture.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Delaware Art Museum specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Anonymous. (2010). Delaware Art Museum’s labyrinth a place of meditation, peace. Halfspoon. Retrieved from  http://halfspoon-com.blogspot.com/2010/09/delaware-art-museum-labyrinth-place-of.html F alk, J.H. Dierking, L.D. (1992). The museum experience. Howells House. Garver, T.H. (1992). George Tooker. Pomegranate.

T4A(P) Tax Slip for Canadian Income Taxes

T4A(P) Tax Slip for Canadian Income Taxes A Canadian T4A(P) tax slip, or Statement of Canada Pension Plan Benefits, is issued by Service Canada to tell you and the Canada Revenue Agency how much you received in Canada Pension Plan  benefits during a tax year and the amount of income tax that was deducted. Canada Pension Plan benefits include retirement, survivor, child, and death benefits. Read on to learn important information about T4A(P) tax slips, including the deadline for submitting them, how to file these forms and what to do if your  T4A(P) is missing. Deadline and Filing the T4A(P) T4A(P) tax slips must be issued by the last day of February the year after the calendar year to which the T4A(P) tax slips apply.  When you file a paper income tax return, include copies of the T4A(P) tax slip you received. You can also file your income tax return using: NETFILE, an electronic tax-filing service that allows you to send your individual income tax and benefit return directly to the CRA​EFILE, where you  prepare your own income tax return then take it to a service provider to file it electronically for a fee In either case,  keep copies of your T4A(P) tax slips with your records for six years in case the CRA asks to see them. Missing Tax Slips If you do not receive your T4A(P) tax slip, contact Service Canada at  1-800-277-9914  during regular business hours. You will be asked for your Social Insurance Number. Even if you havent received your T4A(P) tax slip, file your income tax return by the deadline anyway to avoid penalties for filing your income taxes late. Calculate your Canada Pension Plan benefits as well as deductions and credits you can claim using any information you have. Include a note saying what you have done to get a copy of the missing tax slip. Include copies of any statements and information you used in calculating the benefits income and deductions for the missing tax slip. Tax Slip Information You can see what a  T4A(P) tax slip  looks like via the CRA website. You will also find more information about what is included in each box on the T4A(P) and how to deal with it when filing your income tax return through the site. Access more information on what is listed on specific boxes of the T4A(P), including: Taxable CPP benefitsIncome tax deductedYour retirement benefitSurvivor benefit The web page also provides information on the child, death, post-retirement benefits, and more. Other T4 Tax Slips Other T4 tax information slips include: T4:  Statement of remuneration paidT4A: Statement of pension, retirement, annuity, and other incomeT4A(OAS):  Statement of old age securityT4E: statement of Employment Insurance and other benefits Familiarize yourself with these tax slips to ensure that you file your taxes correctly but also receive all of the benefits you are owed.

Analysis the case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Analysis the case - Essay Example He allegedly accused of sexually harassing his female employees. These cases were settled even before taken to trials. His dressing in the factory (underpants and a thong) clearly defines the dress codes of any offices. His reputation relished as pervert and a libertine. Thus, it is clear that the company has some problems. The companys structure is an integrated corporation whereby the company has integrated with other companies in terms of manufacturing, distribution, and retail of their products. It has integrated with companies such as Jie He Sona Martirosian Christina L Oregano Oguzhan Iskenderoglu Channon Chiu NYU MS. These integrations help with the international growth of the products and hence greater profits. The company also uses the integration on marketing of their products. The company integrates with companies in different countries, and they open up stores in those countries for the sale of their products. The integration strategy is often regarded as non-profitable t hough the cost sharing is indisputable, and so are the profits. Though the integration strategy run by the main command in Los Angeles, It is quite hard monitoring the activities and keeping trends of the company. Mr. Carney should a new company and marketing strategy, like the centralized strategy. The company individually develops itself internationally without integrating with any other company. Marketing, advertising, and marketing should be run under one central power (Los Angeles Company). That will be more profitable apart from the lack of cost sharing, and also, full benefits on profits. The company shall also be able to assess its fails and success without blaming it on external parties. It should also adopt Continuing infrastructure investments that will be essential towards growth support. That will inconclusive of expenditures for new buildings and stores, machinery, tools, and equipment, upgrade manufacturing forms and additions

Development of Legal Protection in EU Courts Dissertation

Development of Legal Protection in EU Courts - Dissertation Example Each established judicial system offers a mechanism for testing the legitimacy of the measures adopted by its respective institutions. In the European Union judicial system, given the democratic deficit as well as the restricted supervisory functions of the European Parliament, it is of the essence that a system be created to control the actions, decisions or privileges enjoyed by the European Union institutions. In this case, the fundamental position rests with the European Union Court of Justice, which is considered as an independent institution charged with defending the rule of law within the Union (Albors-Llorens, 1996).Before the Treaty of Lisbon brought amendments to the European Union, the major procedure in the event of judicial review was provided for in Article 230 EC Treaty, which gave non-privileged applicants the right to directly challenge the unjustifiable acts of the Union’s institutions such as the European Parliament, the Commission, the Council and the Euro pean Union Central Bank. Hypothetically, this previous mechanism stood as the standard judicial review instrument that was open to individuals. However, in reality, the possibility has been limited given its restrictive requirements on the issue of standing conditions for annulment and the strict interpretation of the requirements of individual concern that was adopted by the Court in the Plaumann case (Albors-Llorens, 2003), (Note 1). This means that these possibilities have been restrictive given the nature of the requirements.... This means that these possibilities have been restrictive given the nature of the requirements on the locus standi conditions, which are very strict. Again, hypothetically, they should be the primary channel for individuals to seek when reviewing the EU measures (Parfouru, 2007). The restrictive nature of the action for annulment as well as its strict interpretation by the Court denote a key impediment to access by the non-privileged applicants to the Court contrary to the privileged position enjoyed by the Member States and the EU institutions. This off-putting approach has been at the center of controversy and has been strongly criticized by members of the judiciary and scholars (Note 2). For instance, the adversaries of the system have challenged the approach claiming it violates the principle of effective judicial protection (Gormley, 2006). According to them, such restrictive approach is unfortunate as it leads to denial of justice. This condition is inconsistent with the common constitutional values, including the European Convention on Human Rights and Charter of Fundamental Rights, both of which the EU is based. The action for annulment, as provided for by Article 263 TFEU, is at the focal point of the EU judicial system. Its origin can be traced in the annulment proceedings against the unlawful administrative action as referred as by the Member States’ legal system. The Article allows non-privileged applicants, who may comprise any natural or legal person, to directly challenge the illegal measures. This results from the direct effect, which the EU has with regard to natural and legal persons as well as the Member States. Further, the restrictive locus standi to bring an action for annulment is one of

Understanding the Risks and Benefits of Importing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Essay Example for Free

Understanding the Risks and Benefits of Importing Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Essay In April, 2009, the national headlines were dominated with the story of a small, rogue group of modern day pirates who somehow managed to hijack highly armed American ships off of the coast of Somalia; these pirates were motivated by the huge financial gains to be had by stealing from the ships that are used to import liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum, and other energy resources from around the world, but primarily the middle east, a highly volatile region of the world for decades (Cordesman, 2004). While in itself the magnitude of what a small group of determined individuals were able to achieve is horrifying in its impact, there is a larger issue which came to light in the midst of the incident. That issue is a fair examination of the relative risks and benefits, specifically, of importing LNG to the United States. With this issue in mind, this research will explore several key facets of the question. Upon completion of the research, a better understanding of the overall topic will have been gained. This topic is especially interesting, as it encompasses the sub-topics of the energy crisis of the 21st century, international political complications, and much more. Risks of Importing Liquefied Natural Gas To begin, it is important to truly understand the risks of importing LNG; as with so many other facets of this topic, there are a wide variety of aspects to consider when tackling this pivotal question. While the threat of terrorism aimed at the United States has been a factor for decades, in the aftermath of the horrors of the 9/11 attacks, a renewed level of concern emerged for the protection of domestic chemical storage and transportation facilities against possible acts of sabotage. LNG facilities were identified as potentially attractive targets for terrorists, as the destruction of LNG supplies could dramatically affect the productivity of the nation, and the general perception is that LNG is highly explosive, which in fact will be dispelled later in this research. At any rate, ships bringing LNG to the US, especially in a post-9/11 world, are ripe targets for terrorist attack, representing a tremendous risk to those who are involved in the actual transportation of imported LNG (Johnson, et al, 2005). While LNG may not pose a huge threat once it is brought onto land, there is evidence to indicate that in the transportation of LNG via the tanker ships which are used to transport it, in the event of an LNG spill at sea, the effects could be huge. Without the means to contain the spill if it were to occur hundreds of miles from any given nation’s shore, LNG, when expelled into the water, poses a huge risk to the plant and wildlife that lives at sea. Eventually, if the spilled LNG were to reach the shores of any land mass, there could likewise be a large amount of soil pollution and the like, effectively undermining the environmental effectiveness of LNG when it is properly used in its intended applications (Downs, 2000). Financially, engaging in the importing of LNG can also be a risky proposition; in the previously presented scenario, if LNG shipments are hijacked for example, a huge loss of money for many stakeholders. Although all businesses carry their own relative level of risk, the importing of something like LNG, which is a prime target for theft or destruction, is especially risky. Lastly, the effort on the part of modern day pirates to try to steal as much LNG as possible from shipments meant for American importing represents a huge risk to both the financial and safety aspects of the shipments themselves; while one would probably say that the US should simply take military action against any nation from which these pirates hail, the diplomatic implications are far more complicated than that. The specifics of these implications will be discussed in more detail later in this research. Benefits of Importing Liquefied Natural Gas As one would expect, there are benefits to importing LNG that make the risks worth the effort of taking them. First, it is critical to understand the value of imported LNG for the United States and Canada alike, as well as countless other nations across the globe. For the purposes of this research, however, the focus is on the United States and LNG. The fact of the matter is that the United States’ production of LNG has been declining for at least the past decade, the only exception being the state of Alaska which still represents a vital source of LNG. However, even taking into account the access to LNG from Alaska, the United States still must import almost 98% of its needed supply of LNG, by some estimates. Further, additional estimates project that this trend will continue until at least 2025, and after that point, it is very likely that 100% of the LNG needed by the US will have to be imported from elsewhere, as even the expansion of available LNG from Alaska will be woefully inadequate to meet American demand (Kelly, 2005). Not only has the American supply of LNG diminished in recent years, but the demand has also skyrocketed for a variety of reasons. One of the reasons for this increased demand is an increase in the population of the US, which naturally increases the need for LNG in many applications, including residential, commercial, industrial and military. Additionally, the desirability of LNG as an energy source has increased given the growing effort to utilize energy sources which have very little impact on the environment, and the earth-friendliness of LNG makes it highly desirable for a way to provide energy without causing pollution, global warming and the like (Melamid, 1994). This research would be seriously lacking if at least some consideration was not given to the economic benefits of importing LNG for those whose product itself is LNG. As many people have realized in recent decades given the increase of political volatility in the middle east, this mostly desert, barren and hot part of the world is lacking in many of the natural resources that other nations use to support agriculture and other industries, this part of the world is highly dependent on the revenues derived from the export of LNG and other gas/oil products. Because of the reliance on this stream of income, the nations of the Middle East have in fact collaborated on the controlling of supplies and prices of LNG (Cordesman, 1997). While the details of the Middle Eastern situation will be discussed elsewhere in this research, suffice it to say at this point that there is tremendous benefit for the Middle East to continue to deal in LNG. Conversely, those who are involved domestically with the importing of LNG, there is a multi-billion dollar industry of opportunity to be reaped. The equipment alone to transport, store and dispense LNG represents a tremendous industry, employing hundreds of thousands of Americans. This is in addition to the endless number of end-users who use LNG as one of the factors of the production of other goods; as was mentioned earlier, this phenomenon will only increase with time, as the increased awareness of environmental responsibility will increase the desirability of LNG as a source of energy. While the environmental benefits of LNG have been mentioned several times already, this point deserves additional discussion as one of the many benefits that LNG provides. Not only is LNG a low impact element in terms of causing potential harm to the environment, relatively speaking, it is also quite safe in terms of its volatility. Unlike gasoline, for example, LNG is not highly explosive, and in fact, if LNG were to be ignited by an open flame, it would actually only generate a small, localized fire which in fact could be easily fought and contained. In the event of an LNG spillage, its nature as a dense gas makes it something that would only spread if it were hit by a hard, driving wind. Moreover, LNG is visible when released into the air, making it easy to avoid if it were to be spilled in large quantity. With the safety factor of storing LNG in mind, as a matter of fact, American storage facilities for LNG are required to have a sizeable safety zone of vacant land around them so should a leakage take place, the risk to the general population would in fact be nominal (Melamid, 1994). Environmentally, financially, and industrially, LNG importation has been seen to have many benefits which are substantial. However, in fairness, it is also important to discuss the effects that the importation of LNG has on other facets of everyday life, as well as international relations, homeland security, and much more.

Christopher Columbus Essay -- Christopher Columbus Essays

Christopher Columbus was an Italian navigator who sailed west across the Atlantic Ocean in search for the all-water route to Asia, but instead achieved fame for making landfall in the Caribbean Sea. Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy. His father was a weaver, and it is believed that Columbus entered this trade as a young man. In the mid-1470s he made his first trading voyage to the island of Khios, in the Aegean Sea. Settling in Lisbon, where his brother Bartholomew was working as a cartographer, he was married in 1479 to the daughter of the governor of the island of Porto Santo. In December, the Santa Maria was wrecked off the coast of Espanola.The Nina, with Columbus in command, and the Pinta began the homeward voyage in January 1493. After storms drove the ships first to the Azores and then to Lisbon, Columbus arrived in Palos, Spain, in March. He was enthusiastically received by the Spanish Monarchs. Columbus planned immediately for a second expedition, with about 1500 men, which left Spain in September 1493. They landed on the island of Dominica, Gaudeloupe. His stop at Puerto Rico is the closest he came to setting foot on land that would later form part of the United States, the main foundation for the claim that Columbus â€Å"discovered America.† When Columbus returned to Isabella on September 29, he found that serious dissension had developed among the colonists, a number of whom were already on the route to Spain to press their grievances. One of the major...

Career Counselling and Development

In the New Careering Model, Miller-Tiedeman uses case studies and discussion points throughout the text journey to help both professionals and students learn practical application. In the book by Miller – Tiedeman, historical events, models, and comparison charts are punctuated all throughout lending a global perspective to the New Careering model. The visual Pythagorean wheel blueprinting the spectrum of living harmonies activates different dimensions of awareness and possibilities for life. This model is ideal for use in the classrooms (Mahoney, 2007). The book includes end-of-chapter questions, in-class exercises, and potential homework projects. The book appropriate for beginning counsellor education courses, entrepreneurial classes in business administration, career classes in other disciplines, church groups, pastoral counselling classes, and support/study groups. While many career counselling models have focused almost entirely on practical methods aimed at occupation with little attention to the process nature of life, Miller – Tiedeman outlines a creative approach that advocates a theory of life, not job, as career. Focus is centred on a three-fold approach of thinking, feeling, and willing of the career theory of the individual, by addressing logical, emotional, and spiritual aspects as cited in the book. In a global and human perspective, Miller – Tiedeman illustrates, through detail of theory, a broader view of career places in which individuals can connect with their deeper spiritual selves. This book by Miller – Tiedeman unfolds into three major components such as Learning the New Careering: The â€Å"What† Question; Practicing the New Careering: The â€Å"How† Question; and the Living the New Careering: The â€Å"Why† Question. Through this journey of introspection and a myriad of careering principles, the reader is able to ask about his/her own life direction. Miller – Tiedeman helps guide the question, â€Å"Does one’s life compass mostly toward job and things, or is it toward the journey as a whole?† Every chapter ends with discussion questions that evoke powerful inquiries into one’s complete approach to life and career. The book by Miller – Tiedeman is highly detailed and theory focused. One theory, in particular, The Pythagorean model — a spectrum of living harmonies — illustrates different dimensions of awareness and possibilities for life, and demonstrates how the nine power streams of focused energy through different parts of ourselves: i.e., the body, emotions, mind, will, intuitive thoughts and feelings, make up our complete life and career backdrop. Nine primary energies suggest nine basic power streams that are universal and available in every person’s life. The nine power streams outlined include the power stream of close relationship, initiative, artistic creativity, freedom, achievement, sociability, life experience, inner wisdom, humanitarian service will to power. Miller – Tiedeman met every objective in outlining in detail many of the aspects of New Careering and how it relates to the human elements of life. I highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone connecting with people for career, life, and inner growth as well as for career direction from a holistic or whole-life approach. Bearing of the Quantum Theory on Career Counselling The New Careering method, based on the principle of flow, much like nature, uses as its foundation ideas from a broad range of theories including Quantum physics. It is said that change need not occur linearly, but rather can be discontinuous – a â€Å"quantum leap.† In counselling, clients should be prepared for â€Å"quantum† shifts at times from the impact of even minor influences–like those at time produced from values clarification exercises. The quantum theory was asserting that the character of nature was essentially mental. The quantum theory was merely a tool for making predictions about experiences. The same line of thinking has led a serious attempt by to bring human conscious experience into the quantum mechanical description of nature (Bozarth, 1985). Decision-making Process Decision-making process is usually approach as an outcome of a long, continuous cognitive processes that may result to the selection of a course(s) of action among several alternatives. This process leads to a final choice, action or an opinion, among the alternatives (Reason, 1990). The decision-making process is integrated in the interaction with the environment (Kahneman, 2000). It is a problem solving process that is halted upon arrival to a sound solution to the problem. It can be rational or irrational. It can be based on explicit or tacit assumptions. My own style of decision-making could greatly influence the way I counsel. This is because my style of arriving at a decision and my way of resolving issues will be carried on how a client and I will arrive at a course of action(s) for the client’s case at hand. I might help a client who comes to me for help with making career-related decisions by drawing out various alternatives then at the end of it, allowing the client to choose the best option that the client thinks best fit. Issues Explored on the Client in the Vignette and the Envisioned Counselling Process 1. Identify the need for counselling In this vignette, it is evident that there is a need for focused, two-way communication with the client. There are several issues explored from the vignette on the client named Bridget, a thirty (30) years old senior college student who is raised from dairy farm in a small town in the New York State. According to Bridget, none of her siblings attended college. That is, after high school Bridget was eager to become financially independent and worked for a few years as a cashier at K-Mart near her hometown. Bridget eventually decided to major in biology in a college in Kansas. In that school, she got a 3.0 average. It was at this period when Bridget felt anxious about graduating and leaving her comfortable niche in school. That time, Bridget was not sure about what to do with her life. She also thought that the job market in both Kansas and nearby towns is rather limited. That time, Bridget’s former supervisor at K-Mart would be willing to give her a job as manager. However, Bridget felt that despite the pay check, getting that managerial job would be like she had never gone to college at all. 2.Prepare for counselling To prepare for counselling, select a suitable place. Schedule counselling in an environment that minimizes interruptions. This environment has to be free from distracting sights and sounds. Schedule the time. When possible, counsel a subordinate during the duty day. Counselling after duty hours may be rushed or perceived as unfavourable. The length of time required for counselling depends on the complexity of the issue. Generally a counselling session should last less than an hour. If you need more time, schedule a second session. Additionally, select a time free from competition with other activities and consider what has been planned after the counselling session. Important events can distract a subordinate from concentrating on the counselling. Notify the client well about the scheduled counselling in advance. For a counselling session to be a subordinate-centred, two-person effort, the subordinate must have time to prepare for it. The subordinate should know why, where, and when the counselling will take place. Counselling following a specific event should happen as close to the event as possible. However, for performance or professional development counselling, subordinates may need a week or more to prepare or review specific products, such as support forms or counselling records Organize information. Solid preparation is essential to effective counselling. Review all pertinent information. This includes the purpose of the counselling, facts and observations about the subordinate, identification of possible problems, main points of discussion, and the development of a plan of action. Focus on specific and objective behaviors that the subordinate must maintain or improve as well as a plan of action with clear, obtainable goals. Outline the counselling session components. Using the information obtained, determine what to discuss during the counselling session. Note what prompted the counselling, what you aim to achieve, and what your role as a counsellor is. Identify possible comments or questions to help you keep the counselling session subordinate-centred and help the subordinate progress through its stages. Although you never know what a subordinate will say or do during counselling, a written outline helps organize the session and enhances the chance of positive results. Plan the counselling strategy. The right atmosphere promotes two-way communication between a leader and subordinate. To establish a relaxed atmosphere, you may offer the subordinate a seat or a cup of coffee. You may want to sit in a chair facing the subordinate since a desk can act as a barrier. Some situations make an informal atmosphere inappropriate. For example, during counselling to correct substandard performance, you may direct the subordinate to remain standing while you remain seated behind a desk. This formal atmosphere, normally used to give specific guidance, reinforces the leader’s rank, position in the chain of command, and authority. Establish the right atmosphere. The right atmosphere promotes two-way communication between a leader and subordinate. To establish a relaxed atmosphere, you may offer the subordinate a seat or a cup of coffee. You may want to sit in a chair facing the subordinate since a desk can act as a barrier. Some situations make an informal atmosphere inappropriate. For example, during counselling to correct substandard performance, you may direct the subordinate to remain standing while you remain seated behind a desk. This formal atmosphere, normally used to give specific guidance, reinforces the leader’s rank, position in the chain of command, and authority. 3. Conduct counselling During the conduct of counselling, opening the session should be in a manner that would make the client at ease with the activity. Her stories should be carefully listened to, giving particular attention to the details of her case. There is a need to observe Bridget’s behaviour and performance. The issues will be discussed one by one. Then Bridget’s case will be compared to the standard. Then develop the plan of action. After careful analysis, feedback(s) will be provided to Bridget in the form of counselling. Recording and closing the session should be done in order to deliver an efficient counselling work that entails exploration of Bridget’s case, understanding and resolving the issues. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Follow up After the implementation of the plan of action, the results have to be evaluated. During the evaluation, the plan of action has to be reviewed with the client to determine if the desired results were achieved. This evaluation session gives relevant data and information for future follow-up counselling activities. References Bozarth, J. D. (1985). Quantum theory and the person-centered approach. Journal of Counseling and Development. Special issue, 64(3),179-182. Kahneman, Daniel and Tversky, Amos. 2000. Choice, Values, Frames. The Cambridge University Press. Mahoney, Moira. 2007. Review: Learning, Practicing, and Living in the New Careering. Career Planning and Adult Development Network. Unite Media Group, Inc.   http://www.careertrainer.com/Request.jsp?nView=PrintArticle&Article=OID%3A52982. Miller – Tiedeman, Anna. Learning, Practicing, and Living the New Careering. Reason, James. 1990. Human Error. Ashgate..

Kaahumanu

Keri Yokoyama February 6, 2012 Social Studies Funk Queen of Manoa! Guess who was one of the most popular people in Manoa? Queen Elizabeth Kaahumanu of course! Kaahumanu was one of the most famous residents of all Manoa. She was famous because she made a big impact on Manoa! She was also the wife of Kamehameha; in fact, she was one of Kamehameha’s favorite (out of twenty-one! ). In this article, I will tell you all about Queen Elizabeth Kaahumanu and her impact on the Manoa Community. In upper Manoa, she had a summerhouse. Its name was Ka Puka’oma’omao, meaning â€Å"the green gate. This makes sense because her house had a green gate and green shutters. The house had a blend of Polynesian and Western styles. In the book â€Å"Manoa: the story of a valley,† it says that the roof was probably thatched or peaked. (They don’t know but they are pretty sure it was. ) Kaahumanu had many friends and invited them to her summerhouse. Her house became a popula r place to visit. The house is not there today, but the land that it was on is still there with nothing on it. If you go to Manoa Road and Oahu Avenue, there is a green overgrown path that leads to a tiny clearing covered with old hau trees.Keep going on the path and you will find the land that Kaahumanu’s house, Ka Puka’oma’omao, was on. Kaahumanu was also known for a fresh water well. Her well was located close to her home. It was on Huelani Drive. The name of Kaahumanu’s fresh water well was Kawaihuelani, meaning â€Å"The waters of Huelani. † People believe that mo’owahine, meaning, â€Å" Part-lizard, part-woman being† is the guardian of the well. Kaahumanu also made a difference to one school in particular, Punahou School. Kaahumanu ordered/suggested Boki (Oahu’s governor) and his wife, Kuini Liliha, to give the land of Kapunahou to Reverend and Mrs.Hiram Bingham. From there, they built a school, which became Punahou Scho ol. That is how Punahou came to be. After catching an illness coming back from a trip, Kaahumanu asked to be taken to her home in the mountains. She died in her home in Manoa. Manoa was a place she loved so that's why she came back to visit one last time before her death. I hope you learned a lot about Kaahumanu and her impact on Manoa. There are many things about her that I found interesting and I hope you found interesting too!So now, to remember Kaahumanu as a queen and a resident of Manoa, think â€Å"Queen of Manoa! † Works Cited Bouslog, Charles, and Thelma Greig. Manoa: The Story of a Valley. Honolulu: Mutual Pub. , 1994. Print. â€Å"Kawaihuelani  » History | Hawai‘inuiakea. † University of Hawaii at Manoa. Web. 03 Feb. 2012. . â€Å"Queen Kaahumanu (1768 – 1832) Kamehameha's Favorite Wife | Aloha Hawaii. † Hawaii Travel Guide – Plan Your Hawaiian Vacation | Aloha Hawaii. Web. 06 Feb. 2012. . â€Å"The Woman Who Changed A Kingdom à ¢â‚¬â€œ Hawaiian Queen Ka'ahumanu. † Coffee Times – 100% Pure Kona Coffee. Web. 07 Feb. 2012. .

Understanding Gaslighting and What Victims Can Do

Understanding Gaslighting and What Victims Can Do Gaslighting is a harmful form of psychological abuse in which a person or entity attempts to gain power over others by making them question their own recollection of events, perception of reality, and ultimately  their sanity.  Ã‚  Ã‚   As used in clinical research, literature, and political commentary, the term comes from the 1938 Patrick Hamilton play â€Å"Gas Light,† and its film adaptations released in 1940 and 1944, in which a murderous husband slowly drives his wife insane by progressively dimming their home’s gas-powered lights without her knowledge. When his wife complains, he convincingly tells her that the light has not changed.   Since almost anyone can fall victim to gaslighting, it is a common tactic of domestic abusers, cult leaders, sociopaths, narcissists, and dictators. Gaslighting can be perpetrated by either women or men. Often especially convincingly charming liars, gaslighters consistently deny their devious actions. For example, physically abusive persons involved in intimate relationships may gaslight their partners by passionately denying  they had acted violently or by trying to convince victims that they â€Å"deserved it,† or â€Å"enjoyed it.† Ultimately, gaslighting victims lower their expectations of what constitutes true affection and start to see themselves as being less deserving of affectionate treatment. The gaslighter’s ultimate goal is to instill a feeling of â€Å"I can’t believe my eyes† causing their victims to second guess their perception of reality, choice, and decision, thus increasing their level of trust in and dependence on their abuser for helping them â€Å"do the right thing.† Dangerously, of course, the â€Å"right thing† is often the â€Å"wrong thing.† The longer the gaslighting continues, the more catastrophic its effects can be on the victim’s psychological health. In the most serious cases, the victim actually begins to accept the gaslighter’s false version of reality as the truth, stop looking for help, reject the advice and support of family and friends, and become completely dependent of their abuser. Techniques and Examples of Gaslighting The techniques of gaslighting are cleverly designed to make it hard for victims to recognize. In most cases, the gaslighter purposely creates situations that allow them to hide the truth from the victim. For example, a gaslighter might move his partner’s keys from their usual spot, causing her to think she had misplaced them. He then â€Å"helps† her find the keys, telling her something like, â€Å"See? They’re right where you always leave them.† According the Domestic Abuse Hotline, the most common techniques of gaslighting include: Withholding: The gaslighter pretends not to understand or ignores his or her victims. For example, â€Å"Oh, not this again,† or â€Å"Now you’re trying to confuse me,† or â€Å"How many times have I told you†¦?†Countering: The gaslighter wrongly blames the victim’s faulty memory, even when the victim’s recollection is accurate. For example, â€Å"You’ve been forgetting things more often lately,† or â€Å"Your mind is playing tricks on you again.†Blocking or Diverting: The gaslighter keeps changing the subject or questioning their victim’s mental health, For example, â€Å"I bet your crazy friend (or family member) told you that,† or â€Å"You’re just making things up so you can use them against me.†Trivializing: The gaslighter makes the victim’s needs or fears seem unimportant. For example: â€Å"You’re mad at me for a little thing like that?† or â€Å"You’re going to let that come between us?†Forgetting or Denial: The gaslighter falsely claims to have forgotten what actually happened or denies promises made to the victim. For example, â€Å"I told you I was going to be late,† or â€Å"I never told you I would pick you up.† Common Signs of Gaslighting Victims must first recognize the signs  of gaslighting in order to escape the abuse. According to psychoanalyst Robin Stern, Ph.D., you might be a victim if: You seem to be second-guessing or doubting yourself more often,You constantly wonder if you might be â€Å"too sensitive.†You often feel confused, possibly to the point of doubting your own sanity.You constantly feel you need to apologize to your partner.You wonder why, with so many good things in your life, you are so unhappy.You frequently feel the need to make excuses for partner’s behavior.You often withhold information about your partner’s behavior from friends and family.You know something is very wrong, but can’t quite figure out what it is.You struggle to make what should be simple decisions.You constantly feel that you need to be a â€Å"better person.†You feel hopeless and joyless.You wonder if you are â€Å"good enough† partner. Since some of these signs of gaslighting- especially those involving memory loss and confusion- could also be symptoms of another physical or emotional disorder,  persons experiencing them should always consult with a physician. Recovering from Gaslighting Once they recognize that someone is gaslighting them, victims can recover and regain their ability to trust their own perception of reality. Victims often benefit from re-establishing relationships they may have abandoned as a result of being abused. Isolation only makes the situation worse and surrenders more power to the abuser. Knowing they have the trust and support of others helps victims recover the ability to trust and believe in themselves. Recovering gaslighting victims may also choose to seek professional therapy to gain reassurance that their sense of reality is correct. Again able to trust themselves, victims are better able to end their relationship with their abusers. While gaslighter-victim relationships can be salvaged, doing so can be difficult. As relationship therapist Darlene Lancer, JD, points out, both partners must be willing and able to change their behavior. Willing partners sometimes successfully encourage each other to change. However, as Lancer notes, this is less likely to happen if one or both partners has an addiction or personality disorder. Key Points About Gaslighting Gaslighting is a harmful form of psychological abuse.Gaslighters attempt to gain control over others by making them question their own memory, reality, and sanity.Gaslighting is a common tactic of domestic abusers, cult leaders, sociopaths, narcissists, and dictators.The first step in recovering from gaslighting is realizing it is happening.As with all forms of psychological and domestic abuse, professional help is often needed. Sources and Additional References Firth, Shanon. â€Å"What is gaslighting?† The Week onlineJacobson, Neil S.; Gottman, John M. When Men Batter Women: New Insights into Ending Abusive Relationships. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-81447-6â€Å"What is Gaslighting.† Domestic Abuse Hotline. Online. May 29, 2014â€Å"7 Signs You Are a Victim of Gaslighting†. Divorced moms .comâ€Å"11 Warning Signs of Gaslighting.† PsychologyToday.com. January 22, 2017Stern, Robin, PhD. The Gaslight Effect: How to Spot and Survive the Hidden Manipulation Others Use to Control Your Life. Harmony. ISBN 978-0-7679-2445-0â€Å"Gaslighting Definition, Techniques and Being Gaslighted.†Ã‚  HealthyPlace.comâ€Å"Gaslighting.† GoodTherapy.org onlineLancer, Darlene JD, LMFT. â€Å"How to Know If Youre a Victim of Gaslighting.† PsychologyToday.com. January, 13, 2018Stout, Martha. The Sociopath Next Door. Random House Digital. ISBN 978-0-7679-1582-3.

Robert Gould Shaw Led Unions First Black Regiment

Robert Gould Shaw Led Unions First Black Regiment The son of prominent Boston abolitionists, Robert Gould Shaw was born October 10, 1837, to Francis and Sara Shaw. The heir to a large fortune, Francis Shaw advocated for a variety of causes and Robert was raised in an environment that included notable personalities such as William Lloyd Garrison, Charles Sumner, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1846, the family moved to Staten Island, NY and, despite being Unitarian, Robert  enrolled in St. Johns College Roman Catholic School. Five years later, the Shaws traveled to Europe and Robert continued his studies abroad. Education and First Job Returning home in 1855, he enrolled at Harvard the following year. After three years of university, Shaw withdrew from Harvard in order to take a position in his uncles, Henry P. Sturgis, mercantile firm in New York. Though he was fond of the city, he found that he was ill-suited for business. While his interest in his work waned, he developed a passion for politics. A supporter of Abraham Lincoln, Shaw hoped that the ensuing secession crisis would see the Southern states brought back by force or cut loose from the United States. Early Civil War With the secession crisis peaking, Shaw enlisted in the 7th New York State Militia with the hope that he would see action if war broke out. Following the attack on Fort Sumter, the 7th NYS responded to Lincolns call for 75,000 volunteers to put down the rebellion. Traveling to Washington, the regiment was quartered in the Capitol. While in the city, Shaw had the opportunity to meet both Secretary of State William Seward and President Lincoln. As the 7th NYS was only a short-term regiment, Shaw, who wished to remain in the service, applied for a permanent commission in a Massachusetts regiment. On May 11, 1861, his request was granted and he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 2nd Massachusetts Infantry. Returning north, Shaw joined the regiment at Camp Andrew in West Roxbury for training. In July, the regiment was sent to Martinsburg, VA, and soon joined Major General Nathaniel Banks corps. Over the next year, Shaw served in western Maryland and Virginia, with the regiment taking part in attempts to stop Major General Thomas Stonewall Jacksons campaign in the Shenandoah Valley. During the First Battle of Winchester, Shaw luckily avoided being wounded when a bullet hit his pocket watch. A short time later, Shaw was offered a position on Brigadier General George H. Gordons staff which he accepted. After taking part in the Battle of Cedar Mountain on August 9, 1862, Shaw was promoted to captain. While the 2nd Massachusetts brigade was present at the Battle of Second Manassas later that month, it was held in reserve and did not see action. On September 17, Gordons brigade saw heavy combat in the East Woods during the Battle of Antietam. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment On February 2, 1863, Shaws father received a letter from Massachusetts governor John A. Andrew offering Robert command of the first black regiment raised in the North, the 54th Massachusetts. Francis traveled to Virginia and presented the offer to his son. While initially reluctant, Robert was ultimately persuaded by his family to accept. Arriving in Boston on February 15, Shaw began recruiting in earnest. Assisted by Lt. Colonel Norwood Hallowell, the regiment began training at Camp Meigs. Though originally skeptical about the fighting qualities of the regiment, the mens dedication and devotion impressed him. Officially promoted to colonel on April 17, 1863, Shaw married his sweetheart Anna Kneeland Haggerty in New York on May 2. On May 28, the regiment marched through Boston, to the cheers of a massive crowd, and began their voyage south. Arriving at Hilton Head, SC on June 3, the regiment began service in Major General David Hunters Department of the South. A week after landing, the 54th took part in Colonel James Montgomerys attack on Darien, GA. The raid angered Shaw as Montgomery ordered the town looted and burned. Unwilling to take part, Shaw and the 54th largely stood and watched as events unfolded. Angered by Montgomerys actions, Shaw wrote to Gov. Andrew and the adjutant general of the department. On June 30, Shaw learned that his troops were to be paid less than white soldiers. Displeased by this, Shaw inspired his men to boycott their pay until the situation was resolved (it took 18 months). Following Shaws letters of complaint regarding the Darien raid, Hunter was relieved and replaced with Major General Quincy Gillmore. Seeking to attack Charleston, Gillmore began operations against Morris Island. These initially went well, however the 54th was excluded much to Shaws chagrin. Finally on July 16, the 54th saw action on nearby James Island when it aided in repulsing a Confederate attack. The regiment fought well and proved that black soldiers were the equals of whites. Following this action, Gillmore planned an attack on Fort Wagner on Morris Island. The honor of the lead position in the assault was given to the 54th. On the evening of July 18, believing that he would not survive the attack, Shaw sought out Edward L. Pierce, a reporter with the New York Daily Tribune, and gave him several letters and personal papers. He then returned to the regiment which was formed up for the assault. Marching over open beach, the 54th came under heavy fire from the Confederate defenders as it approached the fort. With the regiment wavering, Shaw sprung to the front yelling Forward 54th! and led his men as they charged. Surging through ditch surrounding the fort, the 54th scaled the walls. Reaching the top of the parapet, Shaw stood and waved his men forward. As he urged them on he was shot through the heart and killed. Despite the regiments valor the attack was repulsed with the 54th suffering 272 casualties (45% of its total strength). Angered by the use of black soldiers, the Confederates stripped Shaws body and buried it with his men, believing that it would humiliate his memory. After attempts by Gillmore to recover Shaws body failed, Francis Shaw asked him to stop, believing his son would prefer to rest with his men.

Establising Integrity and Anticipating Ethnical Challenges Essay

Establising Integrity and Anticipating Ethnical Challenges - Essay Example Participant observations can be considered observations that reveal only the public persona, while the responses of the interview will be intended to reveal the under layers of a relationship. While the public personal can indicates some of those layers, the responses in the interview will hopefully establish a more realistic picture. The concept of the â€Å"shared† construction cannot be ignored as participants are eager to give answers they hope the interviewer is looking to hear. The analysis of the interview will have a built in challenge that seeks to glean unprompted insight from questions that will undoubtedly prompt certain types of responses. When writing about the interviews, it will be important to have a previous concept of which answers will more often be the result of prompting. The anticipated participants will be approached through contact with religious institutions who recommend couples whose marriages appear to have been long lasting. It is anticipated that content couples will be willing to share their experiences. The culture of the religious institution usually creates a culture of people who want to share their experiences. In approaching religious leaders to recommend couples, these â€Å"gatekeepers† are more than likely to recommend those they believe to be content, creating a probability of finding the right couples to interview about a romantic relationship. It will be essential for couples of both male and female gender be approached in order to have a balanced interview. This study will not be using couples in a homosexual relationship because this dynamic is influenced by the culture both within and outside of that configuration. This would be beyond the scope of this particular study. The political, social, and cultural influences would change the focus. Consent will be obtained through a simple form. The purpose of the study will be openly