Advantages of Democracy Essay

Democracy can provide for changes in government without violence. In a democracy, power can be transferred from one party to another by means of elections. The jurisdiction of the citizens of a nation determines its ruling authority. Moreover, any government is bound by an election term after which it has to compete against other parties to regain authority. This system prevents monopoly of the ruling authority. The ruling party has to make sure it works for its people for it cannot remain being the authority after completing its term unless re-elected by the people. This brings in a feeling of obligation towards the citizens. The ruling authorities owe their success in the elections to the citizens of the nation. This results in a feeling of gratefulness towards the people. It can serve as their motivation to work for the people for it is the common masses that have complete power over choosing their government. Another important advantage of democracy is that the people gain a sens e of participation in the process of choosing their government. They get the opportunity to voice their opinions by means of electoral votes. This gives rise to a feeling of belongingness in the minds of the people towards their society. Disadvantages of Democracy In a democratic nation, it is the citizens who hold the right to elect their representatives and their governing authorities. According to a common observation, not all the citizens are fully aware of the political scenario in their country. The common masses may not be aware of the political issues in society. This may result in people making the wrong choices during election. As the government is subject to change after every election term, the authorities may work with a short-term focus. As they have to face an election after the completion of each term, they may lose focus on working for the people and rather focus on winning elections. Another disadvantage of democracy is that mobs can influence people. Citizens may vote in favor of a party under the influence of the majority. Compelled or influenced by the philosophies of those around, a person may not voice his/her true opinion. Every form of government is bound to have some shortfalls. Different people have different views about the various political systems. Egypt The politics of Egypt is based on republicanism, with a semi-presidential system of government. Following the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, and the  resignation ofPresident Hosni Mubarak, executive power was assumed by the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which dissolved the parliament and suspended the constitution. In 2014, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was elected as Egypt’s seventh President Egyptian parties like the Muslim Brotherhood may derive short-term benefits from the fall of regional dictatorships, much of the blame for their support can be ascribed to the authoritarianism of the last sixty years. Nasser and Sadat comes across as too sympathetic, while his assumption that the authoritarian political structure from 1952 onwards enabled Egypt’s leader to avoid a more hard-line foreign policy stance is dubious.

Managing paediatric illness Essay

Accidents will happen however careful you carry out risk assessments and supervise children. That is why it is recommended that practitioners take a first aid course. There has to be at least one first aider present at all registered settings. The aims of first aid are often remembered as the three p’s, these are: Preserve Life. Prevent the condition from worsening. Promote recovery. Sometimes first aid is all that is necessary- for instance, common minor injuries such as grazes can be treated sufficiently. However, it is important to recognise when medical assistance is required urgently. Whenever you are dealing with an accident, incident or illness you must stay calm. You should reassure casualties, and children who are bystanders, as they may be frightened. You should ensure that you and others are not put at unnecessary risk. Think through your actions carefully and make safety your priority. Major fractures are often associated with other injuries and priorities must be set in each patient. Control of internal concealed haemorrhage, for example, from a ruptured spleen, takes precedence over fracture management. It is, however, important in severely injured patients that open fractures are managed as early as possible. The advantages of this approach include diminished risk of infection, reduction in pain, early ability to sit upright with improved respirato ry function, reduced continuing blood loss, and improved healing of soft tissue injuries and a reduced incidence of fat embolism. Initial assessment. Primary survey- the ABCDE’s of the primary survey should be assessed. Haemorrhage from a musculoskeletal injury should be identified and controlled with direct pressure. It is important to recognise that significant amounts of blood may be lost from fractures of the pelvis or femur and haemodynamic instability from hypovolemia may be present. Physical examination is carried out while resuscitation is in progress in hypovolemic patients. Clothing is cut free and the patient is examined for fractures and  for evidence of internal haemorrhage. The following are important adjuncts to the primary survey and resuscitation; Fracture reduction and immobilisation emergency splinting of fractures will minimise soft tissue damage, reduce blood loss, control pain and prevent conversion of a closed fracture to an open fracture. Temporary traction devices may be used to maintain satisfactory alignment. It is important to examine the injured limb for signs of vascular and nerve injury, as well as searching for a fracture or dislocation. The fractured limb should be handled as gently as possible if some realignment is necessary in order to apply a padded standard or improvised splint. Splinting should immobilise the joints above and below the fracture also. The open wound compound fracture should be promptly covered with a clean or sterile dressing. Bone protruding from the wound should be left undisturbed. Analgesia. Although splinting greatly assists pain control, the emergency services may administer an intravenous narcotic analgesia. Resuscitation- up to four litres of blood may be lost with severe fractures of the pelvis or femur. Adequate resuscitation before internal fixation is particularly important in such patients, who may lose 50% or more of their blood volume, either externally (with open injuries) or into the tissues of the thigh and pelvis. One or two litres of blood distributed evenly throughout the soft tissues of the thigh will increase the external diameter by a mere 1-2cm; patients with multiple pelvic and other fractures can require replacement or considerably more than their blood volume. Secondary survey- during the secondary survey a focused history and examination are performed, including a neurological assessment. History taking should incorporate ‘ample’ and the following points should be considered: circumstances of the accident, and history of crushing trauma or explosive forces. If the patient has been involved in a motor vehicle accident. Physical examination and neurological assessment. Signs of fracture are local loss of function, bony tenderness, swelling, deformity, bruising and protective muscle spasm. Testing for abnormal movement and crepitus is unnecessarily painful and contraindicated. An obvious fracture may often distract attention from a less obvious injury. For example, dislocation of the hip may coexist with an obvious femoral shaft fracture (sometimes the real cause of persistent shock); a spinal fracture with a  fracture of the calcaneus. Visceral injuries such as splenic rupture are seen with fractured ribs; urethral or bladder injuries with a fractured pelvis. The examiner should check peripheral pulses and evidence of limb ischemia beyond a fracture-such a complication requires urgent correction. The most common vascular injuries are at the knee and elbow-to the popliteal vessels after severe knee injury in children and to the brachial artery following supracondylar fracture. Neurological examination is also essential; loss of motor power in any muscle group or loss of any cutaneous sensation indicates nerve injury. If the patient can flex and extend the toes and ankle, the major nerves of the lower extremity are intact; if the fingers can be spread and flexed and the thumb can be extended, functional integrity of the major nerves of the upper limb is present. Common nerve injuries following fractures are: the radial nerve from fracture of the mid-humerus, the peroneal nerve from proximal fibular fracture and knee injuries, and the ulnar nerve from fracture of the medical epicondyle of the humerus. Sciatic and axillary nerve injuries must always be excluded after dislocation of the hip or shoulder. Careful attention to the details of local treatment is most important. Fractur es heal promptly with correct local treatment. Children are constantly bumping and bruising themselves. All it takes is one fall too hard, and the child might just end up with a broken bone. One out of five people has had a fracture at some point in time, and the maximum of these fractures occur during childhood. How can you tell if it’s a fracture or a sprain? The pains is less intensive in a sprain than in a fracture, but never make a mistake of underestimating someone’s pain threshold. A dislocation is when the bone has come out from the socket. This also results in acute pain, swelling, an inability to carry any weight and an inability to move the injured limb. A hairline fracture is just when the bone gets a crack that goes through it. Such fractures still cause immense pain, but at least the chances of needing an operation are slim. A compound fracture is one in which the bone completely breaks apart pops out through the skin. This is the worst kind and it may result in loss of blood as well. The first step to be taken is to immobilise the limb.it should not be moved at all. Leg fracture- if a child has a suspected fractured leg, carefully straighten it. Call for emergency services and in the meantime, secure the leg so it doesn’t move. Apply two splints, one on  the inner leg from the foot to inner thigh, and the other on the outside, from the foot to the armpit. Secure the splints well. Do not move the child until their leg has been completely immobil ised. You could tie both legs together for added support. Hand fracture- the hand should be moved to a 90 degree angle and kept close to the chest. It should be immobilised in this position, and if the pain is too intense, do not move it at all. To help maintain the position place the injured arm into a sling. Bleeding- if a child is bleeding, you should treat the bleeding first. Stop the bleeding by first cleaning it with sterile water and then apply a sterile clean dressing. Keep RICE in mind, as a first aid treatment for all fractures, sprains and dislocations: Rest- Give plenty of rest to the immobilised limb. Move it as little as possible so that there is no strain. Ice- Apply ice to the injured area. No heat treatment or massage should be given. Use an ice pack or wrap some ice cubes in a damp towel and apply it to the injured area. You could also use anything frozen such as a packet of frozen peas. Compression- Wrap up the injured area with a large crepe bandage if possible, or use any clean, fresh cloth available. Wrap it as tight as is comfortable. However ask the patient don’t assume how tight it is. This will relieve pain somewhat. Elevation- The injured limb should preferably be raised above the level of t he heart. This could be done using something like a pillow. During any first aid treatment it is vital that the patient is reassured and is made as comfortable as possible and that you stay as calm as possible to keep the situation and patient calm, do not delay seeking medical assistance and ensure the patient remains nil by mouth in case surgery or anaesthesia is needed as this will delay things. Head injuries occur commonly in child hood and adolescence. Most head injuries are mild and not associated with brain injury or long term complications. A head injury is any trauma that injures the scalp, skull, or brain. The injury may be only a minor bump on the skull or a serious brain injury. A closed head injury means you received a hard blow to the head from striking an object, but the object did not break the skull. An open, or penetrating, head injury means you were hit with an object that broke the skull and entered the brain. This usually happens when you move at high speed. Symptoms of a head injury can occur right away, or develop slowly over several hours or days. Even if the skull is not fractured, the brain can bang against the inside of  the skull and be bruised. The head may look fine, but problems could result from bleeding or swelling inside the skull. In any serious head trauma, the spinal cord is also likely to be injured. Some head injuries cause changes in br ain function. This is called a traumatic brain injury. Learning to recognise a serious head injury and give basic first aid can save someone’s life. Get medical help immediately if the person: Becomes very sleepy. Behaves abnormally. Develops a severe headache or stiff neck. Has pupils of unequal size. Is unable to move an arm or leg. Loses consciousness, even briefly. Vomits more than once. Concussion-the term concussion is used to describe a mild form of traumatic brain injury. Concussion includes confusion, amnesia, headache, vomiting and dizziness. Seizures. The signs and symptoms of a skull fracture are: A cut, bruise, or swelling on their head. There may also be bruising around their eyes and behind their ears. Blood or clear fluid coming out from their head, ear or nose. Bump or lump on their head. Dizziness, feeling tired. Pain or tenderness on their head. Very bad headache. Cerebral compression is very serious and almost invariably requires surgery. Cerebral compression occurs when there is a build-up of pressure on the brain. This pressure may be due to one of several different causes, such as an accumulation of blood within the skull or swelling of injured brain tissues. Cerebral compression is usually caused by a head injury. However, it can also be due to other causes, such as stroke, infection or a brain tumour. The condition may develop immediately after a head injury, or it may appear a few hours or even days later. Recognising cerebral compression Deteriorating level of response. History of a recent head injury. Intense headache. Noisy breathing, becoming slow. Slow, yet full and strong pulse. Unequal pupil size. Weakness/paralysis down one side. High temperature. Drowsiness. Abnormal behaviour. You should always consider the possibility of cervical spine injury in cases of head injuries. There are two types of injury. Typical cervical hyperextension injuries occur in drivers/passengers of a statutory or slow-moving vehicle that is struck from behind. The person’s body is thrown forward but the head lags, resulting in hyperextension of the neck. When the head and neck have reached maximum extension the neck then snaps into flexion. A rapid deceleration throws the head forwards and flexes the cervical spine. The chin limits forward flexion but the forward movement may be sufficient to cause longitudinal distraction and neurological damage. Hyperextension may occur in the subsequent recoil. The symptoms include: Neck pain, jaw pain, para spinal muscle tightness and spasms. Interscapular and low back pain. Reduced range of movements and neck tenderness. Headache, dizziness, vertigo, blurring of vision. Numbness in shoulders and arms. Swelling. Insomnia, anxiety. Leg weakness. Arm weakness. Other possible cause of acute neck pain and stiffness caused by head injury include: Spinal fracture. Cervical disc herniation. Subarachnoid haemorrhage. Cervical spondylosis. The primary goal in the early management of a severely injured patient is the  provision of sufficient oxygen to the tissues to avoid organ failure and secondary central nervous system damage. The first priority is to establish and maintain a patient’s airway. With the addition of high-concentration oxygen and the presence of adequate tissue perfusion, this will enable sufficient spontaneous breathing or assisted ventilation to oxygenate the patient. The possibility of an unstable cervical injury exists in patients exposed to significant blunt trauma; during airway interventions neck movements must be minimised to avoid secondary harm to the spinal cord. Head injury with impaired consciousness and reduced pharyngeal tone is the commonest trauma-related cause of airway obstruction. The airway may also be soiled with blood or regurgitated matter. Blunt or penetrating injuries that obstruct the airway include maxillary, mandibular and laryngotracheal fractures, and the large an terior neck haematomas. Significant partial and incipient airway obstruction are also potential causes of early death. Vigilant reassessment with immediate restoration and protection of airway patency is essential. Having ensured scene safety, the initial approach to the trauma victim begins with an assessment of the patency of the airway and if indicated manual in line stabilisation (MILS) of the cervical spine. In unconsciousness patients, the head and neck should be maintained in neutral alignment. MILS may be replaced with a correctly sized hard cervical collar, lateral blocks and straps across the forehead and chin piece of the collar. Spinal immobilisation prohibits head tilt. A jaw thrust may be more effective in relieving airway obstruction with decreased consciousness than a chin lift. However, a jaw thrust can cause significant movement of an unstable cervical spine. If tolerated an oropharyngeal airway may maintain airway patency while exerting less force on the vertebrae. Subsequently assisted ventilation may be more successful if separate rescuers apply the jaw thrust, hold the face mask and begin resuscitation. Any material such as dust, sand or paint that gets into the eye is called a foreign body. Foreign bodies fall into two categories; Superficial- these stick to the front of the eye or get trapped under one of the eyelids, but do not enter the eye. Penetrating- these penetrate the outer layer of the eye and enter the eye. These objects are usually travelling at high speed and are commonly made of metal. Superficial foreign bodies are not usually serious. A penetrating eye injury can be extremely serious-it may lead to blindness in not detected and treated promptly. If you get a superficial body in your eye, first aid treatment in the form of a gentle rinsing with sterile water is appropriate it is easier to tilt the head or lie down and rinse the eye from the side. It is vital to keep the child calm and reassure them throughout. If a child has a penetrating eye injury you must seek urgent medical assistance remembering to keep calm and reassure the child. Foreign bodies in the ear can either be in the lobe or in the ear canal. Objects usually found in the ear lobe are earrings, either stuck in the lobe from infection or placed too deep during insertion. Foreign bodies in the ear canal can be anything a child can push into their ear. The reason children place things in their ears is usually because they are bored, curious or copying other children. Sometimes, one child may put an object in another child’s ear during play. Insects may also fly into the ear canal, causing potential harm. The treatment for foreign bodies in the ear is prompt removal of the object. In the case of the foreign body being an insect you can use tepid water in any other case it is important that trained professionals remove the items to prevent any further damage occuring. The techniques they may use include: Instruments may be inserted to retrieve it. Magnets in the case of metal objects. Cleaning the ear canal with water. A machine with suction to help pull the object out. After removal of the object the ear will be re-examined to determine whether there is any injury to the ear canal. Antibiotic drops may be prescribed to treat any possible infection. Medical help should be sought if treatment is unsuccessful and to ensure all materials are removed. The most common symptom of a foreign body in the nose is nasal discharge. The drainage appears only on one side of the nose and often has a bad odour. In some cases, the child may also have a bloody nose. The treatment for this involves prompt removal by a medical professional. They may find if  necessary to sedate a child in order to remove the object successfully. Again the doctor may prescribe nose drops or antibiotic treatment. Whilst waiting for medical assistance it is vital to encourage the child to breathe through their mouth. Corneal abrasions- are a scratch or injury to the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. There are many things that can cause an abrasion to the cornea. When objects make contact with the surface of the eye, a small abrasion can occur. Chemical burn- occurs when a child gets any type of chemical in their eye. Chemical burns are a medical emergency. They can result in a loss of vision and even a loss of the eye itself. Household cleaning agents are a common cause of this type of injury. Bruising or black eye- usually occurs from some type of injury to the eye, causing the tissue around the eye to become bruised. Fractures to the orbit- the orbit is the bony structure around the eye. When one or more bones surrounding the eye are broken. An orbital fracture usually occurs after some type of injury or strike to the face. Eyelid lacerations- are cuts to the eyelids caused by injury. General symptoms of eye injuries can include: Blood in the eyeball. Changes in the shape of the iris or pupil. Eye pain. The absence of obvious symptoms. When checking eyes for injury it is important to wear gloves and any cuts should be cleaned with sterile water to prevent infection, always wash hands before and after examining a patient. Check the patient’s vision. Within the setting the most common eye injury is caused by things such as sand this can be dealt with by a trained first aider on site. However other injuries will more than likely need medical assistance. Sickle Cell Anaemia. Symptoms vary, ranging from mild to severe, and may be less severe, or different in children who have inherited a sickle cell gene from one parent and a different abnormal haemoglobin gene from the other. Most children with sickle cell disease have some degree of anaemia and might develop one or more of the following conditions and symptoms as part of the disorder: Acute chest syndrome. Aplastic crisis. Hand-foot syndrome. Infections. Painful crisis. Splenic sequestration crisis. Stroke. Bone marrow transplant is the only known cure for sickle cell disease. But even without a cure, children with sickle cell can lead relatively normal lives. Medicines are available to help manage the pain and immunisations and daily doses of penicillin can help prevent infection. Most children will require two doses of penicillin, as prescribed by their GP, if attending a setting a nominated individual will be responsible for the administration of this medication. It is vital to seek emergency attention if the child develops: Fever of 101  °F or higher. Chest pains Pain that isn’t relieved by oral medication. Shortness of breath or trouble breathing. Extreme fatigue. Severe headache or dizziness. Severe stomach pain or swelling. Jaundice or paleness. Sudden change of vision. Seizures. Weakness. Slurring. Loss of consciousness. Numbness or tingling. Remember to reassure the child, you should encourage the child to drink plenty of fluids, rest regularly and avoid temperatures. Diabetes. Regular testing of blood glucose levels is a very important part of diabetes care. Testing is done by taking a drop of blood, usually from a finger, and placing it on a special test strip in a glucose meter. Caregivers must practice universal precautions when handling and disposing of testing equipment. Hyperglycaemia, or high blood sugar, occurs with both types of diabetes. It occurs when the body gets too little insulin, too much food, too little exercise or with illness. Stress from a cold, sore throat, or other illness may increase the level of blood glucose. Symptoms include frequent irritation, excessive thirst, extreme hunger, unusual weightless, irritability and poor sleep, nausea and vomiting, and weakness and blurred vision. Hypoglycaemia, or low blood sugar, is more common in people with type 1 diabetes. It is the most common immediate health problem and is also called ‘insulin reaction’ or ‘insulin shock’. It occurs when the body gets too much insulin, too little food, a delayed meal or more than the usual amount of exercise. Symptoms include hunger, changes in mood or behaviour, sweating, and rapid pulse. Treatment commonly involves quickly restoring glucose levels to normal with a sugary food or drink such as orange juice, candy, biscuits or glucose tablets. If not treated properly, it can result in loss of consciousness and a life-threatening coma. Glucagon injections are used in life-threatening situations to increase blood glucose. First aid for a diabetic come are as followed: Call emergency services. Don’t try to give them food or fluids as they may choke. Place them into the recovery position to prevent any obstruction to breathing. Follow any instructions given to you by the emergency services operator until paramedics arrive. Asthma. In an asthma attack the muscles of the air passages in the lungs go into spasm and the linings of the airways swell. As a result, the airways become narrowed and breathing becomes difficult. Sometimes there is a specific trigger for an asthma attack such as: an allergy a cold cigarette smoke extremes of temperature exercise. Recognition features Difficulty in breathing, with a very prolonged breathing-out phase. There may also be: wheezing as the casualty breathes out difficulty speaking and whispering distress and anxiety coughing features of hypoxia, such as a grey-blue tinge to the lips, earlobes and nail beds (cyanosis). Severities of attacks are frightening for the child concerned and can also by frightening for those children who may be witnessing it. The child wheezes and becomes breathless. Prompt action is needed. Reassure the child. Give bronchodilator inhaler as instructed if the child is a known asthmatic. These inhalers should always be immediately available- they deliver medication to the lungs to relieve the affected airways. Children may also have another type of inhaler used to prevent attacks. Make sure you know which to use in an emergency, particularly if older children generally use their inhalers themselves. Sit child upright and leaning forwards in a comfortable position. Stay with them. If this is the first attack or the condition persists call for an ambulance remember to note changes in the child’s face and lips (colour) and all breathing difficulties and speech to pass onto paramedics. Ensure there is adequate ventilation and encourage the child to breathe deeply and slo wly. Meningitis. Meningitis should be treated as a medical emergency because bacterial meningitis can lead to septicaemia which can be fatal. Bacterial meningitis is the more serious form of the condition. The symptoms usually begin suddenly and rapidly get worse. Emergency services should be contacted  immediately if it is suspected. Bacterial meningitis has a number of early warning signs that usually occur before other symptoms. These are: Pain in the muscles, joints or limbs. Unusually cold hands and feet. Pale or blotchy skin and blue lips. The presence of a high temperature with any of the above symptoms should be taken very seriously and emergency services should be called. Early symptoms are similar to those of many other conditions, and include: A severe headache. Fever. Nausea. Vomiting. Feeling generally unwell. As the condition gets worse it may cause: Drowsiness. Confusion. Seizures or fits. Being unable to tolerate bright light. A stiff neck. A rapid breathing rate. A blotchy rash that does not fade or change colour when you place a glass against it. Viral meningitis- most people will experience mild flu like symptoms. When examining a child with suspected meningitis it is vital to wash hands and wear personal, protective, equipment such as disposable aprons, and gloves to reduce the risk of cross infection, ensure you reassure and don’t panic the child at any stage. It is important to inform senior staff or management of the case so they can contact and inform others where necessary. Febrile convulsions. Febrile convulsions maybe due to epilepsy, or a high temperature. Violent muscle twitching, clenched fists, arched back, may lead to unconsciousness. Do not try to restrain the child. Instead clear the immediate area and  surround the child with pillows or padding for protection. Cool the environment and the child gradually (as for a temperature), sponging skin if necessary. When seizures stop place the child in the recovery position and reassure. Dial 999. Remember to prevent choking ensure the mouth is clear; drain any fluids, pulling the chin and jaw forward if breathing is affected. Epilepsy. It is vital to remain calm when dealing with seizures as a person’s response to seizures can influence how other people act. If the first person remains calm, it will help others stay calm too. Talking calmly and reassuring the patient during and after the seizure- it will help them as they recover from the seizure. Don’t be afraid. Stay calm. The person will be ok. Do not try to stop the person from shaking. If the patient is walking, gently guide them away from dangerous places like stairs. Call emergency services and tell them clearly what is happening and you need an ambulance. To make sure they don’t get hurt, move anything sharp. Place something soft under the patients head, loosen tight clothing, and remove jewellery and glasses. Do not put anything in the patient’s mouth. If you can, check a clock to see what time the seizure begun and the time the shaking stops or the person wakes up. Once the seizure has ended place them in the recovery position to stop them from choking and causing any harm to themselves. Never leave the patient wait until medical help is there and remember to speak in a quiet voice to reassure the patient. You should never restrain someone having a seizure. Just protect the person form injury, as restrains them, can cause more harm, and remember putting someone into the recovery position after a seizure can stop them from swallowing their own tongue which could lead to death. Hypothermia. Hypothermia happens when a person’s body temperature drops below 35 °C (95 °F). Normal body temperature is around 37 °C (98.6 °F). Hypothermia can quickly become life threatening and should be treated as a medical emergency. It’s usually caused by being in a cold environment and can be triggered by a  combination of things – such as being outdoors in cold conditions for a long time, living in a poorly heated house or falling into cold water. The signs of hypothermia vary depending on how low a person’s temperature has dropped. Initial symptoms include shivering, tiredness, fast breathing and cold or pale skin. As the temperature drops, shivering becomes more violent (although this will stop completely if the hypothermia worsens further), the person is likely to become delirious, and struggle to breathe or move and they may lose consciousness. Babies with hypothermia may look healthy but their skin will feel cold. They may also be limp, unusually quiet and refuse to feed. You should seek immediate medical help if you suspect someone has hypothermia. If someone you know has been exposed to the cold and they are distressed, confused, have slow, shallow breathing or they’re unconscious, they may have severe hypothermia. In this case, dial 999 immediately to request an ambulance. While waiting for medical help, it is important to try to prevent further heat loss and gently warm the person. You should: Move the person indoors or somewhere warm as soon as possible. Once they are somewhere warm, carefully remove any wet clothing and dry the person. Wrap them in blankets, towels or coats. If the person is unconscious, not breathing and you can’t detect a pulse in their neck after 60 seconds, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be given if you know how to do it. Once CPR is started, it should be continued without any breaks until medical assistance arrives. There are several things you can do to prevent hypothermia. Simple measures can help, such as wearing appropriate warm clothing in cold weather and ensuring that children are well wrapped up when they go outside. Hyperthermia. Hyperthermia is the general name given to a variety of heat-related illnesses. Warm weather and outdoor activity go hand in hand. However, it is important for older people to take action to avoid the severe health problems often caused by hot weather. The two most common forms of hyperthermia are heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Of the two, heat stroke is especially dangerous and requires immediate medical attention. Heat stress occurs when a strain is placed on the body as a result of hot  weather. Heat fatigue is a feeling of weakness brought on by high outdoor temperature. Symptoms include cool, moist skin and a weakened pulse. The person many feel faint. Heat syncope is a sudden dizziness experienced after exercising in the heat. The skin appears pale and sweaty but is generally moist and cool. The pulse is weakened and the heart rate is usually rapid. Body temperature is normal. Heat cramps are painful muscle spasms in the abdomen, arms or legs following strenuous activity. Heat cramps are caused by a lack of salt in the body. Heat exhaustion is a warning that the body is getting too hot. The person may be thirsty, giddy, weak, uncoordinated, nauseated and sweating profusely. The body temperature is normal and the pulse is normal or raised. The skin is cold and clammy. Heat stroke can be life-threatening and victims can die. A person with heat stroke usually has a body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Other symptoms include confusion, combativeness, bizarre behaviour, faintness, staggering, strong and rapid pulse, and possible delirium or coma. High body temperature is capable of producing irreversible brain damage. If the child is exhibiting signs of heat stroke, emergency assistance should be sought immediately. Without medical attention, heat stroke can be deadly. Heat exhaustion may be treated in several ways: get the victim out of the sun into a cool place, preferably one that is air conditioned offer fluids but avoid alcohol and caffeine – water and fruit juices are best encourage the individual to shower and bathe, or sponge off with cool water urge the person to lie down and rest, preferably in a cool place to prevent injury if the casualty does faint. Remain calm and reassure the child. Electric Shock. The human body conducts electricity very well. That means electricity passes very easily throughout the body. Direct contact with electrical current can be deadly. While some electrical burns look minor, there still may be serious internal damage, especially to the heart, muscles, or brain. Electric current can cause injury in three ways: Cardiac arrest due to the electrical effect on the heart Muscle, nerve, and tissue destruction from a current passing through the body Thermal burns from contact with the electrical source 1. If you can do so safely, turn off the electrical current. Unplug the cord, remove the fuse from the fuse box, or turn off the circuit breakers. Simply turning off an appliance may NOT stop the flow of electricity. Do NOT attempt to rescue a person near active high-voltage lines. 2. Call your local emergency number, such as 911. 3. If the current can’t be turned off, use a non-conducting object, such as a broom, chair, rug, or rubber doormat to push the person away from the source of the current. Do not use a wet or metal object. If possible, stand on something dry and that doesn’t conduct electricity, such as a rubber mat or folded newspapers. 4. Once the person is away from the source of electricity, check the person’s airway, breathing, and pulse. If either has stopped or seems dangerously slow or shallow, start first aid. (See: CPR) 5. If the person has a burn, remove any clothing that comes off easily, and rinse the burned area in cool running water until the pain subsides. Give first aid for burns. 6. If the person is faint, pale, or shows other signs of shock, lay him or her down, with the head slightly lower than the trunk of the body and the legs elevated, and cover him or her with a warm blanket or a coat. 7. Stay with the person until medical help arrives. 8. Electrical injury is frequently associated with explosions or falls that can cause additional severe injuries. You may not be able to notice all of them. Do not move the person’s head or neck if the spine may be injured. Stay at least 20 feet away from a person who is being electrocuted by high-voltage electrical current (such as power lines) until the power is turned off. Do NOT touch the person with your bare hands if they are still in contact with the source of electricity Do NOT apply ice, butter, ointments, medications, fluffy cotton dressings, or adhesive bandages to a burn Do NOT remove dead skin or break blisters if the person has been burned After the power is shut off, do NOT move the person unless there is a risk of fire or explosion Burns and Scalds. Superficial burns Superficial burns only affect the surface of your skin (epidermis). Your skin will be red and painful, but not blistered. Mild sunburn is an example of a superficial burn. Partial-thickness burns Partial-thickness burns are deeper burns that damage your epidermis and dermis to varying degrees. If the damage to your dermis is shallow, your skin may be pale pink and painful, with blisters. Deeper burns to your dermis will cause your skin to become dry or moist, blotchy and red. Deep partial-thickness burns may or may not be painful and they may blister. Full-thickness burns All layers of your skin are damaged by full-thickness burns. Your skin will look white, brown or black and dry, leathery or waxy. Because the nerves in your skin are destroyed with full-thickness burns, you won’t feel any pain or have blisters. Symptoms vary depending on the severity of your burn. They include: changes in your skin colour – burns can cause your skin to look pink, red, white, brown or black blisters pain in the burnt area Symptoms of a burn to your airway include: burned nostril hairs a change in your voice (it may sound hoarse) a sore throat wheezing Treatment for burns depends on their severity. You can treat superficial and minor partial-thickness burns that are caused by heat yourself at home. However, seek urgent medical help from your GP or an accident and emergency department in a hospital for: all deep partial-thickness and full-thickness burns all chemical and electrical burns superficial and partial-thickness burns that cover an area larger than the  palm of your hand burns that cover a joint or are on your face, hands, feet or groin all burns that extend completely around a limb all burns where you may have inhaled smoke Also seek medical help for advice if you’re not sure about the extent of a burn or how to deal with it. For burns caused by chemicals, if possible look at the advice on the label of the chemical product. For full-thickness burns or burns that are caused by chemicals or electricity, it’s important that you start cooling the burn immediately under cool or tepid water (unless instructed otherwise on the chemical product) and then call for emergency help. While you’re waiting, there are a number of important things you can do. For burns caused by heat, keep cooling the burn with cool or tepid water for between 10 and 30 minutes or until medical help is available. Don’t use iced water. Carefully remove any restrictive clothing or jewellery that isn’t stuck to the burn. Next, cover the burn using cling film – layer this on to the burn rather than wrapping it around a limb, for example. If you have a burn on your hand, use a clean, clear plastic bag . Don’t use wet dressings or creams. For burns caused by chemicals, keep cooling the burn with cool or tepid water for at least 20 minutes and remove any affected clothing (wear gloves if possible). Don’t try to neutralise the chemical with another chemical. Facial Burns. Facial burns will need to be treated differently depending on the degree of the burn. First-degree burns only penetrate into the epidermis and cause redness and swelling. Second-degree burns penetrate the hypodermis and cause redness, blotching, and blistering. Third degree burns penetrate all layers of skin and cause areas of blackening. A third-degree burn needs to be treated with emergency medical care. Treatment for a minor facial burn would include holding a cold compress to the burn for 10 to 15 minutes. After cooling, lotion should be applied. Cover with a sterile gauze bandage. Don’t pop blisters and if they pop on their own, wash them gently with soap and water, and apply an antibiotic ointment under the sterile gauze. If the patient has been accidentally exposed to fire or heated gases, damage may occur to the mouth and airway. There may be signs of burning around the lips, nose, mouth, eyebrows or lashes. A dry cough or hoarse voice is an early sign of airway injury and prompt medical care is essential. How you can help 1. Remove the patient to a safe area If in a closed area, and if safe for the first aider, it is vital to remove the patient to a place free of the risk of further injury and preferably into fresh air. 2. Cool the injury If smoke or toxic gases may have been inhaled – including carbon monoxide from a vehicle exhaust, chlorine, ammonia or hydrochloric acid – remove the patient from any enclosed or restricted area into an open area; pour running water over the burn for 20 minutes. If there is any breathing difficulties allow the patient to find the position enabling easy breathing with the head and chest raised. After an inhalation incident the patient may suffer from a severe lack of oxygen due to internal damage to the throat, upper airway and lungs. Call 999 for an ambulance. Poisoning. Poisoning is when a person is exposed to a substance that can damage their health or put their life in danger. There are many ways in which poison can enter the body: Through the mouth. Breathing them through the nose. Through your eyes. Through skin contact. From an insect or animal bite or sting. The symptoms of poisoning will depend on the type of poison and the amount taken in, the age and weight and size of the individual, but general things to look out for include: vomiting stomach pains high temperature drowsiness and fainting fits Dizziness, weakness. Fever or chills. Headache/confusion. If a child suddenly develops such symptoms, they may have been poisoned, especially if they are drowsy and confused. Being poisoned can be life-threatening. Giving appropriate first aid, as described below, can help minimise the harm to the person who is poisoned. For simplicity, we have referred to the person (casualty) in the male gender throughout. First, assess the situation and the risk you’re in – don’t put yourself in danger. If you think someone has swallowed, injected or inhaled a poison, or taken a drug overdose and appears to be unconscious, try to rouse him. If the person responds, you shouldn’t move him. Instead, try to find out what’s wrong, make sure his airway is open and that he can breathe comfortably and you can monitor his condition. Call for emergency help or preferably get someone to call for you. If he is unresponsive, you should first shout for help and then open the airway by tilting his head back and lifting his chin. If it ’s possible to leave him in the same position to open his airway then do so. However, if it isn’t, turn him onto his back and then open his airway. Ask someone to phone for an ambulance, and if necessary the fire brigade. If you’re on your own, you should do this yourself. Be ready to give as much of the following information as you can to the paramedics and/or the doctor or nurse at the hospital. The name of what was swallowed injected or inhaled if you know it. If possible, keep the container and make a note of how much has been taken. The estimated time that the poison was taken or used. Whether or not the person has vomited. Whether you think it was accidental or deliberate. Whether the person has any chronic illnesses (e.g., heart disease) or takes any medicines (if you know). If the person is unconscious and breathing normally, you should put him into the recovery position. Check his breathing regularly until help arrives. If the person is unconscious and isn’t breathing normally, you should perform emergency resuscitation (CPR), but only if you know how. If you think the poison was swallowed, use the mouth-to-nose method, or preferably, use a pocket mask or face shield for rescue breathing. This way, you avoid any contact with traces of poison or vomit that might remain around the person’s mouth or nose. If you think the  person has inhaled poisonous fumes, don’t expose yourself to the person’s breath and use chest compressions only. You should continue at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Don’t stop unless the person begins breathing normally, shows signs of regaining consciousness, such as coughing or their opening eyes, or qualified help arrives. If the person has pills, fluids or any substance in his mouth, try to get him to spit them out. You can give them to the hospital staff to help identify the cause of poisoning. Don’t try to make the person sick as vomiting can cause even more damage. If the person has been sick, collect a sample of the vomit to take to hospital. This may help staff identify the poison. Everyone should learn basic first aid techniques. You never know when you might need them – you could be at home, at work, at school or on holiday. Whether it’s a minor situation or something more serious, first aid knowledge will give you the confidence to act. You could be the difference between life and death. Deal with every day cuts and scrapes and nosebleeds. First aid advice is also available for asthma, fractures, sunburn, poisons, low blood sugar and more. Heart and circulatory disease is the UK’s biggest killer. Learn how to recognise and treat heart attacks and shock. You can purchase a number of first aid books/manuals which will help and give you knowledge on how to deal with first aid emergencies, some of these manuals are: The most common first aid manuals which people will recognise are those from the British Red Cross, or St Johns Ambulance as these are well known UK organisations. The National Poisons Information Service is the service to which frontline NHS staff turn for advice on the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients who have been – or may have been – poisoned, either by accident or intentionally. NPIS provides essential support for NHS healthcare professionals, assisting them in ensuring optimal care for patients in cases of serious poisoning, and, where toxicity is low, offering advice to minimise unnecessary hospital attendances and admissions. NPIS is funded mainly through ‘Government Grant in Aid’ from the UK Health Departments, some contract income and some research income. In an emergency, members of the public should always contact their general practitioners, NHS 24 or NHS Direct or local A&E department. If the patient has collapsed or is not breathing properly, call 999. The NPIS does not provide poisons information directly to members of the public – so, for routine poisons advice you should contact your general practitioner or telephone NHS Direct The National Poisons Information Service does not accept enquiries from the public but supports NHS Direct and NHS 24 to answer such queries. If you suspect Carbon Monoxide poisoning or a gas leak you must leave the affected area immediately and report it as a matter of urgency to the National Grid on 0800 111 999. Pharmacies. Pharmacy is the science and technique of preparing and dispensing drugs and medicines. It is a health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and aims to ensure the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs. The scope of pharmacy practice includes more traditional roles such as compounding and dispensing medications, and it also includes more modern services related to health care, including clinical services, reviewing medications for safety and efficacy, and providing drug information. Pharmacists, therefore, are the experts on drug therapy and are the primary health professionals who optimize use of medication for the benefit of the patients. Bites and Stings. Insect bites and stings are quite different attacks on our skin. Stings result when an insect is protecting itself when it feels threatened. Other than the initial pain of the attack, the sting can cause varying degrees of allergic reaction. A bite is a deliberate attack by the insect in order to feed from our blood. After the initial bite, the insect injects its saliva  into the wound to allow the blood to flow and for the insect to feed. A reaction to the insect’s saliva causes the bite to become red and swollen and to make it itch. There are many insects that live in the UK that bite or sting to feed or protect themselves. Stingers include wasps, bees, hornets and ants. Biters include mosquitoes, midges, sand flies, horse flies and ticks. It is very rare to catch diseases from insect bites and stings in the UK but it is possible. For example if bitten by a tick when walking in fields where deer have been, the person may catch Lyme disease, a serious infection caused by ba cteria (Borrelia burgdorferi) spread by ticks. Abroad, in places such as Africa, Asia and South America there are a number of diseases that can be caught through insect bites such as malaria, yellow fever, Dengue fever, and West Nile disease. When stung by an insect a baby or infant feels immediate pain, causing her or him to cry. You will recognise this cry as being different from crying associated with hunger or tiredness and should check the child to find the cause. Look at exposed areas of skin, if the baby or infant has been stung, the area around the sting will swell and redden, later it may blister and produce an itchy rash. If the baby or infant has been bitten it may take several minutes for the bite to become itchy and swell into a lump or redden. In the case of midges when they attack in swarms there may be several areas where they have successfully attacked. These areas become hot and itchy and can remain so for several days. Some children are particularly sensitive to insect bites and stings and will suffer a severe allergic reaction resulting in dizziness, fainting, breathing difficulties, rash, raised pulse, sickness, or a swollen mouth and face. In very severe cases the victim may even collapse and die. This severe reaction is called anaphylactic shock. There are precautions you can take to avoid a baby or infant being stung or bitten by insects. Stings in the mouth or on the face and hands commonly occur in babies and infants when wasps, attracted by the sweet smell of drinks, ice cream, lollipops and sweets, are accidentally touched when eating or drinking. Keep an eye on children when eating or drinking outdoors, if you see a wasp on or near a child, don’t aggravate the insect by flapping around, react calmly and simply brush it away. If you are being bitten by insects when outdoors, it  is likely that the children are being bitten too. Be aware of this and try to cover as much of the child’s skin as possible with long trousers and tops with long sleeves. If in a pram or buggy, use an insect net to protect children particularly if she or he is asleep. Avoid areas such as ponds where mosquitoes, midges and horse flies commonly occur. When travelling abroad, cover the cot with a mosquito net, close all doors and windows at night and spray rooms with an insecticide or use electric vapour producing mosquito killers. Insect repellents containing low concentrations of DEET or icaridin can be used on infants over 2 years of age. They should not be used on babies in case the ingredients come in contact with their eyes or lips. Even when applied correctly, it is possible that a baby will rub its eyes or suck its fingers, allowing the repellents to be absorbed. If an infant has been playing or walking in fields where deer may have been, inspect the child’s legs and arms closely for ticks; small brown spider-like insects attached to the skin. If present, get hold of the tick with a pair if tweezers and gently lift away from the skin without twisting. As soon as you notice a child may have been stung by a bee, remove the sting and the venomous sac if it has been left in the skin. Do this by scraping it out, either with your fingernails or using something with a hard edge, such as a bank card. When removing the sting, be careful not to spread the venom further under their skin and do not puncture the venomous sac. Do not pinch the sting out with your fingers or a pair of tweezers because you may spread the venom. If a child has been stung, an adult should remove the sting. Wasps and hornets do not usually leave the sting behind, so could sting you again. If you have been stung and the wasp or hornet is still in the area, walk away calmly to avoid being stung again. Most insect bites and stings cause itching and swelling that usually clears up within several hours. Minor bites and stings can be treated by: washing the affected area with soap and water placing a cold compress (a flannel or cloth cooled with cold water) over the affected area to reduce swelling not scratching the area because it can become infected (keep children’s fingernails short and clean) See your GP if the redness and itching gets worse or does not clear up after a few days. If they have swelling or itching anywhere else on their body after being bitten or stung, or if they are wheezing or have difficulty swallowing, they will need emergency medical treatment. Call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance. Throughout the treatment of this it’s vital to reassure and help keep the child calm. Remember in the event of injury or sudden illness, failure to provide first aid could result in a casualty’s death.

Definition of motivation Essay

Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal. Motivation results from the interaction of both conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her peers. These factors are the reasons one has for behaving a certain way. An example is a student that spends extra time studying for a test because he or she wants a better grade in the class. Motivation is the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal and elicits, controls, and sustains certain goal directed behaviors. It can be considered a driving force; a psychological drive that compels or reinforces an action toward a desired goal. Motivation elicits, controls, and sustains certain goal-directed behaviors. For example, hunger is a motivation that elicits a desire to eat. Motivation has been shown to have roots in physiological, behavioral, cognitive, and social areas. Motivation is conceptually related to, but distinct from, emotion and may be rooted in a basic impulse to optimize well-being, minimize physical pain and maximize pleasure. It can also originate from specific physical needs such as eating, sleeping/resting, and sexual reproduction. Motivation can be divided into two types: intrinsic (internal) motivation and extrinsic (external) motivation. Intrinsic motivation  Intrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure. Intrinsic motivation is based on taking pleasure in an activity rather than working towards an external reward. Intrinsic motivation has been studied since the early 1970s. Students who are intrinsically motivated are more likely to engage in the task willingly as well as work to improve their skills, which will increase their capabilities.[1 ] Students are likely to be intrinsically motivated if they: * attribute their educational results to factors under their own control, also known as autonomy, * believe they have the skill that will allow them to be effective agents in reaching desired goals (i.e. the results are  not determined by luck), * are interested in mastering a topic, rather than just rote-learning to achieve good grades. Extrinsic motivation Extrinsic motivation refers to the performance of an activity in order to attain an outcome, which then contradicts intrinsic motivation. It is widely believed that motivation performs two functions. The first is often referred to as the energetic activation component of the motivation construct. The second is directed at a specific behaviour and makes reference to the orientation directional component.[clarification needed] Extrinsic motivation comes from outside of the individual. Common extrinsic motivations are rewards like money and grades, and threat of punishment. Competition is in general extrinsic because it encourages the performer to win and beat others, not simply to enjoy the intrinsic rewards of the activity. A crowd cheering on the individual and trophies are also extrinsic incentives. The concept of motivation can be instilled in children at a very young age, by promoting and evoking interest in a certain book or novel. The idea is to have a discussion pertaining the book with young individuals, as well as to reward them. Comparison of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation Social psychological research has indicated that extrinsic rewards can lead to overjustification and a subsequent reduction in intrinsic motivation. In one study demonstrating this effect, children who expected to be (and were) rewarded with a ribbon and a gold star for drawing pictures spent less time playing with the drawing materials in subsequent observations than children who were assigned to an unexpected reward condition.[2] While the provision of extrinsic rewards might reduce the desirability of an activity, the use of extrinsic constraints, such as the threat of punishment, against performing an activity has actually been found to increase one’s intrinsic interest in that activity. In one study, when children were given mild threats against playing with an attractive toy, it was found that the threat actually served to increase the child’s interest in the toy, which was previously undesirable to the child in the absence of threat.[3] For those children who received no extrinsic reward, self-determination theory proposes that extrinsic motivation can be internalised by the individual if the task fits with their values and beliefs and therefore helps to fulfill  their basic psychological needs.

Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 17

Terrorism - Essay Example Still, the international community tries to counter this sort of radicalization by implementing innovative measures related to counter-terrorism. The psychological (acceptance, socialization, and self-importance) and behavioral (belief, commitment, and obedience) factors have the greatest impact on the radicalization of an individual, but efforts such as awareness programs, hindering the misinterpretation of religious texts, and welfare programs for the lower classes might be effective in countering this sort of radicalization. The basic psychological factor with greatest impact on radicalizing an individual is the human urge to gain acceptance. To be specific, acceptance is utmost important for human beings within their private or public domains. â€Å"From Moghaddam’s point of view, terrorism constitutes a rational problem-solving strategy for individuals who go through the psychological processes on each step in the Staircase to Terrorism.†1 Within this scenario, the terrorist leaders and related recruiters know that it is easier to trap such individuals. Similarly, socialization during one’s youth determines one’s psychological development in future years. When an individual is deeply interested in religious education or is forced to undergo the same, there will be no scope for socialization. Besides, socialization with similar religious minded individuals can radicalize an individual. To be specific, daily exposure to the views related to religious fundamentalism can result in psychological change among youngsters. One can see that terrorist organizations help their members to consider that they are most important to their religion, and are chosen to complete certain missions. So, it is evident that the psychological factors like acceptance, socialization, and self-importance can radicalize an individual. Similarly, belief in an ideology or a religion transforms one’s behavior in general. â€Å"Additionally, the individual

Organizational behavior case study Research Proposal

Organizational behavior case study - Research Proposal Example This paper analyses the occupational stresses, work values and job satisfaction. It also analyses ‘male’ and ‘female model’ differences which was a concern for Stewart thinking the differences between these models. Isabel Stewart, a highly experienced corporate tax lawyer at Austin and March Law firm in Philadelphia, is concerned about a junior male lawyer who is able to secure some extents of better works and to take over ‘big deal’ cases. It is not the compensation paid that she becomes dissatisfied with, but feeling of competition with a very junior person in the next office makes her think negatively and sense of complex to work with a ‘male’ guy turns her more mentally stressed. Stewart is quite different in the ways she thinks. While dealing with matters, instead of intellectual appeal, she gives importance to works in career terms. Being aware of her managerial and decision making skills, Stewart always looks forward for opportunities to improve her skills further yet. Accepting the projects or works as opportunity can be regarded to be more right way than taking it as ‘favor doing’. Stewart realizes that as a lawyer, she could have satisfied the client saying ‘I would really like to do that project’. Moreover, those who succeed in their work are not just sitting for the work in the last minutes but take it as a challenge and they are neither irresponsible nor absent minded even in the cleanliness of their desks. Stewart realizes that successful people are very energetic in doing the projects. She feels that ‘male model’ is some sort of ‘challenge’ characteristic by which one seems to be attacking the work and then making it wonderful. According to her finding out, male model is frenetic style, by which they put much efforts and energy in way more quickly moving fast and jumping around. ‘To be specific’ in dealing with clients is as imperative as quality of the work. Stewarts finds that those guys

Community nurse assigned to the Bright family Essay

Community nurse assigned to the Bright family - Essay Example Mitchell, the youngest sibling attends a primary school. Though his performance had always been commendable at the class but it deteriorated noticeably is the past few days. His attendance record has degraded accordingly. He has indulged in several clashes with fellow classmates which marks his corrosion in conduct. It has seemed an alarming situation to the school and the authority has expressed concern about the child. Susan’s family stays away from them but they are in stable and sound physical a well as economical condition. But Bruce’s parents split from each other years back and his mother Maureen moved away from the house; though she kept in touch with Bruce and his family. Now Royce, Bruce’s father is 73 years old and he is residing just two streets away from Bruce. But he is going through certain problems and he is unable to eat properly or maintain his house. Memory loss is another effect of age that has become fatal for him. Quite recently Royce underw ent certain minor accidents. His living room caught fire when he left an electric heater on. A community nurse assigned to the Bright family is the in charge of making decisions about which support services are to be provided to them in order to resolve their problems permanently. The Bright family is in dire need of some sort of health and old age care services so that Royce, the 73 year old father gets to lead a peaceful life. He is suffering from health as well as psychological problems like Dementia caused by aging and these need immediate attention. The Aged care services decided by â€Å"Assessment for Aged Care† would be the best option for Royce as his son and daughter-in-law are both tied up with their stringent family condition. The kids are either busy working or too young to take sufficient care of their grand father. At the same time the Bright family needs continuous inspiration and aid to cope up with the taut economical condition. The young kid Mitchell needs attention so

The relation between assessment practices and outcomes of students in Essay

The relation between assessment practices and outcomes of students in foreign language learning - Essay Example The importance of assessment in the process of education cannot be overemphasized (CERI, 2008). Although prior knowledge affects students’ performance positively, yet the effects primarily depend upon the way they have been assessed (Dochy, Segers, and Buehl, 2010). Ensuring equity in the assessment of students’ performance and its interpretation is fundamental to getting the students motivated to achieve high standards in education (ncrel.org, 1997). To identify the performance assessment methods commonly used by teachers for foreign language learning, first a thorough review of literature would be done. Students would be required to mark the importance of the identified performance assessment methods in determining best learning outcome on a scale of 1 to 5 where the values represent â€Å"not important†, â€Å"less important†, â€Å"important†, â€Å"very important† and â€Å"most important† respectively. The performance assessment methods would be classified using the relative importance index. This research would produce useful results both for the teachers and the students. The teachers would be able to identify and implement the best performance assessment method according to the students’ perception whereas the students would be able to optimize on their academic performance. between Classroom Activities, Motivation, and Outcomes in a University Language-Learning Environment. Carnegie Mellon University. Dietrich College Honors Theses. Paper 74. Retrieved from

KFC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

KFC - Research Paper Example From the discussion it is clear that  KFC the biggest chicken restaurant in the world. KFC has a market share of 50% and is estimated that this may increase in the near future. KFC serves a customer base of more than 13 million customers in more than 110 countries. KFC offers an original recipe with extra crispy grilled chicken that is served with home-style sides. KFC has a secret recipe that is served with 11 spices and herbs.This study declares that  the organization has a significant weakness of high employee turnover. The company has less global presence than McDonald’s. It also has weakness regarding global franchise management. KFC has serious weaknesses in terms of marketing exchange with PepsiCo. Soft drinks of only PepsiCo are available in KFC stores. This is a strategic weakness of this global food chain.  KFC primarily offers chicken products to its patrons. This implies that it does not offer novel or differentiated products.   KFC faces dilemmas in sustai ning high standards of hygienic foods. The company faces different charges in distinct nations because of poor standards of hygiene. For instance, in 2007 a KFC restaurant in New York was criticized for being rat infected.  The organization has significant opportunity and can take substantial advantages of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The company has enough opportunities in vegetarian food items.  The company has substantial opportunities to become responsible towards the environment. It can help them to remove all the negative publicities.

The Purpose of Repairing the Criminal Justice System Essay

The Purpose of Repairing the Criminal Justice System - Essay Example The practical implication is that when a punishment is given to an offender by a court of law in a criminal case, it does not benefit the victim any way. The victim does not know how to undo the harm done to him / her. The criminal justice system being implemented in all countries stresses on punishment to offenders with a view of ending crimes and reducing crime rate. The system obviously believes that sentencing offenders to imprisonment would help reduce crime rate in the society. The argument certainly seems logical on the face of it but analysts find it hard to buy. Researchers argue that the evidence supporting this logic looks ambiguous by pointing out that crime rates are guided by factors of unemployment, evils of illegal drugs and guns, lack of proper police planning, immigration and housing problems etc (Krisberg). In Krisberg’s view, punishment alone would not reduce crime rate. While the failure of the factor of punishment in reducing the crime rate could be one of the reasons seeking to repair the criminal justice system, the purpose of such a repair would be really varied. More than achieving reduction in crime rate, the main purpose of repairing the system lies in the objective of undoing the harm done to a victim. In fact, the repair of the criminal justice system should be undertaken lock, stock and barrel in order to transform it from retribution into restoration. Turning it into a restorative one should be the main purpose of repairing the criminal justice system. In a system of justice governed by restitution, more concentration is placed on healing the wounds of victims rather than on punishing the offender. Wray vehemently argues in an internet article that this type of justice demands conciliation between an offender and his / her victim through a friendly encounter which could be a source for healing the latter’s wounds. On the other

Kazakhstan Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Kazakhstan Development - Essay Example International trade involves movement of people, movement of capital and movement of raw materials to and fro developed and developing countries. The beneficiaries of globalization are the developed economies since the companies and trade have spread to other regions in the developing economies. Despite the free movement of people and other business related resources countries are still struggling with unfair distribution of resources, slavery, limited use of technology in developing countries, destruction of natural resources and unemployment. Nigeria being a developing economy has not enjoyed the benefits of globalization due to slow export business, huge debts and poor economic conditions that scares away the investors (Onwuka1 and Eguavoen 2007, P. 45). This paper will critically evaluate the development of Nigeria’s economy as a result of globalization. Country analysis The Nigeria economic development has been influenced by the availability of oil. Before the oil explora tion the economic grew by about 3.1 percent per year while from 1960 they was a positive growth by 6.2 percent per year but from 1980 there was a negative economic growth but rate due to adjustment and regulation the economic expended by about 4 percent. This positive economic growth due to oil drilling led to migration from rural areas to urban areas (Ekpo and Umoh 2013). As a result of industrial development, migration to urban areas and oil drilling the agricultural activities were neglected and therefore the country started to import fundamental food commodities. Domestic investment and savings also reduced while inflation rates increased to about 23 percent by the year 1976, 41 percent by the year 1989 and 72.8 percent in 1995 but later the inflation rate reduced to 9.5 percent in 1998 (Ekpo and Umoh 2013). Redundancy and joblessness was about 5 percent from 1976 to 1998 per year though its hard to document unemployment and its estimated that the rate of unemployment could be h igher due to recession in 1990s(Ekpo and Umoh 2013). As the world trade and economic expansion were being experienced in several parts of the globe Nigeria was experiencing economic recession, unemployment, scarcity of vital food items and high rate of inflation and thus failure to catch the attention of international investors and low gross domestic product. Nigeria therefore need to address it export diversity, imports, minimize debts and provide conducive environment for the foreign investors (Onwuka1 and Eguavoen 2007, P. 45. Is globalization jeopardizing developing nations’ economic development? Udombana (2002 p.11-17) reports that globalization is an incentive that unfairly and unequally solve problems of developing nations by enticing them to democratize, privatize and decentralize ,yet, industrialized nations are at a comfort zone where their currencies are strong and terms of trade stable to handle any changes in the world’s economy. Hobdell (2001) asserts tha t this is seen so because, globalization is driven by the same colonial powers who launched global campaigns of imperial control of people and resources targeted primarily at the developing nations. In disguise this force is

Show how issues of social class are important in at least two of the Essay

Show how issues of social class are important in at least two of the works studied - Essay Example In all work, low social position of the main characters prevents them to achieve appreciation and recognition they deserve. The novel Heart of Darkness (1900) is one of the most unique and outstanding works based on philosophical and psychological interpretations, historical and sociological issues. Until the actual military conquest of most of Africa by Europeans, the continents populations, except in regions significantly influenced by intruders from Asia, were largely left free to shape their own individual paths of development. This novel describes the controls the means of production and hence the sale and distribution of products, the capitalist returns less to the workers than what the worker actually produces. This is called exploitation, and the rate at which the capitalists extract surplus from the labor of their workers is called the rate of exploitation. Marx expressed this as the rate of exploitation: surplus/variable capital. This means getting more out of the productive process for the same or lower costs. It means workers will have to produce more without receiving a commensurate increase in wages, that is, an increase in the rate of exploitation. â€Å"The vision seemed to enter the house with me - the stretcher, the phantom-bearers, the wild crowd of obedient worshippers, the gloom of the forests,†¦ the beat of the drum, regular and muffled like the beating of a heart - the heart of a conquering darkness† (Conrad). In the play, Amadeus P. Shaffer describes the impact of social class on a genuine and inability to resists social principles and values. The play concentrates on personal relations between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri and their rivalry. This play portrays that a unique talent of a person and his genius means nothing fo society which values high social position and wealth. First, this play helps legitimate prevailing class and status

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Experimental Design Essay Example for Free

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Experimental Design Essay Advantages and Disadvantages of the Experimental Design Advantages: * As well as controlling the independent variable the experimenter attempts to eliminate unwanted extraneous variables. * Control over extraneous variables is usually greater than in other research methods. * Experimental design involves manipulating the independent variable to observe the effect on the dependent variable. This makes it possible to determine a cause and effect relationship. Because of strict conditions and control the experimenter can set up the experiment again and repeat or ‘check’ their results. Replication is very important as when similar results are obtained this gives greater confidence in the results. Disadvantages: * Elimination of extraneous variables is not always possible. * Experimental situation may not relate to the real world. * It may be unethical or impossible to randomly assign people to groups. Eg. : Unethical to deliberately deprive children of sleep. * Impossible (expensive) to observe ‘jetlag’ by sending people on world trips. * Unethical to experiment on forms of punishment on children by subjecting them to punishment. * Advantages and Diadvantages of the Quantitative Observational Design. Advantages: * Quantitative observational designs allow variables to be investigated that would be unethical, impossible or too costly under an experimental design. Some kinds of behaviour can only be observed in a naturalistic setting. Disadvantages: * Cannot infer such a strong cause and effect relationship because there is or greater chance of other variables affecting the results. This is due to the lack of random assignment to groups. * Cannot replicate the findings as the same situation will not occur naturally again. * Quantitative Observational does not allow generalisation of findings to the general population. * Observer bias may influence the results.

Causes of the US National Debt

Causes of the US National Debt How big is the US National Debt and history? By definition, the amount of money owed by the federal government to creditors is referred to as the US National Debt. The National debt is categorized into two; public debts and government. Government debts are always on the rise due to the increase in government spending and expenditure, unpaid credits by debtors, decreased taxes among others (Zezza, 2014). The US National Debt has a historical increment due to the rise in debt as a share of the GDP during the recession periods and times of war. A combination of inflation and growth of GDP results in decreased national debt. The national debt of the US, for instance, increased after the World War II to 113 % in the year 1945 (Zezza, 2014). However, this figure later went down in the subsequent thirty-five years. In the past few decades, there have been concerns of how sustainable the fiscal policies of the US National government are based on the rise in costs of medication and the growing number of old people in the US population ( Zezza, 2014). According to Sakbani (2013), the public debt of the US was at $ 14.3 trillion of the overall GDP while the inter-governmental debts were $5.4 trillion. This totals to about 10.6% of the 2015 GDP. Sakbani (2013) further notes that more than 45 % of the US national debt in 2016 was by foreign investors with Japan and China in the lead. Precisely, an analysis of the US national debt reveals that the debt has had a constructive decline since the year 1789 apart from between 1835 and 1836 (Chorafas, 2014). The debt was at the highest level during the first term presidency of Harry Truman which was during and after the Second World War.   After the second world war, there was a notable fall in the national debt in the US. The US national debt was at its lowest point in 1974 under the leadership of Richard Nixon (Sakbani, 2013). However, after 1974, the national debt started appreciating and this has been the trend since then. But it stagnated during Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter’s presidency. In the 1980s there was a tremendous increase in national debt due to Ronald Reagans decision to lower taxes and increase military expenditures. However, in the 1990s the debt went down when a reverse of the 1980s was implemented; increased taxes, and lower military spending. Chorafas (2014) highlights that due to the fina ncial crisis between 2007 and 2008 the public debt went extremely high. There seems to be a surge in national debt during the GW Bush and Obama administrations. Why? There was a considerable rise in national debt between the presidency of George Bush and that of Barrack Obama. This was from $ 5.768 trillion when Bush left office to $ 14.071 trillion 735 days after Obama took office (Skidmore, 2011). This means that the recording of Bush’s national debt was wrong. This is because in his term as the president there was a rise of $ 607 billion yearly hence the overall figure could not be $ 5.768 trillion as indicated in the Treasury records. Skidmore (2011) further explains that during Obama’s era the national debt considerably went high by an average of $ 1.723 trillion yearly. This saw the figure go way up above the debt during Bush’s presidency. However, it is not possible to hold Obama responsible for this increase in debt. This is because the figures flow from the 2009’s budget which Obama never signed. This means that if the right account to Obamas accounts are to be analyzed this should trail down from the fiscal year 2010 and 2011 (Sakbani, 2013). In addition to a sum of $ 225 trillion that was included in the 2009 budget under his signature. A close comparison of Obama’s and Bush’s spending and deficit reveal that Bush was way far than Obama based on managing of the national debt. This argument can be supported by; Bush operated a total budget of 3.283 trillion in deficit spending for his eight fiscal years in office. On the other hand, Obama operated at a spending deficit of $ 2.826 trillion within his first two years in office. This means that while Bush operated at a deficit of $410 billion per annum, Obama operates at more than $1.4 trillion per annum, giving a difference of more than 1 trillion between the two reigns. This analysis explains the current surge between Obamas presidency and Bushs presidency regarding deficit spending. What are the consequences of a large national debt? Is it going to hamper the economic growth as some have claimed? Based on an economic perspective, large national debt affects the economic growth negatively. It is almost impossible for a government or country rather to sustaining a large and growing national debt. Some of the effects come from the side of investors who begin doubting the possibility of the federal government to continue servicing the economy and government spending (Boubekar et al., 2016). There are three major effects of large national debts on a country’s economic growth. First, large debt draws money away from national investments which would earn then government some revenues. This is due to lack of enough money for the government to service effective investments. This would mean that the government is heavily spending, but there are minimal or no revenues being generated hence lack of capital to be reinvested. There will be no growth in the country’s economy. Secondly, large debts negatively influence taxation and spending by the government. This is because when the country is suffering from high national debts, all the attention are focused on what the government can do to continue sustaining itself. This is where the government adjusts. As Boubaker et al. (2016) put it when taxation is high workers and investors are negatively affected by tax increment and can be left with little or no money to reinvest. Also, the tax increment leads to economic downturn from the side of the policymakers and investors. Policymakers find it challenging designing policies on tax spending in an environment where there is an extremely high national debt. The economic growth is normally hard in such a situation based on the fact that there are no sufficient funds to fund any new challenges that arise along the policy-making and policy implementation processes. Is it possible for the US to default on its debt in future? Explain The United States does not have any record of ever defaulting on national debt. If this ever happens the results can be unimaginable. However, there have been cases when the House Republicans have resisted raising the house ceilings urging the Congress house to cut on spending first (Johnson, 2000). It means that there are possibilities of the US failing to honor their national debt shortly. Precisely, the US can default their national debt in two main ways; failure of the Congress to raise the debt ceiling, and is the Government decides that the interests they are charged are way too high and resolve to not paying interests on bond, notes, and Treasury bills. In the first case scenario, failure by the Congress to raise the debt ceiling would mean high interests rate on Treasuries, hence high costs on the consumer loan, mortgages, and other such services (Johnson, 2000).This will then lead to decline in the value of a dollar and finally inability of the government to pay salaries and benefits to their civil servants and retirees. On the other hand, in the second scenario, there would be a disaster as the value of treasuries in all the government’s secondary markets would stagnate or go down hence Treasuries would be sold at discounted prices (Cline, 2013). The government would find it hard to auction their treasuries hence making it hard for them to borrow money and pay bills. The default of US national debt would be extremely disastrous owing to the confidence most investors have on the US markets. Why the Nobel winning economist Paul Krugman is not as alarmed as many others are concerning the high level of US National debt? It is important to note that the overall national debt is usually a combination of all loans acquired by the federal government from various creditors to finance a deficit budget. In taking and utilizing loans, the government usually has a focus on increasing their tax rates for them to finance their current government spending (Zezza, 2014). Paul Kraugman can be said to be less alarmed on the high level of the US national debt due to his argument that there is no need for investors or anybody else to worry about the level of the impeding national debt of the US. In his argument, Kraugman makes several assumptions. Unlike others, Krugman argues that in as much as debt matters there are other things that matter most and that the government needs to spend more to get the US citizens out of the current unemployment trap (Zezza, 2014). This shows that he had no idea what harm the current high national debt has caused the US and the impacts a further increase in government spending will cause the US. References Boubaker, S., Rouatbi, W., & Saffar, W. (2016). The Role of multiple large shareholders in the choice of debt source. Financial Management, 46(1), 241-387. Doi: 10. 1111/fima. 12148 Chorafas, D. N. (2014). Kingdoms of Debt Public Debt Dynamics of Europe and the US, 24-32. DOI: 10. 1016/b978-0-12-420021-0.00002-6 Cline, W. R. (2013). The multiplier, sovereign default Risk, and the US budget: An overview. Public Debt, Global Governance and Economics Dynamism, 276-29. Doi: 10.1007/978-88-470-5331-1-3 Johnson, K. (2000). National Missile Defense 2015: An Unintended Consequence. Doi. 10. 21236/ada432647 Sakbani, M. N. (2013). The Dual Debt Problem in the US and in Europe. International Debt. Doi: 10. 1057/9781137030573.0007 Skidmore, D. N. (2011). The Obama Presidency and the US Foreign Policy: Where is the Multilateralism? International Studies Perspectives, 13(1), 46-53. Doi: 10.1111/mj. 1528-3585.2011.00454.x Zezza, G. (2014). Fiscal and Debt Policies for Sustainable US Growth. Fiscal and Debt Policies for the Future. Doi: 10. 1057/9781137269539.0012

Financial Statements Analysis In Making Investment Decisions Finance Essay

Financial Statements Analysis In Making Investment Decisions Finance Essay During the financial crisis in 2008, the world witnessed the bankruptcies of leading firms such as Lehman Brothers or Washington Mutual. These collapses caused the losses of many shareholders and stock investors and raised the importance of financial analysis in investment. This project looks at the necessity of financial statement analysis in investment decision making with an emphasis on how to use it to reveal potential risks. Introduction One of the most important long-term decisions for any business is investment with the aim of making gains in the future. Investment decisions are concerned with the use of funds including buying, holding or selling and each decision could be vital to a firm. A careless decision may result in a long-term loss or even worse, bankruptcy. Therefore, an in-depth understanding and analysis is necessary for a high quality investment decision process. This is also even more critical to investors who invest in stock of company or shareholders. Financial statement analysis is critical in making effective stock investment decisions. By study the balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement and statement of owners equity separately and combined, an analyst might have a good sense of a companys overall financial picture; therefore, the investment decisions are likely to be reasonable and profitable. I. Understanding of financial statements analysis In order to understand the analysis of financial statements, it is necessary to define financial statements. According to Fabozzi (2003), financial statements are summaries of the operating, financing and investment activities of a business. These reports provide information to both investors and creditors in making credit, investment, and other business decisions. In other words, financial statements might be used as a tool to predict a companys future earnings. There are four basic financial statements including: the balance sheet, the income statement, the statement of cash flows and the statement of shareholders equity. Firstly, the balance sheet is a summary of the assets, liabilities and equity of a business at a particular time. Assets include the resources of an enterprise that are used to generate profits. Therefore, if a company owns assets, the company can expect them to produce cash inflows in the future. Take for example, cars of a taxi company will be used in order to serve customers and gain income to the company. Liabilities are obligations of the business, or in other words, the commitments to creditors in the form of future cash outflows. Another factor is Equity, which reflects ownership. This means equity represents the part of a firms value that is not owed to creditors and therefore is left over for the owners. Thus, equity is the difference between assets and liabilities. Another part of financial statements is income statement, which is a summary of the revenues and expenses of a business over a period of time. Therefore, it shows both the results of the firms operating and financing decisions during that time, and people can also call this as the profit and loss statement. Thirdly, statement of cash flows is a summary over a period of time of a firms cash flows. This statement lists separately its operating cash flows, investing cash flows, and financing cash flows. The last main part of financial statements is the statement of shareholders equity. This provides additional information about equity including the amounts and changes in equity accounts; thus, it is considered as a link between the balance sheet and the income statement. Apart from the four main parts, the financial statements include notes in order to give additional information to readers. The first notes summaries the companys accounting policies such as methods of inventory accounting, methods of depreciation and foreign currency translation. Depending on each company, then there may be additional notes providing, for example, information on mergers or acquisitions. Financial statement analysis is a process that examines past and current financial date for the purpose of evaluating performance and estimating future risks and potential. II. What influences the making of Investment decision? In order to understand how financial report analysis affects investment decisions, it is important to understand the main contributing factors of making an investment decision. According to Cahill (2003), the investment decision making bases on assessing the sectors prospects, assessing the companys prospects and evaluating the value of company. A sectors prospects, which are dependent upon the supply/ demand, pricing and cost trends within the industry, provide information to analyze a companys prospects in more details. Meanwhile, the analysis of the prospects for the company is based on four drivers including management and strategy, performance and returns, financial positions and outlook for earnings. The combination of these factors determines the value put on a companys share. After analyzing the numbers and the four factors, it is important to evaluate those numbers with some approaches such as price/earning. As it can be seen clearly, financial statements are essential source of information in analyzing companys prospects and in evaluating companys value. Therefore, it is safe to assume that financial statements analysis is important in the making of investment decision. III. The influences of financial statements analysis on investment decision 1. Financial ratio analysis and its effect Financial ratio is one of the most important tools of financial analysis. In financial ratio analysis, the relevant information that will be processed is primarily from the financial statement data. A ratio is a mathematical relation between two quantities, in this case is from financial statements. Generally, by using financial ratios, investors can evaluate five aspects of operating performance and financial conditions including return on investment, liquidity, profitability, activity and financial leverage. With return on investment ratios, analysts compare measures of benefits, such as net income or earning before interest and taxes, with measures of investment in order to evaluate how well the firm uses its sources in its operations. Thus, analysts could consider increasing their investment into the firm if its ratio of net income to total assets is larger than other firms in the same sector. Moreover, not only compare current figures, investors might compare a firms current ratio with its ratio in the past so that they could have a view of how well the firm operate in the recent period of time. On the other hand, investors can assess the companys liquidity, which is the ability to meet the short-term obligations using current assets, by several ways including current ratio, quick ratio or net working capital to sales ratio. Take for example, a ratio of current assets to current liabilities will provide information about the comparison between assets that can be readily turn in to cas h and obligations that are due in the near future. In other words, by calculating this ratio, people might know the ability of a company to satisfy obligation due in the near future; therefore, they could have an valuable information about the safety of investing in that company. As it can be seen clearly, the higher a firms liquidity is, the more secure the investment is. Moreover, professional investors even extend their analysis skill by adding profitability ratios, which help them gauge how well a firm is managing its expenses. With detailed information in financial statements, investor can select and use different profitability ratio in each case. For example, suppose an analyst wants to evaluate how well production facilities are managed, it is reasonable to focus on the comparison between gross profit, which is a measure of income that is direct result of production management, and sales. This ratio shows the portion of each dollar of sales that remains after deducting production expenses; hence, the analyst might evaluate the firms ability to manage expenses. In general, it would be unwise to invest in a company that cannot control its expenditures appropriately (Akintoye, 2009). Apart from above ratios, activity ratios can be used to evaluate the benefits produced by specific assets; thus, they would be useful in specific circumstances. For instance, a ratio of cost of goods sold to inventory provide information about how quickly a firm has used inventory to generate the goods and services that are sold. Another kind of ratios is financial leverage ratio, which is used to assess how much financial risk the firm has taken on. These ratios are essential to evaluate the safety of investment decision to that company. Although financial ratio analysis help analysts in evaluating a firms operations, risk and potential returns so that they can decide to invest in the firms securities or not, this analysis cannot tell the whole story and must be used with care due to some limitations such as interpretation of the ratios or accounting data. 2. Earning analysis In order to give out a right investment decision, investors have to forecast the market value of firms securities, or in other words, forecast a companys cash flows in the future. However, this is difficult and as an alternative, investors examine the historical and current relation between stock price and some fundamental factors. In many cases, the factor is used to estimate the value of securities is earnings. Earnings are varying in different circumstances; therefore, it is common to use different approaches depend on real case. For example, if an investor is evaluating the performance of a companys operations, the focus is likely on the operating earnings of the company the earnings before interest and taxes. Generally, earning analysis is usually referred to the amount of earning per share of stock. In this case, the EPS (earnings per share), which shows how much on each share is earned by the firm in a given accounting period, is widely used. A firm with high EPS seems to be a profitable firm and is worth to invest in; thus, EPS can play a significant role in investment decision making. However, earnings can be adjusted by the firm itself and in fact, there are pressures that force the firm to adjust its earnings such as meeting analyst forecast or meeting shareholders expectation. In particular, earnings can be manipulated using a number of devices including the selection of inventory method and the selection of depreciation method. The pressure to report constantly increasing earnings may also result in wrong earning report. For example, Leslie Fay showed increasing earnings in 1990 and 1991, even though its business was not that excellent (Fabozzi, 2003). Therefore, similar to using financial ratios analysis, earning analysis should be done with most careful attitudes. 3. Cash Flow analysis According to Fabozzi (2003), cash flow play an important role in valuation and help analyst calculate the current value of a company base on the present value of its expected future cash flow. Moreover, understanding cash flow allows an investor to assess the ability of a firm to maintain current dividends and its current capital expenditure policy without relying on external financing. Currently, a firm reports its cash flows on the statement of cash flows using either the direct method, which is reporting all cash inflows and outflows, or the indirect method, which is adjustment the net income with depreciation and other noncash expenses. By looking at the relations among cash flow from operations, cash flow from investing activities and cash flow from financing activities, an analyst could have a overview of the firms activities. For example, a young fast growing company is likely to have a negative cash flows from operation and a positive cash flows from financing activities because the company rely on external financing. Examination of the sources of cash flows, especially over time, gives analysts a general idea of the companys operations. For instance, PG, which is a mature firm, has a consistent cash flow. Moreover, cash flow information may help the analyst identify companies that may encounter financial difficulties. A clear example of this case is W.T. Gr ant company during 1966-1974 with no definite clues of bankruptcy that were showed on profitability ratio, turnover ratio and liquidity ratios. However, a study of cash flows from operations clearly revealed that company operations were causing an increasing drain on cash (Fabozzi, 2003). For above reasons, cash flow analysis is an essential part of making investment decision. Conclusion Financial analysis is the basis for investment and financing decisions and the basic data for this analysis is the financial statement data. This data can be used to analyze the relationships between different elements of a firm in order to provide an overview as well as an in-depth view of companys operation and financial condition. Moreover, by looking at the calculated financial ratios, in the connection with economic data, investor can make judgments about past and future financial performance and conditions. Besides, earnings analysis and cash flow analysis may provide even more detailed information about the firm, and also help investor to see potential risk. Therefore, it is safe to assume that financial statement analysis play an irreplaceable role in making investment decisions.