Cultural differences in health and social care communication Essays

Cultural differences in health and social care communication Essays Cultural differences in health and social care communication Paper Cultural differences in health and social care communication Paper Both cultures find it polite to shake hands, so for example, if an English doctor in a hospital was meeting a new Chinese patient, they would shake hands and both would find it polite. This would be a more formal occasion so both people would address each other as Mr/Mrs/Dr. In a group meeting with a group of care workers from a day care centre for adults with learning disabilities, if the most senior member is Chinese and he/she Is not acknowledged first, he/she may feel offended, leading to awkwardness in the meeting. Questions It is important to respect the British desire for privacy. Dont ask personal questions. Expect to answer and be asked intrusive questions about personal life. When a Chinese teacher is having a one-to-one meeting at a school with an English parent of a child having problems in the school, the parent may be taken aback or surprised if the Chinese teacher started asking questions about his/her personal life, as this is normal in China, whereas in Britain it is not. This could be seen by the parent as rude and intrusive. Eye Contact English people are taught from a young age to look people in the eye when talking to them, or listening to them. Eye contact is thought to be disrespectful or rude, and lack of eye contact does not mean that a person is not paying attention. In a Doctors surgery, if an English doctor was talking to a Chinese patient they would expect to have eye contact while explaining their treatment as a sign of attentiveness. If the Chinese patient wasn’t making a lot of eye contact, as this was deemed rude in their culture, the doctor may assume this is a sign of ignorance and that the patient is not listening or focused on them, and doesn’t understand what they have to say. Touch and proximity The British like a certain amount of personal space. Do not stand too close to another person or put your arm around someones shoulder. In Asia, female friends often hold hands and men casually embrace one another as they walk down the street. If two female work colleagues who had recently both started working in a care home for the elderly, and one of them was Chinese and the other was English had just become friends, and the Chinese one kept holding the others hand, as a sign of friendliness in their culture, this could make the other care worker feel very uncomfortable in this situation, and feel like the Chinese care worker Is invading their personal space. Body gestures The uses of a finger to indicate â€Å"come here please† to someone else, or to point to someone/something is seemed normal and acceptable. This is the gesture is used to beckon dogs in some cultures and is very offensive. Pointing with one finger is also considered to be rude in some cultures and Asians typically use their entire hand to point to something. If an English care worker in a day care centre for the elderly used a finger motion to invite a Chinese patient over to them, the Chinese patient would get the impression that the care worker thinks they are superior, as in Asian culture pointing and using a finger motion is related to beckoning dogs, and the Chinese patient could be very offended by this gesture. When working with cross-cultural situations there can be many problems due to the cultural differences of the people involved in the communication, such as language barriers, differences in what is considered polite, and/or the way in which people perceive each others body language and gestures, possibly leading to misunderstandings and offence. One example of such cultural differences are those between Westerns culture (UK/USA) and Asia. When first meeting someone from China, there is little difference between the methods of introducing yourself. It is considered polite to give your full name with a simple greeting. However, Chinese people tend to greet one another by asking questions such as have you had dinner or where are you going which would very likely confuse Westerners as they would see these greetings as general questions. In Western societies it is polite to simply say hello, how are you? or nice to see/meet you. There is also little distinction between formal and informal greetings, whereas in Western societies it is deemed polite to shake hands on more formal occasions and when first meeting someone new, and in China it is the expected to shake hands on most social occasions as an expression of courtesy and greeting when people meet or say goodbye to each other. When first meeting someone new, in both Western and Asian societies, it is polite to address them by a title, such as Mr, Mrs or Miss, and then their last name, until invited to call them by their first name. It is also highly appreciated when meeting Chinese people to show that an effort has been made to learn some words and phrases in their language, and possibly some of their history and culture, too. However, the orders in which people are greeted within a group are very strict. For example the most senior member of the group should be acknowledged first, and the host should be introduced to the guest first. On more formal occasions it is considered polite to give your full name, job positions and the place you work for. It is important, when speaking to people of western culture, to respect their desire for privacy. Intrusive questions about family background, profession, marital status, money, and political preferences are deemed very rude. Whereas, In China you would expect to answer intrusive questions about personal topics, and you are expected to answer them politely, and give a broad, but polite, answer even if you dont want to answer the question. A major difference between Western and Asian culture in communication is eye contact. In western societies it is taught from a young age that looking someone in the eye when talking/being talked to is polite. It shows attentiveness and honesty, that you are actively listening to them and understanding what they are saying. In Asian societies however, eye contact is thought to be disrespectful or rude, and lack of eye contact doesnt mean that a person is not paying attention. Women are supposed to adhere to the long established tradition of three obediences and four virtues for women, meaning that women are inclined to avoid direct eye contact, to avoid the possibility of coming across aggressive. This may be misread by Western people, who consider eye contact as polite and confident, and misunderstanding may occur. Touch and proximity in public differs greatly in what is seen as acceptable between Western and Asian societies. In Asia, female friends often old hands, and men casually embrace one another as they meet in the street. However patting someones head, like Western people sometimes do to praise them, as a friendly gesture, is seen as strictly taboo in Asia. Western people like a certain amount of personal space, and may feel uncomfortable with such public behaviour. Body gestures, such as pointing a finger to something, in Western societies are accepted as normal. It may even be used to invite someone over, in a beckoning motion. If this was done in an Asian society it would be associated with the gesture used to beckon dogs, and deemed very offensive. Asians typically use their entire hand to point to someone or something. Also, although using hand gestures when speaking is common practise in Western societies, Chinese people may become annoyed by this, as they do not tend to do this.

Environmental Analysis in the UAE

Environmental Analysis in the UAE Demographic Environment The UAE has a high number of expatriate labourers currently working in the country. From the national census carried out in 2005, it was indicated that the expatriate labour force accounts for about 78.1% of the population. It was estimated that the male and female population accounted for about 67.6% and 32.4% respectively.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Environmental Analysis in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The report suggests that most of the population is located in the Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The UAE has one of the highest increase rates of female workers among its workforce in the region. This is creating a huge demand for both essential and luxury commodities (Ministry of Economy UAE, 2005). Economic Environment The UAE runs an open economy, which is soundly anchored on the robust monetary and fiscal policies, a burgeoning yearly surplus, favourable import /export duties, and tax laws. Dubai serves as a business hub. The CIA World Factbook (2008) report states that the UAE attained a GDP of about $192.6 billion and a GDP per capita of $37,300 during the year 2007. The IMF (2007) ranked the UAE as the nation with second highest GDP within the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG) nations. However, just like other gulf states, the prosperity of the UAE is mainly dependent on its oil wealth. Natural Environment The UAE is endowed with vast oil and natural gas resources, which make up the backbone of its economy. Most of the government revenue is obtained from the sale of oil and natural gas. The UAE also has a vast coastline with exquisite beaches that have enhanced its appeal as an international tourist destination. Through encouraging foreign investment, UAE has been able to attract investors who have invested in multibillion hotels along its coastline (Department of Tourism Commerce Marketing UAE, 2006). Technol ogical Environment The oil boom in the UAE changed the technological environment equation. With revenue from the export of oil, the UAE gained access to modern technology and the capacity to make significant changes to their environment. For example, they have reclaimed land from the desert through irrigation using desalinated water to make the soil productive. There is also the extensive use of air conditioning equipment in motor vehicles, homes, and public buildings. This has made it comfortable to live in Dubai, a place where temperatures get as high as 110Â °F (43Â °C) (Cultures of the world, 2008).Advertising Looking for research paper on geography? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Political Environment Kaufmann, Kraay, and Mastruzzi (2008) argue that Dubai ranks among the top quartile positions with regard to government effectiveness and management of corruption, rule of law, and regulatory quality. However, w ith regard to political stability, it is ranked in the second quartile. The UAE’s government is formed by a presidential monarchy. The premiership and the presidency are hereditary to the Al Maktoum and Al Nahyan clans of Dubai and Abu Dhabi Emirates respectively (Business Monitor International, 2006). Cultural Environment The language mostly spoken in the United Arab Emirates is Arabic, which is also the official language. However, in relation to most business transactions, the commonly used language is English. The other regional languages such as Urdu, Hindi, and Persian are also spoken in the UAE. Most of the population subscribes to the Islamic faith. Despite the presence of the Islamic and Arabic cultural influence, western culture is also evident within the UAE. The western culture plays an essential role such that the UAE business practices are closely similar to those exhibited in Great Britain and the United States (Cultures of the world, 2008). References Business Monitor International. (2006). UAE A Regional Leader. Retrieved from: fdi.net/bmi/bmidisplay.cfm?filename=OEMO_20070124_125861_xml.html. CIA World Factbook. (2008). United Arab Emirates. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ae.html. Cultures of the world. (2008). New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. Department of Tourism Commerce Marketing, UAE. (2006). Dubai Business Handbook 2006. Retrieved from: dubaicityguide.com/BUSINESS/business.asp.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Environmental Analysis in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More IMF (International Monetary Fund). (2007). World Economic Outlook:Spillovers and Cycles in the Global Economy. Retrieved from: imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2007/01/pdf/c2.pdf. Kaufmann D., Kraay, A. Mastruzzi, M. (2008). Governance MattersVII:Governance Indicators for 1996-2007. Retrieved from: http://info.worldbank.org/gover nance/wgi/sc_chart.asp Ministry of Economy UAE. (2005). Preliminary Results of Population, Housing and Establishments Census 2005. Retrieved from: tedad.ae/english/results.pdf.

Crystal Easter Egg Project

Crystal Easter Egg Project These crystal Easter eggs make great decorations! Basically, you grow crystals around a real egg. You can make a crystal geode, an egg decoration or a hanging ornament for an Easter egg tree. Make pastel eggs or vibrant eggs in any color of the rainbow. This is an easy crystal growing project that yields quick results. Time Required a few hours to overnight, depending what you want Materials You can use pretty much any recipe for growing crystals. Good choices would include sugar, salt, Epsom salts or borax. I chose alum because I wanted large crystals on the egg and quick results. If you want to completely coat your egg with sparkly crystals, borax or sugar would work best. The amount of borax, sugar, salt or Epsom salt is different from the amount of alum. Basically, keep adding material to the boiling water until it stops dissolving. Use this saturated solution to grow the crystals. An egg1 cup boiling hot water4 tablespoons alum (which is the size of a typical container in the grocery store)A pin or needleFood coloring or Easter egg dye (optional)String or a pipecleaner (optional)Cup Prepare the Egg You have a few options here. Crystal Geode EggIf you want to make a geode, carefully crack the egg or cut it in half. Rinse off the shells and allow them to dry before continuing.Crystal EggYou can use a hard-boiled egg to make your crystal egg. This results in a heavy egg that can be used as a tabletop decoration.Egg OrnamentUse a pin, awl or Dremel tool to pierce a hole into each end of the egg. Push the pin or an unbent paper clip into the egg to scramble the yolk. Blow into the hole on one end of the egg to remove the egg. If you have trouble, try enlarging the hole. The crystals will grow over the bottom hole, so it isnt critical to have an inconspicuous hole. Make the Crystal Egg This is how I made the egg in the photograph: Pour 1 cup of boiling water into a glass.Stir in 4 tablespoons of alum. Keep stirring until the alum dissolves.If you want colored crystals, add a few drops of food coloring. The eggshell picks up color easily, so a little dye goes a long way.Put the egg in the glass so that it is completely covered by liquid. If you blew out the egg, youll need to submerge the egg until the air bubbles escape or else your egg will float. If you like, you can suspend a hollowed egg using a pipecleaner or string.Allow a few hours for crystal growth. Once you are pleased with the crystals, remove the egg, hang it or set it on a paper towel, and allow it to dry. This egg has large sparkling crystals that show the shape of the alum crystals. If you want alum crystals all over the egg, seed the egg before putting it in the solution by dipping it in alum powder or painting the shell with a mixture of alum and glue. Crystal Egg Recipes Sugar Crystal EggDissolve 3 cups of sugar in 1 cup of boiling water.Borax Crystal EggDissolve 3 tablespoons of borax into 1 cup of boiling or very hot water.Salt Crystal EggThe solubility of table salt or sodium chloride is highly dependent on temperature. Stir salt into boiling water until it stops dissolving. Sometimes it helps to microwave the solution to a rolling boil to get the salt into solution. Its okay if there is some undissolved salt at the bottom of the container. Let it settle out and then pour off the clear portion to use to grow your crystals.Epsom Salt Crystal EggDissolve 1 cup of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) into 1 cup of very hot tap water. More Easter Chemistry Projects Homemade Natural Easter Egg DyesWater Into Wine Chem DemoSugar and String Crystal Easter Egg

Health and biomedical informatics Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health and biomedical informatics - Article Example Administration of Antioxidants such as Vitamin E and Lipoic acid has been used to promote health in health care by eliminating reactive Oxygen and Nitrogen species but it is important to consider the binding properties of synthetic vitamin E. Some synthetic vitamin E does not bind to proteins making it difficult to transfer them across the membrane (Hunter 2008, p. 150). Doctors should therefore consider this aspect when prescribing synthetic vitamin E. The blood brain barrier is a membrane of tightly packed cells that restricts the passage of some substances from the blood to the brain cells while allowing the passage of essential substances required for metabolism. The permeation of the blood brain barrier to a particular drug is of importance during drug administration. For example, fact that antibiotics cannot penetrate the blood brain barrier makes the treatment of medical conditions such as meningitis a problem (Aschenbrenner 2009, p.44). According to Moore (2007, p.21), current approaches are geared towards the use of ADMET within genetic programming to predict the permeablity of the blood brain barrier. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins which are the most essential and abundant molecules in the human body. In human beings there are a total of twenty amino acids and their arrangement within a protein determines the function and nature of the protein. Amino acid therapy is currently being employed to replace drug therapy according to Pfeiifer’s Law. For instance, instead of using antidepressants drugs to increase the action of serotonin the amino acids Tryptophan or Tyrosine can be used to produce the same effects (Braverman 2003, 19). As outlined by Fukamizo (2011, 88), protein analysis can be conducted by a technique such as LC-MS combined with â€Å"database search algorithms.† DNA replication is a process that occurs at the

Descartes Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Descartes - Term Paper Example Essentially, the mind/body problem centers on trying to determine what constitutes 'real' experience. It is clear that the mind can fool the body into thinking it is experiencing something. Examples of this are found in the experiences of people with lost limbs or psychosomatic illness. However, the body can also fool the mind into experiencing something, such as in the case of false scents, misperceptions or vertigo. It is necessary to investigate the theories of Descartes any time one is researching dualism because it was Descartes who first suggested the body and mind could be divided and he who began to define the proper realms of the mind as compared to that of the body. The more these ideas are researched, though, the more they seem to fall apart. Dualism is the result of an attempt by Descartes to bring the discipline of mathematics with its basis on ‘real’ factual knowledge together with the more intangible concepts of thought. His attempt is characterized by a c ategorical rejection of anything that could not be externally proven. This method is now referred to as hyperbolic doubt. Regarding this method, Burnham and Fieser say â€Å"he refused to accept the authority of previous philosophers – but he also refused to accept the obviousness of his own senses. ... en applied to the school of philosophic thought because the formalist paradigm of the Socratic-Platonics denied any possibility of empirical knowledge. â€Å"On this view, sensory experience can inform us only about appearances, about how things seem. Authentic knowledge (episteme), however, must be of reality. The idea of empirical knowledge, that is, experiential knowledge, is thus intrinsically incoherent. The provenance of knowledge proper, that is, knowledge of the eternal and independent Forms, is reason alone. With regard to the world available to us through the senses, the world of appearances, we can aspire only to opinion (doxa)† (Rosenberg). According to the formalist paradigm, then, there is no means by which a mortal human being can access the epistemic knowledge Descartes sought simply because we do not have the appropriate capabilities required to understand what it is we are seeing/experiencing at this level. To accomplish the type of evidence he required, Desc artes applied four basic rules of logic to his process of discovery to use as guides and method. The first rule applied was that he could only accept truths that were 'clearly and distinctly' known to be true. The second rule employed was to reduce problems down to their most common elements. This enabled the philosopher to tackle them each as micro problems which could then contribute to solving the macro. The third rule was to proceed in logical order from the easiest solution to the most difficult so as to reduce the weight of issues being considered. The fourth and final rule was to take a broad view of each individual micro-problem in order to be sure nothing has been missed at the macro level. As Brians comments, â€Å"He calls into question everything that he thinks he has learned through his

Critically evaluate the strategic role of global information systems Essay - 1

Critically evaluate the strategic role of global information systems for organisations and discuss the management issues associa - Essay Example For firms, adoption of information systems requires investment resources such as time and personnel (King, 2009). Organizations in different industries always strive to be market leaders in their respective market segments. Where the business environment consists of inflation, recession and tough operating conditions, businesses opt for strategies aimed at gaining a competitive edge over their competitors (Drucker, &Maciariello, 2008).Among these strategies can be the one that enables adoption of an information system by a firm. The system enables the organization make optimum use of its data, cut down on costs and increases efficiency.Information systems store and analyze data faster and in a more secure manner unlike the outdated manual way of data handling. Hardcopy management of data and records is no longer in use. Today, most companies opt for sophisticated databases that store data in any format, be it text, image or video files, update the data as well analyze the data at the click of a mouse (Drucker, &Maciariello, 2008). Through faster analysis of data, quicker solutions to present and future problems are easily determined. Another role of information systems is that of assisting in the decision making process (King, 2009). Success for an enterprise depends upon the strategic plans a firm adopts. The management of a firm uses management information systems to come up with strategic plans for the continued success of the firm (King, 2009). Information systems also play a role in the development of business processes that aim at adding value to a firm’s operations. Continuous business process remodeling is necessary for enhancing the quality of a firm’s products as well as cost minimization. Global information systems are basically information systems designed for the global market. Global information systems are more developed to cater for specific world markets and attempt to deliver functionality to a firm within the context of the whol e world (Laudon, &Laudon, 2002). With global information systems, focus is on the global setting, in a wider scope largely translating to distributed systems. Software’s for these systems are developed with the concept of global (Laudon, &Laudon, 2002). Design for these systems concern process flow in the systems, architecture as mechanisms for supporting the functions of the system. Information systems are composed are composed of information technology, business applications, development processes of the systems, foundation concepts as well as management challenges (Taylor, 2004). Information technology comprises of hardware software, data, networks and other technologies. System development processes concerns how the systems are developed and implemented. Foundation concepts are about technical and business concepts concerning components and functioning of the system (Sarngadharan&Minimol, 2010). Managerial challenges on information systems on the other hand concern how th e management of functions of information system componentsachieve optimum performance. Management issues in planning for information systems In planning for a global information system, the management team carries out a comprehensive analysis of how the firm’s business operations are conducted. This analysis will determine whether or not adoption of an information system will be of benefit to the firm (Sarngadharan & Minimol, 2010). When a firm operates globally, the scenario in the different markets is almost similar

The Transformation Model of Commnication in Cotrast to Transmission Mo Essay

The Transformation Model of Commnication in Cotrast to Transmission Model - Essay Example Communication takes place when a sender encodes a message and sends it through the communication channel which can be affected by noise or some sort of interferences. When the intended recipient receives and decodes the message then the intended person may or may not provide feedback as a result. The communication process completes once the intended receiver is able to decode or understand the sender’s message (Littlejohn, 2008). The transmission model of communication is a model which is designed for reducing communication to a process of transmitting information. This approach is also known as an informational approach to communication. This model was presented by Shannon and Weaver in 1949 which was discussed in detail by Chandler on one his text (Sudakshina). The transmission model consists of the following five elements: Any noise which interferes with the traveling message is a dysfunctional element which can either be internal or external. Internal noise arises from the receiver’s knowledge, attitudes and beliefs whereas external noise is which comes from other sources. These internal and external noises can strengthen the intended message or in other words, can weaken the intended effect. The alternatives to the transmissive models of communication are transformational or constructive approaches. These perspectives are designed in order to construct a meaningful message by initiators and interpreters rather than just simply transmitting (Werner Joseph Severin, 2001). Transformative Communication is an approach which is a creative communication process in which people are challenged, empowered and inspired to change belief systems and behaviors. All these transformations are done for facing challenges, discover prospects and opportunities in a changing environment. Transformative Communication is used to support daily activities, peace, conflict resolution, empowerment, healing and more. (Swartz, 2008) Transformative Communication was developed by  Marshall Rosenberg with the sole intention of creating peace through speech and communication.