Sunday, January 26, 2020
SWOT Analysis of Performance Analysis of Primark
SWOT Analysis of Performance Analysis of Primark PowerPoint Presentation and Written Assessment Executive Summary This report provides information to potential investors using ratio analysis to examine profitability, liquidity, efficiency, the gearing of Primark Ltd for 2015. The report will pay much attention to earning power, liquidity, credit management, debt management, inventory management, and capital structure of Primark by comparing it with three other competitors: Next Plc, TJX UK and House of Fraser. The report highlight on major strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of Primark within the Fashion retail business to aid potential to make a better-informed decision to invest in Primark. The report analyses the financial situation of Primark with its competitors and provides a recommendation for improvement. Primark recorded a significant increase of 7.57% of Return on Capital Employed (ROCE). 2015 saw an increase of 3.76% in turnover. Business and Financial Situation Primark is a subsidiary of the Association of British Food (ABF) Group. The company was incorporated in 1969 in Ireland trading with the name Pennys. Primark is headquartered in Dublin. Primark has grown over the years to carve a niche for itself to be a major high street clothing retailer with an appearance of over 238 branches in UK, Ireland and Europe. Primark offers inventive, trendy clothes at value-for-money prices. Like several fashion retail companies, Primark does not manufacture its products itself. The firm works with suppliers to produce to its requirement. The firm relies on low cost, economies of scale and efficient distribution strategies to sustain its competitive market position. Turnover of Primark between the financial years 2015 and 2014 increased from 2,786,250,000 to 2,890,892,000 which indicates an increase of 3.76% of the 2014 turnover. Primark recorded an 80.47% Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) for 2015 which is 7.57% increase of 2014 ROCE. Profitability of Primark for the year under review did not see much improvement. Primark gained a feeble 0.74% and 0.40% for gross profit margin and operating profit margin respectively. The net profit margin, on the other hand, saw a partly 0.35% in net margin. Overall, profitability grew under 1% for the year under review. There could be many factors causing this partly less than 1% increase in profitability. Competition, increase in operating expenses, the general economy, etc. The Liquidity ratios analyse Primarks ability to meet its short-term obligations as and when they fall due. In general, the ratio assesses how easy it is for Primark to convert its assets into cash. The acceptable range of current ratio is between 0.5 and 2.0. Current ratio and quick ratio saw a partly increase of 0.09 and 0.02 respectively which indicates Primark is operating outside the acceptable range of current ratio. In reality, the current and acid test ratios do not indicate Primark is risky for investors, but Primark operates in an industry where cash is the standard Primarks activity ratios show how it has been effective in utilising its assets to generate income, how long it takes to collect cash from its sales and also make payment for its purchases. Primarks inventory turnover times saw a drop of 1 stock turnover times in 2015 which translated into an increase in the number of inventory turnover period by 8days. This means Primark now require 8 more days to sell off its inventory. Primark has a favourable creditors collection period which allows them ample time to sell off inventory then make payment to suppliers. A 0.10 drop in accounts payable turnover translates into 12 days reduction in creditors collection periods in 2015 which is still favourable to Primark. This indicates Primark mostly buy its inventory on credit. Receivables turnover has reduced from 127 times in 2014 to 50.41 times in 2015. This reduction in receivables turnover translates into an increase of 4 days from 2.87 days in 2014 to 7.24 days in 2015. The increases of 0.05 in asset turnover in 2015 translated into an increase of 3.76% in sales in 2015. Primark is not a highly geared company, this show that the operation of the company is financed through equity. There is a slight decline on the dependence on outside sources of funding from 8.80% to 8%. This is good news for Primark. This indicates that for every à £1 of capital employed 8% is debt and the rest of capital employed financed through equity. The debt to equity ratio of Primark is very high debt-to-equity ratio. There is a slight reduction in the debt-to-equity ratio from 4.62:1 in 2014 to 3.83:1 in 2015. The debt-to-equity ratio indicates that the proportion of Primarks assets financed by creditors are 4.62 and 3.83 times more in 2015 and 2014 respectively than the proportion of assets financed through Primarks equity. The ratio also indicates that, for every à £4.62 total liabilities in 2015 and every à £3.83 of total liabilities in 2014, equity can pay à £1 of it. The acceptable debt-to-equity ratio for most companies is 1.5 2. Primarks high debt-to-equity ratio is as a result of purchasing most of its inventory on credit. The high debt-to-equity ratio does not necessarily mean Primark is risky for investors. Primark is able to generate enough cash because it sells for cash and has also got a favourable creditors collection period of 203 days. Evaluation of Primark with Peers Profitability Primark and Next Plc managed less than 1% increase in gross margin for the year 2015. Next saw a little over one 1% increase in gross margin whilst House of Fraser recorded a decrease of 0.25% in gross margin for 2015. The gross margin of the four firms shows stability in gross margin. Operating margin saw an increase between 0.4% and 1.33% for Primark, Next Plc and TJX UK with only House of Fraser achieving -1.36% in operating margin. House of Fraser with its 58.72% gross margin could manage only 2.64% as operating margin. This is very bad. The picture shows House of Fraser is practising the premium pricing strategy where businesses set cost higher than their competitors as result records low sales. The operating profit margin of Next Plc is almost twice as much of Primarks operating margin. Primark also recorded operating margin little below twice the operating margin of TJX UK whilst TJX UK recorded operating margin little over twice that of House of Fraser. Primark on profitabili ty is doing well looking at the intense competition within the clothing retail industry. Liquidity Liquidity for Primark, Next Plc and TJX UK saw a slight increase in House of Fraser recording a decrease in current ratio. The slight increase in currency ratio means Primark earned 10p, Next Plc earned 6p, and TJX UK earned 28p more of current assets to pay short-term obligations. House of Fraser on the other hand lost 5p of current assets to pay short-term liabilities. The quick ratio is an indication that Primark, TJX UK and House of Fraser have inventory as the larger portion of current assets. Lenders and creditors are very much interested in this ratio as it helps them determine whether Primark, Next Plc, TJX UK and House of Fraser would be able to meet its future obligations. Primark has the least current and quick ratios of 0.37 and 0.05 respectively to à £1 of current liabilities. Efficiency The efficiency with which Primark, Next Plc and House of Fraser use to turn its inventory into sale has reduced. Primark, Next Plc and House of Fraser all had a reduction in their stock turnover times for 2015 with only TJX UK having a slight increase in their stock turnover times which reduced their stock turnover periods by 1.02 days. The decrease in stock turnover for Primark, Next Plc and House of Fraser is insignificant at stock turnover ratio but that is not the same at the stock turnover periods level. The decrease in stock turnover led to an increase of 8 days in stock turnover periods for Primark and Next Plc with House of Fraser having 3.8 days increase in stock turnover periods. All other things being equal, a higher stock turnover and lower stock turnover periods are better. The receivables turnover and receivables turnover periods indicates House of Fraser performed a little better than Primark, Next Plc and TJX UK. The ratios indicate Primark and Next Plc have relaxed credit policies for which debtor are taking advantage of it or they are having problems collecting from customers. All else equal, higher receivables turnover with lower receivables turnover period is better. The 203 days accounts payable days of Primark shows Primark takes more than 6 months to pay creditors, House of Fraser takes more than 2 years to pay its creditors with its 733.67 accounts payable days. The account payable days of Primark and House of Fraser is an indication that they are paying creditors slowly which is good for Primark and House of Fraser on the other hand, its an indication of worsening financial conditions. Creditors would be comfortable with 28.97 days and 36.37 days account payable days of Next Plc and TJX UK respectively. Analysis of the current business environment affecting UK clothing Retail Industry The environments that affect the UK clothing industry can be categorised into Macro and microenvironment. The macro environments consist of factors that affect all organisations across industries. These factors would be analysed using the Porters Five Forces Analysis. According to Grant 2005, the varying degrees of the factors within the business environment (industry) would determine the pressure, competition level and the profit it will make. The five sources analysed by Michael Porter are competition from new entrants, Competition from established rivals, competition from substitutes, bargaining power of buyers and bargaining power of suppliers. Markets that are profitable keep on attracting new entrants and the clothing retail market is no exception. With a minimum capital requirement of the clothing retail market, its easy for new companies to enter and as a result of the eventual profits across the industry decrease. The only way that Primark and other big firms can secure their market is to take advantage of their economies of scale. Establish more outlets to enable them to sell at a cheaper price to induce sales. By this, new entrants would not be able to compete. Customers have got over thousand and one substitutes to choose from within the clothing retail market. There are many well-established competitors and well-branded substitutes within the clothing retail market for customers to make a choice but the ultimate goal of the customer is to pay less for better quality. Primark should offer the best quality at an affordable price that customers would be able to pay. The clothing industry is fragmented with the intense rivalry between retail companies. Next Plc, JTX UK and House of Fraser are all rivals to Primark but Primark has got some loyal customers who are satisfied with Primarks brand. Primark should protect its brand as customers are interested in the brand they associated themselves with. Any negative reputation will affect Primarks image which competitors would take advantage of. The saturation of the clothing retail market has led to a highly competitive environment where customers have many brands to choose from. Buyers power is high as they have lots of alternatives to choose from. For Primark to defuse this power, it must offer lower prices, varieties of unique designs, high quality, quality customer service and solid brand image that customers would not be able to reject. With the aim of attracting every potential buyer, suppliers of Primark would have lower supplier power the firm tries to satisfy the needs of its customers with variety. Primark source its products from cheap economies and suppliers have to supply based on agreed standards and designs. SWOT Analysis of Primark The SWOT Analysis provides strategic analysis of Primarks business operations which would provide a competitive advantage over its competitors. This analysis shows the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of Primark within the clothing retail market. Strengths The business model of Primark is based on high sales volumes and lower retail margins with minimal advertising which enable it to offer low prices to customers. Primark takes advantage of bulk buying which help it to enjoy economies of scale to enables it to keep cost down. Primark has an extensive range of products including childrenswear, menswear, lingerie, accessories and footwear. Primark has got strong presence across UK and Europe with over 280 stores and also known in Ireland as Penneys. Primark employs about 50000 people around the world Weakness Primark has outsourced its manufacturing line and this may lead to inconsistencies in quality. The slow economic growth of UK and EU has held the group profit back. The online retail channel is the fasters retail market in the UK and Primark has no presence for the online market. Opportunities Clothing is an essential product for everyone especially the youth population and that there is a constant demand for clothing. Primark should extend its presence to the USA, Africa, Middle East, China and India. One of the fastest growing segments of Primark is sportswear. Threats Primark has got no presence in emerging markets like Africa and its sales are dependent on the health of the UK and EU economy so any shock to the economy would be a disaster. There is an intense competition between online retailers and physical retailers and Primark is no exception. Businesses like Primark with operations in Europe are griped with fear as the government approach to Brexit saga would affect their operations in EU market. Share Valuation of Primark Primarks shares could be currently valued at à £6.98 per share. Looking at the performance of Primark with its peers the stock price of Primark could be sold at a premium. I would recommend a à £10 price per share for Primarks stock in the IPO. Conclusion Primark rub shoulders with the big brands within the industry in terms of sales and have the potential for IPO. The corporate governance of Primark must be strengthening so that directors and officers would not take advantage of weak corporate government structure. With the worsening performance of the British pounds against the Euro and the US dollar, a critical assessment of the UK governments Brexit policies and the impact that Brexit would have on the UK economy and its relationship with the rest of Europe must be done. For now, I would recommend suspension of Primarks IPO, to enable it to conduct a critical analysis of the Brexit Policies of the UK government and the impact it would have on businesses. Forecast With the financial year 2014 to 2015, Primarks turnover increased by 3.76% we still presume that Primark would be able to achieve 3.5% increase in sales revenue. The weakening value of the British pounds as a result of Brexit will hit Primark because it sources its product in the US dollar. This would increase the cost of sales, operating cost and interest payable of Primark. The 3.5% expected increase in sales revenue and 3% increase in the cost of sale would result in an increase of 5.52% in gross profit. In all, it is estimated that Primark would be able to achieve about 2.53% increase in Profit after Tax for the year 2016. Factors That May Impact Primarks Share Valuation Investors must carefully evaluate the information they obtain about an organisation to help develop current and future expectation value. The value of Primark would be determined by both internal factors, which are under the control of the management of Primark. Key factor that would influence the value of Primark are; Profitability The ability of Primark to generate a profit would attract investors to invest their resources into the company. Investors want to see appreciable returns on their investments and Primark has the prospect and ability to generate profit to multiply shareholders wealth. Growth For all other things being equal, companies with a strong demonstration of growth trends attracts potential investors and commands higher multiples. As Primark expand its presence in Europe, US, India and other emerging markets, it will create an opportunity for higher sales and profitability for which investors would be attracted to. Risk Investor wants to protect their investment by avoiding high-risk companies for less risk once. Investors would use any of the following to evaluate Primark as a high risk or less Risk Company. Market analysis the clothing retail market is open and there are no barriers to entry, Primark should put enough strategies in place so that the activities of new entrants would not affect it. Management Primark needs people with vast knowledge and experience on its management to implement its policies and strategies and set effective succession plan. Internal control investors would want to see the review and audit Primarks financial statements. Financial situation investor would want to see Primark with the strong balance sheet to prove its financial position, capital structure this will help them determine if Primark would be able to meet its financial obligations. Corporate Governance Recommendation Its a legal requirement of all companies seeking to get listed on the LSE to have a suitable corporate governance system impaled. Corporate governance is special machinery for regulating risk in organisations activities by preventing corporate disasters, scandals, and consequential losses and damages to investors, society and staff. To this end, Primark must have a suitable corporate governance policy in placed. We would recommend Primark to adopt the corporate governance structure below. Annual General Meeting That is the highest decision-making body where directors would render accounts of their stewardship to shareholders and shareholders would have the opportunity to evaluate the report of directors to give them the opportunity to continue their stewardship or vote them out. Board of Directors Primark should have a board where each member has the appropriate set of experience, independence, skills and knowledge to manage Primark. Audit Committee there must be audit committee who will report to the board. Members of the audit committee should comprise of only members of Primarks board whose responsibility would be to identify matters that needs action is taken or improvements and make recommendations with the processes to be taken. The audit committee has the duty to review internal controls, the integrity of financial statements and internal audit. Management Board Primark should have a strong and well-experienced management board that would be responsible for the implementation of policy direction and strategies set by the board and the day-to-day running of the business. Internal Audit there should be an internal audit unit that would provide an independent assurance that Primarks risk management, internal control system and governance are operating effectively. External Auditor as part of the requirements to list on the London stock Exchange, Primark needs to appoint an independent external auditor who will provide an independent opinion whether management has fairly presented the information provided in Primarks financial statements. Annual Report management of Primark should provide an annual report and get it approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting. Benefits of Corporate Governance Good corporate governance ensures corporate success and economic growth. Strong corporate governance maintains investors confidence, as a result of which, company can raise capital efficiently and effectively. It lowers the cost of capital. There is a positive impact on the share price. It provides proper inducement to the owners as well as managers to achive objectives that are in interests of the shareholders and the organisation. Good corporate governance also minimises wasteges, corruption, risk and mismanagement. It hepls in brand formation and development. It ensures organisation is managed in a manner that fits the best interest of all. Reference Atrill, P., McLaney, E. (2010a). Accounting and finance for non-specialists (7th ed.). Harlow, England: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Atrill, P., McLaney, E. (2010b). Accounting and finance for non-specialists (7th ed.). Harlow, England: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. Berk, J., DeMarzo, P., Harford, J., jo.., jarrad harford, jarrad harford jonathan berk peter demarzo (2008). Fundamentals of corporate finance international financial reporting standards edition (Softcover Internatinal). Boston: Pearson Education (US). Board, F. A. S., St, F. A., ., ards, Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) (2004). Statements of financial accounting concepts: Accounting standards as of June 1, 2004. New York: Financial Accounting Standards Board. Coltman, Coltman, E. (2012). Refreshingly simple finance for small business: A straight-talking guide to finance and accounting. United Kingdom: Brightword Publishing. Crowther, D., Crowther, P. D. (2012). A social critique of corporate reporting: Semiotics and web-based integrated reporting (2nd ed.). Aldershot, England: Ashgate Publishing. Emmanuel, C. R., Otley, D., Merchant, K. (1995). Readings in accounting for management control (the Chapman hall series in accounting and finance) (2nd ed.). London: International Thomson Business Press. European edition. (2017, January 5). Retrieved January 6, 2017, from bloomberg.com, https://www.bloomberg.com/europe Fund prices and data. (2016). Retrieved January 6, 2017, from Morningstar, http://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/ Horner, D., Gillespie, A. (2000a). Accounting and finance: An analytical and evaluative approach to business studies (A level B.. London: Hodder Stoughton Educational. Horner, D., Gillespie, A. (2000b). Accounting and finance: An analytical and evaluative approach to business studies (A level B.. London: Hodder Stoughton Educational. Hrsg (2013a). Integrated reporting: Concepts and cases that redefine corporate accountability. Dordrecht: Springer International Publishing AG. Hrsg (2013b). Integrated reporting: Concepts and cases that redefine corporate accountability. Dordrecht: Springer International Publishing AG. Kim, S. H. (1998). Global corporate finance: Text and cases (4th ed.). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers. Lee, T. A. (2006). Corporate governance and financial reporting. Chichester, United Kingdom: Wiley, John Sons. Limited, K. N. (2016, June 10). Primark stores limited. Retrieved January 6, 2017, from www.keynote.co.uk, https://www.keynote.co.uk/company-report/financials/profit-loss/00453448 (Limited, 2016) Media, B. L. (2017). ACCA P2 corporate reporting (international UK): Study text. United Kingdom: BPP Learning Media. Appendixes
Friday, January 17, 2020
ââ¬ÅHunters in the Snowââ¬Â by Tobias Wolff Essay
In ââ¬Å"Hunters in the Snowâ⬠by Tobias Wolff, we see three characters who apparently appear to be close friends but then as the story moves they lose their patience with each other. In the story, the reader notices how the cold temperatures started to create an impact on each of the characters. It brings out the complexities in their character. In due course of time the reader comes across the true self of the characters. Their simmering resentment towards each other is aptly highlighted by the author amidst the appropriate setting of the cold bleak winter season. When concentrating on the conversation that takes place between the men the reader realizes that underneath all the friendship there is a cruelness of words that cuts to the deep as the men flaunt the others weaknesses and seem to be ignorant of the effect that the words will have on the emotional state of the other. The atmosphere plays a very crucial role in defining the theme for a story. When used to its full potential it can stir deep feelings in the reader that go beyond rational thought. Tobias Wolff in his short story â⬠Hunters in the Snowâ⬠uses this factor to create atmosphere and a sense of crisis. The story craftly uses the setting and thereby makes it a fascinating study in self-absorption. Wolff draws three strongly distinct characters in a small space, and again manages to convey the ambiguities and complexities of human interaction and personal struggle. The story begins with Tub waiting for his friends Frank and Kenny ââ¬Å"for an hour in the falling snow.â⬠In the same paragraph we find Tub is walking down the street, carrying a rifle and seemingly, shooting the breeze. The cold and the waiting surely creates an impact in the mood of the character. Tub is restless from the wait and the cold adds on to it. Besides, aiming at the breeze fairly depicts that the character continues to be impatient and will later ironically reflect the true nature of Tub. The snow let up, but still there was no edge to the land where it met the sky. Nothing moved in the chalky fields. The cold bleached their faces and made the stubble stand out on their cheeks and along their upper lips. They stopped twice for coffee before they got to the woods where Kenny wanted to hunt.à Wolff builds up the story on the platform of cold weather and the impact of the cold on each character slowly builds up. As they ride together in Kennyââ¬â¢s truck, we learn more about them. They are traveling in an old truck with a hole in the windshield, making it a very cold journey.à Once again the cold seems to follow them throughout the journey. On the trip into the woods, and while they are walking around searching for tracks, we realize the fact that Kenny and Frank donââ¬â¢t seem to like Tub very much. Not only that, they seems to exclude him from walking with them in the forest, they make fun of him about his eating habits and even try driving off without him. Tub, had an overweight problem and because of the cold temperatures and the snow he couldnââ¬â¢t keep up easily with his friends. ââ¬Å"When Tub crossed the last fence into the toad the truck started moving. Tub had to run for it and just managed to grab hold of the tailgate and hoist himself into the bed. He lay there, panting. Kenny looked out the rear window and grinned.â⬠Kenny kept taunting Tub about his weight all the while. Even though he appeared to be the most sensitive guy in the group, the reader sees a changed character in him at the end. It is probable that Kenny tortured Tub to an intolerable point and that Kennyââ¬â¢s joke backfired. It is through misunderstanding that Tub shoots Kenny. The difficulty that he was going through walking in the cold weather and troubled with himself bothered him enough and made him more and more impatient with time. Apparently we find the nice guy ending up shooting his friend Kenny. This reaction wasnââ¬â¢t expected from him but the reader can feel the frustration that this character has in his life and how the need of keeping warm made him leave his friend behind. Later in the story, Tub finally reveals to Frank the truth about his gluttony. Tub admits, ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢ve even got stuff (snacks)â⬠¦ He who is ââ¬Å"self conscious about his weight and in denial about his gluttonyâ⬠apparently ends up in a confession while he tries to keep himself warm during their journey towards the hospital. Frank, on the other hand, seems much more mature and emotionally stable then Tub, while also seems to be the parent figure of the group. He ââ¬Å"doesnââ¬â¢t care about his wife, and is in denial about his lust.â⬠Frank was troubled with his family. He liked a fifteen year old girl who was his babysitter. The freezing temperature and his confused thoughts kept running through his head all the while. This prevented him from thinking rationally and therefore it did not bother him after Kenny was shot and lay freezing to death in the back of the truck. His selfishness was so obvious when kept talking only about himself. This reached its limit when he tried to keep himself warm and thereby ended up taking Kennyââ¬â¢s blankets and let him back there without any regret. He seemed to be the toughest one among them but when Tub couldnââ¬â¢t take him anymore and confronted him he backed up and showed otherwise. In the beginning, he seems like a simple guy. He just basically does whatever Kenny demands of him, and seems to be the calm, undemanding one of the trio. He tells Kenny and Tub to stop obsessing over the hunting: ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËRelax,ââ¬â¢ Frank said. ââ¬ËYou canââ¬â¢t hurry nature. If weââ¬â¢re meant to get that deer, weââ¬â¢ll get it. If weââ¬â¢re not, we wonââ¬â¢t.ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ (142). However, later in the story, the plot of the story begins to prove that Frank is not so innocent. He follows whoever has the most power at the moment. After the ââ¬Å"power shiftâ⬠from Kenny to Tub, Frank beings to follow Tubââ¬â¢s lead. He seems to not even care that his previous best friend is dying in the back of the truckâ⬠¦The hunting grounds and the cold weather makes them invariably confide in each other secrets about their personal lives, and enjoy each otherââ¬â¢s company immensely. As the story continues, Tub and Frank become more interested in patching up their differences and less concerned with Kenny, to an extent that becomes strange. Kenny, appears to be the comic character of the bunch, and is always in a kind of light-hearted mood, joking around, even while shooting the dog. He ââ¬Å"doesnââ¬â¢t care about anyone or anything.â⬠Kenny appears to be going crazy in due course of time. With all playfulness he keeps saying ââ¬Å"I hate that tree,â⬠and shoots a tree. Next, he approaches the farmerââ¬â¢s dog, and says, ââ¬Å"I hate that dog,â⬠and shoots the dog. Finally, he approaches Tubs and says, ââ¬Å"I hate you Tubs.â⬠à And this was when he was shot in his stomach by Tubs. à This reaction of Kennyââ¬â¢s shows his sheer desperation to an unsuccessful hunting trip. Frank and Tub even lie to Kenny at the end, letting him believe that he is being taken to the hospital even though they had no intentions of doing so. Kenny in the story bears the impact of cold to the maximum. He is left at the back in cold for a long time since Frank and Tubs were busy taking breaks to warm themselves up. His blankets are taken away to keep others warm. The story ends in a highly un- dramatic way, with Tub and Frank changing paths away from the hospital, and Kenny freezing in the truck bed, thinking heââ¬â¢s on his way to safety. à He tried to keep himself warm by repeating constantly that he is on his way to the hospital thereby fooling his own self till the end. His world comes to a standstill and he turns quieter than his usual self in pain and cold. Hisà pain made his brains numb and therefore even though he knew that he was no where near to the hospital, yet he kept repeating that he was on his way to the hospital. The monotony of words provided him the comfort of warmth. The freezing weather made these characters act erratically in the story. With Frank and Tub being in denial of what is happening, they neglected Kenny to the point of his death. Kenny lay at the back of the truck while Tub and Frank pull off to the side of the road three separate times, once for coffee, once to warm their hands from the frigid cold and a third time so Tub could hoard some pancakes because Frank felt pity for his seemingly unchangeable diet. These stops are increasingly random and seem completely inappropriate seeing that there is a man possibly dying in the back of the truck. This inconsiderate attitude of the three men who apparently called themselves as friends and the effect of their words targeted at each others weak points makes for a rather perverse realization that under these menââ¬â¢s simple appearances lies a cruel complexity of human nature, which is as frigid as the snow on the ground.â⬠The reader realizes how all their internal problems plus the weather got into them and showed unexpected reactions from a group of friends that went on a trip. Wolff has taken an ordinary setting and environment of the woods and the snow,à and turned it into an extraordinary event for the three men participating in it. Literary critic, Karen Bernardo mentions, that the different turn the three friends have taken is away from being human beings, and towards being no better then animals.â⬠à References: http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/26578.html Perrineââ¬â¢s Literature : Structure, Sound, and Sense (Hardcover); Thomas R. Arp (Author), Greg Johnson (Author) Bernardo, Karen. Tobias Wolffââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Hunters in the Snowâ⬠. Storybites: A Taste of the Worldââ¬â¢s Best Short Stories. May 21, 2003. Ã
Thursday, January 9, 2020
The Awakening Essay - 1036 Words
The Awakening opens in the late 1800s in Grand Isle, a summer holiday resort popular with the wealthy inhabitants of nearby New Orleans. Edna Pontellier is vacationing with her husband, Là ©once, and their two sons at the cottages of Madame Lebrun, which house affluent Creoles from the French Quarter. Là ©once is kind and loving but preoccupied with his work. His frequent business-related absences mar his domestic life with Edna. Consequently, Edna spends most of her time with her friend Adà ¨le Ratignolle, a married Creole who epitomizes womanly elegance and charm. Through her relationship with Adà ¨le, Edna learns a great deal about freedom of expression. Because Creole women were expected and assumed to be chaste, they could behave in aâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Worried about the changing attitude and increasing disobedience of his wife, Là ©once seeks the guidance of the family physician, Doctor Mandelet. A wise and enlightened man, Doctor Mandelet suspects that Ednaâ⠬â¢s transformation is the result of an affair, but he hides his suspicions from Là ©once. Instead, Doctor Mandelet suggests that Là ©once let Ednaââ¬â¢s defiance run its course, since attempts to control her would only fuel her rebellion. Là ©once heeds the doctorââ¬â¢s advice, allowing Edna to remain home alone while he is away on business. With her husband gone and her children away as well, Edna wholly rejects her former lifestyle. She moves into a home of her own and declares herself independentââ¬âthe possession of no one. Her love for Robert still intense, Edna pursues an affair with the town seducer, Alcà ©e Arobin, who is able to satisfy her sexual needs. Never emotionally attached to Arobin, Edna maintains control throughout their affair, satisfying her animalistic urges but retaining her freedom from male domination. At this point, the self-sufficient and unconventional old pianist Mademoiselle Reisz adopts Edna as a sort of protà ©gà ©, warning Edna of the sacrifices required of an artist. Edna is moved by Mademoiselle Reiszââ¬â¢s piano playing and visits her often. She is also eager to read the letters from abroad that Robert sends the woman. A woman who devotes her life entirely to her art, Mademoiselle serves as an inspiration and model to Edna, who continues her process ofShow MoreRelatedThe Awakening on Kate Chopins The Awakening1745 Words à |à 7 Pages The time period of the 1880s that Kate Chopin lived in influenced her to write The Awakening, a very controversial book because of many new depictions of women introduced in the book. The Awakening is a book about a woman, Edna Pontellier. In the beginning, she is a happy woman with her husband and 2 kids vacationing at Grand Isle. While there, Edna realizes she is in love with Robert Lebrun and that she was just forced into an unloving/dissatisfying marriage with Mr. Pontellier. Robert howeverRead MoreDemoralization In The Awakening1584 Words à |à 7 Pagesthem and cause them to lose hope. Kate Chopin uses words like ââ¬Å"depressedâ⬠(56), ââ¬Å"hopelessâ⬠(56) and ââ¬Å"despondencyâ⬠(p115) to describe Edna, the heroine, in The Awakening. Coupling this description with Edna taking her life at the end of the novel and Chopinââ¬â¢s own inferred demoralization, due to the almost universal aversion to The Awakening, the natural conclusion is that it is a work of ââ¬Å"great personal demoralizationâ⬠, (Companion 5) as Michael Levenson states. Levenson suggests most modernist authorsRead MoreFeminism In The Awakening1562 Words à |à 7 Pagesprivileges as each other. Basic human rights would give others the notion that this is how all humans should have been treated from the beginning. However, this is far from the truth. Books like The Awakening, give us an inside look at how women were treated around 100 years ago. When Kate Chopin wrote The Awakening, she created a blueprint for how we see modern feminism. Without being obvious, Chopin showed how one woman started to liberate herself from an oppressive society. During the 1800s when the bookRead MoreEssay on The Awakening1610 Words à |à 7 Pages In their analytical papers on The Awakening by Kate Chopin, both Elaine Showalter and Elizabeth Le Blanc speak to the importance of homosocial relationship to Ednaââ¬â¢s awakenings. They also share the viewpoint that Ednaââ¬â¢s return to the sea in the final scene of the book represents Edna being one with her female lover and finding the fulfillment she has been seeking. We see evidence of this idea of the sea as a feminine from Showalter when she tells us that ââ¬Å"As the female body is prone to wetness,Read MoreSymbolism In The Awakening1420 Words à |à 6 PagesAnalyzing Chopinââ¬â¢s use of symbolism in ââ¬Å"The Awakeningâ⬠What would one expect to be the personality of a woman, who was raised in a family of no man dominance in the year of 1800? Kate Chopin was born in Missouri, in 1850 and was one of the five children. At very young age, Kate lost her both sisters and her brother. At age of five, Kate was sent to a Catholic school. Not long after leaving her home, Chopin loses her father. Kate is being sent home from school to live with her mother, grandmotherRead More Essay on The Awakening712 Words à |à 3 PagesCritical Views of The Awakening à à à à The Awakening, written by Kate Chopin, is full of ideas and understanding about human nature. In Chopins time, writing a story with such great attention to sensual details in both men and women caused skepticism among readers and critics. However, many critics have different views with deeper thought given to The Awakening. Symbolism, the interpretation of Ednas suicide, and awakenings play important roles in the analysis of all critics. à SymbolismRead More The Awakening Essay1091 Words à |à 5 Pagesthe fact that an author is able to convey his/her message clearer and include things in the book that cannot be exhibited in a movie. For this reason, the reader of the book is much more effected than the viewer of the film. In the novella, The Awakening, by Kate Chopin, there is much more evidence of symbolism as well as deeper meaning than in the movie version of the book, Grand Isle. Chopin conveys her symbolic messages through the main characterââ¬â¢s newly acquired ability to swim, through the birdsRead More The Awakening Essay2046 Words à |à 9 Pages The Awakening is a story full of symbolism and imagery that can have many different meanings to the many who have read it. I have read several different theories on Kate Chopinââ¬â¢s meaning and though some are vastly different, they all seem to make sense. It has been said that Kate Chopin might have been ambiguous just for this reason. At some point, almost everyone struggles with knowing or not knowing their purpose in life, and therefore it seems, that on some level, most who read the story aboutRead More Essay on The Awakening733 Words à |à 3 PagesCriticism of The Awakening à à à Reading through all of the different criticism of Kate Chopinââ¬â¢s The Awakening has brought about ideas and revelations that I had never considered during my initial reading of the novel.à When I first read the text, I viewed it as a great work of art to be revered.à However, as I read through all of the passages, I began to examine Chopinââ¬â¢s work more critically and to see the weaknesses and strengths of her novel.à Reading through others interpretations of herRead MoreThe movie Awakenings4852 Words à |à 20 PagesMeagan McGee Psychology 1300 Awakenings The movie Awakenings starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro portrays the true story of a doctor named Dr. Malcolm Sayer, and the events of the summer of 1969 at a psychiatric hospital in New York. Dr. Malcolm Sayer, who is a research physician, is confronted with a number of patients who had each been afflicted with a devastating disease called Encephalitis Lethargica. The illness killed most of the people who contracted it, but some were left living
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Analysis of David Foster Wallaceôs Novel Infinite Jest
Self and other The theme of self versus other evident in the novel is reflective of the postmodern idea that there exist boundaries between the two separate entities, the internal and external, perception and reality. This theme manifests as the idea that the ââ¬Ëotherââ¬â¢ can influence the ââ¬Ëselfââ¬â¢, that society controls the individual. Wallace also explores the theme of self and other in Infinite Jest by contrasting the boundary between what goes on inside the charactersââ¬â¢ heads and the outside world. Characters such as Millicent Kent feel a sense of loneliness in their own thoughts and consequently seek diversion in something other. Kent alludes to the ââ¬Å"Taoist paraboloid logoâ⬠(Wallace 265) which symbolizes self and other when she ââ¬Å"asked Mario if heââ¬â¢d ever seen a girlââ¬â¢s yin-yang beforeâ⬠(Wallace 124). Kent draws a parallel between the two pairs of seemingly opposite forces that are actually connected to and dependent up on each other. For Millicent and Mario, yin and yang symbolize female and male, but also a balanced relationship that leads the characters out of loneliness. Through his allusion to ideological jargon, Wallace suggests that a harmonious balance between self and other is necessary. Irony leads to addiction One of the most poignant instances of irony is in regards to the cynicism in postmodern society. The characters Infinite Jest are remarkably sarcastic and the narration of the novel has a dark, satirical quality to it. David Foster Wallace uses Remy
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
The Mental Condition Of Bipolar Disorder - 1306 Words
Bipolar disorder is a mental condition once known as manic depression. It is a condition that causes an individual to have mood swings which can cause them to feel depressed at one moment and the next their mood is elevated and they feel as if they can conquer the world. There is no significant evidence to state what causes bipolar disorder but bipolar disorder can be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, from a stressful experience, or by a physical condition. Although bipolar disorder can trigger from any of these possibilities, bipolar disorder is commonly genetic and can run through the family tree. ââ¬Å"About 1 in every 100 adults has bipolar disorder at some point in their life. It usually starts between the ages of 15 to 19 - and it rarely starts after the age of 40. Men and women are affected equally.â⬠(RC Psych) Client Ralph Negron is a 60-year-old male from Bayamon, Puerto Rico; Mr. Negron was born and raised in Puerto Rico in a middle-class family. Mr. Negron-Siejo has worked as an electrician for 20+ years and has recently retired due to mental disabilities. Mr. Negron has been divorced four times and has recently remarried. Mr. Negron has 3 siblings two sisters and one brother who has passed away; Mr. Negron-Siejo expressed this loss to be very traumatic. Mr. Negron has also lost his father and his mother has suffered severe cerebral damage from several strokes. Mr. Negron also has three children who are grown and live on their own and has one grandchild. Mr.Show MoreRelatedThe Mental Condition Of Bipolar Disorder1728 Words à |à 7 Pagesabout yourself and life if you are a person who is living with a chronic condition. JD happens to have a treatable condition that affects his mind. Bipolar I Disorder, as the DSM-5, specifies, is a mental condition in which doctors do not fully understand. Through the more recent years doctors have gained understanding therefore able to treat the disorder more effectively. What they do understand is that it is a genetic disorder, it affects the moods and can impact an individual to be at a very highRead MoreBipolar Disorder : A Serious Mental Condition1174 Words à |à 5 Pages Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder (BPD) is known to be a serious mental condition. Bipolar disorder is also classified as manic-depressive disorder. It is characterized as malfunction with the brain by mood changes that includes a persistent increasing activity or energy levels. This serious condition is first diagnosed in young adults or adolescence. Diagnosis Bipolar disease is first diagnosed in young adulthood or adolescence. Diagnosis is said to be obvious, when the patient is showing floridRead MoreBipolar Disorder : Mental Health Condition981 Words à |à 4 PagesBipolar disorder, or manic-depressive disorder, is a disorder characterized by extreme mood changes. An individual who suffers from this disorder can have extreme highs or extreme lows. They could go from being overly energetic and outgoing to feeling empty, depressed, angry and just completely worthless on a daily, weekly, monthly and or even yearly basis. Diagnosis, dramatic changes in oneââ¬â¢s life, and even treatment can have a serious effect on an individual that is suffering from Bipolar disorderRead MoreBipolar Disorder : Symptoms And Treatment917 Words à |à 4 PagesNasev Freeman-3 Health 26 October 2014 Bipolar Disorder According to the National Health Institute of Mental Health about 2.6% of the adults in the United States are affected by bipolar disorder every year. People who have bipolar disorder experience alternating periods of mania (overly happy) and very deep depression. Untreated bipolar disorder can cause other mental disorders and some physical illnesses too. Although bipolar is a lifelong genetic condition, there are ways to relieve the symptomsRead MoreBipolar Disorder, Formerly Known As Manic-Depression, Is1359 Words à |à 6 PagesBipolar disorder, formerly known as manic-depression, is a mental disorder. This disorder causes the individual to experience severe mood swings, from elation to depression. Individuals with bipolar disorder can experience serious changes in thinking, energy and behaviour. The different states of those with bipolar experience are referred to as ââ¬Ëepisodesââ¬â¢. These episodes can last days, weeks or months, depending on the severity of the episode. There are three main types of episodes, they are maniaRead MoreBipolar Disorder And Its Effects On The Patient s Life1203 Words à |à 5 Pagesworld of mental health disorders, one of the most common is Bipolar Disorder. According to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), Bipolar Disorder affects as much as 2.6% of the adult population. The effects of Bipolar Disorder can range from mild (having little impact on the patientââ¬â¢s day to day life) to severe (making the patientââ¬â¢s life debilitating and nonfunctioning). Bipolar Disorder also has a devastating effect on the patientââ¬â¢s friends and family. Bipolar Disorder is one ofRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Bipolar Disorder977 Words à |à 4 Pagesabout I personally know. She suffers from Bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is defined as a mental disorder marked by alternating periods of elation and depression. The disorder causes dramatic mood swings from feeling overly high and/or irritable too sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Some people have their first experience at childhood, while others may develop symptoms late in life. Bipolar disorder does run in families, but researchers haveRead MoreTypes Of Bipolar Disorder ( Bipolar )1274 Words à |à 6 Pagesare several types of bipolar disorders, but the two main types are Bipolar I and Bipolar II. Bipolar I is the definitive type of the bipolar disorder, and the person will constantly go through both the manic and depressive stages of the condition. The length of these episodes will differ from time to time. In Bipolar II, the manic stages are not as severe as Bipolar I; nevertheless, the depressive stages are quite similar (bipolar). But what causes this life altering mental illness? Several factorsRead MoreBipolar Disorder And The Symptoms That Come Along With It1157 Words à |à 5 Pages Abstract This paper analyzes bipolar disorder and the symptoms that come along with it. Bipolarity effects a decent percentage of America and does not target a specific gender, race, age, or ethnicity. It is treatable; however, not curable ailment. Those who are not affected by bipolarity must realize that it is important to help those dealing with the condition cope with the side effects of their mental state. Bipolar Disorder Development and Treatment for People Who Are DiagnosedRead MoreThe Health Related Issue Bipolar Disease1049 Words à |à 5 Pagesrelated issue bipolar disease first previously described as ââ¬Ëmanic depression insanityââ¬â¢ was seen as different from other mental illnesses by psychiatrist Emil Krapelin in 1899 (Goodwin, Guy, Sachs, Gary, 2010).However the illness ââ¬Ëbipolarââ¬â¢ was named in the 1960ââ¬â¢s by psychiatrist Angsy and Perris who both understood the illness happened in mania and mood altitude (Goodwin, Guy, Sachs, Gary, 2010). According to the National Institute of Mental health in many cases diagnoses for the condition isnââ¬â¢t diagnosed
Monday, December 16, 2019
Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest of the Italian Renaissance artists Free Essays
Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest of the Italian Renaissance artists, was born on March 6, 1475, in the small village of Caprese (Today, Caprese is known as Caprese Michelangelo or Tuscany, Italy). Michelangelo grew up in Florence, Italy. His Father was a government administrator and his Mother died when he was only six years old. We will write a custom essay sample on Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest of the Italian Renaissance artists or any similar topic only for you Order Now After the death of his mother Michelangelo lived with a stone cutter and his family in the town of Settignano, where his father owned a marble quarry and small farm. Along with living with a stone cutter (where he learned to handle marble), Michelangeloââ¬â¢s influences included da Vinci and Dominico Ghirlandaio. Michelangelo showed no interest in school, he preferred to copy paintings from churches and seek the company of painters. His artistic talents were noticed at a very early age. At the age of thirteen, Michelangelo was apprenticed to the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio. At age fourteen Michelangeloââ¬â¢s father persuaded Ghirlandaio to pay Michelangelo as an artist, which was unusual at the time. Demonstrating obvious talent, he was taken under the wing of Lorenzo deââ¬â¢ Medici, the ruler of the Florentine republic and a great patron of the arts. For two years beginning in 1490, he lived in the Medici palace and attended the Humanist academy, where he was a student of the sculptor Bertoldo di Giovanni and studied the Medici art collection, which included ancient Roman statuary. At the academy, both Michelangeloââ¬â¢s outlook and his art was influenced by many of the most prominent philosophers and writers of the day. At this time Michelangelo sculpted the Madonna of the Steps (1490-1492) and Battle of the Centaurs (1491-1492). Lorenzo de Medici, the man who gave Michelangelo the tools and schooling to perfect his artistry, passed away in 1492. Michelangelo decided that it was time to return home to his family, but he continued studying on his own. Although the practice was forbidden at the time by the church, Michelangelo got special permission to study anatomy of the dead at a hospital in the church of Santo Spirito. He used his new knowledge of the human body to create some of his most famous works, including the famous statue of David (1501-1504), the sculptures in the Church of San Pietro, and the Creation of Adam on the Sistine Chapelââ¬â¢s ceiling, which there is a hypotheses that part of it is shaped like the human brain. Michelangeloââ¬â¢s love for sculpture continued to grow, and so did the attention of the world to his work. His demand as an artist grew, and he began creating some of the most famous works of his career. And then there is his architecture, where Michelangelo reordered ancient forms in an entirely new and dramatic ways. Michelangelo was principally a sculptor and always claimed that architecture was not his profession, but, with a sculptorââ¬â¢s vision, he saw buildings as dynamic organisms ââ¬â metaphors of the human body and he designed some of the most impressive architecture in all history. Among his best-known buildings are the Medici Chapel and the Laurentian Library in Florence and he finished the architectural work on St. Peterââ¬â¢s Basilica in Rome. Michelangelo renewed architectures potential for the next generation of architects, freeing them from the need to slavishly imitate models from the past and allowing them to arrive at their own forms of expression. Michelangelo, though best known for his sculpture, was also a poet. He composed over 300 pieces of poetry during his life time including the poem about the hardships of painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling. In his poems he discusses categories pertaining to love, death, evil and good, and beauty. His writing is similar to his art in that every word is carved into the realities of life. Michelangeloââ¬â¢s art is his love of male beauty, which attracted him both by the nature of natural beauty and emotionally. Such feelings caused him great anguish, and he expressed the struggle between reality and desire for the male body in his sculpture and his poetry. The sculptor loved many youths, many of whom posed for him. His greatest love was Tommaso dei Cavalieri, who was 16 years old when Michelangelo met him in 1532, at the age of 57. Cavalieri was open to the older manââ¬â¢s affection and Michelangelo dedicated many poems to him. Some say Michelangeloââ¬â¢s relationship with Cavalieri was only a deep friendship and not sexual. Even if Michelangelo had homo-erotic impulses, there is no evidence he acted on them. Cavalieri was not the only inspiration for Michelangeloââ¬â¢s poetry. Later in life he fell in love with Vittoria Colonna. She was a widow and friend to Michelangelo in his later maturity. Between Michelangelo and Vittoria Colonna a deep friendship developed, one might almost say an absolutely pure love, inspired by poetry and faith, out of which were to emerge some of Michelangeloââ¬â¢s finest lyric poems, overflowing with admiration and devotion. She died at the age of 56 and Michelangelo was deeply affected by her death writing many commemorative pieces in her honor. Michelangelo worked until his death in 1564 at the age of 88. He caught a fever and a few days later he passed away. Michelangeloââ¬â¢s revolutionizing artistic techniques altered the artistââ¬â¢s method for centuries, and still effect how art is made today. His view on the world and its leaders changed the way artists portray their subjects and how bold they allowed their artwork to be. Michelangelo will always be known as one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. ttp://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Michelangelo www. sparknotes. com Several hypotheses have been put forward about the meaning of The Creation of Adamââ¬â¢s highly original composition, many of them taking Michelangeloââ¬â¢s well-documented expertise in human anatomy as their starting point. In 1990, an Anderson, Indiana physician named Frank Lynn Meshberger, M. D. noted in the medical publication the Journal of the American Medical Association that the background figures and shapes portrayed behind the figure of God appeared to be an anatomically accurate picture of the human brain. 5] Dr. Meshbergerââ¬â¢s interpretation has been discussed by Dr. Mark Lee Appler. [6] On close examination, borders in the painting correlate with major sulci of the cerebrum in the inner and outer surface of the brain, the brain stem, the frontal lobe, the basilar artery, the pituitary gland and the optic chiasm. [5] Alternatively, it has been observed that the red cloth around God has the shape of a human uterus (one art historian has called it a ââ¬Å"uterine mantleâ⬠[7]), and that the scarf hanging out, colored green, could be a newly cut umbilical cord. 8] ââ¬Å"This is an interesting hypothesis that presents the Creation scene as an idealized representation of the physical birth of man. It explains the navel that appears on Adam, which is at first perplexi ng because he was created, not born of a woman. ââ¬Å"[9] Michelangelo was both highly literate and plain-spoken. He felt passionate toward individuals, both female and male (Vitoria Colonna and Tommasco Cavalieri in particular. Platonic love suited Michelangelo because the demands of his profession came first. Vittoria, who was independent and highly intelligent, was inaccessible. She was the woman who came closest to being his intellectual equal, and a person characterized by loftiness, nobility and virtueââ¬âall of which appealed to the poet. He turned to her for guidance and idealized her through the ecstasy of his religious mindset; Michelangelo was a deeply religious person who believed in prayer and all the accompanying Renaissance religious imagery characteristic of his era. She was a widow and friend to Michelangelo in his later maturity. She died at the age of 56 and Michelangelo was deeply affected by her death writing many commemorative pieces in her honor. How to cite Michelangelo Buonarroti, the greatest of the Italian Renaissance artists, Papers
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Professional Development Career Plan
Question: Discuss about theProfessional Development Career Plan. Answer: Introduction Student nurses regularly entrain in their professional job and achievements with improper knowledge of career plan and they find difficulty in finding the way forward. Professional career development plan plays an instrumental role in the improving the job satisfaction for the nurses and achieving the desired professional goals in terms of knowledge, monetary satisfaction and professional position (Glass, 2007; Taylor Reyes, 2012). It has already been established that nurse students achieved more confidence, self-motivation and sound in shaping their career plan with following the professional career development plan (Waddell et al., 2015). I wish to develop my professional career development plan (Appendix 1) to set objectives and streamline my actions for professional improvement and achievements. My interview with residential nurse (RN) helped me to gain more insight of professional development (Appendix 2). This stage of my career is the searching phase and this helps me to decide on the field of nursing which gives me maximum satisfaction of job and where I can provide best holistic nursing to the patients. As my sister is a nurse, I got opportunity to regular visit and observe in mental illness patients. This experience built interest in me about the care of mental illness people. I made appropriate decision about the choice nursing field considering long term goals, my interests, my capability and strength. Through my interview with RN, I got confidence that, my selected field in nursing is challenging and with lot of scope for professional development. Experience of my leader RN, in the same field helped to understand the importance and opportunities in mental illness people care. Insight about the importance of first year from RN, made me more realistic and active for developing my professional development career plan. Certificate in training assessment education for the Clinical N urse Educator, helped me to get more theoretical and practical aspects of mental health care. In this training programme, I understand opinion of different people about the mental health care. During the interview with RN, I understand few critical aspects of mental health care and RN shared her experiences. This sharing of evidence based nursing has more value in nursing rather than solely dependent on the textbook based learning (Youngblut and Brooten, 2001). Most of the people have practice of selecting nursing specialization after completion of graduation, however I selected it at very early stage and this would help me to build my career in more planned and professional way. Interview with RN, helped me to set goals and create opportunities in the mental health care (Waddell and Bauer, 2005). From RN, I understand that career development is very dynamic process and nobody should keep it stagnant. With the advice of RN during interview, I started acquiring more skills about mental health care, visited different experts in the field, developed skills to provide holistic care to people with mental illness, understood personnel centered care, attended different training programmes and conferences to get more insight in the mental health care. All these activities not only helped me to improve my techniques and skills for nursing care but also helped to present my strong portfolio and build my effective curriculum vitae, which are integral part of the professional career development (Kalb, 2008). Chiaburu et al., (2006), mentioned about the expansion of self environment in terms of skills, opportunities and portfolio development for the growth of professional career development. These skill development activities also help to increase knowledge, maintain continuous learning and update on the current activities in the nursing. This is the fundamental requirement for the competency standard of the registered nurse and professional development of nursing practice (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia 2006). The capability to react successfully to assigned tasks in the stressful and adverse situations can be augmented by improving the skills and knowledge (Hodges et al., 2008; Tusaie Dyer, 2004). To achieve this fate, I should take higher education. I should pursue Bachelor in Nursing with Clinical Honours for improvement in knowledge, skills, evidence based practice and as a result to improve professional portfolio. This would also help me to get exposure to different cases in nursing practices, to assess myself on regular basis and directing my efforts towards improvement. This bachelor programme would help me to articulate career, comprehend situations in which practice to be implemented, evaluate my weakness and strengths and establishing professional career plan which would have significant effect and practical implementation (Waddell et al., 2009). To make my career plan more focused, I would pursue master degree in mental health. This would help me to self manage professional car eer and take more responsibility and provide excellent nursing practice to people (Gowan et al., 2000; King, 2004). It is well know that self management of the career has positive impact on the professional satisfaction of the career, improvement in self efficiency of work, increased productivity, improved self determination and adapting the dynamic nature of the respective field. These factors are responsible for the ideal professional development career plan (Taylor Reyes, 2012). During interview RN leader appreciated my plan of pursuing bachelor and master degree in mental health. RN also increased my confidence by mentioning that these professional educational qualifications would help me for building effective curriculum vitae and application for the nurse in mental health facility. Nursing practice requires integrated efforts of all the stakeholders. In this scenario support and cooperation of leader and all the colleagues is very important factor not only for getting job after the completion of graduation but also for professional development, promototion in the job and retention in the job (Thorpe Loo, 2003). Appraisal and feedback from all these stakeholders would help understand my strengths and weakness, reaching small term goals, improving skills and also to promote my interest and set the long term goals. Rambur et al., (2005) identified that social involvement and cooperation are the important strategies and processes for the professional career development and achieving the career satisfaction. They also suggested implementing strategies to retain career over the retention of the job because there is more satisfaction in the career as compared to the job. After acquiring all the knowledge and skills of the nursing, I will be working in the mental health facility in my society as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. I will be specifically focusing on the mental issues for the people because this issue is very prominent in the people as convincing people with mental illness is one of the challenging task both for the nurses and family members (Bartels and Naslund, 2013). In summary, with all these properly developed and well studied events for the career development, I am sure I will be able to achieve my goal for the holistic nursing care of mentally ill people. References: Bartels, S. J., and Naslund, J. A. (2013). The Underside of the Silver Tsunami - Older Adults and Mental Health Care. New England Journal of Medicine, 368, pp. 493-496. Chiaburu, D. D., Baker, V. L., and Pitariu, A. H. (2006). Beyond being proactive: What (else) matters for career self-management behaviors? Career Development International, 11, pp. 619632. Glass, N. (2007). Investigating women nurse academics experiences in universities: The importance of hope, optimism, and career resilience for workplace satisfaction. Annual Review of Nursing Education, 5, p. 112. Gowan, M. A., Craft, S. L. S., and Zimmermann, R. A. (2000). Response to work transitions by United States army personnel: Effects of self-esteem, self-efficacy, and career resilience. Psychological Reports, 86, 911921. Hodges, H. F., Keeley, A. C., and Troyan, P. J. (2008). Professional resilience in baccalaureate prepared acute care nurses: First steps. Nursing Education Perspectives, 29, pp. 8089. Kalb, K. A. (2008). Core competencies of nurse educators: Inspiring excellence in nurse educator practice. Nursing Education Perspectives, 29, pp. 217219. King, Z. (2004). Career self-management: Its nature, causes and consequences. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 65, pp. 112133. Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia 2006, 'National competency standards for the registered nurse', Codes and Guidelines, Melbourne Victoria, Retrieved on 23 September 2016, from website https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/Codes-Guidelines.aspx. Rambur, B., McIntosh, B., Palumbo, M. V., Reiner, K. (2005). Education as a determinant of career retention and job satisfaction among registered nurses. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 37, 185192. Taylor, H., and Reyes, H. (2012). Self-efficacy and resilience in baccalaureate nursing students. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 9(1), pp.113. Thorpe, K., and Loo, R. (2003). The values profile of undergraduate nursing students: Implications for education and professional development. Journal of Nursing Education, 42, pp. 8398. Tusaie, K., and Dyer, J. (2004). Resilience: A historical review of the construct. Holistic Nursing Practice, 18(1), pp. 38. Waddell, J., and Bauer, M. (2005). CPD for students: Building a career in a professional practice discipline. Canadian Journal of Career Development, 4(2), pp. 413. Waddell, J., Donner, G. J., and Wheeler, M. (2009). Building your nursing career: A guide for students (3rd ed.). Toronto, Canada: Mosby. Waddell, J., Spalding, K., Canizares, G., Navarro, J., Connell, M., Jancar, S., Stinson, J., Victor C. (2015). Integrating a Career Planning and Development Program into the Baccalaureate Nursing Curriculum: Part I. Impact on Students' Career Resilience. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship,24(12), pp. 162-73. Youngblut JM and Brooten D. (2001). Evidence-based nursing practice: why is it important? AACN Clinical Issues, 12(4), pp. 468-76.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)