Identify and Explain Communication Relationships

Promote Communication in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings 1. 1 Identify the different reasons people communicate Communication is very important and can be non-verbal: making eye contact, body language and gestures, verbal: talking, singing, listening and responding, and written. People communicate usually to provide or receive information. The information provided can be passed on and used for teaching and learning. It is also used to share our ideas and thoughts, to interact with others, and to understand others.Communication allows us to make decisions, to inform others, to resolve conflicts and problems, and to meet social and physical needs. We need to communicate in a nursery especially, as it is part of child development. Communication allows for connection with a young child, and enabling positive relationships to build by sharing and relating information. We also use communication whilst experiencing different things, such as new fo od, which allows everyone to express their ideas and extend their vocabulary. . 2 Explain how communication affects relationships in the work setting Communication in the workplace is a system for sending and receiving messages. Communication is a process that enables us to have good relationships with parents, colleagues, and children. Good relationships can create a welcoming and secure atmosphere for the children. This then helps the child to settle in and feel relaxed. Children are ‘social learners’, and learn by copying other people.Adults working with them should model good communication, both speaking and listening, so children will learn from them. Children need to know that they are being listened to and heard. This helps them to build up trust with adults, and promotes better relationships. The more you learn how to listen to the child, the better you will be able to assess their abilities and interests, and planning for their next steps in learning and develo pment. You will also get to know them well and then you can support their emotional needs by being in tune with them.The better and sooner children learn to communicate, the more easily they will form friendships and their confidence and self-esteem will increase. Very young children often aren’t able to express their thoughts and feelings in words, so it is important that adults working with them can listen carefully, and help children to learn how to express themselves. Good relationships also benefit the quality of interaction between the setting and the parent. Parents are more likely to share information, make comments and take an interest in what their child has been doing.This also benefits the child as additional information will be passed on to help the practitioner meet the child’s needs. There also needs to be good communication between staff members in the setting so they can enjoy their work. A good relationship in a team means that during times of stress and difficulties, practitioners can support each other. If there is lack of communication between staff members, vital information may not be passed on, and the child’s safety could be affected. This could be what a child’s allergies are, or who will be picking the child up. ConfidentialityConfidential information is information of some sensitivity, which has been shared in a relationship where the person giving the information understood it would not be shared with others. This also means the discretion in keeping secret or private information. All childcare settings must intend to fully respect the privacy of children and families. It is good to try and ensure that all parents and carers can share their information in the confidence that it will only be used to enhance the welfare of their child. Settings can respect confidentiality in the following ways: Allowing parents to have access to files and records of their own children, but do not have access to information about any other child. * Staff will not discuss personal information given by parents with other members of staff, except where it effects planning for the child’s needs. All staff is aware of the importance of confidentiality in the role of the key person. * Any concerns relating to a child’s personal safety are kept in a secure, confidential file and are shared with as few people as possible on a â€Å"need to know† basis. Personal information about children, families and staff is kept securely in a lockable file. * Issues to do with employment of staff, whether paid or unpaid, remain confidential to the people directly involved with making decisions. * Students attending the nursery on placement are made aware of the confidentiality policy and are required to respect it. Multi-Agency Approach to Communication Unifying Communications for a Safer Response The Programme is funded jointly by the Department of Communities and Local Government, National Policing I mprovement Agency, Cabinet Office and the Department of Health.The Public rightfully expect a  quick and effective  response from the emergency services and responder community. Experience  of major incidents and large scale events have highlighted the requirement for responders to communicate more effectively. Common communications tools are available, including Airwave radio and data tools such as the National Resilience Extranet. Airwave is the common radio platform in use by the Police Service, Ambulance Trusts, Fire and Rescue Service and those responding within the Civil Contingencies Act, 2004.The exchange of critical voice and data information between emergency responders is essential to: * Maximise the opportunity for  an effective  provision of services to the Public * Minimise risks to the public and emergency services personnel * Alert personnel to an immediate hazard * Support decision-making by Commanders * Assist in the creation and maintenance of a Common O perating Picture (COP) * Deliver a common operational approach across borders at emergencies, incidents and events http://www. pia. police. uk Communicating with children It is important to communicate clearly with young children as it helps them to understand what is expected of them, and they also learn to become good communicators themselves. Good communication:- * Check that you have their attention * Make good eye contact * Use positive facial expressions and body language * Use a friendly tone of voice * Call children by their preferred name * Keep sentences to the point * Listen to what the child says them respond Do not be sarcastic * Think about children’s language level and needs * Remember that they may not know phrases and words such as ‘a couple’ To build a good relationship with children, it is important that you encourage them to interact with you. This should be in a relaxed and natural way. Sometimes rather than telling a child what to do, you ma y ask them what they think and allow them to make suggestions. Listening plays a vital role here and teaches the children how to listen.Adapting communication to meet the individual needs of children Every child is different, so it is important to think about the communication needs of each individual child, and then adapt your approaches accordingly. For example, a child who stammers will need more opportunities to talk calmly in unhurried situations, away from other children who may interrupt. Another example is a child who has English as a second language. In this case, you may need to simplify sentences or use visual cues. They may need a little more time to respond.If there are particular difficulties with a child, firstly you need to talk to parents as they know what works best for their child. If these strategies don’t work, you may need to contact a speech and language team to try and extend these strategies. For example, a visual approach alongside spoken word, to he lp children understand the meaning, or a pictorial system which allows the children to show what they want by photographs. A child with a hearing loss may benefit from communicating in areas that are well lit, and away from distracting background noises.Recognising communication differences and difficulties It is important to learn about what a particular child is use to. If you have parents of different cultures or nationalities in the setting, take note of how they interact and communicate with children. For example, a parent may kiss and hug their child more, so their child will be used to a much more active style of communication. The use of eye contact and body language also vary across languages and cultures. The gesture for ‘no’ may be different so it is good to learn by watching and taking an interest in the way parents interacts with their children.There are many reasons why a child may have delayed speech or communication difficulties. If early intervention ca n take place, it could make a significant difference. Environmental causes include: Parents/carers or practitioners being ‘too busy’ to talk to the children Lack of understanding by parents/carers or practitioners of the importance of talking and listening to children Meal times not being shared with adults Noisy home environment – radio always on Child being left alone for long periods of time Children with communication difficulties do not necessarily have any learning impairment.It is important to not assume that a child’s ability to understand, listen and learn is diminished because of difficulties in communication. It is also essential to ensure that the child is not being bullied or teased by the other children. If so, it must be prevented straight away as there are many effects such as a decrease in confidence and self esteem. Type of difficulty| Examples/Characteristics| Speech and Language Delay| A child with these difficulties follow the normal p attern for speech and language, but at a slower rate or later than usual. Emotional Problems| Being withdrawn and fearful of adults. A child with emotional problems is usually a result of abuse or neglect. | Expressive Difficulties| The child finds it hard to convey thoughts in words. For example, a child may say ‘chair’ meaning ‘table’ but does fully understand the difference between the two. | Stuttering| Most children go through a phase of not being able to pronounce words in the accepted way, repeating words and not being fluent. If a stutter does develop, it will be between the age of two and five years.Children who have a stutter have difficulty in coordinating the airflow in their mouths and the muscles around their mouths. Stressful situations, such as talking in front of a group, can make it worse. It is very important to allow the child to speak and not finish their sentences. You can help with props and provide lots of reassurance. Referral to a specialist may be required. | Specialists include: * Translation services * Interpreting services * Speech and language services * Advocacy services

Health and Child Care Practitioner Essay

Keeping children healthy and safe is very important. To ensure children’s health, safety and wellbeing every home nations has sets of standards or welfare requirements which settings must meet. The standards vary from country to country, but they all exists in order to protect children. Child care practitioner need to be familiar with minimum Welfare requirements, Safeguarding children, Promoting welfare, Suitable people, Organisation, Premises, Environments, Equipment, Documentation . Section 1 –Quality of Care. Standard 1 – Safeguarding and child protection. The safeguarding of children is best promoted through: The regular review of policies and procedures, Access to approved training for all staff on safeguarding issues on a regular three-yearly basis , If all children are resting/sleeping on mats or low beds, it is acceptable that the staffing arrangements as per required ratios, do not have to be med but a minimum of two staff must remain with the group of children. It is also important in settings that providing group-based care that a member of staff have a designed responsibility for Safeguarding and child protection. Standard 4 – Health & Safety in the Setting. The section requires settings to ensure the relevant regulations and guidance are meet, registrations with their local Environmental Health Service and compliance with their guidance, reference is made to staff/child-minders being ‘’under the influence of any substance’’, this relates to alcohol or drugs, also reference is made in the Minimum Standards to valid fire-safety risk assessment , the risk assessment should be regularly reviewed and updated in line with Northern Ireland Fire Rescue Service Guidance. Facilities that have been registered for some years may hold a Fire Safety Certificate. Standard 5- Food and Drink. The social value of children eating is recognised. Whilst it is beneficial to have a separate dining room in a full day care settings, all settings are required to register with their local Environmental Health Service and comply with all guidance issued. Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate it should noted, the standards identifies the need for all setings to provide food and drinks for the four main food groups, for sessional care playgroups, creches and after school settings, it is acknowledged that they are not required to provide non-dairy sources of protein like meat, fish, eggs, beans Section 2- Quality of Staffing, Management &Leadership. Standard 11- Organisation of the Setting. In terms of addressing the requirements of this Standard, the following issues should be addressed: Staffing ratio, Absence of person in charge, Lead Time for applications for Managers in post, Existing Staff with qualifications, Existing Staff without qualifications, New staff without qualifications, Babies and toddlers, School aged children, Students in placement, Volunteers, Daily Registrations, Minimum number of staff available, Excursions school pick-ups, child-minders Mandatory Training , Arrangements for Emergencies, Child-minders with an assistant. Standard 12- Suitable Person. The term substantial access therefore does not refer to these employed to care for children in a child minding or day care setting, but anyone who has access to the children throughout the period of time in which care is provided and the register person. Vetting does not only refer to criminal record checks but includes medical references, employment and personal references and Social Services checks. Vetting will be carried out in line with the Regional Vetting Procedure. Section 3- Quality of Physical Environment. Standard 13- Equipment provided by all settings will be furniture, play equipment, must be sufficient and suitable for all ages. High chairs must have point harness, all outdoor play equipment must be safety secured in terms of safety, appropriate insurance cover must be held, it is also important that staff have access to comfortable seating which allow them to feed a bottle to or nurse an infant. . Section 4 –Ability of Monitoring and Evaluation Standard 15 Documentation. As all records, including those pertaining to children and staff, are accessible to the Trust’s Registration and Inspection staff, The reference to article 126 of the Children(NI) 1995 relates to the requirement to keep record of the name of: any child looked after on the register premises, any person who assist in looking after a child, any person who lives, or is likely at any time to be leaving , also providers should be aware that accidents may need to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive like work related, serious injuries, to staff or children , work related diseases , over three day injuries. Section 5- Policies and procedures. Trusts in their regulatory capacity, will wish to be satisfied that providers have the range of policies and procedures as outlined in this section, it is important that all policies and procedures including risk assessment are reviewed an annual basis . List of Policies as outlined in the Minimum Standards: Absence of the Manager, Accidents, Additional Needs, Complaints, Confidentiality, Consent, Data Protection, Equality, First aid, Infection prevention and control, Managing Emergences, Menu Planning, Mobile phones, Parents access to record, Participations, Provision for Food and drink , Security on the setting, Smoking. 1. 2 Explain the lines of reporting and responsibility within the work setting. When we are working with children it is important to understand the lines of reporting and responsibility. In some small settings the lines of reporting may be quite simple but, in a large setting certain member of the staff may be responsible for different areas. In my setting if in case of any accident, incident, illness or any other emergency I have to report to my teacher and then to others responsible, my setting also have Health and Safety officer, fire officer, child protection officer, safe guarding officer and a full qualified first aid for every stage. When an accident/ incident occurs at the setting we record it in our incident/ accident book which is kept in the office filing cabinet. .Some illnesses must be reported to the local health authority such like tuberculosis, mumps, meningitis. In my setting we have our emergency procedures displayed in every classroom, and the reception aria so all the staff, students or volunteers they will know where to report in case of any emergency. Legislation of Health and safety NI at work of order 1978 Employee responsibilities: Comply with health and safety policy and procedures, keep the safe working practise and use any or all safety equipment that is provided. Take care of yourself and the safety of others who may be affected by your actions. Employer responsibilities: Making the workplace safe and eliminate health risks is one of the many, providing adequate welfare facilities, ensure health and safety in work place ,provide training ,safety equipments ,understand the importance of regular risk assessment. 3. 1 Explain how to promote children’s health and well-being in a an early years work setting Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of diseases or infirmity. Health can be thought of a bit like a jigsaw puzzle as there are various components that need to come together in order to maintain good health and well-being both for children and adults. If one part is missing health is affected. Some of the components of health are : Nutrition, Health care, Hygiene, Play opportunities, Rest and sleep, Safe guarding and protection, Positive experience, Love and attention, Fresh air and lights, Diet, Physical activities, Medical care. Rest and sleep is an essential requirement for good health and development. Sleep appears to have many vital functions required to support a healthy immune system: aids the regulation of hormones and the processing of information by the brain. If a child is not sleeping enough this can have negative impact on the child health such as: Growth, Memory and learning, Illness, Behaviour and impulsivity. The sleep amount hours will vary, depends on the child age for example a child between 1-3 years may need to sleep between 12- 14 hours per day, also children in this age they need to nap in the afternoon , we have to make sure that the nap is not to long so the children can sleep during the night, another issue about sleeping is the safety , by making sure that there are no objects that my suffocate children, also the cot have to be comfortable, worm and clean , the rom temperature should be 18-21 not too cold, not too worm . Personal Hygiene is very important for everyone but especially for young children because good hygiene prevent possible infection, children need to be kept clean but also the environment they are living in, By teaching children how to wash hands correctly, how to brush their teeth or hair we can help young children understand the importance of a good hygiene. We can teach children how to maintain a god personal hygiene by playing games, through different activities such as painting or through singing/ puppet show but also through good role model. Immunisation is the use of vaccines to give immunity for a specific diseases, the vaccinations prevent children from getting ill but also some of the diseases can be contagious for other children and also for the staff . Love and attention is about children’s emotional well- being and is linked to their health. Babies and children can become depressed if they are not given sufficient attention. The attention the babies and young children will receive is from their parents but also from the childcare practitioner, this mean that children must have a key person who can establish a special relation with them so they feel loved and protected. Diet what children eat and drink has a pivotal effect on their health. The term balanced diet is often used in connection with the healthy eating. A balanced diet is one in which there are sufficient nutrients in right quantities for children and adults. The child care practitioner can promote a healthy diet by teaching children about healthy foods, the importance of healthy food. As an child care practitioner working with the early years I am in the unique position to influence the lives of the young children by promoting healthy living in the setting I work. I have to help children understand the importance of the healthy lifestyle 5. 1 Identify balanced meals and drinks for children in their early years, following current government guidance on nutritional needs. Just like adults young children need energy ( calories) from food and nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals, to make sure their bodies work properly and can repair themselves. At this age children grow very quickly and are usually very active, so they need plenty of calories and nutrients. A healthy and varied diet should provide all nutrients the child need. A well balanced diet is who will have: Milk and dairy foods, meat, fish, beans, and lentils , bread and other cereals such as rice , pasta , potatoes, breakfast cereals, fruit and vegetables, fruit juices and water.

Social Policy on Healthcare: A Comparative Analysis of Germany, Sweden and USA

Introduction This essay aims to examine healthcare policies in the countries of Germany, Sweden and USA. A discussion on how these countries differ in access to healthcare services, funding and how they address health inequalities will be done. The perspectives of convergence and path dependence will be used to examine the healthcare policies. The first part of this brief presents a brief overview of the healthcare policies present in the three countries. The second part will discuss the key concepts and models of social policy on healthcare in these countries. In the third part, the perspective of path dependency and convergence will be used to analyse healthcare policies of the three countries. A conclusion that will summarise the key concepts and issues raised in this essay will be presented at the end. Overview of the Healthcare Policies in Germany, Sweden and USA Healthcare policies in these three countries have significant differences. The World Health Organization (2014) has stressed that access to healthcare services should be equitable. This means that all individuals, regardless of their socio-economic background, religious beliefs, gender and race should receive the same type of care. Equitable distribution of healthcare services ensures that health inequality is addressed. The latter relates to the unfair distribution of healthcare services and health status between different socio-economic groups (Figueras et al., 2008). Those with higher socio-economic status tend to enjoy better health, have lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, diabetes, hypertension and other chronic and acute conditions (Figueras et al., 2008). In contrast, those in the lower socio-economic status tend to have poorer health status and are more vulnerable to chronic diseases (World Health Organization, 2014). This disparity explains the differences in access to healthcare services in both groups (Blank and Burau, 2007). These observations should be a cause of concern since good health is viewed as a fundamental right for all individuals (Reibling, 2010). Amongst the three countries, the healthcare industry in the US is regarded as the most expensive when compared to the rest of the highly developed capitalist countries (Moody, 2011). However, in terms of child mortality, life expectancy and death due to medical errors, US fares the worst (OECD, 2011, 2009; HDR, 2011). The percent of public funding for healthcare is also the lowest in the US compared to Germany and Sweden. In recent surveys (OECD, 2009, 2008; Adema et al., 2011) public funding for healthcare in the US is only 47.7%. In contrast, the government of Germany spends 76.9% on healthcare while Sweden spends 81.5% (OECD, 2009). Amongst the three countries, the US spends the highest percent of its gross domestic product (GD) as of 2010 for healthcare (OECD, 2011). In 2010, the US spent 17.9% of its GDP on healthcare while Germany allocated 11 .6% and Sweden, 9.6% (OECD, 2011). All these countries exceeded the recommended allocation for healthcare from the country’s GDP (Adema et al., 2011). Access to healthcare service also varies in the three countries. Access to healthcare is universal in Sweden while Germany exemplifies the quasi-universal with compulsory insurance (Baldock, 2011). In contrast to these two countries, there is a low degree of universality in the US and funding is mostly through employers of individuals (Glyn, 2006). There is also a debate on the coverage of healthcare policies in the US especially during the 2008 financial crisis where the government was forced to support healthcare of many poor, unemployed individuals (Moody, 2011). Funding of healthcare service in the US is also employer-based while insurance companies fund health service in Germany (Moody, 2011). In Sweden, taxation supports healthcare service regardless of the socioeconomic background of the individuals. Hence, most hospitals are publicly funded in Sweden while Germany enjoys a private-public partnership. In the US, private hospitals and clinics mostly provide for healthcare servi ce in the country (Greve, 2013). With focus on reducing health inequalities, the US places more importance on the healthcare needs of the poor (Glyn, 2006). Using the gatekeeping model (Greve, 2013), primary healthcare practitioners in the US screen individuals before they could gain access to publicly funded healthcare services. Only those with income levels in the poverty level, have disabilities, have very young children are allowed to access Medicaid (Greve, 2013). In contrast, patients in Sweden are referred to specialists by their general practitioners (GPs) regardless of their socio-economic background (Anell, 2012). However, there is very little gatekeeping in Germany, explaining the rich supply of doctors and specialists (Reibling, 2010). This means that there is no cost-sharing between the patients and the government when accessing healthcare specialists. Social health insurance in Germany follows the concepts of shared responsibility between the individuals and the state in funding and accessing healthcare services (Wahl, 2011). For example, Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) covers majority of the population. Employers and employees share in paying for the SHI (Reibling, 2010). When patients visit GPs and specialists, they also have to pay 10 euros for each doctor visit (Reibling, 2010). Only 10% of the population pays for private health insurance. Since patients have freedom of choice when selecting their providers, this tends to create high expectations for the quality of service offered by doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. However, this create dissatisfaction amongst doctors since their fees are regulated, unlike in the US where doctor fees vary from one state to the other. There is also an observation that doctors in most European countries earn less than their counterparts in the US, fueling dissatisfaction amon gst this group (Rechel et al., 2006). While both countries have rich supply of doctors, the payment scheme for healthcare professionals greatly varies. Similar to Germany, the US has also little gatekeeping for individuals who do not belong to the lower socio-economic status. The latter could choose healthcare providers and specialists according to their preference. Sweden also has a mix of private and publicly owned healthcare facilities. However, the government fund for most healthcare expenditures (Greve, 2011). This means that even when individuals seek care in privately owned facilities, the government pays for healthcare costs. This scheme also benefits the government since this will ease the volume of patients seen in publicly owned healthcare facilities. Since there is competition for healthcare, patients have more choice on the type of healthcare provider they want to access (Kangas and Palme, 2009). All healthcare employees in both public and private-owned healthcare facilities receive salaries while patients share in the healthcare costs (Kangas and Palme, 2009). There is also a ceiling on the costs of medications. Due to the minimal user fee and healthcare cost, healthcare is suggested to be equitable (Kangas and Palme, 2009). However, there is evidence (Brown, 2008) that the long waiting list and disparity in supply and demand derai l timely access to healthcare services in Sweden. Key Concepts and Models of Social Policy in the Three Countries The impact of health and social care policies in countries are often measured by health outcomes. These include incidence of diseases, daily adjusted life years (DALYs) for burden of disease and human development index (HDI) (World Health Organization, 2014). The HDI is a critical measurement of a country’s health status since it has been shown that positive measure of health is intricately linked with human development and economic productivity (OECD, 2011). Amongst the three countries reviewed in this essay, USA ranked the highest in terms of human development followed by Germany and Sweden. The succeeding table summarises the HDI, life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, gross national income (GNI), GNI per capital rank minus HDI rank and nonincome HDI value in 2011: HDI Rank Human Development Index Value Life expectancy at birth (years) Mean years of schooling (years) Expected years of schooling (years) Gross national income (GNI) per capita (Constant 2005 PPP $) GNI per capita minus HDI rank Nonincome HDI Value United States (rank 4) 0.910 78.5 12.4 16.0 43,017 6 0.931 Germany (rank 9) 0.905 80.4 12.2 15.9 34,854 8 0.940 Sweden (rank 10) 0.904 81.4 11.7 15.7 35,837 4 0.936 Source: OECD, 2011 As shown in the table above, the life expectancy at birth is lowest in the US but high in Germany and Sweden. Better life expectancy in the latter two countries could be due to earlier treatment of childhood diseases (Mackenback and Bakker, 2003). The funding scheme in the US might also account for disparities in healthcare (Mackenback and Bakker, 2003). As opposed to Sweden and Germany, two-third of the population in the US either has private insurance or is covered by their employers. Employed individuals also make personal contributions in addition to employer contribution for their health coverage (Moody, 2011). The scheme employed in the US has important implications in healthcare access. It is shown that approximately 46 million people in the US do not have public or private insurance (Moody, 2011). The number of insured individuals decreases as income also decreases (Moody, 2011). It has been shown that those in higher income quintiles tend perceive better health status as com pared to those in the lower income quintile. The cost of healthcare is also regulated in Germany and Switzerland as opposed to the US where there is very little containment of cost (Blank and Burau, 2007). The concept of equity could be used to explain why there are significant differences in health status in the US. The OECD (2009) emphasise that measurement of equity in health status is focused on mortality and morbidity rate for the individuals. Currently, the OECD determines the health status of a state through its life expectancy at age 65 for the elderly and infant mortality rate for children (OECD, 2008). Both life expectancy and infant mortality rate is generally lower in the US compared to Germany and Sweden (OECD, 2009). This would show that despite having high human development index, the US is lagging behind Germany and Switzerland in terms of healthcare for the elderly and the very young. The OECD (2009) also notes that healthcare administration costs in the US is significantly greater than other OECD countries. Sometimes, the costs are twice as high compared to Sweden and Germany. While doctors in Sweden and Germany have ceiling rates for their healthcare services, doctors in the US charge higher (Moody, 2011). While competition for healthcare services is present in Sweden, the competition in the US has a negative impact since it inflates the cost instead of driving down the cost while maintaining quality of care (Moody, 2011). At present, Medicaid only covers those with disabilities, the elderly, families living in the poverty level and those with very young children (Rosenbaum, 2011). Meanwhile, Obamacare or the Patient Protection and Affordable Act mandate employers to provide for health coverage on their respective employees (Rosenbaum, 2011). Those who are eligible for subsidies would be given government subsidies to pay for their health insurances. Since Obamac are pushes those who are not covered by Medicaid to private insurers, it is expected that this will create competition amongst insurance companies (Rosenbaum, 2011). For instance, these companies might offer more health coverage for a wide range of health conditions at a lesser cost. Companies might also compete on the healthcare providers available to deliver healthcare for the insurers. Path Dependence and Convergence Path dependence suggests that history and institutional context play crucial roles in the development of healthcare policies (Kennett, 2001). Once a healthcare policy, however, is established, it tends to be resistant to changes or when reforms are inevitable, it stays within the boundaries of the original policy. On the other hand, socio-economic changes greatly influence the direction of healthcare policies in the ‘convergence’ perspective (Starke et al., 2008). To illustrate, a number of countries in the European Union tend to follow similar paths in healthcare policies and integrate best practices from each nation. The convergence of healthcare policies is described as ‘positive integration’ (Starke et al., 2008). Since market competition for healthcare services are introduced in the welfare states in Europe, this creates ‘negative integration’ of healthcare policies (Starke et al., 2008). Germany’s healthcare policy tends to follow the path dependence amongst the countries in Europe. Healthcare policies in this country were established as early as the 19th century (Arts and Gelissen, 2010) beginning with the introduction of the social health insurance. Although the complexities of healthcare have increased, little have change on how healthcare service is funded and delivered. The long- standing tradition of corporatism still exists. For instance, governing boards that make decisions or negotiate terms with health care practitioners, the insurers and pharmaceutical industry are all composed of representative employers and employees (Starke et al., 2008). All those sitting in these boards are elected through democratic means. This has been practised for many years and little have changed on how governing boards are convened. On the other hand, subsidiarity is still practiced today Arts and Gelissen, 2002). This means that legislative framework is created or refor med by the government alone. Meanwhile, Sweden also follows the path dependency perspective. Similar to Germany, universal access to healthcare service has been practiced since the post-war period (Arts and Gelissen, 2002). The public through the city councils continue to provide funds for healthcare (Arts and Gelissen, 2010). It should be noted that this practice has been existence since the 19th century. However, there have been criticisms on the healthcare system in Sweden. Foremost amongst this is its struggle to cope up with the increasing demands for healthcare with low supply of healthcare providers (Van Kersbergen and Hemerijck, 2012). The ageing of the population coupled with the complexity of healthcare also pushes the national health services system of Sweden to look for innovations to deliver healthcare at a lesser cost (Van Kersbergen and Hemerijck, 2012). The challenge of meeting all healthcare demands with tighter financial resources might drive the country to look for alternative ways in funding healthcare of the people. Finally, the US exemplifies the ‘convergence’ perspective. Healthcare reforms have increased in the last 20 years with the culmination of Obamacare in recent years. This suggests that healthcare policies in the country are subject to change, depending on the political, economic and social context of healthcare. To illustrate this point, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare is currently driving more individuals in the country to purchase private insurance. This is a source of conflict in the country since coverage of Medicaid is very restrictive (Rosenbaum, 2011). Medicaid will continue to expand coverage in the succeeding years to include those with mean annual income of 40,000 USD. This suggests that healthcare policies could continue to change until a consensus is reached between the government and healthcare consumers. The perspective of convergence would suggest that countries tend to follow best practices and create policies that co uld respond to current needs. Basing on this perspective, the US is a good example of how it changes its healthcare policy to meet the increasing demands for healthcare. Conclusion Variations in healthcare policies are noted in the countries of Germany, Sweden and the US. While all countries have high HDI, they differ in the life expectancy at age 65 and infant mortality rate. These two indicators are cited by the OECD as measures of how a country exercises equity in healthcare. Sweden and Germany almost have similar life expectancy for the elderly. These countries also differ in public spending for healthcare and access to healthcare services. Sweden has been practicing universal health care since the post-war period while Germany has shifted to quasi-universal in the last decades. The US, through its Medicaid, provides universal access to healthcare services only for those with disabilities, families with very young children or based on need. Those not covered with Medicaid have to purchase their own healthcare insurance or are provided with insurance by their employers. Hence, the US only practices very low universal access to healthcare. Finally, the perspe ctives of ‘path dependence’ and ‘convergence’ are discussed in this essay. Sweden and Germany follow the path dependence perspective while the US demonstrates the convergence perspective. Finally, this brief shows that path dependence healthcare systems are faced with the challenge of providing universal access in the face of tightening budgets. Further, the US has to further expand its Medicaid or make reforms to make healthcare more equitable. References Adema, W. , Fron, P. & Ladaique, M. (2011). Is the European Welfare State really more expensive?: indicators on social spending, 1980-2012; and a manual of the OECD Social expenditure Database (SOCX). Paris: OECD. Arts, W. & Gelissen, J. (2010). ‘Models of the welfare state’. In Casttles, F. (Ed.). The Oxford handbook of the Welfare State, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Arts, W. & Gelissen, J. (2002). ‘3 worlds or more?’., Journal of European Social Policy, 12(2), pp. 137-158. Anell, A. (2012). ‘Sweden: Health system review’. Health Systems in transition, 14(5), pp. 1-159. Baldock, J. (2011). Social policy, social welfare and the welfare state. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Blank, R. & Burau, V. (2007). Comparative health policy. London: Palgrave. Brown, A. (2008). Fishing in Utopia: Sweden and the Future that Disappeared. Sweden: Grant. Figueras, J., McKee, M., Lessof, S., Duran, A. & Menabde, N. (2008). Health systems, health and wealth: Assessing the case for investing in health systems. Denmark: World Health Organization. Glyn, A. (2006). Capitalism unleashed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Greve, B. (2013). Routledge Handbook of the Welfare State. London: Routledge. Greve, B. (2011). ‘The Nordic welfare states-revisited’., Social Policy Administration, 45(2), pp. 111-113. HDR (2011). Human Development and its components [Online]. Available at: www.undp.org (Accessed: 25th March, 2014). Kangas, O. & Palme, J. (2009). ‘The Nordic Experience’. International Journal of Social Welfare, 18(Suppl 1), pp. S62-S72. Kennett, P. (2001). Comparative Social Policy. Open University: Open University Press. Mackenback, J. & Bakker, M. (2003) ‘European network on interventions and policies to reduce inequalities in health. Tackling socioeconomic inequalities in health: an analysis of recent European experiences’. Lancet, 362, pp. 1409-1414. Moody, K. (2011). ‘Capitalist care: Will the coalition government’s ‘reforms’ move the NHS further toward a US-style healthcare market?’. Capital and Class, 35(3), pp. 415-434. OECD (2011). Human Development Index and its components. Europe: OECD. OECD (2009). Society at a Glance 2009: OECD Social Indicators. Europe: OECD. OECD (2008). Are we growing unequal[Online]. Available at: www.oecd.org (Accessed: 25th March, 2014). Rechel, B., Dubois, C. & McKee, M. (eds) (2006). The health care workforce in Europe. Learning from experience. Trowbridge: Cromwell Press. Reibling, N. (2010). ‘Healthcare systems in Europe: towards an incorporation of patient access’, Journal of European Policy, 20(1), pp. 5-18. Rosenbaum, S. (2011). ‘The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice’. Public Health Reports, 128(1), pp. 130-135. Starke, P., Obginer, H. & Castles, F. (2008) ‘Convergence towards where: in what ways, if any, are welfare states becoming more similar?’. Journal of European Public Policy, 15(7), pp. 975-1000. Van Kersbergen, K. & Hemerijck, A. (2012). ‘Two decades of change in Europe: The emergence of the social investment state’. Journal of Social Policy. 41(3), pp. 475-492. Wahl, A. (2011). The Rise and Fall of the Welfare State. London: Pluto Press. World Health Organization (2014). Health Systems: Equity [Online]. Available at: http://www.who.int/healthsystems/topics/equity/en/ (Accessed: 25th March, 2014).

Ethan Frome and Age of Innonce Essay Essay

Edith Warthon was born in New York City into a very wealthy family. She was forced into a loveless marriage and eventually fell in love with another man. Her life closely resembles the two books she wrote–Age of Innocence and Ethan Frome. Age of Innocence was a novel by Edith Warthon that was turned into a movie. Newland was about to marry May when May’s cousin Ellen came from Europe to New York. Newland found himself wanting to be with Ellen rather than May. Ethan Frome was very similar to Age of Innocence and was the story of a poor man, his wife, and her cousin who find themselves in a love conflict. Ethan was married to Zeena, his very ill wife. In order for Ethan to continue to work, Zeena’s cousin, Mattie, came to take care of her. Ethan instantly fell for the young, charming, and beautiful Mattie. The film and the novel share similarities in the representation of symbolism and jealousy in the main characters yet differ in how their love affairs were resolved. Both Age of Innocence and Ethan Frome shared similar symbolism. To start with, in Age of Innocence, Newland and May attend an opera. In this opera the man kissed the brown string on the women’s dress as he walked away from her. He needed to leave her because they should not be together, just like Newland and Ellen should not be together because he was engaged to her cousin. This compared to the part in Ethan Frome, when Mattie knitted the brown stuff and Ethan kissed it. Mattie pulled the brown stuff away from Ethan before long. This symbolized the fact that Ethan needed to leave her because he was married to Zeena for seven years. These parts are related because they both symbolize a love that needed to be forgotten, a love that needed to be left in the past. Secondly, Newland and Ethan are very similar. In Age of Innocence, Newland encouraged Ellen to stay in New York and not go back to her husband. Although Newland was engaged to be married he wanted her to himself. He did everything he could to get her to stay away from her ex-husband. Her ex-husband begged and pleaded for her to come back and Newland got jealous and convinced her to stay. In Ethan Frome, Zeena mentioned that Mattie would soon leave and would maybe wed Dennis Eady. Ethan soon became furious and said she would never marry him and she would never leave Zeena when she needed her–or more importantly him. Dennis Eady! If that’s all, I guess, there’s no such hurry to look around for a girl† (Wharton, 34). Later, Ethan saw that Mattie danced with Dennis Eady. He got jealous and could not go into the room and get her so he hid. Newland and Ethan both wanted something they knew was not really theirs and did not want them to be with anyone else. Although Newland and Ethan were very similar, they were also very different. Each fell in love with his wife’s cousin, but Newland knew his responsibilities; he knew he had to stay with his wife, and that was what Ethan did not know. In Age of Innocence, when Ellen found out that May was pregnant, she left for London. She knew she could no longer interfere with their relationship. Newland was going to follow her but when he found out he was going to have a child with May Newland knew he needed to stay with her. And that was where Newland and Ethan differ. In Ethan Frome, Ethan was going to stay with Zeena and let Mattie leave but when she was about to leave he decided he was going to be the one to drive Mattie to the train station. On the way, they took a trip down memory lane and revisited many spots where they fell for each other. Then they stopped to sled and Mattie and Ethan agreed to kill themselves and escape Zeena. Newland knew that he needed to stay and be with May even though he may have been happier with Ellen. Ethan only thought about himself when he tried to kill himself and that’s where they differ. Newland’s and Ethan’s lives could have been better if they had left their wives and followed the person they were in love with. If May had never gotten pregnant then he could have gone to Europe and followed Ellen. Newland would have been happier with having a family with Ellen rather than May. If Ethan had left Zeena and went west with Mattie he could have been so much happier. He would not have to pay to care for Zeena. Also, he would have been with someone he actually wanted to marry, not someone whom he married just to avoid being lonely in the winter after his mom died. All in all, Age of Innocence and Ethan Frome are very similar but still different. They are similar because of the symbolism used. Also, Newland and Ethan are very similar because of whom they fell in love with. However, they differ due to the way Newland and Ethan handled the situation of being in love with their wife’s cousin.

Todays business environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Todays business environment - Essay Example The new external factors are new people, their culture, society, language, political system, work habits, social system, regulatory system, and taxes legal and technological base. Legislations and government rules and laws determine the political environment of the new country. Every country in the world follows its own system under the sovereign rule and the company who enters into that country has to follow those laws and systems. Economic environment is also different in that country because economic requirement, financial system export/ import requirements may be different to those in the domestic country Technological base and the work environment may be different .The internal variables in the new country may be absolutely different and the company entering into that country has to adjust to those variables as quickly as possible to be successful. There may be many threats and responsibilities posed by the new system and environment that has to be answered by the new entrant. T he major factors that bring in changes in the host economy are: The first and foremost consideration before entering into a new country is to assess the economic benefits of investment in that country. Whether the project is profitable in the long run or whether it is sustainable in the new circumstances and environment or whether the new investment in that country is free from undue risk are to be considered and answered before The debt possibilities and structure in the new country must be assessed deeply before the strategic move. The impact of debt on global corporation whether personal, corporate private or public may be very high sometimes. The best time to enter into a new country is the time of rising cycle of the business. It is possible to understand the up trends in the economy and enter in to that country in the best opportune time. The advantage of doing so is to avoid getting the investment into loss and ensure good returns in booming period in the economy. Recent examples are the two booming economies in Asia-India and China. Many multinational companies found the way into china for last decade or more and made their investment yield high returns. Similarly from 2003 Indian economy also started raising its head and many foreign companies entered into this country in Automobile, consumer, electronics, infrastructure and information technology sector. On the opposite many Indian companies also have their openings into other countries as takeover or into Greenfield projects. High debt symptom is to be studies carefully before deciding about new investments in foreign courtiers. High level of debts is an economic indicator that might put the economy into danger zone. For example USA, which is running in trillion-dollar debt, is a bad indicator for investors from outside. High level of de

Response to Rothstein and Jacobsens The Goals of Education Essay

Response to Rothstein and Jacobsens The Goals of Education - Essay Example History instruction was thought to teach students good judgment, enabling them to learn from prior generations’ mistakes and successes and inspiring them to develop such character traits as honesty, integrity, and compassion.†(Rothstein, et.al.) Benjamin Franklin also highlighted the importance of teaching history and â€Å"in 1749 [he] proposed that Pennsylvania establish a public school that should, he said, place as much emphasis on physical as on intellectual fitness because â€Å"exercise invigorates the soul as well as the body.† (Rothstein, et. al.)George Washington went a step further. He argued that â€Å"goals for public schools were also political and moral.†(Rothstein, et. al.) The suggestions of Thomas Jefferson were purely political. He â€Å"most often linked with education in the public mind, thought universal public education needed primarily to prepare voters to exercise wise judgment.†(Rothstein, et.al.) So, the perspective about education changed, as time rolled by and change in the political leadership of the country. I am reminded of the parable of four visually challenged (blind) persons in argument about the shape of the elephant. One had the feel of its long tail and argued that the shape of the elephant is long. The second one, who touched one of its legs, said the shape is like the tree. The third one touched its trunk and said the shaped is like a rubber hose. The fourth one had the feel of the ear and said that the shape is like a giant leaf. An eye surgeon, who listened to their conversation, took them to his dispensary, operated upon their eyes and he was able to restore the eyesight. When he showed them the elephant, they realized that their judgment was wrong. Similar is position of the politicians, sociologists, academicians and the bureaucrats, when they tender opinions and try to frame the policy on the system of education that needs to be adopted in America. None has the comprehensive outlo ok about the genuine needs of the students in a multicultural, multi-ethnic society that suffered from the bane of racism for more than two centuries. The goal of education needs to be man making. Within this broad goal, all other subsidiary yet important goals are integrated. According to the authors, reading scores alone will not go to mold an individual into a responsible citizen with abilities in the area of work ethic, physical and mental health, social skills and appreciation of the arts and literature. I am in broad agreement with the observation of the authors. The schools need to accept the challenges in these areas to enable the students to pursue their diverse goals and a new accountability system needs to be formulated. I also agree with the well-researched conclusions of the authors. The social, economic and cultural life is impacted by the materialistic civilization. With women opting out for full time jobs in a big way and with less or no time at their disposal to dev ote to their home and children, the other influencing source to mold the character of students is the school environment. Proper conditions need to be created for the school administration and the teachers, by providing them with incentives to enable them to accept the challenges with a sense of responsibility. After churning the literature on educational initiatives over the past two hundred and fifty years, the authors have listed eight important outcomes that emerge, when the educational system is poised on the brink of change. Those are: â€Å"Basic academic skills and knowledge, Critical thinking and problem solving, Appreciation of the arts and literature, Preparation for skilled employment, Social skills and work ethic,

In these papers there are alot of difficult words and complicated Essay

In these papers there are alot of difficult words and complicated sentences , So please replace them by use simple words and simple sentences - Essay Example of leading green campus initiatives†; and emphasizing that â€Å"successful application of these approaches requires a high competency in listening, communication, relationship building, vision development, responsiveness and continuous strategic adaptation† ; among others. The author likewise explained the basic nature of universities that provided the reasons for current inability to invite widespread campus involvement on the subject. The theories and concepts learned from the reading could be applied in one’s role as administrator and educational leader through suggesting policies for environmental protection and conservation programs within the university level. As stressed, wide-scale involvement or campus participation on environmental programs should be taught at the whole organizational level and across different cultures. Also, it was stated that organizational change would be most effective if all academic personal share the same commitment to environmental preservation and conservation. One believes that through encouraging the participation and involvement of various persons in a campus setting could be difficult. However, the task is not impossible. It just requires commitment, dedication, and perseverance from administrators and educational leaders to encourage student involvement and to deeply establish the need to focus on environmental protection and social responsibility by starting with one’s personal action, guidance, and direction. This article is one of the greatest works that discusses the cultural, social, economic and political nature of colleges. In this respect it explores the possible issues that the administrators should consider for them to effectively run these institutions. The conflict resolution is well discussed in this article and mediation is quoted as the most favorable remedial approach. various arguments that point out how the administrators can formulate appropriate conflict resolution and manage the student