A Fire Alarm System | Engineering Essay

A Fire Alarm System | Engineering Essay It is more prudent to head off a disaster beforehand than to deal with it after it occurs. Fire alarms are one of the most useful ways to avoid fire deaths. A fire alarm system is part of the total security system providing fire protection. Installation of fire alarm system gives rise to numerous benefits such as safety of occupant of a building, reducing loss of property or early notification to fire department. Two hundred years ago, early Americans fire alarms were very creative. The different ways to announce a fire were by blowing whistles, ringing church bells or even shooting guns into the air. Due to the creativeness and inventiveness of early scientists, alarm systems were revolutionized. They were using the telegraph technology [1]. Ensuing decades into the 21st century produces multi-functional community fire reporting methods through wireless transmitter. Consequently, alarm systems were installed in private houses and business for security reasons. The first fire alarm system was created in the year 1658. There was no technology used. The New Yorks first fire department employed eight men. Nightly, the firemen were walking the streets to check for fires. In the 1850s, the Australian created the hand-shaken wooden rattle alarm which awoke people from impending harm. After the creation of the telegraph, forthcoming fire alarms were improved by employing this technology. Using teleg raph technology, in 1852, William F. Channing and Moses Farmer designed two fire alarm boxes with each containing a telegraphic key. With reporting a neighborhood fire, the person cranks the attached handle on the box releasing the key to send out a message of the box number to a central alarm station. Upon receiving the message, the telegrapher at central headquarters sent the corresponding address of the box location to the fire department response team [2]. Consequently, more advance technologies were used to create fire alarm which made the latter more effective in numerous ways. One of the most common types of fire alarm system is the smoke alarm. A smoke alarm is one that uses a smoke detector as a device that detects smoke to activate the alarm system. Although the use of smoke detector as sensing element is mostly used in fire alarm, the latter is not fully effective. According to Journal of Safety Research, improved efforts are needed for the functional use of smoke alarm to saves more lives. To improve the functioning of fire alarms, the type of sensor used must be changed [3]. Sensors play a fundamental role to any measurement and automation application. A sensor is a device that converts a change in a physical condition to a measurable response. One of the most useful types of sensor used in fire alarm is the temperature sensor. A temperature sensor is one that converts heat energy in electrical energy. That is, the temperature scale is calibrated accordingly to a voltage scale. There are several temperature sensors, a few of them are, thermocouples, thermistors and thermostats among others [4]. In most of the electronic circuitry, signals from sensors are processed using a microcontroller. A microcontroller is a small computer mounted on a single integrated circuit. It is divided into different section namely the processor core, memory and programmable input and output peripheral. The different types of microcontroller used are Programmable Logic Device (PLD), Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), Peripheral Interface Controller and the most recent one the Matrix Industrial Automotive Controller (MIAC). The MIAC is an industrial grade control unit which can be used to control a wide range of different electronic systems. Programming the MIAC system is typically done using Flowcode, which is a simple microcontroller language that uses the same principle as flowchart. In this project, a fire alarm will be installed in a chemical laboratory. One of the crucial aspects while working with chemical substances is temperature. The system which will be created will have as main objective to regulate in temperature of the laboratory and in case of fire to activate the fire alarm and its entire component. The system will have as input a temperature sensor which will read the temperature of the room. The signals from the temperature sensor will be used as the microcontroller input. The output of the microcontroller will vary according to the temperature of the room. The three main functions of the microcontroller are to activate the air conditioner system when the temperature of the room is high. Furthermore, at low temperature the microcontroller will activate the heater system. Finally, at very high temperature, that is in case of fire, the system will activate the fire alarm, the sprinklers, close the windows and doors after all occupants of the laborato ry have left the premises. Closure of the windows and doors prevent the exposure of the fire to oxygen and avoiding the fire to expand on a larger scale. 1.2 Aim of the project The aim of the study is to design a system which will be used in a chemical laboratory. In case of very high temperature in the room denoting a fire, the system activates a fire alarm and all its components. Moreover, when the temperature of the room is low the heater system will be activated and when the temperature is high the air conditioner system will be activated. The system will have as input a temperature sensor and the MIAC as microprocessor to process the signals from the temperature sensor and activate the required system as its output. 1.3 Objectives of the Project The objectives of the project are as follows: To understand the structure and operation of the MIAC. To study the flowcode programming technique. To understand how to interface MIAC to the inputs and outputs. To design a program that meets the requirements of the system. To build a model of the system with all its components working accordingly. 1.4 Structure of the report 1.5 Brief Literature Review In the United State (US), most lethal injury that occurs in houses is caused by fires and burns. One of the most persuasive ways to prevent death and injury from fire is by installing a fire alarm. It is an effective method if regular maintenance is done on the alarm system regularly. Statistic shows that 95% of the houses in the US have a fire alarm; there is still a high percentage of fatal injury caused by fire. Due to lack of maintenance of the alarm, the latter tend to be ineffective. According to the finding in the Journal of Safety [3], theres a huge gap between number of smoke alarm present and the number of lives saved in fire tragedy. In order to improve the efficiency of alarm, campaign shall be done to make people aware of the danger if maintenance is not performed regularly. Accordingly, the most vulnerable group of people from fire death is the young children, older adults and the disabled person. Alarm system is an important aspect in processing industry. In industry where products are manufactured in line processing, alarm system plays a fundamental role in alerting the operators that a strange event has occur or equipment is not behaving according to normal conditions. For safe operation of the alarm system, regular alarm assessment is required for alarm management life cycle [5]. Regular assessment provides feedback for fine tuning the system resulting to a good working condition. There are two aspects in fire alarm design. The first aspect, the engineering aspect consist of the designing the alarm generating algorithm. The algorithm can be simple limit checking on a raw process to much complex one such as using machine learning tools for fault classification. The second aspect of the alarm system is the way that errors are notified in order that necessary action is taken at the right time to solve for the problem that occurred. Human Machine Interface [6] is an elemental part in the second aspect. In order to test for the performance of alarm system with respect to the first aspect of alarm design, graphical tools are used. Two graphical tools which are commonly used are firstly the High Density Alarm Plot (HDAP) and the Alarm Similarity Color Map (ASCM). The High Density Alarm Plot is an appropriate tool for visualizing large amount of alarm data of a plant over a selected time range. The HDAP gives a global picture of the alarm system without getting a deeper insight of how the latter works. The HDAP has the capability to identify visual periods of plant instability. By instability we mean the period of time where a high number of alarm is activated simultaneously in a short time period. The Alarm Similarity Color Map (ASCM) is software for graph plotting. There are several steps in plotting the ASCM graph [7]. The steps are follows under the assumption that the co-occurrence of two events follow a homogeneous Poison process and calculate the probability that the number of o verlaps is less than the maximum overlaps calculated for various lag. In most of the industrial system, the aim of the factory is to ensure that operation is run fluidly and without any abrupt interruption. Most modern industries use latest technology to ensure that the work is done correctly and effectively. The latest technologies consist of using sensors to gather information. Sensors are used to communicate the physical and environmental conditions under which the plant is running [8]. Different sensors are installed at various places in the factory to capture the information required. Under normal conditions, the plant shall operate smoothly. On the other hand, when a sensor captures a change in any one of the variables, operators are notified trough an alarm system. An activated alarm system indicates an abnormality in the plant processing [8]. In order to minimize the risk of injury or even death of people inside the plant, the fault should be identified rapidly and remedy actions shall be taken as soon as possible. Using sensors to gather information of the different variable, the running conditions of the factory are monitored thoroughly minimizing the risk that an abnormal behavior goes undetected. In contrast, with small changes in variables being monitored, sensors are prone to capture unimportant events. The slight changes in variables activate the alarm unnecessarily; this is known as nuisance alarm. Nuisance alarm conveys false impression of the true nature of the problem [8]. False alarm contributes to a more stressful working environment thus reducing the performance of operator to response to true alarm. In 1994, 11 minutes prior to explosion in the Texaco Milford Haven Refinery the two operators present at that time had to distinguish, acknowledge and act on 275 alarms [9]. We can conclude that for the proper operation of a factory, it is important to manage the alarm system effectively. There are different approaches to detect faults. Fault detection can be globally classified into two groups, namely model-based and signal processing based. Model based fault detection is more present in areas such as control theory and engineering [10]. Since it is very ambitious to reach precisely a mathematical model in practical situation, the use of model-based scheme is limited. Moreover, it is a tedious task and it is not always sure that the mode will be accurate enough to reflect the practical situation. The most popular fault detection system used nowadays in factories is simple limit checking of a directly measured variable [10]. This system is easy and simple to implement. In spite of its simplicity, the threshold level should be selected properly which directly affects the number of false and missed alarm. A false alarm is one that is raise without the presence of any abnormality in the process [8]. Missed alarm is an alarm that is not raised in the presence of fault [8]. When a wrong threshold level is chosen in the simple limit checking method, it results in greater number of false and missed alarm. When a fault occurs, the alarm systems may not be activated instantaneously. This occurs due to different delays of the system. There are different reasons causing this delay to a system. The different types of delay are network delay, bad implementation delay, sensor failure and data loss delay among others [8]. Moreover, the way the parameters of the alarm system are set can cause also rise the delay time of the system to response to a change in variables. To construct a trustworthy and effective alarm system three performance specifications should be taken into consideration namely false alarm rate, missed alarm rate and detection delay. 1.6 Summary From the information gathered so far, we can deduce that there is a need to research on new types of effective fire alarm system. Since the actual fire alarm systems are not effective as they shall be, an intelligent and practical system will be developed to serve for this purpose. The developed system will be controlled by a Matrix Automotive Multimedia Controller. The proposed system shall successfully deal with fire outbreak and also regulate the temperature of the room.

Constructive Teaching Methods: Nursing

I am a registered nurse working in one of the largest NHS hospitals in the UK. There are three different specialities on my ward. Infection disease, Tropical disease, Immunology, but we are well known as the Infection Disease ward. My ward is a Fourteen bedded ward; consisting of mostly single and double lobby side rooms, we also have five bedded bay. Due to the NMC (2008a) confidentiality code I must refrain from using any information regarding the identity of people in order to protect the identities, trust and clinical settings. The purpose of this assignment is to explore the experience of mentoring student nurses and also to establish a working relationship. This professional study will enable me to nurture the student nurses and improve the outcome of the student learning process and how the experience will affect my future practise. The definition of a mentor is a registrant professional e.g. nurse, midwives or any other professionals who has successfully completed an accredit ed mentor preparation programme from an approved HE programme. The NMC definition of a mentor is, a registrant who following successful completion of an NMC approved mentor preparation programme – or comparable preparation that has been accredited by an AEI as meeting the NMC mentor requirements – has achieved the knowledge, skills and competence required to meet the defined outcomes† (NMC, 2008b).Mentors need to be qualified for at least a year in their current profession and most mentors would have worked with students as co-mentors. A mentor is therefore an individual who has achieved the knowledge, skills and competence required to meet the defined outcomes of stage 2 of the developmental framework to support learning and assessment in practice (NMC, 2008b). The role of the mentor is teach and guide future nurses in a clinical area, whilst keeping to the NMC standards of mentoring in health and social care (NMC, 2008b). Mentors play a vital role in supporting , teaching and assessing students in the practice area. Helping study to learn or have better understanding of the ward speciality, according to their level of learning stage.Relate learning and teaching strategies to ensure effective learning experiences and the opportunity to achieve learning outcomes for students by giving the student nurses the confidence to ask questions about their learning experience. Communicating and evaluating principles of assessment, including direct observation to the demonstration of competence, utilising appropriate  criteria for the student nurse. Facilitating learning opportunities, by allowing students to work with the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) and going to surgical or non-surgical procedures to improve their learning development.Part 2.The NMC also known as The Nursing and Midwifery Council is a supervisory body for nurses and midwives. The main purpose of the NMC is to protect the health and welfare of the general public by retaining a regi ster of all nurses, midwifes and specialist community public health nurses that are able to work inside the UK. They ensure this by setting up a framework for their education, conduct, training, presentation and principles.When issuing new standards or giving advice, the NMC turn to nurses and midwives as well as potential nurses and midwives, the general public, employers and all those involved in the teaching and educating of nurses and midwives. When those standards have been set, they are revised once every five years (NMC, 2004a). As part of the NMC standards for mentors; practice teachers, teacher nurses and midwives must correspond to the 8 domains. †¢Establishing effective working relationships†¢Facilitation of learning †¢Assessment and Accountability †¢Evaluation of learning †¢Creating an environment for learning †¢Context of practice †¢Evidence-based practice †¢LeadershipEstablishing an effective working relationship and creating an environment for learning are two important standards that a mentor must create at the start of their mentorship. When establishing an effective working relationship with their student they must exhibit a decent understanding of all factors that affect how the undergraduates integrate into the practice as well as helping the student overcome obstacles that would affect meeting that standard.They must also provide the continuous support and guidance to simplify change from one learning environment to another by providing the student with time to adjust to the changeover. Above all a mentor must have  an authentic professional and semi-professional working relationship to support the student with their entry into the register (NMC, 2004). When creating an environment for learning, a mentor must remember to give guidance and support to a student by identifying the level their working at and by giving the right provision that they need.Also they must use a variety of learning experienc es including patients, clients, carers and the professional team; to meet definite learning needs; also they must classify aspects of the learning environment which could be improved by discussing with others to make suitable alterations. But above all they must perform as a resource to simplify the personal and professional growth of others. The daily challenges that mentors face is time and having a place to address their students. As a mentor you have your own job to carry out as well as teaching and assessing students, which makes time-keeping difficult.A mentor is expected to perform different roles, the main focus lies on a mentor's ability to serve as a role model to nursing students. A mentor cannot neglect their other duties as a nurse, they need to be able to carry out the duty of being a nurse which is a time consuming job, and this also affects how they assess their students as they have barely enough time to do so. Another problematic issue that is hard to solve is havi ng a place to address students in the work environment, it is understandable that a hospital isn’t exactly an office building but a busy environment where all the employees need to be attentive, however this is our place of work nonetheless and students deserve a place where their mentors can thoroughly converse with them on any issues they may have.If mentors were able to instruct their students on certain responsibilities that they need instructions on and assess their students without the challenges that occur around the work place, mentors would have less of a hard time trying to see to all of their responsibilities at once (NMC, 2008b). The Nursing and Midwifery Council standards are to support the learning and assessment in the practise setting. The practise do provide a framework for mentors, however the nature of documents it is not comprehensive enough to consider all angles of competence in the interpretation of the student assessment (Cassidy, 2009)It could be refl ected that on some level of assessment that it can remain biased despite the framework being provided, due to the innate nature of the involved profession and the variation of skills to be  assessed. Duffy (2003) identified that one reason mentors may â€Å"fail to fail† students in practise is lack of knowledge of the assessment process. Price (2005) says that practise-based assessment needs to be conducted transparently, rigorously and fairly, and discussed two purposes of assessment: Formative and summative assessment.Holistic assessment of competence is challenging to structure on a framework, predominantly when considering a student reflexive action to develop their knowledge skills and attitude with emotional intelligence (Freshwater and Stickley 2004). This is somewhat corrected by the responsive development of a ‘sign off mentors’ who make a final judgement on the fitness for practice of the student at the end of their training at the end of their third year placement (NMC 2008b).Part 3: My practice based assessment sessionPractice based assessment is a core method of assessing the knowledge, skills and attitude of a student (Bloom 1956, Wallace 2003), but is complex to ensure objective management (Carr, 2004). To accommodate a diversity of patients and needs (Dogra and Wass, 2006), different types of assessment are necessary, all of which are part of the mentor student relationship (Wilkinson et al 2008, Figure 3, NMC 2008b).Type of assessmentClinical evaluation exercise; is a demonstrations of the student performing an important clinical skill, this can be integrated into ward environment or routine patient encounter (e.g. seeing a student wash their hands with alcohol gel after seeing a patient) Direct observation of procedural skill; observing a student carrying out a procedure and providing feedback afterwards (e.g. performing the seven stages of the hand washing technique). Case based discussion; this is a structured intervi ew to explore behaviour and judgement (e.g. discussing aspects of a study and what a student did or observed). Mini peer assessment; is when a qualified professional providing feedback on an individual’s performance, including self-assessment (e.g. feedback from observers that supervise a student in their clinical placement).Validity and reliability are the cornerstones of a fair and objective method assessment, and mentors need to ensure that their  assessment sessions is appropriate to the level of the learner (Walsh, 2010) Assessment is formal knowledge that allows mentors to review of abstract of knowledge, including the possibility of probable risks or other influencing factors. Assessing an individual in practice, is related to collecting information as evidence of the student’s ability to perform particular in a clinical settings, these includes observing, measuring, interviewing and making decision (Gopee, 2011).These skills are also used to evaluate a studen ts’ knowledge and skills. For the evaluation of health professional learners’ for the clinical competencies and related knowledge, assessments can be described as a purposeful observation and questioning commenced to ascertain the learners’ ability to perform particular clinical interventions in a precise accordance with established or approved guidelines, and the knowledge of rationales for each action (Gopee, 2011).Consistent assessments have limitations regarding validity and reliability for many reasons. There is an obligation for co-ordination between educators and service providers to approve on suitable assessment pathways for formative and summative assessments, allowing a fitting level of an assessment and practice theory link (Price, 2007). Mentoring in a complex clinical setting, makes it difficult to assess the competence of our student learners, also student skills might be ignored due to congruence necessary between possession of personal qualities and their applications in a moment of care, given the complexity of many nursing situation.Therefore, mentors need to be conscious of providing safe, high quality patient care while supporting the participants and learning in complex care situations (Cassidy, 2009). This is critical, as being an expert practitioner may not automatically equate with being a proficient assessor (Cassidy, 2009). Competence has become especially significant to the achievement of clinical learning outcomes as 50% of fitness for practise (Department of Health, 1999).My assessment was to assess the competence of a first year student using the seven stages hand washing technique in a clinical setting. I consider hand washing to be an important skill in nursing because it prevents the spread of diseases and infections from carer’s to patients. Poor hygiene enables infections and bacteria to spread around the hospital, especially when health professionals do not wash their hands thoroughly before and after seeing a patient.Therefore, if everyone washed their hands thoroughly we  would reduce the risk of cross contamination. By teaching my student the importance of the hand washing technique this would then make a huge impact on their learning outcome. I would consider this assessment a direct observation of a procedural skill (Wilkinson et al, 2008). During my assessment, an observing qualified mentor was present and observing at all angles of the assessment and feedback. The observing assessor has completed the written feedback about the assessment provided (Appendix 2). My assessment was planned using the criteria and a number of selected questions developed, to test the students understanding (Appendix 1).The criteria for the assessment, was planned at an appropriate level for the student to comprehend on both a theoretical and practical level (Stuart, 2007).I will establish a rapport by introducing myself to the student and explaining the teaching that I will do without ma king the student learner feel anxious or nervous. I am planning to do a checklist where my student will be able to evaluate my teaching by completing a questionnaire. In this questionnaire my student will be able to evaluate me by choosing a mark between 1-5, 1 being very bad and 5 being very good (Appendix 3). With this plan I will be able to reflect on my teaching and identify my weaknesses so that future students will be able to learn even more from me.My observer informed me that I had established a good rapport with my student which helped reduce any anxiety with the student, also I was informed that I connected with my student which helped the student feel comfortable. The environment was calm which means that the location was suitable for the teaching session. My observer also indicated that I had a good use of verbal language which also means that the student and I had no difficulties communicating pre and post teaching sessions.My positive attitude helped the teaching outco me as it eased the student’s anxiety and provided a good learning atmosphere. Considering the feedback and upon my own reflection on the assessment, there is need for my future development. However, I can say that my teaching was affective in a positive light, and I feel that my student has demonstrated a good hand washing technique that they have learnt from my teaching demonstrations.For future references, I will arrange for my student to take on more responsibilities for example; doing a hand washing audit. In conclusion, my observing assessor thought that my assessment of the student was suitable for their level of knowledge, skill and attitude (Bloom 1956,  Hinchliffe 2009, NMC 2008b) and effective in defining the level of competency in this clinical area.Part 4: My practice based teaching sessionI have arranged a teaching plan (Appendix 4), a power-point presentation and a hand out of the presentation prior to the teaching session. My presentation mentions the importa nce of the hand washing technique and gives step by step instructions that my student will find valuable. This teaching took an andragogy approach as an opposed to pedagogy approach, however, during my demonstrations it was clear that the learning allows for a more pedagogy approach. The pedagogy approach uses a descriptive of the old-style approach to teaching which regards the teacher as the font of all knowledge and upon whom the student is dependent. The learning theory descriptionThe humanistic approach takes into account base feelings, attitudes and values when examining knowledge and skills and recommends that rationale for learning in personal growth. This approach is very useful in nursing, as the attitudes and ethics are closely linked to nursing. One of the key factors of this approach is the importance of creating an independent, student centred, pleasant and safe teaching environment. The humanistic theories identify two different types of teaching approach, andragogy a nd pedagogy. The andragogy uses the concept of adult learning, where the pedagogy is generally regarded as relating to teaching children. There are four basic differences between the adult learner and child learner. Self-concept:Adult are more responsible for their own learning experience, they are less dependent and self-directed in their own learning. Adults are more involved in the planning and evaluation of their work, whereas children rely predominantly on the teacher to plan and also evaluate their learning. Experience:Adults use their past experiences and previous knowledge as a guide to their future learning. Readiness to learn: Adult learners are likely to be in education of their own accord therefore they take their initiative for learning and tend to focus more on that which has direct relevance on their lives. Orientation to learning:Adults are more enthusiastic to try and apply their learning to life and will usually become more problem focused rather than content orien ted.The difference between the cognitive and behaviourist learning theories is that behaviourist believe that learning is based upon the key concept of stimulus response and condition whereas the cognitive believe that learning involves the mental process such as perception, reasoning, memory and information processing (Walsh, 2010).I have arranged for a qualified mentor to assess and observe my teaching and my feedback that I provided to the student (appendix 5). My assessor provided written feedback on my session. My assessor also noted how beneficial the use of further reading and hand outs. Provision of printed hand-outs, particularly with space for notes beside them, may help accommodate students who have dyslexia, and may otherwise struggle to absorb the information provided (White, 2007).I arranged the presentation to a standard where my student would be able to comprehend, with visual and audio guidance where each slide has just enough information to be thoroughly understood ; as I was going through the presentation I was keeping good eye contact and body language to ensure that my students felt comfortable. At the end of the slide, I asked my student if they understood what I said and demonstrated. My assessor commented upon the open questions I asked, keeping the student interested, engaged and relating to practice, encouraging andragogy learning.Learning StyleVisual; Learns through images, visual tools or imagining events. Completed tasks on time, has a reasonable interest in theoretical values Auditory; Learns well through talks or lectures. Absorbs sequenced organised information well, Uses checklist. Great at multitasking. Can focus well and understands the big picture. Kinaesthetic (Tactile) Learns through doing. Tends to enjoy the experience of learning. Finds it easy to demonstrate. Can  completely understand instructions or information when presented orally. Finds attention to detail simple.Upon reflection I can use this experience to expand my personal knowledge and how to develop my skills as mentor in the future. I will different resource to expand on my teaching as a mentor, different methods to suit the individual needs to learn. A wider range of learning styles would accommodate all types of learning (Rassool and Rawaf 2007, Pashler et al 2009). I would also ask my student, the best way to learn and accommodate their learning needs. I can also put more emphasis on patient safety issues (Beskine 2008).Part 5During my mentorship preparation, I have learnt that being a mentor is essential part of the student learning curve. As a mentor it is my responsibility to support my student in meeting the continues professional developments needs in agreement to the Code of Practice (NMC 2008b, Ali and Panther 2008). I also learnt that being a mentor is fragment and section of leadership behaviour to teach students (Girvin, 1998). Transformational direction focuses on the ability to influence circumstances or people by affect ing their methodology of thought and their role modelling (Girvin, 1998). Transformational guidance in nursing inspires independence and allows students or staff to reach their potential and encourages good interprofessional rapport (Pollard, 2009).By assessing and addressing the daily obstacles mentors face in clinical environment, I would act as role model to overcome the difficulty of time and having a quiet place to assess my student. I would manage my time by planning ahead and adhere to this set time and book a room to interview my student in advance. This will help me to develop my student and help me as a mentor, but would also set a good example for the other mentors on the ward, this will improve their behaviour and practice in a positive way (Girvin 1998, Pollard 2009).Overcoming obstacles such as bad staffing levels, busy ward situation and the burden of clinical commitments influence me on a harmful effective working relationship between the student and I (Beskine 2009, Hurley and Snowden 2008, McBrien 2006). Finding time to provide written feedback in the student’s documentation can be limited (Price, 2007). By e-mailing other colleagues mentors regarding the student progress on regular basis it may become common practice providing a greater range of student evaluation and a positive learning environment (Cassidy, 2009). This feedback can then be sent to the mentor at a quieter time, and discussed with the student prior to signing and entry into their documentation with time being less of an issue. Despite this being a good use of resources and time management (Beskine 2009).Preventing influencing factors such as anxiety of the student or I affecting the reliability, subjectivity and the validity of the assessment (Price, 2007). This can be supported by facilitating the learning of my student by having flexibility and understanding of the different learning styles of the student, including students with learning difficulties or disability (White 2007, Stuart 2007). As mentors, we must place strong relations between practice and theory to ensure suitability of assessment and teaching. With these concerns, the student mentor relationship must be encouraged to provide a good quality learning experience (Ali and Panther, 2008).Pre-assessing my students learning style in the initial interview would help me encourage the student to participate in a higher standard of learning (Knowles, 1990). This would help me to adjust my working strategy to build a better relationship between the student and I. I am currently mentoring a first year student on their first clinical placement, and from observation I could identify they lack a great deal of experience with adult learning and constantly need extra support and provision of resources to facilitate the learning curve, predominantly with practical skills.Orientation is the gateway to a positive placement (Beskine, 2009). All students deserve to be assessed fairly and objectively (Ali and Panther 2008), however this might cause hostile emotions or teaching environment to both the student and assessor, so it is important that this is done properly, to ensure student  progression is not impaired (Duffy 2003, Wilkinson 1999) and competence is insured to maintained patient safety(NMC 2008b, Lomas 2009).My main concern is to ensure that all the students I work with are properly assessed and are competent and fit for practice (NMC, 2008b). It is vital to frequently work with students and have clear objectives set for them from the initial interview (Duffy and Hardicre, 2007a). I am aware that my responsibility as their mentor is to make sure all concerns with the student performance are raised by midpoint the latest, so we can set action plan for the final interview. There should be no sudden surprises for the student summative assessment and for their progress and level of competence (Duffy and Hardicre, 2007a).In conclusion, mentoring is a complex and diverse role, and it is a role I will take on with focus and knowledge and the endeavour to continue to develop as a practitioner, assessor and teacher in the clinical setting. This reflective process has been incredibly valuable in preparing me to be a mentor, and my personal and professional development. I have gained a much deeper understanding of the mentor student process through investigation of the various aspects of NMC standards, as well as various assessments and teaching strategies. Areas on which I must develop are clear and in completing this course I feel adequately prepared, and look forward to further developing my skills and knowledge within this role.

Motaba Virus – Immune System and Operation Clean Sweep

The mercenary camp was in the Motaba River Valley of Zaire was bombed to stop the virus from spreading. 2. No I would have removed all the people and disinfected all of them so the virus would stay in the forest and nobody would die. 3. Sam Daniels and his crew were sent out to the Motaba Valley because there was a level 4 virus. 4. The conditions in the Motaba valley were sad, smoky, poor and there were dead people everywhere. 5. The symptoms of the mystery disease at Motaba Valley were blistering everywhere, sever headaches and bleeding from every orifice. 6.No the virus that caused the mystery disease at Motaba Valley was not airborne. 7. A. The tribesman’s explanation of why the disease was affecting the tribe was because it was the gods punishment for cutting down the rain forest. B. No I don’t think the explanation makes any sense because mother nature couldn’t be happy with the loss of the plants and forest. 8. They wore thick space suits and multiple airl ocks, ultra violet light rooms and workers must be intensely trained. 9. The virus got to the U. S. by the monkey that Jimbo traveled with from the forest. 11.The electron microscope shows about the Motaba virus in Kidney cells, and it showed it was invaded, multiplied and killed the cells. 12. Jimbo is the owner of the infected monkey, and the monkey with the virus kills many people. 13. Rudy is the store owner of the animal store, and she is around these animals all the time. 14. Robby tried to find out if Jimbo had any contact with animals or how he got sick before he died. 15. A. Jimbo got infected by the virus by a monkey spitting on his mouth. B. Rudy got infected by the monkey scratching him. c. Jimbo’s girlfriend Alice got infected by kissing Jimbo. D.Henry got infected by blood splattering on him. E. People at the movie theatre got infected by being coughed on by someone with virus. F. Robby got infected by being stabbing herself with the needle. G. Casey got infecte d by taking his suit in an infected area. 16. A. The Motaba virus mutated because it became airborne. B. The Motba virus was so dangerous because it becoming airborne made it a lot easier to spread a lot faster. 17. A They forced the people to stay in town and they couldn’t leave their houses. B. Family members had to endure that they will eventually die because of the spread of the virus, the sick ad to be tested and would most likely die. 18. Operation clean sweep was the bomb that is powerful but not nuclear and is dropped on the California area, killing the disease and virus. 19. Many government officials thought it was necessary because the virus wouldn’t spread and kill millions. 20. Yes I think it is acceptable to kill a few lives to save the human population. Sometimes you have to take desperate measures when there’s a deadly virus going around. It would be better to take a few lives than kill the whole human population.It makes sense to kill the people with the virus (because there were few) and save the rest of the population. They could permanently kill off the virus by killing the people with it and saving other people form getting it. I think it would be necessary because to save a whole population would be essential over saving a few people. 21. I think that if there was a positive and known solution that would help the cause by sacrificing the animals, then it would be necessary so not so many people would die. 22. Danielle’s prevented the success of Operation Clean Sweep by flying there airplane right in front so they couldn’t bomb the city.And by telling them they found the cure. 23A. They determined the identity of the virus by drawing blood from an infected person. 23B. They determined the cause of the disease by analyzing blood and putting it under a microscope and they found tons of ebola viruses in the blood. 23C. They tracked the spread of the virus by keeping track of who had it, how they got it, when and where. 24A. Finding the host of the virus was critical and finding the anti-serum because they had to create the anti-serum from the monkey’s blood. 24B.Danielle’s was so intent on capturing the monkey in California because that’s how they would find the cure for the virus, since the monkey was indeed the virus carrier. 25A. A host cell is a living cell in which a virus reproduces. A primary host or definitive host is a host in which the parasite reaches maturity and, if possible , reproduces †¦ 25B. The monkey could have been referred to as virus carrier or infected living organism. 26. After capturing the monkey, Daniells and his team were able to find the cure to the virus and vaccine. 27. They used that room because they did not want the virus to spread anymore. 8. A. Antiserum is blood serum containing polyclonal antibodies. B. Antiserum is used to pass on passive immunity to many diseases. C. Passive antibody transfusion from a previous human surv ivor is the only effective treatment for Ebola infection. D. An antigen is a toxin or other foreign substance that induces an immune response in the body, esp. the production of antibodies. E. Antibodies in the antiserum bind the infectious agent or antigen. The immune system then recognizes the antibody and the antigen and antibody work together to fight off viruses in immune systems. F.Antibodies in the antiserum bind the infectious agent or antigen. The immune system then recognizes foreign agents bound to antibodies and triggers a more robust immune response. The use of antiserum is particularly effective against pathogens which are capable of evading the immune system in the unstimulated state but which are not robust enough to evade the stimulated immune system. The existence of antibodies to the agent therefore depends on an initial â€Å"lucky survivor† whose immune system by chance discovered a counteragent to the pathogen, or a â€Å"host species† which carri es the virus but does not suffer from its effects.Further stocks of antiserum can then be produced from the initial donor or from a donor organism that is inoculated with the pathogen and cured by some stock of preexisting antiserum. G. They gave a lot the monkey and they wouldn’t have been able to find a cure that works that fast and be distributing it out to everyone to save currently sick people. It would have taken at least a month to find a cure and those people that were in the hospital would have died and not have been saved in real life. H.They gave a lot the monkey and they wouldn’t have been able to find a cure that works that fast and be distributing it out to everyone to save currently sick people. It would have taken at least a month to find a cure and those people that were in the hospital would have died and not have been saved in real life. They make the process of the antiserum look like an easy and fats process when really it takes months. It is a dif ficult task that takes an extremely long time. It’s not likely that they would find a cure in two days and not logical.They couldn’t pass on the cure that quickly to save the people that were currently in he hospital. They would have had to do many tests t find the cure to the virus it would not have taken just two days. 29. I thought the movie was good, but parts were not realistic. It showed how dangerous ebola really was and how fast it could spread. The government would probably take desperate measure to save the whole population. Ebola spreads so quickly and kills so fast. The movie was a good representation of ebola, how it spreads and how quickly and dangerous it is. 30. A. Yes viruses kill and they scare man and are deadly and fast moving.B. Everyone was so fearful and hopeless that if It happened today everyone would freak out and live in fear. C. It’s significant because man doesn’t have all fears but most would have a fear of deadly virus becau se it’s unknown and unseen, D. I think that man will ultimately dominate because there are so man doctors and scientist searching for viruses. That if an outbreak happened they would have a cure so fast with all the technology being created. A virus is a deadly, killer but I don’t see an outbreak in the future because of all the technology and there hasn’t been an incident for decades.

Are there more stomata per mm2 on old leaves or young leaves Essays

Are there more stomata per mm2 on old leaves or young leaves Essays Are there more stomata per mm2 on old leaves or young leaves Essay Are there more stomata per mm2 on old leaves or young leaves Essay I will take some old leaves and some young leaves. I aim to use three of each. I think this is a realistic amount to use because it is a slow process. The leaves I will use will be from a cherry laurel bush (prunus laurocerasus). I will know which leaves are young and which are old by their colour and size. Young leaves are small and a lighter green. Old leaves are larger, and a darker green. First, I will clean the leaf, to remove dust and dirt. Then I will paint 1cm2 of clear nail-varnish on the underside of the leaf, because that is where the stomata are. I will paint the nail-varnish to one side of the mid-rib, but not too near the edge.I will then leave it to dry, while I measure the size of the microscopes field of view, on medium power. To do this, I will use the graticule to measure its diameter, then divide this in half to find the radius. Then I will use the radius measurement in the formula ?r2 to work out the area of the field of view. When the nai l-varnish is fully dry, I will carefully peel it off with a pair of forceps, and place it on a slide the same way up as it was on the leaf. Then I will look at it under the microscope. It will be a perfect imprint of the underside of the leaf. I will count the number of stomata I can see in the field of view, and use the area of the field of view to work out how many stomata there are per mm2. I will repeat this process with all of the leaves.Controls and variablesThe only variable in my experiment will be the age of the leaf. I will try to ensure that all the other conditions remain the same.* I will make sure that all the young leaves are the same size, and all the old leaves are the same size. This will mean that there will not be a range of ages.* I will put the nail varnish on the same part of the leaf, as the number of stomata may vary, according to where they are on the leaf.* I will keep the same nail varnish at the same thickness, so they all peel off in the same way.* I wi ll always use the same magnification medium power, so that the field of view will remain constant.* I will choose leaves from the same side of the same bush, so that all the leaves will have developed in the same conditions.* I will not distort the nail-varnish peel by pressing down on it, changing the results.PredictionI think that age does not affect the amount of stomata on a leaf because of the way in which leaves grow. New leaf cells develop around the edges of the leaf in meristem tissues, the cells of which are able to divide infinitely. After division is complete, genetic programming determines what sort of cell it will become. As a result, whether a cell becomes the one of a stomatas guard cells or not, and the frequency at which they develop is already fixed by the plants genetic programming, which does not change. Therefore, the number of stomata a leaf has per mm2 will remain constant throughout its existence, regardless of its age.Obtaining ResultsWhen I chose my three young leaves, I made sure that they were the smallest leaves I could find. They were all of a very similar size on average 5cm long, and of a light green colour. The three older leaves were all much larger on average 15cm long and of a darker green colour. I collected all the leaves from the same side of the same bush, and at the same height to ensure that they had all grown in the identical conditions. When I took them back to the laboratory, I painted them all with the same brand of nail-varnish, of an equal thickness and area, and in the same position, on the underside of the leaf, where the stomata are.I left them all to dry for 24 hours. While they were drying, I measured my field of view. I set the microscope to medium power, with the x10 eyepiece, then noted which microscope I was using, and the settings, so that they would always be the same. Then using a graticule, I measured the diameter of the field of view. It was 0.6mm long. Then I divided this by 2 to find the radiu s, and used it in the formula ?r2, to calculate the area: ? x 0.32 = 0.283mm2When the nail varnish was dry, I used a pair of forceps to peel the nail varnish off the leaves. Each time, I peeled a section off, I placed it on a clean slide, and labelled the slide to show whether it was a young leaf or an old leaf. When all the nail-varnish had been peeled off and put on slides, I started to make my observations. I placed a slide under the microscope, focused on the image and counted the stomata I could see. As well as counting the full ones, I also counted the ones that were only partially in the field of view. I counted them slowly and accurately, then wrote down my findings. Then I worked out how many there would be per mm2 for each result. To do this I worked out how much smaller my field of view was in proportion to a mm2:1 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.283 = 3.53This meant that I had to multiply each of my results by 3.53 to obtain the number of stomata per mm2. I put these results into a table :Old LeavesYoung LeavesNumber of stomata per mm2204.9129.7190.8188.7130.7159.6I thought these results looked quite random, so I decided to look at some more leaves. I prepared them in exactly the same way as I had done before: The leaves were of the same size, colour, and position on the same bush. I used the same thickness, area and brand of nail-varnish in the same position on the underside of the leaf, and left them for the same amount of time. When I made observations, I used the same microscope, power and eyepiece as I had done the first time. I counted the stomata in the same way as I had done before, and worked out the calculations in the same way. However, I only had time to do two more young and old leaves. I added these results to the table:Old LeavesYoung LeavesNumber of stomata per mm2204.9129.7190.8188.7130.7159.6141.3166.7159.0156.1Average165.3160.2AnalysingMy results indicate that the number of stomata varies from leaf to leaf, but when the mean is compared between ol d and young leaves the results are very similar they only differ by 3%, or 5 stomata. This suggests that the age does not affect the number of stomata per mm2 on a leaf. This is a graph of my results:My findings support my prediction because they prove that age does not affect on the amount of stomata per mm2 that a plant has. I think this is due to the way in which leaves grow. New leaf cells develop around the edges of the leaf in meristem tissues, the cells of which are able to divide infinitely. After division is complete, genetic programming determines what sort of cell it will become. As a result, whether a cell becomes the one of a stomatas guard cells or not, and the frequency at which they develop is already fixed by the plants genetic programming, which does not change. Therefore, the number of stomata a leaf has per mm2 will remain constant throughout its existence, regardless of its age. The number of stomata may vary from leaf to leaf due to differences in the stomatas positioning on the leaf.EvaluatingI think that the evidence I obtained is as accurate as I could make it. The observations I made are quite accurate, because I counted the stomata as well as I could, but, due to slight imperfections on the surface of the nail-varnish, some small parts were not in focus. This meant that in these parts the stomata were difficult to count. However, I do not think that I made any major mistakes. I do not think that there are any anomalous results. The procedure was very suitable, because using a nail-varnish peel is the only way to count the stomata with the equipment that I had access to. The microscope I used relied on light shining through the specimen, and it is impossible to look at leaves in this way due to their thickness. The reliability if my evidence could have been improved by obtaining more results.If I had looked at more leaves, then I would have been able to calculate more accurate averages. Also, I should have ensured that I always looke d at exactly the same part of the leaf, as precisely as possible, in case the number of stomata per mm2 varied greatly depending on where it was on the leaf. I always painted my nail-varnish in about the same place, over an area of 1cm, but my microscope was only able to look at 0.283mm2. This means that the particular place on the leaf that I looked at could have varied enormously from leaf to leaf. I think my evidence is sufficient to support a firm conclusion, because, despite the fact that I only did 5 of each different age, they still showed that age does not seem to have an effect on the number of stomata per mm2 a leaf has. However, I think that there is a way that I could have provided additional evidence for a conclusion.The best way to discover whether age affects the number of stomata per mm2 that a leaf has would be to look at the same leaf as it matures. I could have left the leaf growing on the tree, and painted the nail-varnish on without taking the leaf off the tree, then taken the dry nail-varnish peel back to the laboratory to observe. I could have marked where I had painted the nail-varnish the last time, and each month, I could have repeated the experiment, comparing it to the last result I had got. This way I would know for sure how age affects the stomata, because I would be looking at the same leaf as it grew in the same conditions, rather that different leaves, growing in slightly different conditions. Also, when I drew a graph of my results, the data would be continuous, allowing me plot a line graph and discover the true relationship between the age of a leaf and the amount of stomata it has.

Spiny Lobster (Rock Lobster) Facts

Spiny Lobster (Rock Lobster) Facts A spiny lobster is any lobster in the family Palinuridae, which includes at least 60 species. These species are grouped into 12 genera, which include Palinurus, Panulirus, Linuparus, and Nupalirus (word play on the family name). There are numerous names for the spiny lobster. Commonly-used names include the rock lobster, langouste, or langusta. It is also sometimes called a crayfish or crawfish, even though these terms also refer to a separate freshwater animal. Fast Facts: Spiny Lobster Scientific Name: Family Palinuridae (e.g. Panulirus interruptus)Other Names: Rock lobster, langouste, langusta, sea crayfish, furry lobsterDistinguishing Features: Shaped like a true lobster, but has long, spiny antennae and lacks large clawsAverage Size: 60 cm (24 in)Diet: OmnivorousLife Span: 50 years or moreHabitat: Tropical oceans worldwideConservation Status: Depends on speciesKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaSubphylum: CrustaceaClass: MalacostracaOrder: DecapodaFun Fact: Spiny lobsters make a rasping sound using friction at the base of their antennae. Description The spiny lobster resembles a true lobster in its shape and hard exoskeleton, but the two types of crustacean arent closely related. Unlike true lobsters, spiny lobsters have extremely long, thick, spiny antennae. They also lack large claws or chelae, although mature female spiny lobsters have a small claw on their fifth pair of walking legs. The average size of a mature spiny lobster depends on its species, but they may exceed 60 centimeters or 2 feet in length. Specimens of many spiny lobster species are red or brown, but some spiny lobsters have mottled patterns and display vivid colors. Some species of spiny lobster are colorful. DigiPub / Getty Images Distribution Spiny lobsters live in tropical oceans worldwide. However, they are most commonly found in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, in coastal waters off Southeast Asia and Australia, and off the coast of South Africa. Behavior The spiny lobster spends most of its time hidden within a rocky crevice or reef, exiting at night to feed and migrate. During migration, groups of up to 50 spin lobsters move in single file, keeping contact with each other with their antennae. They navigate using scent and taste, as well as through their ability to detect the Earths magnetic field. Reproduction and Life Cycle Spiny lobsters reach sexual maturity when they reach the necessary size, which depends on water temperature and food availability. The average age of maturity is between 5 and 9 years for females and 3 and 6 years for males. During mating, males transfer spermatophores directly into the females sternum. The female spiny lobster carries 120,000 to 680,000 fertilized eggs on her pleopods for around 10 weeks until they hatch. Juvenile painted spiny lobster. Hal Beral / Getty Images Spiny lobster larvae are zooplankton that do not resemble adults. The larvae feed on plankton and go through several molts and larval stages. In the case of the California spiny lobster, 10 molts and larval stages take place between hatching and reaching the juvenile form. Juveniles sink to the bottom of the ocean, where they eat small crabs, amphipods, and isopods until they are big enough to take larger prey. It is difficult to gauge the age of a spiny lobster because it gains a new exoskeleton each time it molts, but the animals lifespan is believed to be 50 years or more. Diet and Predators Spiny lobsters are omnivorous, eating live prey, decaying matter, and plants. During the day, they stay hidden in crevices, but at night they may venture from crevices to hunt. Typical prey include sea urchins, snails, crabs, sea hares, mussels, and clams. Spiny lobsters have not been observed eating other members of their own species. The crustaceans navigate and hunt using senses of smell and taste. Humans are the spiny lobsters most significant predator, as the animals are fished for meat. The spiny lobsters natural predators include sea otters, octopuses, sharks, and bony fishes. Sound When threatened by a predator, the spiny lobster flexes its tail to escape backwards and emits a loud rasping sound. The sound is produced using a stick-slip method, like a violin. The sound emanates when the base of the antennae rubs across a file on the antennal plate. Interestingly, the spiny lobster can make this sound even after it molts and its shell is soft. While some insects (e.g. grasshoppers and crickets) produce sounds in a similar fashion, the spiny lobsters specific method is unique. Conservation Status For most spiny lobster species, there is is insufficient data for conservation status classification. Of the species listed on the IUCN Red List, most are categorized as least concern. However, the common spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas) is vulnerable with a decreasing population. The Cape Verde spiny lobster (Palinurus charlestoni) is near threatened. The most significant threat to spiny lobsters is over-exploitation by fisheries. Climate change and single catastrophic events also threaten some species, particularly if they live within a restricted range. Sources Hayward, P. J. and J. S. Ryland (1996). Handbook of the Marine Fauna of North-West Europe. Oxford University Press. p. 430. ISBN 0-19-854055-8.Lipcius, R. N. and D. B. Eggleston (2000). Introduction: Ecology and fishery biology of spiny lobsters. In Bruce F. Phillips J. Kittaka. Spiny Lobsters: Fisheries and Culture (2nd ed.). John Wiley Sons. pp. 1–42. ISBN 978-0-85238-264-6.Patek, S. N. and J. E. Baio (2007). The acoustic mechanics of stick-slip friction in the California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus). Journal of Experimental Biology. 210 (20): 3538–3546. doi:10.1242/jeb.009084Sims, Harold W. Jr. (1965). Lets call the spiny lobster spiny lobster. Crustaceana. 8 (1): 109–110. doi:10.1163/156854065X00613

Levandary cafe case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Levandary cafe - Case Study Example This was mainly in terms of design of the store as well as menu selection. Because of this, it is paramount for Foster to get more involved in the China’s business and strategic plan for effective adoption and ensure expansion in this region. Louis Chen is a self-driven CEO in charge of lavendary China but he faces immense resistance and negative attitude towards both the firm’s planning and reporting processes. This has yielded too many concerns among the Lavendary management thus there is a need for Foster to travel to China. This is to address varied and emerging management issues cited above. Mia Foster can opt to hire an international financial analyst for the Denver team- This is important though expensive to enable the use of the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Hence, ensure the sustainability of the china business as it grows. Reduce the freedom given to Louis Chen through obtaining more information about the China operations and involving the home office in these operations. In addition, the Involvement of Mia foster in the china business plan will help in ensuring that Chen does not go too offline with his agendas. My recommendation encompasses reducing the extra freedom given to Louis Chen that he acquired from Howard. This will allow the management in the US to be involved in all the discussion concerning the China operations. This way, Chen cannot work on his authority alone and hence major design and menu selection alterations can only be approved by the management in the US. The management can also easily compel Chen’s team to use the standard reporting procedures used in the US. If this happens, a lot of costs will be reduced. Using the accepted standards will also make the audit much easier hence enhancing the business integrity. Critics may argue that cutting down the freedom of Louis Chen is not

Human Resource - Best Company to Work for Research Paper

Human Resource - Best Company to Work for - Research Paper Example Companies which are considered best to work with are those in which their human resource practices are fair, equal to all and that they acknowledge employees as important asset as well as resource to the company (Google company 2012). Human resource practices is used widely in the measurement in which company an employee can work best with, these practices are useful in addressing various issues affecting employees in the workplace. Companies considered best to work with have best human resource practices and policies that treat employees equally and fairly, these practices are available on demand to respond to specific situations. These human resource practices generally ensure that there is positive working environment which promote good working relationship and improved productivity. Such companies are considered best to work with because it ensures that employees are able to understand their employment terms, benefits and salaries thus there is minimal employer and employee conflicts within the company. Google Company is among the top companies which are considered to have the best human resource practices thus the best company most of the employees would like to work with. The ranking of Google Company as the best company to work with is based on the adoption of the various human resource practices that addresses to a larger extent the issues concerning the welfare of the employees both in the workplace and outside. The success of Google Company has been greatly linked with these human resource aspects which are the key factors to the increased productivity of its employees (Google company 2012). These aspects of human resource practices which have been adopted by Google Company include the following. The approach in which Google Company uses in the recruitment process is that the human resource department directly manages and carries out all the recruitment and the selection process of the new employees. In the final stages in ensuring