Correctional Operations Essay Example for Free

Correctional Operations Essay Many nations and cultures have come up with official laws to protect their citizens from crimes. Over the years these laws have been in force, to help keep society from becoming anarchy. Different forms of punishments have been used to detour would be criminals. However you will find citizens still tends to break the laws. These days all countries have a justice system and a prison for locking up their threats to society. Many countries do sentence someone to death for an extreme form of punishment. The Babylonian Code of Hammurabi (Encarta, 2007) was the first legal record found in the Middle East. However, the Western nations seem to follow laws started by Ancient Rome (Encarta, 2007). Before long each city had a court and had established their own laws, to protect the citizens. Soon after the Roman Empire established the Law of Twelve Tables, to confirm their society. But most people believe that the earliest form of law can be found in the twelve centuries which is known as the Justinian Code (Encarta, 2007). For many centuries people have died or been punished for committing theft, rape, or unspeakable crimes. In 1532, the Holy Roman Empire created the Constitio Criminalis to punish criminals. But not every county followed that law, so these countries created their own legal system, where each county would deal with its criminals in their countries, when they needed to. For the most part, punishment was used to punish or deter these would be criminals. Life became more civilized with each passing century, as new punishments were created. Many people felt safer with laws that could protect them. Centuries later the Pennsylvania System was created by the Quakers, Pennsylvania became the center of prison reform worldwide. This happen when William Penn, Penn who had been confined in England for his Quaker beliefs abolished the Duke of York’s several criminal code which was in effect in other parts of British North America, where among other offenses, the penalty of death was applied for murder, denying â€Å"the true God† homosexual acts and kidnapping, severe physical punishments were used for what were  considered lesser crimes. The true root of the Quaker system was to create more humane treatment for criminals, they decided that criminals needed more constructive punishment and a place where they can be alone to repent and turn back to God rather than such cruel punishment. The Quakers believe that criminals could reformed and return to society as a change people. Prisoners were put to work in the prison so that their time could be used wisely. In the 1820s the Auburn System was in full swing, this system was different from the Quakers they believe in complete silence, smaller cells and any economic advantage over the Pennsylvania System. In the long run both of these prison system failed, then came along the Auburn System which modern corrections used their old method of old cells blocks and solitary confinement. Each county began hiring sheriffs and creating legal systems to deal out the punishments. Most people welcome the new laws and sense of safety, yet some refuse to follow them. Some criminals were lightly punished and some were killed, for the crimes they committed. The justice system grew into a major part of society; however, it was not perfect. . But not long many citizens felt that the criminals deserved what punishments they received. More jails were built and more criminals began challenging the new laws that had been established by the courts. Unfortunately, societies were being victimized by the criminals or gangs or criminals. So, many new sheriffs and detective agencies were established to help police the growing neighborhoods. Many people supported the role of the sheriffs and they volunteered to help as deputies. In the old times, criminals were tortured as a form of punishment, by the Roman Empire. Some criminals hang on crosses, killed by torture, and place in dungeons to die. For this reason many began to revolt against the Roman rule and they were punished as criminals too. Soon the Roman Empire fell and many separate societies began growing throughout the world. Before long, the Modern ages began and many prisons were built in the 19th century. Many countries were ruled by the King and Queen of Britain at the turn of the 19th century. Severely changes have happened to the justice system during that time. Which made life much easier for the citizens; criminals were locked away and punished for the crimes that they committed. Each criminal had to be found guilty by the court first, before they could be  punished. Many new laws were created, in order to help the citizen feel safe and keep the peace. However, some citizens still felt that capital punishment was to hash. By the 20th century, the British rule began to fade, as the revolution grew and many fled to the New World. Due to prison overcrowding, many courts systems were looking for ways to deal with criminals. Many courts began giving probation to petty thieves and criminals; besides locking them up. Soon young offenders were removed from the adult court system and dealt with in juvenile court. Then the court began looking for ways, to rehabilitate the juvenile offenders. Many schools and programs were created, in order to stop the troubled youth from becoming adult offenders. Also many adult programs began popping up; with the intentions to help rehabilitate small crime offenders. Some criminals were able to change and become productive part of society (National Archives, 2007). Alexander Maconochie came up with the concept of early release for hard work and good behavior, also parole which was created by Sir Walter Crofton and the Irish system, which we in the United State use today. Om the late 1800s reformatory system was established, some were given education classes, and early release and punishment was not the focus. However, some adults were unable to be rehabilitating by the programs, so eventually more prisons had to be built to house youth and adult offenders that were unable to be rehabilitated. After the justice system realized that punishments were not stopping criminals from committing crimes. Many scientist and doctors began studying the behavior of criminals, especially their childhood. Some scientist has found that many criminals have had troubled childhood, which may lead to their behavior. However, some criminals are raised in a good home; yet they still commit horrible crimes to date no one has come up with a magic pill that can stop these criminals from committing crimes. Many societies have tried to find a way to stop criminals, from creating a justice system to building prisons. However, no matter how history has tried to stop the criminals, they still seem to victimize helpless people. Maybe, with further study and a better understanding of why they commit crimes, future generations can stop them. But, at this point only prisons seem to help those, who have become habitual offenders. Hopefully, one day we can create  a magic pill or a way to stop criminals from hurting others. Until then, we must let the justice system work for us and our society The correction system in the United States have changed many times over the past years, many theories went from retaliation, physical punishment, reforming and back. The population of inmates in the United States and Federal prisons and jails has grown at an unprecedented rate in the past thirty years. Since 2000, the census of prisoners being detained in state and federal prisons has risen 13%. Since 1990, the census has grown 100% the census has grown a staggering 366%. The thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which was passed by the senate on April 8th, 1864 and approved by the House on January 31st, 1865 and ratified on December 6th, 1865 abolish slavery as a legal institution. The thirteenth Amendment stated.† Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, nor any place subject to their jurisdiction†. Right after the 13th Amendment was passed, the Black Code was created, the Black Code were laws in the United States after the Civil War with the effect of limiting the basic human right and civil liberties of blacks. As newly freed slaves would soon learn, freedom was not as they had anticipated. White southerners were anxious to regain power over them and used the law in order to achieve that objective, the code served as a way to control and inhibit the freedom of ex-slaves. The Code controlled almost all aspect of their lives and prohibited African Americans from the freedoms that had been won. Not only did the whites wanted to control ex-slaves but they need laborers. While things could no longer be exactly the same as in slavery, the whites found a way to guarantee that blacks would serve as their laborers. The whites encompassed some of the antebellum restrictions on free blacks, northern apprenticeship laws, they took their civil and legal rights, from marriage to the right to hold and sell property. Laws were different in each state but most embodied the same kind of restrictions. Commonly, codes compelled freedman to work. But in many states if unemployed, African American faced being arrested and charged with vagrancy. Many of those that did work had their days regulated. Codes dictated their hours of labor, duties and the behavior assigned to them as agricultural workers. Almost every aspect of their lives was regulated, including the freedom to roam; blacks were not permitted to enter towns without permission. In 1866 black codes were suspended by Federal officials who noted that the codes were too harsh and bias they decided that blacks should be subjected to the same penalties and regulations as whites. Along with the black code came the convict leasing system, this was the leasing of prisoners to private companies who would pay the state a fee for the service. Prisoners would work for these companies day after day returning to their cells each night while business profit from free prisoners labors. These black prisoners would survive less than six years; the death rate among these inmates was almost 45% for those in the south. Another way to keep free blacks in slavery was Sharecropping for those man who did not want to go to prison, sharecropping was the only way former slaves could survive . But the high prices and interest rate charged by store and land owners caused these blacks to be in constant debt. Another way blacks were kept was by chain gangs, the crimes was breach of a contract, even today there are some states that still adopt chain gangs like, Florida, Alabama and Arizona. Amnesty International one of the leading humanitarian groups said that the practice of chain gangs is inhumane, to use handcuffs, and chains etc. on prisoners is a violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Today prisoners have another dilemma to deal with privatization of prisons; privatization of prison is not new it has been around for centuries, private corporations are once again owning and operating prisons for profit. A controversial issue which dates back to the days that followed the Emancipation Proclamation, private prisons owners and manage prisoners making thousands of millions of dollars from prisoner’s labor while the prisoners earn nothing. The 13th amendment allows a form of slavery to exist legally, when we look at people who are jailed for nonviolent crimes within the criminal justice system, like the Black Code, Sharecropping and Chain Gangs and then privatizing of prisons the 13th Amendment shape slavery through the penal system. President Lincoln abolished the cruel and unusual punishment, but if we look there is a small part which we may call a clause that states, â€Å"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as punishment for crimes whereof the party  shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, nor any place subjected to their jurisdiction†. The Amendment did not specify what crimes, felony, misdemeanor or even a traffic ticket; it just said crime and all of these are crimes. Yet we see many people not convicted of crimes and they are punished, placed in prison, locked up and work for fee. The 13th Amendment has reshaped and defined slavery the moment it was placed on paper. The 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution is a guarantee of state right. The Tenth Amendment is similar to an earlier provision of the Articles of Confederation. â€Å"Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction and right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States, in Congress assembled. When the 10th Amendment was introduced in congress, James Madison explained that many states were anxious to ratify this amendment, despite critics who deemed the amendment superfluous or unnecessary. The constitution designed the federal government to be a government of limited and enumerated powers. This is saying that the federal government only has power over the things that are specifically given to it in the constitution, all other powers is given to the state. The 10th Amendment noted that â€Å"The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, or by the states are reserved to the states respectively or to the people†. I believe the founding fathers created this Amendment because they did not want the central government which is the federal government to become too powerful and did not want that government to tell them how they should live their lives daily. They wanted to give the local state power to control their own affairs to make laws and rules that their people can live by and not have the federal government total control of their affair. The 10th Amendment when it comes to the Florida criminal justice system and prison is this. Advocate can bring more cases under the 10th Amendment, which will have huge positive implication for freedom so long as the current constitution of the courts holds. â€Å"Federalism secures the freedom of the individual; it allows the state to respond through the enactment of posit ive law. As we see the 10th Amendment have been weakens somewhat by the by congress, you could hardly hear about the 10th Amendment in court cases in the years it was  adopted but not so today you find that a lot of cases using the 10th Amendment for their bases for filing an appeal. There were states that were protected under the 10th Amendment. Which the American Civil was noted was not workable so the 14th Amendment was created to extend the Bill of Rights and made it applicable to both state and federal government. We can see the 10th Amendment no longer holds the power that it once did, but today in Florida law makers is trying to use the 10th Amendment to privatize prisons. The 10th Amendment was written to reassure the state that they would remain largely in charge of their people; the 10th Amendment was always used to prevent federal regulation of everything including taxation. I believe the 8th should control the criminal justice system in Florida. The Amendment states that â€Å" Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted. The 8th Amendment to the Constitution established in 1791, have three provisions; The cruel and unusual punishment clause, which restrict the severity of punishments that state and federal government may impose upon someone who have been convicted of a crime. The Excessive Fine Clause limits the amount that state and federal governments may fine a person for a particular crime. Then there is the Excessive Bail Clause which restricts judicial discretion in setting bail for the release of persons accused of a criminal activity during the period following their arrest but preceding their trial. Courts are given wide latitude under the Excessive Fine Clause of the 8th Amendment, fines which is imposed by ta trial court judge or magistrate will not be overturned on appeal unless the judge or magistrate abuse his or her discretion in assessing them. But the trial court judge is given less latitude under the Excessive Bail Clause. If the defendants meets bail or is able to pay the amount set by the court, the defendant is entitled to recover the pledged amount at the conclusion of the criminal proceeding, however, if the defendant fails to appear as scheduled during the prosecution, then he or she forfeits the amount pledge and still faces further criminal penalties if convicted of the offense or offenses charged. Since most of our defendants are indigent excessive fine is handling in a calm manner I believe. To me the most critical part of the 8th Amendment is the cruel and unusual punishment. In the case Furman v. Georgia the Supreme Court found that he death penalty violated the 8th Amendment the court noted  that â€Å"These death penalties are cruel and unusual punishment† today not much state use the death penalty but in our state of Florida the death penalty is still a factor. Recently the state declared a moratorium on lethal injection and a de facto moratorium on the death penalty. Finally I believe our criminal justice has come a long way but there is still work to be done especially with defendants being arrested and being treated as the olden days when slavery was in place. We still find our slavery taking place indirectly especially for black minority’s. We need our elected government leaders to stop playing politics and start working for the people who elected them into office. Judges and lawyers need to stop taking bribes and let the justice system work for the people. We as criminal justice majors must stop looking at the money we may make when we finish school and get our degree. And see how we can put what we have learned into practice to help our fellow neighbors or our community. Our justice system needs people with heart and backbones and I believe we as the leaders of tomorrow can do that. References: http://voices.yahoo.com/roots-history-punishment-512307.html?cat=37 http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/legal-punishment/#1 http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/8th+Amendment

Personal and professional skills, my weaknesses and strengths

Personal and professional skills, my weaknesses and strengths This report is to examine my personal and professional skills, to identify my weaknesses and strengths and make some personal plans on how to improve and enhance them. Activity 1: Personal Skills Review Decision Making Everyday and every step of the way we are making decision, one way or another. Decision making involves risks, and I would say that it is one of my weaknesses. It could be the culture or the familial orientation I have, where decision making is the responsibility of the father or the husband in the family. I know I have a good understanding and better judgement when it comes to assessing certain situations, but my skills in decision making is not exercised. I want to develop that skill but I had no confidence in voicing out my opinion in the workplace and at home. As Pettinger (2001) said it is impossible to predict with certainty the outcome of decisions, but it is possible to take certain steps to assess the possible range of outcomes. In decision making, it is always coupled with certain risks that the decision maker has to undergo. I should be able to handle and cope with the outcome of the decision I make. I should be prepared to face what could possibly be the outcome of my decisions. There should be an alternative plan if anything goes wrong. Careful planning must be considered before coming up with a decision in order to avoid negative results. I should study and analyse important information relative to the planned activities before making a decision in order to lessen if not to avoid pitfalls in decision making. Taking ample time to review planned activities is one of the best strategies for the managers and supervisors to consider in ensuring successful outcomes. I should enhance my skills in decision making by participating in the planning of activities at home and in the workplace. I lack the determination and the courage for fear of making failures and blamed for it. The lack of courage to stand up and said my piece has shunned all the good opportunities that had come my way. I should try to develop confidence and take some risks in order to achieve what I wanted to accomplish with my life. Effective Communication As an individual I believe that effective communication keeps a healthy personal or professional relationship with the people I am interacting with, be it at home, at work or in any circumstances where my personal opinion is required. There are a lot of ways to communicate and it is not only the idea of transmitting my message but also how I deliver the message effectively. It is clear therefore, that it is not just the words stated or written that are important, but also (Pettinger, 2001): The ways they are spoken or written The context in which they are spoken or written The relationship between those giving and those receiving What is not stated or written What is precise What is deliberately vague Effective communication elicits good relations, improves the quality of life, motivates people and therefore yields better interpersonal relationship at home and at work. In my personal experience, I am successful in transmitting messages verbally and get feedback promptly. I have a good skill in verbal communication and consider this as one of my strengths. It is an advantage, I would say, because I was able to help the small business of my husband and his brother. I may not be a part of the decision making process concerning the business but I was able to attract customers through my ability to communicate effectively. My personal strategy is listening to suggestions made by clients; listen to questions raised before giving my personal opinion about the situation. This could open communication line between me and the customers and create friendly relationship and gain their loyalty and patronage. Negotiating Skills John Hayes (2002) said that we are all negotiators. Negotiation is a process of joint decision making in which people with different preferred outcomes interact in order to resolve. Negotiating is the process of coming to terms of agreement considering the factors of personal relationship, the status, gender, racial, and age differences, reputation, expectations, timing and work pressure. It is the art of discussing with another party to come up with agreeable terms such as determining what I and that of the other party wants and dont want for a particular situation. It is the understanding of what is acceptable to me and for the other party and what is not acceptable. Negotiating is a two-way process. You take and benefit without having the other party being disadvantaged. I have a personal talent in negotiating things and I have applied it to help the business run by my husband and his brother. I build rapport with our clients and customers. Negotiation is a win-win process. In situations like this when the customer demands some things and services relative to the business, I am in the frontline to deal with the situation. I see to it that the demands of the customers will be granted without compromising the generated profit of the company. When customers start to negotiate, they have already in mind the kind of benefit they hoped to get. In negotiating I have to be pleasant in dealing with the person I am making a deal with but sometimes I have to be a little bit aggressive but not intimidating to protect my own desired outcomes. My skill in negotiating has helped a lot in the success of our small business. I gained not only customers but also good friends. My communication skills improved my ability to interact with the people I am dealing with in e veryday life. Even in my own home I practice how to negotiate because children are very good negotiators. It is not giving the desires of the other party while my own interest suffers and vice versa. There is always a common ground of agreement to achieve that would benefit both negotiating parties and that is where my skill in negotiating will take place. Activity 2: Professional Skills Review Coaching Skills Coaching is assessing the people and organizational needs and provided them with the necessary knowledge, skills and expertise to achieve organizational goals. A coach or a mentor is an advisor who guides the person to perform better or to learn new techniques on how to do task effectively. A manager in an organization will help improve the working performance of the employees if the manager possesses the skill on how to coach. Coaching is more than just imparting your ideas, skills and knowledge to your subordinates. According to Zeus, P and Skiffington, S. (2002) coaching also focuses on function and performance of an individual; builds rapport and listening, questioning and reflecting skills; use goal setting and action plan. It is also monitoring the extent of their progress and assesses the area the learner still need to improve. The employees of the Parts and Services Company produce very good services to their clients because they are very skilled in their craft. They have acq uired their skill thru their managers who are very patient in introducing some new skills to them. A good performance reflects a good coach. Employees will have a high regard for themselves if they know the details of how a certain task is done. A productive employee will also produce good results and the credit will go to the manager who serves as a mentor or coach. An effective coaching will help employees to be motivated to learn more not only for purposes of career advancement but also for the companys objectives to be realized. Employee effectiveness also depends how they are trained skilfully, either by coaching or mentoring, and positive counselling. Learning cannot be applied effectively in the absence of one-on-one follow up from the coach. It is necessary for the manager coach to see how much the employee has learned from the personal training given by putting the learner to practice what he has learned. The coaching technique must vary from person to person because there are fast learner people and some need detailed explanation and information. That is why a good coach must possess the quality of being patient. Leadership Skills Through good mentoring and counselling we can produce good leaders. Wikipedia-Dictionary defined counselling as the provision of assistance and guidance in resolving personal, social or psychological problems and difficulties especially by a trained person on a professional basis. In the other hand, mentoring is a personal development tool helping people to progress and realize its potentials. The managers of Parts and Service Company were not only good in their skills in counselling, but are also good mentors. They identify the employees who have the potentials of becoming good leaders and encouraged and helped them to develop their skills through mentoring and counselling. A good leader must have a flexible personality. Leadership skill is acquired, therefore through practice and experience a manager can be a good and effective leader. The success of an organization depends greatly on the leadership of the people managing it. Leadership is the capacity to influence other people in the organization. A good leader is followed and respected by the people he is working with. Parts and Service Company employees look up to their manager not only because he has contributed much to the achievement of company objectives, but because of his manner in leading the people he is working with. He does not only lead people but he also coaches at the same time, imparting to them his expertise that made him the role model in the organization. He leads by example. The qualities of a good leader is characterized by a having a sense of responsibility, work hard to complete a task, determination to achieve goals, exercise initiative in social situations, self confident, the ability to respond positively to stress and the ability to influence other people. (Bernard Bass, 3rd Edition). Employees are encouraged to find some ways to develop and enhance skills. They are motivated to strive and work hard to be as successful as their leader. A leader who does not care about the welfare of the employees can do nothing to meet organizational objectives set by the management. Employees will not get anything good from leaders that think only of their own personal benefit without considering the welfare of other people in the organization. Good leaders are first to approach their staff to give commendations if the job is satisfactorily done and the first to show concern to those who need encouragement. We always look up to a good and successful leader and we want to be influenced by their ability to handle complex things that led to their success. Their ability to cope with stressful situations, to stand and endure failure, to solve problems in the organization is admirable. Successful leaders have gone through a lot of frustrations but managed to overcome it and boost their confidence as an individual. Multi-Tasking Skills Multi-tasking is the ability of the person to do more than one task all at the same period of time. The employees given the responsibility to do this task must be well trained in performing the tasks in order to complete it in a given time. Multi-tasking saves cost and money but the quality of work may suffer as a result. It can benefit the organization because of reduced cost. Likewise it will benefit the employees because it will develop their knowledge and skills in performing some tasks other than what they are familiar doing. Adjustment in the part of the employees performing multi tasking is difficult if the sudden change is introduced. Multi task require a high degree of skill because the employee is placed in a variety of task that he must be ready to perform and complete. It is difficult for the person doing the multi-tasking but in the long run it is beneficial to the person because it will give him the advantage to be recognized if he performs what is expected of him to do . This will give the employee the chance for career advancement. The person doing multi-tasking must be creative and innovative. But the management must take some caution not to overload the person doing the multi-task. The person might be stressed out and cannot perform well. Poor performance will result to poor productivity. Stressed people have the tendency to get sick that could be avoided. Management must follow up the output of the person doing the multi task to know if the person is capable of doing it and see to it that that the person doing is well trained to avoid problems that can affect the performance of the entire organization. Multi-tasking helps the organization in many ways one of which is the financial cost. The task of two people can be performed by one if there is similarity of function in the task. The quality of output will not be affected if the mentors are religiously following and monitoring the performance of the employees. Counselling is important to give encouragement to the employees with overloaded tasks. Mentoring and counselling is important where multi-tasking is introduced to the organization. Task 2: PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING Activity 1: Personal audit I requested two (2) of my friends to help me assess my personal skills and to give me pointers on how to develop my weak points. As decision making is my weakness which I wanted to improve, they have given me their personal opinion on how to develop it. They suggested that I should: Assert if I think that my opinion is worth considering Communicate effectively so that my views will be heard Build my confidence Present relevant points of my opinion Assert to present my good ideas The points they have suggested will help develop and enhance my decision making skill. I have good and better ideas when it comes to family matters. My husband has the authority to make decisions in my home I have the tendency to keep silent. I have to be assertive because I want to be a part in the decisions and plans in my family. I have to enhance my communication skills in order to be heard and respected. And I also need to build my confidence in order to have the courage to assert. B. PERSONAL AUDIT QUESTIONNAIRE Please tick the appropriate option on the following rating scale (1-5), 1 being the weakest and 5 being the strongest. Name: ____________________________ Date: ______________________ 1 2 3 4 5 I am confident to talk in front of many people I can express my ideas well I cannot influence people easily I take responsibility of my actions I cannot manage pressure I cannot give relevant ideas on certain topics I can take risk I cannot solve problems easily C. Analysis 1 2 3 4 5 I am confident to talk in front of many people 1 1 I can express my ideas well l l I cannot influence people easily l l I take responsibility of my actions l l I cannot manage pressure ll I cannot give relevant ideas on certain topics ll I can take risk ll I cannot solve problems easily ll Based on the above answers obtained, it was identified that my skills in decision making is the weak points but I have the potentials to become a good decision maker because I can take responsibility well and take risk if needed. I might be observed to be weak in expressing my ideas, but I know I have good ones. I just have to develop my confidence. Solving problems is always a joint process between me and my husband, and I know I can enhance that skill in time. I will consider the suggestions of my friends in order to develop my personal and professional skills. Activity 2: Progression Plan The SWOT analyses Strengths Weaknesses Communication skills Negotiating Multi-tasking Good learner Confidence Stress Management Decision making Handling Conflict Opportunities Threats My opinion is considered Encouragement from my family Support from friends I have good ideas Culture Environment Level of responsibility Arguments and debates Learning Style Application Honey and Mumford have identified four main learning style preferences, namely: Activist persons who like to be involved in new experiences and new ideas. Reflector persons who like to collect data, and review before presenting conclusions. Theorist persons who adapt and integrate observations into complex and logically sound theories. Pragmatist persons who are more practical by nature; likes concepts that can be applied to their job. My goal is to develop my skill in decision making. It wont be hard for me because I have the determination and the potential to give good ideas. In order to achieve this goal I will use the reflector style of learning identified by Honey and Mumford. This style of learning reflects my qualities being careful, thorough, methodical, thoughtful, good at listening and absorbing information and dont jump to conclusion. My learning process will be fast and easy because different kinds of information are accessible. Monitoring I have to monitor the progress of my learning to know if I have improved or not. I have to identify mistakes incurred in the process so that I will be able to correct them. I will provide for myself a diary or activity planner where I can write activities that will help me strengthen my weaknesses. I should incorporate in my diary or planner activities like: where the learning took place; people involved; reason for undertaking the learning; what was learnt; topics covered and skills developed My family and friends will also help me in the learning process by asking them comments if I have improved skilfully and intellectually. In monitoring I should be able to identify my priorities for personal and professional development. I will also see if there are opportunities for developing my skills. I will create an action plan and evaluate my personal performance. From time to time I will ask a colleague or family member who can honestly assess the progress of my learning. The feedback will help me see the areas I still need to improve and the skills I have to enhance.

Case summary and examination of Obstetrics Posting

Case summary and examination of Obstetrics Posting Madam NTR is a 34 years old Malay lady with gravida 4 and parity 3, currently at 37 weeks of gestations. She was admitted on 21st Nov 2010 at gestational age of 30 weeks and 1 day, due to referral from Health Clinic Sendayan in view of placenta previa based on ultrasound findings during a routine antenatal visit. Her estimated date of delivery was on 20th Jan 2011. She was asymptomatic with no complaints of per vaginal bleeding, contraction pain, leaking liquor or show. Fetal movements were felt and were not reduced. She has no history of placenta previa in her previous pregnancies. The first day of her last normal menstrual period was on 15th Apr 2010. This was an unexpected pregnancy but both her and her husband wanted it. She suspected she was pregnant when she missed her menses for 4 weeks. She confirmed her pregnancy after urine pregnancy test done in a private clinic yielded positive result. Booking was done in Maternal and Child Health Clinic Gadong at 16 weeks of gestation and the dating scan at 16 weeks revealed parameters corresponding to date. However, placenta was noted to be low lying during that scan. Throughout her routine antenatal visits, she was normotensive, not anaemic and did not have diabetes mellitus. HIV and VDRL test were negative. Her blood group type is O Rh D  positive. This is her fourth pregnancy. Her third pregnancy was in the year of 2007. She delivered a full term baby boy with birth weight of 2.6 kg via caesarean delivery due to breech presentation in Hospital Tuanku Jaafar Seremban. She delivered her first two children who are both males in the year of 2004 and 2005 via spontaneous vaginal delivery, with birth weight of 4.26kg and 2.6kg respectively. There was no history of shoulder dystocia. All her children were born alive and well. Antenatal, natal and postnatal for all previous pregnancies were uneventful. She attained menarche at the age of 12. It is regular at 28 to 30 days cycle with duration of 5 to 7 days. There was neither dysmenorrhea nor menorrhagia. She practised coitus interuptus as contraceptive measure. She never had any PAP smear done previously. Past surgical, medical and drug history were unremarkable. Family history was unremarkable. She and her husband are married for 7 years. They are staying together with their three children in Gadong Jaya Village. She is a housewife. She neither smokes nor drinks alcohol. On the other hand, her husband works as a construction worker. He is a smoker but not alcoholic. Family income is approximately RM2000 per month which is barely adequate for their living. Physical examination: Madam NTR was alert, conscious and communicative. She was not in pain or respiratory distress. Her height and weight are 165cm and 76kg respectively. Her blood pressure was 110/80 mmHg; pulse rate was 86 beats per minute of regular rhythm and strong volume; temperature was 37 ° C; respiratory rate was 19 breaths per minute. All vital signs were within normal range. Upon general examination, there was no conjunctival pallor, sclera jaundice, palmar erythema or peripheral cyanosis. Thyroid glands were not palpable and breast examination was unremarkable. There was bilateral pedal edema up to mid-shin. Cardiopulmonary examination was unremarkable. Upon examination of the abdomen, it was distended with a gravid uterus. Linea nigra and striae gravidarum were visible. There was a tranverse scar, measuring 12cm, located above pubic symphysis. Distension appeared to be corresponding to gestational age. The umbilicus was flattened. On light palpation, the abdomen was soft and non-tender. Uterus was not irritable. Symphysiofundal height was 38 cm which was corresponding to gestational age. It was a singleton pregnancy with transverse lie and cephalic presentation. The liquor was adequate. Estimated fetal weight was 3.0-3.2kg. Fetal heart sound was 160 beats per minute. Investigations Full Blood Count revealed normal haemoglobin level (10.9g/dL). Transabdominal Sonography(TAS) revealed transverse lie fetus with the presence of fetal activity, estimated fetal weight of 3.19kg at 37 weeks of gestation, anterior placenta previa type 3 (placenta previa major) with evidence of placenta accreta at one area over bladder base.   The images also demonstrated placental lacunae, gross increase in vascularity of cervix which is suggestive of placenta accreta. Diagnosis Anterior placenta previa type 3 with possible placenta accreta. Management Upon admission, Madam NTRs vital signs were taken. Cannula was inserted and blood was taken for full blood count investigation and blood group cross-matching. Madam NTR was also given the explanation to keep her in ward until delivery and the condition of her pregnancy. She was encouraged to rest in bed and decrease activity level to avoid bleeding. Ultrasound was performed to confirm the diagnosis of placenta previa. She was then monitored for any contractions or bleeding. Madam NTRs pad chart, fetal kick chart and labour pregnancy chart were strictly monitored. Fetal heart rate was assessed 4 hourly with Daptone. Cardiotocography was done regularly and it was normal. She was given a course of IM dexamethasone 12mg BD of 1 day duration at 30 weeks of gestation. Full blood count investigation was performed once weekly and transabdominal sonography was carried out once in every 2 weeks throughout admission. Anemia should be corrected if present. Madam NTR was also prescribed ferrous fumarate, folic acid, vitamin B complex as well as ascorbic acid. She was eventually planned for an elective caesarean delivery on 5th Jan 2011 at 37 weeks of gestational age. Prior to that, she was counseled about risk of haemorrhage and possibility of hysterectomy to be done during operation as well as option of conservative management etc. Written informed consent was taken from both her husband and her. Progression Throughout the admission, she was comfortable and her vital signs were all normal. She had no any episodes of vaginal bleed, leaking liquor, show, uterine contraction and pain. She was not anaemic as evidenced by normal values of her haemoglobin levels. The most recent haemoglobin value was 10.9g/dl. Fetal well-being was assured as evidenced by normal CTG results. She and her fetus remained stable until the scheduled operation date. A day prior to that, she was kept nil by mouth. Packed cell blood was ready for transfusion if needed. After delivery of the fetus, manual removal of the placenta was done and placenta accreta was found to be at the anterior bed of lower segment of the uterus. She developed a massive uterine haemorrhage and a hysterectomy was performed. 3 units of packed cells (1 litre in total) were transfused intraoperatively. The operation lasted for 1 hour and 15 minutes. She delivered a baby boy weighs 3.2kg with Apgar score of 6 at first minute and 9 at fifth minute of life. After being assessed by paediatrician, he was discharged to the mother. Estimated blood loss was 2.8 litres. Explanation about intraoperative findings and the decision of attending doctor to proceed to hysterectomy was given to Madam NTR. Postoperatively, she remained hemodynamically stable. Post operative haemoglobin level was 12g/dl. She was able to ambulate and tolerate orally on third day after operation despite minimal pain over operation site. She did not complain of shortness of breath, palpitation, chest pain or calf pain. Baby was pink, active and well with no jaundice. Breastfeeding was established. Both of the mother and baby were discharged on 7th Jan 2011and subsequent follow-up was scheduled to be 2 months later. She should be arranged for psychological review and management as termination of fertility can sometimes cause devastating psychological impact to women. Discussion What other alternatives that Madam NTR has other than hysterectomy in the case of placenta accreta? Is hysterectomy absolutely indicated in Madam NTR? Mainstay traditional management has centred upon hysterectomy which has a high complication rate and terminates fertility of a woman. It can also cause devastating psychological consequences. While in vast majority of cases hysterectomy will remain appropriate, there are other management options available involving conservative approaches. The main nonsurgical conservative management would be to leave the placenta undisturbed in situ for it to be resorbed or to be passed spontaneously. It is expected that bleeding will remain minimal with this approach. This enables fertility to be preserved even though leaving the placenta in situ has implications for infection and recurrence. LoÃÆ' ¯c Sentilhes et al.(1) concludes that  successful conservative management for placenta accreta does not compromise the patients subsequent fertility or obstetrical outcome but there is a high risk that placenta accreta may recur during future pregnancies. Florence  Bretelle et al.(2) conducted a retrospective study in which 50 cases of placenta accreta were studied and 26 patients (52%) were treated conservatively. 21 of them (80.7%) did not undergo hysterectomy and 3 women had successful pregnancy during follow-up. This further proves that treated patient with placenta accreta selectively with conservative approach enables fertility to be preserved without increasing morbidity. However, conservative approach is usually considered only when bleeding is minimal. In this case of Madam NTR, there was severe haemorrhage encountered after delivery of fetus. Conservative management such as leaving the placenta in situ will lead to severe postpartum hemorrhage or even maternal death. Uterine compression suturing to stop the bleeding was not able to be performed as her uterus was too fragile to hold the sutures. Therefore, hysterectomy is absolutely indicated in the case of Madam NTR for her safety. This is her fourth pregnancy; therefore termination of fertility is not a major concern in her as discussed previously prior to obtaining her consent. As Madam NTR was planned for a high risk surgery with possibility of hysterectomy, counseling and obtaining written informed consent prior to surgery play a vital role. After being counseled, Madam NTR stated that she had little understanding about her situation and the surgery but not to the full understanding due to inability to fully comprehend medical terminologies used. The question here would be: Has the attending doctor done his duties well enough and is patients autonomy protected in this context? Informed consent is the core principle of modern medical practice. The primary aim of the consent process is to protect patients autonomy. Patients have the right to refuse medical care, even when it means they will die. This surgery is associated with high complication rate, termination of fertility and devastating psychological consequences to patient. Therefore, educating and informing her about her healthcare options, advantages and disadvantages associated with recommended management as well as other alternatives are very crucial. The point is not merely to disclose information, but to ensure patients comprehension of relevant information. Unfortunately, very often that doctor are disclosing information presuming that patients with different level of maturity, education level, cultural background and native language will be able to comprehend. On top of that, doctors are so used to medical terminologies and it is often found difficult to disclose medical information in laymans terminologies. Majority of patients whom I encounter were not aggressive in seeking opportunities to raise questions to attending doctors, especially during ward round whereby patient will be surrounded by specialist accompanied by medical officers, housemen and medical students. All these further jeopardize patients autonomy to exercise personal choice with total comprehension of relevant medical issues. In the case of Madam NTR, she and her husband should first of all be told what a placenta is before explaining to them about placenta praevia. Subsequently, attending doctor should explain to her the reason vaginal delivery was not able to be carried out as the placenta covers the entrance to the womb (cervix) entirely, which is known as major placenta praevia. Therefore, caesarean delivery is absolutely indicated and it will be conducted by experienced obstetrician and anaesthetist on duty. If an emergency arises, a consultant will be present. Risk of severe bleeding from placenta praevia which can put the life of the mother and baby in danger should be emphasized; therefore explaining the purpose of blood group cross- matching for blood transfusion. She should also be informed that rarely, placenta praevia may be complicated by a problem known as placenta accreta, when the placenta is abnormally attached to the womb, making separation at the time of birth difficult. Most of the time, it will pass out spontaneously. However, if the bleeding continues and cannot be controlled, removing the womb has to be done to control the bleeding after consideration of conservative approaches such as leaving it in situ with possibility of recurrence or infection fails. She has to be told to fast prior to operation. Choices of analgesia should be discussed with anesthesiologist in relation to risks and advantages for each option. Lastly and most importantly is to assure her that the healthcare team will recommend the best way for both her and her baby and at the same time, she has the right to be fully informed about her health care and to share in making decisions about it. Under the law, the doctor has a duty of medical care to give adequate information about the proposed medical treatment. The breach of informed consent in todays legal setting is more commonly interpreted as negligence when the doctor has not disclosed the risk of procedure and when the risk occurs, causing harm to patient. In the English case of Wells v Surrey Area Health Authority (3), a 36-year-old woman with 2 children, was advised to proceed to caesarean delivery after prolonged labour. She was in exhausted state when she was suggested to be sterilized during the surgery and consent was signed and sterilization was done. When she recovered, she complained that consent was invalid as it was taken when she was mentally confused. She sued the doctor for assault and battery for operation was done without consent as well as for negligence as information regarding sterilization was not given at all. In conclusion, informed consent should be practiced in the correct way, especially in obstetrics and gynaecology, an area with high risk of medico-legal perspectives, to provide best treatment and management to patient and fetus as well as protecting doctors from being sued for negligence.

DIBS Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Sometimes he sat mute and unmoving all morning or crawled about the schoolroom floor oblivious to the other children or to his teacher.† The book Dibs is a testimony of a child who seemed to be mentally retarded because he has created his own world inside of him. In her book, Virginia Axline proves that the therapy by the play is a way of curing people such as Dibs. During her book, she gives lecture to the reader of a recording taken from the sessions with the little child. During this expose, we will develop Dib’s relation with adults in particular his teachers, parents and grand mother. Then we will analyze another relation: the one with his therapist. In the second part the phenomena of rejection will be analyzed in both sides: in the mother and the father side but also with Dibs itself. Later, we will try to understand which role play therapy had occurred on Dibs change. When the books starts, Dibs is in the school since two years. At the beginning he refused to talk. Sometimes he could stay dumb and still during an entire morning. Other times, he could have violent bout of anger when it was time to go back home, which provoked towards teachers and director of the school a big anxiety. Was he mentally retarded? Was he suffering of a mental illness since his birth? Did his brain have received a shock? No one knew, even his parents who always refused to talk about their son’s attitude. But as the author, Virginia Axline, said â€Å"there was something about Dibs behavior that defied the teachers to categorize him, glibly and routinely, and send him on his way. His behavior was so uneven. At one time, he seemed to be extremely retarded mentally. Another time he would quickly and quietly do something that indicated he might even have superior intelligence† (Axline, Virginia Dibs in search of Self, 15). The staff meeting of class finally dec ide to help Dibs and to do something for him. It is at this point that the Doctor Virginia Axline, â€Å"specialized in working with children and parents† is called. Dibs relationship with his teachers was non existent. His reaction was the one of an assisted person. When it was going-home time, the child used to stay in the class without a gesture waiting for the teachers to put his coat on while saying â€Å"No go home! No go home! No go home!† (Dibs in search of Self, 1... ...ip with the examiner, whom he had never seen before† explains Virginia Axline in her books. The results of Dibs indicated that Dibs was an â€Å"exceptionally gifted child† capable of getting a score of 168 at a I.Q at fifteen years old. The reader will found in annex, a letter written by Dibs himself when he was fifteen in order to protest against an injustice. This letter shows first of all a maturity certain of the adolescent and the miracle that Play Therapy had on him. I found personally incredible to realize that this child who was predominate to stay in his own world all his life had been capable to write this letter where the theme of humiliation and revenge are once again present. Works Cited Axline, Virginia. Dibs in Search of Self. New York: Ballantine Books, 1964 Axline, Virginia. Play Therapy. New York: Ballantine Books, 1969 Battachi, Marco W. Une contribution à   la psychologie des à ©motions : l’enfant humilià ©. Paris: n.p, 1993 Brenner, Charles. An Elementary Textbook of Psychoanalysis. New York: Anchor Books Doubleday, 1973   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Winnicott, Donald. Playing and Therapy. London: Tavistock Publications, 1971   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Les Miserables Essays -- essays research papers

In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo portrays human nature in a neutral state. Humans are born with neither good nor bad instincts, but rather society affects our actions and thoughts. Hugo portrays the neutral state of mind through Jean Valjean and Cosette. The two extremes of good and evil are represented through Thà ©nardier and the bishop. Good and evil coexists in the society and affects Valjean and Cosette. It is the two extremes of good and evil that dictate the lives of Valjean and Cosette. The bishop represents charity and love. Everything he's ever had, he gave to charity. When the bishop first met Valjean, he said, "You need not tell me who you are. This is not my house; it is the house of Christ. It does not ask any comer whether he has a name, but whether he has an affliction. You are suffering; you are hungry and thirsty; be welcome. And do not thank me; do not tell me that I take you into my house..... whatever is here is yours." (pg. 15-16) The bishop didn't loo k at him as a convict; he looked at him as a fellow brother. Later, when the bishop found out that Valjean stole his silver, he wasn't mad, but offered all of his silver to Valjean saying, "Don't forget that you promised me to use this silver to become an honest man." Thà ©nardier, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of the bishop. He represents the corruptive nature of society. He's the one that changes people for the bad. An example of how Thà ©nardier represents greed and evil is how he... Les Miserables Essays -- essays research papers In Les Miserables, Victor Hugo portrays human nature in a neutral state. Humans are born with neither good nor bad instincts, but rather society affects our actions and thoughts. Hugo portrays the neutral state of mind through Jean Valjean and Cosette. The two extremes of good and evil are represented through Thà ©nardier and the bishop. Good and evil coexists in the society and affects Valjean and Cosette. It is the two extremes of good and evil that dictate the lives of Valjean and Cosette. The bishop represents charity and love. Everything he's ever had, he gave to charity. When the bishop first met Valjean, he said, "You need not tell me who you are. This is not my house; it is the house of Christ. It does not ask any comer whether he has a name, but whether he has an affliction. You are suffering; you are hungry and thirsty; be welcome. And do not thank me; do not tell me that I take you into my house..... whatever is here is yours." (pg. 15-16) The bishop didn't loo k at him as a convict; he looked at him as a fellow brother. Later, when the bishop found out that Valjean stole his silver, he wasn't mad, but offered all of his silver to Valjean saying, "Don't forget that you promised me to use this silver to become an honest man." Thà ©nardier, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of the bishop. He represents the corruptive nature of society. He's the one that changes people for the bad. An example of how Thà ©nardier represents greed and evil is how he...

Love :: essays research papers

Benjamin Franklin once said, "If you would be loved, love and be lovable." Love is something we are all in at least one time or another in our life. There are many different meanings for the word love and many people interpret it differently. Love as defined by Webster's dictionary is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. When you love someone you care not only care about them as a person, but also about their well being. When they are hurt, you feel hurt and when they are in pain you feel pain also. Their physical and emotional problems are not only theirs, but they are yours as well. To be in love means to care about that person so deeply that your life would not be complete without them. The fact that you cherish one person so much is a blessing to some, as well as a gift. The following fable tells of an orphan girl who had all the happiness in the world. "There is a wonderful fable about a young orphan girl who had no family and no one to love her. One day, feeling exceptionally sad and lonely, she was walking through the meadow when she noticed a small butterfly caught unmercifully in a thornbush. The more the butterfly struggled to free itself, the deeper the thorns cut into the butterfly from its captivity. Instead of flying away, the little butterfly changed into a beautiful fairy. The young girl rubbed her eyes in disbelief. 'For your wonderful kindness,' the good fairy said to the girl, 'I will grant you any wish you would like.' The little girl thought for a moment and then replied, 'I want to be happy!' The fairy said, 'Very well,' and leaned toward her and whispered in her ear. Then the good fairy vanished. As the little girl grew up, there was no one in the land as happy as she. Everyone asked her the secret of her happiness. She would only smile and answer, 'The secret of my happiness is that I listened to a good fairy when I was a little girl.' When she was very old and on her deathbed, the neighbors all rallied around her, afraid that her fabulous secret of happiness would die with her. 'Tell us, please,' the begged. 'Tell us what the good fairy said.' The lovely old woman simply smiled and said, 'She told me that everyone, no matter how secure they seemed, no matter how old or young, how rich or poor, had need of me.

Why we shouldn’t have more school days

The roots to education are bitter, but the fruit Is sweet. † unfortunately, our fruit hasn't become the sweetest. The recent Programmer for International Student Assessment (PISA) has shown that although the US may spend the most on Its students, we aren't all high and mighty. U. S students ranked 36 In Math, 28 in Science, and 24 in Language Arts. Shanghai, China ranked number one in every subject. You have proposed many times before on extending school hours or days to help students reach their full potential.I wish it were that simple, but nothing comes to us that easily. If this were to happen, it would surpass the real reasons we aren't ranking high enough. Let's take a look at high ranking countries such as Finland, Australia, and of course China. China Is number one, but also very high on another list. China's suicide rate Is among the highest In the world, ranking number 6. When you add more school, you add more stress. Students are stressed out enough with trying to be that perfect body they see In the magazines. School shouldn't add onto that, school should be a unforgettable and fun learning environment for kids.In China, falling Is not an option. You must attend school 260 days a year and if you con not, a parent steps in place to take notes for you. That is no way to live. Students are put under so much pressure they think the only way to be freed is to take their own life. Education and intelligence isn't worth it at the cost of someone's life. Both countries ranked significantly lower on the list of countries by suicide rate, Finland ranking at 22 and Australia ranking at 50. Although Peru, ranked last on the PISA, they ranked 99 on the sit of countries by suicide rate. It isn't worth the risk.As If school wasn't hard enough! School breaks are treasured by families because It Is the only time they really have together. Family time Is cherished by many and overlooked by many. I am one of the people that cherishes family time. With family tha t lives in the randomness parts of the country, I count down until breaks to be given the opportunity to wrap my arms around them again. Parents have jobs, students have homework, and after school activities. All the more reason to cherish family time. Whether you like it or not, they are your family, and you can't get rid of them.You are pretty much stuck with them so why would you take away the fun memories? Lastly, three simple words: quality over quantity. It doesn't matter how many school hours we have or school days. It how we spend that time Is what matters. Ever since I can remember, I have always spent my time In school preparing for a standardized test. These evil green monsters bring more stressed, but that Is a completely different topic. In Finland, they only take one standardized test when they are 16. Finnish schools have an educational system the US should new.In Finland students have smaller class sizes, and have little to know homework. Whereas in China, they were very well mannered students that wear uniform, learn in large class sizes, and have many hours of homework when they return home. Finland ranked 12 in Math, 5 in Science, and 6 in Language Arts. The Finnish education system has to be doing something right. They even have the same amount of school days as us, thus proving the amount of time spent in school isn't the greatest factor even if other states have men improvement.Speaking of same amount of school days, we have the same amount of days as Australian children. But instead of having a long two month break, they have smaller breaks given each season throughout the year. Australia ranked 19 in Math, 16 in Science, and 13 in Language Arts, all ranks are better than ours. Even Peru, that ranked last in every subject, has the same amount of school days as us. It is all about what we doing the time we have not the actual amount. In summation, school can be stressful, we should cherish family time, and it is all bout quality over quan tity.You can be the smartest person in the world, but if you don't share your intelligence, it is put to waste. As you can see, its not about the hours or the days. In order to fix the dent in our system, we can't Just put a piece of duct tape and call it a day. We have to investigate and connect the correct wires. These wires include such things like the school environment and students working to their full potential. We will get better in time, our system Just needs a few tweaks. Sincerely, Alexandra